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Bunyan,  John,  1628-1688. 
The  works  of  John  Bunyan 


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WOEKS  OF  JOHN  BUNTAN. 


■n'lTH  AN 


INTRODUCTION  TO  EACH  TREATISE,  NOTES, 


SKETCH  OF  HIS   LIFE,  TIMES,  AND   CONTEMPORARIES. 


VOLUME    SECOND. 


EXPERIMENTAL,  DOCTRINAL,  AND  PRACTICAL, 

EDITED  BY 

GEORGE   OFFOR,  ESQ, 


BLACKIE    AND    SON: 

QUEEN  STREET,  GLASGOW;  SOUTH  COLLEGE  STREET,  EDINBURGH;   AND 


WARWICK  SaUARE,  LONDON. 

MDCCCLV. 


k 


GLASGOW: 

W.  G.  BLACKIE  AND  CO.,  PRINTERS 

VILLAIJELD, 


CONTENTS  OF  THE  SECOND  VOLUME. 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S 
LOVE  ;  or,  The  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,  on 
Eph.  iii.  IS,  19. 

Prefatory  Remarks  by  the  Editor 1 

The  sorely  afflicted  are  comforted  with  the  fore- 
ordination  of  all  things  by  their  heavenly  Father  ; 
the  words,  breadth,  lexgth.  depth,  and  height 
unlimited  to  wonderment.  Fikst,  The  reasons  of 
these  words;  and,  Secoxd,  Their  fulness.  First, 
Breadth,  The  unsearchable  gi-eatness  of  God ;  be- 
yond all  ci'cated  bounds  ;  all  for  the  profit  of  his 
saints ;  breadth  beyond  all  our  sins  ;  the  rage  of 
men  and  of  devils.  Second.  Lexgth,  Further  than 
the  ends  of  the  world ;  God  has  a  long  arm,  to  reach 
backsliders.  Hdrd,  Depth,  Beyond  cur  sinkings  ; 
xmder  all  miry  places  ;  deeper  than  hell.  Fourth, 
Height,  Higher  than  giants  or  walls,  or  fallen 
angels  ;  than  heaven  is  from  the  grave  ;  the  extent 
of  sin  and  misery  man  could  never  get  over,  but  all 

power  is  in  Christ 4 

The  apostle's  prayer  for  the  Ephesiaxs  ix  referexce 
TO  these  words — To  be  able  to  compi'ehend  these 
mercies  ;  mysterious  ;  God  lays  blessings  where  we 
would  not ;  they  are  to  be  discerned ;  difficult  for 
weak  eyes ;  beneiits  of  knowing  God's  power  ;  if  He 
is  our  God,  what  can  we  fear ;  it  begets  holy  rever- 
ence ;  willingness  to  submit ;  shows  the  greatness  of 
the  saints'  treasure  in  heaven  ;  cei"tainty  of  judg- 
ment;  creates  love  of  heaven  10 

Second  part  of  the  text. 

AxD  to  know  the  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth 
knowledge. — First,  Of  the  love  of  Christ.  Second, 
Of  the  exceeding  greatness  of  it.  Tnran,  Of  the 
knowledge  of  it 

First,  Of  the  love  of  Christ. — First,  "Who  Christ  is. 
Second,  What  love  is.  Third,  What  the  love  of 
Clirist  is. — I.  This  made  known  by  his  djnng  for  us. 
— 2.  By  his  improving  of  his  dying  for  us 15 

Secoxd,  Of  the  exceeding  greatness  of  Christ's  love. — 
First,  Tt  passes  the  knowledge  of  "the  wisest  saints. 
Second,  Passeth  the  knowledge  of  all  the  saints. 
Third,  Of  the  saints  in  heaven.  Fourth,  Of  angels. 
— Four  reasons  why  these  riches  are  unsearchable, 
and  that  love  is  such  as  passeth  knowledge 22 

Third,  Of  the  knowledge  of  Chnst's  love — What 
exowledge  op  Christ's  love  is  att.unable  in  this 
WORLD — First,  We  may  know  the  nature  of  it ;  free, 
divine,  heavenly,  everlasting,  incon-uptible  ;  four 
helps  to  this  knowledse.  Second.  We  may  know 
the  degrees  of  it ;  three  things  by  which  we  may 
know  the  degi-ees  of  this  love.  Tiiirdly,  Our  greatest 
attainment  is  to  know  that  it  passeth  knowledge  ; 
the  Christian's  rc^ofto^/i,  <tc 27 

The  Uses — 1.  It  shows  the  good  will  of  God  to  us. — 
2.  It  becomes  us  to  search  into  it. — 3.  To  cast  our- 
selves upon  it. — 4.  Not  to  abuse  it. — 5.  Labour  to 
improve  it. — Five  counsels  35 


OF  ANTICHRIST  AND  HIS  RUIN ;  and  of  the 
Slaying  of  the  Witnesses. 

Prefatory  Remarks  by  the  Editor 41 

Buntan's  premonition  to  the  reader,  on  the  gi'ant  to 


PAGE 

Ezi-a  for  building  the  temple,  free,  large,  no  con- 
straint       42 

Of  Antichrist  ;  a  real  adversary,  and  a  pretended 
friend  ;  contraiy  to  Christ ;  its  description ;   first 

appearance;  I'uin  ;  its  soul  destroyed 45 

Its  ordinances  ;  how  its  body  shall  be  destroyed  ; 
brave  days  when  it  is  dead ;  the  manner  of  its  ruin  ; 
tenth  part  falls  first ;  the  other  nine  parts  fall ;  great 
Babel  falls , 49 

Five  signs  of  the  approach  of  the  downfall  op  anti- 
christ      5S 

The  slaying  of  the  witnesses C6 

The  instruments  to  be  used  to  ruin  antichrist ;  for 
the  bout  and  bout  hammer,  see  page  70  ;  seven 
causes  of  its  ruin 72 

The  application — The  church  will  have  rest ;  The  hor- 
rible wickedness  of  antichrist  a  matter  of  talk;  come 
out  of  her  before  she  is  destroyed ;  go  not  back ;  cry  to 
have  the  time  hastened ;  look  for  it,  and  its  forerunners     79 


THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD,  AND 
ETERNAL  JUDGMENT  ;  or.  The  ti-uth  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  bodies,  both  of  good  and  bad,  at 
the  last  day,  asserted,  and  proved  by  God's  Word  ; 
also,  the  manner  and  order  of  their  coming  forth  of 
their  gi-aves ;  as  also,  with  what  bodies  they  do  arise ; 
together  with  a  discourse  of  the  last  judgment,  and 
the  final  conclusion  of  the  whole  world. 

Advertisement  by  the  Editor 83 

Banyans  Preface 85 

'  There  sliaU  be  a  resun-ection  of  the  dead,  both  of 
the  just  and  unjust.' — Acts  xxiv.  15. 

This  doctrine  can'ied  Paul  through  temptation 
and  affliction,  and  kept  him  separate ;  inquire. 
First,  What  is  meant  by  the  dead.  Second,  What 
is  meant  by  the  resuiTection.  Third,  Why  the 
apostle  doth  here  speak  of  the  resuiTection  of  the 
dead  as  of  a  thing  yet  to  come. 

First,  The  dead,  in  Sci'ipture,  under  a  fivefold 
consideration. — 1.  Dead  by  nature. — 2.  Dead  by 
sin. — 3.  Twice  dead. — 4.  Dead  to  sin. — 5.  Eternal 
death.  Second,  What  is  meant  by  the  resurrection; 
it  is  the  resurrection  of  the  body;  of  the  bodies  both 
of  the  just  and  unjust;  this  promised  to  the  fathers; 
began  to  be  fulfilled  in  the  resuiTection  of  the  body 
of  Christ ;  not,  therefore,  the  new  birth  or  resur- 
rection from  a  state  of  nature  to  one  of  grace. 
Tidrd,  The  resurrection  spoken  of  as  a  thing  yet  to 
come,  not  already  enjoyed  either  by  saints  or  sin- 
ners ;  this  resurrection  spoken  of  bj-  Job  xiv.  12 86 

First,  the  resurrection  of  the  just — First,  Must 
rise,  because  Christ  is  risen.  Second,  Because  the 
body  of  the  saints,  as  well  as  their  soul,  is  the  pur- 
chase of  Christ.  Third.  Because  the  body  is  the 
temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Fourth,  Because  of  the 
similitude  that  must  be  between  the  body  of  Christ 
and  the  bodies  of  the  saints.  Fifth,  Because  the 
body  as  well  as  the  soul  has  been  a  deep  sharer  in 
affiictions  for  the  gospel's  sake.  Sixth,  The  bodies 
of  the  just  must  rise,  else  there  will  be  a  disappoint- 
ment of— 1.  The  will  of  God.— 2.  The  power  of  God. 
—3.  Of  Clu-ist.- 4.  Of  the  just,  already  dead.— 
5.  Of  the  saints  yet  alive. — 6.  Of  the  gi-ace  of  God 


CONTENTS  or  THE  SECOND  VOLUME. 


in  our  souls.  Seventh,  Because  of  the  devilish  and 
satanical  errors  that  would  follow  the  denial  thereof. 
— Seven  reasons  on  this  head  87 

Second,  The  manner  of  the  resurrection  op  the 
JUST — IIow  are  the  dead  raised  up  ?  and  with  what 
body  do  they  come  ?  answered,  First,  By  a  shnilitude 
of  seed.  Second,  Three  more  similitudes. — 1.  Variety 
and  glory  of  flesh. — 2.  Dift'erence  between  heavenly 
and  earthly  bodies. — 3.  Difference  between  the  glory 
and  light  of  the  sun  and  of  the  moon,  and  of  the 
stars.  Third,  More  distinctly  branched  out  in  four 
particulars. — 1.  Raised  in  incorruption. — 2.  liaised 
in  gloiy. — 3.  Raised  in  powei*. — i.  Raised  a  spiritual 
body 91 

Third,  The  judgment  op  the  just — They  must  give 
account  of  all  things  they  have  done  in  the  world, 
whether  they  be  good  or  bad. — First,  Of  all  their 
bad — First,  That  the  wood,  hay,  stubble,  which  they 
may  have  built  on  the  foundation  maybe  consumed. 
Second,  Their  infirmities  will  be  laid  open,  that  their 
love  may  be  heightened.  Second,  Of  all  the  good 
and  holy  actions  and  deeds  they  did  do  in  the  world. 
— First,  Ministers  who  have  sincerely  laboured  in 
word  and  doctrine  shall  be  recompensed.  Second, 
The  more  private  saints  will  be  rewarded  for  their 
labour  of  love  ;  and,  Third,  There  will  be  a  reward 
for  those  afflictions  endured  for  Christ  while  in  the 
world.  Fourth,  A  reward  for  the  more  ])rivate 
works  of  Christianity  97 

Fourth,  The  reward  of  the  just — That  with  which 
they  shall  be  rewarded. — First,  They  that  have 
laboured  most  for  God  here  will  have  the  greatest 
portion  of  God  there.  Second,  All  they  have  done 
for  God,  his  work,  or  ways,  will  be  pi-oclaimed  to 
their  honour.  Third,  They  shall  each  have  the  place 
appointed  for  them  at  the  right  or  left  hand  of  Christ  101 

The  second  part  of  the  text. 

First,  The  resurrection  of  the  wicked — This  pi'ovcd 
and  made  evident. — First,  From  the  very  terms  and 
names  that  the  raised  shall  then  go  under.  Second, 
The  body  of  the  ungodly  must  rise,  because  a  par- 
taker with  the  soul  in  wickedness.  Third,  Tlie 
whole  man  must  be  a  vessel  of  wrath  and  destruc- 
tion. Fourth,  The  forbearance  of  God  to  his  enemies 
doth  clearly  bespeak  a  resurrection  of  the  ungodly. 
Fifth,  The  jireparation  God  hath  made  demonstrates 
that  the  wicked  must  rise. — Five  particulars  on  this 
head.  Sixth,  There  must  be  a  resurrection  of  the 
wicked,  because  of  the  errors  tliat  would  flow  from  a 
denial  thereof. , 104 

Second,  The  manner  of  the  resurrection  op  the 
wicked — First,  They  shall  come  forth  in  their  cor- 
ruption. Second,  It  will  be  a  resurrection  of  dis- 
honour. Third,  They  will  rise  in  weakness  and 
astonishment.  Fourth,  They  shall  rise  mere  lumps 
of  sinful  nature 106 

Third,  The  examination  and  judgme.nt  of  the  wicked 
— The  judgment  set ;  the  books  opened. — First,  The 
book  of  the  creatures.  Second,  The  book  of  God's 
remembrance.  Third,  The  book  of  the  law  ;  three 
witnesses  to  the  transgression  of  the  law — 1.  God. 
— 2.  Conscience. — 3.  The  thoughts  of  the  heart. 
Fourth,  The  book  of  life ;  three  things  by  which  they 
will  be  judged  out  of  this  book 108 

Fourth,  The  sentence  and  punishment  of  the  wicked 
— Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed  ;  this  word,  depart, 
looks  two  ways  ;  depart  from  heaven,  depart  to  hell ; 
these  shall  go  away  ;  the  end  now  come  ;  the  end  of 
the  reign  of  death  ;  God,  Christ,  the  saint,  and  the 
sinner  in  their  proper  place ;  a  brief  touch  on  the 
state  of  the  good  and  bad  after  this  eternal  judgment  125 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED  ACCORD- 
ING TO  THE  SCRIPTURES;  or.  The  divine 
and  human  nature  of  Christ  Jesus  ;  his  coming  into 


TAOr, 

the  world ;   his  righteousness,  death,  resurrection, 
ascension,  intercession,  and  second  coming  to  judg- 
ment, plainly  demonstrated  and  proved. 
Editor  s  Advertisement 129 

The  author  to  the  reader  on  true  faith  ;  to  guard 
against  the  wicked  delusions  of  the  day;  recom- 
mendation by  John  Burton 132 

First,  Christ  ordained  before  the  world  began ;  dis- 
covered to  Adam,  Noah,  Abraham,  David 141 

Second,  He  that  was  of  the  Virgin  is  the  Saviour ; 
errors  confuted  143 

First,  Christ  is  very  God,  co-equal,  co-eternal 
v.-ith  the  Father;  giveth  the  light  of  conscience ;  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  convinceth  of  sin 148 

Second,  By  Christ  the  world  was  made 151 

Third,  God  our  Saviour ;  made  under  the  law  ; 
fulfilled  the  law  in  the  flesh  ;  laid  down  his  life  for 
us  ;  his  burial  proved  ;  his  resurrection  ;  his  ascen- 
sion, in  eight  considerations  ;  his  intercession 155 

Christ  the  judge  of  quick  and  dead;  nine  signs  of 
his  second  coming  ;  the  manner  of  his  coming  ;  what 
shall  then  be  done 162 

Four  characters  that  will  find  no  favour ;  the 
righteous  will  shine ;  seven  proois  of  the  new  birth ; 
eight  examinations  165 

Five  advantages  of  faith  ;  six  admonitions  ;  objec- 
tions answered ;  four  modes  of  trying  the  spirits ; 
seven  questions  to  those  possessed  with  a  spirit  of 
delusion 168 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS 
OPENED  ACCORDING  TO  THE  SCRIP- 
TURES ;  Edward  Burroughs  confuted  by  the  Word 
of  God  ;  preface  ;  distinction  between  Christ  within 
and  Christ  without ;  reasons  for  errors  ;  five  proofs 
that  Jesus  did  appear  in  the  world  as  the  Christ  of 
God;  the  witness  of  Richard  Spencely,  John  Burton, 
and  John  Child 177 

Heresies  set  forth  the  truth  in  its  lustre ;  Bur- 
roughs a  railing  Rabshakeh  ;  the  sura  of  the  gospel 
truths ;  opinions  of  the  Ranters  and  some  early 
Quakers  ;  the  law  good  if  used  lawfully 181 

Christ  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness ;  the 
work  of  the  Spirit  essential  to  faith  ;  conscience  may 
convince  of  sin,  but  it  leadeth  not  to  Christ ;  the 
devil's  counterfeits  ;  Christ  revealed  to  the  soul  is 
not  his  second  coming 188 

The  author  poor  ;  working  with  his  hands  ;  did 
not  make  merchandise  of  souls  ;  the  author's  queries 
and  Quaker's  answei-s ;  the  Quaker's  queries  and 
author's  answers 200 

BuiToughs'  doctrines  false;  why  Satan  is  permitted 
to  delude  ;  those  who  are  not  deluded  called  upon  to 
bless  God 211 


A  DISCOURSE  UPON  THE  PHARISEE  AND 
THE  PUBLICAN;  wherein  is  handled  these  great 
and  weighty  things  ;  the  nature  of  prayer  ;  of  obe- 
dience to  the  law  ;  how  far  it  obliges  Christians,  and 
wherein  it  consists. 

Advertisement  by  the  Editor 215 

Bunyan  to  the  Reader 21(i 

The  discourse  on  Luke  xviii.  10-13  ;  the  reason 
of  the  parable,  like  that  of  the  unjust  judge,  was  to 
this  end,  that  men  ought  always  to  pray  ;  we  must, 

First,  Consider  the  persons  in  the  text — Two;  both 
sinners ;  one  a  pharisee,  the  other  a  publican  ;  both 
went  up  to  the  temple  to  pray  ;  picked  men ;  a 
Pharisee,  in  esteem  ;  a  Publican,  counted  vile ;  he 
was  a  Jew  and  a  notorious  sinner  ;  the  Phai-isee  was 
a  Jew,  and  notorioas  as  a  saint ;  the  conditions  they 
wei'e  in  shown  by  their  prayers 217 

The  Pharisee's  pr.\ter — 1.  What  he  is  not. — 2.  What 
he  is  ;  negative  and  positive  holiness  required  ;  both 
imperfect ;  his  manner  of  delivery 222 


CONTENTS  OF  THE  SECOND  VOLUME. 


His  righteousness  rejected;  lie  asks  justice  and 
not  mercy  ;  he  asks  for  what  he  thinlis  God  oweth 
him ;  the  hvpocrite  pretends  for  mercy,  but  means 
for  merit....". 229 

The  Pharisee  seeth  no  need  of  mercy;  what  a  fool's 
paradise;  his  whole  righteousness,  sinful  237 

The  godly  are  afraid  of  their  own  righteousness  ; 
the  Pharisee  ignorant  that  he  must  be  made  righteous 
beiore  he  can  work  righteousness 242 

What  is  a  Christian's  righteousness  to  justilica- 
tion  and  sanctification 2-16 

They  were  sinners,  and  are  made  righteous  256 

The  Publican's  prayer — He  crawls  into  the  temple  ; 
liis  words  are  heavier  than  the  earth  ;  his  confession  ; 
the  highest  wisdom 258 

Seven  things  needful  to  right  confession  ;  a  hard 
duty;  seven  reasons  for  it 261 

His  imploring  of  mercy ;  he  falleth  under  the 
sentence ;  his  gestures,  afar  off,  leaving  room  for  his 
advocate  to  come  between  ;  looking  down ;  smiting 
his  breast,  a  token  of  sorrow  and  abhorrence ;  a 

quan-el  with  his  heart 265 

TuE  Conclusion — 1.  A  praying  man  outstrips  a  non- 
praying  one,  as  a  star  does  a  clod  ;  but  all  praying 
men  know  not  God. — 2.  He  who  pleads  his  own  good 
deeds  is  in  a  miserable  state. — 3.  High  flaunting 
language  is  not  prayer. — 4.  Outward  reforms  do  not 
justif\\ — 5.  The  self-abhorring  sinner's  pravers  pre- 
vail..'.  ". 276 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTI- 
FICATION BY  FAITH  IN  JESUS  CHRIST; 

showing,  that  true  gospel  holiness  flows  from  thence  ; 
or,  Mr.   Fowler's  pretended  design  of  Christianity 
proved  to  be  nothing  more  than  to  trample  under 
foot  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God. 
Editor's  Advertisement  278 

A  premonition  to  the  reader  ;  Fowler's  doctrines 
described  in  forty  particulars  ;  from  prison  the  27th 
of  12th  month,  1671  280 

Mr.  Fowler  exposeth  the  rottenness  of  his  heart ; 
his  design ;  to  justify  what  he  calls  inward  righteous- 
ness and  holiness — 1st,  Its  nature,  a  sound  com- 
plexion of  soul ;  purity  of  nature,  an  original  dictate 
of  nature;  these  things  argued  and  answered 281 

Motives,  becoming  and  just ;  a  Christian  acts 
from  better  motives  ;  things  essential  to  holiness — 
1.  The  Holy  Ghost.— 2.  Faith  in  Christ.— 3.  A  new 
heart 283 

Mr.  Fowler's  design  of  Christianity,  to  reproduce 
man's  original  righteousness,  confuted  ;  his  errors 
routed 291 

Fowler's  false  quotations  of  Scripture 297 

Our  Lord's  olject,  not  to  restore  our  natural  holi- 
ness, but  to  impart  his  infinite  and  eternal  holiness 
to  believers 300 

Man  in  wretched  uncertainty,  if  he  had  no  better 
than  Adam's  holiness  ;  Christ  a  new  and  spiritual 
light 307 

Living  faith  in  imputed  righteousness  essential  to 
salvation 314 

The  Bible  the  only  standard  of  truth ;  the  Chris- 
tian's great  principles 318 

The  scandalous  lives  and  foolish  doctrines  of  state 
priests,  not  the  true  gi'ound  of  dissent ;  a  compliant 
temper  dangerous 323 

Good  habits  and  holy  frames  not  sufl5cient 327 

Fowler's  false  and  dangerous  conclusions,  compared 
with  the  Articles,  with  Campian  the  Jesuit,  and  with 
Penn  the  Quaker 331 


PtEPROBATION  ASSERTED  :  or,  The  doctrine 
of  eternal  election  and  i-eprobation  promiscuously 
handled ;  wherein  the  most  material  objections  made 
by  the  opposers  of  this  doctrine  are  fullv  answered. 


V.ICE 

several  doubts  removed,  and  sundry  cases  of  con- 
science resolved. 

'  AVhat  then  ?  Israel  hath  not  obtained  that  which 
he  seeketh  for ;  but  the  election  hath  obtained  it, 
and  the  rest  were  blinded.' — Rom.  xi.  6. 

Editw's  Advertisement 335 

Chap.  I.  That  there  is  a  reprobation 336 

II.  What  reprobation  is 337 

TIL  Of  the  antiquity  of  reprobation 338 

IV.  Of  the  causes  of  reprobation 339 

V.  Of  the  unchangeableness  of  reprobation 341 

VI.  Whether  to  be  reprobated  be  the  same  with 
being  appointed  beforehand  unto  eternal  condem- 
nation ?  If  not,  how  do  they  differ  ?  Also, 
whether  reprobation  be  the  cause  of  condemnation  342 

VII.  Whether  any,  under  eternal  reprobation,  have 
just  cause  to  quaiTcl  with  God  for  not  electing  of 
them 345 

VIII.  Whether  eternal  reprobation  in  itself,  or  in  its 
doctrine,  be,  in  very  deed,  a  liinderance  to  any 
man  in  seeking  the  salvation  of  his  soul 346 

IX.  Whether  God  would,  in  deed  and  in  truth,  that 
the  gospel  with  the  grace  thereof,  should  be  ten- 
dered to  those  that  yet  he  hath  bound  up  under 
eternal  reprobation  ?    Answered  in  the  affinnative  348 

X.  Seeing  then  that  the  grace  of  God  in  the  gospel 
is  by  that  to  be  proffered  to  sinners,  as  sinners, 
as  well  to  the  reprobate  as  to  the  elect,  is  it  pos- 
sible for  those  who  indeed  are  not  elect,  to  receive 

it,  and  be  saved  ?     Answered  in  the  negative 349 

XI.  Seeing  that  it  is  not  possible  that  the  reprobate 
should  receive  this  grace  and  live  ;  and  also,  seeing 
this  is  infallibly  foreseen  of  God  ;  and  again,  seeing 
God  hath  fore-determined  to  suffer  it  so  to  be, 
why  doth  he  yet  will  and  command  that  the 
gospel,  and  so  grace  in  the  general  tenders  thereof, 
should  be  proffered  unto  them  ?  Answered  and 
cleared  by  five  rejisons,  and  the  removing  three 
objections 352 


QUESTIONS  ABOUT  THE  NATURE  AND 
PERPETUITY  OF  THE  SEVENTH-DAY 
SABBATH;  and  proof  that  the  fii'st  day  of  the 
week  is  the  Christian  Sabbath. 

'  The  Son  of  man  is  Lord  also  of  the  Sabbath-day.' 

Editor's  Advertisement 359 

Bunyan's  Preface  to  the  reader 361 

Question  I.  Whether  the  seventh-day  Sabbath  is  of, 
or  made  known  to  man  by,  the  law  and  light  of 
nature? 362 

Question  II.  Whether  the  seventh-day  Sabbath,  as  to 
man's  keeping  of  it  holy,  was  ever  made  known  to, 
or  imposed  by  a  positive  precejrt  upon  him,  until  the 
time  of  Moses,  which  from  Adam  was  about  two 
thousand  years? 363 

Question  III.  Whether,  when  the  seventh-day  Sabbath 
was  given  to  Israel  in  the  wilderness,  the  Gentiles, 
as  such,  were  concerned  therein? 365 

Question  IV.  Whether  the  seventh-day  Sabbath  did 
not  fall,  as  such,  with  the  rest  of  the  Jewish  rites 
and  ceremonies  ?  Or,  Whether  that  day,  as  a  Sab- 
bath, was  afterwards  by  the  apostles  imposed  upon 
the  churches  of  the  Gentiles? 367 

Question  V.  Since  it  is  denied  that  the  seventh-day 
Sabbath  is  [a]  moral  [obligation],  and  it  is  found  that 
it  is  not  to  abide,  as  a  Sabbath,  for  ever  in  the 
church.  What  time  is  to  be  fixed  on  for  New  Testa- 
ment saints  to  perform  together  Divine  worship  tc 
God  by  Christ  in? 371 


OF  THE  TRINITY  AND  A  CHRISTIAN. 

How  a  young  or  shaken  Christian  should  demean 
himself  under  the  weighty  thoughts  of  the  doctrine 
of  the  trinity,  or  plurality  of  persons  in  the  eternal 
Godhead. 


CONTENTS  OF  THE  SECOND  VOLUJVIE. 


I.  Keep  close  to  tlie  Word  of  God.  II.  Christ 
requiretli  you  to  credit  even'  doctrine  contained  in 
tlie  Word .' 386 


OF  THE  LAW  AND  A  CHRISTIAN. 

Tlie  Christian  released  from  the  law  as  it  thun- 
deretli  from  Sinai,  l)y  faith  in  Christ,  yet  we  must 
obey  it  in  love  as  holy,  just,  and  good 387 


SCRIPTUR.VL  POE^IS:  being  several  portions  of 

Scripture  digested  into  English  verse. 

A'lvertist'mcnt  by  the  Editor 3S9 

The  Author  to  the  Reader,  a  poetical  preface 300 

The  Book  of  Rurn,  Four  chapters.  390 

The  IIisTOitT  OF  Samson,  from  Judges,  chapters  xiii., 

xiv.,  XV.,  xvi 393 

Christ's  Strmox  ox  the  Mount,  from  Matt.,  chapters 

T.,  vi.,  and  vii 396 

The  Prophecy  of  Joxah,  Four  chaptei^s 398 

The  Life  of  Joseph,  taken  out  of  the  latter  part  of 

Genesis,  chapters  xxxvii.  to  1 400 

The  General  Epistle  of  James,  Five  chapters 410 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN 
CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS,  and  part  of  the 
Eleventh.  An  unfinished  commentary,  found  among 
the  author's  papers  after  his  death. 

Advertisement  by  the  Editor 413 

It  is  evidently  the  result  of  long  and  earnest  study 
of  the  Holy  Scrijjtures.  It  contains  the  history  of 
the  creation  ;  the  f;ill  of  man;  the  fii-st  murder;  the 
deluge  explained  and  spiritualized ;  it  exhibits 
throughout,  that  pious  penetration  which  so  reniark- 
aljly  characterized  the  author ;  all  drawn  from  the 
holy  oracles ;  among  many  extraordinary  ideas  is 
thi".  That  it  was  the  interference  of  the  state  with 
mattere  of  faith  and  worship,  that  occasioned  the 
deluge,  and  has  been  since  that  time  a  fruitful  source 
of  niiserv 414 


A  HOLT  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CIIRIS- 
TI.VNITY  :  or,  An  exhortation  to  Christians  to  be 
holy. 

'  Holiness  becometh  thine  house,  0  Lord,  for  ever.* 
— P.-al.  xciii.  6. 

Editor's  Advertisement 502 

Bunyan's  introduction  ;  faith  invisible,  seen  only  in  its 
fruits  ;  it  is  evidenced  by  good  works  ;  good  works 
that  cost  nothing  are  not  to  be  counted ;    gross 

immorality  prevailing  in  his  time 507 

'  And  let  every  one  that  nameth  the  name  of 
Christ  depart  from  iniquity.' — 2  Tim.  ii.  19. 

God  clcctcth  his,  not  only  to  eternal  glorj',  but  to 
holiness  of  life  ;  a  moans  thereto 508 

First,  ExnonTATiox — That  men  depart  from  ixiquitt. 

First,  Because  iniquity  is  a  dangerous  and  hurtful 
thing  to  men  in  general— \.  It  hath  stupified  and 
l»c9otted  men's  souls.— 2.  It  has  blinded  and  darkened 
the  powei-s  of  the  soul.— 3.  It  has  hardened  the  heart 
against  God.— 4.  It  has  alienated  tlie  will,  the  mind, 
and  affections.— .5.  It  has  made  man  odious  in  God's 
eyes. — C.  It  so  holds  him  and  binds  him  that  he 
cannot  deliver  himself;  nor  yet  can  the  angels  of 
heaven.— 7.  It  makes  him  take  delight  in  that  way 
to  hell  in  which  he  walketh 

Second,  Iniquity  is  dangerous  not  only  to  the  souls 
of  men  in  general,  but  to  them  that  name  the  name 
of  Christ. — 1.  It  plucks  many  a  one  of  them  from 
Christ,  and  a  religioas  profession  of  him. — 2.  It 
keeps  many  a  one  from  an  effoctual  closing  with  him. 
— 0.  And  even  of  those  who  have  come  to  him,  have 
efTectuaUy  closed  with  him,  and  named  his  name  to 


TAGE 

good  purjiose,  yet  iniquity  hath  hurt  and  abused 
many  of  them 512 

Second,   The   extension   of   the   Exhortation — To 

EVERT  one  that  KAMETH  THE  NAME  OP  ChRIST. 

Seven  reasons  on  this 513 

Observation  First — That  it  is  incident  to  men  to 
name  the  name  of  Christ  religiously,  that  is,  rightly 
as  to  words  and  notions,  and  not  to  depart  from 

iniquity 514 

First,  What  Paul  should  mean  when  he  bids  them 
that  name  the  name  of  Christ,  depart  from  iniquity 
— First,  Take  off  their  oninds  and  affections  there- 
from. Second,  Depart  from  the  occasions  of  it. 
Third,  Depart  from  those  examples  tending  thereto. 
Fourth,  Depart  from  enticings  to  iniquity.     Nine 

things  to  remember  on  this  head 515 

Second,  Why  some,  that  as  to  words  rightly  name 
the  name  of  Christ,  do  not  depart  from  iniquity — 
First,  Some  profess  him,  yet  have  not  saving  faith 
in  him,  nor  yet  received  grace  from  him — 1.  They 
want  faith. — 2.  They  want  repentance. — 3.  They 
want  love. — 4.  They  want  hope.  Second,  Though 
they  rest  not  in  bare  notions,  they  take  up  short  of 
the  saving  grace  of  God  ;  two  reasons  of  this,  and 
three  causes  of  falling  away.  Third,  Grace  is  weak 
and  corruption  strong;  various  reasons  on  this  head; 
a  twofold  departing  from  iniquity  illustrated 51S 

Observation  Second — That  every  one  that  in  the  way 
of  profession  and  religion  names  the  name  of  Christ, 
shoidd  depart  from  iniquity  ;  arguments,  four  sorts 
— First,  Arguments  that  respect  Christ ;  nine  argu- 
ments. Second,  Arguments  that  respect  God  the 
Father  ;  six  arguments  on  this  head.  Third,  Those 
arguments  that  respect  thyself ;  two  reasons. 
Fourth,  Arguments  that  respect  the  world  ;  two 
reasons 52G 

What  iniquiit  thet  must  depart  from  that  religiously 
name  the  name  of  Christ — First,  From  all  iniquity. 
Second,  From  their  constitution  sin.  lliird. 
From  the  iniquity  of  the  times.  Fourth,  From 
FAMILY  INIQUITY.  Fifth,  From  the  iniquity  of  their 
closet.  Sixth,  From  the  iniquity  that  cleaveth 
TO  OPINIONS.  Seventh,  From  hypocrisies  ;  helps 
against  this  sin 531 

Use  and  Application — Use  First,  Examine  thyself; 
take  heed  of  Satan's  flattery ;  dangers  of  neglect ; 
nettles  and  thorns  will  arise  and  scratch  thee  ;  God 
will  put  a  sting  into  them;  Christ  will  deny  you....  540 

Use  Second,  A  use  of  terror  and  alarm 542 

Use  Third,  To  those  that  desire  to  depart  from 
iniquity ;    bless  God  for  grace  in  your  heart ;    be 

watchful;  be  not  ashamed  of  being  singular 544 

Why  do  men  name  Christ  that  love  not  to  depart 
from  iniquity  ;  five  reasons 547 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR :  being  the  fruits  of 
true  Christianity ;  teaching  husbands,  wives,  parents, 
children,  masters,  and  servants,  how  to  walk  so  as 
to  please  God. 

Advertisement  by  the  Editor 548 

Tlie  Author  to  the  Reader.  Those  that  are  justified 
by  grace,  must  justify  that  gi-ace  before  the  worid 

which  justifies  them  before  God 549 

'  That  they  which  have  believed  in  God  might  be 
careful  to  maintain  good  works.' — Tit.  iii.  7,  S. 

I.  Good  works  flow  from  faith ;  there  is  no  other  source ; 
faith  only  represents  things  in  their  right  colours  ...  550 

II.  Every  true  believer  careful  of  good  works,  in  doc- 
trine and  in  worship,  in  the  family,  in  the  church  ; 

the  husband,  children,  servants,  wife,  neighbours 5o& 

Sins  which  Interfere  with  these  duties ;  covetous- 
ness,  pride,  uncleanness g66 

III.  The  believer  must  maintain  good  works 570 

IV.  The  best  way  of  provoking  to  good  worfc;  the 
fruitless  mast  be  disappointed  ;  the  conclusion 570 


CONTENTS  OF  THE  SECOND  VOLITME. 


vu 


A     CAUTION     TO     STIR    UP    TO     WATCH 

AGAINST    SIN:    A  Poem. 

Advertisement  hy  the  Editor., 575 

Beware  of  pst  sins  ;  sin  a  bold  and  impudent 

beoo-ar;  the  worm  of  hell ;  not  to  be  mocked 575 


A  DISCOURSE  OF  THE  BUILDING,  NA- 
TURE, EXCELLENCY,  AND  GOVERNMENT 
OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD,  with  counsels  and 
directions  to  the  inhabitants  thereof ;  A  Poem. 

'  Lord,  I  have  loved  the  habitation  of  thy  house.' 
— Ps.  xxvi.  8. 

Advertisement  by  tlie  Editor 577 

The  church  the  house  of  God  ;  by  whom  built ; 
its  beauty,  conveniences,   strength,   and   defence  ; 

delicately  situated SvS 

Its  inmates,  and  how  they  are  received 579 

The  governors  of  this  house,  and  under  officers....  580 
Order  and  manner  of  the  government ;  punishment 

of  what  is  amiss 5S3 

Care  to  restore  runaways  or  backsliders 589 

'  Turn.  agai7i,  sinner,  do  not  make  a  doubt; 
Come,  the  Lord  Jesus  will  not  cast  thee  out.' 


BUNTAN  ON  THE  TERMS  OF  COjMjMUNION, 
AND  FELLOAVSHIP  OF  CHRISTIANS,  AT 
THE  TABLE  OF  THE  LORD  ;  comprising,  I. 

His  CONFESSION  OF  FAITH,  AND  REASON  OP  HIS  PRACTICE. 

II.  Differences  about  water  baptism  no  bar  to  com- 
munion ;  and  III.  Peaceable  principles  and  true. 
Advertisement  by  the  Editor 591 

I.— A  CONFESSION  OF  MY  FAITH,  AND  A 
REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE  ;  or.  With  who, 
and  who  not,  I  can  hold  church-fellowship,  or  the 
communion  of  saints.  Showing,  by  divers  arguments, 
that  though  I  dare  not  communicate  with  the  openly 
profane,  yet  I  can  with  those  visible  saints  that  differ 
about  water  baptism. 

Bunyan's  Preface  ;  he  had  been  imprisoned  almost 
twelve  years,  and  sentenced  to  be  banished  or  hanged 
for  not  going  to  common  prayer  ;  will  persevere  till 
the  moss  grows  on  his  eyebrows,  rather  than  violate 
his  faith  or  conscience 593 

His  belief  in  God,  in  the  Trinity,  a  world  to 
come,  Christ  the  Saviour,  God  manifest  in  the  flesh  594. 

Of  justification,  election,  calling,  faith,  repentance, 
love,  the  Scriptures,  magistrates 597 

A  reason  of  my  practice  in  worship G02 

A  short  application, 615 

II.— DIFFERENCES  IN  JUDGMENT  ABOUT 
WATER  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COM- 
MUNION; being  an  answer  to  Messrs.  Paul,  Kif- 
fin,  and  D'Anvers'  Reply  to  Mr.  Bunyan's  confession. 

Water  baptism  not  an  initiating  ordinance G18 

Baptism  of  the  Spirit  the  great  baptism. 024 

Water  baptism  is  not  regeneration ;  Christ  was 
not  regenerated  by  it ;  the  want  of  it  does  not  un- 
christianize  us ;  edification  greater  than  water 
baptism ;  infant  baptism  a  sin ;  fourteen  arguments 

answered... 626 

Mr.  H,  Jesse's  judgment 642 

III.— PEACEABLE  PRINCIPLES  AND  TRUE  ; 
A  brief  answer  to  the  short  Reply  of  Mr.  D'Anvers 
and  Mr.  Paul  to  the  Confession  and  Differences  in 
judgment  about  baptism  no  bar  to  communion 648 


ON  THE  LOVE  OF  CHRIST:  A  short  Poem 657 


A     CASE     OF     CONSCIENCE     RESOLVED  ; 

whether  in  the  church  it  is  the  duty  of  women 


PAGE 

to  separate  themselves,  and  worship  without  their 
men. 
Editor's  Advertisement 658 

The  dedication  to  godly  women 659 

The  case  stated ;  Mr.  K.'s  arguments  for  female 
prayer  meetings ;  Mr.  Bunyan's  answer,  denying 
the  right  or  propriety  of  such  separate  stated  assem- 
bling for  Divine  worship 660 

Objections  as  to  Mii'iam ;  Esther;  Zee.  xii.  11, 
13;  Ac.  xvi.  13;  Mai.  iii.  16  ;  the  'two  or  three,' 
Mat.  xviii.  20,  considered  and  answered 666 

Six  cautions  ;  application „ 671 


JOHN  BUNYAN'S  CATECHISM,  called  IN- 
STRUCTION FOR  THE  IGNORANT;  being 
a  salve  to  cure  that  gi-eat  want  of  knowledge  which 
so  much  reigns  both  in  young  and  old.  Presented  in 
a  plain  dialogue,  fitted  to  the  capacity  of  the  weakest. 
'  My  people  are  destroyed  for  lack  of  knowledge.' 
—Ho.  iv.  6. 

Advertisement  by  the  Editor 675 

Dedication  to  the  Church  of  Christ  in  and  about 

Bedford 675 

Objects  of  faith,  or,  what  we  must  believe 676 

Confession  of  sin  ;  belief  in  the  Word  ;  prayer  ; 
self-denial ;  the  conclusion , 681 


SEASONABLE  COUNSEL;  or.  Advice  to  Sufferers, 

from  1  Pe.  iv.  19. 
Advertisement  by  the  Editor 691 

Bunyan's  address  to  the  Christian  reader,  showing 
that  we  need  those  bitter  pills  that  make  us  wince 
and  shuck 692 

'  Wherefore  let  them  that  suffer  according  to 
the  will  of  God  commit  the  keejnng  of  their  soul 
to  him  in  well-doing,  as  unto  a  faithful  Creator.' — 
1  Pe.  iv.  19. 

Peter  writing  to  afflicted  believers,  gives,  I.  A 
direction  to  a  duty  of  absolute  necessity.  II.  A 
description  of  the  pei'sons  to  whom  this  duty  is 
directed.  III.  The  good  effect  of  following  this 
blessed  advice 

I.  Inquire  what  is  meant  by  '  the  soul ;'  how  to  be  com- 
mitted to  Goil. — 1.  Persecution  is  intended  to  ruin 
the  soul. — 2.  Be  not  negligent. — 3.  Persecution  some- 
times so  hot  as  to  leave  them  nothing  but  a  soul  to 
care  for. — 4.  The  devil  and  wicked  men  cannot  touch 
the  soul. — 5.  Only  safe  in  God's  keeping. — 6.  God  is 
willing  to  keep  our  souls. — 7.  God  is  able. — 8.  The 
reason  of  the  exhortation 695 

II.  Who  it  is  that  are  directed  to  commit  their  souls 
to  God's  keeping, — 1.  They  who  suffer  according  to 
His  will,  his  law  ;  what  it  is  thus  to  suffer  ;  cautions 
and  directions  to  sufferers 704 

Christians  may  suffer  for  righteousness  ;  the  call 

to  suffer 709 

The  will  of  God  means  his  designment 722 

III.  The  good  efl'ect  of  committing  the  soul  to  God. — 

1.  He  is  a  creator. — 2.  Faithful. 727 

Some  closing  words ;  Christ  alone  can  save  us  from 
allurements,  and  in  sore  temptations  ;  will  you  bring 
your  wife  and  children  to  beggary  for  religion  ;  he 
will  make  a  way  for  escape  ;  he  will  support  us  in 
the  blasts  and  battering  storms  that  beat  upon  us  ; 

the  soul  shall  not  be  destroyed 733 

Uses — 1.  The  people  of  God  are  sufferers  for  their 
religion. — 2.  Seek  grace  to  prepare  for  suffering. — 
3.  Religion  is  none  the  worse  for  the  world's  coarse 
entertainment. — 4.  Suffering  for  religion  a  token  of 
God's  love. — 5.  Take  it  with  meekness. — 6.  God  is 
all-sufficient. — 7.  The  grave  the  only  bound  of  suffer- 
ing.— S.  If  the  enemy  wrap  thee  in  a  bear's  skin,  and 
set  the  dogs  at  thee,  no  marvel. — 9.  Study  to  be        , 

quiet 736 

Seven  considerations  for  an  unquiet  professor 733 


CONTENTS   or  THE  SECOND  VOLTBIE. 


43 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  PEACE  AND  UNITY.  ^^ 

AdveHisemeiU  by  the  Editor   :;•  •I-VraVniriVVn  ' 

•  Endeavouring  to  keep  the  unity  ot  the  Spiut  in 
the  bond  of  peace.'— Eu.  iv.  3 

BUNYANS  LAST  SERMON. 

'  Whirh  were  born ,  not  of  blood .  nor  of  the^ill  ot 
the  flesh  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God.  — 
Jn.  i.  13. 


55 


The  text  explained  ;  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will 

"^  m^dtitrine V"they  are'bom  to'see'and  believe  ; 
before  birth  thev  are  in  darkness  ;  the  signs  ot  lite  ; 
new-born  babe  must  be  fed.comforted ;  has  its  fa  her  s 
likeness;  trained  up  ;  dependence  upon  its  fa.her...  75b 

The  application;  am  I  bom  of  God?  risen  with 
Christ «  if  so,  live  lovingly  with  your  brethren;  gird 
ui)  the  loins  of  your  mind;  be  obedient  to  the  holy  ^_^ 
God  whom  you  hope  is  your  Father o« 


(DIEATE  DM   ME  A  ©LEAN    GflEAC^T,®  ©( 


Psalm  LI.  10. 


BLACmi   i    SON,    GLASGOW,   JiUMBURGH    t  LOKDON. 


t=> 


2 


immir*mKl.-»J<munii'Lf^wmmK 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE; 


OE, 


THE  UNSEAKCHABLE  EICHES  OF  CHRIST. 


By  JOHN    BUNYAN. 


PHEFATOKY  REMAEKS  BY  THE  EDITOK. 


Tins  Treatise  is  one  of  those  ten  distinct  works, 
which  the  author  had  prepared  for  the  press,  when 
lie  was  so  suddenly  summoned  to  the  Celestial  City. 
Well  did  his  friends  in  the  ministry,  Ehenezer 
Chandler  and  John  Wilson,  call  it  *  an  excellent 
manuscript,  calculated  to  assist  the  Christian  that 
would  grow  in  grace,  and  to  win  others  over  to 
Jesus  Christ.' 

It  was  first  puhlished,  w^ith  a  selection  of  Bun- 
yan's  Works  m  a  foHo  volume,  in  1692,  ahout  four 
years  after  the  author's  decease;  and  although  it 
is  a  treatise  exhibiting  very  deep  research  and 
calculated  for  extensive  usefidness,  it  does  not  ap- 
pear ever  to  have  heen  puhlished  as  a  separate 
volume.  Like  all  other  of  his  works,  it  is  originol; 
no  one  hefore  him  treated  this  subject  with  such 
profound  depth  of  thought,  nor  Avith  such  clear 
Christian  philosophy. 

The  revered  John  Bunyan  proves  in  this,  as  in 
all  other  of  his  works,  that  he  was  a  real  and  not 
a  pretended  descendant  from  the  apostles, — he 
breathes  their  spirit — ^lie  knew  his  Master's  work, 
and  faithfully  discharged  his  solemn  requirements. 
His  object  was  as  pm-e  as  it  was  apparent;  to 
preach  not  himself,  but  Christ  Jesus  his  Lord. 
One  desire  appears  to  have  influenced  him  in 
writing  all  his  Avorks — that  of  shrinking  back  and 
hiding  himself  behind  his  Master,  Avhile  exhibiting 
the  unsearchable.  Divine,  eternal  riches  of  His 
grace. 

This  treatise  is  admirably  adapted  to  warn  the 
thoughtless — ^break  the  stony  heart — convince  the 
wavering — cherish  the  young  inquirer — strengthen 
the  saint  in  his  pilgrimage,  and  arm  him  for  the 
good  fight  of  faith — and  comfort  the  dejected, 
doubting,  despairing  Christian.  It  abounds  with 
ardent  sympathy  for  the  broken-hearted,  a  corchal 
suited  to  every  wounded  conscience;  while,  at  the 
same  time,  it  thunders  in  av/ful  judgment  upon  the 
impenitent  and  the  hypocritical  professor:  won- 
ders of  grace  to  God  belong,  for  all  these  blessings 
form  but  a  small  part  of  the  unsearchable  riches. 

VOL.  II. 


The  reader  should  keep  in  his  recollection,  that 
this  treatise  was  originally  conceived  for  the  pul- 
pit; and  afterwards,  probably  with  great  additions, 
written  for  the  press.  This  will  account  for  the 
divisions  and  sub-divisions,  intended  to  assist  a 
hearer's  memory;  or  to  enable  a  ready  writer,  by 
taking  notes  of  each  part,  to  digest  prayerfully  in 
private,  what  he  had  heard  in  the  public  ministry 
of  the  word, — a  practice  productive  of  great  good 
to  individuals,  and  by  which  families  may  be  much 
profited  while  conversing  upon  the  truths  publicly 
taught  in  the  church ;  instead  of  what  Bunj^an 
would  have  justly  called,  frothy  conversation  about 
the  dress  or  appearances  of  their  fellow-worshippers. 

This  discourse  has  been  published  in  every  edi- 
tion of  the  works  of  our  great  author,  but,  most 
strangely,  the  references  to  Scripture  are  omitted 
in  aU  the  editions  since  that  of  1737.  Bunyan's 
anxiety  at  every  step  of  this  momentous  inquiry 
is  to  shew  a  '  thus  saith  the  Lord, '  in  proof  of 
every  assertion.  In  this  treatise  only,  there  are 
nearly  foiir  hundred  and  forty  distinct  references 
to  the  holy  oracles.  These  are  all  carefully  re- 
stored, and  have  been  collated  with  the  standard 
text,  for  want  of  which  some  imperfections  had 
crept  in,  even  to  the  old  editions;  and  Avhere  the 
author  preferred  the  Genevan  or  Puritan  version, 
it  is  shewn  by  a  note  at  the  foot  of  the  page. 

To  point  out  beauties  in  such  a  discourse,  is  to 
point  to  the  whole  treatise — it  is  aU  admirable;  a 
solemn  earnestness  is  fomid  in  every  sentence; 
even  where  Bunyan  modestly  diifcrs  with  many 
excellent  divines,  when  treating  upon  the  sufler- 
ings  of  the  Saviour,  between  the  period  of  his  cru- 
cifixion and  of  his  resurrection:  this  is  worthy  of 
our  prayerful  consideration;  ever  keeping  in  re- 
membrance those  deeply  impressive — those  awfidly 
triumphant  words  of  our  Lord,  '  It  is  finished. 

The  catholic  spirit,  which  so  pervaded  the  mind 
of  Bunyan,  appears  conspicuously  in  this  discourse; 
and  whatever  bitter  controversy  this  spirit  occa- 
sioned him,  it  ought  to  be  impressed  upon  the  heart 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOAT. 


of  every  Cliristian  professor.  It  is  a  liberality 
which  shines  more  brightly,  as  reflected  by  one, 
whose  religious  education  was  drawn  solely  from 
the  pure  fountain  of  truth — ^the  holy  oracles;  and 
however  unlettered  he  was,  as  to  polite  literature 
or  the  learned  languages,  his  Christian  liberality 
can  no  more  he  enlightened  by  the  niggard  spirit 
of  learned  sectarians,  than  the  sun  could  be  illu- 
minated by  a  rush-light.  The  inquiry  was  then, 
as,  alas,  it  is  too  frequent  now,  Are  there  many 
that  be  saved?  forgetful  of  the  Saviour's  answer 
and  just  rebuke,  What  is  that  to  thee,  follow  tlwu 
me,  seek  thine  oion  salvation.  The  inquiry  is  piu-- 
sued  a  step  farther,  '  Can  those  who  differ  with  me 
be  saved?'  Hear  the  reply  of  one  so  lionest  and 
so  fully  embaed  with  the  Scriptures,  into  the  truths 
of  wliich  his  spirit  had  been  bai)tized,  '  A  man, 
through  unbelief,  may  think  that  Christ  has  no 
love  to  him;  and  yet  Christ  may  love  him,  with  a 
love  that  passeth  knowledge.  But  when  men,  in 
the  common  course  of  their  profession,  will  be  al- 
ways terminating  here,  that  they  know  how,  and 
how  far,  Christ  can  love;  and  Avill  thence  be  bold 
to  conclude  of  their  own  safety,  and  of  the  loss  and 
ruin  of  all  that  are  not  in  the  same  notions,  ojyinions, 
formalities,  ov  judgment,  as  they.  This  is  the  ivorst 
[pride]  and  greatest  of  all  [delusions].  The  text, 
therefore,  to  rectify  those  false  and  erroneous  con- 
clusions, says,  [the  love  of  Christ]  is  a  love  that 
passeth  knov.ledge.'  Page 33. 

Throughout  the  whole,  there  is  a  continued  ef- 
fort to  comfort  the  sincere,  but  doubting,  Christian. 
'  Does  Satan  suggest  that  God  will  not  hear  your 
stammering  and  chattering  prayers  ?  Does  Satan 
suggest  that  thy  trials,  and  troubles,  and  afflictions, 
are  so  many  that  you  shall  never  get  beyond  them? 
— relief  is  at  hand,  for  Christ  loves  thee  with  a  love 
that  passeth  knowledge.  This  is  a  weapon  that 
will  baffle  the  devil,  when  all  other  weapons  fail.' 

Page  33,  31-. 

The  practical  application  of  these  soul-encoura"-- 


ing  truths  is,  '  To  walk  in  love — filled  with  all  the 
fulness  of  God.'  Bunyan  has,  in  enforcing  this 
duty,  a  very  remarkable  expression,  '  these  are  the 
men  that  sweeten  the  churches,  and  bring  glory  to 
God  and  to  rehgion.  Why  should  anything  have 
my  heart  but  God,  but  Christ?  He  loves  me,  ho 
loves  me  with  love  that  passeth  knowledge,  and  I 
will  love  him.  His  love  stripped  him  of  all  for 
my  sake;  Lord,  let  my  love  strip  me  of  all  for  thy 
sake.  I  am  a  son  of  love,  an  object  of  love,  a 
monument  of  love;  of  free  love,  of  distinguishing 
love,  of  peculiar  love,  and  of  love  that  passeth 
knowledge:  and  why  shoidd  not  I  walk  in  love — 
in  love  to  God,  in  love  to  man,  in  holy  love,  in  love 
unfeigned  ?  '  Page  39, 

And  will  our  ministering  elders  bear  with  me  in 
respectfully  and  affectionately  commending  to  them 
John  Bimyan,  as  an  example  of  clevotedness  to  his 
Master's  service;  of  humble  walking  with  God, 
of  tender  faithfulness  to  the  souls  of  men,  of  holy 
fervour  ?  Under  such  a  course  of  sermons  as  this 
treatise  would  make,  how  attentively  would  our 
children  listen  with  reverence  to  the  voice  of  truth, 
and  with  a  Divine  blessing  our  earthen  vessels 
would  be  replenished  with  heavenly  treasure.  It 
is  delightful  to  read  the  testimony  of  Bunyan 's 
ministerial  friends,  of  various  denominations,  when 
recording  his  extensive  usefulness.  His  works  do 
follow  him.  And  upon  reading  of  them,  we  can- 
not wonder  when  we  hear,  that  on  a  week-day 
morning,  in  the  depth  of  winter,  long  before  day- 
light, the  inclemency  of  frost  and  snow  was  braved 
by  crowded  assemblies  of  hungry  and  thirsty  souls, 
who  eagerly  listened  to  hear  him  proclaim  *  The 
Saints'  I{Jnowledge  of  Christ's  Love,  or  the  un- 
searchable riches  of  Christ — which  passeth  know- 
ledge.' 

May  the  effectual  blessing  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
attend  the  reading,  as  it  did  the  preaching,  of 
these  soul-saving  truths. 

HAciiNEY,  Oct.,  184S.  Geo.  Offor. 


THE  SAINTS' 


KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOYE. 


'  THAT  YjE M.\Y   EE  ACLE   TO    COMPREHEND  WITH 

ALL   SAIXT3,  WHAT  /5  THE  BREADTH,  AND  LENGTH, 
AND  DEPTH,  AND  HEIGHT;    AND  TO  KNOW  THE  LOVE 

OF   CmUST,  WHICH   PASSETH   KNOWLEDGE.' EPH. 

III.   18,   19. 

The  Apostle  having,  in  the  first  chapter,  treated 
of  the  doctrine  of  election,  and  in  the  second,  of 
the  reconciling  of  the  Gentiles  with  the  Jews  to  the 
Father,  by  his  Son,  through  the  preaching  of  the 


gospel;  comes  in  the  third  chapter  to  shew  that  (hat 
also  was,  as  that  of  election,  determined  before  the 
world  began.  Now  lest  the  afflictions  that  attend 
the  gospel  should,  by  its  raging  among  these  Eplie- 
sians,  darken  the  glory  of  these  things  unto  them; 
therefore  he  makes  lacre  a  brief  repetition  and 
explanation,  to  the  end  they  might  be  supported  and 
made  live  above  them.  He  also  joins  thereto  a 
fervent  prayer  for  them,  that  God  would  let  them 
see  m  the  spirit  and  faith,  how  they,  by  God  and 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OP  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


by  Clii'ist,  are  secured  from  the  evil  of  tlie  worst 
that  might  come  upon  them.  '  For  this  cause  1 
bow  my  knees  unto  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  of  whom  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and 
earth  is  named;  that  he  would  grant  you,  accord- 
ing to  the  riches  of  his  glory,  to  he  strengthened 
with  might  hy  his  Spirit  in  the  inner  man;  that 
Christ  may  dwell  in  yom-  hearts  by  faith;  -that  ye, 
being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  may  he  ahle  to 
comprehend  with  all  saints,  what  is  the  breadth, 
and  length,  and  depth,  and  height;  and  to  know 
the  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge,'  (te. 
Knowing,  that  their  deep  understanding  what  good 
by  these  were  reserved  for  them,  they  woidd  never 
be  discom-aged,  whatever  troubles  should  attend 
their  profession. 

Breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and  height,  are 
words  that  in  themselves  are  both  ambiguous,  and 
to  wonderment;  ambiguous,  because  unexplained, 
and  to  wonderment,  because  they  carry  in  them  an 
miexpressible  something;  and  that  something  that 
-ivhich  far  out-goes  all  those  things  that  can  be 
foimd  in  this  world.  The  Apostle  here  was  under 
a  spiritual  surprize,  for  wliile  meditating  and  writ- 
ing, he  was  caught:  The  strength  and  glory  of  the 
truths  that  he  was  endeavouring  to  fasten  upon  the 
people  to  whom  he  wrote,  took  him  away  into  their 
glory,  beyond  what  could  to  the  full  be  uttered. 
Besides,  many  times  things  are  thus  expressed,  on 
pm-pose  to  command  attention,  a  stop  and  pause  in 
the  mind  about  them ;  and  to  divert,  by  their  great- 
ness, the  heart  from  the  world,  imto  which  they 
natm-all}-  are  so  inclined.  Also,  truths  are  often 
dehvered  to  us,  like  Avheat  in  full  ears,  to  the  end  we 
should  rub  them  out  before  we  eat  them,  and  take 
pains  cdjout  them,  before  we  have  the  comfort  of  them. 

Breadth,  length,  depth,  and  height.  In  my 
attempting  to  open  these  words,  I  will  give  you, 
some  that  are  of  the  same  kind.  And  then  show  you. 
First,  The  reasons  of  them ;  and  then  also.  Secondly, 
Something  of  theu*  fulness. 

Those  of  the  same  kind,  arc  vised  sometimes  to 
shew  us  the  power,  force,  and  subtilty  of  the  ene- 
mies of  God's  chm'ch,    Dau.  iv.  11.  Rom.  viii.  38,  39.      But, 

[Sometimes]  Most  properly  to  shew  us  the  infinite 
and  misearchable  greatness  of  God,  Job  xi.  7,8, 9.  Rom. 

.\i.  33. 

They  are  here  to  be  taken  in  tliis  second  sense, 
that  is,  to  suggest  unto  us  the  imsearchable  and 
infinite  greatness  of  God;  who  is  a  breadth,  beyond 
all  breadths;  a  length,  beyond  all  lengths;  a,  depth, 
beyond  all  depths;  and  a  height,  beyond  all  heights, 
and  that  in  all  his  attributes;  He  is  an  eternal 
being,  an  everlasting  being,  and  in  that  respect  he  is 
beyond  all  measures,  whether  they  be  of  breadth, 
or  length,  or  depth,  or  height.  In  aU  his  attri- 
butes he  is  beyond  all  measm'e:  whether  3'ou 
measm-e  by  words,   by  thoughts,   or  by  the  most 


enlarged  and  exquisite  apprehension;  Ilis  greatness 
is  unsearchable;  His  judgments  are  imsearchable; 
Job  V.  9.  He  is  infinite  in  wisdom.  *0!  the  depth 
of  the  riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowled"-e  of 
God! '  Rom.  xi.  33.  '  If  I  speak  of  strength,  lo,  he  is 
strong;' Job  k.  19.  yea,  'the  thunder  of  his  power  who 
can  understand?'  Jobxxvi. u.  'There  is  none  holy 
as  the  Lord: '  1  Sa.  ii.  2.  '  and  his  mercy  is  from  ever- 
lasting to  everlasting,  upon  them  that  fear  him.' 
Ps.  ciu.  17.  The  greatness  of  God,  of  the  God  and 
Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  that,  if  rightly 
considered,  which  will  support  the  spirits  of  those 
of  his  people  that  are  frighted  with  the  greatness 
of  then-  adversaries.  For  here  is  a  greatness 
against  a  greatness.  Pharaoh  was  great,  but  God 
more  great,  more  great  in  power,  more  great  in 
wisdom,  more  great  every  way  for  the  help  of  his 
people ;  wherein  they  dealt  proudly,  he  was  above 
them.  These  words  therefore  take  in  for  this 
people,  the  great  God  who  in  his  immensity  and 
infinite  greatness  is  beyond  all  beings.  But,  to 
come 

Flrst,  to  the  reason  of  (lie  words.  They  are 
made  use  of  to  shew  to  the  Ephesians,  that  God 
with  what  he  is  in  himself,  and  with  what  he  hath 
in  his  power,  is  aU  for  the  use  and  profit  of  the 
believers.  Else  no  great  matter  is  held  out  to 
them  thereby.  'But  this  God  is  our  God;'  there 
is  the  comfort:  For  this  cause  therefore  he  pre- 
senteth  them  with  this  description  of  him.  To 
wit,  b}^  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and  height: 
As  who  should  say,  the  High  God  is  j-ours;  the 
God  that  fills  heaven  and  earth  is  yours;  the  God 
whom  the  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain,  is 
yom-s;  yea,  the  God  Avhose  works  are  wonderful, 
and  whose  ways  are  past  finding  out,  is  yours. 
Consider  therefore  the  greatness  that  is  for  you, 
that  taketh  part  with  you,  and  that  will  always 
come  in  for  your  help  against  them  that  contend 
with  you.  It  is  my  support,  it  is  my  relief;  it  [is] 
vaj  comfort  in  all  my  tribulations,  and  I  would 
have  it  yours,  and  so  it  wiU  when  we  live  in  the 
hvely  faith  thereof.  Nor  should  we  admit  of  dis- 
trust in  tliis  matter  from  the  consideration  of  our 
own  imworthincss,  either  taken  from  the  finiteness 
of  our  state,  or  the  fouhiess  of  our  ways.  Ps.  .\ivi. 
For  now,  though  God's  attributes,  several  of  them 
in  then-  o^ra.  natm-e,  are  set  against  sin  and  smners; 
yea,  were  we  righteous,  are  so  high  that  needs 
they  must  look  over  us,  for  'tis  to  him  a  conde- 
scension to  behold  things  in  heaven :  How  much 
more  then  to  open  his  eyes  upon  such  as  wc:  yet 
by  the  passion  of  Jesus  Christ,  they  harmoniously 
agree  in  the  salvation  of  our  souls.  Hence  God  is 
said  to  be  love,  1  Jo.  iv.  God  is  love;  might  some 
say,  and  justice  too:  but  his  justice  is  turned  with 
wisdom,  power,  hoUness  and  truth,  to  love;  yea. 
to  love  those  that  be  foui.d  in  his  Sou;  forasmuch 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


as  there  is  nothing  fault-worthy  in  his  righteoiis- 
ness  wliich  is  put  upon  us.  So  then,  as  there  is  in 
God's  nature  a  length,  and  breadth,  and  depth,  and 
height,  that  is  hejond  all  that  we  can  think:  So  we 
should  conclude  that  all  this  is  hve  to  us,  for 
Christ's  sake;  and  then  dilate  with  it  thus  in  our 
minds,  and  enlarge  it  thus  in  our  meditations;  say- 
ing still  to  our  low  and  trcmhling  spirits:  'It  is 
high  as  heaven;  Avhat  canst  thou  do?  deeper  than 
hcU;  what  canst  thou  know?  the  measure  thereof 
is  longer  than  the  earth,  and  *hroadcr  than  the  sea.' 
Job  3ci.  8, 9.  But  we  will  pass  generals,  and  more  par- 
ticularly speak 

Secondly,  someOdng  ofCidr  fulness,  as  they  are 
fitted  to  suit  and  answer  to  the  whole  state  and 
condition  of  a  christian  in  this  life.  The  words  are 
houndless;  we  have  here  abrcadtli,  a  length,  a  depth, 
and  height  made  mention  of;  hut  ichat  breadth, 
wliat  length,  loliai  depth,  what  height  is  not  so 
much  as  Idntcd.  It  is  therefore  iniinitencss  sug- 
gested to  us,  and  that  has  engaged  for  us.  For 
the  Apostle  conjoins  therewith,  Arid  to  know  Hie 
hve  of  CJirist  whidt  passeth  Icnaivledge.  Thus 
therefore  it  suits  and  answers  a  Christian's  con- 
dition, while  in  this  world,  let  that  be  what  it  will. 
If  his  afflictions  be  broad,  here  is  a  breadth;  if 
they  be  long,  here  is  a  length;  and  if  they  be  deep, 
here  is  a  depth;  and  if  they  be  high,  here  is  a 
height.  And  I  wiU  say,  there  is  nothing  that  is 
more  helpful,  succouring,  or  comfortable  to  a  chris- 
tian while  in  a  state  of  trial  and  temptation,  than  to 
know  that  there  is  a  hreadOi  to  answer  a  breadth,  a 
laigOi  to  answer  a  length,  a  depth  to  answer  a  depth, 
and  a  licigld  to  answer  a  height.  Wherefore  this 
is  it  that  the  Apostle  prayeth  for,  namely,  that  the 
Ephesians  might  have  understanding  in  these 
things,  'That  ye  may  know  what  is  the  breadth,  and 
length,  and  depth,  and  height.' 

Of  the  largeness  of  the  Apostle's  heart  in  pray- 
ing for  this  people,  to  wit,  '  That  they  might  be 
able  to  comprehend  with  all  saints,  what,'  kc.  of 
that  we  shall  speak  afterwards. 

But  first,  to  speak  to  these  four  expressions, 
breadth,  length,  depth,  and  height. 

First,  What  is  the  breadth.  This  word  is  to 
shew,  that  God  is  all  over,  everywhere,  spreading 
of  his  wings,  stretching  out  his  goodness  to  the  id- 
most  boinids,  for  the  good  of  those  that  are  his 

people.  Dc.  xxxii.  11, 12.  Gc.  xlix.  2C. 

In  the  sin  of  his  people  there  is  a  breadth;  a 
breadth  that  spreadcth  over  oil,  wheresoever  a  man 
shall  look.  The  sin  of  the  saints  is  a  spreading 
leprosy.  Le.  xiii.  12.  Sin  is  a  scab  that  spreadeth;  it 
is  a  spreading  plague;  it  knows  no  bounds:  Lc.  xUi. 

■*  In  the  first  edition  of  this  treatise,  which  was  published 
four  years  after  Bunyan's  death,  tliis  is  quoted  'deeper  than 
the  sea,'  prohahly  a  typographical  error.  It  is  afterwards 
quoted  correctly. — Ed. 


8,  and  57.  or,  as  David  salth,  '  I  have  seen  the  wicked 
spreading  himself.'  Ps. xxxvii. 35.  Hence  it  is  com- 
pared to  a  cloud,  to  a  thick  cloud,  that  covereth  or 
spreadeth  over  the  face  of  aU  the  sky.  Wherefore 
here  is  a  breadth  called  for,  a  breadth  that  can 
cover  all,  or  else  what  is  done  is  to  no  purpose. 
Therefore  to  answer  this,  here  we  have  a  breadth, 
a  spreading  breadth;  '1  spread  my  skirt  over  thee:' 
But  how  far?  Even  so  far  as  to  cover  all.  'I 
spread  my  skirt  over  thee,  and  covered  thy  naked- 
ness. '  Eze.  xvi.  8.  Here  now  is  a  breadth  according 
to  the  spreading  nature  of  the  sin  of  this  wretched 
one;  yea,  a  super-abounding  spreading;  a  spread- 
ing beyond;  a  spreading  to  cover.  'Blessed  is  lie 
wJiose  sin  is  covered,'  Ps.  xxxii. i.  whose  spreading  siu 
is  covered  by  the  mercy  of  God  through  Christ. 
Ro.  iv.  4-7.  This  is  the  spreading  cloud,  whose  spread- 
ings  none  can  understand.  Job  xxxvi.  29.  '  He  spread 
a  cloud  for  a  covering,  and  fire  to  give  light  in  the 
night. '  Ps.  cv.  39. 

This  breadth  that  is  in  God,  it  also  overmatch- 
eth  that  spreading  and  overspreading  rage  of  men, 
that  is  sometimes  as  if  it  would  swaUow  up  the 
whole  church  of  God.  You  read  of  the  rage  of 
the  king  of  Assyria,  that  there  was  a  breadth  in  it, 
an  overfoioing  breadth,  to  the  filling  of  'the  breadtli 
of  thy  land,  0  Immanuel.'  is.  viii.  8.  But  what  fol- 
lows? 'Associate  yourselves,  0  ye  people,  (ye 
Assyrians)  and  ye  shall  be  broken  in  pieces;  and 
give  ear,  all  ye  of  far  countries;  gird  yourselves 
and  ye  shall  be  broken  in  pieces.  Take  counsel 
together,  and  it  shall  come  to  nought ;  speak  the 
word,  and  it  shall  not  stand,  for  God  is  with  us;' 
Is.  viii.  8-10.  God  will  over-match  and  go  beyond  you . 
Wherefore  this  word,  breadth,  and  what  is  the 
breadth:  It  is  here  expressed  on  purpose  to  suc- 
cour and  relieve,  or  to  shew  what  advantage,  for 
support,  the  knowledge  of  the  overspreading  grace 
of  God  by  Christ  yieldeth  unto  those  that  have  it, 
let  their  trials  be  what  they  will.  Alas!  the  sin 
of  God's  children  seemetli  sometimes  to  ovei"spread 
not  only  their  flesh,  and  the  face  of  their  soids,  but 
the  whole  face  of  heaven.  And  what  shall  he  do 
now,  that  is  a  stranger  to  this  hxadth,  made  men- 
tion of  in  the  text?  Why  he  must  despair,  lie 
down  and  die,  and  shut  up  his  heart  against  all 
comfort,  unless  he,  with  his  fellow-christians,  can, 
at  least,  apprehend  what  is  this  breadth,  or  the 
breadth  of  mercy  intended  in  this  place.  There- 
fore Paul  for  the  support  of  the  Ephesians,  prays, 
that  they  may  know  'what  is  the  breadth.' 

This  largeness  of  the  heart  and  mercy  of  God 
towards  his  people,  is  also  signified  by  the  sjyread- 
ing  out  of  his  hand  to  us  in  the  invitations  of  the 
gospel.  'I  said,'  saith  he,  'Behold  me,  behold 
me,  -  -  -  I  have  spread  out  my  hands  all  the 
day  unto  a  rebellious  people,  -  -  -  to  a  people 
that  provoketh  me  continually. '  is.  l.^y.  1-3. 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OP  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


I  Iiave  spread  out  my  hands,  that  is,  opened  my 
ai'ms  as  a  mother  aftectionately  doth,  when  she 
stoopeth  to  her  child  in  the  warm  workings  of  her 
bowels,  and  claspeth  it  up  in  them,  and  kisseth, 
and  putteth  it  into  her  bosom. 

For,  by  spreading  out  the  hands  or  arms  to  em- 
brace, is  shewed  the  breadth  or  largeness  of  God's 
affections;  as  by  our  spreading  out  our  hands  in 
prayer,  is  signified  the  great  sense  that  we  have 
of  the  spreading  nature  of  our  sins,  and  of  the 
great  desires  that  are  in  us,  that  God  would  be 
merciful  to  us.  Ezr.  ix.  5-7,  &c. 

This  Avord  also  answereth  to,  or  may  fitly  be  set 
against  the  wiles  and  temptations  of  the  devil,  Avho 
is  that  great  and  dogged  Leviathan,  that  spreadeth 
his  'sharp-pointed  things  upon  the  mire:'  Job.\li. 30. 
For,  be  the  spreading  nature  of  our  corruptions 
never  so  broad,  he  vrUl  find  sharp-pomted  things 
enough  to  stick  in  the  mire  of  them,  for  our  afilic- 
tion.  These  sharp-pointed  things  are  those  that 
in  another  place  are  called  'fiery  darts,'  Ep.  vi.  ic. 
and  he  has  abimdance  of  them,  Avith  which  he  can 
and  will  sorely  prick  and  wovmd  our  spirits :  Yea, 
so  sharp  some  have  foimd  these  things  to  their 
souls,  that  they  have  pierced  beyond  expression. 
'\Vhen,'  said  Job,  *I  say,  my  bed  shall  comfort 
me,  my  couch  shall  ease  my  complaint;  then  thou 
scarest  me  with  di-eams,  and  terrifiest  me  through 
visions;  so  that  my  soul  chooseth  strangling,  aiid 
death  rather  than  my  life. '  Job  vii.  13-15.  But  now, 
answerable  to  the  spreading  of  these  sharp-pointed 
things,  there  is  a  super-aboimding  breadth  in  the 
sovereign  grace  of  God,  the  which  whoso  seeth  and 
imderstandeth,  as  the  Apostle  doth  pray  we  should, 
is  presently  helped:  for  he  seeth  that  this  grace 
spreadeth  itself,  and  is  broader  than  can  be,  either 
our  mire,  or  the  sharp-pointed  things  that  he  spread- 
eth thereupon  for  our  vexation  and  aifliction:  'It  is 
broader  than  the  sea.'  Jobxi.  9. 

This  therefore  should  be  that  upon  which  those 
that  see  the  spreading  nature  of  sin,  and  the  leprosy 
and  contagion  thereof,  should  meditate,  to  wit,  The 
broadness  of  the  grace  and  mercy  of  God  in  Christ, 
This  wiU  poise  and  stay  the  soul;  this  will  relieve 
and  support  the  soul  in  and  under  those  many  mis- 
giving and  desponding  thoughts  unto  which  we  are 
subject  when  afilicted  with  the  apprehensions  of 
sin,  and  the  abounding  nature  of  it. 

Shall  another  man  pi'ay  for  this,  one  that  knew 
the  goodness  and  benefit  of  it,  and  shall  not  I  me- 
ditate upon  it  ?  and  shall  not  I  exercise  my  mind 
about  it?  Yes  surely,  for  it  is  my  duty,  it  is  my 
privilege  and  mercy  so  to  do.  Let  this  therefore, 
Avhen  thou  seest  the  spreading  nature  of  thy  sin  be 
a  memento  to  thee,  to  the  end  thou  may'st  not  sink 
and  die  in  thy  soul. 

Seco^ictty,  What  is  the  breadth  and  length.  As 
there  is  a  breadth  in  this  mercy  and  grace  of  God 


by  Christ,  so  there  is  a  LEXGin  therein,  and  this 
length  is  as  large  as  the  breadth,  and  as  much  suit- 
ing the  condition  of  the  child  of  God,  as  the  other 
is.  For,  though  sin  sometimes  is  most  afflictino-  to 
the  conscience,  while  the  soul  beholdeth  the  over- 
spreading nature  of  it,  yet  here  it  stoppcth  not, 
but  oft-times  through  the  power  and  prevalency  of 
it,  the  soul  is  driven  with  it,  as  a  ship  by  a  mightv 
tempest,  or  as  a  rolling  thing  before  the  Avhirlwiud: 
driven,  I  say,  from  God,  and  from  all  hopes  of  his 
mercy,  as  far  as  the  east  is  from  the  west,  or  as 
the  ends  of  the  world  ai-e  asunder.  Hence  it  is 
supposed  by  the  prophet,  that  for  and  by  sin  they 
may  be  driven  from  God  to  the  utmost  part  of 
heaven;  Do.  xxx.  4.  and  that  is  a  sad  thino-  a  sad  thin'>', 
1  say,  to  a  gracious  man.  '  'Wliy,  saith  the  pro- 
phet to  God,  'Art  thou  so  far  from  helping  me,  and 
from  the  words  of  my  roaring?'  is. x.xii.  1.  Some- 
times a  man,  yea,  a  man  of  God,  is,  as  he  appre- 
hends, so  far  off  from  God,  that  he  can  neither  help 
him,  nor  hear  him,  and  this  is  a  dismal  state.  '  And 
thou  hast  removed  my  soul,'  said  the  church,  'far 
off  from  peace:  I  forgat  prosperity,'  la.  m.  17.  This 
is  the  state  sometimes  of  the  godly,  and  that  not 
only  Avith  reference  to  their  being  removed  by  per- 
secutors, from  the  appointments  and  gospel-seasons, 
AA'hich  are  their  dehght,  and  the  desire  of  their  eyes; 
but  also  with  reference  to  their  faith  and  hope  in 
their  God.  They  think  themselves  beyond  the 
reach  of  his  mercy.  Wherefore  in  answer  to  this 
conceit  it  is,  that  the  Lord  asketh,  saying,  '  Is  my 
hand  shortened  at  all  that  it  cannot  redeem?  '  is.  L  2. 
And  again,  'Behold,  the  Lord's  hand  is  not  short- 
ened, that  it  cannot  save;  neither  his  ear  heaA'v, 
that  it  cannot  hear. '  Is.  ik.  1.  Wherefore  he  saith 
again,  '  If  any  of  them  be  driA'en  out  unto  the  out- 
most parts  of  heaven,  from  thence  will  the  Lord 
thy  God  gather  thee,  and  from  thence  wiU  he  fetch 
thee. '  De.  XXX.  4.  God  has  a  long  arm,  and  he  can 
reach  a  great  way  further  than  we  can  conceive  he 
can:  ye.  i.  9.  When  we  think  his  mercy  is  cZea?i  gone, 
and  that  ourselves  are  free  among  the  dead,  and  of 
the  number  that  he  remembereth  no  more,  then 
he  can  reach  us,  and  cause  that  again  we  stand  be- 
fore him.  He  coidd  reach  Jonah,  tho'  in  the  belly 
of  hell;  Jon.  ii.  and  reach  thee,  eA'en  then,  Avhen  thou 
thinkest  thy  way  is  hid  from  the  Lord,  and  thy 
judgment  passed  OA'er  from  thy  God,  There  is  a 
length  to  admiration,  beyond  apprehension  or  belief, 
in  the  arm  of  the  strength  of  the  Lord;  and  this  is 
that  AA-hich  the  Apostle  intended  by  this  word. 
Length;  namely,  To  insinuate  what  a  reach  there 
is  in  the  mercy  of  God,  hoAV  far  it  can  extend  it- 
self. 'If  I  take  the  AA-ings  of  the  morning, '  said 
David,  'and  dwell  in  the  utteraiost  parts  of  the 
sea;  even  there  shall  thy  hand  lead  me,  and  thy 
right  hand  shall  hold  me. '  Ps.  mxxLx.  9, 10.  I  wiU  gather 
them  from  the  east,  and  from  the  Avest,  and  from 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


tlio  nortli,  and  from  the  south,  saith  he:  That  is, 
from  the  utmost  corners. 

This  therefore  should  encourage  them  that  for 
the  present  cannot  stand,  hut  that  do  fly  hefore 
their  guilt:  Them  that  feel  no  help  nor  stay,  hut 
that  go,  as  to  their  thinking,  every  day  hy  the 
power  of  temptation,  di-iven  yet  farther  off  from 
God,  and  from  the  hope  of  ohtaining  of  liis  mercy 
to  their  salvation ;  poor  creature,  I  will  not  now 
ask  thee  how  thou  earnest  into  this  condition,  or 
how  long  tliis  has  heen  thy  state ;  but  I  will  say 
before  tliee,  and  I  prithee  hear  me,  0  the  length  of 
the  savinrj  arm  of  God  I  As  yet  thou  art  within 
the  reach  thereof;  do  not  thou  go  about  to  measvu-e 
arms  with  God,  as  some  good  men  are  apt  to  do: 
I  mean,  do  not  thou  conclude,  that  because  thou 
canst  not  reach  God  by  tliy  short  stump,  therefore 
he  cannot  reach  thee  with  his  long  arm.  Look 
agam,  '  Hast  thou  an  arm  like  God, '  Job  xi.  9,  an  arm 
like  his  for  length  and  strength?  It  becomes  thee, 
when  thou  canst  not  perceive  that  God  is  within 
the  reach  of  thy  arm,  then  to  believe  that  thou  art 
within  the  reach  of  lus;  for  it  is  long,  and  none 
knows  how  long. 

Agaui,  is  there  such  a  length  ?  such  a  length  in 
the  arm  of  the  Lord,  that  he  can  reach  those  that 
are  gone  away,  as  far  as  they  could?  then  this 
should  encourage  us  to  pray,  and  hope  for  the  sal- 
vation of  any  one  of  our  backslidden  relations,  that 
God  would  reach  out  his  arm  after  them:  Saying, 
'  Awake,  -  -  0  arm  of  the  Lord,  -  art  thou  not 
it  that  hath  cut  Rahab,  and  wounded  the  dragon? 
Art  thou  not  it  which  hath  dried  the  sea,  the  wa- 
ters of  the  great  deep,  that  hath  made  the  depths 
of  the  sea  a  way  for  the  ransomed  to  pass  over  ? ' 
Is.  li.  9, 10.  Awake,  0  arm  of  the  Lord,  and  be 
stretched  out  as  far  as  to  where  my  poor  husband 
is,  where  my  poor  child,  or  to  where  my  poor  back- 
slidden wife  or  dear  relation  is,  and  lay  hold,  fast 
.hold ;  they  are  gone  from  thee,  but,  0  thou  the 
hope  of  Israel,  fetch  them  again,  and  let  them 
stand  before  thee.  I  say,  here  is  in  this  -word 
Length  matter  of  encouragement  for  us  thus  to 
pray;  for  if  the  length  of  the  reach  of  mercy  is  so 
great,  and  if  also  this  length  is  for  the  benefit  of 
those  that  may  be  gone  oft'/ar  from  God,  (for  they 
at  present  have  no  need  thereof  that  are  near)  then 
improve  this  advantage  at  the  throne  of  grace  for 
such,  that  they  may  come  to  God  a^-ain. 

Thirdly,  As  there  is  a  hreadth  and  length  here, 
so  there  is  a  Depth.  What  is  the  breadth,  and 
length,  and  depth?  And  this  depth  is  also  put  in 
here,  on  purpose  to  help  us  under  a  trial  that  is 
diverse  from  the  two  former.  I  told  you,  that  by 
the  hreadth  the  apostle  insinuates  a  remedy  and 
succour  to  us,  when  we  see  our  corruptions  spread 
like  a  leprosy ;  and  by  length  he  would  shew  us, 
that  when  sin  has  driven  God's  elect  to  the  far- 


thest distance  from  him,  yet  his  arm  is  long  enough 
to  reach  them,  and  fetch  them  back  again. 

But,  I  say,  as  we  have  here  a  breadth,  and  a 
length,  so  we  have  also  a  depth.  That  ye  may 
know  what  is  the  Depth.  Christians  have  some- 
times their  sinking  fits,  and  are  as  if  they  were 
always  descending :  or  as  Heman  says,  *  counted 
with  them  that  go  down  into  the  pit. '  T».  ].\x.vviii.  4. 
Now  guilt  is  not  to  such  so  much  a  wind  and  a 
tempest,  as  a  load  and  burthen.  The  devil,  and 
sin,  and  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  death,  are  gotten 
upon  the  shoidders  of  this  poor  man,  and  are 
treading  of  him  down,  that  he  may  sink  into,  and 
be  sv/allowed  up  of  his  miry  place. 

'  I  sink,'  says  David,  'in  deep  mire,  -where  there 
is  no  standing.  I  am  come  into  deep  waters, 
where  the  floods  overflow  me. '  Ps.  kLx.  2.  Yea,  there 
is  nothing  more  common  among  the  saints  of  old, 
than  this  complaint :  '  Let  neither  the  water  flood 
overflow  me,  neither  let  the  deep  swallow  me  up, 
neither  let  the  pit  shut  her  mouth  upon  me.'  Ps. 
l.\ix.  H 13-  Heman  also  saith,  '  Thou  hast  laid  me 
in  the  lowest  pit,  in  darkness,  in  the  deeps.  Thy 
wTath  lieth  hard  upon  me,  and  thou  hast  afilicted 
me  Avith  aU  thy  waves. '  Ps.  kxxviii.  6, 7.  Hence  it  is 
again  that  the  Psalmist  says  :  *  Deep  calleth  unto 
deep,  at  the  noise  of  thy  water  spouts:  all  thy 
waves,  and  thy  billows  are  gone  over  me.'  Ps.  xlii.  7. 
Dee2J  calleth  unto  deejy:  What's  that?  Why,  it  is 
expressed  in  the  verse  before :  '  0  God, '  says  he, 
'  My  soul  is  cast  down  within  me.'  '  Down, '  that 
is,  deep  into  the  jaws  of  distrust  and  fear.  And, 
Lord,  my  soul  in  this  dejoth  of  sorrow  calls  for  help 
to  thy  depth  of  mercy.  For  though  I  am  sinking 
and  going  down,  yet  not  so  low,  but  that  thy 
mercy  is  yet  imderneath  me :  Do  of  thy  compas- 
sions open  those  everlasting  arms,  De.  xxxUi.  27,  and 
catch  him  that  has  no  help  or  stay  in  himself: 
For  so  it  is  with  one  that  is  falling  into  a  tvell  or 
a  dungeon. 

Now  mark,  as  there  is  in  these  texts,  the  sink- 
ing condition  of  the  godly  man  set  forth,  of  a  man 
whom  sin  and  Satan  is  treachug  down  into  the 
deejj;  so  in  our  text  which  I  am  speaking  to  at 
this  time,  we  have  a  depth  that  can  more  than 
coimterpoise  these  deeps,  set  forth  Avith  a  hearty 
prayer,  that  we  may  knoAV  it.  And  although  the 
deeps,  or  depths  of  calamity  into  which  the  godly 
may  fall,  may  be  as  deep  as  Hell,  and  methinka 
they  should  be  no  deeper :  yet  this  is  the  comfort, 
and  for  the  comfort  of  them  of  the  godly  that  are 
thus  a  sinking :  The  mercy  of  God  for  them  lies 
deeper.  '  It  is  deeper  than  hell,  Avhat  canst  thou 
knoAv?'  Job  xi.  s.  And  this  is  that  Avhicli  made  Paul 
that  he  was  not  afraid  of  this  depth,  '  I  am  per- 
suaded,' saith  lie,  '  that  neither  -  -  height  nor 
depth  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love 
of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. '  Ro.  viiL 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


Sft.  39.  But  of  this  lie  could  by  no  means  have 
been  persuaded,  had  he  not  believed  that  mercy 
lieth  deeper  for  the  godly  to  help  them,  than,  can 
aU  other  depths  be  to  destroy  them :  This  is  it  at 
which  ho  stands  and  wonders,  saying,  '  0  the  depth 
of  the  riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge 
of  God,'  Ro.  .\i. 33.  that  is  to  find  out  a,  way  to  save 
his  people,  notvrithstanding  all  the  deep  contriv- 
ances that  the  enemy  hath,  and  may  invent  to 
make  us  come  short  [of]  home. 

This  is  also  that,  as  I  take  it,  which  is  wrapped 
up  in  the  blessing,  wherewith  Jacob  blessed  his 
son  Joseph.  '  God  shall  bless  thee,'  saith  he, 
'  with  blessings  of  heaven  above,'  and  with  the 
'blessings  of  the  deep  that  lieth  under.'  Ge.xliv. 25. 
A  blessing  which  he  had  ground  to  pronoimee,  as 
well  from  his  observation  of  God's  good  dealing 
with  Joseph,  as  in  a  spirit  of  prophecy :  For  he 
saw  that  he  lived  and  was  become  a  flourishing 
bough,  by  a  waU,  after  that  the  archers  had  done 
their  worst  to  him.  Ge.  xlk.  22— 2i.  Moses  also 
blesseth  God  for  blessing  of  Joseph  thus,  and 
blessed  his  portion  to  him,  as  coimting  of  it  suffi- 
cient for  his  help  in  all  afflictions.  'Blessed,' 
saith  he,  '  of  the  Lord,  be  his  land,  for  the  pre- 
cious things  of  heaven,  for  the  dew,  and  for  the 
deep  that  coucheth  beneath. '  De.  xxxm.  is. 

I  am  not  of  belief  that  these  blessings  are  con- 
fined to  things  temporal,  or  carnal,  but  to  things 
spu'itual  and  divine ;  and  that  they  have  most 
chiefly  respect  to  soid,  and  etei'nal  good.  Now 
mark,  he  tells  ns  here,  that  the  blessings  of  the 
deep,  do  couch  beneath.  Couch,  that  is,  lie  close, 
so  as  hardly  to  be  discei'ned  by  him  that  wiUingly 
would  see  that  himself  is  not  below  these  arms 
that  ai-e  beneath  him.  But  that  as  I  said,  is  hard 
to  be  discerned  by  him  that  thus  is  sinking,  and 
that  has  as  he  now  smartingly  feels,  aU  God's 
waves,  and  his  billows  roUing  over  him.  How- 
ever, whether  he  sees  or  not,  for  this  blessing  lieth 
couched;  yet  there  it  is,  and  there  will  be,  though 
one  should  sink  as  deep  as  hell :  And  hence  they 
are  said  to  be  '  everlasting  arms '  that  are  '  under- 
neath : '  De.  xxxiii.  27.  That  is,  arms  that  are  long  and 
strong,  and  that  can  reach  to  the  bottom,  and  also 
beyond,  of  all  misery  and  distress,  that  Christians 
are  subject  to  in  this  life.  Indeed  mercy  seems  to 
be  asleep,  when  we  are  sinking :  for  then  we  are 
as  if  aU  things  were  careless  of  us,  but  it  is  but  as 
a  lion  couchant,  it  will  awake  in  time  for  our  help. 
Ps.  xliv.  22, 26;  Mar.  iv.  36—39.  And  forasmucli  as  tliis 
term  is  it,  which  is  applicable  to  the  lion  in  his 
den ;  it  may  be  to  shew  that  as  a  lion,  so  will  God 
at  the  fittest  season,  arise  for  the  help  and  deliver- 
ance of  a  sinking  people.  Hence  when  he  is  said 
to  address  himself  to  the  delivering  of  his  people, 
it  is  that  he  comes  as  a  roaring  lion.  '  The  Lord 
shall  go  forth  as  a  mighty  man,  he  shall  stir  up 


jealousy  like  a  man  of  war:  he  shall  cry,  yea, 
roar;  he  shaU  prevail  against  his  enemies.'  ls.xiii. 
13.  However  here  is  a  depth  against  the  depth 
that's  against  us,  let  that  depth  be  what  it  will. 
As  let  it  be  the  depth  of  misery,  the  depth  of  mercy 
is  sufficient.  If  it  be  the  depth  of  hcUish  policy, 
the  depth  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of 
God  shall  go  beyond  it,  and  prevail. 

This  therefore  is  worthy  of  the  consideration  of 
all  sinking  souls;  of  the  souls  that  feel  themselves 
descending  into  the  pit.  There  is  such  a  thing  as 
this  experienced  among  the  godly.  Some  come 
to  them  (when  tempted)  when  you  wiU,  they  will 
tell  you,  they  have  no  groimd  to  stand  on,  their 
feet  have  slipped,  their  foundation  is  removed,  and 
they  feel  themselves  sinking,  as  into  a  pit  that  has 
no  bottom.  Ps.  xi.  3.  They  inwardly  sink,  not  for 
want  of  something  to  relieve  the  body,  but  for 
want  of  some  spiritual  cordial  to  support  the  mind. 
'I  went  down  to  the  bottoms  of  the  momitains,' 
said  Jonas,  'the  earth  with  her  bars  vsae  about 
me  for  ever ;    -    -    -    my  sold,  fainted  within  me. ' 

Jonah  ii.  6,  7. 

Now  for  such  to  consider  that  underneath  them, 
even  at  the  bottom  there  lieth  a  blessing,  or  that 
in  this  deep  whereinto  they  are  descending,  there 
lieth  a  delivering  mercy  couching  to  catch  them, 
and  to  save  them  from  sinking  for  ever,  this  woidd 
be  relief  unto  them,  and  help  them  to  hope  for 
good. 

Again,  As  this,  were  it  well  considered  by  the 
sinking  ones,  would  yield  them  stay  and  relief,  so 
this  is  it  by  the  virtue  whereof,  they  that  have* 
been  sinking  heretofore,  have  been  lifted  up,  and 
above  their  castings  down  again.  There  are  of 
those  that  liaA'e  been  in  the  p'i(,  now  upon  moimt 
Sion,  with  the  harps  of  God  in  their  hands,  and 
with  the  song  of  the  Lamb  in  their  mouths.  But 
how  is  it  that  they  are  there  ?  why,  David,  by  his 
own  deliverance  shews  you  tlie  reason.  *  For 
great  is  thy  mercy  towards  me,'  saith  he,  'and 
thou  hast  delivered  my  soul  from  the  lowest  hell. ' 
Ps.  hisx\±  13.  And  again,  '  He  brought  me  up  also 
out  of  an  horrible  pit, '  (a  pit  of  noise,  a  pit  wherein 
was  the  noise  of  devils,  and  of  my  heart  answering 
them  with  distrust  and  fear)  '  out  of  the  miry 
clay, '  (mto  which  I  did  not  only  sink,  but  was  by 
it  held  from  getting  up :  but  he  brought  me  up) 
'  and  set  my  feet  upon  a  rock,  and  estabhshed  my 
goings.  And  he  hath  put  a  new  song  in  my  mouth, 
even  praise  to  our  God. '  Ps.  si.  2, 3. 

But  let  me  here  give,  if  it  may  be,  a  timely 
caution  to  them  that  think  tliey  stand  upon  their 
feet.  Give  not  way  to  falling  because  everlasting 
arms  are  imderneath,  take  heed  of  that :  God  can 
let  thee  fall  into  mischief,  he  can  let  thee  fall,  and 
not  help  thee  up.  Tempt  not  God,  lest  he  cast 
thee  away  indeed.     I  doubt  there  are  many  that 


8 


THE  SAI^TS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  L0"\^. 


have  presumed  upon  tliis  mercy,  that  thus  do  couch 
beneath,  and  liavc  cast  themselves  down  from 
their  pinnacles  into  vanity,  of  a  vain  conceit  that 
they  shall  he  lifted  up  again :  whom  yet  God  will 
leave  to  die  there,  because  their  fall  was  rather  of 
uiUfulncss,  than  weakness,  and  of  stubborncss,  and 
desperate  resolutions,  than  for  want  of  means  and 
lielps  to  preserve  them  from  it. 

FourUdy,  As  there  is  a  breadth,  and  length,  and 
depth,  in  this  mercy  and  grace  of  God  through 
Christ  towards  his  people:  So  there  is  also  a 
IIEIGIIT,  'That  ye  may  comprehend  with  all  saints, 
what  is  the  breadth  and  length,  and  depth,  and 
HEiGUT. '  Tliere  arc  things  that  are  Idgh,  as  well  as 
things  that  arc  low;  things  that  are  above  us,  as 
well  as  things  that  are  under,  that  are  distressing 
to  God's  people.  It  is  said  when  Noah  was  a 
preacher  of  righteousness,  there  were  gmits  in  the 
earth  in  those  days.  Gc.  vi.  4.  And  these,  as  I  con- 
ceive, were  some  of  the  heights  that  were  set 
against  Noah  ;  yea,  they  were  the  very  dads  and 
fixthers  of  all  that  monstrous  brood  that  followed 
in  the  world  in  that  day.  Of  this  sort  were  they 
who  so  frighted,  and  terrified  Israel,  when  they 
were  to  go  to  inherit  the  land  of  promise.  The 
men  that  were  taU  as  the  cedars,  and  strong  as  the 
oaks,  frighted  them :  they  were  in  their  oAvn  sight, 
when  compared  with  these  high  ones,  but  as  grass- 
hoppers.    This  therefore  was  their  discouragement. 

>'u.  xiiu  31 — 33,  and  De.  ii.  10,  and  ix.  2. 

Besides,  together  with  these,  they  had  high 
waUs,  walls  as  high  as  heaven;  and  these  walls 
Vere  of  purpose  to  keep  Israel  out  of  his  posses- 
sion. See  how  it  is  expressed:  The  people  is 
greater  and  taller  than  we,  the  cities  are  great  and 
walled  up  to  heaven  :  and  moreover,  we  have  seen 
the  sons  of  the  Anakims  there.  Dc.  i.  28.  One  of 
these,  to  wit,  Goliah  by  name,  how  did  he  fright 
the  children  of  Israel  in  the  days  of  Saul !  How 
did  the  appearance  of  him,  make  them  scuttle  to- 
gether on  heaps  before  him.  l  Sa.  xvii.  By  these 
giants,  and  by  these  high  walls,  God's  children  to 
this  day  are  sorely  distressed,  because  they  stand  in 
the  cross  ways  to  cut  off  Israel  from  his  possession. 

But  now  to  support  us  against  all  these,  and  to 
encourage  us  to  talce  heart  notwithstanding  all 
these  things;  there  is  for  us,  a  height  in  God. 
He  hath  made  his  Son  higher  than  the  kings  of 
the  earth:  Ps.  K-xxix.  2g,  28.  His  word  also  is  settled 
for  ever  in  heaven,  and  therefore  must  needs  be 
higher  than  their  walls :  Ps.  cxix.  80.  He  also  saith 
in  another  place,  'If  thou  sccst  the  oppression  of  the 
poor,  and  violent  perverting  of  judgment  and  jus- 
tice in  a  province,  marvel  not  at  the  matter ;  for 
he  Hud  is  higher  than  the  highest,  rcgardeth,  and 
tJiere  he  higher  than  they. '  Ec.  v.  8.  'Twas  this  that 
made  Paul,  that  he  feared  not  the  height:  not 
things  present,  nor  things  to  come.  Ho.  viii.  so. 


But  again,  As  there  are  these  things  standing, 
or  lying  in  our  way :  So  there  are  another  sort  of 
heights  that  are  more  mischievous  than  these: 
And  they  are  the  fallen  angels.  These  are  called 
spiritual  wickedness,  or  tmclced  spirits,  in  high 
places :  EpU.  vi.  13.  For  God  has  suffered  them  for  a 
time  to  take  to  themselves  principality  and  power, 
and  so  they  arc  become  the  rulers  of  the  darkness 
of  this  world.  By  these  v/e  are  tempted,  sifted, 
threatened,  opposed,  undermined:  also  by  these 
there  are  snares,  pits,  holes,  and  what  not  made 
and  laid  for  us,  if  peradventure  by  something  we 
may  be  de.5troyed.  Yea,  and  we  should  most 
certainly  be  so,  were  it  not  for  the  rock  that  is 
higher  than  they.  'But  he  that  cometh  from  hea- 
ven is  above  aU  ! '  Jn.  iii.  si.  These  are  they  that 
our  king  has  taken  captive,  and  hath  rid  (in  his 
chariots  of  salvation)  in  triumph  over  their  necks. 
These  are  they,  together  with  all  others,  -whose 
most  devilish  designs  he  can  wield,  and  turn  and 
make  work  together  for  his  ransomed's  advantage, 
Ro.  viii.  28.  There  is  a  height,  an  infinitely  over- 
topping height  in  the  mercy  and  goodness  of  God 
for  us,  against  them. 

There  are  heights  also  that  build  up  themselves 
in  us,  which  are  not  but  to  be  taken  notice  of:  Yea, 
there  are  a  many  of  them,  and  they  place  them- 
selves directly  so,  that  if  possible  they  may  keep 
the  saving  knowledge  of  God  out  of  our  hearts. 
These  high  things  therefore  are  said  to  exalt  them- 
selves  against  the  knowledge  of  God:  2  Cor.  x.  5;  and 
do  ofttimes  more  plague,  afflict,  and  frighten 
Christian  men  and  women,  than  any  thing  besides. 
It  is  from  these  that  our  faith  and  spiritual  under- 
standing of  God  and  his  Christ  is  opposed  and 
contradicted,  and  from  these  also  that  we  are  so 
inclinable  to  swerve  from  right  doctrine  into 
destructive  opinions.  'Tis  from  these  that  we  are 
so  easily  persuaded  to  call  into  question  our  former 
experience  of  the  goodness  of  God  towai'ds  us,  and 
from  these  that  our  minds  are  so  often  clouded  and 
darkened  that  we  cannot  see  afar  off.  These 
would  betray  us  into  the  hands  of  fallen  angels, 
and  men,  nor  should  we  by  any  means  help  or 
deliver  ourselves,  were  it  not  for  one  that  is  higher. 
These  are  the  dark  mountains  at  which  our  feet 
would  certainly  stumble,  and  upon  which  we  should 
fall,  were  it  not  for  one  who  can  leajy  and  ship  over 
these  mountains  of  division,  and  come  in  to  us. 

Song  ii.  8  and  17. 

Further,  There  is  a  height  also  that  is  obvious 
to  our  senses,  the  which  when  it  is  dealt  withal  by 
our  corrupted  reason,  proves  a  great  shaking  to 
our  mind,  and  that  is  the  height,  and  exceeding 
distance  that  heaven  is  off  of  us,  and  we  off  it. 
'Is  not  God  in  the  height  of  heaven?  and  behold 
the  height  of  the  stars,  how  high  they  are  ? ' 
Jobxxu.13.     Hence  heaven  is  called  the  place  for 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


height,  Pr.  XXV.  3.  Also  when  Ahaz  is  bid  to  ask 
with  reference  to  heaven,  he  is  bid  to  ask  it.  In 
the  height,  the  height  above,  is.  vii.  ii.  Now  saith 
reason,  how  shall  I  come  thither  ?  especially  when 
a  good  man  is  at  his  furthest  distance  therefrom : 
which  is,  when  he  is  in  the  grave.  Now  I  say, 
every  height  is  a  difficulty  to  him  that  is  loaden 
with  a  burden,  especially  the  heaven  of  heavens, 
where  God  is,  and  where  is  the  resting-place  of 
his,  to  them  that  are  oppressed  with  the  guilt  of 
sin.  And  besides,  the  dispensation  which  hap- 
peneth  to  us  last,  to  wit,  death,  as  I  said  before, 
makes  this  heaven,  in  my  thoughts  while  I  live  so 
much  the  more  unaccessible.  Christ  indeed  could 
mount  up,  Ac.  i.  9,  but  'ine,  poor  me,  how  shall  I  get 
thither?  Elias  indeed  had  a  chariot  sent  him  to 
ride  in  thither,  and  went  up  by  it  into  that  holy 
place:  3Ki. ii. ii.  but  I,  poor  I,  how  shall  I  get 
thither?  Enoch  is  there,  because  God  took  him, 
Ge.  T.  24 :  but  as  for  me,  how  shall  I  get  thither  ? 
Thus  some  have  mourningly  said.  And  although 
distrust  of  the  power  of  God,  as  to  the  accomplish- 
ing of  this  thing,  is  by  no  means  to  be  smiled 
upon,  yet  methinks  the  unconcernedness  of  pro- 
fessors thereabout,  doth  argue  that  considering 
thoughts  about  that,  are  wanting. 

I  know  the  answer  is  ready.  Get  Christ  and  go 
to  heaven.  But  methinks  the  height  of  the  place, 
and  the  glory  of  the  state  that  we  are  to  enjoy 
therein,  should  a  little  concern  us,  at  least  so  as 
to  make  us  wonder  in  our  thinking,  that  the  time 
is  coming  that  we  must  mount  up  thither.  And 
since  there  are  so  many  heights  between  this  place, 
between  us,  and  tlmt;  it  should  make  us  admire 
at  the  heights  of  the  grace  and  mercy  of  God, 
by  which,  means  is  provided  to  bring  us  thither. 
And  I  believe  that  this  thing,  this  very  thing,  is 
included  here  by  the  Apostle  when  he  prays  for 
the  Ephesians,  that  they  might  know  the  height. 

Methinks,  How  shall  tve  get  thither  will  stiU  stick 
in  my  mind.  '  I  wiU  ascend, '  says  one,  'above  the 
height  of  the  clouds,  I  will  be  like  the  most  High.' 
is.xiv.  14.  And  I,  says  another,  will  set  my  nest 
among  the  stars  of  heaven.  Oh.  4.  Well,  but  what 
of  all  this  ?  If  heaven  has  gates,  and  they  shall 
be  shut,  how  wilt  thou  go  in  thither  ?  Though 
such  should  climb  up  to  heaven,  from  thence  will 
God  bring  them  down.  Am.  i\-.  2.  StiU  I  say,  there- 
fore, how  shall  we  get  in  thither  ?  Why,  for  them 
that  are  godly,  there  is  the  power  of  God,  the 
merits  of  Christ,  the  help  of  angels,  and  the  testi- 
)nony  of  a  good  conscience  to  bring  them  thither ; 
and  he  that  has  not  the  help  of  aU  these,  let  him 
do  what  he  can,  shall  never  come  thither.  Not 
that  all  these  go  to  the  making  up  of  the  height 
that  is  intended  in  the  text :  for  the  height  there, 
is  what  is  in  God  through  Christ  to  us  alone.  But 
the  angels  are  the  servants  of  God  for  that  end : 

VOL.  II. 


Lu.  xvi.  32,  and  He.  i.  14.  and  none  with  ill  consciences 
enter  in  thither,  Ps.  xv.  i,  aua  xxiv.  3, 4.  What,  'know 
ye  not  that  the  unrighteous  shall  not  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God?  be  not  deceived,'  1  cor.  vi. 9.  such 
have  none  inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and 
of  God,  Ep.  V.  5. 

This  then  should  teach  us  that  in  God  is  a 
power  that  is  able  to  subdue  all  things  to  himself. 
In  the  completing  of  many  things,  there  seems  to 
be  an  utter  impossibility,  as  that  a  virgin  should 
conceive  in  her  womb,  as  a  virgin,  and  brini-  a 
Son  into  the  world ;  that  the  body  that  is  turned 
into  dust,  should  adse  and  ascend  into  the  highest 
heaven.  Ph.  iiL  21.  These  things  with  many  more 
seem  to  be  utterly  impossible :  but  there  is  that 
which  is  called  the  power  of  God,  by  the  which  he 
is  able  to  make  all  things  bend  to  his  will,  and  to 
make  all  obstructions  give  place  to  what  he  pleases. 
God  is  high  above  all  things  and  can  do  whatever 
it  pleaseth  him.  But  since  he  can  do  so,  why 
doth  he  suffijr  this,  and  that  thing  to  appear,  to 
act,  and  do  so  horribly  repugnant  to  his  word  ?  I 
answer,  he  admits  of  many  things,  to  the  end  ho 
may  shew  his  wrath,  and  make  his  power  known; 
and  that  all  the  world  may  see  how  he  checks  and 
overrules  the  most  vile  and  unruly  things,  and  can 
make  them  subservient  to  his  holy  will.  And  how 
would  the  breadth  and  the  length,  and  the  depUi, 
and  the  MigJti  of  the  love  and  mercy  of  God  in 
Christ  to  US-ward,  be  made  to  appear,  so  as  in  all 
things  it  doth,  were  there  not  admitted  that  there 
should  be  hrecfdtlis,  and  hngtJis,  and  dcptlis  and 
IieigJits,  to  oppose.  Wherefore  these  oppositions 
are  therefore  suffered,  that  the  greatness  of  the 
wisdom,  the  power,  the  mercy,  and  grace  of  God 
to  us  in  Christ  might  appear  and  be  made  mani- 
fest imto  us. 

This  calls  therefore  upon  christians,  wisely  to 
consider  of  the  doings  of  their  God.  How  many 
opposite  breadths,  and  lengths,  and  depths,  and 
heights  did  Israel  meet  with  in  their  journey  from 
Egypt  to  Canaan,  and  all  to  convince  them  of  their 
own  weakness,  and  also  of  the  power  of  their  God. 
And  they  that  did  wisely  consider  of  his  doings 
there,  did  reap  the  advantage  thereof.  Come, 
behold  the  works  of  the  Lord  towards  me,  may 
every  christian  say.  He  hath  set  a  Saviour  against 
sin;  a  heaven  against  a  hell;  light  against  dark- 
ness; good  against  evil,  and  the  breadtli,  and  leivjih, 
and  depth,  and  heigU  of  the  grace  that  is  in  him- 
self, for  my  good,  against  all  the  power,  and 
strength,  and  force,  and  subtilty,  of  every  enemy. 

This  also,  as  I  hinted  but  just  before,  shews 
both  the  power  of  them  that  hate  us,  and  the  in- 
ability of  us  to  resist.  The  power  tliat  is  set 
a"-ainst  us  none  can  crush,  and  break,  but  God : 
for  it  is  the  power  of  devils,  of  sin,  of  death,  and 
hell.     But  we  for  our  parts  are  crushed  before  tho 


10 


THE  SAINTS'  KXOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  L0\^. 


moth :  being  a  shadow,  a  vapour,  anil  a  wind  that 
passes  away.  Jobir.  19.  Oh!  how  shoidd  we,  and 
how  would  we,  Avere  but  our  eyes  awake,  stand 
and  wonder  at  the  preservations,  the  deliverances, 
the  salvations  and  benefits  with  which  we  arc  sur- 
rounded daily:  while  so  many  mighty  evils  seek 
daily  to  swallow  us  up,  as  the  grave.  See  how 
the  golden  psalm  of  David  reads  it.  'Be  merciful 
unto  me,  0  God;  for  man  would  swallow  me  up; 
he  fighting  daily  oppresscth  me.  Mine  enemies 
would  daily  swallow  uiie  up  :  for  €iey  be  many  that 
fight  against  me,  0  thou  most  high.'  rs.M.  1, 2. 
This  is  at  the  beginning  of  it.  And  he  concludes 
it  thus,  '  Thou  hast  delivered  my  soid  from  death : 
vjilt  not  thou  deliver  my  feet  from  falling,  that  I  may 
walk  before  God  in  the  light  of  the  living.'  ver.  13. 

By  tlxis  also  we  see  the  reason  why  it  is  so  im- 
possible for  man  or  angel  to  persuade  unbelievers 
to  come  in  to,  and  close  unth  Christ ;  why  there  is 
a  breadth  that  they  cannot  get  over,  a  length  that 
they  cannot  get  beyond,  a  dejyth  that  they  cannot 
pass,  and  heirjMs  that  so  hinder  them  of  the  pros- 
pect of  glory,  and  the  way  thereto,  that  they  can- 
not be  allured  thither.  And  that  nothing  can 
remove  these;  but  those  that  are  in  God,  and  that 
are  opposite  thereto;  even  the  breadth,  and  length, 
and  depth  and  heigM  that  is  in  the  text  expressed, 
is  to  all  awakened  men  an  imdoubted  truth.* 

One  item  I  would  here  giA'e  to  him  that  loveth 
his  own  soul,  and  then  we  will  pass  on  in  pur- 
suance of  what  is  to  come.  Since  there  is  an 
height  obnous  to  sense,  and  that  that  height  must 
be  overcome  ere  a  man  can  enter  into  life  eternal : 
let  thy  heart  be  careful  that  thou  go  the  right  way 
to  overpass  this  height,  that  thou  mayest  not  miss 
of  the  delectable  plains,  and  the  pleasures  that  are 
above.  Now,  there  is  nothing  so  high,  as  to  over- 
top this  height;  but  Jacob's  ladder,  and  that  can 
do  it:  that  ladder,  when  the  foot  thereof  doth 
stand  upon  the  earth,  reacheth  with  its  top  to  the 
gate  of  heaven.  This  is  the  ladder  by  which 
angels  ascend  thither :  and  this  is  the  ladder  by 
which  thou  mayest  ascend  thither.  'And  he 
dreamed,  and  behold  a  ladder  set  up  on  the  earth, 
and  the  top  of  it  reached  to  heaven :  and  behold 
the  angels  of  God  ascending  and  descending  on  it. ' 

Gc.  xxviii.  12. 

This  ladder  is  Jesus  Christ,  the  son  of  man,  as 
J3  clear  by  the  evangelist  John.  Jn.  i.  51.  And  in 
that  it  is  said  to  stand  upon  the  earth,  that  is  to 
shew  that  he  took  hold  of  man  who  is  of  the  earth, 

*  How  admirably  docs  Bunyan  bring  /lome  to  the  cMs- 
tiau's  heart  these  solemn  tralhs.  The  breadth  and  length  and 
depth  and  height  of  our  guilt  and  miseiy,  requires  a  remedy 
beyond  all  human  power.  This  ean  ouly  be  found  in  the  love 
of  God  in  Christ:  this  extends  beyond  aU  bounds.  It  is  divine, 
unsearchable,  eternal  mercy,  swallowing  up  all  our  miseries. 
-Ed. 


and  therein  laid  a  foundation  for  his  salvation :  in 
that  it  is  said  the  top  reached  up  to  heaven,  that 
is  to  shew  that  the  divine  nature  was  joined  to  the 
human,  and  by  that  means  he  was  every  way  made 
a  Savioxu-  complete.  Now  concerning  this  ladder, 
'tis  said.  Heaven  was  open  where  it  stood,  to  shew 
that  by  him  there  is  entrance  into  life :  'tis  said 
also  concerning  this  ladder,  that  the  Lord  stood 
there,  at  the  top,  above  it :  saying,  '  I  am  the  Lord 
God  of  Abraham, '  Ge.  xxvm.  13,  to  shew  his  hearty 
and  willing  reception  of  those  that  ascend  the 
height  of  his  sanctuary  this  way.  All  vrhich 
Christ  further  explains  by  saying,  '  I  am  the  way, 
and  the  truth,  and  the  life,  no  man  cometh  unto 
the  father,  but  by  me.'  Ju. xiv. 6,  Look  to  thyself 
then,  that  thou  do  truly  and  after  the  right  manner 
embrace  this  ladder,  so  Avill  he  d7V.w  thee  up 
thither  after  him.  Jn.  xii.  33.  All  the  rownds  of  this 
ladder  are  sound  and  fitly  placed,  not  one  of  them 
is  set  further  than  that  by  faith  thou  mayest 
ascend  step  by  step  unto,  even  until  thou  shalt 
come  to  the  highest  step  thereof,  from  whence,  or 
by  whicli  thou  mayest  step  in  at  the  celestial  gate 
where  thy  soul  desire th  to  dweU, 

Take  my  caution  then,  and  be  wary,  no  man 
can  come  thither  but  by  him.  Thither  I  say  to 
be  accepted:  thither,  there  to  dwell,  and  thei'e  to 
abide  with  joy  for  ever. 

'  That  ye  -  -  -  may  be  able  to  comprehend  wdth 
all  saints,  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and 
depth,  and  height ;  and  to  Imow  the  love  of  Christ 
which  passeth  knowledge.' 

Having  thus  spoke  of  the  breadth,  and  length, 
and  depth,  and  height,  that  is  in  God's  mercy  by 
Christ  to  US-ward;  we  will  now  come  more  directly  to 

The  PRArEB  of  the  Apostle  for  these  Epiie- 

SIANS,  WITH   REFERENCE    THEREUNTO  ;    tO   wlt,    that 

they  might  be  able  to  comprehend  vv"ith  all  saints 
what  they  are.     And 

First,  As  to  the  ability  that  he  prays  for,  to 
the  end  that  they  may  be  capable  to  do  this  thing. 

First,  That  ye  may  be  able.  The  weakness  that 
is  here  supposed  to  hinder  their  thus  comprehend- 
ing, he,  did  doubtless  lie  in  their  grace,  as  well 
as  their  nature:  for  in  both,  with  reference  to 
tliem  that  are  Christians,  there  is  great  disability, 
unless  they  be  strengthened  mightily  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Nature's  ability  depends  upon  graces,  and 
the  ability  of  graces,  depends  upon  the  mighty 
help  of  the  spirit  of  God.  Hence  as  nature 
itself,  where  grace  is  not,  sees  nothing ;  so  nature 
by  grace  sees  but  weakly,  if  that  grace  is  not 
strengthened  with  all  might  by  the  spirit  of  grace. 
The  breadths,  lengths,  depths  and  heights  here 
made  mention  of,  are  mysteries,  and  in  all  their 
operations,  do  work  wx)nderfidly  mysteriously: 
insomuch  that  many  times,  though  they  are  aU  of 
them  busily  engaged  for  this  and  the  other  child 


TliE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


11 


of  God,  yet  tliey  themselves  see  nothing  of  them. 
As  Christ  said  to  Peter,  'What  I  do  thou  knowest 
not  now;'  Jn.  xiii.  7;  so  may  it  he  said  to  many  where 
the  grace  and  mercy  of  God  in  Christ  is  Avorking: 
they  do  not  know,  they  understand  not  what  it  is, 
nor  what  will  be  the  end  of  such  dispensations  of 
God  towards  them.  Wherefore  they  also  say  as 
Peter  to  Christ,  'Dost  thou  wash  my  feet?  -  - 
thou  shalt  never  wash  my  feet ; '  Jn.  xiii.  &— 8.  Yea, 
and  when  some  light  to  convince  of  this  folly  hreaks 
in  upon  them,  yet  if  it  be  not  very  distinct  and 
clear;  causing  the  person  to  know  the  true  cause, 
natm-e,  and  end  of  God's  doing  of  this  or  that, 
they  swerve  with  Petei',  as  much  on  the  other  side. 
Ju.  xiii.  9, 10.  They  have  not  known  my  ways,  and 
my  methods  with  them  in  this  world,  were  that 
that  caused  Israel  always  to  err  in  their  hearts, 
He.  iii.  10.  and  lie  cross  to  all,  and  each  of  these 
breadths,  lengths,  depths,  and  heights,  whenever 
they  were  imder  the  exercise  of  any  of  them  in  the 
wilderness. 

And  the  reason  is,  as  I  said  before,  for  that  they 
are  very  mysterious  in  theii*  workings.  For  they 
work  by,  upon,  and  against  oppositions;  for,  and 
in  order  to  the  help  and  salvation  of  his  people. 
Also  (as  was  hinted  a  while  since)  that  the  power 
and  glory  of  this  breadth,  and  length,  &c.  of  the 
mercy  and  grace  of  God,  may  the  more  shew  its 
excellency  and  sufficiency  as  to  our  deliverance; 
we  by  him  seem  quite  to  be  delivered  up  to  the 
breadths,  lengths,  and  depths,  and  heights  that 
oppose,  and  that  utterly  seek  our  ruin :  wherefore 
at  such  times,  nothing  of  breadths,  lengths,  depths, 
or  heights  can  be  seen,  save  by  those  that  are  very 
vrell  skilled  in  those  mysterious  methods  of  God, 
in  his  gracious  actings  towards  his  people.  'Who 
wHl  bring  me  into  the  strong  city,'  and  'ic'ilt  not 
thou,  0  God,  lohlch  hadst  cast  us  off?  and  thou, 

0  God,  which  didst  not  go  out  with  om*  armies  ?  ' 
Ps.k.  0, 10.  is  a  lesson  too  hard  for  every  Christian 
man  to  say  over  believlngly.  And  what  was  it  that 
made  Jonah  say,  when  he  vv'as  in  the  belly  of  hell, 
•Yet  I  will  look  again  toward  thy  holy  temple,' 
Jonali  ii.  4.  but  the  good  skiU  that  he  had  in  mider- 
standing  of  the  mystery  of  these  breadths,  and 
lengths,  and  depths,  and  heights  of  God,  and  of 
the  way  of  his  working  by  them.  Read  the  text 
at  large.  'Thou  hadst  cast  me  mto  the  deep,  in 
the  midst  of  the  seas,  and  the  floods  compassed  me 
about.  All  thy  billows  and  thy  waves  passed  over 
me.     Then  I  said,  I  am  cast  out  of  thy  sight ;  yet 

1  will  look  again  toward  thy  holy  temple. '  Jonaii  ii.  3, 4. 

These,  and  such  hke  sentences,  are  easily  played 
v/ith  by  a  i)reacher,  when  in  the  pulpit,  specially 
if  he  has  a  little  of  the  notion  of  things,  but  of  the 
diffiailty  and  strait,  that  those  are  brought  into, 
out  of  whoso  mouth  such  tilings,  or  words  are 
extorted,  by  reason  of  the  force  of  the  labyrinths 


they  are  fallen  into:  of  those  they  experience 
nothing,  wherefore  to  those  they  are  utterly 
strangers. 

He  then  that  is  able  to  comprehend  with  all 
saints  what  Is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth, 
and  height;  must  be  a  good  expositor  of  providences, 
and  must  see  the  way,  and  the  workings  of  God  by 
tliem.  Now  there  are  providences  of  two  sorts, 
seemingly  good,  and  seemingly  bad,  and  those  do 
usually  as  Jacob  did,  when  he  blessed  the  sous  of 
Joseph,  cross  hands;  and  lay  the  blessing  where 
ice  would  not.  '  And  when  Joseph  saw  that  his 
father  laid  his  right  hand  upon  the  head  of  Ephraim, 
it  displeased  him. '  Ge.  .\i\-iu.  i7.  I  say  there  are  pro- 
vidences unto  which  we  woidd  have  the  blessings 
entailed,  but  they  are  not.  And  they  are  provi- 
dences that  smile  upon  the  flesh;  to  wit,  such  as 
cast  into  the  lap,  health,  wealth,  plenty,  ease, 
friends,  and  abundance  of  this  world's  good:  because 
these,  [Manasseh,  as  his  name  doth  signify,]  have 
in  them  an  aptness  to  make  us  forget  our  toil,  our 
low  estate,  and  from  whence  we  were:  Ge.  xu.  51.  but 
the  great  blessmg  is  not  in  them.  There  are  pro- 
vidences again,  that  take  away  from  us  whatever 
is  desirable  to  the  flesh;  such  Is  the  sickness,  losses, 
crosses,  persecution  and  atHiction;  and  usually  in 
these,  though  they  make  us  *shuck  whenever  they 
come  upon  us,  blessing  coucheth,  and  is  ready  to 
help  us.  For  God,  as  the  name  of  Ephraim  signi- 
fies, makes  us  'fruitfid  in  the  land  of  om-  aflhction.' 
Ge.  xH.  52.  He  therefore,  in  blessing  of  his  people, 
lays  his  hands  across,  guiding  them  wittingly,  and 
laying  the  chlefest  blessing  on  the  head  of  Ephraim, 
or  in  that  providence,  that  sanctifies  affliction. 
Abel!  what,  to  the  reason  of  Eve  was  he,  In  com- 
parison of  Cain.  Rachel  called  Benjamin  the  son 
of  her  sorrow:  but  Jacob  knew  how  to  give  him  a 
better  name.  Go.xx.x\-.18.  Jabez  also,  though  his 
mother  so  called  him,  because,  as  it  seems,  she 
brought  him  forth  with  more  than  ordinary  sorrow, 
was  yet  more  honourable,  more  godly,  than  his 
brethren,  i  Ch.  iv.  9,  lo.  He  that  has  skill  to  judge  of 
providences  aright,  has  a  great  abdity  m  him  to 
comprehend  with  other  saints,  what  is  the  breadth, 
and  length,  and  depth,  and  height:  but  he  that  has 
not  skill  as  to  discerning  of  them,  is  but  a  child 
in  his  judgment  in  those  high  and  mysterious 
things.  And  hence  it  is,  that  some  shall  suck 
honey  out  of  that,  at  the  which  others  tremble  for 
fear  it  should  poison  them,  I  have  often  been  made 
to  say,  '  Sorrow  is  better  than  laughter ;  and  the 
house  of  mom-ning  better  than  the  house  of  mirth. 
Ec.vii.3-5.  And  I  have  more  often  seen,  that  the 
afflicted  are  always  the  best  sort  of  Christians. 
There  is  a  man,  never  well,  never  prospering,  never 


*  SJiucJc,  a  coiTuptiou  of  slu-ug,  to  express  horror  by  motious 
of  the  body. 


12 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


but  under  afflictions,  disappointments  and  sorrows: 
why  this  man,  if  he  be  a  Christian,  is  one  of  the 
best  of  men.  *  They  that  go  down  to  the  sea,  -  - 
that  do  business  in  great  waters,  these  see  the 
works  of  the  Lord,  and  his  wonders  in  the  deep.* 
Ps.  cvii.  23, 24.  And  it  is  from  hence,  for  aught  I 
know,  that  James  admonishes  the  brother  of  high 
degree  to  rejoice  in  that  he  is  made  low.  And  he 
renders  the  reason  of  it,  to  wit,  for  that  the  fashion 
of  the  world  perisheth,  the  rich  man  fadeth  away 
in  his  way;  but  the  tempted,  and  he  thatendureth 
temptation  is  blessed.  Ja.  i.  10-12.  Now,  1  know  these 
things  are  not  excellent  in  themselves,  nor  yet  to 
be  desired  for  any  profit  that  they  can  yield,  but 
God  doth  use  by  these,  as  by  a  tutor  or  instructor, 
to  make  knovm  to  them  that  are  exercised  with 
them,  so  much  of  himself  as  to  make  them  under- 
stand that  riches  of  his  goodness  that  is  seldom 
by  other  means  broken  up  to  the  sons  of  men. 
And  hence  'tis  said,  that  the  afterwards  of  affliction 
doth  yield  the  peaceable  fruits  of  righteousness 
unto  them  which  are  exercised  thereby.  He.xii.ii. 

The  sum  is,  these  breadths,  and  lengths,  and 
depths,  and  heights  of  God,  are  to  be  discerned; 
and  some  that  are  good,  do  more,  and  some  do  less 
discern  them,  and  how  they  are  working,  and  put- 
ting forth  themselves  in  every  providence,  in  every 
change,  in  every  turn  of  the  wheel  that  passeth  by 
us  in  this  world.  1  do  not  question  but  that  there 
are  some  that  are  alive  that  have  been  able  to  say, 
the  days  of  affliction  have  been  the  best  unto  them; 
and  that  could,  if  it  were  lawful,  pray  that  they 
might  always  be  in  affliction,  if  God  would  but  do 
to  them  as  he  did  when  his  hand  was  last  upon 
them  For  by  them  he  caused  his  light  to  shine: 
Or  as  Job  has  it, '  Thou  huntcst  me  as  a  fierce  lion: 
and  again  thou  she  west  thyself  marvellously  upon 
me.'  Job  X.  16.  See  also  the  writing  of  Hezekiah, 
and  read  what  profit  he  found  in  afflictions,  is.  xxxriu. 
But  again,  these  breadths,  lengths,  depths,  and 
heights,  have  in  themselves  naturally  that  glory, 
that  cannot  bo  so  well  discerned,  or  kept  in  view 
by  weak  eyes.  He  had  need  have  an  eye  like  an 
eagle,  that  can  look  upon  the  sun,  that  can  look 
upon  these  great  things,  and  not  be  stricken  blind 
therewith.  You  see  how  Saul  was  served  when  he 
was  going  to  Damascus:  Ac.  ix.    But  Stephen  could 


*  Thi.s  is  a  very  striking  application  of  these  words  of  David, 
which  so  fearfully  describe  the  agitation  of  those  who  are 
exposed  to  a  hurricane  at  sea.  We  too  generally  limit  this 
passage  to  its  literal  sense.  To  Bunyan,  who  had  passed 
through  such  a  deep  experience  of  the  "  terrors  of  the  Lord," 
when  he  carne  out  of  tribulation  and  anguish,  he  must  have 
richly  enjoyed  the  solemn  imagery  of  these  words,  depicting 
the  inmost  feelings  of  his  soul  when  in  the  horrible  deeps  of 
doubt  and  despair.  But  young  Christians  must  not  be  dis- 
tressed because  they  have  never  experienced  such  tempests: 
thousands  of  vessels  of  mercy  get  to  heaven,  without  meeting 
with  liurricanes  in  their  way. — Ed. 


stand  and  look  up  stedfastly  into  heaven;  and  thot 
too  Avhcn  with  Jonas  he  was  going  into  the  deep. 
Ac.  vii.     But  I  have  done  with  this,  and  proceed. 

Second — TJiat  ye  may  be  able  to  comprehend.  Al- 
though apprehending  is  included  in  comprehending; 
yet  to  comprehend  is  more.  To  comprehend  is  to 
know  a  thing  fully;  or,  to  reach  it  all.  But  here 
we  must  distinguish,  and  say,  that  there  is  a  com- 
prehending that  is  absolute,  and  a  comprehending 
that  is  comparative.  Of  comprehending  absolutely, 
or  perfectly,  we  are  not  here  to  speak;  for  that  the 
Apostle  could  not,  in  this  place,  as  to  the  thing- 
prayed  for,  desire:  For  it  is  utterly  impossible  per- 
fectly to  know  whatsoever  is  in  the  breadths, 
lengths,  depths,  and  heights  here  spoken  of. 
Whether  you  call  them  mercies,  judgments,  or  the 
ways  of  God  with  men.  *  How  unsearchable  are 
his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding  out ! ' 
Ro.  xi.  33.  Or,  if  you  take  them  to  signify  his  love, 
unto  which  you  see  I  am  inclined;  why,  that  you 
read  of  in  the  same  place,  to  be  it  'which  passes 
knowledge. '  Wherefore  should  the  Apostle  by  this 
term,  conclude,  or  insinuate,  that  what  he  calls 
here  breadths,  lengths,  depths,  or  heights,  might 
be  fully,  or  perfectly  understood  and  known,  he 
would  not  only  contradict  other  scriptures,  but  him- 
self, in  one  and  the  self  same  breath.  Wherefore 
it  must  be  understood  comparatively ;  that  is,  and 
that  he  says,  with,  or  as  much  as  others,  as  any, 
even  with  aU  saints.  That  ye  inay  he  able  to  com- 
prehend with  all  saints,  what  is  the  breadth,  and 
length,  and  depth,  and  heigM.  I  would  ye  were 
as  able  to  understand,  to  know,  and  to  find  out 
these  things,  as  ever  any  were ;  and  to  know  with 
the  very  best  of  saints,  Tlie  love  of  Christ,  which 
passeth  knoioledge.  There  are,  as  has  before  been 
hinted,  degrees  of  knowledge  of  these  things;  some 
know  more,  some  less;  but  the  Apostle  prays  that 
these  Ephesians  might  see,  know,  and  imderstand 
as  much  thereof  as  the  best,  or  as  any  under 
heaven. 

1.  And  this,  in  the  first  place,  shews  us  the 
love  of  a  minister  of  Jesus  Christ.  A  minister's 
love  to  his  flock  is  seen  in  his  praying  for  them : 
wherefore  Paul,  commonly,  by  his  epistles,  either 
first  or  last,  or  both,  gives  the  churches  to  under- 
stand. That  he  did  often  heartily  pray  to   God 

for  them:  Uo.  xvi.  20,  24. 1  Co.  xvi.  23.  Ga.  vi.l8.  Ep.  i.  16.  Pliil.  i.  4. 
Col.  i.  3. 1  Til.  i.  2. 1  Ti.  ri.  21.  2 Ti.  iv.  22.       And   nOt   Only    SO. 

but  also  specifies  the  mercies,  and  blessings,  and 
benefits  which  he  earnestly  begged  for  them  of  God. 

2Co.  xiii.  7.2Th.i.  11. 

2.  But,  secondly.  This  implies  that  there  are 
great  benefits  accrue  to  Christians  by  the  com- 
prehending of  these  things:  Yea,  it  implies  that 
something  very  special  is  ministered  to  us  by  this 
knowledge  of  these;  and  here  to  touch  upon  a  few 
of  them. 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


13 


(1.)  He  that  sliall  arrive  to  some  competent 
knowledge  of  these  things,  shall  understand  more 
thoroughly  the  greatness,  the  ■wisdom,  the  poAver,  &c. 
of  the  God  that  is  ahove.  For  hy  these  expressions 
are  the  attributes  of  God  set  forth  unto  us:  And 
although  I  have  discoursed  of  them  hitherto  under 
the  notion  of  grace  and  mercy,  yet  it  was  not  for 
that  I  concluded,  they  excluded  the  expressing  of 
his  other  attributes,  but  becraise  they  all,  as  it 
were,  turn  into  loving  methods  in  the  wheel  of  their 
heavenly  motion  towards  the  children  of  God. 
Hence  it  is  said,  '  God  is  love, '  i  Jn.  iv.  16. '  God  is 
light, '  1  Ju.  i.  5.  God  is  what  He  is  for  His  ovm 
glory,  and  the  good  of  them  that  fear  Him.  God! 
Why  God  in  the  breadth,  length,  depth,  height, 
that  is  here  intended,  comprehends  the  whole 
world.  Col.  i.  17.  The  whole  world  is  m  him:  for  he 
is  before,  above,  beyond,  and  round  about  all  things. 
Hence  it  is  said.  The  heavens  for  breadth,  are  but 
his  span:  That  he  gathereth  the  wind  in  his  fists, 
Pr.  XXX.  4.  measureth  the  waters  in  the  hollow  of  his 
liand,  weigheth  the  mountains  in  scales,  and  the 
hills  in  a  balance,  is. xl.  13.  Yea,  that  'all  nations 
before  him  are  as  nothing,  and  they  are  counted  to 
him  less  than  nothing,  and  vanity. '  ver.  17-  Hence 
we  are  said  to  live  and  move  in  him,  Ac.  xvii.  2S.  and 
that  He  is  beyond  all  search. 

I  wiU  add  one  word  more,  notwithstanding  there 
is  such  a  revelation  of  Him  in  his  word,  in  the  book 
of  creatures,  and  in  the  book  of  providences;  yet 
the  scripture  says,  'Lo,  these  are  parts  of  his  ways: 
but  how  little  a  portion  is  heard  of  him?'  Job  xxvi.  14. 
So  great  is  God  above  all  that  we  have  read,  heard, 
or  seen  of  Him,  either  in  the  bible,  in  heaven,  or 
earth,  the  sea,  or  what  else  is  to  be  understood. 
But  now.  That  a  poor  mortal,  a  lump  of  sinful  flesh, 
or,  as  the  scripture-phrase  is,  poor  dust  and  ashes, 
should  be  in  the  favour,  in  the  heart,  and  wrapped 
up  in  the  compassions  of  such  a  God!  0  ama- 
zing !  0  astonishing  consideration !  And  yet 
'This  God  25  our  God  for  ever  and  ever;  and  He 
will  be  our  guide  even  unto  death.'  Ps.xlviii.l4. 

It  is  said  of  our  God,  'That  he  humbleth  him- 
self when  he  beholds  things  in  heaven. '  Hov/  much 
more  then  when  he  openeth  his  eyes  upon  man; 
but  most  of  all  when  he  makes  it,  as  one  may  say, 
his  business  to  visit  him  every  morning,  and  to  try 
him  every  moment,  having  set  His  heart  upon  him, 
being  determined  to  set  him  also  among  his  princes. 
•  The  Lord  is  liigh  above  all  nations,  and  his  glory 
above  the  heavens.  Who  is  like  unto  the  Lord  our 
God,  who  dwelleth  on  high.  Who  humbleth  kimsdf 
to  behold  the  things  that  are  in  heaven,  and  in  the 
earth !  He  raiseth  up  the  poor  out  of  the  dust, 
and  lifteth  the  needy  out  of  the  dunghill;  that  he 
may  set  him  with  princes,  even  with  the  princes  of 

his  people.'  Ps.  cxiii.  3-8. 

(2.)  IF  iliis  God  be  oui-  God;  or  if  our  God  be 


such  a  God,  and  could  we  but  attain  to  that  know- 
ledge of  the  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and 
height  that  is  in  him,  as  the  Apostle  here  prays, 
and  desires  we  may,  we  should  never  be  afraid  of 
anything  we  shall  meet  with,  or  that  shall  assault 
us  in  this  world.     The  great  God,  the  former  of  all 
things,  taketh  part  with  them  that  fear  Him,  and 
that  engage  themselves  to  walk  in  His  ways,  of 
love,  and  respect,  they  bear  unto  hun;  so  that  such 
may  boldly  say,  '  The  Lord  is  my  helper,  and  I 
will  not  fear  what  man  shall  do  unto  me.'  He. xiii.6. 
Would  it  not  be  amazing,  should  you  see  a  man 
encompassed  with  chariots  and  horses,  and  weapons 
for  his  defence,  yet  afraid  of  being  sparrow  blasted, 
or  over-run  by  a  grasshopper !     Why  '  It  is  he  that 
sitteth  upon  the  circle  of  the  earth,  and'  to  whom 
'the   inhabitants    thereof  are   as    grasshoppers:' 
Is.  xi.  23.  that  is  the  God  of  the  people  that  are  lover.s 
of  Jesus  Christ;  therefore  we  should  not  fear  them. 
To  fear  man,  is  to  forget  God;  and  to  be  careless 
in  a,  time  of  danger,  is  to  forget  God's  ordinance. 
What  is  it  then  ?     Why,  let  us  fear  God,  and  dili- 
gently keep  his  way,  with  what  prudence  and  re- 
gard to  our  preservation,  and  also  the  preservation 
of  what  we  have,  we  may :  And  if,  we  doing  this, 
our  God  shall  dehver  us,  and  what  we  have,  into 
the  hands  of  them  that  hate  us,  let  us  laugh,  be 
fearless  and  careless,  not  minding  now  to  do  any- 
thing else  but  to   stand  up  for  Him  against  the 
workers  of  iniquity;  fully  concluding,  that  both  we, 
and  our  enemies,  are  in  the  hand  of  him  that  loveth 
his  people,  and  that  wiU  certainly  render  a  reward  ' 
to  the  wicked,  after  that  he  has  sufficiently  tried 
us  by  their  means.      '  The  great  God  that  fonned 
all  things,  both  rewardeth  the  fool,  and  rewardeth 
transgressors. '  Pr-  xxvi.io.* 

(3.)  Another  thing  that  the  knowledge  of  what 
is  prayed  for  of  the  Apostle,  if  we  attain  it,  will 
minister  to  us,  is.  An  holy  fear  and  i^evaxnce  of 
this  great  God  in  our  souls;  both  because  he  is  great, 
and  because  he  is  wise  and  good.  Je.  x.  7.  '  Who 
shall  not  fear  thee,  0  Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name  ? ' 

Re.  XV.  4. 

Greatness  should  beget  fear,  greatness  should 
beget  reverence :  Now  who  so  great  as  our  God ; 
and  so,  who  to  be  feared  like  him !  He  also  is 
wise,  and  will  not  be  deceived  by  any.  '  He  will 
bring  evil,  and  not  call  back  his  words,  but  will 
rise  against  the  house  of  evil-doers,  and  against 


*  How  thankful  should  we  he,  for  the  great  spread  of  gospel 
light  in  this  country,  since  Bunyau's  days.  He  for  refusing 
to  attend,  what  he  considered,  an  unscriptural  church;  suffered 
ahove  twelve  years'  incarceration  in  a  miserable  den;  while  aU 
his  friends  were  either  imprisoned  or  plundered.  It  was  a 
di-eadful  attempt  to  root  out  Christianity  fi-om  this  country; 
but  was  overruled  to  make  it  take  deeper  root.  How  long 
^vilI  Antichrist  still  hold  up  his  head  in  this  country?  He 
has  Lad  some  hard  knocks  of  late.— En, 


14 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


the  help  of  tlicm  tliat  work  iniquity.  Is.  xxxi.  2.  Most 
men  deal  with  God  as  if  he  were  not  wise;  as  if  he 
cither  knew  not  the  wickedness  of  their  hearts  and 
ways,  or  else  knew  not  how  to  be  OA-en  with  them 
for  it:  When,  alas!  he  is  wise  in  heart,  and 
migJity  in  power;  and  although  he  will  not,  without 
cause,  afflict,  yet  he  will  not  let  wickedness  go 
unpunished.  This  therefore  should  make  us  fear. 
He  also  is  good,  and  this  should  make  us  serve 
him  with  fear.  Oh!  that  a  great  God  should  he 
a  good  God;  a  good  God  to  an  imworthy,  to  an 
undeserving,  and  to  a  people  that  continually  do 
what  they  can  to  provoke  the  eyes  of  his  glory ; 
this  should  make  us  tremble.  He  is  fcarfid.  in  ser- 
vice, fearful  in  praises. 

The  hrcadtli,  and  length,  and  depth,  and  height  of 
his  out-going  towards  the  children  of  men,  should 
also  beget  in  us  a  very  great  fear  and  di-ead  of  his 
majesty.  When  the  prophet  saAV  the  height  of 
the  wheels,  he  said  they  were  dreadful,  Eze.  i.  18. 
and  cried  out  unto  them,  0  lohcel !  ch.  x.  13.  His  judg- 
ments also  are  a  great  deep;  Ps.  xx.wi.  6.  nor  is  there 
any  'searching  of  his  understanding.'  Is. xi. 2S.  He 
can  tell  how  to  bring  his  wheel  upon  us;  and  to 
make  our  table  a  snare,  a  trap,  and  a  stumbhng- 
block  unto  us.  Is.viii.  U;  andRo.xi.  8-10.  He  Can  tell  how 
to  make  his  Son  to  us  a  rock  of  offence,  and  his 
gospel  to  be  a  savour  of  death  unto  death,  unto  us. 
2  Co.  ii.  15,  IG.  He  can  tell  how  to  choose  delusions  for 
us.  Is.  Iwi.  4;  2  Th.  ii.  11,12.  and  to  lead  us  forth  with  the 
workers  of  iniquit}^  Ts.  cxxv.  5.  He  can  out-wit,  and 
out-do  us,  and  prevail  against  us  for  ever;  Job  xiv.  20. 
and  therefore  we  should  be  afraid  and  fear  before 
Him,  for  our  good,  and  the  good  of  om's  for  ever : 
Yea,  it  is  for  these  purposes,  with  others,  that  the 
Apostle  prayeth  thus  for  this  people:  For  the  com- 
prehending of  these  things,  do  poise  and  keep  the 
heart  in  an  even  course.  This  yields  comfort ;  this 
gives  encouragement ;  this  begets  fear  and  reve- 
rence in  our  hearts  of  God. 

(4.)  This  knowledge  will  make  us  willing  that  he 
should  be  our  God;  yea,  will  also  make  us  abide 
by  that  willingness.  Jacob  said  with  avow,  'If 
God  will  be  with  me,  and  will  keep  me  in  this  way 
that  I  go,  and  will  give  me  bread  to  eat,  and  rai- 
ment to  put  on,  so  that  I  come  again  to  my 
father's  house  in  peace ;  then  shall  the  Lord  be 
my  God:  And  this  stone,  which  I  have  set  for  a 
pillar,  shall  be  God's  house :  and  of  all  that  thou 
shalt  give  me  I  will  surely  give  the  tenth  unto 
thee.'  Gc. xxviii.  20-22.  Thus  he  considered  the  great- 
ness of  God,  and  from  a  supposition  that  he  was 
what  he  had  heard  him,  of  his  father,  to  be;  he 
concluded  to  choose  him  for  his  God,  and  that  he 
would  worship  him,  and  give  him  that  honour  that 
was  due  to  him  as  God.  Hoav  did  the  king  of  Ba- 
bylon set  him  above  all  gods,  when  but  some  spark- 
ling rays  fj-om  him  did  light  upon  him:  he  calls 


him  'a  God  of  gods,'  Da.  ii.  47.  prefers  him  above  all 
o-ods,  charges  all  people  and  nations  that  they  do 
nothing  amiss  against  him :  Da.  iii.  28,  29.  he  calls  him 
'the  most  high'  God,  the  God  '  thatliveth  for  ever;' 
and  confesses,  that  he  doth  whatsoever  he  will  in 
heaven  and  earth;  and  concludes  with  praising  and 
extolling  of  him.  Da.  iv.  We  naturally  love  great- 
ness; and  vdien  the  glorious  beauty  of  the  King 
of  glory  shall  be  manifest  to  us,  and  we  shall  be- 
hold it,  we  shall  say  as  Joshua  did;  Let  all  men 
do  as  seems  them  good;  but  I,  and  my  house  will 
serve  the  Lord.   Jos.  xxiv.  15. 

When  the  Apostle  Paul  sought  to  win  the 
Athenians  to  him,  he  sets  Him  forth  before  them 
with  such  terms  as  bespeaks  his  greatness;  calling 
of  him  (and  that  rightly)  '  God  that  made  the  world, 
and  all  things:  -  -  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth; 
-  -  One  that  giveth  to  all  life  and  breath,  and 
all  things;'  One  that  is  nigh  to  every  one;  'he  in 
whom  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being:' 
God  that  hath  made  of  one  blood  aU  nations  of 
men,  and  that  hath  determined  the  times  before 
appointed,  and  the  bounds  of  their  habitation,  &c. 
Ac.  .wii.  34-28.  Thcse  things  bespeak  the  greatness 
of  God,  and  are  taking  to  considering  men.  Yea, 
these  very  Athenians,  while  ignorant  of  him,  from 
those  dark  hints  that  they  had  by  natural  light 
concerning  him,  erected  an  altar  to  him,  and  put 
this  singidar  inscription  upon  it,  'To  the  unknown 
God:'  to  shew,  that  according  to  their  mode,  they 
had  some  kind  of  reverence  for  him:  but  how  much 
more  when  they  came  to  know  him  ?  and  to  be- 
lieve that  God,  in  all  his  greatness,  had  engaged 
himself  to  be  tlieirs;  and  to  bring  them  to  himself, 
that  they  might  in  time  be  partakers  of  his  glory. 

(5.)  The  more  a  man  knows,  or  understands 
of  the  greatness  of  God  towards  him,  expressed 
here  by  the  terms  of  misearchable  breadth,  length, 
depth,  and  height;  the  better  wdll  he  be  able  in  his 
heart  to  conceive  of  the  excellent  glory  and  great- 
ness of  the  things  that  are  laid  up  in  the  heavens 
for  them  that  fear  him.  They  that  know  nothing 
of  this  greatness,  know  nothing  of  them;  they  that 
think  amiss  of  this  greatness,  think  amiss  of  them; 
they  that  know  but  little  of  this  greatness,  know 
but  little  of  them:  But  he  that  is  able  to  compre- 
hend with  all  saints  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length, 
and  depth,  and  height;  he  is  best  able  to  conceive 
of,  and,  consequently  to  make  a  judgment  concer- 
ning the  due  worth,  and  blessed  glory  of  them. 

This  is  both  evident  to  reason;  also  experience 
coniirmeth  the  same.  For,  as  for  those  dark  soids 
that  know  nothing  of  his  greatness,  they  have  in 
derision  those  who  are,  through  the  splendor  of 
the  glory,  captivated  and  carried  away  after  God. 
Also,  those  vvhose  judgments  are  corrupted,  and 
themselves  thereby  made  as  tb'unkards,  to  judge 
of  tilings  foolishly,  they,  as  it  were,  step  in  the 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


1$ 


same  steps  with  the  other,  and  vamly  imagine 
thereabout.  IMoreovcr,  ^ve  shall  see  those  little 
spirited  Christians,  though  Christians  indeed,  that 
are  hut  in  a  small  measure  acquainted  with  this 
God,  with  the  breadths,  and  lengths,  and  depths, 
and  heights  that  are  in  him,  taken  but  little  with  the 
glory  and  blessedness  that  they  are  to  go  to  when 
they  die:  wherefore  they  are  neither  so  mortified  1 
to  this  world,  so  dead  to  sin,  so  self-denying,  so  de- 
lighted in  the  book  of  God,  nor  so  earnest  in  desires 
to  be  acquainted  Avith  the  heights,  and  depths  that 
are  therein.  No,  this  is  reserved  only  for  those 
who  are  devoted  thereto;  who  have  been  acquainted 
with  God  in  a  measure  beyond  that  which  your 
narrow-spirited  Christians  understand.  There  doth 
want  as  to  these  things,  enlargings  in  the  hearts 
of  the  most  of  saints,  as  there  did  in  those  of 
Corinth,  and  also  in  those  at  Ephesus:  Wherefore, 
as  Paid  bids  the  one,  and  prays  that  the  other  may 
be  enlarged,  and  have  great  knowledge  thereabout: 
60  we  should,  to  answer  such  love,  through  desire, 
separate  ourselves  from  terrene  things  that  we  may 
seek  and  intermeddle  with  all  wisdom.  Pr.  xviii.  i. 
Clirist  says,  '  If  any  man  will  do  his  will,  he  shall 
know  of  the  doctrine. '  Jo.  vii.  7;  is.  xxvUi.  9.  Oh !  that  we 
were  indeed  enlarged  as  to  these  breadths,  and 
lengths,  and  depths,  and  heights  of  God,  as  the 
Apostle  desired  the  Ephesians  might. 

(6.)  Thex  those  great  truths ;  the  coming  of 
Christ,  the  resiirrection  of  the  dead,  and  eternal 
judgment,  woidd  neither  seem  so  like  fables,  nor 
be  so  much  ofi^  our  hearts  as  they  do,  and  are. 
1  Co  XT.  35.  For  the  thorough  belief  of  them  depends 
upon  the  knowledge  of  the  abilities  that  are  in  God 
to  perform  what  he  has  said  thereabout :  And  hence 
it  is  that  your  inferior  sort  of  Christians  live  so  like, 
as  if  none  of  these  things  were  at  hand;  and  hence 
it  is  again,  that  they  so  soon  are  shaken  in  mind 
about  them,  when  tempted  of  the  devil,  or  briskly 
assaulted  by  deceivers.  But  this  cometli  to  pass 
that  there  may  be  fidfilled  Avhat  is  written:  'And 
while  the  bridegroom  tarried,  they  all  slumbered 
and  slept. '  Mat.  xxv.  1-7.  Surely,  the  meaning  is,  they 
were  asleep  about  his  coming,  the  resurrection  and 
the  judgment;  and,  consequently  had  lost  much 
of  that  knowledge  of  God,  the  which  if  they  had 
retained;  these  truths,  with  power,  would  have 
been  upon  their  hearts.  The  Corinthians  were 
horribly  decayed  here,  though  some  more  than 
others:  Hence  Paul,  when  he  treats  of  this  doctrine, 
bids  them  'awake  to  righteousness,'  and  not  sin, 
telling  them,  that  some  among  them  had  not  the 
knowledge  of  God.  i  Co.  xr.  3i.  To  be  sin-e,  they  had 
not  such  a  knowledge  of  God  as  would  keep  them 
steady  in  the  faith  of  these  things,  ver.  51. 

Now,  the  knowledge  of  the  things  above-men- 
tioned, to  wit,  'this  comprehending  knovdedge  ; ' 
will  greaten  these  things,  bring  them  near,  and 


make  them  to  he  credited  as  are  the  "-reatest  cf 
God's  truths :  and  the  virtue  of  the  faith  of  them 
is,  to  make  one  die  daily.     Therefore, 

(7.)  Another  advantage  that  floweth  from  this 
knowledge,  is,  that  it  makes  the  next  world  desi- 
rable, not  simply  as  it  is  with  those  lean  souls,  that 
desire  it  only  as  the  thief  desireth  the  judo-o'3 
favour,  that  he  may  be  saved  from  the  halter;  but 
out  of  love  such  have  to  God  and  to  the  beauties 
of  the  house  he  dwells  in ;  and  that  they  may  he 
rid  of  this  world,  which  is  to  such  as  a  dark  dun- 
geon. The  knowledge  of  God  that  men  pretend 
they  have,  may  easily  be  judged  of,  by  the  answer- 
able or  imanswerableness  of  their  hearts  and  lives 
thereto.  Where  is  the  man  that  groans  earnestly 
to  be  gone  to  God,  that  counts  this  life  a  strait 
unto  him:  that  saith  as  a  sick  man  of  my  acquaint- 
ance did,  when  his  friend  at  his  bed-side  prayed  to 
God  to  spare  his  life,  Ko,  no,  said  he,_pra2/  ^'^^  ^•'^'^ 
for  it  is  better  to  he  dissolved  and  he  gone.  Chris- 
tians should  shew  the  world  how  they  believe;  not 
by  words  on  paper,  not  by  gay  and  flourishing 
notions:  Ja.  u.  is.  but  by  those  desires  they  have  to  be 
gone,  and  the  proof  that  these  desires  are  true,  is 
a  life  in  heaven  while  we  are  on  earth.  Pun.  iii.  so,  2i. 
I  know  words  are  cheap,  but  a  dram  of  grace  is 
worth  all  the  world.  But  where,  as  I  said,  shall 
it  be  found,  not  among  carnal  men,  not  among 
weak  Christians,  but  among  those,  and  those  only, 
that  enjoy  a  great  measure  of  Paul's  wish  hero. 
But  to  come  to  the 

SECOND  PART  OF  THE  TEXT, 

And  to  kxow  tkc  love  of  Christ  which  pass- 
ETH  KNOWLEDGE.  These  words  are  the  second  part 
of  the  text,  and  they  deal  mainly  about  the  love  of 
Christ,  who  is  the  Son  of  God.  We  have  spoken 
already  briefly  of  God,  and  therefore  now  we  shall 
speak  also  of  his  Son.  These  words  are  a  part 
of  the  prayer  afore-mentioned,  and  have  something 
of  the  same  strain  in  them.  In  the  first  part,  he 
prays  that  they  might  comprehend  that  which  can- 
not absolutely  by  any  means  be  comprehended: 
and  here  he  prays  that  that  might  be  known,  which 
yet  in  the  same  breath  he  saith,  2'>c(SsetJi  hnoidedge, 
to  wit,  the  love  of  Christ.  And  to  hnoio  the  love  of 
CJirist,  loMch  iMsseth  knowledge.  In  the  words  we 
are  to  take  notice  of  three  thmgs: 

First,  Of  the  love  of  Christ. 

Second,  Of  the  exceedmg  greatness  of  it. 

Third,  Of  the  knowledge  of  it. 

First,  We  will  begin  with  the  first  of  these,  to 
wit,  Of  the  love  of  C%risL  Now  for  the  explication 
of  this  wc  must  inquire  into  three  things.  First, 
Who  Christ  is.  Second,  What  love  is.  Hard, 
What  the  love  of  Christ  is. 

First,  Christ  is  a  person  of  no  less  quality  than 
he  is  of  whom  we  treated  before:  to  wit,  very  God. 


16 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


So  I  say,  not  titidaiiy,  not  nomlnxjRy,  not  so  coun- 
terfeidy,  but  the  self-same  in  nature  with  the  Fa- 
ther. Jn.  i.  1, 2 ;  1  Jn.  v.  7;  Phi.  ii.  6.  Wherefore  what  we 
have  under  consideration,  is  so  much  the  more  to  be 
taken  notice  of;  namely,  that  a  person  so  great,  so 
high,  so  glorious,  as  this  Jesus  Christ  was,  should 
have  love  for  us,  that  passes  knowledge.  It  is 
common  for  equals  to  love,  and  for  superiors  to  be 
beloved ;  but  for  the  King  of  princes,  for  the  Son 
of  God,  for  Jesus  Christ  to  love  man  thus:  this  is 
amazing,  and  that  so  much  the  more,  for  that  man 
the  object  of  this  love,  is  so  low,  so  mean,  so  vile, 
so  undeserving,  and  so  inconsiderable,  as  by  the 
scriptures,  everywhere  he  is  described  to  be. 

But  to  speak  a  little  more  particularly  of  this 
person.  He  is  called  God.  Jn.  i.  i.  The  King  of 
glory,  Ps.  xxiv.  10.  and  Lord  of  glory,  i  Co.  ii.  8.  The 
brightness  of  the  glory  of  his  Father.  He.  i.  3.  The 
head  over  all  things.  Ep.  i.  23.  The  Prince  of  life. 
Ac.  iii.  1.5.  The  Creator  of  all  things.  Coi.  i.  ic.  The 
upholder  of  all  things.  He.  i.  3.  The  disposer  of  all 
things.  Mat.  xxviii.  18.  The  only  beloved  of  the  Fa- 
ther. Mnt.  xi. 

But  the  persons  of  liira  beloved,  arc  called  trans- 
gressors, sinners,  enemies,  dust  and  ashes,  fleas, 
1  Sii.  xxiv.  IJ,  worms,  shadows,  vapours:  vile,  sinful, 
filthy,  unclean,  ungodly  fools,  madmen.  And  now 
is  it  not  to  be  wondered  at,  and  are  we  not  to  be 
affected  herewith,  saying.  And  wilt  thou  set  thine 
eye  upon  such  a  one  ?  But  how  much  more  when  He 
will  set  his  lieart  upon  us.  And  yet  this  great,  this 
high,  this  glorious  person,  verily,  verily  loveth  such. 

Second,  We  now  come  to  the  second  thing, 
namely,  to  shew  what  is  hve;  not  in  a  way  of  nice 
distinction  of  words,  but  in  a  plain  and  familiar 
discourse,  yet  respecting  the  love  of  the  person 
under  consideration. 

Love  ought  to  be  considered  with  reference  to 
the  subject  as  well  as  to  the  object  of  it. 

The  subject  of  love  in  the  text,  is  Christ;  but 
forasmuch  as  love  in  him  is  diverse  from  the  love 
that  is  in  us  ;  therefore  it  will  not  be  amiss,  if  a 
little  [of]  the  difference  be  made  appear. 

Love  in  us  is  a  passion  of  the  soul,  and  being 
such,  is  subject  to  M  and  flow,  and  to  be  extreme 
both  ways.  For  whatever  is  a  passion  of  the  soul, 
whether  love  or  hatred,  joy  or  fear,  is  more  apt  to 
exceed,  or  come  short,  than  to  keep  within  its  due 
bounds.  Hence,  oft-times  that  which  is  loved  to- 
day is  hated  to-morrow ;  2  Sa.  xiii.  is.  yea,  and  that 
which  should  be  loved  witli  bounds  of  moderation, 
is  loved  to  the  drowning  of  both  soul  and  body  in 
perdition  and  destruction,  i  Ti.  vi.  9, 10. 

Besides,  love  in  ns  is  apt  to  choose  to  itself  un- 
due and  unlawful  objects,  and  to  reject  those,  that 
with  leave  of  God,  we  may  embrace  and  enjoy ; 
so  unruly,  as  to  the  laws  and  rules  of  divine 
government,  oft-times  is  this  passion  of  love  in  us. 


Love  in  us,  requires,  that  something  pleasing 
and  dehghtful  be  in  the  object  loved,  at  least,  so 
it  must  appear  to  the  lust  and  fancy  of  the  person 
loving,  or  else  love  cannot  act ;  for  the  love  that 
Is  in  us,  is  not  of  power  to  set  itself  on  work,  where 
no  allurement  is  in  the  thing  to  be  beloved. 

Love  in  us  decays,  though  once  never  so  warm 
and  strongly  fixed,  if  the  object  falls  off,  as  to  its 
first  alluring  provocation;  or  disappointeth  our 
expectation  with  some  unexpected  reluctancy  to 
our  fancy  or  our  mind. 

All  this  we  know  to  be  true  from  nature,  for 
every  one  of  us  are  thus ;  nor  can  we  refuse,  or 
choose  as  to  love,  but  upon,  and  after  the  rate, 
and  the  working  thus  of  our  passions.  Wherefore 
our  love,  as  we  are  natural.  Is  weak,  unorderly, 
fails  and  miscarries,  either  by  being  too  much  or 
too  little ;  yea,  though  the  thing  which  is  beloved 
be  allowed  for  an  object  of  love,  both  by  the  law 
of  nature  and  grace.  We  therefore  must  put  a 
vast  difference  betwixt  love,  as  found  in  us,  and 
love  as  found  In  Christ,  and  that,  both  as  to  the 
nature,  principle,  or  object  of  love. 

Love  in  Christ  is  not  love  of  the  same  nature,  as 
is  love  in  us  ;  love  in  him  is  essential  to  his  being ; 
1  Ju.  iv.  iG.  but  In  us  It  is  not  so,  as  has  been  already 
shewed.  God  Is  love ;  Christ  is  God ;  therefore 
Christ  is  love,  love  naturally.  Love  therefore  is 
essential  to  His  being.  He  may  as  well  cease  to 
to  be,  as  cease  to  love.  Hence  therefore  it  follows , 
that  love  in  Christ  floweth  not  from  so  low  and 
beggarly  a  principle,  as  doth  love  in  man ;  and 
consequently  Is  not,  nor  can  be  attended  with  those 
infirmities  or  defects,  that  the  love  of  man  is  at- 
tended with. 

It  is  not  attended  with  those  unruly  or  uncer- 
tain motions  that  ours  is  attended  with :  here  is  no 
ebbing,  no  flowing,  no  going  beyond,  no  coming 
short ;  and  so  nothing  of  uncertainty.  '  Having 
loved  his  own  which  were  in  the  world,  he  loved 
them  unto  the  end. '  Jn.  xiii.  1. 

True,  there  Is  a  way  of  manifesting  of  this  love, 
which  is  suited  to  our  capacities,  as  men,  and  by 
that  we  see  it  sometimes  more,  sometimes  less  : 
Songvii.  11, 12.  also  It  Is  manifested  to  us  as  we  do,  or 
do  not  walk  with  God  in  this  world.  Jn.  xiv.  33.  I 
speak  now  of  saints. 

Love  in  Christ  pitcheth  not  itself  upon  undue  or 
unlawful  objects  ;  nor  refuseth  to  embrace  what  by 
the  eternal  covenant  Is  made  capable  thereof.  It 
always  acteth  according  to  God ;  nor  is  there  at 
any  time  the  least  shadow  of  swerving  as  to  this. 

Love  In  Christ  requireth  no  taking  beauteous- 
ness  in  the  object  to  be  beloved,  as  not  being  able 
to  put  forth  itself  without  such  attracting  allure-- 
ments.  Ezc.  xvi.  6—8.  It  can  act  0/  and  from  itself, 
without  all  such  kind  of  dependencies.  This  Is 
manifest  to  all  who  have  the  least  true  knowledge 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


17 


of  what  that  object  is  in  itself,  on  which  the  Lord 
Jesus  has  set  his  heart  to  love  them. 

Love  in  Christ  decays  not,  nor  can  he  tempted 
so  to  do  by  anything  that  happens,  or  that  shall 
happen  hereafter,  in  the  object  so  beloved.  But 
as  this  love  at  first  acts  by,  and  from  itself,  so  it 
continueth  to  do  until  all  things  that  are  imperfec- 
tions, are  completely  and  everlastingly  subdued. 
The  reason  is,  because  Christ  loves  to  make  us 
comely,  not  because  we  are  so.  Kze.  xvi.  9— 14. 

Ohjed.  But  all  along  Christ  compareth  his  love  to 
ours ;  now,  why  doth  he  so,  if  they  be  so  much  alike  ? 

Answ.  Because  we  know  not  love  but  by  the 
passions  of  love  that  Avork  in  our  hearts ;  where- 
fore he  condescends  to  our  capacities,  and  speaketh 
of  His  love  to  us,  according  as  we  find  love  to 
work  in  ourselves  to  others.  Hence  he  sets  forth 
his  love  to  us,  by  borrowing  from  us  instances  of 
our  love  to  wife  and  children.  Ep.v.  25.  Yea,  he 
sometimes  sets  forth  his  love  to  us,  by  caUing  to 
our  mind  how  sometimes  a  man  loves  a  woman 
that  is  a  whore,  '  Go,'  (saith  God  to  the  prophet) 
'  love  a  woman  beloved  of  her  friend,  yet  an  adul- 
tress,  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord  toward 
the  children  of  Israel,  who  look  to  other  gods,  and 
love  flagons  of  wine.'  Ho.iii. i.  But  then,  these 
things  must  not  be  understood  with  respect  to  the 
nature,  but  the  dispensations  and  manifestations 
of  love ;  no,  nor  with  reference  to  these  neither, 
any  further  than  by  making  use  of  such  suitable 
similitudes,  thereby  to  commend  his  love  to  us, 
and  thereby  to  beget  in  us  affections  to  him  for  the 
love  bestowed  upon  us. 

Wherefore  Christ's  love  must  be  considered  both 
with  respect  to  the  essence,  and  also  as  to  the 
divers  workings  of  it.  For  the  essence  thereof, 
it  is  as  I  said,  natural  with  himself,  and  as  such, 
it  is  the  root  and  ground  of  all  those  actions  of 
his,  whereby  he  hath  shewed  that  himself  is  loving 
to  sinful  man.  But  now,  though  the  love  that  is 
in  him  is  essential  to  his  natm-e,  and  can  vary  no 
more  than  God  himself:  yet  we  see  not  this  love 
but  by  the  fruits  of  it,  nor  can  it  otherwise  be 
discei'ued.  '  Hereby  perceive  we  the  love  of  God, 
because  he  laid  down  his  life  for  us.'  iJn.iii.i6.  We 
must  then  betake  ourselves  to  the  discoveries  of 
this  love,  of  which  there  are  two  sorts ;  [namely,] 
such  as  are  the  foundations,  and  such  as  are  the 
consequences  of  those  fundamental  acts.  Those 
which  I  call  the  foundations,  are  they  upon  which 
all  other  discoveries  of  his  goodness  depend,  and 
they  are  two.  1.  His  dying  for  us.  2.  His  im- 
proving of  his  death  for  us  at  the  right  hand  of 
God. 

Third,  And  this  leads  me  to  the  third  particidar, 
to  wit,  to  shew  you  what  the  love  of  Christ  is; 
namely,  in  the  discovery  of  it.  And  to  knoiv  the 
love  of  Christ. 

VOL.  II. 


The  love  of  Christ  is  made  known  unto  us,  as 
I  said.  First,  By  his  dying  for  us.  Second, 'fiy 
his  improving  of  his  dying  for  us. 

1.  His  dying  for  us  appears,  (1.)  To  be  won- 
derful in  itself.  (2.)  Li  his  preparations  for  that 
work. 

(1.)  It  appears  to  be  wonderful,  in  itself  and  that 
both  with  respect  to  the  nature  of  that  death,  as 
also,  with  respect  to  the  persons  for  whom  he  so 
died. 

The  love  of  Christ  appears  to  be  wonderful  by 
the  death  he  died :  In  that  he  died,  in  that  he  died 
such  a  death.  'Twas  strange  love  in  Christ  that 
moved  him  to  die  for  us:  strange,  because  not 
according  to  the  custom  of  the  world.  Men  do 
not  use,  in  cool  blood,  deliberately  to  come  upon 
the  stage  or  ladder,  to  lay  down  their  lives  for 
others;  but  this  did  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  too 
for  such,  whose  qualification,  if  it  be  duly  consi- 
dered, will  make  this  act  of  his,  far  more  amazino-, 
He  laid  down  his  life  for  his  enemies,  Ro.  v.  and  for 
those  that  could  not  abide  him ;  yea,  for  those, 
even  for  those  that  brought  him  to  the  cross :  not 
accidentally,  or  because  it  happened  so,  but  know- 
ingly, designedly,  Ze.  xii.  lo.  he  knew  it  was  for  those 
he  died,  and  yet  his  love  led  him  to  lay  down  his 
life  for  them.  I  wiU  add.  That  those  very  people 
for  whom  he  laid  down  his  life,  though  they  by  all 
sorts  of  carriages  did  what  they  could  to  provoke 
him  to  pray  to  God  his  Father,  that  he  would  send 
and  cut  them  off  by  the  flaming  sword  of  angels. 
Mat.  xxn.  53.  would  not  be  provoked,  but  would  lay 
down  his  life  for  them.  Nor  must  I  leave  off  here: 
We  never  read  that  Jesus  Christ  was  moi-e  chear- 
ful  in  all  his  life  on  earth,  than  Avhenhe  was  going 
to  lay  down  his  life  for  them,  now  he   thanked 

God,  Lu.  x.\ii.l9.  now  he  sang.  Mut.  xxvi.  30. 

But  this  is  not  all.  He  did  not  only  die,  but 
died  such  a  death,  as  indeed  cannot  be  expressed. 
He  was  content  to  be  counted  the  sinner :  yea,  to 
be  counted  the  sin  of  the  sinner,  nor  could  this  but 
be  odious  to  so  holy  a  Lamb  as  he  was,  yet  wihing 
to  be  this  and  thus  for  that  love  that  he  bare  to 
men. 

This  being  thus,  it  follows,  that  his  sufferings 
must  be  unconceivable ;  for  that,  what  in  justice 
was  the  proper  wages  of  sin  and  sinners,  he  must 
undergo ;  and  what  that  was  can  no  man  so  well 
know  as  he  himself  and  damned  spirits ;  for  the 
proper  wages  of  sin,  and  of  sinners  for  their  sin, 
is  that  death  which  layeth  pains,  such  pains  which 
it  deserveth  upon  the  man  that  dieth  so:  But 
Christ  died  so,  and  consequently  was  seized  by 
those  pains  not  only  in  body  but  in  soul.  His 
tears,  his  cries,  his  bloody  sweat,  Lu.xxu.44.  tho 
hidmg  of  his  Father's  face ;  yea,  God's  forsaking 
of  him  in  his  extremity.  Mat.  xxrii.  4G.  plainly  enough 
declares  the  nature  of  the  death  he  died.  Mut.xt.so. 
c 


II 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


For  my  part,  I  stand  amazed  at  those  tliat  would 
not  have  the  world  Lelieve,  that  the  death  of  Jesus 
Christ  was,  in  itself,  so  terrible  as  it  was. 

I  will  not  stand  here  to  discourse  of  the  place 
called  Hdl,  wliere  the  spirits  of  the  damned  are, 
we  are  discoursing  of  the  nature  of  Christ's  suffer- 
ings :  and  1  say,  if  Christ  was  put  into  the  very 
capacity  of  one  that  must  suffer  what  in  justice 
o^I^•ht  to  be  inflicted  for  sin ;  then,  how  we  can  so 
diminish  the  greatness  of  his  sufferings,  as  some 
do,  without  undervaluing  of  the  greatness  of  his 
love,  1  know  not;  and  how  they  will  answer  it,  I 
know  not.  And  on  the  contrary,  what  if  I  should 
say.  that  the  soul  of  Christ  suffered  as  long  as  his 
body  lay  in  the  grave,  and  that  God's  loosing  of 
the  pains  of  death  at  Christ's  resurrection,  must 
not  so  much  he  made  mention  of  with  reference  to 
his  body,  as  to  his  soul,  if  to  his  body  at  all.  For 
what  pain  of  death  was  his  body  capable  of.  when 
his  soiJ  was  separate  from  it?  Ac. ii. 2k  And  yet 
God's  loosing  the  pains  of  death,  seems  to  be  but 
an  immediate  antecedent  to  his  rising  from  the 
dead.  And  this  sense  Peter  doth  indeed  seem  to 
pursue,  saying,  '  For  David  speaketh  concerning 
him ;  I  foresaw  the  Lord  always  before  my  face, 
for  he  is  on  my  right  hand,  that  I  should  not  be 
moved.  Therefore  did  my  heart  rejoice,  and  my 
tongue  was  glad ;  moreover  also  my  flesh  shall 
rest  in  hope,  because  thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul 
in  hell,  neither  wilt  thou  suffer  thine  holy  one  to 
see  corruption.'  Ac.  ii.  25— 27.  This,  saith  Peter, 
was  not  spoken  of  David,  but  he  being  a  prophet, 
and  knowing  that  God  had  sworn  with  an  oath, 
that  of  the  fruit  of  his  loins  according  to  the  flesh 
he  would  raise  up  Christ  to  sit  on  his  throne: 
ver.  29,  30.  He  Seeing  this  before,  spake  of  the  resur- 
rection of  Christ,  that  his  soul  was  not  left  in  hell, 
neither  did  his  flesh  see  corruption,  ver.  31.  '  Thou 
wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell;'  his  soul  was  not 
left  in  hell.  Of  what  use  are  these  expression.^, 
if  the  soul  of  Christ  suffered  not,  if  it  suffered  not 
when  separated  from  the  body?  for  of  that  time 
the  Apostle  Peter  seems  to  treat.  Besides,  if  it 
he  not  improper  to  say,  that  soul  was  not  left  there, 
that  never  was  there,  I  am  at  a  loss.  Thou  wilt 
not  leave,  liis  soul  was  not  left  there ;  ergo,  It  was 
there,  seems  to  be  the  natural  conclusion.  If  it 
be  objected,  that  by  hell  is  meant  the  grave,  'tis 
fooli.sh  to  tbink  that  the  soul  of  Christ  lay  there 
while;  his  body  lay  dead  therein.  But  again,  the 
Apostle  seems  clearly  to  distinguish  between  the 
places  where  the  soul  and  body  of  Christ  was  ; 
counting  his  body  to  be  in  the  grave,  and  his  soul, 
for  the  time,  in  hell.  If  there  be  objected  what 
was  said  byliim  to  the  thief  upon  the  cross,  Lu.  x.viii. 
43.  1  can  answer,  Christ  might  speak  that  with 
reference  to  his  God-head,  and  if  so,  that  lies  as 
no  objection  to  what  hath  been  insinuated.     And 


wby  may  not  that  be  so  imderstood,  as  well  as 
where  he  said,  when  on  earth,  '  The  Son  of  man 
which  is  in  heaven,'  Jn.  iii.  is.  meaning  himself. 
For  the  personality  of  the  Son  of  God,  call  him 
Son  of  man,  or  what  other  term  is  fitting,  resideth 
not  in  the  human,  but  divine  nature  of  Jesus 
Christ.  However,  since  hell  is  sometimes  taken 
for  the  place,  Ac.  i.  25.  sometimes  for  the  grave, 
sometimes  for  the  state,  Ps.  cxvi.s.  and  sometimes 
but  for  a  figure  of  the  place  where  the  damned 
are  tormented ;  Jonah  ii.  2.  I  will  not  strictly  assign 
to  Christ  the  place,  the  prison  where  the  damned 
spirits  are,  1  Pe.  iii.  19.  but  will  say,  as  I  said  before, 
that  he  was  put  into  the  place  of  sinners,  into  the 
sins  of  sinners,  and  received  what  by  justice  was 
the  proper  wages  of  sin  both  in  body  and  soul :  As 
is  evident  from  that  fifty-third  of  Isaiah,  ver.  10, 11. 
This  soul  of  his  I  take  to  be  that  which  the  in- 
loards  and  the  fat  of  the  burnt  sacrifices  was  a 
figure,  or  shadow  of.  *  And  the  fat  and  the  in- 
wards were  burnt  upon  the  altar,  whilst  the  body 
was  burned  for  sin  without  the  camp. '  E.x.  wix.  13,  u-, 

Le.  riii.  14 — 17. 

And  now  having  said  this  mtich,  wherein  have 
I  derogated  from  the  glory  and  holiness  of  Christ? 
Yea,  I  have  endeavoured  to  set  forth  something 
of  the  greatness  of  his  sorrows,  the  odiousness  of 
sin,  the  nature  of  justice,  and  the  love  of  Christ. 
And  be  sure,  by  how  much  the  sufierings  of  the 
Son  of  God  abounded  for  us,  by  so  much  was  this 
unsearchable  love  of  Christ  made  manifest.  Nor 
can  they  that  would,  before  the  people,  pare  away, 
and  make  but  little  these  infinite  sufferings  of  our 
Lord,  make  his  love  to  be  so  great  as  they  ought, 
let  them  use  what  rhetoric  they  can.  For  their 
objecting  the  odious  names  and  place  of  hell,  ac- 
counting it  not  to  be  fit  to  say.  That  so  holy  a 
person  as  the  Son  of  God  was  there.  I  answer, 
though  I  have  not  asserted  it,  yet  let  me  ask, 
which  is  more  odious,  hell  or  sin?  Or  whether 
such  think  that  Christ  Jesus  was  subject  to  be 
tainted  by  the  badness  of  the  place,  had  he  been 
there?  Or  whether,  when  the  scripture  says, 
God  is  in  hell,  it  is  any  disparagement  to  him? 
Ps.  cx.\xix.  8.  Or  if  a  man  should  be  so  bold  as  to 
say  so,  Whether  by  so  saying,  he  confineth  Christ 
to  that  place  for  ever  ?  And  whether  by  so  thinking 
he  has  contradicted  that  called  the  Apostles'  creed'i^ 

*  The  descent  of  Christ  into  hell  has  beea  the  subject  of 
much  controversy,  and  the  question  is  as  far  from  solution 
now  as  it  was  in  the  dark  ages,  when  it  was  first  propounded, 
and  then  arbitrarily  decreed  to  be  an  article  of  faith.  Those 
who  explain  hell  as  hades,  the  jjlace  of  departed  souls,  or  of 
the  dead  generally,  fortify  themselves  with  Psalm  cxssix.  8, 
and  also  Psalm  xvi.  10;  and  yet  the  first  passage  may  only  imply 
the  omnipresence  of  God,  and  the  second,  the  resurrection  of 
the  incorruptible  body  of  Christ  from  the  grave.  The  descent 
of  Christ  i)ito  tlie  place  of  torment  is  a  figment,  a  monkish 
fable,  in  which  Bible  incidents  and  heathen  myths  are  woven 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  Of  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


19 


(2.)  Having  thus  spoken  of  the  death  and  suffer- 
ings of  Christ,  I  shall  in  the  next  place  speak  of 
his  preparations  for  his  so  suffering  for  us  ;  and  by 
so  doing,  yet  shew  you  something  more  of  the 
greatness  of  his  love. 

Christ,  as  I  have  told  you,  was  even  before  his 
sufferings,  a  person  of  no  mean  generation,  being 
the  Son  of  the  eternal  God :  Neither  had  his  Fa- 
ther any  more  such  sons  but  he ;  consequently  he 
of  right  was  heir  of  all  things,  and  so  to  have  do- 
minion over  all  worlds.  For,  '  for  him  were  all 
things  created. '  Coi.  i.  lo.  And  hence  all  creatm-es 
are  subject  to  him  ;  yea  the  angels  of  God  worship 
him.  He.  i.  Wherefore  as  so  considered,  he  aug- 
mented not  his  state  by  becoming  lower  than  the 
angels  for  us,  for  what  can  be  added  to  him,  that 
is  naturally  God.  Indeed  he  did  take,  for  our 
sakes,  the  human  nature  into  union  -with  himself, 
and  so  began  to  manifest  his  glory ;  and  the  kind- 
ness that  he  had  for  us  before  all  worlds,  began 
now  eminently  to  shew  itself.  Had  this  Christ  of 
God,  our  friend,  given  all  he  had  to  save  us,  had 
not  his  love  been  wonderful  ?  But  when  he  shall 
give  for  us  himself,  this  is  more  wonderful.  But 
this  is  not  all,  the  case  was  so  betwixt  God  and 
man,  that  this  Son  of  God  could  not,  as  he  was 
before  the  world  was,  give  himself  a  ransom  for 
us,  he  being  altogether  incapable  so  to  do,  being 
such  an  one  as  could  not  be  subject  to  death,  the 
condition  that  we  by  sin  had  put  ourselves  into. 

Wherefore  that  which  would  have  been  a  death 
to  some,  to  wit,  the  laying  aside  of  glory  and  be- 
coming, of  the  King  of  princes,  a  servant  of  the 
meanest  form ;  this  he  of  his  own  good-will,  was 
heartily  content  to  do.  Wherefore,  he  that  once 
was  the  object  of  the  fear  of  angels,  is  now  become 
a  IvUle  creature,  a  worm,  an  inferior  one,  Ps.  xxii.  6. 
born  of  a  woman,  brought  forth  in  a  stable,  laid 
in  a  manger,  Lu.ii.  7.  scorned  of  men,  tempted  of 
devils,  Lu.  iv.  2.  was  beholden  to  his  creatures  for 
food,  for  raiment,  for  harbour,  and  a  place  wherein 
to  lay  his  head  when  dead.  In  a  word,  he  '  made 
himself  of  no  reputation,  took  upon  him  the  form  of 
a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men,' 
Phi.  ii.  7.  that  he  might  become  capable  to  do  this 
kindness  for  us.  And  it  is  worth  your  noting, 
that  all  the  while  that  he  was  in  the  world,  put- 
ting himself  upon  those  other  preparations  which 
were  to  be  antecedent  to  his  being  made  a  sacri- 
fice for  us,  no  man,  though  he  told  what  he  came 
about  to  many,  had,  as  we  read  of,  an  heart  once 
to  thank  him  for  what  he  came  about,  is.  lUi.  3.  No, 
they  railed  on  him,  they  degraded  him,  they  called 

together  to  delude  a  credulous  and  ignorant  laity.  The  for- 
mulary designated  the  apostles'  creed,  has,  beyond  question,  a 
high  claim  to  antiquity,  but  none  whatever  to  be  the  work  of 
the  apostles  themselves.  The  '  descent  into  hell '  was  an  after 
iuterpolatioa,  and  its  rejection  has  been  suggested. 


him  devil,  they  said  he  was  mad,  and  a  deceiver, 
a  blasphemer  of  God,  and  a  rebel  against  the 
state :  They  accused  him  to  the  governor ;  yea, 
one  of  his  disciples  sold  him,  another  denied  him, 
and  they  all  forsook  him,  and  left  him  to  shift  for 
himself  in  the  hands  of  his  horrible  enemies ;  who 
beat  him  with  their  fists,  spat  on  him,  mocked 
him,  crowned  him  with  thorns,  scourged  him,  made 
a  gazing  stock  of  him,  and  finally,  hanged  him  up 
by  the  hands  and  the  feet  alive,  and  gave  him 
vinegar  to  increase  his  affliction,  when  he  com- 
plained that  his  anguish  had  made  him  thirsty. 
And  yet  all  this  could  not  take  his  heart  off  the 
work  of  our  redemption.  To  die  he  came,  die  he 
ivoidd,  and  die  he  did  before  he  made  his  return 
to  the  Father,  for  our  sins,  that  we  might  live 
through  him.* 

Nor  may  what  we  read  of  in  the  word  concern- 
ing those  temporal  sufferings  that  he  underwent  be 
over-looked,  and  passed  by  without  serious  con- 
sideration; they  being  a  part  of  the  curse  that  our 
sin  had  deserved!  For  aU  temporal  plagues  are 
due  to  our  sin  while  we  live,  as  well  as  the  curse 
of  God  to  everlasting  perdition,  when  we  die. 
Wherefore  this  is  the  reason  why  the  whole  life  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  was  such  a  life  of  affliction  and 
sorrow,  he  therein  bare  our  sicknesses,  and  took 
upon  him  our  deserts :  So  that  now  the  curse  in 
temporals,  as  well  as  the  curse  in  spirituals,  and 
of  everlasting  malediction,  is  removed  by  him  away 
from  God's  people;  and  since  he  overcame  them, 
and  got  to  the  cross,  it  was  by  reason  of  the  wor- 
thiness of  the  himible  obedience  that  he  yielded  to 
his  Father's  law  in  om-  flesh.  For  his  whole  life 
(as  well  as  his  death)  was  a  life  of  merit  and  pur- 
chase, and  desert.  Hence  it  is  said,  'he increased 
in  favour  with  God.'  Lu.ii.  .53.  For  his  works  made 
him  stiU  more  acceptable  to  him:  For  he  standing 
in  the  room  of  man,  and  becoming  our  reconciler 
to  God;  by  the  heavenly  majesty  he  was  counted 
as  such,  and  so  got  for  us  what  he  earned  by  his 
mediatory  works;  and  also  partook  thereof  as  he 
was  our  head  himself.  And  was  there  not  in  all 
these  things  love,  and  love  that  was  infinite  ?  Love 
which  was  not  essential  to  his  divine  natm-e,  could 
never  have  carried  him  through  so  great  a  work  as 
this:  Passions  here  would  a  failed,  would  a  retreated, 
and  have  given  the  recoil;  yea,  his  very  humanity 
would  here  have  flagged  and  fainted,  had  it  not 
been  managed,  governed,  and  strengthened  by  his 

*  This  is  one  of  those  strikingly  solemn  passages,  which 
abound  in  Bunyan's  works.  It  almost  LiTesistibly  brings  to 
our  imagination  liis  expressive  countenance,  piercing  eyes  and 
harmonious  voice;  pressed  on  by  his  rapid  conceptions  and 
overpowering  natural  eloquence.  How  must  it  have  rivetted 
the  attention  of  a  great  congregation.  It  is  a  rush  of  word? , 
rolling  on  like  the  waves  of  the  sea;  increasing  iu  grandeur 
and  in  force  as  they  multiply  in  nuinljer.— Eu. 


20 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


eternal  Spirit.  Wherefore  it  is  said,  that '  tlirough 
the  eternal  Spirit  he  offered  himself  without  spot 
to  God.'  He.  ix.  u.  And  that  he  was  declared  to  be 
the  Son  of  God,  with  so  doing,  and  by  the  resur- 
rection from  the  dead.  Ro.  i.  4. 

2.  We  come  now  to  the  second  thing  pro- 
pounded, and  by  which  his  love  is  discovered,  and 
that  is  his  iviproving  of  his  chjing  for  us.  But  I 
must  crave  pardon  of  my  reader,  if  he  thinks  that 
I  can  discover  the  ten  hundred  thousandth  part 
thereof,  for  it  is  impossible;  but  my  meaning  is, 
to  give  a  few  hints  what  beginnings  of  improvement 
he  made  thereof,  iu  order  to  his  further  progress 
therein. 

(1.)  Therefore,  This  his  death  for  us,  was  so  vir- 
tuous, that  in  the  space  of  three  days  and  three 
nights,  it  reconciled  to  God  in  the  body  of  his 
flesh  as  a  common  person,  all,  and  every  one  of 
God's  elect.  Christ,  when  he  addressed  himself 
to  die,  presented  himself  to  the  justice  of  the  law, 
as  a  common  person;  standing  in  the  stead,  place, 
and  room  of  all  that  he  undertook  for;  He  gave 
'  his  life  a  ransom  for  many. '  Mat.  xx.  28.  '  He  came 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners. '  l  Ti.  i.  15.  And  as  he 
thus  presented  himself,  so  God,  his  Father,  admit- 
ted him  to  this  work;  and  therefore  it  is  said, 
'  The  Lord  laid  upon  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all : ' 
And  again,  '  Surely  he  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and 
carried  our  sorrows. '  is.  liii.  4, 6, 12.  Hence  it  unavoid- 
ably follows,  that  whatever  he  felt,  and  underwent 
in  the  manner,  or  nature,  or  horribleness  of  the 
death  he  died,  he  felt  and  underwent  all  as  a  com- 
mon person;  that  is,  as  he  stood  in  the  stead  of 
others:  Therefore  it  is  said,  'He  was  wounded  for 
our  transgressions,  and  bruised  for  our  iniquities;' 
and  that  'the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon 
him.' Is. liii.  5.      And  again  'the  just  died  for  the 

unjust.'  1  Pe.  iii.  18. 

Now  then,  if  he  presented  himself  as  a  com- 
mon person  to  justice,  if  God  so  admitted  and  ac- 
counted him,  if  also  he  laid  the  sins  of  the  people, 
whose  persons  he  represented,  upon  him,  and  under 
that  consideration  punishes  him  with  those  pun- 
ishments and  death,  that  he  died.  Then  Christ 
in  life  and  death  is  concluded  by  the  Father  to 
live  and  die  as  a  common  or  pubhc  person, 
representing  all  in  this  life  and  death,  for  whom 
he  undertook  Uius  to  live,  and  thus  to  die.  So 
then,  it  must  ncicds  be,  that  what  next  befalls 
this  common  person,  it  befalls  him  with  respect  to 
them  in  whose  room  and  place  he  stood  and  suffered. 
Now,  the  next  that  follows,  is,  'that  he  is  justified 
of  God:'  Tliatis,  acquitted  and  discharged  from  this 
punishment,  for  the  sake  of  the  worthiness  of  his 
death  and  merits;  for  that  must  be  before  he  could 
be  raised  from  the  dead:  Ac.  ii.  24.  God  raised  him 
not  up  as  guilty,  to  justify  him  afterwards:  His 
resurrection  was  the  declaration  of  his  precedent 


justification.  He  was  raised  from  the  dead, 
because  it  Avas  neither  in  equity  or  justice  possible 
that  he  should  be  holden  longer  there,  his  merits 
procured  the  contrary. 

Now  he  was  condemned  of  God's  law,  and  died 
by  the  hand  of  justice,  he  was  acquitted  by  God's 
law,  and  justified  of  justice;  and  all  as  a  common 
person;  so  then,  in  his  acquitting,  we  are  acquitted, 
in  his  justification  we  are  justified;  and  therefore 
the  apostle  applieth  God's  justifying  of  Christ  to 
himself ;  and  that  rightly,  is.  1.  8.  and  Ro.  ii.  33, 34.  For 
if  Christ  be  my  undertaker,  will  stand  in  my  place, 
and  do  for  me,  'tis  but  reasonable  that  I  shovdd  be 
a  partaker:  Wherefore  we  are  also  said  to  be 
'quickened  together  with  him:' Ep.  ii.  5.  That  is, 
when  he  was  quickened  in  the  grave;  raised  up 
together,  and  made  to  sit  together  in  heavenly 
places  in  Christ  Jesus.  Therefore  another  scrip- 
ture saith,  '  Hath  He  quickened  you  -  -  together 
with  him,  having  forgiven  you  all  trespasses.'  Col. 
ii.  13.  This  quickening,  must  not  be  understood  of 
the  renovation  of  our  hearts,  but  of  the  restoring 
of  Jesus  Christ  to  life  after  he  was  crucified;  and 
we  are  said  to  he  quickened  together  with  him, 
because  we  Avere  quickened  in  him  at  his  death,  and 
were  to  fall  or  stand  by  him  quite  through  the  three 
days  and  three  nights  work;  and  Avere  to  take 
therefore  our  lot  Avith  him:  Wherefore  it  is  said 
again.  That  his  resurrection  is  our  justification. 
Ro.  iv.  25.  That  by  one  offering  he  has  purged  our 
sins  for  ever;  lie.  x.  12.  and  that  by  his  death  he  hath 
'deliA'ered  us  from  the  Avrath  to  come.'  iTh. i.  10. 
But  I  say,  I  Avould  be  imderstood  aright:  This  life 
resideth  yet  in  the  Son,  and  is  communicated  from 
him  to  us,  as  Ave  are  called  to  believe  his  word; 
mean  Avhile  Ave  are  secured  from  Avrath  and  hell, 
being  justified  in  his  justification,  quickened  in  his 
quickening,  raised  up  in  his  resurrection;  and  made 
to  sit  already  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ 
Jesus !  * 

And  is  not  this  a  glorious  improvement  of  his 
death,  that  after  tAvo  days  the  whole  body  of  the 
elect,  in  him,  should  be  revived,  and  that  in  the 
third  day  we  should  live  in  the  sight  of  God,  in 
and  by  him.  He.  vi.  I8-20. 

(2.)  Another  improvement  of  his  death  for  us,  Avas 
this,  By  that  he  slew  for  us,  our  infernal  foes;  by 
it  he  abolished  death;  2  Ti.  i.  1.  by  death  he  destroyed 
him  that  had  the  power  of  death:  He.ii.  14.  By  death  ■ 
he  took  away  the  sting  of  death ;  1  Co.  xv.  55, 56.  by  * 
death  he  made  death  a  pleasant  sleep  to  saints, 
and  the  grave  for  a  while,  an  easy  house  and  home 

*  The  reader  must  not  misuuderstaud  the  word  common  as 
here  applied  to  the  Saviour.  It  has  the  same  meaning  that  is 
applied  to  a  piece  of  land,  to  which  man!/  persons  have  an 
e(pial  or  common  right;  but  which  none  but  those,  who  have 
a  rUjhl  or  title,  can  use.  It  strikingly  illustrates  the  union 
of  Christ  and  his  church. — Eu. 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


21 


for  the  body.  By  deatli  he  made  death  such  an 
advantage  to  us,  that  it  is  become  a  means  of 
translating  of  the  souls  of  them  that  believe  in  him, 
to  life.  And  all  this  is  manifest,  for  that  death  is 
ours,  a  blessing  to  us,  as  well  as  Paul  and  Apollos, 
the  world  and  life  itself,  l  Co.  iii.  23.  And  that  all  this  is 
done  for  us  by  his  death,  is  apparent,  for  that  his 
person  is  where  it  is,  and  that  by  himself  as  a 
common  person  he  has  got  the  victory  for  us.  For 
though  as  yet  all  things  are  not  put  under  our  feet, 
yet  we  see  Jesus  crowned  with  honour  and  glory, 
who  by  the  grace  of  God  tasteth  death  for  every 
man,  *  For  it  became  God ,  for  whom  are  all  things, 
and  by  whom  are  all  things,  to  make  the  captain 
of  their  salvation  perfect  through  sufferings.' 
He.  ii.  7-10.  It  became  him;  that  is,  it  was  but  just 
and  right,  he  should  do  so,  if  there  was  enough  in 
the  virtuousness  of  his  death  and  blood  to  require 
such  a  thing.  But  there  was  so.  Wherefore  God 
has  exalted  him,  and  us  in  him,  above  these  infer- 
nal foes.  Let  us  therefore  see  ourselves  delivered 
from  death  first,  by  the  exaltation  of  our  Jesus,  let 
us  behold  him  I  say  as  cro\vned  with  glory  and 
honour,  as,  or  because,  he  tasted  death  for  us. 
And  then  we  shall  see  ourselves  already  in  heaven 
by  our  head,  our  undertaker,  our  Jesus,  our 
Saviour. 

(3.)  Another  improvement  that  has  already  been 
made  of  his  death  for  us,  is  thus,  he  hath  at  his 
entrance  into  the  presence  of  God,  for  his  worthiness 
sake,  obtained  that  the  Holy  Ghost  should  be  given 
unto  him  for  us,  that  we  by  that  might  in  all  things, 
yet  to  be  done,  be  made  meet  to  be  partakers  person- 
ally, in  ourselves,  as  well  as  virtualbj  by  our  head  and 
forerunner,  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light. 
Wherefore  the  abundant  pourings  out  of  that  was 
forborn  until  the  resurrection,  and  glorification  of 
our  Lord  Jesus.  'For  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not 
yet  given,  because  that  Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified. ' 
Jn.  \-ii.  39.  Nor  was  it  given  so  soon  as  received: 
for  he  received  it  upon  his  entering  into  the  holy 
place,  when  he  had  sprinkled  the  mercy  seat  with 
the  blood  of  sprinkling,  but  it  was  not  given  out 
to  us  till  sometime  after:  Ac.  iv.  however  it  was  ob- 
tained before.  Ac.  a.  32, 33.  And  it  was  meet  that  it 
should  in  that  infinite  immeasurableness  in  which 
he  received  it,  first  abide  upon  him,  that  his  himaan 
nature,  which  was  the  first  fruits  of  the  election  of 
God,  might  receive  by  its  abidings  upon  him,  that 
glory  for  which  it  was  ordained;  and  that  we  might 
receive,  as  we  receive  all  other  things,  first  by  our 
head  and  undertaker,  sanctification  in  the  fulness 
of  it.  Hence  it  is  written,  that  as  he  is  made  unto 
us  of  God,  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  redemp- 
tion, so  sanctification  too;  ico.i.30.  For  first  we  are 
sanctified  in  his  flesh,  as  we  are  justified  by  his 
righteousness.  Wherefore  he  is  that  holy  one  that 
setteth  us,  in  himself,  a  holy  lump  before  God,  not 


only  with  reference  to  justification  and  life,  hut 
with  reference  to  sanctification  and  holiness :  For 
we  that  are  elect,  are  all  considered  in  him  as  he 
has  received  that,  as  well  as  in  that  he  has  taken 
possession  of  the  heaven  for  us,  I  count  not  this 
all  the  benefit  that  accrueth  to  us  by  Jesus  his 
receiving  the  Holy  Ghost,  at  his  entrance  into  the 
presence  of  God  for  us :  For  we  also  are  to  receive 
it  ourselves  from  him,  according  as  by  God  we  are 
placed  in  the  body  at  the  times  appointed  of  the 
Father.  That  we,  as  was  said,  may  receive  per- 
sonal quickening,  personal  renovation,  personal 
sanctification;  and  in  conclusion,  glory.  But  I 
say,  for  that  he  hath  received  this  holy  Spirit  to 
himself,  he  received  it  as  the  eff"ect  of  his  ascension, 
which  was  the  eff"ect  of  his  resurrection,  and  of  the 
merit  of  his  death  and  passion.  And  he  received 
it  as  a  common  person,  as  a  head  and  undertaker 
for  the  people. 

(4.)  Another  improvement  that  has  been  made  of 
his  death,  and  of  the  merits  thereof  for  us,  is  that 
he  has  obtained  to  be  made  of  God,  the  chief  and 
high  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  for  us,  (All  this 
while  we  speak  of  the  exaltation  of  the  human 
nature,  in,  by,  and  with  which,  the  Son  of  God 
became  capable  to  be  our  reconciler  unto  God)  'All 
things,'  saitli  he,  'are  delivered  unto  me  of  my 
Father.  And  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  is 
given  imto  me;'  and  all  this  because  he  died.  'He 
humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient  imto  death, 
even  the  death  of  the  cross;  wherefore  God  hath 
highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  name  above 
every  name,  that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee 
should  bow,  of  things  in  heaven,  of  things  in  earth, 
or  things  under  the  earth:  and  that  every  tongue 
shall  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory 
of  God  the  Father. '  Pliii.  u.  And  all  this  is,  as  was 
said  afore,  for  our  sakes.  He  has  given  him  to  be 
head  over  all  things  to  the  church.  Ep.i.  22. 

Wherefore,  whoever  is  set  up  on  earth,  they  are 
set  up  by  our  Lord.  'By  me,'  saith  he,  'kings 
reign,  and  princes  decree  justice.  By  me  princes 
rule,  and  nobles,  even  all  the  judges  of  the  earth.' 
Pr.\Tii.i5,i6.  Nor  are  they  when  set  up,  left  to  do, 
though  they  should  desire  it,  their  oym  wiU  and 
pleasure.  The  Metheg-Ammah*  the  bridle,  is  in 
his  own  hand,  and  he  giveth  reins,  or  check,  even 
as  it  pleaseth  him,  2Sa.viii.i.  He  has  this  power, 
for  the  well-being  of  his  people.  Nor  are  the  fallen 
angels  exempted  from  being  put  imder  his  rebuke: 
He  is  the  '  only  potentate, '  1  Ti.  vi.  15.  and  in  his  times 
will  shew  it,  Peter  tells  us,  he  'is  gone  into  heaven, 
and  is  on  the  right  hand  of  God;  angels,  and  au- 
thorities, and  powers  being  made  subject  unto  him. 

1  Pe.  iii.  22. 

*  Tliere  is  no  affectation  of  learning  in  Bunyan's  giving  the 
meaning  of  the  Hebrew  words,  jn^a,  Metheg;  it  is  transhited 
in  the  margin  of  our  Bibles,  'the  bridle'  of  Anmiah.— En. 


22 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


This  power,  as  I  said,  lie  has  received  for  the 
sake  of  his  church  on  earth,  and  for  her  conduct 
and  well-being  among  tlie  sons  of  men.  Hence,  as 
lie  is  called  the  king  of  nations,  in  general;  Je.  x. 7. 
so  the  King  of  saints,  in  special:  Re.  .w.  3.  and  as  he 
is  said  to  be  head  ovei'  all  things  in  general;  so  to 
his  church  in  special. 

(5.)  Another  improvement  that  he  hath  made  of 
his  death  for  us,  is,  he  hath  obtained,  and  received 
into  his  own  liand  sufficiency  of  gifts  to  make 
ministers  for  his  church  withal.  I  say,  to  make 
and  maintain,  in  opposition  to  all  that  would  hin- 
der, a  sufficient  ministry,  l  Co.  xii.  28-30.  Wherefore 
he  saith,  'When  he  ascended  on  high,  he  led  cap- 
tivity captive,  and  gave  gifts  unto  men.  And  he 
gave  some  apostles,  some  prophets,  some  evan- 
gelists, some  pastors  and  teachers;  for  the  perfect- 
ing of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for 
edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ.  Until  we  all  come 
in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  knowledge  of  the  Son 
of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of 
the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ.  Ep.iv.  s-it.  Many 
ways  has  Satan  devised  to  bring  into  contempt  this 
blessed  advantage  that  Christ  has  received  of  God 
for  the  benefit  of  his  church;  partly  while  he  stirs 
up  persons  to  revile  the  sufficiency  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  as  to  this  thing:  partly,  while  he  stirs  ujj 
his  own  limbs  and  members,  to  broach  his  delusions 
in  the  world,  in  the  name  of  Christ,  and  as  they 
blasphemously  call  it  by  the  assistance  of  the  Holy 
Ghost;*  partly  while  he  tempteth  novices  in  their 
faith,  to  study  and  labour  in  nice  distinctions,  and 
the  affecting  of  uncouth  expressions,  that  vary  from 
the  form  of  sound  vrords,  thereby  to  get  applause, 
and  a  name,  a  forerunner  of  their  own  destruction. 
Jn.  iii.  C. 

But,  notwithstanding  all  this,  'Wisdom  is  justi- 
fied of  her  children:'  Mat. xi.l9.  and  at  the  last  day, 
when  the  outside,  and  inside  of  all  things  shall  be 
seen  and  compared,  it  will  appear  that  the  Son  of 
God  has  so  managed  his  own  servants  in  the  mi- 
nistry of  his  word,  and  so  managed  his  word,  while 
they  have  been  labouring  in  it,  as  to  put  in  his 
blessing  by  thnt,  upon  the  souls  of  sinners,  and  has 
blown  away  all  other  things  as  chaff.  Ja.  i.  is. 

6.  Another  improvement  that  the  Lord  Christ 
has  made  of  his  death,  for  his,  is  the  obtainino-, 
and  taking  possession  of  heaven  fur  them.  'By 
his  own  blood  he  entered  in  once  into  the  holy 
place,  having  obtained  eternal  redemption /or  us.' 
He.  ix.  12.      This  heaven!    who  knows   what  it  is? 

*  Bunyan  seems  licre  evidently  to  refer  to  tlie  ease  of  uure- 
gcneratc  and  worldly  men  entering  into  the  ministry,  and 
making  a  public  and  solemn  declaration  that  they  '  are  inwardly 
moved  thereto  by  the  Holy  Ghost,'  and  '  truly  called  according 
to  the  will  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  See  form  and  manner 
of  ordaining  deacons  and  priests  ia  the  Chuith  of  England 
--Eu. 


Mat.  xxii.  23.  This  glory !  who  knows  what  it  is  ? 
It  is  called  God's  throne,  God's  house,  Jn.  xiv.  2. 
God's  habitation;  paradise,  2Co. xii. 4.  the  kingdom 
of  God,  the  high  and  holy  place,  is.  iwi.  is.  Abra- 
ham's bosom,  Lu.  xvi.  22.  and  the  place  of  heavenly 
pleasures;  Ps.  xvi.  ii.  in  this  heaven  is  to  be  found, 
the  face  of  God  for  ever :  Ps.  xu.  12.  Immortality,  the 
person  of  Christ,  the  prophets,  the  angels,  the 
revelation  of  all  mysteries,  the  knowledge  of  all  the 

elect,  ETERNITY. 

Of  this  heaven,  as  was  said  afore,  we  are  pos- 
sessed already,  we  are  in  it,  we  are  set  down  in  it, 
and  partake  already  of  the  benefits  thereof,  but  all 
by  our  head  and  undertaker ;  and  'tis  fit  that  we 
should  believe  this,  rejoice  in  this,  talk  of  this,  tell 
one  another  of  this,  and  live  in  the  expectation  of 
our  own  personal  enjoyment  of  it.  And  as  we 
should  do  all  this,  so  we  should  bless  and  praise 
the  name  of  God  who  has  put  over  this  house,  this 
kingdom,  and  inheritance  into  the  hand  of  so  faith- 
ful a  friend.  Yea,  a  brother,  a  Saviour  and  blessed 
undertaker  for  us.  And  lastly,  since  all  these 
things  already  mentioned,  are  the  fruit  of  the  suf- 
ferings of  our  Jesus,  and  his  sufferings  the  fruit  of 
that  love  of  his  that  passeth  knowledge :  how  should 
we  bow  the  knee  before  him,  and  call  him  tender 
Father ;  yea,  how  should  we  love  and  obey  him, 
and  devote  ourselves  unto  his  service,  and  be  will- 
ing to  be  also  sufi"erers  for  his  sake,  to  whom  be 
honour  and  glory  for  ever.  And  thus  much  of  the 
love  of  Christ  in  general. 

I  might  here  add  many  other  things,  but  as  I 
told  you  before,  we  would  under  the  head  but  now 
touched  upon,  treat  about  the  fundamentals  or  great 
and  chief  parts  thereof,  [Christ's  love]  and  then, 

Second,  Of  tJie  exceeding  greatness  ofUmore  par- 
ticularly: Wherefore  of  that  we  must  say  something 
now. 

And  to  know  the  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth 
knowledge.  In  that  it  is  said  to  pass  knowledge, 
'tis  manifest  it  is  exceeding  great,  or  greatly  going 
beyond  what  can  be  known;  for  to  e.Kceed,  is  to 
go  beyond,  be  above,  or  to  be  out  of  the  reach  of 
what  would  comprehend  that  wliich  is  so.  And 
since  the  expression  is  absolutely  indefinite,  and 
respecteth  not  the  knowledge  of  this  or  the  other 
creature  only :  it  is  manifest,  that  Paul  by  his  thus 
saying,  challengeth  all  creatures  in  heaven  and 
earth  to  find  out  the  bottom  of  this  love  if  they 
can.  Tlie  love  of  Christ  which  passeth  knowledge. 
I  will  add,  that  forasmuch  as  he  is  indefinite  also 
about  the  knowledge,  as  well  as  about  the  persons 
knowing,  it  is  out  of  doubt  that  he  here  engageth 
all  knowledge,  in  what  enlargements,  attainments, 
improvements,  and  heights  soever  it  hath,  or  may 
for  ever  attain  unto.    It  passeth  knowled.ge.  Ep.  iii.  8. 

Of  the  same  import  also  is  that  other  passage 
I  of  the  apostle  a  little  above  in  the  self-same  chap- 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


23 


tev.  I  preacli,  saitli  he,  among  the  Gentiles  the 
unsearchable  riches  of  Christ :  or  those  riches  of 
Christ  that  cannot  by  searching,  be  found  out  in  the 
all  of  them :  The  riches,  the  riches  of  his  love  and 
grace.  The  riches  of  his  love  and  grace  towards 
us.  '  For  ye  know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  that,  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  your 
sakes  he  became  poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty 
might  be  made*  rich. '  2  Co.  viii.  9.  Ye  know  the  grace, 
that  is  so  far,  and  so  far  every  believer  knows  it : 
for  that  his  leaving  heaven  and  taking  upon  him 
flesh,  that  he  mio;ht  brins:  us  thither,  is  manifest 
to  all.  But  yet,  all  the  grace  that  was  wrapped 
up  in  that  amazing*  condescension,  kuoweth  none, 
nor  can  know:  for  if  that  might  be,  that  possibility 
would  be  a  flat  contradiction  to  the  text:  'The 
love  of  Christ  which  passeth  knowledge.'  Where- 
fore the  riches  of  this  love  in  the  utmost  of  it,  is 
not,  cannot  be  known  by  any:  let  their  understand- 
ing and  knowledge,  be  heightened  and  improved 
what  it  may.  Yea,  and  being  heightened  and 
improved,  let  what  search  there  can  by  it  be  made 
into  this  love  and  grace.  '  That  which  is  afar  off", 
and  exceeding  deep,  who  can  find  out  ?  '  Ecc.  vii.  24. 
And  that  this  love  of  Christ  is  so,  shaU  anon  be 
made  more  apparent.  But  at  present  we  will  pro- 
ceed to  particular  challenges  for  the  making  out  of 
this,  and  then  we  will  urge  those  reasons  that  will 
be  for  the  further  confirmation  of  the  whole. 

First,  This  love  passes  the  knowledge  of  the  wisest 
saint,  we  now  single  out  the  greatest  proficient  in 
this  knowledge ;  and  to  confirm  this,  I  need  go  no 
further  than  to  the  man  that  spake  these  words ; 
to  wit,  Paul,  for  in  his  conclusion  he  includes 
himself.  The  love  of  Christ  which  passeth  know- 
ledge, even  my  knowledge.  As  who  should  say; 
though  I  have  waded  a  great  way  in  the  grace  of 
Christ,  and  have  as  much  experience  of  his  love 
as  any  he  in  all  the  world,  yet  I  confess  myself 
short,  as  to  the  fulness  that  is  therein,  nor  wiU  I  stick 
to  conclude  of  any  other,  That  'he  knows  nothing 

yet  as  he  ought  to  know. '  l  Co.  viii.  2.  and  xiii.  12. 

Second,  This  love  passeth  the  knowledge  of  all 
the  saints,  were  it  all  put  together,  we,  we  all,  and 
every  one,  did  we  each  of  us  contribute  for  the 
manifesting  of  this  love,  what  it  is,  the  whole  of 
what  we  know,  it  would  amount  but  to  a  broken 
knowledge;  we  know  but  in  part,  we  see  darkly, 
1  Co.  xiii,  9-12.  we  walk  not  by  sight,  but  faith.  2  Co.  v.  7. 
True,  now  we  speak  of  saints  on  earth. 

TJiird,  But  we  will  speak  of  saints  in  heaven ; 
they  cannot  to  the  utmost,  know  this  love  of  Christ. 
For  though  they  know  more  thereof  than  saints  on 
earth,  because  they  are  more  in  the  open  visions 
of  it,  and  also  are  more  enlarged,  being  spirits  per- 

*  Bunyan  quotes  this  passage  from  the  puritan  version ; 
%Tilgai-ly  called  '  The  Breeches  Bible.'  The  present  authorized 
translation  is  '  might  he  rich.' 


feet,  than  we  on  earth.  Yet,  to  say  no  more  now, 
they  do  not  see  the  rich  and  unsearchable  runnings 
out  thereof  unto  sinners  here  on  earth.  Nor  may 
they  there  measure  that,  to  others,  by  what  they 
themselves  knew  of  it  here.  For  sins,  and  times 
and  persons  and  other  circumstances,  may  much 
alter  the  case,  but  were  aU  the  saints  on  earth, 
and  all  the  saints  in  heaven  to  contribute  all  that 
they  know  of  this  love  of  Christ,  and  to  put  it  into 
one  sum  of  knowledge,  they  would  greatly  come 
short  of  knowing  the  utmost  of  tliis  love,  for  that 
there  is  an  infinite  deal  of  this  love,  yet  unknown 
by  them.  'Tis  said  plainly,  that  they  on  earth  do 
not  ]/et  know  what  they  shall  be.  1  Jn.  iii.  2.  And  as 
for  them  in  heaven,  they  are  not  yet  made  perfect 
as  they  shaU  he.  ne.  xi.  39, 40.  Besides,  we  find  the 
souls  imder  the  altar,  how  perfect  now  soever,  when 
compared  with  that  state  they  were  in  when  with 
the  body;  is.  ixiii.  16.  yet  are  not  able  in  aU  points, 
though  in  glory,  to  know,  and  so  to  govern  them- 
selves there  Avithout  directions,  r^e.^i.  9-li.  I  say, 
they  are  not  able,  without  directions  and  instruc- 
tions, to  know  the  kinds  and  manner  of  workings 
of  the  love  of  Christ  towards  us  that  dwell  on 
earth. 

Fourth,  We  will  join  Avith  these,  the  angels,  and 
when  aU  of  them,  with  men,  have  put  all  and  every 
whit  of  what  they  know  of  this  love  of  Christ 
together,  they  must  come  far  short  of  reaching  to, 
or  of  understanding  the  utmost  bound  thereof.  I 
grant,  that  angels  do  know,  in  some  certain  parts 
of  knowledge  of  the  love  of  Christ,  more  than 
saints  on  earth  can  know  while  here;  but  then 
again,  I  know  that  even  they  do  also  learn  many 
things  of  saints  on  earth,  which  shews  that  them- 
selves know  also  but  in  part;  Ep.  iii.  10.  so  then, 
all,  as  yet,  as  to  this  love  of  Christ,  and  the  ut- 
most knowledge  of  it,  are  but  as  so  many  imper- 
fects, 1  Pe.  i.  12.  nor  can  they  aU,  put  all  their  imper- 
fects together,  make  up  a  perfect  knowledge  of 
this  love  of  Christ;  for  the  texts  do  yet  stand 
where  they  did,  and  say,  his  riches  are  unsearchable, 
and  his  love  that  ichich  passeth  knowledge.  We 
will  come  noAv  to  shew  you,  besides  what  has  been 
already  touched  on, 

The  reason  v:hy  this  riches  is  unseardiaUe,  and 
that  love  such  as  passeth  knowledge;  and  the 

Reason  First  is.  Because  It  is  eternal.  All  that  is 
eternal,  has  attending  of  it,  as  to  the  utmost  know- 
ledge of  it,  a  fourfold  impossibility.  1.  It  is  with- 
out beginning.  2.  It  is  without  end.  3.  It  is 
infinite.     4.   It  is  incomprehensible. 

1.  It  is  without  beginning :  That  which  was  before 
the  world  was,  is  without  a  beginning,  but  the  love 
of  Christ  was  before  the  world. 

This  is  evident  from  Proverbs  the  eighth,  'his 
delights,'  before  God  had  made  the  world,  are  there 
said  to  be,  '  with  the  sons  of  men. '     Not  that  we 


24 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


then  had  being,  for  we  were  as  yet  uncreated ;  but 
though  we  had  not  beings  created,  we  had  being 
in  the  love  and  affections  of  Jesus  Christ.  Now 
this  love  of  Christ  must  needs,  as  to  the  fulness  of 
it,  as  to  the  utmost  of  it,  be  absolutely  unknown 
to  man.  Who  can  tell  how  many  heart-pleasing 
thoughts  Christ  had  of  us  before  the  world  began  ? 
Who  can  tell  how  nmch  he  then  was  delighted  in 
that  being  we  had  in  his  affections  ;  as  also,  in  the 
consideration  of  our  beings,  believings,  and  being 
with  him  afterwards. 

In  general  we  may  conclude,  it  was  great ;  for 
there  seems  to  be  a  parallel  betwixt  his  Father's 
delights  in  him,  and  his  delights  in  us.  *  I  was 
daily  his  delight,  -  -  and  my  delights  were  with 
the  sons  of  men.'  Pr.  vm.  22, 30, 31.  But  I  say,  who 
can  tell,  who  can  tell  altogether,  wlmt  and  how 
much  the  Father  delighted  in  his  Son  before  the 
world  began  ?  Who  can  tell  what  Uixd  of  delight 
the  Fatlier  had  in  the  Sou  before  the  world  began  ? 
Why  there  seems  to  be  a  parallel  betwixt  the  Fa- 
ther's love  to  Christ,  and  Christ's  love  to  us ;  the 
Father's  ddiglit  in  Christ,  and  his  ddigM  in  us. 
Yea,  Christ  confirms  it,  saying,  '  As  the  Father 
hath  loved  me,  so  have  I  loved  you,  continue  ye  in 
my  love. '  Jn.  xv.  9.  I  know  that  I  am  not  yet  upon 
the  nature  of  the  word  ete^mal ;  yet  since,  by  eter- 
nal, we  understand,  before  the  world  began,  as  well 
as  forward,  to  an  endless  for-ever ;  We  may  a  little 
enquire  of  folks  as  they  may  read,  if  they  can  teU 
the  kind  or  measure  of  the  love  wherewith  Christ 
then  loved  us.  I  remember  the  question  that  God 
asked  Job,  '  Where,'  saith  he,  '  wast  thou  when  I 
laid  the  foundation  of  the  eaith?  declare  if  thou 
hast  understanding : '  Job  xxxviii.  4.  Thereby  insinua- 
ting that  because  it  was  done  before  he  had  his 
being,  therefore  he  could  not  tell  how  it  was  done. 
Now,  if  a  work  so  visible,  as  the  creation  is,  is  yet 
as  to  the  manner  of  the  workmanship  thereof 
whoUy  unknown  to  them  that  commenced  in  their 
beings  afterwards :  How  shall  that  which  has,  in 
all  the  circumstances  of  it,  been  more  hidden  and 
inward,  be  found  out  by  them  that  have  intelligence 
thereof  by  the  ear,  and  but  in  part,  and  that  in  a 
mystery,  and  long  afterwards.  But  to  conclude 
this.  That  which  is  eternal  is  without  aU  begin- 
ning. This  was  presented  to  consideration  before, 
and  therefore  it  cannot  to  perfection  be  known. 

2.  That  wliich  is  eternal  is  without  end,  and 
how  can  an  endless  thing  be  known,  that  which 
has  no  end  has  no  middle,  wherefore  it  is  impos- 
sible that  the  one  half  of  the  love  that  Christ  has 
for  his  church  should  ever  by  them  be  known.  I 
know  that  those  visions  that  the  saved  shall  have 
in  heaven  of  this  love,  will  far  transcend  our  ut- 
most knowledge  here,  even  as  far  as  the  light  of 
the  sun  at  noon,  goes  beyond  the  light  of  a  blink- 
ing candle  at  midnight ;  and  hence  it  is,  that  when 


the  days  of  those  visions  are  come,  the  knowledge 
that  we  now  have,  shall  be  swallowed  up.  '  When 
that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  then  that  which  is 
in  part  shall  be  done  away. '  1  Co.  xiii.  lo.  And  al- 
though he  speaks  here  of  perfections,  '  when  that 
which  is  perfect  is  come,'  &c.,  yet  even  that  per- 
fection must  not  be  thought  to  be  such  as  is  the 
perfection  of  God ;  for  then  should  all  that  are 
saved  be  so  many  eternals  and  so  many  infinites,  as 
he  is  infinite.  But  the  meaning  is,  we  shall  then 
be  with  the  eternal,  shall  immediately  enjoy  him 
with  all  the  perfection  of  knowledge,  as  far  as  is 
possible  for  a  creature,  when  he  is  wrought  up  to  the 
utmost  height  that  his  created  substance  wiU  bear 
to  be  capable  of.  But  for  all  that,  this  perfection 
will  yet  come  short  of  the  perfection  of  him  that 
made  him,  and  consequently,  short  of  knowing  the 
utmost  of  his  love ;  since  that  in  the  root  is  his 
very  essence  and  nature.  1  know  it  says  also, 
that  we  shall  know  even  as  ice  are  known.  But  yet 
this  must  not  be  understood,  as  if  we  should  know 
God  as  fully  as  he  knows  us.  It  would  be  folly 
and  madness  so  to  conclude ;  but  the  meaning  is, 
we  are  known  for  happiness ;  we  are  known  of 
God,  for  heaven  and  felicity;  and  when  that  which 
is  perfect  is  come,  then  shall  we  perfectly  know, 
and  enjoy  that  for  which  we  are  now  known  of 
God.  And  this  is  that  which  the  Apostle  longed 
for,  namely.  If  by  any  means,  he  might  appre- 
hend that  for  which  he  was  also  apprehended  of 
Christ  Jesus.  Piii.  iiLi2.  That  is,  know,  and  see 
that,  unto  the  whicb  he  was  appointed  of  God  and 
apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus.  'Tis  said  again, 
'  We  shall  be  like  him,  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he 
is. '  1  Jn.  iii.  2.  This  text  has  respect  to  the  Son,  as 
to  his  humanity,  and  not  as  to  his  divinity.  And 
not  as  to  his  divinity,  simply,  or  distinctly  consi- 
dered ;  for  as  to  that  it  is  as  possible  for  a  spirit 
to  drink  up  the  sea,  as  for  the  most  enlarged  saint 
that  is,  or  ever  shall  be  in  glory,  so  to  see  God 
as  to  know  him  altogether,  to  the  utmost,  or 
throughout.  But  the  humanity  of  the  Son  of  God, 
we  shall  see  throughout,  in  all  the  beauty  and 
glory  that  is  upon  him ;  and  that  was  prepared  for 
him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world.  And 
Christ  wiU  that  we  see  this  glory,  when  he  takes 
us  up  in  glory  to  himself;  Jn.  xvii.  24.  but  the  ut- 
most boundlessness  of  the  divine  majesty,  the 
eternal  deity  of  the  Son  of  God,  cannot  be  known 
to  the  utmost  or  altogether.  I  do  not  doubt,  but 
that  there  will  then  in  him,  I  mean  in  Christ,  and 
in  us,  break  forth  these  glorious  rays  and  beams 
of  the  eternal  majesty,  as  will  make  him  in  each 
of  us  admirable  one  to  another ;  3  Th.  i.  10.  and  that 
then,  that  of  God  shall  be  known  of  us,  that  now 
never  entered  into  our  hearts  to  think  of.  But  the 
whole,  is  not,  cannot,  shall  never  be  fully  known 
of  any.      And  therefore  the  love  of  Christ,  it  being 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


2S 


essential  to  himself,  cannot  be  known  because  of 
the  endlessness  that  is  in  it.  I  said  before,  that 
which  has  no  end,  has  no  middle,  how  then  shall 
those  that  shall  be  in  heaven  eternally,  ever  pass 
over  half  the  breadth  of  eternity.  True,  I  know 
that  all  enjoyments  there  will  be  enjoyments  eter- 
nal. Yea,  that  whatever  we  shall  there  embrace, 
or  what  embraces  we  shall  be  embraced  with, 
shall  be  eternal ;  but  I  put  a  difference  betwixt 
that  which  is  eternal,  as  to  the  nature,  and  that 
which  is  so  as  to  the  durableness  thereof.  The 
nature  of  eternal  things  we  shall  enjoy,  so  soon  as 
ever  we  come  to  heaven,  but  the  duration  of  eter- 
nal things,  them  we  shall  never  be  able  to  pass 
through,  for  they  are  endless.  So  then,  the  eter- 
nal love  of  Christ,  as  to  the  nature  of  it,  wiU  be 
perfectly  known  of  saints,  when  they  shall  dwell 
in  heaven ;  but  the  endlessness  thereof  they  shall 
never  attain  unto.  And  this  will  be  their  happi- 
ness. For  could  it  be,  that  we  should  in  heaven 
ever  reach  the  end  of  our  blessedness:  (as  we  should, 
could  we  reach  to  the  end  of  this  love  of  Christ) 
why  then,  as  the  saying  is.  We  should  be  at  the 
land's  end,  and  feel  the  bottom  of  all  our  enjoy- 
ments. Besides,  whatsoever  has  an  end,  has  a 
time  to  decay,  and  to  cease  to  be,  as  well  as  to 
have  a  time  to  shew  forth  its  highest  excellencies. 
Wherefore,  from  all  these  considerations  it  is  most 
manifest,  that  the  love  of  Chiist  is  imsearchable, 
and  that  it  passes  knowledge. 

3.  and  4.  Now  the  other  two  things  follow  of 
course,  to  wit.  That  this  love  is  infinite  and  incom- 
2>rehensible.  Wherefore  here  is  that  that  still  is 
above  and  beyond  even  those  that  are  arrived  to 
the  utmost  of  their  perfections.  And  this,  if  I 
may  so  say,  will  keep  them  in  an  employ,  even 
when  they  are  in  heaven ;  though  not  an  employ 
that  is  laboursome,  tiresome,  burthensome,  yet  an 
employ  that  is  dutiful,  delightful  and  profitable ; 
for  although  the  work  and  Avorship  of  saints  in 
heaven  is  not  particularly  revealed  as  yet,  and  so 
'  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be, '  yet  in 
the  general  we  may  say,  there  will  be  that  for 
them  to  do,  that  has  not  yet  by  them  been  done, 
and  by  that  work  which  they  shall  do  there,  their 
deliffht  wiU  be  delight  mito  them.  The  law  was 
the  shadow  and  not  the  very  image  of  heavenly 
things.  He.  X.  1.  The  image  is  an  image,  and  not 
the  heavenly  things  themselves  He.  k.  23.  (the  hea- 
venly things  they  are  saints)  there  shall  be  wor- 
ship in  the  heavens.  Nor  will  this  at  all  derogate 
from  their  glory.  The  angels  now  wait  upon  God 
and  serve  him  ;  Ts.  ciii.  20.  the  Son  of  God,  is  now  a 
minister,  and  waitcth  upon  his  service  in  heaven ; 
ne.vm.1,2,  some  saints  have  been  employed  about 
service  for  God  after  they  have  been  in  heaven ; 
Lu.  i.v.  29—32.  and  why  wc  should  be  idle  spectators, 
when  we  come  thither,  I  see  not  reason  to  beheve. 

VOL.  11. 


It  may  ^  be  said,  'They  there  rest  from  their 
labours.'  True,  but  not  from  their  delights.  All 
thmgs  then  that  once  were  burthensome,  whether 
in  suffering  or  service,  shall  be  done  away,  and 
that  which  is  delightful  and  pleasureable  shall  re- 
main. But  tJien  will  be  a  time  to  receive,  and  not 
to  work.  True,  if  by  work  you  mean  such  as  we 
now  count  work ;  but  what  if  our  work  be  there, 
to  receive  and  bless.  The  fishes  in  the  sea  do 
drink,  swim  and  drink.  But  for  a  further  dis- 
course of  this,  let  that  alone  till  we  come  thither. 
But  to  come  down  again  into  the  world,  for  now 
we  are  talking  of  things  aloft : 

Reason  Second,  This  love  of  Christ  must  needs 
be  beyond  our  knowledge,  because  we  cannot 
possibly  know  the  tdmost  of  our  sin.  Sin  is  that 
which  sets  out,  and  oft',  the  knowledge  of  the  love 
of  Christ.  There  are  four  things  that  must  be 
spoken  to  for  the  clearing  of  this.  1.  The  nature 
of  sin.  2.  The  aggravations  of  sin.  3.  The  ut- 
most tendencies  of  sin.  4.  And  the  perfect  know- 
ledge of  all  this. 

1.  Before  we  can  know  this  love  of  Christ,  as 
afore,  we  must  necessarily  know  the  nature  of  sin, 
that  is,  what  sin  is,  what  sin  is  in  itself.  But  no 
man  knows  the  nature  of  sin  to  the  full ;  not  what 
sin  in  itself  is  to  the  fuU.  The  Apostle  saith, 
'  That  sin,  (that  is  in  itself)  is  exceeding  sinful.' 
Ro.  vii.  13.  That  is,  exceeding  it  as  to  its  filthiness, 
goes  beyond  our  knowledge :  But  this  is  seen  by 
the  commandment.  Now  the  reason  why  none 
can,  to  the  full,  know  the  horrible  nature  of  sin,  is 
because  none,  to  the  fuU,  can  know  the  blessed 
nature  of  the  blessed  God.  For  sin  is  the  opposite 
to  God.  There  is  nothing  that  seeketh  absolutely, 
and  in  its  own  nature  to  overcome,  and  to  annihi- 
late God,  but  sin,  and  sin  doth  so.  Sin  is  worse 
than  the  devil ;  he  therefore  that  is  more  afraid 
of  the  devil  than  of  sin,  knows  not  the  badness  of 
sin  as  he  ought ;  nor  but  little  of  the  love  of  Jesus 
Christ.  He  that  knows  not  what  sin  would  have 
done  to  the  Avorld,  had  not  Christ  stept  betwixt 
those  hai-ms  and  it.  How  can  he  know  so  much 
as  the  extent  of  the  love  of  Christ  in  common  ? 
And  he  that  knows  not  what  sin  would  have  done 
to  him  in  particular,  had  not  Christ  the  Lord,  stept 
in  and  saved,  cannot  know  the  utmost  of  the  love 
of  Christ  to  him  in  particular.  Sin  therefore  in 
the  utmost  evil  of  it,  cannot  be  known  of  us :  so 
consequently  the  love  of  Christ  in  the  utmost  good- 
ness of  it,  cannot  be  knowii  of  us. 

Besides,  there  are  many  sins  committed  by  u.s, 
dropping  from  us,  and  that  pollute  us,  that  we  arc 
not  at  all  aware  of;  how  then  should  we  know 
that  love  of  Christ  by  which  we  are  delivered  from 
them?  Lord,  'who  can  understand  his  errors?* 
said  David.  Ps.  xk.  13.  Consequently,  who  can  mi- 
derstand  the  love  that  saves  bun  from  them?  morc- 
D 


36 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  Or  CHRIST'S  LOTE. 


over,  lie  that  kllo^YS  tlae  love  of  Christ  to  the  full, 
must  also  know  to  the  full  that  w-rath  and  anger 
of  God,  that  like  hell  itself,  hm-ncth  agamst  sm- 
ners  for  the  sake  of  sin:  hut  this  knows  none. 
Lord,  'who  knoweth  the  power  of  thine  anger?' 
said  Moses.  Ps.  xc.  ii.  Therefore  none  knows  this 
love  of  Christ  to  the  full.  The  nature  of  sm  is  to 
get  into  oiu-  good,  to  mix  itself  v/ith  our  good,  to 
lie  lurkmg  many  times  imder  the  fonnality  and 
shew  of  good ;  and  that  so  close,  so  cimningly,  and 
invisihly,  that  the  party  concerned,  embraces  it 
for  virtue,  and  knows  not  otherwise  to  do;  and 
yet  from  this  he  is  saved  by  the  love  of  Christ ; 
and  therefore,  as  was  hinted  hut  now,  if  a  man 
doth  not  know  the  uatm-e  of  his  wound,  how  should 
he  know  the  natm-e  and  excellency  of  the  balsam 
tliat  hath  cured  him  of  his  Avound. 

2.  There  are  the  due  aggravations  that  belong 
to  sin,  which  men  are  imacquainted  with ;  it  was 
one  of  the  great  things  that  the  prophets  were 
concerned  with  from  God  towards  the  people,  Je.  ii. 
(as  to  shew  them  their  sins,  so)  to  shew  them  what 
aggravations  did  belong  thereto.  Je.iii.amiEze.xvi. 

There  are  sins  against  hght,  sins  against  know- 
ledge, sins  against  love,  sins  against  learning, 
sins  against  threatenings,  sins  agamst  promises, 
vows  and  resolutions,  sins  against  experience,  sins 
against  examples  of  anger,  and  sins  that  have 
great,  and  high,  and  strange  aggravations  attend- 
ing of  them ;  the  which  we  are  ignorant  of,  though 
not  altogether,  yet  in  too  great  a  measure.  Now 
if  these  things  be  so,  how  can  the  love  that  saveth 
us  from  them  be  known  or  understood  to  the  fuU  ? 

Alas !  our  ignorance  of  these  things  is  manifest 
by  our  miwiUingness  to  abide  affliction,  by  our 
secret  mm-muring  under  the  hand  of  God ;  by  our 
wondering  why  we  are  so  chastised  as  we  are,  by 
cm-  thinking  long  that  the  affliction  is  no  sooner 
removed. 

Or,  if  our  ig-norance  of  the  vileness  of  our  ac- 
tions is  not  manifest  this  way,  yet  it  is  in  our  light- 
ness under  our  guUt,  our  slight  thoughts  of  our 
doings,  our  slovenly  doing  of  duties,  and  asking 
of  forgiveness  after  some  evil  or  unbecoming  ac- 
tions. 'Tis  to  no  boot  to  be  particular,  the  whole 
course  of  our  lives  doth  too  fully  make  it  manifest, 
that  we  are  wonderful  short  in  knowing  both  the 
nature,  and  also  the  aggravations  of  our  sins :  and 
how  then  should  wc  know  that  love  of  Christ  in 
its  full  dimensions,  by  which  vre  are  saved  and 
delivered  therefrom  ? 

3.  Who  knows  the  utmost  tendencies  of  sin?  I 
mean,  what  the  least  sin  di-iveth  at,  and  what  it 
would  unavoidably  rim  the  sinner  into.  There  is 
not  a  plague,  a  judgment,  an  affliction,  an  evil 
under  heaven,  that  the  least  of  our  transgressions 
has  not  called  for  at  the  hands  of  the  great  God! 
nay,  the  least  sin  calleth  for  all  the  distresses  that 


are  under  heaven,  to  fall  upon  the  soul  and  body 
of  the  sinner  at  once.  This  is  plain,  for  that  the 
least  sin  deserveth  hell ;  which  is  worse  than  aU 
the  plagues  that  are  on  earth.  But  I  say,  who 
understandeth  this  ?  And  I  say  again,  if  one  sin, 
the  least  sin  deserveth  all  these  things,  what 
thinkest  thou  do  all  thy  sins  deserve  ?  how  many 
judgments!  how  many  plagues !  how  many  lashes 
with  God's  iron  whip  dost  thou  deserve?  besides 
there  is  hell  itself,  the  place  itself,  the  fire  itself, 
the  natm-e  of  the  toi-ments,  and  the  durableness  of 
them,  who  can  understand? 

But  this  is  not  all,  the  tendencies  of  thy  sins 
are  to  kill  others.  Men,  good  men  little  think 
how  many  of  their  neighbours  one  of  their  sins 
may  kill.  As,  how  many  good  men  and  good 
women  do  miawares,  through  their  uncircumspect- 
ness,  drive  their  own  children  down  mto  the  deep? 
Ps.  cri.  6, 7.  We  will  easily  count  them  very  hard- 
hearted sinners,  that  used  to  ofi'er  their  children  in 
sacrifice  to  devils ;  when  'tis  easy  to  do  worse 
ourselves :  they  did  but  kill  the  body,  but  we  body 
and  soul  in  hell,  if  we  have  not  a  care. 

Do  we  know  how  our  sins  provoke  God?  how 
they  grieve  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  how  they  weaken 
om'  graces  ?  how  they  spoil  our  prayers  ?  how  they 
weaken  faith  ?  how  they  tempt  Christ  to  be 
ashamed  of  us  ?  and  how  they  hold  back  good  from 
us  ?  And  if  we  know  not  every  one  of  all  these 
things  to  the  full,  how  shall  we  know  to  the  full 
the  love  of  Christ  which  saveth  us  from  them  all  ? 

4.  Again,  But  Avho  has  the  perfect  knowledge 
of  all  these  things  ?  I  will  grant  that  some  good 
souls  may  have  waded  a  great  way  in  some  one,  or 
more  of  them ;  but  I  know  that  there  is  not  any 
that  thoroughly  know  them  all.  And  yet  the  love 
of  Chi-ist  doth  save  us  from  all,  notwithstanding 
all  the  vileness  and  soid-damning  virtue*  that  is 
in  them.  Alas !  how  short  are  Ave  of  the  know- 
ledge of  ourselves,  and  of  what  is  in  us.  How 
many  are  there  that  do  not  knoAV  that  man  con- 
sisteth  of  a  body  made  of  dust,  and  of  an  immortal 
soul?  Yea,  and  hoAV  many  be  there  of  those  that 
confess  it,  that  laiow  not  the  constitution  of  either. 
I  will  add,  how  many  are  there  that  profess  them- 
selves to  be  students  of  those  two  parts  of  man,  that 
have  oftentimes  proved  themselves  to  be  but  fools 
as  to  both  ?  and  I  AviU  conclude  that  there  is  not  a 
man  under  heaven  that  knoAveth  it  all  together: 
For  man  is  '  fearfully  and  Avonderfidly  made : '  Ps. 
cxxxk.  li.  nor  can  the  manner  of  the  union  of  these 
tAvo  parts  be  perfectly  found  out.  Hoav  much  more 
then  must  we  needs  be  at  loss  as  to  the  fulness 
of  the  knoAvledge  of  the  love  of  Chi'ist  ?     But, 

Eeason  Third,  He  that  altogether  knoAveth  the 


^  'Virtue,'  secret  agency:  eflicacy  Avitliout  visible  or  mate- 
rial action.     '  Walker's  Dictionary.' — Ed. 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


27 


love  of  Christ,  must,  precedent  to  tliat,  know  not 
only  all  the  Anles  of  the  devil ;  but  also  all  the 
plottlngs,  contrivings  and  designs  and  attempts  of 
that  wicked  one ;  yea,  he  must  know,  all  the  times 
that  he  hath  been  with  God,  together  with  all  the 
motions  that  he  has  made  that  he  might  have  leave 
to  fall  upon  us,  as  upon  Job  and  Peter,  to  try  if 

he   might  swallow  us  up.  Job  i.  and  ii.  Lu.  xxii.  31.      But 

who  knows  all  this?  no  man,  no  angel.  For,  if 
the  heart  of  man  be  so  deep,  that  none,  by  all  his 
actions,  save  God,  can  tell  the  utmost  secrets  that 
are  therein ;  how  should  the  heart  of  angels,  which 
in  all  likelihood  are  deeper,  be  found  out  by  any 
mortal  man.  And  yet  this  must  be  found  out 
before  we  can  find  out  the  utmost  of  the  love  of 
Christ  to  us.  I  conclude  therefore  from  all  these 
things,  that  the  love  of  Christ  passeth  knowledge : 
or  that  by  no  means,  the  bottom,  the  utmost  bounds 
thereof  can  be  understood. 

Reason  Fourth,  He  that  will  presume  to  say, 
this  love  of  Christ  can  be  to  the  utmost  known  by 
us,  must  presume  to  say  that  he  knoweth  the  ut- 
most of  the  merits  of  his  blood,  the  utmost  exercise 
of  his  patience,  the  utmost  of  his  intercession,  the 
utmost  of  the  glory  that  he  has  prepared  and  taken 
possession  of  for  us.  But  I  presume  that  there 
is  none  that  can  know  all  this,  therefore  I  may 
without  any  fear  assert,  there  is  none  that  knows, 
that  is,  that  knows  to  the  full,  the  other. 

We  come  now  more  particularly  to  speak  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  love  of  Christ ;  Ave  have  spoken 
of  the  love  of  Christ ;  and  of  the  exceeding  great- 
ness of  it :  and  now  we  come, 

Third,  To  speak  of  the  hnowledge  of  it ;  that  is 
to  say,  we  will  shew 

WHAT  KNOWLEDGE  OF   CHRIST 's  LOVE   IS  ATTAIXABLE 
m  THIS  WORLD, 

under  these  three  heads.  As  to  this.  First,  It 
may  be  known  as  to  the  nature  of  it.  Second,  It 
may  be  known  in  many  of  the  degrees  of  it.  TJiird, 
But  the  greatest  knowledge  that  we  can  have  of  it 
here,  is  to  know  that  it  passes  knowledge. 

First,  We  may  know  it  in  the  nature  of  it.  That 
is,  that  it  is  loxefree,  divine,  heavenly,  everlasting, 
incorruptible.  And  this  no  love  is  but  the  love  of 
Christ;  all  other  love  is  either  love  corruptible, 
transient,  mixed,  or  earthly.  It  is  divine,  for  'tis 
the  love  of  the  holy  nature  of  God.  It  is  heavenly, 
for  that  it  is  from  above :  it  is  everlasting,  for  that 
it  has  no  end :  it  is  immortal,  for  that  there  is  not 
the  appearance  of  corruptibleness  in  it,  or  likeli- 
hood of  decay. 

This  is  general  knowledge,  and  this  is  common 
among  the  saints,  at  leastwise  in  the  notiwi  of  it. 
Though  I  confess,  it  is  hard  in  time  of  temptation, 
practically  to  hold  fast  the  soul  to  all  these  things. 
But,  as  I  have  said  already,  this  love  of  Christ 


must  be  such,  because  love  in  the  root  of  it,  is 
essential  to  his  nature,  as  also  I  have  proved  now, 
as  is  the  root,  such  are  the  branches ;  and  as  is 
the  spring,  such  are  the  streams,  unless  the  chan- 
nels in  which  those  streams  do  run,  should  be  cor- 
rupted, and  so  defile  it ;  but  I  know  no  channels 
through  which  this  love  of  Christ  is  conveyed  unto 
us,  but  those  made  in  his  side,  liis  hwuls,  and  his 
feet,  &c.  Or  those  gracious  promises  that  dropt 
like  honey  from  his  holy  lips,  in  the  day  of  his 
love,  in  vt^hich  he  spake  them :  and  seeing  his  love 
is  conveyed  to  us,  as  through  those  channels,  and 
so  by  the  conduit  of  the  holy  and  blessed  spirit  of 
God,  to  our  hearts,  it  cannot  be  that  it  should 
hitherto  be  corrupted.  I  know  the  cisterns,  to 
wit,  our  hearts,  into  which  it  is  conveyed,  are 
unclean,  and  may  take  away  much,  through  the 
damp  that  they  may  put  upon  it,  of  the  native 
savour  and  sweetness  thereof.  I  know  also,  that 
there  are  those  that  tread  down,  and  muddy  those 
streams  with  their  feet ;  Eze.  xxxiv.  18, 19.  but  yet 
neither  the  love  nor  the  channels  in  which  it  runs, 
should  bear  the  blame  of  this.  And  I  hope  those 
that  are  saints  indeed,  wiU  not  only  be  preserved 
to  eternal  hfe,  but  nourished  Avith  this  that  is  in- 
corruptible unto  the  day  of  Christ. 

I  told  you  before,  that  in  the  hour  of  temptation, 
it  will  be  hard  for  the  soul  to  hold  fast  to  these 
things  ;  that  is,  to  the  true  definition  of  this  love ; 
for  then,  or  at  such  seasons,  it  wlU  not  be  admitted 
that  the  love  of  Christ  is  either  transient,  or  mixed; 
but  we  count  that  we  cannot  be  loved  long,  unless 
something  better  than  yet  we  see  in  us,  be  found 
there,  as  an  inducement  to  Christ  to  love,  and  to 
continue  to  love  our  poor  souls.  Is.  bdv.  6.     But  these 
the  Christian  at  length  gets  over ;  for  he  sees,  by 
experience,  he  hath  no  such  inducement ;  De.  ix.  5. 
also,  that  Christ  loves  freely,  and  not  for,  or  be- 
cause of  such  poor,  silly,  imaginary  enticements. 
Eze.  svi.  60— G2.     Thus  therefore  the  love   of  Christ 
may  be  known,  that  is,  in  the  nature  of  it :  it  may, 
I  say,  but  not  easily.  Eze.  xxxW.  25—33.    For  this  know- 
ledge is  neither  easily  got,  though  got,  nor  easdy 
retained,  though  retained.     There  is  nothing  that 
Satan  setteth  himself  more  against,  than  the  break- 
ing forth  of  the  love  of  Christ  in  its  own  proper 
native  lustre.     For  he  knows  it  destroys  his  king- 
dom, which  standeth  in  profaneness,  in  errors  and 
delusions,  the  only  destruction   of  which  is  the 
knowledge  of  this  loA^e  of  Christ.  2  Co.  v.  14    What 
mean  those  swarms   of  opinions  that  are  in  the^ 
world?  what  is  the  reason  that  some  are  carried 
about  as  clouds,  Avith  a  tempest?  what  mean  men's 
waverings,    men's    changing,    and  interchangmg 
truth  for  error,  and  one  error  for  another?  why, 
this  is  the  tiling,  the  devil  is  in  it.     Tliis  work  is 
his,  and  he  makes  this  a-do,  to  make  adust;  and 
a  dust  to  darken  the  light  of  the  gospel  withal. 


28 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


And  if  be  once  attainetli  to  that,  tlicn  farewell  the 
true  knowledge  of  the  love  of  Christ. 

Also  ha  will  assault  the  spirits  of  Christians  with 
divers  and  sundry  cogitations,  such  as  shall  have 
in  them  a  tendency  to  darken  the  judg-ment,  delude 
the  fancy,  to  abuse  the  conscience.  He  has  an  art 
to  metamorphose  aU  things.  He  can  make  God 
seem  to  be  to  us,  a  most  fierce  and  terrible  destroyer; 
iind  Christ  a  terrible  exactor  of  obedience,  and  most 
amazingly  pinching  of  his  love.  He  can  make  sup- 
posed sins  unpardonable ;  and  unpardonable  ones, 
appear  as  virtues.  He  can  make  the  law  to  be 
received  for  gospel,  and  cause  that  the  gospel  shall 
be  throAvn  away  as  a  fable.  He  can  persuade, 
that  faith  is  fancy,  and  that  fancy  is  the  best  faith 
in  the  world.  Besides,  he  can  tickle  the  heart 
with  false  hope  of  a  better  life  hereafter,  even  as 
if  the  love  of  Christ  were  there.  But,  as  I  said 
before,  from  all  these  things  the  true  love  of  Christ 
in  the  right  knowledge  of  it,  delivereth  those  that 
have  it  shed  abroad  in  the  heart  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  that  he  hath  given.  Ro.  v.  Wherefore  it  is 
for  this  purpose  that  Christ  biddeth  us  to  continue 
in  his  love;  Jn.  xv.  9.  because  the  right  knowledge, 
and  faith  of  that  to  the  soid,  disperseth  and  driveth 
avfay  all  such  fogs,  and  mists  of  darkness ;  and 
makes  the  soul  to  sit  fast  in  the  promise  of  eternal 
life  by  him ;  yea,  and  to  grow  up  into  him  who  is 
the  head,  'in  all  things.' 

Before  I  leave  this  head,  I  will  present  my 
reader  with  these  things,  as  helps  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  love  of  Christ.  I  mean  the  knowledge  of 
the  rujiure  of  it,  and  as  helps  to  retain  it. 

HdjJ  First,  Know  thy  self,  what  a  vile,  horrible, 
abominable  sinner  thou  art :  For  thou  canst  not 
know  the  love  of  Christ,  before  thou  knowest  the 
badness  of  thy  nature.  '  0  wretched  man  that  I 
am,'  Ro.  vii.  24.  must  be,  before  a  man  can  perceive 
the  nalure  of  the  love  of  Christ.  He  that  sees 
himself  but  little,  will  hardly  know  much  of  the  love 
of  Christ :  he  that  sees  of  himself  nothi7ig  at  all, 
will  hardly  ever  see  any  thing  of  the  love  of  Christ. 
But  he  that  sees  most  of  what  an  abominable 
wretch  he  is,  he  is  like  to  see  most  of  what  is  the 
love  of  Christ.  AU  errors  in  doctrine  take  their 
rise  from  the  want  of  this  (I  mean  errors  in  doc- 
trine as  to  justification.)  All  the  idolizing  of  men's 
virtues,  and  human  inventions,  riseth  also  from  the 
■want  of  this.  So  then  if  a  man  would  be  kept  sure 
and  stedfast,  let  him  labour  before  all  things  to 
know  his  own  wretchedness.  People  naturally 
think  that  the  knowledge  of  their  sins  is  the  way 
to  destroy  them ;  when  in  very  deed,  it  is  the  first 
step  to  salvation.  Now  if  thou  wouldest  know 
the  badness  of  thy  self,  begin  in  the  first  place  to 
study  the  law,  tJien  thy  heart,  and  so  thy  life.  The 
law  thou  must  look  into,  for  that's  the  glass;  thy 
hrnn  thou  must  look  upon,  for  that's  the  face;  thy 


life  thou  must  look  upon,  for  that's  the  hcdy  of  a 
man,  as  to  religion.  Ja.  i.  25.  And  without  the  wary 
consideration  of  these  three,  'tis  not  to  be  thought 
that  a  man  can  come  at  the  knowledge  of  himself, 
and  consequently  to  the  knowledge  of  the  love  of 
Christ.  Ja.  i.  36. 27. 

Help  Second,  Labour  to  see  the  emptiness,  short- 
ness, and  the  pollution  that  cleaveth  to  a  man's 
own  righteousness.  This  also  must  in  some  mea- 
sure be  known,  before  a  man  can  know  the  nature 
of  the  love  of  Christ.  They  that  see  nothing  of 
the  loathsomeness  of  man's  best  things,  wiU  think, 
that  the  love  of  Christ  is  of  that  nature  as  to  be 
procured,  or  won,  obtained  or  purchased  by  man's 
good  deeds.  And  although  so  much  gospel  light 
is  broke  forth  as  to  stop  men's  mouths  from  saying 
this,  yet  'tis  nothing  else  but  sound  conviction  of 
the  vileness  of  man's  righteousness,  that  wiU  enable 
men  to  see  that  the  love  of  Christ  is  of  that  nature, 
as  to  save  a  man  without  it ;  as  to  see  that  it  is  of 
that  nature  as  to  justify  him  without  it :  I  say, 
without  it,  or  not  at  all.  There  is  slwrtness,  there 
is  hypocrisy,  there  is  a  desire  of  vain  glory,  there  is 
2>riile,  there  is  presumption  in  man's  own  righteous- 
ness: nor  can  it  be  without  these  wickednesses, 
when  men  know  not  the  nature  of  the  love  of  Christ. 
Now  these  defile  it,  and  make  it  abominable.  Yea, 
if  there  were  no  imperfection  in  it,  but  that  which 
I  first  did  mention,  to  wit,  shortness;  how  could  it 
cover  the  nakedness  of  him  that  hath  it,  or  obtain 
for  the  man,  in  whole  or  in  part,  that  Christ  should 
love,  and  have  respect  unto  him. 

Occasions  many  thou  hast  given  thee  to  see 
the  emptiness  of  man's  own  righteousness,  but  all 
wiU  not  do  unless  thou  hast  help  from  heaven: 
wherefore  thy  wisdom  wiU  be,  if  thou  canst  teU 
M'here  to  find  it,  to  lie  in  the  way  of  God,  that 
when  he  comes  to  visit  the  men  that  wait  upon  him 
in  the  means  of  his  own  appointing,  thou  mayest 
be  there ;  if  perhaps  he  may  cast  an  eye  of  pity 
upon  thy  desolate  soul,  and  make  thee  see  the 
things  abovementioned.  That  thou  mayest  know 
the  nature  of  the  love  of  Christ. 

Helj?  21iird,  If  thou  wouldest  know  the  nalure 
of  this  love,  be  much  in  acquainting  of  thy  soul 
with  the  nature  of  the  law,  and  the  nature  of  the 
gospel.  Ga.  iii.  21.  The  which  though  they  are  not 
diametrically  opposite  one  to  another,  yet  do  pro- 
pound things  so  difi"erently  to  man,  that  if  he 
knows  not  where,  when,  and  how  to  take  them, 
'tis  impossible  but  that  he  should  confound  them, 
and  in  confounding  of  them,  lose  his  own  soul.  Ro. 
Lv.  31, 33.  The  law  is  a  servant,  both  first  and  last, 
to  the  gospel :  Ro.  x.  a,  4.  when  therefore  it  is  made  a 
Lord,  it  destroyeth :  and  then  to  be  sure  it  is  made 
a  Lord  and  Saviour  of,  when  its  dictates  and  com- 
mands are  depended  upon  for  life. 

Thy  wisdom  therefore  will  be  to   study  these 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


29 


tilings  distinctly,  and  thoroughly;  for  so  far  as 
thou  art  ignorant  of  the  true  knowledge  of  the 
nature  of  these,  so  far  thou  art  ignorant  of  the  true 
knowledge  of  the  nature  of  the  love  of  Christ. 
Read  Paul  to  the  Galatians,  that  epistle  was  in- 
dicted hy  the  Holy  Ghost,  ou  purpose  to  direct 
the  soul,  in,  and  about  this  very  thing. 

Hdp  Fourth,  The  right  knowledge  of  the  nature 
of  the  love  of  Christ,  is  obtained,  and  retained,  by 
keeping  of  these  two  doctrines  at  an  everlasting 
distance  as  to  the  conscience ;  to  wit,  not  suffering 
the  law  to  rule  but  over  my  outward  man,  not 
suffering  the  gospel  to  be  removed  one  hair's  breadth 
from  my  conscience.  When  Christ  dwells  in  my 
heart  by  faith,  Ep.  iii.  17.  and  the  moral  law  dwells 
in  mj  ^nembers,  Coi.  iu.  5.  the  one  to  keep  up  peace 
"with  God,  the  other  to  keep  my  conversation  in  a 
good  decorum :  then  am  I  right,  and  not  till  then. 

But  this  will  not  be  done  without  much  experi- 
ence, diligence,  and  delight  in  Christ.  For  there  is 
nothing  that  Satan  more  desireth,  than  that  the  law 
may  abide  in  the  conscience  of  an  awakened  Chris- 
tian, and  there  take  up  the  place  of  Christ,  and 
faith ;  for  he  knows  if  this  may  be  obtained,  the 
vail  is  presently  drawn  over  the  face  of  the  soul, 
and  the  heart  dai-kened  as  to  the  knowledge  of 
Christ;  and  being  darkened,  the  man  is  driven 
into  despair  of  mercy,  or  is  put  upon  it  to  work 
for  life,  2  Co.  iii.  13—15.  There  is  therefore,  as  I  say, 
much  diligence  required  of  him  that  will  keep  these 
two  in  their  places  assigned  them  of  God.  I  say 
much  diligent  study  of  the  Avord,  diligent  prayer ; 
with  diligence  to  walk  with  God  in  the  world. 
But  we  will  pass  this,  and  come  to  the  second  head. 

Secondly,  As  the  love  of  Christ  may  be  known 
in  the  nature  of  it,  so  it  may  be  known  in  many 
degrees  of  it.  That  which  is  knowable,  admits  of 
degrees  of  knowledge :  the  love  of  Christ  is  know- 
able.  Again,  that  which  is  not  possible  to  be 
known  to  the  utmost,  is  to  be  known,  we  know  not 
how  much ;  and  therefore  they  that  seek  to  know 
it,  should  never  be  contented  or  satisfied  to  Avliat 
degree  of  the  knowledge  of  it  soever  they  attain ; 
but  still  should  be  reaching  forward,  because  there 
is  more  to  be  known  of  it  before  them.  '  Brethren, ' 
said  Paul, '  I  count  not  myself  to  have  apprehended, 
(that  is  to  the  utmost)  but  this  one  thing  /  do,  for- 
getting those  things  which  are  behind,  and  reaching 
forth  unto  those  things  which  are  before,  I  press 
towards  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling 
of  God  in  Christ  Jesus, '  Piii.  iii.  13, 14. 

I  might  here  discourse  of  many  things,  since  I 
am  upon  this  head  of  reaching  after  the  knowledge 
of  the  love  of  Christ  in  many  of  the  degrees  of  it. 
But  I  shall  content  myself  with  few. 

1.  He  that  would  know  the  love  of  Christ 
in  several  degrees  of  it,  must  begin  at  his  person, 
for  in  him  dwells  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and 


knowledge.  Nay,  more;  In  him  'are  hid  all  the 
treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge.'  Coi.ii. 3.  In 
him,  that  is,  in  his  person :  For,  for  the  godhead  of 
Christ,  and  our  nature  to  be  united  in  one  person, 
is  the  highest  ^mystery,  and  the  first  appearance 
of  the  love  of  Christ  by  himself,  to  the  world. 
1  Ti.  iii.  16.  Here  I  say,  lie  hid  the  treasures  of 
wisdom,  and  here,  to  the  world,  springs  forth  the 
riches  of  his  love.  Jn.  i.  u.  That  the  eternal  word, 
for  the  salvation  of  sinners,  should  come  down  from 
heaven  and  be  made  flesh,  is  an  act  of  such  con- 
descension, a  discovery  of  such  love,  that  can 
never  to  the  full  be  found  out.  Only  here  we  may 
see,  love  in  him  was  deep,  was  broad,  was  long,  and 
high :  let  us  therefore  first  begin  here  to  learn  to 
know  the  love  of  Christ,  in  the  high  degrees  thereof. 

(1.)  Here,  in  the  first  place,  we  perceive  love,  in 
that  the  Miman  nature,  the  nature  of  man,  not  of 
angels,  is  taken  into  union  with  God.  Who  so 
could  consider  this,  as  it  is  possible  for  it  to  be 
considered,  would  stand  amazed  till  he  died  with 
wonder.  By  this  very  act  of  the  heavenly  wisdom, 
we  have  an  unconceivable  pledge  of  the  love  of 
Christ  to  man:  for  in  that  he  hath  taken  into 
union  with  himself  our  nature,  what  doth  it  signify, 
but  that  he  intendeth  to  take  into  union  with  him- 
self our  persons.  For,  for  this  very  purpose  did 
he  assume  our  nature.  Wherefore  we  read  that 
in  the  flesh  he  took  upon  him,  in  that  flesh,  he 
died  for  us,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he  might 
bring  us  to  God.  1  Pe.  iii.  is. 

(2.)  As  he  was  mside  Jlesh,  so  as  was  said  afore, 
he  became  a  public  or  common  person  for  us :  and 
hereby  is  perceived  another  degree  of  his  love ; 
undertaking  to  do  for  his,  what  was  not  possible 
they  should  do  for  themselves,  perfecting  of  righ- 
teousness to  the  very  end  of  the  law,  and  doing  for 
us,  to  the  reconciling  of  us  unto  his  Father,  and 
himself.  Ro.  x.  3,  4.  and  iii.  24. 

(3.)  Herein  also  we  may  attain  to  another  degree 
of  knowledge  of  his  love,  by  understanding  that  he 
has  conquered,  and  so  disabled  our  foes,  that  they 
cannot  now  accomplish  their  designed  enmity  upon 
us :  Ro.  V.  and  Ep.  v.  26,  27.  but  that  when  Satan,  death, 
the  grave  and  sin  have  done  to  his  people,  what- 
ever can  by  them  be  done,  we  shall  be  still  more 
than  conquerors,  (though  on  our  side  be  many  dis- 
advantages,) through  him  that  has  loved  us,  over 
them.  Ro.  viii.  37. 

(4.)  By  this  also  we  may  yet  see  more  of  his  love, 
in  that  as  a  forerunner,  he  is  gone  into  heaven  to 
take  possession  thereof  for  us:  He. vi. 20.  there  to 
make  ready,  and  to  prepare  for  us  our  summer- 
houses,  our  mansion,  dwelling-places.  As  if  we 
were  the  lords,  and  he  the  seriwii!  Jn.xiv.2,3.  Oh 
this  love ! 

(5.)  Also  we  may  see  another  degree  of  his  love, 
in  this,  that  now  in  liis  absence,  he  has  sent  the 


30 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


third  person  in  the  Trinity  to  supply  his  phace  as 
another  comforter  of  us,  Jn.  xTi.7.  andxv.  2G.  that  we 
may  not  think  he  has  forgot  us,  not  he  left 
destitute  of  a  revealcr  of  truth  unto  us.  Jn.  jdv.  16. 
Yea,  he  has  sent  him  to  fortify  our  spirits,  and  to 
strengthen  us  under  all  adversity ;  and  against  our 
enemies  of  what  accoimt,  or   degree   soever,  lu. 

xxi.  15. 

(G.)  In  this  also  we  may  see  yet  more  of  the  love 
of  Christ,  in  that  though  he  is  in  heaven  and  we 
on  earth:  Nothing  can  happen  to  his  people  to 
hurt  them,  hut  he  feels  it,  is  touclied  with  it,  and 
countetJi  it  as  done  unto  himself:  Yea,  sympathises 
with  them,  and  is  afflicted,  and  grieved  in  their 
griefs,  and  their  afflictions. 

(7.)  Another  thing  hy  which  also  yet  more  of 
the  love  of  Christ  is  made  manifest,  and  so  may 
by  us  he  known,  is  this :  He  is  now,  and  has  been 
ever  since  his  ascension  into  glory,  laying  out  him- 
self as  high-priest  for  us,  He.  vii.  24-26.  that  hy  the 
improving*  of  his  merits  before  the  throne  of  grace, 
in  way  of  intercession,  he  might  preserve  us  from  the 
ruins  that  our  daily  infirmities  would  bring  upon 
us :  He.  viii.  13.  yea,  and  make  our  persons  and  per- 
formances acceptable  in  his  Father's  sight.  Eo.  v. 

10. 1  Pe.  ii.  5. 

(8.)  We  also  see  yet  more  of  his  love  by  this,  that 
he  will  have  us  Avhere  himself  is,  that  we  may 
behold  and  be  partakers  of  his  glory.  Jn.  xvii.  24 
And  in  this  degree  of  his  love,  there  are  many 
loves. 

Then  he  will  come  for  us,  as  a  bridegroom  for 
his  bride.  Mat.  xxv.  6-10.  Then  shall  a  public  mar- 
riage be  solemnized,  and  eternized  betwixt  him 
and  his  chm-ch.  E*.  xix.  6, 7.  Then  she  shall  be 
wrapped  up  in  his  mantles  and  robes  of  glory. 
Col.  iii.  4.  Then  they  shall  be  separated,  and  sepa- 
rated from  other  sinners,  and  all  things  that  offend 
shall  be  taken  away  from  among  them.  Mat.  xxv.  3i. 
and  xiiL  41.  Then  sha,U  they  be  exalted  to  thrones, 
and  power  of  judgment ;  and  shall  also  sit  in  judg- 
ment on  sinful  men  and  fallen  angels,  acquiescing, 
by  virtue  of  authority,  Avith  their  king  and  head, 
upon  them.  iCo.vi,2, 3.  Then  or  from  thenceforth 
for  ever,  there  shall  be  no  more  death,  sorrow, 
hidings  of  his  face,  or  eclipsing  of  their  glory  for 
ever.  Lu.  xx.  36.  And  thus  you  may  see  what  rounds 
this  oiu*  Jacob's  ladder  hath,  and  how  by  them  we 
may  climb,  and  climb,  even  until  we  are  climbed 
up  to  heaven :  but  now  we  are  set  again ;  for  all 
the  glories,  all  the  benefits,  all  the  blessings,  and 
oU  the  good  things  that  are  laid  up  in  heaven  for 
these ;  Who  can  understand  ? 

2,  A  second  thing  whereby  the  love  of  Christ 
in  some  degrees   of  it  may  be  known,   is   this  : 


*  '  Improving/  not  in  quality  but  by  extending  the  benefits, 
employing  togoocl purpose;  turning  to  profitable  account. — Ed. 


That  he  should  pass  by  aorgels  and  take  hold  of  lis. 
Who  so  considereth  the  natm*e  of  spu'its,  as  they 
are  God's  workmanship,  must  needs  confess,  that 
as  such,  they  have  a  pre-eminency  above  that  which 
is  made  of  dust:  This  then  Avas  the  disparity 
'twixt  us  and  them;  they  being,  by  birth,  far 
more  noble  than  we.  But  now,  Avhcn  both  aro 
fallen,  and  by  our  fall,  both  in  a  state  of  condem- 
nation, that  Jesus  Christ  shoidd  choose  to  take  up 
us,  the  most  inconsiderable,  and  pass  by  them,  to 
their  eternal  perdition  and  destruction:  0  love! 
love  in  a  high  degree  to  man:  For  verily  he  took 
not  hold  of  angels,  but  of  the  seed  of  Abraham  he 
took  hold.  He.  ii.  16.  Yet  this  is  not  all :  In  all  pro- 
bability this  Loz'd  Jesus  has  ten  times  as  much  to 
do  now  he  has  undertaken  to  be  our  Saviour,  as  he 
would  have  had,  had  he  stepped  over  us  and  taken 
hold  on  them. 

(1.)  He  needed  not  to  have  stooped  so  low  as  to  ■ 
take  flesh  upon  him  ;  theirs  being  a  more  noble 
nature. 

(2.)  Nor  would  he  in  all  likelihood,  have  met  with 
those  contempts,  those  scorns,  those  reproaches 
and  undervaluings  from  them,  as  he  has  ail-along 
received  in  this  his  undertaking,  and  met  with  from 
sinful  flesh.  For  they  were  more  noble  than  we, 
and  woidd  sooner  have  perceived  the  design  of 
grace,  and  so  one  wovdd  think  more  readily  have 
fallen  in  therewith,  than  [creatures  in]  such  dark- 
ness as  we  were,  and  stiU  by  sin  are. 

(3.)  They  woidd  not  have  had  those  disadvantages 
as  we,  for  that  they  would  not  have  had  a  tempter, 
a  destroyer,  so  strong  and  mighty  as  ours  is, 
Alas !  had  God  left  us,  and  taken  them,  though 
we  should  have  been  ever  so  full  of  envy  against 
their  salvation  ;  yet  being  but  flesh,  what  could  wo 
have  done  to  them  to  have  laid  obstacles  in  the 
way  of  their  faith  and  hope,  as  they  can  and  do  in 
ours  ? 

(4.)  They,  it  may  fairly  be  presumed,  had  they 
been  taken,  and  we  left,  and  made  partakers  in 
our  stead,  whUe  we  had  been  shut  out,  as  they 
are,  would  not  have  put  Christ  so  to  it,  now  in 
heaven  (pray  bear  with  the  expression,  because  I 
want  a  better)  as  we  by  our  imperfections  have 
done  and  do.  Sin,  methinks,  would  not  have  so 
hanged  m  their  natures  as  it  doth  in  ours :  their 
reason,  and  sense,  and  apprehensions  being  more 
quick,  and  so  more  apt  to  have  been  taken  with 
this  love  of  Christ,  and  by  it  more  easily  have  been 
sanctified. 

(5.)  The  law  which  they  have  broken,  being  not 
so  intricate,  as  that  against  which  we  have  ofi"ended, 
theirs  being  a  commandment  with  faithfulness 
to  abide  in  the  place  in  which  their  Creator  had 
set  them ;  methinks,  considering  also  the  aptness 
of  their  natures  as  angels,  Avould  not  have  made 
their  complete  obedience  so  difficult. 


THE  SAINTS'  X>.'OY»'LEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


31 


(6.)  Nor  can  I  imagine,  but  had  they  been  taken, 
they,  as  creatures  excelling  in  strengtli,  would  have 
been  more  capable  of  rendering  these  praises  and 
blessings  to  God  for  eternal  mercies,  than  such 
poor  sorry  creatures  as  we  are,  could.  But ! 
'behold  what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath 
bestowed  upon  us,  that  we  should  be  called  the 
cliildren  of  God. '  i  Jn.  iii.  i.  That  we,  not  they,  that 
ice  notwithstanding  all  that  they  have,  or  could 
have  done  to  hinder  it,  should  be  called  the  children 
of  God. 

This  therefore  is  an  high  degree  of  the  love  of 
Jesus  Christ  to  us,  that  when  we  and  they  were 
fallen,  he  should  stoop  and  take  up  us,  the  more 
ignoble,  and  leave  so  mighty  a  creature  in  his  sins 
to  perish. 

3.  A  third  thmg  whereby  the  love  of  Chi-ist  in 
some  of  the  degrees  of  it  may  be  known,  will  be 
to  consider  more  particularly  the  way,  and  xmwea- 
ried  work  that  he  hath  with  man  to  bring  him  to 
that  kingdom,  that  by  his  blood  he  hath  obtained 
for  him. 

(1 .)  Man,  when  the  Lord  Jesus  takes  him  in  hand 
to  make  him  partaker  of  the  benefit,  is  foxmd  an 
enemy  to  his  redeemer ;  nor  doth  all  the  intelli- 
gence that  he  has  had  of  the  grace  and  love  of 
Christ  to  such,  mollify  him  at  all,  to  wit,  before 
the  day  of  God's  power  comes.  Ro.  iv.  5.  and  v.  7-10. 
And  this  is  a  strange  thing.  Had  man,  though 
he  could  not  have  come  to  Christ,  been  willing  that 
Christ  shoidd  have  come  to  him,  it  had  been  some- 
thing ;  it  would  have  shewn  that  he  had  taken  his 
grace  to  heart,  and  considered  of  it:  yea,  and 
that  he  was  willing  to  be  a  sharer  in  it.  But  verily 
here  is  no  such  thing ;  man,  though  he  has  free 
will,  yet  is  vrilling  by  no  means  to  be  saved  God's 
way,  to  wit,  by  Jesus  Christ,  before  (as  was  said 
before)  the  day  of  God's  power  comes  upon  him. 
When  the  good  shepherd  went  to  look  for  his  sheep 
that  was  lost  in  the  wilderness,  and  had  found  it : 
did  it  go  one  step  homewards  upon  its  own  legs  ? 
did  not  the  shepherd  take  her  and  lay  her  upon 
his  shoidder,  and  bring  her  home  rejoicing.  Lu.  xv. 
This  then  is  not  love  only,  but  love  to  a  degree. 

(2.)  When  man  is  taken,  and  laid  imder  the  day  of 
God's  power :  When  Christ  is  opening  his  ear  to 
discipline,  and  speaking  to  him  that  his  heart  may 
receive  instruction ;  many  times  that  poor  man  is, 
as  if  the  devil  had  foimd  him,  and  not  God.  How 
freuzily  he  imagines?  how  crossly  he  thinks  ?  How 
imgainly  he  carries  it  under  convictions,  counsels, 
and  his  present  apprehension  of  things  ?  I  know 
some  are  more  powerfully  dealt  withal,  and  more 
strongly  bound  at  first  by  the  world ;  but  others 
more  in  an  ordinary  manner,  that  the  flesh,  and 
reason  may  be  seen,  to  the  glory  of  Christ.  Yea, 
and  where  the  will  is  made  more  quickly  to 
comply  with  its  salvation,   'tis  no  thanks  to  the 


sinner  at  all.  Joi^  iv.  is.  'Tis  the  day  of  the  power 
of  the  Lord  that  has  made  the  work  so  soon 
to  appear.  Therefore  count  this  an  act  of  love, 
m  the  height  of  love;    Love  in  a  great  defn-ee. 

Jn.  XV.  16. 

(3.)  When  Chi-ist  Jesus  has  made  this  mad  man 
to  come  to  himself,  and  persuaded  him  to  be  will- 
ing to  accept  of  his  salvation :  yet  he  may  not  be 
trusted,  nor  left  alone,  for  then  the  corruptions 
that  stiU  lie  scattering  up  and  down  in  his  flesh 
v,ill  tempt  him  to  it,  and  he  wiU  be  gone ;  yea, 
so  desperately  wicked  is  the  flesh  of  saints,  that 
should  they  be  left  to  themselves  but  a  little  while, 
none  loiows  what  horrible  transgressions  would 
break  out.  Proof  of  this  Ave  have  to  amazement, 
plentifully  scattered  here  and  there  in  the  word. 
Hence  we  have  the  patience  of  God,  and  his  gen- 
tleness so  admired :  2  Ch.  xxxU.  21.  for  through  that  it 
is  that  they  are  preserved.  He  that  keepeth  Israel 
neither  slumbers  nor  sleeps,  Ps.  cxxi.  4.  but  watches 
for  them,  and  over  them  every  moment,  for  he 
knows  else  they  will  be  hm-t.  is.  x-xvii.  3. 

(4.)  Yea,  notwithstanding  this,  how  often  arc 
saints  foimd  playing  trucaU,  and  lurking  hke  thieves 
in  one  hole  or  other.  Kow,  in  the  guilt  of  back- 
sUding  by  the  power  of  this,  and  then  in  filth  by 
the  power  of  that  corruption.  Je.  ii.  26.  Yea,  and 
when  found  in  such  dccayings,  and  under  such 
revoltings  from  God,  how  commonly  do  they  hide 
then*  sin  with  Adam,  and  David,  even  until  their 
Saviom"  fireth  out  of  their  mouths  a  confession  of 
the  truth  of  their  naughtiness.  'When  I  keep 
silence,'  said  David,  (and  yet  he  chose  to  keep 
silence  after  he  had  committed  his  wickedness) 
'my  bones  waxed  old  through  my  roaring  aU  the 
day  long.  For  day  and  night  thy  hand  was  heavy 
upon  me,  my  moistm-e  is  turned  into  the  di-ought 
of  summer. '  Ps.  xxxii.  s,  4.  But  why  didst  thou  not  con- 
fess what  thou  hadst  done  then  ?  So  I  did,  saith 
he,  at  last,  and  thou  forgavest  the  iniquity  of  my 

sm.  ver.  5. 

(5.)  When  the  sins  of  saints  are  so  visible  and 
apparent  to  others,  that  God  for  the  vindication  of 
his  name  and  honom-  must  pimisli  them  in  the 
sight  of  others ;  yea,  must  do  it,  as  he  is  just : 
Yet  then  for  Christ's  sake,  he  waveth  such  judg- 
ments, and  refuseth  to  inflict  such  pimishments  as 
natm-ally  tend  to  their  destruction,  and  chooseth  to 
chastise  them  with  such  rods  and  scom-ges,  as  may 
do  them  good  in  the  end ;  and  that  they  may  not 
be  condemned  vrith  the  world.  1  Co.  xi.  3i,  32.  Where- 
fore the  Lord  loves  them,  and  they  are  blessed, 
whom  he  chasteneth  and  teacheth  out  of  his  law. 
He.  xii.  5-8.  and  Ps.  xciv.  12.  And  these  things  are  love 
to  a  degree. 

(6.)  That  Christ  shoidd  supply  out  of  his  fulness 
the  beginnings  of  grace  in  our  souls,  and  carry  on 
that  work  of  so  great  concern,  and  that  which  at 


32 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


times  -we  have  so  little  esteem  of,  is  none  of  tlie 
least  of  the  aggravations  of  the  love  of  Christ  to 
his  people.  And  this  work  is  as  *common  as  any 
of  the  works  of  Christ,  and  as  necessary  to  our 
salvation,  as  is  his  righteousness,  and  the  imputa- 
tion thereof  io  owv  justification:  For  else  how  could 
we  hold  out  to  the  end ;  Mat.  x.xiv.  ;3.  and  yet  none 
else  can  he  saved. 

(7.)  And  that  the  love  of  Christ  should  he  such 
to  us  that  he  will  thus  act,  thus  do  to,  and  for  us, 
with  gladness ;  (as  afore  is  manifest  hy  the  para- 
hle  of  the  lost  sheep)  is  another  degree  of  his  love 
towards  us :  And  such  an  one  too,  as  is  none  of 
the  lowest  rate.  I  have  seen  hot  love,  soon  cold ; 
and  love  that  has  continued  to  act,  yet  act  towards 
the  end,  as  the  man  that  hy  running,  and  has  run 
himself  off  his  legs,  ^:)a7ife,  and  can  hardly  run  any 
longer:  hut  I  never  saw  love  like  the  love  of 
Christ,  who  as  a  giant,  and  hridegroom  coming 
out  of  his  chamher,  and  as  a  strong  man,  rcjoiceth 
to  run  Ids  race.  Ps.  xix.  5.  Loving  higher  and  higher, 
stronger  and  stronger,  I  mean  as  to  the  lettings 
out  of  love,  for  he  rcserveth  the  best  wine  even  tiU 
the  last.  Jn.  ii.  10. 

(8.)  I  will  conclude  with  this,  that  his  love  may 
he  known  in  many  degrees  of  it,  hy  that  sort  of 
sinners  whose  salvation  he  most  rejoiceth  in,  and 
that  is,  in  the  salvation  of  the  sinners  that  are  of 
the  biggest  size :  Great  sinners,  Jenisalem  sinners, 
Samaritan  sinners,  publican  sinners.  I  might 
urge  moreover,  hoAV  he  hath  proportioned  invita- 
tions, promises  and  examples  of  his  love,  for  the 
encouragement  and  support  of  those  whose  souls 
would  trust  in  him :  By  which  also  great  degrees 
of  his  love  may  be  understood.  But  we  will  come 
now  to  the  third  thing  that  was  propounded. 

Thirdly,  But  the  greatest  attainment  that  as  to 
the  understanding  of  the  love  of  Christ,  we  can 
arrive  to  here,  is  to  hnow  that  it  passes  foioif^ecZr/e; 
And  to  hnoiv  the  love  of  Chnst  that  I'^asseth  knoio- 
ledge.     This  truth  discovercth  itself, 

1.  By  the  text  itself,  for  the  apostle  here,  in 
this  prayer  of  his  for  the  Ephesians,  doth  not  only'' 
desire  that  they  may  know,  but  dcscribeth  that 
thing  which  he  prays  they  may  know,  by  this  term, 
It  passeth  knowledge.  And  to  know  the  love  of 
Christ  which  passeth  knowledge.  As  our  reason 
and  carnal  imagination  will  be  rudely,  and  unduly 
tampering  v.-ith  any  thing  of  Christ,  so  more  espe- 
cially with  the  love  and  kindness  of  Christ:  Judo-- 
ing  and  concluding  that  just  such  it  is,  and  none 
other,  as  may  be  apprehended  by  them :  Yea,  and 
will  have  a  belief  that  just  so,  and  no  otherwise 
arc  the  dimensions  of  this  love ;  nor  can  it  save 
beyond  our  carnal  conceptions  of  it.  Sayino-  to 
the  soul  as  Pharaoh  once  did  to  Israel  in  another 


5CC  meaning  of  'common,'  note  on  p.  20. 


case :  '  Let  the  Lord  he  with  you  as  I  shall '  (judge 
it  meet  he  should)  'let  you  go.'  We  think  Christ 
loves  us  no  more  than  we  do  think  he  can,  and  so 
conclude  that  his  love  is  such  as  may  by  us  be 
comprehended,  or  known  to  the  utmost  bounds 
thereof.  But  these  are  false  conceptions,  and  this 
love  of  Christ  that  we  think  is  such,  is  indeed  none 
of  the  love  of  Christ,  but  a  false  image  thereof, 
set  before  our  eyes.  I  speak  not  now  of  weak 
knoM'ledge,  but  of  foolish  and  bold  conclusions. 
A  man  through  unbelief  may  think  that  Christ  has 
no  love  for  him,  and  yet  Christ  may  love  him  with 
a  love  that  passeth  knowledge.  But  when  men  in 
the  common  course  of  their  profession,  will  be  al- 
ways terminating  here,  that  they  know  how,  and 
how  far  Christ  can  love,  and  will  thence  be  bold 
to  conclude  of  their  own  safety,  and  of  the  loss  and 
ruin  of  all  that  are  not  in  the  same  notions, 
opinions,  formalities,  or  judgments  as  they :  this 
is  the  worst  and  greatest  of  all.  The  text  there- 
fore, to  rectify  those  false  and  erroneous  conclu- 
sions, says.  It  is  a  love  that  p)cisseth  hioidedge. 

And  it  will  be  worth  cur  observation  to  take  notice 
that  men,  erroneous  men,  do  not  put  these  limits  so 
commonly  to  the  Father  and  his  love,  as  [to]  the 
Son  and  his.  Hence  you  have  some  that  boast 
that  God  can  save  some  who  have  not  the  know- 
ledge of  the  person  of  the  mediator  Jesus  Christ  the 
righteous ;  as  the  heathens  that  have,  and  stiU  do 
make  a  great  improvement  of  the  law  and  light  of 
nature :  crying  out  with  disdain  against  the  nar- 
rowness, rigidness,  censoriousness,  and  pride  of 
tjiose  that  think  the  contrary.  Being  not  ashamed 
aU  the  while  to  eclipse,  to  degrade,  to  lessen  and 
undervalue  the  love  of  Jesus  Christ ;  making  of 
him  and  his  undertakings,  to  offer  himself  a  sacri- 
fice to  appease  the  justice  of  God  for  our  sins,  but 
a  thing  indifferent,  and  in  its  own  nature  but  as 
other  smaller  matters. 

But  all  this  wliile  the  devil  kriOAvs  fuU  Avell  at 
what  game  he  plays,  for  he  knows  that  without 
Christ,  without  faith  in  his  blood,  there  is  no  re- 
mission of  sins.  Wherefore,  saitli  he,  let  these 
men  talk  what  they  will  of  the  greatness  of  the 
love  of  God  as  creaivr,  so  they  slight  and  xmder- 
value  the  love  of  Christ  as  mediator.  And  yet  it 
is  worth  our  consideration,  that  the  greatness  of 
the  love  of  God  is  most  expressed  in  his  giving  of 
Christ  to  be  a  Saviour,  and  in  bestowing  his  bene- 
fits upon  us  that  we  may  be  happy  through  him. 

But  to  retui-n.  The  love  of  Christ  that  is  so  in- 
deed, is  love  that  passeth  knowledge :  and  the  best 
and  highest  of  our  knowledge  of  it  is,  that  we 
know  it  to  be  such. 

2.  Because  I  find  that  at  this  point,  the  great 
men  of  God,  of  old,  were  Avont  to  stop,  be  set, 
and  beyond  which  they  could  not  pass.  'Twas 
tliis  that  made  Moses  wonder.  Dc.  k.  31— 3t.     'Twas 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


S3 


this  t^iat  made  David  cry  out,  How  great  and  won- 
derful are  the  works  of  God  ?  '  Thy  thoughts  to 
usward :  they  cannot  he  reckoned  up  in  order  unto 
thee :  If  I  would  declare  and  speak  of  them,  they 
are  more  than  can  be  numbered.'  Ps. xi.5.  And 
again,  '  How  precious  also  are  thy  thoughts  imto 
me,  0  God !  how  great  is  the  sum  of  them !  If 
I  should  coimt  them,  they  are  more  in  number  than 
the  sand. '  Ps.  cxsxk.  17, 18.  And  a  little  before,  '  siixih 
knowledge  is  too  wonderful  for  me. '  ver.  c.  Isaiah 
saith,  there  hath  not  entered  into  the  heart  of  man 
what  God  has  prepared  for  them  that  wait  for  him. 
Is.  ixiv.  4  Ezekiel  says,  this  is  the  river  that  can- 
not be  passed  over :  chap,  xivii.  5.  And  Micah  to  the 
sea,  [chap.  vii.  19]  and  Zeehariah  to  a  fountain,  hath 
compared  this  unsearchable  love.  chap.  xm.i.  Where- 
fore the  Apostle's  position.  That  tlie  love  of  Christ 
is  that  vMcli  'pCLSseth  knoivled^ge,  is  a  truth  not  to 
be  doubted  of:  Consequently,  to  know  this,  a)id 
that  it  is  such,  is  the  farthest  that  v/e  can  go. 
This  is  to  justify  God,  who  has  said  it,  and  to 
magnify  the  Son,  who  has  loved  lis  with  such  a 
love:  And  the  contrary  is  to  dishonour  him,  to 
lessen  him,  and  to  make  him  a  clefioieitt  Saviour. 
For  suppose  this  should  be  true,  that  thou  couldest 
to  the  utmost  comprehend  this  love ;  yet  unless,  by 
thy  knowledge  thou  canst  comprehend  beyond  aU 
evil  of  sin,  or  beyond  what  any  man  sins,  who 
shall  be  saved,  can  spread  themselves  or  infect : 
Thou  must  leave  some  pardonable  man  in  an  un- 
pardonable condition.  For  that  thou  canst  com- 
prehend this  love,  and  yet  cfftist  not  comprehend 
that  sin.  This  makes  Christ  a  deficient  Saviour. 
Besides,  if  thou  comprehendest  truly;  the  word 
that  says,  it  passeth  knowledge,  hast  lost  its  sanc- 
tity, its  truth. 

It  must  therefore  be,  that  this  love  passeth 
Imowledga ;  and  that  the  highest  pitch  that  a  man 
by  knowledge  can  attain  unto,  as  to  this,  is  to  know 
that  it  passeth  hioioledge.  ]\Iy  reason  is,  for  that 
all  degrees  of  love,  be  they  never  so  high,  or  many, 
and  high,  yet,  if  we  can  comprehend  them,  rest  in 
the  bowels  of  our  knowledge,  for  that  only  which 
is  bej'ond  us,  is  that  which  passeth  knowledge. 
That  which  we  can  reach,  cannot  be  the  highest: 
And  if  a  man  thinks  there  is  nothing  beyond  what 
lie  can  reach,  he  has  no  more  knowledge  as  to  that: 
but  if  he  knows  that  together  with  what  he  hath 
already  reached,  there  is  that  which  he  cannot 
reach,  before  [him] ;  then  he  lias  a  knowledge 
for  that  also,  even  a  knowledge,  that  it  jyasseth 
knowledge.  'Tis  true  a  man  that  thus  knoweth 
may  have  divers  conjectures  about  that  thing  that 
is  beyond  his  Icnowledge,  Yea,  in  reason  it  will 
be  so,  because  he  knows  that  there  is  something 
yet  before  him :  But  since  the  thing  itself  is  truly 
beyond  his  knowledge,  none  of  his  conjectures 
about  that  thing  may  be  counted  knowledge.     Or 

VOL.  11. 


suppose  a  man  that  thus  conjecturcth,  should  hit 
right  as  to  what  he  now  conjectures ;  his  rio-ht 
hitting  about  that  thing  may  not  be  called  kmiu- 
ledge :  It  is  as  yet  to  him  but  as  an  uncertain 
guess,  and  is  still  beyond  his  knowledge. 

Quest.  But,  may  some  say,  what  good  will  it  do 
a  man  to  know  that  the  love  of  Christ  passetli 
knowledge  ?  one  would  think  that  it  should  do  one 
more  good  to  believe  that  the  knowledge  of  the 
whole  love  of  Christ  might  be  attainable. 

Answ.  That  there  is  an  advantage  in  knowing 
that  the  love  of  Christ  passeth  knowledge ;  must 
not  be  questioned,  for  that  the  Apostle  saith  it 
doth.  2  Ti.  iii.  16.  For  to  kuow  what  the  holy  word 
affirms,  is  profitable :  nor  would  he  pray  that  we 
might  know  that  which  passeth  knoioledge,  were 
there  not  by  our  knowing  of  it,  some  help  to  be 
administered.  But  to  shew  you  some  of  the  ad- 
vantages that  will  come  to  us  by  knowing  that 
the  love  of  Christ  passeth  knowledge. 

(1.)  By  knowing  of  this  a  child  of  God  has  in 
reserve  for  himself,  at  a  day,  when  all  that  he 
otherwise  knows,  may  be  taken  from  him  through 
the  power  of  temptation.  Sometimes  a  good  man 
may  be  so  put  to  it,  that  all  that  he  knows  com- 
prehensively may  be  taken  from  him :  to  wit,  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth  of  his  faith,  or  that  he  has 
the  grace  of  God  in  him,  or  the  like,  this  I  say 
may  be  taken  from  him.  Now  if  at  this  time,  he 
knoics  tJie  love  of  Christ  that  passeth  knoioledge,  he 
knows  a  way  in  all  probability  to  be  recovered 
again.  For  if  Christ  Jesus  loves  with  a  love  that 
passeth  knowledge :  then,  saith  the  soul,  that  is 
thus  in  the  dark,  he  may  love  me  yet,  for  ought  I 
know,  for  I  know  that  he  loves  with  a  love  that 
passeth  knowledge ;  and  therefore  I  will  not 
utterly  despond.  Yea,  if  Satan  should  attempt  to 
question  whether  ever  Christ  Jesus  will  look  upon 
me  or  no:  the  answer  is,  if  I  know  the  love  that 
passes  knowledge:  But  he  may  look  upon  me,  (0, 
Satan)  yea,  and  love,  and  save  me  too,  for  ought 
I  poor  sinner  know ;  for  he  loves  with  a  love  that 
passeth  knowledge.  If  I  be  fallen  into  sin  that 
lies  hard  upon  me,  and  my  conscience  fears,  that 
for  this  there  is  no  forgiveness.  The  help  for  a 
stay  from  utter  despair  is  at  hand :  but  there  may, 
say  I,  for  Christ  loves,  with  a  love  that  passeth 
knowledge.  If  Satan  would  dissuade  me  from 
praying  to  God,  by  suggesting  as  if  Christ  would 
not  regard  the  stammering,  and  chattering  prayer 
of  mine.  The  answer  is  ready,  but  he  may  regard 
for  ought  I  know ;  for  he  loves  with  a  love  that 
passeth  knowledge.  If  the  tempter  doth  suggest 
that  thy  trials,  and  troubles,  and  afflictions,  are  so 
many,  that  it  is  to  be  thought  thou  shall  never  get 
beyond  them.  The  answer  is  near,  but  for  ought 
we  know,  Christ  may  carry  me  through  them  all, 
for  he  loves  with  a  love  that  passeth  knowledge. 


34 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OE  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


Tlius  I  say,  is  relief  at  hand,  and  a  help  in  reserve 
for  the  tempted,  let  their  temptations  be  what  they 
Avill.  This  therefore  is  the  weapon  that  will  baffle 
the  devil  when  all  other  weapons  fail ;  for  ought  I 
know,  Christ  may  save  me,  for  he  loves  v.-ith  a 
love  that  passeth  knowledge.  Yea,  suppose  he 
should  drive  me  to  the  worst  of  fears,  and  that  is 
to  doubt  that  I  neither  have  nor  shall  have  for 
ever  the  gi-acc  of  God  in  my  soul.  The  answer  is 
at  hand,  but  I  have  or  may  have  it,  for  Christ 
loves  with  a  love  that  passeth  knowledge.  Thus 
therefore  you  may  see  that  in  this  prayer  of  Paul, 
there  is  a  great  deal  of  good.  He  prays,  when  he 
prays  that  we  might  know  the  love  of  Christ  that 
passeth  knowledge :  that  we  may  have  a  help  at 
hand,  and  relief  against  all  the  horrible  temptations 
of  the  devil.  For  this  is  a  help  at  hand,  a  help 
that  is  ready  to  fall  in  with  us,  if  there  be  yet  re- 
maining with  us,  but  the  least  grain  of  right  rea- 
soning according  to  the  nature  of  things.  For  if 
it  be  objected  against  a  man  that  he  is  poor,  be- 
cause he  has  but  a  groat  in  his  pocket ;  yet  if  he 
has  an  unknoAvn  deal  of  money  in  his  trunks,  how 
easy  is  it  for  him  to  recover  himself  from  that  slan- 
der, by  returning  the  knowledge  of  what  he  has, 
upon  the  objector.  Tliis  is  the  case,  and  thus  it 
is,  and  will  be  with  them  that  know  the  love  of 
Cln-ist  that  passeth  knowledge.     Wherefore, 

(2.)  By  this  knoAvledge,  room  is  made  for  a  chris- 
tian, and  liberty  is  ministered  unto  him,  to  turn 
himself  every  way  in  all  spiritual  things.  This  is 
the  Christian's  rehoboth,  that  well  for  which  the 
Philistines  have  no  heart  to  strive,  and  that  which 
will  cause  that  we  be  fruitful  in  the  land,  Gc.xx\t22. 

If  ChrJstiansknow  not  with  this  knowledge,  they 
vralk  in  the  world  as  if  they  were  lyi'^ionecl ;  or  as 
if  fetters  were  hanged  on  their  heels.  But  this 
enlarges  their  steps  under  them :  2  Sa.  x.\ii.  37.  by  the 
knowledge  of  this  love  they  may  walk  at  liberty, 
and  their  steps  shall  not  be  straitened.  This  is  that 
which  Solomon  intends  when  he  saith, '  Get  wisdom, 
and  get  understanding.'  I'r. iv. 5.  Then  'when  thou 
goest,  thy  steps  shall  not  be  straitened,  and  when 
thou  runnest,  thou  shalt  not  stmnble. '  Tr.  iv.  12.  A 
man  that  has  only  from  hand  to  mouth,  is  oft  put 
to  it  to  know  how  to  use  his  penny,  and  comes  off 
also,  many  times,  but  with  an  hungry  belly ;  but 
he  that  has,  not  only  that,  but  always  over  and  to 
spare,  he  is  more  at  liberty,  and  can  live  in  fulness, 
and  far  more  like  a  gentleman.  There  is  a  man 
has  a  cistern,  and  that  is  full  of  W'ater:  there  is 
another  also,  that  has  his  cistern  full,  and  Avithal, 
his  spring  in  his  yard ;  but  a  great  drought  is  upon 
the  land  in  which  they  dwell :  I  would  now  know, 
Avhich  of  these  two  have  the  most  advantage  to  live 
in  their  own  minds  at  liberty,  without  fear  of  want- 
ing water  ?  Wh}^  this  is  the  ease  in  hand.  There 
is  a  Christian  that  knows  Christ  in  all  those  degrees 


of  his  love  that  are  knowable,  but  he  knoweth 
Christ  nothing  in  his  love  that  passeth  knowledge. 
There  is  another  Christian,  and  he  knows  Christ, 
as  the  first,  but  withal,  he  also  knows  him  as  to 
his  love  that  passeth  knov.^ledge.  Pray  now  tell 
me,  wdiich  of  these  two  are  likeliest  to  live  most 
like  a  Christian,  that  is,  like  a  spiritual  prince,  and 
hke  him  that  possesseth  all  things  ?  which  has 
most  advantage  to  live  in  godly  largeness  of  heart, 
and  is  most  at  liberty  in  his  mind  ?  which  of  these 
two  have  the  greatest  advantage  to  believe,  and  the 
greatest  engagements  laid  upon  him  to  love  the 
Lord  Jesus?  which  of  these  have  also  most  in 
readiness  to  resist  the  wiles  of  the  devil,  and  to 
subdue  the  power  and  prevalency  of  corruptions  ? 
'Tis  this,  that  makes  men  fathers  in  Christianity. 
'  I  write  unto  you,  fathei's,  because  ye  have  known; 
-  -  I  have  written  irnto  you,  fathers,  because  ye 
have  known, '  1  Jn.  ii.  13—14.  why,  have  not  others 
known,  not  so  as  the  fathers  ?  The  fathers  have 
knoivn  and  hnmon.  They  have  known  the  love 
of  Christ  in  those  degrees  of  love  which  are  hnoio- 
ahle,  and  have  also  known  the  love  of  Christ  to 
be  such  which  passeth  knowledge.  In  my  father's 
house  is  bread  enough  and  to  spare,  was  that  that 
fetched  the  prodigal  home.  Lu.  xv.  17.  And  when 
Moses  would  speak  an  endless  all  to  Israel,  for  the 
comfort  and  stay  of  their  souls,  he  calls  their  God, 
'The  fountain  of  Jacob  upon  a  land  of  corn  and 

■\vine. '  De.  xxxiii.  28. 

(3.)  By  this  knowledge,  or  knowing  of  the  love  of 
Christ  which  passeth  knowledge,  there  is  begot  in 
Christians  a  greater  desire  to  press  forwards  to  that 
which  is  before  them.  PM.  iii.  12—21.  What  is  the 
reason  of  all  that  sloth,  carnal  contcntedness,  and 
listlessness  of  spirit  in  Christians,  more  than  the 
ignorance  of  this.  For  he  that  thinks  he  knows 
what  can  be  known,  is  beyond  all  reason  that 
should  induce  him  to  seek  yet  after  more.  Now 
the  love  of  Christ  may  be  said,  not  to  be  knovodble, 
upon  a  threefold  account :  [namely.]  For  that  my 
knowledge  is  weak.  For  that  my  knowledge  is 
imperfect.  Or  for  that,  though  my  knowledge 
be  never  so  perfect,  because  the  love  of  Christ  is 
eternal. 

There  is  love  that  is  not  to  be  apprehended  by 
weak  knowledge.  Convince  a  man  of  this,  and 
then,  if  the  knowledge  of  what  he  already  has,  be 
truly  sweet  to  his  soul,  Pr.  u.  10.  it  will  stir  him  up 
with  great  heartiness  to  desire  to  knovr  what  more 
of  this  is  possible. 

There  is  love  beyond  what  he  loiows  already, 
who  is  indued  with  the  most  perfect  knowledge, 
that  man  here  may  have.  Novv^  if  what  this  man 
knows  already  of  this  love  is  indeed  sweet  unto 
him ;  then  it  puts  him  upon  hearty  desires  that  his 
soul  may  yet  know  more.  And  because  there  is 
no  bound  set  to  man,  how  much  he  may  know  in 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OP  CHKIST'S  LOVE. 


35 


tills  life  thereof;  therefore  his  desires,  notwith- 
standing what  he  has  attained,  are  yet  kept  (dive, 
and  in  the  pursuit  after  the  knowledge  of  more  of 
the  love  of  Christ.  And  God  in  old  time  has  taken 
it  so  well  at  the  hands  of  some  of  his,  that  their 
desu-es  have  been  so  great,  that  when,  as  I  may 
say,  they  have  known  as  much  on  earth  as  is 
possible  for  them  to  know ;  (that  is  hy  ordinary 
means)  he  has  come  down  to  them  in  visions  and 
revelations ;  or  else  taken  them  up  to  him  for  an 
hour  or  two  into  paradise,  that  they  might  hnaio, 
and  then  let  them  down  again. 

But  this  is  not  all.  There  is  a  knowledge  of  the 
love  of  Christ,  that  we  are  by  no  means  capable  of 
until  we  be  possessed  of  the  heavens.  And  I 
would  know,  if  a  man  indeed  loveth  Christ,  whether 
the  belief  of  this  be  not  one  of  the  highest  argu- 
ments that  can  be  urged,  to  make  such  an  one 
weary  of  this  M'orld,  that  he  may  be  with  him.  To 
such  an  one,  'to  live  is  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain.' 
Phi.  i.  21—23.  And  to  such  an  one,  it  is  difficult  to 
bring  his  mind  to  be  content  to  stay  here  a  longer 
time ;  except  he  be  satisfied  that  Christ  has  still 
work  for  him  here  to  do. 

I  will  yet  add.  There  is  a  love  of  Christ,  I  T\nll 
not  say,  that  cannot  be  hicicn,  but  I  will  say,  that 
cannot  be  mjoyed ;  no,  not  by  them  now  in  heaven 
(in  soul)  tmtil  the  day  of  judgment.  And  the 
knowledge  of  this,  when  it  has  possessed  even  men 
on  eai*th,  has  made  them  choose  a  day  of  judgment, 
before  a  day  of  death,  that  they  might  know  what 
is  beyond  that  state  and  knowledge  which  even  the 
spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  now  do  enjoy  in 
heaven.  2  Co.  v.  4.  Wherefore,  as  I  said  at  first.  To 
hioio  the  love  of  Clirist  that  j^ccsseth  hwviedge,  is 
advantageous  upon  this  account;  it  begetteth  in 
Christians  a  great  desire  to  reach,  and  press  for- 
ward to  that  which  is  before. 

One  thing  more,  and  then,  as  to  this  reason,  I 
have  done.  Even  that  love  of  Christ  that  is  abso- 
lutely unknowable,  as  to  the  utmost  bormd  thereof 
because  it  is  eternal,  will  be  yet  in  the  nature  of  it 
sweet  and  desirable,  because  we  shall  enjoy  or  be 
possessed  of  it  so.  This  therefore,  if  there  were 
no  more,  is  enough,  when  known,  to  draw  away 
the  heart  from  things  that  are  below,  to  itself. 

(4.)  The  love  that  ]jasseth  hnoxdedge.  The  know- 
ledge of  that  is  a  very  fruitful  knowledge.  It 
cannot  be,  but  it  must  be  fniitful.  Some  know- 
ledge is  empty,  and  alone,  not  attended  with  that 
good,  and  -svith  those  blessings  wherewith  this 
knowledge  is  attended.  Did  I  say,  it  is  fruitfid? 
I  will  add,  it  is  attended  with  the  best  fruit ;  it 
yieldeth  the  best  wine :  It  fills  the  soul  with  all  the 
fulness  of  God.  'And  to  know  the  love  of  Clirist 
which  passeth  knowledge,  that  ye  may  be  filled 
with  all  the  fulness  of  God.'  God  is  in  Christ, 
and  makes  himself  known  to  us  bv  the  love  of 


Christ.  'Whosoever  transgresseth,  and  abideth 
not  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  hath  not  God,'  for 
God  is  not  to  be  foimd  nor  enjoyed,  but  in  him, 
consequently,  he  that  hath,  and  abideth  in  the 
doctrine  of  Christ,  'hath  both  the  Father  and  the 
Son.'  2Jn. 9.  Now,  since  there  are  degrees  of 
knowledge  of  this  doctrine,  and  since  the  hio-hest 
degree  of  the  knowledge  of  him,  is  to  know  that 
he  has  a  Love  thai  passeth  knowledge,  it  foUows, 
that  if  he  that  has  the  least  sa^sdng  knoAvledge  of 
this  doctrine,  hath  God ;  he  that  hath  the  largest 
knowledge  of  it,  has  God  much  more,  or,  accord- 
ing to  the  text,  is  filled  with  all  the  fuhiess  of  God. 
What  this  fulness  of  God  should  be,  is  best 
gathered  from  such  sayings  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as 
come  nearest  to  this,  in  langniage,  filled. 

Full  of  goodness.  Ro.  xt.  li. 

Full  of  faith.  Ac.  vi.  5. 

Fidl  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Ac.  vii.  53. 

Full  of  assm'ance  of  faith.  He.  x.  23. 

Full  of  assurance  of  hope.  He.  vi  ii. 

Full   of  joy   imspeakable,   and   fuU   of  glory. 

1  Pe.  i.  8. 

Full  of  joy.  1  Jn.  i.  4. 

FuU  of  good  works.  Ac.  sL  36. 

Being  fiUed   with  the  knowledge  of  his   will. 

Col.  i.  9. 

Being  filled  with  the  spirit.  Ep.  v.  is. 

Filled  with  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  which 
are  by  Jesus  Christ  imto  the  glory  aud  praise  of 

God.  Phi.iv.  11. 

These  things  to  be  sm-e  are  included  either  for 
the  cause  or  effect  of  this  fulness.  The  cause  they 
cannot  be,  for  that  is  God's,  by  his  Holy  Spirit. 
The  effects  therefore  they  are,  for  wherever  God 
dwells  in  the  degree  intended  in  the  text,  there  is 
shewn  in  an  eminent  manner,  by  these  things,  '  what 
is  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inlieritance  in  the 
saints. '  Ep.  i.  18.  But  these  things  dwell  not  in  that 
measure  specified  by  the  text,  in  any,  but  those 
who  knmo  the  love  of  Christ  whidi passeth  knowledge. 

But  what  a  man  is  he  that  is  filled  with  all  these 
thino-s!  or  that  is,  as  we  have  it  in  the  text,  'filled 
with  aU  the  fuhiess  of  God ! '  Such  men  are,  at 
this  day,  wanting  in  the  churches.  These  are  the 
men  that  siceeten  churches,  and  that  bring  glory  to 
God  and  to  religion.  And  knowledge  will  make 
us  such,  such  knowledge  as  the  Apostle  here  speaketh 
of.* 

I  have  now  done,  when  I  have  spoken  something 
by  way  of  use  imto  you,  from  what  hath  been  said. 
And, 

Use  First,  Is  there  such  breadth,  and  length,  and 


*  How  delightfully  has  Bunyan  brought  forth  the  maiTOw 
of  this  important  text.  He  felt  that  those  who  were  fiUcJ 
with  all  the  fuluess  of  God,  sweetened  the  churelies  m  his  day; 
they  were  wanted  then;  are  they  not  equally  wanted  now? 
—Ed. 


3C 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


depth,  and  heigtt  in  God,  for  us?  And  is  there 
toward  us  love  in  Christ  that  passeth  knowledge  ? 
Then  this  shews  us,  not  only  the  greatness  of  the 
majesty  of  the  Father  and  the  Son,  but  the  great 
good  will  that  is  in  their  heart  to  them  that  receive 
their  word. 

God  has  engaged  the  breadth,  and  lengtli  and 
depth,  and  height  of  the  love,  the  Avisdom,  the 
power,  and  truth  that  is  in  himself,  for  us ;  and 
Christ  has  loved  us  with  a  love  that  passeth  know- 
ledge. We  may  well  say,  'Who  is  like  thee,  0 
Lord,  among  the  gods  ?  '  Ex.  xv.  11.  Or,  as  another 
propliet  has  it,  'Who  is  a  God  like  unto  thee,  that 
pardoneth  iniquity,  and  passeth  by  the  transgres- 
sion of  the  remnant  of  his  heritage?  he  retaineth 
not  his  anger  for  ever :  because  he  delighteth  in 
mercy. '  Mi  vii.  18.  Yea,  no  words  can  sufficiently 
set  forth  the  greatness  of  this  love  of  God  and  his 
Son  to  us  poor  miserable  sinners. 

Use  Second,  Is  there  so  great  a  heart  for  love, 
towards  us,  both  in  the  Father  and  in  the  Son? 
Then  let  us  be  much  in  the  study  and  search  after 
the  greatness  of  this  love.  This  is  the  sweetest 
study  that  a  man  can  devote  himself  unto ;  because 
it  is  the  study  of  the  love  of  God  and  of  Christ  to 
man.  Studies  that  yield  far  less  profit  than  this, 
how  close  are  they  pursued,  by  some  who  have 
adapted  themselves  thereunto?  Men  do  not  use 
to  coimt  telling  over  of  their  money  burthensome 
to  them,  nor  yet  the  recounting  of  their  grounds, 
their  berds,  and  their  flocks,  when  they  increase. 
Why?  tlie  study  of  the  unsearchable  love  of  God 
in  Christ  to  man,  is  better  in  itself,  and  yields 
more  sweetness  to  the  soul  of  man,  than  can  ten 
thousand  such  things  as  but  now  are  mentioned. 
I  know  the  wise  men  of  this  world,  of  whom  there 
are  many,  Avill  say  as  to  what  I  now  press  you 
unto;  Who  can  shew  us  any  good  in  it?  But 
Lord,  lift  thou  up  the  hght  of  thy  countenance 
upon  us.  Thou  hast  put  gladness  in  my  heart, 
more  than  in  the  time  that  their  corn  and  their 
wine  increaseth.  Ps.  iv.  g,  7.  David  also  said  that  liis 
meditation  on  the  Lord  should  be  sweet.  Oh,  there 
is  in  God  and  in  his  Son,  that  kindness  for  the 
sons  of  men,  that,  did  they  know  it,  they  would 
like  to  retain  the  knowledge  of  it  in  their  hearts. 
They  would  cry  out  as  she  did  of  old ;  '  Set  me  as 
a  seal  upon  thy  heart,  as  a  seal  upon  thine  arm : 
For  love  is  strong  as  death.'  Song viii. 6, 7.  Every 
part,  crumb,  grain,  or  scrap  of  this  knowledge,  is 
to  a  Christians,  as  drops  of  honey  are  to  sweet- 
palated  children,  worth  the  gathering  up,  worth 
the  putting  to  the  taste  to  be  relished.  Yea,  David 
says  of  the  word  which  is  the  ground  of  knowled"-e : 
'  It  is  SAveeter  than  honey  or  the  honey-comb. 
More,'  saith  he,  '  to  be  desired  are  they  than  gold ; 
yea,  than  much  fine  gold ;  sweeter  also  than  honey 
or  the  honey-comb. '  Ps.  xix.  10.     Why  then  do  not 


Christians  devote  themselves  to  the  meditation  of 
this  so  heavenly,  so  goodly,  so  SAveet,  and  so  com- 
fortable a  thing,  that  yieldeth  such  advantage  to 
the  soul?  The  reason  is,  these  things  are  talked 
of,  but  not  believed:  did  men  believe  what  they 
say,  Avhen  they  speak  so  largely  of  the  love  of  God, 
and  the  love  of  Jesus  Christ,  they  would,  they 
could  not  but  meditate  upon  it.  There  are  so 
many  wonders  in  it,  and  men  love  to  think  of  won- 
ders. There  is  so  much  profit  in  it,  and  men  love 
to  think  of  that  which  yields  them  profit.  But, 
as  I  said,  the  belief  of  things  is  Avanting.  Belief 
of  a  thing  Avill  have  strong  effects,  Avhether  the 
ground  for  it  be  true,  or  false.  As  suppose  one  of 
you  shoidd,  when  you  are  at  a  neighbour's  house, 
believe  that  your  oAvn  house  is  on  fire,  A\'hilst  your 
children  are  fast  asleep  in  bed,  though  indeed  there 
were  no  such  thing ;  I  will  appeal  to  any  of  you 
if  this  belief  would  not  make  notable  work  with 
and  upon  your  hearts.  Let  a  man  believe  he  shall 
be  damned,  though  afterAvards  it  is  evident  he 
believed  a  lie,  yet  Avhat  work  did  that  belief  make 
in  that  man's  heart ;  even  so,  and  much  more,  the 
belief  of  heavenly  things  Avill  Avork,  because  true 
and  great,  and  most  good;  also,  Avhere  they  are 
indeed  believed,  their  evidence  is  managed  upon 
their  spirit,  b}'  the  poAver  and  glory  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  it  self:  Wherefore  let  us  study  these  things. 
Use  Third,  Let  us  cast  ourselves  iqyon  this  love. 
No  greater  encouragement  can  be  given  us,  than 
Avhat  is  in  the  text  and  about  it.  It  is  great,  it  is 
love  that  passeth  knoAvledge.  Men  that  are  sensi- 
ble of  danger,  are  glad  Avhen  they  hear  of  such 
helps  upon  AA'hich  they  may  boldly  venture  for 
escape.  Why  such  an  help  and  relief,  the  text 
helpeth  trembling  and  fearful  consciences  to.  Fear 
and  trembling  as  to  misery  hereafter,  can  floAv  but 
from  what  we  know,  feel,  or  imagine :  but  the  text 
speaks  of  a  love  that  is  beyond  that  we  can  know, 
feel,  or  imagine,  even  of  a  love  that  passeth  know- 
ledge ;  consequently  of  a  love  that  goes  beyond  aU 
these.  Besides,  the  Apostle's  conclusion  upon  this 
subject,  plainly  makes  it  manifest  that  this  mean- 
ing which  I  have  put  upon  the  text,  is  the  mind 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  'Now  unto  him,'  saith  he, 
'  that  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all 
that  we  ask  or  think,  according  to  the  power  that 
worketh  in  us,  unto  him  he  glory  in  the  church  by 
Christ  Jesus,  throughout  all  ages,  world  without 
end.  Amen. '  Ep.  iii.  20, 21.  What  can  be  more  plain  ? 
what  can  be  more  fuU?  What  can  be  more  suit- 
able to  the  most  desponding  spirit  in  any  man? 
He  can  do  more  than  thou  knoAvest  he  will.  He 
can  do  more  than  thou  thinkest  he  can.  What 
dost  thou  think?  why,  I  think,  saith  the  sinner, 
that  I  am  cast  away.  Well,  but  there  are  worse 
thoughts  than  these,  therefore  think  again.  Why, 
saith  the  sinner,  /  think  that  my  dns  are  as  many 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


37 


fi.9  the  sins  of  all  the  uwld.  Indeed  this  is  a  very 
Llaek  thought,  but  there  are  worse  thoughts  than 
this,  therefore  prithee  think  again.  Why,  Ithink, 
saith  the  sinner,  that  God  is  twt  able  to  pardon  all 
my  sins.  Ay,  now  thou  hast  thought  indeed.  For 
tliis  thought  makes  thee  look  more  like  a  devil 
tlian  a  man,  and  yet  because  thou  art  a  man  and 
not  a  devil,  see  the  condescension  and  the  bound- 
lessness of  the  love  of  thy  God.  He  is  oJble  to  do 
above  all  that  we  thinhl  Couldest  thou  (sinner)  if 
thou  hadst  been  allowed,  thyself  express  what  thou 
wouldest  have  expressed,  the  greatness  of  the  love 
thou  wantest,  with  words  that  could  have  suited 
tliee  better?  for  'tis  not  said  he  can  do  above  what 
we  think,  meaning  our  thinking  at  present,  but 
above  aU  we  can  think,  meaning  above  the  worst 
and  most  soul-dejecting  thoughts  that  we  have  at 
any  time.  Sometimes  the  dejected  have  worse 
thoughts  than  at  other  times  they  have.  Well, 
take  them  at  their  worst  times,  at  times  when  they 
think,  and  think,  till  they  think  themselves  down 
into  the  very  pangs  of  hell ;  yet  this  word  of  the 
grace  of  God,  is  above  them,  and  shews  that  he 
can  yet  recover  and  save  these  miserable  people. 
And  now  I  am  upon  this  subject,  I  will  a  little 
further  walk  and  travel  with  the  desponding  ones, 
and  will  put  a  few  words  in  their  mouths  for  their 
help  against  temptations  that  may  come  upon  them 
hereafter.  For  as  Satan  follows  such  now,  M-ith 
charges  and  apphcations  of  guilt,  so  he  may  follow 
them  with  interrogatories  and  appeals :  for  he  can 
tell  how  by  appeals,  as  well  as  by  charging  of  sin, 
to  sink  and  drown  the  sinner  whose  soul  he  has 
leave  to  engage.  Suppose  therefore  that  some  dis- 
tressed man  or  woman,  should  after  this  way  be 
engaged,  and  Satan  should  with  his  interrogatories, 
and  appeals  be  busy  with  them  to  drive  them  to 
desperation  ;  the  text  last  mentioned,  to  say  nothing 
of  the  subject  of  our  discourse,  yields  plenty  of 
help  for  the  relief  of  such  a  one.  Says  Satan, 
dost  thou  not  know  that  thou  hast  horribly  sinned  ? 
yes,  says  the  soul,  I  do.  Says  Satan,  dost  thou 
not  know,  that  thou  art  one  of  the  vilest  in  all  the 
pack  of  professors  ?  yes,  says  the  soul,  I  do.  Says 
Satan,  doth  not  thy  conscience  tell  thee  that  thou 
art  and  hast  been  more  base  than  any  of  thy  fellows 
can  imagine  thee  to  be  ?  Yes,  says  the  soul ;  my 
conscience  tells  me  so.  Well,  saith  Satan,  now 
wiU  I  come  upon  thee  with  my  appeals.  Art  thou 
not  a  graceless  wretch  ?  Yes.  Hast  thou  an  heart 
to  be  sorry  for  this  wickedness  ?  No,  not  as  I  should. 
And  albeit,  saith  Satan,  thou  prayest  sometimes, 
yet  is  not  thy  heart  possessed  with  a  behef  that 
God  will  not  regard  thee?  yes,  says  the  sinner. 
W^hy  then  despair,  and  go  hang  thyself,  saith  the 
devil.  And  now  we  are  at  the  end  of  the  thing 
designed  and  driven  at  by  Satan.  But  what  shall 
I  now  do,  saith  the  sinner ;  I  answer,  take  up  the 


words  of  the  text  against  him,  Christ  loves  with  a 
love  that  passeth  knowledge,  and  answereth  him 
farther,  saying  Satan,  though  I  cannot  think  that 
God  loves  me;  though  I  cannot  think  that  God 
will  save  me ;  yet  I  Avill  not  yield  to  thee :  for  God 
can  do  more  than  I  think  he  can.  And  whereas 
thou  appealedst  unto  me,  if  whether  when  I  prav, 
my  heart  is  not  possessed  with  unbelief  that  God 
wiU  not  regard  me  ;  that  shall  not  sink  me  neither : 
for  God  can  do  abundantly  above  what  I  ask  or 
think.  Thus  this  text  helpeth,  where  obstructions 
are  put  in  against  our  believing,  and  thereby  cast- 
ing ourselves  upon  the  love  of  God  in  Christ  for 
salvation. 

And  yet  this  is  not  all,  for  the  text  is  yet  more 
full:  '  He  is  able  to  do  abundantly  more,'  yea, 
*  exceeding  abundantly  more,'  or  '  above  aU  that 
we  ask  or  think. '  It  is  a  text  made  up  of  words 
picked  and  p)Cicked  together  by  the  wisdom  of  God, 
picked  and  paxked  together  on  purpose  for  the  suc- 
cour and  relief  of  the  tempted,  that  they  may  when 
in  the  midst  of  their  distresses,  cast  themselves 
upon  the  Lord  their  God.  He  can  do  abundantly 
more  than  we  ask.  Oh!  says  the  soul,  that  he 
would  but  do  so  much  for  me  as  I  could  ask  him  to 
do !  How  happy  a  man  should  I  then  be.  Why, 
what  wouldest  thou  ask  for,  sinner?  you  may  be 
sure,  says  the  soul,  I  would  ask  to  he  saved  from 
my  sins ;  I  would  ask  for  faith  in,  and  love  to, 
Christ ;  I  would  ask  to  be  preserved  in  this  evil 
world,  and  ask  to  be  glorified  with  Christ  in  heaven. 
He  that  asketh  for  all  this,  doth  indeed  ask  for 
much,  and  for  more  than  Satan  would  have  him 
beheve  that  God  is  able  or  willing  to  bestow  upon 
him ;  but  mark,  the  text  doth  not  say,  that  God  is 
able  to  do  all  that  we  can  ask  or  think,  but  that  he 
is  able  to  do  above  all,  yea,  abundantly  above  aU, 
yea,  exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask 
or  thmk.  What  a  text  is  this!  What  a  God 
have  we !  God  foresaw  the  sins  of  his  people,  and 
what  work  the  devil  would  make  with  their  hearts 
about  them,  and  therefore  to  prevent  their  ruin  by 
his  temptation,  he  has  thus  largely,  as  you  see, 
expressed  his  love  by  his  word.  Let  us  therefore, 
as  has  been  bidden  us,  make  this  good  use  of  this 
doctrine  of  grace,  as  to  cast  ourselves  upon  this 
love  of  God  in  the  times  of  distress  and  temptation. 

Use  Fourth,  Take  heed  of  abusing  this  love.  This 
exhortation  seems  needless;  for  love  is  such  a 
thing,  that  one  would  think  none  could  find  in  their 
heart  to  abuse.  But  for  all  that,  I  am  of  opinion, 
that  there  is  nothmg  that  is  more  abused  among 
professors  this  day,  than  is  this  love  of  God.  There 
has  of  late  more  hght  about  the  love  of  Christ 
broke  out,  than  formerly:  every  boy  now  can  tdJc 
of  the  love  of  Christ ;  but  this  love  of  Christ  has 
not  been  rightly  appUed  by  preachers,  or  else  not 
rightly  received  by  professors.     For  never  was  this 


33 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


rrrace  of  Christ  so  turned  into  lasciviousness,  as 
now.  Now  it  is  a  practice  among  professors  to 
learn  to  be  vile,  of  the  profane.  Yea,  and  to  plead 
for  that  vileness :  Nay,  we  will  turn  it  the  other 
way,  now  it  is  so  that  the  profane  do  learn  to  he 
vile  of  those  that  profess  (Tliey  teach  the  wicked 
ones  their  ways :)  Je.  ii.  R3:  a  thing  that  no  good  man 
shoidd  tliink  on  but  with  blushing  cheeks.* 

Jude  speaketh  of  these  people,  and  tells  us  that 
they,  notwithstanding  their  profession,  deny  the 
only  Lord  God,  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 
ver.  4.  ♦  They  profess, '  saith  Paid,  '  that  they  know 
God ;  but  in  works  they  deny  Mm,  being  abomin- 
able, and  disobedient,  and  mito  every  good  work 
reprobate.'  Tit.  i.  16. 

But  I  say,  let  not  this  love  of  God  and  of  Christ, 
be  abused.  'Tis  unnatm-al  to  abuse  love,  to  abuse 
love  is  a  villany  condemned  of  all,  yea,  to  abuse 
love,  is  the  most  inexcusable  sin  of  all.  It  is  next 
the  sin  of  devils  to  abuse  love,  the  love  of  God  and 
of  Christ. 

And  what  says  the  Apostle  ?  '  Because  they 
received  not  the  love  of  the  truth,  that  they  might 
be  saved,  therefore  God  shall  send  them  strong 
delusion  that  they  should  believe  a  lie,  that  they 
all  might  be  damned,  who  believed  not  the  truth, 
but  had  pleasiu-e  in  imrighteousness.'  3Tli.ii.io— 12. 
And  what  can  such  an  one  say  for  himself  in  the 
judgment,  that  shall  be  charged  with  the  abuse  of 
love  ?  Christians,  deny  yourselves,  deny  your  lusts, 
deny  the  vanities  of  this  present  life,  devote  your- 
selves to  God;  become  lovers  of  God,  lovers  of 
his  ways,  and  'a  people  zealous  of  good  works;' 
then  shall  you  show  one  to  another,  and  to  all 
men,  that  you  have  not  received  the  grace  of 
God  in  vain,  sco.vi.  l  Renounce  therefore  the 
hidden  things  of  dishonesty,  walk  not  in  craftiness, 
nor  handle  God's  word  deceitfully,  but  by  mani- 
festation of  the  truth,  commend  yourselves  to  every 
man's  conscience  in  the  sight  of  God.  Do  this, 
I  say,  yea,  and  so  endeavour  such  a  closure  with 
this  love  of  God  in  Christ,  as  may  graciously  con- 
strain you  to  do  it,  because,  when  ail  proofs  of  the 
right  receiving  of  this  love  of  Christ  shall  be 
produced,  none  will  be  found  of  worth  enough  to 
justify  the  simplicity  of  our  profession,  but^'tliat 
Which  makes  us  'zealous  of  good  works.'  Tit.  ii.  u. 
And  what  a  thing  will  it  be  to  be  turned  off  at  last, 
as  one  that  abused  the  love  of  Christ !  as  one  that 
presumed  upon  his  lusts,  this  world,  and  all  manner 
of  naughtiness,  because  the  love  of  Christ  to  pardon 

*  Bunyan  lived  in  singidarly  eventful  times.  Uuder  tlie 
Commonwealth  tlie  strictest  outward  morality  was  enforced 
But  when  a  licentious  monarch  was  placed  upon  the  throne  a 
flood  of  the  grossest  debauchery  was  let  loose;  and  those  hypo- 
crites, who  had  pnt  ou  a  cloak  of  religion  to  seiTc  a  tempo- 
rary purpose,  threw  it  off  and  became  ringleaders  in  the  vilest 
iaiquitics.     See  Matt.  xii.  43— 45.— Ed, 


sins  was  so  great !  "Wliat  an  unthinking,  what  a 
disingenuous  one  wilt  thou  be  comited  at  that  day ! 
yea,  thou  wdlt  be  foimd  to  be  the  man  that  made  a 
rw'ey  of  love,  that  made  a  stalldng-horse  of  love, 
that  made  of  love  a  slave  to  sin,  the  devil  and  the 
world,  and  will  not  that  be  bad  ?  Kead  Eze.  xvi. 

Use  Fifth,  Is  the  love  of  God  and  of  Christ  so 
great  ?  let  us  then  labour  to  improve  it  to  the 
utmost  for  our  advantage,  against  aU  the  hin- 
drances of  faith. 

To  what  purpose  else  is  it  revealed,  made  men- 
tion of,  and  commended  to  us  ?  We  are  environed 
with  many  enemies,  and  faith  in  the  love  of  God 
and  of  Christ,  is  our  only  succour  and  shelter. 
Wherefore  our  duty  and  wisdom  and  privilege  is, 
to  improve  this  love  for  our  o>vn  advantage.  Im- 
prove it  against  daily  infirmities,  improve  it  against 
the  wiles  of  the  devil ;  improve  it  against  the 
threats,  rage,  death,  and  destruction,  that  the  men 
of  this  world  continually  with  their  terror  set  before 
you.  But  how  must  that  be  done  ?  why,  set  this 
love  and  the  safety  that  is  in  it,  before  thine  eyes  ; 
and  behold  it  whUe  these  things  make  their  assaults 
upon  thee.  These  words,  the  faith  of  this,  God 
loves  me,  will  support  thee  in  the  midst  of  what 
dangers  may  assault  thee.  And  this  is  that  which 
is  meant,  when  we  are  exhorted  to  rejoice  in  the 
Lord,  Phi.  iii.  1.  to  make  our  boast  in  the  Lord ; 
Ps.  xliv.  51.  to  triumph  in  Christ ;  2  Co.  ii.  14.  and  to  set 
the  Lord  always  before  our  face.  Ps.  xvi.  8.  For  he 
that  can  do  this  thing  stedfastly,  cannot  be  over- 
come. For  in  God  there  is  more  than  can  be  in 
the  world,  either  to  help  or  hinder ;  wherefore  if 
God  be  my  helper,  if  God  loves  me,  if  Christ  be 
my  redeemer,  and  has  bestowed  his  love  that  passeth 
knowledge  upon  me,  who  can  be  against  me  ? 
He.  xiii.  6,  and  Ro.  viii.  31.  and  if  they  be  against  me,  what 
disadvantage  reap  I  thereby;  since  even  aU  this 
also,  worketh  for  my  good?  This  is  improving 
the  love  of  God  and  of  Christ  for  my  advantage. 
The  same  com'se  should  Christians'  also  take  with 
the  degrees  of  this  love,  even  set  it  against  all  the 
degrees  of  danger ;  for  here  deep  calletk  unto  deep. 
There  cannot  be  wickedness  and  rage  Avrought  up 
to  such  or  such  a  degree,  as  of  which  it  may  be 
said,  there  are  not  degrees  in  the  love  of  Clod  and 
of  Christ  to  match  it.  Wherein  Pharaoh  dealt 
proudly  against  God's  people,  the  Lord  was  above 
him,  Ex.  xviii.  11.  did  match  and  overmatch  him ;  he 
came  up  to  him,  and  went  beyond  him ;  he  coUared 
with  him,  overcame  him,  and  cast  him  down.  '  The 
Lord  is  a  man  of  war,  the  Lord  is  liis  name. 
Pharaoh's  chariots  and  his  host  hath  he  cast  into 
the  sea  -  -  -  they  sank  into  the  bottom  as  a  stone.' 
Ex.  XV.  5.  There  is  no  striving  against  the  Lord  that 
hath  loved  us ;  there  is  none  that  strive  against 
him  can  prosper.  If  the  shields  of  the  earth  be 
theLord'sjPs.  xivii.  9.  then  he  can  wield  them  for  the 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OP  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


39 


safegaard  of  his  body  the  church :  or  if  they  are 
become  incapable  of  being  made  use  of  any  longer 
in  that  vray,  and  for  such  a  thing,  can  he  not  lay 
them  aside,  and  make  himself  new  ones  ?  Men  can 
do  after  this  manner,  much  more  God.  But  again, 
if  the  miseries,  or  afflictions  which  thou  meetest 
Avith,  seem  to  thee  to  overflow,  and  to  go  be3^ond 
measure,  above  measure,  and  so  to  be  above 
strength,  and  begin  to  drive  thee  to  despair  of  life ; 

2  Co.  i.  8.  then  thou  hast  also,  in  the  love  of  God, 
and  of  Christ,  that  which  is  above,  and  that  goes 
beyond  all  measure  also,  to  wit,  love  unsearchable, 
imknown,  and  *  that  can  do  exceeding  abundantly 
above  all  that  we  ask  or  think.'  Now  God  hath 
set  them  one  against  the  other,  and  'twill  be  thy 
v/^isdom  to  do  so  too,  for  this  is  the  way  to  improve 
this  love.  But,  though  it  be  easy,  thus  to  admonish 
you  to  do,  yet  you  shall  find  the  practical  part 
more  difficidt ;  wherefore,  here  it  may  not  be  amiss, 
if  I  add  to  these,  another  head  of  counsel. 

Counsel  First,  Then,  Wouldst  thou  improve  this 
love  of  God  and  of  Christ  to  thy  advantage,  ^^^3y 
then  thou  must  labour  after  the  knowledge  of  it.  This 
was  it  that  the  Apostle  prayed  for,  for  these  Eplie- 
sians,  as  was  said  before,  and  this  is  that  that  thou 
must  labour  after,  or  else  thy  reading  and  my  vmt- 
ing,  will,  as  to  thee,  be  fruitless.  Let  me  then  say 
to  thee,  as  David  to  his  son  Solomon,  'And  thou 
Solomon,  my  son,  know  thou  the  God  of  thy  father. ' 
1  Ch.  xxviii.  9.  Empty  notions  of  this  love  will  do 
nothing  but  harm,  wherefore,  they  are  not  empty 
notions  that  I  press  thee  to  rest  in,  but  that  thou 
labour  after  the  knowledge  of  the  favour  of  this 
good  ointment,  Song  i.  3.  Avhich  the  Apostle  calleth 
the  favour  of  the  knowledge  of  this  Lord  Jesus. 

3  Co.  ii.  14.  Know  it,  imtil  it  becometh  sioeet  or 
pleasant  to  thy  sold,  and  then  it  will  preserve  and 
keep  thee.  Pr.  ii.  lo,  ii.  Make  this  love  of  God  and 
of  Christ  thine  own,  and  not  another's.  Many 
there  are  that  can  talk  largely  of  the  love  of  God 
to  Abraham,  to  David,  to  Peter  and  Paul.  But 
that  is  not  the  thing,  give  not  over  until  this  love 
be  made  thine  own ;  untd.  thou  fnd  and  feel  it  to 
nm  warm  in  thy  heart  by  the  shedding  of  it  abroad 
there,  by  the  spirit  that  God  hath  given  thee, 
no.  V.  5.  Then  thou  wilt  know  it  with  an  obliging  and 
engaging  knowledge  ;  yea,  then  thou  wilt  know 
it  with  a  soul-strengthening,  and  soid-encouraging 
knowledge. 

Counsel  Second,  Woiddst  thou  improve  this  love  ? 
then  set  it  against  the  love  of  all  other  things 
whatsoever,  even  imtil  this  love  shall  conquer  thy 
sold  from  the  love  of  them  to  itself. 

This  is  christian.  Do  it  therefore,  and  say,  why 
slioidd  any  thing  have  my  heart  but  God,  but 
Christ?  He  loves  me,  he  loves  me  with  love  that 
passeth  knowledge.  He  loves  me,  and  he  shall 
have  me :  he  loves  me,  and  I  will  love  him :  his 


love  stripped  him  of  all  for  my  sake ;  Lord  let  my 
love  strip  me  of  all  for  thy  sake.  I  am  a  son  of 
love,  an  object  of  love,  a  monument  of  love,  oi  free 
love,  oi  distinguishing  love,  oi loecvliar  love,  and  of 
love  that  passeth  knowledge  :  and  why  should  not 
I  walk  in  love  ?  In  love  to  God,  in  love  to  men 
in  holy  love,  in  love  unfeigned  ?  This  is  the  way 
to  improve  the  love  of  God  for  thy  advantage,  for 
the  subduing  of  thy  passions,  and  for  sanctifyino- 
of  thy  nature.  'Tis  an  odious  thing  to  hear  men 
of  base  lives  talking  of  the  love  of  God,  of  the 
death  of  Christ,  and  of  the  glorious  grace  that  is 
presented  unto  sinners  by  the  word  of  the  truth  of 
the  gospel.  Praise  is  comely  for  the  upright,  not 
for  the  profane.  Therefore  let  him  speak  of  love 
that  is  taken  with  love,  that  is  captivated  with  love, 
that  is  carried  away  with  love.  K  this  man  speaks 
of  it,  his  speaking  signifies  something ;  the  powers, 
and  bands  of  love  are  upon  him,  and  he  shews  to 
aU  that  he  knows  what  he  is  speaking  of.  But  the 
very  mentioning  of  love,  is  in  the  mouth  of  the 
profane,  like  a  parable  in  the  mouth  of  fools,  or  as 
salt  unsavory.  Wherefore,  Christian,  improve  this 
love  of  God  as  thou  shouldest,  and  that  will  improve 
thee  as  thou  wouldest.     Wherefore, 

Counsel  Tliird,  If  thou  wouldest  improve  this 
love,  keep  thyself  in  it.  'Keep  yourselves  in  the 
love  of  God.'  JudeSi.  This  text  looks  as  if  it 
favoured  the  Sociuians,  but  there  is  nothing  of  that 
in  it.  And  so  doth  that,  '  If  ye  keep  my  com- 
mandments, ye  shall  abide  in  my  love :  even  as  I 
have  kept  my  Father's  commandments  and  abide 
in  his  love. '  Jn.  xv.  lo. .  The  meaning  then  is  this, 
that  living  a  holy  life  is  the  way,  after  a  man  has 
believed  unto  justification,  to  keep  himself  in  the 
savour  and  comfort  of  the  love  of  God.  And  Oh, 
that  thou  wouldest  indeed  so  do.  And  that  be- 
cause, if  thou  shall  want  the  savour  of  it,  thou  will 
soon  want  tenderness  to  the  commandment,  which 
is  the  rule  by  which  thou  must  walk,  if  thou  wilt 
do  good  to  thyself,  or  honour  God  in  the  world. 
'  To  him  that  ordereth  his  conversation  aiigU,  will 
I  shew  the  salvation  of  God.'  Ps.i.23.  He  that 
would  live  a  sweet,  comfortable,  joyful  life,  must 
Uve  a  very  holy  life.  This  is  the  way  to  improve 
this  love  to  thyself  indeed. 

Counsel  Fourth,  To  this  end,  you  must  take  root 
and  be  grounded  in  love ;  that  is,  you  must  be  well 
settled,  and  stabhshed  in  this  love,  if  indeed  you 
would  improve  it.  You  must  not  be  shaken  as  to 
the  doctrine  and  grounds  of  it.  £p.  iii.  17.  These  you 
must  be  well  acquainted  with :  for  he  that  is  but  a 
child  in  this  doctrine,  is  not  capable  as  yet,  of 
falling  in  with  these  exhortations:  For  such  waver, 
and  fear  when  tempted;  and  'he  that  fearcth  is 
not  made  perfect  in  love,'  iJn.iv.i8.  nor  can  he  sv 
improve  it  for  himself  and  soul's  good  as  he  should. 

Coutiscl  Fifth,  and  lastly.  Keep,  to  this  end, 


40 


THE  SAINTS'  KNOWLEDGE  OF  CHRIST'S  LOVE. 


those  grouuds,  and  evidences  that  God  hath  given 
you  of  your  call  to  be  partakers  of  this  love,  with 
aU  clearness  upon  your  hearts,  and  in  your  minds. 
For  he  that  wants  a  sight  of  them,  or  a  proof 
that  they  are  true  and  good,  can  take  hut  little 
comfort  in  this  love.  There  is  a  great  mystery  in 
the  way  of  God  with  his  people.  He  will  justify 
them  without  their  works,  he  will  pardon  them  for 
his  Son's  sake :  hut  they  shall  have  hut  little  com- 
fort of  what  he  hath  done,  doth,  and  will  do  for 
them  that  are  careless,  carnal,  and  not  holy  in  their 
lives.  Nor  shall  they  have  their  evidences  for 
heaven  at  hand,  nor  out  of  doubt  with  them,  yea, 
they  shall  walk  without  the  sun,  and  have  their 
.comfort  i  by  bits  and  knocks  ;  *  while  others  sit  at 
rtheir  father's  table,  have  liberty  to  go  into  the 

*  'Bits  and  knocks;'  this  phrase  is  now  obsolete:  it  alludes 
to  a  dog  at  table,  who  while  picking  up  the  crumbs,  often  gets 
a  bite  and  a  buffet  or  knock  with  it,  but  stOl  perseveres. — Ed. 


wine-cellar,  rejoice  at  the  sweet  and  pleasant  face 
of  their  heavenly  Father  towards  them  ;  and  know 
it  shall  go  well  with  them  at  the  end. 

Something  now  for  a  conclusion  should  be  spoken 
to  the  carnal  world,  who  have  heard  me  teU  of  aU 
tliis  love.  But  what  shall  I  say  unto  them?  If  I 
should  speak  to  them,  and  they  should  not  hear  ; 
or  if  I  should  testify  unto  them,  and  they  should 
not  believe ;  or  intreat  them,  and  they  should  scorn 
me  ;  all  will  but  aggravate,  and  greaten  their  sin, 
and  tend  to  their  further  condemnation.  And 
therefore  I  shall  leave  the  obstinate  where  I  found 
him,  and  shall  say  to  him  that  is  willing  to  be 
saved.  Sinner,  thou  hast  the  advantage  of  thy 
neighbour,  not  only  because  thou  art  willing  to  live, 
but  because  there  are  [those]  that  are  willing  thou 
shouldest ;  to  wit,  those  unto  whom  the  issues  from 
death  do  belong,  and  they  are  the  Father  and  the 
Son,  to  whom  be  glory  with  the  blessed  Spirit  of 
Q-race.  world  without  end.     Amen. 


OF    ANTICHRIST,    AND    HIS    RUIN: 


THE    SLAYING   THE   WITNESSES. 


By   JOHN    BUNYAjN. 


PEEFATOEY  EEMARKS  BY  THE  EDITOE. 


This  important  treatise  was  prepared  for  the  press, 
and  left  by  tlie  author,  at  his  decease,  to  the  care 
of  his  surviving  friends  for  pubheation.  It  first 
appeared  in  a  collection  of  his  works  in  foho,  1691 ; 
and  although  a  subject  of  universal  interest ;  most 
admirably  elucidated ;  no  edition  has  been  pubhshed 
in  a  separate  form. 

Antichrist  has  agitated  the  christian  world  from 
the  earliest  ages  ;  and  his  craft  has  been  to  mislead 
the  thoughtless,  by  fixing  upon  the  humble  follow- 
ers of  the  Lamb  liis  own  opprobrious  proper  name. 
The  mass  of  professed  Christians,  whose  creed  and 
mode  of  worship  have  been  provided  by  hinnan  laws, 
has  ever  been  opposed  to  the  sincei-e  disciples  of 
Christ.  To  imbibe  every  principle  from  investi- 
gation and  conviction  of  the  holy  oracles — to  refuse 
submission  to  any  authority  in  the  spiritual  kingdom 
of  God,  except  it  is  to  Christ,  the  supreme  head  and 
only  lawgiver  in  his  church — to  refuse  obedience 
to  human  laws  in  the  great  concern  of  salvation  and 
of  worship;  whether  those  laws  or  decrees  emanate 
from  a  Darius,  a  Nebuchadnezzar,  a  Bourbon,  a 
Tudor,  or  a  Stuart — to  be  influenced  by  the  spirit 
which  animated  Daniel,  the  thi'ee  Hebrew  youths, 
and  the  martyrs,  brought  down  denunciations  upon 
them,  and  they  were  called  Antichristian :  but  alas ! 
the  sincere  disciples  of  Jesus  have  ever  known  and 
FELT  who  and  what  is  Antichrist.  They  have  been 
robbed — incarcerated  in  dungeons — i-acked  and  tor- 
mented— transported — drowned — hung  or  burned. 
The  most  frightful  atrocities  have  been  committed 
upon  the  most  peaceful  and  valuable  members  of 
society  ;  because  they  valued  their  soul's  peace  in 
preference  to  temporal  advantages.  These  cruelties 
are  thy  cursed  deeds,  0  Antichrist!  The  hand 
writing  against  thee  is  exhibited  in  blood-stained 
and  indehble  characters.  The  Great  God  has  de- 
creed thy  downfall  and  ruin — "  That  wicked  -  - 
whom  the  Lord  shall  consume  with  the  spirit  of 
his  mouth,"  2  Th.  ii.  8.  AU  who  are  found  partakers 
in  his  community,  must  be  consumed  with  an  ever- 
lasting destruction.    No  ' '  paper-ioinJcers  "  *  can  hide 


Bunyan's  expression,  see  the  last  pagel 


VOL.  ir. 


this  truth  from  the  enlightened  regenerated  mind. 
"  0  my  soul,  come  not  thou  into  their  secret,  imto 
their  assembly,  mine  honour,  be  not  thou  united : 
for  in  their  anger  they  slew  a  man.  Cursed  be 
their  anger,  for  it  was  fierce ;  and  their  wrath,  for 
it  was  cruel!  " 

In  Bunyan's  tune  great  cruelties  were  practised 
to  compel  imiformity.  To  that  absm-d  shrine  many 
thousand  invaluable  lives  were  sacrificed.  Blessed 
be  God,  that  happier  days  have  dawned  upon  us. 
Antichrist  can  no  longer  put  the  Christian  to  a 
cruel  death.  It  very  rarely  sends  one  to  prison 
for  refusing  obedience  to  humazi  laws  that  interfere 
with  religious  worship.  "  My  kingdom  is  not  of 
this  world,"  said  the  Redeemer:  and  his  followers 
dare  not  render  mito  Caesar,  or  temporal  govern- 
ments, that  which  belongs  exclusively  to  God. 
Human  coercion,  in  anything  connected  with  re- 
ligion, whether  it  imposes  creeds,  hturgies,  or  modes 
of  worship,  is  Antichrist :  whom  to  obey,  is  spiri- 
tual desolation,  and  if  knowingly  persevered  in, 
leads  to  death. 

On  the  contrary,  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  love, 
meekness,  forbearance,  persuasion,  conviction,  and 
holy  faith.  The  Christian  who  dares  not  obey 
Antichrist  may  still,  in  some  coimtries,  suft'er 
personal  violence;  but  the  olden  cruelties  have 
given  way  to  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  Should  the 
wicked  spirit  of  persecution  still  hght  its  unhal- 
lowed fii'e  in  any  sect ;  may  heaven  forgive  and  con- 
vert such  misguided  men,  before  the  divine  wrath 
shaUconsumeallthat  pertains  to  Antichrist.  "Come 
out  from  among  them  and  be  ye  separate,  saith 
the  Lord." 

Buuyan  conceives  that  previous  to  the  universal 
triumphs  of  the  Saviour,  Antichrist  will  spread  his 
influence  over  the  whole  earth  ;  and  the  church  be 
hidden  from  outward  observation,  in  the  hearts  of 
behevers.  This  idea,  which  was  also  cherished  by 
Dr.  Gill,  and  others,  deserves  careful  consideration ; 
vfhile  we  keep  in  mind,  tlwi  leaven  which  must 
spread,  however  invisible  in  its  operation,  until  the 
whole  earth  shall  be  leavened. 

The  dread  enemy  may  yet  appear  in  a  different 

F 


42 


A  PllEMONITION  TO  THE  HEADER. 


sliape  to  any  tliat  lie  has  hitherto  assumed.  When 
mankind,  by  the  spread  of  knowledge,  shall  throw 
off  the  absurdities  and  disgraceful  trammels  of  hy- 
pocrisy, fanaticism,  and  tyranny,  which  has  so  long 
oppressed  them  ;  there  may  be  experienced  a  vast 
overflowing  of  infidehty,  and  perverted  reason  as- 
sume the  place  of  Antichrist.  Through  this  and 
all  other  opposing  systems,  Christianity  must  make 
its  irresistible  progress:  all  that  opposes  is  doomed 


to  ruin  by  the  Great  God.  Every  heart  will  be 
subdued  by  that  blessed  knowledge,  which  has  the 
promise  of  the  life  that  now  is  as  well  as  of  that 
which  is  to  come.  Bloodless  victory !  The  ark 
being  exhibited,  every  Dagon  must  fall  before  it, 
then  shall  be  realized  the  heavenly  anthem,  "  Glory 
to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good 
will  towards  men." 

George  Offor. 


A  PREMONITION  TO  THE  EEADEE. 


After  that  God  had  delivered  Babylon  a'nd  her 
king  into  the  hands  of  the  kings  of  the  Medes  and 
Persians,  then  began  the  liberty  of  the  Jews,  from 
their  long  and  tedious  captivity:  For  though 
Nebuchadnezzar  and  his  sons  did  tyrannically 
enslave,  and  hold  them  under ;  yet  so  wrought  God 
with  the  hearts  of  those  kings  that  succeeded  them, 
that  they  made  proclamation  to  them  to  go  home, 
and  build  their  city,  temple,  &e.,  and  worship  their 
own  God  according  to  his  own  law.  2Ch.xxx.6;&Ezr.i. 
But  because  I  would  not  be  tedious  in  enumerating 
instances  for  the  clearing  of  this,  therefore  I  will 
content  myself  with  one,  and  with  a  brief  note  upon 
it.  It  is  that  in  the  seventh  of  Ezra  26 :  '  And 
whosoever  will  not  do  the  law  of  thy  God,  and  the 
law  of  the  king,  let  judgment  be  executed  speedily 
upon  him,  whether  it  he  to  death;  or  to  banishment, 
or  to  confiscation  of  goods,  or  to  imprisonment. ' 
This  is  the  conclusion  of  a  letter  that  king  Ar- 
taxerxes  gave  to  Ezra  the  priest  and  scribe,  when 
he  granted  his  petition,  and  gave  him  leave  to  go 
to  Jerusalem  to  build  the  temple,  and  to  offer 
sacrifice  there  to  the  God  whose  house  is  in  Jeru- 
salem. And  a  conclusion  it  was,  both  comfortable 
and  shai-p;  comfortable  to  Ezra  and  his  companions, 
but  sharp  unto  his  enemies.  I  shall  here  present 
you  with  a  copy  of  the  letter  at  large. 

'Artaxerxcs,  king  of  kings,  unto  Ezra  the  priest, 
a  scribe  of  the  law  of  the  God  of  heaven,  perfect 
peace,  and  at  such  a  time.  I  make  a  decree, 
that  all  they  of  the  people  of  Israel,  and  of  his 
priests  and  Icvitcs,  in  my  realm,  which  are  minded 
of  their  own  free-will  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  go 
■\nth  thee.  Forasmuch  as  thou  art  sent  of  the 
king,  and  of  his  seven  counsellors,  to  inquire  con- 
cerning Judah  and  Jerusalem,  according  to  the 
law  of  thy  God  which  is  in  thine  hand ;  And  to 
carry  the  silver  and  gold,  which  the  king  and  his 
counsellors  have  freely  offered  unto  the  God  of 
Israel,  whose  habitation  is  in  Jerusalem.  And 
all  the  silver  and  gold  that  thou  canst  find  in  all 
the  province  of  Babylon,  with  i\\Q  free-will-oflPering 
of  the  people,  and  of  the  priests,  offering  willingly 


for  the  house  of  their  God  which  is  in  Jerusalem : 
That  thou  mayst  buy  speedily  with  this  money 
bullocks,  rams,  lambs,  with  their  meat-offerings 
and  their  drink-offerings,  and  offer  them  upon  the 
altar  of  the  house  of  your  God  which  is  in  Jeru- 
salem. And  vrhatsoever  shall  seem  good  to  thee, 
and  to  thy  brethren,  to  do  with  the  rest  of  the 
silver  and  the  gold,  that  do  after  the  will  of  your 
God.  The  vessels  also  that  are  given  thee  for  the 
service  of  the  house  of  thy  God,  those  deliver  thou 
before  the  God  of  Jerusalem.  And  whatsoever 
more  shall  be  needful  for  the  house  of  thy  God, 
which  thou  shalt  have  occasion  to  bestow,  bestow 
it  out  of  the  king's  treasure-house.  And  I,  even 
I  Artaxerxes  the  king,  do  make  a  decree  to  all  the 
treasurers  which  are  beyond  the  river,  that  what- 
soever Ezra  the  priest,  the  scribe  of  the  law  of  the 
God  of  heaven,  shall  require  of  you,  it  be  done 
speedily.  Unto  an  hundred  talents  of  silver,  and 
to  an  hundred  measures  of  wheat,  and  to  an  hun- 
dred baths  of  wine,  and  to  an  himdred  baths  of  oil, 
and  salt  without  prescribing  how  much.  Whatso- 
ever is  commanded  by  the  God  of  heaven,  let  it  be 
diligently  done  for  the  house  of  the  God  of  heaven : 
for  why  should  there  be  wrath  against  the  realm 
of  the  king  and  his  sons?  Also  we  certify  you, 
that  touching  any  of  the  priests  and  levites,  singers, 
porters,  nethinims,  or  ministers  of  this  House  of 
God,  it  shall  not  be  lawful  to  impose  toll,  tribute, 
or  custom,  upon  them.  And  thou,  Ezra,  after  the 
wisdom  of  thy  God,  that  is  in  thine  hand,  set 
magistrates  and  judges,  which  may  judge  all  the 
people  that  are  beyond  the  river,  all  such  as  know 
the  laws  of  thy  God;  and  teach  ye  them  that  know 
them  not.  And  whosoever  wiU  not  do  the  law  of 
thy  God,  and  the  law  of  the  king,  let  judgment  be 
executed  speedily  upon  him,  whether  it  be  unto 
death,  or  to  banishment,  or  to  confiscation  of  goods, 
or  to  imprisonment. '  [Ezr.  to.  11-26.] 

This  is  the  letter ;  and  now  for  the  scope  thereof. 
First,  Generally.     Secondly,  Particularly. 

Generally,  The  general  scope  of  the  letter  is 
this  :    A  grant  given  by  the   king  to   Ezra  the 


A  PREMONITION  TO  THE  READER. 


43 


ECiibe,  to  go  to  Jcnisaleni,  and  build  there  tlie 
temple  of  God,  and  offer  sacrifice  in  it  according  to 
tlie  law :  With  commissions  annexed  theremito,  to 
the  king's  lieutenants,  treasm-ers  and  governors  on 
that  side  the  river,  to  further  the  work  with  such 
things  as  hy  the  king  was  commanded  they  should. 

Pabticularly.  But  we  wiU  consider  the  matter 
particularly.  1.  As  to  the  manner  of  the  grant 
which  the  king  gave  to  Ezra  and  his  brethren  to 
go  thither.  2.  As  to  the  king's  grant,  with  refer- 
ence to  their  building,  and  way  of  worship.  3. 
With  reference  to  the  king's  Uberality  and  gifts 
towards  the  building  of  the  temple,  and  by  what 
rules  it  was  to  be  bestowed.  4.  As  to  the  way 
that  the  king  concluded  they  should  be  governed 
in  thek  own  laud.  5.  With  reference  to  the  king's 
charge  to  his  officers  that  were  thereabout,  not  to 
hinder  Ezra  in  his  work.  6.  And  lastly,  v/ith 
reference  to  the  king's  threat  and  commandment 
to  do  judgment  if  they  should  hinder  it. 

First,  As  to  the  manner  of  the  grant  that  the 
king  gave  to  Ezra  and  his  brethi'en  to  go  to  build, 
it  was  such  an  one  as  forced  none,  but  left  every 
Jew  to  his  own  choice,  whether  he  woidd  go,  or 
forbear.  The  words  are  these :  '  Artaxerxes,  king 
of  kings,  mato  Ezra  the  priest,  a  scribe  of  the  law 
of  the  God  of  heaven,  perfect  peace,  and  at  such  a 
time.  I  make  a  decree,  that  all  they  of  the  people 
of  Israel,  and  q/'his  priests  and  levites,  in  my  realm, 
which  are  minded  of  their  o^vn  free-will  to  go  up  to 
Jerusalem,  go  v^-ith  thee. '  ver.  13,  is. 

Thus  gracious  then  was  the  king:  He  made  a 
decree.  That  all  they  of  the  captive  Jews,  their 
priests  and  levites,  that  would  return  to  then-  own 
land,  to  build  their  temple,  and  to  sacrifice  there, 
might :  He  would  hinder  none,  force  none,  but  left 
them  free,  to  do  as  they  would. 

Secondly,  As  to  the  king's  grant,  \A\h.  reference 
to  their  building,  and  way  of  worship  there,  nothing 
■was  to  be  done  therein,  hut  according  to  the  law  of 
the  God  of  Ezra,  which  loas  in  his  Imnds.  ver.  14. 
Hence,  when  he  was  come  to  Jerusalem,  he  was 
to  inquire  concerning  Judah  and  Jerusalem;  to 
wit,  what  was  wanting  in  order  to  the  temple  and 
worship  of  God  there,  according  to  the  law  of  his 
God,  which  was  in  his  hand.  Also  when  they  went 
about  to  build,  and  to  sacrifice,  all  was  to  be  done 
according  as  was  commanded  by  the  God  of  hea- 
ven :  ver.  23.  Yea,  this  was  granted  by  the  king,  and 
his  seven  coimsellors. 

Tliirdly,  As  to  the  king's  liberality  towards  the 
building  of  this  house,  <tc.  it  was  large :  He  gave 
silver,  gold,  bullocks,  rams,  lambs  ;  with  wheat, 
wine,  oil,  and  salt ;  ver.  17, 23.  but  would  by  his  royal 
power,  give  no  orders  how  in  particular  things 
should  be  bestowed,  but  left  all  that  to  Ezra  the 
priest,  to  do  with  it  according  to  the  will,  word,  or 

law  of  his  God.  ver.  18. 


Fourthly,  As  to  the  way  that  the  king  concluded 
they  should  be  governed  in  their  own  land,  it  was 
by  their  own  laws ;  yea,  he  did  bid  Ezra  the  priest, 
after  the  wisdom  of  his  God  that  was  in  his  hand 
set  magistrates  and  judges,  which  might  judo-e  all 
the  people,  &e.  only  he  bid  him  make  them  such, 
vv-hich  did  know  the  law  of  his  God :  Also  the  king 
added.  That  they  should  teach  it  to  them  that 
knew  it  not. 

Fifthly,  As  to  the  knag's  officers,  he  gave  them 
a  charge  not  to  hinder,  hut  further  this  work.  To 
further  this  work,  not  by  putting  their  hand  thereto, 
(that  was  to  be  left  to  the  Jews  alone,  especially  to 
Ezra,  according  to  the  law  of  his  God,)  but  that 
they  should  speedily  give  him  such  things  which 
the  king  had  commanded,  to  wit,  silver,  and  wheat, 
and  wine,  and  oil,  and  salt,  for  then-  encom-age- 
ment ;  and  to  do  therewith,  as  by  the  law  of  their 
God  they  should.  Further,  That  they  should  not 
impose  toU,  tribute,  or  custom,  upon  the  priests, 
levites,  singers,  porters,  nethinims,  or  ministers. 

ver.  20 — 23. 

Sixthly,  And  now  we  come  to  the  conclusion,  to 
wit,  the  king's  threat  and  command  to  do  judgment 
on  them  that  obeyed  not  the  law  of  Ezra's  God, 
and  the  king. 

Considering  what  hath  been  said  before,  I  con- 
clude, 

1.  That  this  king  imposed  no  law,  no  priest,  no 
people  upon  these  Jews ;  but  left  them  wholly  to 
their  own  law,  theu'  own  ministers,  and  their  o^\^l 
people :  AU  which  were  the  laws  of  God,  the  priests 
of  God,  the  people  of  God,  as  to  then-  buHding  of 
their  temple,  and  the  worship  of  their  God. 

2.  He  forced  not  THIS  people,  no,  not  to  their 
land,  their  temple,  nor  then-  worship,  by  his  or 
their  law ;  but  left  them  free  to  their  o^\^l  mind,  to 
do  thereabout  as  they  would. 

3.  He  added  not  any  law  therefore  of  his  own, 
either  to  prescribe  worship,  or  to  enforce  it  upon 
the  Jews. 

But  you  will  say,  upon  what  then  was  the 
threatening  and  the  command  to  pimish  grounded  ? 
I  answer,  upon  a  supposed  breach  of  two  laws. 
He  of  the  Jews,  that  in  Jerusalem,  rebelled  against 
the  law  of  the  Lord,  was  in  his  own  land  left  by  the 
king  to  be  punished  by  the  same  law,  according  to 
the  penalties  thereof:  And  he  of  the  king's  officers, 
that  refused  to  do  the  king's  laws,  that  refused  to 
give  the  Jews  such  things  as  the  king  commanded, 
and  that  would  yet  exact  such  customs  and  tributes 
as  the  king  forbade,  should  be  pimished  by  the 
king's  laws,  whether  unto  death  or  imto banishment, 
or  xmto  confiscation  of  goods,  or  to  imprisonment. 

And  if  all  kings  would  but  give  such  liberty,  to 
wit,  that  God's  people  should  be  directed  in  their 
temple-building,  and  temple  worship,  as  they  find 
it  m  the  law  of  then-  God,  without  the  additions  of 


41 


A  PREMONITION  TO  THE  READER. 


man's  inventions :  And  if  all  kings  did  but  lay  tlie 
same  penalty  upon  them  of  their  pretended  ser- 
vants, that  should  hinder  this  work,  which  this 
brave  king  Artaxerxes  laid  upon  his  ;  how  many 
of  the  enemies  of  the  Jews,  before  this  time,  would 
have  been  hanged,  banished,  had  their  goods  con- 
fiscated to  the  king,  or  their  bodies  shut  up  in 
prison !  The  which  Ave  desire  not ;  we  desire  only 
that  this  letter  of  the  king  might  be  considered  of, 
and  we  left  to  do  as  is  there  licensed  and  directed : 
And  when  we  do  the  contrary,  let  us  be  punished 
by  the  law  of  God,  as  we  are  his  servants,  and  by 
the  law  of  the  king,  as  we  are  his  subjects ;  and 
we  shall  never  complain. 

Only  I  cannot  but  observe  how  prettily  it  is 
done  of  some,  who  urge  this  text  to  colour  their 
mahce,  ignorance  and  revenge  withal,  while  they 
cry,  Tlie  Imo  of  God,  and  The  law  of  the  hing,  when 
they  will  neither  let,  according  to  this  scripture,  the 
law  of  God,  nor  the  law  of  the  king  take  place : 
Not  the  law  of  God ;  for  that  they  will  not  leave 
us  to  that,  to  square  and  govern  ourselves  in 
temple-work,  and  sacrificing  by.  Nor  will  they  do 
the  law  of  the  king,  which  has  made  void,  ijjso 
fado,  whatever  law  is  against  the  word  of  God ; 
but  because  themselves  can  do,  they  will  force  us 
to  do  so  too.* 

Before  I  leave  this,  I  woidd  touch  once  again 
upon  the  caiulour  of  this  king  Artaxerxes,  who 
thus  did:  Because  he  gave  this  leave  and  license 
to  the  Jews,  contrary  (if  he  had  any)  to  his  own 
national  worship  ;  yea,  and  also  to  the  impairing 
of  his  oynx  incomes.  Methinks  he  should  have  a 
religion  of  his  own  ;  and  that,  not  that  of  the 
Jews,  because  he  Avas  a  Gentile ;  and  not,  as  we 
read  of,  proselyted  to  the  Jews  rehgion.  Indeed, 
ho  spake  reverently  of  the  God  of  Israel,  and  of 
his  temple-worship,  and  sacrifices,  as  did  also 
several  other  kings ;  but  that  will  not  prove  that 
he  was  adapted  to  that  rehgion. 

That  his  incomes  were  impaired,  'tis  evident ; 
because  he  took  off  toll,  tribute,  and  custom  from 
them,  of  whom  mention  is  made  before ;  nor  is  it, 
I  think,  to  be  believed,  that  he  did  exact  it  of 
their  brethren.  But  Ave  may  see  what  the  Lord 
can  do ;  for  thus  to  do,  was  put  into  the  heart  of 
the  king  by  the  God  of  heaven,  ver.  27.  This  there- 
fore ariseth  not  of  nature :  no  more  did  the  kind- 
ness of  Cyrus  or  Darius,  of  Avhom  we  read  in  the 
beginning  of  this  history.     As  God  therefore  did 

•  The  absurd  act  to  compel  uniformity  in  modes  of  worship, 
xiv.  Charles  II.,  had  then  recently  passed;  and  when  this  trea- 
tise was  written,  it  desolated  the  country.  An  amazin'^  num- 
ber of  godly  ministers  were  driven  from  their  pulpits — pro- 
jcribed  from  preaching  or  teaching,  and  by  the  Five  Mile  Act 
driven  as  prisoners  to  houses  and  villages  five  miles  from  a 
market-town,  upon  pain  of  imprisoumeut,  transportation,  and 
dr.ith ! ! !— Ed. 


put  it  into  the  hearts  of  the  wicked  kings  of  Baby- 
lon, to  distress  his  church  and  people  for  their  sins ; 
so  he  put  it  into  the  hearts  of  the  kings  of  the 
Medes  and  Persians,  who  were  to  be,  in  a  sense, 
their  saviours ;  to  ease  them  of  those  distresses,  to 
take  ofi^  the  yoke,  and  let  them  go  free.  Indeed, 
there  Avas  an  Artaxerxes  that  put  a  stop  to  this 
work  of  God,  chap.  iv.  and  he  also  was  of  the  kings 
that  had  destroyed  the  Babylonians ;  for  it  doth 
not  foUoAV,  because  God  hath  begun  to  deliver  his 
people,  that  therefore  their  dehverance  must  be 
completed  Avithout  stop  or  let.  The  protestants 
in  France- had  more  favour  formerly,  than  from 
their  prince  they  at  this  time  have ;  yet  I  doubt 
not  but  that  God  will  make  that  horn  also  one  of 
them  (in  his  time)  that  (indeed)  shall  hate  the 
Avhore.  As  the  sins  of  God's  people  brought  them 
into  captivity ;  so  their  sins  can  hold  them  there  ; 
yea,  and  Avhen  the  time  comes  that  grace  must 
fetch  them  out,  yet  the  oxen  that  draAv  this  cart 
may  stumble ;  and  the  Avay  through  roughness, 
may  shake  it  sorely.  HoAvever,  heaven  rules  and 
over-rules  ;  and  by  one  means  and  another,  as  the 
captivity  of  Israel  did  seem  to  linger,  so  it  came 
out  at  the  time  appointed ;  in  the  way  that  best 
pleased  God,  most  profited  them,  and  that  most  con- 
founded those  that  were  their  implacable  enemies. 
This  therefore  shovdd  instruct  those  that  yet  dwell 
Avhere  the  woman  sitteth,  to  quietness  and  patience. 

To  quietness:  For  God  rules,  and  has  the  dis- 
pose of  things.  Besides,  it  is  a  kind  of  arraigning 
of  his  wisdom,  to  be  discontent  at  that  AAdiich  at 
present  is  upon  the  wheel.  Above  all,  it  displeases 
him  that  any  should  seek,  or  go  about  to  revenge 
their  OAvn  injuries,  or  to  work  their  own  dehverances; 
for  that  is  the  work  of  God,  and  he  will  do  it  by 
the  kings :  Nor  is  he  weak,  nor  has  he  missed  the 
opportunity ;  nor  doth  he  sleep  but  Avaketh,  and 
Avaiteth  to  be  gracious. 

This  also  should  teach  them  to  be  paiient,  and 
put  them  upon  bearing  Avhat  at  present  they  may 
undergo,  patiently.  Let  them  wait  upon  God; 
patiently  let  them  wait  upon  men,  and  patiently 
let  them  bear  ihe,  fruits  of  their  own  transgressions; 
which  though  they  shoidd  be  none  other  but  a 
deferring  of  the  mercy  wished  for,  is  enough  to 
try,  and  crack,  and  break  their  patience,  if  a  con- 
tinual supply,  and  a  daily  increase  thei'eof  be  not 
given  by  the  God  of  heaven. 

And  before  I  do  conclude  this,  let  me  also  add 
one  word  more ;  to  wit,  to  exhort  them  to  look 
that  they  may  see  that  Avhich  God  at  present  may 
be  doing  among  the  Babylonians. 

When  God  had  his  people  into  Babylon  of  old, 
he  presented  them  with  such  rarities  there,  as  he  • 
never  shewed  them  in  their  own  country.     And  is 
there   nothing  noAv  to  be  seen  by  them  that  are 
not  yet  dehvered  from  that  oppression,  that  may 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


45 


give  them  occasion  to  stay  themselves  and  wonder! 
What,  is  preservation  nothing?  What,  is  baffling 
and  befooUng  the  enemies  of  God's  church  nothing? 
In  the  Marjan  days  here  at  home,  there  was  such 
sweet  songs  sung  in  the  fire,  such  sweet  notes 
answering  them  from  prison,  and  such  providences, 
that  coals  of  burning  fire  still  dropped  here  and 
there  upon  the  heads  of  those  that  hated  God ; 
that  it  might,  and  doubtless  did  make  those  that 
did  wisely  consider  of  God's  doings,  to  think  God 
was  yet  near,  with,  and  for,  a  despised  and  afflicted 
people.*' 

I  conclude  then,  first  with  a  word  of  counsel, 
and  then  with  a  word  of  caution. 

First,  Let  us  mend  our  pace  in  the  way  of  refor- 
mation, that  is  the  way  to  hasten  the  downfall  of 
Antichrist,  ministers  need  refonning,  particular 
congregations  need  reforming,  there  are  but  few 
church-members  but  need  reforming.  This  twenty 
years  we  have  been  degenerating,  both  as  to  prin- 
ciples, and  as  to  practice ;  and  have  grown  at  last 
into  an  amazing  likeness  to  the  world,  both  as  to 
religion  and  civil  demeanour :  Yea,  I  may  say,  so 
remiss  have  churches  been  in  instructing  those 
that  they  have  received  into  fellowship  with  them ; 
and  so  careless  have  the  received  been,  of  consider- 
ing the  grounds  of  their  coming  into  churches,  that 
most  members,  in  some  places,  seem  now  to  be  at 
a  loss ;  yea,  and  those  churches  stand  with  their 
fingers  in  their  mouths,  and  are  as  if  they  would 
not,  durst  not,  or  could  not  help  it. 

My  Secoiul  is,  A  word  of  caution. 

I.  Take  heed  of  over-looking,  or  of  shutting 
your  eyes  upon  yoiu*  own  guilt :  '  He  that  covereth 
his  sins,  shall  not  prosper. '  It  is  incident  to  some 
men,  when  they  find  repentance  is  far  from  them, 
to  shut  their  eyes  upon  their  owti  guilt,  and  to 
please  themselves  with  such  notions  of  dehverance 
from  present  troubles,  as  will  stand  with  that 
course  of  sin  which  is  got  into  their  families,  per- 


*  VVheu  seveu  members  of  the  til'st  disseutiug  ehiircli  in 
London  were  burned,  a  proclamation  was  made  tliat  no  one 
should  pray  for  them,  speak  to  them,  nor  once  say,  '  God  help 
them.'  But  the  church  pressed  through  the  officers, — em- 
braced and  prayed  for  and  with  the  martyrs;  and  all  the  people 
wth  one  consent  said,  Amen;  to  the  astonishment  of  the 
officers.  And  so  these  godly  martyrs,  praying  and  praising 
God,  sweetly  ended  their  lives  in  the  flames  at  Smithfield. — 
Clarke's  Martyr ologij,  p.  500  and  516. — Ed. 


sons,  and  professions,  and  with  a  state  of  impeni- 
tence :  But  I  advise  you  to  take  heed  of  this. 

2.  Take  heed  in  laying  the  cause  of  your  troubles 
in  the  badness  of  the  temper  of  governors.  I 
speak  not  now  with  reflection  upon  any,  excepting 
those  concerned  in  this  caution :  God  is  the  chief, 
and  has  the  hearts  of  all,  even  of  the  worst  of 
men,  in  his  hand.  Good  tempered  men  have  some- 
times brought  trouble  ;  and  had  tem2)ered  men  have 
sometimes  brought  enlargement  to  the  churches  of 
God:  Saul  brought  enlargement,  i  Sa.  xiv.  23.  David 
brought  trouble:  2Sa.xii.io.  Ahab  brought  enlai-ge- 
mcnt,  1  Ki.  xxi.  29.  Jehoshapliat  and  Hezekiah  did 
both  sometimes  bring  trouble:  2 Ch. xk. 2. and xx. 35. and 
xxxu.  25.  Therefore,  the  good  or  bad  tempers  of 
men  sway  nothing  with  God  in  this  matter ;  they 
are  the  sins  or  repentances  of  his  people,  that 
make  the  church  either  happy  or  miserable  upon 
earth. 

Take  heed,  I  say  therefore,  of  laying  of  the 
trouble  of  the  chm'ch  of  God  at  the  doors  of  gover- 
nors ;  especially  at  the  doors  of  kings,  who  seldom 
trouble  churches  of  their  o^vn  inclinations  ;  (I  say, 
seldom;  for  some  have  done  so,  as  Pharaoh:)  But 
I  say,  lay  not  the  cause  of  your  trouble  there ;  for 
oftentimes  they  see  with  other  men's  eyes,  hear 
with  other  men's  ears,  and  ad  and  do  by  the  judg- 
ments of  others :  (Thus  did  Saul,  when  he  killed 
the  priests  of  the  Lord ;  l  Sa.  xxii.  is.  and  thus  did 
Darius,  when  he  cast  Daniel  into  the  lions'  den: 
Da.Ti.7.)  But  rather  labom-  to  see  the  true  cause 
of  trouble,  which  is  sin ;  and  to  attain  to  a  fitness 
to  be  delivered  out  thence,  and  that  is  by  repent- 
ance, and  amendment  of  life.  If  any  object.  That 
God  oft-times  delivers  his  of  mere  grace:  I  answer. 
That's  no  thanks  to  them ;  besides,  we  must  mind 
om-  duty.  Further,  When  God  comes  to  save  his 
people,  he  can  cut  off  such  objectors,  if  they  be 
impenitent,  as  the  sinners  of  his  people ;  and  can 
save  his  church,  without  letting  of  them  be  sharers 
in  that  salvation :  So  he  served  many  in  the  wil- 
derness ;  and  'tis  to  be  feared,  so  he  will  serve 
many  at  the  do^^^lfall  of  Antichrist. 

I  shall  say  no  more,  but  to  testify  my  loyalty 
to  my  king,  my  love  to  my  brethren,  and  service 
for  my  country,  has  been  the  cause  of  this  my 
present  scribble.     Farewell. 

Thine  in  the  Lord,  J.  Bcxyax. 


OF    ANTICHEIST. 


Antichkist  is  the  adversary  of  Christ ;  an  adver- 
sary really,  a  friend  pretendedly:  So  then.  Anti- 
christ is  one  that  is  against  Christ ;  one  that  is  for 
Christ,  and  one  that  is  contrary  to  him :  (And  this 


is  that  mystery  of  iniquity.  2  Tli.  ii.  7.)  Against  him 
in  deed;  for  him  in  word,  and  contrary  to  him  in 
2?radice.  Antichrist  is  so  2^^oud  as  to  go  before 
Christ ;  so  huniLle  as  to  pretend  to  come  after  him, 


46 


OF  ANTICHEIST,  AND  HIS  IIUIN. 


and  so  audacious  as  to  say  that  liimsclf  is  lie. 
Anticlirist  will  cry  up  Christ  ;  Antichrist  will  cry 
down  Christ:  Antichrist  will  proclaim  that  himself 
is  one  ahove  Christ.  Anticlii-ist  is  the  inian  of  sin, 
the  son  ofj^eixlUion;  a  heast,  [that]  hath  two  horns 
like  a  lamh,  hut  speaks  as  a  dragon.  Ec.  xUi.  ii. 

Christ  is  the  Son  of  God ;  Antichrist  is  the  son 
of  Hell. 

Christ  is  holy,  meek,  and  forbearing:  Anti- 
christ is  wicked,  outrageous,  and  exacting. 

Christ  sceketh  the  good  of  the  soul:  Antichrist 
seeks  his  own  avarice  and  revenge. 

Christ  is  content  to  rule  by  his  word :  Antichrist 
saith.  The  word  is  not  sufficient. 

Christ  prefcrreth  his  Father's  will  above  heaven 
and  earth :  Antichrist  prefcrreth  hhnself  and  his 
traditions  above  all  that  is  written,  or  that  is  called 
God,  or  worshipped. 

Christ  has  given  us  such  laws  and  rules  as  are 
helpful  and  healthful  to  the  soid:  Antichrist 
sceketh  to  abuse  those  rules  to  our  hurt  and  de- 
struction. 

Antichrist  may  be  considered  either  more  parti- 
cularly, or  more  generally.  1.  More  particularly: 
And  so  there  are  many  Antichrists,  i  Jn.  ii.  is.  2. 
More  generally:  And  so  the  many  maketh  but  one 
great  Antichrist,  one  man  of  sin,  one  enemy,  one 
great  whore,  one  son  of  perdition.  2  Th.  ii.  3.  Re.  xix.  2. 

Again,  Antichrist  must  be  distinguished,  with 
respect  to  his  more  internal  and  external  parts ; 
aud  so  there  is  the  spirit,  soul,  or  life ;  i  Jn.  iv.  3.  and 
also  the  Lody  and  flesh  of  Antichrist.  2  Tii.  ii.  7.  The 
spii'it,  or  sovl,  or  Hfe  of  Antichrist,  is  that  spirit  of 
error,  tJiat  wicked,  thai  mystery  of  iniquity,  that 
under  colour  and  pretence  of  verity,  draweth  men 
from  truth  to  falsehood.  The  body  or  flesh  of 
Antichrist,  is  that  heap  of  men,  that  assembly  of 
the  wicked,  that  synagogue  of  Satan  that  is  acted 
and  governed  by  that  spirit.  But  God  will  destroy 
both  sold  and  body ;  He  '  shall  consume  the  glory 
of  his  forest,  and  of  his  fruitful  field,  both  soul  and 
body:  (or  from  the  soul,  even  to  the  flesh)  and 
they  shall  be  (both  soul  and  body)  as  when  a 
standard-bearer  faintcth. '  is.  x.  18. 

A  PARTICULAR  DESCRIPTION  OP  ANTICHRIST. 

Antichrist  therefore  is  a  mystical  man,  so  made, 
or  begotten  of  the  devil,  and  sent  into  the  world, 
himself  being  the  chief  and  highest  of  him.  Three 
things  therefore  go  to  the  making  up  of  Antichrist, 
the  head,  body,  and  soul.  The  devil  Jie  is  the 
head ;  the  synagogue  of  Satan,  thai  is  the  body ; 
that  wicked  spirit  of  iniquity,  that  is  the  soul  of 
Antichrist.  Christ  then  is  the  head  of  his  church; 
the  devil  is  the  head  of  Anticlirist ;  the  elect  are 
the  body  of  Christ ;  the  reprobate  professors  are 
the  body  of  Antichrist;    the   Holy  Ghost  is  the 


spirit  of  life  that  act[uat]eth  Christ's  body ;  that 
wicked  spirit  of  iniquity,  is  that  w^hich  act[uat]eth 
the  body  of  Antichrist.  Thus  therefore  are  the 
two  great  mighties  set  forth  before  us,  wdio  are 
the  heads  of  those  two  bodies ;  and  thus  are  these 
two  bodies  set  before  us,  v/ho  are  to  be  act[uat]ed 
by  these  two  spirits. 

The  reason  why  Christ  came  into  the  world, 
was,  That  he  might  destroy  all  the  works  of  the 
head  of  Antichrist,  and  they  which  he  endeavom*- 
eth  to  complete  by  his  wicked  spirit  ivorking  in 
his  body,  i  Jn.  iii.  8.  And  the  reason  why  Antichrist 
came  mto  the  world,  was.  That  the  chm-eh,  which 
is  the  body  of  Christ,  might  be  tried,  and  made 
white  by  suffering  mider  his  tyranny,  and  by  bear- 
ing witness  against  his  falsehoods.  For,  for  the 
trial  of  the  faithful,  aud  for  the  punishment  of  the 
world.  Antichrist  was  admitted  to  come :  But  when 
he  came,  he  first  appeared  there  where  one  would 
have  thought  there  had  been  no  place  nor  corner 
for  his  reception. 

Vv'HERE  ANTICHRIST  FIRST  APPEARED. 

The  devil  then,  made  use  of  the  church  of  God 
to  midwife  this  monster  mto  the  world,  as  the 
Apostle  plainly  shews,  there  he  first  sat,  skewing 
hiinself.  2  Th  ii.  4.  Here  therefore  was  his  first 
appearance,  even  in  the  church  of  God :  Not  that 
the  church  of  God  did  willingly  admit  him  there  to 
sit  as  such ;  he  had  covered  his  cloven-foot ;  he 
had  jplumhs  in  his  dragon's  mouth,  and  so  came  in 
by  flatteries ;  promising  to  do  for  Christ  and  his 
church,  that  which  he  never  meant  to  perform. 
For  he  shewed  himself  that  he  was  God,  and  in 
appearance,  set  his  heart  to  do  as  the  heart  of  God. 
Eze.  xxviii  3—6.  And  who  could  have  foimd  in  their 
hearts  to  shut  the  door  upon  such  an  one  ?  True, 
he  came,  when  he  came  thither,  out  of  the  bottom- 
less-pit ;  but  there  came  such  a  smoke  out  thence 
with  him,  and  that  smoke  so  darkened  the  light  of 
the  sun,  of  the  moon,  of  the  stars,  and  of  the  day, 
that  had  they  [the  church]  been  upon  their  watch, 
as  they  were  not,  they  could  not  have  perceived 
him  from  another  man.  Besides,  there  came  with 
him  so  many  locusts  to  usher  him  into  the  house 
of  God,  Re.  ix.  2,3.  and  they  so  suited  the  flesh  aud 
reason  of  the  godly  of  that  day,  that  with  good 
words  and  fair  speeches,  by  their  crafty  and  cmi- 
ning  sleights,  whereby  they  lay  in  wait  to  deceive, 
they  quite  got  him  in,  aud  set  him  up,  and  made 
him  a  great  one,  even  the  chief,  before  they  were 
aware.  Further,  He  quickly  got  him  a  beast  to 
ride  on,  far,  for  sumptuous  glory,  beyond  (though 
as  to  nature,  as  assish  a  creatm'e  as)  that  on  which 
Baalam  was  wont  to  ride :  And  by  this  exaltation 
he  became  not  only  more  stately,  but  the  horns  of 
the  beast  would  push  for  him.  Re.  xvii.  3— c. 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  IIIS  RUIN. 


47 


Again,  This  man  of  sin,  when  he  came  into  the 
■world,  had  the  art  of  metamorphosing,  and  could 
change  himself,  hoth  in  form  and  shape,  into 
the  likeness  of  a  beast,  a  man,  or  woman ;  and  the 
kings  of  the  earth,  with  the  inhabitants  of  the 
world,  began  then  to  love  such  women  dearly; 
wherefore  they  went  to  her  into  the  bed  of  love, 
and  defiled  themselves  with  the  filthiness  of  her 
fornications,  gave  her  their  troth,  and  became  her 
Imsbands,  and  beloved  sons ;  took  up  helmet  and 
shield,  and  stood  to  defend  her ;  yea,  though  Christ 
himself,  and  some  of  the  chief  of  his  followers, 
cried  out  of  her  shame,  and  of  the  evil  of  their 
doings ;   yet  Avould  she  be  audacious. 

Also  this  woman  had  now  arrayed  herself  in 
flesh-iaJdng  ornaments,  of  the  colour  of  purple  and 
scarlet,  and  was  decked  with  gold,  and  precious 
stones,  and  pearls,  after  the  manner  or  attire  of 
harlots.  Thus  came  she  to  them,  and  lay  in  their 
bosoms,  and  gave  them  out  of  her  golden  cup  of 
the  wine  of  her  fornication ;  of  the  which  they 
bibbed  till  they  were  drmiken ;  and  then,  in 
requital,  they  also  gave  her  of  such  liquors  as  they 
could,  to  wit,  to  drink  of  the  blood  of  saints,  and 
of  martyrs  of  Jesus,  till  she,  like  these  beasts,  was 
drunken  also. 

Now  when  they  were  drunken,  they  did  as 
drunkards  do,  revel,  roar,  and  belch  out  their  OAvn 
shame,  in  the  sight  of  them  that  were  sober: 
Wherefore  they  cried  out  upon  such  doings,  and 
chose  rather  to  die,  than  to  live  with  such  com- 
pany. And  so  'tis  still  with  them  where  she  yet 
sitteth,  and  so  will  be  till  she  shall  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  strong  Lord,  who  will  judge  her 
according  to  her  ways.  And  that  she  must  do, 
as  is  implied  by  this.  That  her  fornications  are  in 
a  cup ;  she  has  therefore  but  her  cup  to  be  drank 
out;  wherefore  when  it  is  empty,  then,  whether 
she  will  or  no,  the  Lord  God  will  call  her  to  such 
a  reckoning,  that  all  the  clothes  on  her  back,  with 
what  pearls  and  jewels  she  has,  shall  not  be  able 
to  pay  the  shot, 

GF  THE  EUIN  OF  ANTICHRIST. 

Antichrist,  as  was  said,  had  a  tune  to  come  into 
the  world,  and  so  must  have  a  time  to  go  out  again : 
For  although  he  saith  that  he  is  a  God,  yet  must 
he  be  subject  to  the  Mill  of  God,  and  must  go  as 
well  as  come  according  to  that  will.  Nor  can  all 
the  fallen  angels,  with  all  the  members  and  limbs 
of  Antichrist,  cause  that  this  their  brat  should 
abide  so  much  as  one  day  longer  than  our  God's 
prefixed  time.  And  this  the  head  of  Antichrist 
understandeth  very  well:  Wherefore  the  Holy 
Ghost  saith,  'Woe  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth, 
and  of  the  sea !  for  the  devil  is  come  down  unto 
you,  having  great  wrath,  because  he  knowcth  that 
he  hath  but  a  short  time. '  Re  xii.  13. 


Besides,  the  text  says  plainly.  The  Lord  shall 
destroy  him,  3  Th.  ii.  8.  and  that  he  goeth  into  per- 
dition: Ee.xvii.ii.  and  xix.  26.  Also  the  church  of  God 
believes  it,  and  the  limbs  of  Antichrist  fear  it. 

Now  when,  or  as  his  time  shall  come  to  be 
destroyed,  so  he  shall  be  made  a  hand  of;  and 
that  with  such  instruments  and  weapons  of  God's 
indignation,  as  best  shall  be  suited  to  his  several 
parts. 

Such  weapons  as  are  best  for  the  destroying  of 
his  soiil,  shall  be  used  for  the  destroyino-  of  it ; 
and  such  weapons  as  are  best  for  the  destroying 
of  his  body,  shall  be  made  use  of  for  the  destroying 
of  it. 

THE  SOUL  OF  IT  DESTROYED,  AXD  HOW. 

And  therefore,  as  to  his  soul,  or  that  spirit  of 
error  that  governs  him  in  all  his  works  of  mischief ; 
this  must  be  consumed  by  the  spirit  of  Christ's 
mouth,  and  be  destroyed  by  the  brightness  of  his 
coming. 

This  we  have  in  the  words  of  Paul :  'For  (saith 
he)  the  mystery  of  iniquity  (the  spirit  of  Antichrist) 
doth  already  work :  only  he  who  now  letteth,  loill 
let,  imtil  he  be  taken  out  of  the  way.  And  then 
shall  that  wicked  be  revealed,  whom  the  Lord  shall 
consume  with  the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  shall 
destroy  with  the  brightness  of  his  coming. '  2  Th.  ii.  7,  s. 
The  Apostle  here  treateth  of  Antichrist,  with 
reference  to  his  more  subtil  and  spiritual  part,  since 
that  indeed  is  the  chiefest  of  Antichrist :  Where- 
fore he  calls  it  that  wkhed ;  not,  that  wicked  one, 
as  referring  to  the  whole ;  but  that  wicked,  as 
referring  to  the  mystery  or  sjoint  of  iniquity,  the 
heart  and  soul  of  Antichrist;  and  tells  us,  that 
the  Lord  shall  '  consume  him  with  the  spirit  of  his 
mouth,  and  shall  destroy  him  with  the  brightness 
of  his  coming. ' 

Now,  by  the  s^oirit  of  his  mouth,  I  understand 
his  holy  loord,  which  is  called  '  The  Avord  and 
breath  of  his  lips  : '  is.  xi.  4.  And  also,  '  The  sword 
of  his  mouth. '  Re.  ii.  16.  By  '  the  brightness  of  his 
coming,'  I  also  understand,  not  only  his  presence, 
but  an  increase  of  light  by  his  presence ;  not  only 
to  help  Christians  to  begin  to  bear  witness  against 
some  parts  and  pieces  of  the  errors  of  Antichrist, 
but  until  the  ivhole  is  rooted  out  of  the  world.  B}- 
this,  I  say,  must  the  soul,  spirit,  or  life  of  Anti- 
christ be  taken  av/ay.  But  how  shall  Christ  by 
this  rod,  sword,  or  spirit  of  his  mouth,  consmne 
this  wicked,  this  mystery  of  iniquity?  Not  b}- 
himself  immediately,  but  by  his  sjyirU  and  word  in 
his  church  ;  the  which  he  will  use,  and  so  manage 
in  this  work,  that  they  shall  not  rest  till  he  by 
them  has  brought  this  beast  to  his  grave.  This 
beast  is  compared  to  the  wild  boar,  and  the  beast, 
that  comes  out  of  the  wood  to  devour  the  church  of 
God,  (as  we  read  in  the  book  of  Psalms:  kxx.is.) 


48 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  KUIN. 


But  Christ,  with  the  dogs  that  eat  the  criunhs  of 
liis  table,  will  so  hunt  and  scour  him  about,  that 
albeit  he  may  let  out  some  of  their  bowels  with 
the  tushes  of  his  chaps,  yet  they  will  not  let  him 
alone  till  they  have  his  hfe :  For  the  church  shall 
single  him  out  from  oil  beasts,  and  so  follow  him 
with  cries,  and  pinch  him  with  their  voices,  that  he 
alone  shall  perish  by  their  means.*  Thus  shall 
Christ  consume  and  wear  him  out  by  the  spirit  of 
his  mouth,  and  destroy  him  with  the  brightness  of 
his  coming. 

Hence  you  find  again.  That  this  loiclced,  is  to 
melt  and  consimie  away  as  grease :  For  the  Lord 
Jesus  shall  consume  him,  and  cause  him  to  melt 
away ;  not  all  at  once,  but  oioio  this  part,  and  then 
that ;  now  his  soul,  and  after  that  his  bodi/,  even 
imtil  soul  and  body  are  both  destroyed. 

And  that  you  may  be  convinced  of  the  truth  of 
this  thing,  do  but  look  back  and  compare  Anti- 
christ four  or  five  hundred  years  ago,  with  Anti- 
christ as  he  is  now,  and  you  shall  see  what  work 
the  Lord  Jesus  has  begun  to  make  with  him,  even 
with  the  spirit  and  soul,  and  life  of  Antichrist ; 
both  in  confounding  and  blasting  of  it  by  this  spirit 
of  his  mouth,  as  also  by  forcing  of  it  to  dishon- 
ourable retreats,  and  by  making  of  it  give  up  to 
him,  as  the  conqueror,  not  only  some  of  his  super- 
stitious and  diabolical  rites  and  ceremonies,  to  be 
destroyed,  but  many  a  goodly  truth,  which  this 
vile  one  had  taken  from  his  church,  to  be  renewed 
to  them :  Nay,  further,  he  hath  also  already  began 
to  take  from  him  both  kingdoms  and  countries, 
though  as  to  some  not  so  absolutely  as  he  shaU  do 
by  and  by.  And  in  the  meantime,  this  is  the 
plague  wherewith  the  Lord  shall  plague  or  smite 
the  people  that  have  fought  against  Jerusalem: 
'Their  flesh  shall  consume  away  while  they  stand 
upon  their  feet,  and  their  eyes  shall  consume  away 
in  their  holes,  and  their  tongue  shall  consume  away 
in  their  mouth,'  Zcc. xiv.  12.  And  how  has  this  long 
ago  been  fulfilled  here  in  England !  as  also  in  Scot- 
land, Holland,  Germany,  France,  Sweden,  Den- 
mark, Hungary,  and  other  places !  is.  x^a.  4—6.  Nor 
liath  this  spirit  of  Antichrist,  with  all  his  art  and 
artificers,  been  able  to  reduce  to  Antichrist  again, 
those  people,  nations,  or  parts  of  nations,  that  by 
the  spirit  of  Christ's  mouth,  and  'the  brightness  of 
his  coming,'  have  been  made  to  forsake  him,  and 


*  Cliristiaii,  read  in  these  words  i/our  duty.  Bunvan  felt 
the  tusks  of  the  wild  boar,  even  to  the  peril  of  his  life.  He 
horc  with  resignation  all  his  sufl'erings,  and  was  blest.  Pity 
those  whose  souls  are  under  the  yoke.  Antichrist,  if  cruel 
to  the  body,  is  more  dangerous  to  the  souls  of  men.  Your 
prayers  and  exertions  should  be  redoubled  until  it  is  delivered 
up  to  the  just  judgment  of  the  Almighty.  Come  out,  0  Chris- 
tian, and  be  sepai-atc  from  every  system  which  is  stained  with 
the  blood  and  defiled  with  the  soul-harrowing  groans  of  the 
saints  of  God. — En. 


to  turn  from  him  to  Christ :  The  reason  is,  for  that 
the  Lord  has  not  retreated,  but  is  still  going  on  in 
the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  his  brightness,  to  make 
that  conquest  over  him  that  is  determined,  in  the 
way  that  is  determined :  Of  which  more  shall  be 
spoken  afterward ;  for  the  path-way  that  he  goeth, 
is  as  the  shining  light,  which  shines  more  and 
more  mito  noon.  True,  the  fogs  of  Antichrist,  and 
the  smoke  that  came  with  him  out  of  the  bottom- 
less-pit, lias  darkened  and  eclipsed  the  glorious 
light  of  the  gospel :  But  you  know,  in  echpses, 
Avhen  they  are  on  the  recovering  hand,  all  the 
creatures  upon  the  face  of  the  earth  cannot  put  a 
stop  to  that  course,  imtil  the  sun  or  the  moon  have 
recovered  their  glory.  And  thus  it  shall  be  now, 
the  Lord  is  returned  to  visit  the  earth,  and  his 
people  with  his  primitive  lustre;  he  will  not  go 
back,  nor  slack  his  hand,  imtil  he  has  recovered 
what  Antichrist  has  darkened  of  his.  '  The  anger 
of  the  Lord  shall  not  return,  until  he  have  exe- 
cuted, and  till  he  have  performed  the  thoughts  of 
his  heart :  in  the  latter  days  ye  shall  consider  it 
perfectly. '  Jc.  xxiu.  20.  Therefore  he  saith  again,  *  The 
light  of  the  moon  shaU  be  as  the  light  of  the  sun 
(was  in  her  eclipse  ;)  and  the  light  of  the  sim  shall 
be  sevenfold,  as  the  light  of  seven  days,  in  the  day 
that  the  Lord  bindeth  up  the  breach  of  his  people, 
and  healcth  the  stroke  of  their  wound,  '  &lc.  as 
the  verse  before  has  it :  'In  the  day  when  the 
towers  fall.' 

For  (as  was  said  before)  as  to  the  recovery  of 
the  light  of  the  gospel  from  under  Antichristian 
mists,  and  fogs  of  darkness ;  Christ  will  do  that, 
not  by  might  nor  power,  but  by  the  spirit  of  his 
mouth,  and  the  brightness  of  his  coming:  Where- 
fore the  send  of  Antichrist,  or  that  spirit  of  wicked- 
ness by  Avhich  this  gospel-light  hath  been  dimi- 
nished, must  be  consumed  and  destroyed  by  that 
spirit  also.  Nor  can  any  other  way  of  conquest 
over  that  be  thorough,  and  lasting ;  because  that 
spirit  can  by  no  other  means  be  slain.  The  body 
of  Antichrist  may  be  destroyed  by  other  instru- 
ments, but  spirits  cannot  be  killed  but  by  spirits. 
The  temporal  sword  then  may  kiU  the  body,  but 
after  that  it  hath  no  more  that  it  can  do,  where- 
fore, the  other  must  be  dealt  with  by  another  kind 
of  weapon :  And  here  is  one  sufficient,  the  spirit 
against  the  spirit ;  the  spirit  and  face  of  Christ, 
against  the  spirit,  that  wicked,  of  Antichrist.  And 
by  this  spirit  of  Christ's  mouth,  aU  the  spirit  that 
is  in  all  the  trinkets  and  loash  of  Antichrist  shall 
also  be  destroyed;  so  that  those  trinkets,  those 
rites,  ceremonies,  and  ordinances  of  this  man  of 
sin,  shall  be  left  as  carrion  upon  the  face  of  the 
earth,  and  shall  stink  in  the  noses  of  men,  as  doth 
the  corrupted  blood  of  a  dead  man. 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


4D 


XnS  ORDINANCES  OF  ANTICHRIST. 

Now  therefore  will  tlie  beauty  of  Antichrist  fade 
like  a  flower,  and  fall  as  doth  a  leaf  when  the  sap 
of  the  tree  has  left  it ;  or  as  the  beauty  departeth 
from  the  body,  when  the  soid,  or  life,  or  spirit  is 
gone  forth.  And  as  the  body  cannot  be  but  un- 
pleasant and  unsavoury  when  imder  such  a  state ; 
so  the  body  of  Antichrist  wiU  be  to  beholders, 
Avhen  the  Lord  has  slain  the  spirit  thereof.  It  is 
the  spirit  of  Antichrist  that  puts  hfe  into  the  body; 
and  that  puts  lustre  into  the  ordinances  of  Anti- 
christ, as  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  of  the  moon, 
and  of  the  stars,  do  put  lustre  upon  the  things  of 
this  visible  world:  Wherefore,  when  this  spirit, 
and  soul,  and  life  of  Antichrist  is  slain,  then  it 
will  be  with  liim  as  'twould  be  with  the  loorld, 
had  it  no  light  of  the  sun,  of  the  moon,  or  of  the 
stars. 

And  hence,  as  the  loss  of  our  natural  life  is 
compared  to  the  loss  of  these  lights ;  Ec.  xii.  2.  so  the 
loss  of  the  life,  soul  and  spirit  of  Antichrist  Is  com- 
pared to  these  things  also.  For,  the  soul  of  Anti- 
christ is  compared  to  a  heaven ;  and  her  ordinances 
and  rites,  to  the  ordinances  of  heaven :  Wherefore, 
when  the  Lord  comes  to  fight  against  her  with  the 
spirit  of  his  mouth,  he  saith,  *  The  stars  of  heaven 
[shall  be  darkened],  and  the  constellations  thereof 
shall  not  give  their  light ;'  is.  xiii.  lo.  because  he  will 
slay  that  spirit  of   Antichrist  that   is  in  them. 

Is.  xxxiv.  Re.  vi.  13, 14» 

Take  things  therefore  more  distinctly,  thus : 
The  Antichristians  spirit,  is  the  heaven  of  Anti- 
christians ;  their  sun,  moon  and  stars,  are  their 
superstitious  ordinances ;  their  earth  is  the  body 
or  flesh  of  Antichrist,  otherwise  called  the  church 
and  synagogue  of  Satan.  Now  as  the  earth  cannot 
live,  and  be  desirable,  Avithout  the  influences  of 
the  spirit  of  the  heavens  ;  so  neither  can  Antichrist 
live,  when  the  Lord  shall  darken  the  light  of  his 
heaven,  and  shall  slay  the  spirit  thereof.  Hence 
you  read,  as  I  touched  before,  that  when  his  heaven 
shall  be  rolled  together  as  a  scroll,  '  all  the  host 
thereof,'  unto  which  I  compare  the  ordinances  of 
Antichrist,  '  shall  fall  down,  as  the  leaf  falleth  oft" 
from  the  vine,  and  as  a  falling  fig  from  the  fig- 
tree. 'is.  xxxiv.  4.  But  how,  or  why  doth  the  leaf,  or 
the  fig  fall  from  the  tree  ?  Why,  because  the  spirit, 
or  sap  of  the  tree,  is  gone  from  them. 

Therefore,  the  first  and  chief  proceeding  of  the 
Lord  with  the  man  of  sin,  is  to  slay  his  soid,  that 
his  bod')/  may  also  be  consumed:  And  when  the 
spirit  of  Antichrist  shall  be  made  to  leave  both  the 
body  and  ordinances  of  Antichrist,  'twill  be  easy 
to  deal  both  with  the  one  and  the  other.  And 
first,  for  the  ordinances  of  Antichrist ;  because  the 
spirit  of  error  is  in  them,  as  well  as  in  the  body 
itself.     When  that  spirit,  as  I  said,  has  left  them, 

VOL.  11. 


they  will  of  themselves  even  moulder  away,  ai\d 
not  be :  As  we  have  seen  by  experience  here  in 
England,  as  others  also  have  seen  in  other  countries. 
For  as  concerning  his  masses,  prayers  for  the  dead 
images,  pilgrimages,  monkish  vows,  sinful  fasts 
and  the  beastly  single  life  of  their  priests,  thouo-U 
when  the  spirit  of  Antichrist  was  in  them,  they 
did  bear  some  sway  in  the  world ;  yet  now,  of  what 
esteem  are  they?  or  who  has  reverence  for  them? 
They  are  now  blown  together  under  hedges,  as  the 
dry  leaves,  for  the  mice  and  frogs  to  harbour  in : 
yea,  the  locusts  too,  camp  in  the  hedges  among 
the  dry  leaves,  in  the  cold  day,  and  *  when  the  sua 
ariseth  they  flee  away:' Na. iii.  15— 17.  When  'tis  a 
cold  day  for  them  in  a  nation,  then  they  lurk  in 
the  hedges,  though  their  ordinances  lie  there,  as 
leaves  that  are  dry,  and  fallen  down  from  the  tree  ; 
but  when  the  sun  ariseth,  and  waxeth  warm,  they 
abide  not,  but  betake  them  to  their  wings,  and  fly 
away.  But  one  would  think  that  fallen  leaves 
should  have  no  great  nourishment  in  them :  True, 
if  you  have  respect  to  men,  but  with  vermin  any 
thing  will  do :  We  speak  then  of  them  with  refe- 
rence to  i)ien,  not  with  respect  to  the  very  members 
of  Antichrist :  And  I  say,  as  to  tliem,  when  the 
spirit  of  Antichrist  is  gone  out  of  these  ordinances, 
they  win  be  with  them  as  dry  leaves  that  no  body 
seeketh  after.  The  ordinances  therefore  of  Anti- 
christ are  not  able  to  bear  up  themselves  in  the 
world,  as  the  ordinances  of  the  Lord  Jesus  are,  for 
even  the  ordinances  of  Christ,  where  the  spirit  of 
Christ  is  not,  are  yet  in  some  esteem  with  men : 
But  THESE,  when  the  spirit  of  delusion  has  left 
them,  are  abhorred,  both  skin  and  bones :  For  in 
themselves  they  are  without  any  sense,  or  ration- 
ality ;  Eze.  XX.  25, 2G.  yea,  they  look  as  parts  of  things 
which  are  used  to  conjure  up  devils  with :  These 
were  prefigured  by  the  ordinances  that  were  NOT 
good,  and  by  the  judgments  whereby  one  should 
not  live.  For  what  is  there,  or  can  there  be  of 
the  least  dram  of  truth  or  profit  In  the  things  that 
are  without  the  word,  that  being  the  only  stamp 
by  which  one  is  distinguished  from  the  other  ?  I 
say,  What  is  there  in  any  of  them,  to  the  man 
whose  eyes  are  open,  but  delusion  and  deceit! 
Wherefore,  as  has  been  expressed  already,  when 
the  Lord  Christ,  by  the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  <fec. 
shall  drive  this  mystery  of  iniquity  from  them,  and 
strip  them  of  that  spirit  of  delusion  that  now  by 
its  craft  puts  bewitching  excellency  upon  them, 
they  will  of  themselves  become  such  stinking 
rivers,  ponds  and  pools,  that  flesh  and  blood  will 
loathe  to  drink  of  them ;  yea,  as  it  was  with  the 
ponds  and  pools  of  Egypt,  they  will  be  fit  for  nought 
but  to  breed  and  hatch  up  frogs  in. 

Wherefore  these  ordinances  shall  be  rejected, 
not  one  of  them  shall  find  favour  with  men  on  earth ; 
when  the  Lord,   *  by  the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  and 


50 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


tiie  briglituess  of  liis  coming,'  sliall  have  separated 
tlieir  spirit  from  tliem. 

Now,  by  ordinances  of  Antichrist,  I  do  not  in- 
tend things  that  only  respect  matters  of  worship 
in  Antichrist's  kingdom,  hut  those  civil  laws  that 
impose  and  enforce  them  also ;  yea,  that  enforce 
THAT  worship  v.dth  pains  and  penalties,  as  in  the 
Spanish  inquisition :  For  these  must,  as  the  other, 
he  overthrown  hy  Christ,  by  the  spirit  of  his  mouth, 
and  the  brightness  of  his  coming:  For  these  laws, 
as  the  other,  took  their  being,  and  have  their  soul 
and  life  by  the  spirit  of  Antichrist ;  yea,  as  long  as 
there  is  life  m  them,  'tis  because  the  spirit  of  that 
man  of  sin  yet  remaineth  in  them.  Wlierefore, 
these  are  also  great  ordinances,  though  of  another 
nature  than  those  mentioned  before :  Great,  I  say, 
are  they ;  forasmuch  as  neither  the  church  of  Anti- 
christ, nor  his  instruments  of  worship,  can  either 
live  or  stand  without  them.  Wherefore,  it  was 
admitted  to  the  image  of  the  beast,  not  only  to 
speak,  but  to  cause.  To  speak  out  his  laws  of 
worship,  '  and  cause  that  as  many  as  would  not 
worship  the  image  of  the  beast,  should  be  killed. ' 
Re.  xiii.  15.  And  mark.  This  is  because  that  the  life 
that  was  communicated  to  the  image  of  the  beast, 
was  by  him  also  communicated  to  his  word  and 
authority.  Wherefore,  these  laws  must  not  be 
separated  from  those  in  which  the  spirit  of  Anti- 
christ is  ;  yea,  they  are  the  very  pillars  and  sinews 
by  which  Antichristianism  remains  :  And  were 
these  dis-spirited,  the  whole  building  would  quickly 
become  a  ruinous  heap. 

What  could  the  king  of  Babylon's  golden  image 
have  done,  had  it  not  been  for  the  burning  fiery 
furnace  that  stood  within  view  of  the  worshippers  ? 
Da.  iii.  Yca,  what  could  that  horrible  command,  to 
pray,  for  thirty  days,  to  neither  God  nor  man,  but 
to  the  king,  have  done,  had  it  not  been  for  the  dark 
den,  and  the  roaring  lions  there  in  readiness  to 
devour  those  that  disobeyed  it  ?  Da.  vi.  As  there- 
fore the  burning  fiery  furnace,  and  the  den  of  lions, 
were  the  support  of  the  horrible  religion  of  the 
Babylonians  of  old;  so  popish  edicts  are  the  sup- 
port of  the  religion  of  Antichrist  now ;  and  as  long- 
as  there  is  spirit,  that  is,  aidhority,  in  them,  they 
are  like  to  those  now  mentioned ;  the  spirit  of  such 
law.'S  is  that  that  makes  them  dreadful:  For  as 
the  furnace  would  have  been  next  to  nothing,  if 
void  of  fire ;  and  the  den  as  little  frightful,  if  des- 
titute of  lions  ;  so  these  laws  will  be  as  insignificant, 
when  Christ  has  slain  that  spirit  that  is  in  them ; 
that  spirit  that  causes  that  as  many  as  Avill  not 
worship  the  image  of  the  beast,  should  be  killed. 

Nor  can  any  sword  reach  that  life  of  Antichrist 
that  is  in  these,  but  the  sword  of  Christ's  mouth: 
Therefore,  as  all  the  religious  rites  and  ceremonies 
of  Antichrist  are  overthrown  by  his  spirit  working 
in  his,  as  Christians ;  so  those  Antichristiau  laws 


will  have  their  soul  and  their  life  taken  from  them 
also  by  this  spirit  of  his  mouth  working  in  some 
of  his,  as  magistrates,  and  no  otherwise  ;  for  before 
kino-s  and  princes,  ifec,  come  to  be  enlightened  about 
the  evils  that  are  in  such  edicts,  by  the  spirit  of 
the  hvino-  God,  they  will  let  this  image  of  the  beast 
both  speak  and  cause,  <fec.  But  when  they  shall 
see,  they  will  say,  let  it  be  decreed  that  this  prop 
of  Antichrist  be  taken  down.  It  was  decreed  by 
Darius,  that  they  that  prayed,  for  thirty  days,  to 
any  God  but  him,  should  be  cast  into  the  den  of 
lions :  Da.  vi.  9.  but  this  was  before  he  saw;  but  when 
he  came  to  see,  then  he  decreed  again ;  a  decree 
that  quite  took  away  the  power  of  tliat  which  he 
had  decreed  before.  Da.  vi.  2g. 

Nor  are  we  vdthout  instances  of  this  kind  nearer 
home :  who  is  now  afraid  of  the  act  for  burning  of 
those  that  papists  call  heretics,  since  by  the  king 
and  parliament,  as  by  the  finger  of  God,  the  life 
and  soul  is  taken  out  of  it.  I  bring  this  to  shew 
you,  that  as  there  is  life  in  wicked  Autichristian 
penal  laws,  as  well  as  in  those  that  are  supersti- 
tiously  religious  ;  so  the  life  of  these,  of  all  these, 
must  be  destroyed  by  the  same  spirit  working  in. 
those  that  are  Christ's,  though  in  a  diverse  way. 

Nor  will  the  life  of  these  sinews,  as  I  have  called 
them,  be  taken  away ;  but  as  God  shall  enlighten 
men  to  see  the  abominable  filthiness  of  that  which 
is  Autichristian  worship :  as  would  easily  be  made 
appear,  if  some  that  dwell  in  those  countries  where 
the  beast  and  his  image  have  been  worshipped, 
would  but  take  the  pains  to  inquire  into  antiquity 
about  it.  As  the  noble  king,  king  Henry  VIII. 
did  cast  do^vn  the  Autichristian  worship  ;  so  he  cast 
down  the  laws  that  held  it  up :  so  also  did  the 
good  king  Edward  his  son.  The  brave  queen,  qi;een 
Elizabeth  also,  the  sister  to  king  Edward,  hath 
left  of  things  of  this  nature,  to  her  lasting  fame 
behind  her.  And  if  one  such  law  of  Antichrist 
hath  escaped  the  hand  of  one,  another  hath  taken 
it,  and  done  that  execution  on  it  that  their  zeal  and 
piety  prompted  them  to. 

There  is  yet  another  thing  that  the  spirit  of  An- 
tichrist is  immediately  concerned  in ;  and  that  is, 
the  Autichristian  names  of  the  men  that  worship 
the  beast :  the  names,  I  mean,  that  Antichrist  hath 
baptized  them  into :  for  those  names  are  breathed 
upon  them  by  the  very  spirit  of  Antichrist ;  and  are 
such  as  are  absolutely  names  of  blasphemy,  or  such 
as  do  closely  border  thereupon ;  some  such  as 
Elihu  durst  not  for  his  life  give  unto  men,  only  he 
calls  them  'flattering  titles,'  Job  x.t.xii.  21,  23.  Now 
therefore,  of  the  danger  (though  not  of  the  names 
themselves)  you  read  sufficiently  in  the  scripture  ; 
and  perhaps  the  Holy  Ghost  has  contented  him- 
self Avith  giving  of  items  that  are  general,  that  men 
might,  as  to  them,  be  the  more  cautious  of  what 
names  they  give  one  to  another :  Kc.  xvii,  5.  but  this 


or  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


51 


IS  clear,  they  are  worn  hymen  of  spiritual  employ: 
but  since  they  are  hut  mentioned,  and  are  not  dis- 
tinctly nominated,  how  should  we  know  Avhich  are 
they,  and  which  not?  Verily,  hy  searching  the 
word  of  God,  and  hy  seeing  hy  that  what  names 
we  are  allowed  to  give  imto  men,  with  reference  to 
their  offices,  dignities,  and  places :  for  God  has  a 
quarrel  with  the  mimes,  as  well  as  with  the  persons 
that  wear  them;  and  when  his  Son  shall  do\vn 
with  Antichrist,  he  will  slay  seven  thousand  names 
of  men,  as  well  as  the  persons  of  the  worshippers 

of  the  heast.    Re.  xi.  is.  JIai-gin. 

But  there  are  things,  as  well  as  men ;  Job  xxii.  2S. 
and  these  also  have  been  baptized  into  those  names 
by  the  very  spirit  of  xintichrist,  and  must  be  de- 
stroyed by  Christ,  the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  the 
brightness  of  his  coming:  'The  idols  he  shall 
utterly  abohsh;'  Is.  ii.  18.  and  there  are  7nen  that 
are  idols  as  vv'ell  as  things :  Zec  .\i.  17.  wherefore,  let 
men  have  a  care,  as  to  shun  the  worship  of  idols, 
so  that  they  bare  not  the  name,  or  stand  in  the 
place  of  one :  and  the  reason  of  this  caution  is,  be- 
cause mime  and  thing  are  both  abominable  unto 
God. 

To  give  you  the  number  of  these  names  that  the 
spirit  of  Antichrist  has  baptized  men  into,  (besides 
the  things  that  do  also  wear  such  blasphemies  upon 
them.)  would  be  a  task  too  great  for  me,  and  too 
wearisome  for  you.  It  shall  satisfy  then,  that  I 
give  you  notice  that  there  are  such  things  and  7nen 
and  names ;  and  that  I  put  you  upon  search  to  find 
out  what  they  he.  But  whatsoever  of  the  spirit, 
or  sold,  or  life  of  Antichrist  is  in  these  names,  men, 
or  things,  must  be  consimied  b}^  Christ,  by  the 
spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  the  brightness  of  his  com- 
mg.* 

Another  thing  that  I  would  touch  upon  is  this ; 
to  wit.  The  lyiug  legends,  and  false  miracles  that 
Antichrist  cries  up :  These,  by  the  means  of  which 
such  as  dwell  upon  the  earth  are  deceived,  and 
made  to  adore  and  worship  the  beast :  these  have 
their  hfe  and  soul  (as  had  those  mentioned  before) 
from  the  spirit  of  wickedness ;  and  must  be  de- 
stroyed as  they,  namely,  by  Christ,  the  spirit  of 
his  mouth,  and  the  brightness  of  his  coming :  for 
these  are  not  of  the  body  of  Antichrist,  but  rather 
such  implements,  or  whatever  you  will  call  them, 
by  which  the  spirit  and  soul  of  Antichrist  is  con- 
veyed into,  and  kept  also  aHve  in  the  body  of  Anti- 
christ, which  is  the  church  and  synagogue  of  Sa- 

*  No  man  of  the  most  refined  education  could  have  mani- 
fested greater  delicacy  than  Bunyan  has  iu  treatiug  this 
subject,  leaving  his  reader  to  iningiue  whether  the  names 
'  Reverend,'  '  Very  Reverend,'  '  Right  Reverend,'  Venerable 
Father  in  God,  or  His  Holiness,  are  all  or  any  of  them  appli- 
cable as  titles  given  by  Antichrist :  so  of  things,  whether  '  The 
body  of  Christ,'  in  a  wafer,  or  '  Church,'  a  building  of  stone 
brick,  or  timber,  are  or  are  not  Aulichriitiau. — Ed. 


tan;  you  may  call  them  organs  and  means  by 
which  that  wicled  worketh  m  the  mysteries  of  ini- 
quity, for  the  begetting  of,  and  maintaining  a  lying 
and  false  behef  of  the  religion  of  the  beast :  no° 
can  it  be  thought,  but  that,  as  the  antichristian 
statists!  of  Antichrist,  mentioned  before,  do  put  a 
dread  and  fear  upon  men  that  are  worshippers  of 
the  beast,  and  his  image,  to  the  holdmg  of  them 
still  to  his  service ;  so  these  legends  and  miracles 
do,  on  the  other  hand,  abridge  and  bind  their  con- 
sciences to  that  worship ;  but  all  because  of  that 
spirit  of  Antichrist  that  is  in  them.| 

So  then,  here  is  the  sphit  of  Antichrist  diffiismg 
itself  into  aU  the  things  pertainiug  to  the  kingdom 
of  the  beast ;  for  it  dwells  in  the  body  of  Anti- 
christ ;  it  dwells  in  the  matters  and  things  of  wor- 
ship of  Antichrist ;  it  dv»-ells  in  the  titles  and  names 
that  are  antichristian  ;  and  it  dwells  in  the  laws, 
legends  and  miracles  of  Antichrist.  And  as  it  is 
the  spirit  of  Antichrist,  so  it  must  be  destroyed ; 
not  by  sword,  nor  by  bow,  but  hy  Christ,  as  fight- 
ing against  it  with  the  spu-it  of  his  mouth,  and  as 
conquering  of  it  by  the  brightness  of  his  coming. 

THE  BODY  OF  AXTICHRIST  DESTROYED,  AXD  HOW. 

We  come  now  to  discourse  of  the  body  or  flesh 
of  Antichrist,  and  of  the  destruction  of  that ;  for 
that  must  be  destroyed  also.  Now  the  body  of 
Antichrist,  is  that  church  or  synagogue  in  which 
the  spirit  of  Antichrist  dwells,  or  unto  which  the 
spirit  of  Antichrist  is  become  a  soul  and  life. 

And  this  is  to  be  destroyed,  either  as  it  is  a 
body  mystical,  or  under  the  more  gross  considera- 
tion. 

First,  As  it  is  a  body  mystical,  and  so  it  is  to 
be  destroyed  absolutely. 

Secondly,  As  it  is  to  be  considered  more  grossly, 
and  so  it  is  to  be  destroyed  conditionally.  That 
is,  if  repentance  doth  not  save  the  men  that  have 
gone  to  the  making  up  of  this  body,  and  to  the 
rejoicing  hi  it. 

As  she  is  a  body  mystical,  so  she  is  to  be  de- 
stroyed the  same  way  that  the  things  of  Antichrist, 
of  which  we  discoursed  before,  were  to  be  destroyed; 
to  wit,  by  Christ,  the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  the 
brightness  of  his  coming. 

This  then  is  the  sum,  as  to  this :  Tliat  the  church 
of  Aiiiichrist,  as  a  church,  sJiall  be  destroyed  by  the 
word  ami  spirit  of  Ciirist.     Nor  can  anything  in 


t  Antichi-istian  statists  of  Antichrist.  Those  who  weigh 
things  to  place  them  in  thek  relative  order  in  the  kingdom  of 
Anticlirist,  as  the  decree  followed  by  the  lion's  den,  &c. 

+  The  homilies  read  in  the  Church  of  England  prior  to  the 
Reformation,  called  '  The  Festival,'  contains  the  pith  of  these 
lying  leiends  and  pretended  miracles.  Omitting  the  obscene 
parts,  it"  ought  to  be  republished,  to  exhibit  the  absurdities  of 
Popery  and  of  the  then  Established  religion.— Ed. 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


lieaven  prevent  it,  because  tlie  strong  God  has 
decreed  it:  '  And  a  mighty  angel  took  up  a  stone, 
J  ike  a  great  mill-stone,  and  cast  U  into  the  sea, 
saying.  Thus  with  violence  shall  that  great  city 
Babylon  be  thrown  down,  and  shall  be  found  no 
more  at  all.'  Re. xviu.si.  This  city,  Babylon,  is  here 
sometimes  considered  in  the  whole,  and  sometimes 
as  to  the  2^cirts  of  it ;  but  always,  whether  in  whole, 
or  in  part,  as  some,  or  else  as  the  lohole  of  the 
antichristian  church ;  and  as  such,  it  must  not  be 
destroyed,  but  by  the  means  aforesaid.  Ey  which 
means  her  witchcrafts,  spiritual  whoredoms,  spiri- 
tual murders,  thefts,  and  blasphemies,  shall  be  so 
detected  and  made  manifest,  so  laid  open,  and  so 
discovered,  that  the  nations  shall  abhor  her,  flee 
from  her,  and  buy  her  merchandise  no  more.  Ke. 
xviii.  11.  Hence  her  tempting  things  rot,  and 
moulder  away;  for  these  will  not  keep,  they  are 
tilings  not  lasting,  but  that  perish  in  the  using : 
what  then  will  they  do  when  they  are  laid  by  ? 
Therefore  it  follows,  '  All  things  which  were  (thy) 
dainty  and  goodly  (ones)  are  departed  from  thee, 
and  thou  shalt  find  them  no  more  at  all.'  Ke. xviii.  14. 
Now,  if  when  she  had  things  to  trade  with,  her 
dealers  left  her ;  how  shall  she  think  of  a  trade, 
M'hen  she  has  nothing  to  trafHc  with  ?  Her  things 
are  slain,  and  stink  already,  by  the  weapons  that 
are  made  mention  of  before ;  what  then  Avill  her 
carcase  do  ?  It  follows  then,  that  as  to  her  church- 
state,  she  must  of  necessity  tumble:  wherefore, 
from  Rev.  xviii.  22  to  24,  you  have  the  manner 
of  her  total  ruin  as  a  church,  and  something  of  the 
cause  thereof. 

But  as  she  must,  with  reference  to  her  body, 
be  considered  mystically  as  a  church ;  so  also  she 
must  be  considered  as  a  body  of  men,  (this  is  that 
which  I  called  more  grossly,)  and  as  such,  against 
whom  the  wrath  of  God  will  burn,  and  against 
whom,  if  repentance  prevent  not,  he  will  have  in- 
dignation for  ever.  These,  I  say  are  them;  to 
wit,  as  they  are  the  body  of  the  people,  that  have 
been  seduced  by  this  spirit  of  Antichrist,  that  have 
been  made  use  of  to  do  all  the  mischiefs  that  have 
been  done  both  to  true  religion,  and  to  the  profes- 
sors of  it,  for  this  many  himdred  years,  wherefore 
these  must  not  escape.  Wherefore  you  find,  that 
after  Antichrist,  as  to  the  spirit  and  mystery  of 
Antichrist,  is  slain,  that  the  body  of  Antichrist,  or 
the  heap  of  people  that  became  her  vassals,  come 
next  to  be  dealt  withal. 

Therefore,  the  angel  that  standeth  in  the  sun, 
makes  a  proclamation  to  all  the  fowls  that  fly  in 
the  midst  of  heaven,  to  gather  themselves,  and  to 
come  unto  the  supper  of  the  great  God ;  that  they 
may  eat  the  flesh  of  the  several  sorts  of  the  men 
that  have  been  the  lovers,  the  countenancers,  the 
upholders  and  defenders  of  her  antichristian  state, 
worship,   and  falsehoods:    Ee.xk.  17, 18.    for   abun- 


dance of  their  hearts  shall  be  hardened,  and  made 
yet  more  obdurate,  that  they  may  be  destroyed  for 
the  wickedness  that  they  have  done. 

Wherefore,  you  find  (as  did  the  enemies  of  the 
church  of  old,)  that  they  might  revenge  themselves 
for  the  loss  of  their  idol,  or  antichristian  state,  be- 
gin a  new  war  with  the  king,  whose  name  is  the 
Lord  of  hosts :  '  And  I  saw  the  beast,  and  the 
kings  of  the  earth,  and  their  armies,  gathered  to- 
gether to  make  war  against  him  that  sat  on  the 
horse,  and  against  liis  army. '  Kc.  xik.  19. 

Their  implacable  malice  remained  when  their 
church-state  was  gone ;  wherefore  they  will  now 
at  last  make  another  attempt  upon  the  men  that 
had  been  the  instruments  in  Christ's  hand  to  tor- 
ment them  that  dwelt  on  the  earth ;  of  which  more 
hereafter. 

Now  therefore  is  the  last  stroke  of  the  batter,* 
Avith  reference  to  the  destroying  the  body  of  Anti- 
christ ;  only  the  head  of  this  monster  remains,  and 
that  is  SATAN  himself :  wherefore,  the  next  news 
that  we  hear,  is,  that  he  is  taken  also :  '  And  I 
S£^w  an  angel  come  down  from  heaven,  having  the 
key  of  the  bottomless  pit  and  a  great  chain  in  his 
hand.  And  he  laid  hold  on  the  Dragon,  that  old 
serpent,  which  is  the  devil,  and  Satan,  and  boimd 
him  a  thousand  years,  and  cast  him  mto  the  bot- 
tomless pit,  and  shut  him  up,  and  set  a  seal  upon 
him,  that  he  should  deceive  the  nations  no  more, 
till  the  thousand  years  should  be  fulfilled,'  <fec. 
Re.  XX.  1—3. 

BRAVE  DATS  WHEN  ANTICHRIST  IS  DEAD. 

Now  therefore  there  will  be  nothing  of  Antichrist 
to  be  seen  throughout  the  nations,  but  ruinous 
heaps,  and  desolate  places.  It  is  said  of  the  army 
of  the  man  of  sin,  when  he  came  into  the  land  of 
God's  people,  though  it  was  before  him  'as  the 
garden  of  Eden,'  yet  behind  him  'twould  be  as  'a 
desolate  wilderness  ; '  Joel  ii.  3.  such  ruins  would  he 
make  of  the  flock  of  God,  and  of  all  their  ordi- 
nances, and  heavenly  dainties.  But  when  the 
days  that  I  have  spoken  of,  shall  come,  it  will  be 
to  him  a  time  of  retaliation :  for  it  shall  then  be 
done  unto  Antichrist,  as  he  hath  done  to  the  church 
of  God:  As  he  hath  made  women  childless,  so 
shall  he  be  made  childless  ;  as  he  has  made  Zion 
sit  upon  the  ground,  so  now  must  this  wicked  one 
come  down  and  sit  in  the  dust ;  yea,  as  he  has 
made  many  churches  desolations,  so  now  shall  he 
be  also  made  a  desolation.  Wherefore,  whoso 
will  find  his  body,  they  must  look  for  it  in  the  side 
of  the  pit's  mouth ;  and  whoso  will  find  his  friends 
and  companions,  they  must  look  for  them  there 


*  '  The  last  stroke  of  the  batter,'  probably  alludes  to  aa 
enfjine  of  war  used  by  the  ancients,  called  a  battering-ram. 
— Ed. 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


53 


likewise.  *  Tliey  have  set  her  a  bed  in  the  midst 
of  the  slain  with  all  her  multitude  :  her  craves 
are  round  about  him  :  all  of  them  uncircumcised, 
slain  by  the  sword:  though  their  terror  was  caused 
in  the  land  of  the  living,  yet  have  they  borne  their 
shame  with  them  that  go  down  to  the  pit,  he  is 
put  in  the  midst  of  them  that  be  slain.  There  is 
Meshech,  Tubal,  and  all  her  multitude  :  -  -  - 
There  is  Edom,  her  king,  and  all  her  princes,  &c. 

-  -     There  be  the  princes  of  the  north,  all  of  them, 

-  -  which  -  -  with  their  -  -  might '  are  laid  with 
them  that  are  '  slain  by  the  sword,  and  bare  their 
shame  with  them  that  go  down  to  the  pit. '  Eze.  xxxii. 
25—30.  For  '  as  Babylon  to/i  caused  the  slain  of  Israel 
to  fall,  so  at  Babylon  shall  fall  the  slain  of  all  the 
earth. '  Je.  li.  49.  The  margin  reads  it  thus  :  Both 
Babylon  is  to  fall,  0  ye  slain  of  Israel !  And  with 
Babylon  the  slain  of  all  the  earth.  Now  then  she 
is  gone  doAvn,  when  aU  these  things  shall  be  fid- 
fiUed  ;  and  what  remains  now,  but  to  talk  of  her, 
as  folk  use  to  do  of  them  that  are  dead  :  for  the 
day  will  come  that  the  chm'ch  of  God  shall  have 
no  more  of  Antichrist,  Babylon,  or  the  mother  of 
harlots,  than  only  the  remembrance  of  her  ;  to  wit, 
that  there  was  such  an  enemy  of  God  in  the  world ; 
that  there  was  such  a  superstitious,  idolatrous, 
bloody  people  in  the  world.  Wherefore  the  people 
that  shall  be  born,  that  shall  live  to  serve  God  in 
these  happy  days,  they  shall  see  Antichrist  only  in 
its  ruins  ;  they  shall,  like  the  sparrows,  the  Uttle 
robins,  and  the  wren,  sit  and  sing,  and  chirrup  one 
to  another,  Avhile  their  eyes  behold  this  dead  hawk. 

*  Here  (shall  they  say)  did  once  the  lion  dwell;  and 
there  was  once  a  dragon  inhabited  :  here  did  they 
live  that  were  the  murderers  of  the  saints  ;  and 
there  another,  that  did  use  to  set  his  throat  against 
the  heavens  ;  but  now  in  the  places  where  these 
ravenous  creatures  lay,  grows  grass,  with  reeds 
and  rushes,  is.  xxxv.  7.  (or  else,  now  their  habitation 
is  cursed,  nettles  grow,  and  so  do  thorns  and 
brambles,  where  their  palaces  were  wont  to  be.) 
And  as  no  good  was  with  them  while  they  lived,  so 
their  name  stinketh  now  they  are  dead :  yea,  as 
they  wrought  mischiefs,  and  lived  like  the  wild 
beasts  when  they  enjoyed  their  abmidance  ;  so  now 
the  wild  beasts  of  the  desert,  yea,  they  of  the 
desert,  shall  meet  with  the  wild  beasts  of  the 
island  :  and  the  satyr  shall  cry  to  his  fellows. 
Their  houses  shaU  be  full  of  doleful  creatures,  even 
as  devils  and  wicked  spirits  do  haunt  the  desolate 
houses  of  the  wicked,  when  they  are  dead. '  is.  xxxiv. 

*  And  Babylon,  the  glory  of  kingdoms,  the  beauty 
of  the  Chaldees  excellency,  shall  be  as  when  God 
overthrew  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  It  shall  never 
be  inhabited,  neither  shall  it  be  dwelt  in  from 
generation  to  generation :  neither  shall  the  Arabian 
pitch  tent  there :  neither  shall  the  shepherds  make 
their  folds  there. '  is.  xUi.  19, 20. 


A  while  after  this,  as  was  hinted  before,  the 
Christians  will  begin  with  detestation  to  ask  what 
Antichrist  was  ?  Where  Antichrist  dwelt?  Who 
were  his  members  ?  And,  What  he  did  in  the 
Avorld  ?  and  it  shall  be  answered  by  them  that  shall 
have  skill  to  consider  his  features  by  the  word,  by 
way  of  taunt  and  scorn,  '  Is  this  the  man  that 
made  the  earth  to  tremble,  that  did  shake  kin"-. 
doms ;  that  made  the  world  as  a  wilderness,  and 
destroyed  the  cities  thereof ;  that  opened  not  the 
house  of  his  prisoners?  All  the  kings  of  the 
nations,  even  all  of  them,  lie  in  glory,  every  one  in 
his  own  house.  But  thou  art  cast  out  of  thy  grave 
like  an  abominable  branch ;  and  as  the  raiment  of 
those  that  are  slain,  thrust  through  with  a  sword, 
that  go  down  to  the  stones  of  the  pit,  as  a  carcass 
trodden  under  feet.'  Is. xiv. I6— 19. 

There  will  be  a  strange  alteration  when  Anti- 
christ is  dead,  and  that  both  in  the  church,  and  in 
the  world.  The  church  and  the  members  of  it 
then,  shall  wear  the  name  of  their  God  in  their 
foreheads  ;  that  is,  they  shall  be  bold  in  the  pro- 
fession of  their  king,  and  their  God  ;  yea,  it  shall 
be  their  glory  to  be  godly ;  and  carnal  men  shall 
praise  them  for  it :  the  praise  of  the  whole  earth 
shall  the  church  of  God  be  in  those  days. 

Then  there  shall  no  more  be  a  Canaanite  in  the 
house  of  the  Lord :  no  Hon  shall  be  there ;  the 
unclean  shall  no  more  tread  in  the  paths  of  God's 
people,  but  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord  shall  walk 
there. 

Glory  that  has  not  been  seen  nor  heard  of  by 
the  people  that  used  to  walk  in  sackcloth,  shall 
now  be  set  in  the  land  of  the  living.  For  as  it 
was  said  of  Christ,  with  reference  to  his  day ;  so 
it  shall  be  said  of  saints,  with  reference  to  this  day: 
many  kings  and  righteous  men  have  desired  to  seo 
the  things  that  will  be  seen  then,  and  shall  not  see 
them  :  but  without  aU  doubt,  the  men  that  shall 
be  born  at  this  time,  will  consider  that  these 
glories,  and  liberties,  and  privileges  of  theirs,  cost 
the  people  that  walked  in  the  king  of  Babylon's 
fiery  furnace,  or  that  suffered  the  trials,  troubles 
and  tyranny  of  the  antichristian  generation,  more 
groans  and  hearty  wishes,  than  they  did  them  that 
shall  enjoy  them.  Thus  then  it  will  go  ;  the 
afilicted  prayed  for  them,  and  the  possessors  bless 
God  for  the  enjo}Tnent  of  them. 

Oh  !  now  shall  the  church  walk  in  the  light  of 
the  Lord,  and  sit  every  man  under  his  vine,  and 
under  his  fig-tree,  and  none  shall  make  him  afraid  I 

*  For  the  Lord  will  have  mercy  on  Jacob,  and 
will  yet  choose  Israel,  and  set  them  in  their  ovm 
land  :  and  the  strangers  shall  be  joined  with  them, 
and  they  shall  cleave  to  the  house  of  Jacob.  And 
the  people  shall  take  them,  and  bring  them  to  their 
place  :  and  the  house  of  Israel  shall  possess  them 
I  in  the  land  of  the  Lord  for  servants  and  hand- 


54 


or  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


maids  ;  And  tliey  sliall  take  tlicm  captives,  Avhose 
captives  tliey  were  ;  and  tliey  sliall  rule  over  their 
oppressors.  And  it  sliall  come  to  pass  in  the  day 
that  the  Lord  shall  give  thee  rest  from  thy  sorrow, 
and  from  thy  fear,  and  from  the  hard  bondage 
wherein  thou  wast  made  to  serve,  that  thou  shalt 
take  up  this  proverb  against  the  king  of  Babylon, 
and  say.  How  hath  the  oppressor  ceased!  the 
golden  city,  (or  the  exactress  of  gold)  ceased ! 
The  Lord  hath  broken  the  staff  of  the  wicked,  mid 
the  sceptre  of  the  rulers.  He  who  smote  the 
people  in  wrath  with  a  continual  stroke,  he  that 
ruled  the  nations  in  anger,  is  persecuted,  and  none 
hiudcrcth.  The  whole  earth  is  at  rest,  ami  is  quiet: 
they  break  forth  into  singing.  Yea,  the  fir  trees 
rejoice  at  thee,  and  the  cedars  of  Lebanon,  saying, 
Since  thou  art  laid  down,  no  seller  is  come  up 
against  us. '  is.  xiv.  1—8. 

Also  the  world  will  now  be  (as  it  were)  another 
thing  than  it  was  in  the  days  of  Antichrist :  now 
will  kings,  and  princes,  and  nobles,  and  the  whole 
commonalty  be  rid  of  that  servitude  and  bondage 
which  in  former  times  (vfhen  they  used  to  carry 
Bell  and  the  dragon  upon  their  shoulders)  they 
were  subjected  to.  They  were  then  a  burthen  to 
them,  but  now  they  are  at  ease.  'Tis  with  the 
world,  that  are  the  slaves  of  Antichrist  now,  as  it 
is  with  them  that  are  slaves  and  captives  to  a 
whore :  they  must  come  when  she  calls,  run  when 
she  bids,  fight  with  and  beat  them  that  she  saith 
miscall  her,  and  spend  what  they  can  get  by  labour 
or  fraud  upon  her,  or  she  will  be  no  more  their 
T.'hore,  and  they  shall  bo  no  more  her  bosom  ones. 
But  now  !  Now  it  will  be  otherwise  !  Now  they 
will  have  no  whore  to  please  !  Now  they  will  have 
none  to  put  them  upon  persecuting  of  the  saints  ! 
Now  they  shall  not  be  made,  as  before,  guilty  of 
the  blood  of  those  against  whom  this  gentleman 
shall  take  a  pet !  Now  the  Avorld  shall  return  and 
discern  between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked ;  yea, 
they  shall  cleave  to,  and  countenance  the  people  of 
God,  being  persuaded,  as  Laban  was  of  Jacob,  that 
the  Lord  Avill  bless  them  for  his  people's  sakes  : 
for  at  this  day,  '  the  remnant  of  Jacob  shall  be 
(among  the  Gentiles)  in  the  midst  of  many  people, 
as  a  dew  from  the  Lord,  as  the  showers  upon  the 
grass,  that  tarrieth  not  for  man,  nor  waiteth  for 
the  sons  of  men. '  Mi.  v.  7. 

Also  in  these  days  men  shall  come  flocking  into 
the  house  of  God,  both  kings  and  princes,  and 
nobles,  and  the  common  people,  as  the  doves  do  to 
their  windows  :  and  for  that  cause  it  is  spoken  to 
the  chiu-ch,  with  reference  to  the  latter  days, 
saying,  'Enlarge  the  place  of  thy  tent,  and  let 
them  stretch  forth  the  curtains  of  thy  habitations : 
spare  not,  lengthen  thy  cords,  and  strengthen  thy 
stakes;  for  thou  shalt  break  forth  on  the  right 
hand,  and  on  the  left ;  and  thy  seed  shall  inherit 


the  Gentiles,  and  make  the  desolate  cities  to  bo 
inhabited. '  Is.  Uv.  3, 3. 

Now  will  be  broken  up  those  prophecies  and 
promises  that  to  this  day  lie  as  under  lock  and 
key,  and  that  cannot  be  opened  until  they  be  fiJ- 
fiUed.  Now  will  the  Spirit  of  God  be  poured  forth 
abundantly  ;  and  our  rivers  shall  be  in  high  places, 
that  is,  shall  break  forth  from  the  hearts  of  great 
ones ;  yea,  then  shall  our  waters  be  made  deep  : 
*  And  I  will  cause  their  rivers  to  run  like  oil,  saith 
the  Lord  God.  'Eze.  xx.\ii.  14-.  Then  shall  the  differences, 
the  divisions  and  debates  that  are  among  the  godly, 
cease  :  for  men  '  shall  see  eye  to  eye,  when  the 
Lord  shall  bring  again  Zion : '  ls.lii.8.  yea,  the 
watchmen  of  God's  people  shall  do  so  ;  for  it  is  for 
want  of  light  in  them,  that  the  lambs  have  so  butted 
one  another. 

Now  the  church  of  God  shall  read  with  great 
plainness  the  depths  of  providence,  and  the  turn- 
ings and  windings  of  all  God's  dark  and  intricate 
dispensations,  through  which  she  hath  waded  in 
the  cloudy  and  dark  day :  now,  I  say,  they  shall 
see  there  was  an  harmony  in  them  ;  and  that  if 
one  of  them  had  been  wanting,  the  work  and  way 
of  her  deliverance  could  not  have  been  so  full  of 
the  wisdom,  and  justice,  and  goodness  of  God  : 
Wherefore  now  will  that  song  be  sung  with  clearer 
notes  than  ever  :  '  Great  and  marvellous  are  thy 
Avorks,  Lord  God  Almighty  ;  just  and  true  are 
thy  ways,  thou  king  of  Saints.  Who  shall  not 
fear  thee,  0  Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name  ?  for  thou 
only  aii  holy :  for  all  nations  shall  come  and  wor- 
ship before  thee  ;  for  thy  judgments  are  made 
manifest. '  Be.  .w.  3, 4.  And  again,  '  For  true  and 
righteous  are  his  judgments  :  For  he  hath  judged 
the  great  v/hore,  which  did  corrupt  the  earth  with 
her  fornication,  and  hath  avenged  the  blood  of  his 
servants  at  her  hand, '  He.  xk.  2. 

OF  THE  MANNER  OP  THE  KUIN  OF  AKTICHRIST. 

What  Antichrist  is,  I  have  told  you ;  and  that 
as  to  his  soul  and  body.  I  have  also  told  you 
where,  or  in  what  things  the  spirit  and  hfe  of  Anti- 
christ lietli,  and  how  he  shall  reign  for  a  time.  I 
have  moreover  shewed  you  that  he  shall  be  de- 
stroyed, and  by  Avhat,  and  that  with  reference 
both  to  his  soul  and  body.  Wherefore,  waving 
other  things,  I  shall  here  only  present  you  with  a 
few  short  hints  concerning  the  manner  of  his 
downfall. 

There  is  the  downfall,  the  time  of  the  downfall, 
and  the  manner  of  the  downfall  of  Antichrist. 

The  manner  of  the  downfall  of  Antichrist,  may 
bo  considered,  either  with  respect  to  the  suddenness, 
unexpectedness,  terrlhleness,  or  strangeness  thereof. 
It  may  also  be  considered  with  respect  to  the  way 
of  God's  procedure  with  her,  as  to  the  gradualncss 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


55 


thereof.  As  to  tlio  suddenness  thereof,  'tis  said 
to  be  in  an  hour.  It  is  also  to  be,  when  by  her 
unexpected;  for  then  she  saith,  'I  sit  a  queen.' 
Ke.  sviii.  7, 8.  For  the  tcrribleness  of  it,  The  nations 
shall  shake  at  the  sound  of  her  fall.  Eze.  xxxi.  16, 17. 
And  for  the  strangeness  thereof,  it  shall  be  to  the 
■wonder  of  the  world,  is.  xiv.  12.  it  will  be  as  when 
God  overthrew  Sodom. 

But  I  shall  not  enlarge  upon  this  method  in  my 
discourse,  but  shall  shew  you  the  manner  of  the 
ruin  of  Antichrist,  with  respect  to  the  gradualness 

thereof.  Eze.  xvi.  3G — i3 ;  Re.  xviii.  8 ;  Is.  xlvii.  9. 

Antichrist  then  shall  be  brought  to  ruin  gra- 
dually ;  that  is,  by  degrees  :  A  part  after  a  part ; 
here  a  fenced  city,  and  there  a  high  tower,  even 
until  she  is  made  to  lie  even  with  the  ground. 
And  yet  all  shall  be  within  the  compass  of  God's 
days,  hours,  or  moments ;  for  within  the  compass 
of  these  limited  times  Antichrist  shall  be  destroyed,* 

Now,  (as  I  said)  He,  she,  Sodom,  Egypt, 
Babylon,  Antichrist,  shall  be  destroyed,  not  all  at 
once,  after  the  way  of  our  comiting  of  time ;  but 
by  step  after  step,  piece  after  piece.  And  perhaps 
there  may  be  in  the  words  now  following,  something 
that  signifies  this :  They  shall  '  shew  the  king  of 
Babylon  that  his  city  is  taken  at  one  end.'  Je.ii.3i. 
This  is  also  shewed  by  the  vessels  in  which  is  con- 
tained the  wrath  of  God  for  her,  together  with  the 
manner  of  pouring  of  it  out.  The  vessels  in  which 
it  is  contained  are  called  VIALS  ;  Now  a  vial  is 
that  which  letteth  out  what  is  contained  in  it  by 
degrees,  and  not  all  at  once. 

There  are  also  two  things  to  be  considered,  as 
to  the  manner  of  its  being  poured  out  of  them. 
The  first  respecteth  the  nature  of  the  vial.  The 
other,  the  order  of  the  angels  that  poured  forth 
this  wrath. 

For  the  First:  The  vial,  as  it  letteth  out  what 
is  in  it  by  degrees ;  so  it  doth  it  with  certain  gusts, 
that  are  mixed  with  strength  and  violence,  bolting- 
it  out  with  noise,  &c. 

As  for  the  order  of  the  angels,  or  that  order 
that  they  observe,  they  plainly  shew  that  this 
enemy  must  come  down  by  degrees  ;  for  that  these 
vials  are  by  them  poured  out  one  after  another, 
each  one  working  something  of  their  own  efi"ects, 
before  another  is  poured  forth.  The  first  is  poured 
forth  upon  the  antichristian  earth:  The  second, 
upon  her  sea:  The  third  is  poured  forth  upon  her 
rivers:  And  the  fourth,  upon  her  sun:  The  fifth  is 
poxu-ed  forth  upon  the  seat  of  the  beast:  The  sixth, 

*  Upon  the  Sunday  sports  being  autlionzcd,  and  pious 
ministers  persecuted  for  refusing  to  wear  popisli  vestments  in 
tlie  reign  of  James  I.,  that  godly  puritan,  Mr.  Carter,  ex- 
claimed, '  I  have  had  a  longing  desire  to  see  or  hear  of  the 
fall  of  Anticlu-ist:  but  I  check  myself.  I  shall  go  to  heaven, 
and  there  news  wiU  come,  thick,  thick,  thick.' — Life  ly  his 
Son,  p.  13. 


upon  her  ewphraies:  And  the  seventh,  into  her  air. 
Re.  xvi.  2-17.  And,  I  say,  they  are  poured  forth  not 
all  at  one  time,  but  now  one,  and  then  another. 
Now,  since  by  these  vials  Antichrist  must  fall;  and 
since  also  they  are  poured  forth  successively: 
'Tis  evident  that  this  man  of  sin,  this  son  of  per- 
dition, is  to  fall  and  die  by  degrees.  He  would 
not  die  at  all,  as  is  manifest  by  his  wrestling  with 
it;  but  he  is  a  strong  God  that  judges,  and  there- 
fore he  must  come  down :  His  friends  also,  with 
what  cordials  they  can,  will  labour  to  lengthen  out 
his  tranquillity ;  but  God  hath  set  his  bounds,  and 
he  cannot  go  beyond  the  time  appointed. 

Wo  must  also  put  a  difi"erence  betwixt  her  being 
fought  withal  and  wounded,  and  that  of  her  dying 
the  death.  Michael  and  his  angels  have  been 
holding  of  her  in  play  a  long  season  ;  but  yet  she 
is  not  dead:  Re.  xii.  But,  as  I  said,  she  shall  descend 
in  battle  and  perish,  and  shaU  be  found  no  more 
for  ever. 


A  TENTH  TART  FALLS  FIRST. 

To  speak  then  to  the  manner  of  the  ruin  of  this 
Antichrist,  with  respect  to  the  gradualness  thereof: 
It  must  piece  after  piece  be  overthroAvn,  until  at 
last  every  whit  thereof  is  rolled  do-vvn  from  the 
rocks  as  a  burnt  moimtain. 

And  hence  we  read  that  this  city  falls  first  In  a 
tenth  part  thereof,  even  while  nine  parts  remain  yet 
standing  :  Nor  doth  this  tenth  part,  notwithstand- 
ing the  faith  and  faithfid  testimony  of  the  two 
witnesses,  quite  fall,  mitil  they  are  slain,  and  also 
raised  again :  For  'tis  said.  The  same  hour  that 
the  witnesses  were  raised,  the  tenth  part  of  the 
city  fell:  Re.  xi.  13.  The  tenth  part  of  that  city  that 
reigneth  over  the  kings  of  the  earth,  which  city  Is 
Sodom,  JEgypt,  Babylon,  or  the  great  whore.  Re.xvii.is. 

By  the  city  then,  I  understand  the  church  of 
Antichrist  In  its  utmost  bounds;  and  so  it  reacheth 
as  far  as  the  beast  with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns 
hath  dominion.  Hence  this  city  is  also  called 
cities,  as  one  universe  is  called  by  the  name  of 
several  countries,  &c.  And  them  cities  also  arc 
called  '  the  cities  of  the  nations:'  Re. x\i.  19.  For  as 
when  they  are  put  together,  they  all  make  but  one; 
so  when  they  are  considered  apart,  they  are  found 
in  number  ten,  and  answer  to  the  ten  horns  upon 
the  heads  of  the  (seven  headed)  beast  that  carries 
her,  and  do  give  her  protection. 

This  then  I  take  to  be  the  meaning  :  That  the 
antichristian  church  is  divided  into  ten  parts,  and 
each  part  is  put  under  one  of  the  horns  of  the 
beast  for  protection  :  But  that  aid  and  protection 
shall  not  help,  when  God  shall  come  to  execute 
judgment  upon  her:  For  it  saith,  'A  tenth  part  of 
the  city  fell;'  that  Is,  first,  and  as  a  forerunner  of 
the  fall  of  all  the  rest:  Now  where  this  tenth  part 


56 


OF  ANTICHKIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


is,  or  whicli  of  the  ten  parts  must  fall  first,  or 
■whether  indeed  a  tenth  part  is  already  fallen,  that 
I  will  leave  to  those  that  are  Aviser  than  myself  to 
determine. 

But  since  I  am  speaking  of  the  fall  of  a  tenth 
part  of  Antichrist;  a  word  or  two  ahout  the  means 
of  the  fall  thereof. 

The  means  of  the  fall  of  this  tenth  part,  is  an 
carthqualce  ;  yet  not  such  as  is  universal,  over  the 
face  of  all,  hut  an  earthquake  in  that  tenth  part 
where  that  city  stood  that  should  fall.  Now  by 
earthquakes  here,  cannot  be  meant  any  thing  but 
such  a  shaking  as  xmsettleth  the  foundations  of 
this  tenth  part :  But  whether  it  shall  be  in  this 
tenth  part  as  a  city,  or  in  it  as  a  state,  that  I  shall 
not  determine ;  only  my  thoughts  are,  That  it  shall 
be  an  earthquake  in  that  kingdom  where  this  tenth 
part  shall  happen  to  be  :  An  earthquake  not  to 
overthrow  further  than  is  appointed  ;  and  that  is 
the  city  which  is  called  the  tenth  part  of  the  great 
Antichrist.  So  far  as  that  state  is  a  state,  so  far 
then  it  is  shaken  for  reformation,  not  for  destruc- 
tion ;  for  in  the  earthquake  were  slain  seven 
thousand  (names  of)  men  ;  and  the  remnant  were 
afi"righted,  and  gave  glory  to  the  God  of  heaven. 
But  thus  much  for  the  first :  Great  Babylon  falleth 
first,  in  a  tenth  part  of  it. 

THE  NINE  PARTS  FALL, 

Again,  The  next  step  that  the  strong  God  taketh 
towards  the  utter  overthrow  of  Antichrist,  will  be 
more  sore  upon  the  whole,  though  not  at  first  mii- 
versal  neither,  yet  in  conclusion,  it  shall  throw 
down  the  nine  parts  that  are  left :  For  thus  it  is 
recorded  :  •  And  the  cities  of  the  nations  fell : ' 
The  cUles  of  the  nations,  the  antichristian  churches, 
otherwise  called  the  daughters  of  the  mother  of 
harlots,  and  abominations  of  the  earth. 

Now  to  shew  you  the  hand  of  God  in  this  second 
stroke,  wherewith  the  Lord  M'iU  smite  this  enemy. 

1.  Here  we  have  a  great  earthquake. 

2.  And  then.  The  fall  of  the  cities  of  the  nations. 
For  the  earthquake,  it  is  said  to  be  such  as 

never  was,  '  so  mighty  an  earthquake,  and  so 
great;'  Ue.  xvi.  18.  for  it  extended  itself  as  far  as  the 
other  nine  cities  had  any  ground  to  stand  on  ;  for 
it  shook  the  foundations  of  them  all. 

The  fall  of  the  cities,  was  not  immediately  upon 
the  shake  that  was  made,  but  the  earthquake  pro- 
duced an  eruption,  an  eruption  in  the  nine  re- 
maining parts  of  this  city :  And  such  an  eruption 
as  is  of  the  worser  sort,  for  it  divided  them  into  a 
three-headed  division  :  '  And  the  great  city  was 
divided  into  three  parts  : '  The  great  city,  to  wit, 
the  powers  by  which  they  were  upheld.  The 
meaning  then  is  this  ;  when  God  shall  strike  this 
man  of  sin  the   second  time,  he  wiU  not  be  so 


sparing  as  he  was  at  first,  when  he  struck  but  a 
tenth  part  to  the  ground;  but  now  he  will  so  shake, 
so  confound,  so  divide,  so  raise  up  Antichrist  against 
himself,  to  wit,  in  the  body  and  members  of  him, 
that  they  shall  set  to  fighting,  and  to  tearing  one 
another  in  pieces,  until  they  have  consumed  the 
whole  of  these  nine  parts.  It  was,  saith  the  text, 
divided  into  three  parts,  whicli  divisions  are  the 
worst  of  aU  :  It  will  be  therefore  such  a  division  as 
will  bring  them  all  to  ruin.  Hence  it  follows, 
'  And  the  cities  of  the  nations  fell.' 

Wherefore,  this  three-cornered  eruption  wUl  be 
the  most  dreadful  to  Antichrist  that  ever  was  :  It 
will  be  like  that  that  was  in  Jerusalem  when  she 
came  to  be  laid  even  with  the  ground  ;  and  like 
that  that  came  upon  the  armies  of  the  Gentiles, 
when  they  came  up  to  fight  against  Jehosaphat. 

*  For  the  children  of  Ammon  and  Moab  stood 
up  against  the  inhabitants  of  Mount  Seir,  utterly 
to  slay  and  destroy  them:  And  Avhen  they  had 
made  an  end  of  the  inhabitants  of  Seir,  every  one 
helped  to  destroy  another.'  2Ch.xx.23.  This,  I  say, 
is  the  division  that  this  mighty  earthquake  shall 
make  betwixt  the  horns  that  are  left  to  these  nine 
parts  that  remained,  when  the  tenth  part  of  the 
city  fell.  And  this  will  come  to  pass  through  the 
increase  of  the  heat  of  God's  anger :  For  he  is 
angry  with  the  waters  where  the  woman  sitteth, 
because  they  have  delivered  up  his  beloved  to  the 
bloody  whore  ;  wherefore,  he  now  wiE  give  them 
blood  to  drink  in  fury. 

Hence  his  beginning  to  deal  with  Antichrist,  is 
called,  the  beginning  of  revenges:  'I  will  make 
(saith  God)  mine  arrows  drunk  with  blood,  and  my 
sword  shall  devour  flesh ;  arid  that  with  the  blood 
of  the  slain  and  of  the  captives,  from  the  beginning 
of  revenges  upon  the  enemy. '  De.  xx.-di.  43.  And 
therefore  it  is  said  again,  that  when  God  comes  to 
do  this  work  upon  this  Antichrist,  it  is  because  'it 
is  the  day  of  the  Lord's  vengeance,  and  the  year 
of  recompences  for  the  controversy  of  Zion. '  is.  xxxiv.  8. 
'  For  the  day  of  vengeance  is  in  mine  heart,  and 
the  year  of  my  redeemed  is  come.'  is.ixiii.  4. 

A  peace  therefore  cannot  be  made  among  these 
cities  when  God  has  forbidden  it :  Wherefore  the 
effect  of  all,  is.  The  cities  of  the  nations  fall.  There 
is  therefore  like  to  be  no  more  good  days  for  Anti- 
christ after  this  earthquake  has  begun  to  shake 
her :  No,  nothing  now  is  to  be  expected  of  her,  but 
rumours,  tumidts,  stirs,  and  uproars:  'One  post 
shall  run  to  meet  another,  -  -  to  shew  the  king 
of  Babjdon  that  his  city  is  taken  at  one  end:'  And 
again,  'A  rumour  shall  both  come  one  year;  and 
after  that  in  another  year  sMU  come  a  rumour,  and 
violence  in  the  land,  ruler  against  ruler,'  &c.  Je. 
u.  31, 4G.  So  that  this  earthquake  has  driven  away 
peace,  shaken  the  foimdations,  and  will  cast  tlie 
nine  cities  doA\m  to  the  around. 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


57 


GREAT  BABEL  FALLS. 

And  tliis  is  a  second  stroke  tliat  God  will  give 
this  man  of  sin,  and  a  third  cometh  quickly. 
Wherefore  it  follows  upon  the  downfall  of  these 
cities  of  the  nations,  that  '  great  Bahylon  came 
into  rememhranee  before  God,  to  give  imto  her  the 
cup  of  the  wine  of  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath.' 
Now  then,  have  at  great  Babylon.  Great  Baby- 
lon!  What  is  that?  Why,  I  take  it  to  he  the 
motJie}',  the  metropolitan,  the  great  wivore  herself: 
For  though  sometimes,  by  the  great  M'hore,  or  great 
Babylon,  we  may  understand,  the  church  of  Anti- 
christ in  general ;  yet  by  it  is  meant  more  properly, 
the  mother  of  the  daughters,  of  whose  overthrow 
we  have  spoken  before.  We  are  now  then  come 
to  the  threshold  of  the  door  of  the  house  of  the 
OLD  one ;  to  the  door  of  the  mother  of  harlots, 
and  abomination  of  the  earth.  This  then  that  but 
now  is  said  to  come  into  remembrance  with  God, 
is  that  which  gave  being  to  the  cities  destroyed 
before ;  to  wit,  the  mistress,  the  queen,  the  mother- 
church,  as  she  calleth  herself. 

And  this  is  the  wisdom  of  God  concerning  her, 
that  she  should  not  be  the  first  that  should  die ; 
but  that  she  should  live  to  see  the  destruction  of 
her  daughters,  and  pine  away  under  the  sight  and 
sense  of  that,  even  imtil  judgment  also  shall  over- 
take herself. 

Thus  Pharaoh  and  his  chief  ones  did  live  to  see 
the  greatest  part  of  Egypt  destroyed  before  judg- 
ment overtook  them,  bxit  at  last  it  came  to  their 
doors  also. 

ZedekirJi  lived  to  see  his  children  slain  before 
his  face,  before  judgment  overtook  him  to  his  own 
personal  destruction.  Je.  lu.  8— ll. 

Babylon  also,  when  God  sent  the  cup  of  his  fury 
unto  her,  yet  was  to  hve  to  see  the  nations  drink 
before  her :  '  Take  the  wine  cup  of  my  fury  (said 
God  to  the  prophet,)  and  cause  all  the  nations  to 
whom  I  send  thee,  to  drink  it.'  Je. .\xt.15.  To  wit. 
All  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  which  are  upon  the 
face  of  the  earth.  'And  Sheshach  shall  diink 
after  them. '  ver.  26.  But  what  was  Sheshach?  may 
some  say.  I  answer,  It  was  Babylon,  the  princess 
of  the  world,  and  at  that  time  the  head  of  all  those 
nations.  Da.  iv.  22.  (as  this  queen  is  now  the  mother 
of  harlots.)  Wherefore,  the  same  prophet,  speak- 
ing of  the  destruction  of  the  same  Sheshach,  saith, 
'  How  is  Sheshach  taken  ?  and  how  is  the  praise 
of  the  whole  earth  surprised !  How  is  Babylon 
become   an   astonishment   among   the    nations  ! ' 

Je.  li.  41. 

Kow,  if  this  was  the  method  of  God's  proceeding 
with  his  enemies  in  the  way  of  his  judgments  of 
old,  why  may  we  not  suppose  that  he  wiU  go  the 
same  Tvay  with  his  great  enemy  now:  especially 

VOL.   II. 


since  those  judgments  mentioned  before,  were  exe- 
cuted upon  those,  which,  in  some  thino-s,  were 
figures  of  the  great  whore.  Besides,  we  read  hero 
plainly,  that  when  the  cities  of  the  nations  wcro 
fallen,  great  Babylon  came  into  remembrance  be- 
fore God,  to  give  her  to  drink  of  tlie  cup. 

From  all  which  I  conclude,  as  I  did  before,  that 
the  mother,  the  metropolitan,  the  lady  of  kino-, 
doms,  shall  live  to  see  her  daughters  executed  be- 
fore her  face :  After  which  she  shall  come  into 
consideration  herself;  for  she  must  assuredly 
drink  of  the  cup.* 

This  destruction  therefore  must  be  last,  for  the 
reasons  urged  before,  and  also  because  she  most 
deserves  the  bottom  of  the  cup.  The  bottom  is 
the  dregs,  the  most  bitter  part,  and  that  where  the 
most  heat,  and  fiercest  wrath  of  God  doth  lie :  Ps. 
l^lxv.  8.  Wherefore,  although  you  find  that  by  the 
first  earthquake  a  great  slaughter  was  made,  and 
that  a  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell ;  yet  from  that 
judgment  some  did  escape:  'And  the  remnant 
were  affi-ighted,  and  gave  glory  to  the  God  of 
heaven. '  Re.  xi.  13.  But  now,  this  eoMhquake,  by 
virtue  of  which  the  cities  of  the  nations  fall,  and 
as  an  effect  of  which  great  Babylon  is  come  into 
'  remembrance  before  God, '  neither  spares  one  of 
the  daughters  of  this  whore,  nor  any  man  that  is 
a  lover  of  them ;  but  it  so  is  seconded  by  a  '  hail- 
storm,' and  that  hail-storm  worketh  so  in  wrath, 
that  not  one  escapes  by  repentance.  Every  hail- 
stone was  the  weight  of  a  talent,  which  some  say 
is  six  pounds  above  half  an  hundred  weight:!  By 
this  therefore  God  shews,  that  now  his  anger  was 
wrought  up  to  the  height.  I  know  not  wherewith 
so  to  compare  these  hailstones,  as  with  the  talent 
of  lead  that  was  laid  over  the  mouth  of  the  ephah, 
which  was  prepared  to  hold  the  woman,  whose 
name  was  wickedness,  this  very  whore  of  Babylon: 
For  that  talent  of  lead  was  to  keep  down  this  mis- 
tress, that  she  might  get  no  more  out  of  the  ephah, 
and  these  hail-stones  are  to  banish  her  out  of  the 
world:  Ze.v.5— ii.  Therefore  it  foUows,  that  she 
must  have  the  most  heavy  judgment,  even  the 
bottom  of  the  cup. 

♦And  great  Babylon  came  into  remembrance 
before  God.'     To  remember  with  God,  is  to  visit 


*  How  remarkaLly  has  tliis  come  to  pass  since  Biinyan's 
time;  a  slow  but  siu-e  progression.  That  dai-liug  ugly  daugh- 
ter, Intolerance,  was  executed  by  the  Act  of  Toleration.  T!;c 
impious  Test  by  the  repeal  of  the  Sacramental  Test  Act,  &c., 
&c.— Ed. 

t  There  is  great  difficulty  in  estimating  the  weight  of  a 
talent.  Dr.  Gill  considers  it  about  sixty  pounds;  this  was  the 
lesser  Roman  talent.  IMichaelis  estimates  the  Jemsh  taleut 
at  thii-ty-two  pounds  and  a  half.  The  attic  talent  of  gold  used 
in  Greece  in  the  time  of  Homer  is  estimated  at  less  than  an 
ounce.  The  safest  conclusion  as  to  the  weight  of  the  hail- 
stones is.  that  they  were  enormous,  and  feU  with  a  velocity  to 
crush  all  animals  to  instant  death. — Ed. 


58 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


citlier  witli  gi-acc  or  wrath,  God  is  said  to  remember 
Eacliel,  -when  he  visited  her  with  the  blessing  of  a 
fruitful  womh.  Ge.xxx.  23.  It  is  said  also  that  God 
remembered  Noah,  when  the  time  came  on  that  he 
was  to  be  delivered  from  the  flood.  Ge.-viii.i.  Plere 
also  he  is  said  to  remember  Eabjlon,  that  is,  to 
visit  her  with  his  anger  for  the  wickedness  that 
she  had  committed :  '  To  give  mito  her  the  cup  of 
the  wine  of  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath. ' 

Now  then  is  the  time  of  iniquity,  when  it  will 
be  come  to  the  full ;  and  now  also  is  the  time  of 
God's  anger,  when  it  will  be  come  to  the  full: 
Now  therefore  must  the  murders,  Ke.  xnii.  34.  and 
thefts,  and  blasphemies,  and  fornications,  <fec., 
belonging  to  this  mother  of  harlots,  be  recom- 
pensed to  the  full,  to  wit,  with  the  dregs  of  this 
cup :  Yet  since  the  hailstones  come  by  toeight,  and 
the  wi'ath  comes  by  loieasure,  (for  so  a  talent  and 
a  cup  imports)  it  follows,  that  the  Almighty  God, 
even  in  the  midst  of  the  heat  of  all  this  anger,  will 
keep  to  the  rules  of  justice  and  judgment  while  he 
is  dealing  with  this  enemy :  He  has  not  passions., 
to  cai'ry  him  beyond  rules  of  judgment;  nor  weali- 
ness,  to  cause  him  to  fall  short  of  doing  justice : 
Therefore  he  has  (as  was  said)  his  judgments  for 
her  by  weight,  and  his  indignation  by  measure : 
But  yet  this  weight  and  measure  is  not  suited  to 
her  constitution,  not  with  an  intent  to  purge  or 
refine  her;  but  it  is  disposed  according  to  the 
measure  and  nature  of  her  iniquity,  and  comes  to 
sweep  her,  as  with  the  besom  of  destruction,  until 
.she  is  swept  oflF  from  the  face  of  all  the  earth. 

And  thus  I  have  shewed  you  the  manner  of  the 
ruin  of  Antichrist;  that  is,  That  it  will  be  gradual, 
part  after  part,  mitil  the  whole  be  overthrown. 
And  this  truth  may  be  applied  both  to  the  soul,  as 
well  as  to  the  body  of  Antichrist :  For  the  soid, 
spirit,  or  life  of  Antichrist  must  also  after  this 
manner  be  destroyed.  And  hence  it  is  said  to  be 
consumed,  that  is,  by  degrees :  For  to  consume, 
is  to  destroy  by  degrees :  Only  this  caution  I  would 
have  the  reader  remember,  That  much  of  the  soul 
of  Antichrist  may  be  destroyed,  when  none  of  her 
daughters  are;  and  that  the  destruction  of  her 
spirit  is  a  certain  forerunner  of  the  destruction  of 
her  body  in  the  manner  that  we  have  related. 

Now  since  she  is  dying,  let  us  ring  her  passing- 
bell  ;  for  when  she  is  dead,  we  that  live  to  see  it, 
intend  to  ring  out. 

'  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  God ;  When  I  shall 
make  thee  a  desolate  city,  like  the  cities  that  are 
not  inhabited ;  when  I  shall  bring  up  the  deep 
upon  thee,  and  great  waters  shall  cover  thee ; 
when  I  shall  bring  thee  down  with  them  that 
descend  into  the  pit,  with  the  people  of  old  time, 
and  shall  set  thee  in  the  low  parts  of  the  earth,  in 
places  desolate  of  old,  with  them  that  go  down  to 
the  pit,  that  thou  be  not  inhabited ;  and  I  shall 


set  glory  in  the  land  of  the  living ;  I  will  make 
thee  a  terror,  and  thou  shcdt  be  no  more :  though 
thou  be  sought  for,  yet  shalt  thou  never  be  found 
again,  saith  the  Lord  GoD.'  Eze.  x.\vi.  19— 21. 

OF  TEE  SIGNS  OP  THE  APPROACH  OF  THE  DOWNFALL 
OF  ANTICHRIST. 

Having  in  the  foregoing  discourse  spoken  of 
Antichrist  his  ruin,  and  the  manner  thereof,  I  now 
come  to  speak  of  the  signs  of  the  approach  of  her 
destruction.  And  whether  I  shall  hit  right,  as  to 
these,  that  I  must  leave  to  time  to  make  manifest ; 
and  in  the  mean  while  to  the  wise  in  heart  to  judge. 

That  she  shall  fall,  there  is  nothing  more  cer- 
tain ;  and  when  she  is  fallen,  that  she  never  shall 
rise  again,  is  also  as  firmly  decreed;  yea,  and 
shewed  too  by  him  that  cast  the  millstone  into  the 
sea,  and  said,  '  Thus  with  violence  shall  that  great 
city  Babylon  be  thrown  down,  and  shall  be  found 
no  more  at  all. '  Re.  xvm.  21.  This  is  therefore  her 
fate  and  destiny,  from  the  mouth  of  the  holy  one ; 
and  is  sealed  up  in  the  scriptures  of  truth,  for  the 
comfort  of  the  people  that  have  been  afilicted  by 
her. 

True,  the  time  of  her  fall  is  not  certainly  known 
by  the  saints,  nor  at  all  believed  by  her;  where- 
fore, her  plagues  must  come  unlooked  for  by  her. 
And  as  to  the  saints,  their  guesses,  as  to  the  time 
of  her  ruin,  must  needs  be  conjectural  and  uncertain. 
For  her  part,  she  shall  say,  and  that  when  she 
stands  where  she  must  suddenly  fall,  '  I  shall  be  a 
lady  for  ever. '  is.  .\ivii.  7—9.  And  as  to  the  saints 
that  would  very  willingly  see  her  downfall,  how 
often  have  they  been  mistaken  as  to  the  set  time 
thereof. 

Nor  have  I  been  without  thought,  but  that  this 
mistake  of  the  godly  may  become  a  snare  to  Anti- 
christ, and  a  trap  to  her  upholders.  For  what 
can  be  a  greater  judgment,  or  more  effectually 
harden  the  hearts  of  the  wicked,  than  for  them  to 
behold  that  the  predictions,  prophecies,  expectation 
and  hopes  of  their  enemies  (as  to  their  ruin)  should 
quite  (as  to  the  time)  be  fz'ustrate,  and  made  void. 

Moses  prophesied,  and  the  people  hoped  that 
God  would  give  Israel  '  the  land  of  Canaan  ;'  and 
yet  the  Canaanites  beat  them.  Nu.  xiv.  40;  Jos.  vii.  5— 9. 

Jeremiah  prophesied  that  the  enemy  should 
come  and  take  the  city  [of]  Jerusalem ;  but  because 
he  came  once,  and  Avent  back  without  doing  it, 
how  stout  and  hardened  were  the  hearts  of  that 
people  against  all  the  rest  of  his  prophetic  sayings, 
as  to  such  a  thing.  Je.  xxxvii.  Now  the  error  lay  not 
in  these  prophets,  but  in  the  people's  mistaking 
the  times :  and  if  mistakes  do  so  much  harden  the 
heart  of  the  wicked,  what  will  they  do  to  such  of 
them  who  make  it  their  business  to  blind  and 
harden  their  hearts  against  God,  by  abusing  all 


OF  Al^TICHRIST,  AXD  HIS  RUIN. 


59 


truths  ?  Surely,  -svlien  men  seek  to  harden  their 
hearts  by  abusing  of  truth,  they  will  do  it  to  pur- 
pose, when  they  have  also  the  advantage  of  the 
weakness  of  their  professed  enemies  to  do  it  by: 
especially  when  their  enemies  shall  say  they  speak 
by  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  time  shall  manifest 
it  to  be  both  a  mistake  and  a  falsehood. 

It  is  to  be  bewailed,  namely,  the  forwardness  of 
some  in  this  matter,  who  have  predicted  concern- 
ing the  time  of  the  downfall  of  Antichrist,  to  the 
shame  of  them  and  their  brethren :  nor  will  the 
wi'ong  that  such  by  their  boldness  have  done  to 
the  church  of  God,  be  ever  repaired  by  them  nor 
their  works.  But  the  judgments  of  God  are  a 
great  deep  ;  and  therefore  who  can  tell,  since  the 
enemy  of  God  would  not  be  convinced  by  the  power 
of  truth,  and  the  virtuous  lives  of  some,  but  tliat 
God  might  leave  them  to  be  snared,  hardened  and 
emboldened  to  I'un  upon  their  unavoidable  destruc- 
tion, by  the  Hes  and  lightness  of  others.  They 
begin  to  vaunt  it  already,  and  to  say,  Where  is 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  as  to  this,  let  it  come  now. 
But  when  Agag  said,  '  surely  the  bitterness  of 
death  is  past,'  then  was  the  time  for  him  to  be 
hewn  in  pieces,  l  Sa.  xv.  32,  S3.  I  shall  not  therefore 
meddle  with  the  times  and  seasons  which  the 
Father  hath  put  in  his  own  power ;  no,  though 
they  as  to  Antichrist's  ruin  are  revealed ;  because 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  there  is  a  challenge  made,  not- 
withstanding the  time  is  set,  and  by  the  word 
related  to  the  man  of  wisdom,  to  find  it  out  if  he 

can.  Ec.  xiii.  IS. 

If  Samson's  riddle  was  so  puzzling,  what  shall 
we  think  of  this  ?  and  though  the  angel  hath  inti- 
mated, that  this  sealed  matter  shall  be  opened 
towards  the  time  of  the  end ;  Da.  xii.  9.  yet  'tis  evi- 
dent, some  have  either  been  so  hasty,  or  presumed 
too  much  upon  their  own  abilities :  for  I  am  sure 
they  have  missed  the  mark,  hardened  the  heart  of 
the  enemy,  stumbled  the  weak,  and  shamed  them 
that  loved  them. 

But  since  the  most  high  hath  irreversibly  deter- 
mined her  downfall  also,  let  us  see  if  we  can  have 
better  success  in  discoursing  upon  the  signs,  than 
others  have  had  who  have  meddled  with  the  timing 
thereof. 

FIEST  SICtZT. 

First  then.  The  downfall  and  ruin  of  Antichrist 
draws  near,  lolien  the  church  and  jjeople  of  God  are 
driven  from  all  those  hiding-jylaces  that  God  lias 
pi^pared  for  them  in  tJie  wilderness.  The  church 
of  God,  when  the  dragon  did  his  worst,  had  an 
hiding-place  prepared  her  of  God,  that  she  might 
not  utterly  be  devoured  by  him ;  and  so  shall  have 
till  the  time  of  his  end  shall  come. 

Of  this  you  read  in  the  12th  of  the  Revelations, 


a  place  worthy  to  be  noted  for  this.  But  now 
when  the  time  of  the  ruin  of  Antichrist  draws  on' 
then  is  the  church  deprived  of  her  shelter,  and 
laid  open,  as  one  woidd  think,  to  be  utterly  swal- 
lowed up  for  ever,  having  no  more  place  in  the 
wilderness,  that  is,  among  the  nations,  to  hide 
herself  from  the  face  of  the  serpent.  But  how 
comes  this  to  be  a  siGX  of  the  approach  of  the  ruin 
of  Antichrist  ?  why  thus.  The  time  of  this  beast's 
war  with  the  church  of  God,  and  the  time  that 
the  church  shall  have  an  hiding-place  in  the  wil- 
derness, are  both  of  a  length,  the  one  continuing 
foHy-two  months,  the  other  a  thousand  tioo  hundred 
and  threescore  days.  Now  since  the  war  that  this 
beast  makes  with  the  woman  and  her  seed,  and 
the  woman's  hiding-place  in  the  wilderness  from 
his  face,  are,  for  length  of  time,  the  same ;  what 
hindereth  but  that  when  the  woman  and  her  seed 
can  find  no  more  shelter  in  the  nations,  the  time 
that  the  beast  hath  allotted  him  to  make  war 
against  her,  should  be  finished  also  ?  when  wo 
therefore  shall  see  that  plots  and  conspiracies,  that 
designs  for  utter  ruin,  are  laid  against  God's 
church  all  the  world  over ;  and  that  none  of  the 
kings,  princes,  or  mighty  states  of  the  world,  will 
open  their  doors,  or  give  them  a  city  for  refuge ; 
then  is  the  ruin  of  Antichrist  at  hand:  for  Haman's 
plot,  though  the  most  imivcrsal  that  ever  yet  was 
hatching,  (being  laid  in  an  hundred  twenty-seven 
provinces,)  did  but  presage  the  deliverance  and 
exaltation  of  the  Jews,  and  the  hanging  of  Haman 
and  his  sons :  yea,  and  I  take  it,  that  the  very 
day  that  this  great  enemy  had  set  for  the  utter 
overthrow  of  the  church,  God  made  the  day  in 
which  their  deliverance  began,  and  that  from 
whence  it  was  completed ;  and  I  take  tlixit  to  be  a 
type  of  this. 

There  is  but  one  thing  that  I  can  think  of  that 
can  give  matter  of  a  shew  of  doubt  about  this  thing; 
and  that  is,  though  the  time  of  this  war  against 
the  saints,  and  that  of  the  woman's  shelter  in  the 
wilderness  as  to  length,  be  one  and  the  same ;  yet 
whether  they  did  commence  together,  and  begin  to 
take  their  rise,  as  men  do  that  begin  to  run  a  race? 
a  word  therefore  to  this.  I  suppose  they" did  com- 
mence much  together;  for  else  with  whom  shoiUd 
this  beast  make  war,  and  how  should  the  church 
escape  ?  Or,  if  the  beast  began  his  war  before 
the  woman  began  to  have  a  hiding  place,  why  was 
she  not  swallowed  up,  since  in  the  wilderness  was 
her  only  place  of  shelter  ?  Again,  what  needed 
the  woman  to  have  a  place  of  shelter  in  the  wil- 
derness, when  there  was  no  war  made  against  her . 
And  yet  this  must  be,  if  her  thousand  two  himdrcd 
and  threescore  days,  began  before  the  beast's  forty- 
two  months:  but  they  ended  both  together;  for 
the  beast  could  not  kill  the  witnesses  before  they 
had  finished  their  testimony;  which  testimony  of 


60 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  EUIN. 


theirs  lasted  this  full  time  tliat  the  beast  had 
granted  hhn  to  make  war  with  them,  to  wit,  one 
thousand  two  hmidrcd  and  threescore  days:  Re.  xi.3. 
therefore  their  times  went  out  together,  as  will  he 
made  ai)peai',  if  you  consider  also  that  the  witnesses 
were  slain,  by  virtue,  not  of  the  old,  but  of  a  new 
•war  levied  against  them;  and  that,  as  it  should 
seem,  at  the  very  time  when  her  hiding-place  was 
taken  from  her ;  for  then  indeed,  for  a  little  sea- 
son, will  the  church  of  God  be  overcome,  as  I  shall 
shew  by  and  by. 

Wherefore,  let  God's  people  consider  and  re- 
member that  Avhen  God's  church  is  absolutely  for- 
lorn, and  has  no  hiding  place  any  longer  in  the 
world,  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist  will  quickly  begin 
to  tumble.  Nor  is  this  the  alone  place  from  whence 
we  may  gather  these  conclusions. 

The  time  of  Pharaoh's  tyranny,  of  his  life,  and 
of  the  deliverance  of  the  childi-en  of  Israel,  came 
out  much  together  ;  as  any  Avill  discern  that  shall 
consider  the  history  of  them.  Ge.xv.  13. 

David,  when  Saul  did  sorely  prosecute  him,  fled 
last  into  the  wilderness  to  Achish  the  king  of  Gath, 
a  Philistine,  for  shelter ;  and  he  gave  him  Ziklag 
for  his  refuge,  i  Sa.  xxvii.  5, 6.  And  that  place  so 
continued  to  David,  'till  just  about  the  time  in 
which  Said  must  die ;  and  then  behold,  David's 
Ziklag  is  burnt  with  fire,  and  himself  stript  naked 
of  harbour  !  1  Sa.  xxx.  i.  But  what  matter  !  The 
time  of  Saul's  life,  as  well  as  of  David's  Ziklag, 
was  now  upon  expiring ;  for  within  three  or  four 
days   after,    David   became   the  kmg  of  Israel. 

1  Sa.  xxxi.  1—6. 

And  thus  also  it  was  with  the  Babel-beast :  His 
time  expired,  when  the  captivity  of  Israel  was  upon 
the  finishing :  then  was  the  time  of  his  land  come, 
and  '  in  that '  very  '  night  was  Belshazzar  the  king 
of  the  Chaldeans  slain. '  Da.  v.  35—30. 

Thus  therefore  it  will  happen  to  the  church  in 
the  latter  days :  her  place  of  shelter  in  the  wilder- 
ness ;  her  Ziklag  will  be  taken  from  her,  about 
the  time  that  the  war  that  the  beast  has  to  make 
upon  the  woman  and  her  seed  shall  be  finished. 
But  now  the  church  is  not  therefore  immediately 
delivered,  when  her  Ziklag  is  taken  from  her ;  for 
after  that,  the  beast  levieth  a  new  war,  to  the  ovei*- 
coming  and  killing  of  the  church :  I  say  therefore, 
that  this  is  a  sign,  not  of  the  downfall  of  Antichrist, 
but  of  the  approach  thereof:  for  the  church's  bon- 
dage shall  continue  but  three  days,  and  a  little 
after  this  [shall  be  her  deliverance].  Much  like 
to  this  was  that  of  David  ;  for  after  he  had  lost 
his  Ziklag,  for  two  or  three  days  he  had  sore  dis- 
tress :  but  lo,  then  came  the  kingdom  to  him. 

Indeed,  sense  and  reason  saith,  it  is  a  fearful 
thing  for  the  church  of  God  to  be  exposed  to  the 
rage  of  her  enemy  all  over  the  world  at  once ;  and 
that  aU  nations   should  shut  up  their  gates,  let 


down  their  portcullises,  bolt  up  their  doors,  and 
set  open  their  flood-gates  to  destroy  them :  but  so 
will  be  the  dispensation  of  God,  to  the  end  delive- 
rance may  be  the  sweeter,  and  the  enemies  fall  the 
more  headlong,  and  the  arm  of  God  the  more  mani- 
fest, both /or  the  one,  and  against  the  other.  And 
in  this  wiU  that  scripture  be  fidfiUed :  '  And  there 
shall  be  a  time  of  trouble,  such  as  never  was  since 
there  was  a  nation  -  -  and  at  that  time  thy  people 
shall  be  delivered,  every  one  that  shall  be  found 
written  in  the  book. '  Da.  xii.  l. 

Let  us  gather  up  what  has  been  said  again ; 
namely,  that  it  is  a  sign  of  the  approach  of  the 
ruin  of  Antichrist,  when  God's  church  can  find  no 
more  shelter  in  the  wilderness ;  because  when  her 
Ziklag  is  burned,  the  time  of  the  war  that  the 
beast  is  to  make  against  her,  is  finished.  Where- 
fore, when  she  hath  given  one  desperate  struggle 
more,  and  laid  the  church  of  God,  or  his  witnesses, 
for  dead,  in  the  street  of  his  great  city,  for  three 
days  and  an  half,  then  comes  the  kingdom,  and 
the  long,  long-looked-for  rest  and  glory.  Where- 
fore it  remains,  that  an  angel  should  stand  in  the 
sun,  and  make  proclamation  to  all  the  fowls  that 
fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  to  gather  themselves 
together  to  the  supper  of  the  great  God:  'That 
ye  may  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  and  the  flesh  of 
captains,  and  the  flesh  of  mighty  men,  and  the 
flesh  of  horses,  and  of  them  that  sit  on  them ;  and 
the  flesh  of  all  men,  both  free  and  bond,  both  small 
and  great. '  Re.  xk.  is.  This  is  to  be  after  the  forty- 
two  months  of  the  beast ;  and  consequently,  after 
the  thousand  two  hundred  and  threescore  days  that 
the  church  was  to  be  in  sackcloth  ;  yea,  after  the 
resurrection  of  the  witnesses,  as  is  evident  by  that 
which  follows:  'And  the  beast  was  taken,  (that 
is,  after  the  second  year)  and  with  him  the  false 
prophet  that  wrought  miracles  before  him,  with 
which  he  deceived  them  that  had  received  the 
mark  of  the  beast,  and  them  that  Avorshipped  his 
image.  These  both  were  cast  alive  into  a  lake  of 
fire  burning  with  brimstone.  *  v.  20. 

SECOMD  SIGN. 

Secondly,  Another  sign  of  the  approach  of  the 
ruin  of  Antichrist,  is  this :  towards  the  end  of  her 
reign,  the  nations  will  be  made  to  see  her  baseness, 
and  to  abhor  her  and  her  ways.  They  wiU,  I  say, 
be  made  to  see  these  things,  in  order  to  her  ruin : 
also,  when  they  shall  be  made  to  see,  her  ruin  will 
not  be  far  oif.  For  so  long  as  the  nations  and  their 
rulers  shall  continue  in  that  dead  sleep  that  she  hath 
bewitched  them  into,  by  their  drinking  of  the  wine 
of  her  fornication ;  so  long  we  have  no  ground  to 
think  that  her  ruin  is  at  the  door:  but  when  God 
shall  lay  her  before  kings,  and  shall  discover  her 
nakedness  to  the  nations,  then  be  sure  her  destruc- 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


61 


tion  is  at  hand.  Hence  you  read,  that  precedent 
to  her  downfall:  An  angel  comes  down  from  heaven, 
and  enlightens  the  earth  with  his  glory.  Ee.  x.i. 
[Tlie  earth;]  that  is,  the  kingdoms,  coimtries,  and 
nations  where  the  woman  sitteth,  or  they  that  bor- 
der thereupon.  [EnligJitened ;]  to  let  them  see  the 
filthiness  of  the  whore.  [  With  his  glory;]  with  the 
doctrine  that  he  had  commission  to  preach  against 
her,  for  the  discovering  of  her  lewdness  to  the  earth. 
This  also  was  the  way  that  God  took  with  back- 
sUding  Israel  of  old,  (and  she  was  a  type  of  our 
religious  Babel)  when  he  intended  to  bring  her  to 
judgment  for  her  sins ;  Eze.  xvi.  37.  and  this  is  the 
way  that  God  wiU  take  to  destroy  our  religious 
Antichrist,  when  he  comes  to  deliver  his  people  out 
of  her  hand. 

For  though  the  people  that  suffer  at  her  hand, 
can  do  nothing  against  her,  but  lay,  in  prayers  and 
tears  against  her  before  the  God  of  heaven,  and 
bear  their  witness  against  her  before  the  gods  of 
the  earth ;  yet  when  kings  shall  come  to  be  con- 
cerned, and  they  will  count  themselves  concerned 
when  they  shall  see  how  they  have  been  deceived 
by  her ;  then  let  her  look  to  it.  *  Behold,  I  am 
against  thee,  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts ;  and  I  will 
discover  thy  skirts  upon  thy  face,  and  I  will  shew 
the  nations  thy  nakedness,  and  the  kingdoms  thy 
shame.  And  I  wiU  cast  abominable  filth  upon 
thee,  and  make  thee  vile,  and  will  set  thee  as  a 
gazing-stock.'  And  what  follows?  'And  it  shall 
come  to  pass,  that  all  they  that  look  upon  thee, 
shall  flee  from  thee,  and  say,  Nineveh  is  laid  Avaste : 
who  will  bemoan  her?  whence  shall  I  seek  com- 
forters for  thee?'  Na. iii.  5—7. 

Wherefore,  there  wants  nothing  but  that  she  be 
discovered  to  the  nations  and  their  kings ;  for  did 
they  but  see  her,  though  they  lay  yet  in  her  bosom, 
they  would  rise  up  against  her,  that  she  must  die : 
wherefore  it  is  written  again,  I  will  'bring  forth  a 
fire  from  the  midst  of  thee,  it  shall  devour  thee, 
and  I  will  bring  thee  to  ashes  upon  the  earth  in 
the  sight  of  all  them  that  behold  thee. '  Eze.  xxm.  I8. 

The  chief  of  the  wisdom  of  Antichrist  this  day  is 
laid  out,  if  perhaps  by  it  she  may  cover  her  naked- 
ness, and  keep  it  from  the  eyes  of  kings  and  their 
people.  But  God  has  said  it  shall  not  avail: 
•Thy  nakedness  shall  be  uncovered,  yea,  thy  shame 
shall  be  seen :  I  will  take  vengeance,  and  I  will 
not  meet  thee  as  a  man. '  i?.  xivii.  3.  But  how  will  he 
make  her  naked?  Verily,  by  kings.  But  how 
shall  kings  do  it  ?  Why,  by  virtue  of  the  glory  of 
the  angel :  yea,  they  '  shall  make  her  desolate  and 
naked,  and  shall  eat  her  flesh,  and  burn  her  with 

fire.'  Re.  xvii.  IG. 

Let  this,  I  pray,  be  considered.  That  Antichrist 
shall  not  down,  but  by  the  hand  of  kings.  The 
preacher  then  kiUs  her  soul,  and  the  king  kills  her 
body.     And  why  should   not  the  kings  have  it 


granted  unto  them,  that  she  should  fall  by  their 
hand?  the  lungs  arc  those  that  she  has  abused, 
that  she  has  in  the  grossest  manner  abused,  and 
has  served  herself  of  them :  but  the  time  of  the  end 
of  Antichrist,  mystery  Babylon  is  comino-,  '  and 
then  many  nations  and  great  kings  shall  servo 
themselves  of  him.'  Je.xxvii.y.  * 

Nor  shall  all  the  tricks,  lies,  and  deceit  tmdor 
which  formerly  she  used  to  shroud  herself,  be  able 
to  prove  a  balm  to  her  any  longer :  No,  '  in  vaiu 
shalt  thou  use  many  medicines ; '  for  no  ciu-e  shall 
be  unto  thee;  'the  nations  have  heard  of  thy 
shame.'  Je. xivi.  11, 12. 

Babylon  has  for  a  long  time  been  *  a  lady  of 
kingdoms,'  and  'a  golden  cup  in  the  Lord's  hand:' 
the  nations  also  have  largely  drank  of  her  cup,  and 
the  kings  have  committed  fornication  Avith  her. 
Ke.  xviii.  3.  But  now  the  angel  is  come  down,  and 
hath  enlightened  the  earth  toith  his  glory.  Where- 
fore now  it  follows  immediately,  '  Babylon  is  fallen ! 
is  fallen !  *  That  is,  in  the  eyes  and  esteem  of  the 
nations,  as  well  as  othervvise. 

True,  some  of  the  kings  will  bewail  her  fall,  and 
will  cry,  Alas!  Alas!  when  they  see  that  they  can- 
not help  her ;  for  that  they  shall  see,  as  is  evident, 
because  they  stand  afar  off  to  lament  her,  '  afar  off 
for  the  fear  of  her  torment.'  The  kings  therefore 
into  whose  hands  God  shall  deliver  her,  and  who 
shall  execute  his  judgments  upon  her,  shall  be 
more  mighty  and  powerful  to  bring  her  down,  than 
shall  be  the  whole  world  besides  to  uphold  her. 

The  Protestant  Kings. 

And  this  observe  further.  That  as  the  kings  that 
shall  hate  her,  shall  hate  her  because  in  the  light 
of  the  glory  of  the  angel  they  are  made  able  to  sec 
her  filthiness ;  so  the  kings  that  shall  bewail  her, 
are  such  as  in  judgment  are  left  in  the  dark,  and 
that  shall  be  bewitched  by  her  to  the  end.  This 
therefore  will  let  us  see  something  of  the  meaning 
of  God,  in  that  he  has  drawn  oft'  from  her  some  of 
the  kings  already;  to  wit,  that  he  might  train  them 
up  by  the  light  of  the  gospel,  that  they  may  be 
expert,  like  men  of  war,  to  scale  her  walls,  when 
the  king  of  kings  shall  give  out  the  commandment 
to  them  so  to  do. 

There  has  been  a  great  deal  of  talk  in  the  coun- 
tries about  the  ruin  and  destruction  of  Babylon ; 

*  The  reader  must  not  misiuulerstand  the  words, '  The  king 
kills  her  body.'  Bimyan  does  not  in  the  slightest  degree  con- 
cede to  kings  or  nations  a  right  to  interfere  with  '  the  sonl'  or 
religious  principles  or  practices — these  are  to  be  slain,  if  false, 
by  persecution  of  the  preacher.  Kings  and  nations  will  restore 
to  the  people  the  immense  property  and  revenue  of  which  they 
have  been  plundered,  under  the  hollow  knavish  pretence  of 
curing  souls  and  forgiving  sins.  Thus  will  hmnan  laws  kill 
the  body  of  Antichrist.  Every  motive  for  professing  to  believe 
absm-dities  and  contradictions  will  be  at  an  end,  when  neither 
rule  nor  honom-,  nor  pelf  is  to  be  gained  by  hypocrisy.— Ed. 


62 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


but  could  we  see  more  of  tlie  kings  engaged  agaiust 
her,  we  sliould  hope  groundedly  that  her  fall  was 
at  the  door.  Well,  blessed  be  God  for  what  kmgs 
there  ai-e,  and  the  Lord  turn  the  hearts  of  many 
more  to  hate  her. 

Some,  as  I  said  before,  have  adventured  to  fore- 
tell the  time  of  her  do^vnfall ;  but  give  me  the  signs 
thereof.  This  therefore  is  a  sign,  a  sign  that  her 
downfall  approaches,  when  God  shall  lay  her  naked- 
ness before  the  nations,  and  put  it  into  the  hearts 
of  kings  to  abhor  her.  The  signs  of  the  times  the 
Lord  Jesus  would  have  us  mind ;  and  because  the 
Jews  neglected  them,  though  as  to  the  time  they 
hit  pretty  right,  yet  they  missed  of  the  thing  that 
the  time  brought  forth. 

THIRD  SIGX. 

Tliirdhj,  A  third  sign  of  the  approach  of  the  ruin 
of  Antichrist,  is  this: '  When  Babylon  is  become  the 
habitation  of  devils,  <fcc.,'  then  the  downfall  thereof 
is  upon  us.  True,  Babylon  was  always  an  habita- 
tion for  devils;  but  not  an  habitation  only  for  them; 
Israel  once  dwelt  there,  and  oibr  Antichrist  was 
sometimes  a  place  of  residence  for  good  men.  The 
meaning  then,  is.  When  you  shall  see  the  church 
and  people  of  God  so  forsake  her  that  she  is  left  in 
a  manner  to  herself,  and  to  her  disciples,  then  she 
is  to  fall  quickly.  When  you  hear  it  jjroclaimed 
by  them  that  are  yet  in  hei',  of  God's  people,  *  We 
would  have  healed  Babylon,  but  she  is  not  healed: 
forsake  her,  and  let  us  go  every  one  into  his  own 
country:'  Je.  ii.9.  Then  she  will  soon  be  hissed  out 
of  the  world:  for  this  is  the  way  of  the  wisdom  of 
God;  namely,  to  bring  his  people  out  of  a  city  or 
place,  when  he  intends  the  ruin  of  that  place.  When 
God  was  about  to  destroy  the  old  world,  he  put  Ms 
Noah  into  an  ark :  when  God  was  about  to  destroy 
Sodom,  he  sent  his  Lot  away  thence  to  Zoar :  when 
Christ  was  about  to  destroy  Jerusalem,  he  bid  his 
disciples  flee  from  the  midst  of  that :  and  when 
there  shall  be  by  God  a  hissing  for  his  people;  and 
when  they  shall  hear  him,  and  obey,  and  gather  to 
him,  then  you  shall  see  what  will  become  of  this 
enemy  of  Christ :  '  I  will  hiss  for  them,  and  gather 
them;  for  I  have  redeemed  them.'  Ze. x. 8— 13. 

I  say  therefore,  when  Babylon  shall  become  the 
habitation  of  devils,  a  hold  for  all  foul  spirits,  and 
a  cage  for  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird,  then 
Babylon  is  faUcu. 

And  thus  the  angel  that  lightened  the  earth 
with  his  glory,  proclaimed,  'Babylon  the  great  is 
fallen !  is  fallen !  and  is  become  the  habitation  of 
devils,  and  a  hold  for  cvei-y  foul  spirit,  and  a  cage 
for  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird. '  Wiierefore  it 
must  be,  that  by  that  her  time  is  come  that  she 
should  fall,  God  will  have  gleaned  his  people  from 
the  midst  of  her.  And  when  God  shall  have  gleaned 
liis  people  from  the  midst  of  her,  those  that  are  left 


behind  will  appear  more  than  ever  to  be  what  they 
are,  to  wit,  devils,  foul  spirits,  and  hateful  birds ; 
wherefore,  now  will  Antichrist  appear  in  his  own 
most  proper  colours. 

But  to  comment  a  little  upon  the  words. 

Babylon  'Mystery  Babylon. '  Ke.  xvii.  5.  The  anti- 
chi'istiau  church. 

'  Is  fallen !  Is  fallen !  '  In  the  eyes  and  faith 
of  the  godly,  by  her  dropping  into  the  dregs  of 
degeneracy,  and  so  is  become  the  habitation  of 
devils,  &c.,  in  order  to  her  falling  into  utter  and 
unavoidable  destruction  for  ever, 

'  Is  become. '  That  is,  through  the  labour  of  the 
fanners  and  winnowers  that  God  hath  sent  to  fan 
Babylon,  and  to  fetch  out  his  people,  that  she 
might  be  left  to  her  chaff:  'I  will  send  (saith  God 
to  Babylon)  fanners,  that  shall  fan  her,  and  shall 
empty  her  land  (of  good  men;)  for  in  the  day  of 
trouble  they  shall  be  against  her  romid  about. '  Je.  li.  3. 

*  An  habitation  of  devils.'  Devils:  not  such  by 
iiature,  but  by  practice.  Incarnate  devils.  For 
when  the  time  is  come  that  Babylon  must  be  de- 
stroyed, she  shall  be  found  to  be  an  habitation  for 
the  most  vile  of  the  sons  of  men.  For  as  devils 
have  acted  towards  the  world,  so  shall  the  sons  of 
this  sorceress,  and  this  whore,  act  towards  Christ 
and  his  members  in  the  latter  days.  And,  perhaps, 
the  departing  of  Zion  from  the  midst  of  her,  AviU 
blow  her  up  into  this  spirit  of  devilism.  Let  God's 
people  therefore,  when  Antichrist  is  towai-ds  her  end, 
look  for  nothing  from  her,  but  what  the  devQ,  iii 
times  past,  used  to  do;  to  wit,  all  sinful  sub  til  ty,  ma- 
lice, wrath,  fraud,  deceit,  lying,  murder,  false  aceus- 
ings,  and  implacable  madness  of  spirit  to  do  them 
mischief.  (But  Lord  God !  think  I,  what  Avill  become 
of  good  men !  and  where  will  they  be  safe  in  such 
days  ?  Only  I  comfort  myself,  by  saying  to  myself 
again,  this  a  sign  that  the  ruin  of  Antichrist  is  at  the 
door.)  But  this  I  say,  he  must  needs  be  a  tuneable 
man,  that  shall  be  able  in  those  days  to  sing  this  song 
to  himself  at  all  seasons :  for  this  is  to  drive  reason 
backward,  and  to  set  the  cart  before  the  horse. 
For  what  will  the  good  man's  reason  say,  when  it 
seeth  all  Babylonians  are  become  devils,  but  that 
the  church  of  God  Avill  certainly  be  torn  in  pieces? 
But  behold!  the  text  and  the  Holy  Ghost  rims 
counter.  *  Babylon  is  fallen !  is  fallen !  and  (or, 
for  it)  is  become  the  habitation  of  devils. '  These 
words  for  certain  are  the  words  df  an  holy  angel ; 
for  it  could  not  have  entered  uito  the  heart  of  mere 
man  to  have  conceived  them. 

*  An  habitation. '  To  be  an  habitation  (for 
devils)  is  to  be  their  house,  their  dwelling-2)lace, 
their  place  of  privilege,  their  place  of  rest  and 
abode,  or  thither  whither  they  have  right  to  go. 
And  thus  will  Babylon  be ;  that  is,  an  house,  an 
habitation,  a  dweUing-place,  and  a  place  of  rest, 
only  for  devilish-minded  men;  thither  may  such 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


men  come ;  for  sucli  lier  doors  stand  open,  and 
there  may  sueli  inhabit.  When  therefore  you  see 
good  men  come  out  thence,  and  all  sorts  of  wicked 
men  flock  in  thither,  then  know  that  Babylon  is 
near  her  end. 

'And  a  hold  for  every  fold,  sjiirit.'  Understand 
by  spirit,  either  those  that  are  devils  by  nature,  or 
such  as  are  such  otherwise.  But  I  think  that  the 
angel  chiefly  intends  all  manner  of  unclean  and  filthy 
spirits ;  and  so  the  chm-ch  and  members  of  Baby- 
lon, their  only  place  of  safety :  Or  if  you  tmder- 
stand  it  of  the  uncleanness  of  the  spirits  and  minds 
of  men,  then  the  meaning  is,  that  they  are  called 
foul  spii'its,  in  allusion  to  those  of  devils  which  go 
by  the  same  name.  Ma.  ix.  35.  But  however,  or  which 
way  soever  taken,  it  seems  Babylon  is  their  hold ; 
that  is,  their  place  of  defence :  For  by  an  hold, 
we  often  understand  a  place  of  strength,  a  castle, 
a  fort,  a  tower ;  so  that  these  devils,  these  foul- 
spirited  men,  these  Babylonians,  will  not  only  find 
house-room  and  harbour  in  Babel,  but  shelter, 
defence  and  protection,  when  she  is  near  her  ruin : 
yea,  they  will  find  her  an  upholder  to  them,  and  a 
countenancer  of  them,  in  all  their  foul  and  devilish 
pranks  ;  yea,  such  an  hold  shall  she  be  to  such 
fold  spirits  in  such  foul  acts,  that  it  shall  not  be 
possible  that  they  shoidd  be  driven  from  her,  or 
from  them :  For  an  hold  is  often  taken  in  the  scrip- 
tures for  a  place  that  is  impregnable,  and  must  be 
so  taken  here.  This  intimates  then,  that  some 
faint  opposition  by  the  kings  and  nations  will  be 
made  against  these  inhabiters,  foul  spirits,  but  to 
little  purpose,  until  the  time  of  her  land  shall  come  ; 
Je.  jcxvii.  7.  for  in  their  hold  they  still  will  be  secured 
and  defended  from  what  reason,  law  and  scripture 
can  or  would  do  unto  them.  Thus  then  we  see 
how  Babel,  towards  her  end,  will  be  filled,  and 
with  v.'hat,  to  wit,  with  devils  and  foul  spirits ;  yea, 
and  that  she  will  not  only  be  an  habitation,  but  a 
place  of  defence  for  such. 

'And  a  cage  for  every  tmclean  and  hateful  bird.' 
Those  that  before  are  called  devils,  and  foul  spirits, 
are  also  here  called  'birds,  unclean  and  hateful 
beasts.'  By  the  term  {^Birds,^  he  may  allude  to 
that  of  the  prophet  Isaiah,  where  these  micleau 
birds  are  mentioned,  sxxiv.  11—17.  And  by  cage,  he 
may  allude  to  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  from  whom, 
as  I  think,  the  Holy  Ghost  takes  those  words ;  but 
then  we  must  put  men  in  the  place  of  birds,  and 
the  Babylonian  hingdom  for  the  cage.  Je.  v.  27. 

'Every  unclean  bird.'  As  was  said  before,  a 
hold  for  evenj  foul  spirit.  These  unclean  birds 
therefore  are  not  all  of  one  feather,  or  kind,  but  of 
oR  and  every  kind  ;  and  it  intimates,  that  the  worst 
act  of  all  professions,  shall  be,  as  in  a  cage,  in 
Babylon,  a  little  before  her  downfall.  But  I  say, 
if  they  will  not  be  all  of  one  feather,  yet  in  their 
temper  they  will  somewhat  agree,  being  either  in 


shape,  monstrous;  of  appetite,  ravenous;  or,  of 
incUnaiion,  lovers  of  the  night.  For  of  all  these 
sorts  were  the  forbidden,  or  unclean  birds  among 
the  Jews.  Now  since  these  unclean  birds  are  not 
all  of  one  feather,  or  kind,  it  intimates  that  tho 
basest  of  all  sorts,  sects,  professions  and  dco-rees, 
shall  take  shelter  in  Babylon  towards  her  end ;  and 
that  they  shall  there,  in  their  temper,  unanimously 
agree  to  show  themselves  monstrous,  to  devoiu-  and 
eat  up  the  poor  and  needy,  and  to  blow  out  the 
light  of  the  gospel. 

*  A  cage. '  Not  to  imprison  them  in,  but  for 
them  to  sit  and  sing  in,  to  confer  their  notes  in, 
to  make  melodious  music  in ;  I  mean,  melodious 
to  their  own  thinking ;  for  the  ass  thinks  that  he 
sings  full  favouredly,  and  the  owl  endeavours  to 
lift  up  her  voice  above  all  the  birds  of  the  wood : 
But  it  will  be  a  prediction  of  her  fall,  and  that  her 
ruin  is  at  the  door. 

Of  these  birds  Zephaniah  speaks,  when  he  pro- 
phecies of  the  downfall  of  Nineveh,  saying,  '  The 
cormorant  and  the  bittern  [shall]  lodge  in  the 
uppermost  lintels  of  it,  their  voice  shall  sing  in 
the  windows ;  (when)  desolation  shall  he  in  the 
thresholds.'  Zep.  ii.  14.  An  unseasonable  time  to  sing 
in  ;  for  when  dealh  is  coming  in  at  the  door,  mourn- 
ing shoidd  be  in  the  chambers.  But  this  is  the 
judgment  of  God,  That  she  should  be  a  cage  for 
every  unclean  bird  to  sing  iu;  even  then  when  her 
destruction  and  desolation  cometh  upon  her. 

To  sing,  as  in  a  cage,  doth  also  denote  security, 
and  that  the  heart  is  far  from  fear ;  for  she  saith, 
'  I  shall  see  no  sorrow,  in  that  hour  in  which  her 
judgment  comes.' 

But  is  this  a  sign  of  the  approach  of  the  ruin 
of  Antichrist  ?  And  must  those  that  shall  live  to 
see  those  days,  rejoice  when  these  things  begin  to 
come  to  pass  ?  Are  not  these  things  rather  a  sign 
that  the  utter  overthrow  of  the  church  of  God  is  at 
the  door  ?  Indeed,  to  sense  it  is,  and  reason  will 
be  apt  to  say  so :  But  hark  what  the  Holy  Ghost 
saith !   '  She  is  fallen !  is  fallen  now ! ' 

When  therefore  we  shall  see  men  like  devils ; 
yea,  every  foul  spirit,  and  hateful  bird,  flock  to, 
and  take  shelter  in  Babylon;  let  us  not  be 
frighted  or  dejected,  but  pluck  up  our  hearts,  and 
say.  This  is  one  of  the  signs  that  the  do^vnfall  of 
Babylon  is  near.  Wherefore  it  foUoAvs,  after  that 
the  prophet  had  told  us  that  these  birds  should 
dwell  in  the  land  of  the  people  of  God's  cm-se, 
Is.  xx.xiv.  That  '  the  wilderness  and  the  solitary 
place  shall  be  glad  for  them ;  (for  that  they  arc 
there)  and  the  desert  shall  rejoice,  and  blossom  as 
the  rose :  It  shall  blossom,  (saith  he)  abundantly, 
and  rejoice  even  with  joy  and  singing:  The  glory 
of  Lebanon  shall  be  given  unto  it,  the  excellency 
of  Carmcl  and  Sharon,  they  shaU  see  the  glory  of 
the  Lord,  and  the  excellency  of  our  God. '     And  to 


64, 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


support  the  weak  from  those  fears  that  in  those 
days  will  he  pulling  of  them  down,  he  adds, 
'Strengthen  ye  the  weak  hands,  and  confirm  the 
feehle  Imees.  Say  to  them  that  are  of  a  fearful 
heart,  Be  strong,  fear  not :  hehold,  yom-  God  Avill 
come  with  vengeance,  even  Godioilh  a  recompence; 
he  will  come  and  save  you.  Then  the  eyes  of  the 
bhnd  shall  be  opened,  and  the  ears  of  the  deaf  shall 
he  im stopped.  Then  shall  the  lame  man  leap  as 
an  hart,  and  the  tongue  of  the  dumb  sing:  for 
in  the  wilderness  shall  waters  break  out,  and 
streams  in  the  desert.  And  the  parched  ground 
shall  become  a  pool,  and  the  thirsty  land  springs  of 
water :  In  the  habitation  of  dragons,  where  each 
lay,  sJwU  be  grass  with  reeds  and  rushes.  And 
an  highway  shall  be  there,  and  a  Avay,  and  it 
shall  be  called,  The  way  of  holiness ;  the  unclean 
shall  not  pass  over  it ;  but  it  shall  be  for  those : 
the  wayfaring  men,  though  fools,  shall  not  err 
therein.  No  lion  shall  be  there,  nor  any  ravenous 
beast  shall  go  up  thereon,  it  shall  not  be  found 
there ;  but  the  redeemed  shall  walk  there.  And 
the  ransomed  of  the  Lord  shall  return,  and  come 
to  Zion  with  songs  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their 
heads :  They  shall  obtain  joy  and  gladness,  and 
sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee  away. '  Is.  xxxv. 

What  say  ye  now,  ye  sons  of  God !  Will  you 
learn  to  make  a  judgment  of  things  according  to 
the  mystery  of  the  wisdom  of  God,  or  will  ye 
longer  conclude  according  to  sense  and  reason: 
*  He  turneth  the  shadow  of  death  into  the  morning : ' 
Am.  V.  8.  And  commands  oft-times,  that  the  fairest 
day  should  succeed  the  foulest  night.  W^herefore, 
when  we  see  these  devils,  foul  spirits,  and  unclean 
birds  in  Babylon;  yea,  when  we  see  good  men 
leave  her,  and  the  vilest  run  in  to  her,  then  let  us 
sing  the  angels'  song,  and  say,  'Babylon  the  great 
is  fallen !  is  fallen !  and  is  become  the  habitation 
of  devils,  and  a  hold  for  every  foul  spirit,  and  a 
cage  for  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird.' 

FOURTH  SIGN. 

Fourtldy,  Another  sign  of  the  approach  of  the 
ruin  of  Antichrist,  is,  'The  Slaying  of  the  Wit- 
nesses:' For  the  witnesses  are  to  be  slain  before 
the  fall  of  Antichrist ;  and  that  by  the  hand  of 
the  beast,  who  shall  manage  the  members  of  Anti- 
christ, having  qualified  them  before  that  work, 
with  those  qualifications  of  which  you  read  in  the 
sign  foregoing.  For  what  can  better  fit  a  genera- 
tion for  such  a  work,  than  to  be  themselves  all 
turned  devils,  and  also  succourers  of  all  foul  spirits. 
Wherefore,  they  must  be  the  wickedest  of  men  that 
shall  do  this :  the  very  scum  of  the  nations,  and 
the  very  vilest  of  people.  Nor  is  this  a  new  notion : 
God  threatened  to  give  his  sanctuary  'into  the 
hands  of  strangers  for  a  prey,  and  to  the  wicked 


of  the  earth  for  a  spoil;'  Eze. vii. si.  To  robbers, 
burglars,  and  they  should  defile  it.  ver.  22.  Again, 
saith  God  of  his  people,  '  I  will  bring  the  worst  of 
the  heathen,  and  they  shall  possess  their  houses.' 
ver.  21-.  For  the  truth  is,  this  work  is  too  bad  for 
men  either  of  reason  or  conscience  to  be  found  in 
the  practice  of.  The  hangman  is  usually  none  of 
the  best :  The  witnesses  are  also  to  be  slain ;  but 
not  a  man,  but  a  beast  must  slay  them ,  '  a  den 
of  thieves,  a  hold  of  foul  spirits, '  must  do  it. 

That  the  witnesses  must  be  slain  before  the  fall 
of  Babylon,  has  been  hinted  already.  Also,  that 
their  death  is  a  forerunner  of  the  ruin  of  Antichrist, 
has  before  been  touched  upon ;  but  in  this  place  I 
shall  a  little  enlarge. 

And  therefore  I  proceed:  'And  when  they  shall 
have  finished  their  testimony,  the  beast  that 
ascendeth  out  of  the  bottomless  pit  shall  make  war 
against  them,  and  shall  overcome  them,  and  kill 
them.  And  their  dead  bodies  sliaE  lie  in  the  street 
of  the  great  city,  which  spiritually  is  called  Sodom 
and  Egypt,  where  also  our  Lord  was  crucified. 
And  they  of  the  people,  and  kindreds  and  tongues 
and  nations  shall  see  their  dead  bodies  three  days 
and  an  half,  and  shall  not  suffer  their  dead  bodies  to 
be  put  into  graves.'  'And  after  three  days  and  an 
half,  the  spirit  of  life  from  God  entered  into  them; 
and  they  stood  upon  their  feet ;  and  great  fear  fell 
upon  them  which  saw  them.  And  they  heard  a 
great  voice  from  heaven,  saying  imto  them,  Como 
up  hither:  And  they  ascended  up  to  heaven  in  a 
cloud ;  and  their  enemies  beheld  them.'  Ke. xi.  7—13. 

Thus  you  see  their  death  is  before  their  deliver- 
ance. Also  their  death  is  to  be  by  the  hand  of  the 
beast ;  to  wit  by  the  men  that  have  and  hold  his 
mark,  and  that  of  his  image,  and  that  are  of  the 
number  of  his  name.  You  see  also  that  their  death 
is  not  only  a  fore-runner  of  their  deliverance,  but  a 
sign  that  their  deliverance  is  at  the  door;  since 
the  one  is  but  three  days  and  a  half  before  the 
other. 

And  if  a  short  comment  upon  this  text  will  give 
a  little  light  to  the  reader,  I  shall  not  count  my 
labour  lost. 

'And  when  they  shall  have  finished  their  tes- 
timony, when,  or  about  the  time  they  have  done 
their  work  of  witness-bearing  for  God  in  the  world : 
When  they  have  made  or  are  making  an  end  of 
giving  their  testimony  for  Christ,  and  against  the 
witchcrafts,  idolatries,  sorceries,  fornications,  thefts, 
murders,  and  v/'ickedness  of  Antichrist:  Then  and 
not  till  then. 

'  The  beast  that  ascended  out  of  the  bottomless 
pit.'  The  beast:  The  power  that  carrieth  and 
beareth  up  Antichrist,  the  mother  of  harlots :  The 
beast  upon  which  the  woman  sitteth,  and  by  the 
heads  and  horns  of  which  she  is  protected  and  de- 
fended ;  he  ia  said  to  ascend  out  of  the  bottomless 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


pit ;  for  that  he  manifesteth  by  his  doings,  that  he 
was  horn  there,  and  came  to  [do]  the  work  of  the 
king-  thereof. 

'  Shall  make  war  against  them.'  We  read  that 
he  made  war  against  them  all  the  time  of  their 
prophesying  in  sackcloth,  while  they  were  hearing 
their  testimony  against  his  doing  ;  and  that  his 
commission  was.  That  he  should  have  leave  to  make 
war  so  long.  Ke.  xii.  6.  But  here  we  read  again,  that 
when  they  had  finished  their  testimony,  and  so 
consequently  he  had  run  out  the  time  of  his  first 
commission  for  war,  he  makes  war  again.  So  that 
this  war  which  now  he  raiseth  against  them,  seems 
to  be  another,  a  new  war,  and  such  as  is  grounded 
upon  other,  to  wit,  new  arguments,  besides  those 
upon  which  his  first  war  stood.  By  his  first  war, 
he  sought  to  beat  down  and  overthrow  ilieir  testi- 
mony. Ke.  xiii.  4.  By  this  War  he  seeketh  to  over- 
throw themselves.  The  first  war  he  made,  was 
groimded  upon  a  vain  confidence  of  his  abiUty  to 
destroy  their  faith ;  but  this  last  was  grounded 
upon  madness  against  them,  because  their  testi- 
mony had  prevailed  against  him :  Wherefore,  Tor- 
ment, wherewith  these  witnesses  by  their  testimony 
tormented  him  and  his  followers,  was  the  cause  of 
thia  last  war.  And  this  is  insinuated  when  he 
saith,  '  They  make  merry  for  their  victory  over 
them,  because  these  two  prophets,'  (to  wit,  by  their 
testimony,)  '  tormented  them  that  dwelt  on  the 
earth.'  Re. xi. lo. 

The  beast  therefore  will  make  a  war  against  the 
witnesses  aU  the  time  of  their  prophesying  in  sack- 
cloth, which  will  be  a  thousand  tAvo  himdi-ed  and 
threescore  days.  Re.  xii.  6.  In  all  which  time  they 
shall  give  him  the  foil,  and  overcome  him  by  their 
faith  and  testimony ;  and  be  proclaimed  more  than 
conquerors  over  him,  through  the  Christ  that  loved 
them.  But  now  in  this  second  war  he  overcomes 
them,  *he  overcomes  them,  and  kills  them.' 

Jezebel  for  a  long  time  made  war  against  Ehas 
the  prophet,  seeking  to  overthrow  the  worship  of 
God  which  he  maintained,  and  to  establish  the  re- 
ligion of  Baal :  But  when  she  saw  that  by  aU  she 
could  do  she  got  nothing,  but  that  the  prophet  got 
the  day  of  her  worship,  priests  and  worshippers, 
1  Ki.  xviii.  80—40.  she  breaks  out  into  a  rage,  as  one 
tormented  almost  to  death,  and  raises  a  new  war; 
not  now  against  his  religion,  but  his  person,  and 
desperately  swears  by  all  the  gods  that  she  had, 
That  by  to-morrow  that  time  the  hfe  of  the  pro- 
phet shoidd  be  as  the  life  of  one  of  her  priests 
whom  he  had  slain  for  an  idolater,  i  Ki.  xix.  3.  When 
the  devil  sees  that  he  cannot  do  by  argument,  he 
will  try  if  he  can  by  blows. 

When  Zedekiah,  the  son  of  Chenanah,  saw  that 
with  argument  he  could  not  overcome  Micaiah,  he 
steps  to  him,  and  takes  him  a  box  of  the  ear.  l 
Ki.  .wii.  2i.     This  new  war,  is  a  box  of  the  ear  which 

VOL.  II. 


the  beast  will  give  the  witnesses,  because  they 
overcame  him  by  their  faith  and  testimony,  all  the 
time  that  the  first  war  lasted. 

Now  how  long  this  second  war  will  last,  and 
what  strugglings  the  witnesses  will  make  before  he 
shall  overcome  them,  I  know  not :  This  I  know 
that  the  text  saith,  '  By  this  war  he  shall  overcome 
them. ' 

'And  shall  overcome  them,'  Saints  are  not 
said  to  be  overcome,  when  they  are  imprisoned, 
banished,  and  killed  for  their  faithful  testimony  : 
No,  by  these  things  they  overcome.  To  overcome 
then,  is  to  get  the  mastery,  to  subdue,  to  turn  out 
of  possession,  to  take  and  hold  captive,  to  strip 
the  subdued  of  power  and  privilege,  as  is  sufficiently 
manifest  both  by  scripture  and  reason :  '  For  of 
whom  a  man  is  overcome,  of  the  same  he  is  brought 
in  bondage. '  2  Pe.  ii.  19. 

So  then,  when  he  is  said  to  overcome  them,  it 
is  meant,  he  shall  get  the  mastery  of  them,  they 
shall  grow  faint  before  him,  have  no  heart  or  spirit 
to  bear  up  in  their  profession  against  him :  Against 
him,  I  say,  as  she  did  the  thousand  two  hundred 
and  threescore  days'  war  with  him ;  for  then  they 
were  overcomers,  and  did  bear  away  the  garland. 

Nor  do  I,  for  my  part,  wonder  at  this,  when  I 
consider  that  these  witnesses  are  a  succession  of 
good  men ;  and  that  when  Israel  came  out  of 
Egypt  of  old,  the  feeble  and  weak-handed  did  come 
behind.  De.  xxv.  17—19.  It  will  be  the  lot  therefore 
of  the  church,  in  the  latter  end  of  the  reign  of  the 
beast,  to  be  feeble  and  weak  in  their  profession, 
the  valiant  ones  having  gone  before:  These  will 
come,  when  those  that  were  ablehavebravely  boms 
their  testimony,  or  when  they  are  upon  finishing 
of  that :  In  compai'ison  of  whom,  they  that  come 
after  will  be  but  like  eggs  to  the  cocks  of  the  game: 
wherefore  they  must  needs  be  crushed,  cowed,  and 
overcome.  And  then  will  the  beast  boast  himself, 
as  did  his  type  of  old,  and  say,  '  My  hand  hath 
found  as  a  nest  the  riches  of  the  people :  and  as 
one  gathereth  eggs  thai  are  left,  have  I  gathered 
all  the  earth ;  and  there  was  none  that  moved  the 
wing,  or  opened  the  mouth,  or  peeped.'  is.  x.  14. 

A  sad  time,  and  it  is  to  happen  to  the  people 
that  are  left,  to  the  latter  end  of  the  witness-bearers; 
and  that  too  when  they  shall  have  finished  their 
testimony. 

Of  this  tyranny  the  cruelty  of  Amalek  was  a 
type ;  who,  as  was  hinted  before,  smote  the  hin- 
dermost,  the  weak:  But  his  judgment  is,  That 
'  he  shall  perish  for  ever. ' 

'And  shall  overcome  them.'  There  arc  two 
ways  of  overcoming;  to  wit,  by  power  and  policy: 
And  perhaps  by  both  these  ways  they  may  be 
overcome.  However,  overcome  they  shall  be; 
for  so  saith  the  holy  word  of  God ;  yea,  the 
beast  shall  overcome  them.  Wherefore  the  chmx-h 
I 


C6 


Of  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


of  God,  at  tliat  day,  will  be  under  such  a  cloud 
as  slie  never  was  since  Christ's  day.  Now  how 
long  they  shall  thus  be  held  captive  before  they 
are  brouo-ht  to  execution ;  whether  the  beast  will 
ride  in  triumph  while  they  are  in  his  bonds ;  or 
whether  he  will  suddenly  kill  them ;  that  time,  and 
observation,  and  experience,  must  make  manifest : 
But  kiU  them  he  shall,  that's  most  certain,  for  so 
says  the  Holy  Ghost. 

'  And  shall  overcome  them,  mid  Ml  them. '  In 
this  method  therefore  God  will  suffer  the  beast  to 
proceed  with  the  church  of  God,  after  she  has 
sufficiently  borne  her  testimony  for  him  in  the  world. 
He  shall  '  war  against  them, '  but  that  is  not  all : 
He  shall  overcome  them,  but  that  is  not  all ;  he 
'  shall  overcome  them,  and  kill  them,' 

'And  kill  them.'  Of  their  slaughter  also  I 
shall  speak  a  word  or  two.  But  first  I  would 
note,  as  all  know,  that  there  is  a  difference  to  be 
put  betwixt  killing  and  overcoming :  For  though 
every  one  that  is  killed,  is  overcome :  yet  every 
one  that  is  overcome,  is  not  killed:  Ac. xxi  33.  men 
may  be  overcome,  and  yet  live ;  Je.  xii.  n.  but  when 
they  are  killed,  it  is  otherwise :  There  may  be  a 
cry  heard  from  the  mouth  of  them  that  are  over- 
come, but  not  from  the  mouth  of  them  that  are 
killed :  Ex.  xxxii.  18;  Ac.  vii.  34.  They  that  are  overcome, 
may  consult  their  own  enlargement  and  deliverance; 
but  they  that  are  killed,  cannot  do  so.  I  do  there- 
fore distinguish  between  hilled  and  overcome,  be- 
cause the  text  doth  so :  *  He  shall  make  war 
against  them,  and  shall  overcome  them,  and  kiU 
them.' 

'  And  kill  them. '  From  these  words  therefore 
I  will  take  occasion  to  inquire, 

1.  How  they  are  to  be  considered  as  to  this 
slaughter. 

2.  What  death  they  must  die  to  accomplish  this 
prophecy. 

First,  How  they  are  to  be  considered  ? 

I  answer:  Not  in  a  carnal  or  natural,  but  in  a 
mystical  sense.  For,  first,  they  are  called  wit- 
nesses. Secondly,  They  are  put  under  the  number 
of  two:  'My  two  witnesses.'  Re. xi. 3.  Both  which 
are  to  be  mystically  taken. 

First,  Because  their  testimony  standeth  not  in 
their  words  only,  but  in  their  conversation;  yea,  in 
their  sufi"cring  also :  and  that  is  a  mystical  witness- 
bearing. 

Secondly/,  They  go  under  the  niunber  of  two : 
Not  because  there  were  indeed  two  such  men  in 
the  world,  but  because  two  are  a  sufficient  number 
to  bear  witness  ;  Nu.  xxxv.  so;  Do.  xvii.  g.  &  xix.  15.  and 
God's  church,  in  the  most  furious  heat  and  rage  of 
Antichrist,  has  been  at  least  of  such  a  number  of 
professing  saints,  to  proclaim  against  the  beast  and 
his  worship  in  the  name  of  God.  To  think  that 
there  have  been  two  such  men  in  the  world,  is  ridi- 


culous ;  for  these  witnesses  must  continue  to  give 
their  testimony  for  God  against  Antichrist,  a  thou- 
sand two  hundred  and  threescore  years.  Nor  can 
they  scripturally  bear  this  title,  3Iy  two  witnesses, 
but  with  respect  to  their  prophesying  so  long.  The 
witnesses  therefore  are  nothing  else  but  a  succes- 
sive church,  or  the  congregation  of  God  abiding 
for  him  against  Antichrist,  by  reason  of  a  continual 
succession  of  men  that  is  joined  by  the  special 
blessing  of  God  unto  it. 

Secoxdly,  What  death  they  must  die  ?  I  an- 
swer. Not  a  corporeal  one,  but  that  which  is  mys- 
tically such.  And  I  choose  to  understand  it  thus, 
because  this  suiteth  best  with  their  state  and  con- 
dition, which  is  mystical.  Besides,  thus  did  they 
(when  they  did  overcome,)  slay  their  enemies,  even 
with  the  fire  or  sword  of  their  mouth:  'If  any  man 
will  hurt  them,  fire  proceedeth  out  of  their  mouth, 
and  devoureth  their  enemies :  and  if  any  man  wiU 
hurt  them,  he  must  in  this  manner  be  killed,'  Re. 
xi.  5.  As  therefore  they  went  about  to  kUl  their 
enemies,  so  their  enemies  will  kill  them :  But  they 
sought  to  IdU  their  enemies  by  their  testimony,  as 
to  their  antlchristian  spirit,  and  church  state ;  and 
their  enemies  will  kill  them,  as  to  their  Christian 
heat  and  fervency  of  mind ;  and  also  as  to  their 
Christian  church  state.  So  that,  (at  least  so  I 
think,)  there  will  be  such  ruins  brought  both  upon 
the  spirit  of  Christianity,  and  the  true  Christian 
church  state,  before  this  Antichrist  is  destroyed, 
that  there  wiU  for  a  time  scarce  be  found  a  Chris- 
tian spirit,  or  a  true  visible  living  church  of  Christ 
in  the  world;  Nothing  but  the  dead  bodies  of  these 
will  be  to  be  seen  of  the  nations  ;  nor  them  neither, 
otherwise  than  as  so  many  ruinous  heaps.  For 
the  love  that  I  bear  to  the  church  of  Christ,  I  wish, 
as  to  this,  I  may  prove  a  false  prophet :  But  this 
looks  so  like  the  text,  and  also  so  like  the  dispen- 
sations of  God  with  his  church  of  old,  that  I  can- 
not but  think  it  will  be  so.  For  the  text,  I  have 
spoken  to  that  already ;  wherefore  I  will  now  pre- 
sent you  with  some  things  that  look  like  parallel 
cases. 

First,  When  the  church  was  coming  out  of 
Egypt,  just  before  they  were  delivered  from  Pha- 
raoh, they  were  in  their  own  eyes,  and  in  the  eyes 
of  their  enemies,  none  other  than  dead :  '  It  Jmd 
been  better  (said  they  to  Moses)  for  us  to  serve 
the  Egyptians,  than  that  we  shoidd  die  in  the  wil- 
derness. '  Ex.  xiv.  13.  The  people  said  so,  Moses 
feared,  and  Pharaoh  concluded  they  were  all  dead 
men.  e.k.  xii.  33.  Also  Paid  tells  us,  '  that  they  Avere 
baptized  (that  is,  buried)  unto  Moses  in  the  cloud, 
and  in  the  sea. '  They  were,  for  the  time,  to  use 
the  expression,  a  dead  church  both  in  the  eyes  of 
Pharaoh,  in  the  eyes  of  Moses,  and  also  in  their 
own. 

And  'tis  to  be  taken  notice  of;  As  the  witnesses 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


67 


in  the  text  were  slain  but  a  little  before  tbe  iniin 
of  Antichrist  began ;  so  this  church  was  haiMzed  in 
the  sea  but  a  Httle  before  great  Pharaoh  was 
droioned  there. 

Secondly,  In  the  time  of  Elias,  which  time  also 
was  typical  of  this,  what  church  was  there  to  be 
seen  in  Israel?  None  but  what  was  under  ground, 
buried  in  dens,  and  in  caves  of  the  earth :  Yea, 
the  prophet  could  see  none,  and  therefore  he  cried 
to  God,  and  said,  Lord,  they  have  '  digged  do'mi 
thine  altars, '  and  slain  thy  prophets,  '  and  I  am 
left  alone,  and  they  seek  my  life,'  i  Ki. xk. U;  Ro.  xi. 
3.  What  visible  living  chm-ch  was  now  in  the  land, 
I  mean,  either  with  reference  to  a  godly  spirit  for 
it,  or  the  form  and  constitution  of  it?  What  was, 
was  known  to  God,  but  dead  to  every  man  alive. 

Tliirdly,  What  was  the  dry  hones  that  we  read 
of  in  the  37th  of  Ezekiel,  but  the  chm-ch  of  God, 
and  also  a  figure  of  what  we  are  treating  of?  And 
why  called  dry  hones,  since  the  people  were  alive, 
with  their  substance,  wives,  and  children ;  but  to 
shew,  that  that  church  of  God  was  now,  as  to  their 
spirit  and  church-state,  accounted  as  dead,  not 
only  by  themselves,  but  by  the  king  of  Babylon, 
and  the  nations  round  about  ?  Babylon  then  was 
the  valley,  and  the  grave ;  and  the  chm-ch  of  God 
were  the  bones :  Bones  without  flesh,  sinews,  or 
skin ;  bones  exceeding  dry ;  yea  so  dry  and  dead 
were  they,  that  the  prophet  liimself  could  not  tell 
whether  ever  they  should  live  again.  Eze.  xxxrii.  l— 3. 
Now  this,  as  I  said,  was  a  state  that  Avas  not  to 
end  with  the  chm-ch  of  Israel,  but  to  be  acted  over 
once  again  by  the  beast  with  the  church  of  the  new 
testament :  Yea,  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  make  their 
vatnesses  in  this  their  death,  and  the  church  of 
Israel  in  this  their  grave,  in  many  things  to  sym- 
bolize. 

Fourthly,  Take  another  instance,  or  rather  com- 
parison, into  which  the  church  of  God  compared 
herself,  when  under  the  king  of  Babylon's  tyranny: 
And  that  is,  she  counted  herself  as  the  dung  that 
the  beast  lets  fall  to  the  ground  from  behind  him. 
And  doth  this  look  like  a  visible   church-state  ? 
Or  has  it  the  smeU  or  savour  of  such  a  thing  ? 
Nebuchadnezzar  (said  she)  'hath  swallowed  me  up 
like  a  dragon,  he  hath  filled  his  belly  Avith  my  de- 
licates,  he  hath  cast  me  out. '  Je.  li.  3i.     Pray,  Avhat 
would  you  think  of  a  man,  of  whom  one  should 
tell  you.  That  he  was  eaten  up  of  a  di-agon;  made 
to  fill  the  belly  of  a  dragon ;  and  cast  out  as  the 
dung  of  a  dragon?     Would  you  think  that  such 
an  one  did  aU  this  while  retain  the  shape,  form,  or 
similitude  of  a  man  ?     Why,  thus  the  church  said 
she  was,  and  thus  the  church  shaU  be  again:  For 
she  is  once  more  to  be  overcome,  to  be  overcome 
and  killed ;  and  that  by  the  beast,  the  dragon's 
whelp,  of  which  the  king  of  Babylon  was  a  type. 
And  therefore  I  conclude  the  premises ;  that  is, 


That  the  beast  will  kill  the  church  that  shall  be  in 
the  latter  days,  as  to  her  Christian  spiritedness,  and 
her  church-state.  And  I  could  further  add,  That 
if  we  hold  they  die  corporeally,  Ave  must  conclude, 
that  their  natural  body  being  slain,  shall  lie  threo 
years  and  a  half  in  the  street ;  yea,  that  their  re- 
surrection shall  be  corporeal,  &c.  But  why  avg 
should  think  thus,  as  yet  I  can  see  no  reason, 
since  the  persons  are  such  mystically ;  the  beast 
mystically  so ;  the  street  in  Avhich  they  be,  mysti- 
cally such ;  and  the  days  of  their  unburied  state, 
to  be  taken  mystically  likewise.  But  we  Avill  pass 
this,  and  descend  to  other  things. 

Fifthly,  I  will  yet  add  another  thing.  "Wlicii 
Israel  was  coming  out  of  Babylon;  yea,  while 
they  were  building  of  the  temple  of  God,  which  was 
a  figure  of  our  church-state  uoav  under  the  Gospel ; 
they  were  not  only  troubled,  hindered  and  molested 
in  their  Avork,  but  AA'ere  made  for  a  time  to  cease, 
and  let  the  work  lie  still. 

•  Now  (says  the  text)  Avhcu  the  copy  of  king 
Artaxerxes  letter  (which  he  sent  to  forbid  the  Jews 
in  their  work)  was  read  before  Rehum  and  Shim- 
shai  the  scribe,  and  their  companions,  they  went 
up  in  haste  to  Jerusalem  imto  the  Jcavs,  and  made 
them  to  cease  by  force  and  power.  Then  ceased 
the  work  of  the  house  of  God  which  is  at  Jerusa- 
lem. So  it  ceased  unto  the  second  year  of  the 
reign  of  Darius  king  of  Persia.'  Ezr.  iv.  23,  24 

And  I  pray,  since  their  temple-worship  was  a 
type  of  a  new-testament  church  state  and  worship, 
Avhat  doth  their  causing  of  that  work  to  cease  sig- 
nify to  us,  but  that  we  must  have  a  time  also  to 
cease  as  they?  And  since  their  temple-work  Avas 
caused  to  cease  before  the  house  was  finished,  what 
face  could  there  be  at  present  thereupon,  but  that, 
to  look  to,  it  was  like  some  deformed,  battered, 
broken  budding,  or  as  such  an  one  that  was  begun 
by  foolish  builders  ?  Yea,  and  since  the  Jews  left 
off  to  build  God's  house  at  the  command  of  the 
heathens,  Avhat  did  that  bespeak,  but  that  they  had 
lost  their  spirit,  were  quashed,  and  so  as  to  their 
temple-work,  killed,  as  it  were,  to  all  intents  and 
purposes  ?  And  thus  it  will  be,  a  little  before  the 
church  of  God  shall  be  set  free  from  the  beast,  and 
all  his  angels :  For  these  things  were  writ  for  our 
admonition,  to  show  us  what  shall  be  done  here- 
after; yea,  and  whether  we  beheA^e  or  disbeheve 
hereabout,  time  AviU  bring  it  to  pass. 

I  do  not  question  but  many  good  men  have  writ 
more  largely  of  this  matter :  but  as  I  have  not  seen 
their  books,  so  I  Avalk  not  by  their  rules.  If  I 
mistake,  the  mistakes  are  only  mine ;  and  if  I  shall 
merit  shame,  I  alone  must  bear  it. 

Some  may  think  they  have  said  enough,  when 
they  assert,  that  for  the  witnesses  to  be  hilled,  is. 
To  be  dead  in  law.  But  I  ansA\-er,  That  is  not  to 
he  overcome.     They  are  here  said  to  be  overcome ; 


C8 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


and  ttat  is  more  than  to  be  dead  in  law :  For  a 
man  may  be  dead  in  law,  and  yet  not  be  overcome; 
and  if  so,  then  far  enough  off  from  being  killed. 
So  then,  for  as  much  as  they  are  said  to  be  over- 
come and  killed,  it  must  be  more  than  to  be  dead 
in  lato.  Besides,  the  text  supposeth  that  they  had 
yielded  up,  as  dying  men  do,  their  souls,  their  spirit 
of  life  into  the  hands  of  God :  For  it  saith  concern- 
ing them,  That  at  their  resurrection,  the  spirit  of 
life  from  God  entered  again  into  them :  Into  them, 
antecedent  thereunto.  *  And  after  three  days  and 
an  half  the  spirit  of  life  from  God  entered  into 
them,  and  they  stood  upon  their  feet.'  Re.  xi.  ii. 
Thus  it  was  concerning  the  dry  bones,  of  which 
mention  was  made  before :  '  Then  said  he  unto 
me.  Prophesy  unto  the  wind,  prophesy,  son  of  man, 
and  say  to  the  wind.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  ; 
Come  from  the  four  winds,  0  breath,  and  breathe 
upon  these  slain,  that  they  may  live. '  Eze.  xxxvii.  9. 
And  thus  much  concerning  their  killing. 

Now,  as  I  said,  since  in  death,  the  body  doth  not 
only  lie  dead,  but  the  spirit  of  life  departs  there- 
from ;  it  is  to  shew,  that  not  only  their  bodies, 
their  church-state,  shall  die,  (for  churches  are  called 

bodies,  l  Co.  xll.  275  Ep.  iii.  C.  iv.  13.  v.  33.  &,  Col.  i.  18.)    but  that 

spirit  of  life  that  acted  those  bodies,  shall  be  taken 
up  to  God.  There  shall,  for  a  time,  be  no  living 
visible  church  of  Christ  in  the  world :  A  church, 
but  no  living  church,  as  to  church-state :  A  chiu-ch 
in  ruins,  but  not  a  church  in  order:  Even  as  there 
was  once  a  Christ,  but  no  living  Christ  in  the  grave; 
yet  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  to  an  utter 
overthrow  thereof,  no  more  than  they  prevailed  to 
an  utter  overthrow  of  Christ ;  but  as  one  did,  so 
shall  the  other,  revive,  and  rise  again,  to  the  utter 
confusion  and  destruction  of  their  enemies :  Yea, 
and  as  Christ,  after  his  resurrection,  was,  as  to  his 
body,  more  glorious  than  he  was  before ;  so  the 
witnesses,  after  their  resurrection,  shall  be  more 
spiritual,  heavenly,  and  exact  in  aU  their  ways, 
than  they  were  before  they  were  killed.  Besur- 
rections  are  always  attended  with  new  additions 
of  glory ;  and  so  shall  the  church  of  God,  as  to  her 
church-state,  be  in  the  latter  days. 

But  yet  the  beast  shall  not  altogether  have  his 
■will,  (if  that  at  all  was  his  will)  that  these  wit- 
nesses, in  this  second  war,  should  be  conquered 
to  a  comphance  with  Antichrist  in  his  foolish  and 
vain  religion :  For  it  is  not  with  dead  men  to  com- 
ply ;  but  as  they  are  dead  to  their  own  church- 
state,  so  they  are  to  his.  When  the  Jews  had 
killed  Christ,  it  was  beyond  all  the  art  of  hell  to 
cause  that  his  body  should  see  corruption;  so  when 
the  beast  has  killed  the  witnesses,  he  shall  not  be 
able  to  corrupt  them  with  any  of  his  vices. 

Hence  you  find,  that  not  the  witnesses,  but  the 
dwellers  upon  the  earth  were  them  that  danced  after 
the  devil's  pipe,  when  he  had  fulfilled  their  murder. 


;  Nor  doth  this  murder,  as  to  the  fulfilling  of  it 
in  those  nations  where  the  woman  sitteth,  seem  to 
be  a  great  way  off,  if  all  be  true  that  from  foreign 
parts  some  have  said:  For  what  a  withdrawing  of 
God  and  of  his  Spirit  is  there  already  in  some  of 
the  churches  of  God !  The  word  worketh  not  that 
sound  repentance  which  it  was  wont  to  do:  Preachers 
preach  for  little,  but  to  spend  themselves,  as  men 
that  are  wounded  do  when  with  groans  they  let 
out  their  life.  Where  (say  some)  is  the  spirit  and 
life  of  communion  ?  And  where  that  practical 
holiness  that  formerly  used  to  be  seen  in  the  houses, 
lives  and  conversations  of  professors  ?  The  whole 
head  is  sick,  and  the  whole  heart  faint  already ; 
and  how  long  wiU  it  be  before  churches  die  of  the 
wound  that  the  beast  has  given  them,  time  must 
make  appear :  But  die  I  perceive  they  must ;  for 
if  the  wound  already  given  will  not  kill,  repeated 
blows  shall. 

By  all  that  I  have  said,  I  do  not  deny  but  that 
many  of  the  people  of  God  may  die  corporeally,  by 
the  hand  of  the  beast,  in  this  second  war  that  shall 
be  made  by  him  against  the  witnesses.  But  should 
as  many  more  die,  that  will  not  prove  that  that 
death  wiU  be  that  that  by  the  killing  of  the  wit- 
nesses is  intended. 

Some  thing  I  would  bestow  upon  the  reader,  for 
him  to  carry  with  him  as  a  memorandum,  while 
he  reads  this  account  of  things :  As, 

First,  This  victory  of  the  beast,  is  not  to  be  un- 
til the  witnesses  have  finished  their  testimony;  and 
so  by  all  that  he  shall  do,  he  shaU  not  hinder  the 
revelation  of  any  of  the  truths  that  they  either  were 
to  bring  to  light,  or  to  confirm  by  their  witness- 
bearing. 

Witnesses  are  not  always  boimd  to  speak:  There 
is  a  time  'to  keep  silence,'  Ec. iii. 7.  and  'thou  shalt 
be  dumb. '  Eze.  iii.  26.  But  how  shall  we  know  when 
this  time  is  come? 

1 .  When  a  sufficient  testimony  has  been  given 
for  Christ,  and  against  Antichrist,  before  the  God 
of  heaven ;  for  he  must  be  the  judge. 

2.  When  her  enemies  forbear  to  plead  against 
her  by  argument,  and  rather  betake  themselves  to 

blows.  Mat.  X.  19. 

3.  When  the  spirit  of  testimony-bearing  is  taken 
from  the  church ;  for  that  is  not  essential  to  Chris- 
tianity, but  is  given  and  taken  away  as  there  is 
occasion. 

4.  Wlien  testimony-bearing  becomes  a  vain  or 
needless  repetition,  when  they  have  heard  suffi- 
ciently of  things  before.  Jn.  ix.  27. 

Secondly,  This  victory  of  the  beast  shall  not  in- 
validate or  weaken  their  testimony ;  no,  not  in  the 
eyes  of  the  world ;  for  they  wiU  still  remember, 
and  have  a  reverence  for  it :  This  is  intimated  by 
this.  That  '  they  of  the  people  and  kindreds  and 
tongues  and  nations — (that  are  neither  the  wit- 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


69 


nesses,  nor  they  that  in  the  next  verse  are  called 
the  inhahiters,  or  they  that  dwell  upon  the  earth,) 
— shall  not  suffer  their  dead  bodies  to  be  [buried, 
or  be]  put  in  graves. '  Ee.  xi.  9. 

Thirdly,  This  shall  not  lengthen  the  reign  and 
tranquillity  of  the  antichristian  kingdom ;  nor  frus- 
trate, drive  back  (or  cause  to  tarry)  the  glorious 
freedom  and  liberty  of  the  saints. 

But  some  may  say,  This  will  be  a  SAD  day. 

So  it  wiU,  and  gloomy ;  but  it  will  be  but  short, 
and  '  the  righteous  shall  have  dominion  over  them 
next  morning.'  'Twill  last  but  three  days  and  an 
half;  nor  shall  it  come,  but  for  the  sins  of  churches 
and  saints,  and  to  hasten  the  dowTifaU  of  the  king- 
dom of  the  beast,  and  for  the  sweetening  to  the 
church  her  future  mercies.  Christ  Jesus,  our 
Lord,  in  answer  to  the  question  of  his  disciples, 
about  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  presented  them 
with  a  relation  of  many  sad  things ;  but  when  he 
was  come  even  to  the  hearts  of  men,  and  had  told 
them  '  that  they  should  fail  for  fear : '  He  said, 
*  Avhen  these  things  begin  to  come  to  pass,  then 
look  up,  and  lift  up  your  heads ;  for  your  redemp- 
tion draweth  nigh. '  Lu.  xxi.  25—28. 

'Tis  as  ordinary  as  for  the  light  to  shine,  for 
God  to  make  black  and  dismal  dispensations,  to 
usher  in  bright  and  pleasing  [ones]  ;  yea,  and  the 
more  frightful  that  is  which  goes  before,  the 
more  comforting  is  that  which  follows  after.  In- 
stances in  abundance  might  be  given  as  to  this, 
but  at  present  let  this  suffice  that  is  here  upon  the 
paper  before  us  ;  namely,  the  state  of  the  witnesses, 
with  their  glorious  resurrection. 

FIFTH  SIGX. 

Fifthly,  Another  sign  of  the  approach  of  the 
ruin  of  Antichrist,  will  be  this :  The  great  joy 
that  will  be  in  her,  and  among  her  disciples,  when 
they  shall  see  that  the  witnesses  are  slain,  and  lie 
dead  upon  the  spot :  *  And  they  that  dwell  upon 
the  earth  shall  rejoice  over  them,  and  make  merry, 
and  shall  send  gifts  one  to  another ;  because  these 
two  prophets  tormented  them  that  dwell  on  the 
earth. '  Re.  xi.  lo.  Babylon  has  been  always  a  merry 
city,  and  her  disciples  merry  men ;  but  the  poor 
church  of  Christ  has  been  solitary,  and  as  a  wife 
forsaken ;  her  tears  upon  her  cheeks  bear  her  wit- 
ness, and  so  doth  her  sackcloth-weed. 

Hence  our  Babylon,  under  the  name  of  Nineveh, 
is  called,  'the  rejoicing  city. '  Zep.  u.  15.  Only  her 
joy  is  distinguished  ft-om  that  which  is  the  joy  of 
God's  people,  by  these  two  things. 

First,  Either  she  rejoiceth  in  outward  and  carnal 
glory,  or  else  in  the  ruin  of  the  church  of  God. 
This  last,  to  wit,  the  supposed  ruin  of  the  church 
of  God,  is  that  which  will  be  now  the  cause  of  her 
glorying.     And  this  is  the  joy  that  God  complaineth 


of,  and  for  the  which  he  said  that  he  would  pimish 
Babylon :  *  Chaldea  shall  be  a  spoil :  All  that  spoil 
her  shall  be  satisfied,  saith  the  Lord.  Because 
ye  were  glad,  because  ye  rejoiced,  0  ye  destroyers 
of  mine  heritage, '  &c.  Je.  i.  lo,  ii.  The  joy  therefore 
of  Babylon,  Antichrist ;  the  joy  that  she  shall  con- 
ceive in  her  heart  upon  the  slaughter  of  the  wit- 
nesses, is  a  sure  sign  of  her  unavoidable  ruin  and 
destruction.  These  two  prophets  tormented  her; 
they  were  to  Babylon  as  Mordecai  was  to  Haman,  a 
continual  plague  and  eye-sore:  As  also  was  David 
to  the  wretched  Saul :  But  now  they  are  overcome, 
now  they  are  killed ;  now  she  rejoiceth,  and  maketh 
merry.  And  this  her  joy  was  of  old  prefigured  by 
them  that  in  her  spirit  have  gone  before  her :  As, 

First,  When  the  Philistines  had,  as  they  thought, 
for  ever  overcome  Samson,  that  Nazarite  of  God, 
how  joyful  were  they  of  the  victory!  '  Then  the 
lords  of  the  Philistines  gathered  them  together  for 
to  offer  a  great  sacrifice  unto  Dagon  their  god,  and 
to  rejoice:  for  they  said.  Our  god  hath  delivered 
Samson  our  enemy  into  our  hand.  And  when 
the  people  saw  him,  (saw  him  in  chains)  they 
praised  their  god:  for  they  said.  Our  god  hath 
delivered  into  our  hands  our  enemy,  and  the  de- 
stroyer of  our  country,  which  slew  many  of  us.' 
Ju.  xvi.  23, 24.  Poor  Samson !  While  thou  hadst  tJiy 
locks,  thy  liberty,  and  thine  eyes,  thou  didst  shake 
the  pillar  that  did  bear  up  their  kingdom !  But 
now  they  have  conquered  thee,  how  great  is  their 
joy!  How  great  is  their  joy,  and  how  near  their 
downfall !  This  therefore  is  a  joy  that  is  like  that 
we  have  under  consideration,  to  wit,  the  joy  of 
them  that  dwell  upon  the  earth ;  for  that  the  wit- 
nesses that  did  bear  up  the  name  of  God  in  the 
world,  were  overcome  and  killed. 

SecoMy,  Like  to  this,  is  that  which  you  read 
of  in  the  first  book  of  Samuel,  concerning  the  men 
that  had  burnt  David's  Ziklag.  Ziklag  was  poor 
David's  place  of  safety ;  nor  had  he  any  else  but 
that  under  the  whole  heaven :  But  the  children  of 
the  east  came  upon  it,  and  took  it ;  set  it  on  fire, 
and  carried  thence  all  David's  substance,  with  his 
wives  and  his  children.  (Very  ill  done  to  a  man 
in  affliction ;  to  a  man  that  went  always  in  fear  of 
his  life,  because  of  the  rage  of  his  master  Saul.) 
But  how  were  they  that  had  got  the  victory?  Oh ! 
joyful,  and  glad,  and  merry  at  heart  at  the  thoughts 
of  the  richness  of  the  booty?  'Behold,  theyicere 
spread  abroad  upon  all  the  earth,  eating  and  drink- 
ing, and  dancing,  because  of  all  the  great  spoil 
that  they  had  taken  out  of  the  land  of  the  Phili- 
stines (from  Ziklag)  and  out  of  the  land  of  Judah.' 
1  Sa.  XXX-.  16.  Here  again  you  find  a  joy  and  merri- 
ment like  these  that  we  have  imder  consideration, 
and  that  upon  such  like  accounts.  Nothing  pleases 
the  wicked  more,  than  to  see  the  godly  go  do\\Ti 
the  wind ;  for  their  words,  and  lives,  and  actions 


70 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  KUIN. 


are  a  plague  and  a  torment  to  tliem :  As  'tis  said 
of  these  two  prophets,  '  They  tormented  them  that 
dwelt  on  the  earth.' 

Thirdly,  While  the  church  of  God  lay  dead  in 
Babylon,  and  as  hones  exceeding  dry ;  what  a 
trampling  upon  them  was  there  by  Belshazzar  a 
little  before  his  death !  He  called  for  his  golden 
and  silver  vessels  that  his  father  Nebuchadnezzar 
had  taken  out  of  the  temple  of  God  that  was  at 
Jei-usalem,  (those  holy  vessels  once  dedicated  to 
the  worship  and  service  of  God)  that  his  princes, 
his  wives  and  his  concubines  might  drink  therein. 
An  high  aifront  to  heaven :  '  They  drank  wine,  and 
praised  the  gods  of  gold,  and  of  silver,  of  brass, 
of  iron,  of  wood,  and  of  stone.'  Da.  v. 4.  And  all  to 
shew  what  a  conquest,  as  he  thought,  he  had  got 
over  the  God  of  heaven,  and  over  his  people  that 
dwelt  in  Jerusalem,  and  over  his  ordinances  and 
vessels  used  in  his  woi'ship  and  service :  Yea,  this 
he  did  with  such  joy  that  was  not  usual,  as  is  inti- 
mated by  his  doing  of  it  before  '  a  thousand  of  his 
lords,'  and  that  till  he  had  drank  himself  drunken. 
But  all  this  while,  as  was  hinted  before,  the  church 
of  God,  as  it  were,  lay  dead  at  his  feet ;  or  as  the 
phrase  is,  '  as  bones  exceeding  dry. '  This  too  will 
be  the  joy  of  the  beast  and  his  followers  m  the 
latter  days ;  they  will  make  war  with  the  witnesses  ; 
they  shall  overcome  them,  and  kill  them ;  and 
when  that  is  done,  they  shall  rejoice  over  them, 
and  make  merry.  But  as  Belshazzar  soon  after 
this,  saw  the  hand-writing  that  made  his  hnees 
knock  together;  and  as  he  lived  not  to  see  the  light 
of  another  day;  so  'twill  be  with  the  beast  and  his 
followers ;  the  next  news  that  we  hear  upon  this 
mirth  and  jollity,  is,  the  tenth  part  of  his  kingdom 
falls,  and  so  on  till  the  whole  is  ruined. 

Thirdly,  Moab  also,  in  the  day  that  Israel  was 
taken  captive  by  their  enemies,  could  not  forbear 
but  ski])  for  joy,  so  glad  was  he  in  his  heart  thereat. 
But  what  saith  the  jealous  Lord?  'Make  ye  him 
drunken  :  for  he  magnified  himself  against  the 
Lord :  Moab  also  shall  -  -  be  in  derision :  For 
was  not  Israel  (saith  God)  a  derision  unto  thee? 
was  he  found  among  thieves  ?  for  since  thou  spakest 
of  him,  thou  skippedst  for  joy.'  Je.  xiviii.  26, 37.  Of  all 
things,  God  cannot  away  with  this :  For  when  the 
wicked  would  rejoice  that  they  have  been  suffered 
to  make  havoc  of  the  church  of  God,  they  deny 
the  wisdom  and  power  by  which  they  were  permit- 
ted to  do  this,  and  offer  sacrifice  to  their  own  net 
and  drag;  Hab.i.i6.  which  provoketh  the  holiness 
of  Israel :  '  Shall  the  axe  boast  itself  against  him 
that  heweth  therewith  ?  or  shall  the  saw  magnify 
itself  against  him  that  shaketh  it  ?  As  if  the  rod 
should  shake  itself  against  them  that  lift  it  up,  or 
as  if  the  staflf  should  lift  up  itself,  as  if  it  were  no 
wood.'  But  what  follows?  Why,  burning  and 
consuming  of  soul  and  body  of  them  that  do  such 


a  thing.  Is.  x.  15— is.     And  this  text  I  the  rather 
bring,  because  'tis  to  be  the  portion  of  Antichrist. 

And  therefore  let  this  be  a  caution  to  the  men 
that  wonder  after  the  beast,  to  caution  them  to 
repentance,  for  he  will  assuredly  go  into  perdition. 
What !  shall  the  witnesses  of  God  be  killed !  Shall 
the  beast  stand  glorying  over  them  while  they  are 
dead,  with  his  feet  in  their  neck?  and  shall  none 
be  angry  at  it?  Let  them  that  lave  themselves 
look  to  themselves :  God  wiU  be  concerned,  and 
will  assuredly  for  this  quickly  put  a  period  to  the 
kingdom  and  reign  of  Antichrist.  Je.i.  13. 

And  although  tliis  glorying  mistress  of  iniquity, 
this  Antichrist  and  Babylon,  may  say  that  her 
power  is  the  hammer  of  the  whole  earth ;  yet  God 
wdU  cut  him  in  sunder,  and  break  him  in  pieces 
with  his  hout-hammers,*  with  the  kings  f  of  the 
earth,  that  he  will  use  to  do  this  work  withal ;  that 
is,  when  this  last  sign  is  fulfilled :  I  call  it  the  lost 
sign  ;  I  find  none  that  doth  intervene  betwixt  the 
slaying  of  the  witnesses,  and  the  beginnings  of  the 
ruin  of  Antichrist  but  this. 

But  a  little  to  comment  upon  their  joy,  as  the 
Holy  Ghost  doth  set  it  forth.  The  cause  of  their 
joy  we  have  touched  already';  which  was,  for  that 
they  had  slain  their  tormentors.  For,  as  was 
shewed  you,  the  witnesses  had  been  their  torment- 
ors :  But  when  they  shall  overcome  them,  and  kill 
them,  they  rejoice,  make  merry,  and  send  gifts 
one  to  another. 

This  repeaiing,  and  repeating  with  aggravation, 
doth  manifest,  and  at  that  day  their  joy  will  be 
exceeding  great:  'They  shall  rejoice,  and  make 
mei-ry,'  he.  They  shall  rejoice  over  tfmm,  over 
their  slain,  their  enemies,  their  tormenting  ene- 
mies. This  joy  therefore,  is  a  joy  that  flows  from 
victory,  from  victory  after  a  Avar  that  has  lasted 
a  thousand  two  hundred  and  threescore  years. 
They  shall  rejoice,  as  they  do  that  have  a  most 
potent,  vexatious,  and  tormenting  enemy  lying 
dead  at  their  foot,  and  as  those  that  ride  in  triumph 
over  them.  They  shall  therefore  rejoice  as  con- 
querors use  to  do,  who  make  the  slaughters  of  their 
spoiled  enemies  the  trophy  of  their  joy. 

For  the  devil,  that  great  deceiver  of  mankind, 
will  so  flush  up  and  bewitch  the  men  that  wonder 
after  the  beast,  with  the  victory  that  they  shall 
get  over  the  faithful  witnesses  for  God  and  his 
Son,  that  they  wiU  think  ('twUl  never  be  day)  that 
the  victory  is  so  complete,  so  universal,  so  thorough, 
that  the  conquest  must  be  lasting.  And  from  sense 
and  reason  they  will  have  groujid  to  think  so  ;  for 


*  This  is  a  very  expressive  term,  but  better  understood  by 
Bunyau  tbe  brazier  than  by  many  of  his  readers.  It  is  well 
known  to  those  who  live  near  a  coppersmith's,  when  three  or 
four  athletic  men  are  keeping  up,  bout  and  bout,  incessant 
blows  upon  a  rivet,  until  their  object  is  accomplished. — En. 

t  Protestant  kings. 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


71 


vrho  now  is  left  in  the  -world  any  more  to  make 
head  against  them  ?  hut  here  comes  in  that  which 
wiU  utterly  spoil  this  joy;  these  conquered,  killed, 
dead  men  must  come  to  hfe  again,  and  then  what's 
become  of  their  joy  ?  '  And  great  fear  fell  upon 
them  which  saw  them. '  Re.  xi.  ii.  Wherefore,  this 
joy  must  fade  and  vanish :  But,  I  say,  the  followers 
of  the  heast  avlU  he  far  from  thinking  so  ;  for  they 
will  'rejoice  over  them,  make  merry,  and  send 
gifts  one  to  another,'  concluding  that  these  tor- 
mentors shall  never  tonnent  them  more.  But 
Jacob's  blessing  upon  his  son  Gad,  shall  be  fulfilled 
upon  these  witnesses  :  '  Gad  (saith  he)  a  troop 
shall  overcome  him  :  but  he  shaU  overcome  at  the 
last.'  Ge.  xlix.  19.  So  then  these  conquerors  must 
not  always  rejoice,  though  they  will  suppose  they 
shall,  and  also  make  merry  too. 

'  And  make  merry. '  To  make  meiTy,  is  more 
than  to  rejoice.  To  rejoice,  doth  shew  the  present 
act  of  the  soul ;  but  to  make  merry,  is  to  use  the 
means  as  will  keep  this  joy  alive,  and  on  foot.  Joy 
is  one  thing,  and  the  continuance  of  it  is  another. 
1  Sa.  XXV.  36.  Joy  may  be  begotten  by  a  conceit,  a 
thought ;  but  it  cannot  be  maintained  so ;  because 
deliberation  will  come  in  and  spoil  it,  Es.  v.  4.  if  suf- 
ficient means  is  not  used  to  continue  it :  wherefore 
he  adds.  They  rejoiced  over  them,  '  And  made 
merry. ' 

And  there  are  five  things  that  are  usually  made 
use  of  to  keep  up  wicked  joy.  1.  There  is  the 
merriment  of  music.  Lu.  xv.  25, 32.  2.  The  merri- 
ment of  feasting.  Ju.  xix.  6, 9.  3.  The  merriment  of 
laughter.  Ec.  x.  19.  4.  The  merriment  of  fleshly 
solace.  Je.  xxxL  4.  5.  Revenge  upon  a  supposed 
enemy.  2  Sa.  xiii.  28.  So  then,  by  these  five  things  we 
see  what  is  the  way  that  sinful  joy  is  maintained 
in  the  hearts  of  wicked  men ;  and  also  by  what 
means  the  limbs  and  brats  of  Antichrist  will  keep 
up  that  joy  that  at  first  will  be  conceived  in  their 
hearts  at  the  thought  that  now  they  have  kiUed 
their  tormentors.  They  shall  have  music.  They 
shall  have  feasting.  They  shall  have  laughter. 
They  shall  have  fleshly  solace.  And  they  shall 
have  their  fiU,  for  the  time,  of  revenge.  Thus 
therefore  shall  they  rejoice  over  them,  and  make 
merry,  all  the  time  of  that  httle,  short  everlasting 
that  they  are  to  live  in  the  world. 

'  And  make  merry. '  To  make  merry,  to  make 
wicked  mirth,  there  must  be  a  continual  fraternity, 
or  brotherhood  in  iniquity,  maintained  among  them, 
and  that  where  none  may  come  to  interrupt ;  and 
that  they  will  be  capable  of  doing  any  where  then, 
for  that  theii-  tormentors  wiU  be  dead.  Wicked- 
ness shaU  walk  with  open  face  in  those  days ;  for 
then  there  will  be  none  ahve  for  God  and  his 
ways ;  wherefore,  the  beast  and  his  tram  may  do 
what  they  will :  now  wiU  be  the  time  for  men  to 
live  carelessly  and  wantonly,  and  to  make  their 


wantonness  their  joy,  (after  the  maimer  of  the 
Zidonians)  for  there  will  be  none  to  put  them  to 
shame. 

'  And  shall  send  gifts  one  to  another.'  This  is 
another  token  of  their  gladness,  and  also  a  means 
to  buoy  them  up  stiU.  And  it  will  be  a  sign  that 
they  have  jomed  hand  in  hand  to  do  this  wicked- 
ness, not  dreaming  of  the  punishment  that  must 
follow.  This  sending  of  gifts  to  each  other,  and 
that  after  they  have  slain  these  two  prophets,  doth 
also  declare  that  they  will  be  far  from  repentance, 
for  the  commission  of  so  great  an  oficnce.  Nay, 
it  signifies  further,  that  they  were  resolved,  and 
determmed  to  quench  all  manner  of  convictions  one 
in  another,  that  might  arise  in  their  hearts  for  the 
sin  which  they  had  committed  :  for  a  gift  blinds 
the  eyes  of  the  wise,  and  perverts  the  judgment  of 
the  righteous  ;  how  much  more  then  will  it  stifle 
and  choke  appearances  of  such  upon  the  spirits  of 
wicked  men  !  I  question  not  at  all  but  many  have 
been,  by  the  favours  and  gifts  of  wicked  men, 
di-awn  down  into  the  beUy  of  hell. 

Now  what  these  gifts  wiU  be,  either  as  to  kind 
or  quantity,  that  I  can  say  nothing  to  :  but  pro- 
bably, whatever  they  will  be,  there  will  be  but 
Uttle  of  their  own  cost  in  them.  Victors  and  con- 
querors do  use  to  visit  their  friends  with  their 
spoils  won  in  battle,  with  the  spoU  of  the  enemies 
of  their  God,  Ezr.  x.  7. 

And  this  was  David's  way,  after  he  had  recovered 
the  loss  that  he  had  sustained  at  the  burning  of 
his  Ziklag ;  he  sent  to  his  friends  of  what  he  had 
taken  from  his  enemies,  as  token  of  victory:  'David 
sent  of  the  spoil  (says  the  text)  imto  the  elders  of 
Judah,  even  to  his  friends,  saying.  Behold  a  present 
for  you  of  the  spoils  of  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  ; ' 
1  Sa.  x.'cs.  26.  And  why  may  not  those  we  have  now 
imder  consideration,  do  so  to  their  god,  and  their 
friends  also  ?  Spoiling  is  like  to  be  one  of  the  last  of 
the  mischiefs  that  Antichrist  shall  do  to  the  church 
of  God  in  this  world:  And  methinks,  since  the 
beast  will  have  power  to  overcome,  and  to  kill,  he 
should  also  have  power  to  take  away:  Da.  xi.  33. 
'  Hast  thou  killed,  and  also  taken  possession  ? ' 
said  the  prophet  to  wicked  Ahab. 

However,  whatever  their  gifts  may  be,  and  at 
whose  cost  soever  bought,  'tis  a  sign  their  hearts 
win  be  open,  they  shall  send  gifts  one  to  another : 
their  merry  days  wiU  then  be  come,  and  their  ene- 
mies wUl  then  be  dead  at  their  feet  ;  wherefore, 
now  they  will  have  nothmg  to  do  but  to  rejoice 
over  them,  and  to  make  merry,  and  to  send  gifts 
one  to  another. 

Thus  as  to  sense  and  reason,  all  shall  he  hush, 
aU  shall  be  quiet  and  stiU:  the  foUowers  of  the 
Lamh  shaU  be  doAvn ;  the  followers  of  the  Beast 
be  up,  cry  peace  and  safety,  and  shall  be  as  secure 
as  an  hard  heart,  false  peace,  and  a  deceitful  devil 


72 


OF  ANTICHRIST.  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


can  make  them.  But  behold!  Wliile  they  thus 
'shig  in  the  windows,'  death  is  stradhng  over  the 
threshold  !  Zep.  ii.  u.  Wliile  they  are  crying  peace 
and  safety,  sudden  destruction  cometh:  By  that 
they  have  well  settled  themselves  at  their  table 
with  Adonijah,  1  Ki.  i.  they  shall  hear  it  proclaimed 
with  sound  of  trumpet,  the  witnesses  are  risen 
again. 

Now  the  Christians'  pipes  will  go  again,  and 
surely  the  earth  will  be  rent  with  the  sound  of  their 
shouts  and  acclamations,  while  they  cry  with  joy- 
ful sound,  '  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become 
the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ  ;  and 
he  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever, '  Re.  xi.  15. 

But  woe  to  the  wicked,  it  shall  be  ill  with  them ; 
for  the  Lord  Jesus  will  now  begin  to  shew  his 
jealousy,  and  to  make  known  his  indignation 
towards  those  that  have  thus  cruelly  slain  his  pro- 
phets, digged  down  his  altars,  and  made  such 
havoc  of  the  afflicted  church  of  God.  is.  ba-i.  14.  Now 
will  he  whet  his  glittering  sword,  and  his  hand  shall 
take  hold  on  vengeance,  that  he  may  render  a  re- 
compence  to  his  enemies,  and  repay  them  that  hate 

him.  De.  xxxii.  11. 

But  this  he  will  not  do  immediately  by  himself, 
but  by  such  instruments  as  have  been  spoken  of 
before :  of  which  more  particularly  to  treat,  shall 
be  that  I  shall  next  take  in  hand. 

OF  THE  INSTRUMENTS  THAT  GOD  WILL  USE  TO  BRING 
ANTICHRIST  TO  HIS  RUIN. 

Although  I  have  hinted  at  this  before,  yet  it 
may  be  convenient  briefly  to  touch  it  again.  Anti- 
christ, as  I  have  told  you,  consisteth  of  soul  and 
body,  and  must  be  destroyed  by  such  instruments 
as  may  most  properly  be  applied  to  each.  Further, 
As  to  the  soul,  spirit  or  life  of  Antichrist,  and  its 
destruction,  of  that  we  have  also  spoken  already  : 
It  remains  then  that  now  we  discourse  of  the  ruin 
of  his  body  and  flesh. 

I  then  take  it,  That  the  destruction  of  her  flesh 
shall  come  by  the  sword,  as  managed  in  the  hands 
of  kings,  who  are  God's  minister^  for  the  punish- 
ment of  evil  deeds,  and  the  praise  of  them  that  do 
well.  Ro.  xiii.  Not  that  the  church,  even  as  a  church, 
shall  be  quite  exempt  and  have  therein  no  hand  at 
all ;  for  she,  even  as  such,  shall  with  her  faith  and 
prayers  help  forward  that  destruction. 

The  church  therefore,  as  a  church,  must  use 
such  weapons  as  are  proper  to  her  as  such ;  and 
the  magistrate,  as  a  magistrate,  must  use  such 
weapons  as  are  proper  to  him  as  such.  When  the 
church  of  Israel  were  prisoners  in  Babylon,  they 
did  not  fight  their  way  through  their  foes,  and  the 
countries  to  Jerusalem ;  but  waited  in  their  capti- 
vated state  with  patience,  until  the  kings  of  the 
Medcs  and  Persians  came  to  deliver  them.     Nor  is 


it  to  be  slighted,  but  to  be  thought  on  seriously,  that 
before  there  was  an  Israelite  captive  in  Babylon, 
their  deliverer  Cyrus  was  prophesied  of :  which 
Cyrus  did  afterwards  come  and  take  Babylon,  and 
deliver  the  captives,  as  it  Avas  foretold  he  should. 
He  saith  unto  Cyrus,  'ffe  is  my  shepherd,  and 
shall  perform  all  my  pleasure  :  even  saying  to 
Jerusalem,  Thou  shalt  be  built ;  and  to  the  temple. 
Thy  foundation  shall  be  laid.'  Is.  xiiv.  28.  And  again, 
'  Thus  saith  the  Lord  to  his  anointed,  to  Cyrus, 
whose  right  hand  I  have  holden  to  subdue  nations 
before  him,  &;c.  I  have  raised  him  up  in  righte- 
ousness, and  I  win  direct  all  his  ways:  he  shall 
build  ray  city,  and  he  shall  let  go  my  captives, 
not  for  price  nor  reward,  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts.' 
Is.  xlv.  1, 13.  And  this  accordingly  he  did,  to  wit, 
when  the  time  was  come ;  as  may  be  seen  in  those 
holy  records  where  these  things  are  made  mention 
of.  Indeed,  as  I  said,  the  church  is  not  excluded ; 
3  Ch.  xxxvi.  2.  she  may,  and  ought,  with  her  faith  and 
prayer,  and  holy  life,  to  second  this  work  of  kings. 
Ezr.  i.  2, 3.  Wherefore,  when  God  speaks  of  bringing 
down  the  lofty  city  and  of  laying  it  low  in  the  dust 
by  the  church,  he  saith,  they  shall  do  it  by  their 
feet,  and  with  their  steps :  '  The  foot  shall  tread  it 
down,  even  the  feet  of  the  poor,  and  the  steps  of 
the  needy. '  is.  xxvi.  e. 

By  feet  and  steps,  I  understand  the  good  lives 
of  the  children  of  God :  but  now,  when  kings  come 
to  deal  with  her,  as  kings,  they  serve  her  as 
Samuel  served  Agag,  as  a  judge,  'cut  her  in  pieces 
with  their  swords : '  or  as  you  have  it  elsewhere, 
'  They  make  her  desolate  and  naked ;  they  eat  her 
flesh,  and  burn  her  with  fire. '  The  sword  will  be 
put  into  their  hands  for  this  very  purpose.  Thus 
therefore  must  their  deliverance  be  begun. 

It  is  also  to  be  considered.  That  after  these  first 
kings  of  the  Medes  and  Persians  had  broken  the 
yoke  of  the  king  of  Babylon  from  off  the  neck  of 
the  captive  church,  and  had  given  her  license  to  go 
to  her  place  to  build  her  temple  and  city,  and  to 
sacrifice  there  according  to  the  law  of  their  God, 
(as  both  in  Ezra  and  Nehemiali  we  read;)  and 
when  their  work  was  hindered  by  under-officers,  or 
they  endeavoured  so  to  do,  they  pleaded  the  license 
that  they  received  to  build  and  sacrifice  by  the 
decree  of  the  first  kings,  and  so  finished  their 
deliverance:  They  went  not  on  in  headstrong 
manner,  as  if  they  regarded  neither  king  nor 
Caesar:  'But  Zerubbabel,  and  Joshua,  and  the  rest 
of  the  chief  of  the  fathers  of  Israel,  said  unto  them,' 
that  sought  to  hinder  their  work,  '  Ye  have  nothing 
to  do  with  us  to  build  an  house  unto  our  God ;  but 
we  ourselves  wiU  build  unto  the  Lord  God  of  Israel, 
as  king  Cyrus  the  king  of  Persia  hath  commanded 
us. '  Ezr.  iv.  3.  And  as  they  said,  so  also  they  did : 
'  The  elders  of  the  Jews  builded,  and  they  pros- 
pered  through   the   prophesying   of   Haggai  the 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


73 


prophet  and  Zecliariali  the  son  of  Iddo.  And  they 
builded,  and  finished  it,  according  to  the  com- 
mandment of  the  God  of  Israel,  and  according  to 
the  commandment  of  Cyrus,  and  Darius,  and 
Artaxerxes  king  of  Persia. '  Ezr.  vi.  u.  Yea,  they 
did  not  only  accept  of  the  kindness  of  kings,  hut 
did  acknowledge  that  kindness  with  thanksgiving, 
as  a  gift  of  the  God  of  heaven :  for  the  kings  had 
commanded  and  given  leave  to  the  Jews  to  go  to 
Jerusalem,  to  build  their  temple,  and  to  do  sacrifice 
there,  according  to  the  counsel  of  the  priests  that 
were  at  Jerusalem,  and  according  to  the  law  of 
God  that  they  had  in  their  hand.  Ezr.  vii.  is,  u.  For 
Artaxerxes  sent  Ezra  the  priest  to  enquire  after 
the  condition  that  Jerusalem  and  Judah  was  in, 
according  to,  or  by  the  law  of  God  that  was  in  his 
hand.  ver.  u.  And  he  had  license  also  further  to 
do  with  the  king's  silver  and  gold,  which  he  gave 
for  the  service  of  the  house  of  the  Lord,  'accord- 
ing to  the  wiU,  word  or  law  of  ms  God.'  'And 
thou,  Ezra,  (says  the  king)  after  the  wisdom  of  thy 
God,  (that  is,  after  his  word)  that  ?^'  in  thine  hand, 
set  magistrates  and  judges,  which  may  judge  all 
the  people  that  are  be3'ond  the  river,  all  such  as 
know  the  laws  of  thy  God ;  and  teach  ye  them  that 
know  tJiem  not.  And  whosoever  will  not  do  the 
law  of  thy  God,  (that  is,  worship,  and  walk  hy  the 
rule  of  his  testament,)  and  the  law  of  the  king, 
(that  is,  shall  refuse  to  give  Ezra  such  things  as 
by  the  king  was  appointed  for  Ezra's  help  in  the 
furthering  of  the  worship  of  God,  according  to  the 
law  of  his  God,)  let  judgment  be  executed  speedily 
upon  him,  whether  it  be  unto  death,  or  to  banish- 
ment, or  to  confiscation  of  goods,  or  to  imprison- 
ment. '  Ezr.  vii.  2.5, 2G.  This  was  therefore  a  wonderful 
gracious  license  that  the  king  now  gave  to  Ezra: 
he  imposed  nothing  upon  him  or  the  Jews  in  mat- 
ters of  religion  and  worship,  but  left  him  and  them 
wholly  to  the  law,  will,  and  word  of  God,  only  he 
laid  check  upon  M-icked  and  ungodly  people :  that 
if  they  did  things  contrary  to  the  laws  of  Ezra's 
God,  or  did  slight  the  king's  law,  as  aforesaid,  that 
then  such  penalties  and  pains  should  be  inflicted 
upon  them. 

To  the  same  purpose  was  the  decree  of  Cyrus, 
and  that  of  Darius,  to  put  it  in  execution.  Also 
the  penalty  enacted  against  such  offenders,  was 
full  as  sharp  and  severe  :  '  Also  I  have  made  a 
decree  (said  the  king,)  that  whosoever  shall  alter 
this  word,  let  timber  be  pulled  do\vii  from  his 
house,  and  being  set  up,  let  him  be  hanged  thereon; 
and  let  his  house  be  made  a  dunghill  for  this. — 
And  the  God  that  hath  caused  his  name  to  dwell 
there  destroy  all  kings  and  people,  that  shall  put 
to  their  hand  to  alter  and  to  destroy  this  house  of 
God  which  is  at  Jerusalem.  I  Darius  have  made 
a  decree  ;  let  it  be  done  with  speed. '  Ezr.  vi.  ii,  u. 

Indeed,  sometimes  a  .stop  was  put  to  this  work 

VOL.  II. 


by  the  kings,  and  the  Jews  were  made  to  cease  by 
force  and  power,  ch.iv  23,24.  the  which  the  good 
people  did  bear  with  patience:  Ezr.  iv.  ii_2i.  also 
they  waited  to  see  their  God  go  before  them  among 
the  kings,  who  at  length  took  away  Artaxerxes, 
who  for  a  time  had  put  a  stop  to  the  work,  and 
brought  in  another,  who  gave  leave  that  with  speed 
it  should  be  set  on  foot  again.  Ezr.  v. 

The  Jews  did  also  in  these  vacancies,  or  times 
in  the  which  hindcrances  were  put,  carry  it  very 
tenderly  and  lovingly  to  those  kings  that  at  pre- 
sent they  Avere  under,  submitting  of  their  bodies 
and  their  goods  to  their  will,  and  meekly  endured 
the  trial  and  afilictiou,  serving  them  with  all  faith- 
fulness, Avatching  to  save  their  lives  from  the  hands 
of  bloody  men.  Also  Avhen  the  king's  laws,  and 
the  law  of  their  God,  did  at  any  time  come  in  com- 
petition, they  would  indeed  adhere  to,  and  do  the 
law  of  their  God ;  yet  with  that  tenderness  to  the 
king,  his  crown  and  dignity,  that  they  could  at  all 
times  appeal  to  the  righteous  God  about  it.  Da  vi. 
:;2.  Nor  did  they  lose  by  so  doing ;  yea,  they  pros- 
pered ;  for  by  this  means  Mordecai  was  made  a 
great  man,  and  a  saviour  of  his  people.  Es.  ii.  21— 23. 
B}'  this  means  also  was  Daniel  made  a  great  man, 
and  helpful  to  his  brethren.  Da.  v.  29. 

Kings,  I  say,  must  be  the  men  that  must  down 
with  Antichrist,  and  they  shall  down  with  her  iu 
God's  time. 

God  hath  begun  to  draw  the  hearts  of  some  of 
them  from  her  already,  and  he  will  set  them,  in 
time,  against  her  round  about.  If  therefore  they 
do  not  that  work  so  fast  as  we  woidd  have  them, 
let  us  exercise  patience  and  hope  in  God  :  'tis  a 
wonder  that  they  go  so  fast  as  they  do,  since  the 
concerns  of  whole  kingdoms  lie  upon  their  shoul- 
ders, and  that  there  are  so  many  Sanballats  and 
Tobias's  to  flatter  with  them  and  misinform  them 
concerning  the  people  that  are  delivered  but  in 
part.  See  what  an  ugly  account  was  given  of 
Jerusalem  by  the  enemies  of  the  Jews,  even  then 
when  they  were  in  the  hands  of  their  deliverers  : 
'  Be  it  known  unto  the  king,  that  the  Jews  which 
came  up  from  thee  to  us,  are  come  imto  Jerusalem, 
building  tl;e  rebellious  and  bad  city,  and  have  set 
up  the  walls  tJiereof,  and  joined  the  foundations. — 
Be  it  known  now  unto  the  king,  that,  if  this  city 
be  builded,  and  the  walls  set  up  again,  then  will 
they  not  pay  toU,  tribute,  and  custom,  and  so  thou 
shalt  endamage  the  revenue  of  the  kings. '  Ezr.  iv.  12, 
13.  Oh  !  what  a  he  it  knoivn,  be  it  Jcnoicn,  is  here  ! 
But  were  not  these  gentlemen  more  afraid  of  losing 
their  own  places  and  preferments,  than  of  the 
king's  losing  of  his  toll  and  custom?  But  the 
whole  was  a  lie,  though  it  hindered  the  work  for  a 
time,  and  the  patience  of  the  people,  and  their 
loyalty  to  the  king,  did  conquer  and  OA-ereorae  all. 

I   speak  the   more  to  tliis,  because,  (as  I  have 


74. 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


said)  I  believe  that  by  magistrates  and  powers  we 
shall  be  delivered  and  kept  from  Antichrist ;  and 
because  God  has  already  begun  to  do  it  by  such, 
by  which  also  she  shall  be  destroyed  :  and  I  have 
a  few  things  to  present  to  good  men,  to  be  conver- 
sant in,  in  such  a  day  as  this. 

Let  the  king  have  verily  a  place  in  yom-  hearts, 
and  with  heart  and  mouth  give  God  thanks  for  him; 
he  is  a  better  saviour  of  us  than  we  may  be  aware 
of,  and  may  have  delivered  us  from  more  deaths 
than  we  can  tch  how  to  think.  We  are  bidden  to 
'  give  thanks  to  God  for  all  men,  and  in  the  first 
place,  for  kings,  and  all  that  are  in  authority.' 

1  Ti.  ii.  1,  2. 

Be  not  angry  with  them,  no,  not  in  thy  thought; 
but  consider,  if  they  go  not  on  in  the  work  of  refor- 
mation so  fast  as  thou  wouldest  they  should,  the 
faidt  may  be  thine ;  know  that  thou  also  hast  thy 
cold  and  chill  frames  of  heart,  and  sittest  still 
when  thou  shouldest  be  up  and  doing. 

Pray  for  kings  to  the  God  of  heaven,  who  has 
the  hearts  of  kings  in  his  hand  :  and  do  it  '  with- 
out wrath,  and  doubting ; '  without  wrath,  because 
thy  self  is  not  perfect ;  and  without  doubting,  be- 
cause God  governeth  them,  and  has  promised  to 
bring  down  Antichrist  by  them. 

Pray  for  the  long  hfe  of  the  king. 

Pray  that  God  would  always  give  wisdom  and 
judgment  to  the  king. 

Pray  that  God  would  discover  all  plots  and  con- 
spiracies against  his  person  and  government. 

Pray  also  that  God  would  make  him  able  to 
drive  away  all  evil  and  evil  men  from  his  presence ; 
and  that  he  may  be  a  greater  countenancer  than 
ever,  of  them  that  are  holy  and  good,  and  wait 
and  believe,  that  God  that  has  begun  his  quarrel 
with  Babylon,  Antichrist,  the  mother  of  Antichrist, 
the  whore;  would  in  his  own  time,  and  in  his  own 
way,  bring  her  down  by  the  means  which  he  has 
appointed. 

I  do  confess  myself  one  of  the  old-fashion  pro- 
fessors, that  covet  '  to  fear  God,  and  honour  the 
king. '  I  also  am  for  blessing  of  them  that  curse 
me,  for  doing  good  to  them  that  hcile  me,  and  for 
praying  for  them  that  despUefally  use  me,  and  per- 
secute me.  And  have  had  more  peace  in  the  prac- 
tice of  these  things,  than  all  the  world  are  aware 
of.  I  only  drop  this,  because  I  would  shew  my 
brethren  that  I  also  am  one  of  them ;  and  to  set 
them  right  that  have  wrong  thoughts  of  me,  as  to 
so  weighty  matters  as  these.* 


*  This  Cliristiaii  temper  of  Banyan  certainly  saved  him 
from  much  suffering  while  under  persecution.  It  probably 
saved  his  invaluable  life.  But  how  deeply  it  increases  the 
guilt  of  his  persecutors,  to  send  jkc^  aman  to  a  damp  wretched 
prison,  for  more  than  twelve  years,  because  he  dared  not  join 
in  the  worship  established  by  law;  and  after  all  this,  to  hear 


Now  these  kings  whose  hearts  God  shall  set  to 
destroy  Antichrist,  shall  do  it  without  those  inward 
reluctancies  that  will  accompany  inferior  men: 
they  shall  be  stript  of  all  pity  and  compassion. 
Hence  they  are  compared  to  the  mighty  waves  of 
the  sea,  Je.  H.  42.  which  saith,  when  the  wrecked 
and  dying  mariners  cry  out  for  mercy  for  them- 
selves, and  for  their  children,  I  am  a  sea ;  '  I  tra- 
vail not,  nor  bring  forth  children,  neither  do  I 
nourish  up  young  men,  nor  bring  up  virgins: '  Isa.  xxiii. 
4,  5.  I  have  therefore  no  pity  for  these,  or  any  of 
them.  Therefore  they  must  be  swallowed  up  of 
this  sea,  and  sink  like  a  stone  in  the  midst  of  these 
mighty  waters. 

And  thus  much  for  the  means  by  which  God 
will  destroy  the  body  and  flesh  of  Antichrist. 

OF  TUE  CAUSES  OF  THE   RUIN  OF  ANTICHRIST. 

Although  the  causes  of  the  ruin  of  Antichrist 
be  to  some  conspicuous  enough,  yet  to  some  they 
may  be  otherwise  ;  yea,  and  will  to  aU  kings  and 
people  whose  eyes  shaE  be  held,  that  they  may  not 
see  the  judgment,  in  the  reasonableness  and  equi- 
tableness  thereof ;  and  these  shall  wail  when  they 
see  '  the  smoke  of  her  -  -  torment ; '  and  these 
shall  cry,  Alas  !  Alas  !  Ue.  x\m.  10.  Wherefore,  for 
further  edification,  as  I  have  treated  of  the  man 
of  sin  already ;  so  will  I  now,  of  the  causes  of  his 
downfall.     And, 

FIRST  CAUSE. 

First,  He  must  down,  for  that  he  Jiath  usurped, 
and  taken  the  name  and  attributes  of  God  upon  him- 
self: He  hath  said,  '  I  am  God : '  He  hath  set  in 
the  temple  of  God,  '  shewing  himself  that  he  is 
God ; '  yea,  and  that  in  contempt  and  scorn  of  any 
other,  '  exalting  himself  above  all  that  is  called 
God,  or  that  is  worshipped  ;'  2Th.  ii.  yea,  hath  cried 
down  all  gods  but  himself.  Wherefore  it  must 
needs  be,  that  he  be  brought  to  judgment,  that 
the  truth  of  his  saying  may  be  proved.  And  for 
this  cause  he  is  threatened,  under  the  name  of  the 
prince  of  Tyrus :  '  Because  thine  heart  is  lifted  up 
(saith  the  Lord)  and  thou  hast  said,  I  am  a  god, 
-  -  therefore  1  will  bring  strangers  upon  thee,  the 
terrible  of  the  nations :  and  they  shall  draw  their 
swords  against  the  beauty  of  thy  wisdom,  and  they 
shall  defile  thy  brightness.  They  shall  bring  thee 
down  to  the  pit,  and  thou  shalt  die  the  deaths  of 
tliem  that  are  slain  in  the  midst  of  the  seas.  Wilt 
thou  yet  say  before  him  that  slayeth  thee,  I  am 
god  ?  but  thou  shall  be  a  man,  and  no  god,  in  the 
hand  of  him  that  slayeth  thee. '  Eze.  xxvm.  2, 7—9. 

If  God  will  not  give  his  name  or  ghry  to  another, 


his  prayers  and  good  wishes  to  his  persecutors,  ought  to  have 
cut  them  to  the  quick. —  Ed. 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


75 


be  sure  lie  will  not  be  under  another ;  but  this  to 
iiave,  and  thus  to  do,  Antichrist  has  attempted. 
But  how  ?  In  that  he  has  been  so  bold  as  to  pre- 
scribe and  impose  a  worship  besides,  and  without 
reverence  of  that  which  God  has  prescribed  and 
imposed  :  For  to  do  this,  is,  to  make  one's  self  a 
God.  '  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  Gods  before  me,' 
is  the  first  command :  And  the  first,  to  enforce  the 
second,  '  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee  any  graven 
image,  or  the  likeness  of  any  thing  that  is  in  hea- 
ven above,  or  that  is  in  the  earth  beneath,  or  that 
is  in  the  water  under  the  earth:  thou  shalt  not 
bow  down  thyself  to  them,  nor  serve  them  : '  For 
he  that  thus  doth,  is  an  idolater  ;  and  he  that 
these  things  doth  impose,  is  one  that  shews  him- 
self a  God.  But  this  doth  Antichrist  do  :  And 
'tis  worth  the  noting,  That  God  forbids  not  only 
images,  but  the  likeness  of  any  thing;  books,  altars, 
fancies,  imaginations,  or  any  thing  in  heaven 
above,  or  in  tlig  earth  beneath,  to  bow  down  to,  or 
to  make  them  a  means  to  worship  or  come  to  God 
by,  if  he  has  not  commanded  nor  tolerated  them  in 
his  holy  word. 

Tiius  saiih  tlie  Lord:  And,  /  am  tlie  Lord,  is  the 
st,amp,  the  seal,  and  sign  of  all  true  rules  of  wor- 
ship ;  and  therefore  it  is  so  often  repeated  both  in 
Moses,  and  in  the  prophets,  where  God  commandeth 
worship  to  be  performed,  and  iraposeth  the  means 
and  methods  of  it.  Now  this,  Tims  saith  the  Lord, 
Antichrist  has  rejected;  and  /  am  the  Lord,  he 
hath  assumed  to  himself :  and  therefore  without 
the  law,  the  word  and  commandment,  hath  framed 
and  imposed  a  worship,  exalting  himself  in  the 
temple  of  God,  although  he  is  but  the  man  of 
sin,  above  all  that  is  called  God,  or  that  is  wor- 
shipped. 

Nor  is  he  in  this  his  so  foul  a  fact,  without 
them  that  adore,  worship  his  image,  and  wonder 
after  him ;  yea,  he  hath  got  by  this  means  almost 
the  whole  world  to  himself,  who  say,  '  Who  is  like 
unto  the  beast  ?  Who  is  able  to  make  war  with 
him  ? '  Re.  xiii.  4.  And  that  they  might  shew  their 
resolvedness  to  stand  by  him,  they  receive  his 
mark  in  their  forehead,  or  in  their  hand;  His 
mark  ;  that  is,  they  either  openly  or  seriously 
become  his  disciples,  and  worship  him  according 
to  the  rules,  methods,  and  ways  that  he  hath  pre- 
scribed. Wherefore,  these  with  him,  are  also  to 
drink  of  the  fierceness  of  the  wrath  of  ahuighty 
God :  '  If  any  man  worship  the  beast  and  his 
image,  and  receive  his  mark  in  his  forehead,  or  in 
his  hand,  the  same  shall  di'ink  of  the  wine  of  the 
wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  out  without  mixture 
into  the  cup  of  his  indignation  ;  and  he  shall  be 
tormented  with  fire  and  brimstone  in  the  presence 
of  the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  presence  of  the 
Lamb : '  Re.  xiv.  9,  lo. 

But,  I  say,  for  that  Antichrist  hath  thus  taken 


the  j^iace  of  God,  prescribed  and  imposed  a  wor- 
ship as  a  God,  got  the  world  to  worship  and  wonder 
after  liim  as  after  a  God.  Therefore  shall  he 
die  the  death  of  the  uncircumcised,  both  in  the 
soul,  spirit,  body,  or  flesh  of  Antichrist ;  therefore 
wiU  God  enlighten,  and  gather,  and  set  the  kino-g 
and  nations  against  him,  that  both  he  and  his  may 
be  biu-ied,  and  have  their  dolesome  withdrawino-. 
rooms  from  the  world  in  the  sides  of  the  pit's 
mouth. 

SECOND  CAUSE. 

Secondly,  Antichrist  must  be  destroyed,  because 
he  liath  set  himself  against  the  Son  of  God;  against 
the  Father,  and  against  the  Son.  He  had  a  spite 
against  the  Son  betimes,  even  then  "when  he  came 
forth  but  in  little  hits,  when  he  attempted  to  deny 
that  he  was  come  in  the  flesh.  1  Jn.  iv.  i— 4.  But  see- 
ing he  could  make  no  earnings  of  that,  he  hath 
changed  his  methods,  and  seeks  to  run  him  out 
and  down  by  other  means  and  ways  :  Because 
therefore  he  hath  set  himself  against  the  Son  of 
God,  the  king,  therefore  he  must  die.  That  he 
hath  set  himself  against  the  Son  of  God,  is  also 
evident ;  for  he  hath  his  name  from  thence  :  He  is 
therefore  called  Antichrist.  That  he  hath  set 
himself  against  him,  is  yet  further  evident ;  for 
that  he  hath  endeavoured  to  take  from  him  his 
headship  over,  and  his  offices /o7'  and  in  the  church, 
which  is  his  body.  He  hath  plainly  endeavoured 
to  be  head,  for  that  he  hath  striven  to  take  his 
wife  from  him,  and  to  cause  that  she  should  be 
called  HIS :  Yea,  he  hath  endeavoured  by  all  in- 
ventions to  prostrate  her  to  his  lusts,  to  deflower 
her,  and  to  make  her  an  adulteress.  He  has  been 
worse  than  Pharaoh,  who  took  Abraham's  wife; 
Ge.  su.  and  worse  than  Abimelech,  Avho  lusted  after 
Isaac's:  Ge.  xxri.  Yea,  worse  than  Phalti,  who  run 
away  with  David's  ;  l  Sa.  xxv.  4t.  forasmuch  as  she  is 
higher,  beloved  better,  and  cost  more  than  did  any 
of  these.  Would  it  not  be  counted  an  high  aftront, 
for  a  base  inferior  fellow,  to  call  himself  the  head 
of  the  queen  ?  Yet  thus  has  Antichrist  done,  and 
worse ;  he  has  called  himself  the  head  of  the  uni- 
versal church  of  God. 

And  as  he  has  attempted  to  be  head  in  his 
stead,  so  to  be  king,  priest,  and  prophet. 

[1.]  He  has  attempted  to  wrest  his  sceptre  and 
kingdom  from  him,  in  that  he  hath  endeavoured  to 
thrust  himself  into  his  throne,  which  is  the  heart 
and  conscience  of  his  people.  The  lieart  and  con- 
science is  that  which  Christ  claimeth  for  his  own 
proper  and  pecuhar  seat :  '  My  son,  give  me  thy 
heart.'  '  That  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts 
by  faith.'  Ep.iii.l7.  In  this  therefore  the  church 
is  not  to  be  for  another  man,  so  will  he  be  for 
her;  but  this  throne  Antichrist  has  lusted  for, 
attempted  to  take,  and  made  war  with  Christ  and 


76 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


his  church,  because  they  would  not  yield  up  to 
him  this  glorious  throne  of  his,  and  therefore  he 

must  die.  .      i       jr 

{2  ]  lie  hath  intruded  upon  the  priestly  ofece 
of  Christ,  hath  caUed  himself  high-prkst;  though 
the  Lord  hath  said,  '  Because  thou  hast  rejected 
knowledge,  I  will  also  reject  thee,  that  thou  shalt 
be  no  priest  to  me:  seeing  thou  hast  forgotten  the 
law  of  thy  God,  I  will  also  forget  thy  chddren. 
Ho.  iv.  6.  But  he  will  make  himself  a  prkst ;  he  hath 
invented  sacrifices  for  the  quick  and  the  dead:^  he 
hath  put,  as  he  presumes,  merit  and  worth  into 
these  sacrifices;  he  hath  commanded  that  those 
that  worship,  should  have  faith  in,  and  expect 
benefit  by  these  sacrifices,  although  he  off"ereth  to 
his  God  nought  else  but  the  flesh  of  the  %,  and 
of  the  mouse,  with  the  broth  of  his  abominable 
things.  Is.  ixvL  17.  Many  and  sundry  ways  he  hath 
set  himself  up  to  be  high-priest,  though  God  knows 
no  high-priest  but  one,  though  the  church  ought 
to  know  no  high-priest  but  one ;  yea,  though  no 
high-priest  but  one  can  approach  God's  mercy- 
seat,  to  do  for  us  the  necessary  and  desired 
work. 

[3.]  He  hath  intruded  upon  the  prophetical 
office  of  Jesus  Christ.  What  else  means  his  pre- 
tences to  infallibilUy?*  And  that  too  when  he 
imposes  unwritten  verities,  abominable  traditions, 
blasphemous  rites  and  ceremonies ;  and  forbids  or 
dispenseth  with  the  holy  commands  of  God :  Yea, 
when  he  enforceth  these  his  Omrian  statutes,  and 
doth  impose  the  works  of  the  house  of  Ahab,  Mi. 
vi.  16.  he  doth  all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Christ, 
when  himself  hath  set  himself  in  his  place,  and  in 
his  room.  This  is  mystery  Babylon,  the  mystery 
of  iniquity:  This  is  Antichrist's  soul  and  body, 
and  as  such,  must  be  destroyed.     But, 

THIRD  CAUSE. 

Ttdrdly,  Antichrist  must  be  destroyed,  because 
he  hath  blasphemed  against  the  Holy  Gfiost,  and  so 
set  himself  above  the  Father,  the  Son,  the  Spirit ; 
against  all  that  is  called  God.  The  Holy  Ghost 
is  that  Spirit  of  truth  that  Christ  has  promised  to 
give  unto  his  church,  to  help  her  in  the  understand- 
ing of  his  holy  word,  and  to  enable  her  to  believe, 
and  walk  humbly  and  holily  before  God  and  man. 
The  spirit  of  Antichrist  is  that  spirit  of  error  that 
hath  pufi'ed  up  the  false  church  into  a  conceit  of 
herself,  and  unscriptural  worship ;  and  that  hath 
made  this  false  church,  which  is  his  body,  to  as- 
cribe all  the  horrible  things  and  acts  thereof,  to 

*  What  are  Acts  of  Uniformity,  compelling  all  persons,  under 
iiains  and  penalties,  to  conform  to  National  Liturgies,  or  allur- 
ing them  by  honours  and  emoluments,  but  pretended  infallibili- 
ties? All  laws  interfering  with  the  solemn  duty  oi  personal 
investigation  and  decision,  in  all  things  connected  with  rc- 
li^iou,  are  pretences  to  infallibility. — Eo. 


the  wisdom,  guidance,  directions  or  operations  of 
the  Holy  Ghost:  As, 

1 .  In  all  her  unscriptural  councils,  assemblies 
and  convocations,  they  blasphemously  father  what 
they  do  upon  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  make  him  the 
inventor  and  approver  thereof. 

2.  She  also  blasphemeth  the  Holy  Ghost,  in 
accusing  and  condemning  the  holy  scriptures  of 
insufficiency,  for  that  she  saith,  though  it  is  a  rule, 
yet  but  an  imperfect  one ;  one  deficient,  one  that 
is  not  able  to  make  the  man  of  God  perfect  in  all 
things,  without  the  traditions,  inventions,  and 
blasphemous  helps  of  antichristian  wisdom. 

3.  She  hath  also  blasphemed  the  Holy  Ghost, 
in  that  she  hath  set  up  her  own  church-govern- 
ment, offices,  officers  and  discipline:  None  of  all 
which  is  the  church  of  Christ  directed  to  by  the 
wisdom  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  his  testament. 

4.  She  hath  also  sinned  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
in  that  she  hath,  as  it  were,  turned  the  Holy  Ghost 
out  of  doors,  in  concluding  that  he,  without  the 
works  of  the  flesh,  is  not  sufficient  to  govern  the 
hearts  of  worshippers,  in  the  service  and  worship 
of  God. 

5.  She  hath  also  thus  sinned.  In  that  she  haJth 
ior07/gJit  many  lying  mirades  In  the  face  of  the 
world,  and  Imposed  them  upon  her  disciples  for 
the  confirming  of  her  errors  and  blasphemous 
opinions,  to  the  confronting  of  the  true  miracles 
wrought  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  also  to  the  con- 
cluding, that  there  was  an  insufficiency  in  those 
that  were  true,  to  confirm  the  truth,  without  the 
addition  of  hers  ;  which  she  has  wrought  by  the 
power  of  Satan,  and  the  spirit  of  delusion,  only  to 
confirm  her  lies. 

6.  She  hath  sinned  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  in 
that  she  hath,  with  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Nebat, 
striven  against  the  judgments  wherewith  God  hath 
punished  her ;  to  call  her  back  from  her  wicked 
way ;  and  persisted  therein,  to  the  eff"ectual  proving 
of  herself  to  be  the  lewd  woman.  2  Ki,  xiii.  4—7,  23,  24. 

7.  She  hath  sinned,  by  labouring  to  hide  all  her 
wickedness,  by  lies,  dissimulations,  and  filthy  equi- 
vocations of  her  priests,  friars,  Jesuits,  kc.  I 
say,  her  labouring  to  hide  the  wickedness  that  she 
hath  committed  against  kings,  countries,  nations, 
kingdoms  and  people.  She  hath  hid  these  things 
by  the  means  or  persons  made  mention  of  before ; 
as  by  the  tail;  for  they  indeed  are  the  tail  of 
the  beast,  that  cover  his  most  filthy  parts  :t 
The  prophet  that  speaketh  lies,  he  is  the  taU. 
Is.  ix.  15.    But, 

FOURTH  CAUSE. 

Fourthly,  Antichrist  must  be  destroyed,  for  Uie 
Jiorrid  outrage,  and  viUanous  murders  that  she  hath 

+  See  note  on  page  7S. 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


77 


oymmitted  upon  tlue  bodies  of  Hie  saints.  For  there 
is  none,  as  to  these  things,  for  cruelty,  to  be  com- 
pared with  the  church  of  Antichrist,  and  her  fol- 
lowers :  For  upon  whom  hath  not  her  cruelty  been 
shewe'd  ;  have  they  never  so  little  stood  in  her  way, 
though  never  so  innocently  and  honestly  by  so 
doing,  stood  to  the  truth  and  verity  of  God  ?  Yea, 
the  promoting  of  her  own  superstition,  idolatry, 
and  blasphemous  rites  and  ceremonies,  have  been 
so  pursued  by  her,  that  she  has  waded  through  a 
sea  of  innocent  blood  for  the  accomplishment 
thereof. 

The  poor  church  of  God  is  a  sensible  bleeding 
witness  of  this,  and  so  has  been  for  hundreds  of 
years  together ;  witness  the  chronicles  of  all  nations 
where  she  hath  had  to  do ;  yea,  and  the  sackcloth 
and  ashes,  and  tears,  and  widows,  and  fatherless 
children,  and  their  cries,  of  all  which  the  holy 
word  of  God  is  a  sufficient  confirmation ;  '  And  in 
her,'  when  God  shall  come  to  make  inquisition  for 
blood,  '  will  be  found  the  blood  of  prophets  and  of 
saints,  and  of  aU  that  were  slain  upon  the  earth.' 
Ee.  xviii.  24.  And  yet  has  she  such  a  whore's  fore- 
head, such  a  blindness  in  her  judgment,  and  such 
an  hard  and  obdurate  heart,  that  it  is  not  possible 
she  should  ever  repent.  Murders  have  been  so 
natural  to  her,  and  in  them  her  hand  has  been  so 
exercised,  that  it  is  now  become  a  custom,  a  trade, 
a  pastime  to  her,  to  be  either  in  the  act,  or  la^'ing 
some  foundation  for  murders :  Witness  those  plots, 
designs,  conspiracies,  and  frequent  attempts  that 
are,  one  or  other  of  them,  continually  on  foot  in 
the  world  for  the  commission  of  murders. 

Nay,  the  text  last  mentioned  seems  to  import, 
that  blood  is  so  natural  to  her,  that  she  sticketh 
not  at  any  condition,  sex,  age,  or  degree,  so  she 
may  imbrue  her  hands  in  blood.  In  her  was 
found  the  blood  of  saints  and  prophets,  and  of  all 
other  carnal,  natural,  ignorant,  graceless  men  that 
have  been  slain  upon  the  earth.  It  is  she  that 
sets  kings  and  kingdoms  at  variance :  It  is  she 
that  sets  parents  and  children  at  variance,  by  her 
abuse  of  the  word  of  our  Lord  and  Christ.  And 
besides,  is  it  not  easy,  if  we  do  but  consider 
those  bloody  massacres  that  have  been  committed 
by  her  hand,  both  in  France,  Ireland,  Piedmont, 
and  in  several  places  besides,  without  wronging  of 
her,  to  conclude,  that  the  blood  of  thousands,  that 
have  not  knoA^Ti  their  right  hand  from  their  left  in 
religion,  hath  been  shed,  to  quench,  if  it  might 
have  been,  her  insatiate  thirst  after  blood.  There- 
fore, for  these  things  shall  she  be  judged,  as 
women  that  shed  blood  are  judged ;  because  she 
is  an  adulteress,  and  blood  is  in  her  hands,  Eze.  xxiii. 
4-5.  She  hath  been  as  a  beast  of  prey :  Nay,  worse; 
for  they  do  but  kill  and  tear  for  the  hunger  of 
themselves,  and  of  their  whelps:  but  she,  to 
satisfy  her  v/anton  and  beastly  lusts,      'They  have 


cast  lots  for  my  people  ;  (saith  God)  and  have 
given  a  boy  for  an  harlot,  and  sold  a  girl  for  wine, 
that  they  might  drink  : '  Joel  iii.  .'5.  and  therefore 
must  Antichrist  be  destroyed.  Forbearance  is  no 
payment,  God's  patience  is  not  a  sign  that  he/or- 
getteih  to  take  vengeance ;  but  rather,  that  he 
waiteth  till  his  own  are  come  out  of  her,  and  until 
her  iniquity  is  filled  up :  For  then  he  will  execute 
the  judgment  written,  and  will  remember,  as 
has  been  said,  the  Babylonians,  and  all  their  ways,* 

FIFTH  CAUSE, 

Fifthly,  Antichrist  must  be  destroyed,  because 
she  hath  put  out  of  order,  and  confounded  the  rule 
and  govemmenl  tliat  Godj  has  set  up  in  the  world. 
I  say,  she  has  put  it  out  of  order,  and  confounded 
it  in  all  places  where  she  rules ;  so  that  it  cannot 
accomplish  the  design  of  him  that  ordained  it.  To 
wit,  To  be  a  terror  to  evil  works,  and  a  praise  to 
them  that  do  well. 

Wherefore  we  read,  That  those  horns  or  kings 
where  Mystery  Babylon  sitteth,  are  upon  the  heads 
of  that  beast  that  carrieth  her,  which  beast  is  her 
protector.  Magistracy  is  God's  ordinance,  ap- 
pointed for  the  good  of  society,  and  for  the  peace 
and  safety  of  those  that  are  good.  But  this  Anti- 
christ has,  where  she  rules,  put  all  out  of  order; 
and  no  wonder,  for  she  has  bepuddled  the  word  of 
God  ;  no  wonder,  then,  I  say,  if  the  foundations  of 
the  world  be  out  of  course.  'Tis  she  that  hath 
turned  the  sword  of  the  magistrate  against  those 
that  keep  God's  law:  'Tis  she  that  has  made  it 
the  ruin  of  the  good  and  virtuous,  and  a  protection 
to  the  vile  and  base.  Wherefore,  when  the  Holy 
Ghost  tells  us,  that  the  time  is  coming  in  which 
God  will  count  with  the  bloody-minded,  for  the 
murders  that  they  have  committed  ;  he  in  a  man- 
ner doth  quite  excuse  the  magistrate,  saying,  'Woe 
to  the  bloody  city !  it  is  all  fuU  of  lies  and  robbery  ; 
the  prey  departeth  not :  The  noise  of  a  whip,  and 
the  noise  of  the  rattling  of  the  wheels,  and  of  the 
prancing  horses,  and  of  the  jumping  chariots.  The 
horseman  lifteth  up  both  the  bright  sword,  and 
the  glittering  spear :  and  there  is  a  multitude  of 
slain,  and  a  great  number  of  carcases  ;  and  there  is 


*  These  bloody  massacres,  to  wliich  Bunyan  here  alludes, 
were  attended  with  atrocities  at  which  nature  shudders.  In 
France,  under  a  Bourbon  and  a  Guise,  the  murder  of  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  pious  men  and  women,  with  helpless  infants, 
threw  down  every  barrier  to  the  spread  of  infidelity,  and  a 
fna;htfQl  reaction  took  place  at  the  Revolution.  In  Ireland, 
under  a  Stuart  and  a  Bourbon,  still  more  friyldfnl  atrocities 
were  perpetrated,  and  which  were  severely  punished  by  Crom- 
weU  and  his  Roundheads.  Under  a  second  Stuart,  awfnl 
wholesale  murders  were  again  committed,  and  pumshed  by 
William  III.;  and  the  voice  of  the  blood  that  was  shed  by 
Antichrist,  aud  the  voices  of  people  enslaved  by  a  national  reli- 
gion, which  it  considers  heresy— these  voices  cry  for  ven- 
geance, and  desolate  that  unhappy  country.— Ed. 


78 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  lilS  ilUIN. 


none  end  of  their  corpses ;  tliey  stumble  upon  tlieir 
corpses, '  Na.  iii.  1—3.  But  what  is  the  cause  of  all 
this  slaying,  and  the  reason  of  this  abundance  of 
corpses  ?  Why,  it  is  because  of  the  unsatiable 
thirst  of  the  bloody  city  after  blood :  and, '  Because 
of  the  multitude  of  the  whoredoms  of  the  well- 
favoured  harlot,  the  mistress  of  witchcrafts,  that 
selleth  nations  through  her  whoredoms,  and  fami- 
lies through  her  witchcrafts. '  ver.  4.  But  doth  this 
bloody  city  spill  this  blood  by  herself  simply,  as 
she  is  the  adulterated  whore  ?  No,  this  church 
has  found  out  a  trick ;  that  is  to  say,  to  quarrel 
%vith  Christ  in  his  members ;  and  to  persuade  the 
powers  where  she  rules  to  set  ensnaring  laws  to 
catch  them,  and  to  execute  the  same  upon  them. 

Thus  Avhen  the  synagogue  of  Satan,  of  old,  had 
taken  Christ,  and  accused  him,  they  made  Pontius 
Pilate  to  condemn  and  hang  him.     But  God  has 
begun  to  shew  to  some  of  the  kings  this  wicked- 
ness, and  has  prevailed  with  them  to  protest  against 
her.     And  in  the  mean  time,  for  those  that  are 
yet  in  the  bed  of  love  with  her,  the  Holy  Ghost 
doth,  in  the  text  last  mentioned,  and  in  Re.  xviii. 
24.  much  excuse  them  for  the  blood  that  they  have 
shed,  and  for  the  injuries  that  they  have  done  to 
his  people ;  because  they  have  not  done  it  of  their 
mere  inclinations,  nor  in  the  prosecution  of  their 
office,  but  through  the  whoredoms  and  witchcrafts 
of  this  well-favoured  harlot,  who  hath  with  false 
doctrines,  false  promises,  and  causeless  curses,  pre- 
vailed on  them  to  do  it.     And  they  have  done  it, 
rather  of  fear  than  favour.     Some  indeed  have 
more    doted   upon   her  beauty,   and    have  more 
thoroughly  been  devoted  to  her  service :  But  they 
also  had  not  that  aptness  to  do  so  of  themselves, 
but  have  been  forced  to  it  by  the  power  of  her 
enchantments:    Therefore,  I  say,  the  main  guilt 
shall  be  laid  at  her  door,  for  that  she  in  chief  has 
deserved  it,     '  Son  of  man  (says  God)  take  up  a 
lamentation  for  the  princes   of  Israel.'      Why? 
Because  their  mother,  the  church,   was   at  that 
time  adulterated,  and  become  a  lioness,  had  lain 
down  with  the  heathen,  and  so  brought  forth  young 
lions,  that  is,  rulers:    'And  she  brought  up  one  of 
her  whelps :  it  became  a  young  lion,  and  it  learned 
to  catch  the  prey;  it  devoured  men.'  Eze.  xix.  l— 3.  It 
learnt.  It  leaiiit :  But  of  wlio  but  of  its  dam,  or  of 
the  lioness  to  whom  she  had  put  it  to  learn  to  do 
such  things  ?     Therefore  they  are  to  be  lamented 
and   pitied,    rather   than   condemned,    and   their 
mother  made  to  bear  the  blame.     Wherefore  it 
follows,  *  She  was  plucked  up  in  fury,  she  was  cast 
down  to  the  ground,  and  the  east  wind  dried  up 
her   fruit:    her   strong   rods    vvere    broken    and 
Avithered ;  the  fire  consumed  them.     And  now  slie 
is  planted  in  the  wilderness,  (in  the  provinces  of 
Babylon,)  in  a  dry  and  thirsty  ground.     And  fire 
is  gone  out  of  a  rod  of  her  branches,  wldcli  hatli 


devoured  her  fruit,  so  that  he  hath  no  strong  rod 
to  he  a  sceptre  to  rule.  This  is  a  lamentation,  and 
shall  be  for  a  lamentation. '  Eze  xix.  12—14. 

SIXTH  CAUSE. 

Sixildy,  Antichrist  must  be  destroyed,  because 
of  iter  exceeding  covetousness.  Religion,  such  as  it 
is,  is  the  thing  pretended  to :  But  the  great  things 
of  this  world,  are  the  things  really  intended  by  her 
in  all  her  seeming  self-denials  and  devotions.  And 
for  this  covetousness  also  it  is  that  this  destruction 
is  to  fall  upon  her:  'Woe  to  him  that  coveteth  an 
evil  covetousness  to  his  house,  (to  his  church)  that 
he  may  set  his  nest  on  high  ; '  Hab.  ii.  9.  (for  he  could 
not  do  the  one,  before  he  had  obtained  the  other:) 
for  then  indeed  they  began  to  be  high,  wdien  they 
had  so  inveigled  Constantine,  that  he  bestowed 
upon  them  much  riches  and  honour ;  and  then  it 
was  cried  by  an  angel,  and  the  cry  was  heard  in 
the  city,  Constantinople !  '  Woe !  woe !  woe !  this 
day  is  venom  poured  into  the  church  of  God ! '  (as 
both  my  Lord  Cobham  and  Mr.  Fox  witness  in 
the  book  of  Acts  and  Monuments.)* 

Nor  has  any  generation  since  the  world  began, 
been  so  insatiably  greedy  of  gain,  as  these  poor 
people  have  been :  They  have  got  kingdoms,  they 

have  got  crowns,  they  have  got, What  have 

they  not  got  ?  They  have  got  everything  but  grace 
and  pardon.  Did  I  say  before,  that  religion  is  their 
pretence  ?  Doth  not  the  whole  course  of  their  way 
declare  it  to  their  face?  Every  one  of  them, 
from  the  least  even  to  the  greatest,  is  given  to 
covetousness,  from  the  prophet  even  to  the  priest, 
every  one  dealeth  falsely:  Je.x-i.  is.and  viu.  10.  Money, 
money,  as  the  pedlar  cries, t  broken  or  whole,  is 
the  sinews  of  their  religion  ;  And  it  is  for  that  they 
set  kingdoms,  crowns,  principalities,  places,  pre- 
ferments, sacraments,  pardons,  prayers,  indul- 
gences, liberty  ;  yea,  and  soids  and  bodies  of  men, 
women  and  children,  to  sale.  Yea,  it  is  for  this 
that  they  have  invented  so  many  places,  offices, 
names,  tides,  orders,  vows,  &:g.  It  is  to  get 
money,  to  rob  countries,  that  they  may  make  their 
nests  on  high.  And  indeed  they  have  done  it,  to 
the  amazement  of  all  the  world.     They  are  cl^im- 


*  111  the  first  examiuatiou  of  Lord  Cobliam,  (Fox,  vi.  p. 
732,  edit.  1G32,)  the  gallaut  knight  was  asked  by  his  bitter 
persecutor,  what  he  meant  by  'the  venom  shed  over  the 
chm'ch;'  his  reply  was,  '  Your  possessions  and  lordships.'  For 
then  cried  an  angel  in  the  air — '  Wo  !  Wo  1  Wo  !  this  day  is 
venom  slicd  into  the  church  of  God.  -  -  Rome  is  the  very 
nest  of  Antichrist — prelates,  priests  and  monks  are  tlie  body; 
and  these  pild  (bald,  but  query,  pillaging)  friars  are  the  tail, 
which  covereth  his  most  filtliy  part.'  How  peaceful  and 
blessed  will  be  the  church  when  all  her  ministers  can  glory 
with  Paul,  in  Acts  xx.  33,  34. — Eu. 

t  The  principal  cry  of  the  travelling  pedlars  was  for  broken 
or  light  money,  to  exchange  for  their  wares:  now  obsolete. 
—Ed. 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


79 


bered  up  above  kings  and  princes,  and  emperors:* 
They  wear  the  triple-crown :  They  have  made 
kings  bow  at  their  feet,  and  emperors,  stand  bare- 
foot at  their  gates:  They  have  kicJced  the  crowns 
of  princes  from  their  heads,  and  set  them  on  again 
with  their  toes.i  Thus  their  covetousness  has  set 
them  high,  even  above  the  suns,  moons  and  stars 
of  this  world:  but  to  what  end?  That  they  may 
be  cast  down  to  hell. 

SEVENTH  CAUSE. 

Sevenihly,  Antichrist  must  be  destroyed,  because 
he  standeth  in  the  way  of  the  setting  up  of  the  king- 
dom of  Chnst  in  the  world.  Many  princes  were  in 
Edom  before  there  was  a  king  in  Israel ;  and 
Christ  has  suffered  Antichrist  to  set  up  before  him. 
And  he  standeth  in  his  way,  and  has  so  overspread 
the  world  in  all  places,  with  that  which  is  directly 
contrary  to  him,  that  he  cannot  set  up  his  king- 
dom, imtil  that  which  is  Antichi'ist's  is  tmnbled 
down  to  the  ground  ;  even  as  a  man  whose  ground 
is  full  of  thorns,  and  briars,  and  weeds,  cannot 
sow  in  expectation  of  a  crop,  until  he  hath 
removed  them.  And  these  seeds  has  Antichrist 
so\vn  where  the  kingdom  of  Chi-ist  should  stand: 
'  Upon  the  land  of  my  people  shall  come  up  thorns 
and  briars;  yea,  upon  all  the  houses  of  joy  in  the 
joyous  city :  Because  the  palaces  shall  be  forsaken  ; 
the  midtitude  of  the  city  shall  be  left ;  the  forts 
and  towers  shall  be  for  dens  for  ever,  a  joy  of  wild 
asses,  a  pasture  of  flocks,  (this  is  to  happen  to  the 
church  of  God,)  Until  the  Spirit  be  poured  upon 
us  from  on  high,  and  the  wilderness  be  a  fruitful 
field,  and  the  fruitful  field  be  counted  for  a  forest.' 
Is.  xxxii.  13—15.  And  the  antichristian  synagogue  be 
turned  into  a  wilderness. 

When  God  came  from  Egypt  with  his  people,  to 
set  up  his  kingdom  in  Canaan,  he  cast  out  the 
heathen  before  them  in  order  thereunto  ;  '  Thou 
hast  brought  a  vine  out  of  Egypt:  thou  hast  cast 
out  the  heathen,  and  planted  it.'  Ps. ixxx. 8.  Where- 
fore, Antichrist  must  be  removed  and  destroyed 
for  this:  For  Antichrist  is  in  flat  opposition  to 
Christ,  as  Tibni  was  to  Omri :  i  Ki.  xvL  21,  22.  Where- 
fore Antichrist  must  die.  The  reason  is,  because 
Christ's  kingdom  shall  be  peaceable,  without  moles- 
tation ;  and  glorious,  without  the  fumes  and  fogs 
of  Antichristian  darkness:  Because  also,  as  the 
world  hath  seen  the  manner  of  the  reign  of  Anti- 
christ, and  how  tyrannical  and  outrageous  a  king- 
dom his  is :  so  they  shall  see  the  reign  of  Christ, 


*  Such  has  been  the  tendency  of  the  Antichristian  chnrch 
in  all  ages ;  witness  the  cases  of  the  Emperor  Henry  IV., 
Henry  II.  of  England,  and  many  others.  The  spirit  and  pre- 
cept of  Chiistianity,  on  the  contrary,  is,  while  feaiiag  God,  to 
honour  the  king ;  and  that  we  be  subject  to  principalities  and 
powers.  Tit.  iii.  1 ;  see  also  Mat.  xxii.  21 ;  Ko.  siii,  1-7. — Ed. 

t  See  Fox's  Martyr.,  folio,  vol.  i.,  last  leaf. — Ed. 


by  his  word  and  spirit  in  his  people,  how  peace- 
able, how  fruitful  in  blessedness  and  prosperity  his 
kingdom  is.  And  hence  it  is  that  God  purposeth 
to  bury  Antichrist,  before  he  sets  '  glory  in  the  land 
of  the  living. '  Eze.  xxvi  20,  21.  As  also  you  read  in 
the  book  of  Revelations ;  for  there  you  find  the 
kingdom  of  Antichrist  was  destroyed  before  the 
new  Jerusalem  was  set  up.  When  men  intend  to 
build  a  new  house,  if  in  the  place  where  the  old  one 
stood,  they  first  pull  down  the  old  one,  raze  the 
foundation,  and  then  they  begin  their  new.  Now 
God,  as  I  said,  will  have  his  primitive  church  state 
set  up  in  this  world,  (even  where  Antichrist  has  set 
up  his ;)  wherefore,  in  order  to  this,  Antichrist 
must  be  pulled  down,  down  stick  and  stone;  and  then 
they  that  live  to  see  it,  will  behold  the  new  Jeru- 
salem come  down  from  heaven,  as  a  bride  adorned 
for  her  husband. 

New  wine  is  not  put  into  old  bottles,  nor  a  new 
piece  into  an  old  garment ;  nor  shall  any  of  the  old 
anti-scriptural  ordinances,  ceremonies,  rites,  or 
vessels  of  the  man  of  sin,  be  made  use  of,  or  ac- 
counted anything  worth,  in  this  day  of  the  king- 
dom of  Jesus  Christ.  And  thus  I  have  shewed 
you  something  of  Antichrist,  of  his  ruin,  and  of 
the  manner  and  signs  of  the  approach  thereof ;  to- 
gether with  the  means  and  causes  of  his  ruin. 
All  which  I  leave  to  the  judgment  of  the  godly, 
and  beg  their  instruction  where  they  see  me  to  be 
out ;  and  shall  conclude,  after  a  short  word  of 
application. 

First,  Must  Antichrist  be  destroyed  ?  Then  this 
informs  us,  that  a  time  is  coming  wherein  there 
shall  be  no  Antichrist  to  afilict  God's  church  any 
more.  'Tis  Antichrist,  Antichristians,  and  Anti- 
christianism,  that  is  the  cause  of  the  troubles  of 
Christians,  for  being  Christians.  And  therefore  'tis 
from  the  consideration  of  this  that  it  is  said,  men 
'  shall  beat  their  swords  into  plough-shares,  and 
their  spears  into  pruning-hooks,'  and  that  they 
'  shall  learn  war  no  more : '  Is.  ii.  4.  Yea  it  is  from 
the  consideration  of  this,  that  it  is  said  the  child 
shall  play  with  venomous  and  destroying  beasts, 
and  that  a  little  child  shall  lead  the  wolf,  the  leopard, 
and  the  yoiing  lion,  and  that  the  weaned  child  shall 
put  his  hand  into  the  cockatrice's  den,  and  catch 
no  hurt  thereby,  is-  xl.  6—9.  For  as  was  said  before, 
'tis  through  the  instigation  of  this  spirit  of  error, 
that  the  governors  of  the  world  have  heretofore 
done  hurt  to  Zion,  and  I  say  now  again,  all  things 
shall  turn  to  their  right  course,  and  occupy  tlieir 
places,  as  do  the  bodies  in  the  higher  orbs. 

Secondly,  Is  Antichrist  to  be  destroyed,  and 
must  she  have  an  end?  Then  this  gives  us  to  un- 
derstand, that  a  day  is  coming  when  Antichrist 
shaU  be  unknown,  not  seen,  nor  felt  by  the  church 
of  God.  There  are  men  to  be  born  who  shall  not 
know  Antichrist,  but  as  they  read  in  the  word  that 


80 


OF  A^TICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIX. 


such  a  thing  has  been.  These  shall  talk  of  her, 
as  Israel's  childrens'  children  were  to  talk  of  Pha- 
raoh, of  his  cruelty ;  of  his  tasks,  of  his  pride, 
of  the  Red  Sea,  and  how  he  was  drowned  there  : 
They  shall  talk  of  tliem,  as  of  those  that  have 
heen  long  dead ;  as  of  those  who  for  their  horrible 
wickedness,  are  laid  in  the  pit's  mouth.  This  will 
be  some  of  that  sweet  chat  that  the  saints  sliall, 
at  their  spare  hours,  have  in  time  to  come.  When 
God  has  pulled  this  dragon  out  of  the  sea,  this 
leviathan  out  of  his  river,  and  cast  his  dead  car- 
case upon  the  open  field,  then  shall  those  whose 
ancestors  have  been  put  into  terrors  by  him,  come 
flocking  to  see  the  monster ;  and  shall  rejoice  for 
all  the  mercy.  In  that  day,  the  church  of  God 
shall  say,  '  0  Lord  I  will  praise  thee :  though  thou 
wast  angry  with  me,  thine  anger  is  turned  away, 
and  thou  comfortest  me. — In  that  day  shall  ye 
say.  Praise  the  Lord,  call  upon  his  name,  declare 
his  doings  among  the  people,'  &c.  is.  xii.  l,  4.  0 
how  sweetly  did  David,  and  the  church  in  his  day, 
sing  of  the  ruins  of  the  Egyptians,  and  the  deliver- 
ances of  their  fathers,  which  had  been  in  thues  of 
old !  Pa.  ixviii.  to  wit,  what  God  did  in  Egypt,  what 
lie  did  at  the  Red  Sea ;  what  he  did  to  Sihon,  to 
Og,  and  to  the  remnant  of  the  giants :  How  he 
divided  the  waters  of  Jordan,  and  gave  the  land 
of  Canaan  in  its  fruitfulness  among  his  people :  Ps. 
cv.  How  that  though  Pharaoh  and  his  horsemen 
and  chariots  were  terrible  (lien,  yet  now  there  is 
nothing  left  but  their  souls,  their  feet,  and  the 
palms  of  their  hands ;  nothing  but  that  which  can 
do  no  hurt ;  nothing  but  what  may  minister  an 
occasion  of  joyful  remembrance  of  them.  Ts.  cvi.  and 

cxxxii. 

Thirdly,  Is  Antichrist  to  be  destroyed?  Tlien 
iJtis  ccdls  aloud  to  God's  people  to  moke  hasLe  to  come 
out  oflwr.  '  Ho,  ho,'  says  the  prophet:  He  cries 
out  as  if  the  people  were  asleep :  '  Ccmie  forth,  and 
flee  from  the  land  of  the  north.'  Zec.  ii.  c.  The  peo- 
ple of  God  in  the  latter  days  will  want  a  heart  to 
come  out  of  her,  with  that  fear  of  her  plagues  as 
they  should:  Wherefore  another  says,  '  Come  out 
of  her,  my  people,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her 
sins  and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her  plagues.'  Re. 
xviii.  i.  When  Israel  was  carried  into  Babylon, 
'twas  not  that  they  shoidd  dwell  there  for  ever  : 
Though  they  were  bid  to  build  them  houses,  and  be- 
get tliem  children  there.  But  when  they  had  built, 
planted  vineyards,  and  got  wives  and  children 
there,  'twas  hard  getting  them  from  thence  again: 
For  now  they  were  as  it  were  naturalized  to  the 
country,  and  to  the  manners  of  it.  Je.  xxix.  4—7.  But 
God  will  have  them  out,  (but  they  must  not  think 
to  carry  thence  their  houses  and  vineyards  on  their 
backs,)  or  he  will  destroy  them  with  those  destruc- 
tions wherewith  he  hath  threatened  to  desti-oy  Ba- 
bylon itsulf.     Flesh  will  hang  behind,  because  it 


favoureth  the  things  of  the  flesh,  plenty  of  which 
there  is  in  that  country :  But  they  that  will  live 
after  the  flesh  must  die.  *  Wherefore  come  out 
from  among  them,  and  be  ye  separate,  -  -  and 
touch  not  the  unclean  thing;  and  I  will  receive 
you,  and  will  be  a  father  imto  you,  and  ye  shall 
be  my  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Al- 
mighty. '  2  Co.  vi.  17, 18.  But  why  (some  may  say) 
mfod,  we  Gome  outl  I  answer,  because  God  has 
temple-work  to  do,  temple-worship  to  do,  teniple-sa- 
crifims  to  off"er,  and  none  of  these  things  can  by  any 
means  be  done,  but  at  Jerusalem.  But  if  you  still 
object  and  say,  '  The  Lord  has  raised  us  up  pro- 
phets in  Babylon, '  and  we  will  not  come  out ;  you 
must  not  murmur  if  you  feel  what  is  to  follow. 
And  that  such  may  know  upon  what  bottom  they 
stand,  let  them  read  the  29th  chapter  of  Jer.  15 
—19. 

Fourthly,  Must  Antichrist  be  destroyed  ?  Tlien 
what  mean  tliey,  wlio  were  to  appearance  once  came 
oul,  hut  now  are  going  thitlier  again'?  If  it  cost 
Lot's  wife  dear  for  but  looking  back,  shall  not  it 
cost  them  much  dearer,  that  are  going  back,  that 
are  gone  back  again?  and  that,  after  the  angel 
had  fled  through  the  midst  of  heaven,  preaching 
the  gospel  to  those  that  dwell  on  the  earth  ?  Re.  xiv. 
6—10.  They  that  received  the  mark  of  the  beast 
at  first,  before  this  angel  came  forth,  are  when 
compared  with  these,  excusable  :  Re.  xiii.  16,  17. 
Wherefore,  they  are  not  threatened  with  that  smok- 
ing wrath,  as  are  these  which  are  here  under  con- 
sideration. 

You  dread,  that  which  is  like  to  become  of  thcin 
that  will  be  so  mad  to  run  into  an  house,  when 
fire  is  putting  to  the  gimpowder  barrel,  in  order  to 
its  blowing  up :  Why  thus  do  they,  let  their  pre- 
tended cause  be  what  it  will,  that  are  returning 
again  to  Babel.  Are  her  plagues  pleasant  or  easy 
to  be  borne  ?  Or  dost  thou  think  that  God  is  at 
play  with  thee,  and  that  he  thrcatenetli  but  in  jest? 
Her  plagues  are  d£oth,  and  mourning,  and  famine, 
and  fire ;  Re.  xvffi.  8.  are  these  things  to  be  over- 
looked ?  And  they  that,  as  before  is  hinted,  shall 
receive  tlie  mark  of  the  beast  in  their  forehead,  or 
in  their  hand,  and  shall  worship  him,  they,  '  the 
same  shall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God : ' 
Re. xiv.  10.  And  will  this  be  a  deliohtsome  draught? 
Remember  how  ill  God  took  it,  that  his  people  of 
old,  in  their  hearts,  though  but  in  their  hearts, 
went  back  again  into  Egypt.  You  may  say,'  but 
I  ha\e  friends,  relations,  and  concerns  in  Babylon. 
And,  I  answer,  so  had  Lot  in  Sodom  ;  Ge.  xix.  14— IG. 
but  for  all  that,  he  must  either  quickly  come  out, 
or  run  the  hazard  of  being  burned  there  with  them. 
But  methinks,  a  people  that  belong  to  God,  should 
be  willing  to  leave  all  to  follow  him:  Besides,  his 
presence  is  promised  at  Jerusalem,  there  also  will 
he  accept  thy  offerings. 


OF  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


81 


Fifthly,  Is  Antichrist  to  he  destroyed?  Then 
let  tJiem  tJiat  love  God,  his  Son,  and  his  Zion,  cry  to 
God  tlial  it  may  be  hastened  in  its  time.  One  of 
the  songs  of  Zion  is,  that  Babylon  shall  be  de- 
stroyed. The  cries  of  the  souls  of  them  that  were 
slain  for  the  witness  of  Jesus  is,  that  Babylon  may 
be  counted  with,  and  that  their  blood  may  be  re- 
venged upon  her.  The  promise  is,  that  Babylon 
shall  be  destroyed :  And  do  we  hold  our  tongues  ? 
The  church  of  God  will  not  flourish  as  it  should, 
until  Babylon  is  destroyed:  The  world  will  never 
be  in  its  right  wits,  until  Babylon  is  destroyed:  The 
kingdom  of  Christ  will  never  be  set  up,  in  and  by 
his  church,  as  it  ought,  and  shall,  until  Antichrist 
is  destroyed :  There  will  never  be  peace  upon  earth 
till  Antichrist  is  destroyed:  And  God  has  pro- 
mised that  there  shall  be  peace  and  truth,  and 
glory,  when  Babylon  is  destroyed :  And  do  we 
hold  our  peace  ?  Besides,  your  innocency  in  suf- 
fering; your  honesty  towards  God,  in  your  testi- 
mony for  his  truth ;  the  substantial  ground  which 
you  have  for  the  bottom  of  your  faith,  as  to  things 
controverted  betwixt  Antichrist  and  you,  will  never 
be  manifested  as  it  will  then;  and  so  consequently, 
you  never  so  brought  out  to  the  light,  and  your 
enemies  never  so  put  to  shame  as  then.  '  Then 
shame  shall  cover  her  that  said  unto  thee,  Where 
is  the  Lord  thy  God?'  Wherefore,  as  I  said,  cry 
unto  the  Lord,  keep  not  silence,  give  him  no  rest, 
let  him  not  alone,  until  he  has  delivered  his  miser- 
able people  out  of  the  mouth  of  this  lion,  and 
from  the  paw  of  this  bear. 

Sixthly,  Is  Antichrist  to  be  destroyed?  77ien 
let  us  live  in  the  expectation  of  it ;  and  let  this  be 
one  of  our  songs  in  the  house  of  our  pilgrimage. 
God  bids  his  people,  while  in  Babylon,  to  let  Jeru- 
salem come  into  their  mind,  Je.  li.  50.  and  writes  to 
them  that  then  were  in  her,  to  acquaint  them  that 
he  remembered  them  still,  and  would  assuredly  de- 
liver them  from  that  place  and  state.  And  where- 
fore doth  he  thus,  but  to  beget  an  expectation  in 
them  of  their  salvation  and  deliverance  ?  Je.  xxix.  13, 
li.  The  Lord  is  so  pleased  with  the  faith  and  ex- 
pectation of  his  people,  as  to  this,  that  they  seldom 
are  herein  concerned  as  they  should,  but  he  steps 
in  with  them,  and  warms  their  hearts.  The  reason 
is,  because  the  faith  of  God's  people,  as  to  the 
downfall  of  Babylon,  stands  upon  as  sure  a  founda- 
tion as  doth  the  salvation  of  their  souls ;  and  that 
next  to  that,  God  is  as  much  delighted  in  what  he 
has  purposed  to  do  against  Babylon,  as  in  any- 
thing else  in  the  earth :  And  therefore,  if  you  con- 
sider it  well,  the  great  and  glorious  promises  that 
are  to  be  fulfilled  on  earth,  are  to  be  fulfilled  when 
Antichrist  is  dead  and  buried :  These  bits  are  too 
good  even  for  his  children  to  have,  so  long  as  this 
dog  is  by,  lest  he  should  snatch  at  the  crumbs 
thereof;  wherefore  they  are  reserved  mitil  he  is 

VOL.  II. 


gone :  For  thus  saith  the  Lord,  •  That  after  seventy 
years  be  accomplished  at  Babylon,  I  will  visit  you, 
and  perform  my  good  word  towards  you,  in  causino- 
you  to  return  to  this  place:  For  I  know  the  thourz-hts 
that  I  think  toward  you,  saith  the  Lord ;  thou"-hta 
of  peace,  and  not  of  evil,  to  give  you  an  expected 
end.'  This  is  in  Jeremiah  the  twenty-ninth,  vcr. 
10, 11.  and  in  chapter  the  thirty-first  he  adds, 
'  Therefore  they  shall  come  and  sing  in  the  heiglit 
of  Zion,  and  shall  flow  together  to  the  goodness  of 
the  Lord,  for  wheat,  and  for  wine,  and  for  oil,  and 
for  the  young  of  the  flock  and  of  the  herd :  and 
their  soul  shall  be  as  a  watered  garden ;  and  they 
shall  not  sorrow  any  more  at  all.  Then  sliall  the 
virgin  rejoice  in  the  dance,  both  young  men  and 
old  together :  for  I  will  turn  their  mourning  into 
joy,  and  will  comfort  them,  and  make  them  rejoice 
from  their  sorrow.  And  I  will  satiate  the  soul  of 
the  priests  with  fatness,  and  my  people  sliall  be 
satisfied  with  my  goodness,  saith  the  Lord.'  ver. 
13—14.  Again,  in  the  thirty-second  cliapter,  still 
speaking  of  the  same  thing,  he  saith,  '  Yea,  I  will 
rejoice  over  them  to  do  them  good,  and  I  will  plant 
them  in  this  land  assuredly  with  my  whole  heart 
and  with  my  whole  soul.'  ver. 41. 

I  conclude  this  with  that  which  I  find  in  chapter 
the  thirty-third :  '  And  I  will  cleanse  them  from 
all  their  iniquity,  whereby  they  have  sinned  against 
me ;  and  I  will  pardon  all  their  iniquities,  whereby 
they  have  sinned,  and  whereby  they  have  trans- 
gressed against  me.  And  it  shall  be  to  me  a  name 
of  joy,  a  praise,  and  an  honour  before  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth,  which  shall  hear  all  the  good 
that  I  do  unto  them:  and  they  shall  fear  and 
tremble,  for  all  the  goodness  and  for  all  the  pro- 
sperity that  I  procure  unto  it. '  ver.  8, 9. 

Seventhly,  Must  Antichrist  be  destroyed  ?  Then 
this  slwidd  make  us  glad,  tvhen  we  see  the  signs  of 
his  fall  preseniing  themselves  to  our  view.  Indeed, 
the  signs  of  his  fall,  or  those  that  forerun  it,  are 
terrible,  and  amazing  to  behold.  But  what  of 
that,  since  the  wrinkles  that  are  in  their  faces 
threaten  not  us  but  them  ?  A  man  is  angry,  and 
will  punish ;  yea,  and  whets  his  sword,  makes  his 
rod,  and  he  speaks  not  a  word,  but  bhod,  blood,  is 
in  it.  Indeed,  this  should  make  them  that  are 
concerned  in  this  anger,  be  afraid ;  (but  the  judg- 
ment is,  they  are  fast  asleep,)  but  what  is  in  all 
this  of  terror  to  them,  for  the  pleading  whose  cau.-^e 
he  is  so  angry  with  the  other?  Nothing  whereat 
the  innocent  should  be  afraid.  Cold  blasts  in  No- 
vember are  not  received  with  that  gentleness  as 
are  colder  in  March  and  April ;  for  that  these  last 
cold  ones  are  but  the  farewell  notes  of  a  piercing 
winter ;  they  also  bring  with  them  the  signs  and 
tokens  of  a  comfortable  summer.  Why,  the  church 
is  now  at  the  rising  of  the  year ;  let  then  the  blasts 
at  present,  or  to  come,  be  what  they  will,  AnM- 


OP  ANTICHRIST,  AND  HIS  RUIN. 


Christ  is  assurecQy  drawing  towards  his  downfaU 
And  though  the  devil,  knowing  what  is  to  be  done 
to  him,  and  to  his  kingdom,  shall  so  hhnd  hjs  di  - 
lies,  and  friglit  the  godly,  do  something  like  i 
:;'on  the  chui^k  of  Christ;  yet  we  shoidd  look 
throuo-h    these   paper-wlnhers,*   and  e.py  m  all 


*  ^  Paver.winkers:  in  every  edition,  except  the  first  which 

^Z.  >  put  b7t Wie  of  n  horse's  eyes,  to  keep  hini  under 
t^X^l  Jntrol  of  his  dr.vcr-and  by  ',.^.-w,nlcers 


this,  that  fear,  yea,  certain  terrible  judgments  arc 
foUowing  of  him  at  the  heels,  by  which  not  only 
the  soul,  spirit,  and  life  of  Antichrist,  but  the  body 
thereof;  yea,  body,  and  soul,  and  head,  are  quickly 
to  "-0  down  thither ;  from  whence  they,  as  such, 
shall  not  arise  again.     Amen. 


the  flimsy  attempts  of  Antichrist  to  liood-wink  mankind  by 
printed  lea;ends,  miracles,  and  absurd  assumptions— it  is  one 
of  the  almost  innumerable  sparks  of  wit,  which  render  all  the 
writings  of  Bunjan  so  entertaining  and  strikingly  instructive. 
—Ed. 


THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD, 


ETERNAL   JUDGMENT: 

OK,  THE  TRUTH  OF  THE  RESURRECTION'  OF  THE  BODIES,  BOTH  OF  GOOD  AND  BAD  AT  THE 
LAST  DAY:   ASSERTED,  AND  PROVED  BY  GOD'S  WORD. 

ALSO,  THE  MANNER  AND  ORDER  OF  THEIR  COMING  EORTH  OF  THEIR  GRAVES;    AS  ALSO,  WITH  WHAT  BODIES 

THEY  DO  ARISE.       TOGETHER,  WITH  A  DISCOURSE  OF  THE  LAST  JUDGMENT,  AND  THE 

FINAL  CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WHOLE  WORLD. 


By  JOHN  BUNYAN,  a  Servant  of  the  Lord's  Christ. 


'Behold,  I  shew  you  a  mystern;  We  shall  not  all  sleep,  hut  we  shall  all  be  changed,  in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
ei/e,  at  the  last  trump :  for  tlie  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  le  raised  incorruptible,  and  we  shall  be  changed. 
—1  Cor.  XV.  51,  52. 

'  Marvel  not  at  this :  for  the  hour  is  coming,  in  the  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come 
forlh ;  theg  that  have  done  good,  unto  the  resurrection  of  life ;  and  they  that  have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of 
damnation.' — John  v.  28,  29. 

London:  Printed  for  Francis  Smith,  at  the  Elephant  and  Castle,  without  Temple-Barre.     [No  date.] 


ADVERTISEMENT  BY  THE  EDITOR. 


This  very  important  treatise,  judging  from  the 
style  in  which  it  is  written,  was,  probably,  one  of 
the  first  books  composed  by  Bunyan.  The  form 
in  which  it  is  prepared,  with  minute  divisions  to 
assist  the  memory,  and  its  colloquial  language,  in- 
dicate that  it  was  first  intended  for  the  pulpit  and 
then  enlarged  to  form  a  more  complete  treatise ; 
while  the  frequent  recurrence  of  the  words  '  I  say, ' 
shew  the  unpolished  style  in  which  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  committing  his  thoughts  to  paper,  when 
he  became  an  author. 

A  good  copy  of  what  appears  to  be  the  first  edi- 
tion, is  in  the  British  Museum,  a  small  8vo.  without 
date — and  from  this,  collated  with  the  reprint  by 
C.  Doe  in  Bunyan's  works,  1691,  the  present  edi- 
tion is  published.  Doe,  in  his  catalogue  of  aU 
Mr.  Bunyan's  books,  appended  to  the  Heavenly 
Footman,  1690,  states  that  '  The  resurrection  of 
the  Dead,  and  eternal  Judgment  by  John  Bunyan, 
a  servant  of  the  Lord's  Christ,  was  first  published 
in  1665.'  I  have  not  been  able  to  discover  any 
subsequent  edition  in  a  separate  volume. 

The  resurrection  of  the  body  is  a  subject  of  uni- 
versal and  deep  importance.  It  defies  our  reason- 
ing powers,  while  it  exalts  our  ideas  of  the  divine 
omnipotence.  With  God,  all  things  revealed  in 
his  word  are  not  only  possible,  but  certain  of  ac- 
comphshment.  The  bodies  of  the  saints,  which 
ai-e  a  part  of  the  Redeemer's  pm-chase,  will  be 


raised  in  lieavenly  and  wondrous  perfection ;  like 
to  the  Saviour's  glorious  body.  That  body,  which 
being  transfigured  '  did  shine  as  the  sun,  and  his 
raiment  became  as  the  hght.'  That  body  which, 
after  his  resurrection,  might  be  touched,  but  which 
could  appear  and  disappear  to  mortal  eyes ;  in  the 
room  at  Emmaus,  or  in  a  closed  room  filled  with  his 
disciples;  could  be  touched,  yet  vanish  away;  could 
eat  with  them  on  the  sea  shore,  and  could  ascend 
to  heaven  from  the  mount.  Thus  it  was  foretold 
by  the  prophet  and  reiterated  by  the  apostle — 
'  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.'  Is.lxiv. 
•t;  1  Co.  ii.  9.  Not  one  atom  of  our  dust  can  be  lost ; 
a  bright,  a  glorious  anticipation  to  the  samts ;  but 
how  solemn  and  awful  a  thought  to  those  who  die 
without  hope.  Among  Christians  it  is  common  to 
think  and  talk  of  the  happiness  of  the  qnrits  of  the 
just  made  perfect ;  but  alas,  how  seldom  do  we 
think  or  speak  of  the  perfect  bhss  of  our  -whole 
nature,  body,  soul,  and  spirit — incorruptible,  un- 
defiled,  glorified— every  part  equally  the  object  of 
the  Saviour's  purchase  and  of  his  care. 

This  treatise,  which  will  be  ever  neio,  and  ever 
wijJoHant,  was  peculiarly  required  in  Bimyan's 
early  days.  Under  the  protectorate,  the  minds  of 
men,  which  had  been  kept  in  slavery,  became  sud- 
denly emancipated  from  human  creeds  and  formu- 


84 


ADVERTISEMENT  BY  THE  EDITOR. 


laries  of  public  worship.  The  personal  attention 
of  every  one  was  then  directed  to  the  Bible — the 
Lord's   day   was   observed,   men  were   chosen  as 

ministers  not  from  high  connections,  but  from  deep 
and   humble  piety.     Tens  of  thousands  became 

happy  in  a  personal  knowledge  of  divine  truth. 
At  such  a  period,  it  must  have  happened  that  some 
evil  spirits  would  exalt  themselves,  and  that  even 
some  serious   inquirers  would  draw  strange  con- 
clusions from   a   misconception   of   divine    truth; 
and  dimly  see  '  men  as  trees  walking. '     Among 
these  there  appeared  teachers,  who,  unable  to  com- 
prehend how  that  body,  which  had  gone  to  dust, 
or  in  some  cases  had  been  reduced  by  fire  to  its 
primary  elements,  and  dispersed  to  the  winds  or 
waves,  could  be  again  produced.     They  revived 
an  ancient  error.  That  the  new  birth  was  the  only 
resurrection  from  death ;  and  consequently,  that  to 
those  who  were  born  again,  the  resurrection  was 
passed.     The  individuals  who  promulgated  these 
opinions,  do  not  appear  to  have  been  associated 
together  as  a  sect,  or  a  church.     The   greater 
number  were  called  in  derision  '  ranters,'  and  some 
•  quakers. '     It  is  very  probable,  that  this  treatise 
was  intended  as  an  antidote  to  these  delusions. 
We  must  not  infer  from  the  opinions  of  a  few  un- 
worthy individuals,  who  justly  deserved  censure, 
that  Bunyan  meant  to  reflect  upon  the  Society  of 
Friends.     This  treatise  was  printed  in  1665:  but 
it  was  not  until  1675  that  the  Quakers'  rules  of 
discipline  were  first  pubhshed,  and  they  from  that 
time  as  a  sect  have  been,  in  a  high  degree,  con- 
formable to  the  morality  and  heavenly  influences 
of  the  gospel.     But  even  before  this,  Fox,  Crisp, 
Penn,  Barclay,  and  others,  who  afterwards  formed 
the   Society  of   Friends,  had   declared  their  full 
belief  in  this  doctrine.      '  The  resurrection  of  the 
just  and  unjust — the  last  judgment — heaven  and 
hell  as  future  rewards — we  beheve  and  confess.' 
'  We  believe  the  holy  manhood  of  Christ  to  be  in 
heavenly  glory. '     '  We  acknowledge  a  resurrec- 
tion in  order  to  eternal  recompence,  and  rest  con- 

''  tented  with  that  body  which  it  shall  please  God  to 
give  us. '  '  We  do  firmly  believe  that  besides  the 
resurrection  of  the  soul  from  the  death  of  sin,  to  a 
life  of  righteousness  while  here,  there  will  be  a 
resurrection  of  the  dead  hereafter,  and  that  we 
must  aU  appear  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ, ' 
Barclay,  in  his  catechism,  1673,  clearly  asserts 
Bunyan's  own  ideas  of  the  resurrection.  But  in 
the  face  of  these,  and  a  thousand  similar  declara- 
tions, the  grossest  calumnies  were  asserted  by  a 
fanatic  clergyman,  Alexr.  Ptoss,  in  his  View  of  all 
Religions: — '  The  Ranters  are  a  sect  of  beasts  that 
neither  divide  the  hoof,  nor  chew  the  cud ;  that  is 
to  say,  very  unclean  ones.    They,  like  the  Quakers, 


oppose  forms  and  order  (the  form  and  order  of 
Common  Prayer).  To  anatomize  this  monster: 
1st,  They  hold  that  God,  Devils,  Angels,  Heaven, 
and  Hell,  are  fictions.  2d,  That  Moses,  the  Bap- 
tist, and  Christ  were  impostors.  3d,  That  preach- 
ing and  praying  is  lying.'  8vo.,  1696,  p.  273. 
And  such  wild  slanders  were  uttered  occasionally 
a"-ainst  all  dissenters,  until  a  much  later  period. 
Happily  they  are  now  better  known,  and  the  truths 
of  Christianity  are  more  appreciated.  I  have  been 
careful  to  guard  the  reader  upon  this  subject,  lest 
it  should  be  thought  that  Bimyan  had  in  any  de- 
gree manifested  the  spirit  of  those,  who  even  to 
the  present  day  misrepresent  the  opinions  of  the 
Quakers.  This  may  be  occasioned  by  their  dis- 
tinguishing tenet — That  the  work  of  the  ministry 
is  purely  a  labour  of  love,  and  ought  not  to  be 
performed  for  hire  —  derived  from  the  command 
of  Christ  to  his  disciples,  '  Freely  ye  have  received, 
freely  give. '  This,  however,  is  no  reason  that  they 
should  be,  as  to  their  general  views  of  divine  truth, 
misrepresented  and  traduced. 

Bunyan,  at  all  times  solemn  and  impressive,  is 
peculiarly  earnest  and  searching  in  this  treatise. 
The  dead  will  arise  involuntarily  and  irresistibly 
— conscience  imcontroUed,  micst  testify  the  truth, 
yea,  cdl  the  truth  to  the  condemnation  of  the  soul 
and  body,  unless  cleansed  from  sin  by  faith  in  the 
Redeemer  and  the  sacred  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  books  will  be  opened,  and  every 
thought  and  word  and  action  be  seen  inscribed  in 
characters  legible  to  all.  Every  soul  will  be  able 
to  read  and  clearly  to  understand  those  mysterious 
books — God's  omniscient,  his  penetrating,  his  uni- 
versal sight  of  all  things  from  the  creation  of  the 
world  to  the  final  consummation ;  and  his  perfect 
remembrance  of  all  that  he  saw — are  one  and  tlie 
same.  There  is  tlien  no  refuge,  no  escape — the 
word  depart  impels  obedience,  and  the  sinner 
plunges  into  eternal  woe ! !  0  that  the  living  may 
lay  these  awful  realities  to  heart,  and  fly  for  refuge 
to  the  bosom  of  the  Redeemer — ^he  only  is  able — 
he  is  willing  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come 
unto  God  by  him.  And  they  who  find  in  him  a 
refuge  from  the  storms  of  life,  shall  hear  his  voice 
irresistibly  impelling  them  to  heaven,  '  Come,  ye 
blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared 
for  you  from  the  foimdation  of  the  world. ' 

0  glorious  hour  I     O  blest  abode ! 

1  shall  be  like  and  near  my  God  1 
And  flesh  and  sin  no  more  control 
The  sacred  pleasiu'es  of  the  soul. 

May  the  divine  blessing  abundantly  attend  the 
reading  of  these  awful  or  joyful  realities. 

Geo.  Offor. 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


P  E  E  F  A  C  E . 


Courteous  Reader, 
Though  this  be  a  small  treatise,  yet  it  doth  present 
thee  with  things  of  the  greatest  and  most  weighty 
concernment,  even  with  a  discourse  of  life  and 
death  to  eternity:  opening,  and  clearing,  by  the 
scriptures  of  God,  that  the  time  is  at  hand,  when, 
there  shall  he  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  of  tJie 
just  and  unjust ;  even  of  the  bodies  of  both,  from 
the  graves  where  they  are,  or  sJiaU  be,  at  Uie 
approach  of  that  day. 

Thou  hast  also  in  these  few  lines,  the  order  and 
manner  of  the  rising  of  these  two  sorts  of  people, 
wherein  is  shewed  thee  with  what  body  they  shall 
then  rise,  as  also  their  states  and  condition  at  this 
day,  with  great  clearness. 

For  here  thou  shalt  see  the  truth,  and  manner  of 
the  terrible  judgment,  the  opening  of  the  books,  the 
examining  of  witnesses,  with  a  final  conclusion  upon 
good  and  bad.  Wliich,  I  hope  will  be  profitable  to 
thy  soul  that  shall  read  it.  For  if  thou  art  godly, 
then  here  is  that  which  will,  through  God's  bless- 
ing, encourage  thee  to  go  on  in  the  faith  of  the 
truth  of  the  gospel ;  but  if  thou  art  imgodly,  then 
here  thou  mayst  meet  with  conviction:  yea,  and 


that  of  what  will  be,  without  fall,  thy  end,  at  the 
end  of  the  world :  whether  thou  continue  in  thy  sins, 
or  repent.  If  thou  continue  in  them,  blackness, 
and  darkness,  and  everlasting  destruction ;  but  if 
thou  repent,  and  believe  the  gospel,  then  light,  and 
life,  and  joy,  and  comfort,  and  glory,  and  happiness, 
and  that  to  eternity. 

Wherefore  let  me  here  beg  these  things  at  thy 
hand 

First,.  That  thou  take  heed  of  that  spirit  of 
mockery  that  saith,  'Where  is  the  promise  of  his 

coming  ?  '  2  Pe.  iii.  4,  5. 

Secondly,  Take  heed  that  thy  heart  be  not  over- 
charged with  surfeiting  and  drimkenness,  and  the 
cares  of  this  life,  and  so  that  day  come  upon  thee 
unawares.  Lu.  xxi.  34, 35. 

Thirdly,  But  be  diligent  in  making  thy  calling 
and  election  sure ;  that  thou  in  the  day,  of  which 
thou  shalt  read  more  in  this  book,  be  not  found 
without  that  glorious  righteousness  that  will  then 
stand  thee  in  stead,  and  present  thee  before  his 
glorious  presence,  with  exceeding  joy.  To  him  be 
glory  in  the  church  by  Christ  Jesus,  world  without 
end.     Amen.  John  Bunyan. 


OF  THE  RESUHRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


'13UT  THIS  I  COXFESS  USTO  THEE,  THAT  AFTER 
THE  WAY  WHICH  THEY  CALL  HERESY,  SO  WOR- 
SHIP I  THE  GOD  OF  MY  FATHERS,  BELIEVING 
ALL  THINGS  WHICH  ARE  WRITTEN  IN  THE  LAW 
AND  IN  THE  PROPHETS:  AND  HAVE  HOPE  TO- 
WARD GOD,  WHICH  THEY  THEMSELVES  ALSO 
ALLOW,  THAT  THERE  SHALL  BE  A  RESURRECTION 
OF  THE  DEAD,  BOTH  OF  THE  JUST  AND  UNJUST.' 
ACTS  XXIV.   14,  15. 

JIy  discourse  upon  this  text,  will  chiefiy  concern  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead :  wherefore  to  that  I  shall 
immediately  apply  myself,  not  meddling  with  what 
else  is  couched  in  the  words. 

You  see  here,  that  Paul,  being  upon  his  arraign- 
ment, accused  of  many  things,  by  some  that  were 
violent  for  his  blood ;  and  being  licensed  to  speak 
for  himself  by  the  then  heathen  magistrate  ;  he  doth 
in  few  words  tell  them,  that  as  touching  the  crimes 
wherewith  they  charged  him,  he  was  utterly  fault- 
less, only  this  he  confessed,  that  after  that  way 
wliich  they  call  heresy,  so  he  worshipped  the  God 
of  his  fathers  ;  believing  all  things  that  are  written 
in  the  law  and  the  prophets,  and  that  he  had  the 
sa-ne  hope  towards  God.  which  they  themselves  did 


allow,  that  there  should  be  a  resm-rection  of  the 
dead,  both  of  the  just  and  unjust. 

Whence  note  by  the  way,  that  a  hypocritical 
people,  will  persecute  the  power  of  those  truths  in 
others,  which  themselves  in  words  profess.  I  have 
hopes  towards  God,  and  that,  such  a  hope  which 
themselves  do  allow,  and  yet  I  am  this  day,  and 
that  for  this  very  thing,  persecuted  by  them. 

But  to  come  to  my  purpose,  'There  shaU  be  a 
resurrection  of  the  dead,'  kc.  By  these  words,  the 
apostle  sheweth  us  what  was  the  substance  of  his 
doctrine,  to  wit,  that  there  should  be  '  a  resurrection 
of  the  dead ;'  and  by  these  words  also,  what  was  the 
great  argument  with  his  soul,  to  carry  him  through 
these  temptations,  afilictions,  reproaches,  and  neces- 
sities he  met  with  in  this  world,  even  the  doctrine 
of  a  resurrection.  I  have  hope  towards  God,  saith 
he,  and  there  is  my  mind  fixed ;  for  there  shall  be 
'a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and 
unjust.'  The  reason  why  I  cannot  do  what  these 
Jews  would  have  me ;  also  why  I  cannot  live  as  do 
the  Gentiles,  it  is,  because  I  have  in  my  soul,  the 
faith  of  the  resurrection.  This  is  the  doctrine  I 
say,  which  makes  me  fear  to  offend,  and  that  is  as 
an  undergirder  to  my  soul,  whereby  I  am  kept  from 


86 


OF  THE  llESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


destruction  and  confusion,  under  all  tlie  storms  and 
tempests  I  here  go  through.  In  a  word,  this  is  it 
that  hath  more  awe  upon  my  conscience  than  all 
the  laws  of  men,  with  all  the  penalties  they  inflict. 
'And  herein  do  I  exercise  myself,  to  have  always  a 
conscience  void  of  oflencc  toward  God  and  toward 
men. '  ver.  16. 

Now  here,  seeing  this  doctrine  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead  hath  that  power,  both  to  bear  up 
and  to  awe ;  both  to  encourage  and  to  keep  within 
compass,  the  spirit  and  body  of  the  people  of  God ; 
it  will  be  requisite,  and  profitable  for  us,  to  inquire 
into  the  true  meaning  and  nature  of  this  word,  '  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead. ' 

And  for  the  better  compassing  of  this  matter,  I 
shall  briefly  enquire. 

First,  What  in  this  place  is  meant  by  the  dead. 

Secondly,  What  is  meant  by  ilie  resurredlon. 

Thirdly,  Why  the  apostle  doth  here  speak  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead  &&  of  a  thing  yet  to  come 
— '  There  shall  be  a  resun-ection  of  the  dead,  both 
of  the  just  and  unjust.' 

First.  The  dead  in  scripture  go  imder  a  five- 
fold consideration ;  as, 

1.  Such  as  die  a  natural  death,  or  as  when  a 
man  ceaseth  to  be  any  more  in  this  world,  as 
David,  whom  Peter  tells  us  '  is  both  dead  and 
buried,  and  his  sepulchre  is  with  us  to  this  day.' 

Ac.  ii.  29. 

2.  There  is  a  people  that  are  reckoned  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins,  as  those  are,  who  never  yet  were 
translated  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the 
power  of  Satan  to  God.  Such,  I  say,  who  yet 
never  felt  the  power  of  the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God, 
to  raise  them  from  that  state,  to  walk  with  him  in 
the  regeneration ;  making  a  life  out  of  Christ,  and 
his  present  benefits.  Ep.  ii.  i,  2;  Jn.r.  23. 

3.  There  is  a  death  seizeth  men  often  after  some 
measure  of  light  received  from  God,  and  some  pro- 
fession of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  These,  for  the  cer- 
tainty of  their  damnation,  are  said  to  be  dead 
— dead,  twice  dead,  and  plucked  up  by  the  roots. 
Jude  12. 

4.  There  is  in  scripture  mention  made  of  a  death 
to  sin,  and  the  lusts  of  the  flesh ;  this  death  is  the 
beginning  of  true  life  and  happiness,  and  is  a  cer- 
tain forerunner  of  a  share  in  Christ,  and  with  him 
in  another  world.  Ko.vi.  6— 8;  2Ti.  ii.  11. 

5.  Lastly.  There  is  also  in  the  word,  a  relation 
of  eternal  death.  This  is  the  death  that  those  are 
in,  and  swallowed  up  of,  that  go  out  of  this  world 
Godless,  Christless,  and  graceless ;  dying  in  sin, 
and  so  under  the  curse  of  the  dreadful  God ;  who, 
I  say,  because  they  have  missed  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Saviour  in  this  day  of  grace :  are  fallen 
into  the  gulf  and  jaws  of  eternal  death  and  misery, 
in  the  fire  that  never  shall  be  quenched.  Mar.  ix.  43, 

44;  Lu.  xvi.  23—23. 


Now  then,  seeing  there  is  death,  or  to  be  dead, 
taken  under  so  many  considerations  in  the  scrip- 
ture ;  it  is  evident,  that  to  be  dead  in  Christ,  the 
text  is  not  meant  of  them  all :  I  then  must  distin- 
guish, and  inquire  which  of  these  deaths  it  is,  that 
here  the  apostle  did  look  for  a  resurrection  from. 
(1.)  then.  It  cannot  be  meant  a  resurrection  from 
eternal  death,  for  from  that  there  is  no  redemp- 
tion. Vs.  xiix.  8.  (2.)  Neither  is  it  a  resurrection 
from  that  double  death ;  for  they  that  are  in  that, 
are  past  recovery  also.  (3.)  And  as  for  those  that 
are  dead  to  sin,  it  is  nonsense  to  say  there  shall, 
or  can  be  a  resurrection  from  that:  for  that  itself 
is  a  resurrection ;  which  resurrection  also,  the 
apostle  had  then  passed  through :  and  also  all  the 
brethren,  as  he  saith,  You  hath  he  quickened, 
who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.  Col.  ii.  12, 13, 
20.  And  again,  'If  ye  then  be  risen  with  Christ,' 
Col.  iii.  1.  And  again,  '  Wherein  also  ye  are  risen 
with  him,  through  the  faith  of  the  operation  of 
God,  who  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead. '  Coi.  ii.  13. 
(4.)  The  dead  therefore  in  this  scripture,  must 
be  understood  of  those  that  have  departed  this 
life,  that  have  body  and  soul  separated  each  froni 
the  other;  and  so  the  resurrection,  a  resurrection 
of  the  body  out  of  the  grave ;  as  Daniel  saith, 
'  Many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth 
shall  awake. '  Da. xii. 2.  And  again,  'The  hour  is 
coming,  in  the  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves 
shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth,'  <fec. 

Jn.  V.  28,  29. 

Second.  [What  is  meant  by  the  resurrection.  ]  The 
resurrection  of  the  just,  then,  is  the  rising  of  the 
bodies  of  the  just,  and  the  resurrection  of  the  un- 
just, the  rising  of  their  bodies,  at  the  last  judg- 
ment. This  also  is  the  meaning  of  that  saying  of 
Paul  to  Agrippa,  '  I  stand, '  saith  he,  '  and  am 
judged  for  the  hope  of  the  promise  made  of  God 
unto  our  fathers,'  Ac.  xxvi.  6.  which  promise  at  first 
began  to  be  fulfilled  in  the  resurrection  of  the  body 
of  Christ,  Ac.  xiii.  33, 33.  and  hath  its  accomplishment, 
when  the  dead,  small  and  great,  are  raised  out  of 
their  graves.  Wherefore,  thouo^h  Paul  saith  in 
the  13th  of  the  Acts,  it  is  already  fulfilled  ;  yet 
here  he  saith,  he  hopes  it  shall  come.  '  Which 
promise, '  saith  he,  '  our  twelve  tribes,  instantly 
serving  (S'oc?  day  and  night,  hope  to  come.'  [Ac.  xxvi.  7.] 
As  God  told  Daniel,  saying,  '  go  thy  way,  till  the 
end  be:  for  thou  shalt  rest  and  stand  in  thy  lot  at 
the  end  of  the  days. '  Da.  xii.  is. 

Christ  is  already  risen,  and  therefore  so  far  the 
promise  is  fulfilled ;  but  his  saints  are  yet  in  their 
graves,  and  therefore  that  part  of  the  fulfilling  of 
it  is  yet  to  come,  as  he  saith,  '  Why  should  it  be 
thought  a  thing  incredible  with  you,  tliat  God  should 
raise  the  dead  ?  '  Ac.  xxW.  8. 

Again,  That  it  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead 
bodies  of  both  saints  and  sinners  that  is  here  inserted. 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


87 


It  is  further  evident ;  because  the  apostle  salth,  it 
is  the  resurrection,  that  the  very  Phansees  them- 
selves aUoiced.  I  have  hope  towards  God,  saith  he, 
which  themselves  also  allow ;  then  what  that  hope 
is,  he  in  the  next  words  sheweth,  namely,  tlmt  tliere 
sIkiU  he  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  <kc.  Now  we 
know,  that  the  Pharisees  did  not  allow  of  a  resur- 
rection from  a  state  of  nature,  to  a  state  of  grace, 
which  is  the  same  with  the  new  birth ;  but  did 
confidently  allow  and  teach,  that  they  were  the 
children  of  Abraham,  according  to  the  flesh.  Yea, 
when  any  of  them  began  to  adhere,  or  incHne  to 
Christ's  doctrine  in  some  things,  yet  the  doctrine 
of  the  new  birth,  or  of  being  raised  from  a  state 
of  nature,  to  a  state  of  grace,  they  would  very 
much  stick  at ;  though  in  the  meantime,  they 
utterly  were  against  the  doctrine  of  the  Sadducees, 
which  denied  the  resurrection  of  the  body.  Jn.  iii.  l— 

9 ;  viii.  51—56 ;  Ac.  xxiii.  6—8. 

Further,  the  resurrection  here  spoken  of,  must 
needs  be  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  because  it  is 
called,  '  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just 
and  unjust' — that  is,  of  both  saints  and  sinners, 
according  to  the  saying  of  Christ,  '  The  hour  is 
coming,  in  the  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves 
shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth ;  they 
that  have  done  good,  unto  the  resurrection  of  life ; 
and  they  that  have  done  evil,  xmto  the  resurrection 
of  damnation. '  Jn.  v.  28,  29. 

Third.  [The  resurrection  spoken  of  is  a  thing  yet 
to  come;]  the  resurrection  here  mentioned,  is  a  re- 
surrection to  come,  not  already  enjoyed,  either  by 
saints  or  sinners — '  There  shall  be  a  resurrection  of 
the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and  unjust,'  Now,  I 
say,  the  resurrection  here  being  yet  deferred  by  the 
just,  and  counted  also  the  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
both  of  the  just  and  unjust :  it  must  needs  be  the 
same  resurrection  that  is  spoken  of  by  Job,  who 
saith.  '  So  man  lieth  down,  and  riseth  not :  till  the 
heavens  be  no  more,  they  shall  not  awake,  nor  be 
raised  out  of  their  sleep.'  Jobxiv.  12. 

Having  thus,  in  few  words,  opened  this  scriptm-e 
unto  you,  I  shall  in  the  next  place,  for  the  further 
satisfaction  of  those  that  are  yet  wavering,  and  for 
the  refreshment  of  those  that  are  strong  and  stead- 
fast, lay  down  before  you,  several  undeniable  scrip- 
ture demonstrations  0/  tJie  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
both  of  the  just,  and  unjust. 

First,  I  shall  first  begin  with, 

THE    RESURRECTION  OF  THE  JUST. 

First,  The  just  must  arise,  because  Christ  is 
risen  from  the  dead.  Christ  is  the  head  of  the 
just,  and  they  are  the  members  of  his  body;  and 
because  of  this  union,  therefore  the  just  must  arise. 
This  is  the  apostle's  own  argument — '  If  Christ,' 
saith  he,  '  be  preached  that  he  rose  from  the  dead. 


how  say  some  among  you  that  there  is  no  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead  ?  But  if  there  be  no  resurrection 
of  the  dead,  then  is  Christ  not  risen.'  1  Co. \t.  12,13. 
Now,  I  say,  the  reason  why  the  apostle  thus  aro-ueth 
the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  by  the  resurrection 
of  Christ,  it  is,  because  the  saints,  of  whose  re- 
surrection he  here  chiefly  discourseth,  are  in  their 
bodies,  as  well  as  in  their  souls,  the  members  of 
Christ;  'Know  ye  not,'  saith  he,  '  that  your  bodies 
are  the  members  of  Christ. '  1  Co.  vi.  15.  A  very 
weighty  argument;  for  if  a  good  man  be  a  member 
of  Christ,  then  he  must  either  be  raised  out  of  his 
grave,  or  else  sin  and  death  must  have  power  over 
a  member  of  Christ.  I  say  again,  if  this  body  be 
not  raised,  then  also  Christ  is  not  a  complete 
conqueror  over  his  enemies  ;  forasmuch  as  death 
and  the  grave  have  still  power  over  his  members. 
'  The  last  enemy  that  shall  be  destroyed  is  death.' 
1  Co.  XV.  26.  Now,  though  Christ  in  his  ovm  person 
hath  a  complete  conquest  over  death,  (fee,  yet  death 
hath  stUl  power  over  the  bodies  of  all  that  are  in 
their  graves:  now,  I  say,  Christ  being  considered 
with  relation  to  his  members,  then  he  hath  not  yet 
a  complete  conquest  over  death,  neither  will  he, 
until  they  every  one  be  brought  forth  of  their 
graves ;  for  then,  and  not  till  then,  shall  that  say- 
ing be  every  way  fulfilled,  '  Death  is  swallowed  up 
in  victory. '  1  Co.  xv.  53, 54. 

Second,  As  there  must  be  a  resurrection  of  the 
just,  because  Christ  is  their  head,  and  they  his 
members :  so  also,  because  the  body  of  the  saints, 
as  well  as  their  soul,  is  the  purchase  of  Christ's 
blood.  '  Ye  are  bought  with  a  price :'  saith  Paul; 
'  therefore  glorify  G  od  in  your  body,  and  in  your 
spirit,  which  are  God's,'  iCo.  vi.  20.  Christ  will  not 
lose  the  pm-chase  of  his  blood.  0  death,  saith 
Christ,  I  will  have  them;  0  grave,  I  will  make 
thee  let  them  go ;  1  will  ransom  them  from  the 
power  of  the  grave,  I  will  redeem  them  from  death. 
I  have  bought  them,  and  they  shall  be  mine.  '  0 
death,  I  will  be  thy  plagues  ;  0  grave,  I  will  be  thy 
destruction : '  Ho.  xUi.  u.  I  say,  though  the  power 
of  the  grave  be  invincible,  and  death  be  '  the  king 
of  terrors,'  Jobxviii.i4.  yet  he  who  hath  the  keys  of 
hell  and  of  death  at  his  girdle.  Re.  i.  is.  to  him  be- 
longeth  the  issues  from  death.  •  He  that  is  our 
God  is  the  God  of  salvation;  and  unto  God  the 
Lord  belong  the  issues  from  death,'  Ps.  kviii.  20.  and 
we,  the  price  of  his  blood,  shall  be  dehvered. 

Third,  As  the  body  is  the  member  of  Christ, 
and  the  price  of  his  blood  :  so  it  is  the  temple  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  in  us.  '  What  ?  know 
ye  not  that  your  body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  whidi  is  m  you,  -  -  and  ye  are  not  your  own? ' 
1  Co.  vi.  19.  The  body  is  no  such  ridiculous  thing  in 
the  account  of  Christ  as  it  was  in  the  account  of 
the  Sadducees.  '  The  body  is  not  for  fornication, 
but  for  the  Lord;  and  the  Lord  for  the  body,' 


88 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


ver.  13.  and  that  not  only  in  this  world,  but  that 
which  is  to  come  ;  wherefore  he  saith,  '  God  hath 
both  raised  up  the  Lord  [Jesus,]  aud  will  also  raise 
us  up  by  his  own  power  ' — that  is,  as  he  hath 
raised  up  the  body  of  Christ,  so  will  he  raise  up 
ours  also  by  Christ. 

Fourth,  The  bodies  of  tlie  just  must  arise  again, 
because  of  that  similitude,  that  must  be  betwixt 
the  body  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  the  bodies 
of  the  saints.  '  Wlien  he  shall  appear,  we  shall 
be  like  him. '  l  Jn.  iii.  2.  Now  we  have  it  abundantly 
manifest  in  scripture,  that  the  body  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  was  raised  out  of  the  grave,  caught  up  into 
heaven,  and  that  it  ever  remaineth  in  the  holiest 
of  all,  a  glorified  body.  Lu.  xxiv.  3-7, 3&-43;Jxi.xx.  34-28; 

Ac.  i.  2—11 ;  ii.  31 ;  xvii.  30—33 ;  Mar.  xvi.  6,  7, 19 ;  He.  vii.  24—26 ; 
viii.  1—3 ;  X.  12. 

Now,  I  say,  it  would  be  very  strange  to  me  if 
Christ  should  be  raised,  ascended,  and  glorified  in 
that  body;  and  yet  that  his  people  should  be  with 
him,  no  otherwise  than  in  their  spirits ;  especially, 
seeing  that  he  in  his  resurrection,  is  said  to  be 
but  'the  first-born  from  the  dead,  and  the  first-fruits 
of  them  that  sleep.'  Col.i.  18;  i  Co.  xv.  23.  For  we 
know,  that  a  first-begotten  doth  imply  more  sons, 
and  that  first-fruits  do  forcshew  an  after-crop  ; 
wherefore  we  conclude,  that  '  as  in  Adam  all  die, 
even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive.  But 
every  man  in  his  own  order:  Christ  the  first-fruits; 
afterward  they  that  are  Christ's  at  his  coming.' 

1  Co.  XV.  22, 33. 

And  hence  it  is  that  the  scripture  saith.  He 
*  shall  change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned 
like  unto  his  glorious  body. '  Phi.  iii.  21.  And  hence 
it  is  again,  that  the  day  of  Christ  is  said  to  be  the 
day  of  the  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God,  and  of 
the  redemption  of  our  body,  Ro.  viii.  31— 24 ;  for  then 
shall  the  saints  of  God  not  only  be,  but  appear  as 
their  Saviour,  being  delivered  from  their  graves,  as 
he  is  from  his,  and  glorified  in  their  bodies,  as  he 
is  in  his. 

Fifth,  There  must  be  a  resurrection  of  the  body 
of  the  saints,  because  the  body,  as  well  as  the 
mind,  hath  been  a  deep  sharer  in  the  afflictions 
that  we  meet  with  for  the  gospel's  sake.  Yea,  the 
body  is  ofttimes  the  greater  suff'erer,  in  all  the 
calamities,  that  for  Christ's  sake  we  here  undero-o; 
it  is  the  body  that  feels  the  stocks,  the  whip,  huno-er 
and  cold,  the  fire  and  rack,  and  a  thou-sand  calami- 
ties; it  is  the  body  in  which  we  have  the  dyino- 
marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  '  that  the  life  also  of 
Jesus  might  be  made  manifest  in  our  mortal*  flesh.' 
Ga.  vi.  17;  2Co.  iv.  11.  God  is  SO  just  a  God,  and  so 
merciful  to  his  people,  that  though  the  bodies  of 
his  saints  should,  through  the  malice  of  the  enemy, 


*  Bunyau  quotes  this  from  the  Genevan  or  Puritan  version ; 
oar  present  translation  has  '  in  oar  body.' — Ed. 


be  never  so  dishonourably  tortured,  killed,  and 
sown  in  the  grave  :  yet  he  will,  as  further  will  be 
shewn  anon,  raise  it  again  in  incorruption,  glory, 
and  honour :  as  he  saith  also  in  another  place,  that 
we  who  have  continued  with  Christ  in  his  tempta- 
tions, that  have  for  his  sake  underwent  the  reproach 
and  malice  of  the  world,  to  you,  saith  Christ,  '  I 
appoint  a  kingdom,  as  my  Father  hath  appointed 
unto  me.'  Lu.  .\xii.  28, 39.  If  we  sufi"er,  we  shall  also 
reign  with  him:  3Ti. ii.  13.  'and  he  that  hateth  his 
life  in  this  world  shall  keep  it  unto  life  eternal.' 
Jn.  xii.  25.  All  this  is  to  be  enjoyed,  especially  at 
the  resurrection  of  the  just.     But, 

Sixth,  There  must  be  a  resurrection  of  the  just, 
otherwise,  there  will  be  the  greatest  disappoint- 
ment on  all  sides  that  ever  was,  since  man  had  a 
being  on  the  earth.      A  disappointment,  I  say, 

1.  Of  the  will  of  God — '  And  this  is  the  Father's 
will  which  hath  sent  me, '  saith  Christ,  '  that  of  all 
which  he  hath  given  me  I  should  lose  nothing,  [not 
a  dust,]  but  should  raise  it  up  again  at  the  last 
day. '  Jn.  vi.  39. 

2.  A  disappointment  of  the  power  of  God ;  for 
he  that  hath  raised  up  the  Lord  Jesus,  doth  also 
intend  to  raise  us  up  by  his  power,  even  our  bodies; 
as  Paul  saith,  '  The  body  is  not  for  fornication, 
but  for  the  Lord ;  and  the  Lord  for  the  body. 
And  God  hath  both  raised  up  the  Lord,  and  will 
also  raise  up  us  by  his  power. '  i  Co.  vi.  13, 14. 

3.  If  there  should  be  no  resurrection  of  the  just, 
Christ  also  would  be  wonderfully  disappointed  of 
the  fruits  of  all  his  sufi'erings.  As  I  told  you  be- 
fore, his  people  are  the  price  of  his  blood,  and  the 
members  of  his  body,  and  he  is  now  at  the  right 
hand  of  God,  '  far  above  all  principalities  and 
powers,  and  every  name  that  is  named,'  expecting 
till  his  enemies  be  made  his  footstool,  He.  i.  13.  and 
brought  under  the  foot  of  the  weakest  saint;  which 
will  not  be,  until  the  last  enemy  deaih  is  destroyed. 
We  know  that  he  said,  when  he  went  away,  that 
he  would  come  again,  and  fetch  all  his  people  to 
himself,  even  up  into  heaven,  that  where  he  is, 
there  we  may  be  also.  Jn.  xii.  36;  xiv.  i— 3;  xvii.  24.  But, 
I  say,  how  will  he  be  disappointed,  if  when  he 
comes,  the  grave  and  death  should  prevent  and 
hinder  him,  and  with  its  bars,  keep  down  those, 
whom  he  hath  ransomed  with  his  blood,  from  the 
power  thereof. 

4.  If  the  bodies  of  the  just  arise  [not]  from  the 
dead,  then  tliey  also  will  be  disappointed.  'Tis 
true,  the  saints  departed,  have  far  more  fellowship 
and  communion  with  God  and  the  Lord  Jesus,  than 
we  have,  or  are  not  yet  capable  of  having,  they 
being  in  paradise,  and  we  in  this  world;  Lu.xxiiL4o. 
but  yet,  I  say  for  all  that,  they  are,  though  there, 
very  much  longing  for  the  day  of  the  Lord's  ven- 
geance, which  will  be  the  day  in  which  they  will, 

I  and  must  arise  from  the  dead.     This,  I  say,  is  the 


or  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


time  that  they  long  for,  when  they  cry  under  the 
altar,  '  How  long,  0  Lord,  holy  and  true,  dost  thou 
not  judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  them  that  dwell 
on  the  earth  ?  '  Re.  vi.  lo,  ll.  When  they  died,  they 
died  in  hojje  to  'obtain  a  better  resurrection,' 
ne.  xi.  35.  and  now  they  are  gone,  they  long  till  that 
day  be  come ;  till  the  day  come,  I  say,  when  the 
dead,  even  all  the  enemies  of  Christ,  shall  be 
judged ;  for  then  wiH  he  give  rewards  to  his  ser- 
vants the  prophets,  and  to  his  saints,  and  to  all 
that  fear  his  name,  small  and  great.  Re.  xi.  18. 

5.  If  the  just  arise  not,  great  disappointment 
also  wiU  be  to  the  saints  yet  alive  in  this  world; 
for,  notwithstanding  they  have  already  received  the 
first-fruits  of  the  Spirit,  yet  they  wait,  not  only  for 
more  of  that,  but  also  for  the  resurrection,  redemp- 
tion, and  changing  of  this  vile  body.  *  For  our 
conversation  is  in  heaven,'  saith  Paul,  'from 
whence  also  we  look  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  change  our  vile  body,  that 
it  may  be  fashioned  like  to  his  glorious  body.' 
Ro.  viii.  20—23;  Piii.  iii.  20,  21.  But  now,  I  say,  if  the  body 
riseth  not,  then  how  can  it  be  made  like  to  the 
glorious  body  of  Christ  Jesus :  yea,  what  a  sad 
disappointment,  infatuation,  and  delusion,  are  those 
poor  creatures  under,  that  look,  and  that  by  scrip- 
ture warrant,  for  such  a  thing  ?  They  look  for 
good,  but  behold  evil ;  they  e.\pect  to  be  delivered 
in  their  whole  man  from  every  enemy;  but  lo,  both 
death  and  the  grave,  their  great  enemies,  do  swallow 
them  up  for  ever.  But,  beloved,  be  not  deceived. 
'  The  needy  shall  not  alway  be  forgotten,  the  ex- 
pectation of  the  poor  shall  not  perish  for  ever.' 
Ps.  ix.  18.  Saith  Christ,  He  that  seeth  the  Son, 
and  believeth  on  him  that  sent  him,  hath  ever- 
lasting life,  and  I  wiU  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day. 

Jn.  vi.  40. 

6.  If  the  just  arise  not  cut  of  their  graves,  then 
also  is  every  grace  of  God  in  our  souls  defeated ; 
for  though  the  spirit  of  devotion  can  put  forth  a 
feigned  show  of  holiness  with  the  denial  of  the 
resurrection,  yet  every  grace  of  God  in  the  elect 
doth  prompt  them  forward  to  live  as  becomes  the 
gospel,  by  pointing  at  this  day;  as,  (1.)  'Tis  this 
that  faith  looks  at,  according  as  it  is  written,  '  I 
believed,  and  therefore  have  I  spoken ;  we  also 
believe,  and  therefore  speak  ;  knowing  that  he 
which  raised  up  the  Loi-d  Jesus  shall  raise  up  us 
also  by  Jesus,  and  shall  present  tis  Avith  you.' 
2  Co.  iv.  13, 14.  (2.)  Hope  looks  at  this.  '  We,'  saith 
Paul,  '  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' — that  is,  we  expect  this  by  hope;  'but  hope 
that  is  seen  is  not  hope :  for  what  a  man  seeth, '  or 
hath  in  present  possession,  'why  doth  he  yet  hope 
for?  '  Ro.  nil.  23, 24.  (3.)  The  grace  of  self-denial  also 
worketh  by  this  doctrine — 'If  after  the  manner  of, 

VOL.  II. 


men  I  have  fought  with  beasts  at  Ephcsus,  what 
advantageth  it  me,  if  the  dead  rise  not?'  lC0.xy.33. 
As  who  should  say.  Wherefore  do  I  deny  myself 
of  those  mercies  and  privileges  that  the  men  of  this 
world  enjoy  ?  Why  do  not  I  also,  as  well  as  they, 
shun  persecution  for  the  cross  of  Christ  ?  If  the 
dead  rise  not,  what  shall  I  be  the  better  for  all  my 
trouble  that  here  I  meet  with  for  the  gospel  of 
Christ?  (4.)  Both  zeal  and  patience,  with  all  other 
the  graces  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  our  hearts,  are 
much,  yea,  chiefly  encouraged,  animated,  and  sup- 
ported by  this  doctrine  ;  as  James  saith,  '  Be  patient, 
therefore,  brethren,  unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord,* 
for  then  shall  the  dead  be  raised,  l  tl  iv.  ic,  17. 
'  Behold,  the  husbandman  waiteth  for  the  precious 
fruit  of  the  earth,  and  hath  long  patience  for  it, 
imtil  he  receive  the  early  and  latter  rain.  Be  yo 
also  patient;  stablish  your  hearts;  for  the  comin'^' 
of  the  Lord  draweth  nigh. '  Ja.  v.  7, 8. 

SeveiUh,  The  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
just,  must  needs  be  a  certain  truth  of  God,  if  we 
consider  the  devilish,  and  satanical  errors  and  ab- 
surdities that  must  unavoidably  follow  the  denial 
thereof;  as,  he  that  holdeth  no  resurrection  of  our 
body,  he  denieth  the  resurrection  of  the  body  of 
Christ.  This  is  the  Spirit's  ovrn  dfictrine — '  For 
if  the  dead  rise  not,  then  is  not  Christ  raised.' 
1  Co.  .XV.  16.  He  that  denieth  the  resurrection  of  the 
members,  denieth  the  resurrection  of  the  head;  for 
seeing  the  resurrection  of  the  saints  is  proved  by 
the  resurrection  of  Christ,  he  that  doth  deny  the 
resurrection  of  the  saints,  must  needs  deny  the 
resurrection  of  Christ,  that  proves  it.  Now  this 
error,  as  it  is  in  itself  destructive  to  aU  Christian 
religion:  so  it,  like  an  adder,  carrieth  within  it3 
bowels,  many  other  alike  devilish  and  filthy;  as, 

1.  He  that  denieth  the  resurrection  of  the  saints, 
he  concludeth,  that  to  preach  deliverance  from  sin 
and  death,  it  is  vain  preaching;  for  how  can  he  be 
freed  of  sin,  that  is  swallowed  up  for  ever  of  death 
and  the  grave?  as  he  most  certainly  is,  that  ia 
always  contained  therein,  as  Paul  saitk,  *  If  Christ 
be  not  risen,'  whose  resurrection  is  the  ground  of 
ours,  '  then  is  our  preaching  vain,  and  your  faith 
is  also  vain, '  1  Co.  xv.  14.  then  we  preach  fables,  and 
you  receive  them  for  truth. 

2.  This  error,  casteth  the  lie  in  the  face  of  God, 
of  Christ,  and  the  Scriptures — 'Yea,  and  we,' 
saith  Paul,  'are  found  false  witnesses  of  God;  be- 
cause we  have  testified  of  God  that  he  raised  up 
Christ:  -  -  -  if  so  be  that  the  dead  rise  not.' 
iCo.x^-.  15.  Mark,  before  he  said,  Christ  in  hi.s 
resurrection,  doth  prove  our  resurrection;  but  now 
he  saith,  that  our  resurrection  will  prove  tlie  truth 
of  his;  and  indeed  both  are  true;  for  as  by  Christ's 
rising,  om-s  is  affirmed;  so  by  ours,  his  is  demon- 
strated. * 

3.  The  denial  of  the  resurrection,  it  also  damneth 


90 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


all  those  that  have  departed  this  world  in  the  faith 
of  this  doctrine.  *  If  Christ  he  not  raised, '  (as  if 
he  is  not,  we  rise  not,  then  is  not  only)  your  faith 
A'ain,  ye  are  yet  in  your  sins  (that  are  alive,)  but 
'  then  they  also  which  are  fallen  asleep  in  Christ 
are  perished. '  l  Co.  xv.  17, 18. 

4.  He  tliat  denieth  the  resurrection  of  the  just, 
he  concludeth,  that  the  Christian  is  of  aU  men  the 
most  miserable.  ]\Iark  the  words:  *  If  in  this  life 
only  we  have  hope  in  Christ,  we  are  of  all  men 
most  miserable.'  lC0.xv.19.  First  of  all,  men  the 
most  miserable,  because  we  let  go  present  enjoy- 
ments for  those  that  will  never  come,  '  if  the  dead 
rise  not. '  Of  all  men  most  miserable,  because  our 
faith,  our  hope,  our  joy,  and  peace,  are  all  but  a 
lie,  'if  the  dead  rise  not.'  But  you  will  say,  he 
that  giveth  up  himself  to  God  shall  have  comfort 
in  this  life.  Ah!  but  'if  the  dead  rise  not,'  all 
our  comfort  that  now  we  think  we  have  from  Grod, 
will  then  be  found  presumption  and  madness,  be- 
cause we  believe,  that  God  hath  so  loved  us,  as  to 
have  us  in  his  day,  in  body  and  soul,  to  heaven  : 
which  will  be  nothing  so,  if  the  dead  rise  not.  If 
in  this  life  only,  we  have  hope  in  Christ,  we  are 
of  all  men  most  miserable.  Poor  Christian !  thou 
that  lookest  for  the  blessed  hope  of  the  resurrection 
of  the  body,  at  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great 
God,  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  how  wilt  thou 
be  deceived,  if  the  dead  rise  not!  'But  now  is 
Christ  risen  from  the  dead,  and  become  the  first- 
fruits  of  them  that  slept.  For  since  by  man  came 
death,  by  man  came  also  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead, '  1  Co.  xv.  20, 21. 

5.  But  again ;  he  that  denieth  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead,  he  setteth  open  a  flood-gate  to  all 
manner  of  impiety;  he  cutteth  the  throat  of  a  truly 
holy  life,  and  layeth  the  reins  upon  the  neck  of  the 
most  outrageous  lusts  ;  for  if  the  dead  rise  not,  let 
us  eat  and  drink ;  that  is,  do  anything,  thouo-h 
never  so  diabolical  and  hellish ;  '  let  us  eat  and 
drink,  for  to-morrow  we  die,'  iCo.xv. 33.  and  there 
is  an  end  of  us ;  we  shaU  not  arise  again,  to  receive 
either  evil  or  good, 

6.  To  deny  this  resurrection,  nay,  if  a  man  do 
but  say,  it  is  past  either  with  him  or  any  Christian : 
his  so  saying  tendoth  directly  to  the  destruction 
and  overthrow  of  the  faith  of  them  that  hear  him ; 
and  is  so  far  from  being  according  to  the  doctrine 
of  God,  that  it  eateth  out  good  and  wholesome 
doctrine  even  as  cankers  eat  the  face  and  flesh  of 
a  man.  How  ill-favouredly  do  they  look,  that 
have  their  nose  and  lips  eaten  off  with  the  canker? 
Even  30  badly  doth  the  doctrine  of  no  resurrection 
of  the  dead,  look  in  the  eyes  of  God,  Christ,  saints, 
and  scripture.  2  Ti.  ii.  18. 

7.  I  conclude  then,  that  to  deny  the  resurrection 
of  the  bodies  of  the  just,  it  argueth, 

(1.)    Great  ignorance  of  God,  ignorant  of  his 


power  to  raise,  ignorant  of  his  promise  to  raise, 
ignorant  of  his  faithfulness  to  raise ;  and  that  both 
to  himself.  Son,  and  saints,  as  I  shewed  before. 
Therefore  saith  Paul  to  those  that  were  thus  de- 
luded, '  Awake  to  righteousness,  and  sin  not ;  for 
some  have  not  the  knowledge  of  God,  I  speak  this 
to  your  shame.'  iCo. xv. 34.  As  if  he  had  said.  Do 
you  profess  Christianity  ?  and  do  you  question  the 
resurrection  of  the  body?  Do  you  not  know,  that 
the  resurrection  of  the  body,  and  glory  to  foUow, 
is  the  very  quintessence  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ?  Are  you  ignorant  of  the  resurrection  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  and  do  you  question  the  power  and 
faithfulness  of  God,  both  to  his  Son  and  his  saints  ; 
because  you  say,  there  shall  be  no  resm-rection  of 
the  dead  ?  You  are  ignorant  of  God ;  of  what  he 
can  do,  of  what  he  will  do,  and  of  what  he  will  by 
doing  glorify  himself, 

(2.)  As  it  argueth  very  great  ignorance  of  God's 
power,  faithfulness,  he,  so  it  argueth  gross  igno- 
rance of  the  tenor  and  current  of  the  scriptures ; 
for  '  as  touching  the  dead,  that  they  rise :  have  ye 
not  read  in  the  book  of  Moses  (saith  Christ)  how 
in  the  bush,  God  spake  unto  him,  saying,  '  I  am 
the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and 
the  God  of  Jacob  ?  He  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead, 
but  the  God  of  the  living :  ye  therefore  do  greatly 

err. '  M;ir.  xii.  26,  37. 

To  be  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  it 
is  to  be  understood  of  his  being  their  God  under  a 
new  covenant  consideration ;  as  he  saith,  '  I  will 
be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people. '  Now, 
thus  he  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead — that  is,  of 
those  that  perish,  whether  they  be  angels  or  men. 

He.  viii.  10,  11;  Jn.  viii.  43;  1  Jn.  iii.  8—10;  Ho.vi.  2;  Col.  iii.  4; 
Ep.  i.  4. 

Now,  I  say,  they  that  are  the  children  of  God, 
as  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  they  are  counted 
the  living  under  a  threefold  consideration — (a.)  In 
their  Lord  and  head,  and  thus  all  the  elect  may 
be  said  to  live ;  for  they  are  from  eternity  chosen 
in  him,  who  also  is  their  life,  though  possibly  many 
of  them  yet  unconverted.  I  say,  yet  Christ  is  their 
life,  by  the  eternal  purpose  of  God,  (&.)  The 
children  of  the  new  covenant,  do  live  both  in  their 
spirits  in  glory,  by  open  vision,  and  here  by  faith 
and  the  continual  communication  of  grace  from 
Christ  into  their  souls.  Ga.  u.  30.  (c.)  They  live  also 
with  respect  to  their  rising  again  ;  for  God  '  calleth 
those  things  Avhich  be  not  as  though  they  were.' 
Ko.  iv.  17.  To  be  born,  dead,  buried,  risen,  and  as- 
cended, are  all  present  with  God,  he  livetli  not  by 
time,  as  we  do — a  thousand  years  to  him  are  but  as 
the  day  that  is  past.  And  again,  '  One  day  is  as  a 
thousand  years.'  2Pe. iii. 8.  Eternity,  which  is  God 
himself,  admitteth  of  no  first,  second,  and  third ;  all 
things  are  naked  and  bare  before  him,  and  present 
with  him ;  He.  iv.  13;  is.  xH.  9. 10.  all  kis  live  unto  him. 


or  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


91 


There  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  of 
the  just  and  unjust.  Eo.  -riii.  29—34.. 

A  resurrection — of  what?  Of  that  which  is 
sown,  or  of  that  which  was  never  sown?  If  of 
that  which  is  sown,  then  it  must  be  either  of  that 
nature  that  was  so^vn,  or  else  of  the  corruption 
that  cleaveth  to  it ;  but  it  is  the  nature,  and  not 
the  corruption  that  cleaveth  unto  it,  that  riseth 
again.  And  verilj,  the  very  term  '  resurrection ' 
is  a  forcible  argument  to  prove  the  dead  shall  come 
forth  of  their  graves ;  for  the  Holy  Ghost  hath 
always  spoken  more  properly  than  to  say,  '  There 
shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just 
and  unjust;'  when  yet  neither  the  good  nor  the 
bad  shall  come  forth  of  their  graves,  but  rather 
something  else  to  delude  the  world  withal. 

Having  thus  in  few  words,  shewed  you  the  truth 
of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  I  now  come. 

Second — To  the  manner  of  their  rising. 

THE  MANNER  OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  JUST. 

And  First  of  the  just. 

The  apostle,  when  he  had  in  the  fifteenth  of  the 
1st  of  the  Corinthians  proved  the  truth  and  cer- 
tainty of  the  resurrection,  he  descends  to  the  dis- 
covery of  the  manner  of  it;  and  to  the  end,  he 
might  remove  those  foolish  scruples  that  attend 
the  hearts  of  the  ignorant,  he  begins  with  one  of 
their  questions — '  But  some  man  will  say, '  saith 
he,  *  How  are  the  dead  raised  up  ?  and  with  what 
body  do  they  come  ? '  ver.  35.    To  which  he  answereth. 

First,  By  a  similitude  of  seed,  that  is  sown  in 
the  earth.  In  which  similitude,  he  inserteth  three 
things — 

1.  That  our  reviving  or  rising,  must  be  after 
death — '  That  which  thou  sowest  is  not  quickened 
except  it  die. '  ver.  S6. 

2.  That  at  our  rising,  we  shall  not  only  revive 
and  live,  but  be  changed  into  a  far  more  glorious 
state  than  when  we  were  sown.  '  That  which  thou 
sowest,  thou  sowest  not  that  body  that  shall  be,'  &lc. 
'  But  God  giveth  it  a  body  as  it  hath  pleased  him, ' 
ver.  38. — that  is,  he  giveth  the  body  more  splendour, 
lustre,  and  beauty  at  its  resurrection.     But, 

3.  Neither  its  quickening,  not  yet  its  transcend- 
ent splendour,  shall  hinder  it  from  being  the  same 
body — as  to  the  nature  of  it — that  was  sown  in 
the  earth ;  for  as  God  giveth  it  a  body,  for  honour 
and  splendour  as  it  pleaseth  him,  so  '  to  every  seed 
his  own  body. '  ver.  38. 

And,  indeed,  this  similitude  by  which  he  here 
reasoneth  the  manner  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
just,  is  very  natural,  and  fitly  suiteth  each  par- 
ticular; for,  as  to  its  burial — (I.)  The  corn  of 
Avheat  is  first  dead,  and  after  sown  and  buried  in 
the  earth;  and  so  is  the  body  of  man.  (2.)  After 
the  corn  is  thus  dead  and  buried,  then  it  quickeneth 


and  reviveth  to  life :  so  also  shall  it  be  with  our 
body;  for  after  it  is  laid  in  the  grave  and  buried, 
it  shall  then  quicken,  rise,  and  revive. 

Again,  as  to  the  manner  of  its  chano-e  in  its 
rising,  this  similitude  also  doth  fitly  suit ;  as, 

It  is  sown  a  dead  corn;  it  is  raised  a  living 
one.  It  is  sown  dry,  and  without  comeliness ;  it 
riseth  green  and  beautiful.  It  is  sown  a  single 
corn ;  it  riseth  a  full  ear.  It  is  sown  in  its  husk ; 
but  in  its  rising  it  leaveth  that  husk  behind  it. 

Further,  though  the  kernel  thus  die,  be  buried, 
and  meet  with  all  this  change  and  alteration  in 
these  things,  yet  none  of  them  can  cause  the  nature 
of  the  kernel  to  cease — it  is  wheat  still.  Wheat 
was  sown  and  wheat  ariseth;  only  it  was  sown 
dead,  dry,  and  barren  wheat;  and  riseth  living, 
beautiful,  and  fruitful  wheat.  It  hath  this  altera- 
tion, then,  that  it  doth  greatly  change  its  resem- 
blance, though  yet  it  hath  this  power,  as  still 
to  retain  its  own  nature.  God  giveth  it  a  body 
as  it  pleaseth  him,  '  but  to  every  seed  Lis  own 
body.' 

The  apostle  having  thus  presented  the  manner 
of  the  resurrectio7i  of  the  saints  by  the  nature  of  seed 
sown  and  rising  again ;  he  proeeedeth, 

Second,  for  further  illustration,  to  three  more 
simUitudes — The  first  is,  to  shew  us  the  variety  and 
glory  of  flesh.  The  second  is,  to  shew  us  the  difle- 
rence  of  glory  that  is  between  heavenly  bodies,  and 
those  that  are  earthy.  The  third  is,  to  shew  us 
the  difiierence  that  is  between  the  glory  of  the  light 
of  the  sun,  from  that  of  the  moon ;  and  also  how 
one  star  differeth  from  another  in  glory:  and  then 
concludeth,  'so  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.* 
1  Co.  xv.  39—43.  As  who  should  say,  at  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  bodies,  they  wiU  be  abundantly  more 
altered  and  changed,  than  if  the  flesh  of  beasts 
and  fowls  were  made  as  noble  as  the  flesh  of  men ; 
or  the  bodies  of  earth,  were  made  as  excellent  as 
the  heavenly  bodies,  or  as  if  the  glory  of  the  moon 
should  be  made  as  bright,  and  as  clear  as  the  glory 
of  the  sun ;  or  as  if  the  glory  of  the  least  star  was 
as  glorious,  and  as  shining,  as  the  biggest  in  the 
firmament  of  heaven. 

It  is  a  resurrection  indeed,  a  resurrection  every 
way.  The  body  ariseth,  as  to  the  nature  of  it, 
the  self-same  nature ;  but  as  to  the  manner  of  it ; 
how  far  transcendent  is  it !  There  is  a  poor,  dry, 
wrinlded  kernel  cast  into  the  ground,  and  there  it 
Heth,  and  swelleth,  breaketh,  and,  one  would  think, 
perisheth;  but  behold,  it  receiveth  life,  it  chitteth,* 
it  putteth  forth  a  blade,  and  groweth  into  a  stalk, 
there  also  appeareth  an  ear ;  it  also  sweetly  blos- 
soms, with  a  full  kernel  in  the  ear :  it  is  the  same 
wheat,  yet  behold  how  the  form  and  fashion  of  that 


*  Erom  the  verb  '  to  chit,'  to  sprout — to  shoot  at  the  end 
of  the  grain;  provincial  and  almost  obsolete. — Ed. 


92 


OF  THE  EESUREECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


wliich  now  arisetli,  doth  differ  from  that  which  then 
was  sown ;  its  glory  also  when  'twas  sown,  is  no 
glory,  when  compared  with  that  in  which  it  riseth. 
And  yet  it  is  the  same  that  riseth  that  was  sown, 
and  no  other ;  though  the  same  after  a  far  more 
glorious  manner ;  not  the  same  with  its  husk,  hut 
Avithout  it.  Our  bran  shall  be  left  behind  us  when 
we  rise  again.  The  comparison  also  between  the 
bodies  heavenly  and  bodies  earthly  holds  forth  the 
same — '  The  glory  of  the  celestial  is  one,  and  the 
glory  of  the  terrestrial  is  another. '  Now  mark  it ; 
he  doth  not  speak  here  of  the  natures  of  each  of 
these  bodies ;  but  of  the  transcendent  glory  of  one 
above  another.  '  The  glory  of  the  heavenly  is  one, 
and  the  glory  of  the  earthly  is  another. '  Where- 
fore I  say,  at  our  rising,  we  shall  not  change  our 
nature,  but  our  glory;  we  shall  be  equal  to  the 
angels,  Lu.  xx.  36,  not  with  respect  to  their  nature, 
but  glory.  The  nature  also  of  the  moon  is  one 
thing,  and  the  glory  of  the  moon  is  another; 
and  so  one  star  also  differeth  from  another  in 
glory. 

A  beggar  hath  the  same  nature  as  a  king,  and 
gold  in  the  ore,  the  same  nature  with  that  which 
is  best  refined ;  but  the  beggar  hath  not  the  same 
glory  with  tlie  king,  nor  yet  the  gold  in  ore,  the 
same  glory  with  that  which  is  refined.  But  our 
state  will  be  far  more  altered  than  any  of  these  in 
the  days  when  we,  like  so  many  suns  in  the  firma- 
ment of  heaven,  arise  out  of  the  heart  and  bowels 
of  the  earth. 

These  things  thus  considered  do  shew  you  how 
vainly  they  argue,  that  say,  our  human  nature  con- 
sisting of  body  and  soul,  shall  not  inherit  the  king- 
dom of  God,  and  also  how  far  from  their  purpose, 
that  saying  of  the  apostle  is,  which  saith,  that 
'  flesh  and  blood  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God.'  And  now  also,  because  I  am  fallen  upon 
the  objection  itself,  I  shall  not  pass  it,  but  with  a 
short  dash  at  it.  Wherefore  reader,  Avhoever  thou 
art,  consider  that  frequently  in  scripture  the  words 
'flesh'  and  'blood,'  as  also  in  the  place  alleged, 
are  not  to  be  understood  of  that  matter  which  God 
made;  which  flesh  cleaveth  to  our  bones,  and  blood 
runs  in  our  veins :  but  is  taken  for  that  corruption, 
weakness,  mortality,  and  evil  that  cleaveth  to  it ; 
which  Aveakness  and  corruption,  because  it  pos- 
sesseth  all  men,  and  also  wholly  ruleth  where  the 
soul  is  unconverted ;  therefore  it  beareth  the  name 
of  that  which  is  ruled  and  acted  by  it — to  wit,  our 
whole  man,  consisting  of  body  and  soul ;  yet,  I  say, 
is  a  thing  distinct  from  that  flesh  and  blood  which 
is  essential  to  our  being,  and  without  which  we 
are  no  men.  As,  for  instance,  he  that  is  Christ's, 
saith  Paul,  'hath  crucified  the  flesh,  with  the 
affections  and  lusts, '  Ga.  v.  24.  Who  is  so  vain  as  to 
think  that  the  apostle  by  these  words,  should  mean 
our  material  flesh  that  haugeth  en  our  bones,  and 


that  is  mixed  with  our  natural  blood,  sinews,  and 
veins ;  and  not  rather  of  that  inivard  fountain  of 
sin,  corruption,  and  wickedness,  which  in  another 
place  he  calleth  *  the  old  man, '  with  his  '  deceitful 
lusts.'  Ep.  iv.  23.  Again,  'The  flesh  lusteth  against 
the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh.'  Is  it 
our  flesh  that  hangeth  on  our  bones,  which  lusteth 
against  the  spirit  ?  and  that  also  against  which  the 
spirit  lusteth?  Certainly,  if  the  spirit  lusteth 
against  our  material  flesh,  then  it  is  our  duty  not 
to  nourish  it  at  all,  because,  by  nourishing  of  it 
we  nourish  that  against  which  the  Spirit  of  God 
fighteth,  and  warreth.  Nay,  if  the  spirit  lust 
against  the  flesh  on  our  bones  simply  considered 
as  flesh  ;  and  if  it  be  our  duty  to  follow  the  Spirit, 
as  it  is,  then  we  must  needs  kill  ourselves,  or  cut 
our  flesh  from  our  bones.  For  whatever  the  Spirit 
of  God  lusteth  against,  it  must  be  destroyed ;  yea, 
it  is  our  duty  with  all  speed  to  destroy  it.  But 
wilt  thou  know,  0  vain  man,  that  by  flesh  here  is 
to  be  understood,  not  the  nature  that  God  hath 
made,  but  the  corrupt  apprehension,  and  wisdom, 
with  those  inclinations  to  evil,  that  lodge  within 
us,  which  in  another  place  are  called  the  '  wisdom 
of  the  flesh, '  yea,  in  plain  terms,  '  flesh  and  blood, ' 
where  Christ  saith,  '  Flesh  and  blood  hath  not  re- 
vealed [this]  imto  thee,  but  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven. '  Mat.  xvi.  17. 

Nay,  observe  it,  all  these  places,  with  many 
others,  do  rather  point  at  a  corrupt  soul,  than  a 
corrupt  body ;  for,  indeed,  sin  and  all  spiritual 
wickedness,  they  have  their  seat  in  the  heart  and 
soul  of  a  man,  and  by  their  using  this  or  that  mem- 
ber of  the  body,  so  defile  the  man  ;  the  weaknesses 
•of  the  body,  or  that  attend  our  material  flesh  and 
blood,  they  are  weaknesses  of  another  kind,  as 
sickness,  aches,  pains,  sores,  wounds,  defection  of 
members,  &;c.  Wherefore,  where  you  read  of 
flesh  and  blood,  as  rejected  of  God ;  especially, 
Avhen  it  speaks  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  saints, 
you  are  not  to  understand  it  as  meant  of  the  flesh, 
which  is  their  proper  human  nature,  but  of  that 
weakness  Avhich  cleaveth  to  it. 

Paul  in  another  place,  reckoneth  up  the  works 
of  the  flesh,  in  many  things,  as  in  witchcraft, 
hatred,  variance,  strife,  emulation,  fornication,  and 
many  others.  But  can  any  imagine,  that  he  there 
should  strike  at  that  flesh  which  hangeth  on  our 
bones,  or  rather  at  that  malignity  and  rebellion 
that  is  in  the  mind  of  man  against  the  Lord,  by 
reason  of  which  the  members  of  the  body  are  used 
this  way,  and  also  sometimes  that,  to  accomplish 
its  most  filthy  and  abusive  deeds.  Ga.  v.  17—21.  '  They 
were  -  -  enemies  in  [their]  mind  by  wicked  works,' 

Col.  i.  21. 

Thus  you  see  that  '  flesh  and  blood '  is  not  to  be 
taken  always  for  the  flesh  that  is  upon  our  hands, 
and  feet,  and  other  parts  of  our  body;  but  for  that 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


93 


ein,  wealiness,  and  infirmity,  tliat  cleaveth  to  our 
whole  man. 

Further  then,  touching  our  real  substantial  flesh, 
it  may  he  either  considered  as  God's  creature 
purely,  or  as  corrupted  with  sin  and  infirmity. 
Now  if  you  consider  it  as  corrupted,  so  it  shall  not 
inherit  the  kingdom  of  God:  hut  yet  consider  it  as 
God's  creature,  and  so  all  tliat  God  hath  converted 
to  himself,  through  Jesus  Christ,  shall,  even  with 
that  body  when  cJianged,  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God.  The  woman  wdiose  clothes  are  foul,  can  yet 
distinguish  between  the  dirt  and  the  cloth  on  which 
it  hangeth  ;  and  so  deals  God  with  us.  'Tis  true, 
there  is  not  one  saint,  but  while  he  livcth  here,  his 
body  is  arrayed  and  infected  with  many  corrupt 
and  filthy  things,  as  touching  bodily  weaknesses  ; 
yea,  and  also  with  many  sinful  infirmities,  by  rea- 
son of  that  body  of  sin  and  death  that  yet  remains 
in  us :  but  yet  God,  I  say,  distinguisheth  between 
our  weaknesses,  and  his  workmanship,  and  can 
tell  how  to  save  the  Avhole  man  of  his  people,  while 
he  is  destro^'ing  the  corruption  and  weakness  that 
cleaveth  to  them. 

And  now  to  return  to  the  place  objected — 'Flesh 
and  blood  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God.' 
It  cannot  be  truly  understood,  that  that  flesh  which 
is  man's  nature  shall  not  enter  the  kingdom  ;  for 
then,  as  I  said  before,  Christ  must  lose  his  mem- 
bers, the  purchase  of  his  blood,  the  vessels  and 
temples  of  his  Spirit ;  for  all  this  is  our  body. 
Again,  then  Christ  also,  in  that  his  body,  which 
is  also  our  flesh  and  blood,  is  not  in  glory,  con- 
trary to  the  whole  current  of  the  New  Testament. 

lie.  ii.  14,  15.  vii.  24-,  25.  viii.  8,  4.  x.  10—12.  Re.  i.  18.  ii.  8. 

Yea,  it  woidd  be  nonsense  to  say,  there  should 
be  a  resurrection,  and  that  our  vile  body  shall  be 
changed,  '  and  made  like  to  the  glorious  body  of 
the  Son  of  God ; '  if  this  body  do  not  at  all  rise 
again,  but  some  other  thing,  which  is  not  in  us, 
and  our  nature.  But  to  be  short ;  the  apostle 
here,  when  he  saith,  '  Flesh  and  blood  cannot  in- 
herit,' ifec,  speaks  properly  of  that  mortality  and 
weakness,  that  now  attends  our  whole  man,  and 
not  of  our  real  substantial  body  itself.  For  after 
he  had  said,  '  Flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God,'  he  adds,  'neither  doth  corrup- 
tion inherit  incorruption,'  which  two  sayings  are 
answerable  to  what  he  presently  adds,  saying, 
'  Behold,  I  shew  you  a  mystery ;  we  shall  not  all 
sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  changed,  in  a  moment,  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  ej'e,  at  the  last  trump:  for  the 
trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead  ' — mark,  '  the 
dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible ' — that  is,  the 
dead  shall  be  so  raised  as  that  in  their  rising,  in- 
corruption shall  possess  them  instead  of  corruption, 
and  immortality  instead  of  that  mortality  that  des- 
cended to  the  grave  ^vith  them, — '  for  this  corrup- 
tible ' — mark,  this  corruptible — '  must  put  on  m- 


corruption,  and  this  mortal  must  put  on  immor- 
tality.' Mark,  I  say,  it  is  this  corruptible,  and 
this  mortal,  that  must  be  raised,  though  not  cor- 
ruptible and  mortal,  as  it  was  buried ;  but  immor- 
tal and  incorruptible;  it  shall  leave  its  grave- 
clothes    of  corruption    and    mortality   behind  it. 

1  Co.  XV.  50—5-3. 

TiilRD.  The  manner  of  which  their  rising,  the 
apostle  doth  more  distinctly  branch  out  a  little 
above  in  four  particulars,  which  particulars  are 
these  that  follov/ — 1.  It  is  sown  in  corruption; 
it  is  raised  in  incorriqjtion.  2.  It  is  sown  in 
dishonour,  it  is  raised  in  glory.  3.  It  is  sown 
in  weakness,  it  is  raised  in  pmcer,  4.  It  is  sown 
a   natural   body,   it   is  raised   a   spiritual   body. 

1  Co.  xr. 

1 .  It  is  raised  in  incorniptlon.  We  are  brought 
into  this  world  by  sin  and  corruption ;  corruption 
is  our  father,  and  in  sin  did  our  mother  conceive 
us.  Job  xvii.  11.  Ps.  Ii.  5.  And  hence  it  is  that  we  have 
our  life,  not  only  like  a  span,  shadow,  or  post,  for 
shortness,  but  also,  that  it  is  attended  with  so  much 
vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit.  But  now  being  raised 
from  the  dead  incorruptible,  which  is  also  called  a 
begetting  and  birth,  these  things  that  now  in  oiir 
life  annoy  us,  and  at  last  take  away  our  life,  are 
efi'ectuaUy  destroyed ;  and  therefore  we  live  for 
ever,  as  saith  the  Spirit — '  And  there  shall  be  no 
more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying,  neither 
shall  there  be  any  more  pain :  for  the  former 
things,'  that  is,  all  our  corruptibleness,  'are  passed 
away. '  Re.  xxi.  4. 

There  shall  be  in  our  resurrection  no  corruption, 
either  of  body  or  of  soid ;  no  weakness,  nor  sick- 
ness, nor  anything  tending  that  way ;  as  he  saith, 
He  will  present  us  '  to  himself  a  glorious  church, 
not  having  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing.' 
Ep.  V.  27.  Therefore,  when  he  saith  it  is  raised  in 
incorruption,  it  is  as  if  ho  had  said.  It  is  impossi- 
ble that  they  shoidd  ever  sin  more,  be  sick  more, 
sorrow  more,  or  die  more.  '  They  which  shall  be 
counted  worthy  to  obtain  that  world,  and  the  re- 
surrection from  the  dead,  neither  marry,  nor  are 
given  in  marriage;'  though  'twas  thus  with  them 
in  this  world  ;  '  neither  can  they  die  any  more,  for 
they  are  equal  unto  the  angels ;  and  are  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  being  the  children  of  the  resurrection.' 

Lu.  XX.  35,  S6. 

2.  It  is  raised  in  glory.  The  dishonour  that 
doth  attend  the  saint  at  his  departing  this  world, 
it  is  very  great — '  he  is  sown  in  dishonour ; '  he  is 
so  loathsome  at  his  death,  that  his  dearest  friends 
are  weary  of  him,  stop  their  noses  at  him,  see  no 
beauty  in  him,  nor  set  any  price  upon  him,  (I  speak 
nothing  here  how  some  of  them  are  hanged,  starved, 
banished,  and  so  die,  torn  to  pieces,  and  not  suf- 
fered to  be  put  into  graves,)  but  it  is  raised  in 
glory.     Glory  is  the  sweetness,  comeliness,  purity. 


91 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


and  perfoction  of  a  thing.  The  light  is  the  glory 
of  the  sun,  strength  is  the  glory  of  youth,  and 
grey  hairs  are  the  glory  of  old  age — that  is,  it  is 
the  excellency  of  these  things,  and  that  which 
makes  them  shine.  1  Co.  xv.  40, 41.  Pr.  xx.  29. 

Therefore,  to  arise  in  glory,  it  is  first  to  arise 
in  all  the  beauty,  and  utmost  completeness  that  is 
possible  to  possess  a  human  creature ;  I  say,  in 
all  its  features  and  members,  inconceivably  beau- 
tiful. Sin  and  corruption  have  made  mad  work  in 
our  bodies  as  well  as  in  our  souls.  'Tis  sin  com- 
monly that  is  the  cause  of  all  that  deformity  and 
ill-favoureduess  that  now  cleaveth  to  us,  and  that 
also  rendereth  us  so  dishonourable  at  our  death ; 
but  now  at  our  rising,  we  being  raised  incorrupti- 
ble, we  shall  appear  in  such  perfections,  and  that 
of  all  sorts,  belonging  to  the  body,  that  aU  the 
beauty  and  comeliness,  sweetness  and  amiableness, 
that  hath  at  any  time  been  in  this  world,  it  shall 
be  swallowed  up  a  thousand  times  told  with  this 
glory.  The  Psalmist  saith  of  Christ  that  '  he  was 
fairer  than  the  children  of  men, '  Ps.  xlv.  2.  and  that, 
as  I  believe,  in  his  outward  man,  as  well  as  in  his 
inward  part.  He  was  the  exactest,  purest,  com- 
pletest,  and  beautifulest  creature  that  ever  God 
made,  till  his  visage  was  so  marred  by  his  persecu- 
tions ;  for  in  all  things  he  had  and  shall  have  the 
pre-eminence,  is.  hi.  14.  Col.  i.  18.  Why,  our  bodies 
at  our  resurrection  wiU  not  only  be  as  free  from 
sin,  as  his  was  before  he  died,  but  also  as  free 
from  all  other  infirmities  as  he  was  after  he  was 
raised  again.  Tn  a  word,  if  incorruptiblencss  can 
put  a  beauty  upon  our  bodies  when  they  arise,  we 
shall  have  it.  There  shall  be  no  lame  legs,  nor 
crump  shoulders,  no  bleared  eyes,  nor  yet  wrinkled 
faces — lie  *  shall  change  our  vile  body,  that  it 
may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body.'  pm. 

iii.  21. 

Again,  all  the  glory  that  a  glorified  soid  can 
help  this  body  to,  it  at  this  day  shall  enjoy.  That 
soul  that  hath  been  these  hundreds  or  thousands 
of  years  in  the  heavens,  soaking  in  the  bosom  of 
Christ,  it  shall  in  a  moment  come  spangling  into 
the  body  again,  and  inhabit  every  member  and  vein 
of  the  body,  as  it  did  before  its  departure.  That 
Spirit  of  God  also  that  took  its  leave  of  the  body 
when  it  went  to  the  grave,  shall  now  in  all  perfec- 
tion dwell  in  this  body  again  ;  I  tell  you,  the  body 
at  this  day  will  shine  brighter  than  the  face  of 
Moses  or  Stephen,  even  as  bright  as  the  sun,  the 
stars,  and  angels.  '  When  Christ  who  is  our  life, 
shall  appear,  then  shall  ye  also  appear  with  him 

in  glory. '  Ex.  xxxiv.  29,  35.  Ac.  vi  15.  Da.  xii.  3.  Mat.  xiii.  43. 
Lu.  XX.  36.  Col.  iii.  3,  4. 

3.  It  is  raised  in  fower.  While  we  are  here, 
we  are  attended  with  so  many  weaknesses  and  in- 
firmities, that  in  time  the  least  sin  or  sickness  is 
too  hard  for  us,  and  taketh  away  both  our  strength, 


our  beauty,  our  daj^s,  our  breath,  and  life,  and  all. 
Job  xxxviii.  17.  But  behold,  Ave  are  raised  in  power, 
in  that  power  that  all  these  things  are  as  far  below 
us  as  a  grasshopper  is  below  a  giant ;  at  the  first 
appearance  of  us  the  world  will  tremble. 

Behold,  the  gates  of  death  and  the  bars  of  the 
grave  are  now  carried  away  on  our  shoulders,  as 
Samson  carried  away  the  gates  of  the  city.  Ju.  xvi. 
3.  Death  quaketh,  and  destruction  falleth  down 
dead  at  our  feet :  What,  then,  can  stand  before 
us  ?  We  shall  then  carry  that  grace,  majesty, 
terror,  and  commanding  power  in  our  souls  that  our 
comitenances  shall  be  like  lightning.*  CompaieLu.xx. 
16  with  Mat.  xxviii.  2, 3.  '  For  this  corruptible  must  put 
on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  must  put  on  im- 
mortality. So  when  this  corruptible  shall  have 
put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  shall  have  put 
on  immortality,  then  shall  be  brought  to  pass  the 
saying  that  is  written.  Death  is  swallowed  up  in 
victory. '   l  Co.  xv.  53,  51. 

4.  It  is  raised  a  sjyh^ual  body.  This  is  the  last 
particular,  and  is  indeed  the  reason  of  the  other 
three ;  it  is  an  incorruptible  body,  because  it  is  a 
spiritual  one ;  it  is  a  glorious  body,  because  it  is  a 
spiritual  one ;  it  doth  rise  in  power,  because  it  is  a 
spiritual  body.  When  the  body  is  buried,  or  sown 
in  the  earth,  it  is  a  body  corruptible,  dishonourable, 
weak,  and  natural ;  but  when  it  ariseth,  it  doth 
rise  incorruptible,  glorious,  powerful,  and  spiritual ; 
so  that  so  far  as  incorruption  is  above  corruption, 
glory  above  dishonour,  povrer  above  weakness, 
and  spiritual  above  natural ;  so  great  an  alteration 
will  there  be  in  our  body,  when  raised  again.  And 
yet  it  is  this  body  and  not  another ;  this  in  nature, 
though  changed  into  a  far  more  glorious  state,  a 
thousand  times  further  than  if  a  fhoggard  was 
changed  to  be  an  emperor.  Mark,  '  it  is  sown  a 
natural  body;'  a  very  fit  word;  for  though  there 
dwell  never  so  much  of  the  Spirit  and  grace  of 
God  in  it  while  it  liveth,  yet  so  soon  as  the  soul  is 
separate  from  it,  so  soon  also  doth  the  Spirit  of 
God  separate  from  it,  and  so  wiU  continue  while 
the  day  of  its  rising  be  come.  Therefore,  it  is  laid 
into  the  earth  a  mere  lump  of  man's  nature — *  It 
is  sown  a  natural  body ; '  but  now  at  the  day  when 
'  the  heavens  be  no  more,'  as  Job  saith,  xiv.  12.  then 


*  These  ideas  are  as  new  as  they  are  striking  and  splendid. 
Our  vile  bodies,  wlien  raised  from  the  dust,  shall  be  spiritual 
— /ii:e  that  of  Christ — with  him  in  glory;  '  bright  as  the  sun 
and  stars  and  angels.'  How  amazingly  superior  is  our  preach- 
ing mechanic,  to  all  the  fathers  (so  called)  and  dignitaries  of 
state  churches  that  ever  wrote  upon  this  subject.  Bunyan 
proves  his  apostolic  descent  in  the  right  line;  he  breathes  the 
spirit — the  holy  fire  of  the  inspired  writers. — Ed. 

t  I  have  continued  this  word  as  Bunyan  spelt  it,  but  he 
probably  meant  hog-herd,  a  keeper  or  driver  of  swine,  one  of 
the  dii'tiest  and  lowest  employments. 

'  No  boorish  hog-herd  fed  his  rooting  sv^ine.' 

Browne  s  Pastorals. — Ed. 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


95 


the  trump  shall  sound,  even  the  trump  of  God,  and, 
in  a  moment,  the  dead  shall  he  raised  inoorruptihle, 
glorious,  and  spiritual.  1  Co.  xv.  52.  1  Th.  iv.  ig,  17.  So 
that  I  say,  the  hody  when  it  ariseth,  Avill  he  so 
swallowed  up  of  life  and  immortality,  that  it  Avill 
he,  as  if  it  had  lost  its  own  human  nature ;  though, 
in  truth,  the  same  substantial  real  nature  is  every 
whit  there  still.  'Tis  the  same  it  that  riseth,  that 
was  sown ;  *  /!!  is  sown,'  'it  is  raised ;'  '  it  is  sown,' 
*  it  is  raised,'  saith  the  apostle.  You  know,  that 
things  which  are  candied,  by  the  art  of  the  apo- 
thecary, they  are  so  swallowed  up  with  the  sweetness 
and  virtue  of  that  in  which  they  are  candied,  that 
they  are  now,  as  though  they  had  no  other  nature, 
than  that  in  which  they  are  boiled :  when  yet,  in 
truth,  the  thing  candied  doth  still  retain  its  own 
proper  nature  and  essence;  though  by  virtue  of  its 
being  candied,  it  loseth  its  former  sourness,  bitter- 
ness, stinking,  smell,  or  the  like.  Just  thus,  at 
the  last  day,  it  will  be  with  our  bodies :  we  shall 
he  so  candied,  by  being  swallowed  up  of  life,  as 
before  is  shewed,  that  we  shall  be,  as  if  we  were 
all  spirit,  when  in  truth,  it  is  but  this  body  that  is 
swallowed  up  of  life.  And  it  must  needs  be,  that 
our  nature  still  remain,  otherwise  it  cannot  be  us 
that  shall  be  in  heaven,  but  something  besides  us. 
Let  us  lose  our  proper  human  nature,  and  we  lose 
absolutely  our  being,  and  so  are  annihilated  into 
nothing.  Wherefore  it,  the  same  it,  that  is  sown 
a  natural  body,  it  shall  rise  a  spiritual  body. 

But  again,  as  I  said,  concerning  things  that  are 
candied  ;  our  body,  when  thus  risen,  it  shall  lose 
all  that  sourness  and  stink,  that  now,  by  reason  of 
sin  and  infirmity,  cleaveth  to  it:  neither  shall  its 
lumpishness,  or  unwieldiness,  be  any  impediment 
to  its  acting  after  the  manner  of  angels.  Christ 
hath  shewed  us,  what  our  body  at  our  resurrection 
shall  be,  by  shewing  of  us,  in  his  word,  what  his 
body  was,  at  and  after,  his  resiu-rection.  We 
read,  that  his  body,  after  he  was  risen  from  the 
dead,  though  it  yet  retained  the  very  same  flesh 
and  bones  that  did  hang  upon  the  cross,  yet  how 
angelical  was  it  at  all  times,  upon  all  occasions!  He 
could  come  in  to  his  disciples  with  that  very  hody, 
when  the  doors  were  shut  upon  them :  He  could, 
at  pleasure,  to  their  amazement,  appear  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye,  in  the  midst  of  them:  he  could 
be  visible  and  invisible  as  he  pleased,  when  he  sat 
at  meat  with  them :  in  a  word,  he  could  pass  and 
repass,  ascend  and  descend  in  that  body,  with  far 
more  pleasure  and  ease,  than  the  bird  by  the  art 

of  her  wing.     Lu.  xxiv.  31,  32,  36—42,  50,  51.  Jn.  xx.  19,  21—26. 
Ac.  i.  1—12.  Miir.  xvi.  19.  Ep.  iv.  7—10, 

Now,  I  say,  as  we  have  in  this  world  borne  the 
image  of  our  first  father ;  so,  at  that  day,  we  shall 
have  the  image  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  be  as  he  is — 
'  As  is  the  earthy,  such  are  they  also  that  are 
earthy :  and  as  is  the  heavenly,  such  a7'e  they  also 


tliat  are  heavenly.  And  as  we  have  borne  the 
image  of  the  earthy,  we  shall  also,  (at  our  resur- 
rection,) bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly.'  iCo.xv. 
48, 49.  It  is  so  in  part  now,  but  shall  so  be  in  per- 
fection then. 

To  mount  up  to  heaven,  and  to  descend  a^ain 
at  pleasure,  shall,  with  us,  in  that  day,  be  ordi- 
nary. If  there  Avere  ten  thousand  bars  of  iron,  or 
Avails  of  brass,  to  separate  betAvecn  us,  and  our 
pleasure  and  desire,  at  that  day,  they  should  as 
easily  be  pierced  by  us,  as  is  the  cobweb,  or  air 
by  the  beams  of  the  sun :  And  the  reason  is,  be- 
cause to  tJie  Spirit,  wherewith  Ave  shall  be  incon- 
ceivably filled  at  that  day,  nothing  is  hnpossiUe ; 
Mat.  xTii.  20.  and  the  Avorking  of  it  at  that  day,  shall 
be  in  that  nature  and  measure  as  to  swallow  up  all 
impossibilities.  He  '  shall  change  our  vile  body, 
that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious 
body, ' —  now  mark,  '  according  to  the  working 
whereby  he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all  things  unto 
himself.'  Phi.  m.  21.  As  who  should  say,  I  knoAV 
that  there  are  many  things,  that  in  this  world  hin- 
der us  from  having  our  bodies  like  the  body  of 
Cln-ist;  but  Avhen  God  shall  raise  us  from  the 
dead,  because  he  will  then  have  our  hody  like  the 
body  of  his  Son ;  He  will  stretch  forth  such  a 
power  to  work  upon,  and  in  our  body,  that  he  will 
remove  all  impossibilities  and  hindrances. 

Nay,  further,  Ave  do  not  only  see  Avhat  operation 
the  Spirit  Avill  have  in  our  body,  by  the  carriage 
of  Christ,  after  his  resurrection ;  but  CA^en  by  many 
a  saint  before  their  death.  The  Spirit  used  to 
catch  Elijah  away,  no  man  could  tell  Avhither.  It 
carried  Ezekiel  hither  and  thither :  It  carried 
Christ  from  the  top  of  the  pinnacle  of  the  temple 
into  Galilee;  through  it  he  Avalked  on  the  sea;  the 
Spirit  caught  aAvay  Philip  from  the  eunuch,  and 
carried  him  as  far  as  Azotus.  l  Ki.  xviii.  ll,  12.  2  Ki.  ii. 

11.  Eze.  iii.  14.  Lu.  iv.  14.  Mat.  xiv.  25.  Ac.  viii.  39,  40. 

Thus  the  great  God  hath  given  us  a  taste  of  the 
power  and  glory  that  is  in  himself,  and  hoAV  easily 
it  wiU  help  us,  by  its  possessing*  of  us  at  the  re- 
surrection, to  act  and  do  hke  angels ;  as  Christ 
saith,  They  that  shall  be  counted  worthy  of  that 
world,  and  of  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  they 
shall  not  die,  but  be  equal  to  the  angels.  Lu.  xxi.  36. 

Further,  as  the  body  by  being  thus  spiritualized, 
shall  be  as  I  have  said  ;  so  again  it  must  needs 
be,  that  hereby  all  the  service  of  the  body,  and 
faculties  of  the  soul,  must  be  infinitely  enlarged 
also.  NoAV  '  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is, '  and  now 
we  shall  knoAV  even  as  Ave  are  known,  l  Jn.  iii.  2.  l  Co. 

xiii.  12. 

First,  Now  Ave  shall  see  him ;  to  wit,  Chnst  in 


*  'Its  possessing  of  i.s,'  or  to  give  us  possession.  'This 
possesses  us  of  the  most  vnluable  blessing  of  human  life,  frieud- 
ship.'  Gov.  of  Tonjiie. — Eu. 


96 


OF  THE  EESUKRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


his  glory ;  not  by  revelation  only,  as  we  do  now, 
but  then /ace  to  face ;  and  be  will  have  us  with  bim 
to  this  very  end.  Jn.  xvU.  21.  Tbougb  Jobn  was  in 
the  Spirit  wben  be  bad  tbe  vision  of  Cbrist,  yet  it 
made  bim  fall  at  bis  feet  as  dead ;  Re.  i.  17.  and 
also  turned  Daniel's  beauty  into  corruption.  Da.x.8. 
It  was  so  glorious,  and  so  overwcigbing  a  glory, 
tbat  be  appeared  in ;  but  we  sball,  at  tbe  day  of 
our  resurrection,  be  so  furnisbed,  tbat  we  sball 
witb  tbe  eagle,  be  able  to  look  upon  tbe  sun  in  bis 
strengtb :  we  sball  tben,  I  say,  '  see  Him  as  be 
is,'  wbo  now  is  in  tbe  light,  tbat  no  eye  bath  seen, 
nor  any  man  can  see  till  tbat  day.  1  Xi.  vi.  16. 

Now  we  sball  see  into  all  things;  there  shall  not 
be  anything  bid  from  us;  there  shall  not  be  a 
saint,  a  prophet,  or  saved  soul,  small  or  great, 
but  we  shall  tben  perfectly  know  them.  Also,  all 
tbe  works  of  creation,  election,  and  redemption, 
and  sball  see  and  know  as  thoroughly,  all  the 
things  of  heaven,  and  earth,  and  bell,  even  as 
perfectly,  as  now  we  know  our  A,  B,  C.  For  tbe 
Spirit,  with  which  we  sball  in  every  cranny  of  soul 
and  body  be  filled,  I  say,  '  searcbetb  all  things, 
yea,  the  deep  things  of  God.'  1  Co. ii.  10.  AVe  see 
what  strange  things  have  been  known  by  the  pro- 
phets and  saints  of  God,  and  tbat  when  they  knew 
but  '  in  part. ' 

Abraham  could,  by  it,  tell  to  a  day,  bow  long 
bis  seed  should  be  under  persecution  in  Egypt ; 
Ge.  XV.  13.  Elisba,  by  it,  could  tell  what  was  done  in 
the  king  of  Assyria's  bed-chamber;  ski.  vi  13.  Abi- 
jab  could  know  by  this,  Jeroboam's  wife,  so  soon, 
yea  before  her  feet  entered  within  his  door,  though 
be  saw  her  not.  1  Ki.  xiv.  1—6. 

The  prophet  of  Judah  could  tell  by  this,  what  God 
would  do  to  Bethel,  for  the  idolatry  there  committed; 
and  could  also  point  out  the  man  by  name  tbat 
should  do  the  execution,  long  before  be  was  born 
lKi.xiii.2.  What  shall  I  say,  Enoch  by  it  could  tell 
what  should  be  done  at  the  end  of  tbe  world.  Judei^, 
15.  IIow  did  tbe  prophets,  to  a  circumstance,  pro- 
phesy of  Christ's  birth,  bis  death,  his  burial,  of 
their  giving  him  gall  and  vinegar,  of  their  parting 
his  raiment,  and  piercing  his  hands  and  feet!  Is. mi. 
Of  his  riding  on  an  ass  also ;  all  this  they  saw, 
Avhen  they  spake  of  bim.  Jn.  xii.  41.  Peter  also, 
though  half  asleep,  could  at  the  very  first  word, 
call  Moses  and  Elias  by  their  names,  when  they 
appeared  to  Christ  in  the  holy  mount.  Lu.  k.  33. 
He  is  very  ignorant  of  the  operation  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  that  scrupleth  these  things.  But  now,  I 
say,  if  these  things  have  been  done,  seen,  and 
known,  by  spiritual  men,  while  their  knowledo-e 
bath  been  but  in  part,  bow  sball  we  know,  see, 
and  discern,  Avben  that  which  is  perfect  is  come  ? 
Which  will  be  at  tbe  resurrection ;  '  It  is  raised  a 
spiritual  body.' 

Thus,   in    few  words,   have  I   sbevfcd  you  the 


truth  of  the  resurrection  of  tbe  just,  and  also  the 
manner  of  their  rising.  Had  I  judged  it  con- 
venient, I  might  have  much  enlarged  on  each  par- 
ticular, and  have  added  many  more ;  for  the  doc- 
trine of  tbe  resurrection,  however  questioned  by 
heretics,  and  erroneous  persons ;  yet  is  such  s 
truth,  that  almost  all  tbe  holy  scriptures  of  Gou 
point  at,  and  centre  in  it. 

God  bath,  from  tbe  beginning  of  tbe  world, 
shewed  to  us,  tbat  our  body  must  be  witb  bim,  as 
well  as  our  soul,  in  tbe  kingdom '  of  heaven.  I 
sa}',  be  bath  shewed  us,  bow  be  will  deal  witb 
those  that  are  alive  at  Christ's  coming,  by  bis 
translating  of  Enoch,  Ge.  v.  24.  and  by  taking  bim 
body  and  soul  to  himself;  He.xi.  5.  As  also,  by  bis 
catching  of  Elias  up  body  and  soul  into  heaven, 
in  a  fiery  chariot,  2  Ki.  ii.  11.  and. 

Secondly,  He  bath  often  put  us  in  remembrance 
of  the  rismg  of  those  that  are  dead,  at  that  da}',  as, 
(1.)  By  tbe  faith  be  gave  Abraham,  concerning  tbe 
offering  of  bis  son :  for  when  he  offiered  bim,  he 
accounted  '  that  God  loas  able  to  raise  him  up,  even 
from  tbe  dead ;  from  whence  also  be  received  bim  in 
a  figure. '  He.  xi.  19.  In  a  figure  of  tbe  resurrection 
of  Christ,  for  Abraham's  justification ;  and  of  Abra- 
ham's resurrection  by  Christ  at  the  last  day,  for  bis 
glorification.  (2.)  By  tbe  faith  be  gave  Joseph  con- 
cerning bis  bones ;  which  charge,  the  godly  in  Egypt, 
did  diligently  observe,  and  to  tbat  end,  did  keep 
them  four  hundred  years ;  and  at  length,  carried 
them,  I  say,  from  Egj'pt  to  Canaan,  which  was  a 
type  of  our  being  carried  in  our  body,  from  this 
world  to  heaven.  He.  xi.  22. 

Besides,  how  oft  did  God  give  power  to  bis  pro- 
phets, servants,  and  Cbrist  Jesus,  to  raise  some 
that  were  now  dead,  and  some  that  bad  been  long 
so ;  and  all,  no  doubt,  to  put  tbe  present  genera- 
tions, as  also  tbe  generations  yet  unborn,  in  mind 
of  the  resurrection  of  tbe  dead.  To  this  end,  I 
say,  bow  was  tbe  Shunammite's  son  raised  from  the 
dead  ?  2  Ki.  iv.  The  man  also  at  tbe  touching  of  tbe 
bones  of  Elisba?  2  Ki.  xiii.  20,  21.  together  witb  the  body 
of  Lazarus,  with  Jairus's  daughter,  and  Tabitha,  and 
many  others,  who,  after  their  souls  were  departed 
from  them,  Lazarus  lying  in  bis  grave  four  days, 
were  all  raised  to  life  again,  and  lived  witb  that 
very  body  out  of  which  tbe  soul,  at  their  death, 
bad  departed.  Lu.  ^-iii.  53— cg.  Jn.  xi.  43, 44.  Ac.  ix.  40, 41. 

But  above  all,  that  notable  place  in  Matthew,  at 
tbe  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  gives  us  a  nota- 
ble fore- word  of  the  resurrection  of  tbe  just.  Saith 
the  text,  '  And  tbe  graves  were  opened ;  and  many 
bodies  of  the  saints  which  slept  arose,  and  came 
out  of  tbe  graves  after  bis  resurrection,  and  went 
into   tbe  holy  city,  and  appeared  unto  many. '  Mat. 

x.wii.  52,  53. 

When  tbe  author  to  the  Hebrews  bad  given  us  a 
catalogue  of  tbe  worthies  of  the  Old  Testament,  be 


OF  THE  KESUREECTION  OF  THE  DE.U). 


§7 


saitli  at  last,  'Those  all  died  In  faitli.'  In  the  [ 
faith  of  what?  That  they  should  lie  and  rot  in 
their  graves  eternally?  Ko,  verily;  this  is  the 
faith  of  Ranters,  not  of  Christians.  They  all  died 
in  faith,  that  they  should  rise  again ;  and  there- 
fore counted  this  world  not  -worth  the  living  in, 
upon  unworthy  terms,  that  after  death  '  they  might 
obtain  a  better  resurrection.'  He. xi.  13,35. 

It  is  also  worth  the  considering,  that  of  Paul  to 
the  Philippians,  where  he  saith  that  he  was  confi- 
dent that  that  God  that  had  begun  a  good  work  in 
them  would  '  perform  ii  until  the  day  of  Jesus 
Christ. '  Phi.  i.  6.  Which  day  of  Christ,  was  not  the 
day  of  their  conversion,  for  that  was  passed  with 
them  already,  they  were  now  the  children  of  God ; 
but  this  day  of  Christ,  it  is  the  same  which  in  other 
places  is  called  the  day  when  he  shall  come  with 
the  sound  of  the  last  trump  to  raise  the  dead. 
For  you  must  know,  that  the  work  of  salvation  is 
not  at  an  end  with  them  that  are  now  in  heaven  ; 
no,  nor  ever  will,  until  (as  I  shewed  j-ou  before) 
their  bodies  be  raised  again.  God,  as  I  have  told 
you,  hath  made  our  bodies  the  members  of  Christ, 
and  God  doth  not  count  us  thoroughly  saved,  un- 
til our  bodies  be  as  well  redeemed  and  ransomed 
out  of  the  grave  and  death,  as  our  souls  from  the 
curse  of  the  law,  and  dominion  of  sin. 

Though  God's  saints  have  felt  the  power  of  much 
of  his  grace,  and  have  had  man}'  a  sweet  word  ful- 
filled on  them;  yet  one  word  will  be  luifulfilled  on 
their  particular  person,  so  long  as  the  grave  can 
shut  her  mouth  upon  them :  but,  as  I  said  before, 
when  the  gates  of  death  do  open  before  them,  and 
the  bars  of  the  grave  do  fall  asunder ;  then  shall 
be  brought  to  pass  that  saying  that  is  written, 
'  Death  is  swallowed  up  of  victory;'  and  then  will 
they  hear  that  most  pleasant  voice,  'A^-ake  and 
sing,  ye  that  dwell  in  dust :  for  thy  dew  is  as  the 
dew  of  herbs,  and  the  earth  shall  cast  out  the  dead. ' 
Is.  xxTi.  19.  Thus  much  touching  the  truth  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  just,  with  the  manner  of  their 
rising. 

Now  you  must  know,  that  the  time  of  the  rising 
of  these  just,  will  be  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord: 
for  v.'hen  they  arise,  nay,  just  before  they  are 
raised,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  will  appear  in  the 
clouds  in  flaming  fire,  with  all  his  mighty  angels ; 
the  effect  of  which  appearing  will  be  the  rising  of 
the  dead,  <kc.  '  For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend 
from  heaven  with  a  shout,'  saith  Paul,  'and  with 
the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of 
God,  and  the  dead  shall  rise.'      STh.i.  8.  iTh,  iv.ie. 

1  Co.  x\:  52. 

Now  at  the  time  of  the  Lord's  coming,  there  will 
be  found  in  the  world  alive  both  saints  and  sinners. 
As  for  the  saints  that  then  shall  be  found  alive, 
they  shall,  so  soon  as  all  the  saints  are  raised  out 
of  their  graves,  not  die,  but  be  changed,  and  swal- 

VOL.  II. 


lowed  up  of  incorruption,  immortality,  and  glory; 
and  have  the  soul- spiritual  translation,  as  the 
raised  saints  shall  have;  as  he  saith,  'We  shall 
not  all  [die,  or]  sleep,  but  Ave  shall  all  be  changed, 
in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  -  °for 
the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  be 
raised  incorruptible,  and  we  shall  be  changed.' 
1  Co. xy.  51, 52.  And  again,  'For  the  Lord  himself 
shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the 
voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of  God : 
and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first:  then  we 
which  are  alive  and  remain  shall  be  caught  up  to- 
gether Avith  them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord 
in  the  air:  and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord.' 
1  Til.  iv.  16, 17.  As  he  saith  also  in  another  place,  he 
'shall  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  at  his  appear- 
ing and  his  kino-dom.'  2Ti.  iv.  1. 

NoAv  when  the  saints  that  sleep  shall  be  raised 
thus  incorruptible,  powerful,  glorious,  and  spiritual; 
and  also  those  that  then  shall  be  found  alive,  made 
like  them :  then  forthwith,  before  the  unjust  are 
raised,  the  saints  shall  appear  before  the  judg-ment- 
seat  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  there  to  give  an 
account  to  their  Lord  the  Judge,  of  all  things  tliey 
have  done ;  and  to  receive  a  reward  for  their  good 
according  to  their  labour. 

They  shall  rise,  I  say,  before  the  wicked,  they 
being  themselves  the  proper  children  of  the  resurrec- 
tion; that  is.  Those  that  must  have  all  the  glorj- 
of  it,  both  as  to  pre-eminency  and  sweetness ;  and 
therefore  they  are  said,  Avhen  they  rise,  to  rise  from 
the  dead;  that  is,  in  their  rising,  they  leave 
the  reprobate  world  behind  them.  Lu.  x.v.  35, 36.  Ac.  iii. 
15 ;  iv.  10;  xiii.  30.  Jn.  xii.  1, 9, 17.  And  it  must  be  SO,  be- 
cause also  the  saints  v/ill  have  done  their  account, 
and  be  set  upon  the  throne  with  Christ,  as  kings 
and  princes  Avith  him,  to  judge  the  world,  Avhen 
the  Avicked  Avorld  are  raised.  The  saints  shall 
judge  the  Avorld ;  they  shall  judge  angels  ;  yea, 
they  shall  sit  upon  the  thrones  of  judgment  to  do 
it.  1  Co.  \-i.  2,3.  Ps.  cxxii.  5.    But  to  pass  that,  [we  come 

Third,  to  the  examination  the  just  must  under- 
go, and  the  account  they  must  give  to  the  Lord  the 
Judge;  or,] 

THE  JUDGMENT  OF  THE  JUST. 

Now  when  the  saints  are  raised,  as  ye  have 
heard,  they  must  give  an  account  of  all  things,  in 
general,  that  they  have  done  while  they  Avere  in 
the  world  ;  of  all  things,  I  say,  whether  they  be 
good  or  bad. 

First,  Of  all  their  had;  but  mark,  not^  imdcr 
the  consideration  of  vagabonds,  slaves  and  smncrs, 
but  as  sons,  stewards,  and  servants  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.  That  this  shall  be,  it  is  evident  from  divers 
places  of  the  holy  Scriptures : 

First,  Paul  saith,  'We  shaU  all  stand  before  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ,'— we  saints— '  For  it  is 
N 


98 


OF  THE  EESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


wrlttcu,  As  I  live,  saitli  tlie  Lord,  every  knee  shall 
bowto  me,  and  every  tongue  sliallconfess  to  God.  So 
then  every  one  of  us  shall  give  account  of  himself 
to  God. '  Ro.  xiv.  10—12.  Again,  *  Wherefore  we  labour, 
that,  whether  present  or  absent,  we  may  be  ac- 
cepted of  him.  For  we  must  all  appear  before  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ;  that  every  one  [of  us] 
may  receive  the  things  dotie  in  his  body,  according 
to  what  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad. ' 

2  Co.  V.  9,  10. 

It  is  true,  God  loveth  his  people,  but  yet  he 
loveth  not  their  sins,  nor  anything  they  do,  though 
with  the  greatest  zeal  for  him,  if  he  be  contrary 
to  his  word;  wherefore  as  truly  as  God  will  give 
a  reward  to  his  saints  and  children  for  all  that 
they  have  indeed  well  done ;  so  truly  will  he  at 
this  day  distinguish  their  good  and  bad  :  and  when 
both  are  manifest  by  the  righteous  judgment  of 
Christ ;  he  will  burn  up  their  bad,  with  all  their 
labour,  travel,  and  pains  in  it  for  ever.  He  can 
tell  how  to  save  his  people,  and  yet  take  vengeance 
on  their  inventions.  Ps.  xcix.  8. 

That  is  an  observable  place,  in  the  first  epistle 
of  Paul  to  the  Corinthians,  and  the  third  chapter, 
'  If  any  man  build,'  saith  he,  'upon  this  founda- 
tion (Christ)  gold,  silver,  precious  stones,  wood, 
hay,  stubble ;  every  man's  work  shall  be  made 
manifest :  for  the  day  shall  declare  it,  because  it 
shall  be  revealed  by  fire ;  and  the  fire  shall  try 
every  man's  work  of  what  sort  it  is.  If  any 
man's  work  abide  which  he  hath  built  thereupon, 
he  shall  receive  a  reward.  If  any  man's  work 
shall  be  burned,  he  shall  suffer  loss ;  but  he  him- 
self shall  be  saved  ;  yet  so  as  by  fire. '  i  Co.  iii.  12 
—15.     Now  observe, 

1.  As  I  said  hehve,  the  fcninclaiion  is  Christ, 
ver.  11. 

2.  The  gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones  that 
here  are  said  to  be  built  upon  him,  are  all  the  act- 
ings in  faith  and  love,  according  to  the  word,  that 
the  saints  are  found  doing  for  his  sake  in  the  world. 
1  Pe.L7;  Re.  iii.  18. 

3.  To  build  on  him  wood,  hay,  and  stubble,  it 
is  to  build,  together  with  Avhat  is  right  in  itself, 
human  inventions  and  carnal  ordinances,  fathering 
them  still  on  God  and  his  allowance. 

4.  The  fire  that  here  you  read  of,  it  is  the  pure 

word  and  law  of  God.  Je.  xxiii.  29.   Jn.  xii.  48. 

5.  The  day  that  here  you  read  of,  it  is  the  day 
of  Christ's  coming  to  judgment,  to  reveal  the  hid- 
den things  of  darkness,  and  to  make  manifest  the 
counsels  of  the  heart,  l  Co.  iv.  5. 

6.  At  this  day,  the  gold,  silver,  precious  stones, 
wood,  hay,  and  stubble,  and  that  of  every  man, 
shall  be  tried  by  this  fire,  that  it  may  be  manifest 
of  what  sort  it  is ;  the  wind,  the  rain,  and  floods, 
beat  now  as  vehemently  against  the  house  upon 
the  rock,  as  against  that  on  the  sand.  Lu.  vi.  48,  49. 


Observe  again, 

(1.)  That  the  apostle  speaks  here  of  the  saved, 
not  of  the  reprobate — '  He  himself  shall  he  saved. ' 

(2.)  That  this  saved  man  may  have  wood,  hay, 
and  stubble ;  that  is,  things  that  will  not  abide 
the  trial. 

(3.)  That  neither  this  man's  goodness,  nor  yet 
God's  love  to  him,  shall  hinder  aU  his  wood,  hay, 
or  stubble  from  coming  on  the  stage,  'Every  man's 
work  shall  be  manifest :  the  fire  shall  try  every 
man's  work,  of  what  sort  it  is.' 

(4.)  Thus,  a  good  man  shall  see  all  his  wood, 
hay,  and  stubble  burnt  up  in  the  trial  before  his 
face. 

(5.)  That  good  man  then  shall  sufi'er  loss,  or, 
the  loss  of  all  things  that  aro  not  then  according 
to  the  word  of  God — 'If  any  man's  Avorks  shall  be 
burnt,'  or  any  of  them,  'he  shall  suffer  loss;  but 
he  himself  shall  be  saved;  yet  so  as  by  fire' — that 
is,  yet  so  as  that  all  that  ever  he  hath  done,  shaU 
be  tried,  and  squared  by  the  word  of  God. 

From  all  which,  it  must  be  unavoidably  con- 
cluded, that  the  Avhole  body  of  the  elect  must  count 
with  their  Lord  for  aU  things  they  have  done, 
whether  good  or  bad,  and  that  he  will  destroy  all 
their  bad,  with  the  purity  of  his  word,  yea,  and 
all  their  pains,  travel,  and  labour  that  they  have  spent 
about  it.  I  am  persuaded  that  there  are  now  many 
things  done  by  the  best  of  saints,  that  then  they 
will  gladly  disown  and  be  ashamed  of;  yea,  which 
they  have  and  do  still  do  with  great  devotion. 
Alas,  what  gross  things  do  some  of  the  saints  in 
their  devotion  father  upon  God,  and  do  reckon  him 
the  author  thereof ;  and  that  he  also  prompts  them 
forward  to  the  doing  thereof,  and  doth  give  them 
his  presence  in  the  performance  of  them !  Yea, 
and  as  they  father  many  superstitions  and  scrip- 
tureless  things  upon  him ;  so  they  die  in  the  same 
opinion,  and  never  come  in  this  world,  to  the  sight 
of  their  evU  and  ignorance  herein.*  But  now  the 
judgment-day  is  the  principal  time  wherein  every- 
thing shall  be  set  in  its  proper  place ;  that  which 
is  of  God  in  its  place,  and  that  which  is  not,  shall 
now  be  discovered,  and  made  manifest.  In  many 
things  now  we  offend  all ;  and  then  we  shall  see 
the  many  offences  we  have  committed,  and  shall 
ourselves  judge  them  as  they  are.  The  Christian, 
is  in  this  world,  so  candid  a  creature,  that  take 
him  when  he  is  not  under  some  great  temptation, 

*  This  is  an  awful  state  of  delusion,  to  imagine  that  God  is 
the  author  of  ffross  thiugs,  such  as  worshipping  a  wafer,  or 
applying  to  a  priest  to  forgive  sins;  and  that  a  holy  God 
prompts  them  to  the  doing  thereof,  and  sanctions  them  by  his 
presence ! !  '  Every  man  is  tempted,  when  he  is  drawn  away 
of  his  own  lust,  and  enticed,'  James  i.  14.  Chrislian,  take  care 
tliat  you  receive  not  any  doctrine,  nor  conform  to  auy  practice 
in  religion,  without  prayerful  iuvestigation,  and  a  '  thus  saith 
the  Lord'  for  its  sauction. —  Sn. 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


99 


and  he  vill  ingeniously  confess  to  liis  God,  before 
all  men,  liow  Le  hatli  sinned  and  transgressed 
against  liis  Father ;  and  will  fall  down  at  the  feet 
of  God,  and  crj,  TIwu  art  righteous,  for  I  have 
sinned;  and  thou  art  gracious,  that,  notwithstand- 
ing my  sin,  thou  shouldest  save  me.  Now,  I  say, 
if  the  Christian  is  so  simple  and  plain-hearted  with 
God,  in  the  days  of  his  imperfection,  when  he  is 
accompanied  with  many  infirmities  and  tempta- 
tions ;  how  freely  will  he  confess  and  acknowledge 
his  miscarriages,  when  he  comes  before  his  Lord 
and  Saviour;  absolutely  stript  of  all  temptation 
and  imperfection.  *As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord, 
every  knee  shall  how  to  me,  and  every  tongue 
shall  confess  to  God.'  Ro. xiv. ll. PW. ii. lo. ii.  Every 
knee  shall  bow,  and  reverence  God  the  Creator, 
and  Christ  the  Redeemer  of  the  world ;  and  every 
tongue  shall  confess,  that  his  will  alone  ought  by 
them  to  have  been  obeyed  in  all  things ;  and  shall 
confess  also,  and  that  most  naturally  and  freely 
— I  mean,  the  saints  shall — in  how  many  things 
they  were  deceived,  mistaken,  deluded,  and  drawn 
aside  in  their  intended  devotion  and  honour  to 
God. 

\^Second.'\  But  yet  take  notice,  that  in  this  day, 
when  the  saints  are  thus  counting  for  their  evil 
before  their  Saviour  and  Judge ;  they  shall  not  then, 
as  now,  at  the  remembrance  and  confession  of 
sin,  be  filled  with  that  guilt,  confusion,  and  shame 
that  now  through  the  weakness  of  faith  attendeth 
their  souls ;  neither  shall  they  in  the  least  be 
grieved  or  offended,  that  God  hath  before  the 
angels  and  the  rest  of  their  holy  brethren,  laid 
open  to  a  tittle  their  infirmities,  from  the  least  and 
first,  to  the  biggest  and  last.    For, 

1.  The  God  to  whom  they  confess  all,  they  will 
now  more  perfectly  than  ever  see  he  doth  love 
them,  and  free  them  from  all,  even  when  and 
before  they  confess  and  acknowledge  them  to  him  ; 
and  they  shall,  I  say,  have  their  soul  so  full  of  the 
ravishing  raptures  of  the  life  and  glory  that  now 
they  are  in,  that  they  shall  be  of  it  swallowed  up 
in  that  measure  and  manner,  that  neither  fear, 
nor  guilt,  nor  confusion  can  come  near  them,  or 
touch  them.  Their  Judge  is  their  Saviour,  their 
Husband,  and  Head ;  who,  though  he  will  bring 
every  one  of  them  for  all  things  to  judgment,  yet 
he  wiU  keep  them  for  ever  out  of  condemnation, 
and  anything  that  tendeth  that  way.  'Perfect 
love  casteth  out  fear,'  even  while  we  are  here; 
much  more  then,  when  we  are  with  our  Saviour, 
our  Jesus,  being  passed  from  death  to  life,  Jn.  v. 

2i.   1  Jn.  iv.  18. 

2.  The  saints  at  this  day,  shall  have  their 
hearts  and  souls  so  wrapped  up  in  the  pleasure  of 
God  their  Saviour,  that  it  shall  be  their  delight,  to 
see  all  things,  though  once  never  so  near  and  dear 
unto  them;  yet  now  to  perish,  if  not  according  to 


his  word  and  will.  'Thy  will  be  done,'  is  to  be 
always  our  language  here;  Mat.^.io.  but  to  delight 
to  see  it  done  in  aU  things,  though  it  tend  never 
so  much  to  the  destruction  of  what  we  love ;  to 
delight,  I  say,  to  see  it  done  in  the  height  and 
perfection  of  delight ;  it  will  be  when  we  come  to 
heaven,  or  when  the  Lord  shall  come  to  jud^-e  the 
world.     But, 

3.  The  sole  end  of  the  comiting  of  the  saints 
at  the  day  of  God,  it  will  be,  not  only  for  the  vhidi- 
cation  of  the  righteousness,  holiness,  and  purity  of 
the  word,  neither  wiU  it  centre  only  in  the  mani- 
festation of  the  knowledge  and  heart-discernino- 
nature  of  Christ  (though  both  these  will  be  in  it, 
Re.  ii.  22, 23.)  But  their  very  remembrances  and 
sight  of  the  sin  and  vanity  that  they  have  done 
while  here;  it  shall  both  set  off,  and  heighten  the 
tender  afi'ections  of  their  God  imto  them;  and  also 
increase  their  joy  and  sweetness  of  soul,  and  cling- 
ing of  heart  to  their  God.  Saints  while  here,  aro 
sweetly  sensible  that  the  sense  of  sin,  and  the 
assurance  of  pardon,  will  make  famous  work  in 
their  poor  hearts.  Ah,  what  melthigs  without 
guilt !  what  humility  without  casting  down !  and 
what  a  sight  of  the  creature's  nothingness,  yet 
without  fear,  will  this  sense  of  sin  work  in  the  soul ! 
The  sweetest  frame,  the  most  heart-endearing 
frame,  that  possibly  a  Christian  can  get  into  while 
in  this  world,  is  to  have  a  warm  sight  of  sin,  and 
of  a  Saviour  upon  the  heart  at  one  time.  Now  it 
weeps  not  for  fear  and  through  torment,  but  by 
virtue  of  constraining  grace  and  mercy,  and  is  at 
this  very  time,  so  far  olf  of  disquietness  of  heart, 
by  reason  of  the  sight  of  its  wickedness,  that  it  is 
driven  into  an  ecstasy,  by  reason  of  the  love  and 
mercy  that  is  mingled  with  the  sense  of  sin  in  the 
soul. 

The  heart  never  sees  so  much  of  the  power  of 
mercy  as  noAv,  nor  of  the  virtue,  value,  and  excel- 
lency of  Christ  in  all  his  offices  as  now,  and  the 
tongue  so  sweetly  enlarged  to  proclaim  and  cry  up 
grace  as  now;  now  will  Christ  '  come  to  be  glorified 
in  his  saints,  and  to  be  admired  in  all  them  that 
believe,'  2Th. i. lo. 

Wherefore,  though  tlie  saints  receive  by  faith 
the  forgiveness  of  sins  in  this  life,  and  so  are  passed 
from  death  to  hfe  ;  yet  again,  Christ  Jesus,  and 
God  his  Father,  will  have  every  one  of  these  sms 
reckoned  up  again,  and  brought  fresh  upon  the 
stage  in  the  day  of  judgment,  that  they  may  see 
and  be  sensible  for  ever,  what  grace  and  mercy 
hath  laid  hold  upon  them.  And  this  I  take  to  be 
the  reason  of  that  remarkable  saying  of  the  apostle 
Peter,  '  Pepent  ye  therefore,  and  be  converted, 
that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out,  when  the  times 
of  refreshing  shall  come  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord ;  and  he  shall  send  Jesus  Christ,  which  before 
was  preached  unto  you :  whom  the  heaven  must 


100 


OF  THE  RESURIIECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


receive  until  tlie  times  of  restitution  of  all  tilings, 
which  God  hath  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  all  his 
holy  prophets  since  the  world  began. '  Ac  iii.  19—21. 

If  a  sense  of  some  sin,  (for  who  sees  aU  ?  Ps.  xix.  12.) 
and  a  sight  of  the  love  of  God,  will  here  so  work 
upon  the  spirit  of  the  godly  :  what  will  a  sight  of 
all  sin  do,  when  together  with  it  they  are  personally 
present  with  their  Lord  and  Saviour  ? 

Yea,  if  a  sight  of  some  sins,  with  a  possibility 
of  pardon,  will  make  the  heart  love,  reverence,  and 
fear  with  guiltless  and  heart-affecting  fears  ;  what 
will  a  general  sight  of  all  sin,  and  together  with 
them  an  eternal  acquittance  from  them,  work  on 
the  heart  of  the  saint  for  ever  ? 

Yea,  I  say  again,  if  a  sight  of  sin,  and  the  love 
of  God,  will  make  such  work  in  that  soul  where 
yet  there  is  unbelief,  blindness,  mistrust,  and  for- 
gctfulness :  what  will  a  sight  of  sin  do  in  that  soul, 
who  is  swallowed  up  of  love,  who  is  sinless,  and 
temptationless ;  who  hath  all  the  faculties  of  sovd 
and  body  strained  by  love  and  grace,  to  the  highest 
pin  of  perfection,  that  is  possible  to  be  in  glory 
enjoyed  and  possessed  ?  Oh  the  wisdom  and  good- 
ness of  God,  that  he  at  this  day,  should  so  cast 
about  the  worst  of  our  things,  even  those  that 
naturally  tend  to  sink  us,  and  damn  us,  for  our 
great  advantage  !  *  All  things  shall  work  to- 
gether for  good,'  indeed,  '  to  them  that  love  God.' 
Eo.  viii.  28.  Those  sins  that  brought  a  curse  upon 
the  whole  world,  that  spilt  the  heart-blood  of  our 
dearest  Saviour,  and  that  laid  his  tender  soul  under 
the  flaming  wrath  of  God,  shall  by  his  wisdom  and 
love,  tend  to  the  exaltation  of  his  grace,  and  the 
inflaming  of  our  afteclions  to  him  for  ever  and  ever. 

Re.  V.  9—14. 

It  will  not  be  thus  with  devils ;  it  will  not  be 
thus  with  reprobates;  the  saved  only  have  this 
privilege  peculiar  to  themselves.  Wherefore,  to 
vary  a  little  from  the  matter  in  hand :  will  God 
make  that  use  of  sin,  even  in  our  counting  for  it, 
that  shall  in  this  manner  work  for  our  advantage  ? 
Why  then,  let  saints  also  make  that  advantage  of 
their  sin,  as  to  glorify  God  thereby,  which  is  to  be 
done,  not  by  saying,  '  Let  us  do  evil,  that  good 
may  come;'  or,  •  Let  us  sin,  that  grace  may  abound;' 
but  by  taking  occasion  by  the  sin  that  is  past  to 
set  the  crown  upon  the  head  of  Christ  for  our  justi- 
fication; continually  looking  upon  it,  so  as  to  press 
us,  to  cleave  close  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  grace  and 
mercy  through  him,  and  to  the  keeping  of  us 
humble  for  ever,  imder  aU  his  dispensations  and 
carriages  to  us. 

Now,  having  counted  for  all  their  evil,  and  con- 
fessed to  God's  glory,  how  they  fell  short,  and  did 
not  the  truth  in  this,  or  that,  or  other  particulars, 
and  having  received  their  eternal  acquittance  from 
the  Lord  and  Judge,  in  the  sight  of  both  angels  and 
saints ;  forthwith  the  Lord  Jesus  will  make  inquiry, 


Second,  into  all  the  good  and  holy  actions  and 
deeds  they  did  do  in  the  world.  Now  here  shall  all 
things  be  reckoned  up,  from  the  very  first  good 
thing  that  was  done  by  Adam  or  Abel,  to  the  last 
that  will  fall  out  to  be  done  in  the  world.  The 
good  of  all  the  holy  prophets,  of  all  apostles,  pas- 
tors, teachers,  and  helps  in  the  church;  here  also 
will  be  brought  forth  and  to  light,  aU  the  good 
carriages  of  masters  of  families,  of  parents,  of  chil- 
dren, of  servants,  of  neighbours,  or  whatever  good 
thing  any  man  doth.     But  to  be  general  and  short. 

First,  here  wiU  be  a  recompense  for  all  that  have 
sincerely  laboured  in  the  word  and  doctrine — I  say, 
a  recompense  for  all  the  souls  they  have  saved  by 
their  word,  and  watered  by  the  same.  Now  shall 
Paul  the  planter,  and  Apollos  the  waterer,  with 
every  one  of  their  companions,  receive  the  reward 
that  is  according  to  their  works.  1  Co.  iii.  6—8. 

Now,  all  tlie  preaching,  praying,  watching,  and 
labour  thou  hast  been  at,  in  thy  endeavouring  to 
catch  men  from  Satan  to  God,  shall  be  rewarded 
with  spangling  glory.  Not  a  soul  thou  hast  con- 
verted to  the  Lord  Jesus,  nor  a  soul  thou  hast  com- 
forted, strengthened,  or  helped  by  thy  wholesome 
counsel,  admonition,  and  comfortable  speech,  but 
it  shall  stick  as  a  pearl  in  that  crown  '  which  the 
Lord  the  righteous  Judge,  shall  give  thee  at  that 
day.'  3  Ti.  iv.  7, 8.  That  is,  if  thou  dost  it  willingly, 
delighting  to  lift  up  the  name  of  God  among  men; 
if  thou  doest  it  with  love,  and  longing  after  the 
salvation  of  sinners,  otherwise  thou  wilt  have  only 
thy  labour  for  thy  pains,  and  no  more.  'If  I  do 
this  thing  willingly,  I  have  a  reward :  but  if  against 
my  will,  a  dispensation  of  the  gospel  is  committed 
to  my  charge.'  ICo.  ix.  17;  &Phi.  i.  15.  But,  I  say,  if 
thou  do  it  graciously,  then  a  reward  followeth ; 
'  For  what  is  our  hope,  or  joy,  or  crown  of  rejoic- 
ing? ^re  not  even  ye,'  saith  Paul,  'in  the  presence 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at  his  coming  ?  For  ye 
are  our  glory  and  joy.'  1  Tli.  ii.  19,  20.  Let  him  there- 
fore that  Christ  hath  put  into  his  harvest,  take 
comfort  in  the  midst  of  all  his  sorrow,  and  know 
that  God  acknowledgeth,  that  he  that  converteth 
a  sinner  from  the  error  of  his  way,  doth  even  save 
that  soul  from  death,  '  and  covereth  a  multitude 
of  sins.'  Ja. V. 20.  Wherefore  labour  to  convert, 
labour  to  water,  labour  to  build  up,  and  to  '  Feed 
the  flock  of  God  which  is  among  you,  taking  the 
oversight  thereof,  not  by  constraint,  but  AviUingly; 
not  for  filthy  lucre,  but  of  a  ready  mind; — and 
when  the  chief  Shepherd  shall  appear,  ye  shall  re- 
ceive a  crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away.* 
1  Pe.  V.  2, 4. 

BccomUy,  And  as  the  ministers  of  Christ's  gospel 
shall  at  this  day  be  recompensed;  so  shall  also 
those  more  private  saints  be  with  tender  affections, 
and  love  looked  on,  and  rewarded  for  all  their  work 
and  labour  of  love,  which  they  hc^ve  shewed  to  the 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


101 


name  of  Clirlst,  in  ministering  to  liis  saints,  and 
suffering  for  his  sake.  He.  vi.  lo.  *  Whatsoever  good 
thing  any  man  doeth,  the  same  shall  he  receive 
of  the  Lord,  whether  he  he  hond  or  free.'  Ep.  vi.  8. 
Ah !  little  do  the  people  of  God  think,  how  largely 
and  thoroughly,  God  will  at  that  day,  o^vn  and 
recompense  all  the  good  and  holy  acts  of  his  peo- 
ple. Every  bit,  every  drop,  every  rag,  and  every 
night's  harbour,  though  but  in  a  wisp  of  straw, 
shall  be  rewarded  in  that  day  before  men  and  angels 
— '  Whosoever  shall  give  to  drink  unto  one  of  these 
little  ones  a  cup  of  cold  water  only  in  the  name  of 
a  disciple,  verily  I  say  unto  you,'  saith  Christ, 
'he  shall  in  nowise  lose  his  [a  disciple's]  reward.' 
Mat.  X.  42.  Therefore  '  When  thou  makest  a  feast, ' 
saith  he,  '  call  the  poor,  the  maimed,  the  lame, 
the  blind:  And  thou  shalt  be  blessed;  for  they 
cannot  recompense  thee :  for  thou  shalt  be  recom- 
pensed at  the  resurrection  of  the  just.'  Lu.  xir.  13, 14. 
If  there  be  any  repentance  among  the  godly  at 
this  day,  it  will  be,  because  the  Lord  Jesus,  in  his 
person,  members,  and  word,  was  no  more  owned, 
honoured,  entertained,  and  provided  for  by  them, 
when  they  were  in  this  world:  For  it  will  be 
ravishing  to  aU,  to  see  what  notice  the  Lord  Jesus 
will  then  take  of  every  widow's  mite.  He,  I  say, 
will  call  to  mind,  even  all  those  acts  of  mercy  and 
kindness,  which  thou  hast  shewed  to  him,  when 
thou  wast  among  men.  I  say,  he  wiU  remember, 
cry  up,  and  proclaim  before  angels  and  saints, 
those  very  acts  of  thine,  which  thou  hast  either 
forgotten,  or,  through  bashfulness  wilt  not  at  that 
day  count  worth  the  owing.  He  will  reckon  them 
up  so  fast,  and  so  fully,  that  thou  wilt  cry. 
Lord,  wlien  did  I  do  this?  and  when  did  I  do  the 
other  ?  '  When  saw  Ave  thee  an  hungered,  and  fed 
tliec  ?  or  thirsty,  and  gave  thee  drink  ?  When  saw 
we  thee  a  stranger,  and  took  thee  in?  or  naked, 
and  clothed  tliee  ?  Or  when  saw  we  thee  sick,  or 
in  prison,  and  came  unto  thee?  And  the  King 
shall  answer  and  say  unto  them,  Verily  I  say  unto 
you,  inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the 
least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto 
me. '  Mat.  XXV.  37 — 10.  *  The  good  works  of  some  are 
manifest  beforehand ;  and  they  that  are  otherwise 
cannot  be  hid.'  i  Ti.  v.  23.  Whatever  thou  hast  done 
to  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  thou  hast 
done  it  unto  me.  I  felt  the  nourishment  of  thy 
food,  and  the  warmth  of  thy  fleece.  I  remember 
thy  loving  and  holy  visits  when  my  poor  members 
were  sick,  and  in  prison,  and  the  like.  When  they 
were  strangers,  and  wanderers  in  the  world,  thou 
tookest  them  in.  *  Well  done,  thou  good  and  faith- 
fid  servant ;  -  -  -  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy 

Lord. '  Mat.  XXV.  21—23,  34-37. 

TiiircUy,  Here  also  will  be  a  reward  for  all  that 
hardness,  and  Christian  enduring  of  affliction  that 
thou  hast  met  with  for  thy  Lord,  while  thou  wast 


in  the  world.  Here  now  will  Christ  begin  from 
the  greatest  suffering,  even  to  the  least,  aiul  bestow 
a  reward  on  them  all :  from  the  blood  of  the  suf- 
fering saint,  to  the  loss  of  a  hair:  nothing  shall  go 
unrewarded.  He.  xi.  3G^to.  2  Co.  nu.  8—14.  '  For  our  lio-ht 
affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for 
us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weigh.t  of 
glory. '  3  Co.  iv.  17.  Behold  by  the  scriptures  how  God 
hath  recorded  the  sufferings  of  his  people,  and  also 
how  he  hath  promised  to  reward  them — *  Blessed 
are  they  which  are  persecuted  for  righteousness' 
sake :  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Blessed 
are  ye,  when  men  shall  revile  you, '  and  speak  '  all 
manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely,  for  my  sake, 
Ptejoice,'  leap  for  joy,  '  and  be  exceeding  glad:  for 
great  is  your  reward  in  heaven. '  Mat.  v.  11, 12.  Lu.  vi.  22, 23. 
'And  every  one  that  hath  forsaken  houses,  or 
brethren,  or  sisters,  or  father,  or  mother,  or  wife, 
or  chikh-en,  or  lands,  for  my  name's  sake,  shall 
receive  an  hundred-fold,  and  shall  inherit  everlast- 
ing life. '  Mat.  xix.  29. 

Fourthly,  There  is  also  a  reward  at  this  day,  for 
all  the  more  secret,  and  more  retired  works  of 
Christianity.  1 .  There  is  not  now  one  act  of  faith 
in  thy  soul,  either  upon  Christ,  or  against  the 
Devil,  and  Antichi'ist ;  but  it  shall  in  this  day  be 
found  out,  and  praised,  honoured  and  glorified,  in 
the  face  of  heaven.  1  Pe.  i.  7.  2.  There  is  not  one 
groan  to  God  in  secret,  against  thy  own  lusts,  and 
for  more  grace,  light,  spirit,  sanctification,  and 
strength  to  go  through  this  world  like  a  Christian; 
but  it  shall  even  at  the  coming  of  Christ  be  re- 
warded openly.  Mat.  vi.  6.  3.  There  hath  not  one 
tear  dropped  from  thy  tender  eye  against  thy  lusts, 
the  love  of  this  world,  or  for  more  communion  with 
Jesus  Christ,  but  as  it  is  now  in  the  bottle  of  God; 
so  then  it  shall  bring  forth  such  plenty  of  reward, 
that  it  shall  return  upon  thee  with  abundance  of 
increase.  *  Blessed  are  ye  that  Aveep  now :  for  ye 
shall  laugh.' Lu.v;.  21.  'Thou  tcUest  my  wander- 
ings :  put  thou  my  tears  into  thy  bottle  ;  are 
they  not  in  thy  book  ?  '  Ps.  w.  8.  '  They  that  sow  in 
tears  shall  reap  in  joy.  He  that  goeth  forth  and 
weepeth,  bearing  precious  seed,  shall  doubtless 
come  again  with  rejoicing,  bringing  his  sheaves 

with  him. '  Ps.  cxxn.  5,  6. 

Having  thus  in  brief  shewed  you  something  con- 
cerning the  resurrection  of  the  saints,  and  that  they 
shall  count  with  their  Lord  at  his  coming,  both  for 
the  burning  up  what  Avas  not  according  to  the 
truth,  and  rewarding  them  for  all  their  good.  It 
remains,  that  I  noAV  in  few  Avords, 

Fourth,  ShcAV  you  something  also  of  that  Avith 
which  they  shall  he  raoarded. 

THE  REWARD  OF  THE  JUST. 

First  then,  those  that  shall  be  found  in  the  day 


102 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


of  their  resurrection,  wlien  they  shall  have  all  their 
good  things  hrought  upon  the  stage ;  they  I  say, 
that  then  shall  be  found  the  people  most  laborious 
for  God  while  here ;  they  shall  at  that  day  enjoy 
the  greatest  portion  of  God,  or  shall  be  possessed 
with  most  of  the  glory  of  the  Godhead  then.  For 
that  is  the  portion  of  saints  in  general.  Ko.  viii.  17.  La. 
iii.  2i.  And  why  shall  he  that  doth  most  for  God 
in  this  world,  enjoy  most  of  him  in  that  which  is 
to  come?  But  because  by  doing  and  acting,  the 
heart,  and  every  faculty  of  the  soul  is  enlarged, 
and  more  capacitated,  whereby  more  room  is  made 
for  glory.  Every  vessel  of  glory  shall  at  that  day 
be  full  of  it ;  but  every  one  will  not  be  capable  to 
contain  a  like  measure:  and  so  if  they  should  have 
it  communicated  to  them,  would  not  be  able  to 
stand  under  it ;  for  there  is  '  an  eternal  weight  in 
the  glory  that  saints  shall  then  enjoy,' 2  Co.  iv.  17. 
and  every  vessel  must  be  at  tliat  day  filled — that 
is,  have  its  heavenly  load  of  it. 

All  Christians  have  not  the  same  enjoyment  of 
God  in  this  life,  neither  indeed  were  they  able  to 
bear  it  if  they  had  it.  1  Co.  iii.  2.     But  those  Chris- 
tians that  are  most  laborious  for  God  in  this  world, 
they  have  already  most  of  him  in  their  souls,  and 
tliat  not  only  because  diligence  in  God's  ways,  is 
the  means  whereby  God  communicates  himself;  but 
also  because  thereby  the  senses  are  made  more 
strong,  and  able,  by  reason  of  use,  to  understand 
God,  and  to  discern  both  good  and  evil.  He.  y.  13, 14. 
To  him  that  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given,  and  he 
shall  have  more  abundance.  Miit.  xlii.  11, 12.     He  that 
laid  out  his  pound  for  his  master,  and  gained  ten 
therewith,  he  was  made  ruler  over  ten  cities;  but 
he  that  by  his  pound  gained  but  five,  he  was  made 
ruler  over  but  five.  Lu.  xix.  16—19.     Often,  he  that  is 
best  bred  in  his  youth,  he  is  best  able  to  manage 
most,  when  he  is  a  man,  touching  things  of  this 
life;  Da.  i.  3.  4.  but  always  he  that  is  best  bred,  and 
that  is  most  in  the  bosom  of  God,  and  that  so  acts 
for  him  here;  he  is  the  man  that  will  be  best  able 
to  enjoy  most  of  God  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
It  is  observable  that  Paul  saith,  '  Our  -  afiliction 
-  -  worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal 
weight  of  glory.' 2 Co. iv.  17.     Our  afflictions  do  it, 
not  only  because  there  is  laid  up  a  reward  for  the 
afflicted,  according  to  the  measure  of  affliction;  but 
because  afflictions,  and  so  every  service  of  God, 
doth  make  the  heart  more  deep,  more  experimen- 
tal, more  knowing  and  profound;  and  so  more  able 
to  hold,  contain,  and  bear  more.  Ps.  cxix.  71.     •  Every 
man  shall  receive  his  own  reward,  according  to  his 
own  labour. '  1  Co.  iu.  8.     And  this  is  the  reason  of 
such  sayings   as   these — Lay  up  for  yourselves  a 
good  foundation  against  the  time  to  come,  that  you 
may  lay  hold  on  eternal  life,  1  Ti.  vi.  19.  Avhich  eternal 
life,  is  not  the  matter  of  our  justification  from  sin 
in  the  sight  of  God;  for  that  is  done  freely  by  grace. 


through  faith  in  Christ's  blood;  (but  here  the 
apostle  speaks  of  giving  of  alms)  but  it  is  the  same 
that  in  the  other  place  he  calls  'the  far  more  ex- 
ceeding and  eternal  weight  of  glory.'  And  hence 
it  is  that  he  in  his  stirring  them  up  to  be  diligent 
in  good  works,  doth  tell  them,  that  he  doth  not 
exhort  them  to  it  because  he  wanted,  but  because 
he  woidd  have  '  fruit  that  might  abound  to  their 
account;'  Phi.  iv.  17.  as  he  saith  also  in  another  place, 
'  Beloved  brethren,  be  ye  stedfast,  unmoveable, 
always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  foras- 
much as  ye  know  that  your  labour  is  not  in  vain 
in  the  Lord.'  1  Co.xv.  58.  Therefore  I  say,  the  reward 
that  the  saints  shall  have  at  this  day  for  all  the 
good  they  have  done,  it  is  the  enjoyment  of  God, 
according  to  their  works :  though  they  shall  be 
freely  justified  and  glorified  without  works. 

Second,  As  the  enjoyment  of  God  at  that  day, 
will  be  to  the  saints,  according  to  their  works  and 
doings — I  speak  not  now  of  justification  from  siu 
— so  will  their  praise  and  commendations  at  that 
day,  be  according  to  the  same,  and  both  of  them 
their  degrees  of  gloiy ;  for  I  say,  as  God  by  com- 
municating of  himself  unto  us  at  that  day,  will 
thereby  glorify  us,  so  also  he  will  for  the  adding 
all  things  that  may  furnish  with  glory  every  way, 
cause  to  be  proclaimed  in  the  face  of  heaven,  and 
in  the  presence  of  all  the  holy  angels ;  everything 
that  hath  for  God,  his  ways,  and  people,   been 
done  by  us  while  here  we  have  been.     '  Whatso- 
ever ye  have  spoken  in  darkness  shall  be  heard  in 
the  light ;   and  that  which  ye  have  spoken  in  the 
ear  in  closets  shall  be  proclaimed  upon  the  house- 
tops.'  Lu.  xii.  2, 3.     Again,   He  that   'shall  confess 
me,'  saith  Christ,  'before  men,  him  will  I  confess 
also  before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.'  Mat.  x.  32. 
Now  as  he  of  whom  Christ  is  ashamed  when  he 
comes  in  his  glory,  and  in  the  glory  of  the  holy 
angels,  will  then  lie  under  inconceivable  disgrace, 
shame,    dishonour,    and    contempt:    so  he  whom 
Christ  shall  confess,  own,  commend,  and  praise  at 
that  day,  must  needs   have  very  great  dignity, 
honour,  and  renown,  '  for  then  shall  every  man 
have  praise   of  God  ' — to  wit,  according  to  his 
works.  1  Co.  iv.  5.    Now  will  Christ  proclaim  before 
thee  and  all  others  what  thou  hast  done,  and  what 
thou  hast  sufi"ered,  what   thou  hast   owned,   and 
what  thou  hast  withstood  for  his  name.  Mar.  viii.  38. 
This  is  he  that  forsook  his  goods,  his  relations, 
his  country,  and  hfe  for  me :  this  is  the  man  that 
overcame  the  flatteries  and  threats,  allurements 
and  enticings,  of  a  whole  world  for  me  ;  behold 
him,  he  is  an  Israelite  indeed,  Jn.i.  47.  the  top  man 
in  his  generation,  'none  like  him  in  all  the  earth.' 
Job  i.  8.    It  is  said,  that  when  king  Ahasuerus  had 
understanding  of  how  good  service  Mordeeai  the 
Jew  had  done  to  and  for  him,  he  commanded  that 
the  royal  apparel  and  the  cro^vn,  with  the  horse 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


103 


that  the  king  did  ride  on,  should  be  given  to  hina, 
and  that  he  should  -with  that  crown,  apparel,  and 
horse,  be  had  through  the  city,  in  the  presence  of 
all  his  nobles,  and  that  proclamation  should  be 
made  before  him,  '  Thus  shall  it  be  done  unto 
the  man  whom  the  king  delighteth  to  honour.' 

Es.  vi  9—11. 

Ahasuerus  in  this  was  a  type  to  hold  forth  to 
the  children  of  God,  how  kindly  he  will  take  all 
their  labour  and  service  of  love,  and  how  he  will 
honour  and  dignify  the  same ;  as  Christ  saith, 
'  Let  your  loins  be  girded  about,  and  your  lights 
burning ;  And  ye  yourselves  like  unto  men  that 
wait  for  their  lord,  when  he  will  return  from  the 
wedding ;  that  when  he  cometh  and  knocketh,  they 
may  open  unto  him  immediately.  Blessed  are 
those  servants,  whom  the  lord  when  he  cometh 
shall  find  watching :  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that 
he  shall  gird  himself,  and  make  them  sit  down  to 
meat,  and  will  come  forth  and  serve  them.'  Lu.xii. 
35—37.  The  meaning  is,  that  those  souls  that  shall 
make  it  their  business  to  honour  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  in  the  day  of  their  temptation  ;  he  Avill 
make  it  his  business  to  honour  and  glorify  them  in 
the  day  of  his  glorification.  Jn.  xii.  26.  '  Verily,  I 
say  unto  you,  that  he  will  make  them  sit  down  to 
meat,  and  shall  come  forth  and  serve  them.  If 
any  man  will  serve  me,'  saith  he,  'him  will  my 
Father  honour.'  It  hath  been  God's  way  in  this 
world  to  proclaim  the  acts  and  doings  of  his  saints 
in  his  word  before  all  in  this  world,  and  he  wiU  do 

it  in  that  which  is  to  come.  Mar.xiv.9.E.e.iii.4;  xiv.l— 6. 

Third,  Another  thing  that  shall  be  yet  added 
to  the  glory  of  the  saints,  in  the  kingdom  of  their 
Saviour,  at  his  coming  is,  they  shall  every  one  of 
them  then  have  his  throne  and  place  of  degree  on 
Christ's  right  hand,  and  on  his  left,  in  his  glorious 
kingdom,  according  to  the  relation  they  stand  in 
to  Christ,  as  the  members  of  his  body;  for  as 
Christ  will  have  a  special  eye  on  us,  and  a  tender 
and  affectionate  heart,  to  recompense  to  the  fidl 
every  good  thing  that  any  man  doth  for  his  name 
in  this  world :  so  also  he  will  have  as  great  regard, 
that  there  be  to  every  member  of  his  body,  the 
place,  and  state  that  is  comely  for  every  such 
member.  When  the  mother  of  Zebedee's  children 
petitioned  our  Saviour  that  he  would  grant  to  her, 
that  her  two  sons  might  sit,  the  one  on  his  right 
hand,  and  the  other  on  his  left,  in  his  kingdom : 
though  he  did  not  grant  to  her  the  request  for  her 
children,  yet  he  aflirmed  that  there  would  be  places 
of  degrees  and  honour  in  heaven,  saying,  '  To  sit 
on  my  right  hand,  and  on  my  left,  is  not  mine  to 
give,  but  it  shall  be  given  to  tJiem  for  whom  it  is 
prepared  of  my  Father.'  Mat.  xx.  20—23.  In  the 
temple,  there  were  chambers  bigger  and  lesser, 
higher  and  lower,  more  inward  and  more  outward : 
which  chambers  were  typos  of  the  mansions  that 


our  Lord  when  he  went  away,  told  us  he  went  to 
prepare  for  us.  *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.'  Jn.xiv. 2,3.  The 
foot  here,  shall  not  have  the  place  prepared  for  the 
eye,  nor  yet  the  hand,  that  which  is  prepared  for 
the  ear,  but  every  one  shall  have  his  own  place  in 
the  body  of  Christ,  and  the  glory  also  prepared 
for  such  a  relation.  Order,  as  it  is  comely  in 
earth,  so  much  more  in  the  kingdom  of  the  God 
of  order,  in  heaven ;  where  all  things  shall  be  done 
in  their  utmost  perfections.  Here  shall  Enoch, 
Noah,  Abraham,  Moses,  Joshua,  David,  with  the 
prophets,  have  every  one  his  place,  according  to 
the  degree  of  Old  Testament  saints.  As  God  said 
to  Daniel,  '  Go  thou  thy  way  till  the  end  be:  for 
thou  shalt  rest,  and  stand  in  thy  lot  at  the  end  of 
the  days.'  Da. xii.  13.  And  here  also  shall  Peter, 
Paul,  Timothy,  and  all  other  the  church  officers 
have  their  place,  and  heavenly  state,  according  as 
God  hath  set  them  in  the  church  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament. As  Paul  saith  of  the  deacons,  '  They 
that  have  used  the  office  of  a  deacon  well,  purchase 
to  themselves  a  good  degree,  and  great  boldness 
in  the  faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.'  ITi. iii.  13. 
And  so  of  all  other  saints,  be  they  here  of  what 
rank,  quality,  or  place  in  the  church  soever,  they 
shall  have  every  one  his  state,  his  heavenly  state, 
according  as  he  standeth  in  the  body.  As  he 
saith,  seeing  those  members  that  are  most  feeble 
are  necessary,  to  them  shall  be  given  '  more  abun- 
dant honour. '  1  Co.  xii.  23, 23.  Of  this  heavenly  order 
in  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  when  his  saints  are  risen 
from  the  dead,  was  Solomon  a  notable  tj-pe  in  his 
family,  and  among  his  servants  and  officers,  who 
kept  such  exactness  in  the  famous  order  in  which 
he  had  placed  aU  about  him,  that  it  did  amaze  and 
confound  beholders.  For  '  when  the  queen  of 
Sheba  had  seen  the  wisdom  of  Solomon,  and  the 
house  that  he  had  built,  and  the  meat  of  his  table, 
and  the  sitting  of  his  servants,  and  the  attendance 
of  his  ministers,  and  their  apparel ;  his  cup-bearers 
also,  and  their  apparel ;  and  his  ascent  by  which 
he  went  up  into  the  house  of  the  Lord,  there  Avas 
no  more  spirit  in  her. '  2  Ch.  L\.  3, 4.  '  Glorious  things 
are  spoken  of  thee,  0  city  of  God.'  Ps.  ixxxvii.  3.  Hav- 
ing gone  thus  far,  I  shall  now  come  to 

THE  SECOND  PAPtT  OF  THE  TEXT, 

To  wit,  that  there  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the 
wicked.  'There  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  both  of  the  just  and  unjust;'  for  as  the  just 
go  before  the  unjust,  in  name  and  dignity,  and 
honour,  so  they  shall  in  the  last  day,  go  before 
them  in  the  resurrection. 

Now,  then,  when  the  saints  have  thus  risen  out 
of  their  graves,  given  up  their  accounts,  received 


104 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


tlicir  glory,  and  are  set  upon  the  tlirones,  '  for 
there  arc  set  thrones  of  judgment,  the  thrones  of 
the  house  of  David.'  Ps.cxxii.  5.  When,  I  say,  they 
are  all  of  them  in  their  royal  apparel,  with  crowns 
of  glory,  every  one  presenting  the  person  of  a  king, 
then  come  the  unjust  out  of  their  graves,  to  receive 
their  judgment  for  what  they  have  done  in  the 
body.  As  Paul  saith,  '  We  must  all  appear  be- 
fore the  judgment-seat  of  Christ,  that  every  one,' 
Tioth  saints  and  sinners,  '  may  receive  the  things 
done  in  the  body,  whether  it  be  good,  or  whether 
it  be  had.' 

But  now,  because  I  would  prove  by  the  word, 
whatever  I  would  have  others  receive  for  a  truth, 
therefore  I  shall  in  few  particulars, 

FiusT,  prove  the  resurrection  of  the  loiched. 

THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  WICKED. 

First,  then,  it  is  evident,  that  the  wicked  shall 
rise,  from  the  very  terins  and  names  that  the  raised 
shall  ilicn  go  under,  which  are  the  very  same  names 
that  they  did  go  under  when  they  lived  in  this 
world.  They  are  called  the  heathen,  the  nations, 
the  Avoi'ld,  the  ■wicked,  and  those  that  do  iniquity; 
they  arc  called  men,  women,  [of]  Sodom,  Sidon, 
Bethsaida,  Capernaum,  and  Tyre.  The  men  of 
Nineveh  shall  rise  up  in  judgment ;  Lu.  x.  12—14.  the 
queen  of  the  south  shall  risei  up  in  the  judgment ; 
M;it.  lii.  41, 42.  and  it  shall  be  more  tolerahle  for 
Sodom  in  the  day  of  judgment  than  for  other 
sinners  that  have  resisted  more  light.  Mat.  xi.  21—24. 
'  The  heavens  and  the  earth,  which  are  now,  -  - 
are  kept  in  store,  reserved  unto  fire  against  the 
day  of  judgment  and  perdition  of  ungodly  men. ' 
3  Pe.  iiL  7.  Joel  iii.  12—14.  Now  these  terms,  or  names, 
ai-e  not  given  to  the  spirits  of  the  wicked  only,  but 
to  them  as  consisting  of  body  and  soul.  Further, 
Christ  tells  his  adversaries,  when  they  had  appre- 
hended him,  and  shamefully  entreated  him,  that 
yet  they  should  see  him  sit  on  the  right  hand  of 
power,  and  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  Mat.  xxv. 
31,33;  xxvi.  64.  Judc  l-i.  15.  as  John  also  doth  testify, 
saying,  'Behold,  he  cometh  wMth  clouds;  and 
every  eye  shall  see  him,  and  they  also  which  pierced 
him:  and  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail 
because  of  him, '  Re.  i.  7.  Now  none  of  these  sayings 
are  yet  fulfilled,  neither  shall  they,  until  his  second 
coming ;  for  though  the  Jews  did  many  of  them 
see  him,  when  he  did  liang  upon  the  cross,  yet 
then  he  was  not  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven, 
neither  did  then  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  wail 
because  of  him.  No,  this  is  reserved  till  he  comes 
to  judge  the  world ;  for  then  shall  the  ungodly  be 
so  put  to  it,  that  gladly  they  would  creep  into  the 
most  invincible  rock  or  mountain  under  heaven,  to 
hide  themselves  from  his  face,  and  the  majesty  of 
iiis  lieavenly  presence,   Ee.  vi.  11-17.      There   sJiall 


therefore,  that  this  may  be  brought  to  pass,  be  a 
resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and  un- 
just. For  though  an  opinion  of  no  resurrection 
may  now  lull  men  asleep,  in  security  and  impiety, 
yet  the  Lord  when  he  comes  will  rouse  them,  and 
cause  them  to  awake ;  not  only  out  of  their  secu- 
rity, but  out  of  their  graves,  to  their  doom,  that 
they  may  receive  for  their  error,  the  recompense 
that  is  meet. 

Second,  The  body  of  the  ungodly  must,  at  the 
last,  arise  out  of  the  grave,  because  that  body  and 
their  soul,  while  they  lived  in  the  world,  were  co- 
partners in  their  lusts  and  wickedness.  '  The 
Lord  is  a  God  of  knowledge,  and  by  him  actions 
are  weighed. '  1  Sa.  ii.  3.  He  will  therefore  bring  every 
work  into  judgment,  '  with  every  secret  thing. ' 
Ec.  xii.  14.  And  as  he  will  bring  into  judgment  every 
work,  so  will  he  also  the  worker  thereof,  'even  the 
dead,  small  and  great. '  Ke.  xx.  13— 14.  It  is  not  in 
God  to  lay  the  punishment  where  the  fault  is  not, 
neither  to  punish  a  part  of  the  damned  for  the 
whole.  '  With  righteousness  shall  he  judge  the 
world,  and  the  people  with  equity. '  Ps.  xcviii.  9.  '  Shall 
not  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right  ?'  Ge.  xvUi.  2.5. 
As  therefore  the  body  was  co-partner  with  the 
soul  in  sinning,  so  shall  every  man  receive  the 
things  done  in  his  body,  according  to  what  he 
hath  done.  Wherefore  he  saith  in  another  place, 
'  Behold,  I  come  quickly  ;  and  my  reward  is  with 
me,  to  give  every  man  according  as  his  work  shall 
be.' Re. .\xii.  12.  There  shall  therefore  be  a  resur- 
rection of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and  wyust. 

Third,  The  body  of  the  wicked  must  rise  again, 
because  as  the  whole  man  of  the  just  also  that  is 
the  vessel  of  mercy  and  glory ;  so  the  whole  man 
of  the  unjust  is  the  vessel  of  wrath  and  destruction. 
There  are,  saith  Paul,  in  a  great  house  not  only 
vessels  of  gold  and  of  silver,  but  also  of  wood  and 
of  earth,  and  some  to  honour  and  some  to  dis- 
honour. Now,  as  he  sheweth  us,  these  vessels  to 
honour,  they  are  good  men,  and  the  vessels  to  dis- 
honour are  the  bad.  2  Ti.  ii.  20,  21.  Now  as  these 
vessels  to  dishonour,  are  called  the  vessels  of  wrath: 
so  it  is  said,  that  God  with  much  long-sufi"ering, 
doth  suff"er  them  to  be  fitted  to  destruction.  Ro.  ix. 
22.  IIow  they  are  thus  fitted,  he  also  further 
sheweth,  where  he  saith,  They  do  '  after  thy  hard- 
ness and  impenitent  heart  treasure  up  unto  thyself 
wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath  and  revelation  of 
the  righteous  judgment  of  God,'  Eo.  ii.  5.  which 
treasures  of  wickedness,  James  saith,  it  is  trea- 
sured up  against  the  last  days  (which  is  the  time 
of  judgment),  and  observe  it,  he  saith,  that  then 
it  shall  eat  i\}mi'  flesh  as  it  were  fire.  Ja.  v.  2, 3.  Now 
then,  their  b.odies  being  the  vessels  of  the  wrath 
of  God,  ajid  again,  seeing  with  this  wrath  they 
njust  be  posses?.ed  at  thp  last  day,  that  their  flesh 
mmi  with  it,  b.p  c.aten,  it  is  Qvidcut,  that  their  body 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


105 


aiust  rise  again  out  of  their  graves,  and  before  the 
judgment-seat  appear;  for  it  is  from  thence,  that 
each  of  them  must  go  with  his  full  load  to  their 
long  and  eternal  home,  '  where  their  worm  dieth 
not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched.'  Mar. L\. 47, 4S. 

Foiuili,  The  severity  of  the  hand  of  God  towards 
his  children,  with  his  forbearance  of  his  enemies, 
doth  clearly  bespeak  a  resurrection  of  the  ungodly, 
that  they  may  receive  the  reward  for  their  wicked- 
ness which  they  have  committed  in  this  world. 
^Ye  know,  that  while  the  eyes  of  the  wicked  start 
out  with  fatness,  the  godly  are  plagued  all  the  day 
long,  and  chastened  every  morning,  Ps.  Ixxiii.  3—15. 
wherefore  it  is  evident,  that  the  place  and  time  of 
the  punishment  of  the  ungodly,  it  is  another  world. 
If  'judgment  must  begin  at  the  house  of  God,  -  - 
what  shall  the  end  he  of  them  that  obey  not  the 
gospel  of  God  ?  And  if  the  righteous  scarcely  be 
saved,  where  shall  the  ungodly  and  the  sinner 
appear  ?'  1 1'e.  iv.  17, 18.  Alas,  poor  creatures !  they 
now  plot  against  the  righteous,  and  gnash  upon 
them  with  their  teeth  ;  but  '  the  Lord  shall  laugh 
at  him,  for  he  seeth  that  his  day  is  coming;'  Ps. 
x.trfii.  13.  for  as  he  saith,  the  wicked  is  reserved,  or 
let  alone  in  his  wickedness,  to  the  day  of  destruc- 
tion, and  shall  then  be  brought  forth  to  the  day 
of  wrath,  though  in  the  meantime,  he  may  go  to 
his  grave  in  his  banner,  and  rest  within  his  tomb.* 
Job  xxi.  29—32.  As  Peter  saith  again,  '  The  Lord 
knoweth  how  to  deliver  the  godly  out  of  tempta- 
tions, and  to  reserve  the  unjust  imto  the  day  of 
judgment  to  be  pimished:'  2Pe.  u.  9.  And  Jude 
saith,  For  them  '  is  reserved  the  blackness  of  dark- 
ness for  ever, '  Jude  13.  The  punishment  of  the  un- 
godly, it  is  reserved  till  the  day  of  judgment,  which 
will  be  the  time  of  their  resurrection.     Observe, 

L  The  wicked  must  be  punished. 

2.  The  time  of  their  pimishment  is  not  now,  but 
at  the  day  of  judgment. 

3.  This  day  of  judgment,  must  be  the  same  with 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  at  the  end  of  this 
world.  'As  therefore  the  tares  are  gathered  and 
burned  in  the  fire ;  so  shall  it  be  in  the  end  of 
this  world.  The  Son  of  man  shall  send  forth  his 
angels,  and  they  shall  gather  out  of  his  kingdom 
all  things  that  otiend,  and  them  which  do  iniquity; 
And  shall  cast  them  into  a  furnace  of  fire :  there 
shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth.'  Mat.xiii.40, 
41.  There  shall  then  be  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
both  of  the  just  and  unjust. 

4.  The  sovereignty  of  the  Lord  Jesus  over  all 
creatures,  doth  plainly  foreshew  a  resurrection  of 
the  bad,  as  well  as  of  the  good.  Indeed,  the  un- 
just shall  not  arise,  by  virtue  of  any  relation  they 

*  '  Go  to  his  grave  in  his  banncT,'  alludina;  to  splendid  fune- 
rals, the  hearse  being  ornamented  with  banners  captured  in 
war,  or  aimorial  bearings. — Ed. 

VOL.  II. 


Stand  in  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  the  saints  shall  ; 
but  yet,  because  all  are  delivered  into  his  hand, 
and  he  made  sovereign  Lord  over  them ;  therefore 
by  an  act  of  his  sovereign  power,  they  that  are 
ungodly,  shall  arise;  this  is  Christ's  own  argu- 
ment, 'The  Father  judgeth  no  man,'  saith  he,  'but 
hath  committed  all  judgment  unto  the  Son  ' — that 
is,  count  him,  and  fall  before  him  as  their  sove- 
reign Lord,  even  as  they  honour  the  Father,  and 
he  hath  given  him  authority  to  execute  judgment 
also,  because  he  is  the  Son  of  man.  And  then  he 
adds,  '  Llarvel  not  at  this :  for  the  hour  is  coming, 
in  the  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear 
his  voice.  And  shall  come  forth ;  they  that  have 
done  good,  unto  the  resurrection  of  life ;  and  they 
that  have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  dam- 
nation. '  Jn.  V.  22—29.  From  hence  also  Paul  argueth, 
saying,  '  For  to  this  end  Christ  both  died,  and  rose, 
and  revived,  that  he  might  be  Lord  both  of  the 
dead  and  living, '  and  then  adds,  '  We  shall  all 
stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ. '  Ro..xiv.9,io. 
Pray  mind  these  words,  Jesus  Christ  by  his 
death  and  resurrection,  did  not  only  purchase  grace, 
and  remission  of  sins,  for  his  elect,  with  their  eter- 
nal glory;  but  did  thereby  also  obtain  of  the  Father 
to  be  Lord,  and  head  over  all  things,  whether  they 
be  things  in  heaven,  or  things  on  earth,  or  things 
under  the  earth.  'AH  power,'  saith  he,  'is  given 
unto  me,  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  and  I  have  the 
kej's  of  hell  and  of  death,'  Mat.  xxviii.  I8;  Ke.  i.  18.  So 
that  all  things,  I  say,  whether  they  be  visible,  or 
invisible,  whether  they  be  thrones  or  dominions,  or 
principalities  or  powers ;  all  things  were  created 
by  him,  and  for  him,  Col.  i.  16.  This  being  thus,  '  at 
the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  -  -  - 
and  that  every  tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father,' 
PM.  ii.  10, 11.  Now,  that  this  may  be  done,  He  hath 
his  resolutions  upon  a  judgment-day,  in  which  he, 
to  shew  himself  his  people,  his  Avay,  and  word  in 
their  glory,  will  have  all  his  enemies  raised  out  of 
their  graves,  and  brought  before  him,  where  he  wiU 
sit  upon  them  in  the  throne  of  his  glory,  and  will 
shew  them  then,  'who  is  the  blessed  and  only  poten- 
tate, the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords;'  Mat. 

XXV.  31,  32;  ITi.  Til4,15. 

Behold,  He  comes,  '  with  ten  thousand  of  his 
saints,  to  execute  judgment  upon  all,  and  to  con- 
vince all  that  are  ungodly  among  them  of  all  their 
ungodly  deeds  which  they  have  ungodly  committed, 
and  of  all  their  hard  sjjeeches  which  ungodly  sinners 
have  spoken  against  him,'  Jude u,  15. 

Fifth,  The  great  preparation  that  God  hath 
made  for  the  judgment  of  the  wicked,  doth  clearly 
demonstrate  their  rising  forth  out  of  their  graves. 
1.  He  hath  appointed  the  day  of  their  rising.  2.  He 
hath  appointed  their  judge,  to  judge  them.  3.  He 
hath  recorded  all  their  acts  and  doings  against 
o 


106 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DE.\D. 


that  daj.  4,  He  liatli  also  already  appointed  the  wit- 
nesses to  come  in  against  them.  5.  Tlie  instruments 
of  death  and  misery,  are  already  prepared  for  them. 

1 .  He  hath  appointed  the  day  of  their  rising, 
which  day  John  calleth  the  time  of  the  dead,  that 
they  should  he  judged,  Re.xi.18;  which  time,  Paul 
saith,  is  a  time  fixed ;  '  He  hath  appointed  a  day 
in  which  he  will  judge  the  world,'  kc,  AcxviuSi. 
This  time  and  day  Christ  brings  down  to  an  Imvr, 
saying,  '  The  hour  is  coming,  in  the  which  all  that 
are  iu  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall 
come  forth ; '  &,c.,  Jn.  v.  28, 29. 

2.  As  he  hath  appointed  the  day,  so  he  hath 
appointed  the  judge,  '  He  hath  appointed  a  day  in 
the  which  he  will  judge  the  Avorld  in  righteousness, 
by  that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained,  whereof  he 
hath  given  assurance  to  all  men,  in  that  he  hath 
raised  him  from  the  dead. '  Ac.  .wii.  31.  This  man  is 
Jesus  Christ ;  for  it  is  he  that  is  '  ordained  of  God 
to  he  the  judge  of  quick  and  dead.'  Ac.  x.  43. 

3.  All  their  deeds  and  works,  to  a  word  and 
thought,  are  every  one  already  recorded  and  en- 
rolled in  the  books  of  the  laws  of  heaven  against 
Vhat  day.  '  The  sin  of  Judah  is  written  with  a  pen 
of  iron,  and  with  the  point  of  a  diamond :  -  -  - 
upon  the  table  of  their  heart,'  Je.  xyii.  i.  And  again 
saith  God,  '  Write  it  -  -  in  a  table,  and  note  it 
iu  a  book,  that  it  may  be  for  the  time  to  come, 
even  for  ever  and  ever,  that  this  is  a  rebellious 
people,'  he,  is.  xxx.  8, 9. 

4.  God  hath  prepared  his  witnesses  against  this 

day.  Ja.  V.  1—3.  Job  XX.  27.  Mat.  xxiv.  14.  Ko.  ii.  14, 15.  Mai.  iii.  5. 

5.  The  instruments  of  death,  and  eternal  misery, 
are  already  prepared,  '  He  hath  also  prepared 
for  him  the  instruments  of  death ;  he  ordaineth  his 
arrows  against  the  persecutors. '  Ps.  vu.  is.  Ps.  xxi.  12. 
Hell  is  of  old  prepared,  he  hath  made  it  deep  and 
large,  the  fire,  the  everlasting  fire,  is  also  now  of 
a  long  time  prepared ;  is.  xxx.  33.  Mat.  xxv.  41;  the  heavy 
weights  of  God's  curse  are  also  ready,  De.xxix.20, 
and  their  '  damnation  now  of  a  long  time  slumber- 
eth  not.'  2Pe.  ii.  3.  But  now  I  say,  how  ridiculous 
a  busi  "r  ,0  would  all  this  be,  if  these  things  should 
be  all  prepared  of  the  only  wise  God,  and  there 
should  be  none  to  be  judged ;  or  if  he  that  is  or- 
dained judge,  should  not,  either  through  want  of 
power  or  will,  command  these  rebels,  and  force 
them  before  his  judgment-seat.  Glad  indeed, 
would  the  sinners  be,  if  these  things  might  be 
true ;  glad  I  say,  at  very  heart,  if  they  might  be 
in  their  secret  places  of  darkness,  and  the  grave 
for  ever ;  but  it  must  not  be  ;  the  day  of  their  rising 
is  set;  the  judge  is  appointed;  their  deeds  are 
written ;  the  deep  dungeon  is  with  open  mouth 
ever  waiting  for  them ;  wherefore  at  the  day  ap- 
pointed, neither  earth,  nor  death,  nor  hell  can 
hinder:  There  sliall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
both  of  the  just  and  mijust. 


Sixth  and  Lastly,  Besides  what  hath  been  said, 
I  cannot  but  believe,  there  shall  be  a  resurrection 
of  the  wicked  at  the  last  day,  because  of  the  mi- 
godly  consequences,  and  errors  that  do  most  natu- 
rally follow  the  denial  thereof.     For, 

1.  He  that  taketh  away  the  doctrine  of  the  re- 
surrection of  the  wicked ;  he  taketh  away  one  of 
the  main  arguments  that  God  hath  provided  for  to 
convince  a  sinner  of  the  evil  of  his  ways ;  for  how 
shall  a  sinner  be  convinced  of  the  evil  of  sin,  if  he 
be  not  convinced  of  the  certainty  of  eternal  judg- 
ment? and  how  shall  he  be  convinced  of  eternal 
judgment,  if  you  persuade  him,  that  when  he  is 
dead,  he  shall  not  at  all  rise  ?  especially  seeing  the 
resurredion  of  the  dead  and  qIqywq].  judgment  Taw?,i 
unavoidably  be  one  the  forerunner  of  the  other. 
He.  vi.  2.  It  was  Paul's  reasoning  of  righteousness, 
temperance,  and  judgment  to  come  that  made  Felix 
tremble.  Ac.  xxiv.  25.  It  is  this  also  he  calleth  the 
argument  of  terror,  wherewith  he  persuaded  men. 
2Co.  V.  10, 11.  This  was  Solomon's  argument ;  Ec.xL  9. 
and  Christ's  also,  where  he  saith,  '  that  every  idlo 
word  that  men  shall  speak,  they  shall  give  account 
thereof  in  the  day  of  judgment.'  Mat.  .\ii.  36. 

2.  They  that  deny  the  resm-rection  of  the  wicked, 
they  do  both  allow  and  maintain  the  chief  doctrine 
of  the  ranters,  with  most  of  the  debauched  persona 
in  the  world.  For  the  ranters  deny  it  both  ui 
principle  and  practice,  and  the  other  in  practice  at 
least.  Now  to  me  it  is  very  strange,  that  these 
men  above  aU  other,  should  both  know  and  live*  in 
the  doctrines  of  the  kingdom  of  God:  especially 
seeing  the  denial  hereof  is  an  evident  token  of  one 
appointed  to  wrath  and  destruction.  2  Ti.  ii.  18.  But  to 
be  plain ;  there  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
both  of  the  just  and  unjust:  wherefore,  whatever 
others  may  say  or  profess,  being  beguiled  by  Satan, 
and  their  own  hearts,  yet  do  thou  fear  him  that  can 
'  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell. '  Mat.  x.  28. 

There  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both 
of  the  just  and  unjust.  'And  the  sea  gave  up  the 
dead  which  were  in  it,  and  death  and  heU  delivered 
up  the  dead  which  were  in  them. '  Re.  xx.  13. 

Having  in  the  first  place  shewed  you,  that  the 
wicked  must  arise ;   I  shall  in  the  next  place, 

Second,  Shew  you  the  manner  of  their  rising. 
And  observe  it,  as  the  very  title  of  the  just  and 
imjust,  are  opposites,  so  they  are  iu  all  other  mat- 
ters, and  in  their  resurrections. 

MANNER  OF  TEE  RESURRECTION  OF  TlIE  WICKED. 

First  then,  as  the  just  in  their  resurrection  do 
come  forth  in  incorruption :  the  unjust  in  their 
resurrection,  shall  come  forth  in  their  corruptions; 


*  Imsanctified  knowledge,  accompanied  by  a  degree  of  con- 
formity in  conduct,  may  be  the  portion  of  some  who  indulge 
soul-dcstroyiug  hcix'sics. — Ed. 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


107 


^or  tliougli  the  ungodly  at  tlieir  resurrection,  sliall 
for  ever  after,  be  incapable  of  having  body  and  soul 
separate ;  or  of  their  being  annihilated  into  nothing, 
yet  it  shall  be  far  from  them  to  rise  in  iucorruption ; 
for  if  they  arise  in  iucorruption,  they  must  arise  to 
life,  and  also  must  have  the  conquest  over  sin  and 
death,  l  Co.  xv.  45.  but  that  they  shall  not ;  for  it  is 
the  righteous  only,  that  put  on  iucorruption,  that 
are  swallowed  up  of  life.  The  wicked's  resurrec- 
tion, it  is  called  the  resurrection  of  damnation. 
Jn.v.  28.  These  in  their  very  resurrection,  shall  be 
hurt  of  the  second  death.  They  shall  arise  in 
death,  and  shall  be  under  it,  under  the  gnawings, 
and  terrors  of  it,  all  the  time  of  their  arraignment. 
As  it  were,  a  living  death  shall  feed  upon  them ; 
they  shall  never  be  spiritually  alive,  nor  yet  abso- 
lutely dead ;  but  much  after  that  manner,  that 
natural  death,  and  hell,  by  reason  of  guilt,  doth 
feed  on  him,  that  is  going  before  the  judge,  to 
receive  his  condemnation  to  the  gallows.  You 
know,  though  a  felon  go  forth  of  the  jail,  when  he 
is  going  to  the  bar  for  his  arraignment,  yet  he  is 
not  out  of  prison,  or  out  of  his  irons  for  that ;  his 
fetters  are  still  making  a  noise  on  his  heels,*  and 
the  thoughts  of  wliat  he  is  to  hear  by  and  by  from 
the  judge,  is  still  frighting  and  afflicting  his  heart ; 
death,  like  some  evil  spirit  or  ghost,  doth  con- 
tinually haunt  him,  and  plaj'eth  the  butcher  con- 
tinually in  his  soul  and  conscience,  with  frights  and 
fears  about  the  thoughts  of  the  sudden,  and  insup- 
portable after-clap,  by  and  by  he  is  to  meet  withal. 
Thus  I  say,  will  the  wicked  come  out  of  their 
graves,  having  yet  the  chains  of  eternal  death 
hanging  on  them,  and  the  talons  of  that  dreadful 
ghost  fastened  in  their  souls ;  so  that  life  will  be 
far  from  them,  even  as  far  as  heaven  is  from  hell. 
This  morning  to  them,  is  even  as  the  shadow  of 
death.  They  will  then  be  in  the  very  terrors  of 
the  shadow  of  death.  Job  xxiv.  17.  As  Christ  saith, 
'  Their  worm  dieth  not  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched. ' 
Mar.  k.  u.  From  death  to  eternity,  it  never  shall  be 
quenched,  their  bed  is  now  among  the  flames ;  and 
when  they  rise,  they  will  rise  in  flames  ;  while  they 
stand  before  the  judge,  it  will  be  in  flames,  even 
in  the  flames  of  a  guilty  conscience ;  they  will  in 
iheir  coming  before  the  judge,  be  within  the  very 
jaws  of  death  and  destruction.  Thus  1  say,  the 
inigodly  shall  be  far  off  from  rising  as  the  saints ; 
for  they  will  be  even  in  the  region  and  shadow  of 
death-  The  first  moment  of  their  rising,  death 
will  be  ever  over  them,  ever  feeding  on  their  souls ; 


*  A  graphic  writer,  addressing  us  at  the  distance  of  two 
centuries,  frequently  makes  interesting  mention  of  manners  and 
customs  prevailiu;?  at  the  time  wherein  he  lived.  From  the 
illustration  here  employed  by  Bunyan,  we  learn  that  the  culprit 
before  trial,  and  therefore  before  convicted  of  crime,  was  in  a 
manner  prejudged,  and  loaded  with  fettera.  These  extreme 
jiidicial  sevfiitici  belong  to  the  pjit. 


and  ever  presenting  to  their  hearts,  the  heights  and 
depths,  of  the  misery  that  now  nuist  seize  them, 
and,  like  a  bottomless  gulf,  must  swallow  them  up. 
'  They  shall  move  out  of  their  holes  like  worms  of 
the  earth:  They  shall  be  afraid  of  the  Loud  our 
God.'  Mi.  vii.  17. 

Second,  As  the  resurrection  of  the  godly  shall 
be  a  resurrection  in  glory :  so  the  resurrection  of 
the  wicked,  it  will  be  a  resurrection  in  dishonour. 
Yea,  as  the  glory  of  saints,  at  the  day  of  their 
rising,  will  be  glory  unspeakable  ;  so  the  dishonour 
of  the  ungodly  at  that  day,  it  will  be  dishonour 
beyond  expression.  As  Daniel  saith,  the  good 
shall  rise  to  everlasting  life,  but  the  wicked  to 
shame  and  everlasting  contempt.  Da.  xii.  2.  And 
again,  '0  Lord,  when  thou  awakest,'  that  is,  to 
judge  them,  '  thou  shalt  despise  their  image.'  Ps. 
ixxiii.  20.  Never  was  toad  or  serpent  more  loathsome 
to  any,  than  these  will  be  in  the  eyes  of  God,  in 
their  rising  forth  of  their  graves.  When  they  go 
to  their  graves,  saith  Job,  '  His  bones  are  full  of 
tlie  sin  of  his  youth,  which  shall  lie  down  with  him 
in  the  dust. '  Job  xx.  n.  And  arise  they  shall,  in  the 
same  noisome  and  stinking  condition  ;  for  as  death 
leaves,  so  judgment  finds  them.  At  the  resurrec- 
tion then  of  these  ungodly,  they  will  be  in  a  very 
loathsome  condition. 

The  imgodly  at  their  death  are  like  the  thistle 
seed,  but  at  their  rising,  they  will  be  like  the  thistle 
grown ;  more  noisome,  offensive,  and  provoking  to 
rejection  abundance.*  Then  such  dishonour,  shame, 
and  contempt  will  appear  in  them,  that  neither 
God  nor  Christ,  saints  nor  angels,  will  so  much  as 
once  regard  them,  or  vouchsafe  once  to  come  near 
them.  *  He  beholdeth  the  wicked  afar  off ; '  because 
in  the  day  of  grace,  they  wovdd  not  come  to  hand, 
and  be  saved,  therefore  now  they  shall,  all  as 
thorns,  be  thrust  away,  as  with  fences  of  iron, 
2  Sa.  xxiii.  G,  7.  Their  rising,  is  called  the  resurrection 
of  the  unjust,  and  so  they  at  that  day  will  appear, 
and  will  more  stink  in  the  nostrils  of  God,  and  all 
the  heavenly  hosts,  than  if  they  had  the  most  irk- 
some plague-sores  in  the  world  running  on  them. 
If  a  man  at  his  birth,  be  counted  as  oue  cast  forth 
to  the  loathing  of  his  person ;  how  loathscme,  and 
irksome,  dishonourable,  and  contemptible,  will  those 
be  tliat  shall  arise  Godless,  Christless,  Spiritless, 
and  graceless,  when  the  trumpet  sounds  to  their 
judgment,  they  coming  out  of  their  graves,  far 
more  loathsome,  and  filthy,  than  if  they  should 
ascend  out  of  the  most  filthy  hole  on  earth. 

Third,  As  the  just  shall  arise  in  power,  so  the 
wicked  and  unjust,  in  weakness  and  astonishment. 
Sin  and  guilt  bringeth  weakness,  and  faintness  in 
this  life  ;  how  much  more,  when  both  with  all  their 
power  and  force,  like  a  giant,  fasten  on  them ;  as 


•Abundance,'  eiubcrauce,  more  than  euough.— Ed. 


108 


OF  THE  RESUllRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


God  saith,  '  Can  tliine  heart  endure,  or  can  thine 
hands  he  strong,  in  the  days  that  I  shall  deal  with 
thee?'  Eze.xxii. u.  Now  will  the  ghastly  jaws  of 
despair  gape  upon  thee,  and  now  will  condenmings 
of  conscience,  like  thunder-claps,  continually  hatter 
against  thy  weary  spirit.  It  is  the  godly  that  have 
holdness  in  the  day  of  judgment ;  i  Jn.  iv.  17.  but  the 
wicked  will  he  like  the  chatt"  which  the  Avind  driveth 
away.  Ps.  i.  4.  Oh  the  fear,  and  the  heart-aching 
that  Av ill  seize  them  in  their  rising!  the  frightful 
thoughts  that  then  will  fill  their  throbbing  hearts ! 
Now  must  that  soul  that  hath  been  in  hell-fire 
among  the  devils  possess  the  body  again.  Possess 
it,  I  say,  with  the  hot  scalding  stink  of  hell  upon 
it.  They  shall  not  be  able  to  lift  up  the  head  for 
ever ;  pangs  shall  take  hold  on  them,  all  their  hands 
shall  faint,  and  every  man's  heart  shall  melt; 
*  They  shall  be  amazed  one  at  another,  their  faces 
shall  be  as  flames. '  is.  xiii.  6-8.  Everything  they 
see,  hear,  or  think  of,  shall  tend  to  their  discom- 
fort. They  must  needs  be  weak,  Avhom  God  hath 
left,  whom  guilt  hath  seized,  and  whom  death  is 
swallowing  up  for  ever. 

Fourth,  As  the  just  shall  arise  spiritual  bodies, 
so  the  unjust  shall  arise  only  as  mere  and  naked 
lumps  of  sinful  nature ;  not  having  the  least  help 
from  God,  to  bear  them  up  under  this  condition. 
Wherefore,  so  soon  as  ever  they  are  risen  out  of 
their  graves ;  they  will  feel  a  continual  sinking 
under  every  remembrance  of  every  sin,  and  thoughts 
of  judgment ;  in  their  rising  they  fall — fall,  I  say, 
from  thenceforth,  and  for  ever.  And  for  this  rea- 
son the  dungeon  into  which  they  fall  is  called 
'bottomless.'  Re. xx.  1.  Because,  as  there  will  be  no 
end  of  their  misery,  so  there  will  be  no  stay 
or  prop  to  bear  them  up  in  it.  Only,  as  I  said 
before,  they  shall  not  now,  as  afore,  be  separate 
body  from  soul ;  but  both  together,  be  bound  in  the 
cords  of  sin  and  iniquity,  in  which  they  shall  now 
tremble  as  thieves  and  murderers,  cfcc,  as  they  go  be- 
fore the  Judge,  to  hear  what  he  will  say  unto  them. 

[TiiiUD — The  examination  and  judgment  of  the 
loicked.^ — Now,  Avhcn  the  wicked  are  thus  raised 
out  of  their  graves,  they  shall,  together  with  all 
the  angels  of  darkness,  their  fellow-prisoners,  be 
brought  up,  being  shackled  in  their  sins,  to  the 
place  of  judgment ;  where  there  shall  sit  upon  them 
Jesus  Christ,  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of 
lords,  the  Lord  Chief  Judge  of  things  in  heaven, 
and  things  in  earth,  and  things  under  the  earth. 
On  whose  right  hand,  and  left,  shall  sit  all  the 
princes,  and  heavenly  nobles ;  the  saints  and  pro- 
phets, the  apostles  and  witnesses  of  Jesus ;  every 
one  in  his  kingly  attire,  upon  the  throne  of  his 
glory.  Joel  iii.  11—14.  Then  shall  be  fulfilled  that 
which  is  written,  *  But  those  mine  enemies,  which 
would  not  that  I  shoidd  reign  over  them,  bring 
hither,  and  slay  them. '  Lu  six.  27. 


[the  judgment  of  the  wicked.] 

When  every  one  is  thus  set  in  his  proper  place, 
tlie  Judge  on  his  throne,  with  his  attendants,  and 
the  prisoners  coming  up  to  judgment,  fortliAvith 
there  shall  issue  forth  a  mighty  fire  and  tempest 
from  before  the  throne,  which  shall  compass  it  round 
about ;  Avhich  fire,  shall  be  as  bars  and  bounds  to 
the  wicked,  to  keep  them  at  a  certain  distance 
from  the  heavenly  Majesty.  As  David  saith,  '  Our 
God  shall  come,  and  shall  not  keep  silence ;  a  fire 
shall  devour  before  him,  and  it  shall  be  very  tem- 
pestuous round  about  him.'  Ps.  1.3.  And  again, 
*  His  throne  was  like  the  fiery  flame,  and  his  wheels 
as  burning  fire.  A  fiery  stream  issued  and  came 
forth  from  before  him:'  (fee.  Da.vii.9,10. 

This  preparation  being  made,  to  Avit,  the  Judge 
Avith  his  attendants,  on  the  throne ;  the  bar  for  the 
pi'isoners,  and  the  rebels  all  standing  Avith  ghastly 
jaws,  to  look  for  what  comes  after :  presently  the 
books  are  brought  forth,  to  wit,  the  books  both  of 
death  and  life ;  and  every  one  of  them  opened 
before  the  sinners,  noAV  to  be  judged  and  con- 
demned. For  after  that  he  had  said  before,  '  A 
fiery  stream  issued  and  came  forth  from  before 
him : '  he  adds,  '  Thousand  thousands  ministered 
unto  him,  and  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand 
stood  before  him :  the  judgment  was  set,  and  the 
book  Avas  opened.'  Da.  vu.  10.  And  again,  '  I  saw  a 
great  Avhite  throne,  and  him  that  sat  on  it,  from 
Avhose  face  the  earth  and  the  heaven  fled  aAA^ay; 
and  there  Avas  found  no  place  for  them.  And  I 
saw  the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before  God ; 
and  the  books  were  opened :  and  another  book  was 
opened,  Avhich  is  the  hook  of  life :  and  the  dead  Avere 
judged  out  of  those  things  Avhich  Avere  Avritten  in 
the  books,  according  to  their  Avorks. '  Ke.  xx.  11, 13. 

He  doth  not  say,  the  book  Avas  opened,  as  of 
one,  but  the  books,  as  of  many.  And  indeed, 
they  are  more  than  one,  two,  or  three,  out  of  AA'hich 
the  dead  shall  in  the  judgment  be  proceeded 
against. 

First  then,  there  is  the  book  of  the  creatures  to 
be  opened.  Second,  The  book  of  God's  re^nem- 
hrance.  Tliird,  The  book  of  the  laio.  And  fourth, 
the  book  of  life.  For  by  every  one  of  these,  that 
is,  out  of  what  is  written  in  them,  shall  the  world 
of  the  ungodly  be  judged. 

'  And  the  books  Avere  opened.' 

First,  The   book   of   the  creatures '^^^J^l\^°ll 
shall  be  opened,  and  that  first,  it  con-   first  part. 
eerns  man's  nature ;  and  next,  as  it  relates  to  all 
other  creatures. 

I.  He  will  shew  in  what  the  principles  of  nature 
Avere,  as  they  were  God's  creation ;  and  how  con- 
trary to  these  principles,  the  Avorld  have  walked, 
acted,  and  done.     The  principles  of  nature  are  con- 
1  eluded  under  three  general  heads. 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


109 


1.  That  man  by  liis  own  natural  reason  and 
judgment  may  gather,  that  there  is  a  God,  a  Deity, 
a  chief,  or  first,  or  principal  Being,  who  is  over 
all,  and  supreme  above  all.  This  instinct,  I  say, 
man  merely  as  he  is  a  rational  creature  findeth  in 
liimself;  and  hence  it  is,  that  all  heathens  that 
mind  their  own  natural  reason,  do  conclude,  that 
we  are  his  offspring;  that  is,  His  creation  and 
workmanship.  That  He  made  heaven  and  earth, 
and  hath  made  of  one  blood,  all  nations  of  men ; 
that   '  in  him   we  live,   and  move,   and  have  our 

being;'    ikc.    Ac.  xvii.  SJr— 29. 

It  appears  further,  that  man  by  his  own  nature, 
doth  know  that  there  is  such  a  God. 

(1.)  B}^  his  being  able  to  judge  by  nature,  that 
there  is  such  a  thing  as  sin ;  as  Christ  saith, 
'  Why  even  of  yourselves  judge  ye  not  what  is 
right  ? '  Lu.  xii.  57.  As  if  he  had  said,  You  are  de- 
generated even  from  the  principles  of  nature,  and 
right  reason  ;  as  Paul  saith  in  another  place, 
'  Doth  not  even  nature  itself  teach  you  ?'  i  Co.  xi.  14. 
Now  lie  that  can  judge,  that  thei-e  is  such  a  thing 
as  sin,  it  must  of  necessity  be,  that  he  understaudeth 
that  there  is  a  God,  to  whom  sin  is  opposite ;  for 
if  there  be  no  God,  there  is  no  sin  against  him ; 
and  he  that  knows  not  the  one,  knows  not  the 
other. 

(2.)  It  is  evident  further,  that  man  by  nature 
knows  that  there  is  a  God,  by  those  fits  of  fear, 
and  dread  that  are  often  begotten  in  themselves, 
even  in  every  man  that  breath  eth  in  this  world ; 

Man's  nature  is  a  ^^^'  ^^^J  ^^^  ^J  *^^i^  ^^^  Consciences, 
Book,  or  icnv  to  and  thoughts,  convicted  and  reproved, 
judged  and  condemned,  though  they 
know  neither  Moses  nor  Christ — For  the  Gentiles 
which  have  not  the  law,  these  are  a  law  to  them- 
selves, and  shew  the  work  of  the  law  written  in 
their  hearts,  Eo.  ii.  14, 15. — that  is,  by  this  very 
thing,  they  hold  forth  to  all  men,  that  God  created 
them  in  that  state  and  quality,  that  they  might  in 
and  by  their  own  nature,  judge  and  know  that 
there  is  a  God.  And  it  further  sheweth  itself, 
saith  he,  by  those  workings  of  heart,  convictions  of 
conscience,  and  accusations,  that  every  thought 
maketh  within  them,  together  with  the  fear  that 
is  begotten  in  them,  when  they  transgress,  or  do 
those  things  that  are  irrational,  or  contrary  to  what 
they  see  they  shall  do.  I  might  add  further,  that 
the  natural  proneness  that  is  in  aU  men  to  devotion 
and  religion,  that  is,  of  one  kind  or  another,  doth 
clearly  tell  us,  that  they  by  the  book  of  nature, 
which  book  is  themselves,  do  read  that  there  is  one 
great  and  eternal  God. 

2.  The  second  principle  of  nature  is,  that  this 
God  should  by  man  be  sought  after,  that  they 
might  enjoy  communion  with  him  for  ever.  As  I 
said  before,  the  light  of  nature  sheweth  man,  that 
there  is  a  great  God,  even  God  that  made  the  Avorld; 


and  the  end  of  its  shcAving  him  this  is,  that  '  they 
should  seek  the  Lord,  if  haply  they  might  feel  after 
him,  and  find  liim,  though  he  be  not  far  from  every 
one  of  us. '   Ac.  xvii.  27. 

3.  This  light  of  nature  tcacheth,  that  men  be- 
tween themselves,  should  .do  that  which  is  just  and 
equal.  As  IMoses  said,  and  that  long  before  the 
law  was  given,  '  Sirs,  ye  are  brethren,  why  do  ye 
wrong  one  another  ?  '  Ac.  vii.  26.  Ex.  ii.  13.  as  who 
shoidd  say,  You  are  of  equal  creation,  you  are  the 
same  flesh ;  you  both  judge,  that  it  is  not  equally 
done  of  any,  to  do  you  wrong,  and  therefore  ought 
to  judge  by  the  same  reason,  that  ye  ought  not  to 
wrong  one  another. 

Now  against  every  one  of  these  three  principles, 
hath  every  man  in  the  whole  world  transgressed ; 
as  Paul  saith,  '  For  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  -  - 
are  all  under  sin.'  Ro.  lii.  9.  For  as  touching  the 
first,  (1.)  who  is  he  that  hath  honoured,  reverenced, 
worshipped,  and  adored  the  living  God,  to  the 
height,  both  of  what  they  saw  in  him,  and  also 
according  to  the  goodness  and  mercy  they  have  as 
men  received  from  him  ?  All  have  served  and 
worshipped  the  creature  moi'e  than  the  Creator, 
who  is  blessed  for  ever,  Ro.  i.  25.  and  so  have  walked 
contrary  to,  and  have  sinned  against,  this  bond  of 
nature,  in  this  first  principle  of  it. 

(2.)  Men,  instead  of  minding  their  own  future 
happiness,  as  nature  teacheth,  they  have,  througli 
their  giving  way  to  sin  and  Satan,  minded  nothing 
less ;  for  though  reason  teacheth  all  men  to  love 
that  which  is  good  and  profitable,  yet  they,  con- 
trary to  this,  have  loved  that  which  is  hurtful  and 
destructive.  Yea,  though  sense  teacheth  to  avoid 
the  danger  that  is  manifest ;  yet  man,  contrary  to 
reason  and  sense  both,  even  aU  men,  have  both 
against  light  and  feeling,  rejected  their  own  happi- 
ness ;  as  Paul  saith,  '  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. '  Ro.  i.  31. 

(3.)  Man,  instead  of  doing  equity,  and  as  he 
would  be  done  by,  which  nature  itself  teacheth:  he 
hath  given  up  himself  to  vile  affections,  being  filled, 
by  refusing  the  dictates  of  nature,  '  with  all  un- 
righteousness, fornication,  wickedness,  covetous- 
ness,  maliciousness ;  full  of  envy,  murder,  debate, 
deceit,  malignity;  whisperers,  backbiters,  haters 
of  God,  despiteful,  proud,  boasters,  inventors  of 
evil  things,  disobedient  to  parents,  M-ithout  under- 
standing, covenant-breakers,  without  natural  affec- 
tion, implacable,  unmerciful. '  Ro.  i.  29—31. 

And  observe  it,  he  doth  not  say,  that  all  these 
things  are  by  every  man  put  into  practice  ;  but 
every  man  hath  all  these  in  his  heart,  which  there 
defile  the  soul,  and  make  it  abominable  in  the  sight 
of  God.  They  aveJiUed  witli  all  mirighteousness, 
which  also  appears,  as  occasion  serveth,  sometimes 


110 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


one  of  tliera,  sometimes  more.  Now,  man  having 
sinned  against  that  natural  light,  judgment,  rea- 
son, and  conscience,  tliat  God  hath  given  him; 
therefore,  though  as  I  said  hefore,  he  neitlierkncw 
]\Ioses  nor  Christ,  yet  he  shall  perish.  '  As 
many,'  saith  Paul,  'as  have  sinned  without  law, 
shall  also  perish  without  law.'  Ro.  ii.  13. 

Yea,  here  will  man  he  found  not  only  a  sinner 
against  God,  hut  an  opposer  of  himself,  a  contra- 
dictor of  liis  own  nature,  and  one  tliat  will  not  do 
that  which  he  judge th  even  of  himself  to  be  right. 
3  Ti.  ii.  25.  Their  sin  is  written  upon  the  tables  of 
their  own  heart,  Je.  xvii.  i.  and  their  own  wickedness 
and  backsliding  shall  both  correct  and  reprove 
them.  Jc.  ii.  19. 

It  is  marvellous,  if  we  consider,  how  curious  a 
creature  man  was  made  of  God ;  to  behold  how 
much  below,  besides,  and  against  that  state  and 
place,  man  acts  and  does  in  this  state  of  sin  and 
degeneracy.  Man  in  his  creation  was  made  in  the 
image  of  God,  Ge.  i.  26.  but  man,  by  reason  of  his 
yielding  to  the  tempter,  hath  made  himself  the 
very  figure  and  image  of  the  devil.  Man  by  crea- 
tion was  made  upright  and  sinless  ;  but  man  by 
sin,  hath  made  himself  crooked  and  sinful.  Ec.  vii.  29. 
Jlan  by  creation  had  all  the  faculties  of  his  soul  at 
liberty  to  study  God  his  creator,  and  his  glorious 
attributes  and  being;  but  man  by  sin,  hath  so 
bound  up  his  own  senses  and  reason ;  and  hath 
given  way  for  blindness  and  ignorance  of  God,  so 
to  reign  in  his  soul;  that  now  he  is  captivated  and 
licld  bound  in  alienation  and  estrangedness  both 
from  God,  and  all  things  truly  spiritually  good ; 
*  Because,'  saith  he,  'that  when  they  knew  God, 
they  glorified  Jiim  not  as  God,  -  -  but  became  vain 
in  their  imaginations,  and  their  foolish  heart  was 
darkened.'  Ro.  i.  21.  And  again,  'Having  the  un- 
derstanding darkened,  being  alienated  from  the  life 
of  God,  througii  the  ignorance  that  is  in  them, 
because  of  the  blindness  of  their  hearts, '  Ep.  iv.  18. 

Now,  for  this  abuse  of  the  Avorkmanship  of  God, 
shall  man  be  brought  forth  to  the  judgment,  shall 
be  convicted,  cast,  and  condemned  as  a  rebel, 
against  both  God  and  his  own  soul,  as  Paul  af- 
firmeth,  and  that  when  he  reasoned  but  as  a  man. 

Ro.  iii.  5,  G. 

Wlicii  this  part  of  tlie  book  touching  man's  na- 
ture is  opened,  and  man  convicted  and  cast  by  it, 
by  reason  of  his  sinning  against  the  three  general 
principles  thereof: 

II.  Then  forthwith  is  the  second  part  of  the  book 
opened,  which  is  the  mystery  of  the  creatures;  for 
the  whole  creation,  that  is  before  thee,  are  not 
only  made  to  shew  the  power  of  God  in  themselves  ; 
but  also  to  teach  tliee,  and  to  preach  unto  thee, 
both  much  of  God  and  thyself;  as  also  the  righte- 
ousness, and  justice  of  God  against  sin;  '  For  the 
wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all 


uno-odliness  and  unrighteousness  of  men,  who  hold 
the  truth  in  unrighteousness  ;  Because  that  which 
may  be  known  of  God  is  manifest  in  them ;  for 
God  hath  shewed  U  unto  them.  For  the  invisible 
things  of  him  from  the  creation  of  the  world  are 
clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  that 
are  made,  even  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead ; 
so  that  they  are  without  excuse. '  Ro.  i.  18—20. 

1.  The  creation  then  of  the  world,  namely,  of 
the  heavens,  earth,  sun,  moon,  stars,  with  all  other 
the  creatures  of  God:  they  preach  aloud  to  all 
men,  the  eternal  power  and  Godhead  of  their  Crea- 
tor. Ps.  viii.  3.  In  wisdom  he  hath  made  them  all : 
Ps.  civ.  24.  to  be  teachable,  and  carrying  instruction 
in  them ;  and  he  that  is  wise,  and  will  imderstand 
these  things,  even  he  shall  understand  the  loving- 
kindness  of  the  Lord ;  for  '  the  works  of  the  Lord 
are  great,  sought  out  of  all  them  that  have  pleasure 
therein.'  Ps.  cvii. ;  cxi.  2. 

2.  As  the  creation  in  general  preacheth  to  every 
man  something  of  God;  so  they  do  hold  forth,  how 
man  should  behave  himself  both  to  God,  and  one 
to  another  ;  and  will  assuredly  come  in,  in  the 
judgment,  against  all  those  that  shall  be  found 
crossers,  and  thwarters  of  what  God  by  the  crea- 
tures doth  hold  forth  to  us. 

(1.)  As  First,  The  obedience  of  the  creatures, 
both  to  God  and  thee,  (a.)  To  God,  they  are  all 
in  subjection  (set  devils  and  men  aside)  even  the 
very  dragons,  and  all  deeps,  fire,  hail,  snow,  and 
vapours,  Ps.  cxlviii.  7, 8.  fulfilling  his  word.  Yea,  the 
winds  and  seas  obey  him.  Mar.  iv.  41.  Thus,  I  say, 
by  their  obedience  to  God  they  teach  thee  obedi- 
ence, and  by  their  obedience  shall  thy  disobedience 
be  condemned  in  the  judgment.  Ps.  cxlvii.  15— 18.  (6.) 
Their  obedience  to  thee,  also  teacheth  thee  obedi- 
ence to  all  superiors;  for  every  kind  of  beasts,  and 
of  birds,  and  serpents,  and  things  in  the  sea,  is 
tamed,  and  hath  been  tamed,  and  brought  into 
obedience  by  mankind.  Man  only  remains  untamed 
and  unruly,  and  therefore  by  these  is  condemned. 

Ja.  iii.  7,  8.  • 

(2.)  The  fruitfulness  of  all  the  creatures  in  their 
kind,  doth  teach  and  admonish  thee  to  a  fruitful 
life  to  Godward,  and  in  the  things  of  his  holy  word. 
God  did  but  say  in  the  beginning.  Let  the  earth 
bring  forth  fruit,  grass,  herbs,  trees,  beasts,  creep- 
ing things,  and  cattle  after  their  kind;  and  it  was 
so.  Ge.  i.  24.  But  to  man,  he  hath  sent  his  pro- 
phets, rising  early,  and  sending  them,  saying,  '  0 
do  not  this  abominable  thing  that  I  hate. '  Je.  xUv.  4. 
but  they  will  not  obey.  For  if  the  Gentiles,  which 
have  not  the  law,  do,  by  some  acts  of  obedience, 
condemn  the  wickedness  of  those  who  do  by  the 
letter  and  circumcision,  break  the  law:  how  much 
more  shall  the  fruitfulness  of  all  the  creatures  come 
in,  in  the  judgment,  against  the  whole  world !  As 
Job  saith,  By  the  obedience  and  fruitfulness  of  the 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


Ill 


creatures  he  judgetli,  and  so  will  judge,  the  people. 

Job  xxxvi.  27 — 32. 

(3.)  The  knowledge  and  wisdom  of  the  creatures, 
do  with  a  check,  command  thee  to  he  wise,  and  do 
teach  thee  wisdom.  The  stork  in  the  heaven,  the 
swallow  and  the  crane,  by  ohserviug  the  time  and 
season  of  their  coming,  do  admonish  thee  to  learn 
the  time  of  grace,  and  of  the  mercy  of  God.  Je.  viii.  7. 
The  ox  and  the  ass,  hy  the  knowledge  they  have 
of  their  master's  crib,  do  admonish  thee  to  know 
the  bread  and  table  of  God,  and  both  do  and  shall 
condemn  thy  ignorance  of  the  food  of  heaven. 
Is.  i.  3. 

(4.)  The  labour  and  toil  of  the  creatures  doth 
convict  thee  of  sloth  and  idleness.  '  Go  to  the 
ant,  thou  sluggard;  consider  her  ways,  and  be 
wise;'  for  she  provideth  her  food  in  the  summer, 
and  layeth  up  against  the  day  of  trial.  Pr.  vi.  6,  7. 
But  thou  spendest  the  whole  summer  of  thy  life  in 
wasting  both  time  and  soul.  AU  things  are  full 
of  labour,  saith  Solomon,  Ec.  i.  8,  only  man  spendeth 
aU  the  day  idle.  Mat.  xx.  6.  and  his  years  hke  a  tale 
that  is  told.  Ps.  xc.  9.  Ko.  x.  21.  The  coney  is  but  a 
feeble  folk,  yet  laboureth  for  a  house  in  the  rock, 
to  be  safe  from  the  rage  of  the  hunter.  Pr.  xxx.  26. 

The  spider  also,  taketh  hold  with  her  hands,  and 
is  in  king's  palaces.  Pr.  xxx.  28.  It  is  man  only 
that  turneth  himself  upon  the  bed  of  sloth,  as 
the  door  doth  itself  upon  the  hinges.  'Tis  man, 
I  say,  that  will  neither  lay  hold  on  the  rock 
Christ,  as  the  coney  doth  teach,  nor  lay  hold  on 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  as  the  spider  doth  bid 
him.  Jn.  V.  40. 

(o.)  The  fear  that  is  in  all  creatm-es,  when  they 
perceive  that  danger  is  near,  it  teacheth  men  to 
fly  from  the  wrath  to  come,  '  In  vain  the  net  is 
spread  in  the  sight  of  any  bird, '  Pr.  i.  17.  but  man, 
man  only  is  the  fool-hardy  creatm-e,  that  lieth 
wait  for  his  own  blood,  and  that  lurketh  privily 
for  his  own  life.  How  I  say,  wiU  every  creature 
fly,  run,  strive,  and  struggle  to  escape  the  danger 
it  is  sensible  of !  'Tis  man  only  that  delighteth 
to  dance  about  the  mouth  of  hell,  and  to  be  know- 
ingly smitten  with  Satan's  snare.   Ro.  i.  32. 

(G.)  The  dependence  that  all  the  creatures  have 
upon  God ;  they  teach  thee  to  depend  on  him  that 
made  thee;  yea,  and  will  in  the  judgment  condemn 
thee  for  thy  unlawful  practices,  and  dealings  for 
thy  preservation.  The  yoimg  ravens  seek  theu' 
food  from  God,  Ps.  cxlvii.  9.  Jobxxx\m.  41.  and  wiU  con- 
demn thy  lying,  cheating,  overreaching,  defrauding, 
and  the  like.  They  provide  neither  storehouse, 
nor  barn ;  Lu.  xii.  24.  but  thou  art  so  greedy  of  these 
things,  that  thou  for  them  shuttest  thyself  out  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Pr.  x\-ii.  16. 

(7.)  The  love  and  pity  that  is  in  their  hearts  to 
their  young,  and  one  another:  will  judge  and  con- 
demn the  hard-heartedness  that  is  in  thee  to  thy 


own  soul.  What  .'-.hall  I  say?  '  The  heaven  shall 
reveal  his  iniquity ;  and  the  earth  shall  rise  up 
against  him. '  Job  xx.  27.  That  is,  all  the  creatures 
of  God,  they  will,  by  their  fruitfulncss  and  subjec- 
tion to  the  will  of  their  Ci'cator,  judge  and  con- 
demn thee  for  thy  disobedience,  and  rcbelliou 
against  him. 

3.  Now,  as  these  creatures  do  every  day  call 
imto  thee,  and  lay  before  thee  these  things:  so  he 
hath  for  thy  awakening,  in  case  thou  be  asleep, 
and  senseless,  creatures  of  another  nature  ;  as, 

(1.)  Thy  bed,  when  thou  hestdown  in  it,  preach- 
eth  to  thee  thy  grave  ;  thy  sleep,  thy  death  ;  and 
thy  rising  in  the  morning,  thy  resurrection  to  judg- 
ment.   Job  xiv.  12.  xvii.  13.  Is.  xxvi.  19. 

(2.)  The  jail  that  thou  seest  with  thine  eyes, 
and  the  felons  that  look  out  at  the  grate,  they  put 
thee  in  mind  of  the  prison  of  hell,  and  of  the 
dreadful  state  of  those  that  are  there.  Lu.  xii.  58, 59. 

(3.)  The  fire  that  burns  in  thy  chimney,  it  holds 
forth  the  fire  of  hell  unto  thee.  Is.  s.  16.  Re.  xx.  14. 

(4.)  The  ugly  smell,  stench,  and  steam,  of  the 
burning  brimstone,  it  shcAvs  thee  the  loathsome, 
odious,  and  dreadful  torments  of  hell.  Re.  xLx.  20. 

(5.)  The  darkness  of  the  night  in  sohtary  places, 
and  the  fears  that  do  commonly  haunt  those  that 
walk  therein :  it  preacheth  to  thee  the  fears  and 
frights,  the  scares  and  amazements,  that  wiU  for 
ever  attend  all  damned  souls.  Mat.  viu.  12.  De.  xxriii.  65 
-67. 

(6.)  By  thy  delighting,  when  thou  art  cold,  to 
lay  sticks  on  the  fire  to  warm  thyself,  not  caring 
how  fiercely  they  flame  therein,  so  thou  canst  be 
warm  and  be  refreshed  thereby,  by  this,  I  say, 
God  preacheth  to  thee,  with  what  delight  he  will 
burn  sinners  in  the  flames  of  hell,  for  the  easing 
of  his  mind,  and  the  satisfaction  of  his  justice, 
'Ah,'  saith  he,  '  I  will  ease  me  of  mine  adversaries, 
and  avenge  me  of  mine  enemies.'  l3.i.  2t. 

(7.)  Yea,  by  thy  blowing  the  fire,  that  it  may 
fasten  upon  the  wood  the  better ;  thou  preachest 
to  thyself  how  God  will  blow  the  fire  of  hell  by  the 
rigour  of  his  law,  to  the  end,  it  may  by  its  flames, 
to  purpose,  kindle  upon  damned  sinners,  is.  xxx.  33. 

All  these  thmgs,  as  inconsiderable  and  imlikely 
as  they  may  appear  to  you  now,  yet  in  the  judg- 
ment will  be  found  the  items,  and  warning  words 
of  God  to  your  souls.  And  know,  that  he  who 
could  overthrow  the  land  of  Egypt  with  frogs,  lice, 
flies,  locusts,  &c.,  will  overthrow  the  world,  at  the 
last  day,  by  the  book  of  the  creatures ;  and  that 
by  the  least  and  most  inconsiderable  of  them,  as 
weU  as  by  the  rest.  This  book  of  the  creatures, 
it  is  so  excellent,  and  so  fidl,  so  easy,  and  so  suiting 
the  capacity  of  all,  that  there  is  not  one  man  in 
the  world  but  is  catched,  convicted,  and  cast  by  it. 
This  is  the  book,  that  he  who  knows  no  letters  may 
read  in ;  yea,  and  that  he  who  neither  saw  New 


112 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


Testament,  nor  Old,  may  know  botli  much  of  God, 
and  himself  by.  'Tis  this  book,  out  of  which  gene- 
rally, both  Job  and  his  friends  did  so  profomidly 
discourse  of  the  judguaents  of  God ;  and  that  out 
of  which  God  himself  did  so  convincingly  answer 
Job.  Job  was  as  perfect  in  this  book,  as  we  are, 
many  of  us  in  the  scriptures ;  yea,  and  could  see 
further  by  it,  than  many  now  adays  do  see  by  the 
New  Testament  and  Old.  This  is  the  book  out  of 
which,  both  Christ,  the  prophets,  and  apostles,  do 
so  frequently  discourse  by  their  similitudes,  pro- 
verbs, and  parables,  as  being  the  most  easy  way 
to  convince  the  world,  though  by  reason  of  their 
ignorance,  nothing  wiU  work  with  them,  but  what 
is  set  on  their  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

One  word  further,  and  I  have  done  with  this, 
and  that  is,  God  hath  sealed  the  judgment  of  the 
world  by  the  book  of  the  creatures  ;  even  by  man's 
own  carriage  unto  such  of  them,  which,  through 
any  impediment,  have  disappointed  his  expecta- 
tions. As  thus :  if  thou  hast  but  a  tree  in  thy 
orchard,  that  neither  beareth  fruit,  nor  aught  else 
that  is  good ;  why,  thou  art  for  hewing  it  down, 
and  for  appointing  it,  as  fuel  for  the  fire.  Now 
thou  little  thiukest  that  by  thy  thus  judging  thou 
shoiddst  pass  sentence  upon  thy  own  fruitless  soul; 
but  it  is  so;  'And  now  also  the  axe  is  laid  unto 
the  root  of  the  trees,  therefore  every  tree  which 
bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down,  and 
cast  into  the  fire.'  For  as  tridy  as  thou  sayest  of 
thy  fruitless  tree,  Cut  it  down,  why  doth  it  cumber 
the  ground?  so  truly  doth  thy  voice  cause  heaven 
to  echo  again  upon  thy  head.  Cut  him  down ;  why 
doth  he  ciunber  the  ground?  Mat.  iii.  lO;  Lu.  xiii.  6— 8; 

Eze.  XV.  1—6.* 

Further,  the  inclination  of  thy  heart  towards 
fruitless  and  unprofitable  ci'eatures,  doth  fore-preach 
to  thee,  the  inclination  of  the  heart  of  God  towards 
thee  in  the  judgment.  If  thou  hast  either  cow,  or 
any  other  beast,  that  is  now  unprofitable  to  thee, 
though  thou  mayst  suffer  them  for  some  time  to  be 
with  thee,  as  God  suffereth  sinners  in  the  world, 
yet  all  this  while  thy  heart  is  not  with  them,  but 
thou  wilt  take  thy  time  to  clear  thy  hands  of  them. 
Why,  just  so  shall  thy  judgment  be,  as  God  saith, 
*  Though  Moses  and  Samuel  stood  before  me,'  that 
is,  to  pray  me  to  spare  this  people,  '  yet  my  mind 
coidd  not  he  towards  this  people :  cast  tliem  out  of 
my  sight,  and  let  them  go  forth.'  Je.xv.ijEze.xiv.  13,14. 

*  Bunyan's  sanctified  miuJ,  well  stored  with  the  sacred 
scriptures,  richly  enjoyed  the  coutemplation  of  natui-e.  No 
writer,  however  blessed  with  extensive  learning,  sanctified  by 
deep  and  glowing  piety,  has  opened  the  book  of  creation 
with  such  a  master  mind,  as  a  witness  against  man  at  the  day 
of  judgment.  In  this,  as  in  many  other  things,  Bni'yan 
stands  pre-eminent;  a  striking  illustration  of  the  ways  of  God, 
who  poured  such  abundance  of  heavenly  treasure  into  an  earthen 
vessel,  despised  and  persecuted  of  men, — Ed. 


Thus  I  say,  will  God  judge  the  world  at  the  last 
day ;  he  will  open  before  them,  how  they  have  de- 
generated and  gone  back  from  the  principles  of 
nature  in  which  he  created  them.  Also  how  they 
have  slighted  all  the  instructions  that  he  hath  given 
them,  even  by  the  obedience,  fruitfulness,  wisdom, 
labour,  fear,  and  love  of  the  creatures;  and  he  will 
tell  them,  that  as  to  their  judgment,  they  them- 
selves have  decided  it,  both  by  their  cutting  down 
that  which  was  fruitless,  and  by  the  withdrawing 
of  their  hearts  from  those  things,  which  to  them 
were  unprofitable,  *  As  therefore  the  tares  are 
gathered,  and  burned  in  the  fire,  so  shall  it  be  in 
the  end  of  the  woi'ld.'  As  men  deal  with  weeds, 
and  rotten  wood:  so  will  God  deal  with  sinners  in 
the  day  of  judgment :  and  M'ill  bring  in,  I  say,  all 
the  counsels  and  warnings  he  hath  given  men  by 
these  things,  both  to  clear  up  and  to  aggravate 
their  judgment  to  them. 

Second.  The  second  book  that  will  be  opened  at 
this  day,  it  will  be  the  book  of  God's  remembrance. 
Mai.  iii.  16.     For  as  God  hath  in  his  re-^   ,    ,    ^„  „ 

Tliebookof  God* 

membrance,  recorded  all  and  every  remembraute 
particular  good  thing  that  his  own  "^"^""^  ' 
people  hath  done  to,  and  for  his  name  while  they 
were  in  this  world :  so  he  hath  in  his  remembrance, 
recorded  all  the  evil  and  sin  of  his  adversaries;  even 
everything.  Ec.  xii.  14.  Now  God's  remembrance  is 
so  perfect  every  way,  that  it  is  impossible  thai 
anything  should  be  lost,  that  is  committed  to  it  to 
be  kept,  and  brought  forth  to  the  judgment  at  the 
time  appointed;  for  as  a  thousand  years  are  but 
as  yesterday,  with  his  eternity :  so  the  sins  that 
have  been  committed  thousands  of  years  since,  they 
are  all  so  firmly  fixed  in  the  remembrance  of  the 
eternal  God,  that  they  are  always  as  fresh  and 
clear  in  his  sight,  as  if  they  were  but  just  now  in 
committing.  He  calleth  again  the  things  that  are 
past,  Ec. iii.  15.  and  hath  set  'our  [most]  secret  sins 
in  the  light  of  his  countenance.'  Ps. xc.8.  As  he 
also  saith  in  another  place,  'Hell  [itself]  is  naked 
before  him,  and  destruction  hath  no  covering,' 
Job  xxvi.  6.  that  is,  the  most  secret,  cunning,  and 
hidden  contrivances  of  the  most  subtle  of  the  infer- 
nal spirits,  which  yet  are  far  more  slethy,t  than 
men,  to  hide  their  wickedness;  yet,  I  say,  all  their 
ways,  hearts,  and  most  secret  doings,  are  clear,  to 
the  very  bottom  of  them,  in  the  eyes  of  the  great 
God.  All  things  are  open  and  bare  before  the 
eyes  of  him  with  whom  we  have  to  do;  who  will 
bring  to  light  the  hidden  things  of  darkness,  and 
will  make    manifest    the   counsels    of   the    heart. 

He.  iv.  13 ;  1  Co.  iv.  5. 

'Ye  that  say,  The  Lord  shall  not  see,  neither 


t  'Sletliy,'  now  obsolete,  sli/,  cunning,  stealthy.  'Darkened 
with  men's  sleightie  jugling,  and  counterfait  crafts.'  Bishop 
Gardiner. — El). 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


113 


shall  the  God  of  Jacob  regard  it.  Understand,  [0] 
ye  brutish  among  the  people:  and  ye  fools,  when 
will  ye  be  wise  ?  He  that  planted  the  ear,  shall  he 
not  hear  ?  he  that  formed  the  eye,  shall  he  not 
see  ?  he  that  ehastiseth  the  heathen,  shall  not  he 
correct  ?  he  that  teacheth  man  knowledge,  shall  not 

he  know  ?  '  Ps.  xdv.  8— lO;  see  also  IIo.  \-ii.  3.  and  viii.  13.   *  Can 

any  hide  himself  in  secret  places  that  I  shall  not 
see  him  ?  ' — that  is,  when  he  is  committing  wicked- 
ness— '  saith  the  Lord  :  Do  not  I  fill  heaven  and 
earth  ?  saith  the  Lord,  '  Je.  xxiii.  24. 

Now  to  know  and  see  things,  it  is  the  cause 
among  men  of  their  remembrance.  Wherefore, 
God  to  shew  us,  that  he  will  remember  all  our  sins 
if  we  die  out  of  Christ,  he  tells  us,  that  he  knoweth, 
and  seeth  them  all,  and  therefore  must  needs 
remember  them;  for  as  is  his  sight  and  knowledge, 
so  is  his  remembrance  of  all  things. 

When  this  book  of  his  remembrance  therefore  is 
opened,  as  it  shall  be,  in  the  judgment,  then  shall 
be  brought  forth  of  their  hidden  holes,  all  things, 
whatsoever  hath  been  done  since  the  world  began, 
whether  by  kingdoms  in  general,  or  persons  in 
particular.  Now  also  shall  be  brought  forth  to 
open  view,  all  the  transactions  of  God  and  his  Son, 
among  the  sons  of  men,  and  everything  shall  be 
applied  to  every  particular  person,  in  equity  and 
justice,  to  whom  they  belong:  the  sins  that  thou 
hast  committed  shall  be  thy  own,  and  thou  thyself 
shalt  bear  them.  '  The  Lord  is  a  God  of  know- 
ledge, and  by  him  actions  are  weighed. '  l  Sa.  ii.  3. 

It  will  be  marvellous  to  behold  how  by  thousands, 
and  ten  thousands,  God  will  call  from  their  secret 
places,  those  sins,  that  one  would  have  thought,  had 
been  dead,  and  buried,  and  forgotten ;  yea,  how  he 
will  shew  before  the  sun,  such  things,  so  base  and 
so  horrid,  that  one  would  think,  it  was  not  in  the 
hearts  of  any  to  commit;  for  all  is  recorded  in  the 
book  of  God's  remembrance.  While  men  are  here, 
they  have  a  thousand  tricks  to  present  themselves 
one  to  another,  far  more  fair,  and  honest  than  they 
are,  or  ever  were.  As  Christ  said  to  the  Pharisees, 
'  Ye  are  they  which  justify  yourselves  before  men; 
but  God  knoweth  your  hearts  : '  Lu.  xvi.  15.  Ay,  God 
knoweth,  indeed,  what  a  nest,  M-hat  a  heap,  what 
swarms;  yea,  what  legions  of  hellish  wickednesses, 
there  are  with  power  lurking,  like  cockatrices,  in 
those  men,  that  one  would  swear  a  thousand  times, 
are  good  and  honest  men.  Tlie  way  of  men  in 
their  sins,  it  is  like  '  an  eagle  in  the  air,  the  way 
of  a  serpent  upon  a  rock,  the  way  of  a  ship  in  the 
midst  of  the  sea ;  and  the  way  of  a  man  with  a 
maid,'  saith  Solomon,  Pr. xxx.  19.  that  is,  hiddenly, 
closely,  covertly,  burying  all  under  fair  pretences, 
wipeth  their  mouths  in  the  close  of  their  evil, 
saying,  '  I  have  done  [no]  wickedness.'  Pr.  x.\x.  20. 

But  this,  though  it  may  serve  for  the  time  pre- 
sent, and  no  longer,  God  will  not  be  deluded,  nor 

VOL.  II. 


blinded,  nor  mocked,  nor  put  oflp.  Ga.  n.  7.  '  Thev 
consider  not  -  -  that  I  remember  all  their  wicked- 
ness ; '  Ho.  ^-ii.  2.  saith  he,  '  bid  I  will  reprove  thee, 
and  set  them  in  order  before  thine  eyes.'  Ps.1.21. 
Here  Avill  be  laid  open  the  very  heart  of  Cain  tho 
murderer,  of  Judas  the  traitor,  of  Saul  the  adver- 
sary of  David,  and  of  those  that  under  pretences 
of  holiness  have  persecuted  Christ,  his  word,  and 
people.  Now  shall  every  drunkard,  whoremaster, 
thief,  and  other  wicked  person,  be  turned  their 
inside  outward;  their  hearts  right  open,  and  every 
sin,  with  every  cii'cumstance  of  place,  time,  person 
with  whom,  with  the  causes  also  that  drew  them  to 
the  commission  of  every  evil,  be  discovered  to  all. 
Here  wiU  be  no  hiding  yourselves  behind  curtains, 
nor  no  covering  yourselves  with  the  black  anil 
dark  night.  '  If  I  say,  Surely  the  darkness  shall 
cover  me;  even  the  night  shall  be  light  about  me: 
Yea,'  0  God,  'darkness  hideth  not  from  thee;  but 
the  night  shineth  as  the  day:  the  darkness  and  the 
light  are  both  alike  to  thee. '  Ps.  cxxxLx.  11, 13. 

The  piercing  eye  of  God,  beholds  all  places,  per- 
sons, and  things;  the  holy  hand  of  his  justice  writ- 
eth  them  down  in  the  book  of  his  remembrance ; 
and  by  his  power  and  wisdom,  will  he  open  and 
read  to  all  men  exactly,  distinctly,  and  convinc- 
ingly, whatever  hath  passed  from  them,  or  been 
done  by  them,  in  their  whole  life;  for,  'For  all  these 
things  God  will  bring  thee  into  judgment.'  Ec.  xi.  9. 
Again,  as  God  will  bring  out  of  the  book  of  his 
remembrance,  whatever  hath  passed  from  thee 
against  him ;  so  also  will  he  then  bring  forth  by 
the  same  book,  all  things  and  carriages  of  his 
towards  thee. 

Here  will  he  bring  to  thy  mind,  every  sermon 
thou  hast  heard,  every  chapter  thou  hast  read  ; 
every  conviction  thou  hast  had  on  thy  conscience; 
and  every  admonition  that  hath  been  given  thee 
in  all  thy  life,  v.hen  thou  wast  in  the  land  of  the 
living. 

Now  will  God  lay  open  before  thee,  what  patience 
he  extended  to  thee,  how  he  let  thee  live  one  year, 
two  years,  ten,  yea,  twenty  and  twenty  years,*  and 
all  to  try  thee.  Yea,  now  also  will  he  bring  to  thy 
view,  how  many  times  he  warned,  rebuked,  threat- 
ened, and  chastised  thee  for  thy  wickedness;  how 
many  awakening  providences  and  judgments  he 
continually  laid  before  thy  face  ;  yea,  how  many  a 
time  thou  didst,  like  Balaam,  run  upon  the  point 
of  the  sword  of  justice,  and  how  he  gave  back,  as 
being  loath  to  kill  thee.  >'u.  xxii.  23— 34. 

Now  also  again,  shall  be  brought  before  thee 
and  all  men,  how  many  strugglings  God  had  with 
thy  heart,  on  thy  sick-bed,  to  do  thee  good ;  yea, 


*  'Twenty  and  twenty  vears,'  a  singular  mode  of  expression, 
proLally  alluding  to  the  forty  years'  tried  of  the  Israelites  m 
the  wilderness. — Ed. 


114 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


and  at  such  times,  how  many  vows,  promises, 
engagements,  and  resolutions  thou  madest  before 
God,  to  turn,  if  he  would  release  thee  from  thy 
affliction,  and  take  off  his  rod  from  thy  back;  and 
yet,  how  thou  didst,  like  the  man  possessed,  Mai-,  v. 
1—5.  break  and  snap  in  twain  all  these  chains  of 
iron,  with  which  thou  hadst  bound  thy  soul,  and 
that  for  a  very  lust  and  sin.  Here  also,  will  be 
opened  before  thee,  how  often  thou  hast  sinned 
against  thy  light  and  knowledge ;  how  often  thou 
hast  laid  violent  hands  on  thy  own  conscience;  how 
often  thou  hast  laboured  to  put  out  that  light  that 
hath  stood  in  thy  way  to  hinder  thee  from  sinning 
against  thy  soul.  Ah,  Lord,  what  a  condition 
will  the  Christless  soul  be  in  at  this  day !  how  will 
every  one  of  these  things  afflict  the  damned  soul  I 
They  will  pierce  hke  arrows,  and  bite  like  serpents, 
and  sting  hke  an  adder.  With  what  shame,  will 
that  man  stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ 
who  must  have  all  things  he  hath  done  against 
God,  to  provoke  the  eyes  of  his  glory  to  jealousy, 
laid  open  before  the  whole  host  of  the  heavenly 
train  !  It  would  make  a  man  blush  to  have  his 
pockets  searched,  for  things  that  are  stolen  in  the 
midst  of  a  market,  especially,  if  he  stand  upon  his 
reputation  and  honour.  But  thou  must  have  thy 
heart  searched,  the  bottom  of  thy  heart  searched; 
and  that,  I  say,  before  thy  neighbour  whom  thou 
hast  wronged,  and  before  the  devils  whom  thou 
hast  served  ;  yea,  before  God,  whom  thou  hast 
despised,  and  before  the  angels,  those  holy  and 
delicate  creatures,  whose  holy  and  chaste  faces  will 
scarce  forbear  blushing,  while  God  is  making  thee 
vomit  up,  all  thou  hast  swallowed  ;  for  God  shall 
bring  it  out  of  thy  belly.  Job  xx.  12—15. 

For  as  for  God  to  forget  iniquity,  is  one  of  the 
chief  heads  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  is  an 
argument  of  the  highest  nature,  to  beget  and  to 
continue  consolation  in  the  godly :  so  the  remem- 
brance of  iniquity,  by  the  Lord,  it  is  one  of  the 
heaviest  loads  and  judgments,  that  can  befal  any 
poor  creature.  *  Lord, '  saith  the  prophet,  '  remem- 
ber not  against  us  former  inquities.'  And  again, 
'  If  thou.  Lord,  shouldst  mark  iniquities,  0  Lord, 
who  shall  stand  ? '  Ps.  cxxx.  3.  And  the  reason  is, 
because,  that  which  the  Lord  forgetteth,  is  for- 
given for  ever;  He.  viii.  12;  Ro. iv. G— 8.  but  that  which 
he  remembereth,  it  is  charged  for  ever,  and 
nothing  can  take  it  away — '  Though  thou  wash 
thee  with  nitre,  and  take  thee  much  soap,  yet  thine 
iniquity  is  marked  before  me,  saith  the  Lord  God.' 

Je.  ii.  22. 

Third.  The  third  book  that  will  at  this  day  be 
The  bonk  op^^'^'i'  ^"^^  out  of  which  God  will  judge 
of  tiieiaw  the  world:  it  is  the  hook  of  the  law,  or  ten 
words  given  forth  on  the  Mount  Sinai. 
But  this  book  will  more  specially  concern  those 
that  have  received  it,  or  that  have  had  knowledge 


tbereof.  Every  one  shall  not  be  judged  by  this  book, 
as  there  delivered,  though  they  shall  be  judged  by 
the  works  of  it,  which  are  written  in  their  hearts. 
'  As  many  as  have  sinned  without  law,  shall  also 
perish  without  law :  and  as  many  as  have  sinned  in 
the  law,  shall  be  judged  by  the  law.'  Ro.  ii.i2.  That 
is,  the  heathens  that  never  knew  the  law,  as  deli- 
vered on  Sinai,  they  shall  be  judged  by  the  law, 
as  it  was  written  in  man's  heart  in  his  creation, 
which  is  comprised  within  the  book  of  the  crea- 
tures, but  those  that  have  knowledge  of  the  law, 
as  delivered  on  Sinai:  they  shall  be  judged  by  the 
law  as  there  given. 

Now  then,  this  book  when  it  is  opened  at  the 
day  of  judgment,  it  will  to  those  to  whom  it  espe- 
cially relates,  be  a  most  terrible  law,  far  surpassing 
the  two  afore-mentioned.  This  law,  as  I  may  so 
say,  it  is  the  chief  and  most  pure  resemblance  of 
the  justice  and  holiness  of  the  heavenly  majesty, 
and  doth  hold  forth  to  all  men  the  sharpness  and 
keenness  of  his  wrath  above  the  other  two  that  I 
have  before  mentioned.  I  say,  both  because  it 
hath  been  delivei'ed  more  plain  and  open,  both  as 
to  the  duty  enjoined,  and  the  sin  prohibited ;  and 
therefore  must  of  necessity,  fall  with  the  more 
violence  upon  the  head  of  all  that  shall  be  found 
within  the  compass  of  it.  This  law,  it  hath  in  it 
to  be  opened  at  this  day,  these  two  general  heads : 

1.  A  discovery  of  the  evil  of  sin,  that  is  so, 
against  plain  light  and  truth;  and,  secondly,  a  dis- 
covery of  the  vanity  of  all  things,  that  will  at  this 
day  be  brought  by  sinners  for  their  help  and  plea 
at  the  judgment.  Alas,  Avho  can  but  imagine,  that 
the  poor  world,  at  the  day  of  their  arraignment, 
should  muster  up  all  that  ever  they  can  think  of, 
as  arguments  to  shelter  them  from  the  execution 
of  that  fierce  wrath,  that  then,  with  sinking  souls, 
they  will  see  prepared  for  them. 

As  to  the  first  of  these,  the  apostle  tells  us  that 
'the  law  entered,  that  the  offence  might  abound,' 
Ro.  V.  20.  or  be  discovered  what  it  is.  As  he  saith 
again,  '  I  had  not  known  sin,  but  by  the  law.' 
Ro.  vii.  7, 13.  Thus  it  is  in  this  life,  and  thus  it  will 
be  in  the  day  of  judgment,  that  is,  those  that  see 
sin,  and  that  in  its  abounding  nature,  and  in  its 
exceeding  sinfiduess,  they  must  see  it  by  the  law, 
for  that  is  indeed  the  glass  by  which  God  dis- 
covereth  sin,  and  the  filthy  spots  of  leprosy,  that 
are  in  the  soul.  Ja.  i.  22—25.  Now  those  that  have 
not  the  Imppiness  to  see  their  sin  by  the  law  in 
this  life,  while  there  is  a  fountain  of  grace  to  wash 
in,  and  be  clean;  they  must  have  the  misery  to  see 
it  at  the  judgment,  when  nothing  is  left  but  misery 
and  pain,  as  the  punishment  for  the  same.  At 
which  day,  those  little  tittles  of  this  holy  law,  that 
now  men  so  easily  look  over,  and  sin  against  with 
ease,  they  will  every  one  of  them  appear  with  such 
dread,  and  with  such  flaming  justice  against  every 


OF  THE  KESURRECTIOX  OF  THE  DE.U). 


113 


offence  committed;  that  if  heaven  and  earth  itself, 
should  step  in  to  shelter  the  sinner  from  the  justice 
and  wrath  due  to  sin,  it  -would  turn  them  up  by  the 
roots.  '  It  is  easier  for  heaven  and  earth  to  pass, 
than  one  tittle  of  the  law  to  fail. '  Lu.  xvt  17.  If  there 
appeared  such  flames,  such  thunderings,  and  tem- 
pests, as  there  were  at  the  giving  of  the  law;  what 
flames  and  blackness  will  there  appear  at  the  exe- 
cution thereof !  And  if  at  the  giving  of  the  law 
there  appeared  so  much  holiness  and  justice,  that 
it  made  all  Israel  fly;  yea,  holy  ]Moses  'exceedingly 
fear  and  quake,'  what  will  become  of  these  that 
God  shall  judge  by  the  rigour  of  this  law  in  the 
day  of  judgment?  Ex.  xk.  16;  He.  xu.  21. 

0  what  thunderings  and  lightnings,  what  earth- 
quakes and  tempests,  will  there  be  in  every  damned 
soul,  at  the  opening  of  this  book  ?  Then,  mdeed, 
wiU  God  visit  them  '  with  thimder,  and  with  earth- 
quake, and  great  noise,  with  storm  and  tempest, 
and  the  flame  of  devouring  fire. '  Is.  xxix.  6  '  For 
behold, '  saith  the  prophet,  '  the  Lord  will  come 
with  fire,  and  with  his  chariots  like  a  whirlwind, 
to  render  his  anger  with  fury,  and  his  rebuke  with 
flames  of  fire. '  chap.  ixvi.  15. 

The  Lord  will  come  with  fire,  that  is,  in  the 
flaming  heat  of  his  justice  and  holiness  against 
sin,  and  sinners,  to  execute  the  rigour  of  his 
threatenings  upon  their  perishing  souls. 

2.  The  second  general  head,  that  is  contained 
in  this  law,  to  be  opened  at  this  day  is,  its  exact- 
ness, and  purity,  and  strictness  as  to  all  acts  of 
good  that  any  poor  creature  hath  done  in  this  life, 
whereby  he  in  the  judgment  will  think  to  shelter, 
or  secure  himself  from  the  wrath  of  God.  This  is 
the  rule,  and  line,  and  plummet,  whereby  every 
act  of  every  man  shall  be  measured ;  Ro.  m.  31,  22.  and 
he  whose  righteousness  is  not  found  every  way 
answerable  to  this  law,  which  all  will  fall  short  of, 
but  they  that  have  the  righteousness  of  God  by 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ :  he  must  perish,  as  he  saith, 
'  Judgment  also  will  I  lay  to  the  hue,  and  righte- 
ousness to  the  plummet:  and  the  hail  shall  sweep 
away  the  refuge  of  lies,  and  the  waters  shall  over- 
flow the  hiding  place.'  is. xxriii.  17.  That  is,  though 
men  may  now  shelter  themselves  under  legal  re- 
pentance, cold  profession,  good  meaning,  thinkings, 
and  doings :  yet  all  these  things  must  be  measured, 
and  weighed  in  the  balance  of  God's  most  righteous 
law:  and,  as  I  said,  whatever  in  that  day  is  not 
found  the  righteousness  of  God,  it  will  be  found  a 
refuge  of  lies,  and  will  be  drowned  by  the  over- 
flowing of  the  wrath  of  God,  as  the  waters  of  Noah 
overflowed  the  world.  And  hence  it  is  that  all 
the  ungodly  will  at  this  day,  be  found  as  stubble, 
and  the  law  as  fire.  Mai.  iv.  i.  As  it  saith,  '  From 
his  right  hand  went  a  fiery  law. '  Ue.  .xxxiii.  3.  And 
again,  '  Ilis  lips  are  full  of  indignation,  and  his 
tongue  as  a  devouring  fire. '  la.  xxx.  27.    For  as  fire, 


where  it  seizeth,  doth  burn,  eat,  destroy,  devour 
and  consume :  so  will  the  law,  all  those  that  at 
this  day,  shall  be  found  under  the  transfi-ression  of 
the  least  tittle  of  it.  It  will  be  with  these  souls 
at  the  day  of  judgment,  as  it  is  with  those  coun- 
tries that  are  overrun  with  most  merciless  con- 
querors, who  leave  not  anything  behind  them,  but 
swallow  up  all  with  fire  and  sword.  '  For  by  fire, 
and  by  his  sword,  will  the  Lord  plead  with  all 
flesh:  and  the  slain  of  the  Lord  shall  be  manv.' 
is.ixvi.  16.  There  are  two  things  at  the  day  of  judf- 
ment,  will  meet  in  their  height  and  utmost  strength, 
and  they  are  sin  and  the  law ;  for  the  judgment 
will  not  be,  till  the  iniquity  of  the  world  be  full 

ripe.  Joel  iii.  13.  He.  x:v.  15—20. 

Now  then,  when  sin  is  come  to  its  full,  having 
played  aU  its  pranks,  and  done  all  the  mischief  it 
can  against  the  Lord  of  glory  :  then  God  brings 
forth  the  law,  his  holy  and  righteous  law,  one  of 
which  will  now  reign  for  ever,  that  is,  either  the 
law  or  sin :  wherefore  sin  and  sinners,  they  must 
tremble,  with  all  that  help,  and  hold  them  up ;  for 
God  'will  magnify  the  law,  and  make  it  honour- 
able.'is.  xiii.  21.  That  is,  wiU  give  it  the  victory 
over  the  world  for  ever ;  for  that  is  holy,  just,  and 
good ;  they  are  unholy,  unjust,  and  bad.  There- 
fore by  this  law  '  the  Lord  shall  rain  snares,  fire, 
and  brimstone,  and  an  horrible  tempest :  this  shall 
he  the  portion  of  their  cup. '  Ps.  xi.  6.  Let  no  man 
say  then,  that  because  God  is  so  famous  in  his 
mercy  and  patience,  in  this  day  of  his  grace,  that 
therefore  he  will  not  be  fierce,  and  dreadful  in  his 
justice,  in  the  day  of  judgment ;  for  judgment  and 
justice,  are  the  last  things  that  God  intends  to 
bring  upon  the  stage,  which  will  then  be  to  the 
full,  as  terrible,  as  now  his  goodness  and  patience, 
and  long-sufierance  are  admirable.  Lord,  '  who 
knoweth  the  power  of  thine  anger  ?  even  according 
to  thy  fear,  so  is  thy  wrath. '  Ps.  xc.  11. 

You  may  see,  if  you  will,  a  few  of  the  sparks  of 
the  justice  of  God  against  sin  and  sinners.  By 
his  casting  ofl"  angels  for  sin,  from  heaven  to  hell ; 
by  his  drowning  the  old  world ;  by  his  burning  of 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  to  ashes ;  condemning  them 
with  an  overthrow,  making  them  an  example  to 
those  that  after  should  live  ungodly.  2  Pe.  ii.  4—6. 

Jude  6, 7. 

For  '  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.'  Ro. m.  19. 

Moses  seems  to  wonder,  that  the  cliildrcn  of 
Israel  could  continue  to  live,  when  they  did  but 
hear  the  lawdehvered  on  the  mountain — 'Did  ever 
people,'  saith  he,  '  hear  the  voice  of  God  speaking 
out  of  the  midst  of  the  fire,  as  thou  hast  heard, 
andlive?' De.i7.s.3.  0  that  ye  did  but  know  the 
law,    and  the  wondrous  things  that  are  written 


IIG 


or  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


therein,  before  tlie  Lord  cause  tliat  fearful  voice  to 
be  heard — '  Cvirsed  is  every  one  that  continueth 
not  in  all  things  that  are  written  in  the  book  of 
the  law  to  do  them;'  Ga. iii. lo.  which  curse  nmst 
fall  on  all  that  walk  not  in  all  the  commandments 
of  God  loithout  iniquitij;  Eze.  xxxiii.  15.  which  none  do, 
I  say,  but  they  that  walk  in  Christ,  who  hath 
alone  fulfilled  them  all.  Coi.  ii.  lo. 

The  law  is  that  which  standcth  at  the  entrance 
of  the  paradise  of  God,  as  a  flaming  sword,  turning 
every  way  to  keep  out  those  that  are  not  righteous 
with  the  righteousness  of  God ;  Ge.  m.  24.  that  have 
not  skill  to  come  to  the  throne  of  grace  by  that 
new  and  living  way  which  he  hath  consecrated  for 
us  through  the  veil;  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh, 
He.  X.  20.  for  though  this  law,  I  say,  be  taken  away 
by  Christ  Jesus,  for  all  that  truly  and  savingly 
believe  ;  Col.  ii.  14.  yet  it  remains  in  full  force  and 
power,  in  every  tittle  of  it,  against  every  soul  of 
man,  that  now  shall  be  found  in  his  tabernacle, 
that  is,  in  himself,  and  out  of  the  Lord  Jesus; 
no.  iii.  19.  it  lieth,  I  say,  like  a  lion  rampant  at  the 
gates  of  heaven,  and  will  roar  upon  every  uncon- 
verted soul,  fiercely  accusing  every  one  that  now 
would  gladly  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  this 
city.  Job  xviii.  14.  Jii.  v.  45.  So,  then,  he  that  can 
answer  all  its  most  perfect  and  legal  commands, 
and  that  can  live  in  the  midst  of  devouring  fire, 
and  there  enjoy  God  and  solace  himself,  he  shall 
dwell  on  high,  and  shall  not  be  hurt  by  this  law — 
'  His  place  of  defence  sliall  he  the  munitions  of 
rocks :  bread  shall  be  given  him  ;  his  waters  shall 
he  sure.  Thine  eyes  shall  see  the  king  in  his 
beauty :  they  shall  behold  the  land  that  is  very  far 
off". '  Is.  xxxiii.  10, 17-  Blessed  then  is  he  whose  righte- 
ousness doth  answer  every  point  of  the  law  of  God, 
according  to  i  Co.  i.  so.  he  shall  be  able  to  escape  all 
those  things  that  shall  come  to  pass,  and  to  stand 
before  the  Son  of  man ;  for  in  himself,  our  God  is 
a  consuming  fire,  and  man  out  of  Christ,  is  but  as 
stubble,  chafl^,  thorns,  briars,  and  fuel  for  the  wrath 
of  this  holy  and  sinner-consuming  God  to  seize 

upon  for  ever.  He.  xii.  29.  Mai.  iv.  1.  Mat.  iii.  12.  He.  vi.  8.   Is. 

xxrii.  4.  2  Sa.  xxiii.  (i,  7.  '  Who  Can  Stand  before  his  in- 
dignation ?  And  who  can  abide  the  fierceness  of 
his  anger  ?  His  fury  is  poured  out  like  fire,  and 
the  rocks  are  thrown  down  by  him.'  Na.  i.  6. 

Now  when  these  three  books  are  thus  opened, 
there  will  without  doubt,  be  sad  throbbing  and 
pricking,  in  every  heart  that  now  stands  for  his 
life,  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ,  the  righ- 
teous Judge ;  and  without  all  question,  they  will 
be  studying  a  thousand  ways  to  evade  and  shift 
the  stroke,  that  by  the  sin  that  these  three  books 
do  charge  them  with,  will  immediately  fall  upon 
them. 

But  now  to  cut  off"  all  these  at  a  blow,  forthwith 
appear  the  witnesses,  who  are  ready  to  evince,  and 


make  full  and  soul-killing  proof  of  every  particular 
charged  against  them. 

[First  Witness.]— A.i\^  the  first  is  ^^^    witnesses 

God   himself.       'I,'  Saith   he,   'will    be    give  in  their  evi- 

a  swift  witness  against  the  sorcerers, 
and  against  the  adulterers,  and  against  false 
swearers,  and  against  those  that  oppress  the  hire- 
ling in  his  wages,  the  widow,  and  the  fatherless, 
and  that  turn  aside  the  stranger  from  his  7'ight,  and 
fear  not  me,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.'  Mai.  iii.  5. 

This  must  needs  be  of  great  sway  with  every 
soul,  that  God  should  now  come  in.  I  will  witness, 
saith  God,  that  these  things  of  which  you  are  ac- 
cused before  the  Judge  are  true.  I  have  seen  all, 
know  all,  and  write  down  all.  There  hath  not 
been  a  thought  in  your  heart,  nor  a  word  in  your 
tongue,  but  I  have  known  it  altogether ;  all  things 
have  alv:ays  heen  open  and  naked  to  mine  eye.  lie. 
iv.  13.  Yea,  my  eyelids  try  the  children  of  men. 
Ps.  xi.  4.  I  have  known  your  down-sitting,  and  your 
up-rising ;  and  have  understood  your  thoughts  afar 
off^.  I  have  compassed  your  path,  and  am  well 
acquainted  with  all  your  ways.  Ps.  cxxxix.  1—3. 

L  You  have  not  continued  in  that  state  of 
nature  in  which  I  did  at  first  create  you ;  Ec.  to.  29. 
you  have  not  liked  to  retain  that  knowledge  and 
understanding  of  God,  that  you  had,  and  might 
have  had,  by  the  very  book  of  the  creatures.  Ro.  i. 
You  gave  way  to  the  suggestions  of  fallen  angels, 
and  so  your  foolish  hearts  Avere  darkened  and 
alienated,  and  estranged  from  God. 

2.  All  the  creatures  that  were  in  the  world,  have 
even  condemned  you ;  they  have  been  fruitfid,  but 
you  fruitless  ;  they  have  been  fearful  of  danger, 
but  you  foolhardy ;  they  have  taken  the  fittest 
opportunity  for  their  own  preservation,  but  thou 
hast  both  blindly,  and  confidently  gone  on  to  thy 
punishment.  Pr.  xxil.  3. 

3.  Touching  the  book  of  my  remembrance,  who 
can  contradict  it?  Do  not  I  fill  heaven  and  earth? 
saith  the  Lord.  Was  not  I  in  all  places  to  behold, 
to  see,  and  to  observe  thee  in  all  thy  ways  ?  My 
eye  saw  the  thief,  and  the  adulterer,  and  I  heard 
every  lie  and  oath  of  the  wicked.  I  saw  the  hypo- 
crisy of  the  dissembler.  '  They  have  committed 
villany  in  Israel,  and  have  committed  adultery  with 
their  neighbours'  wives,  and  have  spoken  lying 
words  in  my  name,  which  I  have  not  commanded 
them;  even  I  know,  antl  am  a  witness,  saith  the 

Lord. '  Je.  xxLX.  23. 

4.  God  will  also  come  in  against  them  for  their 
transgressing  his  law,  even  the  law  which  he  de- 
livered on  Mount  Sinai ;  he  will,  I  say,  open  every 
tittle  thereof  in  such  order  and  truth:  and  apply 
the  breach  of  each  particular  person  with  such  con- 
vincing argument,  that  they  will  fall  down  silenced 
for  ever — '  Every  mouth  shall  be  stopped,  and  all 
the  world  shall  become  guilty  before  God.'  Rcffi.  19. 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


117 


[Secoml  WUmss.] — There  is  yet  another  witness, 
for  the  condemning  the  transgressors  of  these  laws, 
and  that  is,  conscience — '  Their  conscience  also 
bearing  witness,'  saith  the  apostle.  Ro. ii.  15.  Con- 
science is  a  thousand  witnesses.  Conscience,  it 
will  cry  amen  to  every  word  that  the  great  God 
doth  speak  against  thee.  Conscience  is  a  terrible 
accuser,  it  will  hold  pace  with  the  witness  of  God 
as  to  the  truth  of  evidence,  to  a  hair's  breadth. 
The  witnesses  of  conscience,  it  is  of  great  autho- 
rity, it  commands  guilt,*  and  fasteneth  it  on  every 
soul  which  it  accuseth ;  and  hence  it  is  said,  '  If 
our  heart  [or  conscience]  condemn  us.' iJn.iii. 20. 
Conscience  will  thunder  and  lighten  at  this  day ; 
even  the  consciences  of  the  most  pagan  sinners  in 
the  world,  wiU  have  sufficiently  wherewith  to 
accuse,  to  condemn,  and  to  make  paleness  appear 
in  their  faces,  and  breaking  in  their  loins,  by  rea- 
son of  the  force  of  its  conviction.  Oh,  the  mire 
and  dirt,  that  a  guilty  conscience,  when  it  is  forced 
to  speak,  will  cast  up,  and  throw  out  befoi'e  the 
judgment-seat!  It  must  out,  none  can  speak 
peace,  nor  health,  to  that  man  upon  whom  God 
hath  let  loose  his  own  conscience.  Cain  will  now 
cry,  'My  punishment  is  greater  than  I  can  bear;' 
Judas  will  hang  himself ;  and  both  Belshazzar 
and  Felix  will  feel  the  joints  of  their  loins  to  be 
loosened,  and  their  knees  to  smite  one  against 
another,  when  conscience  stirreth.  Ge.  iv.  13.  Mat.  xx\-ii. 
3.  Da.  V.  6.  Ac.  .xxiv.  23.  When  conscience  is  once  tho- 
roughly awakened,  as  it  shall  be  before  the  judg- 
ment-seat: God  need  say  no  more  to  the  sinner 
than  Solomon  said  to  filthy  Shimei,  '  Thou  knowest 
all  the  wickedness  which  thine  heart  is  privy  to.' 
1  Ki.  ii.  41.  As  who  shoidd  say.  Thy  conscience 
knoweth,  and  can  weU  inform  thee  of  all  the  evil, 
and  sin  that  thou  art  guilty  of.  To  all  which  it 
answereth,  even  as  face  answereth  to  face  in  a 
glass ;  or  as  an  echo  answereth  the  man  that 
speaketh;  as  fast,  I  say,  as  God  chargeth  con- 
science wiU  cry  out.  Guilty,  guilty ;  Lord,  guilty 
of  all,  of  every  whit ;  I  remember  clearly  all  the 
crimes  thou  layest  before  me.  Thus,  I  say,  will 
conscience  be  a  witness  against  the  soul,  in  the 
day  of  God. 

[Third  Witness.] — As  God  and  conscience  will 
at  this  day  be  most  dreadful  witnesses  against  the 
sinful  man ;  so  also  will  those  several  thoughts 
that  have  passed  tlu'ough  man's  heart,  be  a  witness 
also  against  him.  As  he  said  before,  *  Their  con- 
science also  bearing  witness,  and  their  thoughts  the 
meanwhile  accusing,  or  else  excusing  one  another; 
In  the  day  when  God  shall  judge  the  secrets  of 

*  Conscience,  at  tlie  day  of  judgment,  will  imperatively 
'command  guilty  which  had  been  committed,  to  appear,  and 
will  fasten  it  upon  the  soul,  which  it  accuseth.  This  is  a  most 
impressive  and  solemn  appeal; — there  can  then  be  no  conceal- 
ment, no  subterfuge, — Ed. 


men  by  Jesus   Christ    according  to  my  gospel.' 

Eo.  ii.  15, 16! 

The  thoughts  come  in  as  a  witness  for  God 
against  the  sinner  upon  the  account  of  that  un- 
steadiness and  variety  that  were  in  them,  both 
touching  God,  and  their  ownselves.  Sometimes 
the  man  thinks  there  is  no  God,  but  that  everythino- 
hath  its  rise  of  itself,  or  by  chance,  or  fortune — ■ 
'  The  fool  hath  said  in  his  heart,  Tliere  is  no  God.' 

Ps.  xiv.  1. 

Sometimes,  again,  they  think  there  is  a  God, 
but  yet  they  think  and  imagine  of  him  falsely. 
'  Thou  thoughtest  that  I  was  altogether  such  an 
erne  as  thyself,'  saith  God;  'but  I  Avill  reprove 
thee. '  Ps.  1.  21. 

Men  think,  that  because  they  can  sin  with  de- 
light :  that  therefore  God  can  let  them  escape  with- 
out punishment.  Nay,  oftentimes  they  think,  that 
God  doth  either  quite  forget  their  wickedness,  or 
else  that  he  will  be  pleased  with  such  satisfaction 
as  they  are  pleased  to  give  him,  even  a  few  howl- 
ing prayers,  llo.  vii.  14.  feigned  and  hypocritical  tears, 
and  weepings,  which  pass  from  them  more  for  fear 
of  the  punishment  of  hell-fire,  than  because  they 
have  olfended  so  holy,  so  just,  and  so  glorious  a 
God,  and  so  loving  and  so  condescending  a  Jesus. 

Mai.  ii.  13. 

Sometimes  again,  they  have  had  right  thoughts 
of  something  of  God,  but  not  of  him  together  ; 
either  thinking  so  of  his  justice,  as  to  drive  them 
from  him,  and  also  cause  them  to  put  him  out  of 
their  mind.  Job  xxi.  14.  Or  else  so  thinking  of  his 
mercy  as  that  they  quite  forget  his  holiness  and 
justice.  Now  both  these  are  but  base  thoughts  of 
God,  and  so  erroneous,  and  sinful  thoughts. 

Sometimes  also,  they  have  pretty  right  thoughts 
of  God,  both  as  to  justice  and  mercy,  but  then, 
through  the  wretchedness  of  their  unsatisfied 
nature,  they,  against  this  light  and  knowledge,  do, 
with  shut  eyes,  and  hardened  hearts,  rush  fiercely, 
knowingly,  and  willingly  again  into  their  sins  and 
wickedness.  He.  vi.  4-6;  x.  26.  2  Pe.  ii.  20. 

As  men  have  these  various  thoughts  of  God,  so 
also  their  thoughts  are  not  steady  about  themselves. 

Sometimes  they  think  they  are  sinners,  and 
therefore  they  have  need  of  mercy. 

Sometimes  again,  they  think  they  are  righteous, 
and  so  have  not  so  much  need ;  mark,  and  yet  both 
alike  rotten  and  base ;  because,  as  the  last  is  alto- 
gether senseless,  so  the  first  is  not  at  all  savingly 

sensible.  Mar.  x.  17—22.  Lu.  xviii.  11, 13. 

Sometimes  again,  they  think  they  are  gods; 
Eze.  xxv-iii.  1—6.  that  they  shall  never  die ;  or  that  if 
they  do  die,  yet  they  shall  never  rise  again;  ICo.xt. 
13.  or  if  they  do  rise  again,  yet  they  shall  be  saved, 
though  they  have  lived  vilely  and  in  their  sins  all 
the  days  of  their  life.  De.  x.vix.  is-20.  Now,  I  say, 
every  one  of  these  thoughts,  with  ten  thousand 


lis 


OF  THE  RESURRECTIO^T  OF  THE  DEAD. 


more  of  tlie  like  nature,  will  God  bring  in  against 
the  rebels  in  the  judgment-day.  Which  thoughts 
shall  every  one  of  them  be  brought  forth  in  their 
distinct  order.  He  sheweth  to  man  what  is  his 
thought.  Am.  iv.  13.  And,  again,  '  I  know  that  thou 
canst  do  every  thing,  and  iliat  no  thought  can  be 
with-holden  from  thee. '  Job  xiii.  2.  We  read,  that 
M'hen  the  strangers  at  Jerusalem  did  but  hear  the 
apostles  speak  to  every  one  of  them  in  their  own 
lauo-uao-e,  how  it  amazed  and  confounded  them. 
Ac.  ii.  c-8.  But,  I  say,  how  will  they  look  and  be 
amazed  when  God  shall  evidently,  clearly,  and  fully 
speak  out  all  their  hearts,  and  every  thought  they 
have  had  before  them  ! 

Now  the  reason  and  strength  of  this  witness  will 
lie  here,  that  God  will  by  the  variety  and  crossness 
that  their  thoughts  had  one  to  another,  and  by  the 
contradiction  that  was  in  them,  prove  them  sinners 
and  ungodly ;  because  that,  I  say,  sometimes  they 
thought  there  was  a  God,  sometimes  again,  they 
thought  there  was  none.  Sometimes  they  thought, 
that  he  was  such  a  God,  and  sometimes  again,  they 
thought  of  him  quite  contrary ;  sometimes  they 
thought  he  was  worth  regarding,  and  sometimes 
they  tliought  he  was  not ;  as  also,  sometimes  they 
thought  he  woidd  be  faithful,  both  to  mercy,  and 
justice,  and  sinners ;  and  sometimes  again,  they 
thouglit  he  would  not. 

What  greater  argument  now  can  there  be,  to 
prove  men,  vanity,  froth,  a  lie,  sinners,  deluded  by 
the  devil,  and  such  as  had  false  apprehensions  of 
God,  bis  ways,  his  word,  his  justice,  his  holiness, 
of  themselves,  their  sins,  and  every  action  ? 

Now  they  will  indeed  appear  a  very  lump  of  con- 
fusion, a  mass  of  sin,  a  bundle  of  ignorance,  of 
atheism,  of  unbelief,  and  of  all  things  that  should 
lay  them  obnoxious  to  the  judgments  of  God.  This 
will  God,  I  say,  by  mustering  up  the  thoughts  of 
man,  and  by  shewing  of  them,  that  every  imagina- 
tion and  thought  of  their  heart  was  only  evil,  and 
that  continually,  (by  shewing  of  them  what  stag- 
gering, drunken,  wild,  and  uncomely  thoughts  they 
lave  had,  both  of  him,  and  of  themselves,)  con- 
vince them,  cast  them,  and  condemn  them  for 
sinners,  and  transgressors  against  the  book  of 
creatures,  the  book  of  his  remembrance,  and  the 
book  of  the  law.  By  the  variety  of  their  thoughts, 
they  shall  bo  proved  unstable,  ignorant,  wander- 
ing stars,  clouds  carried  with  a  tempest,  without 
order  or  guidance,  and  taken  captive  of  the  devil 
at  his  will. 

Now,  while  the  wicked  are  thus  standing  upon 
their  trial  and  lives  before  the  judgment-seat,  and 
that  in  the  view  of  heaven  and  hell,  they,  I  say, 
hearing  and  seeing  such  dreadful  things,  both  writ- 
ten and  witnessed  against  every  one  of  them,  and 
that  by  such  books  and  such  witnesses  as  do  not 
only  talk,  but  testify,   and  that  with  the  whole 


strengch  of  truth  against  them:  they  will  then 
begin,  though  poorly,  and  without  any  advantage, 
to  plead  for  themselves,  which  plea  will  be  to  this 
effect. 

Lord,  we  did  find  in  the  scriptures,  that  thou 
didst  send  a  Saviour  into  the  world,  to    „,        .      , 

.        .  Tlie     smncT  9 

deliver  us  from  these  sins  and  miseries,  plea  for  him- 
We  heard  this  Saviour  also  published,  Judgmeut-  "^ 
and  openly  proffered  to  such  poor  sin-  ^^''''• 
ners  as  we  are.  Lord,  Lord,  we  also  made  pro- 
fession of  this  Saviour,  and  were  many  of  us  fre- 
quenters of  his  holy  ordinances.  We  have  eaten 
and  drank  in  thy  presence,  and  thou  hast  taught 
in  our  streets.  Lord,  we  have  also  some  of  us, 
been  preachers  ourselves,  we  have  prophesied  in 
thy  name,  and  in  thy  name  have  we  cast  out  devils, 
and  done  many  wondrous  works.  Na\',  Lord,  we 
did  herd  among  thy  people ;  we  forsook  the  pro- 
fane and  wicked  world,  and  carried  our  shining 
lamps  before  us  in  the  face  of  all  men  ;  Lord,  Lord, 

open  to  us.  Mat.  vll.  21—23 ;  xxv.  1,  2, 10, 11 ;  Lii.  xiii.  2-1—28. 

And  all  the  while  they  are  thus  pleading,  and 
speaking  for  themselves:  behold,  how  earnestly 
they  groan,  how  ghastly  they  look,  and  how  now 
the  brinish  tears  flow  down  like  rivers  from  their 
eyes,  ever  redoubling  their  petition.  Lord,  Lord, 
Lord,  Lord :  first  thinking  of  this  thing,  and  then 
of  that,  ever  contending,  seeking,  and  striving  to 
enter  in  at  this  strait  gate.  As  Christ  salth, 
'When  once  the  master  of  the  house  is  risen  up,' 
that  is,  when  Christ  hath  laid  aside  his  media- 
tion for  sinners,  and  hath  taken  upon  him  only  to 
judge  and  condemn ;  then  will  the  wicked  begin 
to  stand  without,  and  to  knock  and  contend  for  a 
portion  among  them  that  are  the  blessed.  Ah,  how 
will  their  hearts  twitter  while  they  look  upon  the 
kingdom  of  glory!  and  how  will  they  ache  and 
throb  at  every  view  of  hell,  their  proper  place! 
still  crying,  0  that  we  might  inherit  life,  and  0 
that  we  might  escape  eternal  death! 

Fourtli,  But  now,  to  take  away  all  cavils  and 
objections,  that  of  this  nature  will  arise  in  the  hearts 
of  these  men:  forthwith  ^Ae  &oo^  o/ZZ/e  Tiie  book  of 
is  brought  out  for  a  conclusion,  and  a  ^^^^  opened. 
final  end  of  eternal  judgment.  As  John  salth,  '  The 
books  were  opened  ;  and  another  book  was  opened, 
which  is  tlie  booh  of  life:  and  the  dead  were  judged 
out  of  those  things  which  were  written  in  the 
books,  according  to  their  works.'  Re. xx.  12, 

But  this  book  of  life,  it  is  not  at  this  time  opened, 
because  there  are  not  any  godly  to  be  tried ;  for 
as  I  have  shewed  before,  their  judgment  is  past 
and  over,  before  the  wicked  rise.  The  book  of 
life,  then,  is  now  opened  for  further  conviction  of 
damned  reprobates,  that  their  mouths  may  be 
stopped  for  ever,  as  touching  all  their  cavils,  con- 
tendings,  and  arguments  against  God's  proceeding 
in  judgment  with  them.     For  believe  it,  while  God 


or  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


119 


ii  judging  tliem,  tliey  will  fall  to  judging  liim  again; 
but  he  will  be  justified  in  liis  sayings,  and  will 
overcome  when  he  is  judged  at  this  day.  Ko.m.*— 6. 
Yet  not  by  a  hasty  and  angry  casting  them  away, 
but  by  a  legal  and  convincing  proceeding  against 
them,  and  overthrowing  all  their  cavils  by  his 
manifest  and  invincible  truth.  Wherefore,  to  cut 
off  all  that  they  can  say,  he  will  now  open  the 
book  of  life  before  them,  and  will  shew  them  what 
is  written  therein,  both  as  to  election,  conversion, 
and  a  truly  gospel  conversation.  And  will  convince 
them  that  they  neither  are  of  the  number  of  his 
elect,  neither  were  they  ever  regenerate,  neither  had 
they  ever  a  truly  gospel  conversation  in  the  world. 

By  these  three  things,  then,  out  of  this  book, 
thou,  who  art  not  saved,  must  at  last  be  judged 
and  overcome. 

1.  Here  will  be  tried,  whether  thou  art  within 
that  part  of  this  book  wherein  all  the  elect  are  re- 
corded; for  all  the  elect  are  written  here,  as  Christ 
saith,  'Rejoice, because  your  names  are  written  in 
heaven;'  Lu. x.  20.  and  again,  'In  thy  book,'  saith  he 
to  his  Father,  'all  my  members  were  written.'   Ps. 

cxxxix.  16.  He.  xii.  22,  23. 

Now,  then,  if  thy  name  be  not  found,  either 
among  the  prophets,  apostles,  or  the  rest  of  saints, 
thou  must  be  put  by,  as  one  that  is  cast  away, 
as  one  polluted,  and  as  an  abominable  branch ; 
Isa.  xiv.  19.  thy  name  is  wanting  in  the  genealogies 
and  rolls  of  heaven,  Ezr.  ii.  63.  thou  art  not  *pricked 
for  everlasting  life,  therefore  thou  must  not  be  de- 
livered from  that  soul-amazing  misery;  for  there 
are  no  souls  can,  though  they  would  give  a  thou- 
sand Avorlds,  be  delivered  at  the  day  of  God  but 
such  that  are  found  written  in  tliis  book.  Every 
one  of  those  that  ai-e  written,  though  never  an  one 
of  those  that  are  not  written,  shall  in  that  day  be 
delivered  from  the  wrath  to  come.  Ba.  xiL  i. 

But,  0  methinks,  with  what  careful  hearts  will 
the  damned  now  begin  to  look  for  their  names  in 
this  book.  Those  that,  when  once  the  long-suffer- 
inff  of  God  waited  on  them,  made  liffht  of  all  ad- 
monition,  and  slighted  the  counsel  of  making  their 
calling  and  election  sure:  would  now  o-ive  thou- 
sands  of  treasures,  that  they  could  but  spy  their 
names,  though  last  and  least  among  the  sons  of 
God.  But,  I  say,  how  wiU  they  fail  ?  how  will 
they  faint?  how  will  they  die  and  languish  in 
their  souls  ?  when  they  shall  still  as  they  look, 
see  their  names  wanting.  What  a  pinch  will  it 
be  to  Gain  to  see  his  brother  there  recorded,  and 
he  himself  left  out.  Absalom  will  now  swoon,  and 
be  as  one  that  giveth  up  the  ghost,  when  he  shall 
see  David  his  father,  and  Solomon  his  brother 
written  here,  while  he  withal  is  written  in  the  earth, 

*   '  Pricked,'  nominated  by   a  puuctiu'c   or  mai'k,   as  our 
sheriffs  are  pricked. — Ed. 


among  the  damned.  Thus,  I  say,  will  sadness  be 
added  to  sadness,  in  the  soul  of  the  perishin'»- 
world  when  they  fail  of  finding  their  names  in  this 
part  of  '  the  book  of  life  of  the  Lamb  slain  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world. '  Re.  xUi.  8. 

2.  The  second  part  of  this  book,  is  that  in  M-hich 
is  recorded,  the  nature  of  conversion,  of  faith,  love, 
&c.  And  those  that  have  not  had  the  effectual 
word  of  God  upon  them,  and  the  true  and  savin"- 
operation  of  grace  in  their  hearts,  which  is  indeed 
the  true  life  which  is  begun  in  every  Christian, 
they  will  be  found  still  not  written  in  this  book; 
for  the  living,  the  holy  living  souls,  are  they  only 
that  are  written  therein ;  as  the  prophet  saith, 
'  And  he  tliat  remaineth  in  Jerusalem,  shall  be 
called  holy,  even  every  one  that  is  written  among 
the  living  in  Jerusalem:' is.  iv.  3.  Eternal  life  is 
already  in  this  life,  begun  in  every  sod  that 
shall  be  saved;  as  Christ  saith,  '  He  that  believeth 
in  me  hath  everlasting  life.'  And  aaain,  '  Whoso 
eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  hath  eter- 
nal Hfe;  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day.' 
Jn.  Ti.  51.  And  hence  they  are  called  the  living,  that 
are  written  in  this  book.  Here  then,  the  Lord  will 
open  before  thee,  what  conversion  is,  in  the  true 
and  simple  nature  of  it,  Avhich  when  thou  beholdest, 
thou  wilt  then  be  convinced,  that  this  thou  hast 
missed  of;  for  it  must  needs  be,  that  when  thou 
beholdest  by  the  records  of  heaven,  what  a  change 
what  a  turn;  what  an  alteration  the  work  of  regene- 
ration maketh  on  every  soul,  and  in  every  heart, 
where  the  eftectual  call,  or  the  call  according  to 
his  purpose,  is ;  that  thou  who  hast  lived  a  stranger 
to  this,  or  that  hast  contented  thyself  with  the  notion 
only,  or  a  formal,  and  feigned  profession  thereof : 
I  say,  it  cannot  be  but  that  thou  must  forthwith 
fall  down,  and  with  grief  conclude,  that  thou  hast 
no  share  in  this  part  of  the  book  of  life  neither, 
the  living  only  are  written  herein.  There  is  not 
one  dead,  carnal,  wicked  man  recorded  here.  No; 
but  when  the  Lord  shall  at  this  day  make  mention 
of  Rahab,  of  Babylon,  of  Philistia,  and  Ethiopia: 
that  is,  of  all  the  cursed  rabble  and  crew  of  the 
damned:  then  he  will  say,  that  this  man  was  born 
there — that  is,  amongst  them,  and  so  hath  his 
name  where  they  have  theirs;  namely,  under  the 
black  rod,  in  the  king's  black  book,  where  he  hath 
recorded  all  his  enemies  and  traitors.  It  shall  be 
said  of  tliis  man,  of  this  ungodly  man,  that  he  was 
born  there,  Ps.  LxxxvU.  4.  that  he  lived  and  died  in  the 
state  of  nature,  and  so  under  the  curse  of  God, 
even  as  others:  for  as  he  said  of  wicked  Coniah, 
'  Write  ye  this  man  cliildless,'  Je.xxii.30.  so  he  saith 
of  every  ungodly  man  that  so  departeth  out  of  this 
world,  Write  this  man  graceless. 

Wherefore,  I  say,  among  the  Babylonians  and 
Philistines;  among  the  unbelieving  Moors  and 
pagans,  his  name  Mill  be  found  in  the  day  when  it 


120 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


will  be  inquired  Avliere  every  man  was  born;  for 
God  at  tbis  day,  will  divide  the  whole  world  into 
these  two  ranks — the  children  of  the  world,  and 
the  children  of  Zion.  Wherefore  here  is  the  lionour, 
the  privilege,  and  advantage  that  the  godly  above 
the  wicked  will  have  at  the  day  of  their  counting, 
when  the  Lord  maketh  mention  of  Zion,  it  shall  be 
then  acknowledged  tliat  this  and  that  (good)  man 
was  born  in  lier.  '  The  Lord  shall  count, '  saith 
the  prophet,  '  when  he  writeth  up  the  people,  that 
this  7}iaii  was  born  there.'  Ps.  bcxxvii.6.  Tliis  man 
had  the  work  of  conversion,  of  faith,  and  grace  in 
his  soul.  This  man  is  a  child  of  Zion,  of  the 
heavenly  Jerusalem,  which  is  also  written  in 
heaven.  Ga.  iv.  26.  He.  xii.  23.  Blcssed  is  the  people 
that  is  in  such  a  case.  Ps.  cxUv.  15. 

But,  poor  sold,  counters*  Avill  not  go  for  gold 
now;  for  though  so  long  as  thou  didst  judge  thy- 
self by  the  crooked  rule  of  thy  own  reason,  fancy, 
and  affection,  thou  wast  pure  in  thine  own  eyes : 
yet  now  thou  must  be  judged  alone  by  the  words 
and  rule  of  the  Lord  Jesus :  which  word  shall  not 
now,  as  in  times  past,  be  wrested  and  wrung,  both 
this  way  and  that,  to  smooth  thee  up  in  thy  hypo- 
crite's hope  and  carnal  confidence;  but  be  thou  king 
or  keser,t  be  thou  who  thou  wilt,  the  word  of 
Christ,  and  that  with  this  intei-pretation  only,  it 
shall  judge  thee  in  the  last  day.  Jn.  xii.  48. 

Now  will  sinners  begin  to  cry  with  loud  and  bit- 
ter cries.  Oh!  ten  thousand  worlds  for  a  saving 
work  of  grace.  Crowns  and  kingdoms  for  the 
least  measure  of  saving  faith,  and  for  the  love,  that 
Christ  will  say,  is  the  love  of  his  own  Spirit. 

Now  they  will  begin  also  to  see  the  work  of  a 
broken  and  a  contrite  spirit,  and  of  walking  with 
God,  as  living  stones,  in  this  world.  But  alas ! 
these  things  appear  in  their  hearts  to  the  damned 
too  late;  as  also  do  all  things  else.  This  will  be 
but  like  the  repentance  of  the  thief,  about  whose 
neck  is  the  halter,  and  he  turning  off  the  ladder ; 
for  the  unfortunate  hap  of  the  damned  will  be,  that 
the  glory  of  heavenly  tilings  will  not  appear  to  them 
till  out  of  season.  Christ  must  now  indeed  be 
shewed  to  them,  as  also  the  true  nature  of  faith 
and  all  grace;  but  it  will  be,  when  the  door  is 
shut,  and  mercy  gone.  They  will  pray,  and  repent 
most  earnestly;  but  it  will  be  in  the  time  of  great 
waters  of  the  floods  of  eternal  wrath,  when  they 
cannot  come  nigh  him.  l  Ti.  vi.  iS;  Mat.  xxv.  lo,  ll;  Ps. 

xxxii.  G. 

Well,  then,  tell  me,  sinner,  if  Christ  should  now 
come  to  judge  the  world,  canst  thou  abide  the  trial 
of  the  book  of  life  ?  art  thou  confident  that  thy 

*  '  Couuters,'  false  coin — 

'  Will  you  with  counters  sum 

The  vast  proportiou  of  his  infinite.' 

S/iahjjcare. — Ed. 
t  '  Kpser,'  Ca'sar  or  emperor. — Ed. 


profession,  that  thy  conversion,  thy  faith,  and  all 
other  graces  thou  thinkest  thou  hast,  will  prove 
gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones  in  this  day?  Be- 
hold, he  comes  as  a  refiner's  fire,  and  as  fuller's 
soap.  Shalt  thou  indeed  abide  the  melting  and 
Avashing  of  this  day  ?  Examine,  I  say,  beforehand, 
and  try  thyself  unfeignedl}'-;  for  everyone  'that 
doth  truth  cometh  to  the  light,  that  his  deeds  may 
be  made  manifest,  that  they  are  wrought  in  God.' 

Jn.  iii.  21. 

Thou  sayest  thou  art  a  Christian,  that  also  thou 
hast  repented,  dost  believe,  and  love  the  Lord  Jesus; 
but  the  question  is,  whether  these  things  will  be 
found  of  equal  length,  height,  and  breadth  with  the 
book  of  life,  or  whether,  when  thou  art  weighed  in 
the  balance,  thou  wilt  yet  be  found  wanting.  Da. 
V.  27.  How  if,  when  thou  comest  to  speak  for  thy- 
self before  God,  thou  shouldst  say  Sibboleth  in- 
stead of  Shibboleth:  that  is,  though  almost,  yet 
not  rightly  and  naturally  the  language  of  the  Chris- 
tians. Ju.  xii.  6. 

If  thou  miss  but  one  letter  in  thy  evidence,  thou 
art  gone;  for  though  thou  mayest  deceive  thy  own 
heart  with  brass,  instead  of  gold,  and  with  tin  in- 
stead of  silver,  yet  God  will  not  be  so  put  oft\  Ga. 
vi.  7.  You  know  how  confident  the  foolish  virgins 
were,  and  yet  how  they  were  deceived.  They 
herded  with  the  saints,  they  went  forth  from  the 
gross  pollutions  of  the  world,  they  every  one  had 
shining  lamps,  and  all  Avent  forth  to  meet  the 
bridegroom,  and  yet  they  missed  the  kingdom ; 
they  were  not  written  among  the  living  at  Jerusa- 
lem ;  they  had  not  the  true,  powerful,  saving  woi'k 
of  conversion,  of  faith,  and  grace  in  their  souls: 
they  that  are  foolish  take  their  lamps,  but  take  no 
oil,  no  saving  grace,  with  them.  Mat.xxv.  l— 4.  Thus 
you  see  how  sinners  will  be  put  to  it  before  the 
judgment-seat  from  these  two  parts  of  this  book 
of  life.     But, 

3.  There  is  yet  another  part  of  this  book  to  be 
opened,  and  that  is,  that  part  of  it  in  which  are 
recorded  those  noble  and  Christian  acts,  that  they 
have  done  since  the  time  of  their  conversion  and 
turning  to  Christ.  Here,  I  say,  are  recorded  the 
testimony  of  the  saints  against  sin  and  antichrist; 
their  suffering  for  the  sake  of  God,  their  love  to 
the  members  of  Christ,  their  patience  under  the 
cross,  and  their  faithful  frequenting  the  assemblies 
of  the  saints,  and  their  encouraging  one  another  to 
bear  up  in  his  ways  in  the  worst  of  times ;  even 
when  the  proud  were  called  happy,  and  when  they 
that  wrought  wickedness  were  even  set  up.  As  he 
there  saith,  '  Then  they  that  feared  the  Lord 
spake  often  one  to  another :  and  the  Lord  heark- 
ened, and  heard  it,  and  a  book  of  remembrance 
was  written  before  him  for  them  that  feared  the 
Lord,   and  that  thought   upon   his  name.'  Mai.  lii. 

IG. 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


121 


For  indeed,  as  truly  as  any  person  hatli  his 
name  found  in  the  first  part  of  tliis  book  of  life, 
and  his  conversion  in  the  second ;  so  there  is  a 
third  part,  in  which  there  are  his  noble,  spiritual, 
and  holy  actions  recorded  and  set  down.  As  it  is 
said  by  the  Spirit  to  John,  concerning  those  that 
suffered  martyrdom  for  the  truth  of  Jesus,  'Write, 
Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord :  -  - 
Yea,  saitli  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from 
their  labours  ;  and  their  works  do  follow  them. '  Re. 

xiv.  13. 

And  hence  it  is  that  the  labours  of  the  saints 
and  the  book  of  life,  are  mentioned  together,  sig- 
nifying that  the  travels,  and  labours,  and  acts  of 
the  godly,  are  recorded  therein.  Piu.  iv.  3. 

And  hence  it  is  again,  that  the  Lord  doth  tell 
Sardis,  that  those  among  them  that  stood  it  out  to 
the  last  gasp,  in  the  faith  and  love  of  the  gospel, 
should  not  be  blotted  out  of  the  book  of  life ;  but 
they,  with  the  work  of  God  on  their  soul,  and  their 
labour  for  God  in  this  world ;  should  be  confessed 
before  his  Father,  and  before  his  angels.  Re.  m.  5. 

This  part  of  this  book,  is  in  another  place  called, 
'  The  book  of  the  wars  of  the  Lord,  '  Nu.  xxi.  M.  be- 
cause in  it,  I  say,  are  recorded  these  famous  acts 
of  the  saints  against  the  world,  flesh,  and  the  devil. 

You  find  also,  how  exact  the  Holy  Ghost  is,  in 
recording  the  travels,  pains,  labour,  and  goodness 
of  any  of  the  children  of  Israel,  in  their  journey 
/'com  Egypt  to  Canaan,  which  was  a  representation 
of  the  travels  of  the  saints,  from  nature  to  grace, 
and  from  grace  to  glory.  King  Ahasuerus,  kept 
in  his  library  a  book  of  records,  wherein  was  writ- 
ten, the  good  service  that  his  subjects  did  for  him 
at  any  time,  which  was  a  type  also  of  the  manner 
and  order  of  heaven.  And  as  sure  as  ever  Mor- 
decai,  when  search  was  made  in  the  rolls,  was 
found  there  to  have  done  such  and  such  service  for 
the  king  and  his  kingdom :  Es.  vi.  i,  2.  so  surely  will 
it  be  found,  what  every  saint  hath  done  for  God, 
at  the  day  of  inquiry.  You  find  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment also,  still  as  any  of  the  kings  of  Judah  died, 
there  was  surely  a  record  in  the  book  of  Chronicles, 
of  their  memorable  acts  and  doings  for  their  God, 
the  church,  and  the  coininonweallh  of  Israel,  which 
still  doth  further  hold  forth  unto  the  children  of 
men,  this  very  thing,  that  all  the  kings  of  the  New 
Testament,  which  are  the  saints  of  God,  have  all 
their  acts,  and  what  they  have  done  for  their  God, 
&c.,  recorded  in  the  book  of  Chronicles  in  the 
keavenly  Jerusalem. 

Now,  I  say,  when  this  part  of  the  book  of  life 
shall  be  opened,  what  can  be  found  in  it,  of  the 
good  deeds  and  heaven-born  actions  of  wicked  men  ? 
Just  nothing ;  for  as  it  is  not  to  be  expected  that 
thorns  should  bring  forth  grapes,  or  that  thistles 
should  bear  figs :  so  it  cannot  be  imagined,  that 
ungodly  men  should  have  anything  to  their  com- 

VOL.  II. 


mendations,  recorded  in  this  part  of  the  book  of 
hfe.  What  hast  thou  done,  man,  for  God  in  this 
world?  Art  thou  one  of  them  that  hast  set  thyself 
against  those  strong  stx-ugglings  of  pride,  lust 
covetousness,  and  secret  wickedness,  that  remaiu 
in  thy  heart,  like  Job  and  Paul?  Jobi.  8;  2Co.  x.  4,  5, 
And  do  these  strugglings  against  these  thin"-s, 
arise  from  pure  love  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  or  from 
some  legal  terrors  and  conviction  for  sin.  Ga.  v.  g. 
Dost  thou,  I  say,  struggle  against  thy  lusts,  because 
thou  dost  in  truth,  love  the  sweet,  holy,  and  blessed 
leadings  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  its  lead- 
ings of  thee,  I  say,  into  his  blood  and  death,  for 
thy  justification  and   deliverance  from  wrath    to 

come.  Phi.  iii.  6—8;  2  Co.  v.  14. 

What  acts  of  self-denial,  hast  thou  done  for  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  among  the  sons  of  men? 
I  say,  what  house,  what  friend,  what  wife,  what 
children,  and  the  like,  hast  thou  lost,  or  left  for  the 
word  of  God,  and  the  testimony  of  his  truth  in  the 
world  ?  Mat.  xix.  27, 28..  Re.  xii.  11.  Wast  thou  one  of 
them,  that  didst  sigh,  and  afilict  thyself  for  the 
abominations  of  the  times?  and  that  Christ  hath 
marked  and  recorded  for  such  an  one  ?  Eze.  ix.  4.  Zep. 

iii.  18. 

In  a  word,  art  thou  one  of  them,  that  wouldst 
not  be  won,  neither  by  fear,  frowns,  nor  flatteries, 
to  forsake  the  ways  of  God,  or  wrong  thy  con- 
science? or  art  thou  one  of  them  that  slightest 
those  opportunities  that  Satan  and  this  world  did 
often  give  thee  to  return  to  sin  in  secret.  He.  xi.  15. 
These  be  the  men  whose  praise  is  in  the  gospel, 
and  whose  commendable  and  worthy  acts  are  re- 
corded before  the  Judge  of  all  the  world.  Alas, 
alas,  these  things  are  strange  things  to  a  carnal 
and  wicked  man.  Nothing  of  this  hath  been  done 
by  him  in  this  hfe,  and  therefore  how  can  any  such 
be  recorded  for  him  in  the  book  of  life  ?  wherefore 
he  must  needs  be  shut  out  of  this  part  also.  As 
David  saith,  '  Let  them  be  blotted  out  of  the  book 
of  the  living,  and  not  be  written  with  the  righte- 
ous.' Pfl.  Lxuc.  28. 

Thus  I  say,  the  wicked  will  find  nothing  for 
their  comfort,  either  in  the  first  part  of  this  book, 
where  all  the  names  of  the  elect  are,  neither  will 
they  find  anything  in  the  second  part  thereof,  where 
are  recorded  the  true  nature  and  operation  of  efi'ec- 
tual  conversion,  of  faith,  or  love,  or  the  like.;  and 
I  say,  neither  can  anything  be  found  in  this  tliird 
part,  wherein  are  recorded  the  worthy  acts,  and 
memorable  deeds  of  the  saints  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
Thus,  when  Christ  therefore  hath  opened  before 
them  this  book  of  life,  and  convinced  the  ungodly 
at  this  day  out  of  it,  he  will  then  shut  it  up  again, 
saying,  I  find  nothing  herein  that  will  do  you  good  ; 
you  are  none  of  my  elect,  you  are  the  sons  of  per- 
dition. For  as  these  things  will  be  found  clear 
and  fuU  in  the  book  of  life,  so  they  will  be  found 


122 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


effectually  wrouglit  in  the  hearts  of  the  elect,  all 
whose  conversion  and  perseverance  shall  now  be 
opened  before  thine  eyes,  as  a  witness,  I  say,  of 
tlie  truth  of  what  thou  here  seest  opened  before 
thee,  and  also  of  thy  unregenerate  estate.  Now, 
tliou  wilt  see  Avhat  a  turn,  what  a  change,  and 
what  a  clinging  to  God,  to  Christ,  and  his  word 
and  ways ;  there  was  found  in  the  souls  of  the 
saved  ones!  Here  shall  be  seen  also  how  re- 
solvedly, unfeignedly,  and  heartily  the  true  child 
of  God  did  oppose,  resist,  and  war  against  his  most 
dear  and  darling  lusts  and  corruptions.  Now  the 
saints  are  hidden  ones,  but  then  they  shall  be 
manifest;  this  is  the  morrow  in  which  the  Lord 
will  shew  who  are  his,  and  who  they  are  that  fear 
the  Lord,  and  who  that  fear  him  not.  Ps.  lxxxm.3;  l 
Sa.  viii.  19.  Nu.  xvi.  ?.  Mai.  iii.  18.  Now  you  shall  See  how 
Abraham  left  his  country;  He.xi.  8.  how  close  good 
]jot  did  stick  to  God  in  profane  and  wicked  Sodom  ; 
2Pe.u.7,8.  how  the  apostles  left  all  to  follow  Jesus 
Christ ;  Mat.  xix.  29.  and  how  patiently  they  took  all 
crosses,  afflictions,  persecutions,  and  necessities  for 
the  kingdom  of  heaven's  sake ;  how  they  endured 
burning,  striving,  stoning,  hanging,  and  a  thousand 
calamities;  how  they  manifested  their  love  to  their 
Lord,  his  cause,  and  people  in  the  worst  of  times, 
and  in  the  days  when  they  were  most  rejected, 
slighted,  abused,  and  abased ;  '  then  shall  the  King 
say  to  them  on  his  right  hand,  (and  that  when  all 
the  devils  and  damned  sinners  stand  by,)  Come, 
ye  blessed  of  ray  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  pre- 
pared for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world: 
(you  are  indeed  the  truly  converted  souls,  as  ap- 
pears by  the  grace  that  was  in  your  hearts)  for  I 
was  an  hungered,  and  ye  gave  me  meat:  I  was 
thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  drink :  I  was  a  stranger, 
and  ye  took  me  in :  Naked,  and  ye  clothed  me :  I 
was  sick,  and  ye  visited  me :  I  was  in  prison,  and 
ye  came  unto  me.'  Mat.xxv. 34-— 36.  You  owned  me, 
stood  by  me,  and  denied  yourselves  to  nourish  me 
and  my  poor  members,  in  our  low,  and  weak,  and 
most  despised  condition.  This,  I  say,  the  world 
shall  see,  hear,  and  be  witnesses  of,  against  them- 
selves and  their  souls  for  ever ;  for  how  can  it  be, 
but  these  poor  damned  sinners  should  be  forced  to 
confess,  that  they  were  both  Christless  and  grace- 
less, when  they  shall  find,  both  in  the  book  of  life, 
and  in  the  hearts  of  the  holy  and  beloved  souls, 
that  which  themselves  are  quite  barren  of,  and 
greatest  strangers  to.  The  saints,  by  the  fruits  of 
regeneration,  even  in  this  world,  do  testify  to  the 
world,  not  only  the  truth  of  conversion  in  them- 
selves, but  also  that  they  are  yet  Christless,  and 
so  hcavenless,  and  salvationless,  that  are  not  con- 
verted. 1  Ti.  vi.  12;  1  Th.  ii.  10;  2  Ti.  ii.  2.      But  alaS  !  while 

we  are  here,  they  will  evade  this  testimony,  both 
of  our  happiness,  by  calling  our  faith,  phantasy; 
oiir  cummuiiion  with  God,  delusion;  and  the  sincere 


profession  of  his  word  before  the  world,  hypocrisy, 
pride,  and  arrogancy:  yet,  I  say,  when  they  see  us 
on  the  right  hand  of  Christ,  commingled  among 
the  angels  of  light,  and  themselves  on  his  left  hand, 
and  commingled  with  the  angels  of  darkness  ;  and, 
I  say,  when  they  shaU  see  our  hearts  and  ways 
opened  before  their  eyes,  and  owned  by  the  Judge 
for  honest  hearts  and  good  ways,  and  yet  the  same 
ways  that  they  hated,  slighted,  disowned  and  con- 
temned, what  will  they,  or  what  can  they  say,  but 
thus — We  fools  counted  their  lives  madness,  and 
their  end  to  be  without  honour ;  but  how  are  they 
numbered  with  the  saints,  and  owned  by  God  and 
Christ! 

And  truly,  was  it  not  that  the  world  might,  by 
seeing  the  turn  that  is  wrought  on  the  godly  at 
their  conversion,  be  convinced  of  the  evil  of  their 
ways,  or  be  left  without  excuse  the  more  in  the  day 
of  God,  (with  some  other  reasons)  they  should  not, 
I  am  persuaded,  stay  so  long  from  heaven  as  they 
do,  nor  imdergo  so  much  abuse  and  hardship  as 
frequently  befals  them.  God,  by  the  lengthening 
out  the  life  of  his  people  that  are  scattered  here 
and  there  among  men  in  this  world,  is  making- 
work  for  the  day  of  judgment,  and  the  overthrow 
of  the  implacable,  for  ever  and  ever;  and,  as  I  have 
said,  will  by  the  conversion,  life,  patience,  self- 
denial,  and  heavenly-mindedness  of  his  dear  chil- 
dren, give  them  a  heavy  and  most  dreadful  blow. 
Now,  when  God  hath  thus  laid  open  the  work  of 
grace,  both  by  the  book  of  life  and  the  Christian's 
heart :  then,  of  itself  wiU  fall  to  the  ground,  their 
pleading  what  gifts  and  abilities  they  had  in  this 
world;  they  will  now  see  that  gifts,  and  grace,  are 
two  things ;  and  also,  that  whosoever  is  graceless, 
let  their  gifts  be  never  so  excellent,  they  must 
perish  and  be  lost  for  ever;  wherefore,  for  all  their 
gifts,  they  shall  be  found  the  workers  of  iniquity, 
and  shall  so  be  judged  and  condemned.  Mat.  vu.  22, 23. 
That  is  a  notable  place  in  the  prophecy  of  Ezekiel, 
'Thus  saith  the  Lord  GOD,'  saith  he,  'If  the 
prince, '  the  Prince  of  Life,  '  give  a  gift  to  any  of 
his  sons, ' — that  is,  to  any  that  are  truly  gracious 
— '  the  inheritance, '  or  the  profit  that  he  gets 
thereby,  '  shall  be  his  son's' — that  is,  for  the  exer- 
cise of  his  gift  he  shall  receive  a  reward ;  '  but  if 
he  give  a  gift  of  his  inheritance  to  one  of  his  ser- 
vants, '  that  is  not  a  son,  '  then  it  shall  be  his '  but 
'  to  the  year  of  liberty;  after,  it  shall  return  to  the 
prince,'  he.  Eze. xM.  16, 17.  This  day  of  liberty  it  is 
now,  when  the  Judge  is  set  upon  the  throne  to 
judgment,  even  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children 
of  God,  Ko.  viii.  21.  wherefore  then  will  Christ  say  to 
them  that  stand  by,  '  Take  from  him  the  pound, 
and  give  it  to  him  that  hath  ten  pounds.  This  ser- 
vant must  not  abide  in  the  house  for  ever,  though 
with  the  son  it  shall  be  so. '  Jn.  viii.  35.  Lu.  xix.  24.  A 
man  may  be  used  as  a  servant  in  the  church  of 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


123 


God,  and  may  receive  many  gifts,  and  much  know- 
ledge of  the  things  of  heaven,  and  yet  at  last  him- 
self be  no  more  than  a  very  bubble  and  nothing. 

1  Co.  xiii.  1 — 3. 

But  now,  I  say,  at  this  day,  they  shall  clearly 
see  the  difference  between  gifts  and  grace,  even  as 
cleai'ly,  as  now  they  that  have  eyes  can  sec  the 
difference  between  gifts  and  ignorance,  and  very 
foolishness.  This  our  day  doth  indeed  abound 
with  gifts ;  many  sparkling  wits  are  seen  in  every 
corner;  men  have  the  word  and  truths  of  Christ  at 
their  fingers'  ends ;  but  alas,  with  many,  yea,  a 
great  many,  there  is  nought  but  wits  and  gifts ; 
they  are  but  words,  all  their  religion  lieth  in  their 
tongues  and  heads,  the  power  of  what  they  say 
and  know,  it  is  seen  in  others,  not  in  themselves. 
These  are  like  the  lord  on  whom  the  king  of  Israel 
leaned,  they  shall  see  the  plenty,  the  blessed  plenty 
that  God  doth  provide,  and  will  bestow  upon  his 
church,  but  they  shall  not  taste  thereof.  3  ivi.  vii.  17 
—20. 

Ohs.  First.  Before  I  conclude  this  matter,  ob- 
serve, [first,]  that  among  all  the  objections  and 
cavils  that  are  made,  and  will  be  made,  by  the  un- 
godly, in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  they  have  not 
one /iM???;P*  about  election  and  reprobation;  they 
murmur  not  at  all  that  they  were  not  predestinated 
to  eternal  hfe;  and  the  reason  is,  because  then  they 
shall  see,  though  now  they  are  blind,  that  God 
could  in  his  prerogative  royal,  without  prejudice 
to  them  that  are  damned,  choose  and  refuse  at 
pleasure ;  and  besides,  they  at  that  day  shall  be 
convinced,  that  there  was  so  much  reality  and 
downright  willingness  in  God,  in  every  tender  of 
grace  and  mercy  to  the  worst  of  men ;  and  also  so 
much  goodness,  justness,  and  reasonableness  in 
every  command  of  the  gospel  of  grace,  which  they 
were  so  often  entreated  and  beseeched  to  embrace, 
that  they  will  be  drowned  in  the  conviction  of  this, 
that  did  refuse  love,  grace,  reason,  &;c. ;  love,  I 
say,  for  hatred,  grace  for  sin,  and  things  reason- 
able, for  things  unreasonable  and  vain.  Now  they 
shall  see  they  left  glory  for  shame,  God  for  the 
devil,  heaven  for  hell,  light  for  darkness.  Now 
they  shall  see  that  though  they  made  themselves 
beasts,  yet  God  made  them  reasonable  creatures, 
and  that  he  did  with  reason  expect  that  they  should 
have  adliered  to,  and  have  delighted  in,  things  that 
are  good,  and  according  to  God ;  yea,  now  they 
shall  see,  that  though  God  did  not  determine  to 
bring  them  to  heaven  against  their  hearts  and  wills, 
and  the  love  that  they  had  to  their  sins :  yet  then 
they  shall  be  convinced,  that  God  was  far  from  in- 
fusing anything  into  their  souls,  that  should  in  the 


*  'Hump;'  or  'hump-back'  is  a  deformity  in  nature,  so 
Bunj-an  uses  the  word  'hump'  as  3  deformity  in  judgment. 
— Eo. 


least  hinder,  weaken,  obstruct,  or  let  them  in  seek- 
ing the  welfare  of  their  souls.  Now  men  will  tattle 
and  prattle  at  a  mad  rate,  about  election  and  re- 
probation, and  conclude,  that  because  all  are  not 
elected,  therefore  God  is  to  blame  that  any  arc 
damned :  but  then  they  will  see,  that  they  are  not 
damned  because  they  were  not  elected,  but  because 
they  sinned;  and  also  that  they  sinned,  not  because 
God  put  any  weakness  into  their  souls,  but  because 
they  gave  way,  and  that  wilfully,  knowingly,  and 
desperately,  to  Satan  and  his  suggestions ;  and  so 
turned  away  from  the  holy  commandment  delivered 
unto  them ;  yea,  then  they  will  see,  that  though 
God  at  some  times  did  fasten  his  cords  about  their 
heads,  and  heels,  and  hands,  both  by  godly  edu- 
cation, and  smarting  convictions,  yet  they  rushed 
away  with  violence  from  all,  saying,  '  Let  us  break 
their  bands  asunder,  and  cast  away  their  cords 
from  us.'  Ps.ii. 3.  God  will  be  justified  in  his  say- 
ings, and  clear  when  he  judgeth,  Ps.li.4;  though 
thy  proud  ignorance  thinks  to  have,  and  to  multiply, 
cavils  against  him. 

Ohs.  Second.  But  secondly,  as  the  whole  body 
of  the  elect,  by  the  nature  of  conversion  in  their 
hearts,  shall  witness  a  non-conversion  in  the  hearts 
of  the  wicked ;  and  as  the  ungodly  shall  fall  under 
the  conviction  of  this  cloud  of  witnesses :  so,  to  in- 
crease their  conviction,  there  will  also  be  opened 
before  them  all  the  labours  of  the  godly,  both 
ministers  and  others,  and  the  pains  that  they  have 
taken,  to  save,  if  it  had  been  possible,  these  damned 
wretches ;  and  now  will  it  come  burning  hot  upon 
their  souls,  how  often  they  were  forewarned  of  this 
day;  now  they  shall  see,  that  there  was  never  any 
quarter-sessions,  nor  general  jail-delivery  more  pub- 
licly foretold  of,  than  this  day.  You  know  that 
the  judges  before  they  begin  their  assizes,  do  give 
to  the  coimtry  in  charge,  that  they  take  heed  to 
the  laws  and  statutes  of  the  king.  Why  rebel, 
thou  shalt  be  at  this  day  convicted,  that  every  ser- 
mon thou  hast  heard,  and  that  every  serious  debate 
thou  hast  been  at  about  the  things  of  God,  and 
laws  of  eternity,  they  were  to  thee  as  the  judge's 
charge  before  the  assizes  and  judgment  began. 
Every  exhortation  of  every  minister  of  God,  it  is 
as  that  which  Paul  gave  to  Timothy,  and  com- 
manded him  to  give  in  charge  to  others — '  I  charge 
thee  before  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  tlie 
elect  ano-els, '  saith  he,  '  that  thou  observe  these 
things;'  and  again,  '  I  give  thee  charge  in  the  sight 
of  God,  who  quickeneth  all  things,  and  before  Jesus 
Christ,  Avho  before  Pontius  Pilate  witnessed  a  good 
confession;  That  thou  keep  this  commandment 
without  spot,  unrebukeable,  until  the  appearing  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,' iTi.  v.2i;  vi.i3.i4.  These 
things  give  in  charge,  saith  he,  that  they  may  be 
blameless.  This,  I  say,  hast  thou  heard  and  seen, 
and  yet  thou  hast  not  held  fast,  but  hast  cast  away 


124 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


the  things  that  thou  hast  heard,  and  hast  heen 
warned  of:  alas!  God  will  multiply  his  witnesses 
against  thee. 

1.  Thy  own  vows  and  promises  shall  be  a  wit- 
ness against  thee,  that  thou  hast,  contrary  to  thy 
light  and  knowledge,  destroyed  thy  soul,  as  Joshua 
said  to  the  children  of  Israel,  when  they  said  the 
Lord  should  be  their  God.  Well,  saith  he,  *  Ye 
are  witnesses  against  yourselves  that  ye  have  chosen 
you  the  Lord,  to  serve  him. '  That  is,  if  now  you 
turn  back  again,  even  this  covenant  and  resolution 
of  yours  will  in  the  great  day  be  a  witness  against 
you — '  And  they  said.  We  are  witnesses. '  Jos.  xxiv.  23. 

2.  Every  time  you  have  with  your  mouth  said 
well  of  godliness,  and  yet  gone  on  in  wickedness ; 
or  every  time  you  have  condemned  sin  in  others, 
and  yet  have  not  refrained  it  yourselves ;  I  say, 
every  such  word  and  conclusion  that  hath  passed 
out  of  thy  mouth,  sinner,  it  shall  be  as  a  witness 
against  thee  in  the  day  of  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  as  Christ  saith,  '  By  thy  words  thou  shalt 
be  justified,  and  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be  con- 
demned. '  Mat.  xu.  37.  I  observe,  that  talk  with  who 
you  will,  tliey  will  with  their  mouth  say,  serving 
of  God,  and  loving  of  Christ,  and  walking  in  ways 
of  holiness,  are  best,  and  best  will  come  of  them. 
I  observe  again,  that  men  that  are  grossly  wicked 
themselves,  will  yet,  with  heavy  censures  and 
judgments,  condemn  drunkenness,  lying,  covetous- 
ness,  pride,  and  whoring,  with  all  manner  of  abo- 
minations in  others;  and  yet,  in  the  meantime,  con- 
tinue to  be  neglecters  of  God,  and  embracers  of 
sin  and  the  allurements  of  the  flesh  themselves. 
Why,  such  souls,  every  time  they  speak  well  of 
godliness,  and  continue  in  their  sins;  they  do  pass 
judgment  upon  themselves,  and  provide  a  witness, 
even  their  own  mouth,  against  their  own  soul,  at 
the  judgment-seat — '  Out  of  thy  own  mouth,'  saith 
Christ,  'will  I  judge  thee,  thou  wicked  servant ;' 
thou  knewest  what  I  was,  and  that  I  loved  to  see 
all  my  servants  zealous,  and  active  for  me,  that  at 
my  coming,  I  might  have  received  again  what  I 
gave  thee,  with  increase;  thou  oughtest  therefore 
to  have  been  busying  thyself  in  my  work,  for  my 
glory,  and  thy  own  good ;  but  seeing  thou  hast, 
against  thy  own  light  and  mouth  gone  contrary : 
Angels,  take  this  unprofitable  servant,  and  cast  ye 
him  into  utter  darkness,  there  shall  be  weeping 
and  gnashing  of  teeth  ;  he  sinned  against  his  light, 
he  shall  go  to  hell  against  his  will.  Mat  xxv.  26—31. 

The  very  same  I  say,  will  befall  all  those  that 
have  used  tlieir  mouth  to  condemn  the  sins  of 
others,  while  they  themselves  live  in  tlicir  sins. 
Saith  God,  0  thou  wicked  wretch,  thou  didst  know 
that  sin  was  bad,  thou  didst  condemn  it  in  others, 
thou  didst  also  condemn,  and  pass  judgment  upon 
them  for  their  sin,  '  Therefore  thou  art  inexcusa- 
ble, 0  man,  whosoever  thou  art  that  judgest:  for' 


thou  that  judgest  dost  the  same  thing;  wherefore, 
•  wherein  thou  hast  judged  another,  thou  condcmnest 
thyself. '  I  must  therefore,  saith  Christ,  look  upon 
thee  to  be  no  other  but  a  sinner  against  thy  own 
mouth,  and  cannot  but  judge  thee  as  a  despiser  of 
my  goodness,  and  the  riches  of  my  forbearance ; 
by  which  means,  thou  hast  treasured  up  wrath 
against  this  day  of  wrath,  and  revelation  of  the 
righteous  judgment  of  God.  Ro.  ii.  i— 5.  He  that 
hnoueth  to  do  good,  and  doth  it  not,  to  Mm  it  is  sin. 
Thus  will  God,  I  say,  judge  and  condemn  poor 
sinners,  even  from  and  by  themselves,  to  the  fire, 
that  lake  of  brimstone  and  fire. 

3.  God  hath  said  in  his  word,  that  rather  than 
there  shall  want  witness  at  the  day  of  judgment, 
against  the  workers  of  iniquity:  the  very  dust  of 
their  city,  that  shall  cleave  to  his  messengers  thiit 
publish  the  gospel  shall  itself  be  a  witness  against 
them;  and  so  Christ  bid  his  servants  say — '  Into 
whatsoever  city  ye  enter,  and  they  receive  you  not, 
go  your  ways  out  into  the  streets  of  the  same,  and 
say,  Even  the  very  dust  of  your  city,  which  cleav- 
eth  on  us,  we  do  wipe  ofi"  against  you:'  &c.  '  But 
I  say  unto  you, '  saith  he  to  his  ministers,  '  it  shall 
be  more  tolerable  for  Sodom '  at  the  judgment  'than 
for  that  city. '  Lu.  x.  10—12. 

It  may  be,  that  when  thou  hearest  that  the  dust 
of  the  street,  (that  cleaveth  to  a  minister  of  the 
gospel,  while  thou  rejectest  his  word  of  salvation,) 
shall  be  a  witness  against  thee  at  the  day  of  judg- 
ment: thou  wilt  be  apt  to  laugh,  and  say.  The 
dust  a  witness!  Witnesses  will  be  scarce  where 
dust  is  forced  to  come  in  to  plead  against  a  man. 
Well  sinner,  mock  not;  God  doth  use  to  confound 
the  great  and  mighty  by  things  that  are  not,  and 
that  are  despised.  And  how  sayest  thou  ?  If  God 
had  said  by  a  prophet  to  Pharoah,  but  two  years 
before  the  plague,  that  he  would  shortly  come 
against  him  with  one  army  of  lice,  and  a  second 
army  of  frogs,  and  with  a  third  army  of  locusts, 
ifec,  and  would  destroy  his  land,  dost  thou  think 
it  had  been  wisdom  in  Pharaoh,  now  to  have 
laughed  such  tidings  to  scorn?  '  Is  anything  too 
hard  for  the  Lord  ?  Hath  he  said  it,  and  shall 
he  not  bring  it  to  pass  ? '  You  shall  see  in  the  day 
of  judgment,  of  what  force  all  these  things  will  be, 
as  witnesses  against  the  ungodly. 

Many  more  witnesses  might  I  here  reckon  up, 
but  these  at  this  time  shall  sufiice  to  be  nominated; 
for  out  of  the  mouth  of  two  or  thi-ee  witnesses, 
every  word  shall  be  established.  2  Co.  xiii.  1.  '  And 
at  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses,  shall  he 
that  is  worthy  of  death,  be  put  to  death. '  De.  x%ii.  6. 

Jn.  viii.  17. 

[Fourth — the  sentence  of  the  \mgodly.'\  Thus 
then,  the  books  being  opened,  the  laws  read,  the 
witnesses  heard,  and  the  ungodly  convicted;  forth- 
with the  Lord  and  Judge  proceeds  to  execution. 


OF  THE  RESUKRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


125 


[the  sentence  and  rUNISmiENT  OP  THE  WICKED.] 

And  to  tliat  end  doth  pass  the  sentence  of  eter- 
nal death  upon  them,  saying,  •  Depart  from  me, 
ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels.'  Mat.  xxv. 41.  You  are  now 
by  the  hook  of  the  creatures,  hy  the  hook  of  God's 
rememhrance,  hy  the  hook  of  the  law,  and  hy  the 
hook  of  life,  adjudged  guilty  of  high  treason  against 
God  and  me;  and  as  murderers  of  your  o^vn  souls, 
as  these  faithful  and  true  witnesses  here  have  tes- 
tified, every  one  of  them  appearing  in  their  most 
upright  testimony  against  you.  Also,  you  never 
had  a  saving  work  of  conversion,  and  faith,  passed 
upon  you,  j'ou  died  in  your  sins;  neither  can  I  find 
anything  in  the  last  part  of  this  book  that  will  serve 
your  turn,  no  worthy  act  is  here  recorded  of  you — 
When  '  1  was  an  hmigered,  and  ye  gave  me  no 
meat:'  when  '  I  was  thirsty,  ye  gave  me  no  di-ink: 
when  I  was  a  stranger,  ye  took  me  not  in :  I  was 
naked,  hut  ye  clothed  me  not :  I  was  sick  and  in 
jjrison,  hut  ye  visited  me  not:'  I  have  made  a 
thorough  search  among  the  records  of  the  living, 
and  find  nothing  of  you,  or  of  your  deeds,  therein — 
'  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,'  (fee.  Mat. xxv. 42, 43. 

Thus  wiU  these  poor  ungodly  creatures  he  strip- 
ped of  all  hope  and  comfort,  and  therefore  must 
need  fall  into  great  sadness  and  wailing,  before  the 
Judge;  yea,  crying  out,  as  being  loth  to  let  go 
all  for  lost ;  and  even  as  the  man  that  is  fallen 
into  the  river,  will  catch  hold  of  anything  when  he 
is  struggling  for  life,  though  it  tend  to  hold  him 
faster  under  the  water  to  drown  him  :  so,  I  say, 
M'hile  these  poor  creatures,  as  they  lie  strugglin"- 
and  twining  under  the  ireful  countenance  of  the 
Judge;  they  will  bring  out  yet  one  more  faint  and 
weak  groan,  and  there  goes  life  and  all;  their  last 
sigh  is  this — Lord,  when  saw  we  thee  an  hungered, 
and  gave  thee  no  meat  ?  or  when  saw  we  thee 
thirsty,  and  gate  thee  no  drink  ?  when  saw  we 
thee  a  stranger,  and  took  thee  not  in  ?  or  naked, 
and  clothed  thee  not?  or  when  wast  thou  sick,  or 
in  prison,  and  we  did  not  minister  unto  thee  ? 

ilat.  xxv.  44. 

Thus  you  see,  how  loath  the  sinner  is  now  to 
take  a  '  nay '  of  Hfe  everlasting.  He  tliat  once 
would  not  be  persuaded  to  close  with  the  Lord 
Jesus,  though  one  should  have  persuaded  him  with 
tears  of  blood:  behold  how  fast  he  now  hangs 
about  the  Lord,  what  arguments  he  frames  with 
mournful  groans ;  how  with  shifts  and  words  he 
seeks  to  gain  the  time,  and  to  defer  the  execution : 
Lord,  open  unto  us  !  Lord,  Lord,  open  unto  us  ! 
Mat.  xxv.  11.  Lord,  thou  hast  taught  in  our  streets, 
and  we  have  both  taught  in  thy  name  and  in  thy 
name  have  we  cast  out  devils.  Mat.  vii.  22.  We  have 
eaten  aud  drank  in  thy  presence.  Lu.  xiii.  26.     And 


when  did  we  see  thee  an  hungry,  or  thirsty,  or  a 
stranger,  or  naked,  or  sick,  or  in  prison,  and  did 
not  minister  to  thee  ?  Mat.  x.xy.  10, 11.  0  poor  hearts ! 
how  loth,  how  unwiUingly  do  they  turn  away  from 
Christ!  How  loth  are  they  to  partake  of  the 
fruit  of  their  ungodly  doings  !  Christ  must  say. 
Depart  once,  and  depart  twice,  before  they  will 
depart.  When  he  hath  shut  the  door  upon  them, 
yet  they  knock,  and  cry,  '  Lord,  open  unto  us  ;' 
when  he  hath  given  them  their  answer,  '  that  he 
knows  them  not,'  yet  they  plead  and  mourn. 
Wherefore  he  is  fain  to  answer  again,  '  I  tell  you, 
I  know  you  not  whence  you  are;  depart.'  Lu.  xiii. 25 
-27. 

'  Depart.'  0  this  word.  Depart!  How  dread- 
ful is  it !  with  what  weight  will  it  fall  on  the  head 
of  every  condemned  sinner !  For  you  must  note, 
that  while  the  ungodly  stand  thus  before  the 
Judge;  they  cannot  choose  but  have  a  most  famous 
view  both  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  of  the 
damned  wights  in  hell.  Now  they  see  the  God  of 
glory,  the  King  of  glory,  the  saints  of  glory,  and 
the  angels  of  glory;  and  the  kingdom  in  which 
they  have  their  eternal  abode.  Now,  they  also 
begin  to  see  the  worth  of  Christ,  and  what  it  is  to 
be  smiled  upon  by  him;  from  all  which  they  must 
depart ;  and  as  I  say,  they  shall  have  the  view  of 
this;  so  they  will  most  famously*  behold  the  pit, 
the  bottomless  pit,  the  fire,  the  brimstone,  and  the 
flaming  beds  that  justice  hath  prepared  for  them 
of  old.  Jude  4.  Their  associates  also,  will  be  very 
conspicuous,  and  clear  before  their  watery  eyes. 
They  wiU  see  now,  what  and  which  are  devils,  and 
who  are  damned  souls;  now  their  great-grand- 
father Cain,  and  all  his  brood,  with  Judas  and  his 
companions,  must  be  their  feUow-sighers  in  the 
flames  and  pangs  for  ever.  0  heavy  day !  0  heavy 
word ! 

This  word  '  depart, '  therefore,  it  looketh  two 
ways,  and  commands  the  damned  to  do  so  too. 
Depart  from  heaven,  depart  to  hell ;  depart  from 
life,  depart  to  death :  '  depart  from  me ' — now  the 
ladder  doth  turn  from  under  them  indeed.!  The 
Saviour  turns  them  ofi",  the  Saviour  throws  them 
down.  He  hath  given  him  authority  to  execute 
judgment  also,  because  he  is  the  Son  of  man. 
Jn.  V.  27.  Depart  from  me :  I  would  come  to  have 
done  you  good ;  but  then  you  would  not.  Now 
then,  though  you  would  have  it  never  so  willingly, 
yet  you  shall  not. 

*  '  Famously,'  plainly,  openly ;  in  this  sense  obsolete.  Til- 
lotson  used  the  words  '  famous  malefactors.'  Sermon  on  1  John 
iv.  9.— Ed. 

t  Bunyan  here  alludes  to  men  convicted  of  crime ;  but  ho^v 
many  innocent,  nay,  pious  servants  of  Christ,  have  been  com- 
pelled to  go  up  the  ladder  to  the  gibbet,  aud  when  the  rope 
has  been  adjusted  and  the  ladder  turned,  have  been  ignomini- 
ously  murdered  by  the  sanction  of  wicked  laws. — Ed. 


126 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD 


'  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed.'  You  lie  open  to 
the  stroke  of  justice  for  your  sins  ;  ye  forsaken, 
and  left  of  God,  ye  vessels  of  wrath,  ye  despisers 
of  God  and  goodness  you  must  now  have  vengeance 
feed  on  you;  for  you  did,  when  you  were  in  the 
world,  feed  on  sin,  and  treasure  up  wrath  against 
this  day  of  wrath,  and  revelation  of  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God.  Uo.  ii.  s— 6. 

'Depart,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire.'  Fire 
is  that  which  of  all  things  is  the  most  insufferable 
and  insupportable.  Wherefore,  by  fire,  is  shewed 
the  grievous  state  of  the  ungodly,  after  judgment. 
Who  can  eat  fire,  drink  fire,  and  lie  down  in  the 
midst  of  flames  of  fire  ?  Yet  this  must  the  wicked 
do.  Again ;  not  only  fire,  but  everlasting  fire. 
'  Behold  how  great  a  fire  a  little  matter  kindleth.' 
A  little  sin,  a  little  pleasure,  a  little  unjust  dealing 
and  doing ;  what  preparation  is  made  for  the  pun- 
ishment thereof.  And  hence  it  is,  that  the  fire 
into  which  the  damned  fall,  is  called  the  lake,  or 
sea  of  fire — 'And  whosoever,'  saith  John,  'was 
not  found  written  in  the  book  of  life  was  cast  into 
the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone. '  Re.  xx.  15.  Little 
did  the  sinner  seriously  think,  that  when  he  was 
suming  against  God,  he  was  making  such  provi- 
sion for  his  poor  soul ;  but  now  'tis  too  late  to  re- 
pent, his  worm  must  never  die,  and  his  fire  never 
shall  be  quenched.  Mar.  Lx.  48.  Though  the  time  in 
which  men  commit  sin  is  short,  yet  the  time  of 
God's  punishing  of  them  for  their  sin,  is  long. 

'  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting 
fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels.  In 
that  he  saith,  '  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  an- 
gels:' he  insinuates  a  further  conviction  upon  the 
consciences  of  the  damned.  As  if  he  had  said, 
As  for  this  fire  and  lake  that  you  must  go  to,  though 
you  thought  but  little  of  it,  because  you  were  care- 
less, yet  I  did  betimes  put  you  in  mind  of  what 
would  be  the  fruits  of  sin  ;  even  by  preparing  of 
this  judgment  for  the  devil  and  his  angels. 
The  devil  in  his  creation  is  far  more  noble  than 
you  ;  yet  when  he  sinned,  I  spared  him  not.  He 
sinned  also  before  man ;  and  I,  upon  his  sinning, 
did  cast  him  down  from  heaven  to  hell,  and  did 
hang  the  chains  of  everlasting  darkness  upon  him, 
Jude  0.  which  might,  yea,  ought  to  have  been  a  fair 
item  to  you  to  take  heed,  but  you  would  not. 
Ge.  iii.  2—5.  Wherefore,  seeing  you  have  sinned  as 
he  hath  done,  and  that  too,  after  he  had  both 
sinned,  and  was  bound  over  to  eternal  punishment; 
the  same  justice  that  layeth  hold  on  these  more 
noble  creatures,  must  surely  seize  on  you.  Re.  xx.  i. 
The  world  should  be  convinced  of  judgment  then, 
'  because  the  prince  of  this  world  is  judged.  Jn.  xvi. 
8.  And  that  before  they  came  to  this  condition  of 
hearing  the  eternal  sentence  rattle  in  their  ears ; 
but  seeing  they  did  not  regard  it  then,  they  must 
and  shall  feel  the  smart  of  it  now.     '  Depart  from 


me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting   fire,  prepared   for 
the  devil  and  his  angels.' 

God  would  have  men  learn  both  what  mercy 
and  justice  is  to  them,  by  his  shewing  it  to  others; 
but  if  they  be  sottish  and  careless  in  the  day  of 
forbearance,  they  must  learn  by  smarting  in  the 
day  of  rebukes  and  vengeance.  Thus  it  was  with 
the  old  world ;  God  gave  them  one  hundred  and 
twenty  years'  warning,  by  the  preparation  of  Noah, 
for  the  flood  that  shoidd  come;  but  forasmuch  as 
they  then  were  careless,  and  would  not  consider 
the  works  of  the  Lord,  nor  his  threatening  them 
by  this  preparation :  therefore  he  brought  in  the 
flood  upon  the  world  of  the  ungodly,  as  he  doth 
here  the  last  judgment  upon  the  workers  of  ini- 
quity, and  sweeps  them  all  away  in  their  wilful 
ignorance.  Mat.  xxiv.  37—39. 

Wherefore,  I  say,  the  Lord  Chief  Judge  by 
these  words,  '  Prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  an- 
gels,' doth  as  good  as  say.  This  fire  into  which 
now  I  send  you,  it  did  of  itself,  even  in  the  pre- 
paration of  it,  had  you  considei'ed  it,  forewarn  you 
of  this  that  now  is  come  upon  you.  Hell-fire  i? 
no  new,  or  unheard-of  thing  ;  you  cannot  now 
plead,  that  you  heard  not  of  it  in  the  world,  neither 
could  you  with  any  reason  judge,  that  seeing  I 
prepared  it  for  angels,  for  noble,  powerful,  and 
mighty  angels ;  that  you,  poor  dust  and  ashes, 
should  escape  the  vengeance. 

'  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting 
fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels:'  The 
sentence  being  thus  passed,  it  remains  now,  the 
work  being  done,  that  every  one  goeth  to  his  eter- 
nal station.  Wherefore,  forthwith  this  mighty 
company,  do  now  with  heavy  heart,  return  again 
from  before  the  judgment  -  seat  :  and  that  full 
hastily,  God  knoweth,  for  their  proper  centre,  is 
the  hell  of  hell ;  into  which  they  descend  like  a 
stone  into  a  well,  or  like  Pharaoh  into  the  bottom 
of  the  Red  Sea.  Ex.  xv.  lo.  For  all  hope  being  now 
taken  from  them,  they  must  needs  fall  with  vio- 
lence, into  the  jaws  of  eternal  desperation,  which 
will  deal  far  worse  with  the  souls  of  men,  and 
make  a  greater  slaughter  in  their  tortured  con- 
sciences, than  the  lions  in  the  den  with  Daniel, 
could  possibly  do  with  the  men  that  were  cast  in 
among  them.   Da.  vi.  24. 

This  is  that  which  Paul  calleth  eternal  judg- 
ment, He.  vi.  2.  because  it  is  that  which  is  last  and 
final.  Many  are  the  judgments  that  God  doth 
execute  among  the  sons  of  men,  some  after  this 
manner,  and  some  after  that;  divers  of  which,  con- 
tinue but  for  awhile,  and  none  of  them  are  eternal ; 
no,  the  very  devils  and  damned  spirits  in  hell, 
though  tJiere,  is  the  longest  and  most  terrible  of 
all  the  judgments  of  God,  yet  on  foot:  yet  I  say, 
they  must  pass  under  another  judgment,  even  this 
last,  great,  and  final  judgment — '  The  angels  which 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  TIIE  DEAD. 


127 


kept  not  tlieir  first  estate,  but  left  their  own  haLi- 
tation,  he  hath  reserved  in  everlasting  chains  under 
darkness,  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great  day.' 
Jude  6.  And  so  also  it  is  -with  damned  souls ;  for 
both  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  with  all  other,  though 
already  in  hell  in  their  souls;  yet  they  must,  as  I 
have  before  shewed,  aU  arise  to  this  judgment, 
which  will  be  their  final  judgment.  Other  of  the 
judgments  of  God,  as  they  have  an  end,  so  the 
end  of  many  of  them  prove  the  profit  of  those  on 
whom  they  are  inflicted,  being  I  say,  God's  instru- 
ments of  conversion  to  sinners ;  and  so  may  fitly 
be  compared  to  those  petty  judgments  among  men, 
as  putting  in  the  stocks,  whipping,  or  burning  in 
the  hand :  which  punishments,  and  judgments,  do 
often  prove  profitable  to  those  that  are  punished 
with  them ;  but  eternal  judgment,  it  is  like  those 
more  severe  judgments  among  men,  as  beheading, 
shooting  to  death,  hanging,  drawing  and  quarter- 
ing, Avhich  swoop*  all,  even  health,  time,  and  the 
like,  and  cut  oft"  all  opportimity  of  good,  leaving 
no  place  for  mercy  or  amendment — '  These  shall  go 
away  into  everlasting  punishment,'  &.c.  Matxxv.  46. 
This  word,  '  depart,'  &c.,  is  the  last  Avord  the 
damned  for  ever  are  like  to  hear — I  say,  it  is  the 
last  voice,  and  therefore  will  stick  longest,  and 
with  most  power,  on  their  slaughtered  souls;  there 
is  no  calling  of  it  back  again;  it  is  the  very  wind-up 
of  eternal  judgment. 

Thus  then,  the  judgment  being  over,  the  king- 
dom ceaseth  to  be  any  longer  in  the  hand  of  the 
man  Christ  Jesus;  for  as  the  judges  here  among 
men,  when  they  have  gone  their  circuit,  do  dehver 
up  their  commission  to  the  king;  so  Christ  the 
judge,  doth  now  deliver  up  his  kingdom  to  his 
Father,  Mat.  xxL  8.  and  now,  aU  is  swallowed  up  of 
eternity.  The  damned  are  swallowed  up  of  eternal 
justice  and  wrath;  the  saved,  of  eternal  hfe  and 
feUcity;  and  the  Son  also  delivereth  up,  I  say, 
the  kingdom  to  the  Father,  and  subjects  himself 
under  him  that  did  put  all  things  under  him,  that 
God  may  be  all  in  aU,  i  Co.xv.  s^r— 28. 

For  now  is  the  end  come,  and  not  before,  even 
the  end  of  the  reign  of  death  itself;  for  death,  and 
hell,  and  sinners,  and  devils,  must  now  [fall]  to- 
gether into  the  lake,  that  burns  with  fire  and  brim- 
stone. Be.  XX.  1-1, 15.  And  now  is  the  end  of  Christ's 
reign,  as  the  Son  of  man ;  and  the  end  of  the 
reign  of  the  saints  with  him,  in  this  his  kingdom, 
which  he  hath  received  of  his  Father  for  his  work 
3ake,  which  he  did  for  him,  and  for  his  elect. 
*  Then  cometh  the  end,'  saith  Paul,  '  when  he  shall 
liave  delivered  up  the  kingdom  to  God,  even  the 
Father;'     But  when    shall   that  be?     Whv,  he 


*  The  physician  looks  with  another  eye  on  the  medicinal 
herb  than  the  grazing  os,  which  swoops  it  in  with  the  com- 
inuu  srrass.     Glanville. — Ed. 


answers,  saying,  '  When  he  shall  have  put  down 
all  rule  and  all  authority  and  power.  For  he  must 
reign,'  saith  he,  'till  he  hath  put  all  enemies  under 
his  feet,'  which  wiU  not  be  until  the  final  sentence 
and  judgment  be  over;  for  '  the  last  enemy  tlial 
shall  be  destroyed  is  death.  For  he  (God)  hath 
put  all  things  under  his  feet.  But  when  he  saith, 
All  things  are  put  under  him,  it  is  manifest  that 
he  is  excepted  which  did  put  all  things  under  him. 
And  when  all  things  shall  be  subdued  unto  him, 
then  shall  the  Son  also  himself  be  subject  unto 
him  that  put  all  things  under  him,  that  God  may 
be  all  in  all. '  i  Co.  xv.  2^—28. 

All  things  being  now  at  this  pass — to  wit,  every 
one  being  in  its  proper  place,  God  in  his,  Christ 
in  his,  the  saint  in  his,  and  the  sinner  in  his ;  I 
shall  conclude  with  this  brief  touch  upon  both  the 
state  of  the  good  and  bad  after  this  eternal  judg- 
ment— 

The  righteous  now  shall  never  fear  death,  the 
devil,  and  hell  more ;  and  the  wicked  shall  never 
hope  of  life. 

The  just  shall  ever  have  the  victory  over  these 
things :  but  the  wicked  shall  everlastingly  be  swal- 
lowed up  of  them. 

The  holy  shall  be  in  everlasting  light :  but  the 
sinner  in  everlasting  darkness.  Without  light,  I 
say,  yet  in  fire  ever  burning,  yet  not  consumed  ; 
always  afraid  of  death  and  hell,  vehemently  desiring 
to  be  annihilated  to  nothing.  Continually  fearing 
to  stay  long  in  hell,  and  yet  certainly  sure  they 
shall  never  come  out  of  it.  Ever  desiring  the 
saints'  happiness,  and  yet  always  envying  their 
felicity.  They  would  have  it,  because  it  is  easy 
and  comfortable ;  yet  cannot  abide  to  think  of  it, 
because  they  have  lost  it  for  ever.  Ever  laden 
with  the  delight  of  sin  ;  and  yet  that  is  the  greatest 
torture  ;  always  desiring  to  put  it  out  of  their  mind, 
and  yet  assuredly  know  they  must  for  ever  abide  the 
guilt  and  torment  thereof. 

The  saints  are  always  inflamed  with  the  consi- 
deration of  the  grace  that  once  they  embraced ; 
but  the  wicked,  most  flamingly  tormented  with  the 
thoughts  of  rejecting  and  refusing  it. 

The  just,  when  they  thmk  of  their  sins,  they 
are  comforted  with  the  thoughts  of  their  being 
delivered  from  them ;  but  the  ungodly,  when  they 
think  of  their  righteousness,  will  gnaw  themselves, 
to  think  that  this  would  not  deliver  them  from  hell. 

When  the  godly  think  of  hell,  it  will  increase 
their  comfort;  but  when  the  wicked  think  of  heaven, 
it  wiU  twinge  them  like  a  serpent.  Oh,  this  eternal 
judgment !  What  woidd  a  damned  soul  give  that 
there  might  be,  though  after  thousands  and  hun- 
dreds of  "thousands  of  miUions  of  years,  an  end  put 
to  this  eternal  judgment.  But  their  misery  is, 
they  have  sinned  against  a  God  that  is  eternal  ; 
they  have  offended  that  justice  that  will  never  be 


m' 


128 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 


satisfied  ;  and  therefore  tliey  must  abide  the  fire 
that  never  shall  be  quenched.  Here  is  judgment, 
just  and  sad. 

Again ;  as  it  will  be  thus  with  good  and  bad  in 
general,  so  again,  more  particularly,  when  the 
wicked  are  thus  adjudged  and  condemned,  and  also 
received  of  the  fiery  gulf,  then  they  shall  find. 
That  as  he  that  busieth  himself  to  do  good,  shall 
have  more  glory  than  others ;  so  they  that  have 
been  more  busy  and  active  in  sin  than  others,  they 
shall  have  more  wrath  and  torment  than  others. 
For  as  doing  good  abundantly,  doth  enlarge  the 
heart  to  receive  and  hold  more  glory:  so  doing 
evil  abundantly,  doth  enlarge  the  heart  and  soul 
to  receive  punishment  so  much  the  more.  And 
hence  it  is  that  you  have  such  sayings  as  these — 
It  shall  be  more  tolerable  in  the  judgment  for 
Sodom  than  for  others — Lu.  x.  12.  that  is,  than  for 
those  tliat  had  sinned  against  much  greater  light 
and  mercy.  '  For  these, '  as  he  saith  in  another 
place,  '  shall  receive  greater  damnation. '  Lu.  xx.  47. 
Yea,  it  standeth  to  reason,  that  he  who  had  most 
light,  most  conviction,  most  means  of  conversion, 
and  that  was  highest  towards  heaven,  he  must 
needs  have  the  greatest  fall,  and  so  sink  deepest 
into  the  jaws  of  eternal  misery.  As  one  star — 
that  is,  as  one  saint — difi"ereth  from  another  in 
heaven ;  so  one  damned  soul  shall  diff"cr  from  another 
in  hell.  It  is  so  among  the  devils  themselves  ; 
they  are  some  worse  than  others  ;  Beelzebub  is  the 
prince,   or  chief  of   the   devils.   Mat.  ix.  34.  Mar.  uL  23, 


That  is,  one  that  Avas  most  glorious  in  heaven  ; 
chief  among  the  reprobate  angels  before  his  fall, 
Is.  xiv.  12.  and  therefore  sinned  against  the  greater 
light,  mercy,  and  goodness ;  and  so  became  the 
chief  for  wickedness,  and  will  also  have  as  the 
wages  thereof,  the  chief  of  torments.  For  that 
will  be  true  of  the  damned  in  hell,  which  is  prayed 
for  against  Babylon. — '  How  much  she  hath  glori- 
fied herself,  and  lived  deliciously,  so  much  torment 
and  sorrow  give  her, '  Re.  xviii.  7.  Can  it  be  imagined 
that  Judas  should  have  no  more  torment,  who  be- 
trayed the  Prince  of  life  and  Saviour  of  the  world, 
than  others  who  never  came  near  his  wickedness 
by  ten  thousand  degrees  ?  He  that  knew  his 
master's  will,  and  prepared  not  himself,  neither  did 
according  to  Lis  will,  shall  be  beaten  with  many 
stripes ;  with  many  more  stripes,  than  others  that 
through  ignorance  did  commit  sin  worthy  of  many 
stripes.  But  what  should  I  thus  discourse  of  the 
degrees  of  the  torments  of  the  damned  souls  in 
hell  ?  For  he  that  suffers  least,  will  the  waters 
of  a  full  cup  be  wrung  out  to  him ;  the  least  mea- 
sure of  wrath,  it  will  be  the  wrath  of  God,  eternal 
and  fiery  wrath,  insupportable  wrath  ;  it  will  lay 
the  soul  in  the  gulf  of  that  second  death,  which  will 
for  ever  have  the  mastery  over  the  poor  damned 
perishing  sinner,  '  And  death  and  hell  were  cast 
into  the  lake  of  fire.  This  is  the  second  death. 
And  whosoever  was  not  found  written  in  the  book 
of  life  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire, '  Re.  xx.  14, 15. 


SOME    GOSPEL   TRUTHS   OPENED, 

■  -  ACCORDING  TO  THE  SCRIPTURES; 

OR, 

THE  DIVINE  AND  HIBIAN  NATURE  OF  CHRIST  JESUS; 

niS  COMING  INTO  THE  WORLD;    HIS  RIGHTEOUSNESS,  DEATH,  KESURKECTtON,  ASCENSION,  INTERCESSION,  AND 
SECOND  COMING  TO  JUDGMENT,  PLAINLY  DEMONSTRATED  AND  PROVED. 


Answers  to  several  Questions,  with  profitable  Directions  to  stand  fast  in  the  Doctrine  of  Jesus  the  Son  of  IMARY,  against 
those  blustering  Storms  of  the  Devil's  Temptations,  which  do  at  this  Day,  like  so  many  Scorpions,  break  loose  from  the 
bottomless  Pit,  to  bite  and  torment  those  that  have  not  tasted  the  ^'ertue  of  Jesus,  by  the  Revelation  of  the  Spirit  of  Gud- 

Published  for  the  good  of  God's  chosen  ones,  by  that  unworthy  servant  of  CHRIST, 

JOHN    BUNYAN,  of  BEDFORD, 

By  the  grace  of  GOD,  preacher  of  the  GOSPEL  of  his  dear  SON. 


'Jesus  saifli,  •  -  I  am  ilie  way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life:  no  mail  cometh  unto  the  lather  bat  hj  ms.' — John  xiv.  f' 
'  Neither  is  iJitre  salvation  in  any  other.' — Acts  iv.  12. 


EDITOE'S  ADVERTISEMENT. 


Tlils  was  the  first  work  pulDlished  by  the  indefati- 
gable servant  of  Christ,  John  Bunyan  ;  and  he 
modestly  sought  the  patronage  of  his  brethren  in 
the  ministry,  and  Messrs.  Burton,  Spencly  and 
Child  wrote  prefatory  recommendations.  The 
latter  of  these,  Mr.  John  Child,  for  some  temporal 
advantages  afterwards  conformed ;  and  became 
notorious  for  having,  in  a  fit  of  despair,  destroyed 
himself. 

Well  might  Bunyan  in  this  treatise,  call  the 
early  period  of  his  ministry  '  distracted  and  dan- 
gerous times,'  in  which  many  a  poor  sincere  in- 
quirer stood  '  tottering  and  shaking, '  bewildered 
with  the  new  din  of  sectaries,  each  boldly  declaring 
his  divine  authority.     In  the  midst  of  this  storm 
of  contending  opinions,  Bimj-an  stood  forth  con- 
spicuously to  declare  '  Gospel  Truths ;'  and  to  open 
and  vindicate  them  these  discourses  were  written. 
To  enable  the  reader  to  imderstand  and  appreciate 
them,  it  will  be  needful  to  take  a  rapid  glance  at 
the  state  of  society  which  then   prevailed.      The 
frivolities  of  dress  and  laxity  of  morals  introduced 
by  James  the  First,  increased  by  the  mixture  of 
French  fashions  under  the  popish  wife  of  Charles 
the  First,  had  spread  their  debauching  influence 
throughout  the  kingdom.     George  Fox,  the  founder 
of  the  Society  of  Friends,  in  an  address  '  To  such 
as  follow  the  world's   fashions,'  gives   an   almost 
incredible  description  of  the  tomfooleries  of  dress 
which  prevailed,      '  IIow  doth  the   devil   garnish 
VOL.  II. 


himself,  and  the  people  are  carried  away  with 
vanity — women  plaiting  their  hair — men  and  wo- 
men powdering  it,  making  their  backs  like  bags 
of  meal.  The  men  having  store  of  ribbands  of 
divers  colours  about  their  waists,  and  at  their 
knees,  and  in  their  hats.  The  women  with  their 
spots  on  their  noses,  cheeks,  and  foreheads — rings 
on  their  fingers — cuffs  double,  like  a  butcher  in 
his  white  sleeves  —  ribbands  about  their  arms, 
hands,  back,  waists,  knees — and  hats  like  unto 
fidlers'  bags — is  not  this  the  devil's  adorning?'* 

At  this  period  the  iron  hand  of  tyranny  and  op- 
pression over  the  worship  of  God  had  been  suddenly 
paralyzed.  The  ruinous  penalties,  and  even  capi- 
tal punishments,  which  had  enforced  attendance 
on  a  form  of  common  prayer,  and  a  pretence  to 
believe  articles,  creeds,  and  catechisms,  ordained 
by  Acts  of  Parliament,  were  removed.  Man,  by 
nature  averse  to  religious  inquiries,  was  now  sti- 
mulated, under  a  threat  of  eternal  ruin,  personally 
and  individually,  to  seek  for  truth  and  salvation. 
At  this  time  a  little  persecuted  band  of  puritans  had 
directed  every  inquirer  after  salvation  to  the  sacred 
Scriptures,  wliich  alone  were  able  to  make  wise  mito 
salvation,  by  the  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit  enlightening 
their  minds  to  understand,  and  subduing  their  wihs 
to  receive  those  eternal  truths.  But  a  new  light 
was  now  discovered— that  which  lighteneth  every 


*  George  Fox's  Journal,  folio,  p.  U4. 


130 


EDITOR'S  ADVERTISEMENT. 


man  tliat  cometli  Into  tlie  world ;  and  which,  it 
was  alleged,  would  alone,  if  cherished  and  followed, 
lead  the  honest  inquirer  into  all  truth.  Nationiil 
religion,  so  called,  had  been  propagated  at  an  in- 
credible expense  of  treasure,  and  by  the.  sacrifice 
of  the  best  blood  in  the  country,  to  the  shrine  of 
infallibility— called  uniformity.  A  hireling  priest- 
hood had  limited  to  themselves  the  right  to  teach 
men  how  to  be  Christians.  The  result  of  all  this 
was  clearly  seen,  when  the  people  were  driven  to 
think  and  choose  for  themselves.  Their  minds 
were  in  darkness  and  confusion,  Avhich  quickly 
produced  the  most  whimsical,  mischievous,  and 
even  ludicrous  opinions,  mixed  with  truth. 

National  establishments,  whether  Pagan,  Moha- 
medan,  or  Christian — be  this  latter  either  Greek, 
Roman,  or  Protestant — have  a  direct  and  natural 
tendency  to  repress  and  prevent  personal  inquiries, 
lest  they  should  interfere  with  uniformity  in  faith 
and  worship;  which  is  a  presumed  incapability  of 
error  on  the  part  of  those  who  Impose  them.  Sys- 
tems, which  IX  FACT,  although  not  in  words,  claim 
infallibility,  by  requiring  implicit  and  absolute  sub- 
mission, must  have  had  a  direct  tendency  to  hood- 
wink and  blind  the  people ;  nor  can  we  be  sur- 
prised, that  when  their  eyes  were  first  opened, 
they  saw  indistinctly;  or,  to  use  a  scripture  phrase, 
•men  as  trees  walking.'  They  utterly  failed  in 
preparing  the  mind  to  receive  divine  truth,  or  iu 
furnishing  an  antidote  to  extravagant  speculations 
in  religion. 

The  state  of  the  millions  can  hardly  be  conceived; 
they  had  paid  a  priest  to  think  on  religion  for  them — 
to  read  the  Bible  for  them — and  to  pray  for  them. 
They  had  paid  the  church  to  make  them  Christians 
— to  confirm  them — to  forgive  their  sins — and  to 
bury  their  bodies  in  sure  and  certain  hope  of  hea- 
ven. From  this  fatal  sleep  of  ignorance  and  error, 
they  were  aroused  by  itinerant  preachers;  many 
of  whom  were  men  of  education,  of  irreproachable 
morals,  and  most  benevolent  habits.  They  went 
forth  upon  their  mission  at  a  fearful  sacrifice  of 
comfort,  property,  health,  and  even  of  life;  calling 
all  to  repentance,  and  to  obey  the  light  within — 
to  follow  on  to  perfection  in  this  life — and,  at  the 
same  time,  denouncing  all  hireling  ministers. 
They  were  called  in  derision,  Familists,  Ranters, 
Quakers,  New  Lights,  <fec.  The  old  leaven,  which 
had  led  the  people  without  inquiry  to  follow  the 
])riests,  now  operated  on  multitudes  to  follow  those 
ardent  and  self-denying  leaders.  The  Familists, 
or  family  of  love,  were  consistent  in  their  lives  ; — 
considered  every  day  a  sabbath,  and  baptized  none 
under  thirty  years  of  age.  The  Ranters  mingled 
a  little  truth  with  much  error — abused  their  Chris- 
tian liberty — and  lived  licentiously,  and  were  a 
scandal  to  religion.  The  Quakers — so  called  from 
their  trembling  agitation  when  imder  a  powerful 


sense  of  eternal  realities,  and  because,  In  preaching, 
they  admonished  their  hearers  to  tremble  and 
quake  at  the  word  of  God—considered  the  sacra- 
ments as  mere  ceremonies,  inconsistent  with  spiri- 
tual worship — lived  and  dressed  wath  the  utmost 
simplicity,  and  took  the  lead  in  attacking  error  at 
all  risks. 

These  itinerants  went  through  the  whole  length 
and  breadth  of  the  land,  and  in  every  place  of  public 
resort  they  made  proclamation.  In  fairs,  markets, 
meetings,  assizes,  and  steeple-houses,  their  voice 
was  heard  denouncing  evil  and  exhorting  to  righte- 
ousness. Short  weights  and  deceit  were  declared 
an  abomination  to  the  Lord,  in  fairs  and  markets. 
Every  religious  delusion  was  exposed  in  meetings 
and  parish  churches.  The  journals  of  George 
Fox,  and  others,  are  exceedingly  interesting  in 
recounting  their  hazardous  adventures,  zeal,  and 
no  ordinary  degree  of  ready  wit  and  talent.  Some 
of  these  itinerants  came  to  Bedford,  and  in  the 
parish  church,  called  'the  steeple-house,'  in  Bed- 
ford town,  on  the  23d  of  May,  1656,  they  met 
John  Bunyan,  probably  after  he  had  been  minis- 
tering there.  With  him  they  held  a  public  dispu- 
tation or  controversy,  to  which  allusions  are  made 
by  both  parties,*  and  in  Bunyan  they  met  a  master 
spirit  who  confounded  them.  The  subjects  in  dis- 
pute were  of  the  deepest  importance — the  work  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  in  conversion — the  authority  of  the 
Bible — the  perfection  of  holiness  In  this  life — and 
whether  it  was  lawful  to  perform  the  work  of  the 
ministry  for  hire. 

After  a  very  careful  perusal  of  E.  Burrough's 
answers  to  Bunyan,  it  Is  gratifying  to  find  that  the 
whole  truth  is  set  forth  In  the  following  pages; — 
some  of  the  facts  are  worthy  of  a  careful  notice. 
The  Baptists  and  Independents  had  long  existed 
In  this  country,  and  had  pubUshed  confessions  of 
faith.  The  Ranters  and  Familists  existed  not  as 
sects  but  in  name,  and  soon  disappeared.  The 
Quakers,  who  were  confounded  with  the  Ranters 
and  Familists,  were  not  at  this  time  formed  into  a 
society;  nor  had  they  published  any  book  of  dis- 
cipline. The  Society  of  Friends  were  some  years 
after  united,  and  have  been  one  of  the  most  usefid 
as  well  as  the  brightest  ornaments  to  this  kingdom. 
The  works  of  Fox,  Penn,  Barclay,  and  others,  with 
their  books  of  discipline,  and  yearly  epistles,  shew 
that  they,  to  a  very  great  extent,  agree  with  Bun- 
yan In  his  sentiments ;  and  it  is  well  worthy  of 
notice  that,  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  when  he 
wrote  his  admirable  treatise  on  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead,  he  does  not  accuse  the  Society  of  Friends 
with  holding  an3'-  false  opinions,  Bunyan  is  clear 
and  scriptural  upon  the  '  Light  within,'  or  that 
conscience  of  right  and  wrong  which  all  possess  to 

*  Sec  Burrougli's  Works,  p.  304. 


EDITOR'S  ADVERTISEMENT. 


131 


their  condemnation — as  distingulslied  from  tlie  in- 
dwelling of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  gift  of  God  to  his 
people,  revealing  in  them  the  pardon  of  sin  and 
hope  of  glory,  by  opening  their  understandings  to 
receive  the  truths  of  the  Bible.  "When  Ann  Blake- 
ley  bid  Bunyan  '  throw  away  the  Scriptures, '  he 
replied,  '  No,  for  then  the  devil  would  be  too  hard 
for  me.'*  And  when  accused  of  beinir  a  hireling 
priest,  how  triumphant  was  the  reply — it  ought  to 
be  printed  in  letters  of  gold.  He  was  charged  with 
making  merchandize  of  souls,  and  he  answered — 
'  Friend,  dost  thou  speak  this  from  thy  own  know- 
ledge, or  did  any  other  tell  thee  so?  However, 
that  spirit  that  led  thee  out  this  way  is  a  lying 
spirit.  For  though  I  be  poor,  and  of  no  repute  in 
the  world,  as  to  outward  things;  yet  through  grace 
I  have  learned  by  the  example  of  the  apostle,  to 
preach  the  truth  ;  and  also  to  work  with  my 
hands,  both  for  my  own  living,  and  for  those  that 
are  with  me,  when  I  have  opportunity.  And  I 
trust  that  the  Lord  Jesus,  who  hath  helped  me  to 
reject  the  wages  of  unrighteousness  hitherto,  will 
also  help  me  still,  so  that  I  shall  distribute  that 
which  God  hath  given  me  freely,  and  not  for  filthy 
lucre's  sake.'t  How  does  this  contrast  with  the 
description  of  the  state  clergy,  before  the  triers 
were  appointed.  | 

Favoured  by  the  kind  assistance  of  Charles 
Bowden,  the  secretary  to  the  Society  of  Friends, 
access  was  afforded  me  to  the  extensive  library  in 
Devonshire  House,  and  upon  collation  of  Bunyan's 
quotations  with  the  original  editions  of  Burrough's 
exceedingly  rare  tracts,  my  gratification  was  great 
to  find  that  every  extract  made  by  John  Buuyau 
was  perfectly  faithfid. 

Edward  Burrough,  called  a  son  of  thunder  and 
of  consolation,  answered  both  these  treatises  of 
Bxmyan's, — denying,  on  the  part  of  the  Quakers, 
many  of  the  charges  made  against  them,  as  con- 
nected with  the  Ranters.  He  was  a  man  of  great 
talent — fearless,  devoted,  and  pious.  He  became 
extensively  useful;  and  like  thousands  of  most  ex- 
cellent men,  was  sacrificed  at  the  shrine  of  that 
fanatical  church  over  which  the  profligate  and  de- 
bauched Charles  the  Second  was  the  supreme  head. 
He  died  in  the  prime  of  life,  receiving  the  crown 
of  martyrdom,  when  his  happy  spirit  ascended  from 
Newgate  in  1662  :  aged  28  years. 


i'age  201. 


t  Page  201. 


i  Page  178. 


No  sect  was  so  severely  tormented  as  the  Qua- 
kers. A  fanatical  clergjTnan,  Edward  Lane,  in 
a  book  called  'Look  unto  Jesus,'  1GG3,  thus  pours 
forth  his  soul,  breathing  out  cruelty — '  I  hope  and 
pray  the  Lord  to  incline  the  heart  of  his  majesty 
our  religious  King,  to  suppress  the  Quakers,  that 
none  of  them  may  be  sufi'ered  to  abide  in  the 
land.'  A  prayer  as  full  of  cruelty  against  a 
most  peacefid  and  valuable  part  of  the  commu- 
nity, as  it  was  hj-pocritical  in  calling  a  debauched 
and  profligate  man  [Charles  the  Second]  '  our 
religious  king.' 

Controversy  was  carried  on  in  those  days  with 
extreme  virulence ;  learned  and  unlettered  men 
alike  used  violent  language,  which,  in  this  enligh*- 
ened  and  comparatively  happy  age,  is  read  with 
wonder.  Burrough  called  his  answer  '  The  Gospel 
of  Peace  contended  for  in  the  spirit  of  meekness 
and  of  love. '  He  meekly  commences  with — '  How 
long,  ye  crafty  fowlers,  will  je  prey  upon  the  inno- 
cent ;  how  long  shall  the  righteous  be  a  prey  to 
your  teeth,  ye  subtile  foxes;  your  dens  are  in  dark- 
ness, and  your  mischief  is  hatched  upon  your  beds 
of  secret  whoredoms.'  He  says,  'I  own  the  wordi 
but  I  deny  thy  voice.'  Such  was  the  unhallowed 
spirit  of  controversy  in  that  age.  A  harsh  epithet 
was  called  faithful  dealing:  thus,  a  learned  clergy- 
man, writing  upon  Baptism,  entitled  his  work — 
'  The  Anabaptists  ducked  and  plunged  over  head 
and  ears — washed  and  shrunk  in  the  washing;'  to 
which  an  equally  learned  Baptist  replied,  in  his 
'  Baby  Baptism  mere  Babyism. '  AU  this  unseemly 
violence  has  passed  away,  and  with  it  much  of  the 
virulence  of  persecution ;  soon  may  it  pass  away 
altogether,  only  to  be  pointed  at  as  the  evidence 
of  a  barbarous  age.  We  now  look  back  to  cruelties 
perpetrated  m  the  times  of  Bunyan  by  the  national 
religion,  as  a  stigma  upon  human  nature,  '  What 
a  church  is  this  of  yours,  to  be  defended  by  gaols, 
and  prisons,  and  whips,  and  stocks,  and  violent 
dealing. '  *  Let  us  fairly  try  our  spiritual  weapons, 
and  not  carnal  cruel  tortures.'  '  Let  us  not  hurt 
or  imprison  each  other,  nor  put  in  the  stocks,  nor 
cruelly  whip  and  lacerate  each  others'  bodies  ;  but 
let  us  thrash  deceit,  whip  and  beat  that  and  all 
false  doctrines : '  these  were  the  breathings  of  our 
pilgrim  forefathers, — it  is  the  language  of  common 
sense  and  of  real  religion.  Ma}'  such  sentiments 
spread,  and  soou  cover  the  earth! — Gko.  Oi-fuu. 


132 


THE  AUTHOR  TO  THE  RE.U)EIl. 


TEE  AUTHOR  TO  THE  READER. 


Seeing  tlie  Lord  liath  been  pleased  to  put  it  into 
my  heart,  to  write  a  few  things  to  thee  (Reader) 
touching  those  things  which  are  most  surely  be- 
lieved by  all  those  that  are,  or  shall  be  saved.  Lu. 
i.  1.  Ac.  xiii.  38.  I  think  it  meet  also,  to  stir  up 
thy  heart  by  way  of  remembrance,  touching 
those  things  that  are  the  hindrances  of  thy  believ- 
ing the  things  that  are  necessary  to  the  welfare 
of  thine  immortal  soul.  And  indeed,  this  is  the 
only  thing  necessary ;  it  is  better  to  lose  all  that 
ever  thou  hast,  than  to  have  thy  soid  and  body 
for  ever  cast  into  hell ;  And  therefore,  I  beseech 
thee  to  consider  with  me  a  few  things  touching 
tlie  stratagems,  or  subtle  temptations  of  the  devil, 
whereby  he  lieth  in  Avait,  if  by  any  means  he  may, 
to  make  thee  fall  short  of  eternal  life,  i  Pe.  v.  8. 

And  first  of  all,  he  doth  endeavour  by  all  means 
to  keep  thee  in  love  with  thy  sins  and  pleasures, 
knowing  that  he  is  sure  of  thee,  if  he  can  but 
bewitch  thee  to  live  and  die  in  them,  l  Co.  vi.  9, 
10;  2  Th.  ii.  12.  Yea,  he  knows  that  he  is  as  sure  of 
thee,  as  if  he  had  thee  in  hell  already.  Jn.  m.  19. 
And  that  he  might  accomplish  his  design  on 
thee  in  this  particular,  he  laboureth  by  all  means 
possible  to  keep  thy  conscience  asleep  in  security 
and  self  -  conceitedness,  keeping  thee  from  all 
things  that  might  be  a  means  to  awaken  and  rouse 
up  thine  heart.  As  first,  he  will  endeavour  to 
keep  thee  from  hearing  of  the  word,  by  sug- 
gesting unto  [thee]  this  and  the  other  worldly 
business  which  must  be  performed ;  so  that  thou 
Avilt  not  want  excuse  to  keep  thee  from  the  ordi- 
nances of  Christ,  in  hearing,  reading,  meditation, 
<fec.,  or  else,  he  seeks  to  disturb,  and  distract  thy 
mind  Avhen  thou  art  conversant  in  these  things, 
that  thou  canst  not  attend  to  them  diligently,  and 
so  they  become  unprofitable;  or  else  if  thou  art  a 
little  more  stirred,  he  labours  to  rock  thee  asleep 
again,  by  casting  thee  upon,  and  keeping  thee  in 
evil  company,  as  among  rioters,  drunkards,  jesters, 
and  other  of  his  instruments,  which  he  employeth 
on  purpose  to  keep  thee  secure,  and  so  ruin  thy 
soul  and  body  for  ever  and  ever. 

If  not  thus,  then  peradventure  he  will  seek  to 
persuade  thee  it  is  but  a  melancholy  fit,  and  will 
]iut  thee  upon  the  works  of  thy  calling,  or  thy 
jileasurcs,  or  physic;  or  some  other  trick  he  will 
invent,  such  as  best  agreeth  with  thy  nature. 
And  thus  thy  heart  is  again  dcaded,  and  thou  art 
kept  in  carnal  security,  that  thou  mightest  perish 
for  ever.  But  if  notwithstanding  these,  and  many 
cunning  slights  more  which  might  be  named,  he 
cannot  so  blind,  and  benumb  thy  conscience,  but 
that  it  doth  see  and  feci  sin  to  be    a  burden, 


intolerable  and  exceeding  sinful ;  Then  in  the 
second  place,  his  design  is  to  drive  thee  to  despair, 
by  persuading  thee  that  thy  sins  are  too  big  to  be 
pardoned ;  he  will  seek  by  all  means  possible  to 
aggravate  them  by  all  the  circumstances  of  time, 
place,  person,  manner,  nature,  and  continuance  of 
thy  sins,  he  will  object  in  thy  soul,  thou  hast  out- 
sinned  grace,  by  rejecting  so  many  exhortations, 
and  admonitions,  so  many  reproofs,  so  many  ten- 
ders of  grace;  hadst  thou  closed  in  with  them  it 
had  been  well  with  thee,  but  now  thou  hast  stood 
it  out  so  long,  that  there  is  no  hope  for  thee:  thou 
mightest  have  come  sooner,  if  thou  didst  look  to  be 
saved,  but  now  it  is  too  late.  And  withal,  that  he 
might  carry  on  his  design  upon  thee  to  purpose,  he 
will  be  sure  to  present  to  thy  conscience,  the  most 
sad  sentences  of  the  scripture;  yea,  and  set  them 
home  with  such  cunning  arguments,  that,  if  it  be 
possible,  he  will  make  thee  despair,  and  make 
away  thyself,  as  did  Judas. 

But  if  lie  be  prevented  in  this  his  intended  pur- 
pose; the  next  thing  he  doth  beset  thee  with,  is  to 
make  thee  rest  upon  thine  own  righteousness,  tell- 
ing thee,  that  if  thou  wilt  needs  be  saved,  thou 
must  earn  heaven  with  thy  fingers'  ends  ;  and  it  may 
be,  he  represents  to  thy  soul  such  a  scripture;   'If 
thou  doest  well,  shalt  thou  not  be  accepted  ? '    And 
thou  having  (but  in  the  strength  of  nature)  kept 
thyself  from  thy  former  grosser  pollutions,  and  it 
may  be  from  some  more  secret  sins,  are  ready  to 
conclude,  now  thou  dost  well;  now   God  accepts 
thee;  now  he  will  pardon,  yea,  hath  pardoned  thee; 
now  thy  condition  is  good,  and   so   goest  on  till 
thou  meetest  with  a  searching  word,  and  ministry, 
which  tells  thee,  and  discovers  plainly  unto  thee, 
that  thou  doest  all  this  while  deceive  thyself,  by  a 
vain    hope  and    confidence;    for    tho'  thou    seek 
after  the  law  of  righteousness,  thou  hast  not  yet 
attained  to  the  law  of  righteousness,  nor  yet  canst, 
because  thou  seekest  it  '  not  by  faith,  but  as  it 
were,  by  the  works  of  the  law.'  Ro.  k.  3i,  32.     Here 
again,  thou  art  left  in  the  mire,  and  now  perad- 
venture thou  seest,  that  thou  art  not  profited  by 
the  works  of  the  law,  nor  thy  own  righteou.sness : 
And  this  makes  thee  stir  a  little,  but  in  process  of 
time,  (through  the  subtil  sleights  of  the  devil,  and 
the  wickedness  of  thine  own  heart;)  thou  forgettest 
thy  trouble  of  conscience,  and  slippest  into  a  notion 
of  the  gospel,  and  the.  grace  thereof,  and  now  thou 
thinkest  thyself  cock-sure :  Now  thou  art  able  to 
say,  '  He  that  lives  and  dies  in  his  sins,   shaU  be 
damned  for  them :  lie  that  trusts  in  his  own  righ- 
teousness, shall  not  be  saved : '  Now  thou  canst  cry, 
'  grace,  grace,  it's  freely  by  grace,  it's  through 


THE  AUTHOR  TO  THE  READER. 


133 


the  death  of  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  that  sinners  do 
attain  unto  eternal  life. '  He.  ix.  14.  This,  I  say,  thou 
hast  in  the  notion,  and  hast  not  the  power  of  the 
same  in  thine  heart,  and  so  it  may  be  thine  head 
is  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  scriptures,  though 
thine  heart  be  empty  of  sanctifying  grace.  And 
thus  thou  dost  rejoice  for  a  time.  Yet  because 
thou  hast  not  the  root  of  the  matter  within  thee, 
in  time  of  temptation  thou  fallest  away.  Lu.  viii.  13. 

Now  being  in  this  condition,  and  thinking  thy- 
self to  be  wondrous  well,  because  of  that  notion  of 
tlie  truth,  and  that  notion  thou  hast  in  the  things 
of  God :  I  say,  being  in  this  state,  thou  art  liable 
to  these  dangers. 

First,  Thou  art  like  to  perish  if  thou  die  with 
this  notion  in  thine  head,  except  God  out  of  his 
rich  grace  do  work  a  saving  work  of  grace  and 
knowledge  in  thy  heart;  for  know  this,  thou  may- 
est  tmderstand  glorious  mysteries,  and  yet  be  a 
cast-away,  l  Co.  xiii.  1—3.     Or  else, 

Secondly,  Thou  art  liable  to  the  next  damnable 
heresy  that  the  devil  sendeth  into  the  world. 
See  and  consider  Lu.  viii.  13. 2  Ti.  ii.  18.  I  say,  thou 
dost  lie  liable  to  be  carried  away  with  it,  and  to 
be  captivated  by  it;  so  that  at  last,  through  the 
delusions  of  the  devil,  thou  mayest  have  thy  con- 
science seared  as  with  an  hot  iron,  so  hard,  that 
neither  laAv,  nor  gospel,  can  make  any  entrance 
thereinto,  to  the  doing  of  thee  the  least  good. 
And  indeed,  who  are  the  men  that  at  this  day  are 
60  deluded  by  the  quakers,  and  other  pernicious 
doctrines  ;  but  those  who  thought  it  enough  to  be 
talkers  of  the  gospel,  and  grace  of  God,  without 
seeking  and  giving  all  dihgence  to  make  it  sure 
unto  themselves  ?  'And  for  this  cause  God'  [shall 
send]  hath  sent  '  them  strong  delusion,  that  they 
should  believe  a  lie:  -That  they  all  might  be  damned, 
who  believed  not  the  truth,  but  had  pleasure  in 
unrighteousness, '  as  it  is  written.  2  Th.  ii.  ii,  12.  And 
indeed  if  you  mark  it,  you  shall  see,  that  they  be 
such  kind  of  people,  who  at  this  day  are  so  carried 
away  with  the  quakers'  delusions  :  namely,  a  com- 
pany of  loose  ranters,  and  light  notionists,  with 
here  and  there  a  legalist,  which  were  shaking  in 
their  principles  from  time  to  time,  sometimes  on  this 
religion,  sometimes  on  that.*  And  thus  these  un- 
stable  soids  are  deluded  and  beguiled  at  last.  2  Pe.  ii. 
14.  So  that  these  who  before  (as  one  would  have 
thought)  had  something  of  God  in  them,  are  now 
turned  such  enemies  to  the  glorious  truths  of  the 
gospel,  that  there  are  none  so  obstinately  erroneous 
as  they.  And  indeed  it  is  just  with  God,  to  give 
them  over  to  'believe  a  lie,'3  Th.  ii.  ii.who  before  were 


*  Tlie  word  'quaters'  must  not  be  misundersood  as  refer- 
ring to  the  society  oi  friends,  but  to  some  deluded  individuals 
c:illing;  themselves  quakers ;  the  friends  were  not  formed  into  a 
society  for  some  years  after  this  was  written. — En. 


SO  idle  that  they  would  not  receive  the  truth  of  God 
into  their  hearts,  in  the  love  of  it.  And  to  be 
bewitched  by  the  devil  to  obey  his  temptations,  and 
be  damned,  who  would  not  obey  the  truth,  that 
they  might  be  saved.  Ga.  iii.  i. 

But  you  will  say,  what  lies  are  those,  that  the 
devil  beguileth  poor  souls  withal  ?  I  shall  brieily 
tell  you  some  of  them,  but  having  before  said, 
that  they  especially  are  hable  to  the  danger  of 
them,  who  slip  into  high  notions,  and  rest  there; 
taking  that  for  true  faith  which  is  not.  I  shall 
desire  thee  seriously  to  consider  this  one  character 
of  a  NOTIONIST.  Such  an  one,  whether  he  perceives 
it  or  not,  is  puffed  up  in  his  fleshly  mind,  and  ad- 
vanceth  himself  above  others,  thinking  but  few 
may  compare  with  him  for  religion  and  knowledge 
in  the  scriptures,  but  are  ignorant  and  foolish  in 
comparison  of  him  :  (Thus  knowledge  puffeth  up, 
1  Cor.  \-iii.  1.)  whereas  when  men  receive  truth  in  the 
love  of  the  truth,  the  more  the  head  and  heart  is 
filled  with  the  knowledge  of  the  mystery  of  godli- 
ness, the  more  it  is  emptied  of  its  own  things,  and 
is  more  sensible  of  its  own  vileness,  and  so  truly 
humbled  in  its  own  eyes. 

And  further,  a  notionist,  though  he  fall  from 
his  former  strictness  and  seeming  holiness,  and 
appear  more  loose,  and  vain  in  his  practices,  yet 
speaks  as  confidently  of  himself,  as  to  assurance 
of  salvation,  the  love  of  God,  and  union  with  God, 
as  ever.  But  now  to  return,  and  declare  some  of 
those  lies  which  the  devil  persuades  some  of  these 
men  to  believe. 

I.  That  salvation  was  not  fully,  and  completely 
wrought  out  for  poor  sinners  by  the  man  Christ 
Jesus,  though  he  did  it  gloriously,  Ac.  xiii.  S8, 39.  by 
his  death  upon  the  cross,  without  the  gates  of  Jeru- 
salem,  Heb.  xiii.  12.  compared  with  Jn.  xix.  19,  20. 

II.  This  is  another  of  his  lies  wherewith  he 
doth  deceive  poor  sinners,  bidding  them  follow  the 
light  that  they  brought  into  the  world  with  them, 
telling  them,  that  light  will  lead  them  to  the  king- 
dom ;  for  (say  they)  it  will  convince  of  sin,  as 
swearing,  lying,  stealing,  covetousness,  and  the 
rest  of  the  sins  against  the  law.  Eo.  m.  20.  But  '  the 
law  is  not  of  faith. '  Ga.  iu.  13.  And  then  I  am  sure, 
that  it,  with  all  its  motions  and  convictions,  is 
never  able  to  justify  the  soul  of  any  poor  sinner. 
'  For  as  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law  are 
under  the  curse:  for  it  is  written.  Cursed  is  every 
one  that  conthiueth  not  in  all  things  Avhich  are 
wi-itten  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them,'  Ga.  iii.  10. 
but  that  no  man  is  justified  by  the  law  is  evident, 
♦for.  The  just  shall  live  by  faith,'  ver.  11.  Now 
because  I  am  not  altogether  ignorant  of  the  de- 
lusion of  the  devil  touching  tliis  grace  of  faith  al.so, 
I  shall  therefore  in  short  give  thee  (reader)  a 
brief,  yet  true  description  from  the  scripture.  1. 
What  true  justifying  faith  is,  and  what  it  lays 


134 


THE  AUTHOR  TO  THE  READER. 


hold  upon.  2,  I  shall  shew  who  it  doth  come 
from.  3.  That  every  one  hath  it  not.  4.  What 
are  the  fruits  of  it. 

1.  First  therefore,  tine  faith  is  a  fruit,  work,  or 

gift  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  Ga.  v.  23.  2  Th.  i.  ll.  and  1  Co.  xii. 

9.  whereby  a  poor  soul  is  enabled  through  tlie 
mighty  operation  of  God,  Col.  ii.  13.  in  a  sense  of  its 
sins  and  wretched  estate  to  lay  hold  on  the  right- 
eousness, blood,  death,  resurrection,  ascension, 
intercession,  and  coming  again  of  the  Son  of  God 
which  was  crucified  without  the  gates  of  Jeru- 
salem, for  eternal  life ;  Jn.  in.  16— is.  compared  with 

Mat.  iii.  17.  Ga.  ii.  20.  Eo.  v.  8—10.  Ro.  iii.  25.  Ac.  xri.  31.  He.  xiii.  13. 

according  to  that  saying  in  lie.  xi.  i.  'Now 
faith  is  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,'  and 
•the  evidence  of  things  not  seen,'  that  is,  the  things 
that  are  hoped  for  faith  sees,  lays  hold  upon,  and 
embraces  them,  He.  xi.  13.  as  if  they  were  present ; 
yea,  it  seals  up  the  certainty  of  them  to  the  soul. 
Therefore  saith  the  Apostle,  it  is  the  evidence,  or 
testimony,  or  witness,  of  those  things  that  are  not 
seen  as  yet  with  a  bodily  eye ;  which  are  obtained 
by  the  blood  of  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  lie.  ix.  14.  com- 
pared with  He.  X.  13, 19, 20.  by  which  the  soul  sees  as 
in  a  glass  the  things  that  God  hath  laid  up  for  them 
that  fear  him.  1  Co.  xiii.  12.  2  Co.  iii.  18. 

2.  If  you  would  know  wJto  this  faith  comes  from, 
read  Ep.  ii.  8.  '  For  by  grace  ye  are  saved  (saith  the 
scripture)  through  faith  ;  and  that  not  of  your- 
selves: it  is  \\\&  gift  of  God.'  Again,  in  Phil. i.  29. 
it  is  thus  written :  '  For  unto  you  (that  are  believ- 
ers) it  is  given  in  the  behalf  of  Christ,  not  only  to 
believe  on  him,  but  also  to  suffer  for  his  sake;' 
And  thus  much  do  the  Apostles  hold  forth  to  us 
in  their  prayer,  or  request  to  the  Lord  Jesus, 
when  they  ?>&j,  'Lord  increase  our  faith, '  Lu.  xvii.  5. 
and  he  is  therefore  called  '  the  author  and  finisher 
of  our  faith.'  lie.  xii.  2.  Also  we  find  in  Ja.  i.  17.  that 
'Every  good  gift  and  every  perfect  gift  is  from 
above,  and  conieth  down  from  the  Father  of  lights, ' 
he,  and  therefore  faith  comes  from  God,  for  true 
justifying  faith  is  a  good  gift,  and  perfect  in  re- 
spect of  the  author  God,  in  respect  of  its  object, 
Christ  ;  and  in  respect  of  the  nature,  though  not 
in  respect  of  the  degree,  and  measure  of  it  in  us : 
even  as  a  grain  of  gold,  is  as  perfect  gold,  as  a 
pound  of  gold,  though  not  so  much. 

3.  All  men  Jiave  not  faith,  this  the  Apostle  wit- 
nesseth  in  so  many  words  as  we  find,  2  Th.  iii.  3.  and  Da. 
xxxii.  20.  Also  in  Ti.  i.  15.  '  Unto  them  that  are  de- 
filed and  unbelieving  is  nothing  pure,'  &c.  It 
appeareth  also  in  this,  that  all  do  not  attain  salva- 
tion, which  they  must  needs  do  if  they  had  true 
justifying  faith  ;  compare  Lu.  xiii.  34.  and  l  Jn.  v.  19.  with 
Mark  xvi.  16.  And  He.  iv.  3.  with  ver.  6.  and  11.  *  they  that  be- 
lieve shall  be  saved.' 

4.  Tlie  fruits  of  it  are,  (1.)  to  purify  the  heart, 
Ac  XV.  9.  and  1  Jn.  iii.  3.  and  that,  as  I  said  before,  by 


laying  hold  on  what  Jesus  Christ  had  done  and 
suffered  for  sinners.  Ac.  xiii.  38,  39.  (2.)  It  fills  the 
soul  with  peace  and  joy,  in  that  it  lays  hold  on  the 
things  that  are  obtamed  for  it.  Ko.  v.  l.  2  Ti.  i.  9, 10. 
iPei.  8.  (3.)  It  makes  the  soul  to  wait  patiently, 
for  the  glory  that  is  to  be  revealed  at  the  second 
appearing  of  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  whom  God 
hath  raised  from  the  dead,  which  hath  also  de- 
livered it  from  the  wrath  to  come,  as  in  Ti.  ii.  13, 14. 

1  Pe.  iv.  13.  and  v.  1,  4. 1  Th.i.  10. 

Quest. — But  how  (may  some  say)  doth  the  devil 
make  his  delusions  take  place  in  the  hearts  of  poor 
creatures  ? 

Ansio.  1 . — Why,  first.  He  labours  to  render  the 
doctrine  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  salvation  by  him 
alone,  very  odious  and  low:  and  also  his  ordinances, 
as  hearing,  reading,  meditation,  use  of  the  scrip- 
tures, &c.  telling  poor  sinners  that  these  things 
are  but  poor,  low,  carnal,  beggarly,  empty  notions; 
preached  up  by  the  clergymen,  who  are  the  scribes 
and  pharisees  of  this  generation ;  who  have  the 
letter,  but  not  the  Spirit  of  God  in  them ;  which 
lead  men  into  the  form,  but  not  into  the  power  of 
the  Lord  Jesus :  And  with  this  persuasion,  he  also 
represents  the  ungodly  and  base  carriage,  or  be- 
haviour, of  some,  who  have  taken  in  hand  to  preach 
the  doctrine  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thereby 
he  doth  render  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  the 
more  contemptible  and  base.  But  Avoe,  woe,  woe, 
be  to  them  by  whom  such  ofi"ences  come.  Mat.  xv-iiL 

7.  Lu.  xvii.  1,  2. 

Ansio.  2.  He  pretends  to  lead  them  up  into 
some  higher  light,  mysteries,  and  revelations  of 
the  Spirit,  into  which  a  very  few  have  attained  or 
can  attain,  also  bewitching  their  afi"ections,  and 
taking  them  with  an  earnest  pursuit  after  these 
his  pretended  truths ;  persuading  them,  that  they 
shall  bo  as  God  himself,  able  to  discern  between 
good  and  evil.  Ge.  iii.  5.  And  in  this  he  is  exceeding 
subtil  and  expert,  as  having  practised  it  ever  since 
the  days  of  Adam.  These  things  being  thus  con- 
sidered, and  in  some  measure  hungered  after,  and 
the  rather  because  they  are  good  (as  they  think) 
to  make  one  wise.  Ge.  iii.  g.  The  poor  soul  is  all  on 
the  sudden  possessed  with  a  desperate  spirit  of 
delusion,  which  carries  it  away  headlong  with  some 
high,  light,  frothy  notions,  and  spiritual  wicked- 
ness (which  drown  it  in  perdition  and  destruction) 
that  doth  feed  and  tickle  the  heart  a  while,  to  the 
end  it  may  make  way  for  a  farther  manifestation 
of  itself  in  the  poor  deluded  soul;  which  when  it 
hath  attained  to,  it  doth  then  begin  to  bring  the 
sold  into  a  clearer  sight  of  those  things,  which  it 
was  loth  it  should  know  at  the  first ;  but  having 
fitted  the  soul  by  degrees  for  a  further  possession 
of  itself,  at  last  it  begins  to  hold  forth  its  new 
gospel ;  shewing  the  soul  a  new  Christ,  and  new 
scriptm-es.     The  new  and  false  Christ,  is  a  Christ 


THE  AUTHOR  TO  THE  READER. 


Us 


cniclfied  within,  dead  witliin,  risen  again  within, 
and  ascended  within,  in  opposition  to  the  Son  of 
Mary,  who  was  crucified  without,  dead  without,  risen 
again  without,  and  ascended  in  a  cloud  away  from 
his  disciples  into  heaven  without  them.  Ac.  i.  9— ll. 

Now  this  new  and  false  Christ,  hath  a  new  and 
false  faith  belonging  to  his  gospel,  which  faith  is 
this,  to  apprehend  this  Christ  crucified  within,  dead 
within,  risen  again  within,  and  ascended  within: 
But  ask  them  for  a  scripture  that  doth  positively 
prove  their  doctrine,  they  also  have  a  scripture, 
but  it  is  within,  it  doth  hear  witness  within,  and 
if  they  had  not  that,  (though  that  be  of  the  devil's 
making)  I  am  sure  they  would  have  none  out  of 
God's  holy  scriptures,  for  they  will  allow  of  no 
crucified  Christ,  but  he  that  was  crucified  without 
the  gates  of  Jerusalem,  He.  xiii.  12.  Jn.  xix.  17, 18.  Dead 
and  buried  in  the  sepulchre  of  Joseph  of  Arima- 
thea.  Jn.  xix.  38—41.  Was  raised  again  out  of  that 
sepulchre  into  which  Joseph  had  laid  him.  Jn.  xx. 
1—13.  Who  went  before  his  disciples  into  Galilee. 
Mar.  rri.  7.  And  to  Emmaus.  Lu.xxiv.15.  Shewed 
them  his  hands  and  his  feet,  where  the  nails  had 
gone  through.  Lu.  xnv.  39,40.  Did  eat  and  drink  with 
them  after  his  resurrection :  Was  seen  of  them  on 
earth  forty  days  after  his  resurrection.  Ac.  i.  3.  And 
after  that  ascended  away  in  a  cloud,  out  of  the 
sight  of  his  disciples  into  heaven.  Aci.  9— 11.  Which 
Christ  ever  lives  to  make  intercession  for  us.  ne. 
vii.  25.  Who  will  come  again  also  at  the  end  of  the 
world  to  judgment.  Ac.  x.  42;  xvii.  31;  2  Pe.  iii.  10, 11.  Who 
also  is  the  same  that  hath  obtained  eternal  re- 
demption for  us.  Ac.  xiiL  37—39.  Ro.  iii.  25.  Ep.  i.  7.  Re.  i.  5. 
He.  i.  2;  ix.  14.  This  I  Say,  or  rather  the  scriptures 
say,  is  God's  Christ.  Mat.  xvi.  16.  In  whom  he  is 
weU  pleased.  Mat.  iii.  17.  Neither  doth  God  own  any 
other,  or  allow  of  any  other:  For  there  is  none 
other  name  imder  heaven  given  among  men, 
whereby  we  must  be  saved,  than  the  name  of  Jesus 

of  Nazareth,  An.  iv.  10.  compared  with  ver.  11, 12.     But  as  I 

told  you  before,  the  way  to  be  thus  deluded,  is 
first  to  render  God's  Christ  odious  and  low,  with 
a  pretence  of  some  further  light  and  revelations ; 
and  thus  professing  themselves  to  be  wise,  they 
became  fools.  Ro.  1 22. 

Quest. — But  you  will  say,  doth  not  the  scripture 
make  mention  of  a  Christ  within  ?  Coi.  i.  27;  2  Co.  xiii.  5. 

Ro.  viii.  10. 

Though  I  shau  go  Answ. — I  answer,  God's  Christ 
seemingly  about  in  ^  jg     ^^.^^Q   Q^^  and  true 

answer  to  the  ques-  """^>     "  > 

tion,  yet  it  will  be  man ;   he  was  born  of  the  \  irgin 

very    profitable    to  /^     i  j     ± 

them  who  shall  Mary,  true  God,  and  true  man. 
Se^^^'se^nttt  Mat.  i.  23.  «  And  they  shall  call  his 
lii^reof.  name  Emmanuel,  which  being  in- 

terpreted is,  God  with  us,'  or  God  in  our  nature, 
according  to  i  Ti.  m.  16.  '  God  was  manifested  in 
the  flesh : '.  And  Jn.  1. 1*.  '  The  word  was  made 
flesh,  and  dwelt   among  us,  and  we  beheld  his 


glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the 
Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth.'  And  in  lie.  ii.  u. 
'  Forasmuch  then  as  the  children  are  partakers  of 
flesh  and  blood,  he, '  that  is,  God,  He.  i.  8.  '  also 
himself  hkewise  took  part  of  the  same,  that  through 
death  he  might  destroy  him  that  had  the  power 
of  death,  that  is,  the  devil. '  Now  as  he  was  thus 
true  God,  and  true  man,  so  he  became  our  re- 
deemer and  Saviour.  Compare  the  first  and 
second  chapters  to  the  Hebrews  together,  and  you 
may  clearly  see  that  this  is  a  glorious  truth,  that 
he  who  is  the  first  and  the  last.  Re.  i.  17, 18;  ii.  8. 
humbled  himself,  and  made  himself  of  no  reputa- 
tion, and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant, 
and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men :  And  was 
this  all?     No.     He  humbled  himself  unto  death, 

even  the  death  of  the  cross.  Phi.  ii.  7,8.  compHred  with  Re. 
i.  17, 18.  and  Re.  ii.  8.  with  Ga.  i.  4.      Now   after    this    Christ 

of  God,  true  God  and  true  man,  had  wrought  out 
eternal  redemption  for  us  poor  miserable  sinners, 
He.  ix.  14.  compared  with  1  Ti.  i.  15.  I  say,  after  he  had  done 
this,  he  ascended  up  into  heaven,  and  there  ever 
lives  to  make  intercession  for  us.  Now  this  Christ, 
having  thus  completely  wrought  out  our  salvation, 
sends  his  disciples  abroad  to  preach  the  same  to 
poor  sinners,  Ac.  ii.  2  Co.  v.  19, 20.  and  so  many  as  were 
ordained  to  eternal  life,  when  they  heard  the  word, 
or  the   gospel   preached  by  the  Apostles,  which 

gospel  was   this  Christ,  1  Co.  i.  17.  compared  with  ver.  23.  I 

£ay,  so  many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life,  when 
they  heard  the  word,  the  Holy  Ghost  or  Spirit  of 

Christ,  fell  upon  them,  Ac.  x.  44.  compared  with  Ac.  xiii.  48. 

which  did  lead  them  into  the  redemption  and  glori- 
ous things  that  the  Lord  Jesus  had  laid  up  and 
prepared  for  them.  jn.  xvi.  is— 15;  l  Co.  ii.  9.  Which 
Spirit  was  the  earnest  of  their  inheritance,  initil 
the  redemption  of  the  purchased  possession,  to  the 
praise  of  his  glory.  Ep.i.l3,i4.  The  earnest  of  their 
inheritance  was  a  glorious  encouragement  to  them 
that  had  it,  to  hope  for  the  glory  that  was  to  be 
revealed  at  the  appearing  of  Jesus  Christ,  which 
is  the  meaning  of  that  place  in  Col.  i.  27.  And  that 
will  be  seen  clearly,  if  we  compare  it  with  Ep.i  13,14. 
before  recited.  Now  this  Spirit,  which  ^^^  ^  ^^ 
sometimes  is  called  the  Spirit  of  Christ.     Christ  is  the 

„,  .       n    •   • ,      T  -L    •  earnest  ot  tliat 

2  Co.  xiii.  5.       This    Spirit,    i    say,     being      uii,eriiiiuce, 

given  to  all  those  that  were  ordained  \lf  ^]^'%^i 
to  eternal  life,  it  must  needs  follow,     and  man,  did 

'  ,  ,._,..  obtam. 

that  those  that  had  not  this  Spirit, 
but  did  live  and  die  without  it,  were  not  ordained 
to  eternal  life,  and  so  were  none  of  Christ's;  biit 
were  reprobates,  Ro.  viii.  9.  for  the  Spirit  of  Christ  is 
the  distinguishing  character  betwixt  a  believer  and 
an  unbehever,  he"  that  hath  it,  and  is  led  by  it,  is 
a  child  of  God,  Ro.  vii.  4.  but  he  that  hath  it  not  is 
none  of  Christ's. 

So  then,  the   answer  that  I  give  to  ^^J^^"^ 
the  question,  is   this.      The   Spirit  of 


136 


THE  AUTHOR  TO  THE  READER. 


Christ  that  is  given  to  believers,  is  the  earnest  or 
hope  of  that  inheritance  that  Christ  hath  ah-eady 
purchased,  and  is  now  preparing  for  so  many  as 
he  hath  given,  or  shall  give  this  holy  spirit  unto. 
And  for  the  proof  hereof,  read  Ep.  i.  13,  u.  In  whom 
(saith  the  scripture)  ye  also  trusted,  after  that  ye 
heard  the  word  of  truth,  the  gospel  of  your  salva- 
tion. In  Avhom  also,  after  that  ye  believed,  ye 
were  sealed  with  the  holy  Spirit  of  promise,  which 
is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance ;  (which  inheri- 
tance is  the  eternal  redemption  that  was  purchased 
by  Christ  for  poor  sinners,  He.  ix.  15.)  until  the  re- 
demption of  the  purchased  possession,  unto  the 
praise  of  his  glory.  Again,  Ga.  v.  5.  '  For  ye  through 
the  Spirit,  wait  for  the  hope  of  righteousness  by 
faith.'  And  Col. i. 27.  the  Apostle  speaking  of  this 
great  mystery,  saith,  'To  whom  God  woidd  make 
known  what  is  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  this 
mystery  among  the  Gentiles;  which  is  Christ  in 
you  the  hope  of  glory ; '  which  glory  was  then  re- 
vealed to  the  saints  no  otherwise  than  by  faith,  as 
the  Apostle  saith,  '  We  rejoice  i^i  hope  of  the  glory 
of  God. '  Ro.  V.  2.  Which  hope  is  begotten  by  the 
Spirit's  shedding  abroad  the  love  of  God  in  our 
hearts,  ver.  5.  which  hope  is  not  yet  seen,  that  is, 
not  yet  actually  enjoyed ;  '  For  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  if.' Ro.viii.  24, 25.  And  as  I  say, 
the  cause  of  believers'  hope  is  this,  Christ,  or  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  in  them,  the  hope  of  glory.  And 
indeed  he  may  well  hope  for  glory  to  come,  who 
hath  already  an  earnest  thereof  given  him  of  God, 
and  that  earnest  no  less  than  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 

Jesus.  Ho.  Tiii.  16. 17. 

But  now,  this  Spirit,  which  is  the  cause  of  a 
believer's  hope,  aU  men  have  not.  Jude  19.  Ep.  ii.  12. 
Ro.  viii.  9.  Jp.  xiv.  16, 17.  Therefoi'e  what  a  sad  doctrine 
is  that  which  saith,  follow  the  UgM  that  Christ 
hath  enlightened  every  man  withal,  which  cometh 
into  the  world ;  which  light  is  the  conscience,  that 
convinceth  of  sins  against  the  law ;  and  that  you 
may  see  clearly  if  you  mind  that  scripture,  Jn.  vm.  9. 
which  saith.  That  the  Pharisees,  [which  had 
neither  the  love  of  God,  nor  his  word,  abiding  in 
them,  Jn.  V.  38, 43.]  when  they  had  heard  Christ 
speaking  thus  to  them.  He  that  is  without  sin 
among  you,  <fcc.  being  convicted  by  their  own 
consciences,  went  out  one  by  one,  beginning  at  the 
eldest,  even  to  the  least.  But  the  devil,  that  he 
might  be  sure  not  to  miss  of  his  design,  labours  by 
T^  •  *,      •  t  <•.!     all  means  to  render  the  scriptures 

It  IS  the  spirit  of  the  .  j^        v," 

devil  that  dotli  ren-    also  odious  and  low,  telling  them 

der  the  Scriptures       n     .1  .    ,  -.i  •  t  •  ■, 

(■ontempUbie    and   01    the    scriptures   withni  ;     Avhich 
^"*'  Christ  never  taught,  nor  yet  his 

disciples :  But  they  being  given  up  of  God  to  a 
reprobate  mind,  have  given  themselves  over,  rather 


to  follow  the  suggestions  of  the  devil,  than  the 
holy  scriptures  which  God  hath  commanded  us  to  be- 
take ourselves  to,  is.  viii.  20.  compared  witli  Jn.  v.  39.    wllich 

scripture  is  called  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  Ep.  vi. 
17.  which  weapon  our  Lord  Jesus  himself  held  up, 
to  overcome  the  devil  withal.  Mat.  ir.  4, 7,  ^0.  Lu.  iv.  4. 
8, 12.  But  this  design  (as  I  told  you)  the  devil 
carries  on,  by  pretending  to  sheAv  them  a  more 
excellent  way  which  they  may  attain  to,  if  they  be 
but  wise,  and  follow  what  is  made  known  unto 
them  from  the  light  within  them. 

But,  reader,  that  thou  mayest  be  able  to  escape 
the  snare  of  this  cunning  hunter,  I  shall  lay  thee 
down  some  few  directions,  which  if  the  Lord  give 
thee    grace   to   follow,   thou    shalt    escajie    these 

WICKED  DELUSIONS. 

Direct.  1.  And  first  of  all,  I  do  admonish  thee 
to  be  very  serious  touching  thine  estate  and  condi- 
tion; and  examine  thine  own  heart  by  the  rule  of 
the  word  of  God,  whether  or  no,  thou  hast  as  yet 
any  beginnings  of  desiring  after  religion :  and  if 
thou  findest  that  thou  hast  lived  until  now  in  igno- 
rance, and  hast  not  set  thyself  to  remember  thy 
Creator  as  thou  art  commanded,  Ec.  xii.  1.  then  I 
beseech  thee  consider  that  thou  art  under  the 
wrath  of  Almighty  God,  and  hast  been  so  ever 
since  thou  camest  into  the  world,  Ep.  ii.  1,  2.  being 
then  in  thy  first  parents,  those  didst  transgress 
against  thy  maker,  Ro.  v.  is.  '  Therefore  as  by  the 
offence  of  one,'  that  is,  of  Adam,  vcr.  14.  'judgment 
came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation.'  Besides  the 
many  sins  thou  hast  committed  ever  since  thou 
wast  born  :  sins  against  the  law  of  God,  and  sins 
against  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God;  sins  against 
the  long-suffering  and  forbearance  of  God,  and  sins 
against  his  judgments ;  sins  of  omission,  and  sins 
of  commission,  in  thoughts,  words,  and  actions  : 
consider,  I  say,  thy  condition;  yea,  get  a  very 
great  sense  of  thy  sins  that  thou  hast  committed ; 
and  that  thou  mayest  so  do,  beg  of  God  to  convince 
thee  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  not  only  of  sins  against 
law,  bnt  also  of  that  damning  sin,  the  sin  of  mibe- 
lief.     . 

Direct.  2,  If  thou  by  grace,  art  but  brought  into 
such  an  estate  as  to  see  thyself  in  a  lost  condition 
because  of  sin,  without  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  then  in 
the  next  place,  have  a  care  of  resting  on  any  duty 
done,  though  it  be  never  so  specious ;  I  say,  have 
a  care  of  making  any  stay  anywhere  on  this  side 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ:  but  aboveall  strive  tobelieve, 
that  that  very  Man  that  was  born  of  the  Virgin 
Mary,  did  come  into  the  world  on  purpose  to  save 
thee,  as  well  as  other  poor  sinners:  I  say,  thou 
must  not  be  content  till  thou  art  enabled  to  say, 
'  He  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me. '  Ga.  ii.  20. 
And  that  thou  mayest  be  sure  to  attain  to  tliia 
most  precious  faith,  (for  so  it  is)  be  much  in  ap- 
plying the  freest  promises  to  thy  own  soul ;  yea, 


THE  AUTHOR  TO  THE  READER. 


137 


those  tliat  have  no  conditions  annexed  to  them,  as 

these,  or  other  like,  Re.xxu.l7.Je.xxxi.3;iu.  Jn.vi.37.alsoxiv. 

19.  Ho.  xiv.  3.  I  saj,  lahour  to  apply  to  thy  own  soul 
in  particular,  the  most  glorious  and  freest  promises 
in  the  book  of  God.  And  if  at  any  time  the  devil 
besets  thee  by  his  temptations,  (for  so  is  his  wonted 
manner  to  do,  and  so  much  the  more,  as  he  sees 
thee  labour  to  get  out  of  his  reach)  I  say,  when  he 
assails  thee  with  his  fiery  darts,  be  sure  to  act 
faith  on  the  most  free  promises,  and  have  a  care 
that  thou  dost  not  enter  into  any  dispute  with  him, 
but  rather  resist  him  by  those  blessed  promises  that 
are  laid  diovra.  in  the  word  of  God :  And  withal,  be 
sure  to  meditate  upon  the  blood  of  the  man  Christ 
Jesus,  who  also  is  the  true  God,  and  read  those 
scriptm-es  that  do  most  fully  and  clearly  speak  of 

it  ;    as,  1  Jn.  i.  7.  Ep.  i.  7.  He.  ix.  14.  Ro.  iii.  25. 

Direct.  3.  But  if  thou  say  (as  it  is  often  the  speech 
of  poor  soids  lying  under  a  sense  of  sin,  and  the 
apprehensions  of  wrath  due  to  it)  I  cannot  apply 
the  promises  to  mine  own  soul ;  and  the  reason  is, 
because  my  sixs  are  so  great,  and  so  many.  Con- 
sider, and  know  it  for  a  truth,  that  the  more  and 
greater  thou  seest  thy  sins  to  be,  the  more  cause 
hast  thou  to  believe ;  yea,  thou  must  therefore  be- 
lieve because  thy  sins  are  great:  David  made  it 
an  encouragement  to  himself,  or  rather  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  made  it  his  encouragement,  to  crave, 
yea  to  hope  for  pardon,  because  he  had  greatly 
transgressed.  Ps.  xxv.  ii.  '  For  thy  name's  sake,  0 
Lord,  (saith  he)  pardon  mine  iniquity;  for  it  is 
great.'  As  if  he  had  said,  0  Lord,  thy  name  will 
be  more  glorified,  the  riches  of  thy  grace  wiU  be 
more  advanced,  thy  mercy  and  goodness  will  more 
shine,  and  be  magnified  in  pardoning  me  who  am 
guilty  of  great  iniquity,  than  if  thou  pardonest 
many  others  who  have  not  committed  such  heinous 
ofi"ences.  And  I  dare  say,  the  reason  why  thou 
believest  not,  is  not  because  thy  sins  are  great, 
but  because  thou  dost  reason  too  much  with  that 
wicked  enemy  of  man's  salvation,  and  givest  way 
too  much  to  the  fleshly  reasoning  of  thine  own 
heart.  For  Christ  hath  said,  '  He  that  cometh 
unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out. '  Jn.  ^-i.  37.  And 
again,  '  Though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall 
be  as  white  as  snow.'  is.  Lis.  And  Christ  calleth 
those  that  labour,  and  are  heavy  laden,  to  come  to 
him,  with  promise  to  give  them  rest.  Mat.  xi.  23. 
Wherefore  thou  must  not  say,  my  sins  are  too  big; 
but  thou  must  say,  because  I  am  a  great  sinner ; 
yea,  because  I  have  sinned  above  many  of  my  com- 
panions, and  am  nearer  to  heU,  and  eternal  damna- 
tion than  they,  because  of  my  sins,  therefore  wiU 
I  cry  unto  the  Lord,  and  say,  0  Lord,  pardon  my 
sins,  for  they  are  great. 

Now  that  thou  mayest  not  be  deceived  in  a 
matter  of  so  great  concernment,  have  a  special 
care  of  these  thi'ee  things. 

VOL.  11. 


Caution  1.  First,  Have  a  care  of  putting  ofi"  thy 
trouble  of  spirit  the  wrong  way,  which  thou  mayest 
do  three  ways ;  (1.)  When  thy  conscience  flleth  in 
thy  face,  and  tells  thee  of  thy  sins,  thou  dost  put 
oft'  convictions  the  Avrong  way,  if  thou  dost  stop 
thy  conscience  by  promising  to  reform  thyself, 
and  lead  a  new  hfo,  and  gcttest  oft"  thy  guilt  by  S(j 
doing :  for  though  thou  mayest  by  this  means  still 
and  quiet  tliy  conscience  for  a  time,  yet  thou  canst 
not  hereby  satisfy  and  appease  the  wrath  of  God : 
yea,  saith  God  to  such,  '  Though  thou  wash  thee 
with  nitre,  and  take  thee  much  soap,  yet  thine  ini- 
quity is  marked  before  me. '  Je.  u.  22. 

(2.)  If  when  thou  art  under  the  guilt  of  thy 
sins,  thou  puttest  oft'  convictions  by  tliy  perform- 
ances of  DUTIES,  and  so  satisfiest  thy  conscience, 
then  also  thou  dost  put  off"  thy  convictions  the  wrong 
way:  for  God  will  not  be  satisfied  with  anything'- 
less  than  the  blood,  righteousness,  resurrection, 
and  intercession  of  his  own  Son.  Ac.  iv.  12.  And 
thou  shouldest  not  satisfy  thyself  with  any  less 
than  God  would  have  thee  to  satisfy  thyself  withal, 
and  that  is  the  water  of  life,  is.  iv.  1,  2.  which  water 
of  life  thy  duties,  and  aU  thy  righteousness,  is  not; 
for  they  are  as  filthy  rags.  is.  kiv.  6. 

(3.)  Have  a  care  that  when  thou  art  under  con- 
viction, thou  dost  not  satisfy  thyself  with  a  notion 
of  the  free  grace  of  the  gospel ;  my  meaning  is, 
do  not  content  thyself  with  any  measure  of  know- 
ledge that  thou  canst  attain  unto,  or  bottom  thy 
peace  upon  it,  thinking  thou  art  now  well  enough, 
because  thou  canst  speak  much  of  the  grace  of 
God,  and  his  love  in  Christ  to  poor  sinners.  For 
this  thou  mayest  have,  and  do ;  and  yet  be  but  a 
companion  for  Demas,  yea,  for  Judas  and  the  rest 
of  the  damned  multitude :  As  the  Apostle  saith, 
For  all  this  thou  mayest  be  but  as  sounding  brass, 
and  as  a  tinkling  cymbal ;  that  is,  nothing  but  a 

sound.    1  Co.  xiii.  1—3. 

Caution  2.  But  Secondly,  If  thou  wouldcst  not 
be  deceived,  then  have  a  care  to  avoid  false  doc- 
trines, which  are  according  to  the  spirit  of  the 
devil,  and  not  after  Christ.     As, 

(1.)  If  any  doctrine  doth  come  unto  thee,  that 
tells  thee,  except  thou  art  circumcised  after  the 
manner  of  Moses,  thou  canst  not  be  saved:  that 
is,  if  any  man  come  unto  thee,  and  tell  thee,  thou 
must  do  such  and  such  works  of  the  lav;,  to  the 
end  thou  mayest  present  thyself  the  better  before 
God,  do  not  receive  him :  For  '  to  him  that  woi-keth 
not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth  the  un- 
godly, his  faith  is  counted  for  righteousness.'  Ro.iv. 5. 

(2.)  If  any  come  imto  thee,  and  bring  such  a  doc- 
trine as  this;  That  thou  mayest  be  Not],jn„  c^n  make  us 
saved  by  grace,  though  thou  walk  in  --Pj;;^  -^\^'^^ 
the  imao-inations  of  thy  own  wicked  Jesus  Christ.    The 

,  TT.     1  •  1       •     1      •!•  1       li'unters   iloctnne  is 

heart :   His  doctnne  also  is  deviiisn,    faj^e, 
do  not  receive  him.  De.  x.\L\-.  10—23. 


138 


THE  AUTHOR  TO  THE  READER. 


(3.)  But  if  any  come  unto  thee,  and  dotli  in  truth 
advance  the  blood,  rigJiteousness,  resurrection,  inter- 
cession, and  second  coming  of  that  very  Man  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven,  that  was  horn  of  the  virgin  Mary ; 
and  doth  press  thee  to  beheve  on  what  he  hath 
done  (shewing  thee  thy  lost  condition  without  him) 
and  to  own  it  as  done  for  thee  in  particular,  and 
withal  doth  admonish  thee,  not  to  trust  in  a,  bare 
notion  of  it,  but  to  receive  it  into  thy  heart,  so 
really,  that  thy  very  heart  and  soul  may  burn  in 
love  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  again :  and  doth  also 
teach  thee,  that  the  love  of  Christ  should  and  must 
constrain  thee,  not  to  hve  to  thyself:  But  to  him 
that  loved  thee,  and  gave  himself  for  thee.  2  Co.  v. 
14, 15.  Ep.  iv.  21—24. 1  Co.  tu.  23.  *  Ye  are  bought  with  a 
price;  be  not  ye  the  servants  of  men.'  If  his 
conversation  be  also  agreeable  to  his  doctrine,  a 
believing,  honest,  loving,  self-denying, 
The  doctrine  is  courteous  Conversation,  (he  also  is  a 

true,  Hiidol  God,  _     _  /  ^ 

wiiatever     the  true  Christian.)    Receive  that  doctrine 
and  receive  it  really;  for  it  is  the  doc- 
trine of  God,  and  of  Christ.  Ga.  iv.  4;  i.  4.  Ep.  i.  7.  Re.  i.  5. 
Ac.  xiii.  38.  Jn.  i.  29.  Ac.  iv.  12;  x.  40—42.  and  1  Th.  i.  10.  Mar.  xiii.ult. 

2  Pe.  i.  5—10.  Considering  the  end  of  their  conversa- 
tion Jesus  Christ,  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  the 
same  for  ever.  He.  xiii.  7, 8. 

Caution  3.  Again,  If  thou  wonkiest  not  be  de- 
ceived, then  beware  of  slighting  any  known  truth 
that  thou  findest  revealed,  or  made  known  to 
thee  in  the  gospel;  but  honour  and  obey  it  in 
its  place,  be  it  (as  thou  thinkest)  never  so  low. 

Jn.  xiv.  15. 

(1.)  Have  a  care  that  thou  do  not  undervalue, 
or  entertain  low  thoughts  of  God,  Christ  the  Son 
of  Mary,  and  the  holy  scriptures,  but  search  them. 
J)i.  V.  39.  And  give  attendance  to  the  reading  of 
them.  iTi.iv.i3.  For,  I  will  tell  thee,  he  that 
slights  the  scriptures,  doth  also  slight  him  of  Avhom 
they  testify.  And  I  will  tell  thee  also,  that  for  this 
cause  God  hath  given  up  many  to  strong  delusions, 
that  they  might  believe  a  lie :  '  that  they  all 
might  be  damned  who  beheved  not  the  truth,  but 
had  pleasure  in  unrighteousness. '  2  Th.  ii.  11, 12. 

(2.)  Therefore  I  say  unto  thee.  In  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  the  Son  of  Mary,  the  Son  of  God, 
the  very  creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  all 
things  that  are  therein ;  have  a  care  of  thyself ; 
for  the  devil  doth  watch  for  thee  day  and  nio-ht. 
1  Pe.  V.  8.  Thine  own  heart  also  doth  "labour  to  de- 
ceive thee,  if  by  any  means  it  may.  Je.  xvii.  9.  There- 
fore do  not  thou  trust  it;  for  if  thou  do,  thou  wilt 
not  do  wisely.  Pr.  xxviii.  26.  I  say  therefore,  have  a 
care  that  thou  labour  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  to  escape  all  these  things ;  for  if  thou  fall 
into  any  one  of  them,  it  Avill  make  way  for  a  far- 
ther income  of  sin  and  the  devil,  through  whose 
deceitfulness  thy  heart  will  be  hardened,  and  thou 
wilt  be  more  incapable  of  receiving  instruction,  or 


reaping  advantage,  by  and  from  the  ordinances  of 
Jesus  Christ:  the  rather  therefore,  give  all  dili- 
gence to  believe  in  the  Christ  of  God,  which  is  the 
Son  of  Mary,  and  be  sure  to  apply  all  that  he 
hath  done,  and  is  doing,  unto  thyself,  as  for  thee 
in  particular ;  which  thing  if  thou  dost,  thou  shalt 
never  fall. 

And  now,  reader,  I  shall  also  give  thee  some 
few  considerations,  and  so  I  shall  commit  thee  to 
the  Lord. 

Consider,  1.  That  God  doth  hold  out  his  grace, 
and  mercy  freely,  and  that  to  every  one.  Re.  xxii.  17. 
Is.  iv.  1—7. 

Consider,  2.  That  there  is  no  way  to  attain  to 
this  free  mercy  and  grace,  but  by  him  that  M-as 
born  of  the  Virgin  Mary;  for  he  himself  saith,  *  I 
am  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life :  no  man 
Cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  me. '  Jn.  .\iv.  6.  com- 
pared witli  Slat.  i.  20,  21. 

Consider,  3.  If  thou  strlvest  to  go  over  any  other 
way,  thou  wilt  be  but  a  thief  and  a  robber.  Jn.  x.  i. 
compared  with  9.  And  kiiow  that  none  of  these  (so 
continuing)  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

1  Co.  vi.  9, 10. 

Consider,  4.  That  if  the  devil  should  be  too  hard 
for  thee,  and  deceive  thee,  by  persuading  thee  to 
embrace,  or  entertain  a  new  gospel,  which  neither 
Christ  nor  his  disciples  did  allow  of,  it  wonld  make 
thee  gnash  teeth  when  it  is  too  late. 

Consider,  5.  That  though  thou  hast  been  deluded 
by  Satan  to  this  day,  jet  if  now  thine  eyes  be 
opened  to  see  and  acknowledge  it,  though  as  yet 
thou  hast  been  either  exceedingly  wicked,  i  Ti.  i.  13. 
or  an  idle.  Mat.  xx.  6, 7.  lukewarm,  hypocritical  pro- 
fessor ;  Re.  ui.  17—19.  and  hast  stood  it  out  to  the 
last ;  Eze.  xviii.  20—22.  for  all  this  there  is  hope  ;  and 
if  now  thou  receive  the  truth  in  the  love  of  the 
truth,  being  as  willing  to  be  rid  of  the  filth  of  sin, 
as  the  guilt  of  it,  thou  shalt  be  saved. 

Consider,  6.  That  the  Lord  will  call  thee  to 
judgment  for  all  thy  sins  past,  present,  and  what 
else  thou  shalt  practise  hereafter,  especially  for 
thy  rejecting  and  trampling  on  the  blood  of  his 
Son,  the  Man  Christ  Jesus:  And  if  thou  dost  not 
agree  with  thine  adversar}^  now,  Avhile  thou  art  in 
the  way,  'Lest  he  hale  thee  to  the  judge,  and  the 
judge  deliver  thee  to  the  officer,  and  the  officer  cast, 
thee  into  prison.  I  tell  thee,  thou  shalt  not  depart 
thence,  till  thou  hast  paid  the  very  last  mite. '  lu. 

xu.  58,  59. 

And  therefore  I  beseech  thee  to  consider;  Here 
is  at  this  time  life  and  death,  heaven  and  hell,  ever- 
lasting jo}^,  and  everlasting  torment  set  before  thee. 
Here  is  also  the  way  to  have  the  one,  and  the  way 
to  escape  the  other.  Now  if  the  Lord  shall  do 
thee  any  good  by  what  I  have  spoken,  I  hope  it 
will  be  a  means  to  stir  me  up  to  thank  the  Lord 
that  ever  he  did  use  such  a  sinner  as  I  am,  in  the 


THE  EPISTLE  WRIT  BY  MR.  BURTON. 


139 


-work  of  liis  gospel.  Aud  here  I  shall  close  up 
what  I  have  said,  desiring  thee  (if  thou  be  a  chris- 
tian) to  praj  for  him  who  desu-es  to  continue 


Thy  servant  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  thouoh 
less  than  the  least  of  all  saints, 

John  Bunvan. 


THE  EPISTLE  WEIT  BY  MK.  BURTON,  MINISTER  AT  BEDFORD. 


To  THE  Reader, 

Reader,  thou  hast  in  this  small  treatise,  set  be- 
fore thee,  the  several  pieces  of  that  great  and  glo- 
rious mystery,  Jesus  Christ,  God  manifested  in  the 
flesh :  And  if  thou  art  enlightened  by  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  here  thou  mayest  see  by  that  Spirit  how 
Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  the  Son  of  Mary,  is 
both  true  God  and  true  Man,  both  natures  making 
but  one  Christ,  one  Jesus,  as  Piii.  ii.  5—9.  where 
speaking  first  of  his  being  God,  and  then  of  his 
taking  upon  him  the  nature  of  man  ;  afterwards  in 
the  8th  and  9th  verses,  he  saith,  he  (meaning  this 
Jesus)  humbled  himself,  Szc,  and  God  (meaning 
the  Father)  hath  highly  exalted  him,  »fcc.  speak- 
ing of  both  natures  God  and  man  as  together 
making  but  one  Christ ;  who  is  the  Sa\'iour,  and 
is  to  be  believed  and  trusted  in  for  salvation  not 
only  as  God,  but  as  man  also ;  and  those  who  do 
not  thus  make  him  the  object  of  their  faith,  will 
surely  fall  short  of  pardon  of  sin,  and  of  salvation; 
*  through  this  man  (speaking  of  Christ  as  crucified 
at  Jerusalem)  is  preached  unto  you  the  forgiveness 
of  sins:'  Ac. xiiiss.  And  saith  he,  there  is  'one 
mediator  between  God  and  men,  the  man  Christ 
Jesus;'  iTLii.  5.  and  this  discovers  the  damnable 
errors  of  those  commonly  called  Socinians,  who 
on  the  one  hand  deny  him  that  was  born  of  the 
Virgin  Mary  to  be  true  God  as  well  as  true  Man : 
And  this  is  also  quite  contrary  to  those  commonly 
called  Familists,  Ranters,  Quakers,  or  others, 
who  on  the  other  hand  either  deny  Christ  to  be  a 
real  Man  xcUhout  them,  blasphemously  fancying 
him  to  be  only  God  manifest  in  their  flesh ;  or  else 
make  his  human  nature  with  the  fulness  of  the 
godhead  in  it,  to  be  but  a  tj'pe  of  God,  to  be 
manifest  in  the  saints,  and  so  according  to  their 
wicked  imagination,  his  human  nature  was  to  be 
laid  aside  after  he  had  oftered  it  up  on  the  cross 
without  the  gate  at  Jerusalem,  contrary  to  Ac.  i.  l 
—3,  9—11.  compared  with  the  last  chapter  of  Luke, 
^er.  39, 40, 50, 51.  where  it  is  clearl}^  held  forth,  that  the 
man  Christ  rose  again  out  of  the  grave,  with  the 
same  body  which  was  crucified  and  laid  in  the 
grave,  and  was  taken  up  above  the  clouds  into 
heaven  with  the  same  real  body,  and  that  he  shall 
again  descend  from  heaven  in  that  same  glorious 
body  of  flesh,  as  Ac.  i.  9—11.  And  this  sure  truth  of 
Christ  being  the  Saviour  and  Mediator,  as  Man, 


and  not  only  as  God,  will  also  shew  serious  be- 
lievers what  to  think  of  some,  who  though  they 
will  not  (it  may  be)  deny  that  Christ  is  a  real  man 
without  them  in  the  heavens  as  well  as  God,  vet 
do  o^vn  him  to  be  the  Saviour  only  as  God,  first 
dwelling  in  that  flesh  that  was  bora  of  the  Yiro-iu, 
and  then  dwelling  in  saints,  and  thus  both  beo-in- 
ning  and  perfecting  their  salvation  within  them, 
and  so  indeed  do  hold  Christ  as  Man,  to  be  only 
(I  say  to  be  only)  the  saved  or  glorified  one  of  God, 
together  with  the  saints  his  members,  only  some- 
thing in  another  and  more  glorious  manner  and 
measure  than  the  saints ;  and  these  high-flown 
people  are  in  this  very  like  to  Familists  and  Qua- 
kers, undervaluing  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  God- 
man,  and  though  they  may  speak  much  of  Christ, 
yet  they  do  not  rightly  and  savingly  lay  him  for 
their  foundation. 

Now  as  a  help  against  all  these  dangerous 
things,  thou  hast  here  the  main  things  of  Christ 
laid  do'mi  before  thee  briefly,  and  fully  proved  by 
the  scriptures: 

First,  Of  his  being  true  God  out  of  flesh  from 
eternity,  and  then  of  his  taking  flesh,  or  the  nature 
of  man  upon  him  in  the  womb  of  the  Virgin,  and 
so  his  fulfilling  the  law,  his  dying  for  sins  at  Jeru- 
salem, his  rising  again  without,  his  ascending  into 
heaven  without,  and  not  into  a  fancied  heaven 
only  within,  as  some  say ;  his  interceding  in  hea- 
ven for  all  his,  and  his  coming  again  in  his  body 
of  flesh  to  judge  the  world.  And  if  thou  art  yet 
in  a  state  of  nature,  though  covered  over  with  an 
outside  profession,  here  thou  mayest  flud  some- 
thing (if  the  Spirit  of  Christ  meet  thee  in  reading) 
to  convince  thee  of  the  sad  condition  thou  art  in, 
and  to  shew  thee  the  righteousness  thou  art  to  fly 
to  by  faith,  and  to  trust  in  for  salvation,  when  con- 
vinced of  sin ;  which  is  a  righteousness  wrought 
by  that  God-man  Jesus  Christ  without  thee,  dying 
without  thee  at  Jerusalem  for  sinners :  here  also 
thou  mayest  see  the  ditference  between  true  aud 
false  faith.  If  thou  art  a  true  behever,  as  these 
things  are  the  foundation  of  thy  faith,  so  they  may 
be  of  great  use  for  thee  to  meditate  upon,  and  to 
exercise  thy  faith  in,  particidarly  in  meditation, 
and  in  this  way  to  seek  daily  for  a  higher  faith  in 
these  truths,  to  be  given  into  thy  heart  from  hea- 
ven ;  and  there  is  a  great  need  of  this,  for  though 
these  truths  be  commonly  lcno\\-n  amongst  profea- 


140 


THE  EPISTLE  WRIT  BY  MR.  BURTON. 


sors  to  the  notion  of  tlicm,  yet  very  few  kno\y  or 
believe  them  aright:  nay,  it  may  well  be  said  in 
this  age,  that,  if  the  faith  of  the  true  saints  was 
Avell  sifted,  and  tradition,  notion,  and  the  apprehen- 
sions of  their  own  reason  and  fancy  was  sifted  out, 
most  of  them  would  be  found  to  have  very  little 
knowledge  of,  and  faith  in,  these  common  truths. 

Secondly,  These  truths  being  put  thus  together, 
and  plainly  proved  by  the  scriptures,  may  be  a 
great  help  (through  the  Spirit  concurring)  to 
strengthen  thee  against  all  those  damnable  here- 
sies which  are  spread  abroad,  which  deny  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  either  plainly,  or  more  cun- 
ningly and  mysteriously.     And 

Thirdly,  The  more  thou  art  rooted  and  set  down 
from  heaven  in  the  faith  of  these  truths  of  Christ, 
to  believe  fully  the  glorious  reality  of  them,  and 
their  interest  in  them,  the  more  heavenly  peace 
and  joy  thou  wilt  have,  l  Pe.i.  7,  8.  and  also  thou  wilt 
hereby  attain  the  more  true  holiness  and  purity  of 
heart  and  life,  '  purifying  their  hearts  by  faith. ' 
Ac.  XV.  9.  And  then  the  more  thou  hast  of  the  right 
faith  of  Christ,  and  of  his  things  in  thy  heart,  the 
more  strong  and  valiant  wilt  thou  be  in  spirit,  to 
do  any  work  private  or  public  for  Jesus  Christ, 
like  Stephen,  wlio  being  full  of  faith,  and  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  was  also  full  of  power.  Ac.  vi.  8. 

In  this  book  thou  hast  also  laid  down  from  the 
scriptures,  how  Jesus  Christ  is  withotd  the  saints 
as  Man,  and  yet  dwelleth  within  them,  that  is, 
something  of  his  divine  nature  or  his  blessed  Spirit 
dwells  within  them,  Avhich  Spirit  is  sometime 
called.  The  Spirit  of  Christ.  Ro.  viu.  9.  He  that 
hath  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  <tc.  and  sometime 
called  Christ,  '  If  Christ  be  in  you.'  &c.  Ko.  viii.  10. 
And  also  how  we  may  know  whether  it  be  Christ 
and  the  Spirit  of  Christ  within,  or  a  false  spirit 
calling  itself  Christ,  and  that  is  thus ;  If  it  be  in- 
deed Christ  within,  that  is,  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
God-man ;  why  then  it  teaches  that  man  or  woman 
in  whom  it  is,  to  apply,  and  trust  in  Christ  ivithout 
for  salvation ;  Christ  as  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary, 
as  fulfilling  the  law  ivithout  them,  as  dying  with- 
out the  gate  of  Jerusalem  as  a  sacrifice  for  sin;  it 
teaches  them  to  trust  in  the  Man  Christ  as  rising 
again  out  of  the  grave  without  them,  as  ascending 
into,  and  interceding  in  heaven  witJiout  for  them ; 
and  as  to  come  from  that  heaven  again  in  his  flesh 
to  judge  the  world.  Thus  the  man  Christ  him- 
self saitli,  '  When  he  (the  Spirit  of  truth)  is  come, 
<tc.  he  shall  glorify  me.'  Jn. xvi.  13, 14.  He  shall 
make  you  more  to  prize,  admire  and  glorify  me, 
who  am  both  God  and  man,  and  who  shall  be  ab- 
sent from  you  touching  my  body.  Then  follows, 
for  he  shall  take  of  mine  (of  my  glorious  tilings)  and 
shew  them  to  you ;  he  shall  take  my  divine  and 
human  nature,  my  birth,  my  person  and  offices, 
my  obedience,  death,  satisfaction,  my  resurrection, 


ascension  and  intercession,  and  of  my  second  coming 
in  the  clouds  with  my  mighty  angels  to  judgment, 
and  shall  shew  them,  or  clear  them  up  to  you : 
He  shall  take  of  my  salvation,  which  I  have  wrought 
for  you  in  my  own  person  without  you :  And  he 
shall  take  of  my  glory  and  exaltation  in  the 
heavens,  and  shew  to  you.  Now  to  mind  this  one 
thing,  and  to  be  set  down  in  a  right  understanding 
of  it,  by  the  Spirit,  from  the  scriptures,  will  be  of 
great  concernment  to  thee  and  me ;  for,  for  want 
of  this,  many  professors  have  split  themselves, 
some  looking  only  on  what  Christ  hath  done  and 
sufi"ered  without  them,  resting  in  an  historical,  tra- 
ditional, and  indeed  a  fancied  faith  of  it,  without 
looking  for  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ  to  come  with 
power  into  their  hearts,  without  which  they  cannot 
rightly  know,  nor  rightly  believe  in  Christ  the  Sou 
of  God  loithout  them,  so  as  to  have  any  share  or 
interest  in  him,  '  If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit 
of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his.'  Ro.  viii.  9.  Others  have 
been  depending  too  much  upon  something  they  call 
Christ,  and  the  righteousness  of  Christ  within  them, 
in  opposition  to  Christ  and  his  righteousness  with- 
out them,  from  which  all  true  saints  have  their 
justification  and  comfort,  it  being  received  through 
the  operation  of  the  Spirit  which  dwells  in  them  ; 
and  however  these  may  talk  much  of  Christ  within 
them,  yet  it  is  manifest,  that  it  is  not  the  Spirit 
of  Christ,  but  the  spirit  of  the  devil;  in  that  it 
doth  not  glorify,  but  slight  and  reject  the  man 
Christ  and  his  righteousness  which  was  wrought 
without  them :  Reader,  in  this  book  thou  wilt  not 
meet  with  high  flown  airy  notions,  which  some 
delight  in,  counting  them  high  masteries,  but  the 
sound,  plain,  common,  (and  yet  spiritual  and  mys- 
terious) truths  of  the  gospel,  and  if  thou  art  a 
believer,  thou  must  needs  reckon  them  so,  and  the 
more,  if  thou  hast  not  only  the  faith  of  them  in  thy 
heart,  but  art  daily  living  in  the  spiritual  sense 
and  feeling  of  them,  and  of  thy  interest  in  them. 
Neither  doth  this  treatise  ofi"er  to  thee  doubtful 
controversial  things,  or  matters  of  opinion,  as  some 
books  chiefly  do,  which  when  insisted  upon,  the 
weightier  things  of  the  gospel  have  always  done 
more  hurt  than  good :  But  here  thou  hast  things 
certain,  and  necessary  to  be  believed,  which  thou 
canst  not  too  much  study.  Therefore  pray,  that 
thou  mayest  receive  this  word  which  is  according 
to  the  scriptures  in  faith  and  love,  not  as  the  word 
of  man,  but  as  the  word  of  God,  without  respect 
of  persons,  and  be  not  offended  because  Christ 
holds  forth  the  glorious  treasure  of  the  gospel  to 
thee  in  a  poor  earthen  vessel,  by  one  who  hath 
neither  the  greatness  nor  the  wisdom  of  this  world 
to  commend  him  to  thee;  for  as  the  scripture, 
saith  Christ,  (who  was  low  and  contemptible  in 
the  world  himself)  ordinarily  chooseth  such  for 
himself,  and  for  the  doing  of  his  work.  1  Co.  i.  26—28. 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


141 


Kot  many  wise  men  after  the  flesh,  not   many 

mighty,  not  many  noble  are  called:   But  God  hatli 

chosen  the  foolish  things  of  the  world,  <fcc.      This 

man  is  not  chosen  out  of  an  earthly,  but  out  of 

the  heavenly  university,   the    church   of    Christ, 

which  church,  as  furnished  with  the  Spirit,  gifts, 

and  graces  of  Christ,  was  in  the  beginning,  and 

still  is,  and  will  be  to  the  end  of  the  world,  that 

out  of  which  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  so  all  true 

gospel  ministers  must  proceed,  whether  learned  or 

unlearned,  as  to  human  learning,  l  Co.  xii.  27, 28.    And 

though  this  man  hath  not  the  learning  or  wisdom 

of  man,  yet,  through  grace  he  hath  received  the 

teaching  of  God,  and  the  learning  of  the  Spirit  of 

Christ,  which  is  the  thing  that  makes  a  man  both 

a  Christian  and  a  minister  of  the  gospel.      '  The 

Lord  God  hath  given  me  the  tongue  of  the  learned,' 

<fce.  Is.  L  4.  compared  with  Lu.  iv.  18.  where  Christ,  as  man, 

saith,  '  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,  because 

he  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the 

poor,'  ize.     He  hath,  through  grace  taken  these 

three  heavenly  degrees,  to  wit,  union  with  Christ, 

the  anointing  of  the  Spirit,  and  experience  of  the 

temptations  of  Satan,  which  do  more  fit  a  man  for 

that  mighty  work  of  preaching  the  gospel,  than  all 

university  learning  and  degrees  that  can  be  had. 

My  end  in  writing  these  few  lines  is  not  to  set 


up  man,  but  having  had  experience  with  many 
other  saints  of  this  man's  soundness  in  the  faith, 
of  his  godly  conversation,  and  his  ability  to  preach 
the  gospel,  not  by  human  art,  but  by  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  and  that  with  much  success  in  the  conver- 
sion of  sinners  when  there  are  so  many  carnal 
empty  preachers,  both  learned  and  unlearned;  I 
say  having  had  experience  of  this,  and  judfino- 
this  book  may  be  profitable  to  many  others,  as 
well  as  to  myself:  I  thought  it  my  duty  upon  this 
account  (though  I  be  very  unfit  for  it)  to  bear 
witness  with  my  brother  to  the  plain  and  simple 
(and  yet  glorious)  truths  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
And  now  reader,  the  Lord  give  thee  and  me  a 
right  understanding  in  these  things,  that  we  mav 
live  and  die  not  with  a  traditional  notional  dead 
faith,  but  with  a  right  spiritual  lively  faith  of 
Christ  in  our  heart,  wrought  by  the  mighty  power 
of  God ;  such  a  faith  as  may  make  Jesus  Christ 
more  real  and  precious  to  us  than  any  thing  in  the 
world,  as  may  purify  our  hearts,  and  make  us  new 
creatures,  that  so  yve  may  be  sure  to  escape  the 
wrath  to  come,  and  after  this  life  enjoy  eternal  life 
and  glor}'  through  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom 
be  glory  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 

Farewell,  thine  to  serve  thee  in  the  Lord  Jesus, 

John  Burtox. 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED,  &c. 


Forasmuch  as  many  have  taken  in  Iland  to  set 
forth  their  several  Judgments  concerning  the  Son 
of  the  Virgin  Mary,  the  Lord  JESUS  CHRIST  ; 
and  some  of  those  many  having  most  grossly  erred 
from  the  simplicity  of  the  Gospel,  it  seemed  good 
to  me,  having  had  some  Knowledge  of  these 
things,  to  write  a  few  words,  to  the  end,  if  the 
Lord  will,  Soiils  might  not  be  so  horribly  deluded 
by  those  several  corrupt  Principles  that  are  gone 
into  the  World  concerning  him. 

Now,  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  Christ,  I 
shall  not  spend  much  time  in  proving  of;  only  I 
shall  shew  you,  that  he  was  first  promised  to  the 
fathers,  and  afterwards  expected  by  their  children : 
But  before  I  do  that,  I  shall  speak  a  few  words 
concerning  God's  fore-ordaixixg  and  purposing, 
THAT  A  Christ,  a  Saviour,  should  be,  and  that 

BEFORE  the  WORLD  BEGAN.  Now  God  in  liis  OTVn 
wisdom  and  counsel,  knowing  what  woidd  come  to 
pass,  as  if  it  were  already  done.  Ro.  iv.  17.  He 
knowing  that  man  would  break  his  commandments, 
and  so  throw  himself  under  eternal  destruction,  did 
in  his  own  purpose  fore-ordahi  such  a  thing  as  the 
rise  of  him  that  should  fall,  and  that  by  a  Saviour, 
''  According  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him,  (meaning 


the  Saviour)  before  the  foundation  of  the  world.* 
Ep.  L  4.  That  is,  God  seeing  that  we  would  trans- 
gress, and  break  his  commandment,  did  before 
choose  some  of  those  that  would  fall,  and  give  them 
to  him  that  should  afterward  purchase  them 
actually,  thougli  in  the  account  of  God,  his  blood 
was  shed  before  the  world  was.  Re.  xiii.  8.  I  say,  in 
the  accoimt  of  God,  his  Son  was  slain !  that  is, 
according  to  God's  purpose  and  conclusion,  which 
he  purposed  in  himself  before  the  would  was ;  as 
it  is  written,  2Ti.  i.  9.  'Who  hath  saved  us,  and 
called  us  with  an  holy  calling,  according  to  his 
awn  purpose  and  grace,  which  was  given  us  in 
Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  began.'  As  also, 
in  1  Pe.  i.  20.  Where  the  Apostle  speaking  of  Christ, 
and  the  redemption  purchased  by  him  for  sinners, 
saith  of  him,  '  Who  verily  was  fore-ordained  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world,  but  was  manifest  in 
these  last  days  for  you,  who  by  him  do  believe  in 
God,  that  raised  him  up  from  the  dead.'  God 
having  thus  purposed  in  himself,  that  he  would 
save  some  of  them  that  by  transgression  had 
destroyed  themselves,  did  with  the  everlasting  Son 
of  his  love,  make  an  agreement,  or  bargain,  that 
upon  such  and  such  terms,  he  would  give  him  a 


143 


SOME  GOSPEL  TllUTHS  OPENED. 


company  of  sucli  poor  souls  as  liad  by  transgres- 
sion fallen  from  tlieir  own  innocency  and  upright- 
ness, into  those  wicked  inventions  that  they  them- 
selves had  sought  out.  Ec.  vii.  29.  The  agreement 
also  how  this  should  be,  was  made  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world  was  laid.  Tit.  i.  3.  The 
Apostle,  speaking  of  the  promise,  or  covenant 
made  between  God  and  the  Saviour  (for  that  is  his 
meaning,)  saith  on  this  Avise ;  '  In  hope  of  eternal 
life,  which  God  that  cannot  lie,  promised  before 
the  world  began.'  Now  this  promise,  or  covenant 
was  made  with  none  but  with  the  Son  of  God,  the 
Saviour.  And  it  must  needs  be  so ;  for  there  was 
none  Avith  God  before  the  world  began,  but  he  by 
whom  he  made  the  world,  as  in  Pr.  viii.  from  ver.  23  to 
ver.  31.  which  was  and  is,  the  Son  of  his  love. 

This  covenant,  or  bargain,  had  these  conditions 
in  it. 

First,  That  the  Saviour  should  take  upon  him 
flesh  and  blood,  the  same  nature  that  the  sons  of 
men  were  partakers  of  (sin  only  excepted)  He.  u.  14. 
He.  iv.  15.  And  this  was  the  Avill  or  agreement  that 
God  had  made  with  him :  And  therefore  Avhen  he 
speaks  of  doing  the  will  of  God,  He.  x.  5.  he  saith, 
*a  body  hast  thou  prepared  me,'  (as  according  to 
tliy  promise,  Ge.  in.  15.  which  I  was  to  take  of  a 
woman,)  and  in  it  I  am  come  to  do  thy  will,  0  God, 
as  it  is  written  of  me  in  the  volume  of  thy  book. 

ver.  7. 

Second,  The  Saviour  was  to  bring  everlasting 
righteousness  to  justify  sinners  withal.  Da.  «.  24, 35. 
The  Messias,  or  Saviour,  shall  bring  in  everlast- 
ing righteousness,  and  put  an  end  to  iniquity,  as 
it  is  there  written,  *  To  make  an  end  of  sins,  and 
to  make  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and  to  brino-  iu 
everlasting  righteousness,'  This,  I  say,  was  to  be 
brought  into  the  world  by  the  Saviour,  according 
to  the  covenant,  or  agreement,  that  was  between 
God  and  Christ  before  the  world  began,  which 
God,  that  cannot  lie,  promised  at  that  time.  Tit.  i.  2. 

Third,  He  was  to  accomplish  this  everlasting 
righteousness  by  spilling  his  most  precious  blood, 
according  to  the  terms  of  the  covenant,  or  bargain ; 
and  therefore  when  God  would  shew  his  people 
what  the  agreement  was  that  he  and  the  Saviour 
had  made,  even  before  the  covenant  was  accom- 
plished and  sealed  actually.  See  for  this  Zee.  Lx. 
(where  he  is  speaking  of  him  that  should  be  the 
„.,     ,,  ,  Saviour,)   v.  11.     « As   for   thee 

V\  lien  these  words  were       ,         ,  .  t        n 

spoicenthecovenaiituns   aiso  (mcanmg  the  Saviour)  by 
"imtwarZL^ when  the   t^^^  blood  of  thy  covenaut,'  or 

blood  of  Christ  was  let  as  souie  render  it,  whose  cove- 
out  upon  the  cross.  .  '  ""■^'^  l^UVl^ 
nant  is  by  blood  (which  is  all  to 
one  purpose)  '  I  (meaning  God)  have  sent  forth 
thy  prisoners  out  of  the  pit  wherein  is  no  water. ' 
The  meaning  is  this :  As  for  thee  also,  seeing  the 
covenant,  or  bargain  that  was  made  between  me 
and  thee  before  the  world  Avas,  is  accomplished  in 


my  account,  as  if  it  were  actually  and  really  done, 
Avith  all  the  conditions  that  were  agreed  upon  by 
me  and  thee ;  I  have  therefore,  according  to  that 
agreement  that  was  on  my  part,  sent  forth  the 
prisoners,  and  those  that  were  under  the  curse  of 
my  law,  out  of  the  pit  wherein  there  is  no  water ; 
seeing  thou  also  hast  completely  fulfilled  in  mv 
account  Avhatsoever  was  on  thy  part  to  be  done, 
according  to  our  agreement.  And  thus  is  that 
place  to  be  understood  in  Jn.  xvii.  9.  '  I  pray  for 
them :  I  pray  not  for  the  Avorld,  but  for  them  which 
thou  hast  given  me '  (Avhich  1  covenanted  with  thee 
for)  'thine  they  were  and  thou  gavest  them  me,' 
(but  on  such  and  such  conditions  as  are  before- 
mentioned,  Zee.  ix.)  And  again,  '  According  as  he 
hath  chosen  us  in  him,  (that  is,  in  Christ,)  before 
the  foimdation  of  the  world,  that  we  should  be 
holy  and  Avithout  blame  before  him  in  love.'  Ep. i. 4. 
NoAV,  seeing  this  Avas  thus  con- 
eluded  upon  by  those  that  did  ^,^at  i°JU"wh"hS 
wish  Avell  to  the  souls  and  bodies     "'t"'^"!  for  us  in  that 

glorious  covenant ;  and 

of  poor  sinners,  after  the  AVOrld      ty  it  alone  we  are  holy 

,      ,  ,  1       o  •iii'l  without  blame  be- 

was  made  by  them,  and  aiter  fore  him  in  love;  for  we 
they  had  said,  'let  us  make  ^{Le^^^^WhZ 't 
man  in   our   imao-e,   after   our     covenant  was  maiie.Coi. 

,  .      1         o  n.\0;  lit.  1.  2. 

likeness.  Ge.  i.  36.  And  after 
man,  Avhom  God  had  made  upright,  had  by  trans- 
gression fallen  fi-om  that  state  into  Avhich  God  at 
first  placed  him,  and  throAvn  himself  into  a  miser- 
able condition  by  his  transgression,  then  God 
brings  out  of  his  love  that  which  he  and  his  Son 
had  concluded  upon,  and  begins  noAV  to  make  forth 
that  to  the  Avorld,  Avhlch  he  had  purposed  in  him- 
self before  the  Avorld  began,  Ep.  i.  4, 9;  2  Ti.  i.  9. 

1.  NoAV  the  first  discovery  that  Avas  made  to  a  lost 
creature  of  the  love  of  God,  was  made  to  fallen 
Adam.  Ge.  iii.  15.  Where  it  is  said,  '  I  will  put 
enmity  betAveen  thee  and  the  woman,  and  betAveen 
thy  seed  and  her  seed;'  Avhich  is  the  Saviour,  Ga.iv.4. 
'  It  shall  bruise  thy  head,  and  thou  shalt  bruise 
his  heel. '  This  was  the  first  discovery  of  the  love 
of  God  to  lost  man :  This  was  the  gospel  Avhich 
Avas  preached  to  Adam  in  his  generation ;  in  these 
words  Avas  held  forth  to  them  in  that  generation, 
that  Avhich  should  be  farther  accomplished  in  after 
generations. 

2.  Another  discoA'cry  of  the  love  of  God  in 
the  gospel,  Avas  held  forth  to  Noah,  in  that  he 
would  have  him  to  prepare  an  ark  to  save  himself 
Avithal ;  Avhich  ark  did  type  out  the  Lord  that  was 
to  come,  and  be  the  Saviour  of  those  whom  he 
before  had  covenanted  for  Avith  God  the  Father. 
'  And  God  said  unto  Noah,  The  end  of  all  flesh  is 
come  before  me ;  -  -  make  thee  an  ark  of  gopher 
wood.'  Ge.  vi.  13, 14.  and  ch.  ni.  1.  ' The  Lord  said  luito 
Noah,  Come  thou  and  all  thy  house  into  the  ark ; 
for  thee  have  I  seen  righteous  before  me  in  this 
generation. ' 


SOilE  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


143 


3.  God  'breaks  out  witli  a  farther  discovery  of 
liimself  in  love  to  tliat  generation  in  which  Abraham 
lived,  Where  he  saith,  'And  in  thee,  (that  is,  from 
thee  shall  Christ  come  through,  in  whom)  shall  all 
families  of  the  earth  he  blessed. '  Ge.  xii.  3.  This 
was  also  a  farther  manifestation  of  the  good  will 
of  God  to  poor  lost  sinners ;  and  through  this 
discovery  of  the  gospel,  did  Abraham  see  that 
which  made  him  rejoice.  Jn  ^iii.  56. 

4.  When  the  time  was  come  that  ]\Ioses  was  to 
be  a  prophet  to  the  people  of  his  generation,  then 
God  did  more  gloriously  yet  break  forth  with  one 
type  after  another,  as  the  blood  of  bulls,  and 
lambs,  and  goats :  Also  sacrifices  of  divers 
manners,  and  of  several  things,  which  held  forth 
that  Saviour  more  clearly  which  God  had  in  his 
own  purpose  and  decree  determined  to  be  sent;  for 
these  things  (the  types)  were  a  shadow  of  that 
which  was  to  come,  which  was  the  substance. 
He.  ix.  9, 10.  He.  x.  1,  5—7.  Now  when  these  things  were 
thus  done,  when  God  had  thus  signified  to  the 
world,  what  he  intended  to  do  in  after  times,  pre- 
sently all  that  had  faith  to  believe  that  God  would 
be  as  good  as  his  word,  began  to  look  for,  and  to 
expect  that  the  Lord  should  accomplish  and  bring 
to  pass  what  he  had  promised,  what  his  hand  and 
counsel  had  before  determined  to  be  done. 

(1.)  Now  Abraham  begins  to  look  for  what  God 
had  promised  and  signified;  namely,  that  he  would 
send  a  Saviour  into  the  world  in  his  appointed 
time,  which  thing  being  promised,  Abraham 
embraces,  being  persuaded  of  the  certainty  of  it ; 
as  in  He.  xi.  13.  And  this  did  fill  his  heart  with  joy 
and  gladness,  as  I  said  before;  for  'he  saw  it,  and 
was  glad. '  Jn.  vm,  56. 

(2.)  Jacob  also,  while  he  was  blessing  his  sons, 
concerning  things  to  come,  breaks  forth  with  these 
words,  '  I  have  waited  for  thy  salvation.'  Ge.xik.  18. 
He  was  also  put  in  expectation  of  salvation  to  come 
by  this  Saviour. 

(3.)  David  was  in  earnest  expectation  of  this, 
which  was  held  forth  by  types  and  shadows  in  the 
law ;  for  as  yet  the  Saviour  was  not  come,  which 
made  him  cry  out  with  a  longing  after  it,  '  0  that 
the  salvation  of  Israel  weJ'e  come  out  of  Sion.' 
Ps.  liii.  6.  And  again,  '  0  that  the  salvation  of  Israel 
irere  come  out  of  Sion ! '  Ps.  xiv.  7.  The  thing  that 
DaAad  waited  for,  was  not  in  his  time  come,  though 
before  his  time  it  was  promised ;  which  makes  him 
cry  out,  0  that  it  were  come,  that  it  were  come  out 
of  Sion !  Where,  by  the  way,  take  notice,  that  the 
true  salvation  and  Saviour  of  Israel  was  to  come 
out  of  Sion,  that  is,  out  of  the  church  of  God, 
touching  the  flesh,  as  it  is  written ;  A  prophet 
shall  the  Lord  your  God  raise  up  unto  you  of  your 
brethren  like  unto  me.  De.  xviii.  is,  18.  And  again, 
'  I  have  laid  help  upon  one  that  is  mighty  ;  I  have 
exalted  one  chosen  out  of  the  people.'  Ps. ixx.tLx.  19. 


and  Ro.  ix.  5.  '  "WTiose  are  the  fathers,  and  of  whom 
as  concerning  the  flesh  Christ  came,  who  is  over 
all,  God  blessed  for  ever.'  Christ,  as  concerninf 
the  flesh,  did  come  of  the  fathers. 

(4.)  Isaiah  did  prophesy  of  this,  that  God  would 
thus  save  his  people ;  yea,  he  breaks  forth  with 
these  words,  'But  Israel  shall  be  saved  in  the 
LORD  with  an  everlasting  salvation.'  is.  xiv.  17.  He 
also  tells  them  how  it  shall  be  accomplished  in  that 
53d  chapter.  Yea,  he  had  such  a  glorious  taste  of 
the  reality  of  it,  that  he  speaks  as  though  it  had 
been  actually  done. 

(5.)  In  the  days  of  Jeremiah,  this  that  God  had 
promised  to  the  fathers,  was  not  yet  accomplished ; 
In  ch.  xxiii.  5.  he  saith,  '  Behold,  the  days  come, 
saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  (mark,  it  was  not  yet 
done)  but  I  will  (saith  God)  raise  unto  David  a 
righteous  branch,  and  a  king  shall  reign  and  pros- 
per. -  -  In  his  days  Judah  shall  be  saved,  and 
Israel  shall  dwell  safely ;  and  this  is  his  name 
wherewith  he  shall  be  called,  The  Lord  ovr 
Righteousness.' 

(6.)  He  was  also  to  come  In  Zecharlah's  time. 
Zee.  iii.  8.  Where  he  saith,  'for,  behold,  I  will  bring 
forth  my  servant  the  branch.  ' 

(7.)  He  was  not  come  in  the  time  of  Malaclii 
neither,  though  he  was  indeed  at  that  time  near 
his  coming.  For  he  saith  himself,  '  Behold,  I  will 
send  my  messenger,  (meaning  John  the  baptist,) 
and  he  shall  prepare  the  way  before  me  :  and  the 
Lord  whom  ye  seek,  shall  suddenly  come  to  his 
temple,  even  the  messenger  of  the  covenant,  whom 
ye  delight  in :   behold  he  shall  come,  saith  the 

Lord  of  hosts. '  JIal.  iii.  1 ;  see  also  Is.  xl.  3;  Lu.  i.  76. 

(8.)  Old  Simeon  did  also  wait  for  the  consolation 
of  Israel  a  long  time.  Lu.  ii.  25.  Where  it  is  said, 
'  And,  behold,  there  was  a  man  in  Jerusalem, 
whose  name  teas  Simeon ;  and  the  same  man  was 
just  and  devout,  waiting  for  the  consolation  of 
Israel.'  That  is,  waiting  for  him  that  was  to  be 
the  Saviour,  as  Is  clear,  if  you  read  with  under- 
standing   a    little    farther: 

«  A7ifl    it    witj    Tpvpnlpd    iintn    God  has  a  CTiiist,  one  distinct 

Ana  It,  was  le-veaiea  unto     ^.^m all  otiier  tilings  whai- 

hlm  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  soever  that  is  called  Christ, 

•^  ''  -nhetlier   they  be   spirit   nr 

he  should  not  see  death,   be-  body,  or  both  spirit  and  Iwdy, 

J.  1      1     J  a.1      T        T  and  this  is  sisjuitied,  where 

tore  he  had  seen  the  Lord  s     i,e  saitii,  the  Lord's  Christ. 

Christ.'  ver.  26. 

And  thus  have  I  in  brief  shewed  you,  1.  That 
there  is  such  a  thing  as  Christ.  2.  That  this 
Christ  was  promised  and  signified  out  by  many 
things  before  he  did  come.  3.  How  he  was  waited 
for,  and  expected  before  the  time  that  God  had 
appointed  in  the  which  he  should  come. 

The  Second  Thing  that  I  will  (through  the 
strength  of  Christ)  prove,  is  this,  that  he  that 
WAS  OF  THE  Virgin,  is  he  that  is  the  Saviour. 

First,  And  first,  I  shall  lay  down  this  for  a 
truth ;  That  it  is  not   any  Spirit  only  by,  and  of 


144, 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED, 


itself,  without  it  do  take  the  nature  of  man,  that 
can  he  a  Saviour  of  man  from  eternal  vengeance. 

Or  thus:  That  that  [which]  Avill  he  a  Saviour  of 
man,  must  in  the  nature  of  man  satisfy  and  appease 
the  justice  and  wrath  of  God.  And  the  arguments 
that  I  do  hring  to  prove  it  hy,  are  these. 

First,  Because  it  was  man  that  had  offended ; 
and  justice  required  that  man  must  give  the  satis- 
faction: And  tlierefore,  when  he  that  should  he 
the  Saviour,  was  come,  he  '  took  upon  him  the 
form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of 
men : '  riii.  li.  7.  and  in  lie.  ii.  11.  Because  '  the  children 
are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood ;  he  also  himself 
likewise  took  part  of  the  same;'  To  what  end? 
'  that  through  death  he  might  destroy  him  that 
had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil.'  And 
is  that  all  ?  No ;  hut  also  that  he  might  '  deliver 
them  who  through  fear  of  death,  Avere  all  their 
lifetime  suhject  to  bondage.'  vor.  15. 

Second,  The  second  argument  is  this  ;  because, 
if  a  spirit  only  could  have  made  satisfaction  for 
the  sin  of  mankind,  and  have  subdued  Satan  for 
man,  without  the  nature  of  man,  either  there  had 
been  Aveakness  in  God  when  he  made  that  promise 
to  fallen  Adam,  That  the  seed  of  the  woman  should 
break  the  serpent's  head ;  (for  there  hath  been  no 
need  of  and  so  no  room  for  that  promise)  or  else 
God  having  made  it,  would  have  appeared  uufaith- 
fid,  in  not  fulfilling  his  promise,  by  redeeming  the 
Avorld  without  it. 

TJdrd,  If  a  spirit  only  could  liave  made  satisfac- 
tion, and  so  have  saved  man ;  then  Christ  needed 
not  to  have  come  into  the  world,  and  to  have  been 
born  of  a  woman.  Ga,  iv.  4.  But  in  that  he  must 
come  into  the  world,  and  must  be  born  of  a  woman, 
it  is  clear,  that  without  this,  he  could  not  have  been 
a  Saviour:  For  he  was  made  of  a  Avoman,  made 
under  the  laAV,  to  this  end,  that  he  might  redeem 
them  that  Avere  under  the  law ;  implying.  No  sub- 
jection to  this,  (viz.  the  taking  of  the  nature  of 
man)  no  redemption  from  the  curse  of  the  laAV. 
But  Christ  hath  delivered  from  the  curse  of  the 
law  (all  that  believe  in  his  name)  being  in  their 
nature  made  a  curse  for  them. 

And  this  is  the  reason,  Avhy  the  fallen  angels  are 
not  recovered  from  their  damnable  estate,  because, 
he  did  not  take  hold  of  their  nature,  '  For  verily 
he  took  not  on  1dm  the  nature  of  angels ;  but  he 
took  on  him  the  seed  of  Abraham,  ne.  ii.  16. 
^,     „  ,  ,       ,        Second,  Noav  then,  seeing 

They  that  are  redeemed,  ,i  •      •      ,i                  ,       ,,       ~    ^     ? 

must     huve    redemption  tlUS    IS    the  VCry  truth  of   GoO, 

wrought   out    lor    ihiiii  t  c1,o11    vir.-.-*    ^,.^,r^     +1  „i   T 

through   their   natures;  ^  ^"^^^  ^^^'^   piOVe,   that  Jesus 

for  except  tiiat  nature   that  Avas  born  of  the  virgin,  to 

tliat  sinned  do  bring  m  ,        .  .  .      i 

recovery  from  the  curse  bC  the  SaviOUr.        And, 

tliat  is  due  to  it  for  its  v     t    t    ^     u  •^^ 

sm,  that  nature  tliat  sin-         -^^  Sf.  ^  shall  provc  it  by  COm- 

owtr'^cfu^./s-  '^'   P^''^"S  some  places  of  the  Old 

and  NcAV  testament  together, 

and  by  some  arguments  draAvn  from  the  scriptures. 


1 .  And  first,  see  Ge.  iii.  15.  Avhere  he  is  called  the 
seed  of  the  woman,  saying,  *  I  will  put  enmity  be- 
tween thee  and  the  woman,  and  betAveen  thy  seed 
and  her  seed ;'  and  so  was  Jesus,  Ga.  iv.  4.  AA'here  it  is 
said,  '  God  sent  forth  his  Sou,  made  of  a  woman,' 
or  born  of  a  Avoman. 

2.  This  Avoman  must  be  a  A'irgin,  is.  vii.  14.  Avhere 
it  is  said,  '  A  virgin  shall  conceive,  and  bear  a  son, 
and  shall  call  his  name  Imanuel.'  And  Jesus  is 
he  that  Avas  the  fulfilling  of  this  scripture.  Mat.  i.  2;?, 
23.  '  Now  all  this  Avas  done,  that  it  might  be  ful- 
filled Avliich  Avas  spoken  of  the  Lord  by  the  prophet, 
saying,  Behold,  a  virgin  shall  be  with  child,  and 
shall  bring  forth  a  Son,  and  they  shall  caU  his 
name  Imanuel.' 

3.  The  Saviour  must  be  of  the  tribe  of  Judah. 
And  this  Jacob  prophesied  of  on  his  death-bed, 
saying,  '  Judah,  thou  ait  he  Avhom  thy  brethren 
shall  praise,'  or  honour,  '  thy  hand  shall  he  in  the 
neck  of  thine  enemies  ;  thy  father's  children  shall 
bow  down  before  thee.'  Ge. xlbc.8. 

And  again,  Mi. v. 3.  'But  thou,  Bethlehem  Eph- 
ratah,  though  thou  be  little  among  the  thousands 
of  Judah,  i/et  out  of  thee  shall  he  come  forth  imto 
me  that  is  to  be  ruler  in  Israel.'  Jesus  also  came 
of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  and  that  Avili  clearly  appear, 
if  3'ou  read.  Mat.  l.  MatthcAv,  he  begins  first  with 
Abraham,  ver.  3.  and  thence  to  Judah  ver.  3.  from 
Judah  to  David,  ver.  6.  fi-om  David  to  Zorobabel,  ver. 
13.  then  to  Jacob  the  father  of  Joseph,  the  husband 
of  Mary,  of  Avhom  was  born  Jesus,  ver.  10. 

Noav  Mary  Avas  one  of  the  same  house  also,  and 
for  this  consider,  Jesus  came  from  the  loins  of 
David;  see  Mat.  l.  but  that  he  could  not  do,  if  Mary 
had  not  been  of  the  seed  of  David:  For  Christ 
came  from  her,  not  from  him,  for  Joseph  '  kneAv 
her  not  till  she  had  brought  forth  her  first-born.' 
Mat.  i.  35.  Again,  the  angel  told  her,  that  he  Avas 
the  son  of  David,  saying,  '  And  the  Lord  God 
shall  give  unto  him  the  throne  of  his  father  DaA'id.' 
Lu.  i.  S3. 

And  again,  The  Jcavs  kncAV  this  very  Avell,  or 
else  they  Avould  have  been  sure  to  have  laid  it  open 
before  all  the  world  ;  for  they  sought  by  all  means 
to  disoAvn  him.  And  though  they  did  through  the 
devilishness  of  their  unbelief  disoAA'u  him,  yet  could 
they  find  no  such  thing  as  to  question  the  right  of 
his  birth  from  Mary.  If  it  had  been  to  be  done, 
they  Avould  no  doubt  have  done  it ;  they  did  not 
Avant  malice  to  Avhet  them  on;  neither  did  they 
Avant  means  so  far  as  might  help  forward  their 
malice;  Avithout  manifest  and  apparent  injury;  for 
they  had  exact  registers,  or  records  of  their  gene- 
alogies, so  that,  if  they  had  had  any  colour  for  it, 
they  Avould  sure  haA^e  denied  him  to  have  been  the 
son  of  David.  There  was  reasoning  concerning  him 
Avhen  he  was  Avith  them,  Jn.  vii.  27, 43.  and  I  do  believe, 
part  of  it  was  about  the  generation  of  Avhich  he  came, 


SOSIE  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


145 


And  tins  wa3  so  commonly  known,  that  the  blind 
man  that  sat  bj  the  way-side  could  cry  out,  *  Jesus 
thou  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me. — TIwu  Son 
of  David,  have  mercy  on  me. '  Lu.  xvm.  38, 39.  It  was 
so  common,  that  he  came  from  the  loins  of  his 
father  David  according  to  the  flesh,  that  it  Avas 
not  so  much  as  once  questioned.  *  And  when' 
Ilerod  '  demanded  of  the  chief  priests  and  scribes 
of  the  people  where  Christ  should  be  born.  They 
said  unto  him,  in  Bethlehem  of  Judea :  For  thus  it 
is  written  by  the  prophet.  And  thou  Bethlehem, 
in  the  land  of  Juda,  art  not  the  least  among  the 
princes  of  Juda,  for  out  of  thee  shall  come  a 
governor,  that  shall  rule  my  people  Israel.' Mat.  i. 
4—6.  (For  out  of  thee)  mark  that ;  if  Mary  had  not 
been  of  Judah,  Christ  had  not  come  out  of  Judah, 
but  Christ  came  out  of  Judah ;  therefore  Mary  is 
also  a  daughter  of  Judah.  And  this  is  evident,  as 
saith  the  scripture,  'for  -  -  our  Lord  sprang  out  of 
Judah.'  He. vii. u. 

Again,  wdien  Christ  the  Saviour  was  to  come 
into  the  world,  at  that  time  the  sceptre  was  to 
depart  from  Judah,  according  to  the  prophecy  of 
Jacob.  *  The  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from  Judah, 
nor  a  law-giver  from  between  his  feet,  until  Shiloli 
come. '   Ge.  xlk.  10. 

Now  the  sceptre  was  then  departed  from  those 
that  were  Jews  by  nature,  and  also  the  law-giver, 
and  Herod  who  was  a  stranger,  and  not  of  Judea, 
w'as  king  over  them,  as  Caesar's  deputy ;  and  Caesar 
Augustus  imposed  laws  on  them. 

The  stubborn  Jews  also  confessed  the  sceptre  to 
be  departed,  Avhen  before  Pontius  Pilate  a  Roman 
governor  of  Judea,  they  cried  out  against  Christ : 
'  We  have  no  king  but  Cesar.'  Jn  xix.  15. 

Nay  farther,  the  Jews  from  that  day  to  this, 
have  been  without  a  king  of  their  own  nation  to 
govern  them :  they  never  had  the  sceptre  swayed 
since  by  any  of  themselves,  but  have  been  a  scat- 
tered despised  people,  and  have  been  as  it  were 
liable  to   all  dangers,  and  for  a  long  time  driven 
out  from  their  country,  and  scattered  over  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth,  as  was  prophesied  concernmg 
them.  Je.  xiv.  10.  Zee.  vi.  14, 15.      And   yet   these   poor 
souls  are  so  horribly  deluded  by  the  devil,  that 
though  they  see  these  things   come  to  pass,  yet 
they  will  not  believe.     And   one   reason    among 
many,  of  their  being  thus   deluded,  is  this,  they 
say  that  the  Avord  sceptre  in  Ge.  xlLx.  is  not  meant 
of  a  kingly  government ;    but  the    meaning    is, 
(say  they)  a  rod,  or  persecutions  shall  not  depart 
from  Judah  till  Shiloh  come.     Now  they  do  most 
grossly  mistake  that  place ;  for  though  I  am  not 
skilled  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  yet  through  grace,  I 
am  enlightened  into  the  scriptures ;  whereby  I  find 
that  the  meaning  is  not  persecutions,  nor  the  rod 
of  afflictions,  but   a    governor  or   sceptre  of  the 
kingdom  shall  not  depart  from  Judah  tiU  Shiloh 
VOL.  II. 


come.  And  that  this  is  the  meaning  of  the  place, 
weigh  but  the  very  next  words  of  the  same  verse, 
and  you  will  find  it  to  be  the  sceptre  of  a  king  that 
is  meant ;  for  he  addeth,  '  nor  a  law-giver  from 
between  his  feet.'  Mark  it.  The  sceptre,  nor  a 
law-giver ;  the  legislative  power  depending  on  the 
sceptre  of  the  kingdom,  shall  not  depart  from 
Judah  till  Shiloh  come.  According  to  that  scrip- 
ture, written  in  is.  vii.  16.  *  For  before  the  child  shall 
know  to  refuse  the  evil,  and  choose  the  good,  the 
land  that  thou  abhorrest  shall  be  forsaken  of  both 
her  kings. '  Which  scripture  hath  been  fulfilled 
from  that  same  time. 

But  a  word  to  the  Jews'  exposition  of  the  sceptre 
to  be  a  rod,  or  persecutions ;  saying,  that  persecu- 
tions shall  not  depart  from  Judah  till  Shiloh  come. 
This  cannot  be  the  meaning  of  the  place ;  for  the 
Jews  have  had  rest  oftentimes,  and  that  before 
Shiloh  did  come  ;  at  one  time  they  '  had  rest  four- 
score years. '  Ju.  iii.  30.  Agam,  '  And  the  land  had 
rest  from  war. '  Jos.  xiv.  is.  And  again,  '  And  the 
Lord  gave  them  rest  round  about,  according  to  all 
that  he  sware  unto  their  fathers,  and  there  stood 
not  a  man  of  all  their  enemies  before  them. '  Jos.  xxL 
u.  '  And  the  land  had  rest  forty  years. '  Ju.  iii.  ll. 
There  was  rest  many  a  time  from  persecution  and 
from  the  rod,  though  it  were  but  for  a  season ;  but 
the  sceptre,  or  kingdom,  did  not  depart  from  Judah, 
arid  a  law-giver  from  between  his  feet  till  Shiloh 
came. 

Second,  Again,  To  prove  that  Jesus  is  the 
Christ,  it  is  clear  from  the  hand  of  God  against 
the  Jews,  for  putting  him  to  death.  What  Avas 
the  reason  wh}'  they  did  put  him  to  death,  but 
this,  He  did  say  that  he  was  the  Christ  the  Son 
of  God?  Lu. xxii.70.  *  Then  said  they  all,  Art  thou 
then  the  Son  of  God?  And  he  said  unto  them, 
Ye  say  that  I  am.'  That  is,  I  am  he  as  you  say, 
I  am  the  Son  of  God ;  yea,  the  only  begotten  Son 
of  the  Father,  and  I  was  with  him  before  the  Avorld 

was.    Jn.  Lx.  37.  anil  xvii.  5. 

Now  the  Jews  did  put  him  to  death  for  his  thus 
owning  his  own ;  that  is,  for  not  denying  of  his 
Sonship,  but  making  himself  equal  with  God,  there- 
fore did  they  put  him  to  death.  Jn.  xk.  7. 

Now  God  did,  and  doth  most  miserably  plague 
them  to  this  very  day,  for  their  crucifying  of  him : 
But  I  say,  had  he  not  been  the  Christ  of  God, 
God's  Son,  he  Avould  not  haA'e  laid  sin  to  their 
charge,  for  crucifying  him  ;  but  rather  have  praised 
them  for  their  zeal,  and  for  taking  him  out  of  the 
way,  Avho  did  rob  God  of  his  honour,  in  that  he 
made  himself  equal  with  God,  and  was  not.  He 
would  have  praised  them  for  doing  the  thing  that 
was  right,  as  he  did  Phineas  the  son  of  Eleazar, 
for  executing  judgment  in  his  time,  on  the  adulterer 
and  adulteress.   Ku.  xxv.  s. 

But  in  that  he  said  he  was  the  Son  of  God,  and 

T 


146 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


accounted  it  no  roLbery  so  to  call  himself.  Phi.  ii.  6. 
And  seeing  tliat  tliey  did  put  him  to  death,  because 
he  said  he  was  the  Son  of  God ;  and  in  that  God 
doth  so  severely  charge  them  with,  and  punish 
them  for  their  sin  in  putting  him  to  death,  for  say- 
bg  that  he  was  the  Son  of  God,  it  is  evident  that 
he  was  and  is  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  Saviour 
that  should  come  into  the  world.  For  his  blood 
hath  been  upon  them  to  this  very  day  for  their  hurt, 
according  to  their  desu-e.  Mat.  .xxvii.  25. 

Again,  Jesus  himself  doth  in  this  day  hold  forth 
that  he  is  the  Christ,  where  he  saith,  '  Tlie  time  is 
fulfilled,  and  the  kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand. '  Mar.  i. 
15.  What  time  is  this  that  Jesus  speaks  of? 
Surely,  'tis  that  of  Daniel's  seventy  weeks,  spoken 
of  in  chap.  L\.  24.  where  he  saith,  '  Seventy  weeks  are 
determined  upon  thy  people  -  -  -  to  finish  the 
transgression,  and  to  make  an  end  of  sins,  and  to 
make  reconciliation '  or  satisfaction  '  for  iniquity, 
and  to  bring  in  everlasting  righteousness,  -  -  and  to 
anoint  the  most  Holy. '  This  time,  that  here  Daniel 
speaks  of,  is  it  that  Christ  saith  hath  an  end ;  and 
the  argument  that  he  brings  to  persuade  them  to 
believe  the  gospel,  is  this,  '  The  kingdom  of  God  is 
at  hand,'  (according  as  was  prophesied  of  it  by 
Daniel)  '  repent,  and  believe  the  gospel. '  Repent, 
and  beheve  that  this  is  the  gospel ;  and  that  this  is 
the  truth  of  God ;  consider,  that  Daniel  had  a  revela- 
tion of  these  days  from  the  angel  of  God,  and  also 
the  time  in  which  it  should  be  accomplished:  namely. 
Seventy  weeks  was  the  determined  time  of  the 
Messias  his  coming,  from  the  time  when  the  angel 
spake  these  words  to  Daniel:  Seventy  weeks,  that 
is,  about  490  years,  if  you  reckon  every  day  in  the 
said  seventy  weeks  for  a  year :  A  day  for  a  year,  a 
day  for  a  year ;  for  so  is  the  Holy  Spirit's  way  some- 
times to  reckon  days.  Eze.  iv.  6.  And  this  the  Jews 
were  convinced  of,  when  Christ  saith  to  them,  '  Ye 
hypocrites,  ye  can  discern  the  face  of  the  sky ;  but 
can  ye  not  discern  the  signs  of  the  times  ?'  Mat.  xvi.  3. 
Do  you  not  see  that  those  things  that  are  spoken 
of  as  forerunners  of  my  coming,  are  accomphshed? 
Do  you  not  see  that  the  sceptre  is  departed  from 
Judah  ?  Do  you  not  see  the  time  that  Daniel 
spake  of  is  accomplished  also  ?  There  shall  no 
sign  be  given  imto  it,  but  the  sign  of  the  prophet 
Jonas:   0  ye  h}i)ocritical  generation !  ver. 4. 

Third,  Another  argument  to  prove  that  Jesus 
is  the  Christ,  is  this.  By  his  power  the  bhnd  see, 
the  lame  walk,  the  deaf  hear,  the  dumb  speak,  the 
dead  are,  raised  up,  the  devils  are  dispossessed. 
In  Is.  .\xxv.  4.  it  is  thus  prophesied  of  him,  '  Behold 
your  God  will  come  lolth  vengeance,  ewm  God  with 
a  recompense  ;  he  will  come  and  save  you ; '  But 
how  shall  we  know  when  he  is  come  ?  Why, 
'  Then  the  eyes  of  the  blind  shall  be  opened,  and 
the  ears  of  the  deaf  shall  be  unstopped.  Then 
shall  the  lame  man  leap  as  an  hart,  and  the  tongue 


of  the  dumb  sing  ;  for  in  the  wilderness  shall  waters 
break  out,  and  streams  in  the  desert. '  ver.  5,  6.  Now 
when  John  would  know  whether  he  were  the  Christ 
or  no,  Jesus  sends  him  this  very  answer,  '  Go,  and 
shew  John  (saith  he)  again  those  things  which  you 
do  hear  and  see :  the  blind  receive  their  sight,  and 
the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  and  the 
deaf  hear,  the  dead  are  raised  up,  and  the  poor 
have  the  gospel  preached  to  them.  Mat.  xl.  s— 5. 

Fourth,  Another  argument  that  doth  prove  this 
Jesus  to  be  the  Christ,  is  this,  namely,  he  to  whom 
it  was  revealed,  that  he  should  see  him,  though  he 
waited  long  for  him.  So  soon  as  ever  he  did  but 
see  that  sweet  babe  that  was  born  of  the  virgin 
Mary,  he  cried  out,  '  Lord  now  lettest  thou  thy 
servant  depart  in  peace,  according  to  thy  word : 
For  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation,  which  thou 
hast  prepared  before  the  face  of  all  people ; '  as  it  is 
in  Lu.  ii.  26—31.  The  prophetess  Anna  also,  so  soon 
as  she  had  seen  him,  '  gave  thanks  to  the  Lord, 
and  spake  of  him  to  all  them  that  looked  for 
redemption  in  Jerusalem.'  rer. 36— 38. 

Fifth,  Another  argument  is,  the  sign  of  the 
prophet  Jonah.  He,  even  Jonah,  was  three  days 
and  three  nights  in  the  whale 's^belly.  Jonah  i.  17.  and 
Jesus  makes  this  very  thing  an  argument  to  the 
Jews,  that  he  was  the  true  Messias,  where  he  saith, 
'  An  evil  and  adulterous  generation  seeketh  after  a 
sign;'  that  is,  they  would  have  me  to  show  them 
a  sign,  to  prove  that  I  am  the  Saviour,  *  And  there 
shall  no  sign  be  given  to  it,  but  the  sign  of  the  pro- 
phet Jonas :  For  as  Jonas  was  three  days  and  three 
nights  in  the  whale's  belly;  so  shall  the  Son  of 
man  be  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  heart  of 
the  earth.'  Mat. xii. 39, 40.  And  this,  the  Apostle 
makes  mention  of  to  be  accomphshed,  where  he 
says,  The  Jews  slew  Jesus,  and  hanged  him  on  a 
tree,  Ac.  x.  39.  and  laid  him  in  a  sepulchre.  Mat.  xxv-ii. 
But  God  raised  him  up  the  third  day,  and  shewed 
him  openly.  Ac.  x.  40. 

Sixth,  Another  scripture  argument  to  prove  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ,  is  this,  that  there  was  not  one 
of  his  bones  broken ;  which  thing  was  foretold  and 
typed  out  by  the  Paschal  Lamb,  where  he  saith, 
'  They  shall  leave  none  of  it  unto  the  morning,  nor 
break  any  bone  of  it,'  Ex. xii. 46.  ]S'u.  Lx.  13.  which 
thing  was  fulfilled  in  the  Son  of  the  virgin,  (though 
contrary  to  the  customs  of  that  nation,)  as  it  is 
written,  *  Then  came  the  soldiers,  and  brake  the 
legs  of  the  first,  and  of  the  other  which  was  cruci- 
fied with  him.  But  when  they  came  to  Jesus,  and 
saw  that  he  was  dead  already,  they  break  not  his 
legs : '  Jn.  xix.  33, 33.  '  that  the  scripture  should  be  ful- 
filled, A  bone  of  him  shall  not  be  broken.'  ver.  36. 

Seventh,  Another  scripture  demonstration  is,  in 
that  they  did  fulfil  the  saying  that  was  written, 
'  They  part  my  garments  among  them,  and  cast 
lots  upon   my  vesture.' Ps.  x.\ii.  18.      But   this   was 


so:me  gospel  truths  OrEXED. 


147 


also  fulfilled  in  Jesus,  as  it  is  written ;  '  Then  the 
soldiers,  when  they  had  crucified  Jesus,  took  his 
garments,  and  made  four  parts,  to  every  soldier 
a  part;  and  also  his  coat:  now  the  coat  was 
without  seam,  -  -  They  said  therefore  among 
themselves,  let  us  not  rend  it,  hut  cast  lots  for 
it  whose  it  shall  he :  that  the  scripture  might  he 
fulfilled,  which  saith,  They  parted  my  raiment 
among  them,  and  for  my  vesture  they  did  cast 

lots.'    Jn.  xix.  23,  24. 

Eighth,  Again,  The  scripture  saith,  *  they  shall 
look  upon  me,  whom  they  have  pierced. '  Zee.  xii.  lo. 
But  the  soldier  thrust  a  spear  into  his  side,  That 
it  might  he  fulfilled  which  was  written,  '  they 
shall   look   on    him  whom    they  pierced.'   Jn.  xix. 

34—37. 

Error  1 .  Now  then,  seeing  this  is  the  truth  of  God, 
that  Jesus  that  was  horn  of  the  virgin,  is  the  Christ 
of  God ;  how  horribly  are  those  deceived  who  look 
on  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary,  to  he  but  a  shadow 
or  type,  of  something  that  was  afterward  to  be 
revealed ;  whereas  the  scriptures  most  lively  hold 
him  forth  to  be  the  Christ  of  God,  and  not  a  shadow 
of  a  spirit,  or  of  a  body  afterwards  to  be  revealed, 
but  himself  was  the  very  substance  of  all  things  that 
did  any  way  type  out  Christ  to  come ;  and  when 
he  was  indeed  come,  then  was  an  end  put  to  the 
law  for  righteousness,  or  justification  to  every  one 
that  believeth ;  '  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for 
righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth,'  as  it  is 
written.  Ko.  x.  4.  That  is,  he  was  the  end  of  the 
ceremonial  law,  and  of  that  commonly  called  the 
moral  law,  the  substance  of  which  is  laid  down, 
Ex.  XX.  from  the  first  to  the  17th  verse,  though  that 
law,  as  handed  out  by  Christ,  still  remains  of  great 
use  to  all  believers,  which  they  are  bound  to 
,  ,  ,.      ,  ,,      ,     ,     keep  for  sanctification,  as  Christ 

A  believer  hath  no  law  to         .  ^  in 

fulfil  for  justification;   saith.   Mat.  V.   19th  vcrse,    to 

onlv  to  believe  on  wliat     ,,  t       c   .^  ^        ,  -n    , 

the'  man    Christ  Jesus    the    end    ot   the    chapter.        i)Ut 
hath  dune  and  be  saved,     qj^^.j^^      j^^^^g       j^^^|^      obtained 

everlasting  rijjhteousness,  bavins;  fulfilled  all  the 
law  of  God  in  the  body  of  his  flesh,  wherein  he 
also  suffered  on  the  cross  without  the  gates,  and 
doth  impute  this  righteousness  to  poor  man,  having 
accomplished  it  for  him  in  the  body  of  his  flesh, 
which  he  took  of  the  virgin.  Gal.  iv.  4.  '  God  sent 
forth  his  Son,  made  of  a  woman,  [that  is,  born  of 
the  virgm]  made  imder  the  law,'  that  is,  to  obey 
it,  and  to  bear  the  curse  of  it,  '  being  made  a  curse 
for  us  ; '  Ga.  iii.  13.  to  redeem  them  that  were  under 
the  law,  that  is,  to  redeem  such  as  w^ere  ordained 
to  life  eternal,  from  the  curse  of  the  law.  And 
this  he  did  by  his  birth,  being  made  or  born  of  a 
Avomau ;  by  his  obedience,  yea,  by  his  perfect  obe- 
dience '  he  became  the  author  of  eternal  salvation 
unto  all  them  that  obey  him ;'  He.  v.  8,  9.  and  by  his 
doing  and  suffering,  did  completely  satisfy  the  law 
and  the  justice  of  God,  and  bring  in  that  glorious 


See  He.  be.  22,  and  com- 
pare  it  with  He.  viii.  .i, 
where  he  saith,  '  it  is  of 
necessity  that  Ibis  man 
have  sonicwliat  also  to 
offer.'  AMiicli  man  was 
J  esus.  ch.  vii.  22. 


and  everlasting  salvation,  with- 
out which  we  had  all  eternally 
been  undone,  and  that  Avithout 
remedy  ;  for  without  shedding  of 
his  blood  there  was  no  remission. 

E^ror  2.  Seeing  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  the 
virgin  ]\Iary,  was  and  is  the  Christ  of  God;  and 
that  salvation  came  in  alone  by  him,  for  there  is 
salvation  in  no  other,  Ac.  iy.  12.  then  how  are  they 
deceived,  that  think  to  obtain  salvation  by  follow- 
ing the  convictions  of  the  law,  which  they  call 
Christ  (though  falsely)  when  alas,  let  them  follow 
those  convictions  that  do  come  from  the  law,  and 
conscience  set  on  work  by  it ;  I  say,  let  them  fol- 
low aU  the  convictions  that  may  be  hinted  in  upon 
their  spirits  from  that  law,  they  shall  never  be  able 
to  obtain  salvation  by  their  obedience  to  it,  '  for  by 
the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin. '  Eo.  iii.  20.  Ga.  iii.  10. 
Jn.  X.  15.  He.  k.  12.  And  '  It  is  not  of  works  least  any 
man  shoidd  boast,'  as  those  fond  hypocrites  called 
Quakers  would  do.  And  again,  *  If  righteousness 
co)7ie  by  the  law,  then  Christ  is  dead  in  vain.'  Ga. 
ii.  21.  *  But  that  no  man  is  justified  by  the  works 
of  the  law,  in  the  sight  of  God,  it  is  evident :  for, 
The  just  shall  live  by  faith. '  Ga.  m.  ii.  Which  living 
by  faith,  is  to  apply  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  his 
benefits,  as  birth,  righteousness,  death,  blood,  resur- 
rection, ascension,  and  intercession,  with  the  glo- 
rious benefits  of  his  second  coming  to  me,  as  mine, 
being  given  to  me,  and  for  me,  and  thus  much  doth 
the  Apostle  signify,  saying ;  '  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. '    Ga.  ii.  20. 

Error  3.  Again,  Seeing  God's  Christ,  which 
w^as  with  him  before  the  world  was,  Jn.  .wit.  5.  took 
upon  him  flesh  and  blood  from  the  margin  IMary, 
(who  was  espoused  to  Joseph  the  carpenter)  and 
in  that  human  nature  yielded  himself  an  oflering 
for  sin,  (for  it  was  the  body  of  his  flesh  by  which 
sin  was  purged,  Coi.  i.  22.)  I  say,  seeing  the  Son  of 
God,  as  he  was  in  a  body  of  flesh,  did  bring  in 
salvation  for  sinners,  and  by  this  means,  as  I  said 
before,  we  are  saved,  even  by  faith  in  his  blood, 
righteousness,  resurrection,  &c.  How  are  they 
then  deceived  who  own  Christ  no  otherwise  than 
as  he  was  before  the  world  began,  Avho  was  then 
without  flesh  and  blood  (for  he  took  that  in  time 
of  the  virgin.  Ga.  iv.  4.  He.  ii.  14.)  I  say,  they  are 
wickedly  deluded,  who  own  him  no  otherwise  but 
as  he  was  before  the  world  was :  For  in  their  own- 
ing of  him  thus  and  no  otherwise,  they  do  directly 
deny  him  to  be  come  in  the  flesh,  and  are  of  that 
antichristian  party  which  John  speaks  of,  1  Jn-  iv.  3. 
'  Every  spirit  that  confcsseth  not  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  come  in  the  flesh,  is  not  of  God :  and  this  is  that 
spirit  of  antichrist,  whereof  ye  have  heard  that  it 
should  come,  and  even  now  already  is  it  in  tho 


us 


SOME  GOSrEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


world. '  Now  because  tlie  enemy  doth  most  notaLly 
wrest  tliis  scripture,  as  tlicy  do  others,  to  their 
own  damnation,  I  shall  speak  something  to  it ;  and 
therefore,  when  he  saith,  every  spirit  that  confesseth 
not  thaL  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,  is  not  of 
God,  his  meaning  is.  Every  spirit  that  doth  not  con- 
fess that  that  Christ  that  was  with  the  Father 
before  the  world  was,  did  in  the  appointed  time  of 
the  Father  come  into  the  world,  took  on  him  a 
body  from  the  virgin,  and  was  very  man  as  well 
as  very  God,  and  in  that  body  of  flesh  did  do  and 
suff'cr  whatsoever  belonged  to  the  sons  of  men  for 
the  breach  of  the  holy  law  of  God,  and  impute  his 
glorious  righteousness  which  he  fulfilled  in  that 
body  of  his  flesh,  to  the  souls  that  shall  believe  on 
what  he  hath  done,  and  is  adoing  in  the  same  body. 

Consider  1 ,  iVnd  that  this  is  the  mind  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  consider,  first,  he  himself  saith,  handle  me 
and  see,  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones,  as  ye 
see  me  have,  when  his  disciples  had  thought  he  had 
been  but  a  spirit,  lu.  xxiv.  39, 40. 

Consider  2.  Now  that  in  this  flesh  he  died  for 
sins :  consider,  secondly,  that  scripture  which  saith, 
'  Who  his  own  self,  (that  is,  the  Christ  that  was 
born  of  the  Virgin)  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body 
on  the  tree. '  1  Pe.  a.  34.  See  Coi.  i.  22.  '  in  the  body 
of  his  flesh,'  saith  he,  'to  present  you  holy  and 
unblameable,  and  unreprovable  in  his  sight. '  Now 
that  he  arose  again  from  the  dead,  with  the  body 
of  flesh  wherewith  he  was  crucified,  consider,  that 
forenamed  scripture,  Lu.xxiv.39, 40.  spoken  after  his 
resurrection. 

Now  that  he  went  away  with  the  same  body 
from  them  into  heaven,  consider  that  it  is  said, 
'  And  he  led  them  out  as  far  as  to  Bethany,  and 
he  lifted  up  his  hands,  and  blessed  them.  And  it 
came  to  pass,  while  he  blessed  them,  he  was  parted 
from  them,  and  carried  up  into  heaven,'  Lu. xxiv. 50, 
51.  This  is  the  meaning  of  those  words  therefore  ; 
.Jesus  Christ  is  come  into  the  flesh,  that  is,  Jesus 
Christ  hath  come  in  the  flesh  that  he  took  of  the 
Virgin,  hath  brought  us  who  were  enthralled  to 
the  law,  the  devil,  and  sin,  to  liberty;  and  that 
by  his  obedience  and  death.  '  Forasmuch  then  as 
the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  (saith 
the  scripture)  he,  (Christ)  also  himself  likewise 
took  part  of  the  same  ;'  wherefore?  '  That  through 
death  he  might  destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of 
death,  that  is,  the  devil;  and  deliver  them  who 
through  fear  of  death  wei'e  all  their  life-time  sub- 
ject to  bondage,'  He.  li.  u,  15.  For  he  'was  delivered 
for  our  o0"ences,  and  was  raised  again  for  our  justi- 
fication.' Ko.  iv.  25.  For  he,  even  that  man,  through 
the  power  of  the  eternal  Spirit,  did  oiler  up  him- 
self without  spot  to  God,  and  thereby,  or  by  that 
ofi'ering,  '  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us.'  lie. 
ix.  13, 14.  And  therefore  I  say  again  and  again,  look 
to  yourselves,  that  you  receive  no  Christ  except 


God's  Christ:  For  he  is  like  to  be  deceived  that 
will  believe  every  thing  that  calls  itself  a  Christ. 
'  For  many,  [saith  he]  shall  come  in  my  name,  -  - 
and  shall  deceive  many. '  Mat.  xxiv.  5. 

Now  having  spoken  thus  much  touching  the 
Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  I  shall,  according  to 
tlie  assistance  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  2>roceed,  and  shall 
speak  something  of  his  godhead,  birth,  death,  resur- 
rection, ascension,  and  intercession ;  together  vnth 
his  most  glorious  and  personal  appearing  the  second 
time,  which  loill  be  to  raise  the  dead,  and  bring 
every  work  to  judgment.  Ec.  xii.  14. 

And  FIRST  I  shall  shew  you  that  he  (Christ)  is 
very  God,  co-eternal,  and  also  co-equal  with  his 
Father.  Second,  That  by  this  Son  of  Mary 
(which  is  equal  with  his  Father)  the  world  was 
made.  Third,  That  he  in  the  fulness  of  time,  was 
made  of  a  woman,  made  mider  the  law,  to  redeem 
them  that  were  (or  are)  under  the  law  ;  that  is, 
was  born  of  a  woman :  and  in  our  nature  (for  he 
made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took  on  him 
the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the  like- 
ness of  men)  and  in  our  stead  he  did  fulfil  the  law 
in  point  of  justification,  Eo.x.  4.  and  was  crucified 
for  our  transgressions,  1  Co.  i.  23—25.  Fourth,  That 
very  body  of  the  Son  of  Mary  which  was  crucified, 
did  rise  again  from  the  dead,  after  he  had  been 
buried  in  Joseph's  sepulchre;  that  he  in  that  very 
body  ascended  up  into  heaven ;  and  in  that  very 
body  shall  come  again  to  these  ends,  1.  To  judgo 
the  quick  and  the  dead.  2,  To  receive  his  saints 
to  himself.  3,  To  pass  eternal  condemnation  on 
his  enemies.  These  things  in  brief  I  shall  touch 
upon,  according  to  the  wisdom  given  me. 

First,  And  therefore  that  Christ  is  very  God,  I 
shall^rs^  prove  by  plain  texts  of  scripture.  Second, 
From  the  testimony  of  God,  angels,  and  men,  wit- 
nessed by  the  scriptures,  Tliird,  By  several 
arguments  drawn  from  scripture,  which  wiU  prove 
the  same  clearly. 

First,  Then  to  prove  it  by  the  scriptures ;  tho' 
indeed  the  whole  book  of  God's  holy  scripture, 
testify  these  things  plainly  to  be  most  true,  yet 
there  be  some  places  more  pregnant  and  pertinent 
to  the  thing  than  others  ;  and  therefore  I  shall 
mention  some  of  them :  as  that  in  Pr.  viii.  22,  &c.  and 
there  you  shall  find  him  spoken  of  under  the  name 
of  Wisdom,  the  same  name  that  is  given  him  in 
1  Co.  i.  24.  I  say  in  that  place  of  the  Proverbs  above 
mentioned,  you  shall  find  these  expressions  from 
his  own  mouth,  '  The  Lord  possessed  me  in  the 
beginning  of  his  way,  before  his  works  of  old,  I 
was  set  up  from  everlasting,  from  the  beginning, 
or  ever  the  earth  was.  When  there  were  no  depths, 
I  was  brought  forth ;  when  there  ivere  no  fountains 
abounding  with  water.  Before  the  mountains 
were  settled,  before  the  hills  was  I  brought  forth  : 
While  as  yet  he  had  not  made  the  earth,  nor  the 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


149 


fields,   nor  the  liigliest  part   of  the   dust  of  the 

world.     When  he  prepared  the  heavens,  I  teas 

there :  when  he  set  a  compass  upon  the  face  of  the 

depth :    When  he  estabhshed  the  clouds  above : 

when  he  strengthened  the  fountains  of  the  deep : 

When  he   gave  to  the  sea  his  decree,  that  the 

waters  should  not  pass  his  commandment :   when 

he  appointed  the  foundations  of  the  earth :   Then 

I  was  bv  him,  as  one  brought  up  with  him :  and  I 

was  daily  his  delight,  rejoicing  always  before  him ; 

rejoicing  in  the  habitable  part  of  his  earth ;  and 

my  delights  were  with  the  sons  of  men.'     Also  in 

Jn.  i.  1, 2.  you  have  these  words  spoken  of  Christ, 

'  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word 

was   with  God,    and  the  Word   was   God.      The 

same  was  in  the  beginning  with  God.'     As  also  in 

He.  L  2.  the  Apostle  being  about  to  prove  the  Son  of 

Mary  to  be  very  God,  saith  ;  He  '  hath  in  these 

last  days  spoken  unto  us  by  his  Son  ;'  which  Son 

is  the  Son  of  Mary,  as  in  Mat.  iii.     '  But  (saith  the 

Apostle  He.  i.  8.)  unto  the  Son  he  saith.  Thy  throne, 

0  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever,  a  sceptre  of  righte- 
ousness is  the  sceptre  of  thy  kingdom.'  Again, 
in  Jn.  xvii.  5.  you  have  the  words  of  the  Son  of  j\lary 
for  it,  saying,  *  And  now,  0  Father,  glorify  thou 
me  with  thine  own  self,  with  the  glory  which  I  had 
with  thee  before  the  world  was.'  Again,  he  him- 
self saith,  before  Abraham  was,  I  am :  And  again, 

1  and  my  Father  are  one.  And  in  PU.  ii.  5.  the 
Apostle  saith,  '  Let  this  mind  be  in  you  which  was 
also  in  Christ  Jesus :  who,  being  in  the  form  of 
God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God: 
But  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon 
him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the 
likeness  of  men.'  Also  He.  ii.  8.  Christ  himself 
saith,  I  am  'the  first  and  the  last,  which  was  dead, 
and  is  ahve.'  And  thus  have  I  quoted  some  few 
scriptures  to  prove  that  the  Son  of  Mary  is  the 
true  God. 

Second,  I  shall  give  you  the  testimony  of  God 
himself  touching  the  truth  of  this,  viz.  That 
Christ,  the  Son  of  the  Virgin,  is  the  true  God: 

1.  And  first  see  Zec.  xiii.  7.  and  there  you  shall  find 
these  words,  'Awake,  0  sword,  against  my  shep- 
herd, and  against  the  man  tliat  is  my  fellow,  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts,'  In  this  place  the  Lord  doth 
caU  that  Man  his  feUow,  which  he  doth  not  do  to 
any  mere  creature.  Again,  in  Mat  iii.  17.  he  calls 
him  his  beloved  Son,  saying,  '  This  is  my  beloved 
Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased.'  And  in  the 
aforesaid  place  of  the  Hebrews,  ch.  i.  the  Apostle 
advancing  the  Lord  Jesus,  brings  in  this  question. 
*  To  which  of  the  angels  said  he  at  any  time. 
Thou  art  my  Son  V  ver.  5.  '  But  unto  the  Son  he 
saith,  ver.  8.  Thy  throne,  0  God,  is  for  ever  and 
ever:'  And  thus  far  of  the  testimony  that  God 
himself  hath  given  of  the  Son  of  Mary,  Jesus 
Christ. 


2.  The  angels  do  shew  that  he  is  God:  (1.)  In 
that  they  do  obey  him.  (2.)  In  that  they  worship 
him, 

(1.)  That  they  obey  him,  is  clear,  if  we  com- 
pare Re.  xxi.  9.  with  .\.\ii.  6.  In  the  first  of  these  places 
we  find,  that  there  came  one  of  the  angels  of  the 
seven  vials,  M-hich  had  the  seven  last  plagues,  and 
talked  with  John.  He  came  not  of  himself  ;  for 
in  that  x.\ii.  ch.  ver.  6.  he  saith,  '  The  Lord  -  -  sent 
his  angel  to  shew  unto  his  servants,  the  thinjrs 
which  must  shortly  be  done.'  Now  in  the  icth  rei. 
you  may  see  who  this  Lord  God  is :  He  saith  there, 
'I  Jesus  have  sent  mine  angel  to  testify  -  -  these 
things  in  the  churches,  [compare  Re.  i.  i.]  I  am  the 
root  and  (as  well  as)  the  offspring  of  David,  and 
the  bright  and  morning  star. '  I  say  this  obedience 
of  the  angels  doth  testify  that  Jesus,  which  is  the 
Son  of  Mary,  is  the  true  and  very  God ;  for  they 
do  obey  God  only. 

(2.)  The  angels  do  shew  that  the  Son  of  I\Iary, 
is  the  true  God,  in  that  they  do  not  only  obey 
him,  but  worship  him  also;  yea,  they  are  com- 
manded so  to  do.  He  i.  6.  where  it  is  written, '  When 
he  bringeth  in  the  first  begotten  into  the  world,  he 
{i.  e.  God,)  saith,  And  let  all  the  angels  of  God 
worship  him,'  viz.  the  Son  of  Mary.  Xow  the 
angels  themselves  command  that  we  worship  none 
but  God,  Re.  xxii.  8,9.  When  John  fell  down  to  wor- 
ship the  angel,  the  angel  said,  '  See  thou  do  it  not: 
for  I  am  thy  fellow  servant,  -  -  worship  God.' 
Now  if  the  angels  should  command  to  worship 
God,  and  they  themselves  should  worship  him  that 
by  nature  is  no  god,  they  should  overthrow  them- 
selves, in  commanding  one  thing,  and  doing  another, 
and  so  lose  their  own  habitations,  and  be  shut  up 
in  chains  of  darkness,  to  be  punished  with  ever- 
lasting destruction  from  God  himself  at  the  great 
day.  And  thus  much  concerning  the  testimony 
of  angels  touching  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary,  the 
Son  of  God,  yea,  very  and  true  God.  Ls.  h..  6. 

3.  [The  testimony  of  men  witnessed  by  the  scrip- 
tures do  shew  that  Christ  is  very  God.  ]  Now  follow- 
eth  David  his  testimony  among  other  of  the  saints, 
who  witness  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary  to  be  true  God ; 
and  that  you  may  find  in  Ps.  ex.  l.  where  he  saith, 
'  The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  thou  at 
my  right  hand,  imtil  I  make  thine  enemies  thy 
footstool.'  Also  Isaiah  in  the  9Ui.  ch.  ver.  6.  saith, 
'  For  unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  son  is 
given  ;  and  the  government  shall  be  upon  his 
shoulder :  and  his  name  shall  be  called  Wonder- 
ful, Counsellor,  The  mighty  God,  The  everlasting 
Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace.  Of  the  increase  of 
his  government  and  peace  thei-e  shall  be  no  end, 
upon  the  throne  of  David,  (which  is  not,  nor  ever 
was  the  heart  of  any  behever)  and  upon  his  king- 
dom,  to  order  it,  and  to  establish  it  with  judgment 
and  with  justice  from  henceforth  even  for  ever. 


150 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRrXHS  OPENED. 


The  zeal  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  will  perform  this.' 
Again,  see  Peter's  testimony  of  this  Son  of  Mary  ; 
When  Jesus  asked  his  disciples,  -whom  say  ye 
that  I  am  ?  Peter,  as  the  mouth  of  the  rest,  said, 
*  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God. ' 
Mat.  xvi.  16.  Also  when  Thomas,  one  of  Christ's  dis- 
ciples, woidd  not  be  persuaded  by  the  others  that 
they  had  seen  the  Lord,  except  he  did  also  see  in 
his  hands  the  print  of  the  nails,  and  put  his  fingers 
into  the  print  of  the  nails,  and  thrust  his  hand 
into  his  side,  he  would  not  believe.  Saith  the  Son 
of  Mary,  '  Reach  hither  thy  finger,  and  behold  my 
hands ;  and  reach  hither  thy  hand,  and  thrust  it 
into  my  side ;  and  be  not  faithless  but  believing, ' 
And  then  Thomas  breaks  out  with  a  mighty  faith, 
and  a  glorious  testimony  for  his  master,  and  saith, 
'  My  Lord,  and  my  God.'  Jn.  xx.27, 28.  Again,  See 
Paul's  testimony  of  him,  Ro.  l\.  5.  where  speaking 
of  the  Son  of  Mary,  he  saith,  That  Christ  came 
of  the  Fathers,  '  who  is  over  all,  God  blessed  for 
ever,  Amen.'  And  the  apostle  John  doth  also 
witness  as  much,  l  Jn.  v.  so.  where  speaking  of  Jesus 
Christ,  he  saith  on  this  wise,  'And  we  know  that 
the  Son  of  God  is  come,  and  hath  given  us  an 
understanding,  that  Ave  may  know  him  that  is  true, 
and  we  are  in  him  that  is  true,  (Who  is  that? 
why,  saith  John)  even  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.' 
Who  is  he  ?  Why,  *  This  is  the  true  God,  and 
eternal  life.' 

I  could  here  also  bring  in  the  testimony  of  the 
very  devils  themselves,  as  Lu.  iv.  41 ;  viii.  28.  where  he 
is  by  them  acknowledged  to  be  the  Son  of  the 
living  God:  But  it  is  needless  so  to  do  ;  for  we 
have  plainly  proved  it  already. 

Tldrd,  Now  foUoweth  the  several  scripture  argu- 
ments, which  will  prove  that  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary 
is  very  God. 

1.  There  is  none  but  he  that  is  the  true 
God,  can  satisfy  the  justice  of  the  true  God,  for 
the  breach  of  his  holy  law ;  but  if  you  compare 
Is.  liii.  6.  with  Mat.  iii.  17.  you  shall  find,  that  Jesus  the 
Son  of  Mary  did  give  God  a  full  and  complete 
satisfaction  for  tlie  breach  of  his  holy  law ;  there- 
fore Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary  must  needs  be  the 
great  and  true  God. 

2.  He  that  hath  power  of  his  own  to  lay  down 
his  life,  and  hath  power  of  his  own  to  take  it  up 
again,  must  needs  be  the  true  God :  but  this  did 
Jesus  the  Son  of  ]\Iary  the  virgin ;  therefore  he 
must  needs  be  the  true  God.  Jn.  x.  17.  Ro.  i.  4. 

3.  There  was  never  any  able  to  bear  the  sins  of 
all  the  believers  in  the  world,  that  ever  were,  now 
are,  or  hereafter  shall  be,  but  the  true  God :  But 
Jesus,  the  Son  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  did  bear  them 
all,  '  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree.'  1  Pe.  ii.  24.  is.  liu.  e. 
Therefore  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary  must  needs  be 
the  true  God  as  well  as  man. 

4.  There  Avas  never  any  mere  man  able,  by  his 


own   power,    to    overcome   the   "^^^  ^^^lA 

devil  in  all  his  temptations,  but      ^vere    but    under    tlie 
,      ,  .       1        ii       .  n     ^     IS!  P"'lt     of     0"6     sinlul 

he  that  is  also  the  true  (jod.  (tor     tiiougiit,  it  would  make 
Adam  in  his  state  of  innocency     SMyp^f^irmen'^'iL' 

was  overcome  by  them,  and  fell      greater  than  lean  bear, 
"^  be.  IV.  13. 

under  them :)  But  Jesus  the  Son 

of  the  Virgin  did  overcome  them  all  by  his  own 

power;  therefore  he  is  very  God,  as  well  as  very 

Man.       See  Ge.  iii.  15.  is.  li.  9 ;  Ixiii.  5.  Mat.  iv.  24.  Lu.  iv.  12. 

5.  There  Avas  ncA'er  any  that  did  call  himself 
the  true  God  (and  AA'as  not)  Avhich  did  please  God 
in  so  doing.  But  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary  did  call 
himself  the  true  God,  or  account  himself  equal 
with   God  (Avhich  is  all  one)  yet   God  w^as  Avell 

pleased  Avith  him.  Mat.  iii.  17.  PU.  ii.  6,  7.  Jn.  viii.  29.      And 

therefore  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary  must  needs  be 
true  God  as  Avell  as  man. 

6.  There  was  never  any  that  had  all  power  in 
heaven  and  in  earth,  but  the  true  God.  Jesus  the 
Son  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  who  Avas  espoused  to 
Joseph,  hath  all  poAver  in  heaven  and  in  earth  in 
his  OAA^n  hand.    Therefore  he  is  the  true  and  great 

God.  Mat.  xxviii.  18. 

7.  There  was  never  any  able  to  keep  poor  souls 
from  falling  from  God,  saving  he  that  is  the  true 
God.  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary  did,  and  doth  this. 
Jn.  X.  27—30 ;  xvii.  12.  Therefore  he  is  the  true  and 
great  God. 

8.  Never  could  any  justly  call  himself  the  first 
and  the  last,  except  the  true  God,  nor  truly  (as 
the  Lord  did  say)  I  am.     But  these  did  Jesus  the 

Son   of  Mary.  Re.  1. 1.  compared  with  ver.  17, 18  ;  Re.  ii.  8.  and 

Jn  viii.  58.     Therefore  Jesus  must  needs  be  true  God 
as  Avell  as  man. 

9.  Never  Avas  there  any  that  could  absolutely 
forgive  sins  but  God.  Mar.  ii.  7.  Lu.  v.  21.  But  Jesus 
the  Son  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  can  forgive  sins.  Lu. 
V.  20.  Mar.  ii.  5.  Therefore  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary 
must  needs  be  true  God,  as  Avell  as  man. 

10.  The  scriptures  never  call  any  the  true  and 
living  God ;  but  he  that  is  the  true  God.  The 
scriptures  call  Jesus,  the  Son  of  the  Virgin,  the 
true  God.  Is.  Lx.  6. 1  Jn.  v.  20.  Therefore  he  is  the  true 
and  great  God. 

11.  He  that  made  all  things,  Avhether  they  be 
A-isible,  or  invisible,  Avhether  they  be  thi-ones  or 
dominions,  or  principalities,  or  poAvers,  must  needs 
be  the  true  God.  But  Jesus  the  Son  of  the  Vir- 
gin Mary  did  make  all  these.  Coi.  i.  14— 18.  Jn.  i.  i— 16. 
He.  i.  2, 3.  And  therefore  he  is  the  true  God  as  well 
as  man. 

12.  The  blood  of  a  mere  finite  creature  coidd 
never  obtain  eternal  redemption  for  sinners.  But 
the  blood  of  Jesus,  the  Son  of  the  Virgin  Mary, 
hath  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  sinners.  Ro.  iii, 
23;  V.  9.  He.  Lx.  12, 14;  X.  19, 20.  Therefore  the  blood  of 
the  Son  of  the  Virgin,  must  needs  be  the  blood  of 
God.     And  so  the  Apostle  calletli  it,  saying  to 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


151 


the  pastors  of  tlie  cliurclies,  '  Feed  the  church  of 
God,  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood. ' 

Ac.  XX.  28. 1  Jn.  iii.  16. 

13.  Never  was  there  any  that  coukl  overcome 
death  in  his  own  power,  hut  the  true  God.  Ho.  xiii. 
14;  2  Ti.  i.  10.  He.  i.  2.  Jesus  the  Son  of  the  Virgha 
]\Iary  did  overcome  death  by  himself.  He.  iii.  14. 
Therefore  he  is  the  true  God  as  well  as  man. 

14.  He  that  searcheth  the  hearts,  and  knoweth 
the  thoughts  of  men,  must  needs  he  the  true  God. 
Je.  xvii.  10.  But  Jesus  the  Son  of  the  Virgin  doth. 
Lu.  V.  22 ;  ix.  47.  Jn.  ii.  24,  23.  Therefore  he  is  the  true 
God. 

15.  He  that  by  his  own  power  commandeth  the 
raging  sea,  must  needs  be  the  true  God.  Job  xxx-nii. 
10, 11.  Pr.  viii.  29.  But  this  did  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary, 
Mar.  iv.  39—41.  Lu.  viii.  24.  Therefore,  he  is  the  true 
God. 

16.  He  that  is  the  wisdom,  power,  and  glory  of 
God,  must  needs  be  the  true  God.  But  Jesus  the 
Son  of  the  Virgin  is  all  these,  as  i  Co  i.  24.  He.  i.  3. 
Therefore  Jesus  the  Son  of  the  Virgin  must  needs 
be  true  God  as  well  as  man. 

Second. — The  next  thing  that  1  am  to  prove,  is 
this ;  namely,  That  by  this  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son 
of  the  Virgin,  the  world  was  made:  And  here 
1  shall  be  brief,  having  touched  on  it  already. 
Only  I  shall  lay  down  some  of  the  scriptures,  that 
hold  forth  this  to  be  a  truth,  and  so  pass  to  the 
next  things  that  I  intend  to  speak  of. 

And  therefore  in  the  first  place,  see  He.  i.  2.  where 
the  Apostle  is  speaking  of  the  Son  of  God,  which 
Son  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  according  to 
these  scriptures  mentioned  before.  Mat.  i.  is— 23.  Lu. 
ii.  Mat.  iii.  17.  where  God  himself  saith,  This  is  my 
beloved  Son,  (fee.  This  Son  of  God,  saith  the 
Apostle,  by  whom  God  hath  spoken  to  us,  by  him 
also  he  made  the  worlds.  And  Col.  i.  the  Apostle 
speaking  of  the  deliverance  of  the  saints,  saith, 
'  who  hath  delivered  us  from  the  power  of  dark- 
ness, and  translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of  his 
dear  Son :  In  whom  we  have  redemption  through 
his  blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of  sins:'  And  is 
that  all  ?  No,  but  he  is  (also)  'the  image  of  the 
invisible  God,  the  first  born  of  every  creature,' 
ver.  15.  And  in  ver.  16, 17.  '  By  him  were  all  things 
created  that  are  in  heaven,  and  that  are  in  earth, 
visible  and  invisible,  whether  they  he  thrones,  or 
dominions,  or  principalities,  or  powers :  all  things 
were  created  by  him,  and  for  him:  And  he  is 
before  aU  things,  and  by  him  all  things  consist.' 
Also  He.  1. 10.  it  is  thus  written  of  this  Son  of  God, 
Christ  Jesus  the  Son  of  ^lary,  '  And,  Thou,  Lord, 
in  the  beo-innino:  hast  laid  the  foundation  of  the 
earth:  and  the  heavens  are  the  works  of  thine 
hands.'  And  again,  John  i,  and  the  first  9  verses, 
the  Evangelist,  or  Apostle,  speaking  of  the  Son, 
saith,   '  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word, '  which 


Word  was  the  Son.  Re.  xi.v.13.  This  Word,  or  Son, 
was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God.  All  thino-s 
were  made  by  liim,  and  without  him  was  not  any 
thing  made  that  was  made.  'In  him  M-as  life; 
and  the  life  was  the  light  of  men.  And  the  li<'ht 
shineth  in  darkness ;  and  the  darkness  compre- 
hended it  not.'  But  in  the  ninth  verse  of  this 
first  chapter  of  John,  it  is  written,  '  TJioJt  was  the 
true  light,  which  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh 
into  the  world.'  Now  seeing  the  Lord  hath 
brought  me  thus  far ;  and  because  the  Quakers  by 
wresting  this  scripture,  do  not  only  split  themselves 
upon  it,  but  endeavour  also  to  split  others,  I  shall 
therefore,  before  I  proceed  any  further,  speak  a  few 
words  to  it ;  and  they  are  these  that  follow. 

The  Apostle  in  these  nine  first  verses,  or  most 
of  them,  is  speaking  of  the  divinity  or  godhead  of 
the  Son  of  IMary,  and  shewing  that  he  made  the 
world :  Now  in  this  ninth  verse  he  speaketh  of 
man  as  he  is  in  his  coming  into  the  world,  and  not 
as  he  is  a  regenerate  person.  Now  every  man  as 
he  comes  into  the  world,  receives  a  light  from 
Christ,  as  he  is  God,  which  light  is  the  conscience, 
that  some  call  Christ  though  falsely.  This  light, 
or  conscience,  will  shew  a  man  that  there  is  a  God, 
and  that  this  God  is  eternal,  Ro.  i.  20.  This  light 
doth  discover  this  eternal  God  by  his  works  in  tlie 
world  ;  for  saith  the  scripture  before  named,  '  The 
invisible  things  of  him  (meaning  God)  from  the 
creation  of  the  world  are  clearly  seen,  being  under- 
stood by  the  things  that  are  made,  even  his  eter- 
nal power  and  godhead;'  This  light  also  will 
reprove  of  sin,  or  convince  of,  and  make  manifest 
sins  against  the  law  of  this  eternal  God  :  so  that 
man,  before  he  is  regenerate,  is  able  by  that  light 
to  know  that  sins  against  the  law,  are  sins  against 
God,  as  is  manifested  in  the  unconverted  Pharisees, 
who,  (as  Christ  told  them)  had  neither  the  love  of 
God,  nor  the  word  of  God  abiding  in  them,  Jn.v.38, 
42.  yet  knew  sins  against  the  law,  to  be  sins ;  for 
they  were  ofi'ended  at  a  woman  for  committing 
adidtery,  which  act  was  forbidden,  by  the  law; 
Mat.  V.  27, 28.  and  it  is  said  also,  they  wei-e  convicted 
of  sin  by  their  own  consciences.  Jn.  viii.  7—10. 

Again,  The  Apostle  writing  to  the  Corinthians, 
and  admonishing  them  to  walk  orderly,  1  Co.  xi.  14. 
turns  them  to  nature  itself,  saying,  'Doth  not  even 
nature  itself  teach  you?'  (fee.  This  hght  surely 
is  that,  wherevrith  Christ,  as  he  is  God,  hath 
enlightened  every  man  that  cometh  into  the 
world,  which  doth  convince  of  sins  against  tlie  law 
of  God.  Therefore,  as  the  Apostle  saith,  Ro.  i.  20. 
They  are  left  without  excuse.  That  is,  they  have 
their  own  conscience,  that  doth  shew  them  there 
is  a  God,  and  that  this  God  is  to  be  served  and 
obeyed ;  and  the  neglect  of  this  will  be  sure  to 
damn  them,  though  the  obedience  to  the  law  will 
not  save  them,  because  they  arc  not  able  to  make 


152 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


wliat  needi^  tliere  of 
faitli  ?  But  it  is  evi- 
dent that  woiks  will 
not  save,  because 
there  must  he  faith 
in  the  blood  of  J  esus 
tlie  Sou  of  Miu-y. 


a  full  recompense   to  God  for  the  sius  tliat  are 

past ;  neither  are  they  able  for  the  time  to  come, 

,        ,,,  .^    to  yield  a  full,  continual,  and  com- 

If  -works  would  do  it,  "^  _       '  ' 

plete  obedience  to  the  law  of  this 
almighty,  infinite,  and  eternal  God. 
For  as  many  as  are  of  the  works 
of  the  law,  are  under  the  curse;  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.  But  that  no 
man  is  justified  by  the  [works  of  the]  law,  -  -  it 
is   evident:     for.    The  just    shall   live    by  faith. 

Ga.  iii.  10,  11. 

But  now,  though  Christ,  as  he  is  God,  doth 
give  a  light  to  every  one  that  cometli  into  the 
world,  which  light  is  the  conscience,  (as  they  them- 
selves confess ;)  yet  it  doth  not  therefore  follow 
that  this  conscience  is  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  or  the 
work  of  grace,  wrought  in  the  heart  of  any  man 
whatsoever;  for  every  one  hath  conscience,  yet 
every  one  hath  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ :  For  Jude 
speaks  of  a  company  of  men  in  his  days,  who  had 
not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  Jude  19.  '  These  be  they 
who  separate  tliemselves,  (saith  he)  sensual,  hav- 
ing not  the  spirit.'  Yea,  Heathens,  Turks,  Jews, 
Pagans,  Athiests,  have  that  also  that  doth  con- 
vince of  sin,  and  yet  are  so  far  from  having  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  in  them,  that  it  is  their  great 
delight  to  serve  their  lusts,  this  world,  their  sins ; 
whereas  the  Apostle  saith  plainly,  '  If  Christ  be  in 
you,  the  body  is  dead  because  of  sin ;  but  the 
Spirit  is  life  for  righteousness  sake. '  Ro.  viii.  lo.  * 
So  that  those  who  are  alive  to  their  sins,  have  not 
the  Spirit  of  Christ.  Nay,  let  me  tell  you,  the 
very  devils  themselves,  who  were  thrown  from 
their  first  state  by  sin,  Jude  6.  have  such  a  taste 
of  their  horrible  sins,  2  Pe.  ii.  4.  that  when  they  did 
but  suppose  that  Jesus  was  come  to  put  an  end  to 
their  tyrannical  dealing  with  the  world,  and  to 
bring  them  to  judgment  for  their  sins,  (to  which 
they  know  they  shall  be  brought,)  it  made  them 
cry  out,  'Art  thou  come  hither  to  torment  us  be- 
fore the  time?'  Mat.  viii.  S9.  James  doth  also  signify 
this  much  unto  us,  where  he  saith,  '  The  devils 
also  believe  and  tremble. '  Ja.  ii.  19.  Which  belief  of 
theirs  is  not  a  believing  in  Christ  to  save  them  ; 
for  they  know  he  did  not  take  hold  on  their  nature. 
He.  ii.  16.  But  they  do  believe  that  Christ  will  come 
to  their  everlasting  torment ;  and  the  belief  of  this 
doth  make  these  proud  spirits  to  tremble. 

Again,  Man  at  his  coming  into  the  woi-ld,  hath 
his  conscience  given  him,  which  doth  convince  of 
sin,  Jn.  ii.  9.  and  viii.  9.  yet  man,  as  he  cometh  into 
the  world,  hath  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  him ; 
for  that  must  be  received  afterward,  by  the  preach- 


*  Bunyan  quotes  tliis  passage  from  the  Geucvau  or  Puritan 
versiou. — Eu. 


ing  of  the  word,  which  is  preached  by  the  minis- 
ters and  servants  of  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  God's 
usual  way  to  communicate  of  his  Spirit  into  the 
hearts  of  his  elect ;  and  this  is  clear  in  so  many 
words,  where  Peter  preaching  to  a  certain  number, 
the  scripture  saith,  '  While  Peter  yet  spake  these 
words,  the  Holy  Ghost,  [or  Holy  Spirit,  ]  fell  on  all 
them  which  heard  the  word. '  Ac.  x.  u.  And  again, 
Ga.iii.  ver.  2  and  5.  compared  together,  '  Received  ye  the 
Spirit  by  the  works  of  the  law,  (saith  the  Apostle) 
or  by  the  hearing  of  faith  ?  '  or  the  Gospel,  which  is 
the  word  of  faith  preached  by  us  ?  Which  Spirit, 
as  Christ  saith,  the  world  cannot  receive,  because 
it  seeth  him  not,  neither  knoweth  him,  though  his 
childz-en  shall  have  fellowship  with  him  to  the  great 
comfort  of  their  own  souls.  Jn.  xiv.  16, 17. 

But  now,  this  merciless  butcherer  of  men,  the 
devil,  that  he  might  he  sure  to  make  the  soul  fall 
short  of  glory,  if  possible,  endeavours  to  persuade 
the  soul  that  its  state  is  good  ;  that  it  hath  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  in  it ;  and  for  a  proof  of  the  same, 
saith  he,  turn  thy  mind  inward,  and  listen  within, 
and  see  if  there  be  not  that  within  thee  that  doth 
convince  of  sin :  Now  the  poor  soul ;  finding  this 
to  be  so,  all  on  haste  (if  it  be  willing  to  profess) 
through  ignorance  of  the  Gospel,  claps  in  with 
these  motions  of  its  own  conscience,  which  doth 
command  to  abstain  from  this  evil,  and  to  practise 
that  good ;  which,  if  neglected,  will  accuse  and 
torment  for  the  same  neglect  of  others,  both  now 
and  hereafter.  Uo.  ii.  15. 

Now  the  soul  seeing  that  there  is  something 
within  that  convinceth  of  sin,  doth  all  on  a  sudden 
close  with  that,  supposing  it  is  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
and  so  through  this  mistake,  is  carried  away  with 
the  teachings  and  convictions  of  its  own  conscience, 
(being  misinformed  by  the  devil)  unto  the  works 
of  the  law  ;  xmder  which,  though  it  work  all  its 
days,  and  labour  with  its  might  and  main,  yet  it 
never  will  be  able  to  appease  the  wrath  of  God, 
nor  get  from  under  the  curse  of  the  law,  nor  get 
from  under  the  guilt  of  one  sinful  thought  the 
right  way,  which  is  to  be  done  by  believing  what 
another  man  hath  done  by  himself,  without  us,  on 
the  cross,  without  the  gates  of  Jerusalem.  He.  i.  2, 3. 
Eo.  V.  15.  See  also  for  this,  1  Pe.  ii.  2i.  He.  xiii.  12.  The 
one  saith.  He  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the 
tree  ;  the  other  saith.  It  was  done  without  the 
gate. 

And  thus  the  poor  soul  is  most  horribly  carried 
away  headlong,  and  thrown  down  violently  under 
the  curse  of  the  law,  under  which  it  is  held  all  its 
days,  if  God  of  his  mere  mercy  prevent  not  ;  and 
at  the  end  of  its  life  doth  fall  into  the  very  belly 
of  hell. 

Again,  That  the  devil  might  be  sure  to  carry  on 
his  design,  he  now  begins  to  counterfeit  the  work 
of  grace :  Here  he  is  very  subtil,  and  doth  trans- 


SOME  GOSPEL 

form  himself  into  an  angel  of  light.  2  Co.  xi.  14.  Now 
he  makes  the  soul  behove  that  he  is  its  friend,  and 
that  he  is  a  gospel  minister ;  and  if  the  soul  will  be 
led  by  what  shall  be  made  known  unto  it  by  the 
light  (or  conscience)  within,  it  shall  not  need  to 
fear  but  it  shall  do  AveU, 

Now  he  counterfeits  the  new  birth,  persuading 
them,  that  it  is  wrought  by  following  the  light 
that  they  brought  into  the  world  with  them.  Now 
he  begins  also  to  make  them  run  through  difficul- 
ties :  and  now,  like  Baal's  priests,  they  must  lance 
themselves  with  knives,  &c.  Now,  1656,  quakers 
are  changed  to  the  laws  of  the  world.  Now  they 
must  wear  no  hatbands  ;  now  they  must  live  with 
bread  and  water;  now  they  must  give  heed  to 
seducing  spirits,  and  doctrines  of  devils,  which  bids 
them  abstain  from  marriage,  and  commands  them 
to  abstain  from  meats,  which  God  hath  created  to 
be  received  with  thanksgiving,  of  them  which  love 
and  know  the  truth,  as  in  l  Ti.  iv.  1—3.  Now  they 
must  not  speak,  except  their  spirit  moves  them,  (I 
do  not  say  the  Spirit  of  Christ)  though  when  it 
moves,  they  will  speak  such  sad  blasphemies,  and 
vent  such  horrible  doctrines,  that  it  makes  me 
wonder  to  see  the  patience  of  God,  in  that  he  doth 
not  command,  either  the  groimd  to  open  her  mouth, 
and  swallow  them  up,  or  else  suffer  the  devil  to 
fetch  them  away  aUve,  to  the  astonishment  of  the 
whole  world. 

Object.  But  you  will  say,  doth  not  the  scripture 
say,  that  it  is  the  Spirit  of  Christ  that  doth  make 
manifest  or  convince  of  sin?  Jn.  xri.  8. 

Aiisw.  Yes,  it  doth  so.  But  for  the  better 
understanding  of  this  place,  I  shall  lay  down  this ; 
namely.  That  there  are  two  things  spoken  of  in  the 
scriptures,  which  do  manifest  sin,  or  convince  of 
sin.  First,  The  law,  as  saith  the  Apostle.  Ro.  iu. 
20.  '  Therefore  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  there  shall 
no  flesh  be  justified  in  his  sight:  [viz.,  God's 
sight :  ]  for  by  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin. '  Se- 
condly, The  Spirit  of  Christ  doth  make  manifest,  or 
reprove  of  sin,  as  it  is  written.  Jn.xvi.8,9.  'And 
when  he  (the  Spirit)  is  come,  he  wUl  reprove  the 
world  of  sm,  and  of  righteousness,  and  of  judg- 
ment: Of  sin,  because  they  believe  not  on  me;' 
saith  the  Son  of  Mary,  which  is  Christ. 

Now  the  law  doth  sometimes  by  its  own  power 
manifest  sin  without  the  Spirit  of  Christ;  as  in 
the  case  of  Judas,  who  was  convinced  of  the  sin  of 
mm-der,  Avhich  made  him  cry  out,  '  I  have  sinned ; ' 
„        ^       ,    yet  at  that  time  he  was  so  far  fi-om 

He         hanged    •'  r-    •   •         n   r^T     ■        •      t  ■ 

himself  inirae-  havino-  the  Spirit  ot  Christ  m  him, 
iiat!  xxvii'.  3r^  that  he  was  most  violently  possessed 
^-  of  the  devil.  Lu.  .xxii.  3, 4. 

Again,  Sometimes  the  Spirit  of  Christ  takes 
the  law,  and  doth  effectually  convince  of  sin,  of 
righteovisness,  and  judgment  to  come. 

Query.  But  you  will  say,  How  should  I  know 

VOL.  II. 


TRUTHS  OPENED.  ^53 

whether  I  am  convinced  by  the  law  alone,  or  that 
the  law  is  set  home  effectually  by  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  upon  my  conscience? 

Ans.  1.  Unto  this  I  answer.  First,  When  the 
law  doth  convince  by  its  own  poM-er,  without  the 
help  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  it  doth  only  convince 
of  sins  against  the  law,  as  of  swearing,  lyino-, 
stealing,  murdering,  adultery,  covetousncss,  and 
the  hke.  I  say,  it  doth  only  make  manifest  sins 
against  the  law,  pronouncing  a  horrible  curse, 
against  thee,  if  thou  fulfil  it  not,  and  so  leaves 
thee ;  but  it  gives  thee  no  strength  to  fulfil  it  com- 
pletely, and  continually,  (which  thou  must  do,  if 
thou  wilt  be  saved  thereby).  Now  thy  o^ti  strength 
being  insufficient  for  these  things,  having  lost  it  in 
Adam,  thou  art  a  breaker  of  the  law.  Here  the 
law  finds  thee  in  thy  sins,  and  condemns  thee  for 
thy  sins :  But  gives  thee  no  power  to  come  wholly 
out  of  them  ;  neither  doth  it  shew  thee  thy  right 
Saviour,  to  save  thee  from  them  (which  is  the  Son 
of  the  Virgin  Mary,  the  man  Christ  Jesus)  but 
commands  thee  upon  pain  of  eternal  damnation,  to 
continue  in  aU  things  that  are  written  in  the  book 
of  the  law  to  do  them.  Ga.  iii.  10.  And  therefore  if 
thou  hast  been  convinced  of  no  other  sins,  but  what 
are  against  the  law,  for  aU  thy 

.    , .  11  <.  Tot  a  (farther)  proof  hereof 

convictions  and  horror  ot   con-      take  tlie  carria-e  of  the 

science,  thou  mayest  be  but  a  ^S'whfwMe'tS 
natural  man,  at  the  best,  and     trusted  iu  Moses,  cmcified 

Jesus.  1  Co.  u.  8. 

SO  under  the  curse. 

(Obj.)  But,  perhaps  thou  wilt  say,  I  am  not  only 
convinced  of  my  sins  against  the  law,  but  I  have 
also  some  power  against  my  sins,  so  that  I  do  in 
some  considerable  measure  abstain  from  those 
things  that  are  forbidden  in  the  law. 

{A'us.)  This  thou  mayest  have,  and  do,  as  thou 
thinkest,  perfectly,  as  those  blind  Pharisees  called 
quakers,  do  think  that  they  also  do,  and  yet  be  but 
a  natural  man  :  And  therefore  I  pray  consider  that 
place,  in  Ko.  ii.  14, 15.  the  Apostle  there  speaks  on  this 
wise,  concerning  the  Gentiles'  obedience  to  the  law, 
'  For  when  the  Gentiles,  which  have  not  the  law, 
do  by  nature  the  things  contained  in  the  law,  these, 
having  not  the  law,  are  a  law  unto  themselves  : 
Which  shew  the  work  of  the  law  written  in  their 
hearts.'  ^Miich  work  of  the  law,  Christ  as  he  is 
God,  hath  enlightened  every  one  withal,  that  Com- 
eth into  the  world,  Jn.  i.  9.  which,  as  the  quakers 
say,  doth  convince  of  sin,  yet  of  no  other  than  sins 
against  the  law :  and  therefore  must  needs  be  all 
one  light  or  law ;  for  *  the  law  is  hght, '  Pr.  vi.  23. 
and  gives  'the  knowledge  of  sin.' Ko.  iii.  20.  And 
therefore,  as  I  said  before,  so  say  I  now  again,  if 
thy  convictions  are  no  other  than  for  the  sins 
against  the  law,  though  thy  obedience  be  the  strict- 
est that  ever  was  wrought  by  any  man,  (except 
the  Lord  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary)  thou  art  at  the 
best  but  mider  the  law,  and  so  consequently  mider 
U 


154  SO]\IE  GOSPEL 

t 
the  curse,  and  under  the  wrath  of  God,  whether 
thou  believest  it  or  not.  Ga.  iii.  lO.  Jn.  iii.  36. 

Ans.  2.  But  now  the  second  thing,  how  thou 
shouldest  know,  whether  the  Spirit  of  Christ  doth 
effectually  set  home  the  law  upon  thy  conscience, 
or  not ;  and  therefore  to  speak  directly  to  it,  if  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God,  doth  set 
home  the  law  effectually ;  then  the  same  Spirit  of 
Christ  shews  thee  more  sin  than  the  sins  against 
the  law.     For, 

(1.)  It  shews  thee,  that  'all  our  righteousnesses 
are  as  filthy  rags.'  is.  Mv.  6.  Thou  seest  all  thy 
praying,  meditation,  hearing,  reading,  alms-deeds, 
fasting,  reformation,  and  whatsoever  else  thou  hast 
done,  doest,  or  canst  do,  being  an  unbeliever,  de- 
serves at  the  hands  of  God  his  curse  and  condem- 
nation, and  that  for  ever  :  And  therefore  thou  art 
so  far  from  trusting  to  it,  that  in  some  measure 
thou  even  loathest  it,  and  art  ashamed  of  it,  as 
being  a  thing  abominable,  both  in  God's  sight  and 
thine  own.  PM.  iii.  8.  Thou  countest  thy  own  per- 
formances, when  at  best,  and  thine  own  righteous- 
ness, A  bed  too  short  to  stretch  thyself  upon,  and 
a  covering  too  narrow  to  wrap  thyself  in.  is.  xxviii.  20. 
And  these  things  thou  seest  not  *overly,  or  slight- 
\y,  and  as  at  a  great  distance,  but  really  and  seri- 
ously, and  the  sense  of  them  sticks  close  unto 
thee. 

(2.)  It  shews  thee  that  thou  hast  no  faith  in  the 
man  Christ  Jesus  by  nature,  and  that  though  thou 
hadst  no  other  sins,  yet  thou  art  in  a  perishing- 
state  because  of  unbelief,  according  to  that  16th 
of  John,  ver,  9,  *  Of  sin,  because  they  believe  not 
on  me.'  If  therefore  thou  hast  been  convinced 
aright  by  the  Spirit,  thou  hast  seen  that  thou  hadst 
no  faith  in  Christ  the  Son  of  Mary,  the  Son  of  God, 
before  conversion.  It  shews  thee  also,  that  thou 
canst  not  believe  in  thine  own  strength,  though 
thou  wouldest  never  so  willingly;  yea,  though 
thou  wouldest  give  all  the  world  (if  thou  hadst  it) 
to  believe,  thou  couldest  not. 

(3.)  In  the  next  place  it  will  shew  thee,  that  if 
thou  doest  not  believe  in  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  and 
that  with  'the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God,'  Coi. 

ii.  12.  thou  wilt  surely  perish,  and  that 
Because  faith  IS        -a       ^  ^  a  1       •      ■■ 

thegiftofGod.  Without  remedy  ;  Also  it  shews  thee, 
Ep.^ii.  8.  Phd.  tiiat  if  thou  liast  not  that  righteous- 
ness, which  the  man  Christ  Jesus  ac- 
complished in  his  own  person  for  sinners ;  I  say, 
if  thou  be  not  clothed  with  that  instead  of  thine 
own,  thou  art  gone  for  ever ;  and  therefore  saith 
Christ,  (speaking  of  the  Spirit)  'When  he  is  come 
he  will  reprove  the  world  of  sin,  and  of  righteous- 
ness' too.  Ju.  xvi.  8.  That  is,  the  Spirit  shall  con- 
vince men  and  women  of  the  sufficiency  of  that 
righteousness  that  Christ,  in  his  human  nature. 


•  Overly/ carelessly,  sliglitly;  obsolete. — Eu. 


TRUTHS  OPENED. 

hath  fulfilled:  So  that  they  need  not  run  to  the 
law  for  righteousness :  '  For  Christ  is  the  end  of 
the  law  for  righteousness,  to  every  one  that  believ- 
eth.  Ro.  X.  4.  Again,  if  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  settetl. 
home  the  law  upon  thy  conscience,  thou  wilt  freely 
confess,  that  although  the  law  curseth,  and  con- 
demneth  thee  for  thy  sins,  and  gives  thee  no  power 
either  to  fulfil  it,  or  to  come  out  of  thy  sins :  Yet 
God  is  just  in  giving  that  law,  and  '  the  law  is 
holy,  and  the  commandment  holy,  and  just,  and 
good. '  Ro.  vii.  12. 

(4.)  Lastly,  It  also  convinceth  of  judgment  to 
come :  He  (viz.  the  Spirit)  shall  reprove  the  world 
of  sin,  of  righteousness,  yea,  and  of  judgment  too. 
Ac.xxiv.25.  Then  doth  the  soul  see,  that  that  very 
man  that  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  crucified 
upon  the  cross  without  the  gates  of  Jerusalem, 
shall  so  come  again  ;  even  that  same  Jesus,  in 
like  manner  as  he  was  seen  to  go  up  from  his  dis- 
ciples. Ac.  i.  11.  Yea,  they  that  are  thus  convinced 
by  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  know  that  God  'Lath  ap- 
pointed a  day,  in  the  which  he  will  judge  the  Avorld 
in  righteousness,  by  that  man  whom  he  hath  ordain- 
ed :  Ac.  xvii.  31.  which  is  the  man  Christ  Jesus :  For 
'it  is  he  which  was  ordained  of  God  to  be  the  judge 
of  quick  and  dead. '  Ac.  x.  42. 

And  now,  0  man,  or  woman,  whoever  thou  art, 
that  art  savingly  convinced  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
thou  hast  such  an  endless  desire  after  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  that  thou  canst  not  be  satisfied  or 
content  with  anything  below  the  blood  of  the  Son 
of  God  to  purge  thy  conscience  withal;  even  that 
blood  that  was  shed  without  the  gate.  He.  xiii.  12.  and 
Lx.  14.  Also  thou  canst  not  be  at  quiet,  till  thou 
dost  see  by  true  faith,  that  the  righteousness  of 
the  Son  of  Mary  is  imputed  unto  thee,  and  put  upon 
thee.  Ro.  iii.  21—23.  Then  also  thou  canst  not  be  at 
quiet,  till  thou  hast  power  over  thy  lusts,  and  cor- 
ruptions, till  thou  hast  brought  them  into  subjec- 
tion to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Then  thou  wilt 
never  think  that  thou  hast  enough  faith.  No, 
thou  wilt  be  often  crying  out.  Lord,  give  me  more 
precious  faith  :  Lord,  more  faith  in  thy  righteous- 
ness ;  more  faith  in  thy  blood  and  death ;  more 
faith  in  thy  resurrection:  And  Lord,  more  faith  in 
this,  that  thou  art  now  at  the  right  hand  of  thy 
father  in  thy  human  nature,  making  intercession 
for  me  a  miserable  sinner.  Jn.  xvi.  5—7.  i  Ti.  ii.  5.  He. 
vii.  24,  25.  And  then,  0  poor  soul,  if  thou  comest  but- 
hither,  thou  wilt  never  have  an  itching  ear  after 
another  gospel.  Nay,  thou  wilt  say,  if  a  presbyter, 
or  anabaptist,  or  independent,  or  ranter,  or  quaker, 
or  papist,  or  pope,  or  an  angel  from  heaven,  preach 
any  other  doctrine,  let  him  be  accursed,  again  and 
again.  Ga.  i.  8.  And  thus  have  I  briefly  shewed 
you. 

First,  How  Christ,  as  he  is  God,  doth  enlighten 
every  man  that  comes  into  the  world. 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


155 


Secondly,  What  this  light  will  do,  viz.  shew  them 
that  there  is  a  God,  by  the  things  that  are  made  ; 
and  that  this  God  must  be  worshipped.  Ro.  i.  20. 

Thirdly,  I  have  shewed  you  the  difference  be- 
tween that  ligM  and  the  Spirit  of  Christ  the  Sa- 
viour. 

Fourthly,  I  have  also  shewed  you,  how  3'ou 
should  know  the  one  from  the  other,  by  their 
several  effects. 

The  first  light  convinces  of  sins,  but  of  none 
other  than  sins  against  the  law ;  neither  doth  it 
shew  the  soul  a  Saviour,  or  deliver  (for  that  is  the 
work  of  the  Spirit)  from  the  curse  wherewith  it 
doth  curse  it.  But  I  shewed  you,  that  when  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  comes  and  works  effectually,  it 
doth  not  only  shew  men  their  sms  against  the  law, 
but  also  shews  them  their  lost  condition,  if  they 
believe  not  in  the  righteousness,  blood,  death,  re- 
surrection, and  intercession  of  Jesus  Christ,  the 
Son  of  Llary,  the  Son  of  God.  Jn.  vi.  44.  and  xvi.  24.  Mat. 
iii.  17.  He.  i.  9.  And  thus  much  I  thought  necessary 
to  be  spoken  at  this  time,  touching  the  natm-e  of 
conviction. 

Third.  I«Jow  in  the  Third  Place.  Though  I 
have  spoken  something  to  this  thing  already, 
namely,  concerning  our  Lord  the  Saviour,  yet 
again,  in  few  words,  through  grace,  I  shall  shew, 
that  he  was  made,  that  is,  born  of  a  Avoman,  and 
made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them  that  are  un- 
der the  law.  My  meaning  is.  That  God  is  our 
Saviour. 

First,  And  for  this,  see  is.  xiv.  15.  where  you  have 
these  words,  '  Verily,  thou  art  a  God  that  hidest 
thyself,  0  God  of  Israel,  the  Saviour:'  Andver.21, 
Zi.  you  have  tliese  words,  '  Wlio  hath  declared  this 
from  ancient  time  ?  -  -  Have  not  I  the  Lord  ?  And 
there  is  no  God  else  beside  me ;  a  just  God  and  a 
Saviour ;  there  is  none  beside  me.  Look  imto  me, 
and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  : '  Why, 
who  art  thou  ?  '  For  I  am  God,  and  tliere  is  none 
else. '  Also  in  is.  Uv.  5.  '  For  thy  Maker  is  thine 
husband  ;  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name ;  and  thy 
Redeemer  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  ;  the  God  of  the 
whole  earth  shall  he  be  called. '  Read  also  ver.  g— s. 
of  that  chapter.  I  could  abundantly  multiply 
scriptures  to  prove  this  to  be  truth,  but  I  shall 
only  mind  you  of  two  or  three,  and  so  pass  on ; 
the  first  is  in  Jude,  ver.  25.  '  To  the  only  wise  God 
our  Saviour  he  glory. '  And  Ac.  x.x.  23.  Jn.  m.  16;  1  Jn.  v. 
20. 

Object.  But  you  will  say.  How  is  God  a  Sa\dour 
of  sinners,  seeing  his  eyes  are  so  pm"e  that  he  can- 
not behold  iniquity;  Hab.  i.  13. 

Answ.  For  answer  hereunto.  '  "When  the  fulness 
of  the  time  was  come'  wherein  the  salvation  of  sin- 
ners should  be  actually  wrought  out,  '  God  sent 
forth  his  Son,  (which  Son  is  equal  with  the  Father, 
Jn.  i.  1.  xvii.  5.  and  x.  30.)  made  of  a  woman,  made  under 


the  law,'  (that  is,  he  was  subject  to  the  power  and 
curse  of  the  law)  to  this  end,  '  to  redeem  them  that 
(are,  or)  were  under  the  law, 'ca.  iv.  4, 5.  that  is,  to  deli- 
ver us  'from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a  curse 
for  us.'  Ga.iii.  13.  From  whence  take  notice,  that 
when  the  salvation  of  sinners  was  to  be  actually 
wrought  out,  then  God  sent  forth  the  everlustii)o- 
Son  of  his  love  into  the  world,  clothed  with  the 
human  nature,  according  to  that  in  Jn.  i.  14.  He.  u.  14. 
and  1  Ti.  iii.  16.  which  saith,  'God  was  manifest  in  the 
flesh,'  that  is,  took  flesh  upon  him. 

Second,  This  Son  of  God,  which  is  equal  with 
the  Father,  did  in  that  flesh,  which  he  took  upon 
him,  completely  fulfil  the  whole  law:  So  that  the 
Apostle  saith,  '  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for 
righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth.'  Ro.  x.  4. 
This  righteousness  which  this  Christ  did  accom- 
plish, is  called,  '  The  righteousness  of  God. '  Ro.  Ui. 
23.  This  righteousness  of  God,  is  by  the  faith  of 
Jesus  Christ,  unto  all,  and  upon  all  them  that  be- 
lieve :  My  meaning  is,  it  is  imputed  to  so  many  as 
shaU  by  faith  lay  hold  on  it.  This  is  also  part  of 
the  meaning  of  that  speech  of  the  Apostle:  'As 
many  of  you  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ, 
have  put  on  Christ. '  Ga.  iii.  27.  That  is,  by  faith 
have  put  on  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  with  the 
rest  of  that  which  Christ  hath  bestowed  upon  you, 
having  accomplished  it  for  you.  This  is  also  the 
meaning  of  the  Apostle,  Co.  ii.  9, 10.  where  he  saith, 
'  for  in  him  (that  is  the  Son  of  Jlary,  cimp.  i.  13,  u.) 
dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  godhead  bodily. 
And  ye  are  complete  in  him. '  That  is,  in  his  obe- 
dience and  righteousness ;  which  also  the  Apostle 
himself  doth  so  hard  press  after,  Phil.  iii.  8, 9.  say- 
ing, '  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  ht'.t  loss,  for 
the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus 
my  Lord ;'  which  Lord  was  crucified  by  the  Jews, 
as  it  is  in  1  Co.  ii.  8.  '  for  whom,  (that  is  for  Christ,) 
I  have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things  (as  well  the 
righteousness  of  the  law,  in  which  I  was  blameless, 
piiii.  iii.  6.  as  all  other  things)  and  do  count  them  hvt 
dung,  that  I  may  win  Christ:  And  be  found  in 
him,  not  having  mine  o^vn  righteousness,  which  is 
of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of 
Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith :' 
which  is  '  unto  all,  and  upon  all  them  that  believe.' 
Ro.  iii.  22.  That  place  also  in  the  ninth  of  Daniel, 
ver.  24,  25,  lioldeth  forth  as  much  where  prophe- 
sying of  the  Messias,  he  saith,  that  it  is  he  that 
came  '  to  finish  the  transgression,  and  to  make  an 
end  of  sins,  and  to  make  reconciliation  for  iniquity, 
and  to  bring  in  everlasting  righteousness.'  Now 
that  the  righteousness  of  the  Son  of  jMary  is  it, 
mind  the  26th  verse,  where  he  saith  thus,  '  And 
after  threescore  and  two  weeks  shall  Messiah  be 
cut  ofi",'  that  is,  Christ  shall  be  crucified,  '  but  not 
for  himself, '  that  is,  not  for  any  sin  that  he  hath 
committed ;  for  he  committed  none.     Then  surely. 


156 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


it  must  be  for  the  sins  of  the  people,  Jn.  xi.  50.  as 
the  high  priest  said,  *  It  is  expedient  for  us  that 
one  man  should  die  for  the  people, '  Avhich  man  was 
the  true  IMessias,  Da.  Lv.  24.  which  also  is  the  Son  of 
Mary.  Mat.  i.  18— 23.  And  the  Son  of  God,  Mat.  iii.17. 
And  also  the  true  God,  iJn.v.  20.  And  this  Mes- 
sias,  this  Son  of  the  Virgin,  this  Son  of  God,  this 
true  God,  did  not  die  for  himself,  for  he  had  not 
offended ;  neither  did  he  fulfil  the  law  or  finish 
transgression,  and  bring  in  everlasting  righteous- 
ness for  himself,  for  he  had  not  sinned,  l  Pe.  ii.  22. 
therefore  it  must  of  necessity  follow,  that  this  righ- 
teousness of  God,  this  everlasting  righteousness,  is 
imputed  to  all,  and  upon  all  them  that  believe.  Ro. 

iii.  22;  3  Co.  v.  19—21.      But, 

Tldrdly,  this  Messias,  this  Son  of  Mary,  this  Son 
of  God,  this  true  God,  he  was  put  to  death  for  the 
sins  that  his  children  had  committed,  according 
to  that  saying,  '  Herein  perceive  we  the  love  of 
God,  because  he  laid  down  his  life  for  us. '  l  Jn.  iii.  IG. 
Also  in  Ac.  XX.  28.  the  apostle  speaking  to  the  pastors 
of  the  churches,  saith,  '  feed  the  church  of  God, 
which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood. '    See 

also   Zee.  xii.  10. 

Now,  I  would  not  be  mistaken.  I  do  not  think, 
or  say,  that  he  died  in  his  divine  nature,  but  as  it 
is  written,  he  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree  did  bear 
OUT  sins ;  l  Pe.  ii.  24.  which  tree  was  the  cross.  Col.  ii. 
14.  And  as  the  apostle  saith  again,  who  '  when  he 
had  by  himself  purged  our  sins,  sat  down  on  the 
right  hand  of  the  majesty  on  high. '  He.  i.  3.  And 
again,  the  apostle  speaking  of  this  glorious  God, 
saith  on  this  wise,  (being  before  speaking  of  his 
godhead)  in  Col.  i.  19-22.  '  For  it  pleased  tite  Father 
that  in  him  should  all  fulness  dwell ;  and  having 
made  peace  through  the  blood  of  his  cross  by  him 
to  reconcile  all  things  to  himself:  by  him,  /  say, 
whether  they  he  things  in  earth,  or  things  in  heaven. 
And  you,  who  were  sometime  alienated  and  enemies 
in  your  mind  by  wicked  works,  yet  now  hath  he 
reconciled.'  But  how?  Why  in  ver. 23.  he  tells 
you,  that  it  is  '  in  the  body  of  his  flesh  through 
death,  to  present  you  holy  and  unblameable  and 
unreprovable  in  his  sight.'  That  is,  Christ,  who 
is  the  true  God,  after  that  he  had  finished  all  actual 
obedience  on  earth,  did  in  the  power  and  strength 
of  his  godhead,  Ju.  xix.  so  and  x.  is.  yield  up  himself 
to  the  wrath  of  his  Father,  which  was  due  to  poor 
sinners  (and  that  Avillingly)  is.  bdii.  3.  [see  He.  ix.  14. 
and  read  that  verse  with  understanding]  accordino- 
to  that  saying  in  i  Pe.  iii.  18.  '  For  Christ  also  hath 
once  suffered  for  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust:' 
That  is,  the  Son  of  God  for  poor  sinners :  '  that 
he  might  bring  us  to  God,  being  put  to  death  in 
the  flesh,  but  quickened  by  the  Spirit.'  Again, 
lPe.iv.l.  •  Forasmuch  then  as  Christ  hath  suffered 
for  us  (not  for  himself  l)a.  ix.  2g.)  in  the  flesh,  (in  his 
own  body  which  he  tookof  the  Virgin, i  Pe.  ii.  24.)  arm 


yourselves  likewise  with  the  same  mind : '  That  is, 
let  us  die  to  sin  as  he  did,  that  we  might  live  to 
God  as  he  did,  and  doth.  Ro.  vi.  lo.  And  thus  have 
I  briefly  showed  you, 

I.  That  the  Son  of  Mary  is  very  God. 

II.  That  he  made  the  world. 

III.  That  he  is  our  Saviour,  and  how. 

IV.  That  he  died  for  sinners,  and  how,  namely, 
not  in  his  divine  nature,  but  in  his  human,  in  his 
own  body,  and  in  his  own  flesh.  Col.  i.  22.  redeeming 
his  church  with  his  own  blood,  Ac.  xx.  28.  and  with 
his  own  life,    l  Jn.  iii.  16.  Jn.  X.  18. 

We  shall  now  pass  on  to  some  other  things  (the 
Lord  willing)  touching  his  burial,  resurrection, 
ascension,  intercession,  second  coming,  resurrection 
of  the  body,  and  eternal  judgment. 

His  BURIAL  PROVED. — I  shall  prove  by  several 
scriptures  that  he  was  buried,  and  so  pass  on. 
Therefore  see  that  place.  Mat  xxvii.  ver.  57.  and  so  for- 
ward. After  that  Jesus  the  Son  of  God  had  been 
crucified  a  while,  he  gave  up  the  ghost ;  that  is, 
he  died ;  and  after  he  had  been  awhile  dead,  Joseph 
of  Arimathea  went  in  to  Pilate,  and  begged  the 
body  of  Jesus,  and  Pilate  gave  consent  thereto. 
And  Joseph  took  the  body  of  Jesus  and  wrapped 
it  in  clean  linen,  and  laid  it  (viz.  the  body  of  Jesus) 
in  his  own  tomb,  and  rolled  a  stone  upon  the  mouth 
of  the  sepulchre,  and  departed.  Also  in  Lu.  xxiii. 
51—53.  The  apostle  Paul  also  teacheth  so  much, 
1  Cor.  XV.  3, 4.  where  he  saith,  '  For  I  delivered  unto 
you  first  of  all  that  Avhich  I  also  received,  how  that 
Christ  died  for  our  sins  according  to  the  scripture ; 
And  that  he  was  buried. '  Again,  in  Ac.  xiii.  29.  the 
apostle  speaking  there  of  Jesus  Christ,  saith,  '  And 
when  they  had  fulfilled  all  that  was  written  of  him, 
they  took  him  down  from  the  tree,  and  laid  hiin  in 
a  sepulchre. '  And  so  much  touching  the  burial  of 
Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God. 

Resurrection.  In  the  next  place,  I  am  to  prove, 
That  that  very  man,  whom  the  Jews  did  crucify 
between  two  thieves,  called  Jesus  Christ,  did  rise 
again.  That  very  man,  with  that  very  body  where- 
with he  was  crucified  upon  the  cross,  did  rise  again 
out  of  the  grave  in  which  he  was  laid.  And  this 
I  shall  prove  ] .  by  scripture,  2.  by  the  testimony 
of  angels,  3.  by  Christ's  own  words  after  he  was 
risen,  and  4.  by  the  testimony  of  the  apostles  in 
the  scripture. 

First  therefore  consider,  Ps.  xvi.  verse  10.  where  the 
prophet  speaks  on  this  wise  of  Christ's  resurrec- 
tion ;  '  For  thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell ; 
neither  wilt  thou  suffer  thine  Holy  One  to  see  cor- 
ruption.'    W^hich  words  the  Apostle  Peter  cites  in 

Ac.  ii.  from  ver.  22  to  32.  also  Is.  xxvi.  19.   in    the   person    of 

Christ  saith,  '  Thy  dead  men  shall  live,  together 
with  my  dead  body  shall  they  arise. '  See  also  Ju. 
XX.  15, 16.  where  mention  is  made  of  his  appearing  unto 
Mary  Magdalen,  and  he  called  her  IMary,  and  she 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


157 


called  him  master;  which  signifies  that  he  was 
risen,  and  that  she  knew  him  after  his  resurrection ; 
for  he  was  come  out  of  the  grave,  see  ver.  6,7, 8. 
Again,  another  scripture  is  that  in  Lu.  xxiv.  l— 3. 
The  disciples  of  Jesus  coming  to  the  sepulchre, 
thinking  to  anoint  the  body  of  Jesus,  found  the 
stone  that  was  on  the  mouth  of  the  sepulchre 
rolled  away ;  and  when  they  went  in,  they  found 
not  the  body  of  the  Lord  Jesus ;  and  at  this  they 
were  troubled  and  perplexed,  ver.  4.  But  as  two  of 
them  went  up  to  Emmaus,  and  were  talking  of 
what  had  befallen  to  Jesus,  Jesus  himself  drew 
near,  and  went  with  them,  ver.  15.  Another  scrip- 
ture is  that  in  Mar.  xvi.  ver.  9.  which  saith  on  this  wise, 
'  Kow  when  Jesus  was  risen  early  the  first  day  of 
the  week,  he  appeared  first  to  Mary  Magdalen,  out 
of  wh6m  he  had  cast  seven  devils. '  Where  take 
notice  how  the  Holy  Ghost  lays  it  down  in  these 
words,  out  of  whom  he  had  cast  seven  devils.  To 
intimate  to  us  the  certainty,  that  it  was  the  same 
Jesus  that  was  born  of  the  virgin  Mary,  who  did 
many  miracles,  and  cured  many  diseases,  who  did 
also  cast  seven  devils  out  of  Mary  Magdalen,  that 
did  rise  again.  Yea,  saith  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  was 
the  same  Jesus  that  did  work  such  a  wonderful 
miracle  on  Mary,  he  appeared  to  her  first,  out  of 
whom  he  had  cast  seven  devils.  And  let  these 
scriptures  suflice  to  prove  the  resurrection  of  the 
Son  of  God. 

Second,  you  shaU  have  the  testimony  of  the  holy 
angels  also  by  the  scriptures.  And  first  look  into 
Mar. xvi  3—7.  the  words  are  these,  'And  they  (viz. 
the  disciples)  said  among  themselves,  Who  shall 
roll  us  away  the  stone .?  '  They  had  a  good  mind 
to  see  their  Lord,  but  they  could  not,  as  they 
thought,  get  away  the  stone  which  covered  the 
mouth  of  the  sepulchre.  *  And  when  they  looked 
(that  is,  towards  the  sepiUchre)  they  saw  that  the 
stone  was  rolled  away :  for  it  was  very  great.  And 
entering  into  the  sepulchre,  they  saw  a  young  man 
(that  is,  an  angel)  sitting  on  the  right  side,  clothed 
in  a  long  white  garment ;  And  they  (the  disciples) 
were  affrighted.  And  he  saith  unto  them.  Be  not 
aft'righted  (you  have  no  cause  for  it)  Ye  seek  Jesus 
of  Nazareth,  which  was  crucified :  he  is  risen,  he 
is  not  here  ;  behold  the  place  where  they  laid  him.' 
What  scripture  can  be  plainer  spoken  than  this? 
Here  is  an  angel  of  the  Lord  ready  to  satisfy  the 
disciples  of  Jesus,  that  he  was  risen  from  the  dead. 
And  lest  they  should  think  it  was  not  the  right 
Jesus  he  spoke  of,  Yes,  saith  he,  it  is  the  same 
Jesu=!  that  you  mean ;  you  seek  Jesus  of  Nazareth, 
do  you  not  ?  Why  he  is  ris.en,  he  is  not  here.  But 
do  you  speak  seriously,  and  in  good  earnest?  Yea 
surely,  if  you  will  not  believe  me,  behold  the  place 
where  they  laid  him.  This  scripture,  or  testimony 
is  very  clear  to  our  purpose.  But  again,  the  next 
place  is  in  Mat.  xxviii.  ver.  3— 7.     Iq  the  third  verse 


there  is  an  angel  (as  before)  bearing  witness  of  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus.  '  His  countenance  was  liko 
lightning,  and  his  raiment  white  as  snow :  And  for 
fear  of  him  the  keepers  did  shake,  and  became  as 
dead  men.  And  the  angel  answered  and  said 
unto  them,  (viz.  to  the  women  who  came  to  seek 
Jesus)  Fear  not  ye : '  but  let  them  that  seek  to  keep 
the  Lord  in  his  grave  fear  if  they   „,  .,      ,,  , 

.                                 °                                    •'  They  are  they  that 

Will  ;    for   you    have    no  ground    of  liad  need    to    fear 

j<             1              IT                1  '•nd    tremble,    lor 

tear,  who  seek  J  eSUS  who  was  cru-  tlu-y  deny  the  faith 

cified;  He  is  not  here,  for  he  is  <"' ^'''e  Son  of  God. 
risen  ;  he  cannot  be  in  body  here  and  risen  too :  If 
you  will  not  believe  me,  come,  see  where  the  Lord 
lay,  and  go  quickly  and  tell  his  disciples  that  he 
is  risen  from  the  dead ;  and  behold,  he  gocth 
before  you  into  Galilee,  there  shall  you  see  him. 
But  shall  we  be  sure  of  it?  Yea,  saith  the  angel, 
Lo,  it  is  I  that  have  told  you.  See  how  plainly 
this  scripture  also  doth  testify  of  Christ  his  resur- 
rection. Here,  saith  the  angel,  you  seek  a  Saviour 
and  none  will  content  you  but  he,  even  the  same 
that  was  crucified :  Well  you  shall  have  him,  but 
he  is  not  here.  Why,  where  is  he  then  ?  He  is 
risen  from  the  dead.  But  are  you  sure  it  is  the 
same  that  we  look  for?  Yea,  it  is  the  same  that 
was  crucified,  ver.  5.  But  where  should  we  find 
him?  Why,  he  goeth  before  you  into  Galilee, 
where  he  used  to  be  in  his  life-time,  before  he 
was  crucified :  And  that  you  might  be  sure  of  it, 
there  to  find  him,  know  that  he  is  an  angel  of  God 
that  hath  told  you.  ver.  7.  And  thus  have  you  in 
brief  the  testimony  of  the  angels  of  God,  to  witness 
that  Jesus  the  Son  of  the  virgin,  the  Son  of  God, 
is  risen  from  the  dead. 

Object.  But  you  will  say,  might  they  not  be 
deceived?  Might  not  their  eyes  dazzle,  and  they 
might  think  they  did  see  such  a  thing,  when  indeed 
there  was  no  such  matter? 

Ans.  Well,  because  it  is  so  difficult  a  matter,  to 
be  persuaded  of  the  truth  of  this  thing,  that  Christ 
is  raised  again  out  of  the  grave,  that  very  man, 
with  that  very  body ;  though  these  things  that  have 
been  already  spoken,  might  be  enough  (througli 
grace)  to  satisfy,  yet  because  of  the  unbelief  of 
some,  we  shall  turn  to  some  more  of  those  infallible 
proofs  that  are  spoken  of  in  Ac.  i.  3.  to  prove  the 
point  yet  more  clear. 

Third,  Do  but  see  how  the  Lord  doth  deal  with 
an  unbelieving  disciple.  Jn.  xx.  ver.  33—29.  You  sliall 
see  in  the  23d  verse,  Christ  after  his  resurrection 
is  talking  with  his  disciples,  but  Thomas  was  not 
with  them.  But  when  the  disciples  saw  him  again, 
they  said  unto  him.  We  have  seen  the  Lord,  ver.  25. 
but  Thomas  would  not  believe  them.  Another 
time  Jesus  comes  to  his  disciples  again,  and 
then  Thomas  was  with  them ;  then  so  soon  as  the 
Lord  had  said,  '  Peace  be  unto  you,'  he  turned 
liunself  to  Thomas,  and  said  to  him ;  '  Thomas, 


158 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OrENED. 


reacli  hitlier  tliy  finger,  and  bcliold  my  hands ;  and 
reach  hither  thy  hand,  and  thrust  'it  into  my  side : 
and  he  not  faithless,  hut  heUeving. '  ver.  37.  As 
much  as  if  the  Lord  should  have  said,  Come 
Thomas,  thou  hast  doubted  of  the  truth  of  my 
resurrection  very  much;  thou  sayest  that  thou 
wilt  not  believe,  except  thou  do  feel  with  thy 
fingers  the  piint  of  the  nails,  and  do  thrust  thy 
hand  into  my  side.  Come  Thomas,  reach  hither 
thy  finger,  and  behold  my  hands,  and  see  if  there 
were  not  the  nails  driven  through  them ;  and  reach 
hither  th^  hands  and  thrust  them  into  my  side,  and 
feel  if  I  have  not  the  very  hole  in  it  still,  that  was 
^   ,        ,  „    .,     made   with    the    spear    that    the 

0  linw    (loth     the  ,.11  •  •  i  1 

Lord  condescend,  to  soldier  did  thrust  mto  it,  and  be  not 
sl'.T.Semhei-at'i^  SO  full  of  unbelief,  but  believe  that 
oi  one  that  is  weak.  ^^^^  resurrection  is  a  glorious  truth. 
Another  infallible  proof,  is  that  in  Lu.  xxiv.  from 
the  36th,  to  the  end  of  the  44th  verse.  In  ver.  so. 
it  is  said  that  the  Lord,  (even  while  they  Avere 
talking)  *  stood  in  the  midst  of  them  and  saith 
unto  them.  Peace  be  unto  you : '  But  they  were  so 
far  from  being  at  peace,  that  they  were  terrified, 
and  supposed  that  they  had  seen  a  spirit.  And 
Jesus  said  to  tliem,  '  Why  are  ye  troubled,  and 
why  do  thoughts  arise  in  your  hearts  ? '  What, 
do  you  think  that  I  am  a  spirit?  Do  you  think 
your  eyes  dazzle?  'Behold  my  hands  and  my 
feet.'  Look  well  upon  me,  and  see  my  hands,  and 
the  holes  in  them,  and  likewise  my  feet,  and  the 
holes  in  them,  and  know  that  it  is  I  myself,  and 
not  a  spirit,  as  you  suppose.     Know,  that   it  is 

1  myself,  and  not  another.  Doth  your  hearts 
fail  you?  Then  take  hold  of  me  with  your  hands, 
yea,  '  handle  me,  and  see ;  for  a  spirit  hath  not 
flesh  and  bones,  as  ye  see  me  have.  And  when 
he  had  thus  spoken  he  shewed  them  his  hands  and 
his  feet.'  As  if  he  had  said,  Come  my  disciples, 
take  special  notice  of  me,  do  not  be  daunted,  nor 
afl'righted,  but  consider  that  it  is  I  myself.  WeU, 
they  could  not  believe  as  yet,  but  wondered  that 
such  a  thing  as  this  should  be :  And  while  they 
were  thus  wondering  he  will  give  them  another 
infallible  proof :  And  '  he  said  unto  them,  have 
you  here  any  meat?'  ver. 41.  As  if  the  Lord  had 
said.  Come  my  disciples,  I  see  that  you  are  very 
full  of  unbelief,  if  you  have  here  any  meat,  j^ou 
shall  see  me  eat  before  you  all.  And  they  gave 
him  a  piece  of  a  broiled  fish,  and  of  an  honey- 
comb, '  And  he  took  it,  and  did  eat  before  them.' 
Again,  ver.  42.  the  Lord  strives  with  another  infallible 
proof  against  their  doubting,  saying,  ]\Iy  disciples, 
do  you  not  remember  what  discourse  you  and  I 
had  before  I  was  crucified,  how  that  I  told  you, 
that  all  things  must  be  fulfilled  which  were  written 
in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  in  the  prophets  concern- 
ing me.  Mar.  viii.  31 ;  xiv.  21.  Another  infallible  proof 
was,  that  appearance  of  his  at  the  sea  of  Tiberias, 


where  he  came  to  them  on  the  shore,  and  called 
them,  and  provided  for  them  a  dinner,  and  wrought 
a  notable  miracle  while  he  was  there  Avith  them  at 
that  time,  namely,  the  catching  of  153  great  fishes, 
and  yet  their  net  break  not.  (Jn.  xxi.  read  that 
whole  chapter,  and  Ac.  x.  41.)  Which  as  it  was  a 
great  miracle,  so  it  did  also  show  his  power  and 
authority  over  his  creatures.  Besides  his  eating 
and  drinking  with  his  disciples  after  his  resurrec- 
tion ;  and  also  his  preaching  to  them.  Ac.  i.  3.  This 
is  not  the  least,  viz.  that  he  was  with  his  disciples 
on  earth  forty  days,  which  was  almost  six  weeks, 
speaking  to  them  the  things  concerning  his  king- 
dom: which  was  a  mighty  confirmation  of  their 
faith  in  his  resurrection. 

Fourth,  I  shall  now  briefly  touch  two  or  three 
scriptures,  the  which  hold  forth  his  disciples'  testi- 
mony of  his  resurrection.  And  the  first  is  in  Ac. 
X.  40, 41.  In  which  place  the  Apostle  speaking  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  saith,  '  Him  God  raised  up  the 
third  day,  and  shewed  him  openly, '  yet  '  Not  to 
all  the  people,  but  unto  witnesses  chosen  before  of 
God,  even  to  us  (saith  the  Apostle)  who  did  eat 
and  drink  with  him  after  he  rose  from  the 
dead.'  Again,  Ac.  iv.lOjamlxiii.  29— 31.  The  words  ruu 
thus  (the  Apostle  speaking  of  Jesus,  saith)  '  And 
when  they  had  fulfilled  all  that  was  written  of  him, 
they  took  him  down  from  the  tree,  and  laid  him  in 
a  sepulchre.  But  God  raised  him  from  the  dead : 
And  he  was  seen  many  days  of  them  which  came 
up  with  him  from  Galilee  to  Jerusalem,  who  are 
his  witnesses  unto  the  people. '  See  1  Co.  xv.  1—8. 
And  thus  far  touching  his  resurrection  from  the 
dead. 

Ascension.  In  the  next  place  I  am  to  prove  that 
this  very  man,  Christ  Jesus,  the  Son  of  the  virgin, 
in  his  very  body,  the  same  body  that  was  crucified, 
is  above  the  clouds  and  the  heavens.  And  though 
this  is  made  light  of  by  those  men  called  quakers, 
and  other  infidels  of  this  generation:  Yet  1  am 
sure  that  it  will  prove  true  to  their  cost,  who  reject 
it  as  erroneous  and  vain.  But  to  prove  it.  First, 
I  shall  prove  that  he  is  ascended.  Secondly,  that 
he  is  ascended  above  the  clouds,  and  the  heaven. 

First,  that  he  is  ascended,  see  Ep.  iv.  s— 10. 
'  Wherefore  (saith  the  Apostle)  When  he  ascended 
up  on  high,  he  led  captivity  captive,  and  gave  gifts 
unto  men.  Now  that  he  ascended,  what  is  it  but 
that  he  also  descended  first  into  the  lower  parts  of 
the  earth,  he  that  descended  is  the  same  also  that 
ascended  (again)  up  far  above  all  heavens.' 

Again,  read  Jn.  xx.  17.  where  Christ  after  his 
resurrection  from  the  dead,  saith  to  Mary  Magda- 
len, '  Touch  me  not;  for  I  am  not  yet  ascended  to 
my  Father :'  That  is,  I  have  not  yet  ascended  with 
this  my  body  wherewith  I  was  crucified  on  the 
cross.  '  But  go  to  my  brethren,  and  say  mito 
them  (meaning  his  disciples)  I   ascend  unto  my 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


159 


Father  and  jour  Father ;  and  to  my  God  and  your 
God.' 

Object.  But  in  that  place,  (may  some  say)  Ep.  iv. 
10.  He  that  descended,  is  said  to  be  the  same  that 
ascended.  Now  there  was  no  human  nature  with 
God  in  heaven  before  the  world  was ;  Therefore  if 
he  be  but  the  same  that  was  with  the  Father  from 
all  eternity,  then  the  humanity  of  the  Son  of  Mary 
is  not  ascended  into  heaven. 

Ans.  For  answer,  It  is  clear  from  Jn.  i.  i.  that  the 
Word  or  Son  of  God,  as  he  was  a  Spirit,  was  with 
the  Father  before  the  world  was.  Tit.  i.  2.    But  now, 
in  the  fidness  of  time,  that  is,  when  that  time  that 
the  Father  and  he  had  concluded  on,  was  come, 
'  God  sent  forth  his  Son  (which  was  with  him  before 
the  world  was,  Jn.  xvii.  5.)  made  of  a  woman ; '  Ga.iv.4. 
that  is,  born  of  a  woman.      '  And  took  upon  him 
the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the  likeness 
of  men. '  PM.  ii.  6, 7.     Now   as    he  was  born  of  a 
woman,  as  he  was  in  the  likeness  of  men,  so  he 
ascended  to  the  right  hand  of  his  Father,  in  our 
nature.     And  for  this,  I  pray  turn  to  Ac.  i.  9— li.  and 
there  you  shall  find,  that  he  is  the  same  that  was 
born  of  the  virgin,  that  very  man  that  was  crucified; 
if  you  compare  ver.  3.  with  ver.  9,  lo,  11.  you  will  find  it 
so  to  be.     Now  in  ver.  9.  after  he  had  spoken  many 
things  while  they  beheld,  that  is,  Avhile  his  disciples 
looked  on  him,  he  was  taken  up,  that  is,  he  was 
taken  up  from  them  into  heaven,  as  in  ver.  ii.  and  a 
cloud  received  him  out  of  their  sight.     And  while 
they  looked  up  stedfastly  towards  heaven,  as  he 
went  up  (which  heaven,  was  not  within  them ;  if 
it  had,  they  needed  not  to  have  looked  toward  the 
clouds   and  the  heaven  without  them)  behold  two 
men  stood  by  them,  not  in  them,  in  white  apparel, 
which  also  said  (that  is,  the  two  men,  or  angels 
which  stood  by  them  said)  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why 
stand  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven?    Here  again,  they 
did  not  look  within  them,  but  stood  gazing  or  look- 
ing after  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  Son  of  Mary,  who 
was  carried  away  from  them  in  a  cloud,  ver.  9.   But 
why  (say  the  angels)  do  you  stand  gazing  so  much 
into  heaven :  your  master  wiU.  come  again  after  a 
certain  time.  Mat.  xxv.  19 ;  Mar.  xiii.  34.    For,  This  same 
Jesus,  namely,  which  was  crucified,  which  rose 
again,  and  hath  been  with  you  these  forty  days, 
which  also  you  see  go  into  heaven,  shall  so  come, 
(namely  in  a  cloud)  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into 
heaven.  Ac.i.3.      But  shall  he  not  lose  his  body 
before  he   come  again?      No  say  the  angels,  he 
shall  so  come,  that  is,  as  ye  have  seen  liim  go ;  in 
like  manner,  that  is,  with  the  same  body.     Or  else 
I  am  sure  he  cannot  come  in  the  same  manner,  if  he 
lose  his  body  before  he  comes  again ;  for  he  went 
thither  with  that  body.    But  that  same  Jesus  that 
was  crucified,  is  he  that  went,  or  ascended  up  into 
heaven.     If  you  compare  Luke  xxiv.  v.  39  to  44 
with  the  50th  andSIst  verses  of  the  same  chapter; 


you  may  clearly  find  it  so  to  be.  And  therefore  if 
he  come  again  in  like  manner,  he  must  come  again 
with  the  same  body  wherewith  he  was  crucified. 

Object.  But  you  will  say,  The  scripture  saith,  ho 
that  descended  is  the  same  that  ascended,  which 
to  me  (say  you)  implies,  none  but  the  Spirit's 
ascending? 

Ans.  For  answer,  we  do  not  say,  (as  I  said 
before)  that  it  is  another  that  ascended,  but  the 
very  same :  That  is,  the  very  same  Christ,  that  was 
with  the  Father  from  everlasting  did  come  down 
from  heaven:  That  same  Christ  also  that  came 
down  from  heaven  did  ascend  up  thither  again ; 
only,  he  descended  without  a  body  from  heaven, 
and  took  flesh  and  blood  upon  him  from  the  virgin. 
And  though  he  descended  witliout  a  body,  yet  he, 
the  very  same  Christ  that  descended  without  a 
body,  the  same  did  ascend  again  with  a  body,  even 
that  very  body  that  he  took  of  the  virgin  Mary. 

See  Lu.  xxiv.  from  39th  to  51st  verses.    Ac.  ii.  30,  31;  Jn.  xv.  1; 

iCo.ix.  24,  25.  Now  let  me  give  you  a  similitude,  for 
it  is  warrantable  ;  for  both  Christ  and  his  apostles 
did  sometimes  use  them,  to  the  end,  souls  might  bo 
better  informed.  The  similitude  is  this.  Suppose 
there  come  into  thine  house  a  man  that  is  naked, 
and  without  clothing,  though  he  go  out  of  thy 
house  again  well  clothed,  yet  the  same  man  that 
came  in  without  clothing,  is  the  same  man  also  that 
goes  out  of  thy  house,  though  very  well  clothed. 
Even  so  it  is  in  this  case.  The  Lord  Jesus  came 
into  the  womb  of  the  virgin.  Spirit,  Mat.  i.  18.  but  he 
came  out  of  the  womb  clothed  with  a  body,  and  went 
up  into  heaven  again  clothed  with  a  body.   Compare 

Lu.  xxiv.  39.  with  Ac.  i.  11;  and  ii.  30,  31. 

Now  also  I  shall  lay  down  some  few  things  to 
be  considered,  for  the  better  clearing  of  it. 

Consider  1 .  That  he  did  say  to  his  disciples  that 
he  would  go  away  from  them.  Jn.  xiv.  3.  ana  xvi.  7 ;  Mat. 
XXV.  19.  Yea,  saith  he,  I  go  and  prepare  a  place 
for  you,  and  then  I  will,  after  a  long  time,  come 
again,  and  take  you  to  myself,  that  where  1  am, 
that  is,  whither  I  am  going,  there  ye  maybe  also. 
Now,  I  say,  if  Christ  had  not  gone  from  his  dis- 
ciples (for  that  was  his  meaning)  touching  his 
bodily  presence ;  I  say,  if  he  had  not  gone  away 
from  them,  in  respect  of  his  bodily  presence,  he 
had  said  more  than  he  had  performed ;  which  is 
horrible  blasphemy  once  to  assert ;  which  going  of 
his,  is  his  going  into  heaven.      See  1  Pe.  iii.  22. 

Consider  2.  That  there  it  was  that  he  was  _  to 
receive  the  promise  of  the  Father,  Lu. xxiv. 49.  which 
promise  was  the  shedding  forth  in  an  abundant 
manner  the  blessed  Holy  Ghost.  And  for  this  sec 
Ac. ii. 33-36.  'Therefore  being  by  the  right  hand  ot 
God  (which  is  in  heaven)  exalted,  and  having 
received  of  the  Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  he  hath  shed  forth  this,  which  ye  now  see 
and  hear.     For   David  is  not  ascended  into  tho 


160 


SOME  GOSPEL  TKUTHS  OPENED. 


heavens :  but  lie  saitli  himself,  the  Lord  said  unto 
my  Lord,  Sit  thou  on  my  right  hand,  until  I  make 
thy  foes  thy  footstool.  Therefore  let  all  the  house 
of  Israel  know  assuredly  (for  'tis  very  true)  that 
God  hath  made  that  same  Jesus,  whom  ye  have 
crucified,  both  Lord  and  Christ.' 

Consider  3.  That  if  he  were  on  earth,  he  could 
not  be  a  priest.  He.  viii.  4.  Now  the  man  Christ 
Jesus  is  a  glorious  priest.  He.  vii.  24.  in  the  heavens. 
He.  ix.  24.  And  therefore  he  is  able  to  save  to  the 
uttermost,  all  that  come  to  God  by  him,  seeing  he 
ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  them.      (This 

man,  m.  ver.  25. ) 

Consider  4.  If  he  be  not  gone  into  heaven,  both 
his  own,  and  his  Apostles'  doctrine  is  false ;  yea, 
the  witness  of  the  angels  also,  which  to  think  were 
damnable  infidelity  in  any  man.  l  Pe.  iii.  32.  Ac.  i.  9— ii. 

Consider  5.  Know  that  he  is  gone  into  heaven, 
because  the  scriptures  say  he  is  ;  which  is  the  very 
truth  of  God,  spoken  by  his  holy  Apostles  and  pro- 
phets :  Yea,  holy  men  of  God,  spake  them  as  they 
were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Ep.vi.  9;  iPe.  iii.  22; 

He.  ix.  24. 

Consider  6.  If  thou  sayest  that  that  man  is  not 
gone  into  heaven,  then  thou  must  also  conclude 
that  he  is  still  in  the  grave ;  and  if  so,  then  thou 
sayest  that  the  prophets,  apostles,  angels,  Christ, 
God,  and  all  are  liars,  who  have  testified  these 
things  in  the  scriptures  for  glorious  truths,  is.  xxvi.i9; 

Ac.  X.  40—43 ;  xiii.  30—39 ;  and  i.  9—11 ;  Re.  i.  17, 18 ;  and  ii.  8.      And 

as  the  Apostle  saith  of  himself,  and  the  rest  of  the 
Apostles  and  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ,  'And  Ave 
are  found  false  witnesses  of  God ;  because  we  have 
testified  of  God  that  he  raised  up  Christ :  whom  he 

raised  not  up,  if  so  be  that  the  dead  rise  not. 

But  now  is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead,  and  become 
the  first  fruits  of  them  that  slept.  For  as  by  man 
came  death,  by  MAN  came  also  the  resm-rection 
of  the  dead.'  i Co. xv.  15, 20— 23. 

Second,  Now  I  am  to  prove,  that  he  is  above 
the  clouds  and  the  heavens.     My  meaning  is,  he 
is  above  the  lowest  heavens.     For  there  are  three, 
as  appears  in  sco.xii.  i— 4.   I    knew  a 
sifcakfngofthe   °ian    iu    Christ,    (saith    Paul    there) 
h,giK.ti,upiies   caught    up    into   the   third    heaven. 
Now, 
Heaven  in  scripture,  is  taken  sometimes  meta- 
phorically, and  sometimes  properly.     First,  Meta- 
phorically it  is  taken  for  the  church  and  people  of 
God,  as  in  Ke.  xii.  12.    Second,  Properly,  it  is  taken 
for  the  material  heaven,  where  the  sun,  moon,  and 
stars  are  jilaced,  as  in  Ge.  i.  ver.  8, 14, 13,  I6.  compared 
together :  above  which  heaven,  Jesus  the  Son  of 
Mary  is  ascended.     Therefore  I  pray  you  consider 
with  me  a  little. 

Consider  1.  That  when  he  went  into  this  heaven 
into  which  he  is  gone,  he  went  AWAY  from  his 
disciples,  as  it  is  written,  If  I  go  not  away,  the 


comforter  will  not  come.  Jn.  xlv.  2, 3;  Jn.  xvi.  7;  Ac.  i.  9—11. 
So  that  he  did  not  go  into  a  heaven  within  them  in 
his  person  and  human  nature.  If  so,  he  must 
needs  go  into  that  heaven  without,  above  the  clouds 
and  the  stars.  Ge.  1. 8, 5, 16. 

Consider  2.  He  was  caught  away  in  a  cloud ; 
yea,  and  was  caught  upwards  from  them,  as  it  is 
Ac.  i.  9—11.  and  carried  away  into  heaven ;  yea,  and 
his  disciples  stood  gazing  or  looking  up  after  him 
into  heaven,  which  heaven  must  needs  be  that 
above  the  clouds.  (1.)  If  you  consider  the  posture 
of  the  disciples,  they  looked  upwards  after  the 
cloud  that  did  take  him  away.  (2.)  Consider  the 
manner  of  his  going,  it  was  in  a  cloud.  (3.)  He 
was  received  out  of  their  sight,  (4.)  And  so 
received  up  into  heaven ;  which  heaven  must  needs 
be  above  the  clouds,  where  God  is  in  his  special 
presence.  Job  xxii.  12—14.     But  further, 

Consider  3.  That  those  believers  that  are  alive  at 
this  day  in  the  body,  'are  absent  from  the  Lord,' 
2  Co.  V.  6.  but  now,  if  the  man  Christ  were  ascended 
into  that  heaven  within  them,  he  would  neither  be 
'  absent  from  them, '  nor  they  from  him ;  but  in 
that  he  is  absent  from  them  touching  his  bodily 
presence,  and  they  from  him  touching  the  same, 
it  is  evident  that  that  heaven  into  which  he  is 
ascended,  must  needs  be  without,  above  the  clouds. 

Consider  4.  That  that  heaven  into  which  the 
man  Christ  is  ascended,  must  contain  him  till  the 
time  of  the  restitution  of  aU  things,  as  in  Ac.  iii.  21. 
into  which  heaven  he  hath  been  ascended  above 
sixteen  hundred  years  by  computation.  And  I 
am  sure  there  is  not  a  saint  that  doth  live  in  the 
world  half  so  long,  before  he  fall  asleep,  and  be 
gathered  to  his  fathers ;  so  that  that  heaven  into 
which  he  is  ascended,  is  not  within,  but  must  needs 
be  that  above  the  clouds.     But 

Consider  5.  That  he  that  ascended  from  his 
disciples,  was  a  man,  with  flesh  and  bones,  not  a 
spirit  only ;  for  handle  me,  and  see,  (saith  he)  for 
a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones,  as  ye  see  me 
have.  Lu.  xxiv.  39, 50, 51.  Now  let  the  adversaries  show 
by  the  scriptures,  that  there  is  any  place  in  them 
called  heaven,  that  is  able  to  contain  a  man  of 
some  four  or  five  feet  long,  the  space  of  fifteen  or 
sixteen  hundred  years  ;  besides  that :  therefore,  it 
must  needs  be  that  heaven  without,  which  is  above 
the  clouds  and  stars. 

Consider  6.  That  heaven  into  which  the  Lord 
Jesus  that  man  is  ascended  must  not  contain  him 
always  ;  for,  saith  the  Apostle,  1  Tii.  iv.  16.  '  The 
Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a 
shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel.'  So  that 
there  is  another  descending  from  that  heaven  into 
which  he  is  ascended ;  and  his  descending  from 
that  heaven  is  to  this  end,  namely,  to  take  his 
people  to  himself,  as  it  is  ver.  17.  so  that  it  is  clear 
*that  it  is  not  any  heaven  within  thee,  mto  which 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


161 


the  man  Christ  that  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary 
is  ascended,  but  it  must  needs  be  that  heaven 
v/ithout,  which  is  above  the  clouds.  He.  xii.  22.  If 
thou  consider,  that  the  place  into  which  he  as- 
cended, even  the  heaven  into  which  he  is  entered, 
is  the  same  place  where  all  the  deceased  saints  are 
in  their  spirits:  'Therefore,'  saith  Paul,  'I  desire 
to  depart,  and  to  be  with  Christ,  which  is  far 
better.'  Now  Paul  did  not  in  this  place,  rh.  i.  23. 
mean  the  enjoying  of  Christ  only  in  the  Spirit ; 
for  that  he  enjoyed  in  great  measure  when  he 
spake  these  words ;  but  he  spake  of  a  dying,  and 
being  with  Christ  after  this  life  is  ended ;  as  is 
clear  if  you  compare  the  20th  to  the  26th  verses 
together,  being  absent  from  him  while  he  was 
here  in  the  body.  2C0. v. 6.  For  'whilst  we  are  at 
home  in  the  bodv,  we  are  absent  from  the  Lord.' 

Consider  7.  That  that  lieaven  into  which  the  man 
Christ  is  ascended,  is  not  into  his  church  on  earth  ; 
but  into  heaven  without,  above  the  clouds  and  the 
stars.  Jn.  xvi.7;an(lxiv.  1— 3;  ITi.  ii.  5.  And  this  David 
doth  prophesy  of,  Ps.  xM.  5.  where  he  saith,  'God  is 
gone  up  with  a  shout,  the  Lord  with  the  sound  of 
a  trumpet.'  Now  Christ,  as  God  merel}^  could 
not  go  up,  being  no  less  in  one  place  than  another; 
but  as  God-man,  or  in  his  human  nature,  he  went 
up ;  as  will  clearly  appear,  Ep.  iv.  8—10.  where  he 
speaketh  of  his  triumph  over  all  the  enemies  of  his 
people  at  his  resurrection  and  ascension  into  hea- 
ven above  the  clouds. 

Consider  8.  When  Christ  doth  descend  from 
that  heaven  into  which  he  is  now  ascended,  his 
.<5aints  and  he  will  meet  one  another,  just  in  the 
air,  according  to  the  scripture,  1  Tli.  iv.  I6, 17.  'For,' 
(saith  he)  'the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from 
heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  arch- 
angel, and  with  the  trump  of  God :  and  the  dead 
in  Christ  shall  rise  first :  (that  is,  they  shall  come 
out  of  their  graves.)  Then  we  which  [shall  be 
saved]  are  alive  (at  that  day)  and  remain  shall  be 
caught  up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds,  to 
meet  the  Lord  in  the  air,  and  so  shall  we  ever  be 
with  the  Lord.' 

Pray  mark  here  a  little,  and  see  what  heaven  the 
man  Christ  is  ascended  into,  and  see  if  it  be  not 
the  heaven  without,  above  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars. 

When  Christ  and  his  saints  do  meet  a  second 
time  together,  the  one  ascends  and  the  other 
descends;  the  one  is  caught  up  in  the  clouds 
towards  the  heaven,  the  other  descends  from 
heaven  towards  the  earth,  and  they  must  needs 
meet  one  another  just  in  the  air,  that  is,  between 
the  heaven  and  the  earth.  So  then,  the  one 
coming  from  heaven  and  the  other  from  the  earth, 
and  their  meeting  being  in  the  air,  which  is  be- 
tween heaven  and  earth,  is  an  undeniable  demon- 
stration, that  that  heaven  into  which  the  man 
Christ   is  ascended,  must  needs  be  that  lieaven 

VOL.  u. 


without,  above  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  rh.  iii.  20; 
iTh.  i.  10.  And  thus  much  touching  the  Son  of 
Mary,  his  ascending  up  into  the  heaven  without 

above  the  clouds.  Ac.  i.  9— n;audiii.  21.  a'ld  1  Pe.  iii  22. 

Intercession.  In  the  next  place,  now  I  shall 
prove  the  intercession  of  the  man  Christ  Jesus  to 
be  in  the  heaven  that  I  have  been  speaking  of ; 
though  some  have  mocked  at  it,  and  others  have 
called  it  juggling;  which  names  here  I  shall  not 
mention,  only  I  shall  admonish  them,  that  they  do 
not  blaspheme  the  truth  and  Son  of  God  in  his 
intercession. 

I  shall  quote  some  of  the  scriptures  that  hold 
out  this  truth,  and  so  pass  on. 

First,  And  first  of  all,  see  Ps.x^-i.4.  where  David  pro- 
phesying of  the  intercession  of  Christ,  saith,  'Their 
sorrows  shall  be  multiplied  that  hasten  Cffter  another 
God,  (speaking  of  the  Avicked)  their  drink-ofterings 
of  blood  will  I  not  ofi"er,  nor  take  up  their  names 
into  my  lips.'  Now,  compare  this  Avith  lie. viii. 4. 
where  he  saith,  '  if  he  Avere  on  earth,  he  should 
not  be  a  priest. '  And  He.  ix.  24.  '  For  Christ  is  not 
entered  into  the  holy  places  made  with  hands, 
(meaning  the  temple  which  Solomon  built)  which 
are  the  figures  of  the  true  ;  but  into  heaven  itself, 
now  to  ajipear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us:' 
'  AA'herefore  he  is  able  also  to  save  them  to  the 
uttermost,  that  come  unto  God  by  him,  seeing  he 
ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  them.'  lie.  vii.  25. 

Second,  But  you  will  say,  is  there  a  man  made 
mention  of  here  ?  Yes,  for  the  scripture  saith, 
'  Thei^e  is  one  God,  and  one  mediator  between  God 
and  men,  the  man  Christ  Jesus.'  iTi  ii.  5.  And  in 
that  8th  to  the  Hebrews  made  mention  of  before ; 
where  the  Apostle  is  speaking  of  Christ's  priestly 
ofiice,  as  he  is  in  the  heavens,  compared  Avith  other 
priests  that  are  on  earth  ;  he  saith  ver.  3.  '  For 
every  high  priest  is  ordained  to  ofi"er  gifts  and 
sacrifices  :  wherefore  (speaking  of  Christ)  it  is  of 
necessity  that  this  man  have  somcAvhat  also  to 
off"er.  For  if  he  were  on  earth,  he  should  not  be  a 
priest,  seeing  that  there  are  priests  that  oft'er  gifts 
according  to  the  law,'  AA'hich  laAV  was  the  laAV  of 
Moses,  ch.  ix.  from  19  to  23.  where  also  he  is  speaking 
of  the  priesthood  of  the  priests  under  the  law,  and 
their  oftering  of  the  blood  of  bulls  and  goats  (ver.  12  com- 
pared with  ver.  19— 21.)  And  of  the  Lord  Jesus  the  high 

priests  of  saints,  and  of  his  blood  (ver.  U  compared  witU 

ver.  24. )  Now  as  men  under  the  laAV  did  ofier  up  the 
blood  of  bulls  and  goats,  so  the  man  Christ  J  esus 
did  offer  up  his  own  blood  to  his  Father ;  and  this 
you  may  clearly  see,  if  you  compare  He.  ix.  14.  where 
he  saith,  '  How  much  more  shall  the  blood  of 
Christ,  who  through  the  eternal  Spirit  ofl"ered 
himself  without  spot'to  God,  purge  your  consciences 
from  dead  works  to  serve  the  living  God?  [with] 
He.  X.  12.  where  he  saith,  '  But  this  man  (meaning 
the  Son  of  the  Virgin,  ch.  ii.  U  compared  «-uL  Mat.  i.  21.) 
X 


163 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


after  he  had  offered  one  sacrifice  for  sins,  for  ever 
sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  God;'  again,  He.  7. 
the  chapter  I  mentioned  before,  you  shall  find  his 
intercession  plainly  held  forth,  if  you  read  ver.  23. 
and  so  on,  where  the  scripture  saith,  '  By  so  much 
was  Jesus  made  a  sui-ety  of  a  better  testament. 
And  they  truly  were  many  priests  (meaning  the 
priests  under  the  law)  because  they  were  not  suf- 
fered to  continue  by  reason  of  death : '  (that  is,  the 
high-priest  under  the  law,  could  not  live  ever  in 
this  world,  because  it  was  appointed  to  all  men 
once  to  die.)  Re.  a.  8.  But  when  he  speaks  of  Christ 
Jesus,  he  saith  on  this  wise,  '  But  this  man, 
because  he  continueth  ever,  hath  an  unchangeable 
priesthood.  Ke.  i.  18.  Wherefore  he  (this  man)  is 
able  also  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  that  come 
unto  God  by  him,  seeing  he  (this  man)  ever  liveth 
to  make  intercession  for  them.  And  thus  in  brief 
have  I  proved  through  the  assistance  of  the  Lord, 
the  intercession  of  the  Son  of  Mary,  which  is  also 
the  Son  of  God.  And  this  concerning  Christ's 
priestly  office,  might  serve  also  for  a  proof  of  his 
being  in  the  heaven  without,  above  the  stars.  But 
all  men  may  see  (unless  they  be  blind)  that  these 
are  the  truths  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  of 
God  his  Father ;  and  that  those  men  that  oppose 
them  (as  the  quakers  do)  are  very  violently  pos- 
sessed of  the  devil,  and  besides  themselves ;  and 
have  neither  the  truth  of  God,  nor  his  Sjjirit  in 

them.  2  Ju.  ix.  10.  Jn.  V.  38,  42. 

[Christ  Judge  of  Quick  and  Dead.]  And  now 
through  the  assistance  of  the  Lord,  I  shall  come 
to  the  last  that  I  promised,  and  that  is  to  prove, 
that  this  very  man  Christ,  will  come  to  judge  the 
quick  and  the  dead.  And  first,  I  shall  prove  the 
truth  itself,  viz..  That  that  man  shall  come  again 
to  judge  the  world,  quick  and  dead.  Second,  I 
shall  shew  you  that  his  coming  will  be  very  shortly. 
Tlilrd,  What  shall  be  done  at  his  coming.  Fourth, 
Who  shall  stand  when  he  shall  come,  and  who  not. 

First,  Thai  thai  man  that  was  horn  of  the 
Virgin  Mary  shall  come  again  to  judge  the  quick 
and  the  dead,  read  2  Ti.  iv.  i.  'I,  (saith  Paul) 
*  charge  thee  therefore  before  God,  (speaking  to 
him,  even  to  Timothy,  and  so  to  all  believers)  '  and 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  judge  the  quick 
and  the  dead  at  his  appearing  and  his  kingdom.' 
Now  if  you  would  know  who  this  Lord  Jesus  is, 
look  into  Ac.  X.  28.  and  you  shall  see  it  vras  Jesua  of 
Nazareth;  would  you  know  who  that  was?  read 
Mat.  ii.  towards  the  end,  and  you  shall  see  it  was 
the  Son  of  Mary  the  Virgin,  who  was  espoused  to 
Joseph  the  carpenter.  But  read  Ac.  x.  ver.  38  to  42.  you 
shall  find  these  words,  'God  anointed  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  the  power : 
who  went  about  doing  good,  and  healing  all  that 
were  oppressed  of  the  devil  ;  for  God  was  with 
him:  And  we  are  witnesses  of  all  thin^js  which  he 


did  both  in  the  land  of  the  Jews,  and  in  Jerusalem; 
whom  they  slew  and  hanged  on  a  tree,  (even  Jesus 
of  Nazareth)  Him  God  raised  up  the  third  day, 
and  shewed  him  openly ;  not  to  all  the  people,  but 
unto  witnesses  chosen  before  of  God,  even  to  us, 
who  did  eat  and  drink  with  him  after  he  rose  from 
the  dead.     And  he  commanded  us  to  preach  unto 
the  people,  (that  is,  God  commanded  us)  and  to 
testify  (that  is,  to  be  bold  in  our  preaching)  that 
it  is  he  (namely,  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  whom  the 
Jews  did  thus  crucify)  which  was  ordained  of  God 
to  be  the  judge   of  quick  and  dead.'     This  is  ho 
also  that  is  spoken  of  in  Ac.  xvu.  30, 3i.     •  The  times 
of  this  ignorance  God  winked  at;  (meaning  men's 
being  without  the  gospel)  but  now  commaudeth  all 
men  everywhere  to  repent:  Because  he  hath  ap- 
pointed a  day  (which  day  is  the  day  of  judgment, 
Mat.xu.  36.)  in  the  which  he  vnll  judge  the  world  in 
righteousness,    by   that    man    (namely,    Jesus    of 
Nazareth)  whom  he  hath  ordained,  (compare  this 
with  that  in  Ac.  x.  38  to  42.)  whereof  he  hath  given 
assurance  unto  all  men  (that  is,  hath  given  a  sure 
sign  unto  all  men)  in  that  he  hath  raised  him,  (that 
is,  in  that  he  hath  raised  Jesus  of  Nazareth)  from 
the  dead.'      This  also  is  Christ's  own  meaning, 
Mat.  xxiv.  where  speaking  of  his  second  coming,  he 
stylcth  himself  the  Son  of  man,  saying ;  '  And  then 
shall  appear  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man, '  ver.  so. 
and  '  so  shall  also  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man 
be. '  ver.  27.    So  shall  also  the  coming  of  the  Son  of 
man  be,  ver.  37.    So  shall  also  the   coming  of  the 
Son  of  man  be.  ver.  39.     Where,  by  the  way,  it  is 
observable  to  see  how  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory 
doth  in  this  chapter,  where  he  speaketh  of  his 
second  coming,  for  the  most  part  style  himself  the 
Son  of  man.     Sure  he  doth  it  to  this  end,  because 
he  will  not  have  his  humanity  and  the  doctrine 
thereof,  to  be  razed  out  from  under  heaven :  For 
he  knew,  that  in  the  last  days,  there  woidd  come 
mockers  '  walking  after  their  own  lusts,  and  saying, 
Where  is  the  promise  of  his  coming.'  2Pe. m. 3.     I 
could  multiply  scriptures  to  prove  this  doctrine  of 

his  second  coming,  as  He.  k.  ver.  28;  2  Pe.  iii;  2  Th.  i.  6—8. 
Lu.  xxi.  Mat.  xxiv.  and  xxv.  lie.  xxii.  7,12,  and  20;  2  Co.  v.  10.  Ro.  xiv.  10. 
Ac.  xxiv.  25.      But, 

Secondly,  I  iiyiil  shew  you  that  his  coming  wiR  be 
shoi'tly.  It  is  true,  no  man  can  tell  neither  the 
day  nor  the  hour,  yet  so  far  as  the  scriptures  will 
give  us  light  into  the  nearness  of  his  coming,  so 
far  we  may  go.  And  if  you  read  Mat.  xxiv.  you  shall 
see  many  sig7is  of  his  coming  spoken  of. 

1.  There  is  falling  away  from  the  faith  spoken 
of.  And  that  hath  been  fulfilled  and  is  fulfilling 
every  day. 

2.  Wars  and  rumours  of  wars  is  another  sign 
that  his  coming  doth  draw  nigh,  even  at  the  doors. 

3.  The  love  of  many  waxing  cold,  is  another 
sign  that  it  is  nigh,  even  the  coming  of  Christ; 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


163 


And  how  cold  is  the  love  of  many  at  this  day  ? 
They  that  were  hot  two  or  three  years  ago,  are 
now  grown  lukewarm  and  cold.  They  are  cold  in 
the  Lord's  appearing.  They  are  cold  in  the  pro- 
fession of  the  gospel.  They  are  cold^  in  love  to 
the  saints,  they  are  cold  in  the  worship  of  God ; 
Yea,  very  cold,  which  is  a  notable  demonstration 
that  the  coming  of  the  Lord  draweth  nigh. 

4.  The  stars  falling  from  heaven;  (That  is 
professors  falUng  from  the  faith  which  once  they 
professed)  is  another  sign  that  the  coming  of  the 
Lord  is  at  hand.  And  how  many  professors  do 
you  see  now  a-days,  faU  from  the  doctrine  of  God, 
knd  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  as  though  there  wereno 
such  thing  as  a  world  to  come,  and  no  such  thmg 
as  a  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  his  second  coming. 

5.  Many  poor  souls  will  go  on  in  their  profes- 
sion with  lamps  without  oil,  just  before  his  second 
coming.  Mat.  XXV.  1-7.  And  the  Lord  knows  that 
most  of  the  professors  of  this  generation,  are  such 

kind  of  professors,  yea,  very  foolish 
miesethrngsidobut       £  ^j^j^l^  jg  another  sure 

hint    at,   though    ir"^  '  .  c  mt       7       A 

enlarge  upon  them,  gjo-n    that  the  COmiUg    01    tUC  LiOra 
Lu.  x\-iii.  8.  »    '        .    , 

draws  nign. 

6.  When  the  time  of  Christ's  second  coming 
is  at  hand,  there  will  be  but  a  very  little  faith  in 
the  world.  And  the  Lord  knows,  that  there  be 
many,  who  are  now  as  high  as  lucifer,  that  at 

,,    that  day  for  want  of  faith  will  be 

Say  1  Jn.  iii.  3  to  thy    ,  '' ,  ^       .i  -J^^    r^f   +l,o 

heart,  and  compare  thrOWn    down   tO   the    SldCS   Ot    tUe 

'a^^rthof^^^ilftadpit:    even   in   the   very   belly   of 

this  a  glorious  truth,  j^.  j| 

7.  Another  sign  of  Christ's  second  coming,  is 
the  carnal  mindedness  of  the  most  of  the  world ; 
and  the  very  carriages  of  almost  all  men  now 
Uving  do  discover  this  truth  to  be  at  this  day  ful- 
fillecf,  and  know  that  when  they  shall  say  peace 
and  safety,  then  sudden  destruction  comes,  and 
they  shall  not  escape.  lTh.v.i-t. 

8.  Before  Christ's  second  coming,  there  shall 
come  many  false  Christs  and  false  prophets,  and 
shall  shew  great  signs,  and  wonders,  to  seduce 
if  it  were  possible  the  elect.  Mat.  xxiv.  Zi.  Mar.  xiii.  23.  i 
And  is  not  this  more  clearly  fulfilled  in  our  days 
than  ever  it  was,  especially  among  those  men 
called  quakers,  who  being  as  persons,  whose  con- 
sciences are  seared  with  an  hot  iron,  and  they 
being  sealed  up  unto  destruction,  do  some  of  them 
call  themselves  Christ,  and  shew  great  signs,  (as 
their  quaking)  and  such  a  legal  hoUness,  as  makes 
the  simple  admire  them,  and  wonder  after  them, 
which  shews  the  coming  of  Christ  to  be  verymgh. 

9.  Before  Christ's  second  coming,  there  shall 
come  scoffers  in  the  world,  walking  after  their  own 
lusts,  2Pe.iii.3.  and  if  ever  this  scripture  was  ful- 
fiUed.  it  is  fulfiUed  on  these  men  caUed  quakers : 
For  they  are  the  men,  that  at  this  day  make  a 
mock  at  Christ's  second  coming,  which  shall  be 


from  heaven  without ;  l  xh.  i.  lo.  PU.  iii.  20.  and  there- 
fore saith  the  Holy  Ghost,  these  mockers  shall  be 
such  as  shall  say,  where  is  the  promise  of  his 
coming?     For   since  the  fathers  fell  asleep,  all 
things  continue  as  they  were,  see  2  Pe.  iii.  3—7.    And 
there  you  shall  see  their  mocking  and  the  reason 
of  it.     Read  and  the  Lord  give  thee  understanding. 
But  1  would  not  have  thee  think  that  I  speak  at 
random,  in  this  thing.  Know   for  certain,  that  I 
myself  have  heard  them  blaspheme ;  yea,  with  a 
o-rinning  countenance,  at  the  doctrine  of  that  man's 
second  coming  from  heaven  above  the  stars,  who 
was  born  of  "the  Virgin  Mary.     Yea,  they  have 
told  me  to  my  face,  that  I  have  used  conjuration, 
and   witchcraft,  because    what   I   preached   was 
according  to  the  scriptures.     I  was  also  told  to 
my  face,  that  I  preached  up  an  idol,  because  I 
said,  that  the  Son  of  Mary  was  in  heaven,  with 
the  same  body  that  was  crucified  on  the  cross ; 
And  many  other  things  have  they  blasphemously 
vented  against  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory,  and  his 
precious  gospel.     The  Lord  reward  them  accord- 
ing as  their  work  shall  be. 

1  could  have  hinted  in  many  other  things  which 
Christ  and  his  Apostles  have  shewed  to  be  signs 
of  his  coming.  But  I  shall  commend  the  holy 
scriptures  unto  thee,  which  are  able  to  make  the 
man  of  God  perfect  in  all  things,  through  faith  in 
the  Lord  Jesus.  2  Ti.  iii.  17. 

Now  you  have  also  the  manner  of  his  coming 
how  it  "shall  be,  most  notably  laid  down  in  the 
scriptures.    I  shall  hint  in  a  few  things  touchmg  it. 

1  He  will  come  when  there  is  but  very  few 
looklno-  for  his  coming.  '  When  they  shall  say, 
peace  Ind  safety;  then  sudden  destruction  cometh. 
1  Th  V  1-3.  Which  sudden  destruction  will  be  at 
his  second  coming,  for  that  is  it  which  the  Apostle 
spake  of  In  those  three  verses.  Then  will  all  the 
world  be  caught  at  such  an  unexpected  time,  that 
it  will  come  upon  them,  even  as  a  snare  cometh 
upon  those  creatures  that  are  caught  in  it.  As  it  is 
written  Lu.xxi.35.  '  For  as  a  snare  shall  it  come  on 
aU  them  that  dweU  on  the  face  of  the  whole  earth. 

i  Which  is  all  on  a  sudden,  before  they  are  aware 

2  He  cometh  with  aU  his  saints  and  angels. 
Then  will  the  Lord  descend  from  that  heaven,  into 
which  he  is  now  ascended,  as  it  is  written  m  iTl>-i-- 
16.  Then  will  he  come,  and  all  his  saints  with  him 
as  Jude  saith  in  his  Epistle,  15.     Then  shall  Abel 
and  Enoch,  Noah  and  Abraham,  David  and  Job. 
Peter  and  Paul:    Together  with   all   the   sam  s 
which  have  been,  now  are,  or  hereafter  shall  be 
and  they  shall  sit  on  the  throne  with  the  Lor 
Jesus  Christ,  as  in  Mat.xix.2S.     Before  whom  sha 
aU  the  nations  of  the  world  ^^  gathered   as  it  >. 
written.  Joel  iii.  12.   '  Let  the  heathen  be  wakened  (or 
:.ised  out  of  their  graves,  -^f^^^J^lZ 
to  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat:  for  there  will  I  sit 


164 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


to  judge  the  heathen  round  about.'  Which  never 
was  yet  accomplished,  though  it  shall  certainly  be, 
in  God's  time:  To  the  astonishment,  and  everlasting 
damnation  of  all  those  that  shall  continue  mocking, 
or  sinning  against  God  and  his  Christ. 

3.  He  shall  come  in  a  flaming  fire,  (when  he 
doth  come  again :  he  will  come  in  such  a  manner, 
as  will  make  all  that  shall  be  foimd  in  their  sins 
rather  seek  to  creep  under  a  mountain,  than  to 
meet  the  Lord  of  glory.  Rev.  vi.  15.  As  Isaiah  saith, 
'  For,  behold,  the  Loud  will  come  with  fire,  and 
with  his  chariots  like  a  whirlwind,  to  render  his 
anger  with  fury,  and  his  rebuke  with  flames  of  fire.' 
Is. ixn.  13.  'To  execute  judgment  upon  all,  and  to 
convince  all  that  are  ungodly  among  them,  of  all 
their  ungodly  deeds  which  they  have  ungodly  com- 
mitted, and  of  all  their  hard  speeches,  which  ungodly 
sinners  have  spoken  against  him, '  Jude  15.  as  I  shall 
shew  farther  by  and  by. 

Third,  And  therefore  in  the  next  place,  I  shall 
shew  you,  ivhat  shall  be  done  tvhen  he  is  come. 

\.  When  Christ  is  come  the  second  time,  they 
that  are  in  their  graves  shall  arise,  and  come  forth 
of  their  graves  (as  I  said  before)  in  which  they  have 
lain  according  to  that  in  Jn.  v.  28, 29.  Where  Christ 
saith,  *  Marvel  not  at  this :  for  the  hour  is  coming, 
in  the  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear 
his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth ;  they  that  have 
done  good,  unto  the  resurrection  of  life  ;  and  they 
that  have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of 
damnation.'  You  will  say,  Are  these  graves 
spoken  of  here,  the  graves  that  are  made  in  the 
earth?  Yea,  that  they  are,  and  for  a  further  proof 
of  the  same,  look  into  Da.  xii.  2.  Daniel  there  speak- 
ing of  the  same  thing  saith,  '  And  many  of  them  that 
sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake,  (or  arise) 
some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and 
everlasting  contempt'  (or  damnation.) 

I  shall  not  stand  here  to  dispute  any  distinctions 
of  the  resurrections,  only  prove  that  the  dead  shall 
arise  ;  and  that  is  a  clear  truth  from  the  scriptures. 

Ac.   s.  43.   Re.  xx.  11— Ujand  ]  Th.  iv.  IG.  1  Co.  .\v.  63,      *  The 

dead  shall  be  raised.' 

2.  He  shall  call  all  men  and  women  to  an 
account  for  all  their  *  close  sinful  thoughts,  Avords 
and  actions ;  then  will  the  secrets  of  all  hearts  be 
made  manifest.  Then  shall  all  thy  adulterous,  and 
thievish,  and  covetous,  idolatrous,  and  blasphemous 
thoughts  be  laid  open,  according  to  that  saying, 
'  Their  consciences  also  bearing  witness,  and  their 
thoughts  the  mean  (time,  or)  while  accusing  or 
else  excusing  one  another.  '  Ro.  ii.  is.  But  when  ? 
Why,  '  In  the  day  when  God  shall  judge  the  secrets 
of  men  by  Jesus  Christ.'  ver.  iG.  See  also  i  Cn.  iv.  5. 
'  Therefore  judge  nothing  before  the  time.'  What 
time  is  that  ?     Why,  when  the  Lord  comes  ;  what 


*  '  Close,'  secret,  not  disclosed. — Ed. 


will  he  do  ?  He  '  will  bring  to  light  the  hidden 
things  of  darkness,'  that  is,  all  those  cunning,  close, 
hidden  wickednesses  that  thou  in  thy  life-time  hast 
committed ;  yea,  he  will  '  make  manifest  the  coun- 
sels of  the  hearts ; '  that  is,  the  most  hidden  and 
secret  things  that  are  contrived  and  plotted  by  the 
sons  of  men.  Then  shall  all  the  midnight  whore- 
mongers be  laid  open  with  all  their  sins ;  Then 
thou  (it  may  be)  who  has  committed  such  sins  as 
thou  wouldest  not  have  thy  neighbour,  thy  father, 
thy  wife,  thy  husband,  or  any  one  else  know  of 
for  thousands,  then  thou  shalt  have  them  all  laid 
open,  even  upon  the  house  tops.  Lu.  xii.  3.  Then 
thou  that  hatest  God's  children ;  his  ways,  his 
word,  his  Spirit ;  then  thou  that  makest  a  mock  at 
Jesus  of  Nazareth's  second  coming,  then  thou 
that  livest  in  open  prophaneness,  or  secret  hypo- 
crisy, then  I  say,  will  be  such  a  time  of  reckoning 
for  you,  as  never  was  since  the  world  began,  then  you 
that  shall  die  in  your  sins,  will  cry  to  the  mountains, 
Fall  on  us,  and  cover  us  from  the  face  of  him  that 
sits  on  the  throne,  and  from  the  Avrath  of  the 
Lamb  (which  Lamb  is  the  Man  Christ  Jesus.  Jn. 
i.  29.)  And  ah,  my  friends  I  If  the  very  looks 
of  God  be  so  terrible,  what  will  his  blows  be, 
think  you  ?  Then  if  all  thy  idle  words  shall  be 
accounted  for,  as  it  is  written,  '  But  I  say  unto 
you,  That  every  idle  word  that  men  shall  speak, 
they  shall  give  account  thereof  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment. Mat.  xii.  36.  and  also  all  thy  filthy  actions  shall 
be  then  regarded  in  such  sort,  as  thou  shalt 
receive  a  just  recompense  for  them.  And  know, 
saith  the  scripture,  '  that  for  ,^^^^„^^  ^i^,,^^,^  ^^  ,,^ 
all  these  thinc/s,  God  will  bring     unwilling  to  come  to 

.  ,  '--'      judijiiient,  yet  this  will 

thee  nito  judgment.  Ec.  xi.  0.  be  their  misery,  God  will 
mi  bring  them.  Mul.  iv.  1. 

Thou  that  art  an  unbeliever,  shalt  be  sure  to 
faU  under  the  judgment  for  all  thy  sins.  (1.)  Thou 
must  give  an  account.  (2.)  Thou  must  fall  in  the 
judgment.  Oh  my  friends,  there  are  hot  days 
a-coming  for  all  those  that  are  found  out  of  the  Lord 
Jesus :  Behold,  saith  Malachi,  '  The  day  cometh, 
that  shall  burn  as  an  oven  ;  and  all  the  proud,  yea, 
and  all  that  do  wickedly,  shall  be  stubble:  and  the 
day  that  cometh  shall  burn  them  up,  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts,  that  it  shall  leave  them  neither 
root  nor  branch. '  iv.  i.  The  day  of  judgment  will  burn 
like  an  oven,  and  all  that  have  not  the  righteousness 
of  Christ  upon  them  shall  be  as  stubble.  Ah 
friends,  put  a  red  hot  oven  and  stubble  together, 
and  what  work  will  there  be!  Even  the  one  will 
burn  and  destroy  the  other. 

3.  When  Christ  doth  come  the  second  time, 
another  end  of  his  coming  will  be  to  purge  out  all 
things  that  oflended  in  tliis  kingdom.  Mat.  xiii.  41,  42. 
'  The  Son  of  Man  shall  send  forth  his  angels,  and 
they  shall  gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that 
oft'end,  and  them  which  do  iniquity ;  And  shall  cast 


SOIME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


165 


them  into  a  furnace  of  fire  ;  there  shall  be  wailing 
and  gnashing  of  teeth.'  There  are  many  things 
that  do  offend  in  his  kingdom  now :  namely 

(1.)  The  lukewarm  professor,  he  doth  offend,  {a.) 
the  Lord,  (&.)  his  people.  But  then  thou  lukewarm 
offending  2yrofessor  shalt  offend  the  church  of  God 
no  more. 

(2.)  The  loose  professors  do  also  offend  God, 
Christ  and  his  church,  (a.)  He  scandals  the  gos- 
pel by  his  loose  walking,  and  naughty  carriages. 
(b.)  He  doth  make  the  world  blaspheme  the  name 
of  God  by  the  same,  (c.)  He  grieves  the  hearts 
of  God's  people.  Phi.  iii.  18.  But  know  that  thou 
also  shalt  be  taken  away  from  offending  anymore, 
God,  Christ,  and  his  saints,  and  thou  shalt  have 
weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  for  thy  thus 
offending.    Mat.  xv-iii.  6, 7. 

4.  Another  end  of  Christ's  second  coming,  is  to 
cut  off  all  the  ignc/rant  persons  that  are  in  the 
world.  There  is  a  generation  of  poor  souls  that 
do  think  to  be  excused  for  their  ignorance :  Alas  ! 
saith  one,  I  am  a  poor  ignorant  man,  or  woman ; 
and  therefore  I  hope  that  the  Lord  will  have  mercy 
upon  me :  we  cannot,  say  others,  do  as  such  and 
such,  and  will  the  Lord  condemn  us?  And  thus 
poor  souls,  as  they  are  in  the  broad  way  to 
destruction,  lest   they  should   miss    of   the   way 

Men  seekmg  to  get  encourage-  *»    ^^^11;     do     SWallow     down 

meut  Ironi  tlieir  ignorauce,  by  cluSterS,  that  which  will 
do  more  harden  themselves  .  ,  ,  , 

in  sin,  and  so  are  in  greater  pOlSOn    them,    body  and    SOUl 

dan;'erofet(.rnal  damnation,  p  i 

tor  ever  and  ever. 

Quest.  But  you  will  say,  What,  will  not  the 
Lord  have  mercy  on  ignorant  souls  ? 

Ansio.  Not  on  those  who  live  and  die  in  their 
ignorance.  He  himself  hath  said.  Is.  xxvii.  ii.  '  For 
it  is  a  people  of  no  understanding :  therefore  he 
that  made  them  will  not  have  mercy  on  them,  and 
he  that  formed  them  wiU  shew  them  no  favour. ' 
Again,  Paul  also  in  that  2  Th.  i.  8.  saith,  that  when 
Jesus  CJirist  shall  come  to  judge  the  world,  he 
doth  come  to  take  vengeance  on  all  '  them  that 
know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  om- 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.' 

But  ye  will  say.  Who  are  those  ignorant  persons, 

that  shall  find  no  favour  at  that  da}'  ?  or  how  doth 

the  ignorance  discover  itself  ?    I  shall  only  mention 

three  or  four  sorts  of  men ; 

TliG  xxvii  Ts.  nth  vcrs6  is  ft 

notahie  confutation  of  the   and  leave  thee  to  the  scrip- 

ignorant's  hypocritical  hope,  i.,,,.„„  wblpli  if  thnii  rpnrl 
where   he  saith,   'He  that    tuies,    W  UlCU     II     tnou     reau 

made  them  will  not  have   them  dilio-entlv,  will  further 

mercy  on  them,  and  he  that  '-'  i     i> 

formed  them,^\Tii  show  them   lay  them  Open  before  thee. 

no  favour.'  ,      , 

And, 
(1.)  The  profane  scoffer,  who  makes  a  mock  at 
the  truths  of  God,  and  so  goes  on  in  his  sins,  for 
this  see  in  2  Pe.  iii.  3.  which  the  apostle  attributes  to 
their  ignorance,  ver.  5.  And  therefore  he  likens 
them  to  brute  beasts,  ch.  ii.  lo,  12.  who  '  walk  after 
the  flesh  in  the  lust  of  uncleanness, '  and  '  speak 


evil  of  the  things  that  they  understand  not ;  and 
shall  utterly  perish  in  their  own  corruption ; '  who 
because  they  understand  not  the  scripture,  nor  the 
power  of  God  in  them,  speak  evil  of  the  truths 
therein  contained,  and  think  the  Lord  like  unto 
themselves.  Ps.  i. 

(2.)  The  formal  professor,  who  hath  only  a  notion 
of  the  gospel,  and  some  seeming  holiness,  but  wants 
gospel  faith :  such  are  called  foolish  virgins.  Mat. 
XXV.  3,  3.  to  whom  Christ  will  say  in  that  day. 
Verily,  '  I  know  you  not. '  Add  hereto,  those  that 
think  it  enough  to  confess  Christ  with  their  mouths, 
and  profess  that  they  know  God,  but  deny  him  in 
their  works ;  such  notwithstanding  all  their  profes- 
sion, shall,  if  they  so  continue,  perish  eternally, 
being  abominable,  disobedient,  and  to  every  good 
work  reprobate,  or  void  of  judgment,  that  is,  igno- 
rant. Tit.  L 16. 

(3.)  The  legal  righteous  man  or  woman,  thougli 
they  walk  blameless,  as  touching  the  righteous- 
ness that  is  in  the  law :  For  they  being  ignorant 
of  God's  righteousness,  go  about  to  establish  their 
own  righteousness,  as  reading,  hearing  sermons, 
prayers,  public  or  private,  peaceableness  with  their 
neighbours,  fasting,  alms,  good  works  as  they 
comit  them,  just  dealings,  abstinence  from  the 
grosser  pollutions  of  the  world,  stricter  obedience 
to  the  commandments  of  the  first  and  second  table; 
aU  which  with  many  other  things  may  be  com- 
prehended in  their  own  righteousness,  and  it  is 
grounded  on  their  ignorance,  and  goes  on  in  rebel- 
lion ;  and  such  ignorant  persons  shall  in  that  day 
perish,  not  submitting  through  ignorance  to  the 
righteousness  of  God,  Ro.  x.  3.  compared  with  Lu.  xLx. 
27.  where  Christ  saith,  that  when  he  shall  come  the 
second  time,  he  will  command  those  his  enemies,  who 
submitted  not  themselves  to  him,  [who  is  called  the 
righteousness  of  God,  is.  xivi.  is.]  or  would  not  have 
him  to  reign  over  them,  to  be  slain  before  his  face. 

(4.)  Those  whose  hearts  are  set  upon  the  world, 
and  follow  the  alluring  persuasions  of  it ;  the  Lord 

calls  such  fools,  [Ln.  xiL20.andPr.vii.  7.]  who  gO  after  it 

(viz.  the  world,  held  forth  by  a  similitude  of  a 
woman  with  the  attire  of  an  harlot)  as  an  ox  to 
the  slaughter,  or  a  fool  to  the  correction  of  the 
stocks,  tiU  a  dart  strike  through  his  liver,  as  a 
bird  hasteth  to  the  snare,  and  knoweth  not  that  it 
is  for  his  life :  and  knows  not,  mark,  it  is  through 
ignorance,  ver.  23. 

5.  A  fit  end  of  Christ's  coming,  is,  that  his 
righteous  ones  might  shine  as  the  sun  in  the  glory, 
or  kingdom  of  their  father.  Mat.  xiii.  43.  There  aro 
many  things  that  do  hinder  the  people  of  God  from 
shining  forth  as  the  sun  now. 

As,  They  have  a  body  of  death,  which  makes 
them  fetch  many  a  groan  in  their  journey  to 
Canaan.  Ho.  vii.  24;  2  Co.  V.  2.  They  meet  with  many  a 
sad  temptation,  which  also  makes  them  in  heaviness 


166 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


many  a  time,  l  Pe.  i.  G.  They  have  also  many  other 
things  that  do  hinder  their  shining  now ;  but  then 
the  body  of  death  shall  be  left  oif.  My  meaning 
is,  that  sin  shall  be  no  more  in  the  natures  of 
God's  people  then:  Their  bodies  that  are  now  so 
vile,  shall  then  be  made  like  unto  the  glorious 
body  of  the  Son  of  God,  '  Who  shall  change  our 
vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  \mto  his 
glorious  body,  according  to  the  working  whereby 
he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all  things  unto  himself.' 

Ph.  iii.  21. 

6.  Another  end  of  Chi-ist's  coming  shall  be  to 
take  an  account  of  his  children,  how  they  have 
laid  out  their  talents,  that  he  hath  committed  to 

their  trust.    Mat.  xxv.  19;  Ro.  xiv.  13;  2  Co.  v.  10. 

7.  Another  end  of  his  coming  is,  to  set  up  his 
kingdom,  which  will  be  glorious  indeed  at  his 
appearing.  2Ti.  iv.  i;  Ro.  viii.  19— 21.  I  do  but  touch 
these  things,  because  I  would  hasten  towards  a 
conclusion ;  many  other  things  might  have  been 
spoken  to,  but  at  this  time  I  shall  forbear. 

But  you  will  say.  Who  shall  stand  when  he 
appears  ?  Why,  I  told  you  before,  that  '  the 
ungodly  shall  not  stand  in  the  judgment,  nor 
sinners  in  the  congregation  of  the  righteous.'  Ps. 
L  5.  Let  him  be  close  or  profane,  as  I  told  you 
even  now,  aU  shall  be  laid  open,  all  shall  be  made 
manifest,  all  shall  come  into  judgment. 

Ah  poor  soul !  It  is  not  then  thy  brave  words 
will  save  thee  ;  it  is  not  thine  eloquent  tongue  that 
will  then  do  thee  any  good :  if  thou  be  without  the 
wedding  garment,  thou  wilt  be  speechless,  as  in 
Mat.  xxii.  13.  But  thou  that  art  a  converted  person, 
shalt  stand  in  the  judgment ;  thou  that  art  born 
again  shalt  enter  into  the  kingdom,  and  none  else. 

Jn.  iii.  5 ;  Re.  xxL  27. 

But  how  shall  I  know  that  I  am  born  again  ? 

(1.)  Why,  if  thou  art  born  again,  then  thou 
Icnowest  that  thou  wast  not  born  a  Christian  at 
first.  Ep.  ii.  1—3.  '  You  Jiath  lie  quickened,  who  were 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.' 

(2.)  Thou  knowestthat  once  thouhadst  no  faith 
in  the  Lord  Jesus ;  and  wert  convinced  of  sin  be- 
cause thou  didst  not  believe  in  the  Son  of  Mary. 

Jn.  xvi.  9. 

(3.)  Thou  seest  all  true  joy  through  the  blood 
and  righteousness  of  the  Son  of  Mary,  i  Co.  xv.  57; 
Ro.  vii.  25. 

(4.)  Art  thou  born  again?  Then  thou  canst 
not  be  quiet  till  thou  seest  God  smile,  and  lift  up 
the  light  of  his  countenance  upon  thee,  2Co.iv.  6;  Ps. 
iv.  6.  and  that  through  the  face  of  the  Son  of  Mary, 
the  Son  of  God. 

(5.)  Thou  knowcst  that  God  hath  given  thee  thy 

faith.    Phi.  i.  29;  Ep.  ii.  8. 

(G.)  Art  thou  born  again  ?  Then  thou  knowest 
that  the  doctrine  of  the  Son  of  Mary  the  Virgin, 
is  a  ri(i;lit  doctrine.  2  Jn.  9. 


(7.)  Then  also  thou  lookest  for  the  personal 
appearing  of  the  Son  of  Mary  from  heaven  in  the 
clouds,  the  second  time.  He.  ix.  28.  Re.  i.  7. 

These  things,  though  plain,  yet  if  the  Lord  set 
them  home  upon  thy  conscience,  may  be  profitable 
both  to  thee  and  me.  Therefore  let  us  examine 
the  matter  a  little.     And 

Examitie  L  Thou  thinkest  that  thou  art  a  Chris- 
tian; thou  shouldest  be  sorry  else:  Well,  But  when 
did  God  shew  thee  that  thou  wert  no  Christian  ? 
When  didst  thou  see  that :  And  in  the  light  of  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  see  that  thou  wert  under  the 
wrath  of  God  because  of  original  sin  ?  Ro.  v.  12. 
Nay,  dost  thou  know  what  original  sin  means  ? 
Is  it  not  the  least  in  thy  thoughts  ?  And  dost 
thou  not  rejoice  in  secret,  that  thou  art  the  same 
that  thou  ever  wert  ?  If  so,  then  know  for  certain 
that  the  wrath  of  God  to  this  very  day  abideth  on 
thee.  Jn.  iii.  36.  And  if  so,  then  thou  art  one  of 
those  that  will  fall  in  the  judgment,  except  thou 
art  born  again,  and  made  a  new  creature.  2  Co.  v.  17. 

Exam.  2.  Thou  thinkest  that  thou  hast  been 
born  again,  ('tis  well  if  thou  hast)  but  least  thou 
shouldest  deceive  thy  poor  soul,  I  pray  thee  con- 
sider, when  did  the  Spirit  of  the  Loi-d  Jesus  shew 
thee,  that  thou  hadst  no  faith  in  thee  by  nature  ? 
And  Avhen  did  the  Spirit  of  Christ  convince  thee 
of  sin,  because  thou  didst  not  believe  in  him  ?  It 
may  be  thou  hast  been  convinced  of  sins  against 
the  law,  by  the  law,  and  thine  own  conscience,  as 
the  Pharisees  were.  Jn.  viii.  9,  and  Ro.  iii.  20.  Ay,  but 
when  didst  thou  see  thyself  a  lost  creature  for 
want  of  faith  in  the  son  of  Mary?  If  not,  thou 
hast  not  yet  been  savingly  convinced  by  the  Spirit 
of  Christ ;  for  that,  when  it  convinceth  eff'ectually 
of  sin,  it  convinceth  of  unbelief;  though  thou  hast 
been  never  so  much  convinced  of  sins  against  the 
law,  if  thou  hast  not  seen  thyself  under  the  power 
and  dominion,  guilt  and  punishment  of  sin,  because 
thou  didst  not  believe  in  Christ,  thou  hast  not  yet 
been  savingly  convinced ;  for  that's  one  work  of 
the  Spirit  to  convince  of  sin,  '  Because  they  believe 
not  on  me,'  saitli  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary,  who  was 
espoused  to  Joseph  the  carpenter:  But  on  the 
contrary,  dost  thou  not  say  in  thy  heart,  thou  never 
hadst  thy  faith  to  seek,  but  hast  always  believed 
with  as  good  a  faith  as  any  one  alive  ?  If  so,  then 
know  for  certain  that  thou  hast  no  faith  of  the 
operation  of  God  in  thee,  according  to  God's  ordi- 
nary working ;  and  if  so,  then  know,  that  if  the 
Son  of  Man  should  come  to  judge  the  world  at 
this  moment  of  time,  that  thou  with  all  thy  faith 
(thou  thinkest  thou  hast)  wouldst  fall  in  the  judg- 
ment. 2  Th.  ii.  12. 

Exam.  3.  Art  thou  born  again?  Then  thou 
seest  that  thy  great  sin  was  want  of  faith  in  the 
Son  of  Mary.  Then  tbou  seest  that  it  is  he 
that  was  sent  of  God  to  die  for  the  sins  of  th« 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


167 


world,  Jd.  L  J:9,  aiidiii.  16— 19.  Au  im.  3&,  39.  and  that  tliou 
art  complete  in  him,  without  any  works  of  the  law, 
Ko.  iv.  5.  then  thou  rejoicest  in  Christ  Jesus,  and 
puttest  no  confidence  in  the  flesh,  pm.  iii.  3.  yet  thou 
rejoicest  in  the  flesh  and  blood  of  the  Son  of  Mary, 
knowing  that  his  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  his 
blood  is  di-ink  indeed,  Jn.  \i  55.  out  of  which  thou 
wouldest  very  willingly  make  thy  life  all  thy  days  ; 
out  of  his  birth,  obedience,  death,  resurrection, 
ascension,  and  glorious  intercession,  now  at  the 
right  hand  of  his  Father,  He.  vii.  24, 25.  but  if  thou  art 
wavering  in  these  things,  know  that  thou  art  but 
a  babe  at  the  best,  and  for  ought  thou  knowest, 
God  may  cut  thee  off  in  thy  unbelief,  and  cast  thee 
into  utter  darkness,  where  there  shall  be  Aveeping 
and  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

Exam.  4.  Art  thou  born  again?  Then  thou 
seest  all  true  peace  and  joy  comes  through  the 
blood  of  the  Son  of  Mary,  and  his  righteousness, 
as  in  Ro.  vii.25,  andiCo.  xv.  57.  there  are  many  poor  souls 
that  are  taken  with  raptures  of  joy,  and  false  con- 
ceited consolation,  [Jn.  .wi.  20.]  which  doth  come 
from  the  devil,  and  their  own  deceitful  hearts  ;  but 
their  joy  shall  be  turned  into  mourning  and  sorrow 
of  heart,  Lu.vi.  24, 25.  but  thou  that  art  a  Christian 
in  deed,  and  not  in  word  only,  rejoicest  in  Christ 
Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary ;  yea.  though  now  you  see 
him  not,  yet  beheviug,  you  rejoice  with  joy  un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory,  l  Pe.  i.  8.  And  these  two 
things  are  the  fruits  of  thy  faith,  and  of  thy  joy. 

(1.)  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  very  precious  unto 
thee.  1  Pe.  ii.  7. 

(2.)  Thou  dost  purify  thine  heart  by  this  faith, 
and  the  power  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  which  thou 
hast  X'eceived  into  thy  soul,  Ro.  viii.  13.  Ac.  xv.  g.landJn. 
ui.  3.  But  if  thy  guilt  of  sin  goes  off,  and  convic- 
tions go  off  any  other  way  than  by  the  blood  and 
righteousness  of  the  Man  Christ  Jesus,  thy  guilt 
goes  off  not  right,  but  wrong,  and  thy  latter  end 
will  be  a  very  bitter  end  without  faith  and  repent- 
ance ;  for  it  is  his  blood  through  which  all  true 
peace  comes.  Col  i.  20.  and  there  is  no  other  name 
under  heaven  given  among  men,  whereby  we  should 
be  saved,  but  by  the  Lord  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  Ac.  w. 
ver.  10—12.  compared  together. 

Eocam.  5.  Art  thou  born  again  ?  Then  thou 
canst  not  be  quiet  till  thou  doest  see  God  lift  up  the 
light  of  his  countenance  upon  thee  ;  yea,  thou  hast 
such  a  desire  after  the  light  of  God's  countenance, 
that,  all  the  glory,  riches,  honour,  pleasure,  profits, 
•kc.  of  this  world  will  not  satisfy,  till  thou  doest  see 
God  to  be  a  reconciled  Father  to  thee  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  as  it  is  Ps.  iv.  6.  Jn.  xiv.  8.  Ps.  xxxv.  a.  Then 
thou  wilt  not  be  quiet  tUl  thou  dost  hear  from  the 
Son  of  Mary,  which  is  the  Lord  of  glory,  such  a 
voice  as  this.  Son  be  of  good  cheer,  thy  sins  are 
forgiven  thee :  And  '  my  grace  is  sufiicient  for 
thee.'  2  Co.  xii.g,lCo.  iL  8.     But  if  thou  canst  content 


thyself  with  anything  below  this,  thou  wilt,  when 
all  comes  to  all,  be  found  but  a  rotten-hearted 
professor,  who  Avill  have  thy  portion  among  the 
slothful  ones,  who  will  fall  in  the  judgment  of  the 
Son  of  Man,  when  he  comes  in  flaming  fire  with 
his  mighty  angels.  2  Th.  i.  8. 

Exam.  6.  Art  thou  born  again  ?  Then  thou 
knowest  that  God  hath  given  thee  thy  faith  that 
thou  hast  in  his  Son :  Theii  thou  art  to  say  through 
grace,  there  was  a  time  in  which  I  had  no  faith ; 
there  was  a  time  in  which  I  co\ild  not  believe  in 
the  Son  of  God  for  eternal  life.  '  But  God,  who 
is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he 
loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins  (and 
unbelief;  which  is  the  greatest;)  hath  quickened 
us  together  with  Christ,  by  grace  ye  are  saved,' 
Ep.  ii.  4, 5.  '  through  faith. '  ver.  8. 

Exam.  7.  Art  thou  born  again  ?  Then  thou 
knowest  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Son  of  God,  the 
Son  of  Mary,  is  a  right  doctrine,  which  is  this : 

That  the  Sou  of  God  which  was  Avith  his  Father 
before  the  Avorld  was,  (Jn.  1. 1;  xvii.  5.)  came  into  the 
world  in  the  fulness  of  time,  and  was  made  in  the 
likeness  of  man.  ( Phi.  ii.  7- )  being  made  of  a  woman 
or  virgin,  made  imder  the  law,  to  redeem  them 
that  were  under  the  law.  6a.  iv.  4.  And  that  was 
done  in  this  wise.  What  the  law  could  not  do  in 
that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh ;  that  is,  through 
our  flesh ;  God  sending  his  oa\ti  Son  in  likeness  of 
sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh, 
that  is,  condemned  him  in  the  flesh  for  the  sins  of 
poor  sinners :  For  this,  compare  Ro.  viii.  3.  2  Co.  v.  21. 
with  Ga.  iii.  13.  and  it  will  appear  clearly  to  be  the 
truth  of  God:  Also,  that  this  Son  of  God,  Avhich 
is  the  true  God,  as  well  as  the  Son  of  Mary,  did 
bear  our  sins  in  his  oaati  body  on  the  tree,  lPe.ii.24. 
and  did  spiU  his  own  blood,  Avhich  is  also  the  blood 
of  God,  Ac.  XX.  28.  that  he  died,  and  was  laid  in 
Joseph's  sepulchre,  Jn.  xix.  38— 42.  and  rose  again 
the  third  day,  Ac  x.  40.  that  very  Man,  Lu.  xxiv.  39—45. 
and  ascended  up  into  heaven  in  a  cloud,  Ac.  i.  9— 11 
and  there  ever  lives  to  make  intercession  for  us, 
that  very  man.  He.  vn.  34, 25 ;  viii.  3 ;  x.  12. 

Exam.  8.  And  in  the  last  place,  If  thou  art  a 
Christian,  then  thou  lookest  for  that  very  Jesus 
again,  whom  the  Jews  did  crucify,  Jn.  xix.  whom 
God  raised  again,  as  it  is  iTh.  i.io.  I  say,  thou 
lookest,  thou  waitest,  thou  hasteneth  after  the 
coming  of  this  Lord  Jesus,  which  doth  deliver  thee 
from  the  wrath  to  come.  2  Pe.  iii.  10—12.  He.  ix.  26—28;  1 
Ti,.i.  10.  Yea,  thou  knowest,  that  this  very  man 
shall  so  come  in  like  manner,  as  his  disciples  did 
see  him  go  into  heaven,  which  was  a  very  man, 
Lu.  x.xiv.  39.  compared  with  ver.  50, 51,  of  the  same 
chapter.  Yea,  m  a  cloud  he  went  away  from  his 
disciples,  and  in  the  clouds  he  shall  come  agam, 
Re.  i.  7.  to  judge  all  tliat  are  in  their  graves,  Jn.  v.  28. 
29.  Pa.  xu.  2.  and  shall  receive  all  that  look  for,  and 


168 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


love  liis  second  coming,  to  himself.  He.  k.  27, 28.  And 
they  shall  he  for  ever  with  him.  l  Th.  iv.  16, 17.  But 
the  wicked  shall  he  cast  into  eternal  damnation. 
Mat.  XXV.  46.  These  things,  I  say,  if  thou  he  a  Chris- 
tian indeed,  thou  helievest,  and  ownest,  and  the 
faith  of  them  doth  purify  thy  heart,  l  Jn.  iii.  3.  and 
wean  thee  from  this  world,  and  the  things  thereof; 
and  if  it  is  not  from  this  principle  ;  that  is,  if  thy 
obedience  do  not  flow  from  this  faith,  which  is  the 
faith  of  God's  elect,  as  I  have  proved  at  large,  thy 
ohedience,  thy  zeal,  thy  self-denial,  thy  holiness, 
righteousness  ;  yea,  all  that  thou  canst  do,  is  hut 
sin  in  the  sight  of  the  great  God  of  heaven  and 
earth.  He.  xi.  6.  Ro.  xiv.  23.  For  all  true  sanctification 
comes  through  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
by  the  operation  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  i  Co.  vi.  ii. 
'  But  ye  are  washed,  hut  ye  are  sanctified,  but  ye 
are  justified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
by  the  Spirit  of  our  God. '  And  in  Ca.  i.  3.  '  Thy 
name  is  as  ointment  poured  forth,  therefore  do  the 
virgins  love  thee.' 

Well  then,  seeing  this  is  a  truth  of  so  great 
concernment,  I  beseech  you,  seek  to  be  thoroughly 
rooted  into  it  by  faith.  And  that  thou  mayest  so 
be,  examine  thy  heart ;  yea,  beg  of  God  to  help 
thee  to  examine  it,  and  to  throw  out  all  that  fancy 
that  thou  takest  instead  of  faith ;  also  throw  away 
all  thine  own  wisdom ;  yea,  thy  own  righteousness 
also,  and  come  to  God  in  the  name  of  the  Son  of 
Mary,  which  is  the  Son  of  God,  and  beg  faith  of 
him,  true  faith,  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God  ; 
such  a  faith  as  he  gives  to  his  own  elect,  which 
will  shew  thee  clearly  of  these  things ;  so  that 
thou  shalt  not  deceive  thyself  with  a  fancy  of  them; 
and  the  advantages  will  be  many. 

Advantage  1.  It  will  comfort  thy  heart  against 
persecutions,  temptations,  and  cross  providences, 
as  also  James  saith  to  his  persecuted  brethren  ; 
'  Be  patient  (my  brethren,  saith  he),  stablish  your 
hearts,  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord  draweth  nigh.' 

Ja.  V.  8. 

Advantage  2.  It  will  through  grace,  wean  thy 
heart  and  affections  abundantly  from  this  world, 
and  the  things  therein.  *  Who  is  he  that  over- 
cometh  the  world,  (saith  John)  but  he  that  believeth 
that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God  ?  '  l  Jn.  v.  5.  Who  is 
he  also  that  purifies  his  heart,  but  he  that  looketh 
for  the  second  coming  of  Christ  from  heaven  to 
judge  the  world  ?  as  in  l  Jn.  iu.  3.  compared  with 

2  Pe.  iii.  10,  11. 

Advantage  3.  Hereby  thou  wilt  be  able  to  judge 
of  all  doctrines  whatsoever,  though  they  come 
never  so  nigh  the  truth,  yet  if  they  be  not  indeed 
the  very  truth,  thou  wilt  find  them  and  their  doc- 
trine liars.  Re.  ii.  2.  1  Co.  ii.  15. 

Advantage  4.  If  thou  beest  thoroughly  set  down 
in  this  doctrine,  even  in  the  faith  of  this  doctrine 
which  I  have  held  forth  unto  thee,  thou  wilt  not 


be  taken  with  any  other  doctrine  whatsoever. 
What  is  the  reason  I  pray  you,  that  there  are  so 
many  giddy-headed  professors  in  these  days,  that 
do  stagger  to  and  fro  like  a  company  of  drunkards, 
but  this,  They  were  never  sealed  in  the  doctrine 
of  the  Father,  and  the  Son  ?  They  were  never 
enabled  to  believe  that  that  child  that  was  born 
of  the  virgin  Mary,  was  the  mighty  God.  is.  ix.  6. 
No,  saith  Christ,  he  that  is  built  upon  this  rock, 
(meaning  the  faith  of  himself,  which  is  to  believe 
that  the  Son  of  Mary  is  the  Christ  of  God,  Mat.  xvi. 
16, )  the  gates  of  heU  shall  not  prevail  against  him. 

ver.  18. 

Advantage  5.  The  faith  of  this  doctrine,  wiU 
make  thee  labour  in  the  work  of  God  in  the  world. 
Oh,  it  wiU  liven  thy  heart  in  the  work  of  the  Lord  ; 
especially,  if  thou  livest  in  the  faith  of  thy  interest 
in  Christ,  it  will  make  thee  labour  to  be  found 
watching  when  thy  Lord  shall  return  from  the 
wedding ;  that  when  he  doth  come,  thou  mayest 
open  to  him  immediately.  Lu.  xii.  35, 36. 

Now  seeing  the  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
is  so  nigh,  even  at  the  doors,  what  doth  this 
speak  to  all  sorts  of  people  (under  heaven)  but 
this? 

Admonition  1 .  First,  to  see  whether  they  have 
oil  in  their  lamps  or  not ;  that  is,  to  search  and 
see,  whether  the  Spirit  of  the  Man  Christ  Jesus  be 
in  them  or  no ;  for  he  that  hath  not  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  in  him,  is  none  of  Christ's.  Ro.  viii.  9.  Thou 
that  hast  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  thee,  why,  at 
that  day  (let  thy  profession  be  what  it  will)  he  will 
say  to  thee,  Depart,  I  know  you  not,  Mat.  xxv.  and 
if  so,  then  thy  latter  end  will  be  worse  than  thy 
beginning,  as  in  2  Pe.  ii.  20. 

Admonition  2.  Then  what  Avill  become  of  all  the 
profane,  ignorant,  scoffers,  self-righteous,  proud, 
bastard-professors  in  the  world  ?  If  the  children 
of  God  shall  '  scarcely  be  saved,  where  shall  the 
ungodly,  and  the  sinner  appear  ? '  l  Pe.  iv.  18. 

Admonition  3.  Then  what  will  become  of  all 
those  that  creep  into  the  society  of  God's  people 
without  a  wedding  garment  on  ?  Why,  it  Avill  be 
said  unto  them.  Friends,  how  came  you  hither  ? 
Take  them,  and  bind  them  hand  and  foot,  and 
cast  them  into  utter  darkness ;  '  There  shall  be 
weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. '  Mat.  xxii.  ii— 13. 

Admonition  4.  Then  Avhat  will  become  of  all 
those  that  mock  at  the  second  coming  of  the  Man 
Christ,  as  do  the  Ranters,  Quakers,  drunkards, 
and  the  like  ?  Why  read  their  doom  in  Mat.  xxiv. 
50, 51.  '  The  Lord  of  that  or  these  servants,  shall 
come  in  a  day  Avhen  they  look  not  for  Mm,  and  in 
an  hour  that  they  are  not  aware  of,  and  shall  cut 
them  asimder,  and  appoint  them  their  portion  with 
the  hypocrites,'  And  'there  shall  be  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth. ' 

Admonition  5.  Then  Avhat  doth  this  speak   to 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


169 


tlie  Lord's  ovm  people  ?     Surely  this,  that  tliey 
should  be  in  a  watchful  posture.  Mar.  xui.  37. 

(1.)  Watch  therefore  over  your  own  hearts,  least 
they  should  he  over-charged  with  surfeiting  and 
drunkenness,  and  the  cares  of  this  life,  and  so  that 
day  come  upon  you  unawares  ;  for  as  a  snare  shall 
it  come  upon  all  the  dwellers  upon  the  face  of  the 
earth,  as  it  is  in  Lu.  xxi.  34—36. 

(2.)  Watch  over  the  devil's  temptations.  Oh, 
have  a  care  in  the  first  place,  lest  by  any  means, 
as  the  sei^pent  beguiled  Eve,  so  your  minds  should 
be  corrupted  from  the  simplicity  that  is  in  Christ : 
And  the  rather,  because  at  this  day  he  is  very 
busy  with  his  doctrines,  and  his  ministers ;  trying 
all  Avays,  if  by  any  means  he  might  deceive  you 
with  fair  speeches,  and  enticing  carriages;  what  a 
fair  shew  in  the  flesh,  yet  denying  the  Lord,  and 
refusing  to  be  justified  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  the 
Son  of  Mary,  the  Son  of  God.  Watch  I  say  over 
the  devil  touching  doctrines,  for  he  labours  as 
much  this  way  as  any  way,  for  he  knows  that  if 
he  can  but  get  you  to  lay  a  rotten  foundation,  he 
is  sure  of  you,  live  as  godly  in  your  conceit  as  you 
wUl,  and  therefore,  it  is  worth  your  observation,  in 
that  xxirth  of  Mat.  when  Christ  is  speaking  of  the 
signs  of  his  coming,  he  breaks  forth  with  a  warn- 
ing word  to  his  disciples,  to  beware  of  false  teachers, 
ver.  4.  the  very  first  words  that  he  answers  to  a 
question  that  his  disciples  put  to  him  is  this, '  Take 
heed  that  no  man  deceive  you.'  Again,  ver.  il. 
'And  many  false  prophets  shall  rise,  and  shall 
deceive  many. '  And  in  ver.  2i.  he  saith  again, 
'  For  there  shall  (come  or)  arise,  false  Christs,  and 
false  prophets,  and  shall  shew  great  signs  and 
wonders ;  insomuch  that,  if  it  ivere  possible,  they 
shall  deceive  the  very  elect.' 

(3.)  Take  heed  that  he  doth  not  deceive  you  in 
point  of  worship,  that  he  make  you  not  slight  any 
of  the  ordinances  of  God ;  for  if  he  do,  he  will 
quickly  make  way  for  another  temptation. 

(4.)  Take  heed  also  that  you  have  not  your 
lamps  to  trim  when  the  bridegroom  comes  ;  if  you 
have,  you  may  peradventure  be  ashamed  and  blush 
before  him  at  his  coming,  l  Ju.  ii.  28.  Therefore 
content  not  yourselves  with  a  profession  of  Christ, 
and  no  more,  for  the  devil  may  deceive,  yea,  doth 
deceive  a  professing  people  many  times.  And  if 
he  wUl  deceive  a  professing  generation,  he  must 
come  in  this  manner:  Under  the  name  of  Christ. 
With  a  fair  shew  in  the  flesh  of  outward  hohness. 
Ga.  \i.  13.  He  must  come  '  with  good  words  and  fair 
speeches.'  Ro.  x\-i.  18.  Now  though  he  come  to 
drunkards,  swearers,  whoremongers,  thieves,  liars, 
murderers,  and  covetous  persons,  in  his  black 
colours ;  yet  if  he  will  come  to  deceive  a  profess- 
ing party,  he  must  appear  like  an  angel  of  light. 
2  Co.  xi.  14  And  the  reason  why  souls  are  deceived 
by  him  in  these  his  appearances,  is,  because  they 

VOL.  II. 


are  not  able  to  distinguish  betwixt  the  law  and 
the  gospel,  the  convictions  of  conscience  by  the 
law  only,  and  convictions  by  the  Spirit,  but  do 
(though  they  profess  the  Lord  Jesus)  give  ear  to 
every  wind  of  doctrine,  and  being  unstable,  as 
Peter  saith,  do  fall  into  the  temptations  of  the 
devU,  in  wresting  the  scriptures  to  their  own 
destruction.  2  Pe.  m.  ig. 

Admonition  6.  In  a  word,  you  that  have  not  yet 
laid  hold  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for  eternal  life, 
lay  hold  upon  him  ;  upon  his  righteousness,  blood, 
resurrection,  ascension,  intercession,  and  wait  for 
his  second  coming  to  'judge  the  world  in  righte- 
ousness. '  Ac.  xvii.  31.  And  you  that  have  laid  hold, 
I  say  to  you,  lay  faster  hold  on  your  Lord  Jesus, 
'  Who  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear. '  Mat.  xm.  43. 

Now,  that  thou  mayest  the  more  clearly  under- 
stand my  faith  in  the  doctrine  of  God's  dear  Son, 
I  have  thought  good  to  hold  forth  again  the  doc- 
trine of  the  former  treatise  by  way  of  question  and 
answer,  as  followeth. 

Quest.  Seeing  there  are  many  false  Christs  gone 
out  into  the  world,  according  as  was  prophesied  of 
in  former  times  by  the  Lord  himself.  Mat.  xxiv.  5, 23. 
And  seeing  (if  we  be  saved)  we  must  be  saved  by 
a  Christ;  for  he  that  misses  of  him  (saith  tha 
scriptures)  cannot  be  saved,  because  there  is  no 
way  to  come  to  the  Father  but  by  him,  as  it  is 
written.  Jn.  xiv.  6.  Ac.  iv.  12.  How  therefore,  is  the 
knowledge  of  the  true  Christ  to  be  attained  unto, 
that  we  may  be  saved  by  him  ? 

Ans.  Lideed  to  know  Christ,  (God's  Christ)  is 
as  the  scripture  saith,  the  one  thing  necessary, 
Lu.  X.  42.  without  which  all  other  things  will  avail 
nothing:  And  therefore  I  shall  according  to  the 
scriptures,  (L)  Tell  you  what  God's  Christ  is. 
And,  (2.)  How  the  knowledge  of  him  is  attained 
unto.  And  therefore,  God's  Christ  is  true  God, 
and  true  man.  Tliat  he  is  true  God, ^  is  mani- 
fest by  that  scripture,  in  is.k.e.  where  it^  is  said, 
'  unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is  given : 
and  the  government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder: 
and  his  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful,  Coun- 
sellor, the  mighty  God,  the  everlasting  Father,  the 
Prince  of  Peace.'  Also  Un. 5. 20.  And  we  are  in 
him  that  is  true,  (saith  the  apostle)  even  in  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  the  true  God,  and  eternal 
life.  See  He.  i.  8.  Jn.  i.  13.  Ro.  ix.  5.  Jn.  xx.  28.  That  he  is 
true  man,  see  again,  is.Lx.  6.  where  it  is  said,  '  Unto 
us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is  given ;  and 
compare  it  with  Mat.  i.  21.  where  it  is  said,  '  And 
she  shall  bring  forth  a  Son,  and  thou  shalt  call  his 
name  Jesus  :  for  he  shaU  save  his  people  from 
their  sins,  see  Jn.  i.  u.  'And  the  word  was  made 
flesh. '  1  Ti.  m.  16.  '  God  was  manifest  m  the  flesh. 
These  two  scriptures  are  expomuled  by  lie.  «.  14. 
where  it  is  said,  'Forasmuch  then  as  the  chddren 
are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also  himself 


170 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


likewise  took  part  of  tlie  same;'  tliat  is,  of  flesh 
and  blood,  see  Ro.  viii.  3.  and  compare  it  with  Lu.xxiv. 
39.  where  Christ  saith,  '  Behold  my  hands  and  my 
feet,  that  it  is  I  myself :  handle  me,  and  see ;  for 
a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones,  as  ye  see  me 
have.'  And  he  doth  often  call  himself  by  the 
name  of  the  Son  of  man  to  signify  that  he  is  very 
man,  as  well  as  very  God,  Mat.  xxiv.;  xv;  is. 

Quest.   But  why  was  he  trae    God  and   true 
man? 

Ans.  He  was  true  man,  because  man  had  of- 
fended, and  justice  required  that  man  should  suffer 
and  make  satisfaction,  and  so  it  is  written.  iCo.xv. 
21.  *  For  since  by  man  came  death,  by  man  came 
also  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.'  And  again, 
'  All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray ;  -  -  and  the 
Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all.' 
And  in  i  Pe.  ii.  24.  where  that  liii.  of  is.  is  mentioned, 
he  saith,  '  Who  his  own  self  bare  our  sins  in  his 
own  body  on  the  tree,  that  we,  being  dead  to  sins, 
should  live  unto  righteousness ;  by  whose  stripes 
ye  were  healed.  *  And  again,  God  did  prepare  this 
body,  the  himian  nature  of  Christ,  that  it  should 
be  a  sacrifice  for  sins,  '  wherefore  -  -  he  saith, 
Sacrifice  and  offering  (that  is,  such  as  were  ofi"ered 
by  the  law  of  Moses)  thou  wouldest  not,  but  a  body 
hast  thou  prepared  me.  He.  x.  5.  In  this  body  which 
God  had  prepared  for  him,  which  he  took  of  the 
virgin,  Ga.  iv.  4.  in  this  he  did  bear  all  the  sins  of 
all  his  elect,  l  Pe.  ii.  24. 

And  he  must  needs  be  true  God,  because,  it 
was  an  infinite  God  that  was  transgressed  against, 
and  justice  required  an  infinite  satisfaction,  and 
therefore  he  must  be  infinite  that  must  give  this 
satisfaction,  or  else  justice  could  not  be  satisfied, 
and  so  it  was  written,  where  the  apostle  is  telling 
the  pastors  of  the  church  of  Ephesus,  by  what 
they  were  redeemed,  he  tells  them,  that  God  did 
purchase  them  *  with  his  own  blood. '  Ac.  xx.  28.  see 
1  Jn.  iii.  16.  where  he  saith,  *  Hereby  perceive  we  the 
love  of  God,  because  he  laid  down  his  life  for 
us. '  Not  in  his  divine,  but  in  his  human  nature  ; 
for  as   I   said  before,  God's   Christ  was  of  both 

natures,     Esa.  ix.  6.  Ro.  ix.  5.  1  Jn.  v.  20.  Jn.  i.  1—14.       True 

God,  and  true  man,  and  the  divine  nature  did 
enable  him  to  undergo  in  his  human  nature,  all 
that  sin,  curse,  and  wrath  that  was  laid  upon  him 
for  us;  and  to  overcome,  and  obtain  eternal  re- 
demption for  us.  He.  ix.  24. 

Quest.  How  did  this  Christ  bring  in  redemption 
for  man  ? 

Am.  (1.)  Wliy  first,  man  broke  the  law  of  God ; 
but  this  man  did  fulfil  it  again,  and  became  the 
end  of  it  '  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  be- 
lieveth. '  Ro.  x.  4. 

(2.)  Man  was  foiled  and  overcome  by  the  devil; 
but  this  Man  Christ  did  overcome  him  again,  and 

Ihat  for  us.  Lu,  iv.  He.  ii.  14, 15. 


(3.)  Man  did  lose  the  glory  of  God,  but  this 
Man  hath  obtained  it  again. 

(4.)  Man  by  sin  lost  eternal  salvation ;  but  this 
Man  by  his  own  blood  hath  obtained  it  again  for 
him.  He.  ix.  12. 

(5.)  Man  by  sin  brought  death  into  the  world. 
Ro.  V.  12.  But  Jesus  Christ,  that  Man,  hath  destroyed 
it  again,  He.  ii.  14.  compared  with  Ho.  xiii.  14.  and 
brought  in  life  and  immortality.  2  Ti.  i.  lo.  Ro.  v.  15. 

Quest.  But  how  ai-e  we  justified  by  this  man's 
obedience  ? 

A71S.  All  our  iniquities  were  laid  upon  him,  u. 
liii.  6, 8, 11, 12.  And  his  righteousness  is  bestowed  on 
us,  if  we  believe,  as  it  is  written,  'Even  the  righ- 
teousness of  God  which  is  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ 
unto  all  and  upon  all  them  that  believe.'  Ro.  iii.  23. 
And  this  is  it  which  Paul  so  much  sought  after, 
when  he  saith,  'Yea  doubtless,  and  I  count  all 
things  but  loss,  -  -  -  and  do  count  them  but  dung, 
that  I  may  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him,  not 
hanng  mine  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the 
law,  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ, 
the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith.'  Piii. 

iii.  8,  9. 

Quest.  How  do  men  come  by  this  righteousness 
and  everlasting  life  ? 

Ans.  By  faith  men  lay  hold  upon  it,  and  apply 
it  to  their  own  souls  in  particular.  Ga.  ii.  20.  For  it 
is  by  faith  they  are  justified,  as  also  saith  the 
scripture.  Ro.  v.  i.  That  his  faith  lays  hold  on  and 
applies,  that  which  this  Christ  of  God  hath  done, 
and  is  a  doing,  and  owns  it  as  his  own. 

Quest.  What  is  this  faith  that  doth  justify  the 
sinner  ? 

Alls.  It  is  a  gift,  Ep.  ii.  8.  fruit,  Ga.  V.  23.  or  work, 
of  the  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  a  soid  is  enabled, 
under  a  sight  of  its  sins,  and  wretched  estate,  to 
lay  hold  on  the  birth,  righteousness,  blood,  death, 
resurrection,  ascension  and  intercession  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  l  Th.  ii.  ?•  and  by  the  assistance 
of  the  Spirit,  whereby  it  is  wrought,  to  apply  all 
the  virtue,  life  and  merit  of  what  hath  been  done 
and  suff'ered,  or  is  a  doing  by  the  same  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  to  its  own  self  in  particular,  Ga.  ii.  20.  Ro.  vii. 
24,  25.  as  if  itself  had  really  done  all  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  hath  done :  I  do  not  say  that  the 
soul  doth  any  thing  for  justification,  but  it  doth 
know,  that  Avhatsoever  Jesus  Christ  hath  done  in 
point  of  justification,  is  given  to,  and  bestowed 
upon  it,  Ro.  iii.  32.  and  God  finding  the  soul  in  him, 
that  is  in  Christ,  doth  'justify  it  from  all  things, 
from  which  it  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law  of 

Moses. '  Ac.  xiii.  39. 

Quest.  Well,  but  is  there  no  way  to  come  to  the 
Father  of  mercies  but  by  this  man  that  was  born 
of  the  virgin  ?  Is  there  no  way  to  come  to  God 
but  by  the  faith  of  him  ? 

Ans.  No,  '  there  is  none  other  name  under  hea- 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


171 


ven  given  among  men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved. ' 
Ac.  iv.  12.  And  Jesus  himself,  that  was  born  of  the 
virgin  J^Iary,  said,  « I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth, 
and  the  life :  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father,  but 
by  me. '  Jn.  xiv.  6. 

Quest.  And  where  is  this  man,  that  was  born  of 
the  virgin,  that  we  may  come  to  the  Father  by  him  ? 

Ans.  He  ascended  away  from  his  disciples  in  a 
cloud,  into  heaven,  as  we  may  read.  Ac.  i.  9— ii. 

Quest.  What  doth  he  there  ? 

Ans.  He  ever  lives  to  make  intercession  for  all 
that  come  unto  God  by  him.  He.  vii.  25.  That  is, 
they  shall  come  out  of  themselves  to  him,  and 
venture  their  souls  on  what  he  did  and  suffered 
when  he  was  on  earth,  and  is  doing  now  in  heaven; 
shall  certainly  be  saved :  For  he  ever  lives  to  save 
them,  that  do  thus  come  to  the  Father  by  him. 
And  it  is,  because  he  spilt  his  blood  for  all  that 
shall  by  the  faith  of  God's  elect  lay  hold  upon  him. 
And  thus  it  is  written  where  he  saith,  '  Being 
justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemp- 
tion that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  [Mark  this]  whom 
God  hath  set  forth  to  he  a.  propitiation  through 
faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness, 
(that  is,  to  declare  God's  righteousness)  for  the 
remission  of  sins  that  are  past,  through  the  for- 
bearance of  God;  to  declare,  /  say,  at  this  time 
his  righteousness :  that  he  might  be  just,  and  the 
justifier  of  him  which  believeth  (or  layeth  hold) 

in  Jesus.'  Ko.  m.  24—26. 

Quest.  But  did  this  man  rise  again  from  the 
dead,  that  very  man,  with  that  very  body  where- 
with he  was  crucified  ?  for  you  do  seem,  as  I 
conceive,  to  hold  forth  so  much  by  these  your 
expressions. 

Ans.  Why  do  you  doubt  of  it  ? 

Quest.  Do  you  believe  it  ? 

Ans.  Yes,  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
for  he  hath  enabled  me  so  to  do. 

Quest.  And  can  you  prove  it  by  the  scripture  ? 

Ans.  Yes. 

Quest.  How  ? 

Ans.  First,  From  that  scripture  in  Lu.  xxiv.  39, 40. 
where  Christ  himself  after  he  was  crucified  ap- 
peared to  his  disciples,  (who  having  seen  hsm) 
supposed  they  had  seen  a  spirit.  But  he  said. 
Why  are  ye  troubled,  and  why  do  thoughts  arise 
in  your  hearts  ?  Behold  my  hands  and  my  feet, 
that  it  is  I  myself,  and  do  not  think  you  see  a 
spirit ;  handle  me,  and  see,  for  a  spirit  hath  not 
flesh  and  bones,  as  you  see  me  have.  This  he 
spake  after  he  was  crucified,  Lu.  xxiii.  33.  and  buried, 
ver.  53.  and  rose  again  from  the  dead,  ch.  xxiv.  6,  7. 
many  other  scriptures  could  I  give  for  the  proof 
hereof,  as  Ac.  r.  40, 41.  And  Ac.  xiii.  30,  31.  1  Th.  i.  10.  only 
read  Ac.  ii.  29—32.  where  the  apostle  proveth  the 
same,  bringing  in  the  words  of  the  prophet  David 
for  a  testimony  thereof,  saying,  He  '  being  a  pro- 


phet, and  knowing  that  God  had  sworn  with  an 
oath  to  hun,  that  of  the  fruit  of  his  loins,  accord- 
ing to  the  flesh,  he  would  raise  up  Christ  to  sit  on 
his  throne;  (saith)  he  seeing  this  before,  spake  of 
the  resurrection  of  Christ,  that  his  soul  was  not 
left  in  hell,  neither  his  flesh  did  see  corruption.* 
Mark  it,  his  flesh  did  see  no  corruption,  ver.  3i.  But 
if  he  had  not  risen  again,  his  flesh  had  seen  cor- 
ruption. But  he  rose  again  from  the  dead,  that 
very  man,  that  very  body  ;  for  his  flesh  did  see 
no  corruption. 

Quest.  Why  did  he  rise  again  from  the  dead, 
with  that  very  body? 

A71S10.  (1.)  Because  it  was  not  possible  he  should 
be  holden  of  death. 

(2.)  Because  in  his  human  nature  he  suffered 
for  sin ;  and  if  he  had  not  recovered  himself  from 
that  very  curse,  even  from  vmder  death,  and  aU 
other  things  that  lay  on  him,  which  he  had 
through  the  sins  of  his  children  subjected  himself 
unto,  he  had  not  overcome  sin,  hell,  death,  the 
law,  and  the  devil :  Ac.  ii.  24.  but  had  been  over- 
come by  them ;  and  if  so,  then  had  not  redemp- 
tion been  obtained  for  sinners ;  for  it  was  at  his 
resurrection  from  the  dead,  that  God  said  unto 
him,  '  Thou  art  my  Sou,  this  day  have  I  begotten 
thee : '  (As  saith  the  Apostle)  '  And  we  declare 
unto  you  glad  tidings,  how  that  the  promise  which 
was  made  unto  the  fathers,  God  hath  fulfilled 
the  same  unto  us  their  children,  in  that  he  hath 
raised  up  Jesus  again ;'  as  it  Is  also  written  in  the 
second  psalm,  '  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I 
begotten  thee.'  Ac.  xiii. 30—36.  And  it  is  this,  namely, 
the  resurrection  of  that  Man  from  the  dead,  that 
doth  give  us  ground  of  hope ;  as  in  i  Pe.  i.  3.  where 
he  saith.  He  '  hath  begotten  us  again  unto  a  lively 
hope  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from  the 
dead.' 

(3.)  Because  God  Intends  to  redeem  the  bodies 
of  Ills  saints  out  of  their  graves  in  which  they  have 
lain  many  a  year,  Jn.  v.  28,  29.  Ro.  viii.  23.  i  Co.  xv.  52.  and 
to  possess  them  with  his  own  glory ;  and  when 
this  comes  to  pass,  then  shall  that  scripture  be 
fulfilled,  that  saith.  He  'shall  change  our  vile 
body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glo- 
rious body,  according  to  the  working  (of  his  mighty 
power)  whereby  he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all 
things  imto  himself. '  I'lii.  ii.  21.  And  he  hath  given 
us  assurance  thereof,  in  that  he  hath  raised  up 
Jesus  our  Lord  again  from  the  dead.  Ac.  xvii.  3i. 

Quest.  But  do  you  think,  that  these  our  bodies 
that  we  do  carry  about  with  us  In  this  world,  after 
that  they  are  dead  and  buried,  and  rotten,  shall 
rise  again  out  of  those  graves  into  which  they  are 
laid;  when  the  scripture  saith,  flesh  and  blood 
shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God  ?  1  Co.xy.50. 

Answ.  Flesh  in  scripture  is  taken  more  ways 
than  one:  As, 


172 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPEMED. 


It  is  taken  for  the  works  of  the  law ;  where  the 
Apostle  saith,  '  Received  ye  the  Spirit  by  the 
works  of  the  law,  or  by  the  hearing  of  faith  ? 
Are  ye  so  foolish  ?  having  begun  in  the  Spirit, 
are  ye  now  made  perfect  by  the  flesh  ? '  Ga.  iii.  2,  3. 
By  flesh  here,  he  means  the  law ;  as  is  clear,  if 
you  compare  it  with  vcr.  lo— 13.  Again,  sometimes 
flesh  is  taken  for  sins.  Ro.  viii.  i,  5.  And  sometimes 
it  is  taken  for  the  bodies  of  the  saints,  as  subject 
to  distempers,  to  pain,  sickness,  corruptions,  to 
death;  by  reason  of  sin.  3  Co.  iv.  ii ;  vii.  5.  Now  the 
Apostle  in  that  place,  where  he  saith,  '  Flesh  and 
blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  (of  heaven,  or) 
of  God,'  his  meaning  is,  sinful  flesh  and  blood,  or 
the  sin,  with  any  imperfection  that  is  in  the  bodies 
of  the  saints,  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom ;  and 
that  you  shall  find  to  be  the  mind  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  if  you  read  with  understanding  the  latter 
end  of  the  same  verse,  where  he  saith,  '  Neither 
doth  corruption  inherit  incorruption. '  That  is, 
sin,  or  any  imperfection  of  the  bod}^  shall  not  in- 
herit eternal  life ;  for,  saith  he,  in  ver.  53.  '  This 
corruptible  must  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mor- 
tal must  put  on  immortality,'  Mark  here,  I  pray 
you,  though  he  saith,  '  Flesh  and  blood  cannot 
inherit  the  kingdom  of  God ;'  yet  he  saith,  '  This 
corruptible  must  put  on  incorruption.'  For  the 
trump  shall  blow,  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised  (as 
Christ  saith)  '  They  that  are  in  the  graves  shall 
hear  his  voice.'  Ju.  v. 28.  And  shall  come  forth  of 
tlieir  graves  incorruptible,  i  Co.  xv.  52.  And  shall 
'  all  appear  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ.' 

3  Co.  V.  10.  Re.  ii.  13, 13.      See  also  that    scripture,    Phi.  iii. 

20, 21.  where  the  Apostle  saith,  ITe  waited  for  Christ 
the  Saviour  from  heaven.  And  what  shall  he  do 
when  he  comes  ?  why,  He  *  shall  change  our  vile 
body.'  Mark  it,  it  must  be  our  vile  body  that 
must  be  changed.  But  if  it  be  changed,  then  how 
can  it  be  the  same  ?  not  the  same  in  respect  of 
sin,  or  bodily  infirmities,  but  the  very  same  in  re- 
spect of  substance :  For,  saith  he.  It  is  our  vile 
body  tliat  must  be  changed ;  and  it  is  the  very 
same,  It  shall  be  '  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious 
body.'  And  if  you  ask.  How  is  it  possible  that 
this  should  be  done  ?  He  answers,  '  According  to 
the  working  whereby  he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all 
things  unto  himself.' 

Quest.  But  do  you  think  this  is  certain  ?  methinks 
the  scriptures  seemingly  hold  forth  so  much,  yet  I 
cannot  believe  it,  for  it  is  contrary  to  all  reason. 

Ansio.  Truly  the  scriptures  do  not  only  hold 
forth  so  much  seemingly,  but  they  do  most  really, 
and  plainly,  hold  out  these  things  to  all  those  that 
have  received  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
For  it  is  it,  and  it  alone,  that  can  reveal  these 
things.  '  For  the  things  of  God  knoweth  no  man, 
but  the  Spirit  of  God. '  l  Co.  ii.  ii.  Now  if  thou 
wouldest  know  these  things,  thou  must  first  receive 


the  Spirit  of  the  Son  of  God,  without  which,  thou 
canst  not  know  so  much  as  one  of  the  fundamental 
truths  of  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Q}iest.  But  there  are  those  in  our  days,  who 
reject  this  doctrine  that  you  lay  down,  concerning 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  you  lay  it  down,  and 
they  are  for  a  Christ  within,  for  a  cross  within, 
for  a  resurrection,  and  intercession  within ;  and 
they  do  not  hold  as  you  do,  a  Christ  without,  and 
a  resurrection  of  Christ  without ;  and  intercession 
of  Christ  without ;  Ay,  and  they  have  very  much 
scripture  for  that  which  they  say  too :  And  there- 
fore what  shall  such  as  we  do,  that  stand  tottering 
and  shaking  in  these  distracted  and  dangerous 
times  ?  For  our  poor  souls  are  in  very  much 
doubt  what  way  to  take. 

Ans^j).  Therefore  I  will  speak  a  few  words  to 
you  by  way  of  discovery  of  the  falsity  of  such 
opinions  ;  and  a  word  of  direction,  how  you  should 
understand  the  truth. 

Therefore,  he  that  cries  up  a  Christ  within,  in 
aiyposition  to  a  Christ  without,  that  man  instead  of 
having  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  him,  is  possessed 
with  a  spirit  of  delusion ;  for  where  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  is  in  truth,  that  Spirit  causeth  the  soul  to 
look  to  the  Christ  that  was  born  of  the  Virgin,  for 
all  justification ;  as  it  is  written,  '  Howbeit  when 
he,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  come,  he  will  guide  you 
into  all  truth :  for  he  shall  not  speak  of  himself ; 
but  whatsoever  he  shall  hear,  that  shall  he  speak : 
and  he  will  shew  you  things  to  come,'  mark  tho 
next  verse,  *  He  (saith  the  Son  of  the  Virgin)  shall 
receive  of  mine,  and  shall  shew  it  imto  you. '  Jn.xvi. 
13, 14.  He  shall  take  of  mine ;  What  is  that  ? 
Why  surely  it  is,  he  shall  take  of  my  Godhead,  my 
humanity,  my  birth,  my  righteousness,  my  blood, 
my  death,  my  resurrection,  my  ascension  and  inter- 
cession, my  kingly,  priestly,  and  prophetical  ofiices, 
and  shall  shew  you  the  life,  merit,  and  value  of  them. 
And  this  was  it  which  was  revealed  to  Paul  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  here  spoken  of.  i  Co.  xv.  1—8.  'Moreover 
brethren,  (saith  he)  I  declare  unto  you  the  gospel 
which  I  preached  unto  you,  which  also  ye  have 
received,  and  wherein  ye  stand ;  By  which  also  yo 
are  saved,  if  ye  keep  in  memory  what  I  preached 
unto  you,  unless  ye  have  believed  in  vain.'  But 
what  is  this  doctrine  ?  why,  '  I  delivered  unto  you 
first  of  all  that  which  I  also  received. '  What  was 
that  ?  Why,  '  How  that  Christ  died  for  our  sins 
according  to  the  scriptures ;  And  that  he  was 
buried,  and  that  he  rose  again  the  third  day  ac- 
cording to  the  scriptures :  (there  is  his  death  and 
resurrection  preached.)  And  that  he  was  seen  of 
Cephas,  then  of  the  twelve;  after  that,  he  was 
seen  of  above  five  hundred  brethren  at  once ;  of 
whom  the  greater  part  remain  unto  this  present, 
but  some  are  fallen  asleep.  After  that,  he  was 
seen  of  James;  then  of  aU  the  Apostles.     And  last 


so:me  gospel  truths  opened. 


173 


of  all  lie  was  seen  of  me  also,  (saith  Paul)  as  of 
one  born  out  of  due  time.'  This  is  it,  I  say,  that 
the  Spirit  of  Truth  doth  hold  forth  to  poor  sinners, 
a  Christ  crucified  without  the  gates  of  Jerusalem, 
Lu.  xxiii.  33.  buried  in  Joseph's  sepulchre,  53.  risen 
again  the  third  day,  Lu.  xxiv.  6.  ascended  away  from 
his  disciples  in  a  cloud  into  heaven,  as  in  Ac.  i.  9— ll. 
And  there  ever  liveth,  that  very  man,  with  that 
very  body,  to  make  intercession  for  all  that  receive 
him.  He.  vii.  21, 25.  This  is,  I  say,  the  doctrine  of  the 
Spirit  of  truth,  whatsoever  is  the  spirit  of  error. 

Quest.  But  do  not  the  scriptures  make  mention 
of  a  Christ  within  ?  2  Co.  xiii.  5.  Col.  i.  27. 

Answ.  Yes,  And  he  that  hath  not  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  is  none  of  his.  Ko.  nii.  9.  But  he  that  hath 
it,  is  led  out  of  himself  by  it ;  and  as  I  said  before, 
it  shews  the  soul,  what  the  blessed  Son  of  the  Vir- 
gin Mary  hath  done  and  suffered,  and  is  a  doing 
for  it.  Therefore  hereby  know  we  the  Spirit  of 
truth  from  the  spirit  of  error.  [2  Jn.  7.]  '  Every  spirit 
that  doth  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the 
flesh,  is  of  God : '  i  Jh.  iv.  2.  That  is,  that  spirit  that 
doth  confess,  that  Jesus  Christ  took  flesh  upon  him, 
and  in  that  flesh  did  bear  our  sins,  l  Pe.  ii.  24.  Col.  i. 
20—22.  1  Pe.  iii.  18;  iv.  1.  And  after  he  was  taken  down 
from  the  cross,  and  laid  in  a  sepulchre,  rose  again 
from  the  dead ;  that  very  Man  with  that  very  body, 
wherewith  he  was  crucified :  That  spirit  that  doth 
believe  and  confess  this,  is  of  God,  and  is  the 
blessed  Spirit  of  Christ,  whereof  he  spake,  when  he 
was  yet  with  his  disciples  touching  his  bodily  pre- 
sence: For  'he  (saith  the  Son  of  Mary)  shall  glorify 
me,  for  he  shall  receive  of  mine  and  shew  it  unto 

you. '  Jn.  x\i.  13, 14. 

I  have  answered  this  already  in  my  epistle  to 
the  first  treatise.  Therefore  believe  not  every  spirit, 
but  try  the  spirits  whether  they  be  of  God,  for 
many  false  spirits  and  prophets  are  gone  out  into 
the  world,  therefore  have  a  care  how  thou  receivest 
the  voice  that  speaks  to  thee,  but  try  whether  they 
are  according  to  the  truth  of  God's  word  as  it  is 
written,  'To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony:  if  they 
speak  not  according  to  this  word,  it  is  because  there 
is  no  light  in  them.'  is.  vm.  20. 

(1.)  Therefore  try  a  little,  Do  they  slight  God's 
Christ,  which  is  the  Son  of  the  Virgin  ?  that  spirit 
is  of  the  devil.  1  Co.  xii.  3. 

(2.)  Do  they  say  that  that  blood  of  his  which 
was  shed  without  the  gates  of  Jerusalem,  doth  not 
Avash  away  sin,  yea,  all  sin  from  him  that  believes? 
That  is  a  spirit  of  antichrist.  1  Jn.  L  7. 

(3.)  Do  they  say,  that  that  Man  that  was  cruci- 
fied without  the  gates  of  Jerusalem,  is  not  risen 
again  (with  that  very  body  wherewith  he  was  cru- 
cified! out  of  the  sepulchre?  Lu.  xxiv.  38, 39.  That  is 
a  spirit  of  antichrist. 

(4.)  Do  they  say  that  that  very  Man  that  was 
crucified  with  that  very  body,  is  not  now  in  the 


presence  of  his  Father,  absent  from  his  people 
touching  his  bodily  presence,  though  present  in 
Spirit  ?  I  say  whoever  they  be,  that  say  he  is  not 
there,  they  are  of  the  devil :  for  the  proof  of  this 
see  Ac.  V.  30  ,in(l  31.  and  compare  it  with  He.  vii.  24,  25. 
'  The  God  of  our  fathers  (saith  the  Apostle)  raised 
up  Jesus.'  But  what  Jesus?  'he  whom  ye  slew,' 
saith  he  to  the  Jews.  '  Ilim  (the  very  same  whom 
ye  slew)  hath  God  exalted  with  his  right  hand  to 
be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour,  for  to  give  repentance 
to  Israel,  and  forgiveness  of  sins. ' 

And  indeed,  here  is  my  life,  namely,  the  birth 
of  this  Man,  the  righteousness  of  this  Man,  the 
blood  of  this  Man,  the  death  and  resurrection  of 
this  Man,  the  ascension  and  intercession  of  this 
Man  for  me ;  and  the  second  coming  of  this  Man 
to  judge  the  world  in  righteousness.  Ac.  xvii.31.     I 
say,  here  is  my  life,  if  I  see  this  by  faith  without 
me,  through  the  operation  of  the  Spirit  within  me : 
I  am  safe,  I  am  at  peace,  I  am  comforted,  I  am 
encouraged,  and  I  know  that  my  comfort,  peace, 
and  encouragement  is  true,  and    given  me  from 
heaven,  by  the  Father  of  mercies,  through    the 
Son  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  Mat.  i.  21.  who  is  the  way 
to  the  Father  of  mercies,  Jn.  xiv.  6.  who  is  able  to 
save  to  the  uttermost,  all  that  come  to  the  Father 
by  him.  He.  vii.  25.    Because  he,  that  very  Man,  with 
that  very  body  wherewith  he  was  crucified,  is  as- 
cended into  heaven,  Ac.  i.  9— 11.  and  there  ever  lives 
to  make  intercession  for  them  that  come  to  God 
by  him.     This  is  the  rock,  sinner,  upon  which,  if 
thou  be  built,  the  gates  of  hell,  nor  Ranter,  Qua- 
ker, sin,  law,  death,  no  nor  the  devil  himself,  shall 
ever  be  able  to  prevail  against  thee.  Mat.xvi.  I6— 18. 
And  here  I  leave  thee  to  the  wisdom  of  the  great 
God,  who  if  he  hath  chosen  thee  in  his  Son,  and 
brought  thee  to  him;  and  hath  made  thee  by  faith 
to  lay  hold  on  him,  thou  needest  not  fear  the  devil 
with  his  siftings,   snares,  wiles,  and  fiery  darts, 
wherewith  he  doth  destroy  thousands ;  but  mayest 
with  the  Apostle  (if  thou  live  in  the  power  and  life 
of  the  love  of  God  towards  thee)  cry  out,  '  I  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  separate  us  from 
the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.' 

Ro.  viii.  38,  39. 

And  now  reader,  if  thou  be  a  true  Christian,  I 
am  sure  that  these  be  the  things  that  appear  to  be 
the  glorious  substantial  truths  to  thy  soul,  and  thou 
doest  not  care  for  that  comfort  that  doth  not  make 
this  Man,  the  Son  of  the  Virgin,  precious  to  thy 
soul,  1  Pe.  ii  7.  for  thou  knowcst,  that  it  is  he,  that 
hath  delivered  thee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  ITb.i. 
10.  But  as  for  you  that  are  disobedient,  except  you 
mend  your  manners,  you  will  stumble  'and  fall 
backward,  and  be  broken,  and  snared,  and  taken.' 


174 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


Is.  xx\-iii.  13.  and    wonder    and   perisli  because  you 
believe  not.  Ac.  xiii  41. 

A  few  words  more,  and  so  I  sball  bave  done,  and 
tbey  are  words  of  counsel  to  tbee.  Have  a  care 
tbou  receive  not  every  Christ  that  is  proffered  to 
tbee,  tbougb  it  may  appear  very  excellent  to  thy 
foolisb  beart :  for  under  the  name  Cbrist,  are  men 
deceived,  as  it  is  written,  '  many  sball  come  in  my 
name,  saying,  I  am  Cbrist;  and  sball  deceive 
many.'  Mat.  xxiv.  5.  But  bave  a  care  tbat  tbou  re- 
ceive tbat  Cbrist,  tbat  was  born  witbout  tbee,  ful- 
filled tbe  law  in  bis  buman  nature  witbout  tbee  ; 
spilt  bis  blood  witbout  tbee,  is  risen  again  and 
ascended  witbout  tbee,  and  maketb  intercession 
witbout  tbee  :    And  tbat  be  tbat  very  Man  tbat 


was  born  of  tbe  Virgin,  will  come  again  in  tbe 
clouds  -witbout  tbee ;  and  tbis  trutb  must  tbou  re- 
ceive by  tbat  Spirit  tbat  be  batb  promised  to  send 
and  give  to  tbem  tbat  ask  bim  :  And  tbat  sbaU 
dwell  in  tby  beart,  and  sball  sbew  thee  what  the 
Son  of  Mary  the  virgin,  the  Son  of  man,  the  Son 
of  God,  tbe  true  God  batb  in  bis  body  done  for  thy 
soul.  Jn.  xvi.  13, 14.  And  if  thou  receive  bim  in  trutb, 
then  though  tbou  do  not  boast,  nor  brag  of  tby 
hobness,  as  those  painted  hypocrites  called  Qua- 
kers do :  yet  thou  wilt  do  more  work  for  God  in 
one  hour,  than  tbey,  even  all  of  tbem,  can  do  in 
all  their  lifetime. 

Take  my  counsel,  and  tbe  Lord  Jesus  Cbrist 
bave  mercy  upon  tby  soul  and  body.    Farewell. 


SOME  GOSPEL  TRUTHS  OPENED. 


1Y5 


SOME  QUESTIONS  TO  THE  QUAKERS, 

OR  A  FEW  QUERIES  TO  THOSE  WHO  ARE  POSSESSED  WITH  A  SPIRIT  OF  DELUSION  IN  THIS  GENERATION. 

'  Be  ready  always  to  give  an  answer  to  every  man  that  asTceth  you  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you,'  1  Pet.  iii.  15.    And 

I  beseech  you  do  it  in  sincerity. 


1.  If  thou  sayest  that  everyone  hath  a  measure 
of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ  within  him,  why  say 
the  scriptures  that  some  are  '  sensual  having  not 
the  Spirit.'  Judei9.  And  when  Christ  tells  his 
disciples  of  sending  them  the  Spirit,  he  also  saith, 
The  world  cannot  receive  it.  Jn.  xiv.  17. 

2.  "\ATiat  is  the  church  of  God  redeemed  hy, 
from  the  curse  of  the  law  ?  Is  it  by  something 
that  is  done  within  them,  or  hy  something  done 
without  them  ?  If  thou  answer,  it  is  redeemed 
from  the  curse  of  the  law  by  something  that 
worketh  in  them ;  then  I  ask,  why  did  the  Man 
Christ  Jesus  hang  upon  the  cross  on  Mount  Cal- 
vary, without  the  gates  of  Jerusalem,  for  the  sins 
of  the  people  ?  Ga.  iii.  3. 1  Pe.  ii.  24.  And  why  do  the 
scriptures  say,  that  through  this  Man,  is  preached 
to  us  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  Ac  xiii.  38.  That  is, 
through  his  blood,  Ep.  i.  7.  Coi.  i.  20.  which  was  shed 
without  the  gates  of  Jerusalem.  He.  xiii.  12. 

3.  What  scripture  have  you  to  prove,  that 
Christ  is,  or  was  crucified  within  you,  dead  within 
you,  risen  within  you,  and  ascended  within  you  ? 

4.  Is  that  very  Man  that  was  crucified  on  Mount 
Calvary  between  two  thieves,  whose  name  is  Jesus, 
the  Son  of  Mary,  I  say,  is  he  the  very  Christ  of 
God,  yea,  or  no  ? 

5.  Is  that  very  Man,  with  that  very  body,  within 
you,  yea,  or  no  ? 

6.  Was  that  Jesus,  tliat  was  born  of  the  Virgin 
Mary,  a  real  Man  of  flesh  and  bones,  after  his 
resurrection  from  the  dead,  out  of  Joseph's  sepul- 
chre, yea,  or  no  ?  For  the  scripture  saith  he  was, 
as  in  Lu.  xxiT.  S9.  If  so,  then  did  that  Man  that  said 
handle  me  and  see,  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and 
bones  as  ye  see  me  have ;  I  say,  did  that  Man  go 
away  from  his  disciples  (and  not  into  them,  in  his 
body)  as  the&e  scriptures  declare,  Lu.  xxiv.  39, 40.  com- 


pared with  50, 51.  also  Ac.  i.  9— 11.  or  did  he  with  that 
body  of  flesh  go  into  his  disciples,  as  some  fond 
dreamers  think  ? 

7.  Hath  that  Christ  that  was  with  God  the 
Father  before  the  world  was,  no  other  body  but 
his  church  ?  If  you  say  no,  as  it  is  your  wonted 
course  ;  then  again  I  ask  you,  what  that  was  in 
which  he  did  bear  the  sins  of  his  children  ?  If 
you  answer,  It  was  '  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree,' 
for  so  saith  the  scripture.  1  Pe.  a.  24.  Then  I  ask 
you  further,  whether  that  body  in  which  he  did 
bear  our  sins,  (which  is  also  called  his  own  bodv) 
was,  or  is,  the  chm-ch  of  God,  yea,  or  no?  Again 
if  you  say  he  hath  no  body  but  the  church,  the 
saints,  Then  I  ask,  what  that  was  that  was  taken 
down  from  the  cross,  and  laid  into  Joseph's  sepul- 
chre. Lu.  xxiii.  53. 

Now  I  know,  that  as  Christ  is  the  head  of  his 
church,  so  the  church  is  the  body  of  the  head, 
which  is  Christ.  But  as  Christ  is  the  mediator 
between  God  and  man,  I  say,  as  he  is  mediator,  so 
he  is  a  man,  1  Ti.  ii.  5.  and  absent  from  his  saints 
in  the  world,  as  is  clear.  2  Co.  t.  6.  Therefore  as  he 
is  a  mediator,  and  a  Man,  so  he  hath  a  body  that 
is  absent  from  his  church,  which  body  is  ascended 
from  his  disciples,  above  the  clouds  into  heaven. 
Lu.  xxiv.  51.  Ac.  i.  9—11.  If  jou  Say  no,  then  I  ask  you, 
Did  he  leave  the  body  behind  him,  which  was  born 
of  the  Virgin  Mary,  which  walked  up  and  down 
with  his  disciples  in  the  world,  was  afterwards 
hanged  upon  the  cross,  La.  xxiii.  26, 33, 63.  buried,  rose 
again  from  the  dead.  Mat.  xxiv.  3, 6, 15, 41, 42, 39, 50.  with 
which  body  he  did  eat,  drink,  and  hkewise  walk 
with  his  disciples  after  his  resurrection  from  the 
dead,  Ac.  x.  41.  and  did  bid  his  disciples  see  if  he 
were  not  flesh  and  bones,  yea,  or  no  ? 

John  Buntan. 


A  YINDICATIOX 

OF 

GOSPEL    TRUTHS    OPENED; 

ACCORDING  TO  THE  SCRIPTURES, 

AND  THE  OPPOSITION  MADE  AGAINST  IT  BY  EDWARD  BORROUGH,  A  PROFESSED  QUAKER,  BUT  PROVED 
AN  ENEMY  TO  THE  TRUTH,  EXAMINED  AND  CONFUTED  BY  THE  WORD  OF  GOD. 

AND  ALSO, 

"  he  Things  that  were  then  laid  down,  and  declared  to  the  World  by  me,  are  a  second  Time  borne  witness  to,  according  to 
truth :  With  the  Answer  of  Edward  Boekough  to  the  Queries  then  laid  down  in  my  Book  reproved.  And  also,  a  plain 
Answer  to  his  Queries,  given  in  Simplicity  of  Soid ;  and  is  now  also  presented  to  the  World,  or  who  else  may  read,  or  hear 
them ;  to  the  end  (if  God  will)  that  Truth  may  be  discovered  thereby. 


'  I  have  found  David  -  •  a  7nan  after  mine  men  heart,'  (saith  God,  Acts  siii.  22.) 

'  Of  this  man's  seed  hath  God  according  to  his  promise  raised  unto  Israel  a  Saviour,  Jesus:'  (saith  the  Apostle)  23. 

'  And  when  they  had  fulfilled  all  that  was  written  of  him,  they  took  him  down,  from  the  tree,  and  laid  him  in  a 

sepidchre:'  29. 
'But  God  raised  him  from  the  dead:'  30. 
'And  we  declare  unto  you  glad  tidings,  how  that  the  Promise  which  was  made  nnto  the  fathers,  God  hath  fulfilled  the 

same  unto  us  their  children,  in  that  he  hath  raised  up  Jesus  again :'  32,  33. 

'Be  it  known  unto  you  therefore,  men  and  brethren,  that  through  this  man  is  preached  unto  you  the  forgiveness  of 
sins:'  38. 

And  by  him  all  tltut  believe  are  justified  from  all  things,  from  which  ye  could  not   be  justified  by  the  law  of 
Moses:  39. 


TO   THE   READER. 


Since  it  hatli  pleased  the  Lord  to  work  in  my  soul 
by  his  holy  Spirit,  and  hath  translated  me  in  some 
measm-e  from  darkness  to  light,  I  have  seen  and 
heard,  that  such  things  have  been  done  hy  those 
who  did  once  pretend  themselves  to  he  the  servants 
of  Jesus  Christ,  that  it  hath  made  me  marvel: 
Partly,  while  I  have  beheld  the  vile  conversation 
of  some,  and  also  the  seeming  legal  holiness  of 
Others,  together  with  their  damnable  doctrine; 
which  have,  notwithstanding  their  professions,  made 
shipwreck  of  the  faith,  both  to  themselves,  and 
their  foUowers.  I  having  had  some  in-sight  into 
such  things  as  these,  was  provoked  to  publish  a 
small  treatise  touching  the  fundamentals  of  religion, 
supposing  that  God  miglit  add  his  blessing  thereto, 
both  for  the  establishing  of  some,  and  the  convinc- 
ing of  others ;  which  things  I  doubt  not  but  they 
have  been  accomplished ;  and  will  be  still  more 
and  more.  But,  as  it  was  in  former  days,  so  it  is 
now :  That  is,  some  in  all  former  ages  have  been 
on  foot  in  the  world,  ready  to  oppose  the  truth : 
So  it  is  now,  there  are  certain  men  newly  started 
up  in  our  days,  called  quakers,  who  have  set 
themselves  against  the  truth  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  do  in  very  deed  deny,  that  salvation 
was  then  obtained  by  him,  when  he  did  hano-  on 
the  cross  without  Jerusalem's  gate.  Now  these 
men  do  pretend,  that  they  do  verily  and  truly 
profess  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  but  when  it  comes 


to  the  trial,  and  their  principles  be  thoroughly 
M'cighed,  the  best  that  they  do,  is  to  take  one 
truth,  and  corrupt  it,  that  they  may  thereby  fight 
more  stoutly  against  another.     As  for  instance : 

First,  They  will  own  that  salvation  was  obtained 
by  Christ,  this  is  truth,  that  salvation  was  obtained 
by  Christ ;  but  come  close  to  the  thing,  and  you 
will  find,  that  they  corrupt  the  word,  and  only 
mean  thus  much.  That  salvation  is  wrought  out  by 
Christ  as  he  is  within ;  and  by  it  (though  not  war- 
ranted by  the  scripture)  they  will  fight  against  the 
truth:  Namely,  that  salvation  was  obtained  for 
sinners,  by  the  man  that  did  hang  on  the  cross  on 
Mount  Calvary,  between  two  thieves,  caUed  Jesus 
Christ.  I  say,  by  what  he  did  then  for  sinners  in 
his  own  person  or  body,  which  he  took  from  the 
Virgin  Mary,  according  to  the  word  of  God. 

Second,  They  will  own  the  doctrine  of  Christ 
within.  This  is  truth,  that  Christ  is  within  his 
saints :  But  this  doctrine  they  wiU  take  to  fight 
against  the  doctrine  of  Christ  without,  ascended 
from  his  disciples  into  heaven,  by  whom  salvation 
was  obtained,  'neither  is  there  salvation  in  any 
other. '  Ac.  iv.  12. 

Third,  They  will  own  the  resurrection  of  the 
saints,  but  their  meaning  is  only  thus  much.  That 
the  saints  are  raised  from  the  state  of  nature  to  a 
state  of  grace,  and  herewith  they  will  fight  against 
this  truth ;  namely,  the  resurrection  of  the  bodies 


TO  THE  READER. 


177 


of  saints  out  of  tlicir  graves,  into  whicli  they  were 
laid,  some  tliousands,  some  hundreds  of  years 
before.  And  if  they  do  say,  they  do  own  the 
resurrection  of  the  saints  out  of  their  graves,  they 
do  mean  out  of  the  grave  of  sin  only,  and  nothing 
else. 

Fourth,  They  will  say,  they  do  own  the  second 
^       ...       ^   coming  of  Christ  to  iudge  the  world ; 

Taese  things  I    ,  ,  J       a 

am  an  ear  wit-  but  Search  them  to  the  bottom,  and 
you  will  find  them  only  to  own  him  in 
his  coming  in  spirit,  within,  in  opposition  to  the 
glorious  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  Son  of 
J\Iary,  from  heaven  in  the  clouds,  with  all  his 
mighty  angels,  to  raise  the  dead,  and  bring  them 
to  judgment,  according  to  the  scripture.  And  so 
for  the  intercession  of  Christ,  and  the  truths  of  the 
gospel,  they  only  ovm.  them  to  be  within ;  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  glorious  intercession,  and  mediation 
of  the  man  Christ  Jesus  in  his  own  person  without, 
now  in  the  presence  of  his  Father,  between  us  and 
him,  pleading  and  making  intercession  for  his 
children.  These  things,  together  with  many  more, 
I  might  mention,  but  now  I  forbear,  knowing  that 
none  shall  be  lost,  nor  altogether  carried  away  by 
them,  nor  any  heretics,  but  the  sons  of  perdition. 
Now  that  they  might  the  better  make  their  doctrine 
take  place  in  the  hearers,  they  endeavour  to  make 
a  fair  shew  in  the  flesh,  that  thereby  they  might 
now,  as  did  their  fathers  in  time  past,  compel  and 
constrain  them  who  are  not  by  the  Lord's  right 
hand  planted  into  the  truth  of  Jesus,  to  follow  their 
covered  errors,  as  it  is  written.  Ga.  vi.  12.  '  As  many 
as  desire  to  make  a  fair  shew  in  the  flesh,'  That 
is,  according  to  works  of  the  law;  do  'by  good 
v,-ord3  and  fair  speeches  deceive  the  hearts  of  the 
simple.'  Ko. xvi.  18.  And  mdeed  it  doth  clearly  ap- 
pear, that  those  that  are  carried  away,  are  such 
as  are  not  able  to  discern  between  fair  speeches 
declared  by  heretics,  and  sound  doctrine  declared 
by  the  simple-hearted  servants  of  Jesus. 

First,  Now  I  shall  lay  do^vn  several  grounds, 
not  only  why  errors  are  broached  in  the  world ; 
but  also,  why  so  many  are  carried  away  with 
them. 

1.  One  ground,  why  so  many  errors  do  from 
time  to  time  come  into  the  world,  is  because  those 
that  are  not  indeed  of  the  planting  of  the  Lord's 
right  hand,  might  be  rooted  out.  Mat.  xv.  13.  Now 
these  are  many  times  carried  away  by  deceivable 
doctrines :  And  truly  in  this  our  God  hath  both  a 
care  of  his  own  glory,  and  of  his  church's  welfare. 
For  first,  should  they  not  be  swept  away  by  some 
heresy  or  other,  there  might  be  great  dishonour 
brought  to  his  name  by  their  continuing  among  his 
people :  And  secondly,  that  he  might  take  away 
such  grievances  as  such  may  bring,  had  they  con- 
tinued still  in  the  society  of  his  children. 

2.  Another  ground  why  the  Lord  doth   suffer 
TOL.  II. 


such  errors  to  come  into  the  world  is,  because 
those  that  are  Christians  indeed,  might  be  approved 
and  appear.  lCo.xi.l9.  'For  there  must  be  also 
heresies  among  you,  that  they  which  are  approved 
may  be  made  manifest. '  Should  not  the  Lord  o-q 
this  Avay  to  work  (sometimes)  there  would  be  many 
that  would  make  people  believe  that  they  are 
Christians,  and  yet  are  not.  And  again,  that  he 
might  make  it  appear,  that  though  there  be  heretics, 
yet  he  hath  a  people,  enabled  by  his  Spirit,  to 
contradict,  and  oppose  them,  and  plead  to  the 
truth  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  his  glorious 
gospel  against  them. 

3.  Another  groimd  why  the  Lord  doth  suffer, 
yea,  even  send  delusions  among  the  people,  is,  That 
those  who  were  so  idle  and  slothful,  as  not  to  seek 
after  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity,  might  be 
taken  away,  and  violently  possessed  with  error, 
and  be  made  to  run  greedily  after  the  same ;  that 
they  might  smart  the  more  for  their  neglect  of  the 
truth.  For  always,  those  who  were  lazy  in  seek- 
ing after  the  truth  when  it  was  proffered,  and 
afterward  hasty  after  the  doctrine  of  devils,  when 
that  is  declared  to  them,  shall  be  sure  to  have 
their  latter  behaviour  to  rise  up  in  judgment  against 
them,  in  that  when  the  truth  was  proffered  to 
them  they  were  idle  and  did  not  receive  it,  and  yet 
when  delusion  did  proffer  itself,  they  were  indus- 
trious, and  labouring.  Now  mark,  that  they  all 
might  be  damned  who  believed  not  the  truth,  but 
had  pleasure  in  unrighteousness  ;  because  they 
received  not  the  truth  in  the  love  of  it,  that  they 
might  be  saved.  And  for  this  cause  God  shall 
send  them  strong  delusions,  that  they  might 
believe  a  lie,  and  be  damned.  2  Tii.  ii.  10—12. 

Second,  Now  in  the  second  place,  why  so  many 
are  so  easily  carried  away  with  errors  in  this  day : 
The  grounds  are  these  that  follow. 

1.  Because  men  count  it  enough  to  be  professors 
of  the  truth,  without  seeking  to  be  possessors  of 
the  same.  Now  because  men  are  but  only  profes- 
sors of  the  truth,  not  having  it  in  their  hearts  in 
reality,  they  are  carried  away  with  an  error,  if  it 
come  in  never  so  little  power,  more  than  the  truth 
they  profess.  And  this  is  the  reason  why  so 
many  are  carried  away  with  the  errors  that  are 
broached  in  these  days,  because  they  have  not 
indeed  received  the  Lord  Jesus  by  the  revelation 
of  the  Spirit,  and  with  power,  but  by  the  relation 
of  others  only ;  and  so  having  no  other  witness  to 
set  them  down  withal,  but  the  history  of  the  word, 
and  the  relation  of  others  concerning  the  truths 
contained  therein,  (though  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth  this  way  shall  abundantly  aggravate  their 
damnation)  yet  they  having  not  had  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  to  confirm  these  things  effectually  imto 
them,  they  are  carried  away  M'lth  delusions. 

2.  Another  reason  why  so  many  arc  carried 

z 


173 


TO  THE  READER. 


away  witli  delusions,  is,  those  differences  that  are 
among  the  children  of  God  ahout  smaller  matters. 
0  Friends !  how  is  the  hand  of  the  enemy  strength- 
ened hy  cm'  carnality,  -while  one  saith,  I  am  of 
Paul ;  and  another,  I  am  of  A  polios;  many  a  poor 
soul  is  carried  away  with  delusion.  And  why  so? 
They  are  not  satisfied  that  this  is  the  truth,  because 
the  children  are  at  diftercnce  among  themselves, 
ahout  some  outward  things.  And  again,  it  makes 
those  that  are  not  so  desperately  possessed  with  a 
spirit  of  delusion,  as  are  others,  but  are  mere  moral 
men :  I  say  it  makes  them  to  say  within  them- 
selves, and  one  to  another ;  There  are  so  many 
sects  and  judgments  in  the  world,  that  we  cannot 
tell  which  way  to  take.  And  therefore  you  that 
have  the  Spirit,  pray  that  these  things  may  cease, 
least  you  blush  for  your  folly,  at  the  appearing  of 
Jesus  our  Lord. 

3.  The  pride,  covotousncss,  and  impiety  of 
hypocrites,  and  carnal  professors,  arc  great  stum- 
bling-blocks to  the  poor  world ;  and  the  cause  why 
many  at  this  day  do  drink  down  so  greedily  a 
deluding  doctrine,  and  especially  if  it  come  with  a 
garment  of  pretended  hoHuess.  But  as  for  these, 
they  shall  go  to  their  place  in  their  time,  with  the 
curse  of  the  Almighty  poured  out  upon  them,  for 
their  casting  of  stumbling-blocks  before  the  simple 
by  their  loose  conversations,  if  they  do  not  hastily 
repent  of  their  wickedness,  and  close  in  reality 
with  our  blessed  Lord  Jesus. 

4.  Another  reason  why  delusions  do  so  easily 
take  place  in  the  hearts  of  the  ignorant,  is,  because 
those  that  pretend  to  be  their  teachers,  do  behave 
themselves  so  basely  among  them.  And  indeed  I 
may  say  of  these,  as  our  Lord  said  of  the  Pharisees 
in  another  case,  all  the  blood  of  the  ignorant,  from 
the  beginning  of  the  world,  shall  be  laid  to  the 
charge  of  this  generation.  They  that  pretend  they 
are  sent  of  the  Lord,  and  come,  saying,  Thus  saith 
the  Lord ;  we  are  the  servants  of  the  Lord,  our 
commission  is  from  the  Lord  (by  succession)  and 
the  like ;  I  say,  these  pretending  themselves  to  be 
the  preachers  of  truth,  (but  are  not)  do  by  their 
loose  conversation,  render  the  doctrine  of  God,  and 
his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  (by  whom  the  saints  are 
saved)  contemptible,  and  dc  give  the  adversary 
mighty  encouragement,  to  cry  out  against  the 
truths  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  because  of  their 
wicked  walking.  Now  shall  not  his  soul  be 
avenged  on  such  a  nation  as  this,  who  pretend  to 
be  teachers  of  the  people  in  goodness,  when,  as  for 
the  most  part  of  them,  they  are  the  men,  that  at 
this  day  do  so  harden  their  hearers  in  their  sins 
by  giving  them,  even  their  hearers,  such  ill  exam- 
ples, that  none  goeth  beyond  them  for  impiety. 
As  for  example ;  Would  a  parishioner  learn  to  be 
proud?  he  or  she  need  look  no  farther  than  to 
the  priest,  his  wife  and  family;  for  there  is  a 


notable  pattern  before  them.  Would  the  people 
learn  to  be  M'anton,  they  may  also  see  a  pattern 
among  their  teachers.  Would  they  learn  to  be 
drunkards  ?  they  may  also  have  that  from  some  of 
their  ministers ;  for  indeed  they  are  ministers  in 
this,  to  minister  ill  example  to  their  congregations. 
Again,  would  the  people  learn  to  be  covetous,  they 
need  but  look  to  their  minister,  and  they  shall 
have  a  lively,  or  rather  a  deadly  resemblance  set 
before  them,  in  both  riding  and  running  after  great 
benefices,  and  parsonages  by  night  and  by  day. 
Nay,  they  among  themselves  will  scramble  for  the 
same.  I  have  seen,  that  so  soon  as  a  man  hath 
but  departed  fi-om  his  benefice  as  he  calls  it,  either 
by  death  or  out  of  covetousness  of  a  bigger,  we 
have  had  one  priest  from  this  town,  and  another 
from  that,  so  run,  for  these  tithe-cocks  and  hand- 
fuls  of  barley,  as  if  it  were  their  proper  trade,  and 
calling,  to  hunt  after  the  same.  0  wonderful 
impiety  and  ungodliness  !  are  you  not  ashamed  of 
your  doings  ?  If  you  say  no,  it  is  (perhaps)  becaxiso 
you  are  given  over  of  God  to  a  reprobate  mind. 
Read  Bo.  i.  towards  the  end.  As  it  was  with  them, 
so  (it  is  to  be  feared)  it  is  with  many  of  you,  who 
knowing  the  judgments  of  God,  that  they  who  do 
such  things  are  Avorthy  of  death,  not  only  do  tho 
same,  but  have  (as  I  may  so  say)  pleasure  also  in 
them  that  do  them.  And  now  you  that  pretend 
to  be  the  teachers  of  the  people  in  verity  and  truth, 
though  we  know  that  some  of  you  are  not :  Is  it  a 
small  thing  with  you,  to  set  them  you  say  are 
your  flock  such  an  example  as  this.  Were  ever 
the  Pharisees  so  profane ;  to  whom  Christ  said, 
ye  vipers,  how  can  ye  escape  the  damnation  of 
hell ;  doth  not  the  ground  groan  under  you  ?  surely, 
it  will  favour  you  no  more  than  it  favoured  your 
fore-runners.  Certainly  the  wrath  of  God  lies  heavy 
at  your  doors,  it  is  but  a  very  httle  while,  and 
your   recompense    shall    be 

1        1  «      1    Eze.  xiii. ;  read  tliat  wliole 

upon   your  own    head.       And      chapter  and  ynu  will  find  it 

It;  for  vmi  tbnt  nrp  iTidopfl  nf  ''^^ ''^  "as  a  looking  glass  hy 
as  101  }0U  inai  aie  muttu  Ol      „.j,;^.,^  ^^^^^  mayest  notably 

God  among  them,  though  not      ^^^f^e  them  with  their  marks 
°  ^  and  discoveries. 

of  them ;  separate  yourselves. 

Why  should  the  righteous  partake  of  the  same 
plagues  with  the  wicked?  0  ye  children  of  the 
harlot !  I  cannot  well  tell  how  to  have  done  with 
you,  your  stain  is  so  odious,  and  you  are  so  sense- 
less, as  aj)pears  by  your  practices.  But  I  shall  at 
this  time  forbear,  having  in  some  measure  dis- 
charged my  conscience  according  to  the  truth 
against  you  ;  hoping  if  God  do  give  me  opportunity, 
and  a  fair  call,  that  I  shall  a  second  time  in  this 
world  give  testimony  against  your  filthy  conversa- 
tions, though  now  I  shall  say  no  more,  only  thua 
much ;  Be  ashamed  of  yoiir  carthly-mindedness,  if 
you  can ;  and  be  converted,  or  else  you  shall  never 
be  healed. 

Here  might  I  also  ag^-rayate  your  sin  by  its 


TO  THE  READER. 


179 


several  circumstances,  but  I  shall  rather  forhear ; 
supposing  that  you  may  entertain  Avrong  and  harsh 
thoughts  of  me,  though  I  have  spohen  the  truth ; 
therefore  I  shall  at  this  time  rather  keep  silence, 
and  wish  you  to  amend,  than  to  rake  in  your  sores; 
for  thereby  ■would  your  stink  go  more  abroad  in 
the  world,  Therefore  I  say,  I  forbear.  And  now 
to  the  reader,  I  beseech  thee  to  have  a  care  of  thy 
soul,  and  look  well  to  the  welfare  of  it :  And  that 
you  may  do  so,  have  a  care  what  doctrine  it  is  that 
thou  receivest.  Be  not  contented  until  thou  in 
deed  and  in  truth,  in  the  light  of  the  Spirit  of 
Clu-ist,  see  thy  sins  washed  away  in  the  blood  of 
that  Lamb,  Avho  did  ofi'er  up  himself  a  ransom  on 
the  cross  on  J.Iount  Calvary,  for  the  sins  of  thy 
soul  and  bodv,  together  with  the  rest  of  the  saints 
of  God. 

And  let  not  the  legal  holiness  of  the  one,  nor 
the  loose  profane  conversation  of  the  other,  beat 
thee  off  from  pursuing  after  the  truths  of  Jesus, 
as  the  truth  is  in  Jesus,  (and  so  laid  down  in  this 
my  discourse)  neither  let  the  plausibleness  of  the 
other  beguile  thy  simple  heart.  And  now  to  you 
that  are  carried  away  with  the  delusions  at  this 
day  broached  in  the  world,  by  the  instruments  of 
Satan,  and  that  after  a  profession  of  the  truth :  I 
say  to  you.  Turn  again,  (if  you  can)  peradventure 
there  may  be  hope,  and  that  you  may  escape  that 
wrath  which  justly  you  have  deserved :  But  if  you 
shall  still  refuse  the  Lord  that  speaks  now  from 
heaven  in  mercy  to  you,  you  shall  not  hereafter 
escape  the  Lord,  that  in  his  own  time  will  speak 
to  you  in  his  wrath,  and  vex  you  in  his  sore  dis- 
pleasure. 

And  now  a  few  words  to  you  that  liave  indeed 
closed  in  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of 
Mary,  and  they  are  these  that  follow.  (1.)  Be  of 
good  cheer,  all  *  your  sins  are  forgiven  you  for  his 
name's  sake. '  iJn. ii.  13.  (2.)  Know,  he  that  hath 
begun  the  good  work  of  his  grace  in  you,  will 
perfect  it,  even  to  the  second  coming  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  Phi.  i.  6.  (3.)  Know  that  though  your 
Lord  Jesus,  who  is  in  you  by  his  Spirit,  be  absent 
from  you  touching  his  bodily  presence,  yet  he  is 
not  forgetful  of  you,  but  is  preparing  a  place  for 
you.  Jn.  xiv.  1— 3.  (4.)  Consider,  That  he  is  also  at 
this  very  present,  in  his  very  person  in  the  presence 
of  his  Father  now  in  the  heavens,  praying  and 
making  intercession  for  you,  that  you  may  be 
brought  safe  to  glory.  He.  ra.  21.  Father,  I  wiU 
(saith  he)  that  they  also,  whom  thou  hast  given 
me,  be  with  me  where  I  am ;  that  they  may  behold 
my  glory.  Jn.  xvii.  23.  (5.)  Know  also.  That  he  hath 
overcome  in  Ms  own  person  (when  he  was  in  the 
world)  devil,  death,  sin,  hell,  the  curse  of  the  law, 
the  power  of  the  grave,  and  and  all  other  evils,  in 
the  body  of  his  flesh  for  you.  He.  ii.  14.  (G.)  Beheve 
also,  that  while  you  are  in  the  world,  all  things 


shall  fall  out  for  your  good  at  the  cud,  whether 
they  be  temptations,  doctrines  of  devils,  workin^-s 
of  corruptions,  all  things  shall  fall  out  for  your 
good,  who  love  our  precious  Lord  Jesus.  Eo.  viii.  28. 
(7.)  Be  assured,  that  all  your  enemies  shall  very 
suddenly  be  under  your  feet,  even  Satan  and  all. 
Ro.xvi.  20.  (8.)  Consider,  That  there  shall  no  temp- 
tation befall  you  in  the  days  of  your  pilgrimao-e, 
but  God  will  enable  you  to  bear  it ;  Ay,  and  make 
a  way  also  for  you  to  escape  the  destroying  danger 
of  it.  1  Co.  X.  13.  (9.)  When  the  time  of  your  disso- 
lution shall  come,  your  Jesus  wiU  deal  with  you,  as 
he  did  with  blessed  Lazarus,  that  is,  he  will  send 
his  angels  to  fetch  your  souls  away  to  glory.  Lu.  xvi 
22.  (10.)  Believe  also,  and  know  assured!}',  that  at 
the  last  day,  he  will  also  raise  your  bodies  out  of 
their  graves,  and  make  them  also  for  ever  vessels 
of  his  glory,  Ro.  viii.  23.  compared  with  Jn.  v.  28;  i  Th. 
iv.  li— 18.  (11.)  And  lastly,  consider.  That  though 
now  by  the  world,  and  heretics,  you  be  counted  as 
not  worth  the  looking  after ;  Yet  you  have  your 
day  a  coming,  when  as  the  Dives's  of  this  and  all 
other  ages,  would  be  glad  if  they  might  have  but 
the  least  favour  from  you,  one  drop  of  cold  Avatcr 
on  the  tip  of  your  fingers.  0  you  despised  begging 
Lazarus's  (as  in  Lu.  xvi.  24. )  For  the  world,  for  all 
their  stoutness,  must  be  forced  to  come  to  judg- 
ment, before  your  Lord  and  you.  1  Co.  n.  2.  '  This 
honour  have  all  his  saints.'  Ps.  cxlix. 9. 

Now  seeing  that  these  things  be  so,  I  beseech 
you  by  (those)  the  mercies  of  God,  (1.)  That  you 
do  give  up  your  bodies,  as  hands,  tongue,  strength, 
health,  wealth,  and  all  that  you  have  and  are,  to  the 
service  of  God,  your  God.  Ro. xii.  1.  (2.)  'Let  your 
moderation  [in  every  thing]  be  known  unto  all  men. 
(for)  The  Lord  is  at  hand.'  Phi.iv.  5.  (3.)  Study  to 
walk  as  like  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  ever  you 
can,  for  your  lives.  Mat.  xi.  29.  (4.)  Let  that  you 
strive  for,  be  the  faith  of  the  gospel  of  your  precious 
Lord  Jesus.  PM.  i.  27.  And  not  any  earthly  advan- 
tages. (5.)  'Let  your  conversation  be  as  it  be- 
cometh  the  gospel.'  Ph.i.  27.  (6.)  Let  your  hearts 
be  always  in  heaven,  where  our  Lord  Jesus  is. 
Col.  ui.  1-3,  (7.)  Forbear  and  forgive  one  another, 
in  love,  and  with  all  your  hearts,  as  God  for  Christ 
sake  hath  forgiven  you.  Ep.  iv.  2.  (8.)  Let  your  light 
so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good 
works  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 
Mat.  V.  16.  (9.)  You  are  the  salt  of  the  earth,  have 
a  care  you  lose  not  your  savour.  Mat.  v.  13.  (10.)  Be 
forward  to  distribute  to  those  that  are  in  want,  for 
this  is  well-pleasing  to  your  most  glorious  lovnig 
Father.  He.xiii.l6.  (11.)  Learn  aU  one  of  another 
the  things  that  are  good,  for  this  is  the  command 
of  God,''and  also  commendable  in  saints,  PW.  ill.  17. 
(12.)  And  lastly,  0  brethren,  consider  what  the 
Lord  hath  done  for  you  ;  he  hath  bought  you,  and 
paid  for  vou  with  his  blood,  and  he  doth  now  also 


180 


TO  THE  KEADER. 


make  It  his  business  to  pray  for  your  safe  conduct 
to  glory.  He.vii.  25.  He  liatli  delivered  you  from 
tliose  that  would  have  heen  your  ruin,  and  hath 
promised  to  you  everlasting  life.  Let  the  love  of 
Christ  constrain  you,  let  the  love  of  God  win  upon 
your  souls.  What !  he  that  spared  not  his  own 
Sou,  hut  delivered  him  up  for  us  all :  How  shall 
he  not  with  him  freely  give  us  all  things.  Hold 
out  my  brethren,  hold  out,  for  you  have  but  a  little 
while  to  run :  Hold  fast  unto  the  death,  and  Christ 
AviU  give  you  a  crown  of  life,  Ee.  ii.  lo.  Farewell, 
dear  brethren ;  the  mighty  God  of  Jacob  preserve 
and  deliver  you  from  every  evil  work ;  and  all  the 
days  of  our  pilgrimage  let  us  pray  one  for  another, 
that  our  God  will  count  us  worthy  of  this  rich  and 
glorious  calling,  and  fulfil  all  the  good  pleasure  of 
his  goodness,  and  the  work  of  faith  with  power,  to 
whom  be  glory  now  and  ever. 

And  now  reader,  before  1  make  an  end  of  this 
discourse,  I  think  it  meet  to  let  thee  understand, 
that  though  there  hath  been  a  book  put  forth  by 
Edward  Borrough,  in  seeming  opposition  to  that 
of  mine,  called,  '  Some  Gospel-Truths  opened  ac- 
cording to  the  scripture.'  Yet  the  substance  of 
my  discourse  then  published  by  me,  standeth  un- 
controlled by  scripture,  as  from  him  or  others.  I 
do  not  say  he  doth  not  wrangle  with  them,  but  I 
say,  he  doth  not  by  any  one  plain  scripture  con- 
tradict them.     As  for  instance : 

1.  The  first  o-reat  thing  that  I  do  hold  forth  in 
that  discourse,  is  this :  That  that  babe  that  was 
born  of  the  virgin  Mary,  and  that  at  that  time  did 
give  satisfaction  for  sin,  was  the  very  Christ  of 
God,  and  not  a  iype  of  anything  afterward  to  be 
revealed  for  the  obtaining  redemption  for  sinners 
within  them.  Which  thing  my  adversary  can  find 
no  ground  in  scripture  to  build  an  opposition  upon, 
see  his  book,  page  12.  but  is  forced  to  confess  it 
in  word,  though  he  do  deny  the  very  same  in  doc- 
trine, see  his  book  p.  29.  at  his  Gth  query.  And 
p.  26.  where  in  answer  to  this  question  of  mine ; 
Why  did  the  Man  Christ  hang  on  the  cross  on 
Mount  Calvary?  All  the  answer  he  gives,  is  this; 
Because  they  vrickedly  judged  him  to  be  a  blas- 
phemer ;  and  as  in  their  account  (saith  he)  he  died 
as  an  evil  doer.  And  this  is  all  the  ground  he 
giveth :  See  his  answer  to  my  second  query  in  this 
my  book,  taken  word  for  word  as  he  laid  them 
down. 

2.  The  next  thing  I  do  prove  in  that  book  is. 
That  that  light  which  every  one  hath,  is  not  the 
^Spirit  of  Christ;  because  the  scripture  saith, 
Some  have  it  not.  JudelD.  But  Edward  Borrough 
saith,  It  is  given  to  every  one;  [p.  18.  of  his 
book  :]  And  he  saith,  They  have  it  within  them 
too;  [p.  26.  of  his  book,]  in  answer  to  my  first 


question,  though  he  hath  no  scripture  to  confirm 
the  same,  as  I  have  had  to  contradict  it.  See  his 
book. 

3.  The  next  thing  I  prove,  is.  That  Jesus  Clirist 
did  fulfil  the  law  in  his  OAvn  person  without  us  for 
justification,  and  that  his  blood  then  shed,  hath 
washed  away  the  sins  of  the  children  of  God,  as 
aforesaid.  Which  thing  he  would  oppose,  but 
finds  no  footing  for  his  discourse.  See  his  book, 
p.  12.  where  he  saith.  The  laAV  is  not  fulfilled  : 
(read  the  latter  end  of  that  page)  [which  is]  con- 
trary to  scripture.  Col.  ii.  14.  Ko.  X.  4.  which  saith,  '  For 
Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to 
every  one  that  believeth.'  Another  thing  I  prove 
in  that  book  is.  That  Christ  is  ascended  into 
that  heaven  without,  above  the  clouds  and  stars ; 
and  that  I  prove  by  eight  several  scripture  demon- 
strations, of  which  not  one  is  confuted  by  scripture, 
though  secretly  in  his  book  smitten  against.  Read 
his  whole  book. 

4.  The  next  thing  I  prove,  is.  That  the  same 
Jesus  that  was  born  of  l^Iary,  laid  in  the  manger, 
who  is  the  Saviour,  is  at  this  day  making  interces- 
sion in  that  body  he  then  took  of  !Mary ;  which 
thing  also  is  not  confuted  by  him,  by  the  scripture ; 
though  cunningly  smitten  against  in  his  discourse, 
where  he  saith,  It  is  only  necessary  to  salvation  to 
preach  Christ  within,  laying  aside  all  that  Christ 
did  when  he  was  in  his  own  person  In  the  world. 
See  p.  29.  of  his  book,  Qu.  6. 

5.  Another  truth  I  prove,  is.  That  the  very  same 
Jesus  that  w'as  born  of  Mary,  that  very  Man  (that 
was  also  hanged  on  the  cross)  will  come  the  second 
time,  and  that  shall  be  to  save  his  children,  and  to 
judge  the  world  at  the  last  day,  that  great  day  of 
judgment.  And  though  they  will  not  own,  that 
he  shall  so  come  as  he  went  away,  which  was  a 
very  Man  without ;  yet  they  could  not  at  aU  by  tlic 
scripture  contradict  it.  But  the  very  sum  of  his 
discourses  Is  a  wrangling  Avith  the  thing  laid  down, 
as  a  dog  with  a  bone  ;  but  hath  not,  nor  cannot  by 
scripture  overcome  the  same.  This  have  I  Avritten, 
that  the  reader  into  whose  hand  this  book  may 
come,  may  have  the  more  certain  information  con- 
cerning the  things  before  pubhshed  by  me,  and 
also  concerning  the  opposition  made  against  them 
by  the  adversary.  And  here,  because  I  am  loath 
to  be  too  tedious,  I  do  conclude,  and  desire  thy 
prayers  to  God  for  me  (if  thou  be  a  Christian)  that 
I  may  not  only  be  preserved  to  the  end  In  the  faitli 
of  Jesus,  but  that  God  would  enable  me  to  be  an 
earnest  contender  for  the  same,  even  to  the  last ; 
and  rest, 

The  servant  of  the  Lord  JESUS, 

John  Bunyan. 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


181 


PiEADSK, 

We,  whose  names  are  here  under-written,  liaving 
(through  grace)  some  Llessed  faith  and  experience 
of  the  truths  decLared  in  this  hook,  and  knowing 
them  so  to  he;  having  tried  them  by  the  scriptures 
vin  the  hght  of  the  Spirit,  thought  it  our  duty  to 
bear  witness  thereunto,  together  with  our  brother, 
desiring  the  blessing  of  God  may  go  along  with 


these  endeavours  of  his,  for  the  doing  good  to  our 
Christian  brethren,  or  any  other  who  may  read  it. 
Farewell. 

Yours  in  the  faith  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for 
which  faith  we  desire  to  contend, 

FaCHARD  SrEXCLT. 

John  Burtox. 
JoEK  Child. 


A  YINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS,  &c. 


It  is  very  expedient  that  there  slioidd  be  heresies 
amongst  us,  that  thereby  those  Avhich  are  indeed 
of  the  truth  might  be  made  manifest;  and  also  that 
the  doctrine  of  God,  and  his   Son  Jesus   Christ, 
might  the  more  cast  forth  its  lustre   and  glory. 
For  the  truth  is  of  that  nature,  that  the  more  it  is 
opposed,  the  more  glory  it  appears  in ;    and  the 
more  the  adversary  objects  against  it,  the  more  it 
will  clear  itself ;  which  doth  give  me,  and  all  that 
stand  for  it,  and  doth  plead  on  its  side  in  the  wis- 
dom of  the  Spirit,  much  boldness  and  encourage- 
ment, to  venture  without   any  slavish  fear  upon 
those  that  have  already,  or  shall  hereafter,  stand  up 
to  oppose  it.     I  did  some  few  weeks  past,  put  forth 
a  small  book,  called.  Some  Gospel-Truths  opened, 
and  so  forth;  and  the  thing  I  looked  for  from  them 
was,  namely,  opposition  from  the  adversary,  which 
hath  been  accomplished  in  that,  namely,  as  I  did 
look  for  it,  so  did  it  happen ;  not  that  it  daunted 
me;  for  if  it  had  so  done,  it  might  have  made  me 
kept  those  truths  within  my  breast,  which  are  now 
made  manifest  by  me  (as  weU  as  others)  to  the 
world.     Xcw  I  have  not  only  met  with  some  oppo- 
sition from  others  face  to  face  in  secret,  but  there 
is  one  Edward  Burrough  (as  I  heard  his  name  is 
so,  by  some  of  themselves)  that  hath  ventured  to 
stand  up  against  the  truth,  with  the  rest  of  Ms 
companions,   and  hath  published  a  book,  called, 
'  The  true  faith  of  the  gospel  of  peace  contended 
for,  &.Q.'     In  which  book  of  his  there  is   a   very 
great  nimiber  of  heresies  cimningly  vented  by  him, 
and  also  many  things  there  falsely  reported  of  me, 
which  things  in  tliis  my  discourse   I   shall  very 
plainly  discover ;  and  the  vrnj  that  I  shall   take, 
shall  be  by  laying  dov.'u  some  of  thy  expressions, 
and  also  some  of  mine;  and  by  inquiring  into  the 
truth  of  one,  and  the  error  of  the  otlier,  through 
the  assistance  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  scriptures.     Only  by  the  way,  I  think 
good  to  mind  thee  of  thy  clothing  thyself  with  the 
words  of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  against  whom 
thou  dost  fight   (as  will  appear  in  my  following 
discourse)  and  also  of  thy  endeavouring  to  wrest 
the  sword  cut  of  the  hands  of  the  saints,  and  art 


fighting  against  them  bitterly,  with  a  parcel  of 
scolding  expressions.  But  I  wish  thee  to  learn, 
(if  thou  canst)  to  be  sober,  and  to  keep  under  thy 
unridy  spirit ;  and  do  not  so  much  appear,  at  least 
not  so  grossly,  a  railing  Rabshakeh ;  but  contrari- 
wise, if  you  would  be  looked  upon  to  be  holy,  which 
(we  know  and  believe  that)  as  yet,  many  of  you 
are  not.  Let  at  the  least  some  appearance  cf  mode- 
ration be  manifest  among  you.  After  many  words 
that  are  flung  into  the  M'ind  by  thee  my  adversary, 
in  the  first  and  second  page  of  thy  book,  thou 
couldst  not  be  contented  therewith,  as  being  too 
few  to  vent  thyself  withal ;  but  thou  breakest  out 
in  page  3.  with  a  small  testimony  of  John  Burton, 
and  his  feUow,  saying,  '  They  have  rj,,,j^  j^  ^  jjp_  j 
ioined  themselves  with  the  broken  i>i«s  God,  spn- 
army  of  Magog. — And  have  shewed  versai7  against 
themselves  in  the  defence  of  the  dra-  ^^' 
gon  against  the  Lamb,  in  the  day  of  war  betMixt 
them.'  When  alas!  poor  soul  we  do  know,  and 
are  bold  to  declare,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
the  Son  of  Mary,  that  our  God  hath  owned  us, 
with  others  of  his  servant?,  in  his  own  work  against 
the  devil's  devices  and  false  doctrine ;  as  instru- 
ments both  for  the  comforting  and  establishing  of 
his  own,  and  also  for  the  convincing  and  convertmg 
of  some  of  them,  who  aforetime  was  not  converted. 
And  friend,  why  dost  thou  say,  that  we  join  with 
Magog  in  the  defence  of  the  dragon  against  the 
Lamb,  when  thou  seest  the  whole  drift  both  of  my 
brother's  epistle,  and  also  of  my  writing,  is  to  exalt 
and  advance  the  first-born  of  IMary,  the  Lord  of 
glory,  and  to  hold  on  his  side,  notwithstanding 
there  are  so  many  tempests  go  through  the  world. 
And  the  rather,  because  we  know  that  it  is  he,  and 
he  alone,  that  did  bear  our  sins  in  liis  o^vn  body  on 
the  tree,  l  Pe.  ii.  u.  for  it  is  he  that  hath  taken  avray 
the  sins  of  the  world.  Now  I  say  therefore,  do  noc 
thou  thus  accuse  the  brethren,  for  speaking  good 
of  the  name  of  Jesus,  lest  thou  be  troubled  at  thy 
end  for  thus  spending  thy  beginning  in  takmg  part 
with  the  devil  to  accuse  God's  children. 

Then  in  the  same  page  thou  sayest,  thou  hast 
numbered  up  part  of  our  work,  and  the  sum  is,  A 


183 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


corrupted  o^rain  of  Babylon's  treasure,  etc.  Ans. 
Friend,  The  sum  of  our  discourse  is  of  tlie  birth, 
righteousness,  death,  blood,  resurrection,  ascen- 
sion, intercession,  and  second  coming  of  the  Son 
of  Mary  the  vu-gin,  by  which  righteousness,  blood, 
death,  burial,  resurrection,  ascension,  and  inter- 
cession we  are  saved.  And  dost  thou  count  this 
a  corrupted  grain  of  Babylon's  treasure  ?  Have 
a  care  Avliat  thou  sayest,  least  thou  utter  that  with 
thy  mouth  now,  which  will  lie  heavy  on  thy  con- 
science for  ever. 

Then,  as  though  this  thy  unwise  speaking  were 
too  little,  thou  breakest  out  with  a  taunt,  or  a  jeer, 
saying ;  A  larger  portion,  and  more  to  the  purpose 
might  have  been  brought  in,  but  with  such  as  you 
had,  or  could  procure  from  your  neighbours  are 
you  come.  Ans.  Friend,  Who  hath  despised  the 
day  of  small  things  ?  But  again,  avc  desire  not  to 
bring  to  others,  no  nor  to  know  ourselves,  any- 
thing else  but  Jesus  Christ  (the  Son  of  Mary)  and 
him  crucified  for  our  sins,  i  Co.  u.  2.  Then  thou 
sayest  further  in  the  same  page.  That  though  thou 
hast  not  seen  our  faces,  yet  our  sjjirit  is  tried,  and 
we  are  clearly  described  to  thee,  (sayest  thou)  to 
be  of  the  stock  of  Ishmacl,  and  of  the  seed  of 
Cain,  whose  line  reacheth  to  the  murdering  priests, 
&c.  Ans.  Friend,  thou  art  very  censorious,  and 
utterest  many  words  without  knowledge.  We 
bless  God,  for  the  most  part  of  our  line,  we  do 
labour  to  stretch  it  out,  either  in  building  up  and 
exhorting  the  saints  of  tlie  most  High,  to  cleave 
close  to  their  Jesus,  or  else  as  much  as  in  us  lies, 
we  labour  to  convince  poor  souls  of  their  lost  con- 
dition, according  to  the  word  of  God,  and  not  to 
murder  any.  Nay  contrariwise,  we  desire  through 
grace,  if  at  any  time  we  chance  to  see  any  of 
Christ's  lambs  in  the  teeth  of  any  wolf  or  bear,  be 
they  never  so  terrible  in  appearance ;  I  say,  we 
desire,  M^e  labour,  Ave  strive,  and  lay  out  ourselves, 
if  it  be  possible,  to  recover  the  same,  though  with 
the  hazard  of  our  lives,  or  whatsoever  may  befal 
us  in  doing  our  duty.  And  whereas  thou  sayest 
Here  is  one  ^"  ^^^^  4th  page,  That  we  are  found 
lairdo^^''"fv  ^^^^■^^i'^s  to  Christ,  revealed  in  his 
iiie  adversary    saiuts.       Ans.   Thou  dost  US  wrong, 

against  nic.  o  ,   ^  n    ,i      , 

tor  we  labour  all  that  we  may  to  coun- 
tenance the  same,  where  he  doth  indeed  appear  : 
and  if  at  any  time  we  do  see  or  discern,  that  any 
soul  hath  any  breathing  after  the  knowledge  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  are  so  far  from  disown- 
ing or  discountenancing  of  the  same,  that  we  give 
them  all  the  encouragement  we  may:  Nay,  and  we 
are  so  far  from  discountenancing  the  doctrine  of 
God,  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  that  we  say  plainly, 
some  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  them,  and 
they  are  reprobates,  according  to  that  scripture, 
Ho.  viii.  9.  '  If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
lie  is  none  of  his.'     And  again.  Some  are  'sensual, 


having  not  the  Spirit.'  Judeig.  And  again,  we  are 
so  far  from  being  against  the  doctrine  of  the  Spirit 
of  Christ  in  his  saints,  we  bless  God  that  we  sav, 
It  is  the  distinguishing  character  of  a  true  believer, 
from  others :  All  which  things  do  I  also  affirm  in 
my  book,  and  hold  forth,  as  doth  also  my  brother 
in  his  epistle.  Therefore,  I  marvel,  that  you  should 
be  overseen,  as  to  utter  so  many  false  things  toge- 
ther, in  less  than  four  sides  of  paper,  I  wonder 
what  will  be  the  end  of  your  discourse. 

AVell,  now  thou  dost  come  and  fall  a  wranglin'i- 
with  some  of  the  words  of  ni}^  brother  Burton, 
which  are  to  this  purpose,  (he  speaking  before  of 
the  doctrine  of  Jesus)  and  this  is  quite  contrary 
(saith  he)  to  those  commonly  called  Familists, 
Banters,  Quakers,  and  others,  who  on  the  other 
hand  either  deny  Clu-ist  to  be  a  real  man  without 
them,  blasphemously  fancying  him  to  be  only  God 
manifest  in  their  flesh ;  or  else  make  his  human 
nature  with  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  in  it,  to  be 
but  a  type  of  God  to  be  manifested  in  the  saints. 
Now  first  of  all,  the  great  oftence  thou  takest  of 
some  of  these  words,  is,  because  he  doth  join  in 
his  discourse  Familists,  Banters,  and  Quakers 
together.  Friend,  what  harm  is  it  to  join  a  dog 
and  a  wolf  together  ?  A  fawning  dog  and  a  wolf 
in  sheep's  clothing ;  they  differ  a  little  in  outward 
appearance,  but  they  can  both  agree  to  worry 
Christ's  lambs.  But  again,  friend,  let  us  a  little 
compare  the  principles  of  a  Banter  and  a  Quaker 
together,  and  it  will  clearly  appear,  that  in  many 
of  their  principles  (at  least)  they  agree,  or  jump 
in  one :  As 

1.  The  Banters  will  own  Christ  no  otherwise, 
than  only  within;  and  this  is  also  the  principle  of 
the  Quakers,  they  Avill  not  own  Christ  without  them. 
2.  The  Ranters,  they  cry  down  all  teaching,  but 
the  teaching  within:  and  so  do  the  Quakers  (wit- 
ness thousands)  and  yet  condemn  their  principles 
by  their  practice,  as  the  Ranters  also  did  and  do. 
Now  the  apostle  saith  the  contrary,  saying,  '  He 
that  knoweth  God  hcareth  us;  (meaning  himself 
with  the  rest  of  the  apostles  and  servants  of  Christ.) 
He  that  is  not  of  God  heareth  not  xis.'  1  Ju.  iv.  6. 
Again,  3.  The  Ranters  are  neither  for  the  ordin- 
ance of  baptism  with  water,  nor  breaking  of  bread. 
And  are  not  you  the  same  ?  4.  The  Ranters  would 
profess  that  they  were  without  sin :  and  how  far 
short  of  this  opinion  are  the  Quakers  ?  5.  The 
Ranters  Avould  not  own  the  resurrection  of  the 
bodies  of  the  saints  after  they  were  laid  in  the 
graves :  And  how  say  you,  Do  you  believe  that  the 
very  bodies  of  the  saints,  as  the  very  body  of 
Abraham,  and  the  body  of  Isaac,  with  the  bodies 
of  all  the  saints,  notwithstanding  some  of  them 
have  been  in  the  graves  thousands  of  years,  others 
hundreds,  some  less :  I  saj',  Do  you  believe  the 
resurrection  of  these  very  bodies  again,  which  were 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TllUTHS. 


183 


burled  so  long  since;  or  do  you  hold,  as  tlie  Ran- 
ters do,  nothing  but  the  resurrection  from  a  sinful 
to  an  holy  state  in  this  life. 

And  really  I  tell  thee  (reader)  plainly,  that  for 
the  generality,  the  very  opinions  that  are  held  at 
this  day  by  the  Quakers,  are  the  same  that  long 
ago  -R-ere  held  by  the  Ranters.     Only  the  Ranters 
had  made  them  threadbare  at  an  alehouse,  and  the 
Quakers  have  set  a  new  gloss  upon  them  again, 
by  an  outward  legal  holiness,    or  righteousness. 
But  again.  Why  should  you  be  so  angry  with  my 
brother,  for  joining  of  a  smner  and  a  liar  together? 
Is  there  any  great  harm  in  that  ?    Surely  no.     And 
the  joining  Ranters  and  Quakers  together,  is  but  so. 
The  Quakers  themselves  confess,  the  Ranters  are 
to  be  disowned,  page  4.     Nay  if  they  would  not, 
yet  God  hath  disowned  them  in  the  open  view  of 
the  nations.     Now  that  the  Quakers  are  liars,  I 
shall  prove  from  their  o-\vn  mouth.     As  first,  from 
the  several  things  that  I  did   oppose  even  now, 
pagG  1 — 4,  of  this  book,  called,  '  The  true  Faith 
of  the  Gospel  of  Peace,'  <fcc.     Now  lest  they  shoidd 
be  slighted  and  set  at  nought,  I  shall  shew  you 
clearly  this  man's  lies  manifestly  laid  down  in  his 
book  against  me.     As  first,  he  saith  of  me  in  his 
book,  page   11,  12.  That  I  said  positively,  the 
blood  of  Christ  was  shed  before  the  world  began. 
Whereas  I  said  only  this,  Tliat  in  the  account  of 
God  (mark  it,  in  the   account  of  God)  his  blood 
was  shed  before  the  world  was,  according  to  that 
scripture,   Ee.  xiii.  8.      '  The    Lamb  slain  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world,'  in    my  book,  page  3 
[141].      Secondly,  he    saith,   that    I    cry  aloud 
against  Christ  within,  in  page  24.   of  his  book. 
And   again  he  saith,    '  That  all  my  work  is  an 
obscure  shooting   against    the    manifestation    of 
Christ  within.'     Where  he  speaks  very  falsely  of 
me,  for  I  confess  and  ovrn  God's  Christ  within  as 
well  as  without,  as  appears  in  my  book,  page  20G. 
towards  the  end  [173].     And  in  the  epistle  to  my 
book  you  may  find  the  same  held  out  by  me  for 
two  or  three  leaves  together ;  besides,  many  other 
places  of  my  book  doth  testify  of  the  same;  there- 
fore, doth  not  he  lie  miserably  in  this  also  ? 

Again,  he  saith,  that  I  am  one  of  those  that  do 
preach  for  hire,  thi-ough  covetousness,  making 
merchandise  of  souls,  page  23.  of  his  book,  which 
is  also  an  untruth,  as  I  shall  shew  fm-ther  when  I 
come  to  the  place. 

Again  he  saith,  in  page  30,  that  I  said  'Christ's 
coming  in  the  Spirit  was  no  coming.'  Here  also 
he  uttereth  falsehood.  I  never  said  so,  as  many 
of  our  brethren  can  witness.  But  of  this  also  in 
its  place,  when  I  come  to  it,  with  many  other 
things  wluch  he  hath  very  untruly  vented  of  me, 
which  I  fear  not  but  they  shall  be  cleared,  both 
now,  and  also  at  the  second  appearance  of  the 
man  Christ  Jesus.     And  therefore  friend  (I  say  to 


thee)  be  not  so  pharlsaical  as  to  say  witliin  thino 
heart,  '  I  am  not  as  this  publican.'  Why  am  I 
reckoned  with  the  Ranters?  Thou  art,  both  thou 
and  thy  fellows,  of  the  same  mind  with  them  in 
many  things,  and  shall  assuredly  partake  of  the 
same  plague  with  them,  if  they  and  you  repent  not 
speedil3\ 

Again,  in  page  7,  thou  wouldcst  make  us  be- 
lieve, that  the  Quakers  do  really  and  truly  lay  the 
Christ  of  God,  God-man,  for  their  foundation. 
Saying,  'We  prize  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  God- 
man,  to  be  precious  to  us,  and  to  all  that  do 
behove,  and  have  owned  him  to  be  the  foundation,' 
&c.  Now  friend,  this  is  fairly  spoken;  but  by 
words  in  general  we  may  be  deceived,  because  a 
man  may  speak  one  thing  with  his  mouth,  and 
mean  another  thing  in  his  heart ;  especially  it  is 
so  Avith  those  that  use  to  utter  themselves  doubt- 
fully ;  therefore  we  will  a  httle  enquire  what  it  is 
to  lay  Christ,  God-man  for  a  foundation. 

1.  Then,  To  lay  God's  Christ,  God-man,  for  a 
foimdation,  is  to  believe  that  man  that  was  born 
of  the  Virgin  Mary,  to  be  the  saviour. 

How  he  was  and  is  the  saviour,  and  therefore  if 
you  do  indeed  lay  him  for  your  foundation,  then 
3'ou  do  believe  that  when  the  man  Christ  did  hano- 
on  the  cross  on  Mount  Calvary,  that  then  your 
sins  were  satisfied  for  at  that  time,  as  it  is  written, 
'  Who  his  ownself  bare  our  sins  iu  his  own  body  on 
the  tree. '  i  Pe.  ii.  24. 

2.  If  the  Christ  of  God,  God-man,  be  indeed 
your  fomidation,  then  you  do  believe,  that  that 
very  man  in  that  very  body,  did  fulfil  all  the  law, 
in  the  point  of  justification,  as  it  is  written,  '  Christ 
is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every 
one  that  believeth.'  Eo.  x.4.  So  that  now,  believe 
aright  in  what  the  Son  of  Mary  hath  done  without 
on  the  cross,  and  be  saved. 

3.  If  you  have  laid  Christ  that  man  aright  for 
your  foundation,  then  you  do  believe,  that  Avheu  he 
was  raised  out  of  the  sepulchre  into  wliich  Joseph 
had  laid  him,  then  at  that  time  was  accomplished 
your  justification.  Ro.  iv.  25.  How  say  you  to  these 
things.  Do  you  make  an  open  profession  of  them 
without  dissembling  ?  Or  do  you  not  (notwithstand- 
ing your  talk  of  Christ)  in  very  deed  deny  the 
virtue  of  the  death  and  blood  of  Christ  without,  as 
for  justification  and  life  ?  If  so,  you  have  not 
laid  him  for  your  fomidation. 

4.  If  you  have  indeed  laid  Christ,  God-man,  for 
your  foundation,  then  you  do  lay  the  hope  of  your 
felicity  and  joy  on  this,  That  the  Son  of  Mary  is 
now  absent  from  his  children  in  his  person  and 
hiunanity,  making  intercession  for  them  and  lor 
thee,  in  the  presence  of  his  Father.  3  Co.  v.  e. 
And  the  reason  that  thou  canst  rejoice  herc-at  is, 
because  thou  hast  not  only  heard  of  it  with  thine 
ear  only,  but  dost  enjoy  the  sweet  hope  aud  faith 


ISi 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TKUTIIS. 


of  tlicm  ill  tliy  heart ;  wliicli  hope   and   faith  is 
begotten  by  the  Spirit  of   Christ,   vrhich    Spirit 
dwelleth   in   thee,   (if  thou  he    a   believer)    and 
sheweth  those  things  to  thee  to  be  the  only  things. 
And  God  having  shewn  thee  these  things,   thus 
without  thee  by  the  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  thee, 
thou  hast  mighty  encouragement  to  hope  for  the 
glory  that  shall  be  revealed  at  the  coming  again 
of  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  of  which  glory  thou  hast 
also  greater  ground  to  hope  for  a  share  in,  because 
that  that  Spirit  that  alone  is  able  to  discover  to 
thee  the  truth  of  these  things,  is  given  to  thee  of 
God,  as  the  first  fruits  of  that  glory  which  is  here- 
after to  be  revealed,  being  obtained  for  thee  by 
the  man  Christ  Jesus's  death  on  Mount  Calvary, 
and  by  his  blood  that  was  shed  there,  together 
with  his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  out  of  the 
grave  where  they  had  laid  him.     Also,  thou  be- 
•lievest  that  he  is  gone  away  from  thee  in  the  same 
■body  which  Avas  hanged  on  the  cross,  to  take  pos- 
.  session  of  that  glory,  which  thou,  through  his  obe- 
dience, shall  at  his  (the  very  same  man's)  return 
from  heaven  the  second  time,  have  bestowed  upon 
thee,  having  all  this  while  prepared  and  preserved 
it  for  thee,  as  he  saith  himself :   '  I  go  to  prepare 
.  a  place  for  you.     And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place 
for  you,  I  will  come  again,  and  receive  you  unto 
myself,  that  where  I  am,  tliere  ye  may  bs  also.' 
.Jn.  xiv.  3, 3.     Again, 

5.  If  thou  hast  laid  Christ,  God-man,  for  thy 
foundation,  though  thou  hast  the  Spirit  of  this 
man  Christ  within  thee,  yet  thou  dost  not  look 
that  justification  should  be  wrought  out  for  thee, 
by  that  Spirit  of  Chru't  that  dwelleth  within  thee, 
for  thou  knowest  that  salvation  is  already  obtained 
for  thee  by  the  man  Christ  Jesus  without  thee,  and 
is  witnessed  to  thee  by  his  Spirit  which  dwelleth 
within  thee.  And  thus  much  doth  this  man  Christ 
Jesus  testify  unto  us  where  he  saith  he  shall  glo- 
rify me  ;  mark,  '  He  shall  glorify  me  ;'  (saith  the 
Son  of  Mary)  but  how  ?  Why,  '  he  shall  receive 
of  mine  (what  I  have  done,  and  am  doing  in  the 
presence  of  the  Father)  and  shall  shew  it  i;nto 
you. '  Jn.  xvi.  14.  I  have  been  a  little  the  larger  in 
this,  because  it  is  of  weight. 

But  again,  thou  sayest  further.  The  rest  of  this 
first  epistle  I  shall  say  little  to ;  only  thus  much 
is  the  mind  of  the  penman's  spirit, 
^4'eakl°fabeiy!  secrctly  smiting  at  the  doctrine  of  true 
faith  and  salvation,  (to  wit)  Christ 
within.  Ans.  My  friend,  by  saying  that  my 
brother  doth  strike  at  the  doctrine  of  true  faith 
and  salvation,  thou  dost  him  a  great  deal  of  Avrong ; 
for  it  is  so  far  from  him  so  to  do,  that  he  teUeth 
souls  plainly,  that  without  true  faith  in  the  blood 
of  the  Son  of  Mary,  who  was  crucified  on  Mount 
Calvary,  there  is  no  remission ;  for  saith  he,  it  is 
only  through  that  one  offeriug  then  given  up  to 


the  Father,  that  you  must  be  justified.  And  that 
is  according  to  the  whole  stream  of  scripture  : 
For  by  one  offering,  What  was  that  ?  Why,  the 
offering  up  of  the  body  of  Jesus  once  for  all, 
(He.  X.  10.)  he  hath  perfected  for  ever  them  that 
are  sanctified.  '  But  this  man  after  he  had  offered 
one  sacrifice  for  sins,  for  ever  sat  down.'  Mark 
it  :  '  This  man  after  he  had  offered  one  sacrifice 
for  sins,  for  ever  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of 

God. '  ver.  1-2. 

And  as  for  thy  saying,  that  salvation  is  Christ 
wltliln ;  if  thou  mean  in  opposition  to  Christ  with- 
out ;  instead  of  jjleading  for  Christ,  thou  wilt 
plead  against  him ;  for  Christ,  God-man,  without 
on  the  cross,  did  bring  in  salvation  for  sinners. 
And  the  right  believing  of  that,  doth  justify  the 
soul.  Therefore  Christ  within,  or  the  Spirit  of 
him  who  did  give  himself  a  ransom,  doth  not  work 
out  justification  for  the  soul  in  the  soul;  but  doth 
lead  the  soul  out  of  itself,  and  out  of  that  that 
can  be  done  within  itself,  to  look  for  salvation  in 
that  man  that  is  now  absent  from  his  saints  on 
earth.  2  Co.  v.  6.  Why  so  ?  For  [because]  it  knoweth 
that  there  is  salvation  in  none  other.  Ac.  iv.  lA 
And  therefore  I  Avould  wish  thee  to  have  a  care 
Avhat  thou  dost,  for  I  tell  thee,  that  man  who 
is  now  jeered  by  some,  because  he  is  preached 
to  be  without  them,  will  very  suddenly  come  the 
second  time,  to  the  great  overthrow  of  those,  who 
have  spoken,   and  shall  stiU  speak  against  him. 

Jude  14, 15. 

Thou  sayest  also  the  next  thing  thou  mindest, 
is  this  in  the  second  epistle,*  where  a  question  is 
asked.  Who  are  the  men  that  at  this  day  are  so 
deluded  by  the  Quakers,  and  other  pernicious 
doctrines,  but  they  that  counted  it  enough  to  bo 
talkers  of  the  gospel,  <fcc.  This  man,  saith  the 
Quaker,  is  of  the  same  Spirit  with  his  fellow,  and 
Avill  more  abound  in  lies,  ifcc.  And  why  ?  because 
he  saith  the  Quakers  are  those  deceivers  that  at 
this  day  beguile  poor  souls  by  their  doctrine. 
Alas  poor  man,  why  shouldest  thou  be  angry  for 
my  speaking  the  truth,  in  saying:  The  Quakers 
are  deceivers,  this  will  easily  appear. 

1.  They  deny  the  man  Christ  to  be  without 
them,  and  own  Christ  no  otherwise,  but  as  he  is 
within,  contrary  to  that  scripture,  which  saith, 
for  'while  we  are  at  home  in  the  body  we  are 
absent  from  the  Lord.'  This  is  touching  his 
bodily  presence.  And  again,  he  was  parted  from 
them,  '  and  a  cloud  received  him  out  of  their 
siglit.'  And  he  was  carried  away  from  them, 
and  so  received  up  into  heaven,  Aci.g— ii.  Now  he 
that  denieth  this,  is  a  deceiver,  as  is  clear,  in  that 
he  doth  speak  against  the  truth  laid  down  in  tho 
scripture. 


Bunyau's  epistle  to  "  Some  Gospel  Truths  Opened." 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


185 


2.  The  Quakers  are  deceivers,  in  that  they 
persuade  souls  that  Christ  is  crucified  in  them, 
dead  within  them,  and  kept  down  with  some  thing 
within  them,  which  was  never  taught  hy  those 
that  spoke  the  scripture  from  the  Spirit  of  God. 
Shew  me  a  scripture  to  confirm  such  a  doctrine  as 
this,  which  hath  heen  avouched  over  and  over  by 
the  Quakers. 

3.  The  Quakers  are  deceivers,  because  they  do 
persuade  souls,  that  that  man  that  was  born  of 
,the  Virgin  ]\Iary,  is  not  above  the  clouds  and 
the  stars,  when  the  scripture  saith,  '  a  cloud 
received  him  out  of  the  sight  of  his  saints. '  And 
again,  that  he  is  above  the  highest  heavens,  which 
must  needs  be  above  the  stars,  for  they  are  not 
the  highest. 

4.  The  Quakers  are  deceivers,  because  they 
persuade  souls  not  to  believe,  that  that  man  that 
was  crucified,  and  rose  again  flesh  and  bones,  Lu. 
xxiv.  38-^0.  shall  so  come  again,  that  very  man,  in 
the  clouds  of  heaven  to  judgment  as  he  went 
away ;  and  at  the  very  same  time  shall  raise  up 
all  the  men  and  women  out  of  their  graves,  and 
cause  them  to  come  to  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat ; 
because  there  will  he,  that  very  man,  sit  to  judge 
all  the  heathen  round  about.  I  say,  they  strive 
to  beat  souls  off  from  believing  this,  though  it  be 
the  truth  of  God  witnessed  by  the  scripture, 
Joel  iii.  11, 12.  as  also  Ac.  i.  10, 11.  '  Tliis  Same  Jesus, 
which  is  taken  up  from  you  into  heaven,  shall  so 
come  (mark,  the  very  same)  in  like  manner  as  ye 
have  seen  him  go  into  heaven. '  *  And  his  feet 
shall  stand  in  that  day  (the  day  of  his  second 
coming)  upon  the  Mount  of  Olives.'  Zee.  xiv.  4. 
Where  is  that?  Not  within  thee,  but  that  which 
is  without  Jerusalem,  before,  it  on  the  east  side. 
I  say  now,  he  that  persuades  souls  not  to  believe 
this,  but  makes  them  believe  there  is  no  such 
tiling,  as  the  Quakers  do,  he  is  a  deceiver.  Again, 
the  Quakers  make  no  difference  between  that 
light  wherewith  Christ,  as  he  is  God,  hath 
enlightened  all ;  and  the  Spirit  of  Christ  he  gives 
not  to  all,  which  I  shall  show  by  and  by  to  be  a 
deceit. 

5.  The  Quakers  are  deceivers,  because  they 
say.  That  every  one  hath  that  which  is  like  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  even  as  good  as  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  page  10  of  his  book,  which  is  desperate 
blasphemy.  The  scripture  saith  plainly,  *  That 
some  are  sensual,  having  not  the  Spirit.'  And 
yet  though  they  have  not  that,  they  have,  says 
the  Quakers,  that  which  is  as  good  as  that.  0 
wonderful  deceit,  as  I  shall  farther  show  by  and 
by  when  I  come  to  the  place.  But  to  cover  hhn- 
self,  and  so  his  deceit,  he  doth  apply  that  to 
himself  that  should  be  applied  for  the  eueourage- 
;ment  of  the  children  of  God:  saying,  the  children 

of  God  was  always  coimted  deceivers,  we  (saith 
VOL.  II. 


he)  have  a  cloud  of  Avitnesscs.  Answer,  friend, 
they  were  called  deceivers,  and  were  not  so ;  but 
you  are  rightly  called  so,  as  I  have  already 
showed,  and  shall  show  farther  by  and  by.  In 
the  meantime  know,  that  the  devil  knows  how  to 
take  children's  bread,  and  cast  it  to  the  doo-s. 
Then  the  next  thinej  that  he  is    ,    „     , , 

,        .  ,       .        ,       °  T        ■  1      Another  false  tiling 

grieved  with,  is,    because   1  said,     spoken  of  me,  by 
,1  1     ,  n     the  Quakers, 

there  are  none  but  a  company  oi 

light  notionists,   ranters,  with  here   and  there  a 

legalist,  that  was  shaking  in  their  principles,  that 

were  carried  away  by  the  Quakers,  &>c.     When 

this  appears  in  all  men's  sight  that  can  see,  though 

you  would  not  have  it  so  (it  is  like.)     And  as  for 

your    saying,    because    all    sorts    of    people   are 

brought    to    God,    I    am    offended    therewith ;    I 

answer.    No    friend,    I    bless    God   my  soul   can 

rejoice  that  souls  come  in  to  Jesus  Christ,  though 

it  grieves  me  to  see,  how  some  with  a  spirit  of 

delusion    are    deceived,    and    destroyed,    by    its 

coming  unto  them  as  an   angel   of   light.      And 

whereas  thou  sayest  I  am  like  the  Pharisees,  who 

said,  none  believe,  but  a  company  of  poor  people, 

which  know  not  the  law.     Answ.  I  bless  God,  I 

do  know  they  are  the  poor  that  receive  the  gospel ; 

but  friend,  I  must  tell  you,  that  you  and  your 

fellows  may  seek  for  justification  from  the  law, 

and  yet  have  no  better  a  recompense,  than  to  be 

condemned  by  the  law. 

Now  passing  many  railings,  I  come  to  the  next 

thins:  that  thou  dost  stumble  at,  which  is  in  that 

I   say,   some  of  those   delusions   the   devil  doth 

deceive  poor  souls  withal,  is  first,  in  that  he  doth 

persuade  them,  that  salvation  was  not  completely 

wrought  out  for  sinners  by  the  man  Christ  Jesus, 

though  he  did  it  gloriously  upon  the  cross  without 

the  gates  of  Jerusalem.     Now  these  words,  'he 

did  it  gloriously  on  the  cross,  without  the  gates  of 

Jerusalem,'  thou  leavest  out.      Therefore  I  ask, 

do  you  believe  that  at  that  time,  when  he  did 

hang  upon  that  cross  on  Mount  Calvary,  that  he 

did  by  that  death  he  died  there,  redeem  all  his 

elect  from  eternal  vengeance  ?     If  not,  whatever 

thou   sayest,  thou  wilt  certainly  see,  that  Satan 

hath  caught  thee  in  his  snare,  notwithstanding  thy 

raihng  against  the  Lord  Jesus.     And  friend,  thou 

mayest  call  thy  conscience  the  man  Christ  Jesus, 

or  the  light  (as  thou  callest  it)  in  thy  conscience 

the  man  Christ  Jesus ;  which  if  thou  do,  this  is  a 

delusion,  and  a  dangerous  doctrine.     For  a  Spirit 

hath  not  flesh  and  bones,  and  so  hath  the  man 

Christ  Jesus.     Now  it  may  be,  you  think  farther 

that  the  church,  with  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  is  the: 

man  Christ  Jesus,  which  is  also  a  damnable  heresy.; 

Therefore,  speak  plainly ;  Dost  thou  believe  that 

the  man  Christ  Jesus  is  ascended  from  his  people 

in  his  person  ?     And  again,  dost  thou  believe  that 

he  which  ascended  from  his  disciples,  did  bring  ia 

2  a 


186 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


everlasting  salvation  for  them,  in  that  his  body 
which  ascended  from  them  ?  An  answer  to  this 
mio-ht  give  great  satisfaction  to  souls,  if  also  it 
might  be  made  in  words  easily  to  be  understopd. 
Again, 

Thou  art  also  offended  with  the  second  deceit 
which  I  lay  down  in  my  epistle,  which  is  (say  I) 
for  the  devil  to  bid  souls  follow  that  light  which 
they  brought  into  the  world  with  them,  telling 
them,  that  that  Avill  lead  them  to  the  kingdom. 
Now  thou  seemest  gravelled,  because  I  said,  which 
they  brought  into  the  world  with  them.  If  thou 
art  offended  at  that,  show  me  when,  and  at  what 
time  every  soul  receives  a  light  from  Christ  after 
it  comes  into  the  world.  Now  this  I  say.  That 
every  man  hath  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  within 
him.  Jude  19.  And  that  there  is  nothing  that  can 
show  the  soul  the  things  of  Christ  savingly,  but 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  l  Co.  ii.  li.  Then  will  not  you 
yourself  confess,  that  he  is  deluded,  that  is  per- 
suaded to  follow  that  light  that  cannot  reveal 
Christ  unto  him  ?  But  I  must  mind  you  of  one 
filthy  error  also  which  thou  layest  down  in  page 
10.  Corrupting  the  scripture  to  make  it  good, 
but  in  vain ;  where  thou  sayest,  That  light  which 
every  man  is  lightened  withal,  will  lead  unto  the 
kingdom  of  peace  and  righteousness.  And  then 
thou  addest,  for  saith  Christ,  '  I  am  the  light  of 
the  world,  he  that  foUoweth  me  shall  not  [abide 
in  darkness,  or]  walk  in  darkness.'  Pray  mark. 
First,  thou  callest  it  the  light  of  Christ,  where- 
with he  hath  lightened  every  one  ;  and  here  thou 
comest  a  step  higher,  and  callest  it,  Christ  him- 
self; and  then  corruptest  that  scripture,  where  the 
Son  of  Mary  saith,  '  I  am  the  light  of  the  world, ' 
&c.  Here  thou  wouldest  very  willingly  have  room 
to  broach  thy  folly,  but  it  may  not  be ;  for  though 
Christ  be  the  light  of  the  world,  yet  he  is  not  in 
every  one  in  the  world.  But  secondly,  I  pray 
where  was  Christ  when  he  spake  those  words  ? 
was  he  I  say,  within  his  disciples,  or  without  them, 
when  he  said,  '  I  am  the  light  of  the  world?  '  He 
was  without  them,  and  walked  up  and  down  in  the 
world  with  them  from  place  to  place,  a  very  man. 
Therefore,  he  did  not  mean  at  that  time  any  light 
within,  but  himself  who  was  without.  And  indeed, 
they  who  will  follow  Christ  aright,  must  follow  him 
without,  to  the  cross  without,  for  justification  on 
Mount  Calvary  without,  (that  is,  they  must  seek 
for  justification  by  his  obedience  without.)  To  the 
grave  without,  and  to  his  ascension  and  interces- 
sion in  heaven  Avithout ;  and  this  must  be  done 
through  the  operation  of  his  own  Holy  Spirit,  that 
he  hath  promised  shall  show  these  things  unto 
them,  being  given  within  them  for  that  purpose. 
Jn.  xvi.  14.  Now  the  Spirit  of  Christ  that  leads  also, 
but  whither  ?  It  leads  to  Christ  Avithout,  which 
said,  being  without,  '  I  am  the  light  of  the  world : 


he  that  foUoweth  me  shall  not  walk  in  darkness, 
but  shall  have  the  light  of  life. '  Jn.  viii.  13.  Deny  this, 
that  Christ  was  without  when  he  spake  those  words 
(I  am  the  light  of  the  world:)  if  you  can. 

But  to  come  more  close,  to  the  thing.  That 
light  Avherewith  Christ,  as  he  is  God,  hath  lightened 
every  one  that  cometh  into  the  world,  is  the  soul 
of  man,  which  is  the  life  of  the  body,  and  yet 
itself  is  but  a  creature,  and  made  by  the  creator 
of  all  things.  Is.  ivii.  16.  and  is  not  the  Spirit,  as  some 
do  think  it  is.  This  creature  hath  one  faculty  of 
its  own  nature,  called  conscience,  which  hath  its 
place  in  the  soul,  Avhere  it  is  as  a  judge  to  discern 
of  things  good  or  bad,  and  judge  them  accordingly, 
as  the  apostle  saith,  speaking  of  the  heathens, 
'  Their  conscience  also  bearing  witness  and  their 
thoughts  the  meanwhile  accusing  or  else  excusing 
one  another.*  Ro.ii.ii.  This  conscience  is  that  in 
which  is  the  law  of  nature,  i  Co.xi.  14.  which  is  able 
to  teach  the  Gentiles,  that  sin  against  the  law,  is 
sin  against  God:  And  yet  it  is  called  but  even 
nature  itself,  as  he  saith  there,  '  Doth  not  even 
nature  itself  teach  you  ?  '  &c. 

Now  this  conscience,  this  nature  itself,  because 
it  can  control,  and  chide  them  for  sin,  who  give 
ear  imto  it,  therefore  must  it  be  idolized,  and  made 
a  God  of,  0  wonderful !  that  men  should  make 
a  God  and  a  Christ  of  their  consciences,  because 
they  can  convince  of  sin.  But  thon  goest  ramping 
on,  and  sayest,  there  is  nothing  but  the  light  of 
Christ  that  will  convince  of  sin,  and  thou  biddest 
me,  mind  that.  Now  dost  thou  mean  the  Spirit 
of  Christ?  dost  thou  say  that  that  which  thou 
callest  the  light  of  Christ,  is  the  Spirit  of  Christ  ? 
If  so,  then  there  is  conscience  which  is  not  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  but  a  poor  dunghill  creature,  in 
comparison  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ ;  yet  will  con- 
vince of  sin,  as  is  clear,  from  that  8th  of  John. 
Where  the  woman  is  mentioned,  who  was  taken 
in  adultery  by  the  Pharisees,  or  others,  who  when 
they  had  brought  her  to  Christ,  and  began  to 
accuse  her,  Christ  said,  '  He  that  is  without  sin 
among  you,  let  him  first  cast  a  stone  at  her.'  And 
what  then?  AVhen  they  heard  that,  they  were 
convicted  by  their  own  consciences.  Mark,  he 
doth  not  say,  by  the  light  of  Christ  in  their  con- 
sciences, as  some  would  have  it  be ;  No,  but  by 
their  own  consciences  they  were  convinced,  and 
went  out  one  by  one.  And  were  they  all  served 
so  ?  Yea,  from  the  eldest,  even  to  the  last ;  for 
they  all  had  consciences,  though  not  the  Spirit  of 
Christ.  So  that  friend,  here  is  something  beside 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  that  can  and  doth  convince  of 
sin,  even  a  man's  own  conscience,  the  law  of 
nature ;  nay  nature  itself,  which  no  man  will  say 
is  as  good  as  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  except  they  arc 
guided  by  a  deluding  Spirit.  Again,  thou  sayest, 
He  that  couvmceth  of  sins  against  the  law,  leads 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


187 


up  to  the  fulfilling  of  the  law.  Friend,  thy  con- 
science convinceth  of  sins  against  the  law,  follow 
thy  conscience,  it  may  lead  thee  under  the  curse 
of  the  law,  through  its  weakness ;  hut  it  can  never 
deliver  thee  from  the  curse  of  the  law  hy  its  power. 
For  if  righteousness  come  hy  the  obedience  to  the 
law,  or  hy  thy  conscience  either,  then  Christ  is 
dead  in  vain.  Ga.  ii.  21. 

Again  thou  sayest,  « That  I  and  my  generation 
would  leap  over  the  law.' 

Answ.  For  justification  we  look  beyond  it  to  the 
Son  of  Mary ;  yet  we  know  that  the  law  is  good, 
if  it  be  used  lawfully ;  but  if  it  be  used  unlawfully, 
as  those  do  use  it,  who  seek  to  be  justified  by  their 
obedience  to  it,  it  is  made  an  idol  of,  and  a  saviom-, 
though  it  were  given  to  no  such  purpose :  For  if 
there  had  been  a  law  given  which  could  have  given 
life,  verily  righteousness  should  have  come  by  (thy 
obedience  to)  the  law.  Ga.  iii.  ei.  Now  at  thy  con- 
clusions, sometimes  thou  dost  utter  thyself  in  this 
wise.  Learn  what  this  means. 

Answ,  Indeed  thy  words  are  dark,  and  enougii 
to  deceive  the  hearts  of  the  simple ;  but  blessed 
be  God,  he  hath  given  me  to  understand,  that 
thou  dost  all  along  in  the  drift  of  thy  discourse, 
disown  Christ  without,  by  pretending  to  a  Christ 
within ;  whereas  hadst  thou  indeed  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  within  thee,  it  would  be  thy  great  business 
to  extol  and  magnify  the  Son  of  ilary,  the  Christ 
of  God  without  thee,  because  it  is  the  nature  of 
the  same  Spirit  so  to  do,  even  to  glorify  Christ 
without,  who  went  away  from  his  disciples  into 
heaven,  to  prepare  a  place  for  them.  Lu.  x.w.  50, 51. 

Then  thou  further  sayest  (with  a  kind  of  dis- 
daining spirit)  '  Many  things  more  thou  passest  by 
in  my  book,  as  being  not  pertinent  to  the  thing  in 
hand.'  But  I  believe  they  are  so  pertinent,  that 
neither  thou,  nor  thy  friends  or  fellows  are  able  to 
contradict  without  blaspheming,  in  the  view  of  all 
them  that  have  eyes  to  sec :  for  if  they  could,  it 
should  have  been  done  by  thee.  And  whereas 
thou  sayest,  *  Fools  must  be  meddling. '  Answer, 
It  must  needs  be,  that  the  saints  of  God  should  be 
called  fools  by  the  enemies  of  the  man  Christ  Jesus 
without,  because  that  the  doctrine  of  the  man 
Christ  Jesus,  crucified  without  for  the  sins  of  poor 
sinners,  is  also  held  to  be  foolishness  by  them  ; 
although  it  be  the  wisdom ;  and  also  the  power  of 
God,  imto  every  one  that  bclieveth.  1  Co.  i.  23, 2J-. 

And  further,  thou  sayest,  that  the  Pope  can 
speak  as  much  of  Christ  without,  as  I.  Answer, 
friend,  dost  thou  put  no  difi'erence  betwixt  the 
speaking  of  Christ  without,  and  believing  in  Christ 
without  ?  1  tell  thee,  though  there  may  be  many 
that  can  speak  of  the  Christ  of  God  without,  yet 
there  are  but  very  few  that  can,  or  do  believe 
indeed  in  him  without,  by  the  mighty  operation  of 
his  Holy  Spirit  within.     Nay,  you  yourselves  do 


testify  this,  who  deny  that  the  salvation  of  sinners 
was  completely  wrought  out  by  that  one  offering 
of  Jesus  Christ  without  upon  the  cross  on  Mount 
Calvary,  and  that  he  is  ascended  fi-om  his  disciples 
above  the  clouds,  touching  his  bodily  presence  as 
in  2  Co.  V.  G.  compared  with  Ac.  i.  9—11. 

Then  again  thou  sayest,  •  I  do  ask  myself  a 
question,  and  do  also  answer  it  myself  deceitfully,' 
The  question  is.  Do  not  the  scriptures  make  men- 
tion of  a  Christ  within  ?  And  thou  sayest,  I 
answer  it  deceitfully  myself.  But  I  answer  again, 
that  I  am  not  ashamed  of  that  answer  I  then  gave, 
because  I  know  it  is  truth ;  and  whereas  thou 
sayest  it  is  deceitful,  and  yet  canst  not  find  fault 
with  any  point  thereof,  it  confirms  me,  that  had 
there  been  falsity  In  it,  such  an  enemy  to  the  truth, 
as  thou  art,  would  have  taken  that  advantage,  as 
to  have  discovered,  that  thereby  thou  mightest 
have  rendered  the  truth  the  more  odious.  The 
answer  I  shall  leave  to  the  Christian  reader,  which 
is  so  indeed ;  yet  am  confirmed  myself  concerning 
it,  and  shall  give  thee  an  answer  to  thy  question, 
which  is.  Doth  not  the  scriptures  say,  or  witness, 
that  all  that  have  not  Christ  within  are  reprobates  ? 
Answer:  Yes,  the  scripture  saith  so,  and  it  is  true, 
they  that  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  them,  are 
reprobates.  But  there  are  some  that  are  repro- 
bates, that  j^ou  will  confess.  Then  by  your  own 
argument  you  must  grant,  that  some  have  not  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  in  them.  Pray  take  notice,  they 
that  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  them  are 
reprobates.  There  are  some  who  are  reprobates ; 
therefore  there  are  some  who  are  sensual,  '  having 
not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  them.'  (See  thy  foUy 
how  it  is  made  manifest.)  Ju.  v.  19.  The  next  tiling 
thou  art  offended  withal,  is,  because  I  say,  the 
devil  deceives  poor  souls  by  persuading  them  to 
follow  the  light  within  which  all  men  have. 
Answer,  friend,  I  say,  again,  and  again.  That 
there  is  nothing  less  than  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  that 
can  give  a  soul  a  sight  of  justification  by  the  blood 
of  the  man  Christ  Jesus  Avithout,  by  following  of 
it.  Now  as  thou  sayest  thyself,  some  are  repro- 
bates, and  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 

Then  is  it  any  heresy  to  say,  that  it  is  of  the 
devil  to  persuade  a  soul  to  follow  that  hglit  which 
is  no  better  than  conscience,  or  nature  itself, 
Eg.  ii.  14.  which  are  not  able  to  lead  to  Christ  his 
things,  being  foolishness  to  it ;  or  is  conscience, 
which  every  one  is  lightened  withal,  the  Spirit  ct 
Christ  ?  give  an  answer  in  sincerity. 

Then  thou  sayest,  that  my  whole  purpose  is  a 
secret  smiting  at  the  light  Avherewith  Christ  hath 
lightened  every  man.  I  answer,  my  whole  design 
In  my  book,  is,  and  was,  these  following  things : — 

1.  To  show  souls,  where  salvation  is  to  be  had. 
Namely,  in  Christ  without. 

2.  To  show  souls  how  they  should  lay  hold  of 


1S8 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


this  salvation;  namely,  bj  the  operation  of  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  which  must  he  given  -within. 

3.  To  forewarn  poor  souls,  that  they  should  not 
deceive  themselves,  neither  by  conscience,  nor  the 
law ;  which  are  both  inferior,  and  much  below  the 
Spirit  of  Christ ;  even  as  much  as  he  that  buildeth 
the  house,  hath  more   honour   than  the    house. 

He.  iii.  3. 

4.  To  show  how  poor  souls  should  know,  whether 
they  had  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  or  not,  within  them, 
or  whether  the  Spirit  of  the  devil  had  exalted 
himself  above  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  by  transforming 
himself  into  an  angel  of  light. 

Farther,  thou  thinkest  I  contradict  myself,  be- 
cause I  admonish  poor  souls  to  beg  of  God  to  con- 
vince them  by  his  Holy  Spirit ;  and  thou  sayest. 
This  is  my  confusion.  When  alas,  confusion  is  of, 
and  from  thyself,  who  wouldst  make  a  defiled  con- 
science, the  laAv  and  the  Spirit  of  Christ  to  be  all 
one  ;  as  I  shall  further  clear  to  the  reader  by  and  by. 

But  I  tell  thee  friend,  there  are  many  who  have 
not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  yet  are  convinced  of 
sin  by  their  own  consciences,  Ju.  viii.  9.  He  doth  not 
say,  '  by  the  light  of  Christ  in  their  consciences, ' 
that  is  a  saying  of  your  own,  Avithout  warrant  from 
the  word  of  God,  but  '  by  their  own  consciences. ' 
Mark  that :  Now  1  knowing,  that  a  man  may  be 
convinced,  and  yet  not  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ  (for 
he  may  be  without  that)  but  by  nature  itself. 
1  Co.  xi.  14  1  do  admonish  every  soul,  if  they  love 
themselves,  to  beg  of  God  for  Jesus  Christ  his 
sake,  that  he  would  not  only  let  them  be  convinced 
by  these  poor,  low,  empty,  beggarly  things  (their 
consciences)  in  respect  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  but 
that  he  would  convince  them  by  that  Spirit  of  his 
effectually,  which  is  not  only  able  to  show  their 
lost  state  because  of  sins  against  the  law,  but  also, 
to  lead  them  to  the  right  Saviour,  and  plant  them 
into  him,  which  all  other  things  are  not  able  to  do. 
■And  thus  much  in  answer  to  thy  scolding  against 
my  epistle  the  truth  of  which  I  bless  God  through 
the  strength  of  Christ,  I  could  be  willing  to  seal 
with  my  blood. 

And  now  friend,  in  love  to  thy  soul,  I  say,  have 
a  care  of  thyself,  that  thou  do  not  satisfy  thyself 
with  anything,  until  thou  seest  by  the  operation  of 
the  Spirit  of  Christ  (which  thou  must  have  given 
thee  from  heaven,  as  being  without  it  before  con- 
version) that  the  blood  of  that  man  Christ  Jesus 
that  was  crucified  on  Mount  Calvary,  did  at  that 
same  time,  when  it  was  there  shed,  wash  thee  from 
all  thy  sins,  and  be  not  so  stout,  and  so  stern 
against  the  truth,  because  it  suits  not  with  thy 
.beguiled  conscience.  (Bear  with  me  in  patience) 
and  seriously  inquire  into  the  truth  of  things 
according  to  the  scriptures.  *  For  they  are  they 
that  testify  of  Christ,'  and  how  salvation  doth 
come  by  him. 


In  thy  entering  upon  my  book,  the  first  thing  I 
find  thee  wrangling  with,  is  by  corrupting  my 
words,  and  then  by  calling  me  liar. 

Thou  corruptest  my  words  saying,  That  I  said, 
•  The  blood  of  Christ  was  shed  before  the  world 
began.'  Whereas  I  said,  that  in  the  account  of 
God,  (mark,  in  the  account  of  God)  the  blood  of 
Christ  was  shed  before  the  world  began.  Friend, 
art  thou  not  able  to  distinguish,  betwixt  a  thing- 
being  done  in  God's  account,  or  according  to  his 
foreknowledge,  and  a  thing  that  is  really  and 
actually  done  ?  Surely  it  was  either  thy  folly  to 
speak  evil  of  the  thing  thou  knowest  not,  or  else 
thy  madness  doth  much  appear,  in  that  though 
thou  understandest  these  things,  yet  for  to  wrangle 
by  corrupting  my  sayings  here,  as  also  in  other 
places,  as  will  afterwards  appear.  This  is  in  page 
11,  of  thine,  page  3,  of  my  book. 

Then  thou  goest  on,  page  12,  and  quotest  the 
place  where  I  say,  page  37.  How  horribly  are 
those  deceived  who  look  on  Jesus  (but  thou  leavest 
out  those  words,  the  Son  of  Mary)  to  be  but  a 
type ;  which  thing  you  say,  you  know  none  that 
do.  And  again  thou  sayest,  that  I  say,  he  is  of 
something  afterwards  to  be  revealed.  My  words 
thou  corruptest ;  thou  wouldst  fain  gather  thus 
much  out  of  my  words,  by  corrupting  them.  That 
though  I  denied  Christ  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary  to 
be  a  type,  yet  I  myself  say,  He  was  uere  my  words 
a  type  of  something  afterward  to  be  ^^""^  corrupted. 
revealed.  Which  thing,  as  there  in  my  book,  so 
here  again  I  do  most  positively  deny,  and  I  quote 
the  same  words  again,  for  a  second  confirmation 
of  the  same,  saying  as  then  I  did ;  '  How  horribly 
are  those  deceived,  who  look  on  Jesus  the  Son  of 
]\Iary  to  be  but  a  shadow,  or  type  of  something 
that  was  afterwards  to  be  revealed.'  Whereas 
the  scriptures  most  lively  hold  him  forth  to  be  the 
Christ  of  God ;  and  not  a  type  or  shadow  of  a 
Spirit,  or  body  afterwards  to  be  revealed,  but  him- 
self was  the  very  substance  of  all  things  that  did 
any  way  hold  forth,  or  type  out,  Christ  to  come : 
And  when  he  was  indeed  come,  then  was  an  end' 
put  to  the  law  for  righteousness  or  justification  to 
every  one  that  believeth.  Eo.  x.  4.  And  therefore, 
friend,  though  thou  hast,  or  wouldest  corrupt  my 
words,  yet  have  a  care  of  corrupting  Christ's 
words,  lest  thou  dost  even  heap  up  wrath  against 
the  day  of  wrath,  and  revelation  of  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God.  And  whereas  thou  sayest, 
'  Thou  deuiest  not  but  Jesus  is  the  substance. ' 
Answer,  I  doubt  thou  dost  not  speak  thine  heart 
plainly,  but  hidest  thyself  with  so  saying,  as  with, 
an  apron;  if  we  inquire  into  what  it  is  to  hold 
forth  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary  to  be  the  substance. 
Therefore  he  that  holds  forth  Jesus  the  Son  of 
Mary  to  be  indeed  the  substance,  and  not  a  type ; 
holds  forth  and  believes,  that  that  Jesus  that  was 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


189 


"bora  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  did  in  his  own  body  of 
flesh  fulfil  the  law,  and  impute  the  righteousness 
of  his  obedience  unto  them  that  he  accomplished 
then  without  them ;  and  that  his  blood  that  was 
shed  without  on  the  cross,  doth,  and  hath  washed 
away  all  sin  past,  present,  and  to  come,  from  him 
that  believeth  this;  as  it  is  written,  'For  what 
the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it  was  weak  through 
the  flesh,  (that  is,  through  our  flesh:)  God  send- 
ing his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and 
for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh:  '  That  is,  he 
Avas  condemned  in  the  flesh  that  he  took  on  him 
of  the  Virgin  Mary.  Ko.  \-iii.  3.  And  again,  he  bore 
our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  ti-ee,  which  was 
the  cross  on  Mount  Calvary, 

Jesus  also  (saitli  the  apostle)  that  he  might 
sanctify  the  people  with  his  own  blood,  sufi"ered : 
Where  ?  Not  in  any  behever,  but  without  the  gate 
of  Jerusalem.  He.  xm.  13.  How  say  you,  do  you 
really  believe  that  at  that  time  when  Jesus  did 
hang  on  the  cross  without  Jerusalem's  gate,  even 
at  that  time  he  did  give  the  justice  of  God  a  full 
and  complete  satisfaction  for  all  the  sins  of  all 
believers,  that  have  been  formerly,  or  are  now,  or 
hereafter  shall  be  ?  Or  do  you  look  upon  Jesus 
at  that  time  to  be  but  a  shadow,  or  type  of  some- 
what that  was  afterwards  to  be  done  within  ? 
Answer  plainly,  yea,  or  no ;  that  the  simple  may 
understand  you. 

Now  I  come  to  answer  thy  query  laid  down, 
page  12,  in  these  Avords ;  '  Did  Christ  Jesus  put 
an  end  to  the  law,  for  them  who  live  yet  in  the 
transgression  of  the  law  ?  Or  doth  he  justify  that 
which  the  law  condemned  ? '  Indeed  a  right 
answer  to  this  will  be  great  satisfaction  to  some, 
though  I  think  some  trouble  to  others.  And 
therefore  in  answer  to  thy  question  I  shall  lay 
down  these  following  things  : 

Ansio.  1.  Christ  Jesus  did  put  an  end  to  the  law 
for  righteousness,  for  all  that  the  Father  hath  given 
him ;  as  it  is  written,  the  body  of  Jesus  was  ofiered 
once  for  all,  for  all  that  shall  be  saved;  for  he 
shall  not  be  ofi"ered  a  second  time :  No,  '  but  once 
for  all.'  He. X.  10.  Once  in  the  end  of  the  world 
hath  he  ajipeared,  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice 
of  himself;  and  he  hath  done  it  once  by  himself 
for  all.  He.  is..  26.  Otherwise  he  must  have  often 
sufi'ered  since  the  world  began :  But  that  must  not 
be  ;  for  he  '  dieth  no  more. '  Eo.  vi.  9.  But  say  you, 
'  Did  he  put  an  end  to  the  law  for  them  who  stiU 
live  in  transgression  ?  ' 

Answ.  2.  There  are  many  poor  souls  that  are 
given  unto  Christ,  who  yet  live  in  their  sins.  But 
Christ  did  at  that  time,  Avhen  he  hanged  on  the 
cross,  give  a  full  and  complete  satisfaction  for  them. 
*  In  due  time  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly :  For 
scarcely  for  a  righteous  man  will  one  die,  yat  per- 
adveuture  for  a  good  man  some  would  even  dare  to 


die.'  Ay,  'But  God  commendeth  his  love  towards 
us,  in  that,  while  Ave  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died 
for  us. '  While  Ave  Avere  yet  sinners,  yet  ungodly. 
Ro.  V.  c— s.  Nay,  he  did  not  only  die  for  those  who 
still  live  in  sin,  but  he  also  makes  intercession  noAV 
at  the  throne  of  his  Father's  grace  for  them.  '  And 
he  madeintercessionfor  the  transgressors.'  is.  1111.12. 
'  Thou  hast  ascended  on  high,  thou  hast  led  cap- 
tivity captive;  -  and  received  gifts  for  men.'  For 
Avhatmen?  Even  '  fo*- the  rebellious  also.'  To 
Avhat  end  ?  '  That  the  LouD  God  might  dAvell 
among  them. '  Ps.  knii.  is. 

And  whereas  thou  askest ;  '  Doth  he  justify  that 
which  the  laAV  condemneth,  before  the  Avork  of  the 
laAV  be  finished  ?'  I  answer: 

Answ.  3.  That  at  that  very  time  Avhen  Jesus 
Christ  did  hang  on  the  cross  on  Mount  Calvary, 
Avas  buried,  rose  again  from  the  dead,  and  ascended 
above  the  clouds  from  his  disciples,  at  that  very 
time  was  all  the  laAv  fulfilled  for  righteousness.  He 
is  the  end  of  the  law,  mark ;  he  Is  the  end  of  the 
laAV  for  righteousness.  But  If  there  Avere  anything 
yet  to  be  done  for  justification,  A\'hlch  Avas  not  then 
done;  there  could  not  be  an  end  j^ut  to  the  laAV  for 
righteousness,  for  every  one  that  believeth.  But 
In  that  there  is  an  end  put  to  the  laAv  for  righte- 
ousness by  Jesus  for  all  the  elect  of  God,  Christ 
having  once  fulfilled  it  for  them :  It  is  manifest, 
that  there  was  not  anything  then  left  undone  by 
Christ  at  that  time,  Avhich  Avas  afterAvard  to  be  done 
by  his  OAvn  Spirit  in  his  children  for  justification, 
only  believe  Avhat  the  man  Christ,  at  that  time  did 
do,  and  be  saved ;  Ac.  xiii.  29—39.  and  AA'hercas  thou 
asketh,  Avhether  Christ  did  justify  that  Avhich  the 
law  condemneth  ? 

Answ.  4.  I  answer.  Fourthly,  That  though 
Christ  Jesus  did  not  justify  sins  of  ungodliness, 
yet  he  justifieth  the  ungodly.  '  Now  to  him  that 
Avorketh  is  the  reward  [given,  or]  not  reckoned 
of  grace,  but  of  debt.  But  to  him  that  Avorketh 
not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth  the  un- 
godly, (mark  the  ungodly)  his  faith  is  counted  for 
righteousness.'  Ho. iv.4.  He  is  he  that  justifieth, 
having  finished  the  righteousness  of  the  laAV  In  his 
OAvn  person  for  them.  '  Mine  own  arm  brought 
salvation, '  saith  he,  but  how  ?  Even  by  his  bleeding 
on  the  cross ;  '  Ave  have  redemption  through  his 
blood, '  Ep.  i.  7.  which  was  shed  without  the  gate.  He. 
.\ili.  13.  Ay,  and  though  the  law  condemneth  a  sin- 
ner, yet  let  but  that  sinner  believe  in  Clirist,  in 
Avhat  he  hath  done  in  his  own  person,  and  he  shall 
be  '  justified  from  all  things,  from  AvhIch  he  could 
not  be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses.'  Ac.  .\iii.  S9. 

And  Avhereas  thou  asketh  me  the  meaning  of 
that  scripture,  '  not  one  tittle  of  the  law  shall  fail 
till  all  be  fulfilled.'  I  ansAver,  That  the  law  hath 
already  been  fulfilled  for  justification,  for  every 
one  that  beheveth :  And  a  believer  is  to  do  nothing 


190 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


for  justification,  only  believe  and  be  saved  ;  tlioiigb 
that  law  be  a  rule  for  every  one  that  believeth  to 
walk  by,  but  not  for  justification.  But  if  you  do 
not  put  a  difference  between  justification  wrought 
by  the  man  Christ  without,  and  sanctification 
wrought  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  within ;  teaching 
believers  their  duty  to  their  God,  for  his  love  in 
giving  Christ ;  you  are  not  able  to  divide  the  word 
ario-ht:  but  contrariwise,  you  corrupt  the  word  of 
God,  and  cast  stumbling-blocks  before  the  people ; 
and  will  certainly  one  day  most  deeply  smart  for 
your  folly,  except  you  repent.  Here  is  a  plain 
answer  that  may  satisfy  the  simple.  The  Lord 
God  grant  that  they  may  lay  it  to  heart  effectually. 
Now  this  I  say  further,  that  if  God  enable  any 
to  receive  this  doctrine  aright  (namely  what  I  said 
even  now)  it  will  more  engage  the  soul  to  God, 
than  all  the  threatenings,  thunder-claps,  and  curses 
that  come  from  the  law  itself.  And  a  soul  will 
do  more  for  God,  seeing  itself  redeemed  by  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb  the  Son  of  Mary,  Jn.  i.  29.  than 
if  he  had  all  the  conditions  of  the  law  to  fulfil,  and 
might  be  sure  to  have  heaven  for  the  fulfilling  of 
them.  Now  as  to  the  assurance  thou  speakest  of 
at  the  end  of  thy  question.  I  know  in  the  first 
place,  that  though  believers  themselves  do  sin,  yet 
they  have  '  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus 
Christ  the  righteous:'  Un.  ii.  i.  And  though  the 
doctrine  of  the  gospel  be  to  abstain  from  all  appear- 
ance of  evil,  yet  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  so  pitiful, 
as  not  altogether  to  deprive  his  children  of  an 
assurance  of   their   salvation,* 

*  For  tlie  ■proof  of  this,     ,t  ^  . •  j^t  ^ 

read  the  good  love  of   though      sometimes      through 

God  to  David,  Peter,  and    ■.ypnlrjios'!    thpv    do     trnusorPSS 
otliers,  which  did  most    "e'l^^ni-fea    ^ney    uo    trdubgrebb. 

woefully  sin  again  after   And  whereas  vou  woukl  lay  an 

they  were  converted.  "^  it 

assurance  on  our  obedience  to 
the  law ;  I  say,  our  assurance  comes  through  our 
believing,  and  our  obedience  to  the  law  Is  a  fruit 
of  our  believing ;  for  every  one  that  hath  this  hope, 
that  he  Is  one  of  the  children,  or  sons  of  God,  by 
faith  in  Jesus,  l  Jn.  ffi.  3.  '  purifieth  himself,  even  as 
he  is  pure.'  Holiness  of  life,  if  It  be  right,  flows 
from  an  assurance  of  our  being  justified  by  Christ's 
death  on  the  cross,  on  Mount  Calvary;  as  it  is 
written  again,  that  he  might  sanctify  his  people 
■with  his  own  blood,  he  suffered  without  the  gate. 
But  again,  page  12.  thou  seemest  offended, 
because  I  say,  '  They  are  deceived,  who  think  to 
obtain  salvation  by  following  the  law,  which  they 
call  Christ,  though  falsely.'  Why  shouldst  thou 
be  offended  at  this,  when  the  scripture  saith 
plainly,  '  That  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no 
flesh  be  justified  in  liis  sight :  for  by  the  law  is  the 
knowledge  of  sin.'  Ko.iii.  20.  But  this  is  thy  frothy 
argument,  'The  law  eonvinceth,  and  Is  our  school- 
master  to  bring  us  to  Christ ;  therefore  the  law  Is 
not  taken  away,'  sayest  thou.  Friend,  what  is 
this  to  the  purpose  ?  must  we  seek  for  justification 


by  the  works  of  the  law,  because  the  law  eon- 
vinceth ?  you  may  as  well  say,  we  must  seek  for 
justification  from  our  consciences,  because  they 
do  convince:  Now  where  the  scripture  saith,  the 
law  was  our  schoolmaster  to  bring  us  to  Christ ;  do 
you  think  it  means,  we  must  be  first  fitted  by  puri- 
fication of  ourselves  by,  or  according  to  the  law, 
before  we  can  be  saved  by  Christ  from  the  curse 
of  the  law  ?  If  you  say,  yea ;  then  doth  not  this 
follow,  that  Christ  Jesus  did  not  come  to  save 
sinners,  but  to  save  the  righteous ;  and  if  so,  then 
you  must  say,  that  Christ,  Peter,  Paid,  and  all  the 
servants  of  the  Lord  are  liars,  who  have  testified 
that  Christ  died  not  for  the  godly,  but  for  the  un- 
godly and  sinners. 

But  where  the  scripture  saith.  The  law  was  our 
schoolmaster  to  bring  us  to  Christ :  I  ask  again, 
is  it  the  ceremonial  law,  or  the  moral  law  that  is 
meant  in  this  place  ?  If  you  say  the  moral,  or  the 
ten  commandments,  I  answer ;  That  doth  not  lead 
to  life  and  so  not  to  Christ ;  but  is  properly  the 
ministration  of  condemnation.  2  Co.  iii.  6— li.  That 
is,  the  proper  work  of  the  moral  law,  or  ten  com- 
mandments, is  to  condemn,  if  it  be  not  obeyed ; 
and  yet  not  to  bless,  until  it  be  every  jot  fulfilled, 
which  is  impossible  to  be  done  by  any  man  for 
justification,  in  that  exact  and  severe  way  which 
the  law  calls  for ;  which  makes  the  Apostle  say, 
as  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law,  are  under 
the  curse.  Mark,  he  doth  not  say,  as  many  as  are 
of  the  works  of  sin,  are  under  the  curse,  though 
that  be  true ;  but  as  many  as  are  of  the  works  of 
the  law,  are  under  the  curse:  'for  it  is  written. 
Cursed  is  every  one  that  contlnueth  not  in  aU  things 
Avhich  are  Avritten  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do 
them.  But  that  no  man  is  justified  by  the  law  in 
the  sight  of  God,  it  is  evident:  for,  The  just  shall 
live  by  faith.'  Ga. iii. lo, ii. 

If  it  be  meant  of  the  ceremonial  law,  as  I  am 
most  inclinable  to  believe,  because  he  saith  it  was 
our  schoolmaster ;  he  doth  not  say  it  is,  but  it  was 
our  schoolmaster  to  bring  us  to  Christ,  being  tutor 
or  governor;  holding  and  significations  forth, 
Christ  to  come  by  its  types  until  the  time  appointed 
of  the  Father,  which  appointed  time  (and  so  that 
law)  was  to  have  an  end,  when  God  sent  forth  his 
Son  made  of  a  woman,  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary,  who 
was  made  imder  the  law,  to  redeem  those  that  were 
under  the  law. 

Now  the  ceremonial  law  did  bring  or  lead  to 
Christ  these  two  ways :  First,  In  that  it  did  con- 
tinue in  full  force  until  he  did  come  Into  the  worhl, 
and  had  done  that  which  was  by  It  held  out  for  him 
to  do. 

Secondly,  In  that  the  several  tyj^es  and  shadows, 
as  the  blood  of  bulls  and  lambs,  with  diverse  other 
services  did  lead  to,  or  hold  forth  Christ  that  was 
to  come:    But  the  moral  law,  or  ten  command- 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


191 


merits,  is  so  far  from  leading-  ^ls  to  Christ  by  our 
following-  it,  that  it  doth  even  lead  those  that  are 
led  bv  it  under  the  curse.  Not  because  the  law 
hath  an  evil  end  in  it,  but  because  of  our  weakness 
and  inabiUty  to  do  it ;  therefore  it  is  forced,  as  it 
is  just,  to  pass  a  sentence  of  condemnation  on  every 
one,  that  in  every  particular  fulfils  it  not. 

In  the  next  place,  thou  art  offended  because  I 
said,  *  It  is  not  of  works  least  any  man  should 
boast,  as  those  fond  hypocrites,  called  Quakers 
Avould  do. ' 

Thou  art  offended  it  seems,  because  I  call  you 
boasters.  You  need  not,  for  I  do  not  know  your 
fellows  for  boasting  xmder  heaven,  in  that  you, 
(Pharisees  like)  do  cry  up  yourselves  to  be  the  men, 
and  condemns  all  others ;  when  you  are  the  men 
that  are  the  greatest  enemies  to  the  Christ  of  God 
without  (who  is  the  Saviour)  of  any  men  under 
heaven.  And  in  that  you  pretend  you  are  perfect, 
when  you  are  the  not<ablest  liars  and  corrupters  of 
the  sayings  of  the  people  of  God,  yea,  and  of  the 
scriptures  also,  that  ever  I  came  near  in  all  the 
days  of  my  life  ;  and  I  doubt  not  but  before  I  have 
done  with  you,  I  shall  make  it  appear  to  them  that 
read  or  hear  my  lines  aright.  The  query  in  page 
13.  runs  thus,  '  Will  that  faith  which  is  without 
works  justify  ?'  I  answer,  No,  neither  will  those 
works  which  are  without  faith  sanctify.  What 
then,  Is  it  faith  and  works  together  that  doth  jus- 
tify ?  No,  it  is  only  faith  in  the  blood  of  the  man 
Christ,  that  did  hang  on  the  cross  on  Mount  Cal- 
vary, that  doth  justify  in  the  sight  of  God  and 
the  soul,  and  it  is  the  fruits  of  faith,  good  works, 
which  do  justify  in  the  sight  of  men.  So  that 
when  it  is  said,  we  are  justified  by  works  ;  it  is  not 
meant  that  works  will  justify  in  the  sight  of  God. 
No,  but  shew  me  (or  shew  men)  thy  faith,  or  jus- 
tify thy  faith  to  be  true  and  right  before  men  by 
thy  works.  Shew  men  thy  faith  by  thy  works,  it 
is  in  the  sight  of  men.  So  that  we  conclude  a 
man  is  justified  by  faith  without  the  works  of  the 
law  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  so  his  own  soul  also, 
and  his  faith  is  justified,  or  made  manifest  to  be 
indeed  that  which  is  right,  both  to  believers,  and 
to  the  world  by  its  works.  Though  I  must  confess, 
that  both  Paul  and  Peter,  and  the  rest  of  the 
saints,  may  sometimes  be  deceived  in  the  truth  of 
the  faith  of  others  by  their  works. 

Again  in  page  17  thou  seemest  to  be  offended, 
because,  I  say  '  living  by  faith,  is  to  apply  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  his  benefits,  as  birth,  righteous- 
ness, death,  blood,  resurrection,  ascension,  and 
intercession,  together  with  the  glorious  benefits  of 
his  second  coming  to  me,  as  mine,  and  forme,  &c.' 

Ga.  ii.  20. 

Friend,  methinks  thou  shouldest  find  no  faidt 
with  this,  but  that  the  Man  Christ  Jesus,  the  Son 
of  Mary,  is  not  very  pleasant  to  thee,  because  thou 


hast  swallowed  down  secretly  another  doctrine; 
but  friend,  I  speak  of  applying  these  things,  and 
thou  speakest  of  talking  of  them,  I  know  that 
there  are  many  who  talk  of  Christ,  that  will  fall 
short  of  heaven  and  glory. 

But  tell  me,  what  sayest  thou  to  him  that  doth 
apply  all  these  things  to  his  soul,  is  there  not 
enough  in  them  to  justify  him,  that  doth  really  and 
truly  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  believe  this  to  be 
true  which  I  have  said  ?  or  dost  thou  deny  it  and 
preach  another  gospel?  and  whereas  thou  sayest, 
the  word  of  the  gospel  saith  not,  who  shall  ascend, 
to  fetch  Christ  from  above  for  salvation.  Thouo-h 
there  is  never  a  scripture  that  saith  these  Avords, 
word  for  word  ;  yet  the  scripture  saith,  *  The  word 
is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart ;' 
but  mark,  it  is  the  word  of  faith,  not  the  Man 
Christ  Jesus,  but  faith  which  layeth  hold  on  him, 
Ro.x.8,  read  the  9th  verse,  which  is  this,  '  That  if 
thou  shalt  confess  with  thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jesus, 
(who  was  born  of  the  Virgin,  Mat.  i.  2l)  and  shalt 
believe  in  thine  heart  that  God  hath  raised  him 
from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved.'  These  great 
and  precious  scriptures,  with  which  by  corrupting 
of  them,  the  Quakers  have  beguiled  many,  have 
this  meaning,  that  if  thou  shalt  confess  with  thy 
mouth  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  that  is,  in  profession  and 
practice,  own  him,  and  believe  him  to  be  the 
anointed  Saviour.  And  shalt  believe  in  thine  heart, 
there  is  the  word  of  faith,  if  thou  shalt  believe  in 
thine  heart,  that  God  raised  him  from  the  dead,  thou 
shalt  be  saved ;  *  for  with  the  heart  man  believeth 
unto  righteousness  ;  and  with  the  mouth  confession 
is  made  unto  salvation.'  But  what  should  men 
believe  with  the  heart  ?  Namely  this,  that  God 
raised  him  (that  is  Christ)  from  the  dead.  ver.  10. 
And  therefore,  I  wonder  thou  shouldest  so  scold, 
as  thou  dost,  against  the  truth  :  If  this  be  not 
truth,  blame  the  scriptures  which  do  testify  of 
these  things  for  truth.  For  I  am  ruled  and  would 
be  ruled  by  them  through  the  Spirit. 

But  farther,  thou  art  oflended  that  I  should  say, 
'  They  are  deceived  who  own  Christ  no  otherwise 
than  as  he  was  before  the  world  began.'  This 
question,  I  briefly  ask  thee,  'Had  Christ  a  body 
of  flesh  before  the  world  began  ? '  If  you  say  no, 
as  you  must,  if  you  say  true ;  then  do  not  I  say 
true,  when  I  say,  they  are  deceived  who  own 
Christ  no  otherwise  than  as  he  was  before  the 
world  began  ?  because  they  own  him  not  with  that 
body  of  flesh  which  he  took  of  the  Virgin  Mary; 
and  so  are  antichrists,  as  the  scripture  saith.  And 
how  say  you?  Do  you  believe  that  the  samo 
Christ  who  was  before  the  world,  without  a  body, 
did  in  time  come  into  the  world  and  take  a  body 
from  the  Virgin,  and  in  that  body  did  obtain  ever- 
lasting redemjition  for  sinners  ?  and  is  gone  with 
that  very  body  into  the  presence   of  his  Father 


193 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


above  the  clouds  into  heaven,  from  his  saints  on 
earth,  though  in  them  by  his  Spirit.  A  plain 
answer  to  this  -would  unlock  your  double  meanings. 
Again,  thou  sayest  the  saints  drank  of  the  spiritual 
rock  that  followed  them. 

Friend,  I  confess,  that  that  spiritual  rock  that 
did  foUoAV  the  fathers,  and  long  after,  was  from 
the  same  loins  with  them,  even  from  the  loins  of 
Abraham,  and  the  rest  of  the  children  of  the  pro- 
mise, according  to  the  promise,  was  the  meat  and 
drink  of  saints.  Ko.  ix.  4, 5.  But  to  look  upon  Christ 
no  otherwise  than  as  he  was  before  the  world  was, 
■which  was  a  Spirit  only,  and  not  to  own  him  now 
clothed  with  a  body,  absent  from  his  children  touch- 
ing the  same  body,  I  dare  be  bold  to  say,  they  are 
no  Christians,  but  antichristians,  yea  antichrists. 
He  that  confesseth  not  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in 
the  flesh  is  antichrist,  and  of  antichrist.     Again, 

At  this  also  thou  wranglest,  because  I  said  that 

*  every  spirit  that  confesseth  not  that  Jesus  Christ, 
who  was  with  the  Father  before  the  world  was, 
did  in  the  appointed  time  of  the  Father,  come  into 
the  world,  take  a  body  upon  him,  and  was  very 
Man  as  well  as  very  God :  and  did  in  that  very 
body  suffer  what  did  belong  to  the  sons  of  men, 
&c.'  So  my  book,  page  42,  43,  44.  I  answer, 
if  thou  didst  indeed  believe  the  truth,  thou  wouldest 
own  these  things.  But  being  deceived,  rather  than 
thou  wilt  let  this  pass  for  truth,  though  thou  darest 
not  oppose  it  with  open  face,  yet  thou  wilt  put  on 
a  vail,  and  venture  upon  it  thus,  saying,  '  If  every 
spirit  were  of  God,  which  doth  confess  in  words 
this,  then  is  not  the  Pope  himself  antichrist. ' 

Answ.  Friend,  it  is  one  thing  to  confess  the 
things  in  words  and  another  thing  to  believe  them, 
and  to  make  a  life  out  of  them ;  and  therefore  is 
thy  life  made  out  of  Christ  without  thee,  by  the 
operation  of  his  Spirit  within  thee,  yea  or  no  ? 

Then  in  answer  to  my  bidding  people  receive  no 
Christ   except    God's   Christ,    thou   sayest   thus, 

*  That  Christ  is  a  mystery,  and  unto  him  is  light, 
and  shaU  be  salvation  where  his  person  never 
came.'  This  question  I  ask  thee.  Did  or  doth 
Christ  obtain  salvation  for  any,  without  that  body 
which  he  took  of  the  Virgin  ?  And  yet  thou  say- 
est, it  cannot  be  said,  here  is  the  place  where  the 
Son  is  not. 

I  answer:  As  the  Son  of  God  is  also  very  Man, 
so  it  may  be  said,  here  is  the  place  where  he  is 
not,  and  there  is  the  place  where  he  hath  not  been, 
though  as  he  is  God  it  is  otherwise :  let  him  that 
reads  understand. 

And  now  passing  by  many  things  that  I  might 
justly  examine,  and  also  many  unseemly  expres- 
sions, I  come  to  the  next  thing,  and  that  is,  where 
you  say,  you  wrest  not  the  scriptures  in  Jn.  i.  9. 
But  it  is  evident,  that  you  do  most  horribly  wrest 
it,  in  that  you,  though  you  seem  to  take  it  in  the 


plain  words,  yet  would  hold,  that  that  light  is  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  notwithstanding  here  is  no  such 
thing  mentioned  in  that  scripture.     For  mark,  as 
I  have  sometimes  said,  and  now  also  will  say,  that 
that  light  wherewith   Christ,  as  he  is   God,  hath 
lightened  every  one  with,  is  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
as  is  clear,  in  that  some  are  sensual  having  not  the 
Spirit,  which  they  must  needs  have,  if  it  were  given 
to  every  one  that  comes  into  the  world,  and  there- 
fore, in  that  you  say,  I  say  you  lay  down  that 
scripture  false  ;  I  say  again,  that  you  say  many 
things  which  I  do  know  to  be  blasphemy,  as  I 
shall  prove  clearly  anon,  as  also  I  have  already. 
And  therefore,  to  take  thee  off  from  this,  I  shall 
say,  that  Christ  as  he  is  a  mediator,  a  Man  be- 
tween God  and  man,  so  he  doth  not  lighten  every 
man  that  comes  into  the  world,  though  as  he  is 
God  he  doth.      And  this  is  manifest,  where  he 
often,  (as  he  was  Man)  salth.  These  things  are 
spoken  to  them  that  are  without    in    parables ; 
'  that  seeing  they  might  not  see,  and  hearing  they 
might  not  understand, '  Lu.  viii.  lo.    And  again,  where 
Judas  (not  Iscariot)  said ;  Lord,  how  is  it,  that 
thou  wilt  manifest  thyself  to  us,  and  not  unto  the 
world  ?     He  salth,  '  If  a  man  love  me,  he  will  keep 
my  words  :  and  my  Father  will  love  him,  and  we  (I 
as  mediator,  and  my  Father  as  reconciled  in  me) 
will  come  unto  him,  and  make  our  abode  with  him. ' 
Jn.  xiv.  23.      And    again,    '  No    man    knoweth    the 
Father  but  the  Son : '    That  is  no  man  knoweth 
him  as  a  Father,  but  the  Son,  and  he  to  whom  the 
Son  will  reveal  him.  Mat.  xi.  27.     But  above  all,  take 
that  scripture  where  the  Son  salth,  *  I  thank  thee 
0  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  because  thou 
hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent, 
and  hast  revealed  them  unto  babes. '  ver.  25.      Here 
the  Son  and  the  Father  are  speaking  one  to  another; 
the  Father  he  hides  the  glorious  things  of  the  gos- 
pel from  the  world.  Mat.  xi.  25—27.  and  the  Sou  he  re- 
joices in  so  doing.     At  the  same  hour  Jesus  re- 
joiced in  Spirit,  and  said,  'I  thank  thee,  0  Father,' 
(fcc.     Therefore  understand  thus  much,  that  though 
Christ  as  he  is  God,  doth  give  to  every  man  a  light, 
which  is  conscience,  otherwise  called  nature,  Ro.  u. 
14. 1  Co.  xi.  14.  yet  it  doth  not  follow,  that  every  man 
hath  enlightening  from  Christ  as  he  is  mediator. 
No,  Christ  as  he  is  mediator  doth  neither  pray  for 
the  world,  Jn.  xvii.  9.  neither  doth  he  give  his  Spirit 
to  all  that  are  in  the  world  ;  for  some  are  sensual,' 
and  have  it  not.     But  now  the  argument  that  thou 
dost  bring  to  colour  the  contrary  with,  is  this ;  for 
what  the  Father  doth,  sayest  thou,  the  Son  doth 
also.     Answ.  Though  this  be  true,  that  the  Son 
doth  what  the  Father  doth ;  yet  it  doth  not  appear 
that  either  the  Father  or  the  Son  hath  given  the 
Spirit  to  every  one  that  comes  into  the  world. 

Jude  19. 

Again  thou  sayest,  thou  dcniest  those  that  say. 


A  VIKDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


19c 


*  That  liglit  wliich  every  one  liatli  as  lie  comes  into 
the  world,  is  conscience ;  though  some  call  it  Christ 
falsely.'  Answ.  Friend,  What  wilt  thou  have  it 
called ;  Christ.  No,  if  not  conscience,  then  call  it 
nature  itself ;  for  all  have  not  the  Spirit. 

But  another  great  argument  thou  bringest  in 
page  1 5,  is,  '  The  light  of  Christ  doth  convince  of 
sin.'  Now  do  you  call  conscience  the  light  of 
Christ?  that  will  convince  of  sin.  Jn. \-iii. 9.  And 
they  being  convinced  by  their  own  consciences, 
itc.  if  thou  dost  call  the  law  the  light  of  Christ, 
that  also  will  convince  of  or  make  known  sin ;  For 
by  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin.  Eo.  iii.  20.  If 
thou  dost  call  even  nature  itself,  the  light  of 
Christ ;  That  also  doth  shew,  that  sins  are  a 
shame,  even  those  sins  which  some  leap  over, 
1  Co.  xi.  14.  and  ruffian-like  they  will  wear  long  hair, 
which  nature  itself  forbiddeth,  and  is  commended 
for  the  same  by  the  apostle.  The  Spirit  of  Christ 
also  will  convince  of  sin.  What,  because  these 
several  things  will  convince  of  sin,  therefore  will 
they  needs  be  the  Spirit  of  Christ?  Or  do  they 
altogether  make  but  one  Spirit  of  Christ  ?  Dost 
thou  profess  thyself  to  walk  in  the  light,  and  art 
not  able  to  know  these  things  ;  Or,  if  thou  dost 
know  them,  art  thou  so  imfaithful  as  not  to  tell 
poor  people  of  them,  who  are  some  of  them  at 
their  wits  end,  by  reason  they  are  not  enlightened 
into  these  things. 

Another  of  thy  arguments  is,  'They  saw  the 
eternal  power  and  Godhead,  by  that  which  was 
made  manifest  of  God  in  them.' 

[I  reply]  The  scripture  say  not  so  word  for  word, 
but  thus:  'Because  that  which  might  be  known 
of  God,  was  manifested  in  them.'  But  how?  for 
he  hath  shewed  it  unto  them.  But  how  ?  why  the 
invisible  things  of  him  from  the  creation  of  the 
world  are  clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the 
thmgs  that  are  made,  (which  words  in  thy  charge 
against  me  thou  didst  leave  out)  but  mark:  The 
invisible  things  of  God  from  the  creation  of  the 
world  are  clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the 
things  that  are  made.  But  how  then  doth  it  say, 
that  the  knowledge  of  God  is  manifested  in  them  ? 
:Wliy,  because  God  hath  shewed  it  unto  them  by 
the  things  that  are  made,  even  by  the  creation  of 
the  world.  So  that  this  scripture  holdeth  forth 
thus  much ;  that  the  invisible  things  of  God,  as 
his  power,  holiness,  and  common  goodness  to  the 
sons  of  men  are  clearly  seen,  being  understood  by 
the  things  that  are  made.  But  how  feeble  an  ar- 
gument is  this,  to  prove  such  a  doctrine  as  this : 
That  every  one  hath  the  Spirit  when  this  light 
discovers  God  only  by  his  works  in  the  world. 
Friend,  if  they  that  know  God,  because  he  doth 
shew  hunself  to  them  by  his  works  in  the  world, 
have  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  then  the  same  argument 
will  serve  to  speak  thus  much;  that  the  devils 

VOL.  II. 


themselves  have  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  which  would 
be  wonderful  blasphemy  once  to  affirm.  And 
friend,  the  very  devils,  both  for  the  knowledge  of 
sin,  and  also  for  the  knowledge  of  God's  eternal 
power  and  Godhead,  have  more  experience  than  aU 
the  unregenerate  men  in  the  woi-ld ;  and  yet  have 
not  the  least  spark  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  them. 

Other  lame  arguments  thou  tumblest  over,  like 
a  blind  man  in  a  thicket  of  bushes,  which  I  pas3 
by.     But  one  thing  more  thou  hast,  and  that  is  this, 

Thou  askest  me  'whether  I  do  know  this  light 
which  God  and  Christ  hath  given  to  every  man  ?' 
Bo.  ii.  14. 1  Co.  xi.  14.  Fii'St,  I  deny  that  Christ  as  he 
is  mediator,  hath  given  to  every  man  his  Spirit. 
And  Secondly,  I  deny,  that  Christ  as  he  is  God 
hath  given  to  every  one  his  Spirit  ;  but  this  I  say 
as  I  have  often  said,  it  is  conscience  of  nature  itself 
that  every  one  hath,  take  it  in  either  of  these  scrip- 
ture terms,  as  I  have  proved  at  large.  And  where- 
as thou  askest  me,  '  Whether  that  light,  which 
Christ  as  he  is  God  hath  lightened  every  one  with 
that  comes  into  the  world,  be  sufficient  in  itself 
for  life  and  salvation.  I  answer  plainly,  no ;  for 
then  Christ  Jesus  needed  not  to  have  come  into  the 
world  to  die  for  sinners  ;  for  every  one  had  that 
light  before  Christ  did  come  into  the  world, 

2.  And  secondly  I  answer,  it  is  not  able,  for 
then  it  would  have  been  a  needless  thing  for  Christ 
to  tell  his  disciples  of  sending  them  his  Spirit,  to 
lead  them  into  all  truth.  They  might  have  said, 
why  dost  thou  talk  of  sending  us  thy  Spirit,  who 
have  that  that  can  do  the  deed  already,  if  that 
could  have  done  it. 

3.  Because  the  scripture  saith,  '  Some  are  sen- 
sual, not  having  the  Spirit.'  Now  a  man  cannot 
lay  hold  on  Christ,  nor  believe  in  him  savingly 
without  the  Spirit,  because  faith  is  the  work  of 
the  Spirit. 

4.  Because  then  it  had  been  in  vain  for  the  Lord 
to  have  given  the  scriptures  to  teach  men  out  of, 
either  concerning  himself  or  themselves :  Why  ? 
because  without  it,  they  had  a  sufficient  light  to 
guide  them :  that  thing  must  not  be  so. 

And  whereas  thou  askest,  whether  the  fault  be 
then  in  God,  or  in  that  thou  callest  his  light,  or  in 
the  creatm-e  ?  I  answer ;  What  if  God  Avilling  to 
shew  his  wrath,  and  to  make  his  power  known, 
endured  with  much  patience  the  vessels  of  wratli 
fitted  to  destruction  ;  and  that  he  might  make 
known  the  riches  of  his  glory  on  the  vessels  of 
mercy,  which  he  had  afore  (before  the  world  was, 
Ep.i4.)  ordained  unto  glory?  And  secondly,  0 
vain  man !  What  is  that  to  thee  if  God  should 
make  some  vessels  to  dishonour  :  hath  not  the 
potter  power  over  the  clay,  of  the  same  lump  to  do 
therewith  as  he  pleases.  Ro.  ix.  16-23. 

And  where  I  say,  '  Christ  as  he  is  God  hath 
Hghtened  every  one  that  cometh  into  the  world:' 
2  B 


19* 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


to  it  tliou  givest  a  glavcring  answer ;  "but  having 
touched  on  this  before,  I  pass  it  by. 

To  the  next  thing,  where  I  say,  '  men's  neglect- 
ing this  hght,  or  law,  will  be  sure  to  damn  them, 
though  their  obedience  to  the  law  will  not  save 
them.'  Here  thou  sayest  I  have  confessed  truth, 
(and  I  know  it  is  true  by  experience)  and  thou 
commentest  on  those  things  laid  down  by  me  thus : 
*  Then  surely  (sayest  thou)  It  is  good  not  to  neglect 
it;'  that  is,  not  to  neglect  following  the  law.  To 
which  I  answer,  as  their  obedience  to  the  law  will 
not  save  them,  so  their  neglect  of  obedience  to 
the  law  will  be  sure  to  damn  them ;  these  things 
thou  canst  not  deny.  But  is  this  all  the  wit  thou 
hast?  Because  the  neglect  of  the  law  will  be 
sure  to  damn  them;  therefore  wouldst  thou  put 
poor  souls  to  follow  that  v/hich  will  not  save  them  ? 
(0  wonderful  ignorance.)  Nay,  but  thou  shouldest 
have  said,  then  surely  the  best  course  is,  for  a  poor 
soul  in  this  case,  to  fly  to  the  Lord  Christ,  even 
the  Man  Christ  Jesus,  who  was  slain  on  Mount 
Calvary  for  the  sins  of  poor  sinners.  And  the 
rather,  because  he  did  so  willingly,  of  his  own 
accord  lay  down  his  life  for  them.  Methinks,  I 
say,  thou  shouldest  rather  have  said,  then  let  us 
follow  the  Son  of  Mary,  the  Man  Christ  Jesus,  the 
Lamb  of  God  that  takest  away  the  sins  of  the 
world,  by  his  blood  on  the  cross  ;  who  is  now  also 
at  his  Father's  right  hand  making  intercession  for 
all  those  that  do  come  to  the  Father  by  him ;  but 
they  that  are  not  for  the  truth,  will  advance  any- 
thing but  the  truth.  And  as  for  that  which  thou 
callest  the  second  clause,  which  is,  The  law  (sayest 
thou)  must  be  obeyed. 

I  answer,  Christ  Jesus  hath  done  that  in  his 
own  person,  and  justified  me  thereby,  and  for  my 
part,  I  will  not  labour  now  to  fulfil  the  law  for 
justification,  least  I  should  undervalue  the  merits 
of  the  Man  Christ  Jesus,  and  what  he  hath  done 
without  me :  and  yet  will  I  labour  to  fidfil,  if  it 
were  possible,  ten  thousand  laws,  if  there  were  so 
many :  And  0  !  let  it  be  out  of  love  to  my  sweet 
Lord  Jesus  (2  Co.v. u)  'for  the  love  of  Clu-ist  con- 
strains me.'     And  thus  much  to  thy  16th  page. 

In  the  next  place,  thou  art  offended  with  this, 
because  I  say,  though  Christ  dotla  give  a  light  to 
every  one  that  comes  into  the  world,  yet  it  doth 
not  therefore  follow,  that  this  conscience,  (or  Hght) 
is  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  or  the  work  of  grace  wrought 
in  the  heart  of  any  believer.  This  I  shall  pass 
also,  as  having  spoken  to  it  already,  only  mind 
thee  of  thy  weakness,  in  that  thou  shouldest  make 
this  conscience,  tliat  Christ  hath  given  to  every 
man,  to  be  the  same  with  the  Spirit  of  Cln-ist. 
And  thou  sayest  further,  that  the  light,  that  Christ 
hath  lightened  every  one  with,  is  the  same  in 
nature  with  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  0  Avonderful  ! 
that  a  man  should  be  so  foolish,  and  so  much 


besides  the  truth,  as  to  compare  that  nature,  or 
conscience,  that  is  given  to  every  man  ;  equal  to 
the  Spirit  of  Christ :  nay,  thou  sayest  that  it  is  one 
with  it  in  nature.  Didst  thou  not  blush  when 
thou  laidst  it  down  ?  if  thou  didst  not,  thou  mightest 
have  done  with  shame  enough.  As  I  said  before, 
because  thy  conscience  will  convince  thee  of  sin, 
therefore  thou  wilt  call  it  Christ,  or  as  good  as 
Christ.  What  !  because  the  law  will  convince  of 
sin,  therefore  the  law  must  be  called  Christ. 
What  ignorance  is  this  ?  Nay,  nature  itself,  that 
must  have  the  pre-eminency,  even  as  high  as 
Christ  Jesus,  because  it  can  tell  a  man  that  it  is  a 
shame  for  him  to  wear  long  hair. 

Then  thou  askest  me,  can  there  be  a  surer  thing 
for  the  creature  to  walk  by,  than  by  the  light  of 
Christ,  which  thou  confessest  every  one  hath,  that 
cometh  into  the  world.  Answer,  Friend,  to  the 
law,  and  to  the  testimony  (sayeth  the  scriptures) 
for  they  testify  of  Christ.  And  if  thou  or  any 
else,  shall  leave  the  scriptures,  to  follow  the  con- 
victions of  their  own  conscience ;  ye  are  not  like 
to  know  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  for  they  may  be 
defiled.  And  again,  it  is  through  the  promises 
laid  down  in  the  scriptures,  *  that  we  might  be 
partakers  of  the  divine  nature,'  2  Pe.  i.  4.  and  not  by 
our  following  of  the  law,  or  conscience.  Ga.  iii.  1—4. 

But  again,  where  I  say.  Heathens,  Tui-ks,  Jews, 
Atheists,  &c.  have  that  which  doth  convince  of 
sin,  and  yet  are  so  far  from  having  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  in  them,  that  they  delight  to  do  iniquity ; 
and  to  serve  their  lust.  Upon  this  thou  movest 
this  query ;  Do  they,  or  I,  or  any  other,  serve  sin 
and  lust,  because  Christ  hath  not  given  us  light, 
or  because  we  hate  this  light. 

Ans.  This  I  do  really  confess,  that  every  Hea- 
then, Turk,  or  Jew,  in  this  world,  hath  a  conscience 
Avithin  them,  that  doth  convince  of  sin ;  for  the 
Gentiles  Avhich  have  not  the  law,  that  is,  not  the 
law  in  tables  of  stone,  or  written  as  we  have ;  these 
do  by  nature,  the  things  contained  in  the  law; 
these  having  not  the  law,  are  a  law  mito  them- 
selves ;  Mdiich  shew  the  work  of  the  law  written 
in  their  hearts,  their  consciences  also  bearing  them 
witness,  &;c.  And  all  men  and  women  shall  be 
left  without  excuse,  even  by  the  co)ivictions  of 
their  own  consciences,  or  the  law.  But  now  that 
these  things  are  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  that  I  deny. 
For  conscience  is  but  a  creature,  a  faculty  of  the 
soul  of  man,  which  God  hath  made.  Neither  is 
the  law  the  Spirit  of  Christ ;  for  the  law  is  not  of 
faith.  They  that  are  of  the  works  of  the  law,  are 
under  the  curse,  but  they  that  have  the  spirit  of 
Christ  they  are  the  children  of  God,  and  under 
grace,  and  delivered  from  the  curse,  as  it  is  written 
6a.  iii.  10.  *As  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law 
are  under  the  curse.'  But  what  is  it  to  be  of  the 
works  of  the  law,  or  under  the  law  ?     Ans.  Why 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


195 


to  seek  to  be  justified  by  tlicir  obedience  to  the 
law.  '  Israel  wbich  followed  after  the  law  of 
•rigliteousness,'  mark.  Tbey  that  follow  after 
righteousness,  do  not  attain  to  the  law  of  righte- 
ousness ;  if  they  seek  it  not  by  faith  :  but  as  it 
were  by  the  works  of  the  law.  Ko.  i\.  so,  31.  But 
'Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the 
law,  bemg  (in  our  nature)  made  a  curse  for  us.' 

Ga.  iii.  10—13. 

But  whereas  thou  sayest,  this  conscience  or 
law,  which  you  would  fain  have  called  the  Spirit 
of  Christ,  works  in  all  men  either  to  justify,  or 
condemn.  I  do  plainly  deny,  that  either  con- 
science, or  the  law  can  justify,  though  they  can 
condemn.  Mark,  The  law  is  called  the  ministra- 
tion of  condemnation,  but  not  of  life. 

The  gospel  is  called  the  ministration  of  life,  but 
not  of  condemnation.  2  Co.  iii.  9.  The  law  was  given 
that  sin  might  be  discovered.  The  gospel  was 
sent,  that  sin  might  be  taken  away.  The  law 
worketh  wrath  ;  but  the  gospel  is  a  gospel  of 
peace.  Bo. x.  'The  law  made  nothing  perfect.' 
He.  vii.  19.  But  Christ  justifieth  from  all  those 
things  from  which  M'e  could  not  be  justified  by  the 

law  of  Moses.  Ac.  xiii.  39. 

And  whereas  thou  askest  me  whether  any  thing 
doth  convince  of  sin  contrary  to,  or  besides  the 
Spirit  of  Christ. 

I  answer.  There  is  conscience,  and  the  law, 
yea,  and  nature  itself  that  doth  convince  of  sin ; 
as  before  I  have  proved  at  large.  Yet  neither  is 
conscience,  the  law ;  or  nature  itself  the  Spirit  of 
Christ ;  no,  but  are  much  inferior  to  it,  as  being 
things  of  no  glory  in  respect  of  it. 

And  again,  that  something  doth  convince  of  sin 
besides  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  it  is  evident,  for  the 
law  saith,  '  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth 
not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  it  to  do  them. ' 
Ga.  iii.  10.  But  the  Spirit  convinceth  men  of  their 
imbelief,  together  with  other  sins.  Now  mark. 
The  law  also  convinceth  to  work  for  life,  the 
Spii'it  convinceth  to  believe  for  life ;  the  law  saith. 
He  that  doth  not  fulfil  me,  shall  be  damned.  The 
Spirit  saith.  He  that  believeth  in  Christ  shall  be 
saved.  Now  observe  the  terms  of  the  law  and  of 
the  gospel,  are  difterent  one  from  another  as  to 
justification.  If  men  seek  for  life  by  the  law; 
then  the  law  saith,  Fulfil  me  perfectly,  and  thou 
shalt  live.  The  Spirit  saith,  that  Christ  Jesus 
came  into  the  world  to  save  those  that  by  trans- 
gression had  broken  the  law.  For,  for  this  cause 
saith  the  Spirit  '  He  (Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary,  the 
Man  Christ  between  God  and  us.  i  Ti.  ii.  5.)  is  the 
mediator  of  the  New  Testament. '  For  what  ? 
'  That  by  means  of  death,  for  the  redemption  of 
the  transgressions  that  were  under  the  first  testa- 
ment, they  which  are  called  might  receive  the 
promise  of  eternal  inheritance.'  Ik.  k.  15.     Now  I 


would  not  be  mistaken ;  I  do  not  say,  that  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  doth  give  the  least  liberty  to  sin  ; 
God  forbid.  But  its  convictions  are  of  a  more 
saving  and  refreshing  nature  than  the  convictions 
of  the  law,  and  do  more  constrain  the  soul  to  holi- 
ness than  that. 

The  law  saying,  Work  for  life  ;  the  Spirit  saying, 
•  Now  to  him  that  worketh  not,  (for  life)  but  be- 
lieveth on  him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith 
is  counted  for  righteousness,'  Ro.iv.  5.  as  thus,  if  I 
should  owe  to  two  creditors  ten  thousand  talents ; 
the  one  should  say  unto  me,  thou  owest  me  five 
thousand  talents,  pay  that  thou  owest ;  the  other 
shoidd  say,  thou  owest  me  five  thousand  talents,  and 
I  frankly  and  freely  forgive  thee  all.  Now  these  ex- 
pressions are  contrary  one  to  another :  even  so  is  the 
end  of  the  convictions  of  the  law,  not  accordino-  to 
the  end  of  the  convictions  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ ; 
the  one  saying,  pay  me  that  thou  owest,  the  other 
saying,  thou  art  frankly  and  freely  forgiven  all. 

The  next  thing  thou  utterest  is,  where  I  say, 
'  Those  that  are  alive  imto  sins,  have  not  the  Spirit 
of  Christ.'  But  sayest  thou,  it  is  given  to  every 
man.  Mark,  thou  sayest.  It  is  given  to  every 
man.  The  Apostle  saith,  some  are  sensual,  having 
not  the  Spirit.  Jude  19.  Who  must  we  now  believe, 
the  Apostle  or  you  ?  Certainly  your  doctrine  is  not 
according  to  truth,  but  a  lie ;  as  is  clear,  in  that 
you  will  aflirm,  that  which  the  Apostle  doth  deny. 

Then  thou  sayest,  I  bring  other  vain  arguments 
to  prove  that  _every  one  hath  not  the  Spirit  of 
Chi'ist.  This  one  is  enough  to  prove  it,  that  the 
Apostle  saith.  Some  men  have  it  not.  But  that 
which  thou  callest  vain,  I  am  sure  neither  thou 
nor  any  of  thy  fellows,  are  able  to  answer.  One 
is  to  this  purpose ;  the  devils  are  so  convinced  of 
sin,  that  they  did  fear  the  torment  that  was  to 
come  upon  them  for  their  sins ;  and  did  fear  also 
that  the  Son  of  Man  was  come  to  torment  them 
for  their  sins,  and  yet  the  devils  have  not  the 
spirit  of  Christ.  So  that  it  is  evident,  that  we 
may  be  convinced  of  sin,  and  yet  not  by  the  Spirit 
of  Christ.  A  second  argument  which  thou  callest 
vain,  is  this,  Man  in  his  coming  into  the  world, 
hath  his  conscience  given  him,  which  doth  convince 
of  sin,  Jn.  vjii.  9.  yet  man  in  his  coming  into  the 
world,  or  as  he  cometh  into  the  world,  hath  not 
the  Spirit  of  Christ  given  him,  for  that  must  be 
received  ordinarily  afterward  by  the  preaching  of 
the  word,  which  is  preached  by  the  ministers  and 
servants  of  Jesus  Christ.  Ac.  x.  u.  '  While  Peter 
yet  spake'  to  the  people,  '  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on 
all  them  which  heard  the  word. ' 

But  farther,  thou  sayest,  '  Until  I  prove  the 
light  of  Christ  contrary  to  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
thou  wilt  say,  that  every  man  hath  that  which  is 
one  in  union,  and  like  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  even  as 
good  as  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  its  measure.' 


19(5 


A    VINDICATION   OF   GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


Answer.  Friend,  I  have  proved  already  that 
every  man  hath  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  though 
they  have  that  which  thou  dost  call  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  which  is  conscience  and  nature  itself.  And 
this  I  say  again,  that  thou  hast  laid  open  thy 
weakness  very  much,  to  say  that  every  man  hath 
that  which  is  as  good  as  the  Spirit  of  Christ. 
Friend,  seeing  the  scriptures  say,  some  have  not 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  how  durst  thou  so  blaspheme, 
as  to  say,  then  it  is  as  good  as  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
in  its  measure.  Was  there  ever  such  a  deal  of 
ignorance  discovered  at  one  time  hy  man,  as  to 
say,  that  every  man  hath  the  Spirit,  or  that  which 
is  as  good  as  the  Spirit ;  though  the  Spii'it  saith 
plainly,  that  some  have  not  the  Spirit,  as  I  have 
proved  plainly,  Jude  19.  Friend,  what  is  there  be- 
sides the  Spirit  that  is  as  good  as  the  Spirit.  Be 
silent,  and  say  no  more  so,  lest  thou  dost  through 
ignorance,  or  presumption,  set  up  thy  conscience 
or  nature,  as  high  and  as  good  as  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  when  indeed  they  are  not  worthy  to  be 
compared  with  it,  being  weak,  and  not  able  to  do 
that  which  is  and  hath  been  done  by  the  Spirit  of 
Christ. 

Then  thou  art  offended,  because  I  said  the  devil 
doth  deceive  poor  souls  by  bidding  them  listen 
within,  and  see  if  there  i  e  i;ot  that  which  doth 
convince  of  sin.  Friend,  all  men  have  not  the 
Spirit,  though  they  have  that  conscience  that 
doth  convince  of  sin.  Ju.  viii.  9.  Now  seeing  all  men 
have  not  the  Spirit,  is  it  not  a  great  deceit  of  the 
devil  to  persuade  poor  souls,  that  because  they  are 
convinced  for  sin  by  their  own  consciences,  there- 
fore they  have  the  Spirit  of  Christ:  surely  it  is 
from  the  devil.  Because  he  would  make  thee 
believe  that  conscience,  which  is  but  a  creature, 
is  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  by  whom  the  world  was 
made.  Again,  because  the  soul,  being  persuaded 
that  it  hath  the  Spirit  (when  it  hath  it  not)  as  all 
men  naturally  are  without  it,  Ep.  v.  13, 14.  it  is  kept 
off  from  seeking  and  begging  for  it,  being  already 
persuaded  (falsely)  that  it  hath  it. 

And  whereas  thou  sayest,  the  voice  of  the 
gospel  is  to  bid  listen  Avithin  the  heart,  as  Paul 
prcachcth.  I  deny  that  Paul  biddeth  listen  within. 
But  the  scripture  that  you  would  fain  make  shelter 
for  your  error  is  this,  where  he  saith,  '  The  word 
is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart. ' 
no.  X.  8.  That  is,  The  word  of  faith  which  we 
preach.  Now,  Friend,  faith  is  that  which  layeth 
hold  of,  or  belie veth  the  gospel.  And  that  this  is 
the  meaning  read  the  next  verse :  That  (saith  he) 
*  If  thou  shalt  confess  with  thy  mouth  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  shalt  believe  in  thine  heart  that  God 
hath  raised  him  from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved. ' 
So  that  it  is  clear  that  the  word  of  faith,  is  to 
believe  assuredly  from  the  very  heart,  that  God  hath 
raised  up  Jesus  from  the  dead,  out  of  the  grave 


into  which  he  was  laid  by  Joseph ;  and  that  he 
was  raised  again  for  my  justification,  Ko.  iv.  25.  as  it 
is  written,  l  Co.  xt.  *  Moreover  brethren  (saith  he,) 
I  declare  unto  you  the  gospel  which  I  preached 
unto  you'  at  the  first,  'which  also  you  have  received, 
and  wherein  ye  stand,  by  which  also  ye  are  saved, 
if  ye  keep  in  memory,  (or  assuredly  beheve,)  what 
I  preached  unto  you,  unless  ye  have  believed  in 
vain.'  But  what  was  that  gospel  you  preached? 
why,  saith  he,  ver.  s.  '  I  delivered  unto  you  first  of 
all,  that  which  I  also  received,  hoAV  that  Christ 
died  for  our  sins  according  to  the  scriptures  ;  and 
that  he  was  buried,  and  that  he  rose  again  the 
third  day  according  to  the  scriptures :  and  that  lie 
was  seen  of-  -  the  brethren  after  his  resurrection,' 
&c.  The  word  of  the  gospel,  my  friend,  is,  Christ 
died  for  our  sins  according  to  the  scriptures,  and 
that  he  rose  again  according  to  the  scriptures,  and 
that  he  is  ascended  fi-om  his  disciples,  to  prepare 
a  place  for  tliem  according  to  the  scripture. 

That  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  in  his 
own  person  without,  as  mediator  between  God  and 
man,  according  to  the  sci'ipture.  lie.  vii.  i>5. 

That  he  will  come  again  in  the  clouds  with  all 
his  mighty  angels,  and  before  him  shall  all  nations 
be  gathered,  according  to  the  scriptures,  l  Tli.  iv.  16, 17. 
Mat.  XXV.  31,  32.  after  which  time,  his  saints  shall  be 
ever  with  him  according  to  the  scriptures. 

Again,  thou  art  offended  in  that  I  said.  Now 
the  poor  soul  finding  this  to  be  so  (that  it  is  con- 
vinced of  sin)  all  in  haste  (if  it  be  Here  my  words 
willing  to  profess)  through  ignorance  ^''^  corrupted. 
of  the  gospel,  claps  in  with  the  motions  of  its  own 
conscience,  which  doth  command  to  abstain  from 
this  evil,  and  to  practise  that  good.  Which  words 
of  mine  thou  corruptest,  and  wrestest,  and  layest 
down  in  another  form,  as  ai-e  to  be  seen  in  thy  book, 
page  18.  But  now,  friend,  is  not  he  ignorant  of 
the  gospel,  which  thinks  his  own  conscience  will 
lead  him  to  eternal  life,  by  commanding  to  abstain 
from  this  evil,  and  practise  that  good  ?  Surely,  if 
salvation  comes  by  our  conscience,  or  by  the  con- 
victions or  commands  thereof,  Christ  Jesus  died 
for  nothing.   Ga.  ii.  21. 

And  whereas  thou  askest,  what,  and  how  doth 
the  light  of  the  gospel  work,  if  not  in  the  con- 
science. I  answer.  Though  the  light  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  and  the  gospel  be  in  the  hearts  of  the  elect 
of  God ;  yet  the  gospel  light  is  hid,  and  doth  not 
shine  so  much  as  unto,  much  less  into  the  con- 
sciences of  some  of  them  that  be  lost,  2  Co.  iv.  3,  4. 
that  though  the  light  of  the  gospel  doth  shine, 
and  that  gloriously  too  in  the  hearts  of  God's 
elect,  yet  it  doth  not  follow,  that  the  convictions  of 
conscience  is  the  gospel ;  no,  nor  the  convictions 
of  the  law  neither.  And  again,  though  every  one 
of  God's  elect  have  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel 
shining  in  them,  what  argument  is  this  to  prove  all 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSrEL  TRUTHS. 


197 


men  have  the  light  of  the  gospel  shining  in  them. 
No,  saith  Christ,  '  I  thank  thee,  0  Father,  hecause 
thou  hast  hid  these  things  (the  things  of  the 
gospel)  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast 
revealed  them  unto  hahes.'  Mat.xii.  25.  And  whereas 
thou  sayest  (as  I  gather  hy  thy  words)  that  I  call 
conscience  the  light  of  Christ,  I  say,  if  thou 
meanest  hy  these  words  (the  light  of  Christ)  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  I  do  deny  that  every  man  hath 
it:  hut  if  thou  callest  conscience  the  light  of 
Christ,  or  the  highest  light  that  is  in  an  uncon- 
verted man  the  light  of  Christ ;  then,  I  say,  that 
the  highest  light  that  is  in  a  natural  or  unconverted 
man  (which  you  call  the  light  of  Christ)  is  not  ahle 
hy  all  its  motions  and  convictions,  nor  yet  hy  all 
the  ohedience  that  a  man  can  yield  to  these  convic- 
tions ;  I  say,  they  are  not  ahle  to  deliver  him  from 
the  wrath  to  come ;  for  deliverance  from  that  is 
ohtained  hy  the  blood  of  Jesus,  which  was  shed 
on  the  cross,  without  the  gate  of  Jerusalem  (as  I 
have  often  said)  Ep.  i.  7.  compared  with  He.  xiii.  13.  and 
not  any  light  within  a  natural  man. 

And  whereas  thou  sayest  that  I  said,  the  devil 
counterfeits  the  new  birth  by  persuading  to  fol- 
low the  light  of  the  world.     I  answer, 
therof  his  false   *  Thou  hast  most  naughtily  belied  me. 

accusations  of    rpj^g    ^^^^^    ^^^^^    j    g^^j^j   (speaking  of 

the  devil  before)  are  these ;  Now  he 
counterfeits  the  new  birth  (said  I)  by  persuading 
them  that  it  is  wrought  by  following  the  light  that 
they  brought  into  the  world  with  them ;  as  is 
clearly  seen  in  my  book,  page  76.  Friend,  1 
wonder  that  you  should  so  boldly  profess  yourself 
to  be  led  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  when  you  make 
it  manifest  that  you  are  guided  by  the  spii-it  of 
Satan.  Was  not  he  a  liar  ?  and  hast  not  thou 
been  led  by  a  lying  spirit  also,  in  wresting  of  my 
words  as  thou  hast  done  ? 

But  I  do  freely  declare  again,  that  Satan  doth 
deceive  those  souls,  whom  he  persuades  the  new 
birth  is  wrought  in,  by  following  the  light  they 
brought  into  the  world  with  them  ;  for  men  as  they 
come  into  the  world,  do  not  receive  the  Spirit,  for 
it  is  given  to  the  elect  afterwards ;  neither  have  all 
men  the  Spirit.  And  he  that  hath  the  new  birth, 
must  have  it  by,  and  through  the  Spirit ;  as  it  is 
written,  '  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  0/ 
the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God.'  Therefore,  if  men  do  not  bring  the  Spirit 
into  the  world  with  them ;  and  if  nothing  without 
the  Spirit,  or  nothing  but  the  Spirit,  will  or  can 
work  the  new  birth  in  a  man :  it  must  needs  follow, 
that  they  who  think  the  new  birth  is  wrought  by 
that  light  or  conscience  which  they  brought  into 
the  world  with  them,  must  needs  be  beguiled  by 
Satan. 

I  do  pass  by  many  of  thy  raging  expressions, 
which  I  might  justly  charge  with  much  unrighte- 


ousness ;  but  I  know  the  time  is  short,  and  then 
whatsoever  thou  hast  done  in  secret,  shall  be  laid 
open  upon  the  house  tops,  therefore  I  forbear  them. 

Again,  thou  art  offended  because  I  said,  now 
Satan  makes  the  soul  believe  he  is  its  friend,  and 
that  he  is  a  gospel  minister,  2  Co.  xi.  u.  and  if  the 
soul  will  be  led  by  what  shall  be  made  known  to 
it,  from  the  light  or  conscience  within,  it  shall  not 
need  to  fear,  but  it  shall  do  well,  page  76.  of  my 
book  [153].  I  said  it  then,  and  I  say  it  now;  and 
I  know  that  he  that  doth  think  to  be  born  again 
by  following  his  conscience,  or  any  other  light  that 
is  in  an  unregenerate  man,  will  be  deceived,  and 
shall  one  day  know,  that  thei-e  is  a  difference  be- 
tween conscience  and  Christ ;  between  the  hght  of 
nature,  and  the  Spirit  of  God. 

Quest.  But  you  may  say,  how  can  you  prove 
that  conscience  is  not  of  the  same  nature,  of  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  ? 

Ansio.  1.  They  that  are  imbelieving,  even  their 
conscience  is  defiled.  Tit.  i.  15.  But  so  cannot  be  the 
Spirit  of  Christ. 

Answ.  2.  Conscience  is  not  of  the  same  nature 
with  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  for  conscience  may  be 
hardened  or  seared  with  an  hot  iron:  as  it  is  written, 
1  Ti.  iv.  3.    But  so  cannot  be  the  Spirit  of  Christ. 

Answ.  3.  Our  consciences  natiu-ally  are  evil, 
'  having  (saith  the  scripture)  our  hearts  sprinkled 
from  an  evil  conscience.'  He.  x.  23.  But  so  is  not  the 
Spirit  of  Christ. 

But  again  whereas  you  said,  that  I  said,  they 
will  not  speak  except  the  Spirit  move  them,  <fc;c. 
thou  dost  falsely  speak  of  me,  and  again  dost  cor- 
rupt my  words ;  for  I  said.  How  they  will  not 
speak  except  their  spirit  move  them,  (I  do  not  say 
the  Spirit  of  Christ)  (said  I)  Friend ;  if  you  can 
be  lead  to  life  by  your  own  spirit,  if  your  own 
spirit  will  learn  you  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of 
God ;  and  if  you  can  speak  them  with  and  in  your 
own  spirit,  in  that  demonstration  that  they  are 
spoken,  when  they  are  spoken  in  the  Spirit  of 
Christ ;  (which  aU  men  have  not)  then  say  that  I 
speak  false  things ;  but  till  that  time  hold  your 
peace.  Thus  I  pass  by  thy  20.  page,  leaving 
many  of  thy  scolding  terms  to  thyself.  The  next 
thing  thou  sayest  is,  that  I  did  run  but  Another  false 
was  not  sent,  like  unto  my  forefatlicrs:  accusation. 
and  therefore  sayest  thou,  I  do  not  profit  the  people 
at  all.  Answ.  Which  accusation  of  thine,  I  shall 
leave  to  be  taken  notice  of  by  the  people  of  God 
in  the  country  where  I  dwell,  who  will  testify  the 
contrary  for  me,  setting  aside  the  carnal  ministry, 
with  their  retinue ;  who  are  as  mad  against  me  as 
thyself. 

But  farther,  thou  art  somewhat  distempered, 
and  discontented  that  I  said,  '  Many  sad  and  hor- 
rible doctrines  are  vented  by  you.'  And  you 
said,  I  named  nothing.     Answ.  I  need  not,  thme 


193 


A  VINDICATION  OP  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


own  speech  betrayetli  tliee,  tliat  thou  art  one  of 
them,  that  do  such  things ;  and  I  need  go  no  fur- 
ther than  thy  own  mouth  and  doctrine.  But  if  it 
will  be  more  satisfaction  to  tell  you  wherein,  they 
of  your  society  do  hold  sad  doctrine  I  shall. 

1.  Therefore  your  society  do  hold  and  affirm, 
that  that  man  which  was  hanged  on  the  cross  be- 
tween two  thieves,  called  Jesus ;  in  his  person  is 
within  you,  contrary  to  the  scripture.  Ac  i.  ll. 

2.  You  say  that  Christ  is  crucified  within,  dead 
within,  risen  and  ascended  within  ;  Avhich  also  you 
have  no  word  of  scripture  to  prove. 

3.  Your  Society  affirm,  that  the  coming  of  the 
Spirit  into  the  hearts  of  believers,  is  Christ  his 
second  coming,  when  the  scriptures  do  plainly  hold 
forth,  that  the  coming  of  Christ  in  the  Spirit  was 
before  his  coming  in  the  flesh;  as  in  l  Pe.  i.  lo,  ll. 
where  the  apostle  speaking  of  the  prophets  inquir- 
ing into  the  great  salvation  which  was  afterwards 
to  be  accomplished,  saith,  '  Searching  what,  or 
what  manner  of  time  the  Spirit  of  Christ  which  was 
in  them  did  signify,  when  it  testified  before  hand 
the  sufterings  of  Christ,  and  the  glory  that  should 
follow.'  Mark,  here  is  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  the 
prophets,  long  before  the  first  coming  of  Chi-ist  in 
the  flesh,  which  was  when  he  was  born  of  Mary 
the  Virgin,  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  saith  he,  did  tes- 
tify before  hand  the  suflering  of  Christ,  to  the  pro- 
phets, which  were  before  Christ  came  in  the  flesh, 
as  the  scriptures  hold  forth  plentifully. 

4.  But  again,  you  deny  the  second  coming  of 
that  very  Man,  with  that  very  body,  which  was 
born  of  the  Virgin  Mary;  and  say,  his  second 
coming  is  not  his  coming  again  personally,  but  his 
coming  in  the  Spirit  only  ;  and  that  is  all  you  look 
for,  Avhen  the  scripture  saith ;  That  same  Jesus 
(who  appeared  to  his  disciples  after  his  passion, 
Ac.  i.  3.)  shall  so  come,  even  as  they  did  see  him 
depart  from  them  into  heaven ;  which  was  a  very 
Man,  as  well  as  very  God.  And  will  come  again, 
a  very  Man,  as  well  as  very  God,  at  the  end  of 
the  world.  For  it  is  that  Man ;  namely,  he  that 
was  crucified,  Avhom  God  raised  again,  must  be 
the  judge  of  quick  and  dead.  Ac.  x.  39-43.  seriously 
compared. 

5.  Again,  you  say,  that  every  man  hath  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  which  is  a  sad  doctrine,  because 
conti-ary  to  the  scripture.  Judcl9.  And  you  say, 
there  is  that  in  every  man  which  is  as  good  as  the 
Spirit  of  Christ ;  which  is  a  blasphemous  doctrine. 
Besides  many  other  things  which  they  of  your  own 
spirit  have  most  sadly  spoken ;  which  I  shall  not 
mention,  being  so  commonly  known  to  the  saints 
of  the  Lord,  before  whom  you  have  openly,  and 
without  fear  (at  least  in  shew)  spoken.  Which 
Avill  doubtless  be  laid  open  to  your  sorrow  and 
great  amazement,  at  the  appearing  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 


Then  thou  art  ofi'ended  because  I  said,  I  wonder 
that  the  Lord  doth  not  either  cause  the  ground  to 
open  her  mouth  and  swallow  you  up :  or  else  suff'er 
the  devil  to  fetch  you  away,  to  the  astonishing  the 
whole  world.  Certainly,  Korah,  Dathan,  and 
Abiram  did  not  so  horribly  transgress,  as  you  have 
done.  Yet  his  hand  on  them  (no  question)  was  as 
it  were  the  astonishment  of  the  world.  Therefore 
I  may  well  wonder  that  you  are  not  served  so. 
Only  this  I  consider,  it  may  be,  you  have  not 
yet  filled  up  the  measure  of  your  wickedness ; 
therefore  is  not  the  hand  of  God  as  yet  upon 

you. 

The  next  thing  I  take  notice  of  is,  that  thou 
findest  fault  Avith  mine  answer  to  this  question. 
'  But  doth  not  the  scripture  say,  that  it  is  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  that  doth  convince  of  sin  ?'  Thou 
sayest  it  is  a  good  question,  but  I  have  confounded 
it  in  the  answer,  and  not  answered  plainly.  Where- 
fore I  shall  not  at  all  stick  at  the  pains,  to  give  the 
reader  in  brief  some  of  the  heads  of  the  answer  I 
then  gave  to  it  word  for  word,  or  to  the  same  pur- 
pose. The  answer  was,  yes,  the  Spirit  doth  con- 
vince of  sin ;  but  for  the  better  understanding  of 
this  place,  I  shall  lay  down  this,  said  I,  That  there 
are  two  things  spoken  of  in  scripture,  that  do  mani- 
fest or  convince  of  sin.  First,  the  law.  Ko.  iii.  20. 
'  For  by  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin.'  Se- 
condly, the  Spii'it  of  Christ  doth  also  the  same,  as 
it  is  written,  '  And  when  he  is  come,  he  will  *con- 
vince  the  world  of  sin.'  Jn.  xvi.  7— 9.  Now  say  I, 
sometimes  the  law  itself,  by  its  own  power  doth 
manifest  sin,  as  in  the  case  of  Judas,  who  was  so 
far  from  having  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  that  the  devil 
had  very  great  possession  of  him.  Which  things 
my  adversary  doth  wrangle  at,  yet  dares  not  affirm 
the  contrary :  only  saith  this,  he  had  the  righteous 
law  of  God  written  in  his  heart :  which  thing  is  not 
the  Spirit  of  Christ.  The  law  is  not  of  faith.  The 
law  is  not  the  comforter,  but  rather  a  tormentor: 
yet  the  Spirit  of  Christ  is  a  comforter.  Again  say 
1,  the  Spirit  of  Christ  doth  take  the  law,  and  doth 
effectually  convince  of  sin,  &c.  Then  1  put  forth 
another  question,  saying,  '  But  how  should  I  know 
whether  I  am  convinced  by  the  law  alone,  or  whe- 
ther the  law  be  effectually  set  home  by  the  Spirit?' 
To  which  I  answer,  when  the  law  doth  convince  by 
its  own  power,  it  doth  convince  only  of  sins  against  the 
law;  as  l3'ing,  swearing,  stealing,  &c.  pronouncing 
an  horrible  curse  against  thee  if  thou  fulfil  it  not, 
and  there  leaves  thee,  but  gives  thee  no  power  to 
fulfil  it  completely  and  continually,  which  thou 
must  do,  if  thou  be  saved  thereby.  W^itli  which 
my  adversary  is  much  offended ;  also  saying,  that 
I  am  confounded  in  my  discourse,  and  so  leaves 
me,  confuting  none  of  my  words  by  holy  scripture, 


See  margin  of  the  bible. — Ed. 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTH?. 


199 


but  falls  a  railing,  because  I  reckon  Pharisees  and 
Quakers  together. 

Only  this  much  he  saith ;  That  I  make  it  a  light 
thing  to  be  convinced  by  the  law,  and  then  brings 
in  that  scriptm-e ;  *  This  is  the  condemnation,  that 
light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men  love  darkness 
rather  than  light ;'  cunningly  corrupting  of  it,  and 
would  fain  have  you  understand  it  as  spoken  of 
the  law,  when  the  Son  of  Mary  speaks  it  of  him- 
self, which  was  not  the  law,  but  the  Saviour. 
And  that  he  might  the  better  go  away  undis- 
cerned,  he  saith,  and  the  law  is  light,  therefore 
the  light  is  the  law  (saith  he).  But  I  perceive 
that  he  doth  not  yet  miderstaud  the  difference 
between  the  light  of  the  law,  and  the  light  of 
the  gospel;  but  would  fain  make  the  law  and 
Christ  one  Saviour:  the  one  being  but  only  a  con- 
demning light,  and  nothing  else  ;  the  other  a  saving 
comfortable  light.  And  whereas  thou  sayest,  I 
make  it  a  light  thing  to  be  convinced  by  the  law, 
I  answer ;  the  law  is  good,  if  a  man  use  it  law- 
fully ;  and  I  honour  it  in  its  place ;  yet  if  they 
make  a  Saviour  of  it,  they  make  an  idol  of  it,  and 
wrest  it  out  of  its  proper  place.  Also,  if  they 
think  that  it  is  Christ,  they  are  much  deceived. 

But  farther,  he  put  me  to  prove  any  such  dis- 
tinction in  scripture  as  that  there  is  anything  made 
mention  of  therein  that  doth  convince  of  sin,  beside 
the  Spirit  of  Christ:  which  thing  1  have  already 
answered,  where  I  said  the  scripture  saith,  '  By 
the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin. '  Ro.  ui.  20.  And 
again,  doth  not  even  nature  itself  teach  you,  that 
it  is  a  shame  for  a  man  to  wear  long  hair,  iCo.xi. 
14,  and  also  conscience,  which  are  neither  of  them 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  but  much  inferior  to  the  same; 
yet  this  also  convinceth  of  sin.  Jn.  riii.  9. 

But  to  the  other  thing,  which  is  the  answer  that 
I  give  in  my  book  to  this  objection:  But  I  am 
not  only  convinced  of  my  sins  (may  some  say)  but 
have  also  some  power  against  my  sins ;  so  that  I 
do  in  some  measure  abstain  from  the  sins  forbidden 
in  the  law.  And  because  I  say,  this  thou  mayest 
have  and  do,  as  thou  thinkest,  perfectly  too  [as 
thou  thinks,  mark  that]  as  those  fond  hypocrites, 
called  Quakers  [think]  that  they  also  do,  and  yet 
be  but  a  natural  man.  Here  my  adversary  is  very 
much  offended,  and  calls  me  perverter  of  the  right 
way  of  the  Lord ;  and  saith.  Shew  me  any  natural 
man  in  the  scripture  that  hath  done  it.  Whereas 
had  he  been  but  willing  to  have  laid  down  the 
scripture  I  brought  to  prove  it,  he  needed  not  to 
have  looked  for  a  second  answer.  But  because  he 
would  have  it  again,  I  will  therefore  shew  you,  that 
natural  men  merely  by  nature  may  be  convinced, 
and  abstain  from  those  things  forbidden  in  the 
law,  and  think  they  do  it  perfectly,  nay,  they  do 
the  things  contained  in  the  law.  For  saith  the 
apostle.  Eo. ii.  14   'When  the  Gentiles,  which  have 


not  the  law,  do  by  nature  [mnrk,  do  hij  nature]  the 
things  contained  in  the  law,  these,  [the  Gentiles] 
having  not  the  law,  are  a  law  unto  themselves.' 
Mark ;  the  Gentiles  do  by  natm-e  the  things  con- 
tained In,  or  held  forth,  or  made  mention  of  by  the 
law ;  the  light  also  that  they  have,  it  is  themselves, 
being  a  law  to  themselves  ;  that  is,  their  conscien- 
ces (being  of  themselves)  bearing  them  witness  and 
their  thoughts  the  meanwhile  accusing,  or  else  ex- 
cusing one  another,  ver.  15.  though  they  cannot  be 
saved  thereby. 

Again,  when  Paul  was  a  natural  man,  and  a 
persecutor  of  Jesus  Christ,  he  saith  of  himself, 
that  then  he  was,  '  touching  the  righteousness 
Avhlch  is  in  the  law,  blameless.'  Phil.  iii.  6.  And 
whereas  thou  sayest,  thou  hadst  rather  choose  to 
be  one  of  those  who  abstain  fi"om  those  things  for- 
bidden m  the  law,  and  to  have  power  over  sin,  than 
to  live  in  the  transgression  of  the  law ;  this  is  fair 
spoken,  and  it  doth  shew  that  thou  art  under  the 
convictions  of  the  law ;  and  if  it  be  no  woi'se,  I  fear 
thy  state  the  less,  though  it  be  bad  enough ;  yet 
this  I  say.  If  thy  soul  be  not  saved  freely  by  the 
blood  of  that  man  who  was  crucified  on  Mount  Cal- 
vary, and  by  his  merits  alone  done  by  himself  in 
his  own  person,  thou,  notwithstanding  wilt  faU 
short  of  eternal  life.  For  by  the  works  of  the  law, 
shall  no  flesh  living  be  justified.  Ro.  iii.  30.  Though 
by  it  be  the  knowledge  of  sin,  and  a  command  to 
abstain  from  the  same.  And  thus  have  I  spoken 
to  thy  21  page. 

But  farther  thou  sayest,  that  thou  fearest  I  wor- 
ship the  name  Mary,  because  I  mention  her  name 
so  much. 

[I  reply]  If  thou  hadst  said,  I  worship  her  Son, 
thou  hadst  said  truly  (I  hope)  But 

,     , ,  . ,  •      ,     1  Tliere    are   mnre 

is  not  thy  spite  more  against  her  oiicnded  at  this 
Son,  than  her  ?  I  doubt  it  is ;  for  ^^^^^^  ^^^  ^''^^ 
neither  thou,  nor  thy  companions 
can  endure  that  one  should  say,  he  is  still  the  sama 
that  was  born  of  Mary,  flesh  and  bones,  a  very 
man,  now  absent  from  his  people,  though  in  them 
in  his  Spirit. 

Again,  thou  sayest  I  said,  '  That  as  he  is  God, 
Christ  lighteneth  every  man  that  comes  into  the 
world;'  which  thing  again  I  say.  What  then  ?  Then 
say  you,  I  will  mind  you  of  one  scripture  which 
you  yourself  have  quoted,  which  saith  '  The  law 
is  hght.'  Pr.vi.  23.  Therefore  sayest  thou,  'The 
light  is  the  law.'  Give  me  leave  here  to  take  thy 
words  in  twain : — 

First,  if  when  thou  sayest,  then  the  law  is  light, 
thou  mean,  the  light  of  the  law  is  the  light  of  the 
law,  and  no  more,  thou  sayest  right.  But  if  thou 
mean  the  hght  of  the  law,  is  the  light  of  the  gospel, 
or  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  I  must  needs  reprove  thee. 
For  I  tell  thee  again,  the  law  is  not  of  faith,  the 
law  makes  nothing  perfect.  He.  vii.  19.     The  law  is 


200 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS, 


but  a  weak  and  unprofitable  thing,  as  to  justlfica- 
•tion,  He.  vii.  18.  though  as  I  said  before,  it  is  good 
■if  it  be  used  lawfully ;  which  is,  not  to  seek  or 
look  for  justification  thereby,  nor  yet  to  say,  it  is 
the  Spirit  of  Christ. 

Then  farther  thou  art  offended,  because  I  said, 
when  the  Spirit  of  Christ  convinceth,  it  convinceth 
of  more  sins  than  the  sins  against  the  law.  Friend, 
will  the  law  shew  a  man  that  his  righteousness  is 
sin  and  dung  ?  No,  for  though  the  law  will  shew 
a  man  that  his  failing  in  the  acts  of  righteousness  is 
sin ;  yet  I  question,  whether  the  law  will  shew, 
that  a  man's  own  righteousness  is  sin.  For  there 
is  in  scripture  [that  which]  saith  it  doth,  or  can. 

Secondly,  shew  me,  if  thou  canst,  that  the  sin 
of  ixnbelief  is  spoken  against  in  all  the  ten  com- 
mandments, or  that  called  the  moral  law.  But 
now  the  Spirit  of  Christ  convinceth  of  unbelief, 
that  is,  it  sheweth,  that  if  men  do  not  believe,  that 
they  have  redemption  by  the  obedience  of  that  man 
who  was  laid  in  the  manger,  hanged  on  the  cross, 
<kc.  I  say,  it  sheweth,  that  those  who  do  not  lay 
hold  on  Avhat  he  hath  done  and  suff"ered  without 
them  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree  (through  the 
operation  of  his  Spirit,  which  he  hath  promised  to 
give  to  them  that  ask  him)  or  else  they  have  not 
yet  been  convinced  of  the  sin  of  unbelief,  and  so 
are  still  in  a  perishing  condition ;  notwithstanding 
their  strict  obedience,  to  the  light  within  them,  or 
to  the  law.  And  now  tell  me,  you  that  desire  to 
mingle  the  law  and  the  gospel  together,  and  to 
make  of  both  one  and  the  same  gospel  of  Christ : 
Did  you  ever  see  yourselves  undone  and  lost,  unless 
the  righteousness,  blood,  death,  resurrection  and 
intercession  of  that  man  Christ  Jesus  (in  his  own 
person)  was  imputed  to  you?  and  until  you  could 
by  faith  own  it  as  done  for  you,  and  counted  yoiu-s 
by  imputation,  yea,  or  no?  Nay  rather,  have  you 
not  set  up  your  consciences,  and  the  law,  and 
counted  your  obedience  to  them  better,  and  of 
more  value,  than  the  obedience  of  the  Son  of  Mary 
without  you,  to  be  imputed  to  you  ?  and  if  so,  it 
is  because  you  have  not  been  savingly  convinced  by 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  of  the  sin  of  unbelief. 

Other  things  thou  dost  quarrel  against,  but  see- 
ing they  are  in  effect  the  same  with  the  former,  I 
pass  them  by ;  and  shall  come  to  the  next  thing 
thou  dost  think  to  catch  me  withal,  and  that  is ; 
because  I  say,  that  '  God  only  is  the  Saviour,  there 
is  none  besides  him.'  Therefore  sayest  thou,  how 
contrary  is  this  to  that  in  p.  24,  where  I  say,  How 
wickedly  are  they  deluded,  who  own  Christ  no 
otherwise  than  as  he  Avas  before  the  world  began. 
Now  this  is  no  contradiction  as  thou  wouldest  have 
it ;  for  though  I  say  there  is  none  but  God  our 
Saviour,  yet  I  did  also  then  m  my  book  shew  how 
he  was  our  Saviour,  namely,  'in  that  he  came  into 
the  woi'ld,  being  boru  of  a  virgin,  made  under  the 


law,  that  he  might  redeem  them  that  wore  under" 
the  law,  by  his  obedience  in  that  nature,  by  suft'er-, 
ing  in  that  nature,  by  his  rising  again  in  that  na- 
ture, and  by  carrying  that  nature  into  heaven  with 
him,'  as  the  scriptures  at  large  declare ;  and  there- 
fore, though  I  say  God  is  our  Saviour,  and  none 
besides  him;  yet  they  that  own  him  to  be  the 
Saviour  no  otherwise  than  as  he  was  before  the 
world  began,  are  such  as  deny  that  he  is  come  in 
the  flesh,  and  so  are  of  antichrist,  l  Jn.  ii.  For 
before  God  could  actually  be  a  Saviour,  he  must 
partake  of  another  nature  than  the  divine,  even  the 
nature  of  man.  He.  ii.  14, 15. 

Again,  thou  sayest,  it  is  a  slander  put  upon  the 
Quakers,  to  say,  they  slight  the  resurrection :  Ans. 
What  say  you.  Do  you  believe  the  resurrection  of 
the  body  after  it  is  laid  in  the  grave?  Do  you 
believe  that  the  saints  that  have  been  this  four  or 
five  thousand  years  in  their  graves  shall  rise,  and 
also  the  wicked,  each  one  with  that  very  body 
wherein  they  acted  in  this  world ;  some  to  ever- 
lasting life,  and  some  to  everlasting  contempt  ? 
Answer  plainly,  and  clear  yourselves,  but  1  know 
you  dare  not,  for  you  deny  these  things. 

But  if  you  speak  doubtfully,  or  covertly  in  an-| 
swer  thei'eunto ;  I  doubt  not  but  God  will  help  me 
to  find  you  out,  and  lay  open  your  folly;  if  I  shall 
live  till  another  cavil  by  you  be  put  forth  against 
the  truth. 

The  next  thing  thou  cavillest  at  is,  that  query 
raised  from  Ep.  iv.  lo.  and  thou  sayest  I  have  not 
answered  it.  You  should  have  answered  it  better, 
or  else  have  confuted  that  answer  I  gave  unto  it, 
and  then  you  had  done  something :  But  the  great 
thing  that  troubles  thee  is,  because  I  say,  (further 
in  my  book)  he  that  ascended  from  his  disciples, 
was  a  very  man,  '  Handle  me  and  see ;  saith 
Christ,  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones  as  ye 
see  me  have.'  Now  let  the  adversary  shew  by  the 
scripture  (said  I)  that  there  is  in  them  any  place 
called  heaven,  which  is  able  to  contain  a  man  of  • 
some  four  or  five  foot  long  (or  a  competent  man 
of  flesh  and  bones)  for  the  space  of  fifteen  or  six- 
teen hundred  years,  but  that  above  the  clouds, 
which  troubles  thee  so,  that  it  makes  thy  tongue 
run  thou  canst  not  tell  how;  but  know,  that  when 
the  Son  of  man  shall  come  from  heaven  to  judge 
the  world  in  righteousness,  that  which  thou  callest. 
foolishness  now,  thou  wilt  find  a  truth  then  to  thy 
own  wrong,  if  thou  close  not  in  with  him,  who  said, 
'  Handle  me  and  see,  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh 
and  bones  as  ye  see  me  have. '  Lu.  xxiv.  39. 

Another  thing  that  thou  art  troubled  at,  is,  in 
that  I  do  reckon  the  Quakers  to  be  of  the  deluding 
party;  when  alas,  all  men  that  have  eyes  to  see; 
may  easily  discern,  that  you  are  of  that  generation, 
as  will  appear  in  part  byyour  own  expressions,  both 
now,  and  also  at  other  times      But  that  you  may 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


201 


take  off  the  brand  from  jourselves,  you  say,  that 
tlie  false  prophets  and  antichrist,  were  in  the 
apostle  days,  as  though  there  should  he  no  false 
prophets  now,  when  the  very  time  we  live  in 
doth  manifestly  declare,  and  hold  forth,  that 
there  are  many,  who  at  this  day  seek  to  beguile 
unstable  souls,  of  which  sort  you  are  not  the  least, 
though  for  ought  I  can  learn  as  yet,  you  are  the 
last,  (that  are  come  into  the  world)  hut  that  you 
'may  the  better  shift  it  from  yourselves,  you  say, 
that  in  those  days  there  was  not  a  Quaker  heard 
of;  namely,  in  the  days  of  John.  Friend,  thou 
hast  rightly  said,  there  was  not  a  Quaker  heard 
of  indeed,  though  there  were  many  Christians 
heard  of  then.  By  this  you  yourselves  do  confess, 
that  you  are  a  new  upstart  sect,  which  was  not  at 
other  times  in  the  world,  though  Christian  saints 
have  been  always  in  the  world.  Friend,  here  like 
a  man  in  the  dark,  in  seeking  to  keep  thyself  out 
of  one  ditch,  thou  art  fallen  into  another ;  instead 
of  proving  yourselves  no  false  prophets,  you  prove 
yourselves  no  Christians,  saying.  There  Avas  not  a 
Quaker  heard  of  then.  But  if  Quakers  had  been 
Christians,  then  they  would  have  been  heard  of  to 
the  glory  of  God,  and  his  Christ. 

Again  to  defend  thyself  thou  throwest  the  dirt 
in  my  face,  saying;  If  we  should  diligently  trace 
thee,  we  should  find  thee  in  their  steps,  meaning 
false  prophets,  through  fained  words,  through 
covetousness  making  merchandise  of  souls,  loving 
the  wages  of  unrighteousness. 

Friend,  dost  thou  speak  this  as  from  thy  own 

Another  of  his   knowledge.  Or  did  any  other  tell  thee 

false    accusa-    so?      However,    that   spirit    that  led 

tious.  ,  ,  .  .  T    . 

thee  out  this  way,  is  a  lying  spirit. 
For  though  I  be  poor,  and  of  no  repute  in  the 
world,  as  to  outward  things ;  yet  through  grace  I 
have  leai'ned  by  the  example  of  the  apostle  to  preach 
the  truth ;  and  also  to  work  with  my  hands,  both 
for  mine  own  living,  and  for  those  that  are  with 
me,  when  I  have  opportunity.  And  I  trust  that 
the  Lord  Jesus,  who  hath  helped  me  to  reject  the 
wages  of  unrighteousness  hitherto,  will  also  help 
me  still,  so  that  I  shall  distribute  that  which  God 
■hath  given  me  freely,  and  not  for  filthy  lucre's 
sake.  Other  things  I  might  speak  in  vindication  of 
my  practice  in  this  thing :  but  ask  of  others,  and 
they  will  tell  thee  that  the  things  I  say  are  truth : 
and  hereafter  have  a  care  of  receiving  anything  by 
hearsay  only,  lest  you  be  found  a  publisher  of  those 
lies  which  are  brought  to  you  by  others,  and  so 
render  yourself  the  less  credible  ;  but  be  it  so. 
And  as  for  your  thinking,  that  to  drink  water,  * 


*  There  is  notliing  new  under  tlie  sun.  It  appears  from 
this  that  there  was  a  tee-total  movciuent  in  the  time  of  the 
Commonwealth.  For  the  meaning  of  hatband,  see  editor's 
advertisement. — Ed. 

'^OL.  II, 


and  wear  no  hatbands,  is  not  walking  after  your 
own  lusts ;  I  say,  that  whatsoever  men  do  make  a 
religion  out  of,  having  no  warrant  for  it  in  the 
scripture,  is  but  walking  after  their  own  lusts,  and 
not  after  the  Spirit  of  God.  Thus  have  I  passed 
thy  23d  page. 

And  lest  you  should  think  that  the  Quakers  aro 
not  such  as  condemned  me  and  others  for  preach- 
ing according  to  the  scriptures ;  as  you  would  fain 
clear  yourselves  of  this  charge  laid  against  you  in 
my  book,  by  your  saying,  you  deny  the  accusation 
to  be  true  upon  any  of  the  Quakers.  I  shall 
therefore  tell  you  of  your  sister  Anne  Blackly,  who 
did  bid  me  in  the  audience  of  many,  '  To  throw 
away  the  scriptures.'  To  which  I  answered,  '  No, 
for  then  the  devil  would  be  too  hard  for  me. ' 

And  again,  because  I  said,  The  man  Christ 
Jesus  was  above  the  clouds  and  the  heavens,  now 
absent  from  his  people  in  the  world,  touching  his 
bodily  presence ;  she  said,  I  preached  up  an  idol, 
and  used  conjuration  and  witchcraft.  Which 
things  I  should  rather  have  desired  her  to  repent 
of,  than  to  make  her  a  public  example  for  others 
to  take  warning  by ;  but  that  it  is  expedient  that 
your  folly  be  laid  open,  that  others  may  fear  to  do 
as  you  have  done. 

But  farther,  thou  chargest  me  v/ith 
a  loud  crying  out  against  Christ  within,    ^f  hif  f^isc*ac- 
This  is  thy  throwing  of  dirt  in  my  face     f^is^tious     of 
again,  for  I  have  said  it  often,  that  if 
any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  he  is  none 
of  his. 

Again  thou  sayest  that  in  page  203,  Here  is  another 
I  do  take  in  hand  to  prove  or  discover  i^euiaiieoime. 
that  the  doctrine  of  Christ  within,  is  a  false  opinion. 
Thou  dost  also  here  speak  falsely  of  me,  for  all 
that  I  take  in  hand  to  prove,  is  this.  That  they 
hold  a  false  opinion  (and  principles  too)  who  hold 
up  a  Christ  within,  in  opposition  to  Christ  without, 
who  is  the  Saviour ;  as  doth  plainly  appear  by  my 
following  discourse,  if  you  read  from  page  203  to 
the  end  of  my  book. 

But  in  the  next  place,  after  much  railing,  thou 
comest  to  the  place  where  I  again  ask  this  ques- 
tion, '  Doth  not  the  scripture  make  mention  of  a 
Christ  within  ?' 

To  which  I  anf~wer.  Yes,  and  he  that  hath  it  not 
is  none  of  his.  But  to  lay  open  my  folly  at  last 
thou  sayest.  Doth  not  the  scripture  say,  Christ  is 
within  you,  except  ye  be  reprobates?  and  is  not 
this  thus  much,  are  not  all  they  reprobates  (say 
you)  but  they  in  whom  Christ  is  within? 

Ans.  They  are  indeed  reprobates  who  have  not 
Christ  within  them;  but  now,  how  is  thy  folly 
manifest  ?  that  in  one  place  thou  shouldest  confess 
some  are  reprobates,  who  have  not  Christ  within ; 
and  yet  in  page  18,  of  thy  book  thou  sayest,  it  is 
given  to  every  man.  And  in  page  2G,  of  thy 
2  c 


203 


A  VINDICATION  OP  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


book,  thou  sayest,  that  a  measure  of  the  Sph-it  is 
given  to  every  man,  and  is  given  witliin  him  too, 
though  the  scripture  declareth  the  contrary,  and 
thyself  also  now  at  last.  It  is  well  thou  dost 
recant  so  much,  as  to  eat  thy  first  words  at  the 
last,  or  at  least  to  show  thyself  unstahle  in  judg- 
ment: Friend,  thou  mayest  see,  the  more  thou 
dost  fight  against  the  truth,  the  more  thou  foilest 
thyself:  Partly  hy  helping  of  it,  and  partly  by 
contradicting  thyself. 

One  thing  more  thou  dost  befool  thyself  with ; 
and  that  is,  in  that  thou  in  the  first  place  sayest 
thou  ownest  the  words  in  my  book,  and  yet  hath 
spent  some  four  sheets  of  paper  to  vent  thy  thoughts 
against  them. 

But  peradventure  thou  wilt  say;  those  words 
that  I  own  are  not\hose  that  I  speak  against,  but 
the  other.  To  which  I  answer.  There  are  many 
things  in  my  book  spoken  of  by  me  that  are  truth, 
which  if  you  own,  you  must  leave  professing  your- 
self a  Quaker.     As, 

1.  That  that  man  that  was  born  of  the  virgin 
Mary,  called  Jesus  (I  say  you  will  not  own)  that 
he  in  his  own  person,  by  himself  without  us,  did 
completely  bring  in  everlasting  life  for  us,  by  offer- 
ing up  himself  once  for  all  upon  the  cross. 

2.  That  Christ  Avho  wrought  out  redemption  for 
his  children,  did  after  he  had  wrought  it  out,  go 
away  from  them,  and  not  into  them  in  his  person. 

3.  That  he  ever  liveth,  that  very  man  to  make 
intercession  in  his  person,  in  the  presence  of  his 
Pather  without,  until  the  end  of  the  world. 

4.  That  that  very  man  who  did  go  away  from 
his  disciples  into  heaven,  will  come  again  personally 
the  same  man  the  second  time,  and  before  him  shall 
be  gathered  all  nations,  and  he  shall  judge  them 
for  their  sins:  and  take  his  to  himself,  who  shall 
soul  and  body  be  with  him  to  all  eternity ;  these 
things  (I  say)  thou  couldest  not  own,  though  they 
arc  the  truth  of  God.  But  leaving  thee  to  the 
great  God,  who  will  give  thee  according  to  thy 
■works,  in  this  as  in  other  things :  I  shall  come  to 
thy  answers  to  my  queries. 

Query  1.  The  first  query  that  I  propoimded  is. 
If  thou  sayest  that  every  man  hath  a  measure  of 
the  Spirit  of  Christ  within  him,  why  say  the  scrip- 
tures, '  Some  are  sensual,  having  not  the  Spirit.' 
And  Avhen  Christ  telleth  his  disciples,  of  sending 
them  the  Spirit,  he  saith,  the  world  cannot  receive 
it.  Here  in  the  first  place  thou  hast  not  only 
answered  deceitfully,  but  hast  also  corrupted  my 
words  in  laying  down  the  query,  in  that  thou  didst 
leave  out  some  words,  for  thou  didst  lay  it  down 
thus  :  '  If  thou  sayest  that  every  man  hath  a 
measure  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  within  him,  why 
say  the  scriptures,  some  are  sensual,  having  not 
the  Spirit : '  and  Christ  saith,  '  The  world  cannot 
receive  it.'    (Reader,  compare  them  both  together.) 


Now  thy  answer,  is,  '  Some  are  sensual,  having 
not  the  Sphnt,  because  they  receive  it  not,  and 
some  cannot  receive  it,  because  they  believe  not 
on  him  from  whence  it  comes.'  Yet  sayest  thou, 
'  The  measure  of  the  Spirit  is  given  to  every  man 
to  profit  withal, '  as  the  scriptures  say :  when  there 
is  no  scripture  faith,  a  measure  of  the  Spirit  is 
given  to  every  man  to  profit  withal.  But  again, 
see  here  thy  strange  confusion.  1.  To  say,  some 
have  it  not.  2.  To  say  every  man  hath  it.  But 
you  would  make  a  difterence  between  having  and 
receiving :  but  I  tell  thee,  he  that  hath  it  hath 
received  it,  Ga.  m.  2.  and  he  that  hath  not  received 
it,  hath  it  not.  Jude  19. 

Query  2.  My  second  query  was,  '  What  is  the 
church  of  God  redeemed  by  from  the  curse  of 
law  ?  Is  it  by  something  done  within  them,  or  by 
something  done  without  them  ?  '  If  you  say,  it  is 
redeemed  by  something  thatworketh  in  them,  then 
why  did  the  man  Christ  Jesus  hang  on  the  cross 
on  ]\Iount  Calvary,  without  the  gate  of  Jerusalem, 
for  the  sins  of  his  children  ?  And  why  do  the 
scriptures  say,  '  That  through  this  man  is  preached 
to  us  the  forgiveness  of  sins  ?  ' 

The  answer  thou  givest  is,  '  The  church  of  God 
is  redeemed  by  Christ  Jesus,  which  is  revealed  in 
all  believers.  And  Christ  Jesus  -nTOught  in  them 
mightily ;  And  it  was  he  that  wrought  in  them  to 
will  and  to  do.' 

This  is  plain  scripture,  and  the  man  Christ  Jesus 
(sayest  thou)  hanged  on  the  cross  on  Mount  Calvary: 
because,  they  wickedly  judged  him  to  be  a  blas- 
phemer, and  through  their  envy  persecuted  him  to 
death ;  because  he  bare  witness  against  them,  and 
as  in  their  accoimt  he  died,  and  hanged  on  the  cross, 
for  an  evil  doer.  And  this  is  one  ground  (at  least) 
why  he  hanged  on  the  cross,  &lc. 

Ha  Priend  ?  I  had  thought  thou  hadst  not  been 
so  much  hardened  ;  art  thou  not  ashamed  thus  to 
slight  the  death  of  the  Man  Christ  Jesus  on  the 
cross ;  and  reckon  it  not  efi'ectually  for  salvation, 
but  sayest,  the  church  is  redeemed  by  Christ  Jesus 
which  is  revealed  within.  And  to  confirm  it,  thou 
dost  also  corruptly  bring  in  two  scriptures. 

The  one  saith,  '  Whereunto  I  also  labour  accord- 
ing to  his  working,  which  worketh  in  me  mightily. ' 
By  which  words  Paul  signifies  thus  much,  '  That 
as  God  was  with  him  in  the  ministry  of  the  word, 
so  did  he  also  strive  according  to  his  working  which 
wrought  in  him  mightily.'  What  is  this  to  the 
purpose  ?  See  Coi.  i.  2g— so.  And  also,  the  other 
scripture  makes  nothing  to  prove,  that  the  church 
of  God  is  redeemed  by  Christ  within,  as  he  is 
within.  Only  you  must  corrupt  the  scriptures,  and 
be  transformed  (though  ministers  of  darkness)  into 
an  angel  of  light,  if  you  will  do  any  mischief. 

And  now,  that  thy  answer  is  false,  I  shall  clearly 
prove.     Pirst,  because  thou  deniest  that  redemp- 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


203 


tion  was  wrouglit  out  for  sinners  by  the  j\Ian  Christ 
Jesus  on  the  cross,  or  tree,  on  Mount  Calvary; 
uhen  the  scripture  saith  plainly,  that  when  he  did 
hang  on  the  tree,  then  did  he  bear  all  our  sins 
there  in  his  own  body,  l  Pe.  ii.  2-i.  And  secondly, 
In  thy  saying  it  is  redeemed  by  Christ  within,  by 
being  within ;  when  the  work  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
in  believers,  is  to  make  known  to  the  soul  by  dwell- 
ing within,  which  way  and  how  they  were  redeemed 
by  the  Man  Christ  Jesus  on  the  cross.  And  this 
I  proA'e  farther,  because  Mdien  thou  art  forced  to 
answer  to  these  words,  Why  did  the  Man  Clu-ist 
Jesus  hang  on  the  cross  on  Mount  Calvary  for  the 
sins  of  his  children  ?  Thou  sayest,  because  they 
wickedly  judged  him  to  be  a  blasphemer.  Friend, 
I  did  not  ask  thee  why  the  Jews  did  put  him  to 
death?  But  why  was  he  crucified  there  for  the 
sins  of  his  children  ?  But  thou  willing  to  cover 
over  thine  error,  goest  on  cunningly  saying,  and 
through  their  envy  they  persecuted  him  to  death, 
for  an  evil  doer.      This  is  one  ground  at  least,  <?;c. 

Friend,  but  that  thou  art  ashamed  to  own  the 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  thou  wouldest  have  said,  he 
was  crucified  there  for  the  sins  of  the  world ;  and 
by  his  offering  up  of  himself  upon  the  cross,  he  did 
for  ever  perfect  them  that  are  sanctified.  Nay, 
thou  wouldest  have  studied  to  exalt  his  dying 
.there ;  first,  by  shewing  what  a  sad  condition  we 
^ere  in  without  it ;  Secondly,  by  holding  forth  the 
manifold  and  great  privileges  that  we  have  by  his 
dying  for  us  there.  But  thou  art  at  enmity  against 
the  things  of  God,  as  is  clearly  seen  by  those  that 
have  indeed  the  Spirit  of  God  in  them,  and  are 
■enabled  thereby  to  discern  you.  And  though  jow 
say,  there  is  no  other  that  can  forgive  sin,  nor  the 
blood  of  any  other  that  can  take  away  sin,  but  the 
blood  of  God.  Yet  thou  deniest,  that  the  blood 
of  him,  who  was,  and  is  truly  God  as  well  as  Man, 
Ghrist  Jesus :  I  say,  thou  deniest  that  his  blood 
that  was  shed  without  Jerusalem  Gates,  doth  wash 
away  sin  from  the  saints  of  God :  and  cunningly 
(though  not  at  this  time  uttered)  concluding  that 
the  blood  of  God  was  shed  for  sin  on  a  cross  within. 
If  it  be  not  so,  then  call  me  liar ;  but  it  wiU  clearly 
iippear  so  to  be  in  your  answer  to  my  third  query. 

Query  3.  What  scripture  have  you  to  prove, 
that  Christ  is,  or  was  crucified  within  jou,  dead 
within  you,  risen  within  you,  ascended  within 
YOU  ? 

Thy  answer  is.  There  is  no  scripture  that  men- 
tions every  of  our  names  in  particular.  And  thy 
query  (sayest  thou)  is  raised  from  a  misunder- 
standing of  us,  so  I  judge.  But  Christ  is  within 
us,  that  we  do  not  deny,  and  he  is  the  Lamb  that 
was  slain  in  the  streets  of  the  great  city,  which 
is  spiritually  called  Sodom,  and  Egypt  (mind 
spiritually)  and  he  is  now  risen,  and  ascended ; 
this  we  know,  and  leave  thee  to  receive  a  further 


answer  from   them  that   are    led   by  a  spirit  of 
delusion. 

Friend,  How  dost  thou  run  about  tlie  bush,- 
seeking  to  scrabble  up  an  answer,  but  findest  not 
a  right  one,  and  wouldest  also  fain  hold  out,  that 
Christ  is,  or  was  crucified  within,  dead  within, 
risen  and  ascended  Avithin ;  but  seeing  thou  canst^ 
not  with  or  by  the  scriptures  give  an  answer ;  then 
seeing  thyself  left  of  them,  through  the  strength 
of  carnal  reason,  thou  goest  about  this  way.  Is 
there  any  of  our  names  made  mention  of  in  scrip- 
ture, or  to  that  purpose,  and  wouldst  fain  infer 
from  thence,  that  because  we  have  names,  though 
not  mentioned  in  scripture,  therefore,  Christ  is, 
and  was  crucified  Avithin,  though  not  mentioned 
in  the  scriptures.  Friend,  Thy  sophistry  deceives 
thee. 

The  second  Argument,  which  is  like  the  first,  is 
this.  He  is  the  Lamb  slain  in  the  streets  of  the 
great  city,  spiritually  called  Sodom  and  Egypt. 
Now  from  the  word  '  spiritually,'  thou  wouldest 
willingly  infer  also,  that  Christ  is  and  was  crucified 
within,  dead  within,  and  risen  within  you,  and 
therefore  thou  sayest,  mind  spiritually.  Friend,  I 
may  well  mind  thy  spiritual  wickedness,  by  Avhicli 
thou  wouldest  willingly  cover  thy  heresy,  but  it 
wiU  not  be.  Though  thou  dare  not  speak  plainly 
in  so  many  Avords,  yet  the  thoughts  of  thy  heart 
are  made  manifest,  by  the  Avords  that  flow  from 
thee. 

Ah  Friend !  That  thou  couldest  but  close  with 
the  truth,  and  venture  thy  soul  upon  what  was  done 
by  Jesus  on  the  cross  without  the  gates  of  Jeru- 
salem, for  it  is  by  and  through  that  blood  that  was 
there  shed  that  we  have  redemption,  (He.  xiu.  13. 
compared  Avith  Col.  i.  20.)   and    remission    of    sins, 

Ep.  i.  7.  and  1  Pe.  ii.  Zi. 

Query  4.  My  fourth  query  Avas,  Is  that  very 
Man  that  was  crucified  between  tAvo  thieves,  whose 
name  was  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary,  is  he  the  very 
Christ  of  God,  yea,  or  nay? 

Thy  Answer  is.  Yes,  he  is  the  A'ery  Christ  of 
God,  which  was  before  the  Avorld  Avas,  by  Avhom 
the  Avorld  was  made,  Avho  was  made  manifest  from 
Mary's  Avomb,  and  Avas  persecuted  to  death  by  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  in  Avhose  steps  thou  treadest 
in  asking  subtile  questions  to  ensnare  the  innocent, 
as  they  did.  Read  thy  example  (sayest  thou)  and 
thyself  to  be  an  enemy  to  God's  Christ. 

This  Answer  is  doubtfully  given,  I  did  not  ask 
thee  Avhether  he  was  the  Christ  of  God,  that  was 
before  the  world  was  ;  but  I  asked  thee  whether  he 
was  the  Christ  of  God,  that  did  hang  between  two 
thieves  on  Mount  Calvary.  Now  I  know  the  Christ 
of  God  was  before  the  world  was ;  but  thou  art 
afraid  to  look  upon  him,  as  suffering  on  the  cross 
on  Mount  Calvary,  between  two  thieves  for  our 
sins.      But  contrary-wise,   wouldst  willingly  own 


304 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


liim  to  be  no  otlierwise,  but  as  he  was  before  the  i 
■world,  whicli  thing  is  very  dangerous ;  for  he  that 
doth  so,  doth  lay  aside  all  things,  that  in  his  own 
person  he  did  in  the  flesh  that  he  took  from  the 
Virgin  Mary,  as  to  justification  and  salvation ; 
only  supposing  him  to  he  but  an  example,  and  so 
bespatters  all  his  merit  and  righteousness,  by  your 
false  conclusions,  which  in  his  own  person  he  ac- 
complished for  our  justification. 

And  Friend,  hadst  thou  not  been  afraid  of  thyself, 
thou  wouldst  have  been  so  far  from  calling  these 
my  queries,  subtil  questions,  that  thou  wouldst 
have  owned  them,  and  have  given  a  sober  Christian 
answer  to  them,  instead  of  a  railing  accusation. 
But  it  matters  not,  it  hath  but  made  thee  shew 
thyself  the  more,  which  peradventure  for  a  time 
might  otherwise  have  lien  hid. 

Query  5.  ]\Iy  fifth  query  was,  '  Is  that  very 
man  with  that  very  body  within  you,  yea,  or  no  ?  ' 
To  which  thou  answerest :  '  The  very  Christ  of 
God  is  within  us,  we  dare  not  deny  him ;  and  we 
are  members  of  his  body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his 
bones,  as  the  Ephesians  were :  They  that  are  led 
with  a  spirit  of  delusion,  shall  answer  the  rest  of 
this  thy  query,  if  they  will.' 

Thy  answer  is  nothing  to  the  question,  for  I  did 
not  ask,  whether  the  Spirit  of  Christ  Avas  in  thee  ? 
(though  I  question  the  truth  of  that)  But  I  asked 
you  whether  that  very  Man,  with  that  very  body, 
(or  the  body  of  Christ  that  was  hanged  on  the 
cross)  be  within  you  ?  But  I  see  j'ou  are  minded 
to  famble,*  and  will  not  answer  plainly.  But  thou 
answerest,  saying,  '  We  are  members  of  his  body, 
of  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones,  as  the  Ephesians 
were.'  This  is  nothing  to  the  purpose  neither ;  for 
it  is  one  thing  for  a  man  to  be  a  member  of  the 
flesh  and  bones  of  Christ,  and  another  thing  to 
have  the  flesh  and  bones  of  Christ  within  him. 
What,  because  believers  are  members  one  of  an- 
other, must  they  therefore  be  also  one  in  another  ? 
No.  Even  so,  though  a  believer  be  a  member  of 
the  hodj,  flesh  and  bones  of  Christ ;  it  doth  not 
therefore  follow,  that  Christ,  flesh  and  bones  is 
within  him.  But  thou  art  loth  to  discover  thyself 
in  plain  terms,  though  thou  art  made  manifest  fuU 
sore  against  thy  will ;  for  thou  dost  here  also, 
though  very  cunningly,  signify,  that  thou  ownest 
Christ  no  otherwise,  but  as  he  is  within.  And  to 
own  him  no  otherwise,  is  still  against  the  gospel 
and  faith  of  the  Apostles,  who  said,  they  were 
absent  from  him  while  they  were  at  home  in  the 
body,  or  here  below.  3  Co.  v.  6. 

Query  6.  My  sixth  query  was  this,  *  Was  that 
very  Jesus,  that  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  a 
real  man  of  flesh  and  bones  after  his  resurrection 
out  of  Joseph's  sepulchre,  yea,  or  nay.     The  scrip- 

*  'To  famble,'  to  falter,  or  stammer  in  speech ;  obsolete. 
—Ed. 


tures  say  he  was ;  and  if  so,  then  did  that  man 
go  away  from  his  disciples,  and  not  into  them,  as 
the  scriptures  declare ;  or  did  he  with  that  body 
of  flesh  go  into  his  disciples,  as  some  fond  dreamers 
think. 

Thy  answer  is.  What  the  scripture  speaks  of 
Christ,  we  own  to  be  truth,  and  own  him  to  be 
what  the  scriptures  speak  of  him ;  and  aU  men's 
imaginations  of  him  we  deny,  and  their  false  inter- 
pretations of  the  scripture  concerning  him.  And 
let  the  fond  dreamers,  who  err  in  their  thoughts, 
be  reproved ;  for  we  dare  own  nothing  but  what 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  bears  witness  of  according 
to  the  scriptures.  And  thus  far  I  answer  in  behalf 
of  the  Quakers ;  and  let  them  that  are  led  with  a 
spirit  of  delusion  answer  the  rest,  which  concerns 
themselves. 

This  answer  hath  some  pretended  fairness  in  it. 
But  yet  we  know  you,  that  you  can  wrest  the  scrip- 
tures to  your  ovvn  destruction ;  and  that  is  clear, 
in  that  though  you  say  you  own  him  as  the  scrip- 
tures speak  of  him,  yet  you  deny  him  as  the 
scriptures  speak  of  him  in  part.  And  if  at  any 
time  you  plead  one  truth,  it  is  that  you  might  by 
your  corrupt  dealing  with  that,  clash  against 
another:  as  for  instance:  You  profess  you  own 
Christ  within,  but  withal,  with  that  doctrine  you 
will  smite  against  the  doctrine  of  Christ  Jesus  in. 
his  person  without,  and  deny  that,  though  that  is 
a  truth,  as  is  also  the  other.  You  do  use  the 
truth  of  the  resurrection  of  saints,  from  a  state  of 
nature,  to  a  state  of  grace,  to  fight  against  that 
truth  of  the  resurrection  of  the  bodies  of  saints 
out  of  their  graves ;  together  with  other  things 
that  I  might  add,  as  your  holding  forth  the  inter- 
cession of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  within,  in  opj^osition 
to  the  intercession  of  Christ  in  his  person  without 
in  the  heavens.  Which  things  being  thus  done, 
they  shew  forth  a  great  deal  either  of  ignorance 
or  presumption,  knowingly  to  fight  against  the 
truth.  And  in  this  that  thou  answerest  so  gene- 
rally, and  not  particularly  to  the  question,  it  is 
evident  that  thou  dost  not  plainly  declare  thy  mind, 
but  dost  keep  that  in  thy  bosom,  which  thou  darest 
not  manifest  to  the  world. 

Query  7.  My  seventh  query  was,  '  Hath  that 
Christ  that  was  with  God  the  Father  before  the 
world  Avas,  no  other  body  but  his  church  ?  '  If 
you  say  No,  as  it  is  your  wonted  course ;  then 
again  I  ask  you,  *  What  was  that  in  which  he  did 
bear  the  sins  of  his  children  ?  If  you  say,  in  his 
own  body  on  the  tree ;  then  I  ask.  Whether  that 
body  in  which  he  did  bear  our  sins,  was,  or  is, 
the  church  of  God,  yea,  or  no  ?  *  Again,  if  you 
say  he  hath  no  other  body  but  his  church,  then  1 
ask.  What  that  Avas  that  was  taken  doAvn  from  tlio 
cross?  But  here  thou  puttest  a  stop  to  the  rest 
of  my  words,  Avith  an  &c. 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


205 


Thy  ansMrer  is,  In  this  thou  hast  not  only  queried, 
but  slandered ;  therefore  tliy  shander  (sayest  thou) 
I  do  remove.  It  is  our  wonted  course,  sayest  thou, 
to  say,  that  Christ  hatli  no  other  hody  but  his 
church.  Thou  art  here  a  false  accuser.  But  -we 
say,  the  church  is  Christ's  body ;  and  it  is  suffi- 
cient for  salvation  to  know  Christ  Jesus  to  be  head 
in  us,  and  over  us,  and  ourselves  to  bo  members 
of  his  body ;  which  thou  sayest  is  his  church. 
And  what  thou  intendest  by  making  so  many 
foldings  in  one  query,  sayest  thou,  it  may  be 
judged  it  is  to  insnare  ;  and  in  that  thou  answerest, 
thou  answerest  thyself  for  us  in  some  things,  that 
thou  mightest  have  a  further  ground  to  lay  a  deeper 
snare ;  we  do  deny  thee  and  thy  spirit,  and  see 
thee  to  be  only  feeding  in  thy  imaginations  upon 
the  report  of  things,  without  the  life:  And  thy 
religion  stands  in  disputes  and  controversies,  and 
queries,  and  many  words.  But  our  religion  stands 
in  the  exercise  of  a  pure  conscience  towards  God, 
and  towards  man;  whether  we  speak,  or  be  silent: 
These  are  thy  words. 

Now  in  my  query  thou  sayest  I  slander,  in  that 
I  say,  you  Quakers  allow  of  no  other  body  of 
Christ ;  but  the  Church  of  Christ ;  yet  dost  thou 
not  clear  thyself  at  all,  only  thou  wouldest  say 
something  to  dazzle  the  eyes  of  the  ignorant. 
But  friend,  if  thou  wouldest  have  made  it  appear 
that  I  slandered  in  saying,  you  own  no  other  body 
but  the  church ;  you  should  have  said  yes,  we  do 
own  this.  That  Christ  hath  a  body  that  is  now  in 
glory,  ascended  from  his  disciples,  according  to 

the  scripture.  Ac.  i.  3.  compared  witli  ver.  9—11.      But  thou 

dost  only  fling  up  a  few  words  into  the  air,  that 
thou  mightest  thereby  puzzle  thy  simple  reader. 
But  I  bless  God,  for  my  part  I  do  see  thee,  that 
thou  dost,  like  a  beguiled  man,  seek  by  all  means 
to  beguile  others.  And  whereas  thou  sayest.  It  is 
sufficient  to  salvation,  to  know  Christ  Jesus  as 
head  in  us,  and  over  us.  To  this  I  answer,  what- 
soever thy  meaning  is  by  these  words,  yet  there 
are  none  shall  be  saved,  but  those  who  through 
the  mighty  operation  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  are 
enabled  to  apply  what  the  man  Christ  Jesus  the 
Son  of  ]\Iary  hath  done  and  suffered,  and  is  now 
a-doing  for  sinners  and  saints,  (and  for  him)  in  the 
presence  of  his  Father,  now  ascended  in  his  body 
of  flesh  and  bones,  from  his  children  which  are 
alive  in  this  world.  I  say,  there  are  none  shall  be 
saved,  but  those  that  are  thus  established,  or  shall 
be  so,  as  is  clear  from  these  (i  Pe.  i.  18, 19.  &  ii.  24  & 

iii.  IS,  23.  Ss  iv.  1.  2  Pe.  i.  17.  He.  vii.  24,  25.  Ss  x.  7,  9.  &  xiii.  13. 1  Ti. 

ii.  5,  6.  Ep.  i.  7.  Ac.  xiii.  37—39.)  with  many  other  scrip- 
tures. And  again,  when  you  say,  I  answer  you 
in  something,  if  you  mean,  that  the  body  in  which 
he  did  bare  the  sins  of  his  children,  is  his  church 
(for  that  is  partly  my  query,)  then  I  do  say,  that 
your  doctrine  is  desperate  and  devilish ;  and  you 


do  thereby  undervalue  the  death,  blood,  resurrec- 
tion and  ascension,  intercession  and  second  comino* 
again  of  that  man  for  salvation ;  and  therefore  for 
a  better  satisfaction  to  all  who  may  i-ead  your 
book,  I  entreat  you  to  answer,  '  Did  he  bear  our 
sins  in  that  body  which  is  his  church,  or  did  he 
bear  our  sins  in  that  body  that  did  hano-  on  the 
cross  on  Mount  Calvary  ?  '  Answer  plainly  J 
beseech  you. 

And  now  friend,  passing  by  the  rest  of  thy 
brawllngs,  I  shall  come  to  thy  several  queries,  and 
shall  answer  to  them  in  the  simplicity  of  my  soul, 
not  laying  down  any  doubtful  expressions,  but  in 
all  plainness,  and  not  as  j^ou  do.  For  the  better 
understanding  of  them,  by  those  that  read  them. 

These  he  the  Quaker's  Queries,  ami  my  Answers  to 
them. 

Query  1.  'Is  any  man  justified  in  the  sight  of 
God,  but  he  that  followeth  Christ ;  and  is  it  not  a 
work  to  follow  Christ,  yea  or  nay,  and  what  is  the 
sight  of  God. 

Ans.  He  that  followeth  Christ  aright,  must  first 
believe  in  Christ ;  for  how  shall  they  follow  him, 
in  whom  they  believe  not.  Now  then  the  scripture 
saith.  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  ever- 
lasting life,  Jn.  iii.  iG— 18.  SO  then  we  are  justified  by 
believing ;  and  if  so,  then  to  follow  Christ  Is  rather 
a  fruit  of  our  believing,  than  justification  itself. 
And  whereas  you  ask.  What  Is  the  sight  of  God  ? 
I  answer,  To  be  justified  in  the  sight  of  God  by 
Jesus  Christ,  is  for  God  to  look  on  such  poor  crea- 
tures as  we  are ;  as  complete,  without  spot  or 
wrinkle,  in  the  obedience  of  the  man  Christ  Jesus; 
who  otherwise  could  not  behold  them  in  love, 
because  of  their  iniquity.  Hab.  i.  3. 

Query  2.  'Whether  will  that  faith  justify  a  man 
which  hath  not  works,  seeing  the  scripture,  or  the 
Apostle  saith,  faith  without  w^orks  is  dead ;  and 
what  is  that  which  worketh  faith ;  and  where  is 
it,  within,  or  without  ? ' 

Ans.  That  faith  that  hath  not  works  is  dead, 
being  alone.  Yet  it  doth  not  follow,  that  all  that 
have  works,  have  faith.  No ;  but  contrary- wise, 
men  may  have  works,  yea,  the  works  of  the  law 
of  God  too,  and  yet  be  under  the  curse ;  Ga.  iii.  lo— 
13.  which  they  could  not  be  if  they  had  saving 
faith.  So  then,  if  faith  without  works  is  dead; 
and  again,  if  men  may  have  works,  and  yet  no 
faith,  no  saving  faith,  I  mean:  Then  it  wiU  be 
good  to  inquire,  what  it  is  to  have  a  right  faith, 
which  doth  bring  forth  right  good  works;  and 
who  have  works  Avithout  a  right  faith.     And 

(1.)  A  right  saving  faith,  is,  for  a  man  to  be 
enabled  of  God's  holy  Spirit,  to  lay  hold  on  what 
the  man  Christ  hath  done  in  his  own  person,  when 
he  was  in  the  world?  as  his  birth,  righteousness, 
death,  blood,   resurrection,  ascension,   and  inter- 


206 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


cession  ;  and  to  apply  tlic  virtue  and  merit  thereof 
to  himself,  so  as  to  see  himself  saved  thereby. 
Eo.iv.2i,  25.  Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace: 
How?  Even  through  the  redemption  that  is  in 
Christ  Jesus.  Whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a 
propitiation,  or  reconciler,  through  faith  in  his 
blood,  &c.  Again,  '  Be  it  known  unto  you,  -  - 
that  through  this  man  is  preached  unto  you  the 
forgiveness  of  sins :  And  by  him  all  that  believe : 
(Mark,  all  that  believe ;  namely,  in  his  blood 
vrhich  was  shed  on  Mount  Calvary)  are  justified 
from  all  things,  from  which  ye  could  not  be  justi- 
fied by  the  law  of  Moses.'  Ac.  xiii.  33, 39.  If  the  faith 
that  applies  these  things  be  of  the  operation  of 
God,  it  is  very  much  accompanied  with  good  works. 
*  For  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  (namely  by  the  faith  of  this,  that  Christ 
died  for  all,  Ga.  ii.  20.)  should  not  henceforth  live 
unto  themselves,  but  unto  him  which  died  for  them. ' 
2  Co.  V.  "14, 15.    But 

(2.)  They  that  deny  the  merits  of  the  birth, 
death,  righteousness,  blood,  kc.  of  the  man  that 
was  born  of  ]\Iary,  which  he  fulfilled  in  his  own 
2)erson,  by  himself.  lie.  i.  3.  I  say,  they  that  do  not 
venture  their  souls  on  these  glorious,  mysterious 
truths,  but  deny  the  belief  of  them  to  be  sufiicicnt 
of  themselves  to  save  from  hell,  and  all  other  things, 
and  doth  expect  that  salvation  should  be  obtained 
by  something  that  worketh  in  them,  by  working  in 
them.  It  is  impossible  that  these,  though  they 
may  be,  touching  the  righteousness  of  the  law 
blameless,  (as  Paul  was  Avhile  he  was  a  persecutor, 
riiL  iii.  G. )  to  be  saved  hereby.  Wherefore  ?  be- 
cause they  seek  it  not  by  the  faith  of  Christ,  but 
as  it  were  by  the  works  of  the  law.  Eo.  Lx.  30,  si. 

And  whereas  you  ask  me,  '  What  is  that  which 
worketh  faith  ?  And  v.here  is  it,  within  or  with- 
out ?'  I  answer,  That  which  worketh  saving  faith, 
is  the  holy  Spirit  of  God,  which  is  renewed  through 
the  hearing  of  the  word,  preached  by  the  Apostles 
or  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ :  Now  the  Spirit  when 
it  doth  work,  it  entereth  into  the  soul,  and  as  I 
said  before,  doth  enable  the  soul  to  believe,  and 
lay  hold  on  the  merits  of  the  Sou  of  iMary,  Jesus 
Christ.  For  saith  he,  when  he  is  come,  he  shall 
glorify  me,  for  he  shall  take  of  mine,  and  shew  it 
unto  you.  Jn.  x\-i.  14. 

Query  3.  '  Whether  any  be  justified  but  he  that 
is  born  of  God?  And  whctlier  doth  he  that  is 
born  of  God  commit  sin  ?  And  is  that  within  the 
creature,  or  without,  that  worketh  the  new  birth  ?' 
Ans.  Justification  may  be  taken  two  ways,  (1.) 
either  in  the  sight  of  God,  or  in  the  sight  of  the 
soul,  or  creature ;  my  meaning  is,  that  all  that  are 
or  shall  be  saved,  are  justified  in  the  sight  and  fore- 
knowledge  of  God  before  the  foundation  of  the 


world.  Ep.  i.  4.  According  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in 
him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  &c. 
Having  predestinated  us  to  the  adoption  of  children 
by  Jesus  Christ  unto  himself.  And  again,  '  More- 
over whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also 
called ;  and  whom  he  called,  them  he  also  justified ; 
and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified. 
Bo.  viii.  30.  Mark,  all  these  thing  are  spoken  as 
being  already  done  ;  predestinated,  called,  justified, 
glorified.  He  doth  not  say,  they  shall  be,  but  he 
hath  done  it,  that  is,  in  and  according  to  the  fore- 
ordination  of  God.  (2.)  Saints  are  said  to  be 
justified  in  their  own  sight  or  knowledge,  as  when 
God  doth  make  manifest  to  the  soul,  what  he  had 
determined  before  should  be  done.  *  Be  of  good 
cheer,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee.'  This  is  justifi- 
cation in  the  sight  of  the  creature.  And  Avhereas 
you  ask  me,  '  Do  they  that  are  born  of  God  com- 
mit sin  ?'     To  this  I  answer, 

They  shall  never  commit  the  sin  against  the 
Holy  Ghost,  as  is  the  meaning  of  that  place,  1  Jn. 
V.  IG— 18.  There  is  a  sin  unto  death,  and  there  is  a 
sin  not  unto  death. — He  that  is  born  of  God  sinneth 
not,  but  keepeth  himself ;  and  that  wicked  one, 
(mark,  that  wicked  one,  the  sin  unto  death,)  toucli- 
eth  him  not :  But  they  that  are  born  of  God  not- 
withstanding, do  daily  sin,  as  it  is  evident.  Ja.m.2. 
'  In  many  things  we  offend  all,'  saith  he,  I  and 
you,  all  of  us.  And  again,  if  we  say  that  we  have 
no  sin  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  (instead  of  having 
no  sin)  the  truth  is  not  in  us.  1  Jn.  i.  8.  And  who 
can  say,  my  heart  is  clean  ?  There  is  none  righ- 
teous, no  not  one.  And  again,  *  There  is  not  a 
just  man  upon  earth  that  doeth  good,  and  sinneth 
not. '  Ec.  vii.  20.  And  I  am  confident,  that  while 
some  would  persuade  others  that  they  have  no  sin, 
their  own  consciences  tell  them  they  lie ;  and  if  it 
be  not  so  in  the  rest,  it  is  because  they  are  har- 
dened, and  given  to  believe  a  lie. 

As  to  the  latter  part  of  your  query,  I  answer; 
The  new  birth  is  wrought  through  hearing  of  the 
word  preached.  And  yet  not  by  conscience,  nor 
by  the  obedience  to  the  law,  or  dictates  of  nature; 
but  by  the  Spirit  coming  into  the  soul,  and  shew- 
ing its  lost  condition  without  the  obedience  of  the 
Son  of  Mary,  the  Son  of  God ;  and  his  freeness 
and  willingness  to  communicate,  or  give  himself, 
and  all  his  things  unto  it ;  which  being  done,  the 
man  is  thereupon  given  up  to  God,  and  is  become 
a  new  creature.  I  might  spend  much  time  in 
speaking  to  this,  but  I  forbear,  because  of  itself 
it  is  enough  to  fiU  up  a  small  volume. 

Query  4.  '  If  Christ  hath  enlightened  all  men 
as  he  is  God  (as  thou  confessest)  then  hath  he  not 
enlightened  all  men  as  he  is  the  Son  of  God  ?  and 
is  not  the  light  of  God  sufiicicnt  in  itself,  to  lead 
to  God  all  that  follow  it,  yea,  or  nay  ?' 

Ans.  (1.)  Christ  as  he  is  God,  doth  enlighten 


A  YINDICATION  OY  GOSrEL  TRUTHS. 


207 


every  man  tliat  comes  into  tlie  world,  which  light 
is  conscience,  or  otherwise  nature  itself,  which  doth 
also  convince  of  sin.  Jn.  viii.  9.  Yet  Christ  as  he  is 
God ;  doth  not  give  unto  every  man  that  spirit 
that  doth  lead  to  eternal  life,  for  all  men  have  it 
not.  Judeio.  (2.)  Christ  as  he  was  and  is  the  Son 
of  God  hefore  the  world  was,  heing  one  in  power, 
and  heing  with  his  Father,  hath  enhghtened  every 
one  that  comes  into  the  world,  as  aforesaid;  but 
hath  not  so  neither  given  them  his  spirit.  *  Some 
are  sensual,'  <kc.  (3.)  Christ  as  God-man,  or  as 
he  came  into  the  world  to  die  for  those  whom 
hefore  as  God  he  knew  and  loved ;  I  say,  he  doth 
not  in  this  way  neither  enlighten  every  man  with 
the  saving  light  of  life,  or  give  unto  them  his  holy 
Spirit.  No,  they  that  have  been,  and  now  are 
believers,  do  know  and  can  remember,  that  all  the 
time  of  their  unregenerate  state,  they  were  with- 
out Christ,  Ep.  ii.  12.  So  that  here  is  no  way  or  room 
for  your  doctrine,  take  it  how  you  will,  Christ 
hath  not  given  to  every  one  his  Spirit. 

Second  Part  of  the  Query.  Is  not  the  light  of 
God  sufficient  in  itself,  to  lead  to  God  all  that  fol- 
low it,  yea,  or  nay  ? 

Ans.  (1.)  As  I  said  before,  some  are  sensiial, 
and  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Chi'ist.  (2.)  No  man 
can  come  to  God  as  a  Father  by  adoption,  but  by 
Jesus  Christ ;  then  it  must  needs  be  that  all  men, 
though  they  do  follow  that  light  which  is  given  to 
every  man,  it  is  not  able  to  lead  to  God  as  a  Fa- 
ther in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Yet  this  light 
that  every  man  hath,  will  shew  a  man  there  is  a 
God,  and  that  this  God  is  eternal ;  and  also  will 
clear  out  something  of  him,  to  them,  by  the  things 
that  are  made.  But  now,  if  this  light  would  lead 
to  everlasting  life,  then  might  the  devils  also  be 
delivered  from  everlasting  damnation ;  seeing  they 
also  do  know  God  as  a  creator,  and  revenger  of 
sin,  more  perfectly  than  any  natural  man  in  the 
world,  though  not  as  a  Father  by  adoption. 

But  you  say,  Doth  it  not  lead  to  God  all  that 
follow  it  ?  Answ.  (1.)  Not  to  be  saved,  though  to 
be  condemned,  through  the  weakness  and  unprofit- 
ableness of  that  light,  or  conscience,  or  the  law, 
call  it  either,  and  I  clear  it  thus :  Because,  if  that 
light  that  every  man  receives,  were  able  by  our 
following  it,  to  save  us,  then  Christ  needed  not  to 
have  suffered,  seeing  all  men  had  that  light.  (2.) 
If  that  light  that  every  man  hath,  which  is  con- 
science, were  able  to  lead  a  man  to  justification  by 
following  it ;  that  promise  was  made  in  vain  by 
Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary,  Avhen  he  said,  '  I  will  send 
you ;  [Mark,  I  will  send  you]  the  Spirit,  and  he 
shall  lead  you  mto  all  trutli : '  for  they  had  a  light 
before.  But  it  is  evident,  that  that  was  not  suf- 
ficient, because  they  must  have  another  sent  them 
by  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  must  be  the  Spirit. 
Query  5.  'Whether  is  not  the  same  light  in  him 


that  hates  it,  as  it  is  in  him  that  loves  it,  Jn.  a.  If 
there  be  a  dift'erencc  in  the  light,  show  it  wherein ; 
whether  in  the  nature,  or  otherwise  ?  ' 

Answ.  (1.)  That  scripture  quoted  in  Jn.  iii.    'Light 
is  come  into  the  world,'  «fcc.,  is  not  meant  of  that 
light,  or  conscience,  that  every  man  hath ;  but  the 
Man  Christ  Jesus  is  speaking  there  of  himself,  as 
God-man,  come  into  the  world,  born  of  the  Virgin, 
if  thou  compare  19—21.  with  i-t— 18.  of  the   same 
chapter,  it  is  clear,  for  they  all  do  speak  of  the 
same  thing  ;   namely,   the  Son  of  Mary.      And 
again,  saith  he,   '  I  am  the  light  of  the  world.' 
Now  the  man  Christ,  though  he  was  then  in  the 
world,  and  walked  up  and  down  in  the  same,  yet 
he  was  not  Avithin  any  man  in  the  world  as  man, 
(though  he  calls  himself  the  light  thereof)  though 
he  was  in  some ;  I  say,  in  some,  as  God  by  his 
Spirit.     Now  the  light,  which  was  the  Man  Christ, 
was  the  very  same,  whether  loved  by  some,  or 
hated  by  others ;  but  if  you  conclude  every  man 
hath  Christ,  or  that  light  spoken  of  there,  Jn.  iiL 
within  him ;  that  I  deny,  having  proved  the  con- 
trary.    But  (2.)  Whether  is  there  a  difference  in 
the  light  ?     Answ.  There  are  more  lights  than  one, 
there  is  a  light  that  may  be  suspected  to  be  dark- 
ness, where  he  saith,  '  if  the  light  that  is  in  thee 
be  darkness, '  kc.     Again,  there  is  the  light  of  the 
law.  Pr.  vi.  23.    Again,  conscience  also  will  convince 
of  sin.     Now  there  is  none  of  these  that  can  save 
a  sinner  from  the  evil  of  his  ways.     Take  the  best 
of  them,  which  is  the  righteous  law  of  God,  that 
cannot.     For  had  there  been  a  law  given,  which 
might  have   given  life,  then  verily  righteousness 
had  come  by  the  law :  But  if  you  conclude  that 
righteousness,  or  everlasting  life   cometh  by  the 
law,  you  must  conclude  this  again;  that  Christ 
did  die  in  vain.  Ga.  ii.  21.     So  then  these  things  being 
not  able  to  save  the  soul,  the  next  thing  is,  the 
Son  of  God,  the  Son  of  righteousness  arising  with 
healing  under  his  wings ;  he  is  also  a  light,  and 
indeed  the  saving  light,  far  surpassing  all  the  other 
mentioned. 

Now  though  Christ  doth  not  differ  in  himself, 
yet  there  is  a  difference  in  the  power  of  these  lights; 
the  law  and  Christ,  the  one  not  being  able  to  save, 
the  other  being  able.  And  again,  there  is  also  a 
difference  in  the  nature  of  them ;  the  one  being  a 
condemning  light,  the  other  a  saving  light.  It  is 
Moses  that  accuseth  you  (saith  Christ)  even  Moses 
in  whom  ye  trust :  But  do  not  think,  saith  Christ, 
that  I  will  accuse  you  to  the  Father :  No,  saith  he, 
it  is  Moses,  or  the  law  given  by  him.  But  agam, 
where  Christ  speaks  for  himself  as  a  Saviour,  he 
saith  '  God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the  world  to  con- 
demn the  world ;  but  that  the  world  through  him 
might  be  saved.'  Jn.iii.u.  So  that  I  say,  (a)  That 
light  spoken  of,  Jn.iii.  which  is  the  Jdan  Christ,  is 
not  in  every  man  that  comes  into  the  world.     (6) 


ws 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


That  the  Man  Christ,  or  the  light  spoken  of  there, 
is  not  against  himself,  (c)  There  is  the  light  of 
the  law,  conscience,  and  nature  itself,  which  are  in 
all  men,  which  things  are  altogether  insufficient  to 
save  a  man  from  death,  hy  his  seeking  of  justifica- 
tion therehy.  Again,  there  is  Jesus  Christ,  he  is 
the  Saviour,  but  not  in  all  men.  And  again, 
neither  is  the  Man  Christ  Jesus  the  condemning 
light. 

Query  G.  '  Whether  is  it  possible,  that  any  can 
be  saved,  without  Christ  manifested  within  ?  If 
no,  then  whether  is  not  the  doctrine  of  salvation, 
which  is  only  necessary,  to  preach  Christ  within  : 
And  is  not  the  whole  mystery  of  salvation,  God 
manifest  in  the  flesh  ?  ' 

Answ.  There  can  none  be  saved,  but  they  that 
have  the  Spirit  of  Christ  given  mito  them.  But  it 
is  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  given  to  the  elect,  that 
doth  work  out  the  salvation  of  their  souls  within 
them,  for  that  was  obtained  by  the  blood  of  the 
Man  Christ  Jesus  on  the  cross.  lie.  ix.  13.  compared 

with  He.  xiii.  13. 

Again,  every  one  that  is,  or  shall  be  saved,  must, 
and  shall  have  the  Spirit  of  Christ  within  them  ; 
yet  doth  it  not  follow,  that  to  preach  Christ  (only) 
within,  is  the  only  doctrine  of  salvation.  For  then 
also  the  preaching  of  the  blood  of  Christ  shed  on 
the  cross,  as  I  said  before,  must  be  of  none  effect. 
But  he  that  doth  preach  the  doctrine  of  salvation 
aright,  must  first  begin  to  preach  that  doctrine  that 
Paul  preached  in  l  Co.  xv.  3, 4.  '  For  I  delivered  unto 
you  (saitli  he)  first  of  all  that  which  I  also  received, 
how  that  Christ  died  for  our  sins  according  to  the 
scriptures ;  and  that  he  was  buried,  and  that  he 
rose  again  the  third  day  according  to  the  scrip- 
tures.' Now  Christ,  or  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  is 
received  by  such  preaching  as  this  is,  as  is  clear 
from  that  scripture,  Ac.  x.  38—44.  Where  Peter 
speaking  of  the  word  that  was  published  through- 
out all  Judea :  '  IIow  God  anointed  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  (or  which  dwelt  at  Nazareth)  with  the 
Holy  Ghost  and  with  power :  who  went  about 
doing  good,  and  healing  all  that  were  oppressed  of 
the  devil ;  for  God  was  with  him.  And  we  are 
witnesses  of  all  things  which  he  did  both  in  the 
land  of  the  Jews,  and  in  Jerusalem  ;  (saith  Peter) 
whom  they  slew  and  hanged  on  a  tree :  Him  God 
I'aised  up  the  third  day,  and  shewed  him  openly ; 
Not  to  ail  the  people,  but  unto  witnesses  chosen 
before  of  God,  even  to  us,  who  did  eat  and  drink 
with  him,  after  he  rose  from  the  dead.  And  he 
commanded  us  to  preach  unto  the  people,  and  to 
testify  that  it  is  he  which  was  ordained  of  God  to 
be  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead.'  And  is  that  all  ? 
No,  But  'to  him  give  all  the  prophets  v/itness,  (to 
him,  even  Jesus  of  Nazareth  whom  the  Jews  cruci- 
fied on  the  tree)  that  througli  his  name  whosoever 
believeth  in  him  shall  receive  remission  (or  for- 


giveness) of  sins.'  Now  mark.  And  '  while  Peter 
yet  spake  these  words,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  all 
them  which  heard  the  Avord.'  While  Peter  spake 
these  Avords,  that  by  Jesus  of  Nazareth  forgiveness 
of  sins  was  preached  to  them  that  believe  in  his. 
name,  '  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  all  them  that  heard 
the  word.'  Namely,  which  Peter  spake  :  This  is 
the  way  in  which  the  Spirit  is  given  ?  namely,  by 
preaching  a  crucified  Christ. 

But  now,  no  man  can  be  saved  without  Christ, 
or  the  Spirit  of  Christ  be  given  to  him,  because  he 
cannot  be  able  to  lay  hold  savingly  of,  and  to  hope 
for  that  glory  that  Christ  as  he  is  God-man  hath 
accomplished  in  his  own  person  without,  unless  he. 
have  the  Spirit.  But  farther,  thou  sayest;  Is  it 
not  the  whole  mystery  of  salvation,  God  manifested 
in  the  flesh  ? 

Ansio.  Truly,  to  know  that  God  out  of  love  to 
poor  sinners,  did  in  the  fulness  of  time  send  forth 
his  only  begotten  Son,  who  is  equal  Avith  his  Father, 
to  be  born  of  a  woman,  and  made  under  the  law, 
to  redeem  them  that  are  under  the  law,  that  we 
might  receive  the  adoption  of  sons  ;  this  is  to  know 
the  mystei-y  of  godliness.  Therefore,  when  the 
scriptures  say,  God  was  manifested  in  the  flesh, 
they  mean,  God  sent  forth  his  Son,  which  was  and 
is  the  word  of  God,  God  himself,  and  he  was  made 
flesh.  Jn.  i.  14.  And  so  in  the  nature  of  man  he  did 
become  the  Lamb  of  God,  or  the  sacrifice  of  God, 
that  doth  take  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  ver.  29. 
NoAV  here  I  might  enlarge  abundantly,  but  that  I 
woidd  not  be  tedious. 

Query  7.  '  Whether  is  it  not  possible,  that  many 
may  profess  as  much  of  Christ  without,  as  thou 
hast  said  of  him,  and  yet  be  damned ;  and  if  this 
be  the  faith  to  profess  him  born,  dead,  risen  and 
ascended  Avithout ;  then  is  there  any  unbeliever  in 
England  ?  seeing  all  in  the  outAvard  sound  believes, 
and  professes  as  much  as  thou  hast  said.  Yea,  or 
nay  ? ' 

Answ.  1.  I  knoAv  there  are  many  that  do  profess 
in  word,  that  Christ  Avas  born,  dead,  risen,  and 
ascended  Avithout,  and  yet  may  be  damned.  Yet 
he  that  doth  really,  Avith  the  faith  of  the  operation 
of  God,  believe  these  things,  and  doth  also  apply 
the  virtue  and  merit  of  the  same  to  themselves  for 
justification  and  life,  shall  be  saved.  'If  thou 
shalt  confess  Avith  thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
shalt  belicA'e  in  thine  heart  that  God  hath  raised 
him  from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved.'  Ko.x.9. 
And  also  i  Co.  xv.  2.  '  By  AA-hich  also  ye  are  saved, 
if  ye  keep  in  memory  Avhat  I  preached  unto  you.' 
What  Avas  that  ?  Avhy,  '  hoAV  that  Christ  died  for 
our  sins  according  to  the  scriptures  ;  And  that  he 
Avas  buried,  and  rose  again,'  &c. 

(2.)  It  is  not  faith,  only  to  talk  of  him  with  the 
mouth,  but  as  I  said  before,  to  believe  the  same  by 
the  operation  of  the  Spirit  in  our  hearts.     If  this 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


209 


be  faitli,  (sayest  tliou)  to  profess  him  born,  dead, 
risen  and  ascended  without,  then  is  there  any  un- 
believer in  England  ?  [I  reply]  All  that  profess 
this  do  not  truly  believe  it ;  for  to  profess  in  word 
alone,  and  believe  in  heart,  are  two  things. 
Secondly,  If  to  profess  this  were  the  Faith,  yet 
were  there  a  good  many  Unbelievers  in  England, 
for  the  Quakers  will  not  profess  him  ascended 
without,  neither  making  intercession  without,  but 
contrary  wise  strike  at  this  doctrine. 

Query  8.  '  Whether  hath  that  man  faitli  in 
Christ  that  is  not  changed  in  the  nature,  and  is 
not  the  liar  and  slanderer  an  unbeliever,  and  of 
the  cursed  nature,  yea  or  no  ?  ' 

Answ.  He  that  hath  faith  in  Christ  is  a  new 
creature:  and  the  liar  and  slanderer  is  an  unbeliever: 
and  if  he  live  and  die  in  that  condition,  his  state  is 
very  sad,  though  if  he  turn  there  is  hope  for  him  ; 
therefore  repent  and  turn  quickly,  or  else  look  to 
yourselves,  for  you  are  the  men,  as  is  clear  by 
your  discourse. 

Query  9.  '  Whether  [doth]  any  [man]  receive 
Christ,  who  receives  him  not  into  him  ?  if  not, 
show  how  Christ  can  be  received,  and  whether 
many  professes  him  not  which  never  received  him.' 

Answ.  Christ  as  he  is  Man,  as  he  was  a  sacrifice 
for  sin,  cannot  be  received  really  and  personally 
into  any,  but  yet,  he  that  doth  indeed  receive  the 
gospel,  and  believe  that  he  was  a  sacrifice  upon 
the  cross  for  his  sins,  doth  and  hath  also  received 
his  Spirit  into  him,  which  giveth  him  the  comfort 
of  these  things.  Jn.  xiv.  26.  And  there  are  very  many 
that  profess  him,  that  at  the  day  of  judgment  will 
fall  short  of  eternal  life,  notwithstanding  all  their 
profession ;  for  as  I  said  before ;  it  is  not  the 
professor,  but  the  sound  believer  that  shall  be 
saved  by  him.  But  let  the  reader  mark,  how  thou 
condemnest  thy  own  doctrine  by  this  query,  for 
thou  grantest  many  profess  Christ  that  never 
receive  him.  How  then  hath  every  man  Christ, 
or  the  light  of  Christ  within  him  ?  If  it  be  within 
him,  either  he  must  receive  it,  or  snatch  it  by  force 
against  the  will  of  another,  however  the  scripture 
saith,  what  is  it  that  thou  hast  not  received ;  (yet 
all  men  have  not  received  that)  Jude  19. 

Query  10.  '  Whether  to  preach  for  hire,  for 
gifts  and  rewards,  and  to  divine  for  money,  and  to 
make  merchandise  of  the  people  for  so  much  a  year 
for  preaching  to  them,  be  not  true  marks  and  signs 
of  false  prophets  ?  or  can  any  give  truer  signs  of 
false  prophets  than  Isaiah  and  Micah  give,  yea  or 
nay? ' 

Answ.  There  are  a  company  of  dumb  dogs  that 
are  crept  into  the  nation,  that  love  give  ye,  and 
desire  to  bear  rule  by  their  means ;  and  they  are 
every  one  for  his  gain  from  their  quarter.  There 
are  a  company  of  wolves  crept  out  also,  having 
wrapped  themselves  about  with  sheep's  clothing, 

VOL.  II. 


and  these  are  both  alike  abominable  to  the  Lord. 
Neither  can  a  man  give  a  more  right  description 
of  a  false  prophet,  than  the  prophets  and  Christ 
with  his  apostles  did  give,  therefore  examine  your- 
selves. 

Querj  11.  'Whether  must  not  the  devil  be 
chained  before  Christ  reign,  and  what  is  that 
which  chains  him,  and  whether  art  thou  come  to 
one  of  the  days  of  the  thousand  years,  3-ea,  or  no  ?' 

Answ.  Christ  hath  two  several  times  wherein 
Satan  must  be  bound  by  him,  one  is  at  the  con- 
version of  sinners,  the  other  when  he  shall  come 
the  second  time,  and  personally  appear,  and  reign, 
in  the  world  to  come.  Again,  'Whether  I  am 
come  to  one  of  the  days  of  the  thousand  years  ? ' 
[I  reply]  No,  because  he  that  doth  reign  with 
Christ  one  of  these  days,  shall  live  and  reign  with 
Christ  a  thousand  years.  He.  xx.  1.  But  there  is 
never  a  believer  in  the  world,  that  doth,  or  in  any 
likelihood  shall  live  half  so  long,  before  they  die 
or  be  changed  at  the  coming  of  the  Man  Christ 
Jesus. 

Query  12.  *  Whether  dost  thou  know  any  Christ, 
preach  or  profess  any  Christ  who  hath  not  lightened 
every  man  that  comes  into  the  world  with  the  light 
of  life,  or  of  condemnation ;  And  is  he  not  a  de- 
ceiver that  exhorts  people  for  salvation  to  any 
other  thing  than  the  light  of  Christ,  yea,  or  no  ? 
And  how  hath  Christ  lightened  cveiy  man  if  not 
within  him  ?' 

Answ.  That  Christ  I  preach,  is  the  Christ  of 
God,  who  as  he  is  God  hath  enlightened  every  man 
that  comes  into  the  world  with  conscience,  and  the 
law,  which  is  the  light  of  condemnation,  but  not 
of  life  ;  For  the  law  is  the  ministration  of  condem- 
nation. 3  Co.  iii.  7, 8.  And  all  men  have  the  law  and 
conscience  :  but  these  will  not  save  them.  Again, 
there  are  some  that  do  indeed  enjoy  the  light  of 
life.  And  whereas  thou  askest,  is  not  he  a  de- 
ceiver, that  exhorts  people  to  anything  else  than 
the  light  of  Christ?  Answ.  He  that  telleth  any 
man  that  the  ministration  of  condemnation  will 
save  him,  which  is  the  law,  he  is  a  liar,  and  a  de- 
ceiver :  but  he  that  exhorts  people  to  lay  hold  on 
what  the  Man  Christ  Jesus  hath  done  in  his  own 
person  for  sinners,  and  presseth  souls  to  venture 
upon  that  for  salvation,  preacheth  the  truth. 
Christ  hath  given  to  every  one  the  law,  and  con- 
science within  him :  yet  these  are  not  able  to  save 
him,  but  let  him  follow  the  righteousness  of  the 
law  never  so  much,  yet  if  he  be  not  directed  of 
God  to  fly  to  Jesus  the  Son  of  Mary,  and  to  what 
he  hath  done  in  his  own  person  for  them,  he  shall 
never  be  saved.  Ac.  iv.  12. 

Friend,  Thus  have  I  with  all  plainness  of  speech 

answered  thy  queries,  and  I  fear  not  at  all,  but  I 

have  spoken  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.     And  as 

for  committing  them  to  the  judgment  of  others,  as 

2d 


210 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


tliou  woultlst  have  me ;  let  others  say  what  they 
will,  I  am  sure  I  have  spoken  the  truth  of  God ; 
and  I  make  no  question  hut  at  the  second  coming 
of  my  Lord  Jesus  from  heaven  to  judge  the  world, 
these  things  I  shall  not  be  ashamed  of;  neither 
am  I  now;  hut  am  ready,  if  God  shall  give  me  life, 
to  speak  the  same  things  to  any  man,  face  to  face; 
and  I  desire  thee,  and  all,  even  as  many  as  shall 
read  or  hear  this  treatise,  to  consider,  and  look  to 
themselves,  lest  they  sin  against  God  so  much  in 
their  lifetime  hy  rejecting  these  truths,  that  it  shall 
never  he  foi-given  them  to  all  eternity,  though  they 
repent  them  of  their  rejecting  the  same.  There  is 
one  thing  more  to  which  I  shall  speak  a  few  words, 
and  that  is  to  a  few  words  written  at  the  end  of 
thy  book,  which  is  called  the  postscript,  wherein 
is  several  charges  against  myself  and  some  others, 
which  I  shall  speak  somewhat  to. 

The  first  is  against  John  Burton,  thus:  John 
Burton  said  in  a  discourse  with  some  friends,  that 
Christ  had  two  bodies,  and  one  of  them  is  out  of 
the  sight  of  the  saints.  My  brother  Burton  being 
absent,  I  shall  answer  for  him  concerning  the 
charge  laid  against  him.  And  therefore,  that 
Christ,  who  is  and  was  before  the  Avorld  began, 
God  equal  with  his  Father,  did  in  the  fulness  of 
time  take  upon  him  a  body  from  the  Virgin  Mary, 
which  was  so  prepared  by  God  his  Father,  it  is 
evident  in  scripture  ;  and  in  it  after  he  had  lived  a 
while  in  the  Avorld,  he  did  hang  on  the  cross,  was 
taken  down  thence  again,  and  laid  in  Joseph's 
sepulchre,  was  raised  again,  and  ascended  away 
from  his  disciples  therewith  into  glory.  Ac.  i.  3,  9— li. 

Again,  he  hath  another  body,  and  that  is  his 
church.  Ep.  i.  23.  Now  that  he  is  out  of  the  siglit 
of  his  saints  in  one  of  the  bodies ;  namely,  that 
which  did  hang  on  the  cross,  it  is  also  evident, 
1  Ti.  vi.  where  Paul  speaking  of  that  very  Jesus, 
who  did  bear  a  faithful  witness  before  Pontius 
Pilate,  saith  in  ver.  16.  '  Who  only  hath  immortality, 
dwelling  in  the  light  which  no  man  can  approach 
unto ;  whom  no  man  hath  seen,  nor  can  see. ' 
That  is,  not  Avith  their  mortal  eyes,  in  that  glory 
as  yet.  If  you  say  still,  notwithstanding  this,  that 
Christ  as  he  was  before  the  world  began,  hath  but 
one  body,  and  that  to  be  liis  church.  I  ask  you 
what  that  was  that  was  taken  down  from  the  cross, 
and  laid  into  Joseph's  sepulchre.  Lu.  xxm.  53. 

The  second  charge  is  against  mj-self,  and  is  this; 
JohnBunyan  said,  Christ's  second  coming  is  not  his 
coming  in  Spirit,  for  his  coming  in  Spirit  is  no  coming. 

The  former  part  of  the  words,  namely,  Christ's 
™ .    .       , ,      second  coming  is  not  his  coming;  in 

Tins  IS  a  false  _   ^  o  o     *' 

thing   spoken    the   Spirit,   tliose  I  own.       But    the 
other,    namely.    For    his    coming   in 
Spirit  is  no  coming,  is  a  lie,  made  of  me  by  the 
Author,  Edward  Borrough. 

The  former  words  were  spoken  at  a  meeting  in 


Bedford,  some  Quakers  being  present  contradict- 
ing and  blaspheming :  And  now  they  could  not  be 
content  with  that ;  but  they  must  make  up  all  with 
a  lie,  and  publish  it  in  print.  A  Quaker  there 
and  I  had  some  discourse  concerning  Christ's 
second  coming,  and  he  would  affirm,  that  his  com- 
ing in  Spirit,  was  his  second  coming  spoken  of  in 
scripture.  Then  I  asked  him  which  was  his  first 
coming  ?  He  answered,  Avhen  he  was  born  of  the 
Virgin,  and  took  flesh  upon  him  from  her.  Then 
said  I,  I  shall  easily  prove,  that  his  coming  in  the 
Spirit  is  not  his  second  coming,  for  I  will  prove 
that  his  coming  in  the  Spirit  was  before  that 
which  the  scripture  and  you  also  do  call  his  first 
coming  ;  and  proved  it  by  that  plain  scripture, 
where  Peter  speaking  of  the  prophets,  saith, 
'  Searching  what,  or  what  manner  of  time  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  which  was  in  them  (the  pro- 
phets) did  signify,  when  it  testified  before-hand 
the  sufferings  of  Christ,  and  the  glory  that  should 
follow. '  1  Pe.  i.  11.  and  iii.  19,  where  speaking  of  Christ's 
being  put  to  death  in  the  flesh,  but  quickened  in 
the  Spirit.  *  By  Avhich  Spirit  also  he  went  and 
preached  unto  the  spirits  (now)  in  prison  ;'  but  when 
was  this,  only  '  when  once  the  longsufi"ering  of  God 
waited  in  the  days  of  Noah.  ver.  20.  Which  was 
long  before  the  first  coming  of  Christ,  so  called  in 
scripture,  for  that  was,  as  I  said,  when  he  took  a 
body  fi'om  the  Virgin  Mary. 

But  it  seems  clearly  by  these  words  that  you  do 
look  for  no  other  coming  but  his  coming  in  Spirit. 
0 !  how  suddenly  and  unexpected  of  you,  will  the 
Son  of  Man  break  down  from  heaven,  with  aU  his 
mighty  angels  in  flaming  fire,  and  call  you,  to- 
gether with  aU  nations  to  judgment.  And  though 
now  peradventure  you  are  ready  to  slight  the  per- 
sonal appearing  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that 
Man  to  judgment,  only  looking  for  a  judgment 
within,  yet  you  wUl  I  am  certain,  very  suddenly  be 
made  to  pass  under  another  judgment,  which  will 
be  more  exceeding  great  than  any  judgment  you 
shall  have  here,  and  more  terrible.  As  for  the 
latter  part  of  the  charge,  which  is  a  very  lie ; 
though  I  shall  not  trouble  myself  to  lay  it  to  your 
charge  (you  have  so  manifestly  declared  yourselves 
already  what  you  are)  yet  I  beseech  you,  that  here- 
after you  would  not  be  so  ready  to  receive  lies 
from  others,  and  publish  them  to  the  view  of  the 
Avorld,  least  you  appear  to  all  men  (as  you  do  to 
some)  to  be  such  as  are  of  an  accusing  lying  spirit. 

But  farther.  That  Christ's  coming  in  the  Spirit 
is  not  his  second  coming,  it  is  evident ;  partly,  in 
that  the  coming  of  Christ  in  Spirit,  was  before 
that  called  in  scripture,  his  first  coming.  Secondly, 
he  that  comes  the  second  time  is  he  that  came  the 
first  time.  Now  he  that  came  the  first  time  was 
very  God  and  very  Man,  and  not  a  Spirit  only ; 
for  handle  me,  saith  he,  a  Spirit  hath  not  flesh 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


211 


and  bones,  as  you  see  me  have.  Lu.  xxiv.  39.  ]S^o^y 
this  same  Jesus  that  was  very  God  and  very  Man, 
so  born  of  Mary,  saith,  'I  go  and  prepare  a  place 
for  you ;  and  I,  (the  very  same  as  also  Ac.  i.  lo,  ii.) 
■will  come  again,  and  receive  you  unto  myself;  that 
where  I  am,  there  ye  may  be  also.'  Jn. xiv. 3.  Here 
I  might  spend  many  words,  hut  it  needs  not ;  the 
whole  current  of  scriptures  do  confirm  this  thing ; 
and  therefore  I  shall  forbear,  and  content  myself 
with  this.  He  that  will  be  filthy  let  him  be  filthy, 
for  the  day  is  at  hand. 

The  Third  Charge  is  also  against  me,  saying,  '  I 
said  there  was  nothing  in  me,  nor  any  man  to  be 
taken  notice  of. ' 

Though  in  some  sense  I  do  not  deny  these  words, 
yet  I  know,  and  am  sure,  that  directly  in  this 
form  of  words,  I  did  never  lay  them  down,  but  I 
pass  that.  Now  in  this  sense  I  do  not  deny  them, 
there  Avas  nothing  in  me,  as  I  was  in  my  unre- 
generate  estate ;  nor  in  any  man  else  in  the  same 
estate,  that  is  worthy  to  be  taken  notice  of  for  jus- 
tification. Because  every  imregenerate  man  is 
Avithouc  Christ,  before  ho  be  converted.  Ep.  ii.  \i. 
Wherefore  remember,  that  ye  being  Gentiles  in 
the  flesh  (unconverted)  that  at  that  time  ye 
were  without  Christ.  Now  a  man  that  is  Avithout 
Christ,  and  hath  not  his  Spirit  in  him,  as  some, 
yea,  most  men  are.  Jude  19.  What  is  there  in  that 
man,  that  is  worth  the  taking  notice  of  to  justify  him. 

Also  couA'erted  Paul  saith,  '  I  know  that  in  me, 
(that  is,  in  my  flesh,)  dwelleth  no  good  thing.' 

Ro.  vii.  IS. 

As  for  others  that  are  charged  Avith  things,  be- 
cause their  names  are  not  also  mentioned,  I  shall 
pass  them  by ;  only  thus  much  I  shall  say  further 
to  the  last  charge.  That  there  is  nothing  in  any 
man  by  nature,  before  he  be  converted,  that  is 
Avortli  the  taking  notice  of,  as  to  seek  justification 
thereby.  And  that  that  light  AA'hich  every  man 
hath,  being  at  the  best  but  conscience,  nature,  or 
the  laAV,  let  a  man  take  notice  of  it,  follow  it,  obey 
it  never  so  much,  it  is  not  able  to  justify  the  soul : 
For  if  righteousness  come  by  the  law,  then  Christ 
is  dead  in  vain.  And  as  I  said  before,  every  man 
hath  not  Christ  to  take  notice  of,  though  eA'ery 
man  hath  conscience,  or  the  light  of  nature  in  him, 
AA'hich  is  also  able  to  convince  of  sins  against  the 
law  of  God,  yet  is  not  able  to  deliver  from  that 
curse  pronounced  by  the  Lord,  against  them  that 
disobey  the  law.  Nay  the  law  itself  is  not  able  to 
save  them  that  do  folloAV  it,  being  too  Aveak  for 
such  a  thing.  And  indeed  God  did  not  give  it  to 
that  end,  that  saints  should  have  life  by  it.  No, 
compare  Ga.  iii.  21.  with  Ro.  v.  20.  you  may  clearly  see 
Avhy  God  gave  the  law,  namely,  that  sins  or  oSien- 
ces  might  abound.  But  how  ?  By  discovering 
sin  by  its  workings.  Noav  then  you  that  folloAv 
the  laAv,  and  seek  life   by  it,  this  is  all  you  are 


like  to  have  of  it :  You  shall  sec  your  transgression 
against  it,  made  knoAvn  to  you  by  it,  Ro.  iii.  20.  and 
an  horrible  curse  pronounced  against  you,  because 
you  cannot  giA^e  a  complete  continual  obedience  to 
CA'ery  tittle  of  it. 

And  noAV  friend  to  thee,  who  hast  taken  in 
hand  to  answer  my  queries  laid  down  in  the  end 
of  my  book ;  I  say,  thou  hast  only  Avrangled  and 
quarrelled  at  them ;  but  hast  not  given  one  plain 
and  right  ansAver  to  any  one  of  them.  Therefore 
I  shall  leave  them  still  to  be  ansAvered  by  you,  or 
others  of  your  spirit.  You  Avill  find  them  at  the 
end  of  the  foregoing  discourse:  And  I  beseech 
you  to  answer  them  in  all  plainness  of  heart,  and 
Avith  as  moderate  a  spirit  as  you  may.  It  is  like 
there  may  be  some  addition  to  them :  But  as  I  have 
dealt  plainly  and  sincerely  A\'ith  yours,  so  do  you 
deal  uprightly  and  plainly  with  mine,  for  the  satis- 
faction of  those  Avho  shall  read  them.  And  here 
I  shall  draw  towards  a  conclusion,  only  speak  some 
Avords  to  those  who  unawares  to  themselves  may 
be  carried  away  with  the  doctrines  of  the  Quakers: 
And  I  shall  be  brief  in  speaking  to  it.  The  way 
that  I  shall  take,  shall  be  very  plain  to  be  imder- 
stood ;  for  I  shall  not  lay  doAvn  any  doubtful  sen- 
tence in  my  speech  to  them,  nor  others.  First,  I 
shall  sheAV  you  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Quakers  is 
an  error,  and  how.  Second,  Who  they  are  that 
are  carried  aAvay  Avith  it,  and  why.  Third,  The 
Avay  Satan  takes  to  make  this  delusion,  or  filthy 
doctrine  to  take  place  in  the  soul. 

First,  That  the  doctrine  of  the  Quakers  is  false, 
or  an  error,  I  shall  shew, 

1.  By  discovering  the  doctrine  itself.  Noav  the 
doctrine  of  the  Quakers  is  plainly  this ;  namely, 
that  every  man  that  comes  into  the  world,  hath 
the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  him.  Noav  that  this  is  an 
error  is  clear,  because  the  word  of  God  saith 
plainly,  that  some  arc  *  sensual,  having  not  the 
Spirit.'  Jude  19.  And  again,  The  unregenerate 
man,  in  the  time  of  his  unregenerate  state,  is  with- 
out Christ.  Ep.  ii.  12. 

2.  He  that  Avill  but  observe  the  motions  of  that 
light  Avhich  every  man  hath  Avithin  him  (say  they) 
so  as  to  obey  and  close  in  with  it  to  folloAv  it,  shall 
undoubtedly  be  saved  from  the  wrath  to  come, 
Now  this  is  clearly  a  gross  error ;  foi*  first,  If  all 
men  haA^e  not  Christ,  as  they  have  not,  then  is  it 
not  an  error  to  press  men  to  seek  for  life,  by  fol- 
lowing that  which  is  not  able  to  give  life.  Yet 
this  they  do,  who  labour  to  persuade  men,  yea, 
the  souls  of  men,  that  it  is  no  less  than  the  very 
Spirit  of  Christ  in  every  man,  that  doth  convince 
of  sin,  Avhen  the  scriptures  say  plainly,  '  the  law. 
Ro.  iii.  20.  '  Conscience,'  Ro. ii.  15.  and  nature  itself, 
Ro.  ii.  li.  1  Co.  xi.  \i.  Avill  and  doth  couAance  of  sin,  yet 
none  of  these  is  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  And  the 
great  argument  that  they  bring  to  prove  that  it  is 


212 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


{lie  Spirit  of  Christ,  is,  because  the  Spirit  doth 
also  convince  of  sin.  Now  what  a  poor  argument 
is  this,  to  say,  That  because  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
doth  convince  of  sin,  therefore  whatsoever  doth 
convince  of  sin,  must  needs  be  the  Spirit  of  Christ. 
As  much  as  to  say,  because  the  saints  are  called 
*  the  light  of  the  world. '  Mat.  v.  14.  Therefore  the 
saints  are  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  seeing  Christ 
also  doth  call  himself  the  light  of  the  world,  Jn.  viii. 
12.  or  because  the  moon  hath,  or  is  light,  therefore 
the  moon  is  the  sun.  This  is  but  sophistical  argu- 
ino-  and  doth  beget  most  damnable  errors  and 
heresies  in  the  world ;  but  this  is  the  way  that 
they  take,  to  entangle  poor  souls  with  their  sad 
and  erroneous  doctrine,  see  page  22  of  his  book, 
lines  12  and  13.  They  say,  that  it  must  be  Christ 
■within  them,  that  must  within  them  work  out  justi- 
fication for  them ;  when  it  is  evident  from  the 
w^hole  current  of  scripture,  that  the  Son  of  Mary 
was  delivered  to  be  crucified  for  our  offences,  and 
liis  resurrection,  through  faith  in  it,  is  our  jus- 
tification ;  as  all  along,  through  grace,  I  have 
declared  and  cleared.  And  the  work  that  the 
Spirit  doth  in  point  of  justification,  is,  to  shew  lis 
what  the  Son  of  ]\Iary  hath  done  and  suffered  in 
liis  own  body  on  the  tree,  and  is  now  doing  in  the 
presence  of  his  Father,  in  the  highest  heaven. 

And  to  help  us  to  apply  this  to  our  souls  by 
faith  now,  for  a  preservative  against  these  and  the 
like  delusions,  observe,  (1.)  As  I  said  before,  all 
have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  Judeio.  Ep.  ii.  12.  (2.) 
That  the  law,  with  all  our  obedience  to  it,  is  not 
able  to  save,  or  justify  any  poor  soul.  Ro.  iii.  20.  For 
by  the  works  of  the  law  shall  no  flesh  living  be 
justified,  though  it  gives  the  knowledge  of  sin. 
(3.)  That  there  is  none  other  way  to  be  justified  in 
the  sight  of  God,  but  by  laying  hold  of  what  the 
Son  of  Mary  (Jesus)  did  do  and  suffer  in  his  own 
person,  when  he  was  in  the  world.  For  it  is  by 
him  (and  what  he  hath  done  in  his  own  person 
by  himself.  He.  i.  3.)  that  any  man  is  justified  from 
his  sins,  and  the  wrath  of  God  due  to  the  same, 
by  believing  that  his  blood  was  shed  for  their  sins; 
as  it  is  written,  '  With  his  stripes  we  are  healed,' 
Is.  liii.  5.  as  if  their  own  blood  had  been  shed  for 
their  own  sins  ;  and  that  his  righteousness  is  theirs 
by  imputation,  as  if  they  themselves  had  actually 
fulfilled  all  the  law  of  God  for  their  own  justifica- 
tion. Eo.  X.  4. 

Second,  The  second  thing  is,  who  are  they  that 
are  carried  away  with  this  delusion,  and  why? 

1.  Not  one  of  God's  elect  M-liom  he  foreknew, 
shall  be  utterly  destroyed  thereby ;  (I  do  not  say 
they  shall  not  be  led  away  for  a  time ;  but  they 
shall  not  be  utterly  destroyed)  for  they  are  kept 
by  the  mighty  power  of  God  through  faith  unto 
salvation.  But  they  are  such  as  are  not  indeed 
the  elect  of  God,  nor  chosen  in  Christ  before  the 


world  began.  Though  Hymeneus  and  Philetus 
fall  away,  and  overthrow  the  faith  of  some,  yet 
'  the  foundation  of  God  stands  sure,  having  this 
seal,    The    Lord   knoweth    them   that    are    his.' 

2  Ti.  ii.  17—19. 

2.  They  are  such  as  in  time  past,  for  the  gene- 
rality of  them  were  either  but  light,  frothy  profes- 
sors, or  else  were  shaken  in  their  principles,  and 
unstable  therein,  as  saith  the  scriptures,  They  that 
are  deceivers  do  beguile  unstable  souls.  Or  if 
they  were  such  as  were  in  appearance  sober  and 
serious  in  the  account  of  others,  it  was  either  from 
those  convictions  they  had  from  the  law,  or  else 
from  high  notions  they  had  of  the  gospel ;  which 
have  both  such  influence  at  some  time  on  the  soul 
(though  not  savingly)  that  the  soul  will  go  very 
far  in  obedience  to  them ;  as  for  example,  Herod 
who  Avas  an  enemy  to  the  truth,  yet  for  a  time 
had  such  heart-Avorkings,  being  convinced  by  the 
preaching  of  John  the  Baptist,  that  he  feared  him, 
and  observed  him,  and  when  he  heard  him,  he  did 
many  things,  and  heard  him  gladly.  Mar.  vi.  20. 

Now  the  reason  why  such  people  are  carried 
away  with  such  heresies  as  these,  or  the  like,  is, 

(1.)  That  as  they  were  not  of  the  elect  of  God, 
so  God  by  suffering  them  to  be  carried  away  finally, 
may  make  it  appear,  that  they  were  not  of  his 
elect.  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 
from  us,  that  it  might  be  made  manifest  (or  that 
men  might   see)  that  they  were  not  all   of  us. 

1  Jn.  ii.  19. 

(2.)  Because  God  wiU  not  have  his  church  so 
disturbed  always  with  such  as  are  not  of  the  truth. 
Now  there  are  some  men  that  have  their  time  to 
Avalk  with  the  church  of  God  by  permission,  and 
these  men  are  ever  and  anon  ready  to  broach  their 
errors,  even  while  thc}^  are  among  the  saints,  to 
their  trouble.  Now  God  having  a  care  of  his 
church,  hath  a  time  to  suffer  the  devil  to  run 
through  the  world  with  some  erroneous  doctrine 
or  other,  which  when  these  men  taste,  being 
spirited  beforehand  for  that  purpose,  do  presently 
close  in  with  the  same,  to  the  purifying  of  the 
church,  and  the  manifestation  of  themselves.  And 
thus  every  branch  which  the  Lord's  right  hand 
hath  not  planted,  shall  and  must  have  a  time  to  be 
rooted  up.  Mat.  xv.  13. 

(3.)  Because  others  that  are  of  the  right  grafting 
in,  may  notwithstanding  not  presume  but  fear,  lest 
they  also  fall  through  the  same  example  of  others 
who  are  already  fallen,  or  may  fall  hereafter. 
He.  iv.  1, 2, 11. 

(4.)  Because  others  may  see,  that  it  is  not  by 
their  own  strength  that  they  do  stand,  but  freely 
by  the  grace  of  God,  and  his  power  and  love  to- 
wards them  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     God  hath 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


213 


cliosen  some  before  the  foundation  of  the  -world. 
No^v  to  manifest  this,  though  they  are  even  as 
bad  as  the  worst  by  nature,  yet  I  say,  because 
God  will  shew  his  power  and  his  love,  he  doth  pre- 
serve some  to  eternal  life,  though  others  fall  into 
eternal  damnation.  Of  all  that  thou  hast  given 
me,  saith  Christ,  have  I  lost  none  but  the  son  of 
perdition,  that  the  scripture  might  be  fulfilled. 
Jn.  xvii.  12.  Many  other  reasons  might  be  given  why 
these  things  must  and  shall  be ;  but  I  rather 
choose  to  forbear.  Only  thus  much  I  have  spoken, 
because  I  know  it  is  my  duty  to  speak  a  few  words 
unto  you,  that  you  may  either  close  in  with  the 
truth,  or  else  the  more  clearly  be  left  without 
e.xcuse  at  the  great  day. 

TIdrcl.  The  third  and  last  thing,  is  the  way  that 
Satan  takes  to  make  those  delusions  take  place  in 
the  soul. 

Now  the  way  M'hereby  he  makes  these  or  any 
other  delusions  to  take  place  in  the  soul,  is,  1.  to 
persuade  the  soid.  that  they  are  the  truth ;  and  2. 
to  stir  up  in  the  soid.  an  enmity  to  any  thing  or 
person  that  shall  declare  the  contrary. 

1 .  They  are  given  over  to  believe  a  lie ;  that  is, 
to  believe  false  doctrine  to  be  the  doctrine  of  God 
and  of  Christ.  And  that  he  might  bring  this  to 
pass,  he  goeth  about  to  change  the  names  of 
things ;  and  because  the  law,  conscience,  and 
nature  itself  can  convince  of  sin,  therefore  he  call- 
eth  them  Christ,  or  the  liglit  of  Christ ;  saying  to 
a  natural  man,  one  that  is  not  yet  converted, 
'Mind  the  light  within  you.'  If  they  ask  what 
light  ?  say  they.  That  which  doth  convince  of  sin. 
If  they  farther  ask,  wh}"-,  what  is  that  ?  They  say, 
*  It  is  the  light  of  Clirist,  the  light  of  life,  or  Christ 
within. ' 

Now  these  things  are  nothing  else  but  conscience, 
nature,  or  the  law,  for  a  natural  man  hath  nothing 
else  that  dwelleth  within  him  to  convince  him  of 
sin ;  only  these  things  have  a  new  name  put  upon 
them.  And  poor  creatures  hearing  the  name 
Christ,  being  ignorant  of  the  nature  of  Christ,  do 
presently  close  in  with  these  things,  supposing, 
nay,  verily  believing  that  these  are  the  Spirit  of 
Christ.  Which  things  being  thus  received,  if  at 
any  time  one  come  and  oppose  them,  and  teU  them 
that  it  is  an  error  that  they  have  taken  up,  to 
think  that  that  which  is  in  an  unregenerate  man 
is  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  contrarywise  telleth 
them  plainly,  that  it  is  but  their  own  conscience 
that  doth  convince  them,  or  the  law  written  m  their 
hearts  by  nature.  Nay,  say  they,  it  is  the  light 
of  Christ  in  the  conscience,  when  there  is  no  scrip- 
ture hath  any  such  manner  of  expressions,  only  a 
fancy  of  their  own,  taken  up  without  ground  from 
the  word. 

2.  But  the  soul  being  possessed  with  this  doctrine, 
presently  its  heart  risetli   against  anything  that 


doth  contradict  it,  and  is  filled  with  a  secret  enmity 
against  it.  Now  the  way  that  Satan  takes  to 
bring  this  about,  is  to  persuade  poor  souls,  that  all 
these  thoughts  that  do  any  wise  contradict  the 
prmciples  received,  is  but  a  temptation  of  the 
devil.  And  if  at  any  time  there  be  the  doctrine 
of  Jesus  held  forth  in  truth,  his  death,  bm-ial, 
resurrection,  ascension,  and  intercession ;  now 
Avithout  in  the  presence  of  his  Father  for  sinners, 
and  that  there  is  salvation  nowhere  else  but  in  the 
merits  of  the  firstborn  of  Mary,  which  is  Jesus 
Christ,  without  the  works  of  the  law,  Ro.  iii.  2S.  Pre- 
sently with  envy  they  are  enraged  and  cry,  '  Dost 
thou  not  know  that  every  man  hath  a  measure  of 
the  Spirit  given  to  him  ?  Follow  that,  listen  to 
that,  turn  thy  mind  to  that,  and  walk  in  the  light 
of  that.'  When  alas,  there  is  no  such  thing  as 
the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  every  man,  as  I  said,  and 
proved  before  at  large ;  only  the  devil  hath  gotten 
this  way  to  call  conscience  Christ,  the  law  Christ; 
and  hereby  to  entangle  the  soul  with  the  name  of 
a  thing,  without  the  thing  itself. 

But  now  the  soul  is  set  down  in  its  principles, 
and  he  that  doth  any  way  confute  that  spirit,  pre- 
sently it  falls  a  raging,  and  cries  out,  serpent,  har, 
wolf,  dragon,  devil,  be  silent  with  thy  serpentine 
wisdom,  and  smoke  of  the  bottomless  pit.  Now  in 
this  the  devil  is  wonderfully  cunning ;  for  least  he 
should  indeed  be  discovered,  he  doth  set  the  face 
hard  against  the  truth,  and  counteth  it  such  a 
deadly  enemy,  that  he  will  not,  cannot  bear  it ; 
but  lets  fly  against  it  all  the  hellish  words  and 
madness  he  can :  And  now  he  begins  first  to  cry, 
avoid  Satan.  All  Avliich  is  only  to  harden  him  in 
whom  he  doth  dwell,  more  and  more  against  the 
truth.  Now  he  doth  also  harden  souls  in  delu- 
sions, by  presenting  the  ugly  and  base  conversa- 
tions of  a  company  of  covetous  wretches,  who  do 
profess  themselves  to  be  the  ministers  of  the  gospel, 
but  are  not ;  now  poor  creatures  being  shaking  and 
doubtfid.  what  way  to  take,  seeing  the  conversation 
of  these  men  to  be  wicked,  and  the  doctrine  of 
these  deluders  covered  with  a  seeming  holiness ; 
they  presently  embrace  it,  saying,  surely  these 
men  are  in  the  right  way ;  they  cry  doA\Ti  the 
priests,  whose  lives  we  also  see  to  be  profane,  they 
are  very  strict  in  their  ways,  and  if  such  be  not 
good  men,  who  are  ?  But  yet  that  which  is  most 
taking  is  (through  the  corruption  and  pride  that  is 
naturally  in  the  heart  of  man)  these  men  propose 
such  a  way  to  salvation,  as  is  in  the  compass  of  a 
man's  own  abiUty,  even  works  of  righteousness 
done  by  him,  which  is  very  agreeable  to  man  s 
nature,  which  would  willingly  be  saved,  but  would 
not  be  altogether  beholden  to  God  for  it:  and 
these  works  not  being  wrought  by  the  priests  or 
national  ministers,  but  by  the  other,  though  in 
opposition    to    the  righteousness  of    Christ,   the 


214 


A  VINDICATION  OF  GOSPEL  TRUTHS. 


Messlas  God-man,  poor  souls  not  only  suck  in  tliese 
erroneous  principles,  but  are  hardened  in  tliem 
against  the  doctrine  of  God  and  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  by  their  ungodly  conversation ;  and  thus 
dishonour  the  Son  of  God.  But  come  brethren, 
let  us  be  patient,  stablish  our  hearts,  wait  but  a 
while,  and  I  doubt  not  but  you  will  see  that  those 
who  dishonour  our  Jesus  shall  soon  be  brought 
down,  both  Ranters,  Quakers,  priests,  and  people 
also,  that  shall  continue  in  opposing  him  either  in 
doctrine  or  practice  ;  for  our  God  hath  said,  '  Ah  ! 
I  will  ease  mo  of  my  adversaries.' 

Now,  a  few  words  more  to  those  who  do  believe 
in  Christ  aright,  and  lay  him  for  their  foundation. 

First,  Bless  God  that  you  are  not  carried  away 
with  the  delusions  that  are  on  foot  in  this  genera- 
tion. Secondly,  See  that  you  are  labourers  after 
a  more  experimental  knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  fly  more  to  his  birth,  death,  blood,  resur- 
rection, ascension  and  intercession ;  and  fetch 
refreshing  for  your  souls  more  and  more  from  him 
witliout,  through  the  operation  of  his  Spirit  within  ; 


and  though  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit  be  excellent, 
and  to  be  owned  where  they  are  found ;  yet  have  a 
care  you  take  not  away  the  glory  of  the  blood  of 
Christ  shed  on  the  cross  without  the  gates  of  Jeru- 
salem, and  give  it  them;  which  you  will  do,  if 
you  do  content  yourselves,  and  satisfy  your  con- 
sciences with  this;  that  you  find  the  friuts  of  the 
Spirit  within  you,  and  do  not  go  for  peace  and 
consolation  of  conscience  to  the  blood  of  Jesus  shed 
on  the  cross. 

Therefore  learn  of  the  saints,  or  rather  of  the 
Spirit,  Ke.  V.  9.  who  teacheth  to  sing  this  song,  '  Thou 
art  worthy  to  take  the  book,  and  to  open  the  seals 
thereof,  for  thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us 
to  God  by  thy  blood.' 

And  as  for  you  that  cannot  yet  well  endure  to 
think  you  should  be  justified  by  the  blood  of  the 
Son  of  Mary  shed  on  the  cross  without  the  gate,  I 
say  to  you,  '  Kiss  the  Son,  lest  he  be  angry,  and 
ye  perish  yrom  the  Avay,  when  his  wrath  is  kindled 
but  a  little.  Blessed  are  all  they  that  put  their 
trust  in  him.'  Ps.  ii.  12. 


A  DISCOUUSE 


uroN 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN; 

■WHEREIN  SEVERAL 

GREAT  AND  WEIGHTY  THINGS  ARE  HANDLED: 

AS,  THE  KATUKE  OF  PRATER,  AND  OF  OBEDIEXCE  TO  THE  LA'W,  WITH  HOW  FAR  IT  OBLIGES 
CHRISTIAXS,  AXD  'VrHEREIX  IT  CONSISTS. 


THE  EQUALLY  DEPLORABLE  COXDITIO:^  OP  TTTE  PHASISEE,  OR  HYPOCRITICAL  AND  SELF-RIGHTEOUS  MATT ;  AND  OJ  THE  PUBLICAS,  OS 

SIKNER  THAT  LIVES  IN  SIN,  AND  IN  OPEN  VIOLATION  OF  THE  DIVINE  LAWS.      TOGEIHEU  WITH  THE  WAY  AND  lEETHOD 

or  god's  free  grace  in  pardoning  penitent  SINNERS  ;   PROVING  THAT  HE  JUSTIFIES  THESI  BY 

IMPUTING  CHRIST'S  RIGHTEOUSNESS  TO  THEM. 

Br  JOHN  BUNYAN,  author  of  the  Pilgrim's  Progress. 


[Tie  first  edition  is  neatly  printed  in  foolscap  duodecimo,  aud  ends  on  page  202.     It  is  embeHislied  with  a  frontispiece,  tlie 
Tipper  half  a  view  of  tlie  Temple  with  the  publican  and  pharisee,  under  which  is  a  verse: — 

See  how  y'  Pharisee  in  the  Temple  stands 
And  justifies  himself  with  lifted  hands 
Wliilst  y  poor  publican  ^\ith  downcast  ejes 
Conscious  of  guilt  to  God  for  mercy  cries. 

The  lower  half  is  occupied  ^vith  the  Vera  effigies  Johanis  Bunyan,  iEt.  sac  57. 
the  portrait  by  AYhite,  prefixed  to  the  Holy  War.] 


It  is  a  smaR  circle,  apparently  copied  from 


ADYEETISEMENT  BY  THE  EDITOE. 


This  important  treatise  unvails,  in  few  but  telling 
■ft'ords,  tlie  nature  of  prayer,  about  vrbicb  mankind 
lias  made  most  awful  mistakes.  Multitudes  con- 
ceive that  tbe  beart-searcbing  God  can  be  influ- 
enced and  propitiated  by  eloquent  words  and  forms 
of  prayer ;  wbUst  tbe  few,  who  are  taugbt  by  tbe 
Holy  Spirit,  feel  and  know  tbat  tbe  ardent  desire, 
tbe  aspirations,  tbe  fervent  wisbes  of  tbe  mind,  can 
alone  be  accepted  by  tbe  Eternal;  and  even  tben 
only  tbrougb  tbe  merits  of  tbe  Redeemer. 

Tbe  first  edition  appeared  in  1635,  and  it  soon 
became  a  very  popular  book.  The  use  and  applica- 
tion annoimced  at  tbe  end  do  not  appear  to  have  been 
published,  unless  tbe  author  meant  one  of  bis  later 
productions  to  answer  that  purpose.  The  twelfth 
edition  has  no  date  on  tbe  title  page  ;  to  it  is  added 
Bunyan's  last  Sermon,  and  bis  dying  sayings, — 
'Licensed,  Sept.  lOtb,  1688;'  but  this  announce- 
ment bad  been  probably  continued  from  some  earlier 
edition.  The  number  of  cheap  reprints  of  this 
little  volume  may  account,  in  some  measure,  for 
the  amazing  errors  which  crept  in  and  deformed 
the  book;  for  with  tbe  exception  of  'Grace 
Abounding,'  '  Tbe  Pilgrim,'  and  '  The  Holy  War,' 
few  books  have  been  so  carelessly  and  disgracefully 
printed.  For  more  than  a  century  Bunyan  has 
been  represented  as  saying,  'How  did  God  c^eal 
with  sinners  before  his  righteousness  was  actually 
in  being,'  (p.  255).     In  fact,  no  reader  can  con- 


ceive the  mutilated  state  in  which  this  valuable 
treatise  has  been  published,  unless  by  actual  com- 
parison with  those  printed  before  tbe  author's 
decease.  Some  considerable  omissions,  doubtless, 
arose  from  political  causes.  Bunyan  died  very 
shortly  before  tbe  glorious  revolution  in  1688, — 
and  in  drawing  a  faithful  portrait  of  a  publican  or 
tax  gatherer,  he  supposed  tbe  country  to  be  con- 
quered by  a  foreign  power.  '  "Would  it  not  be  an 
insufi"erable  thing  ?  yea,  did  not  that  man  deserve 
hanging  ten  times  over,  that  should,  being  a  Dutch- 
man, fall  in  with  a  French  invader,  and  farm  at 
bis  bands,  those  cruel  and  grievous  taxations,  which 
be,  in  barbarous  wise,  should  at  bis  conquest  lay 
upon  them ;  and  exact  and  force  them  to  be  paid 
with  an  over,  and  above  of  what  is  appomted.' 
lie  o'oes  on  to  aro-ue,  tbat  if  this  woidd  be  a  severe 
trial  at  the  band  of  a  foreigner,  bow  much  more 
oppressive  would  it  appear  if  exercised  by  a  fellow- 
countryman.  'If  these  things  are  intolerable, 
what  shall  we  think  of  such  men  as  shall  join  to 
all  this  compliance  with  a  foreign  prince,  to  rob 
the  church  of  God  ?  yea,  that  shall  become  a  man 
in  power  under  them,  to  wring  out  of  the  hand  of 
a  brother,  his  estate;  yea,  his  bread  and  liveli- 
hood. '  These  paragraphs,  and  much  more,  were 
omitted,  probably,  from  a  fear  of  giving  offence  to 
the  new  government,  and,  until  the  present  edition, 
they  bad  not  been  restored.     In  Bunyan's  time, 


216 


TO  THE  READER. 


severe  and  awful  persecutions  fell  upon  the  churcli 
of  God  in  England,  and  lie  must  have  felt  the 
utmost  compassion,  mingled  with  deep  ahhorrence, 
for  those  emissaries  of  Satan,  the  Informers,  who 
plundered  mercilessly  all  who  refused  ohedience  to 
the  order  of  common  prayer.  These  men,  aided 
hy  fanatic  justices  and  clergymen,  reduced  many 
pious  families  to  the  severest  sufferings,  while 
thousands  fled  to  the  wilds  of  America  for  that 
refuge  among  men  called  savages,  which  was 
denied  them  by  their  much  more  savage  country- 
men. It  is  distressing  to  read  the  narrative,  pub- 
lished in  1670,  of  those  proceedings  in  Bedford, 
while  Bunyan  was  an  inmate  in  its  jail.  The 
porters,  charged  to  assist  in  carrying  off  the  peo- 
ple's goods,  ran  away,  saying,  that  '  they  would  be 
hanged,  drawn,  and  quartered,  before  they  would 
assist  in  that  work ; '  two  of  them  were  sent  to 
gaol  for  thus  refusing  to  aid  in  this  severe  enforce- 
ment of  impious  laws.  This  popidous  town  '  was 
so  thin  of  people  that  it  looked  more  like  a  country 
village  than  a  corporation ;  and  the  shops  being 
generally  shut  down,  it  seemed  like  a  place  visited 
with  the  pest,  where  usually  is  written  upon  the 
door — Lcnxl,  have  mercy  upon  us.'  When  in  the 
presence  of  the  justice  the  officers  took  all  his 
goods  from  Thomas  Arthur,  he  appealed  to  the 
humane  feelings  of  the  magistrate  on  behalf  of  his 
children, — '  Sir,  shall  my  children  starve,'  to  which 
he  replied,  'yes,  your  children  shall  starve.'  All 
tliese  bitter  sufferings  were  inflicted  for  worshipping- 
God  according  to  the  directions  of  his  holy  Avord. 
Can  we  wonder  then  that  Bunyan  uses  hard  words. 
He  felt  that  state  hierarchies  were  anti-christian ; 
their  fruit  declared  that  those  who  supported  them 
by  such  cruelties  were  aliens  and  enemies  to  the 
church  of  Christ. 

As  a  theological  treatise,  this  of  the  Pharisee 
and  Publican  is  invaluable.  It  is  clear  and  per- 
fectly intelligible  to  every  candid  and  prayerful 
inquirer.  When  our  author  is  proving  the  impos- 
sibility of  a  sinner's  recommending  himself  to  the 
divine  favour  by  any  imperfect  good  works  of  his 


own,  he  draws  a  vivid  picture,  (p.  239,  2-40).    A  lord 
invites  his  friends  to  a  sumptous  banquet,  the  pro- 
vision is  bountiful  and  in  rich  abundance,  when 
some  of  the  guests  take  a  few  mouldy  crusts  out 
of  their  pockets  and  lay  them  on  their  plates,  lest 
the  prince  had  not  provided  a  sufiicleut  repast  for 
his  friends ;  '  would  it  not  be  a  high  affront  to,  a 
great  contempt  of,  and  a  distrust  in,  the  goodness 
of  the  Lord.'      We  are  boimd  to  produce  good 
works  as  a  fruit  of  faith — a  proof  of  love  to  him 
that  hath  redeemed  us,  but  not  to  recommend  us 
to  his  favour.     The  picture  of  such  a  feast  drawn 
by  John  Bunyan  must  make  upon  every  reader  a 
deep,   a  lasting,  an  indelible  impression.      How 
bitter  and  how  ti*ue  is  the  irony,  when  the  Pharisee 
is  represented  as  saying,  '  I  came  to  thy  feast  out 
of  civllit}^  but  for  thy  dainties  I  need  them  not,  I 
have  enough  of  my  own ;  I   thank  thee  for  thy 
kindness,  but  I  am  not  as  those  that  stand  in  need 
of  thy  provisions,  nor  yet  as  this  Publican.'     And 
how  excellent  Is  the  reasoning  and  the  Christian 
philosophy  of  that  paragraph  which  was  suppressed 
after  Bunyan 's  death,  (p.  248).     The  language  Is 
bold  and  striking,  but  it  exhibits  the  unvarnished 
truth;  an  Inward  change  of  nature  is  the  only 
cause  of  good  and  acceptable  works — good  or  evil 
actions  are  but  the  evidences  of  our  state  by  grace 
or  by  nature — they  do  not  work  that  change  or 
produce  that  state.     It  is  a  soul-humbling  view  of 
our  state  of  death  by  sin,  or  of  life  by  the  righte- 
ousness and  obedience  of  Christ.     Bunyan 's  train 
of  reasoning  on  r>o.  v.  (p.  256)  is  worthy  of  our 
profound  consideration, — '  AVhen  Ave  were  enemies 
Ave  Avere  reconciled  to  God  by  the   death  of  his 
Son.'     What  Is  a  sinful  man  in  himself,  or  In  his 
approach  to  God,  but  as  stubble  fully  dry  in  the 
presence  of  a  consuming  fire,  unless  he  is  washed 
and  cleansed  by  the  atoning  sacrifice  of  Jesus. 

May  the  glorified  spirit  of  Bunyan  rejoice  among 
the  angels  of  heaA'en,  over  souls  converted  by  the 
Instrumeutahty  of  this  solemn  and  searching 
treatise. 

GeOEGE  OfFOR. 


TO   THE   EEADET.. 


Courteous  Reader, 
I  HAVE  made  bold  once  again  to  present  thee  Avith 
some  of  my  meditations ;  and  they  are  noAV  about 
the  Pharisee  and  the  Publican:  Tavo  men  In 
whose  condition  the  whole  Avorld  Is  comprehended, 
both  as  to  their  state  now,  and  condition  at  the 
judgment. 

Wherefore  In  reading  this  little  book  thou  must 
needs  read  thyself.     I  do  not  say  thou  must  under- 


stand thy  condition ;  for  It  Is  the  gift  of  God  must 
make  thee  do  that.  Howbeit,  if  God  will  bless  it 
to  thee,  it  may  be  a  means  to  bring  thee  to  see 
Avhose  steps  thou  art  treading,  and  so  at  avIioso 
end  thou  art  like  to  arrive. 

And  let  me  beg  this  at  thy  hand,  noAv  thou  art 
about  to  read  ;  reserve  thy  judgment  or  sentence 
as  to  me,  until  thou  hast  passed  through  the  dis- 
course. 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


217 


Justification  is  ti'eated  of  hero,  and  the  Avay  for 
men  to  be  saved. 

I  have  also  0  Publican  hero,  as  my  skill  hath 
served  me,  for  thy  cucouragemcnt,  set  before  thee 
the  Pharisee  and  the  Publican  in  their  colours,  and 
shewed  thee,  that  though  the  Publican  seemed  to 
be  far  behind,  yet  in  running  ho  got  the  prize  from 


the  lofty  Pharisee.  I  say,  Art  thou  a  Pharisee? 
Here  is  a  Pharisee  for  thee!  Art  thou  a  Publi- 
can ?     Hero  is  a  Publican  for  thee ! 

God  give  thee  the  Publican's  heart,  if  thou  art 
in  the  Publican's  sins,  that  thou  mayest  partake 
with  the  PubUcan,  of  mercy. — So  wishcth  thy  friend, 

John  Bunyan. 


A  DISCOUPvSE  UPON  THE  PHARISEE  AND  PUBLICAN. 


*  TWO  MEN  WENT  UP  INTO  THE  TEMPLE  TO  PEAT ;  THE 
ONE  A  PHAKISEE,  AND  THE  OTHER  A  PUBLICAN : 
THE  PHARISEE  STOOD  AND  PRAYED  THUS  WITH  HIM- 
SELF, GOD,  I  THANK  THEE,  THAT  I  AM  NOT  AS 
OTHER  MEN  ARE,  EXTORTIONERS,  UNJUST,  ADUL- 
TERERS, OR  EVEN  AS  THIS  PUBLICAN.  I  FAST 
TWICE  IN  THE  WEEK,  I  GIVE  TITHES  OF  ALL  THAT  I 
POSSESS.  AND  THE  PUBLICAN,  STANDING  AFAR  OFF, 
WOULD  NOT  LIFT  UP  SO  MUCH  AS  HIS  EYES  UNTO 
HEAVEN,  BUT  SMOTE  UPON  HIS  BREAST,  SAYING, 
GOD  BE   MERCIFUL   TO   ME  A  SINNER.'  LUKE   XVUI. 

10—13. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  chapter  you  read  of  the 
reason  of  the  parable  of  the  unjust  judge  and  the 
poor  widow ;  namely,  to  encoiu-age  men  to  pray. 
He  spake  a  parable  to  this  end,  that  men  ought 
always  to  pray  and  not  to  faint.  And  a  most 
sweet  parable  for  that  purpose  it  is :  For  if  tlirough 
importimity,  a  poor  widow-woman  may  prevail  with 
an  unjust  judge  ;  and  so  consequently  with  an  \m- 
merciful  and  hard-hearted  tyrant ;  how  much  more 
shall  the  poor,  afflicted,  distressed,  and  tempted 
people  of  God,  prevail  with,  and  obtain  mercy  at 
the  hands  of  a  loving,  just  and  merciful  God  ?  The 
unjust  judge  would  not  hearken  to,  nor  regard,  the 
cry  of  the  poor  widow  for  a  while :  '  But  after- 
ward he  said  within  himself,  Though  I  fear  not 
God,  nor  regard  man ;  yet  because  this  widow 
troubleth  me,  1  will  avenge  her,  lest  by  her  con- 
tinual coming  she  weary  me.'  Hark,  saith  Christ, 
'what  the  imjust  judge  saith.  And  shall  not  God 
avenge  his  own  elect,  which  cry  day  and  night 
unto  him  ?  '  I  tell  you,  that  he  will  avenge  them 
speedily. 

This  is  therefore  a  very  comfortable  parable  to 
such  of  the  saints,  that  are  under  hard  usages  by 
reason  of  evil  men,  their  might,  and  tyranny.  For 
by  it  we  are  taught  to  believe  and  expect,  that 
God,  though  for  a  while  he  seemeth  not  to  regard, 
yet  wiU,  in  due  time  and  season,  arise  and  set  such 
in  safety  from  them  that  puff  at  them.  Vs.  xU.  5. 

Let  the  good  Christian  pray  always;  let  him 
pray  and  not  faint  at  seeming  delays ;  for  if  the 
widow  by  importunity  prevailed  with  the  unjust 

VOL.  11. 


judge,  how  much  more  shall  he  with  liis  heavenly 
Father.  '  I  teU  you,  (says  Christ,)  that  he  will 
avenge  them  speedily.' 

But  now,  forasmuch  as  this  parable  reacheth 
not  (so  directly)  the  poor  publican  in  the  text, 
therefore  our  Lord  begins  again,  and  adds  to  that 
another  parable,  this  parable,  which  I  have  chosen 
for  my  text.  By  the  which  he  designeth  two 
things:  First,  The  conviction  of  the  proud  and 
self-conceited  Pharisee.  Secondly,  The  raising  up 
and  heahng  of  the  cast  down  and  dejected  Pubh- 
can.  And  observe  it,  as  by  the  first  parable  he 
chiefly  designeth  the  reUef  of  those  that  are  under 
the  hand  of  cruel  tyrants :  So  by  this  he  designeth 
the  rehef  of  those  that  lie  under  the  load  and 
burden  of  a  guilty  and  a  disquieted  conscience. 

This  therefore  is  a  parable  that  is  full  of  singu- 
lar comfort  to  such  of  the  sinners  in  the  world,  that 
are  clogged  with  guilt,  and  a  sense  of  sin ;  and 
that  lie  under  the  apprehensions  of,  and  that  are 
driven  to  God  by,  the  sense  of  the  judgment,  that 
for  sin  is  due  unto  them. 

In  my  handling  of  this  text,  I  shall  have  respect 
to  these  things. 

First,  To  the  persons  in  tho  text. 

Secondly,  To  tho  condition  of  the  persons  in  tho 
text. 

Thirdly,  To  the  conclusion  that  Christ  makes 
upon  them  both. 

First,  For  the  persons.  They  were,  as  you  see, 
far  one  from  another  in  their  own  apprehension  of 
themselves ;  one  good,  the  other  bad ;  but  yet  in 
the  judgment  of  the  law,  both  ahke,  both  the  same, 
both  sinners;  for  they  both  stood  in  need  of 
merit.*  True,  the  first  mentioned  did  not  see  it, 
as  the  other  poor  sinner  did ;  but  that  altereth  not 
the  case.  He  that  is  in  the  judgment  of  the  law 
a  sinner,  is  in  the  judgment  of  tho  law  for  sin  con- 
demned, though  in  his  own  judgment  he  be  never  so 
righteous. 

Men  must  not  be  judged,  or  justified,  according 
to  what  themselves  do  think,  but  according  to  the 


*  The  word  'merit'  was  changed  for 
nuthor's  death. — Ed. 

2  E 


'mcr-"v'  after  the 


21S 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


verdict  and  sentence  tliat  cometh  out  of  the  moutli 
of  God  about  them.*  Now  the  sentence  of  God  is, 
'They  are  all  under  sin  -  -  There  is  none  righteous, 
no,  not  one:'  Ro. m.  'Tis  no  matter  then  Tvhat  the 
Pharisee  did  think  of  himself,  God  by  his  word  hath 
proclaimed  him  a  sinner.  A  sinner,  by  reason  of 
original  sin.  A  sinner  by  reason  of  actual  transgres- 
sion. Personally  therefore,  with  reference  to  the 
true  nature  of  their  state,  they  both  were  sinners, 
and  both  by  the  law  under  condemnation.  True, 
the  Publican's  leprosy  was  outward  ;  but  the  Phari- 
see's leprosy  was  inward :  his  heart,  his  soul,  his 
spirit,  was  as  foul,  and  had  as  much  the  plague 
of  sin,  as  had  the  other  in  his  life  or  conversa- 
tion. 

Secondly,  As  to  their  condition.  I  do  not  mean 
by  condition,  so  much  a  habit  of  mind,  as  the  state 
that  they  had  each  of  them  put  themselves  into  by 
that  mind.  The  one,  says  the  text,  was  a  Phari- 
see, the  other  a  Publican.  A  Pharisee :  That  is, 
one  that  hath  chosen  to  himself  such  a  course  of 
life.  A  Publican :  That  is,  one  that  hath  chosen 
to  himself  such  a  course  of  life.  These  terms 
therefore  shew,  the  divers  courses  of  life  that  they 
had  put  themselves  into.  The  Pharisee,  as  he 
thought,  had  put  himself  into  a  condition  for  hea- 
ven and  glory ;  but  the  Publican  was  for  this 
world,  and  his  lusts.  Wherefore  when  the  Phari- 
see stands  in  the  temple,  he  boasteth  of  himself 
and  good  condition ;  but  condemneth  the  Publican, 
and  bitterly  inveigheth  against  him.  But,  as  I 
said,  their  personal  state  by  the  law,  was  not  at 
all  changed.  The  Pharisee  made  himself  never 
the  better ;  the  Publican  also  abode  in  his  place. 

Indeed  the  Publican  is  here  found  to  recant,  and 
repent  of  his  condition ;  of  the  condition  that  he 
had  put  himself  into;  and  the  Pharisee  to  boast 
of  his:  But  the  Publican's  repentance  was  not  of 
liimself,  but  of  God  ;  Avho  can  also,  yea,  and  some- 
times it  is  evident,  Ac.  ix.  he  doth  make  Pharisees 
also  repent  of  that  condition  that  they  have  chosen 
to  be  in  themselves,  riii.  iii.  3—8.  The  Pharisee, 
therefore  in  commending  of  himself,  makes  him- 
self never  the  better.  The  Publican  also,  in  con- 
demning of  himself,  makes  himself  never  the  worse. 
Nay,  contrariwise,  the  Pliarisce  by  commending 
of  himself  makes  liimself  much  the  worse  {v.  14). 
And  the  Publican,  by  condemning  of  himself, 
makes  himself  much  the  better.  '  I  tell  you,  (says 
Christ)  This  man  went  down  to  his  house  justified 
rather  than  the  other :  For  every  one  that  exalteth 
himself  shall  be  abased;  and  he  that  humbleth 
himself  shall  be  exalted. ' 

But,  I  say,  as  to  men's  commending  of  them- 
selves, yea,  though  others  sliould  commend  tlicm 


*  '  Not  he  tliat  commcndcth  liimself  is  approved,  but  wliom 
tlio  Lord  coiumeudelli.'  3  Cor.  x.  IS. 


also,  that  availeth,  to  Godward,  nothing  at  all. 
'For  not  he  that  commendeth  himself  is  approved, 
but  whom  the  Lord  commendeth.'  So  then,  men 
in  *  measuring  themselves  by  themselves,  and  com- 
paring themselves  among  themselves,  are  not  wise.' 

3  Co.  X.  18, 13. 

Now  this  was  the  way  of  the  Pharisee,  I  am  not, 
saith  he,  as  other  men ;  I  am  no  extortioner,  nor 
unjust,  no  adulterer,  nor  yet  as  this  Publican. 

Two  MEN  WENT   UP    INTO    THE    TEMPLE    TO  PRAT. 

And  they  two,  as  I  said,  as  opposite  one  to  the 
other,  as  any  two  men  that  ever  went  thither  to 
pray.  One  of  them  was  over  righteous,  and  the 
other  wicked  over  much.  Some  would  have 
thought,  had  they  not  by  the  word  of  Christ  been 
otherwise  described,  that  they  had  been  both  of 
the  same  religion ;  for  they  both  went  up  into  the 
temple  to  pray;  yea,  both  to  pray,  and  that  at 
the  same  time,  as  if  they  did  it  by  appointment, 
by  agreement,  but  there  Avas  no  such  thing.  The 
one  was  a  Pharisee,  the  other  a  Publican  ;  for  so 
saith  the  after  words :  And  therefore  persons  as 
opposite  as  light  and  darkness,  as  fire  and  water ; 
I  mean  as  to  their  apprehensions  one  of  another. 
The  Pharisee  could  not  abide  the  Publican,  nor 
could  the  Publican  brook  the  Pharisee,  and  yet 
both  went  up  into  the  temple  to  pray.  It  is  strange 
to  see,  and  yet  it  is  seen,  that  men  cross  in  their 
minds,  cross  in  their  principles,  cross  in  their 
apprehensions ;  yea,  and  cross  in  their  prayers 
too,  should  yet  meet  together  in  the  temple  to 
pray. 

Two  MEN,  Men  not  of  the  middle  sort,  as  aforo 
is  shewed  ;  but  two,  and  them  too,  picked  out  of 
the  best  and  worst  that  was :  as  shall  now  be  a 
little  more  largely  handled.  Two  men,  a  Pharisee 
and  a  Publican. 

To  be  a  Pharisee  was  in  those  days  counted 
honourable  for  religion,  and  for  holiness  of  life. 
A  Pharisee  was  a  man  of  esteem  and  repute  among 
the  Jews,  though  it  is  a  term  Of  reproach  with  us. 
Else  Paid  wovdd  not  as  he  did,  and  at  such  a  time 
as  he  did  it,  have  said,  '  Men  and  brethren,  I  am 
a  Pharisee,  the  son  of  a  Pharisee.'  Ac  xxiii.  e.  Phi. iii. 
5.  For  now  he  stood  upon  his  purgation  and  justi- 
fication, especially  it  appears  so  by  the  place  first 
named.  And  far  be  it  from  any  to  think,  that 
Paid  would  make  use  of  a  colour  of  wickedness, 
to  save,  thereby,  himself  from  the  fury  of  the 
people. 

A  Publican  Avas  in  those  days  counted  one  of 
the  vilest  of  men,  as  is  manifest ;  because  when 
they  are  by  the  word,  by  way  of  discrimination, 
made  mention  of,  they  are  ranked  Avith  the  most 
vile  and  base.  Therefore  they  are  joined  Avith 
sinners.  '  He  eateth  and  drinketh  Avith  publicans 
and  sinners;'  and  Avith  harlots.  'The  pubHcans 
and  the  harlots  go  into  the  kingdom  of  God.'  Yea, 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


219 


^v]len  our  Lord  Clirist  ■would  liave  the  rebellious 
professor  stigmatized  to  purpose,  lie  saith :  '  Let 
him  be  imto  thee  as  an  heathen  man,  and  a 
2)ublican. ' 

We  therefore  can  make  no  judgment  of  men 
upon  the  outward  appearance  of  them.  Who 
would  have  thought,  but  that  the  Pharisee  had 
been  a  good  man,  lor  he  was  righteous ;  for  he 
prayed.  And  who  could  have  thought,  that  the 
other  had  been  a  good  man?  For  he  was  a  Pub- 
lican: A  man,  by  good  men,  and  bad  men,  joined 
with  the  worst  of  men,  to  wit,  with  sinners,  har- 
lots, heathens. 

The  Pharisee  was  a  sectarian ;  the  Publican 
was  an  officer.  The  Pharisee  even  because  he 
was  a  sectarian,  was  had  the  more  in  esteem ;  and 
the  Publican  because  he  was  an  officer,  was  had 
the  more  in  reproach.  To  speak  a  little  to  both 
these. 

The  Pharisee  was  a  sectarian,  one  that  deviated, 
that  turned  aside  in  his  worshipping  from  the  way 
of  God,  both  in  matter  and  manner  of  worship ; 
for  such  an  one  I  count  a  sectarian.  That  he 
turned  aside  from  the  matter,  which  is  the  rule  of 
worship,  to  wit,  the  written  word,  it  is  evident; 
for  Christ  saitli,  That  they  rejected  the  command- 
ments of  God,  and  made  them  of  no  effect,  that 
they  might  keep  their  own  traditions.  Mar.  vii.  9— u. 
That  they  turned  aside  also  as  to  their  manner  of 
worship,  and  became  sectarians  there,  is  with  no 
less  authority  asserted ;  For  '  aU  their  works  they 
do  for  to  be  seen  of  men. '  Ac.  xxvi.  5.  Mat.  x-xui.  5. 

Now  this  being  none  of  the  order  or  ordinance 
of  Christ,  and  yet  being  chose  by,  and  stuck  to  of 
these  sort  of  men,  and  also  made  a  singular  and 
necessary  part  of  worship,  became  a  sect,  or  bot- 
tom for  these  hypocritical  factious  men  to  adhere 
unto,  and  to  make  of  others,  disciples  to  them- 
selves. And  that  they  might  be  admired,  and 
rendered  venerable  by  the  simple  people  to  their 
fellows,  they  loved  to  go  in  long  robes  ;  they  loved 
to  pray  in  markets,  and  in  the  corners  of  the 
streets ;  they  shewed  great  zeal  for  the  small 
things  of  the  law,  but  had  only  great  words  for 
things  that  were  substantial.  '  They  make  broad 
their  phj'lacteries,  and  enlarge  the  borders  of  their 
garments. '  Mat.  xxiii.  5. 

When  I  say  the  Pharisee  was  a  sectarian,  I  do 
not  mean  that  every  sectarian  is  a  Pharisee. 
There  was  the  sect  of  the  Herodians,  and  of  the 
Alexandrians,  of  the  Sadducees,  with  many  others; 
but  to  be  a  Pharisee,  was  to  be  of  the  straitest 
sect :  After  the  most  straitest  sect  of  our  rehgion 
I  lived  a  Pharisee ;  that  therefore  of  all  the  sects, 
'was  the  most  strait  and  strict.  Therefore,  saith 
he«  in  another  place,  I  was  '  taught  according  to 
the  perfect  manner  of  the  law  of  the  fathers.'  Ac. 
xxii.  3;  x-m.  ^r-G.     And  again,   *  Touching  the  law  a 


Pharisee.'  Piu. iii. 5.  The  Pharisees  therefore  did 
carry  the  bell,*  and  did  wear  the  garland  for 
religion ;  for  he  out-did,  he  went  beyond  aU  other 
sectarians  in  his  day.  He  was  the  strictest,  ho 
was  the  most  zealous  ;  therefore  Christ  in  his 
making  of  this  parable,  wavcth  all  other  sects 
then  in  being,  and  pitcheth  upon  the  Pharisee  as 
the  man  most  meet,  by  whose  rejection  he  might 
shew  forth,  and  demonstrate  the  riches  of  his 
mercy  in  its  extension  to  sinners :  '  Two  men  went 
up  into  the  temple  to  pray,  the  one  a  Pharisee.' 
The  one  such  a  brave  man  as  you  have  heard. 

The  PuBLlCAX  also  went  up  thither  to  pray. 
The  Publican,  I  told  you  before,  was  an  officer. 
An  officer  that  served  the  Romans  and  themselves 
too ;  for  tlie  Romans  at  that  time  were  possessors 
of  the  land  of  Jewry,  the  lot  of  Israel's  inheritance, 
and  the  Emperor  Tiberius  Csesar  placed  over  that 
land  four  governors,  to  wit,  Pilate,  Herod,  Philip, 
and  Lysanias  ;  lu.  m.  1.  all  these  were  gentiles, 
heathens,  infidels ;  and  the  Publicans  were  a  sort 
of  inferior  men,  to  v.'hom  was  let  out  to  farm,  and 
so  men  that  were  employed  by  these  to  gather  up 
the  taxes  and  customs,  that  the  heathens  had  laid 
upon  the  Jews  to  be  paid  to  the  emperor.  Lu.ii. 

1;  iiL12,13. 

But  they  were  a  generation  of  men  that  were 
very  injurious  in  the  execution  of  their  office. 
They  would  exact  and  demand  more  than  was  due 
of  the  people ;  yea,  and  if  their  demands  were 
denied,  they  would  falsely  accuse  those  that  so 
denied  them  to  the  governor,  and  by  false  accusa- 
tion obtain  the  money  of  the  people,  and  so  wickedly 
em-ich  themselves.  Lu.  m.  is ;  xk.  2, 8.  This  was  there- 
fore grievous  to  the  Jews,  who  always  counted 
themselves  a  free  people,  and  could  never  abide  to 
be  in  bondage  to  any.  And  this  was  something 
of  the  reason,  that  they  were  so  generally,  by  all 
the  Jews,  counted  so  vile  and  base,  and  reckoned 
among  the  worst  of  men,  even  as  our  informers 
and  bum  bailiffs  are  with  us  at  this  day. 

But  that  which  heightened  the  spirit  of  the 
people  against  them,  and  that  made  them  so  odious 
and  filthy  in  their  eyes,  was  for  that,  at  least  so  I 
think,  these  Publicans  were  not,  as  the  other 
officers,  aliens,  heathens,  and  gentiles,  but  men  of 
their  own  nation,  Jews,  and  so  the  brethren  of 
those  that  they  so  abused.  Had  they  been  gentiles, 
it  had  not  been  to  be  wondered  at;  that  they 
abused,  accused  and  by  false  accusations  peeled 
and  wasted  the  people ;  for  that  cannot  but  be  ex- 
pected at  the  hands  of  aliens  and  strangers. 

The  Pubhcan  then  was  a  Jew,  a  kind  of  a  renc- 


*  '  Carry  the  bell  and  wear  the  garland,'  alluding  to  our  old 
English  races;  the  winner  being  rewanlcd  with  a  silver  bell, 
and  crowned  with  a  garland:  or  to  the  morris  dance,  in  which 
the  leader  carried  the  garland  and  dauced  with  bells  fixed  to 
his  dress. — Ed. 


320 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


gadc  Jew,  tliat  tlirougli  the  love  that  ho  had  to 
uujust  gains,  fell  off  in  his  aiFcctions  from  his 
brethren,  adhered  to  the  Romans,  and  became  a 
kind  of  servant  to  them  against  their  brethren, 
fixrming  the  heathenish  taxations  at  the  hand  of 
strangers,  and  exacting  of  them  upon  their 
brethren  with  much  cruelty,  falsehood,  and  ex- 
tortion. And  hence,  as  I  said,  it  was,*that  to  be 
a  Publican,  was  to  be  so  odious  a  thing,  so  vile  a 
sinner,  and  so  grievous  a  man  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Jews.  And  would  it  not  be  an  insufferable  thing? 
Yea,  did  not  that  man  deserve  hanging  ten  times 
over,  that  should,  being  a  Dutchman,  faU  in  with 
a  French  invader,  and  take  place  or  farm  at  his 
hands,  those  cruel  and  grievous  taxations,  which 
he  in  barbarous  wise  should  at  his  conquest  lay 
upon  them ;  and  exact  and  force  them  to  be  paid 
him  with  an  over  and  above  of  what  is  appointed.* 
Wliy  this  was  tlio  Publican,  he  was  a  Jew,  and  so 
should  have  abode  with  them,  and  have  been  con- 
tent to  share  with  his  brethren  in  their  calamities  ; 
but  contrary  to  nature,  to  law,  to  religion,  reason, 
and  honesty,  he  feU  in  with  the  heathen,  and  took 
the  advantage  of  their  tyranny,  to  pole,  to  peel,t 
to  rob  and  impoverish  his  brethren. 

But  for  proof  that  the  Publican  was  a  Jew. 

1.  They  are,  even  then,  when  compared  with, 
yet  distinguished  from  the  heathen ;  Let  Mm  he  to 
thee  as  an  heathen  man  and  a  Publican,  Mat  xviu. 
Avhich  two  terms,  I  think,  must  not  here  be  applied 
to  one  and  the  self-same  man,  as  if  the  heathen 
was  a  Publican,  or  the  Pubhcan  a  heathen,  but 
to  men  of  two  distinct  nations  ;  as  that  Publican 
and  Harlot,  is  to  be  understood  of  sinners  of  both 
sexes.  The  Publican  is  not  an  harlot,  for  he  is  a 
man,  &c.  and  such  a  man  as  has  been  described 
before.  So  by  Publicans  and  Sinners,  is  meant 
Publicans,  and  such  sinners  as  the  Gentiles  were ; 
or  such  as,  by  the  text,  the  Publican  is  distin- 
guished from :  Where  the  Pharisee  saith  ho  was 
not  an  extortioner,  unjust,  adulterer,  or  even  as 

*  The  glorious  revolution,  conducted  by  William,  Prince  of 
Orange,  afterwards  King  William  the  3rd,  took  place  soon 
after  Bunyan's  decease.  It  was  probably  on  this  account  that 
this  paragraph  was  omitted  from  the  edition  of  September, 
1G88,  and  all  the  subsequent  ones  to  the  present  time.  The 
popular  opinion,  in  those  times,  was,  that  Duichmn  and 
extortioner  were  nearly  synonymous. 

'Wc  trade  wid  de  Yankey,  we  deal  wid  de  Scot. 

And  clieateii  de  tain  and  do  tcitlicr: 
We  cheaten  de  Jew,  aye  and  better  dan  dat. 

We  clicatcn  well  ciu  ;mictlier.'  Ohl  Sonn. 

t  'To  pole,  to  peel,'  to  take  off  the  top  and  branches  of  a 
tree,  and  then  to  peel  off  the  bark;  terms  used  to  designate 
violent  oppressions  under  pretended  legal  authority.  '  Which 
pols  and  pils  the  poor  in  piteous  wise.'  Falrii  Qnecn.  '  Pijlin'r 
and  polling  is  grown  out  of  request,  since  plain  pilfering  came 
into  fashion.'  Vhiwood's  Memorials.  'They  had  rather  pill 
straws  than  read  the  scriptures.'  Bent's  Palkwm/.—Ex). 


this  Publican.  Nor  can  he  by  Heathen  Man, 
intend  the  person,  and  by  the  term  Publican,  the 
office  or  place  of  the  heathen  man ;  but  by  Publi- 
can is  meant  the  renegade  5Q\f,  in  such  a  place, 
he.  as  is  yet  further  manifest  by  that  which  follows. 
For, 

2.  Tliose  Publicans,  even  every  one  of  them 
that  by  name  are  made  mention  of  in  the  New 
Testament,  have  such  names  put  upon  them ;  yea, 
and  other  circumstances  thereunto  annexed,  as 
doth  demonstrate  them  to  be  Jews.  I  remember 
the  names  of  no  more  but  three,  to  wit,  Matthew, 
Levi,  and  Zaccheus,  and  they  were  all  Jews. 

(1.)  Matthew  was  a  Jew,  and  the  same  Matthew 
was  a  Publican ;  yea,  and  also  afterward  an  apostle. 
He  was  a  Jew,  and  wrote  his  gospel  in  Hebrew ; 
He  was  an  apostle,  and  is  therefore  fomid  among 
the  twelve.  That  he  was  a  Publican  too,  is  as 
evident  by  his  own  words :  For  though  Mai'k  and 
Luke  in  their  mentioning  of  his  name  and  apostle- 
ship,  do  forbear  to  call  him  a  Publican.  (Mar.  m.  is. 
Lu.  vi.  IB. )  Yet  v/hen  this  Matthew  comes  to  speak 
of  himself,  he  calls  himself  Matthew  the  Publican, 
Mat.  X.  3.  for  I  count  this  the  self-same  Matthew 
that  ]\Iark  and  Luke  maketh  mention  of,  because 
I  find  no  other  Matthew  among  the  apostles  but 
he :  Matthew  the  Publican,  Matthew  the  man  so 
deep  in  apostacy,  Matthew  the  man  of  that  ill 
fame  among  his  brethren.  Love  in  Mark  and 
Luke,  when  they  counted  him  among  the  apostles, 
did  cover  with  silence  this  his  publican  state ;  and 
it  is  meet  for  Peter  to  call  Paul  his  beloved  brother, 
when  Paul  himself  shall  call  himself  the  chief  of 
sinners ;  but  faithfulness  to  the  world,  and  a  desire 
to  be  abased,  that  Christ  thereby,  and  grace  by 
him,  might  be  advanced,  made  Matthew,  in  his 
evangelical  writings,  call  himself  by  the  name  of 
Matthew  the  Pubhcan.  Nor  has  he  lost  thereby; 
for  Christ  again  to  exalt  him,  as  he  hath  also 
done  by  the  apostle  Paul,  hatli  set,  by  his  special 
providence,  the  testimony  that  this  Matthew  hath 
given  of  his  birth,  life,  death,  doctrine,  and  miracles, 
in  the  front  of  all  the  New  Testament. 

(2.)  The  next  Pubhcan  that  I  find  by  the  testa- 
ment of  Christ,  made  mention  of  by  name,  is  Levi, 
another  of  the  apostles  of  Jesus  Christ.  This 
Levi  also,  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  holy  writ,  is 
called  by  the  name  of  James.  Not  James  the 
brother  of  John,  for  Zebedee  was  his  father ;  but 
James  the  son  of  AljAeus.  Now  I  take  this  Levi 
also  to  be  another  than  Matthew ;  first,  because 
Matthew  is  not  called  the  son  of  Alpheus ;  and 
because  Matthew  and  Levi,  or  James  the  sou  of 
Alpheus,  are  distinctly  counted  where  the  names 
of  the  apostles  are  mentioned.  Mat.  x.  3.  for  two 
distinct  persons :  And  that  this  Levi,  or  James  the 
apostle  was  a  Publican,  as  was  the  apostle  Matthew, 
wliom  wo  mentioned  before,  is  evident;  for  both 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


221 


Mark  aucl  Luke  do  count  hiin  such.  First,  Mai-k 
saitb,  Christ  found  him  when  he  called  him,  as  he 
also  found  Matthew,  sitting  at  the  receipt  of  cus- 
tom ;  yea,  Luke  words  it  thus :  '  He  went  forth, 
and  saw  a  publican,  named  Levi,  sitting  at  the 
receipt  of  custom :  and  he  said  imto  him.  Follow 

me. '  Mar.  ii.  14.  lu.  v.  27. 

Now  that  this  Levi,  or  James  the  son  of  Alpheus, 
was  a  Jew,  his  name  doth  well  make  manifest.  Be- 
sides, had  there  been  among  the  apostles  any  more 
Gentiles  save  Simon  the  Canaanite ;  or  if  this  Levi 
James  had  been  [one]  here,  I  think  the  Holy  Ghost 
would,  to  distinguish  him,  have  included  him  in 
the  same  discriminating  character  as  he  did  the 
other,  when  he  called  him  Simon  the  Canaanite. 

Mat.  X.  4. 

Matthew,  therefore,  and  Levi  or  James,  were 
both  Pubhcans,  and,  as  I  think,  called  both  at  the 
same  time  ;*  were  both  Publican-Jews,  and  made 
by  grace  the  apostles  of  Jesus  Christ. 

(3.)  The  next  PubUcan  that  I  find  by  name, 
made  mention  of  in  the  testament  of  Christ,  is  one 
Zaccheus.  And  he  was  a  chief  Publican ;  yea, 
for  ought  I  know,  the  master  of  them  all.  '  There 
was  a  man,  (saith  Luke,)  named  Zaccheus,  Avhich 
was  the  chief  among  the  Publicans,  and  he  was 
rich.'  Lu.  six. 3.  This  man,  Christ  saith,  was  a  son 
of  Abraham,  that  is,  as  other  Jews  were ;  for  he 
spake  that  to  stop  the  mouths  of  their  pharisaical 
cavillations.  Besides,  the  Publican  shewed  him- 
self to  be  such  an  one,  when  under  a  supposition 
of  wronging  any  man,  he  has  I'cspect  to  the  Jew- 
ish law  of  restoring  foui--fold.  E.x.  x.xii.  i.  2  Sa.  xii.  6. 

It  is  further  manifest  that  he  was  a  Jew,  because 
Christ  puts  him  among  the  lost ;  to  wit,  among  the 
lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,  Lu.  xix.  8— lo.  and 
Mat.  XV.  24.  for  Zaccheus  was  one  that  might  properly 
be  said  to  be  lost,  and  that  in  the  Jews  account : 
Lost  I  say,  and  that  not  only  in  the  most  common 
sense,  by  reason  of  transgression  against  the  law, 
but  for  that  he  was  an  apostate  Jew ;  not  with  re- 
ference to  heathenish  religion,  but  as  to  heathen- 
ish, cruel,  and  barbarous  actions  ;  and  therefore  he 
was,  as  the  other,  by  his  brethren  counted  as  bad 
as  heathens,  gentiles,  and  harlots.  But  salva- 
tion is  come  to  this  house,  saith  Christ,  and  that 
notwithstanding  his  Publican  practices,  forasmuch 
as  he  also  is  the  son  of  Abraham. 

3.  Again,  Christ  by  the  parable  of  the  lost  sheep, 
doth  plainly  intimate,  that  the  Publican  was  a  Jew. 
'  Then  drew  near  unto  him  all  the  Publicans  and 
sinners  for  to  hear  him.     And  the  Pharisees  and 


*  Immediately  after  Uic  calling  of  Mattlicw  and  of  James, 
our  Lord  sat  at  meat  iu  Levi's  [James!]  house,  and  made  that 
gracious  declaration,  '  I  am  not  come  to  call  the  righteous  but 
sinners  to  repentance ;'  compare  Matt.  ix.  10 — 13,  \nth  JIark 
ii.  14—17  and  Luke  v.  37—32  —Ed. 


Scribes  murmured,  saying,  This  man  rcceivcth  sin- 
ners, and  eateth  with  them.'  Lu. xv.  1,3. 

But  by  what  answer  doth  Christ  repel  their  ob- 
jections ?  Wliy,  he  saith,  *  What  man  of  you,  hav- 
ing an  hundred  sheep,  if  he  lose  one  of  them,  doth 
not  leave  the  ninety  and  nine  in  the  wilderness,  and 
go  after  that  which  is  lost  imtil  ho  find  it?'  Doth 
he  not  here,  by  the  lost  sheep,  mean  the  poor  Pub- 
lican? Plenty  of  whom,  while  he  preached  this 
sermon,  were  there,  as  objects  of  the  Pharisees' 
scorn;  but  of  the  pity  and  compassion  of  Jesus 
Christ !  he  did  without  doubt  mean  them.  For, 
pray,  what  was  the  flock,  and  Avho  Christ's  sheep 
under  the  law,  but  the  house  and  people  of  Israel? 
Exe.  xxxiv.  30, 31.  So  then,  who  coidd  be  the  lost  sheep 
of  the  house  of  Israel,  but  such  as  was  Matthew, 
James,  Zaccheus,  and  their  companions  in  their, 
and  such  like  transgressions. 

4.  Besides,  had  not  the  Publicans  been  of  the 
Jews,  how  easy  had  it  been  for  the  Pharisees  to 
have  objected,  that  an  impertinency  was  couched 
in  that  most  excellent  parable  of  the  lost  sheep? 
They  might  have  said.  We  are  offended,  because 
thou  recelvest  the  Publicans,  and  thou  for  vindica- 
tion of  thy  practice,  propoundest  a  parable  of  lost 
sheep ;  l)ut  they  are  the  sinners  of  the  house  of 
Israel,  and  the  Pubhcans  are  ahcns  and  Gentiles. 
I  say,  How  easily  might  they  thus  have  objected? 
But  they  knew  full  well,  that  the  parable  was  per- 
tment,  for  that  the  Publicans  were  of  the  Jews, 
and  not  of  the  aliens.  Yea,  had  they  not  been 
Jews,  it  cannot,  it  must  not  be  thought,  that  Christ, 
in  sum,  should  call  them  so ;  and  yet  he  did  do  so, 
when  he  called  them  lost  sheep. 

Now  that  these  Publicans  were  Jews,  what  fol- 
lows, but  that  for  this  they  were  a  great  deal  the 
more  abominated  of  their  brethren.  And,  as  I 
have  also  hinted  before,  it  is  no  marvel  though 
they  were ;  for  a  treacherous  brother  is  worse  than 
an  open  enemy.  Ps.  w.  13, 13.  For,  if  to  be  debauched 
in  open  and  common  transgressions  is  odious,  how 
odious  is  it  for  a  brother  to  be  so?  For  a  brother 
in  nature  and  rehgion  to  be  so  ?  I  say  again,  if 
these  things  are  intolerable,  Avhat  shall  we  thmk  of 
such  men,  as  shall  join  to  all  this  comphance  with 
a  foreign  prince  to  rob  the  church  of  God?  Yea, 
that  shall  become  a  tenant,  an  officer,  a  man  in 
power  imder  them,  to  exact,  force,  and  wring  out 
of  the  hand  of  a  brother  his  estate ;  yea,  his  bread 
and  livelihood.  Add  to  aU  this.  What  shaU  we 
say  to  him  that  shall  do  for  an  enemy  agamst  a 
brother  in  a  way  of  injury  and  wrong,  more  than 
in  strictness  of  law  they  were  commanded  by  that 
same  enemy  to  do?  And  yet  all  this  they  did,  as 
both  John  insinuates,  and  Zaccheus  confesses.! 


t  Nearly  half  this  paragraph  is  omitted  from  every  edition 
since  1688,  probably  from^a  fear  lest  it  should  be  misinter- 


322 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


The  Pliavisco  therefore  was  not  so  good,  but  the 
Pubhcan  was  as  bad :  Indeed,  the  Publican  Avas  a 
notorious  wretch,  ono  that  had  a  way  of  trans- 
gressing by  himself ;  one  that  could  not  be  suffi- 
ciently condemned  by  the  Jews,  nor  coupled  with 
a  viler  than  himself.  'Tis  true,  you  find  him  here 
hi  the  temple  at  prayer ;  not  because  he  retained 
ill  his  apostacy,  conscience  of  the  true  religion,  but 
God  had  awakened  him,  shewn  him  his  sin,  and 
bestowed  upon  him  the  grace  of  repentance,  by 
which  he  was  not  only  fetched  back  to  the  temple, 
and  prayer,  but  to  his  God,  and  to  the  salvation 
of  his  soul. 

The  Pharisee,  then,  was  a  man  of  another  com- 
plexion, and  stood  as  to  his  own  thoughts  of  him- 
self ;  yea,  and  in  the  thoughts  of  others  also,  upon 
the  highest  and  better  ground  by  far.  The  Publi- 
can was  a  notorious  sinner;  the  Pharisee  was  a 
noiorioiis  righteous  man.  The  Publican  was  a 
sinner  out  of  the  ordinary  way  of  sinning ;  and  the 
Pharisee  was  a  man  for  rio-hteousness  in  a  sins-ular 
Avay  also.  The  Publican  pursued  his  villanies,  and 
the  Pharisee  pursued  his  righteousness ;  and  yet 
they  both  meet  in  the  temple  to  pray.  Yea,  the 
Pharisee  stuck  to,  and  boasted  in  the  law  of  God; 
but  the  Publican  did  forsake  it,  and  hardened  his 
heart  against  his  way  and  people. 

Thus  diverse  Avcre  they  in  their  appearances ; 
the  Pharisee,  very  good ;  the  Publican,  very  bad. 
But  as  to  the  law  of  God,  which  looked  upon  them 
with  reference  to  the  state  of  their  spirits,  and  the 
nature  of  their  actions,  by  that  they  were  both 
found  sinners ;  the  Publican  an  open  outside  one, 
and  the  Pharisee  a  filthy  inside  one.  This  is  evi- 
dent, because  the  best  of  them  was  rejected,  and 
the  worst  of  them  Avas  received  to  mercy.  Mercy 
gtandeth  not  at  the  Publican's  badness,  nor  is  it 
enamoured  with  the  Pharisee's  goodness  :  It  suf- 
fereth  not  the  law  to  take  place  on  both,  though  it 
findeth  them  both  in  sin,  but  graciously  embracoth 
the  most  unworthy,  and  leaveth  the  best  to  shift 
for  himself.  And  good  reason  that  both  should 
be  dealt  with  after  this  manner ;  to  wit,  that  the 
word  of  grace  should  be  justified  upon  the  soul  of 
the  penitent,  and  that  the  other  should  stand  or 
fall  to  that,  which  he  had  chosen  to  be  his  master. 

There  arc  three  things  that  follow  upon  this 
discourse. 

[Conclusion.]  1.  That  the  righteousness  of  man 
is  not  of  any  esteem  Avith  God,  as  to  Justification. 
It  is  passed  by  as  a  thing  of  naughtiness,  a  thing 
not  Avorth  the  taking  notice  of.  There  Avas  not  so 
much  as  notice  taken  of  the  Pharisee's  person,  or 
prayer,  because  he  came  into  the  temple  mantled 
up  in  his  own  good  things. 


preted  as  reflecting  upon  the  glorious  rcvolutioa  under  William 
aud  Mary.     See  page  220,— Ed. 


[Conclusion.]  2.  That  the  man  that  has  nothing 
to  commend  him  to  God,  but  his  o\>'n  good  doings, 
shall  never  be  in  favour  with  him.  This  also  is 
evident  from  the  text :  The  Pharisee  had  his  oavu; 
righteousness,  but  had  nothing  else  to  commend 
him  to  God ;  and  therefore  could  not  by  that  obtain 
favour  Avith  God,  but  abode  still  a  rejected  one,  and 
in  a  state  of  condemnation. 

[Conclusion.]  3.  Wherefore,  though  wo  are  bound 
by  the  law  of  charity  to  judge  of  men,  according 
as  in  appearance  they  present  themselves  unto  us: 
yet  Avithal,  to  Avit,  though  Ave  do  so  judge,  we  must 
leave  room  for  the  judgment  of  God.  Mercy  may 
receive  him  that  Ave  have  doomed  to  hell,  and  jus- 
tice may  take  hold  on  him,  Avhom  Ave  have  judged 
to  be  bound  up  in  the  bundle  of  life.  And  both 
these  things  are  apparent  by  the  persons  mider 
consideration. 

We,  like  Joseph,  are  for  setting  of  Manasseh 
before  Ephraim;  but  God,  like  Jacob,  puts  his 
hands  across,  and  lays  his  right  hand  upon  the 
Avorst  man's  head,  and  his  left  hand  upon  the  best, 
to  the  amazement  and  Avonderment  even  of  the  best 

of  men.  Ge.  xlviii.  11. 

[THE  PHARISEE'S  PRAYER.] 

*  Two  men  went  up  into  the  temple  to  pray;  the 
one  a  Pharisee,  and  the  other  a  Publican.  The 
Pharisee  stood  and  prayed  thus  Avith  himself,  God, 
I  thank  thee,  that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  ex- 
tortioners, unjust,  adulterers,  or  even  as  this  Pub- 
lican. I  fast  twice  in  the  week,  I  give  tithes  of 
all  that  I  possess.'* 

In  these  words  many  things  are  worth  the  not- 
ing.    As, 

EIRST.  The  Pharisee's  definition  of  righte- 
ousness; the  Avhich  standeth  in  tAvo  things:  1.  In 
negatives.     2.   In  positives. 

In  negatives ;  to  Avit,  Avhat  a  man  that  is  righ- 
teous must  not  be:  I  am  no  extortioner,  no  unjust 
man,  no  adulterer,  nor  yet  as  this  publican. 

In  positives ;  to  Avit,  Avhat  a  man  that  is  righ- 
teous must  be :  I  fast  twice  a  Aveek,  I  give  tithes 
of  all  that  I  possess,  «fec. 

That  righteousness  standeth  in  negative  and 
positive  holiness  is  true ;  but  that  the  Pharisee's 
definition  is,  notwithstanding,  false,  will  be  mani- 
fest by  and  by.  But  I  avIU  first  treat  of  righteous- 
ness in  the  general,  because  the  text  leadeth  mo 
to  it. 

First  then,  A  Man  that  is  righteous,  must  have 
negative  Jwliness;  that  is,  he  must  not  live  in  actual 

*  This  proud  beggar  shews  not  his  wounds  but  his  worth ; 
not  his  rags,  but  his  robes ;  not  Ids  )uisery,  but  his  stout- 
lieartedness :  he  brings  in  God  Almighty  as  a  debtor  to  him 
for  his  services,  and  thanks  God  more  that  others  Avere  bad, 
tlian  for  his  own  fancied  goodness. — Belaud. 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  TUBLICAN. 


238 


transgressions  :  He  must  not  be  an  extortioner, 
unjust,  an  adulterer,  or,  as  the  Publican  was. 
And  this  the  apostle  intends,  -when  he  saith,  'Flee 
fornication,  2  Ti.  ii.  23.  flee  also  youthful  lusts,  iCo.\xi8. 
flee  from  idolatry,'  ICo. x. li.  and  'Little  children, 
keep  yourselves  from  idols. '  i  Jn.  v.  21.  For  it  is  a 
vain  thing  to  talk  of  righteousness,  and  that  our- 
selves are  righteous,  when  every  observer  shall  find 
us  in  actual  transgression.  Yea,  though  a  man 
shall  mix  his  want  of  negative  holiness,  "vvith  some 
good  actions,  that  will  not  make  him  a  righteous 
man.  As  suppose,  a  man  that  is  a  swearer,  a 
drunkard,  an  adulterer,  or  the  like,  should,  not- 
withstanding this,  be  open  handed  to  the  poor,  be 
a  greater  executor  of  justice  in  his  place,  be  exact 
in  his  buying,  selling,  keep  touch  Avith  his  promise 
and  with  his  friend,  or  the  like.  These  things, 
yea,  many  more  such,  cannot  make  him  a  righteous 
man ;  for  the  beginning  of  righteousness  is  yet 
wanting  in  him,  which  is  this  negative  holiness  : 
For  except  a  man  shall  leave  off  to  do  evil  he  can- 
not be  a  rifihteous  man.  Negative  holiness  is  there- 
fore  of  absolute  necessity  to  make  one  in  one's  self 
a  righteous  mam  This  therefore  condemns  them, 
that  count  it  suflicient  if  a  man  have  some  actions 
that  in  themselves,  and  by  virtue  of  the  command 
are  good,  to  make  him  a  righteous  man,  though 
negative  holiness  is  Avanting.  This  is  as  saying  to 
the  wicked,  Thou  art  righteous,  and  a  perverting 
of  the  right  way  of  the  Lord.  Negative  holiness 
therefore  must  be  in  a  man  before  he  can  be 
accounted  righteous. 

Second.  As  negative  holiness  is  required  to  de- 
clare one  a  righteous  man ;  so  also  positive  holiness 
must  he  joined  therewith,  or  the  man  is  unrighteous 
still.  For  it  is  not  what  a  man  is  not,  but  what  a 
man  does,  that  declares  him  a  righteous  man. 
Suppose  a  man  be  no  thief,  no  liar,  no  unjust  man; 
or,  as  the  Pharisee  saith,  no  extortioner,  no  adul- 
terer, he,  this  will  not  make  him  a  righteous  man. 
But  there  must  be  joined  to  these,  holy  and  good 
actions,  before  he  can  be  declared  a  righteous  man. 
Wherefore,  as  the  apostle,  when  he  pressed  the 
Christians  to  righteousness,  did  put  them  first  upon 
negative  holiness,  so  he  joineth  thereto  an  exhorta- 
tion to  positive  holiness ;  knowing,  that  where  posi- 
tive holiness  is  wanting,  all  the  negative  holiness  in 
the  whole  world  cannot  declare  a  man  a  righteous 
man.  When  therefore  he  had  said,  'But  thou,  0 
man  of  God,  flee  these  things, '  (sins  and  wicked- 
ness) he  adds,  'and  follow  after  righteousness,  god- 
liness, faith,  love,  patience,  meekness.'  ITI. n.  11. 
Here  Timothy  is  exhorted  to  negative  hohness, 
when  he  is  bid  to  flee  sin.  Here  also  he  is 
exliorted  to  positive  holiness,  when  he  is  bid 
to  follow  after  righteousness,  (fee,  for  righteous- 
ness can  neither  stand  in  negative  nor  positive 
holiness,    as   severed   one   from   another.      That 


man  then,  and  that  man  only,  is,  as  to  actions 
a  righteous  man,  that  hath  left  off  to  do  evil,  and 
hath  learnt  to  do  well.  Is.  i.  ic,  17.  that  hath  cast  off 
the  works  of  darkness,  and  put  on  the  armour  of 
light.  Flee  also  youthful  lusts,  (said  Paul,)  but 
follow  righteousness,  faith,  charity,  peace,  with 
them  that  call  on  the  Lord  out  of  a  pure  heart. 

2  Ti.  ii.  23. 

The  Pharisee  therefore,  as  to  the  general  des- 
cription of  righteousness,  made  his  definition  right; 
but  as  to  his  person  and  personal  righteousness,  he 
made  his  definition  wrong,  I  do  not  mean,  he  de- 
fined his  own  righteousness  wrong;  but  I  mean, 
his  definition  of  true  righteousness,  which  standeth 
in  negative  and  positive  holiness,  he  made  to  stoop 
to  justify  his  o\vn  righteousness,  and  therein  he 
played  the  hypocrite  in  his  prayer :  For  although 
it  is  true  righteousness,  that  standeth  in  negative 
and  positive  holiness  ;  yet  that  is  not  true  righte- 
ousness, that  standeth  but  in  some  pieces  and  rag- 
ged remnants  of  negative  and  positive  righteous- 
ness. If  then  the  Pharisee  would  in  his  definition 
of  personal  righteousness,  have  proved  his  own 
righteousness  to  be  good,  he  must  have  proved, 
that  both  his  negative  and  positive  holiness  had 
been  universal:  to  wit,  that  he  had  left  oft'  to  act 
in  any  Avickedness,  and  that  he  had  given  up  him- 
self to  the  duty  enjoined  in  every  commandment. 
For  so  the  righteous  man  is  described.  Job  i.  8.  A3 
it  is  also  said  of  Zacharias  and  Elizabeth  his  wife, 
'  They  Avere  both  righteous  before  God,  walking 
in  all  the  commandments  and  ordinances  of  the 
Lord  blameless. '  Lu.  i.  6.  Here  the  perfection,  that 
is,  the  imiA'ersality  of  their  negative  holiness  is 
implied,  and  the  uniA^ersality  of  their  positive  holi- 
ness is  expressed:  They  walked  in  all  the  com- 
mandments of  the  Lord ;  but  that  they  could  not 
do,  if  they  had  lived  in  any  unrighteous  thing  or 
way.  They  walked  in  all  blamelessly,  that  is,  sin- 
cerely with  upright  hearts.  The  Pharisee's  righte- 
ousness therefore,  even  by  his  own  implied  defini- 
tion of  righteousness,  Avas  not  good,  as  is  manifest 
these  two  ways. 

1.  His  negative  Iwliness  was  not  universal. 

2.  His  positive  holiness  was  rather  criminal*  Huxn 
moral. 

1 .  His  negative  holiness  Avas  not  xmiversol.  He 
saith  indeed,  he  was  not  an  extortioner,  nor  unjust, 
no  adulterer,  nor  yet  as  this  Publican :  but  none 
of  these  expressions  apart,  nor  all,  if  put  together, 
do  proA^e  him  to  be  perfect  as  to  negatiA'e  holiness ; 
that  is,  they  do  not  prove  him,  should  it  be  granted, 
that  he  was  as  holy  with  this  kind  of  holiness,  as 
himself  of  himself  had  testified.     For, 


*  The  AS-ord  '  crimiiial,'  used  by  Bunyan,  has  been  altered 
in  modera  editions  to  '  ceremonial ;'  but  it  was  not  ouly  cere- 
monial but  superstitious,  and  therefore  more  criminal  thaa 
moral. 


224 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


(1.)  What  tliougli  lie  was  no  extortioner,  he 
might  yet  he  a  covetous  man.  Lu.  xvi.  u. 

(2.)  What  though,  as  to  dcahng,  lie  was  not 
unjust  to  otliers,  yet  ho  wanted  honesty  to  do  jus- 
tice to  his  own  soul.  Lu.  xvi.  15. 

(3.)  What,  though  he  was  free  from  the  act  of 
adultery,  he  might  yet  he  made  guilty  by  an  adul- 
terous eye,  against  which  the  Pharisee  did  not 
watch,  of  which  the  Pharisee  did  not  take  cogni- 
zance. Mat.  V.  28. 

(4.)  What,  though  he  was  not  hke  the  publican, 
yet  he  was  like,  yea,  was  a  downright  hypocrite ; 
he  wanted  in  those  things  wherein  he  boasted  him- 
self, sincerity ;  but  Avithout  sincerity  no  action  can 
be  good,  or  accounted  of  God  as  righteous.  The 
Pharisee  therefore,  notwithstanding  his  boasts,  was 
deficient  in  his  righteousness,  though  he  would 
fain  have  shrouded  it  under  the  right  definition 
thereof. 

2.  Nor  doth  his  positive  holiness  hdp  him  at  all, 
forasmuch  as  it  is  grounded  mostly,  if  not  alto- 
gether, in  ceremonial  holiness.  Nay,  I  will  recol- 
lect myself,  it  was  grounded  partly  in  cere^nonicd, 
and  partly  in  superstitious  holiness,  if  there  be  such 
a  thing  as  superstitious  holiness  in  the  world,  this 
paying  of  tithes  was  ceremonial,  such  as  came  in 
and  went  out  with  the  typical  priesthood.  But 
what  is  that  to  positive  holiness,  when  it  was  but 
a  small  pittance  by  the  by.  Had  the  Pharisee 
argued  plainly  and  honestly;  I  mean,  had  he  so 
dealt  with  that  law,  by  which  now  he  sought  to  be 
justified,  he  should  have  brought  forth  positive 
righteousness  in  morals,  and  should  have  said  and 
proved  it  too,  that,  as  he  was  no  wicked  man  with 
reference  to  the  act  of  wickedness,  he  was  indeed 
a  righteous  man  in  acts  of  moral  virtues.  He 
should,  I  say,  have  proved  himself  a  true  lover  of 
God,  no  superstitious  one,  but  a  sincere  worship- 
per of  him ;  for  this  is  contained  in  the  first  table, 
Ex.  XX.  and  is  so  in  sum  expounded  by  the  Lord 
Christ  himself.  Mar.  xii.  30.  He  should  also  in  the 
next  place  have  proved  himself  truly  kind,  com- 
passionate, liberal,  and  full  of  love  and  charity  to 
his  neighbour ;  for  that  is  the  sum  of  the  second 
table,  as  our  Lord  also  doth  expound  it,  saying, 
'Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.'  Mar. 

xii.  31. 

True,  he  says,  he  did  them  no  hurt ;  but  did  he 
do  them  good?  To  do  no  hurt  is  one  thing;  and 
to  do  good,  is  another ;  and  it  is  possible  for  a  man 
to  do  neitlicr  hurt  nor  good  to  his  neighbour.  What 
then,  Is  he  a  righteous  man  because  he  hath  done 
him  no  hurt  ?  No  verily ;  unless,  to  his  power, 
he  hath  also  done  him  good. 

It  is  therefore  a  very  fallacious  and  deceitful 
arguing  of  the  Pharisee,  thus  to  speak  before  God 
in  his  prayer :  I  am  righteous,  because  I  have  not 
hurt  my  neighbour,  and  because  I  have  acted  in 


ceremonial  duties.  Nor  will  that  help  him  at  all 
to  say,  he  gave  tithes  of  all  that  he  possessed. 
It  had  been  more  modest  to  say,  that  ho  had  paid 
them ;  for  they,  being  commanded,  were  a  due 
debt ;  nor  coidd  they  go  before  God  for  a  free  gift, 
because  by  the  commandment  they  were  made  a 
payment;  but  proud  men  and  hypocrites,  love 
so  to  word  it  both  with  God  and  man,  as  at 
least  to  imply,  that  they  arc  more  forward  to 
do,  than  God's  commandment  is  to  require  them 
to  do. 

The  second  part  of  his  positive  holiness  was 
superstitious ;  for  God  hath  appointed  no  such  set 
fasts,  neither  more  nor  less,  but  just  twice  a  week: 
I  fast  twice  a  week.  Ay,  but  who  did  command 
thee  to  do  so  ;*  commanded  to  fast  when  occasion 
required  if  thou  wast,  but  that  thou  shouldest  have 
any  occasion  to  do  so  as  thou  doest,  other  than  by 
thy  being  put  upon  it  by  a  superstitious  and  erro- 
neous conscience,  doth  not,  nor  canst  thou  make 
to  appear.  This  part  therefore  of  this  positive 
righteousness,  was  positive  superstition,  an  abuse 
of  God's  law,  and  a  gratification  of  thy  own  erro- 
neous conscience.  Hitherto  therefore,  thou  art 
defective  in  thy  so  seemingly  brave  and  glorious 
righteousness. 

Yet  this  let  me  say  in  commendation  of  the 
Pharisee :  In  my  conscience  he  was  better  than 
many  of  our  English  Christians  ;  for  many  of  them 
are  so  far  ofi"  from  being  at  all  partakers  of  positive 
righteousness,  that  all  their  ministers,  bibles,  good 
books,  good  sermons,  nor  yet  God's  judgments, 
can  persuade  them  to  become  so  much  as  negatively 
holy,  that  is,  to  leave  off  evil. 

SECOND. — The  second  thing  that  I  take  notice 
of  in  this  prayer  of  the  Pharisee,  is.  His  manner 
OF  DELIVERY,  as  he  stood  praying  in  the  temple. 
'  God,  I  thank  thee  (said  he)  that  I  am  not  as  other 
men  are.  He  seemed  to  be  at  this  time,  in  more 
than  an  ordinary  frame,  while  now  he  stood  in  the 
presence  of  the  divine  majesty:  for  a  prayer  made 
up  of  praise,  is  a  prayer  of  the  highest  order,  and 
is  most  like  the  Avay  of  them  that  are  now  in  a 
state  beyond  prayer.  Praise  is  the  work  of  heaven; 
but  we  see  here,  that  an  hypocrite  may  get  into 
that  vein,  even  while  an  hypocrite,  and  while  on 
earth  below.  Nor  do  I  think  that  this  prayer  of 
his  was  a  premeditated  stinted  form,  but  a  prayer 
extempore,  made  on  a  sudden,  according  to  what 
he  felt,  thought,  or  understood  of  himself. 

Here  therefore,  we  may  see,  that  even  prayer, 
as  weU  as  other  acts  of  religious  worship,  may  be 
performed  in  great  hypocrisy ;  although,  I  think, 

*  It  is  singular  tliat  our  modem  pharisecs  continiic  tlie 
custom  of  fasting  twice  a  week,  on  "Wednesday  and  Friday. 
This  is  not  so  monstrous  as  pretending  to  iTo  what  '  God 
manifest  in  the  flesh'  alone  could  do — to  fast  for  forty  con- 
secutive days. — El). 


THE  PHAEISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


225 


tliat  to  perform  prayer  in  liypocrisy,  is  one  of  the 
most  daring  sins  that  are  committed  hy  the  sons 
of  men.  For  by  prayer,  above  all  duties,  is  our 
most  direct,  and  immediate  personal  approach  into 
the  presence  of  God :  and  as  there  is  an  uttering 
of  things  before  him,  especially  a  giving  of  him 
thanks  for  things  received,  or  a  begging,  that  such 
and  such  things  might  be  bestowed  upon  me. 
But  now  to  do  these  things  in  hypocrisy,  and  'tis 
easy  to  do  them  so,  when  we  go  up  into  the  temple 
to  pray,  must  needs  be  intolerable  wickedness,  and 
it  argueth  infinite  patience  in  God,  that  he  should 
let  such  as  do  so,  arise  alive  from  their  knees,  or 
that  he  should  suflfer  them  to  go  away  from  the 
place  where  they  stand,  without  some  token  or 
mark  of  his  wrath  upon  them. 

I  also  observe.  That  this  extempore  prayer  of 
the  Pharisee,  was  performed  by  himself,  or  in  the 
strength  of  his  own  natural  parts ;  for  so  the  text 
implieth,  '  The  Pharisee, '  saith  the  text,  *  stood 
and  prayed  thus  with  himself,'  with  himself,  or 
by  himself,  and  may  signify,  either  that  he  spoke 
softly,  or  that  he  made  this  prayer  by  reason  of 
his  natTiral  partsv  *  I  will  pray  with  the  Spirit,' 
said  Paid,  l  Co.  xiv.  15.  The  Pharisee  prayed  Avith 
himself,  said  Christ.  It  is  at  this  day  wonderful 
common,  for  men  to  pray  extempore  also.  To  pray 
by  a  book,  by  a  premeditated  set  form,  is  now  out 
of  fashion.  He  is  counted  no  body  now,  that  can- 
not at  any  time,  at  a  minute's  warning,  make  a 
prayer  of  half  an  hour  long.  I  am  not  against 
extempore  prayer,  for  I  believe  it  to  be  the  best 
kind  of  praying  ;  but  yet  I  am  jealous,  that  there 
are  a  great  many  such  prayers  made,  especially  in 
pulpits  and  public  meetings,  without  the  breathing 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  them :  For  if  a  Pharisee  of 
old  could  do  so.  Why  may  not  a  Pharisee  do  the 
same  now  ?  Wit,  and  reason,  and  notion  is  now 
screwed  up  to  a  very  great  height ;  nor  do  men 
want  words,  or  fancies,  or  pride,  to  make  them  do 
this  thing.  Great  is  the  formality  of  religion  this 
day,  and  little  the  power  thereof.  Now  where 
there  is  a  great  form  and  little  power,  and  such 
there  was  also  among  the  Jews,  in  the  time  of  our 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  there  men  are  most  strangely 
under  the  temptation  to  be  hypocrites  ;  for  nothing- 
doth  so  properly  and  directly  oppose  hypocrisy,  as 
the  power  and  glory  of  the  things  we  profess.  And 
so  on  the  contrary,  nothing  is  a  greater  temptation 
to  hypocrisy,  than  a  form  of  knowledge  of  things 
without  the  savour  thereof.  Nor  can  much  of  the 
power  and  savour  of  the  things  of  the  gospel  be 
seen  at  this  day  upon  professors,  I  speak  not  now 
of  all,  if  their  notions  and  conversations  be  compared 
together.  How  proud,  how  covetous,  how  hke  the 
world  in  garb  and  guise,  in  words  and  actions,  are 
most  of  the  great  professors  of  this  our  day  !  But 
when   they  come  to  divine   worship,  especially  to 

VOL.  II. 


pray,  by  their  words  and  carriages  there,  one 
would  almost  judge  them  to  be  angels  in  heaven. 
But  such  things  must  be  done  in  hj-pocrisy,  as  also 
the  Pharisee's  were. 

The  Pharisee  stood  and  prayed  thus  with  him- 
self. 

And,  in  that  it  is  said,  *  he  prayed  with  him- 
self;'  it  may  signify,  that  he  went  in  his  prayer  no 
further  than  his  sense  and  reason,  feeling  and 
carnal  apprehensions  went.  True,  Christian  prayer 
ofttimes  leaves  sense  and  reason,  feeling,  and 
carnal  apprehensions  behind  it,  and  it  goeth  forth 
with  faith,  hope,  and  desires  to  know  what  at 
present  we  are  ignorant  of,  and  that  unto  which 
our  sense,  feeling,  reason,  tkc,  are  strangers. 
The  apostle  indeed  doth  say,  *  I  will  pray  with  the 
understanding, '  1  Co.  xiv.  15.  but  then  it  must  be 
taken  for  an  understanding  spiritually  enlightened. 
I  say,  it  must  be  so  understood,  because  tho  natural 
understanding,  properly  as  such,  receivetli  not 
the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God  when  offered,  and 
therefore  cannot  pray  for  them ;  for  they  to  such, 
are  foolish  things.  1  Co.  ii.  14. 

Now  a  spiritually  enlightened  understanding  may 
be  ofiicious  in  pra3'er  these  ways. 

1.  As  it  has  received  conviction  of  the  truth  of 
the  being  of  the  things  that  are  of  the  Spirit  of 
God ;  For  to  receive  conviction  of  the  truth  and 
being  of  such  things,  comes  from  the  Spirit  of 
God,  not  from  the  law,  sense,  or  reason.  1  Co.  ii.  10 
—12.  Now  the  understanding  having,  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  received  conviction  of  the  truth  of  the  being 
of  such  things,  draweth  out  the  heart  to  cry  in 
prayer  to  God  for  them.  Therefore  he  saith,  he 
would  pray  with  the  understanding. 

2.  A  spiritually  enlightened  understanding,  hath 
also  received  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  conviction  of  the 
excellency  and  glory  of  the  things  that  are  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  so  enflameth  the  heart  with 
more  fervent  desires  in  this  duty  of  prayer;  for 
there  is  a  supernatual  excellency  in  the  things  that 
are  of  the  Spirit ;  '  But  if  the  ministration  of  death, 
(to  which  the  Pharisee  adhered)  written  aiid 
engraven  in  stones,  was  glorious,  so  that  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  coidd  not  stedfastly  behold  the  face 
of  Moses  for  the  glory  of  his  countenance ;  which 
glory  was  to  be  done  away:  How  shall  not  the 
ministration  of  the  Spirit  be  rather  glorious.  For 
if  the  ministration  of  condemnation  be  glory,  much 
more  doth  the  ministration  of  righteousness  exceed 
in  glor3\  For  even  that  which  was  made  glorious 
had  no  glory  in  this  respect,  by  reason  of  the  glory 
that  exceUeth.'  2  Co.  lii.  7—10.  And  the  Spirit  of  God 
sheweth,  at  best,  some  things  of  that  excellent 
glory  of  them  to  the  imderstanding  that  it  enlighten- 
eth.  Ep.  1.17— 19. 

3.  The  spiritually  enlightened  understanding 
hath  also  thereby  received  knowledge,  that  these 

2r 


226 


IHE  PHAKISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


excellent  supernatural  things  of  the  Spirit,  are 
given  by  covenant  in  Christ  to  those  that  love  God, 
that  are  beloved  of  him.  '  Now  we  have  received, 
(says  Paul)  not  the  Spirit  of  the  world,  (that  the 
Pharisee  had)  but  the  Spirit  which  is  of  God,  that 
we  might  know  the  things  that  are  freely  given  to 
us  of  God.'  1  Co.  ii.  13.  And  this  knowledge,  that  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God  are  fi'eely  given  to  us 
of  God,  puts  yet  a  greater  edge,  more  vigour,  and 
yet  further  confidence  into  the  heart  to  ask  for 
what  is  mine  by  gift,  by  a  free  gift  of  God  in  his 
Son.*  But  all  these  things  the  poor  Pharisee  was 
an  utter  stranger  to ;  he  knew  not  the  Spirit,  nor 
the  things  of  the  Spirit,  and  therefore  must  neglect 
faith,  judgment,  and  the  love  of  God,  Mat.  xxiii.  23. 
Lu.  xi.  42.  and  follow  himself,  and  himself  only,  as  to 
his  sense,  feeling,  reason,  and  carnal  imagination 
in  prayer. 

He  stood  and  prayed  thus  with  himself.  He 
prayed  thus,  talking  to  himself;  for  so  also  it  may, 
I  think,  be  understood.  It  is  said  of  the  unjust 
judge,  '  he  said  within  himself.  Though  I  fear  not 
God,  nor  regard  man,*  &c.  Lu.  xvrn.  4.  That  is,  he 
said  it  to  himself.  So  the  Pharisee  is  said  to 
pray  with  himself.  God  and  the  Pharisee  were 
not  together,  there  was  only  the  Pharisee  and 
himself.  Paul  knew  not  what  to  pray  for  without 
the  Holy  Ghost  joined  himself  with  him,  spake 
with  him  and  helped  him  with  groans  unutterable. 
But  the  Pharisee  had  no  need  of  that,  it  was 
enough  that  he  and  himself  were  together  at  this 
work ;  for  he  thought  without  doubting  that  he 
and  himself  together  could  do.  How  many  times 
have  I  heard  ancient  men,  and  ancient  women,  at 
it,  with  themselves,  when  all  alone  in  some  private 
room,  or  in  some  solitary  path ;  and  in  their  chat, 
they  have  been  sometimes  reasoning,  sometimes 
chiding,  sometimes  pleading,  sometimes  praying, 
and  sometimes  singing ;  but  yet  all  has  been  done 
by  themselves  when  all  alone :  But  yet  so  done,  as 
one  that  has  not  seen  them,  must  needs  have  con- 
cluded, that  they  were  talking,  singing,  and  pray- 
ing with  company,  when  all  that  they  said,  they 
did  it  with  themselves,  and  had  neither  auditor  nor 
regarder. 

So  the  Pharisee  was  at  it  with  himself,  he  and 
/mnseZ/ performed,  at  this  time,  the  duty  of  prayer. 
Now  I  observe,  that  usually  when  men  do  speak 
to,  or  with  themselves,  they  greatly  strive  to  please 
themselves :  Therefore  it  is  said,  there  is  a  man. 
That  '  flattereth  himself  in  his  own  eyes,  until  his 
iniquity  be  found  to  be  hateful.'  Ps. xx.xvi. 2.  He 
flattereth  himself  in  his  own  way,  according  as  his 
sense  and  carnal  reason  dictates  to  him ;  and  he 


"*  God  licareth  the  heart,  witliout  the  mouth ;  hut  never 
heareth  the  mouth  acceptahly,  without  the  heart.  1  Sa.  i.  13, 
15.     Purllan  Saijiic/. 


might  do  it  as  well  in  prayer,  as  in  any  other  way. 
Some  men  will  so  hear  sermons,  and  apply  them 
that  they  may  please  themselves :  And  some  men 
will  pray,  but  will  refuse  such  words  and  thoughts 
in  prayer  as  will  not  please  themselves. 

Oh,  \\o\w  man  men  speak  all  that  they  speak  in 
prayer,  rather  to  themselves,  or  to  their  auditory, 
than  to  God  that  dwelletli  in  heaven !  And  this  I 
take  to  be  the  manner,  I  mean  something  of  the 
manner  of  the  Pharisee's  praying.  Indeed,  he 
made  mention  of  God,  as  also  others  do ;  but  he 
prayed  with  himself  to  himself,  in  his  own  spirit, 
and  to  his  own  pleasing,  as  the  matter  of  his 
prayer  doth  manifest.  For  was  it  not  pleasant  to 
this  hypocrite,  think  you,  to  speak  thus  well  of 
himself  at  this  time  ?  doubtless  it  was.  Also 
children  and  fools  are  of  the  same  temper  with 
hypocrites  as  to  this ;  they  also  love  without 
ground,  as  the  Pharisee,  to  flatter  themselves  in 
their  own  eyes.  But  not  he  that  commeudeth 
himself  is  approved. 

God,  I  thank  thee,  that  I  am  not  as  other  men 
are,  extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers,  or  even  as  this 
Publican,  &c. 

Thus  he  begins  his  prayer ;  and  it  is,  as  was 
hinted  before,  a  prayer  of  the  highest  strain.  For 
to  make  a  prayer  all  of  thanksgiving,  and  to  urge 
in  that  prayer,  the  cause  of  that  thanksgiving,  is 
the  highest  manner  of  praying,  and  seems  to  be 
done  in  the  strongest  faith,  he,  in  the  greatest 
sense  of  things.  And  such  was  the  Pharisee's 
prayer,  only  he  wanted  substantial  ground  for  his 
thanksgiving ;  to  wit,  he  wanted  proof  of  that  he 
said,  'he  was  not  as  other  men  were,'  except  he 
had  meant,  as  he  did  not,  that  he  was  even' of  the 
worst  sort  of  men :  For  even  the  best  of  men  by 
nature,  and  the  worst,  are  all  alike.  '  What, 
then  ?  are  we  better  than  they  ?  '  said  Paul,  •  No, 
in  no  wise. '  Ro.  iii.  9.  So  then,  he  failed  in  the 
ground  of  his  thankfulness,  and  therefore  his 
thankfulness  was  grounded  on  an  untruth,  and  so 
became  feigned,  and  self-flattering,  and  could  not 
be  acceptable  with  the  God  of  heaven. 

Besides,  in  this  high  prayer  of  the  Pharisee,  he 
fathered  that  upon  God  which  he  could  by  no 
means  own ;  to  wit,  that  his  being  so  good  as  he 
thought  himself  to  be,  was  through  distinguishing 
love  and  favour  of  God,  '  God,  I  thank  thee,  that  I 
am  not  as  other  men  are. '  I  thank  thee,  that  thou 
hast  made  me  better  than  others.  I  thank  thee 
that  my  condition  is  so  good,  and  that  I  am  so  far 
advanced  above  my  neighbour. 

There  are  several  things  flow  from  this 
prayer  of  the  pharisee,  that  are  worth  our 

OBSERVATION.       As, 

First,  That  the  Pharisees  and  hypocrites,  do  not 
love  to  count  themselves  sinners,  when  they  stand 
hefoi'e   God.      They  choose   rather   to   commend 


THE  PHiRISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


227 


themselves  before  him  for  virtuous  and  holy  persons, 
sometimes  saying,  and  oftener  thinking,  that  they 
are  more  righteous  than  others.  Yea,  it  seems  by 
the  word,  to  be  natural,  hereditary,  and  so  common 
for  h}'pocrites  to  trust  to  themselves  that  they  are 
righteous,  and  then  to  condemn  others ;  this  is  the 
foundation  Upon  which  this  very  parable  is  built : 
'  He  spake  this  parable,  (saith  Luke)  unto  cer- 
tain which  trusted  in  themselves  that  they  were 
righteous;'  or  that  they  were  so,  'and  despised 

others. '  ver.  9. 

I  say,  hypocrites  k  not  to  think  of  their  sins, 
when  they  stand  in  the  presence  of  God  ;  but 
rather  to  muster  up,  and  to  present  him  with  their 
several  good  deeds,  and  to  venture  a  standing  or 
falhng  by  them. 

Second,  This  carriage  of  the  Pharisee  before 
God  informs  us,  that  moral  virtues,  and  the  ground 
of  them,  which  is  the  law,  if  trusted  to,  blinds  the 
mind  of  man,  that  he  cannot  for  them  perceive  the 
way  to  happiness.  While  Moses  is  read,  and  his 
law,  and  the  righteousness  thereof  trusted  to,  the 
vail  is  upon  thair  heart.  '  For  until  this  day, 
(said  Paul)  remaineth  the  same  vail  untaken  away 
in  the  reading  of  the  old  testament,  which  vail  is 
done  away  in  Christ.  But  even  unto  this  day, 
when  Moses  is  read,  the  vail  is  upon  their  heart. ' 
2  Co.  iii.  \i,  15.  And  this  is  the  reason  that  so  many 
moral  men,  that  are  adorned  with  civil  and  moral 
righteousness,  are  yet  so  ignorant  of  themselves, 
and  the  way  of  life  by  Christ. 

The  law  of  works,  and  the  righteousness  of  the 
flesh,  which  is  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  blinds 
their  minds,  shuts  up  their  eyes,  and  causeth  them 
to  miss  of  the  righteousness  that  they  are  so  hotly 
in  the  pursuit  of.  Their  minds  were  blinded,  saith 
the  text :  Whose  minds  ?  Why  those  that  adhered 
to,  that  stood  by,  and  that  sought  righteousness  of 
the  law.     Now, 

The  Pharisee  was  such  an  one,  he  rested  in  the 
law,  he  made  his  boasts  of  God,  and  trusted  to 
himself  that  he  was  righteous ;  And  all  this  pro- 
ceeded of  that  blindness  and  ignorance  that  the  law 
had  possessed  his  mind  withal ;  for  it  is  not  granted 
to  the  law  to  be  the  ministration  of  life  and  light, 
but  to  be  the  ministration  of  death,  when  it  speaks; 
and  of  darkness,  when  trusted  unto,  that  the  Son 
of  God  might  have  the  pre-eminence  in  all  things : 
Therefore  'tis  said,  '  When  the  heart  shall  turn  to 
him,  the  vail  shall  be  taken  away.'  2Co. iii.  16. 

Third,  We  may  see  by  this  prayer,  the  strength 
of  vain  confidence ;  it  icill  embolden  a  man  to  stand 
in  a  lie  before  God  ;  it  will  embolden  a  man  to  trust 
to  himself  and  to  what  he  hath  done ;  yea,  to  plead 
his  own  goodness  instead  of  God's  mercy  before 
him.  For  the  Pharisee  was  not  only  a  man  that 
justified  himself  before  men,  but  one  that  justified 
himself  before  God.     And  what  was  the  cause  of 


his  so  justifying  of  himself  before  God ;  but  that 
vain  confidence  that  he  had  in  himself  and  his 
works,  which  were  both  a  cheat  and  a  lie  to  him- 
self. But,  I  say,  the  boldness  of  the  man  was 
wonderful,  for  he  stood  to  the  lie  that  was  in  his 
right  hand,  and  pleaded  the  goodness  of  it  before 
him.  But,  besides  these  things,  there  are  four 
things  more  that  are  couched  in  this  prayer  of  the 
Pharisee. 

Fourth,  By  this  prayer  the  Pharisee  doth  ajJjjro- 
jjriate  to  himself  conversion,  he  challengeth  it  to 
himself  and  to  his  fellows.  I  am  not,  saith  he,  as 
other  men ;  that  is,  in  unconversion,  in  a  state  of 
sin,  wrath,  and  death.  And  this  must  be  his 
meaning ;  for  the  religion  of  the  Pharisee  was  not 
grounded  upon  any  particular  natural  privilege. 
I  mean  not  singly,  not  only  upon  that,  but  upon 
a  falling  in  with  those  principles,  notions,  opinions, 
decrees,  traditions,  and  doctrines  that  they  taught 
distinct  from  the  true  and  holy  doctrines  of  the 
prophets.  And  they  made  to  themselves  disciples 
by  such  doctrine,  men,  that  they  could  captivate 
by  those  principles,  laws,  doctrines,  and  traditions : 
And  therefore  such  are  said  to  be  of  the  sect  of 
the  Pharisees ;  that  is,  the  scholars,  and  disciples 
of  them,  converted  to  them  and  to  their  doctrine. 
Oh !  it  is  easy  for  souls  to  appropriate  conversion 
to  themselves,  that  know  not  what  conversion  is. 
It  is  easy,  I  say,  for  men  to  lay  conversion  to  God, 
on  a  legal,  or  ceremonial,  or  delusive  bottom,  on 
such  a  bottom  that  will  sink  under  the  bm'den  that 
is  laid  upon  it ;  on  such  a  bottom  that  will  not 
stand  when  it  is  brought  under  the  touch-stone  of 
God,  nor  against  the  rain,  wind,  and  floods  that 
are  ordained  to  put  it  to  the  trial,  whether  it  is 
true  or  false.  The  Pharisee  here  stands  upon  a 
supposed  conversion  to  God ;  '  I  am  not  as  other 
men;'  but  both  he,  and  his  conversion  are  rejected 
by  the  sequel  of  the  parable :  '  That  which  is  highly 
esteemed  among  men  is  abomination  in  the  sight 
of  God. '  Lu.  svi.  15.  That  is,  that  conversion,  that 
men,  as  men,  flatter  themselves  that  they  have,  is 
such.  But  the  Pharisee  will  be  a  converted  man, 
he  wiU  have  more  to  shew  for  heaven  than  his 
neighbour,  '  I  am  not  as  other  men  ai*e ; '  to  wit, 
in  a  state  of  sin  and  condemnation,  but  in  a  state 
of  conversion  and  salvation.  But  see  how  griev- 
ously this  sect,  this  religion  beguiled  men.  It 
made  them  two-fold  worse  the  children  of  hell  than 
they  were  before :  And  than  their  teachers  were, 
Mat,  xxiii.  15.  that  is,  their  doctrine  begat  such  blind- 
ness, such  vain  confidence,  and  gromidless  boldness 
in  their  disciples,  as  to  involve  them  in  that  con- 
ceit of  conversion  that  was  false,  and  so  if  trusted 
to,  damnable. 

Fifth,  By  these  words,  we  find  the  Pharisee, 
not  only  appropriating  conversion  to  himself,  Ind 
rejoicing  in  that  conversion:  'God,  I  thank  thee,' 


328 


THE  PHARISEE  AMD  THE  TUBLTCAN. 


saitli  he,  'that  I  am  not  as  other  men;'  which 
saying  of  his,  gives  us  to  see  that  he  gloried  in 
his  conversion;  he  made  no  doubt  at  all  of  his 
state,  but  lived  in  the  joy  of  the  safety  that  he 
supposed  his  soul  by  his  conversion  to  be  in.  Oh ! 
thanks  to  God,  says  he,  I  am  not  in  the  state  of 
sin,  death,  and  damnation,  as  the  unjust,  and  this 
Publican  is.  But  a  strong  delusion !  to  trust  to 
the  spider's  web,  and  to  think,  that  a  few  of  the 
most  fine  of  the  works  of  the  flesh,  would  be  suf- 
ficient to  bear  up  the  soul  in,  at,  and  under  the 
judgment  of  God.  '  There  is  a  generation  that  are 
pure  in  their  own  eyes,  and  yet  is  not  washed  from 
their  filthiness.'  Pr.  xxx.  13.  This  text  can  be  so 
fitly  applied  to  none,  as  to  the  Pharisee,  and  to 
those  that  tread  in  the  Pharisee's  steps,  and  that 
are  swallowed  up  with  his  conceits,  and  with  the 
glory  of  his  own  righteousness. 

So  again,  •  There  is  a  way  (a  way  to  heaven) 
which  seemeth  right  unto  a  man,  but  the  end 
thereof  are  the  ways  of  death.'  Pr.  xiv.  12.  This  also 
is  fulfilled  in  these  kind  of  men ;  at  the  end  of 
their  way  is  death  and  hell,  notwithstanding  their 
3onfidence  in  the  goodness  of  their  state. 

Again,  '  There  is  that  maketh  himself  rich,  yet 
\a'Ji,  nothing  '  Pr.  xiii.  7-  What  can  be  more  plain 
Prom  all  these  texts,  than  that  some  men,  that  are 
Dut  of  the  way  think  themselves  in  it ;  and  that 
some  men  think  themselves  clean  that  are  yet  in 
iheir  filthiness ;  and  that  think  themselves  rich 
for  the  next  world,  and  yet  are  poor,  and  miserable, 
and  wretched,  and  blind,  and  naked.*  Thus  the 
poor,  blind,  naked,  hypocritical  Pharisee  thought 
of  himself,  when  God  threatened  to  abase  him: 
Yea,  he  thought  himself  thus,  and  joyed  therein, 
when  indeed  he  was  going  down  to  the  chambers 
of  death. 

Sixth,  By  these  words,  the  Pharisee  seems  to  put 
the  goodness  of  his  condition  ujjon  the  goodness  of 
God.  I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  and  I  thank  God 
for  it.  God,  saith  he,  I  thank  thee  that  I  am  not 
as  other  men  are.  He  thanked  God  when  God 
had  done  nothing  for  him.  He  thanked  God,  when 
the  way  that  he  was  in  was  not  of  God's  prescrib- 
ing, but  of  his  own  inventing.  So  the  persecutor 
thanks  God  that  he  was  put  into  that  way  of 
roguery  that  the  devil  had  put  him  into,  when  he 
fell  to  rending  and  tearing  of  the  church  of  God : 
'  Whose  possessors  slay  them,  (saith  the  prophet,) 
and  hold  themselves  not  guilty :  and  they  that  sell 
them   say.   Blessed  be  the  Lord,  for  I  am  rich.' 

*  To  such  poor  deceived  souls,  our  Lord's  words  are  ex- 
tremely applicable ;  '  If  therefore  the  light  that  is  ia  thee  be 
darkness,  how  great  is  that  darkness  ! '  If  poor  bhud  sinners 
are,  through  the  ignorance  of  tlieir  minds,  fully  persuaded  tliat 
the  destructive  way  in  which  they  walk  is  the  road  to  true 
happiness,  how  dangerous  is  their  error,  and  how  deplorable 
the  consequences. — Ryland. 


Zee.  xi.  5.  I  remember  that  Luther  used  to  say,  '  In 
the  name  of  God  begins  all  mischief.'  All  must 
be  fathered  upon  God :  the  Pharisee's  conversion 
must  be  fathered  upon  God ;  the  right  or  rather 
the  viUany  of  the  outrageous  persecution  against 
God's  people,  must  be  fathered  upon  God.  God, 
'I  thank  thee,'  and  blessed  be  God,  must  be  the 
burthen  of  the  heretic's  song.  So  again,  the  free- 
wilier,  he  will  ascribe  all  to  God ;  the  quaker, 
the  ranter,  the  socinian,  &c.  will  ascribe  all  to 
God.  '  God,  I  thank  thee,'  is  in  every  man's 
mouth,  and  must  be  entailed  to  every  error,  delu- 
sion, and  damnable  doctrine  that  is  in  the  world : 
But  the  name  of  God,  and  their  doctrine,  worship, 
and  way,  hangeth  together,  much  as  doth  it  and 
the  Pharisee's  doctrine ;  that  is  to  say,  nothing  at 
all ;  for  God  hath  not  proposed  their  principles,  nor 
doth  he  own  them,  nor  hath  he  commanded  them, 
nor  doth  he  convey  by  them  the  least  grace  or 
mercy  to  them ;  but  rather  rejecteth  them,  and 
holdeth  them  for  his  enemies,  and  for  the  destroyers 
of  the  world. 

Seventh,  We  come  in  the  next  place  to  the  ground 
of  all  this ;  and  that  is,  to  what  the  Pharisee  had 
attained.  To  wit,  that  he  was  no  extortioner,  no 
unjust  man,  no  adulterer,  nor  even  as  this  Publican, 
and  for  that  he  fasted  twice  a-week,  and  paid  tithes 
of  all  that  he  possessed.  So  that  you  see  he  pre- 
tendeth  to  a  double  foundation  for  his  salvation,  a 
moral  and  a  ceremonial  one ;  but  both  very  lean, 
weak,  and  feeble :  For  the  first  of  his  foundations, 
what  is  it  more,  if  all  be  true  that  he  saith,  but  a 
being  removed  a  few  inches  from  the  vilest  men  in 
their  vilest  actions,  a  very  slender  matter  to  build 
my  confidence  for  heaven  upon. 

And  for  the  second  part  of  his  ground  for  life, 
what  is  it  but  a  couple  of  ceremonies,  if  so  good. 
The  first  is  questioned  as  a  thing  not  founded  in 
God's  law ;  and  the  second  is  such,  as  is  of  the 
remotest  sort  of  ceremonies,  that  teach  and  preach 
the  Lord  Jesus.  But  suppose  them  to  be  the  best, 
and  his  conformity  to  them  the  thoroughest,  they 
never  were  ordained  to  get  to  heaven  by,  and  so 
are  become  but  a  sandy  foundation.  But  anything 
will  serve  some  men  for  a  foundation  and  support 
for  their  souls,  and  to  build  their  hopes  of  heaven 
upon.  I  am  not  a  drunkard,  says  one,  nor  a  liar, 
nor  a  swearer,  nor  a  thief,  and  therefore,  I  thank 
God,  I  have  hopes  of  heaven  and  glory.  I  am  not 
an  extortioner,  nor  an  adulterer,  nor  imjust,  nor 
yet  as  this  Publican ;  and  therefore  do  hope  I 
shall  go  to  heaven.  Alas !  poor  men !  will  your 
being  furnished  with  these  things,  save  you  from 
the  thundering  claps  and  vehement  batteries,  that 
the  wrath  of  God  will  make  upon  sin  and  sinners 
in  the  day  that  shall  burn  like  an  oven  ?  No,  no, 
nothing  at  that  day  can  shroud  a  man  from  the  hot 
rebukes  of  that  vengeance,  but  the  very  righteous- 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


229 


ness  of  God,  which  is  not  the  righteousness  of  the 
law,  however  christened,  named,  or  garnished  with 
all  those  gew-gaws  that  men's  heads  and  fancies 
can  invent,  for  that  is  but  the  righteousness  of  man. 

[man's  righteousness  rejected,  axd  the  imputed 
righteousness  of  christ  alone  to  be  relied 
on  for  justification.] 

But,  0  thou  blind  Pharisee,  since  thou  art  so 
confident  that  thy  state  is  good,  and  thy  righteous- 
ness is  that  that  will  stand,  when  it  shall  be  tried 
with  fire,  i  Co.  iii.  13.  let  me  now  reason  with  thee  of 
righteousness.  My  terror  shall  not  make  thee 
afraid ;  I  am  not  God,  but  a  man  as  thou  art,  we 
both  are  formed  out  of  the  clay. 

First,  Prithee  when  didst  thou  begin  to  be 
righteous  ?  Was  it  before  or  after  thou  hadst  been 
a  sinner?  Not  afore,  I  dare  say;  but  if  after, 
then  the  sins  that  thou  poUutedst  thyself  withal 
before,  have  made  thee  uncapable  of  acting  legal 
righteousness.  For  sin,  where  it  is,  pollutes,  de- 
files, and  makes  vile  the  whole  man;  therefore 
thou  canst  not  by  after  acts  of  obedience  make 
thyself  just  in  the  sight  of  that  God  thou  pretended 
now  to  stand  praying  unto.  Indeed,  thou  mayest 
cover  thy  dirt,  and  paint  thy  sepulchre ;  for  that 
acts  of  after  obedience  AviU  do,  though  sin  has 
gone  before.  But  Pharisee,  God  can  see  through 
the  white  of  this  wall,  even  to  the  dirt  that  is 
within:  God  also  can  see  through  the  paint  and 
garnish  of  thy  beauteous  sepulchre,  to  the  dead 
men's  bones  that  are  within ;  nor  can  any  of  thy 
most  holy  duties,  nor  all,  when  put  together,  blind 
the  eye  of  the  all-seeing  majesty  from  beholding 
all  the  imcleanness  of  thy  soul.*  Mat.  xxiii.  27.  Stand 
not  therefore  so  stoutly  to  it,  now  thou  art  before 
God ;  sin  is  with  thee,  and  judgment  and  justice  is 
before  him.  It  becomes  thee,  therefore,  rather  to 
despise  and  abhor  this  life  of  thy  hand,  and  to 
count  all  thy  doings  but  dross  and  dung,  and  to  be 
content  to  be  justified  with  another's  righteousness 
instead  of  thine  own.  This  is  the  way  to  be  secured. 
I  say,  blind  Pharisee,  this  is  the  way  to  be  secui-ed 
from  the  wrath  which  is  to  come. 

There  is  nothing  more  certain  than  this,  that  as 
to  justification  from  the  cm-se  of  the  law,  God  has 
rejected  man's  righteousness,  for  the  weakness  and 
unprofitableness  thereof ;  and  hath  accepted  in  the 
room  of  that  glorious  righteousness  of  his  Son ; 
because  indeed,  that,  and  that  only,  is  imiversal, 
perfect,  and  equal  with  his  justice  and  holiness. 

*  ^Yhat  home-thrusts  are  here  !  The  two-edged  sword  of 
the  Spirit,  wielded  by  such  a  man,  pierces — divides — lays  bai-e 
every  refuge  of  Ues  to  which  poor  souls  vaiuly  fly  for  succour. 
It  is  a  solemn  and  most  important  subject.  j\Iay  every  reader 
have  grace  given  him  to  weigh  his  hopes  of  heaven  in  the 
balances  of  divine  unemng  truth. — Ed. 


This  is  in  a  manner  the  contents  of  the  whole  bible, 
and  therefore  must  needs  be  most  certainly  true. 
Now  then,  Mr.  Pharisee,  methinks,  what  if  thou 
didst  this,  and  that  while  thou  art  at  thy  prayers; 
to  wit,  east  in  thy  mind  what  doth  God  love 
most,  and  the  resolve  will  be  at  hand.  The  best 
righteousness,  surely  the  best  righteousness ;  for 
that  thy  reason  will  tell  thee :  This  done,  even 
while  thou  art  at  thy  devotion,  ask  thyself  again, 
But  WHO  has  the  best  righteousness  ?  And  that 
resolve  will  be  at  hand  also ;  to  wit,  he  that  in 
person  is  equal  with  God ;  and  that  is  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ.  He  that  is  separate  from  sinners, 
and  made  higher  than  the  heavens ;  and  that  is 
his  Son  Jesus  Chiist.  He  that  did  no  sin,  nor  had 
any  guile  found  in  his  mouth ;  and  there  never 
was  any  such  he  in  all  the  world  but  the  Son  of 
God,  Jesus  Christ. 

Now  Pharisee,  when  thou  hast  done  this,  then 
as  thou  art  in  thy  devotion,  ask  again,  But  what  is 
this  best  righteousness,  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
to  do  ?  And  the  answer  will  be  ready.  It  is  to  be 
made  by  an  act  of  the  sovereign  grace  of  God  over 
to  the  sinner,  that  shall  dare  to  trust  thereto  for 
justification  from  the  curse  of  the  law.  He  is 
made  unto  us  of  God,  righteousness,  i  Co.  i.  30.  '  He 
hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin, 
that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God 
in  him.'  2  Co.  v.  21.  'For  Christ  is  the  end  of  the 
law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  belie veth.' 

Ro.  X.  ■*. 

This  done,  and  concluded  on,  then  turn  again 
Pharisee,  and  say  thus  with  thyself;  Is  it  most 
safe  for  me  to  trust  in  this  righteousness  of  God? 
This  righteousness  of  God-man,  this  righteousness 
of  Christ?  Certainly  it  is.  Since,  by  the  text,  it 
is  counted  the  best,  and  that  which  best  pleaseth 
God  ;  since  it  is  that  which  God  hath  appointed, 
that  sinners  shall  be  justified  withal.  For  in  the 
Lord  have  we  righteousness  if  we  believe :  And, 
in  the  Lord  we  are  justified,  and  do   glory,    is.  .xiv. 

2i,  2.5. 

Nay  Pharisee,  suppose  thine  own  righteousness 
should  be  as  long,  as  broad,  as  high,  as  deep,  as 
perfect,  as  good,  even  every  way  as  good,  as  the 
righteousness  of  Christ.  Yet  since  God  has  chosen 
by  Christ,  to  reconcile  us  to  himself,  canst  thou 
attempt  to  seek  b}^  thine  own  righteousness  to  re- 
concile thyself  to  God,  and  not  be  guilty  of  attempt- 
ing, at  least,  to  confront  this  righteousness  of 
Christ  before  God.  Yea,  to  dare  with  it,  yea,  to 
challenge  by  it,  acceptance  of  thy  person  contrary 
to  God's  design. 

Suppose,  that  when  the  king  has  chosen  one  to 
be  judge  in  the  land,  and  has  determined  that  he 
shall  be  judge  in  all  cases,  and  that  by  his  verdict 
every  man's  judgment  shall  stand.  I  say,  sup- 
pose, after  this   another   should  arise,  and  of  his 


230 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


own  head  resolve  to  do  his  own  business  himself. 
Now,  thongli  he  shoiild  be  every  whit  as  able  as  the 
judge  of  the  king's  appointing  to  do  it ;  yea, 
and  suppose  he  should  do  it  as  justly  and  righte- 
ously too,  yet  his  making  of  himself  a  judge,  would 
he  an  affront  to  the  king,  and  an  act  of  rebellion, 
and  so  a  transgression  worthy  of  punishment. 

Why  Pharisee,  God  hath  appointed,  that  by  the 
righteousness  of  his  Son,  and  by  that  righteous- 
ness only,  men  shall  be  justified  in  his  sight  from 
the  curse  of  the  law.  Wherefore,  take  heed,  and 
at  thy  peril,  whatever  thy  righteousness  is,  con- 
front not  the  righteousness  of  Christ  therewith. 
I  say,  bring  it  not  in,  let  it  not  plead  for  thee  at 
the  bar  of  God,  nor  do  thou  plead  for  that  in  his 
court  of  justice ;  for  thou  canst  not  do  that  and  be 
innocent.  If  he  trusts  to  his  righteousness,  he 
hath  sinned,  says  Ezekiel.  Mark  the  text,  'When 
I  shall  say  to  the  righteous,  that  he  shall  surely 
live ;  if  he  trust  to  his  own  righteousness,  and  com- 
mit iniquity,  all  his  righteousnesses  shall  not  be 
remembered:  but  for  his  iniquity  that  he  hath 
committed,  he  shall  die  for  it.'  ch.  xxxiii.  13. 

Observe  a  few  things  from  this  text,  and  they 
are  these  that  follow. 

First,  Here  is  a  righteous  man ;  a  man,  with 
whom  we  do  not  hear  that  the  God  of  heaven  finds 
fault. 

Secondly,  Here  is  a  promise  made  to  this  man, 
that  'he  shall  surely  live;'  but  on  this  condition, 
that  he  trusts  not  to  his  own  righteousness. 
Whence  it  is  manifest,  that  the  promise  of  life  to 
this  righteous  man,  is  not  for  the  sake  of  his 
righteousness,  hut  for  the  sake  of  something  else, 
to  wit,  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 

1.  Not  for  the  sake  of  his  own  righteousness. 
This  is  evident,  because  we  are  admitted,  yea, 
commanded,  to  trust  in  the  righteousness  that 
saveth  us.  The  righteousness  of  God  is  imto  all, 
and  upon  all  that  believe ;  that  is,  trust  in  it,  and 
trust  to  it  for  justification.  Now  therefore,  if  thy 
righteousness,  when  most  perfect,  could  save  thee, 
thou  mightest,  yea  oughtest  most  boldly  to  trust 
therein.  But  since  thou  art  forbidden  to  trust  to 
it,  it  is  evident  it  cannot  save,  nor  is  it  for  the 
sake  of  that,  that  the  righteous  man  is  saved.  Re. 

iii.  21,  22. 

2.  But  for  the  sake  of  something  else ;  to  wit, 
for  the  sake  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  whom 
God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through 
faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  I'ighteousness  for 
the  remission  of  sins  that  are  past,  through  the 
forbearance  of  God.  'To  declare,/  say,  at  this 
time  his  righteousness,  that  he  might  be  just,  and 
the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus.'  lio.  m. 
26.    See  also  Piui  m.  7—9. 

'  If  he  trusts  to  his  own  righteousness,  and  com- 
mit iniquity,  all   his  righteousness  shall  not  be 


remembered ;    but    for  his  iniquity  that  he  hath 
committed  [in  trusting  to  his  own  righteousness] 
he  shall  die  for  it.' 
Note  hence  further, 

1.  That  there  is  more  virtue  in  one  sin  to  de- 
stroy, than  in  all  thy  righteousness  to  save  thee 
alive.  If  he  trust,  if  he  trust  never  so  little,  if  he 
do  at  all  trust  to  his  own  righteousness,  all  his 
righteousness  shaU  be  forgotten  ;  aad  by,  and  fo7\ 
and  in,  the  sin  that  he  hath  committed  in  trusting 
to  it,  he  shall  die. 

2.  Take  notice  also,  that  there  are  more  dam- 
nable sins  than  those  that  are  against  the  moral 
law.  By  which  of  the  ten  commandments  is 
trusting  to  our  own  righteousness  forbidden?  Yet 
it  is  a  sin.  It  is  a  sin  therefore  forbidden  by  the 
gospel,  and  is  included,  lurketh  close  in,  yea,  is  the, 
or  a  I'oot  of  unbelief  itself;  '  He  that  believeth  not 
shall  be  damned. '  But  he  that  trusteth  in  his  own 
righteousness  doth  not  believe,  neither  in  the  truth 
or  sufficiency  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ  to  save 
him,  therefore  he  shall  be  damned. 

But  how  is  it  manifest,  that  he  that  trusteth  to 
his  own  righteousness,  doth  it  through  a  doubt,  or 
unbelief  of  the  truth  or  sufficiency  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ? 

I  answer.  Because,  even  because  he  trusteth  to 
his  own.  A  man  will  never  willingly  choose  to 
trust  to  the  worst  of  helps,  when  he  believes  there 
is  a  better  as  near,  and  to  be  had  as  soon,  and 
that  too,  upon  as  easy,  if  not  more  easy  terms. 
If  he  that  trusteth  to  his  own  righteousness  for 
life,  did  believe,  that  there  is  indeed  such  a  thing 
as  the  righteousness  of  Christ  to  justify;  and  that 
this  righteousness  of  Christ  has  in  it  all  sufficiency 
to  do  that  blessed  work,  be  sure  he  would  choose 
that,  thereon  to  lay,  lean,  and  venture  his  soid, 
that  he  saw  was  the  best,  and  most  sufficient  to 
save ;  especially  when  he  saw  also,  (and  see  that 
he  must,  when  he  sees  the  righteousness  of  Christ) 
to  wit,  that  that  is  to  be  obtained  as  soon,  because 
as  near,  and  to  be  had  on  as  easy  terms ;  nay, 
upon  easier  than  may  man's  own  righteousness, 
I  say,  he  would  sooner  choose  it,  because  of  the 
Aveight  of  salvation,  of  the  worth  of  salvation,  and 
of  the  fearful  sorrow,  that  to  eternity  will  overtake 
him,  that  in  this  thing  shall  miscarry.  It  is  for 
heaven,  it  is  to  escape  hell,  wrath,  and  damnation, 
saith  the  soul ;  and  therefore  I  will,  I  must,  I  dare 
not  but  choose  that,  and  that  only,  that  I  believe 
to  be  the  best  and  most  sufficient  help  in  so  great 
a  concern,  as  soul-concern  is.  So  then  he  that 
trusteth  to  his  own  righteousness,  does  it  of  unbe- 
lief of  the  sufficiency  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ 
to  save  him. 

Wherefore  this  sin  of  trusting  to  his  own  righte- 
ousness is  a  most  high  and  damning  transgression : 
because  it  contemneth  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


231 


which  is  tlie  only  righteousness  that  is  sufficient 
to  save  from  the  curse  of  the  law.  It  also  dis- 
alloweth  the  design  of  heaven,  and  the  excellency 
of  the  mystery  of  the  wisdom  of  God,  in  designing 
this  way  of  salvation  for  man.  What  shall  I  say, 
It  also  seeketh  to  rob  God  of  the  honour  of  the 
salvation  of  man.  It  seeketh  to  take  the  crown 
from  the  head  of  Christ,  and  to  set  it  upon  the 
hypocrite's  head;  therefore,  no  marvel,  that  this 
one  sin  be  of  that  weight,  virtue  and  power,  as  to 
sink  that  man  and  his  righteousness  into  hell,  that 
leaneth  thereon,  or  that  trusteth  imto  it. 

But  Pharisee,  I  need  not  talk  thus  unto  thee, 
for  thou  art  not  the  man  that  hath  that  righteous- 
ness, that  God  findeth  not  fault  withal ;  nor  is  it 
to  be  foimd,  but  with  him  that  is  ordained  to  be 
the  Saviour  of  mankind ;  nor  is  there  any  such 
one  besides  Jesus,  who  is  called  Christ.  Thy 
righteousness  is  a  poor  pittance,  a  scrap :  nay, 
not  so  good  as  a  scrap  of  righteousness.  Thine 
own  confession  makes  thee  partial  in  the  law ;  for 
here,  in  the  midst  of  thy  boasts,  thou  hast  not, 
because  thou  canst  not  say,  thou  hast  fulfilled  all 
righteousness.  ^\Tiat  madness  then  has  brought 
thee  into  the  temple,  there  in  audacious  manner  to 
stand  and  vaunt  before  God;  saying,  'God,  I 
thank  thee,  I  am  not  as  other  men  are. ' 

Dost  thou  not  know,  that  he  that  breaks  one, 
breaks  all  the  commandments  of  God  ;  and  conse- 
quently, that  he  that  keeps  not  all,  keeps  none  at 
all  of  the  commandments  of  God.  Say  I  this  of 
myself?  saith  not  the  scriptures  the  same?  'For 
whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  law,  and  yet  offend 
in  one  i^hit,  he  is  guilty  of  all. '  Ja.  ii.  lo.  Be  con- 
founded then,  be  confounded. 

Dost  thou  know  the  God  with  whom  now  thou 
hast  to  do?     lie   is   a  God  that  cannot,  no,  that 
cannot,  as  he  is  just,  accept  of  an  half  righteous- 
ness for  a  whole ;  nor  of  a  lame  righteousness  for 
a  sound ;  nor   of  a   sick  righteousness  for  a  well 
and  healthy  one.  Mai.  i.  8.     And  if  so,  how  should 
he  then  accept  of  that  which  is  no  righteousness  ? 
I  say,  how  should  he  accept  of  that  which  is  none 
at  all,  save  an  hypocritical  and  feigned  one,  for 
thine  is  only  such.     And  if  Christ  said,  when  you 
have  done  all,   say,  'We  are  unprofitable,'  How 
earnest  thou  to  say  before  thou  hadst  done  one  thing 
well,  I  am  better,  more  righteous  than  other  men  ? 
Didst  thou  believe,  when  thou  saidst  it.  That 
God  knew  thy  heart?     Hadst  thou  said  this  to 
the  Publican,  it  had  been  a  high  and  rampant  ex- 
pression; but  to  say  this  before  God,  to  the  face 
of  God,  when  he  knew  that  thou  wast  vile,  and  a 
I     sinner  from  the  womb,  and  from  the  conception, 
j     spoils  all.     It  was  spoken  to  put  a  check  to  thy 
!     arrogancy,  when  Christ  said,  '  Ye  are  they  v\'hich 
justify  yourselves  before  men ;  but  God  knoweth 
your  hearts.'  Lu. xvi.  15, 


Hast  thou  taken  notice  of  this,  that  God  judgeth 
the  fruit  by  the  heart  from  whence  it  comes  ?  '  A 
good  man  out  of  the  good  treasure  of  his  heart 
bringeth  forth  that  which  is  good ;  and  an  evil 
man  out  of  the  evil  treasure  of  his  heart  bringeth 
forth  that  which  is  evil.'  Lu.  ri.  45.  Nor  can  it  be 
otherwise  concluded,  but  that  thou  art  an  evil  man, 
and  so  that  all  thy  supposed  good  is  nought  but 
badness.  For  that  thou  hast  made  it  to  stand  in 
the  room  of  Jesus,  and  hast  dared  to  commend 
thyself  to  the  living  God  thereby:  For  thou  hast 
trusted  in  thy  shadow  of  righteousness,  and  com- 
mitted iniquity.  Thy  sin  hath  melted  awa}'  thy 
righteousness,  and  turned  it  to  nothing  but  dross ; 
or,  if  you  will,  to  the  early  dew,  like  to  Avhich  it 
goeth  away,  and  so  can  by  no  means  do  thee  good, 
when  thou  shalt  stand  in  need  of  salvation  and 
eternal  life  of  God. 

But  further,  thou  sayest  thou  art  righteous,  but 
they  are  but  vain  words.  Knowest  thou  not  that 
thy  zeal,  which  is  the  life  of  thy  righteousness,  is 
preposterous  in  many  things.  What  else  means 
thy  madness,  and  the  rage  thereof,  against  men  as 
good  as  thyself.  True,  thy  being  ignorant  that 
they  are  good,  may  save  thee  from  the  commis- 
sion of  the  sin  that  is  unpardonable,  but  it  will 
never  keep  thee  from  spot  in  God's  sight,  but 
will  make  both  thee  and  thy  righteousness  cul- 
pable. 

Paul,  who  was  once  as  brave  a  Pharisee  as 
thou  canst  be,  calleth  much  of  that  zeal,  Avhich  he 
in  that  estate  was  possessed  with,  and  lived  in  the 
exercise  of,  madness ;  yea,  exceeding  madness, 
Ac.  xxTi.  9—11.  Phi.  iii.  5,  6.  and  of  the  same  sort  is  much 
of  thine,  and  it  must  be  so ;  for  a  lawyer,  a  man 
for  the  law,  and  that  resteth  in  it,  must  be  a  per- 
secutor ;  yea,  a  persecutor  of  righteous  men,  and 
that  of  zeal  to  God ;  because  by  the  law  is  begat, 
through  the  weakness  that  it  meeteth  with  in  thee, 
sourness,  bitterness  of  spirit,  and  anger  against 
him  that  rightfully  condemneth  thee  of  folly,  for 
choosing  to  trust  to  thine  own  righteousness,  when 
a  better  is  provided  of  God  to  save  us.  Ga.  iv.  2S— si. 
Thy  righteousness  therefore  is  deficient ;  yea,  thy 
zeal  for  the  law,  and  the  men  of  the  law,  has 
joined  madness  with  thy  moral  virtues,  and  made 
thy  righteousness  unrighteousness  ;  How  then 
canst  thou  be  upright  before  the  Lord  ? 

Further,  Has  not  the  pride  of  thy  spirit  in  this 
hot-headed  zeal  for  thy  pharasaical  notions,  run 
thee  upon  thinking  that  thou  art  able  to  do  more 
than  God  hath  enjoined  thee,  and  so  able  to  make 
thyself  more  righteous,  than  God  requireth  thou 
shouldest  be.  What  else  is  the  cause  of  thy  add- 
ing of  laws  to  God's  laws,  precepts  to  God's  pre- 
cepts, and  traditions  to  God's  appointments?  Mm. 
vii.  8.  Nay,  hast  thou  not  by  thus  doing,  condemned 
the  law  of  want  of  perfection,  and  so  the  God  that 


232 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


gave  it,  of  want  of  wisdom,  and  faithfulness  to 
himself  and  thee  ? 

Nay,  I  say  again,  hath  not  thy  thus  doing 
charged  God  with  being  ignorant  of  knowing,  what 
rules  there  needed  to  be  imposed  on  his  creatures 
to  make  their  obedience  complete?  And  doth  not 
this  apish  madness  of  thine  intimate,  moreover, 
that  if  thou  hadst  not  stept  in  with  the  bundle  of 
thy  traditions,  I'ighteousness  had  been  imperfect, 
not  through  man's  weakness,  but  through  impedi- 
ment in  God,  or  in  his  ministering  rules  of  righte- 
ousness unto  us. 

Now,  when  thou  hast  thought  on  these  things 
fairly,  answer  thyself  in  these  few  questions:  Is 
not  this  arrogancy  ?  Is  not  this  blasphemy  ?  Is 
not  this  to  condemn  God,  that  thou  mightest  be 
righteous  ?  And  dost  thou  think,  this  is,  indeed, 
the  way  to  be  righteous? 

But  again,  what  means  thy  preferring  of  thine 
own  rules,  laws,  statutes,  ordinances  and  appoint- 
ments, before  the  rules,  laws,  statutes  and  appoint- 
ments of  God  ?  Thinkest  thou  this  to  be  right? 
Whither  will  thy  zeal,  thy  pride,  and  thy  folly 
carry  thee  ?  Is  there  more  reason,  more  equity, 
more  holiness  in  thy  traditions,  than  in  the  holy, 
and  just,  and  good  commandments  of  God?  Rn.  \ii. 
13.  Why  then,  I  say,  dost  thou  reject  the  com- 
mandment of  God,  to  keep  thine  own  tradition  ? 
Yea,  Why  dost  thou  rage,  and  rail,  and  cry  out 
when  men  keep  not  thy  law,  or  the  rule  of  thine 
order,  and  tradition  of  thine  elders ;  and  yet  shut 
thine  eyes,  or  wink  with  them,  when  thou  thyself 
shalt  live  in  the  breach  of  the  law  of  God  ?  Yea, 
why  wilt  thou  condemn  men,  when  they  keep  not 
thy  law,  but  study  for  an  excuse,  yea,  plead  for 
them  that  live  in  the  breach  of  God's.  Mai-. \ii. lo— 13. 
Will  this  go  for  righteousness  in  the  day  of  God 
Almighty?  Nay  rather,  will  not  this,  like  a  mill- 
stone about  thy  neck,  drown  thee  in  the  deeps  of 
hell?  Oh,  the  blindness,  the  madness,  the  pride, 
and  spite,  that  dwells  in  the  hearts  of  these  pre- 
tended righteous  men. 

Again,  What  kind  of  righteousness  of  thine,  is 
this,  that  standeth  in  a  misplacing,  and  so  conse- 
quently in  a  misesteeming  of  God's  commands  ? 
Some  thou  settest  too  high,  and  some  too  low ;  as 
in  the  text,  thou  hast  set  a  ceremony  above  faith, 
above  love,  and  above  hope  in  the  mercy  of  God  : 
When,  as  it  is  evident,  the  things  last  mentioned, 
are  the  things  of  the  first  rate,  the  weightier  mat- 
ters. Mat.  xxiii.  23. 

Again,  Thou  hast  preferred  the  gold  above  the 
temple  that  sanctifieth  the  gold,  and  the  gift  upon 
the  altar,  above  the  altar  that  sanctifies  the  gift. 

Mat.  xxiii.  17- 

I  say  again.  What  kind  of  righteousness  shall 
this  be  called  ?  What  back  will  such  a  suit  of 
apparel  fit,   that  is  set  together  just  cross   and 


thwart  to  what  it  should  be  ?  Just  as  if  the  sleeves 
should  be  sewed  upon  the  pocket-holes,  and  the. 
pockets  set  on  where  the  sleeves  should  stand.  Nor 
can  other  righteousness  proceed  where  a  wrong 
judgment  precedeth  it. 

This  misplacing  of  God's  laws  cannot,  I  say, 
but  produce  misshaped  and  misplaced  obedience. 
It  indeed  produceth  a  monster,  an  ill-shapened 
thing,  a  mole,  a  mouse,  a  pig,  all  which  are  things 
unclean,  and  an  abomination  to  the  Lord.  For 
see,  saith  he,  if  thou  wilt  be  making,  that  thou 
make  aU  things  according  to  the  pattern  shewed 
to  thee  in  the  mount.  Set  faith,  where  faith 
should  stand,  a  moral,  where  a  moral  should  stand ; 
and  a  ceremony,  where  a  ceremony  should  stand ; 
for  this  turning  of  things  upside  down  shall  be 
esteemed  as  the  potter's  clay:  And  wilt  thou 
call  this  thy  righteousness ;  yea,  wilt  thou  stand 
in  this,  plead  for  this,  and  venture  an  eternal  con- 
cern in  such  a  piece  of  linsey-woolsey  as  this  ?  0 
fools,  and  blind  ! 

But  further,  let  us  come  a  little  closer  to  the 
point.  0  blind  Pharisee.  Thou  standest  to  thy 
righteousness,  what  dost  thou  mean  ?  Wouldest 
thou  have  mercy  for  thy  righteousness,  or  justice 
for  thy  righteousness? 

[First  Mercy.]  If  mercy,  what  mercy  ?  Tem- 
poral things  God  giveth  to  the  unthankful  and 
unholy ;  nor  doth  he  use  to  Sell  the  world  to  man 
for  righteousness.  The  earth  hath  he  Given  to 
the  children  of  men.  But  this  is  not  the  thing  ; 
thou  wouldest  have  eternal  mercy  for  thy  righte- 
ousness ;  thou  wouldest  have  God  think  upon  what 
an  holy,  what  a  good,  what  a  righteous  man  thou 
art,  and  hast  been.  But  Christ  died  not  for  the 
good  and  righteous,  nor  did  he  come  to  call  such 
to  the  banquet,  that  grace  hath  prepared  for  the 
world.  'I  came  not,'  I  am  not  come,  saith  Christ, 
'to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance.* 
Mar.  ii.  27.  Ro.  v.  Yet  this  is  thy  plea  ;  Lord  God,  I  am 
a  righteous  man,  therefore  grant  me  mercy,  and  a 
share  in  thy  heavenly  kingdom.  What  else  dost 
thou  mean,  when  thou  sayest,  '  God  I  thank  thee, 
that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are  ?'  Why  dost  thou 
rejoice,  why  art  thou  glad  that  thou  art  more 
righteous,  if  indeed  thou  art,  than  thy  neighbour, 
if  it  is  not  because  thou  thinkest,  that  thou  hast 
got  the  start  of,  the  better  of  thy  neigbour,  with 
reference  to  mercy ;  and  that  by  thy  righteousness 
thou  hast  insinuated  thyself  into  God's  affections, 
and  procm'ed  an  interest  in  his  eternal  favour. 
But, 

What,  What  hast  thou  done  by  thy  righteous- 
ness ?  I  say,  What  hast  thou  given  to  God  thereby? 
And  what  hath  he  received  of  thy  hand  ?  Perhaps 
thou  wilt  say,  righteousness  pleaseth  God  :  But  I 
answer  no,  not  thine,  with  respect  to  justification 
from  the  curse  of  the  law,  unless  it  be  as  perfect, 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


233 


as  tlie  justice  it  is  yieltlccl  to,  and  as  the  law  that 
doth  command  it.  But  thine  is  not  such  a  righte- 
ousness: no,  thine  is  speckled,  thine  is  spotted, 
thine  makes  thee  to  look  Uko  a  speckled  hird  in 
his  eye-sight. 

Thy  righteousness  has  added  iniquity,  to  thy 
iniquity,  hecause  it  has  kept  thee  from  a  helief  of 
thy  need  of  repentance,  and  hecause  it  has  em- 
holdened  thee  to  thrust  thyself  audaciously  into 
the  presence  of  God,  and  made  thee  thei'e,  even 
hefore  his  holy  eyes,  which  are  so  pure,  that  they 
cannot  look  on  iniquity,  iiab.  i.  13.  to  vaunt,  hoast, 
and  hrag  of  thyself,  and  of  thy  tottering,  ragged, 
stinking  uncleanuess ;  for  all  our  righteousnesses 
are  as  menstruous  rags,  hecause  they  flow  from  a 
thing,  a  heart,  a  man  that  is  unclean.     But, 

Again,  Wouldest  thou  have  mercy  for  thy  righ- 
teousness ?  For  who  wouldest  thou  have  it ;  for 
another,  or  for  thyself  ?  If  for  another,  and  it  is 
most  proper,  that  a  righteous  man  should  intercede 
for  another  hy  his  righteousness,  rather  than  for 
himself,  then  thou  thrusteth  Christ  out  of  his  place 
and  office,  and  makest  thyself  to  he  a  saviour  in 
his  stead ;  for  a  mediator  there  is  already,  even  a 
mediator  hetween  God  and  man,  and  ho  is  the 
man  Christ  Jesus.  There  is  therefore  no  need 
of  thine  interceding  hy  thy  righteousness  for  the 
acceptation  of  any  unto  justification  from  the 
curse. 

But  dost  thou  plead  hy  thy  righteousness,  for 
mercy  for  thyself?  Wliy,  in  so  doing  thou  impliest. 

First,  That  thy  righteousness  can  prevail  loUh 
God,  more  titan  can  tliy  sins.  I  say,  that  thy 
righteousness  can  prevail  with  God,  to  preserve 
thee  from  death,  more  than  thy  sins  can  prevail 
with  him  to  condemn  thee  to  it.  And  if  so,  what 
follows  ?  hut  that  thy  righteousness  is  more,  and 
has  heen  done  in  a  fuller  spirit  than  ever  were  thy 
sins :  hut  thus  to  insinuate  is  to  insinuate  a  lie ; 
for  there  is  no  man,  but  while  he  is  a  sinner, 
sinneth  with  a  more  full  spirit,  than  any  good 
man  can  act  righteousness  withal. 

A  sinner  when  he  sinneth,  he  doth  it  with  all 
his  heart,  and  with  all  his  mind,  and  with  all  his 
soul,  and  with  all  his  strength  ;  nor  hath  he  in 
his  ordinary  course  any  thing  that  bindeth.  But 
with  a  good  man  it  is  not  so ;  all,  and  every  whit 
of  himself,  neither  is,  nor  can  he,  in  every  good 
duty  that  he  doth.  For  when  he  would  do  good 
evil  is  present  with  him.  And  again,  *  The  flesh 
lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  against 
the  flesh :  and  these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the 
other,  so  that  ye  cannot  do  the  things  that  ye 

would.'  Ga.v.  17. 

Now  if  a  good  man  cannot  do  good  things  with 
that  wholeness  and  oneness  of  soul,  with  that  one- 
ness and  universalness  of  mind,  as  a  wicked  man 
doth  sin  with,  then  is  his  sin  heavier  to  weigh  him 

VOL.  II. 


down  to  hell,  than  is  his  righteousness  to  buoy  him 
up  to  the  heavens. 

And  again,  I  say,  if  the  righteousness  of  a  good 
man  comes  short  of  his  sin,  both  in  number,  weight 
and  measure,  as  it  doth,  for  a  good  man  shrinks 
and  quakes  at  the  thoughts  of  God's  entering  into 
judgment  with  him,  Ps.  cxliii.  2.  then  is  his  iniquity 
more  than  his  righteousness.  And  I  say  again, 
if  the  sin  of  one  that  is  truly  gracious,  and  so  of 
one  that  hath  the  best  of  principles,  is  heavier  and 
mightier  to  destroy  him,  than  is  his  righteousness 
to  save  him,  how  can  it  be,  that  the  Pharisee,  that 
is  not  gracious,  but  a  mere  carnal  man,  somewhat 
reformed  and  painted  over  with  a  few,  lean,  and 
lousy  formalities,  should  with  his  empty,  partial, 
hypocritical  righteousness,  coimteqjoise  his  great, 
mighty,  and  weighty  sins,  that  have  cleaved  to 
him  in  every  state  and  condition  of  his,  to  make 
him  odious  in  the  sight  of  God  ? 

Second.  Dost  thou  plead  by  thy  righteousness 
for  mercy  for  thyself  ?  Why  in  so  doing  thou 
impliest,  that  mercy  tlwu  deservedst;  and  that  is 
next  door  to,  or  almost  as  much  as  to  say,  God 
oweth  me  what  I  ask  for.*  The  best  that  can  be 
put  upon  it,  is,  thou  seekest  security  from  the  dire- 
ful curse  of  God,  as  it  were  by  the  works  of  the 
law,  and  to  be  sure  betwixt  Christ  and  the  law, 
thou  wilt  drop  into  hell.  Eo.  Ix.  tliree  last  verses.      For  he' 

that  seeks  for  mercy,  as  it  were,  and  but  as  it  were, 
by  the  works  of  the  law,  doth  not  altogether  trust 
thereto.  Nor  doth  he  that  seeks  for  that  righte- 
ousness, that  should  save  him,  as  it  were,  by  the 
works  of  the  law,  seek  it  only,  wholly  and  solely  at 
the  hands  of  mercy. 

So  then,  to  seek  for  that  that  shoidd  save  thee, 
neither  at  the  hands  of  the  law,  nor  at  the  hands 
of  mercy,  is,  to  be  sure,  to  seek  it  where  it  is  not 
to  be  found ;  for  there  is  no  medium  betwixt  the 
righteousness  of  the  law,  and  the  mercy  of  God. 
Thou  must  have  it  either  at  the  door  of  the  law, 
or  at  the  door  of  grace.  But  sayest  thou,  I  am 
for  having  of  it  at  the  hands  of  both.  I  will  trust 
solely  to  neither.  I  love  to  have  two  strings  to 
my  bow.  If  one  of  them,  as  you  think,  can  help 
me  by  itself,  my  reason  tells  me,  that  both  can  help 
me  better.  Therefore  will  I  be  righteous,  and  good, 
and  will  seek  by  my  goodness  to  be  commended  to 
the  mercy  of  God :  for  surely,  he  that  hath  some- 
thing of  his  own  to  ino-ratiate  himself  into  the  fa- 
vour  of  his  prince  withal,  shall  sooner  obtam  his 
mercy  and  favour,  than  one  that  comes  to  him  as 
stript  of  all  good. 


*  Those  who  pl''ad  for  mercy,  as  the  reward  of  their  own 
righteousness,  are  guilty  of  gross  absurdity.  They  may  claim 
to  e)?iplo//  the  mercy  which  they  have  eai-ned :  why  plead  with 
the  God  of  justice  for  ibat  to  which  they  consider  themselves 
in  justice  entitled  ?  God  wll  ffive  to  all  that  to  which  they 
ai-c  entitled,  without  beina;  sued  for  their  earnings.— Ed. 
2  G 


234 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


■  I  answer,  But  there  are  not  two  ways  to  heaven, 
not  two  livmrj  ways ;  there  is  one  new  and  living 
way,  which  Christ  hath  consecrated  for  us  through 
the  vail,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh  ;  and  hesides  that 
one,  there  is  no  more.  He.  x.  19-24.  Why  then  dost 
thou  talk  of  two  strings  to  thy  bow?  What  became 
of  him  that  had,  and  would  have,  two  stools  to  sit 
on?  Yea,  the  text  says  plainly,  that  therefore 
they  obtained  not  righteousness,  because  they 
souo-ht  it  not  by  faith,  but,  as  it  were,  by  the  Avorks 
of  the  law.  See  here,  they  are  disowned  by  the 
gospel,  because  they  sought  it  not  by  faith ;  that 
is,  by  faith  only.  Again,  the  law,  and  the  righte- 
ousness thereof,  flies  from  them,  nor  could  they 
attain  it,  though  they  followed  after  it,  because 
they  sought  it  not  by  faith. 

Mercy  then  is  to  be  found  alone  in  Jesus  Christ ! 
Again,  the  righteousness  of  the  law  is  to  be  ob- 
tained only  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ :  that  is,  in 
the  Son  of  God  is  the  righteousness  of  the  law  to 
be  found ;  for  he,  by  his  obedience  to  his  Father, 
is  become  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness. 
And  for  the  sake  of  his  legal  righteousness,  which 
is  also  called  the  righteousness  of  God,  because  it 
was  God  in  the  flesh  of  the  Lord  Jesus  that  did 
accomplish  it,  is  mercy  and  grace  from  God  ex- 
tended, to  whoever  dcpendeth  by  faith  upon  God 
by  this  Jesus  his  righteousness  for  it.  And  hence 
3t  is,  that  we  so  often  read,  that  this  Jesus  is  the 
•way  to  the  Father:  That  God,  for  Christ's  sake, 
forgiveth  us :  That  by  the  obedience  of  one,  many 
are  made  righteous  or  justified:  And  that  through 
this  man,  is  preached  to  us  the  forgiveness  of  sins  ; 
and  that  by  him  all  that  believe  are  justified  from 
all  things,  from  which  they  could  not  be  justified 
by  the  law  of  Moses. 

Now,  though  I  here  do  make  mention  of  righte- 
ousness and  mercy,  yet  I  hold  there  is  but  one  way, 
to  Avit,  to  eternal  life ;  which  way,  as  I  said,  is 
Jesus  Christ;  for  ho  is  the  new,  the  only  new,  and 
living  way  to  the  Father  of  mercies,  for  mercy  to 
make  me  capable  of  abiding  with  him  in  the  heavens 
for  ever  and  ever. 

But  sayest  thou,  I  will  be  righteous  in  myself 
that  I  may  have  wherewith  to  commend  me  to  God, 
Avhen  I  go  to  him  for  mercy? 

I  answer.  But  thou  blind  Pharisee ;  I  tell  thee 
thou  hast  no  understanding  of  God's  design  by  the 
gospel ;  which  is,  not  to  advance  man's  righteous- 
ness, as  thou  dreamest ;  but  to  advance  the  righ- 
teousness of  his  Son,  and  his  grace  by  him.  In- 
deed, if  God's  design  by  the  gospel  was  to  exalt  and 
advance  man's  righteousness,  then  that  which  thou 
hast  said,  would  be  to  the  purpose.  For  what 
greater  dignity  can  be  put  upon  man's  righteous- 
ness, than  to  admit  it? 

I  say  then,  for  God  to  admit  it,  to  be  an  advo- 
cate, an  intercessor,  a  mediator;  for  all  these  is 


that  which  prevaileth  with  God  to  shew  me  mercy. 
But  tliis  God  never  thought  of,  much  less  could  he 
thus  design  by  the  gospel :  for  the  text  runs  flat 
against  it.  Not  of  works,  not  of  works  of  righte- 
ousness, Avhich  we  have  done ;  not  of  works,  lest 
any  man  should  boast,  saying.  Well,  I  may  thank 
my  own  good  life  for  mercy.  It  was  partly  for  the 
sake  of  mine  own  good  deeds  that  I  obtained  mercy 
to  be  in  heaven  and  glory.  Shall  this  be  the  bur- 
den of  the  song  of  heaven  ?  Or  is  this  that  which 
is  composed  by  that  glittering  heavenly  host,  and 
which  we  have  read  of  in  the  holy  book  of  God ! 
No,  no,  that  song  runs  upon  other  feet,  standeth 
in  far  better  strains,  being  composed  of  far  higher, 
and  truly  heavenly  matter:  For  God  has  'predes- 
tinated us  unto  the  adoption  of  children  by  Jesus 
Christ  to  himself,  according  to  the  good  pleasure 
of  his  will,  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace, 
wherein  he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  beloved. 
In  whom  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood,  the 
forgiveness  of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his 
grace.'  Ep.  i.  5—7.  And  it  is  requisite,  that  the  song 
be  framed  accordingly ;  wherefore  he  saith,  that 
the  heavenly  song  runs  thus :  *  Thou  art  worthy  to 
take  the  book,  and  to  open  the  seals  thereof :  for 
thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by 
thy  blood,  out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and 
people,  and  nation ;  and  hast  made  us  unto  our 
God  kings  and  priests ;  and  we  shall  reign  on  the 
earth.'  lie. v. 9,10. 

He  saith  not  that  they  have  redeemed,  or  helped 
to  redeem  and  deliver  themselves ;  but  that  the 
Lamb,  the  Lamb  that  was  slain ;  the  Lamb  only 
was  he  that  had  redeemed  them.  Nor,  saith  he, 
that  they  had  made  themselves  kings  and  priests 
unto  God  to  ofi"er  any  oblation,  sacrifice,  or  ofler- 
ing  whatsoever ;  but  that  the  same  Lamb  had  made 
them  such.  For  they,  as  is  insinuated  by  the  text, 
were  in,  among,  one  with,  and  no  better,  than  the 
kindreds,  tongues,  nations,  and  people  of  the  earth. 
Better!  No,  in  no  wise,  saith  Paid,  Ro. m. 9.  there- 
fore their  separation  from  them  was  of  mere  mercy, 
free  grace,  good  will,  and  distinguishing  love :  not 
for,  or  because  of,  works  of  righteousness  which 
any  of  them  have  done ;  no,  they  were  all  alike. 
But  these,  because  beloved,  Avhen  in  their  blood, 
according  to  Eze.  xvi.  were  separated  by  free  grace. 
And  as  another  scripture  hath  it,  redeemed  from 
the  earth,  and  from  among  men  by  blood.  Re.xiv.3,4. 
Wherefore  dehverance  from  the  ireful  wrath  of 
God,  must  not,  neither  in  whole,  nor  in  part,  be 
ascribed  to  the  whole  law,  or  to  all  the  righteous- 
ness that  comes  by  it ;  but  to  this  Lamb  of  God, 
Jesus,  the  Saviour  of  the  vv^orld ;  for  it  is  He  that 
delivered  us  from  the  Avrath  to  come :  and  that  ac- 
cording to  God's  appointment;  'For  God  hath  not 
appointed  us  to  wrath,  but  to  obtain  salvation  by 
(or  through)  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  i  Th.  v. 9.     Let 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


23r). 


every  man,  tlicreforc,  take  licecl  what  lie  dotli,  and 
■whereon  he  layeth  the  stress  of  his  salvation,  *  For 
other  foundation  can  no  man  lay,  than  that  is  laid, 
which  is  Jesus  Christ. '  l  Co.  iii.  ll. 

But  dost  thou  plead  still  as  thou  didst  hefore, 
and  wilt  thou  stand  thereto?  Why  then,  thy  de- 
sign must  overcome  God,  or  God's  design  must 
overcome  thee.  Thy  design  is  to  give  thy  good 
life,  thy  good  deeds,  a  part  of  the  glory  of  thy  jus- 
tification from  the  curse.  And  God's  design  is  to 
throw  all  thy  righteousness  out  into  the  street,  into 
the  dirt,  and  dunghill,  as  to  that.  Thou  art  for 
glory,  and  for  glorying  here  hefore  God ;  yea,  thou 
art  for  sharing  in  the  glory  of  justification,  when 
that  alone  helongeth  to  God.  And  he  hath  said, 
'  My  glory  will  I  not  give  to  another, '  Thou  wilt 
not  trust  wholly  to  God's  grace  in  Christ  for  jus- 
tification ;  and  God  will  not  take  thy  stinking 
righteousness  in,  as  a  partner  in  thy  acquitment 
from  sin,  death,  wrath,  and  hell.  Now  the  ques- 
tion is,  who  shall  prevail?  God,  or  the  Pharisee? 
And  whose  word  shall  stand?  His,  or  the  Pha- 
risee's? 

Alas !  The  Pharisee  here  must  needs  come 
down,  for  God  is  greater  than  all.  Also,  he  hath 
said,  that  no  flesh  shall  glory  in  his  presence;  and 
that  he  will  have  mercy,  and  not  sacrifice.  And 
again,  that  it  is  not,  nor  shall  be,  in  him  that  wills, 
nor  in  him  that  runs,  but  in  God  that  sheweth 
mercy.  What  hope,  help,  stay,  or  relief  then  is 
there  left  for  the  merit-monger  ?  What  twig,  or 
straw,  or  twined  thread  is  left  to  be  a  stay  for  his 
soul?  This  besom  will  sweep  away  his  cobweb: 
The  house  that  this  spider  doth  so  lean  upon,  will 
now  be  overturned,  and  he  in  it  to  hell  fire ;  for 
nothing  less  than  everlasting  damnation  is  designed 
by  God,  and  that  for  this  fearfid  and  unbelieving 
Pharisee  :   God  will  prevail  against  him  for  ever. 

lliird.  But  wilt  thou  yet  plead  thy  righteousness 
for  mercy?  AVhy,  in  so  doing,  tJiou  takest  away 
from  God  the  poicer  of  giving  mercy.  For  if  it  be 
thine  as  wages,  it  is  no  longer  his  to  dispose  of  at 
pleasure ;  for  that  which  another  man  oweth  me, 
is  in  equity  not  at  his,  but  at  my  disposal.  Did  I 
say,  that  by  this  thy  plea,  thou  takest  away  from 
God  the  power  of  giving  mercy;  I  will  add,  yea,  and 
also  of  disposing  of  heaven  and  life  eternal.  And 
then,  I  pray  you,  what  is  left  unto  God,  and  what 
can  he  call  his  own?  Not  mercy;  for  that  by 
thy  good  deeds  thou  hast  purchased.  Not  heaven; 
for  that  by  thy  good  deeds  thou  hast  purchased.  Not 
eternal  life ;  for  that  by  thy  good  deeds  thou  hast 
purchased.  Thus,  Pharisee,  0  thou  self-righteous 
man,  hast  thou  set  up  thyself  above  grace,  mercy, 
heaven,  glory ;  yea,  above  even  God  himself,  for 
the  purchaser  should  in  reason  be  esteemed  above 
the  purchase. 

Awake  man  !     What  hast  thou  done  ?     Thou 


hast  blasphemed  God,  thou  hast  undervalued  the 
glory  of  his  grace  ;  thou  hast,  what  in  thee  lieth, 
opposed  the  glorious  design  of  heaven !  Thou  hast 
sought  to  make  thy  filthy  rags  to  share  in  thy  jus- 
tification. 

Now,  all  these  are  mighty  sins ;  these  have 
made  thine  iniquity  infinite.  What  wilt  thou  do  ? 
Thou  hast  created  to  thyself  a  world  of  needless 
miseries.  I  call  them  needless,  because  thou 
hadst  more  than  enough  before.  Thou  hast  set 
thyself  against  God  in  a  way  of  contending ;  thou 
standest  upon  thy  points  and  pantables:*  Thou 
wilt  not  bate  God  an  ace,  of  what  thy  righteous- 
ness is  worth,  and  wilt  also  make  it  worth  what 
thyself  shalt  list.  Thou  wilt  be  thine  own  judge, 
as  to  the  worth  of  thy  righteousness ;  thou  wilt 
neither  hear  what  verdict  the  word  has  passed 
about  it,  nor  wilt  thou  endure,  that  God  should 
throw  it  out  in  the  matter  of  thy  justification,  but 
quarrellest  with  the  doctrine  of  free  grace,  or  else 
dost  wrest  it  out  of  its  place  to  serve  thy  Phari- 
saical designs ;  saying,  '  God,  I  thank  thee,  I  am 
not  as  other  men ; '  fathering  upon  thyself,  yea, 
upon  God  and  thyself,  a  stark  lie ;  for  thou  art  as 
other  men  are,  though  not  in  this,  yet  in  that;  yea, 
in  a  far  worse  condition  than  the  most  of  men  are. 
Nor  will  it  help  thee  any  thing  to  attribute  this 
thy  goodness  to  the  God  of  heaven :  for  that  is  but 
a  mere  toying ;  the  truth  is,  the  God  that  thou 
intendest,  is  nothing  but  thy  righteousness ;  and 
the  grace  that  thou  supposest,  is  nothing  but  thine 
own  good  and  honest  intentions.     So  that, 

Fourth,  In  all  that  thou  sayest,  thou  dost  but 
play  the  downright  hypocrite.  TJiou  pretendest 
indeed  to  mercy,  bid  t/wu  intetidest  nothing  but 
merit.  Thou  seemest  to  give  the  glory  to  God ; 
but  at  the  same  time  takest  it  all  to  thyself.  Thou 
despisest  others,  and  criest  up  thyself,  and  in  con- 
clusion fatherest  all  upon  God  by  word,  and  upon 
thyself  in  truth.  Nor  is  there  any  thing  more 
common  among  this  sort  of  men,  than  to  make 
God,  his  grace,  and  kindness,  the  stalking-horso 
to  their  own  praise,  saying,  God,  I  thank  theo 
when  they  trust  to  themselves  that  they  are  righte- 
ous, and  have  not  need  of  any  repentance ;  when 
the  truth  is,  they  are  the  worst  sort  of  men  in  the 
world,  because  they  put  themselves  into  such  a 


*  'Points  and  pantables;'  quibbles  and  quirks. 

'  With  ])enoHs, points,  and  tropes,  lie  slurs  Ids  crimes; 

He  robb'd  uot,  but  he  borrowed  from  the  ■^oov'—Dryden. 

'  Pantable,'  from  pautoufle,  a  slipper.  To  stand  upon  bis  pan- 
tables,  was  a  contemptuous  mode  of  speech,  to  express  a  very 
dishonourable  man's  '  standing  upon  his  honour,'  which  could 
so  easily  be  slipped  from  under  him.  '  What  pride  is  equal  to 
the  pope's  in  making  kings  kiss  liis  pantables.'  StrK  Sandi/s. 
'  He  standeth  upon  his  pantables,  and  rcgardeth  greatly  his, 
reputation.'  Sakcr's  Character  of  a  Fraudulent  fellow.  Bunyan 
was  peculiarly  happy  in  his  use  of  popular  and  proverbial 
expressions. — Ed. 


236 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


state  as  God  liatli  not  put  them  into,  and  tlicn 
impute  it  to  God,  saying,  God,  I  thank  thee,  that 
thou  hast  done  it ;  for  what  greater  sin  [is  there] 
than  to  make  God  a  liar,  or  than  to  father  that 
upon  God  which  he  never  meant,  intended,  or  did. 
And  all  this  under  a  colour  to  glorify  God ;  when 
there  is  nothing  else  designed,  hut  to  take  all 
o-lory  from  him,  and  to  wear  [it]  on  thine  own 
•head  as  a  crown,  and  a  diadem  in  the  face  of  the 
whole  world. 

A  self-righteous  man  therefore  can  come  to  God 
for  mercy  none  otherwise  than  fawningly:  For 
what  need  of  mercy  hath  a  righteous  man  ?  Let 
him  then  talk  of  mercy,  of  grace,  and  goodness, 
and  come  in  an  hundred  times  with  his,  '  God,  I 
thank  thee,'  in  his  mouth,  all  is  hut  words,  there 
is  no  sense,  nor  savour,  nor  relish  of  mercy  and 
favour ;  nor  doth  he  in  truth,  from  his  very  heart, 
understand  the  nature  of  mercy,  nor  what  is  an 
object  thereof;  hut  when  he  thanks  God,  he 
praises  himself;  when  he  pleads  for  mercy,  he 
means  his  own  merit ;  and  all  this  is  manifest  from 
what  doth  follow ;  for,  saith  he,  '  I  am  not  as  this 
Publican  ! '  Thence  clearly  insinuating,  that  not 
the  good,  hut  the  bad,  should  bo  rejected  of  the 
God  of  heaven :  That  not  the  bad  but  the  good ; 
not  the  sinner,  but  the  self-righteous,  are  the  most 
proper  objects  of  God's  favour.  The  same  thing 
is  done  by  others  in  this  our  day :  Favour,  mercy, 
grace,  and  '  God  I  thank  thee,'  is  in  their  mouths, 
but  their  own  strength,  sufficiency,  free-will,  and 
the  like,  they  are  the  things  they  mean,  by  all 
such  high  and  glorious  expressions. 

[Second  Justice.]  But,  secondly.  If  thy  plea 
be  not  for  mercy,  but  for  justice,  then  to  speak  a 
little  to  that.  Justice  has  measures  and  rules  to 
go  by;  unto  which  measures  and  rules,  if  thou 
comest  not  up,  justice  can  do  thee  no  good.  Come 
then,  0  thou  blind  Pharisee,  let  us  pass  away  a 
few  minutes  in  some  discourse  about  this.  Thou 
demandest  justice,  because  God  hath  said,  that  the 
man  that  doth  these  things  shall  live  in  and  by 
them.  And  again,  the  doers  of  the  law  shall  be 
justified  ;  not  in  a  way  of  mercy,  but  in  a  way  of 
justice.  He  shall  live  by  them.  But  what  hast 
thou  done,  0  blind  Pharisee  !  What  hast  thou 
done,  that  thou  art  emboldened  to  venture,  to  stand 
and  fall  to  the  most  perfect  justice  of  God  ?  Hast 
thou  fulfilled  the  whole  law,  and  not  oft'ended  in 
one  point  ?  Hast  thou  purged  thyself  from  the 
pollutions  and  motions  of  sin  that  dwell  in  the 
flesh,  and  work  in  thy  own  members  ?  Is  the 
very  being  of  sin  rooted  out  of  thy  tabernacle  ? 
And  art  thou  now  as  perfectly  innocent  as  ever  was 
Jesus  Christ  ?  Hast  thou,  by  suffiBring  the  utter- 
most punishment  that  justice  could  justly  lay  upon 
thee  for  thy  sins,  made  fair  and  full  satisfaction  to 
God,  according  to  the  tenor  of  his  law  for  thy 


transgressions  ?  If  thou  hast  done  all  these 
things,  then  thou  mayest  plead  something,  and  yet 
but  something  for  thyself  in  a  way  of  justice. 
Nay,  in  this  I  will  assert  nothing,  but  rather 
inquire : — What  hast  thou  gained  by  all  this  thy 
righteousness  ?  (we  will  now  suppose  what  must 
not  be  granted)  Was  not  this  thy  state  when  thou 
wast  in  thy  first  parents  ?  Wast  thou  not  in- 
nocent, perfectly  innocent  and  righteous  ?  And  if 
thou  shouldest  be  so  now,  what  hast  thou  gained 
thereby  ?  Suppose  that  the  man,  that  had  iorty 
years  ago  forty  pounds  of  his  ovra,  and  had  spent 
it  all  since,  should  yet  be  able  noAV  to  shoAV  his 
forty  pounds  again  ?  What  has  he  got  thereby,  or 
how  much  richer  is  he  at  last,  than  he  was,  when 
he  first  set  up  for  himself.  Nay,  doth  not  tho 
blot  of  his  iU  living  betwixt  his  first  and  his  last, 
lie  as  a  blemish  upon  him,  unless  he  should  redeem 
himself  also  by  works  of  supererogation,  from  the 
scandal  that  justice  may  lay  at  his  door  for  that  ? 

But,  I  say,  suppose,  0  Pharisee,  this  should  bo 
thy  case,  yet  God  is  not  bound  to  give  thee  in 
justice  that  eternal  life,  which  by  his  grace  ho 
bestoweth  upon  those,  that  ^lave  redemption  from 
sin,  by  the  blood  of  his  Son.  In  justice  therefore, 
when  all  comes  to  all,  thou  canst  require  no  more 
than  an  endless  life  in  an  earthly  paradise ;  for 
there  thou  wast  set  up  at  first ;  nor  doth  it  appear 
from  what  hath  been  said,  touching  all  that  thou 
hast  done  or  canst  do,  that  thou  deservedst  a  better 
place. 

Did  I  say,  that  thou  mayest  require  justly  an 
endless  life  in  an  earthly  paradise.  Why  ?  I 
must  add  to  that  saying,  this  proviso:  If  thou 
continuest  in  the  law,  and  in  the  righteousness 
thereof,  else  not. 

But  how  dost  thou  know  that  thoii  shalt  con- 
tinue therein  ?  Thou  hast  no  promise  from  God's 
mouth  for  that,  nor  is  grace  or  strength  ministered 
to  mankind  by  the  covenant  that  thou  art  under. 
So  that  stiU  thou  standest  bound  to  thy  good 
behaviour,  and  in  the  day  that  thou  dost  give  the 
first,  though  never  so  little  a  trip,  or  stumble  iu 
thy  obedience,  thou  forfeitest  thine  interest  in 
paradise,  and  in  justice,  as  to  any  benefit  there. 

But  alas,  Avhat  need  is  there  that  we  should 
thus  talk  of  things,  when  it  is  manifest,  that  thou 
hast  sinned,  not  only  before  thou  wast  a  Pharisee, 
but  when,  after  tho  most  strictest  sect  of  thy 
religion,  thou  livedst  also  a  Pharisee;  yea,  and 
now  in  the  temple,  in  thy  prayer  there,  thou 
showest  thyself  to  be  full  of  ignorance,  pride,  self- 
conceit,  and  horrible  arrogancy,  and  desire  of  vain 
glory,  he,  which  arc  none  of  them  tho  seat  or 
fruits  of  righteousness,  but  tho  seat  of  the  devil, 
and  the  fruit  of  his  dwelling,  even  at  this  time,  in 
thy  heart. 

Could  it  ever  have  been  imagined,  that  such 


THE  PHARISEE  MiB  THE  PUBLICAN. 


237 


aiulaclous  impudence  could  have  put  itself  forth  in 
any  mortal  man,  in  his  approach  unto  God  by 
prayer,  as  has  showed  itself  in  thee  ?  *  I  am  not 
as  other  men  ! '  sayest  thou ;  but  is  this  the  way 
to  go  to  God  in  prayer  ?  Is  this  the  way  for  a 
mortal  man,  that  is  full  of  sin,  that  stands  in  need 
of  mercy,  and  that  must  certainly  perish  without 
4t,  to  come  to  God  in  prayer  ?  The  prayer  of  the 
upright  is  God's  delight.  But  the  upright  man 
glorifies  God's  justice,  by  confessing  to  God  the 
vileness  and  pollution  of  his  state  and  condition : 
He  glorifies  God's  mercy  by  acknowledging,  that 
that,  and  that  only,  as  communicated  of  God  by 
Christ  to  sinners,  can  save  and  deliver  from  the 
cm'se  of  the  law. 

This,  I  say,  is  the  sum  of  the  prayer  of  the 

just  and  upright  man.  Job  i.  8;  xL  4.  Ac.  xdii.  23.  Ps.xxxviii.; 

li.  3  Sa.  vi.  21, 23.  and  not  as  thou  most  vain-gloriously 
vauntest,  with  thy,  *  God,  I  thank  thee,  that  I  am 
not  as  other  men  are.' 

True,  when  a  man  is  accused  by  his  neighbours, 
by  a  brother,  by  an  enemy,  and  the  like ;  if  he  be 
clear,  and  he  may  be  so,  as  to  what  they  shall  lay 
to  his  charge,  then  let  him  vindicate,  justify,  and 
acquit  himself,  to  the  utmost  that  in  justice  and 
truth  he  can ;  for  his  name,  the  preservation 
whereof  is  more  to  be  chosen  than  silver  and  gold  ; 
also  his  profession,  yea,  the  name  of  God  too,  and 
religion,  may  now  lie  at  stake,  by  reason  of  such 
false  accusations,  and  perhaps  can  by  no  means, 
as  to  this  man,  be  recovered,  and  vindicated  from 
reproach  and  scandal,  but  by  his  justifying  of  him- 
self. Wherefore  in  such  a  Avork,  a  man  serveth 
God,  and  saves  religion  from  hurt ;  yea,  as  he  that 
is  a  professor,  and  has  his  profession  attended  with 
a  scandalous  life,  hurteth  religion  therf;by;  So  he 
that  has  his  profession  attended  with  a  good  life, 
and  shall  suffer  it  notwithstanding,  to  lie  imder 
blame  by  false  accusations,  when  it  is  in  the  power 
of  his  hand  to  justify  himself,  hm'teth  religion  also. 
But  the  case  of  the  Pharisee  is  otherwise.  He  is 
not  here  a  dealing  with  men,  but  God ;  not  seek- 
ing to  stand  clear  in  the  sight  of  the  world,  but  in 
the  sight  of  heaven  itself;  and  that  too,  not  with 
respect  to  what  men  or  angels,  but  with  respect  to 
what  God  and  his  law,  could  charge  him  with  and 
justly  lay  at  his  door. 

This  therefore  mamly  altereth  the  case ;  for  a 
man  here  to  stand  thus  upon  his  points,*  it  is 
death ;  for  he  afironteth  God,  he  giveth  him  the 
lie,  he  reproveth  the  law,  and  in  sum,  accuseth  it 
of  bearing  false  witness  against  him ;  he  doth  this, 
I  say,  even  by  saying,  *  God,  I  thank  thee,  that  I 
am  not  as  other  men  are;'  for  God  hath  made 
none  of  this  diff'erence.  The  law  condemneth  all 
men  as  smners,  and  testifieth,  that  every  imagina- 

*  See  note  on  page  235. 


tion  of  the  thought  of  the  heart  of  the  sons  of  men 
is  only  evil,  and  that  continually.  Wherefore  thej 
that  do  as  the  Pharisee  did,  to  wit,  seek  to  justify 
themselves  before  God  from  the  curse  of  the  law, 
by  their  own  good  doings,  though  they  also,  as 
the  Pharisee  did,  seem  to  give  God  the  thanks  for 
all,  yet  do  most  horribly  sin,  even  by  their  so  doing, 
and  shall  receive  a  Pharisee's  reward  at  last. 
Wherefore,  0  thou  Pharisee,  it  is  a  vain  thing  for 
thee  either  to  think  of,  or  to  ask  for,  at  God's 
hand,  either  mercy  or  justice.  Because  mercy 
thou  canst  not  ask  for,  from  sense  of  want  of 
mercy,  because  thy  righteousness,  which  is  by  the 
law,  hath  utterly  blinded  thine  eyes,  and  compli- 
menting with  God  doth  nothing.  And  as  for 
justice,  that  can  do  thee  no  good,  but  the  more 
just  God  is,  and  the  more  by  that  he  acteth  towards 
thee,  the  more  miserable  and  fearful  will  be  thy 
condition,  because  of  the  deficiency  of  thy,  so 
much  by  thee,  esteemed  righteousness. 

[Tlie  Pharisee  scdh  no  need  of  mercy,  hut  thliiketh 
himself  righteous  hefore  God.^ 

^Vhat  a  deplorable  condition  then  is  a  poor  Pha- 
risee In !  For  mercy  he  cannot  pray,  he  cannot 
pray  for  it  with  aU  his  heart ;  for  he  seeth,  indeed, 
no  need  thereof.  True,  the  Pharisee,  though  he 
was  impudent  enough,  yet  would  not  take  all  from 
God ;  he  would  still  count,  that  there  was  due  to 
him  a  tribute  of  thanks:  '  God,  I  thank  thee,' 
salth  he,  but  yet  not  a  bit  of  this,  for  mercy ;  but 
for  that  he  had  let  him  live,  for  I  know  not  for 
what  he  did  thank  himself,  till  he  had  made  him- 
self better  than  other  men  ;  but  that  betterment 
was  a  betterment  in  none  other  judgment  than  that 
of  his  own,  and  that  was  none  other  but  such  an 
one  as  was  false.  So  then,  the  Pharisee  is  by  this 
time  quite  out  of  doors ;  his  righteousness  Is  worth 
nothing,  his  prayer  is  worth  nothing,  his  thanks  to 
God  are  worth  nothing ;  for  that  what  he  had  was 
scanty,  and  imperfect,  and  it  was  his  pride  that 
made  him  ofi^er  it  to  God  for  acceptance ;  nor  coiild 
his  fawning  thanksgiving  better  his  case,  or  make 
his  matter  at  all  good  before  God. 

But  I'll  warrant  you,  the  Pharisee  was  so  far 
off  from  thinking  thus  of  himself,  and  of  his  righte- 
ousness, that  he  thought  of  nothing  so  much  as 
of  this,  that  he  was  a  happy  man ;  yea,  happier 
by  far  than  other  his  fellow  rationals.  Yea,  he 
plamly  declares  it  when  he  saith,  '  God,  I  thank 
thee,  that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are.' 

0  what  a  fool's  paradise  was  the  heart  of  the 
Pharisee  now  in,  whUe  he  stood  in  the  temple 
praying  to  God  !  *  God,  I  thank  thee,'  said  he, 
for  I  am  good  and  holy,  I  am  a  righteous  man ;  1 
have  been  full  of  good  works;  I  am  no  extortioner, 
unjust,  nor  adulterer,  no  nor  yet  as  this  wretched 


238 


THE  PHARISEE  AJND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


Publican.  I  have  kept  myself  strictly  to  the  rule 
of  mine  order,  and  my  order  is  the  most  strict  of 
all  orders  now  in  being:  I  fast,  I  pray,  I  give  tithes 
of  all  that  I  possess.  Yea,  so  forward  am  I  to  be 
a  religious  man ;  so  ready  have  1  been  to  listen 
after  my  duty,  that  I  have  asked  both  of  God  and 
man  the  ordinances  of  judgment  and  justice ;  I 
take  delight  in  approaching  to  God.  What  less 
now  can  be  mine  than  the  heavenly  kingdom  and 
glory? 

Now  the  Pharisee,  like  Haman,  saith  In  his 
heart.  To  whom  would  the  king  delight  to  do  hon- 
our, more  than  to  myself?  Where  is  the  man 
that  so  pleaseth  God,  and  consequently,  that  in 
equity  and  reason  should  be  beloved  of  God  like 
me  ?  Thus  like  the  prodigal's  brother,  he  pleadeth, 
saying,  '  Lo,  these  many  years  do  I  serve  thee, 
neither  transgressed  I  at  any  time  thy  command- 
ment. '  Lu.  XV.  29.  0  brave  Pharisee !  But  go  on  in 
thine  oration :  *  Nor  yet  as  this  Publican. ' 

Poor  Avretch,  quoth  the  Pharisee  to  the  Publi- 
can, What  comcst  thou  for?  Dost  think  that  such 
a,  sinner  as  thou  art  shall  be  heard  of  God  ?  God 
heareth  not  sinners ;  but  If  any  man  be  a  wor- 
shipper of  God  as  I  am,  as  I  thank  God  I  am,  him 
he  heareth.  Thou,  for  thy  part,  hast  been  a  rebel 
all  thy  days :  I  abhor  to  come  nigh  thee,  or  to 
touch  thy  garments.  Stand  by  thyself,  come  not 
near  me,  for  I  am  more  holy  than  thou.  is.  Lw.  5. 

Hold,  stop  there,  go  no  further;  fie  Pharisee, 
fie ;  Dost  thou  know  before  whom  thou  standest, 
to  whom  thou  speakest,  and  of  what  the  matter  of 
thy  silly  oration  is  made  ?  Thou  art  now  before 
God,  thou  speakest  now  to  God,  and  therefore  in 
justice  and  honesty  thou  shouldest  make  mention 
of  his  righteousness,  not  of  thine ;  of  his  righteous- 
ness, and  of  his  only, 

I  am  sure  Abraham,  of  whom  thou  sayest  he  is 
thy  father,  never  had  the  face  to  do  as  thou  hast 
done,  though  it  is  to  be  presumed  he  had  more 
cause  so  to  do,  than  thou  hast,  or  canst  have. 
Abraham  had  whereof  to  glory,  but  not  before 
God;  yea,  he  was  called  God's  friend,  and  yet 
would  not  glory  before  him  ;  but  humbled  himself, 
iwas  afraid,  ami  trembled  In  himself,  when  he  stood 
before  him,  acknowledging  of  himself  to  be  but 
dust  and  ashes.  Ge.  xviii.  37,  so.  Bo.  iv.  3.  But  thou,  as 
thou  hadst  quite  forgot,  that  thou  wast  framed  of 
that  matter,  and  after  the  manner  of  other  men, 
standest  and  pleadcst  thy  goodness  before  him. 
Be  ashamed  Pliarlsee !  Dost  thou  think,  that  God 
hath  eyes  of  flesh,  or  that  he  seeth  as  man  sees  ? 
Is  not  the  secrets  of  thy  heart  open  unto  him  ? 
Thinkest  thou  with  thyself,  that  thou,  with  a  few 
of  thy  defiled  ways  canst  cover  thy  rottcti  wall, 
that  thou  hast  daubed  with  miteraperod  mortar, 
and  so  hide  the  dirt  thereof  from  his  eyes :  Or 
that  these  fine,  smooth,  and  oily  words,  that  come 


out  of  thy  mouth,  wIH  make  him  forget  that  thy 
throat  is  an  open  sepulchre,  and  that  thou  within 
art  full  of  dead  men's  bones  and  all  uncleanness  ? 
Thy  thus  cleansing  of  the  outside  of  the  cup  and 
platter,  and  thy  garnishing  of  the  sepulchres  of  • 
the  righteous,  is  nothing  at  all  In  God's  eyes,  but 
things  that  manifest,  that  thou  art  an  hypocrite, 
and  blind,  because  thou  takest  no  notice  of  that 
which  is  toithin,  which  yet  is  that,  which  is  most 
abominable  to  God.  For  the  fruit,  alas,  what  is 
the  fruit  to  the  tree,  or  what  are  the  streams  to  the 
fountain  !  Thy  fountain  is  defiled;  yea,  a  defiler, 
and  so  that  which  maketh  thy  whole  self,  with  thy 
works  unclean  in  God's  sight. 

But  Pharisee,  how  comes  it  to  pass,  that  the 
poor  Publican  is  now  such  a  mote  in  thine  eye,  that 
thou  canst  not  forbear,  but  must  accuse  him  before 
the  judgment  of  God:  for  in  that  thou  sayest, 
'  that  thou  art  not  even  as  this  Publican, '  thou 
bringest  in  an  accusation,  a  chai-ge,  a  bill  against 
him.  What  has  he  done  ?  Has  he  concealed  any 
of  thy  righteousness,  or  has  he  secretly  informed 
against  thee  that  thou  art  an  hypocrite,  and  super- 
stitious ?  I  dare  say,  the  poor  wretch  has  neither 
meddled  nor  made*  with  thee  In  these  matters. 

But  what  alleth  the  Pharisee  ?  Doth  the  poor 
Publican  stand  to  vex  thee  ?  Doth  ho  touch  thee 
with  his  dirty  garments ;  or  doth  he  annoy  thee 
with  his  stinking  breath  ?  Doth  his  posture  of 
standing  so  like  a  man  condemned  oftend  thee  ? 
True,  he  now  standeth  with  his  hand  held  up  at 
God's  bar,  he  pleads  guilty  to  all  that  is  laid  to 
his  charge. 

He  cannot  strut,  vapour,  and  swagger  as  thou 
dost  ?  but  why  oft'cnded  at  this  ?  Oh  but  he  has 
been  a  naughty  man  !  and  I  have  been  righteous, 
sayest  thou.  Well,  Pharisee,  well,  his  naughtiness 
shall  not  be  laid  to  thy  charge,  if  thou  hast  chosen 
none  of  his  ways.  But  since  thou  wilt  yet  bear  me 
down,  that  thou  art  righteous,  shew  now,  even  now, 
while  thou  standest  before  God  with  the  Publican, 
some,  though  they  be  but  small,  yea,  though  but 
very  small  fruits  of  thy  righteousness.  Let  the 
Publican  alone,  since  he  is  speaking  for  his  life 
before  God.  Or  if  thou  canst  not  let  him  alone, 
yet  do  not  speak  against  him ;  for  thy  so  doing- 
will  but  prove,  that  thou  rememberest  the  evil  that 
the  man  has  done  unto  thee ;  yea,  and  that  thou 
bearest  him  a  grudge  for  it  too,  and  that  while  you 
stand  before  God. 

But  Pharisee,  the  righteous  man  Is  a  merciful 


*  '  JMcddle  nor  make,'  to  interfere  with  matters  that  do  not 
concern  us. 

'  I  tliink  it  no  sin,  to  sleep  in  a  whole  skin, 
So  I  neillier  meddle  nor  make.' — Old  Pin;/. 

'  He  that  will  meddle  with  all  things,  may  go  shoe  the  goslings.* 
'  I'll  neither  meddle  nor  make,  said  Bill  Heaps,  when  he  spiU'd 
the  butter  milk.'  Old  Frovcrbs. — Ed. 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


man,  and  while  he  standetli  praying,  ho  forgiveth; 
yea,  and  also  cricth  to  God  that  he  will  forgive 
liim  too.  Mar.  xi.  25,  2G.  Ac.  vii.  60.  Hitherto  thcn  thou 
liast  shewed  none  of  the  fruits  of  thy  righteousness. 
Pharisee,  righteousness  would  teach  thee  to  love 
this  Publican,  but  thou  showest  that  thou  hatest 
him.  Love  covereth  the  multitude  of  sius ;  but 
hatred  and  unfaithfulness  revealeth  secrets. 

Pharisee,  thou  shouldcst  have  remembered  this 
thy  brother  in  this  his  day  of  adversity,  and 
shouldest  have  shewed,  that  thou  hadst  compassion 
to  thy  brother  in  this  his  deplorable  condition ;  but 
thou,  like  the  proud,  the  cruel,  and  arrogant  man, 
hast  taken  thy  neighbour  at  the  advantage,  and 
that  when  he  is  even  between  the  straits,  and 
standing  upon  the  very  pinnacle  of  difficulty,  be- 
twixt the  heavens  and  the  hells,  and  hast  done 
what  thou  coiddest,  what  on  thy  part  lay,  to  thrust 
him  down  to  the  deep,  saying,  '  I  am  not  even  as 
this  Publican.' 

What  cruelty  can  be  greater ;  what  rage  more 
furious  ;  and  what  spite  and  hatred  more  damnable 
and  implacable,  than  to  follow,  or  take  a  man 
while  he  is  asking  of  mercy  at  God's  hands,  and 
to  put  in  a  caveat*  against  his  obtaining  of  it,  by 
exclaiming  against  him  that  he  is  a  sinner?  The 
master  of  righteousness  doth  not  so :  '  Do  not 
think,'  saith  he,  'that  I  will  accuse  you  to  the 
Father. '  Jn.  v.  45.  The  scholars  of  righteousness  do 
not  so.  *  But  as  for  me,'  said  David,  *  when  they 
(mine  enemies)  were  sick,  (and  the  Publican  here 
was  sick  of  the  most  malignant  disease)  my  cloth- 
ing was  sackcloth,  I  humbled  my  soul  with  fasting; 
and  my  prayer  (to  wit,  that  I  made  for  them)  re- 
turned into  mine  own  bosom.  I  behaved  myself 
as  though  Jie  Jiacl  been  my  friend  or  brother :  I 
bowed  do^vn  heavily,  as  one  that  mourneth  for  his 
mother. '  Pa.  xxxv.  13, 14. 

Pharisee,  Dost  thou  see  here  how  contrary  thou 
art  to  righteous  men  ?  Now  then,  where  shall  we 
find  out  one  to  parallel  thee,  but  by  finding  out  of 
him  that  is  called  the  dragon ;  for  he  it  is  that 
accuseth  poor  sinners  before  God.  Zcc.  iii.  Re.  xii. 

'  I  am  not  as  this  Publican : '  Modesty  shoidd 
have  commanded  thee  to  have  bit  thy  tongue  as  to 
this.  What  could  the  angels  think,  but  that  re- 
venge was  now  in  thine  heart,  and  but  that  thou 
comest  up  into  the  temple,  rather  to  boast  of  thy 
self  and  accuse  thy  neighbour,  than  to  pray  to  the 
God  of  heaven :  For  what  one  petition  is  there  in 
all  thy  prayer,  that  gives  the  least  intimation,  that 
thou  hast  the  knowledge  of  God  or  thyself?  Nay, 
Avhat  petition  of  any  kind  is  there  in  thy  vain-glo- 

*  The  accm-ate  knowledge  of  Bimyaii  as  to  the  meaning  of 
law  tcnns  is  very  surprising,  and  proves  liiiu  to  have  been  an 
apt  scholar.  A  caveat  is  a  caution  not  to  admit  a  wll  that 
may  injiu-c  some  other  party. — Ed. 


rious  oration  from  first  to  last  ?  only  an  accusation 
drawn  up,  and  that  against  one  helpless  and  for- 
lorn ;  against  a  poor  man,  because  he  is  a  sinner ; 
drawn  up,  I  say,  against  him  by  thee,  who  canst 
not  make  proof  of  thyself  that  thou  art  righteous : 
But  come  to  proofs  of  righteousness,  and  there  thou 
art  wanting  also.  What  though  thy  raiment  is 
better  than  his,  thy  skin  may  be  full  as  black : 
Yea,  what  if  thy  skin  be  whiter  than  his,  thy  heart 
may  be  yet  far  blacker.  Yea,  it  is  so,  for  the 
truth  hath  spoken  it ;  for  ■within  you  are  full  of 
excess  and  all  imcleanness.  Mat.  xxiii. 

Pharisee,  there  are  transgressions  against  the 
second  table,  and  the  Publican  shall  be  guilty  of 
them:  But  there  are  sins  also  against  the  first 
table,  and  thou  thyself  art  guilty  of  them. 

The  Publican,  in  that  he  was  an  extortioner, 
imjust,  and  an  adulterer,  made  it  thereby  manifest 
that  he  did  not  love  his  neighbour ;  and  thou  by 
making  a  God,  a  Saviour,  a  deliverer,  of  thy  filthy 
righteousness,  doth  make  it  appear,  that  thou  dost 
not  love  thy  God ;  for  as  he  that  taketh,  or  that 
derogateth  from  his  neighbour  in  that  which  is  his 
neighbour's  due,  sinneth  against  his  neighbour,  so 
he  that  taketh  or  derogateth  from  God,  sinneth 
against  God. 

Now  then,  though  thou  hast  not,  as  thou  dost 
imagine,  played  at  that  low  game  as  to  derogate 
from  thy  neighbour ;  yet  thou  hast  played  at  that 
high  game  as  to  derogate  from  thy  God ;  for  thou 
hast  robbed  God  of  the  glory  of  salvation ;  yea, 
declared,  that  as  to  that  there  is  no  trust  to  be 
put  in  him.  '  Lo,  this  is  the  man  that  made  not 
God  his  strength;  but  trusted  in  the  abundance 
of  his  riches,  ami  strengthened  himself  in  his 
wickedness'  or  substance.  P3.  lii.  7. 

What  else  means  this  great  bundle  of  thy  own 
righteousness,  Avhich  thou  hast  brought  with  theo 
into  the  temple?  yea,  what  means  else  thy  com- 
mending of  thyself  because  of  that,  and  so  thy 
implicit  prayer,  that  thou  for  that  mightest  find 
acceptance  with  God? 

All  this,  what  does  it  argue,  I  say,  but  thy  diffi- 
dence of  God  ?  and  that  thou  countest  salvation 
safer  in  thine  own  righteousness,  than  in  the 
righteousness  of  God ;  and  that  thy  own  love  to, 
and  care  of  thy  own  soul,  is  far  greater,  and  so 
much  better,  than  is  the  care  and  love  of  God. 
And  is  this  to  keep  the  first  table ;  yea,  the  first 
branch  of  that  table,  which  saith,  '  Thou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  ? '  For  thy  thus  doing  cannot 
stand  with  love  to  God. 

How  can  that  man  say,  I  love  God,  who  from 
his  very  heart  shrinkcth  from  trusting  in  him? 
Or,  how  can  that  man  say,  I  would  glorify  God, 
who  in  his  very  heart  refuseth  to  stand  and  fall 
by  his  mercy  ? 

Suppose  a  great  man  should  bid  all  the  poor  of 


240 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


the  parish  to  his  house  to  dimier,  and  should  more- 
over send  by  the  mouth  of  his  servant,  saying,  My 
lord  hath  killed  his  failings,  hath  furnished  his 
table,  and  prepared  his  wine,  nor  is  there  want  of 
anything,  come  to  the  banquet :  Would  it  not  be 
counted  as  a  high  aifront  to,  great  contempt  of, 
and  much  distrust  in  the  goodness  of  the  man  of 
the  house,  if  some  of  these  guests  should  take 
with  them,  out  of  their  own  poor  store,  some  of 
their  mouldy  crusts,  and  carry  them  with  them, 
lay  them  on  their  trenchers  upon  the  table  before 
the  lord  of  the  feast,  and  the  rest  of  his  guests, 
out  of  fear  that  he  yet  would  not  provide  sufficiently 
for  those  ho  had  bidden  to  his  dinner  that  he 
made? 

Why  Pharisee,  this  is  thy  very  case.  Thou  hast 
been  called  to  a  banquet,  even  to  the  banquet 
of  God's  grace,  and  thou  hast  been  disposed  to 
go;  but  behold,  thou  hast  not  believed,  that  he 
would  of  his  OAvn  cost  make  thee  a  feast,  when 
thou  comest;  wherefore  of  thy  own  store  thou 
hast  brought  Avith  thee,  and  hast  laid  upon  thy 
trencher*  on  his  table,  thy  mouldy  and  hoary 
crusts  in  the  presence  of  the  angels,  and  of  this 
poor  Pubhcan;  yea,  and  hast  vauntingly  said 
upon  the  whole,  '  God,  I  thank  thee,  that  I  am 
not  as  other  men  arc. '  I  am  no  such  needy  man. 
Lu.  XV.  7.  *  I  am  no  extortioner,  nor  imjust,  no 
adulterer,  nor  even  as  this  Publican.'  I  am  come 
indeed  to  thy  feast,  for  of  civility  I  could  do  no 
less ;  but  for  thy  dainties,  I  need  them  not,  I  have 
of  sucli  things  enough  of  mine  own.f  Lu.  xviii.  9.  I 
thank  thee  therefore  for  thy  offer  of  kindness,  but 
I  am  not  as  those  that  have,  and  stand  in  need 
thereof,  '  nor  yet  as  this  Publican. '  And  thus 
feeding  upon  thine  own  fare,  or  by  making  a  com- 
position of  his  and  thine  together,  thou  condemnest 
God,  thou  countest  him  insufficient  or  imfaithful; 
that  is,  either  one  that  hath  not  enough,  or  having 
it,  will  not  bestow  it  upon  the  poor  and  needy, 
and  therefore,  of  mere  pretence  thou  goest  to  his 
banquest,  but  yet  trustest  to  thine  own,  and  to 
that  only. 

This  is  to  break  the  first  table ;  and  so  to  make 
thyself  a  sinner  of  the  highest  form :  for  the  sins 
against  the  first  table,  are  sins  of  an  higher  nature 
than  are  the  sins  against  the  second.  True,  the 
sins  of  the  second  table  are  also  sins  against  God, 
because  they  are  sins  against  the  commandments 
of  God:  but  the  sins  that  are  against  the  first 
table,  arc  sins  not  only  against  the  command,  but 


against  the  very  love,  strength,  holiness,  and  faith- 
fulness of  God.  And  herein  stands  thy  condition; 
thou  hast  not,  thou  sayest  thou  hast  not  done  injury 
to  thy  neighbour ;  but  v/hat  of  that,  IP  thou  hast 

KEPROACIIED    GOD    TIIY  MAKER  ?       Tllis    is,    aS    if  a 

man  shoidd  be  in  with  his  fellow-servant,  and  out 
with  his  master. 

Pharisee,  I  will  assure  thee,  thou  art  besides 
the  saddle ;  J  thy  state  is  not  good,  thy  righteous- 
ness is  so  far  off  from  doing  of  thee  any  good,  that 
it  maketh  thee  to  be  a  greater  sinner  than  if  thou 
hadst  none  at  all,  because  it  fighteth  more  imme- 
diately against  the  mercy,  the  love,  the  grace,  and 
goodness  of  God,  than  the  sins  of  other  sinners,  as 
to  degree,  does. 

And  as  they  are  more  odious  and  abominable  in 
the  sight  of  God,  as  they  needs  must,  if  what  is 
said  be  true,  as  it  is ;  so  they  are  more  dangerous 
to  the  life  and  soul  of  man:  for  that  they  always 
appear  unto  him  in  whom  they  dwell,  and  to  him 
that  trusteth  in  them,  not  to  be  sins  and  trans- 
gressions, but  virtues  and  excellent  things.  Not 
things  that  set  a  man  further  off,  but  the  things, 
that  bring  a  man  nearer  to  God,  than  those  that 
Avant  them  are  or  can  be. 

This  therefore  is  the  dangerous  estate  of  those 
that  go  about  to  establish  their  own  righteousness, 
that  neither  have,  nor  can,  while  they  are  so  doing, 
submit  themselves  to  the  righteousness  of  God,  Ro. 
X.  3.  It  is  far  more  easy  to  persuade  a  poor  wretch, 
whose  life  is  debauched,  and  whose  sins  are  written 
in  his  forehead,  to  submit  to  the  righteousness  of 
God,  that  is,  to  the  righteousness  that  is  of  God's 
providing  and  giving ;  than  it  is  to  persuade  a  self- 
righteous  man  to  do  it.  For  the  profane  are  sooner 
convinced,  as  of  the  necessity  of  righteousness  to 
save  him :  so  that  he  has  none  of  his  own  to  do 
him  that  pleasure,  and  therefore  most  gladly  he 
acceptetli  of,  and  submitteth  himself  to  the  help 
and  health  and  salvation  that  is  in  the  righteous- 
ness and  obedience  of  another  man. 

And  upon  this  account  it  is,  that  Christ  saith, 
*  The  Publicans  and  the  Harlots'  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  before  the  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees. Mat.xxi.  31.  Poor  Pharisee,  what  a  loss  art 
thou  at  ?  thou  art  not  only  a  sinner,  but  a  sinner 
of  the  highest  form.  Not  a  sinner  by  such  sins 
(by  such  sins  chiefly)  as  the  second  table  doth 
make  manifest ;  but  a  sinner  chiefly  in  that  Avay, 
as  no  self-riohteous  man  did  ever  dream  of.     For 


*  In  this  country  the  introduction  of  caiihenware  plates  has 
driven  the  less  cleanly  wooden  plate,  ciJled  a  trencher,  entirely 
out  of  use. — Ed. 

t  Sin-sick  souls  alone  seek  the  Great  Physician,  and  are  the 
proper  subjects  of  Christ's  healing  power.  Pride  and  unbelief 
har  the  door  of  mercy  and  grace ;  and  if  not  subdued  by  the 
blood  of  the  cross,  will  iiiin  the  soul. — Bi/Iand. 


X  '  Thou  art  besides  the  saddle.' 

'  I  have  no  spur 
To  prick  the  sides  of  my  intent,  but  only 
Vaulting  ambition ;  wliich  o'erleaps  itself, 
Aud  falls  on  the  other.    -    -  '  Macbeth. 

A  proud  ecclesiastic  requested  one  of  his  devotees  to  give  him 
a  leg  on  mounting  his  horse,  whicli  he  did  so  heartily  as  to 
throw  him  to  the  other  side  the  saddle,  and  broke  liis  neck. 
-Ed. 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


241 


when  the  righteous  man  or  Pharisee  shall  licar 
that  he  is  a  sinner,  he  replieth,  '  I  am  not  as  other 
men  are.' 

And  hecause  the  common  and  more  ordinary 
description  of  sin,  is  the  transgression  against  the 
second  table,  he  presently  replieth  again,  I  am 
not  as  this  Publican  is ;  and  so  shrowdeth  himself 
under  his  own  lame  endeavours,  and  ragged, 
partial  patches  of  moral  or  civil  righteousness. 
Wherefore  -when  he  heareth,  that  his  righteous- 
ness is  condemned,  slighted,  and  accoimted  nothing 
■worth,  then  he  fretteth,  and  fumeth,  and  chafeth 
and  would  kill  the  man,  that  so  slighteth  and  dis- 
daineth  his  goodly  righteousness  ;  but  Christ  and 
the  true  gospel-teacher  stiH  goeth  on,  and  con- 
demneth  all  his  righteousness  to  be  as  menstrous 
rags,  an  abomination  to  God,  and  nothing  but  loss 
and  dung. 

Now  menstrous  rags,  things  that  are  an  abomi- 
nation, and  dung,  are  not  fit  matter  to  make  a 
garment  of  to  wear,  when  I  come  to  God  for  life, 
much  less  to  be  made  my  friend,  my  advocate,  my 
mediator  and  spokesman,  when  I  stand  betwixt 
heaven  and  hell,  to  plead  for  me  that  I  might  be 

saved,    is.  kiv.  6.  Lu.  xvi.  15.  Phi.  iii.  6—8. 

Perhaps  some  -will  blame  me,  and  count  me 
also  worthy  thereof,  because  I  do  not  distinguish 
betwixt  the  matter  and  the  manner  of  the  Phari- 
see's righteousness.  And  let  them  condemn  me 
stlU ;  for,  saving  the  holy  law,  which  is  neither 
the  matter  nor  marmer  of  the  Pharisee's  righteous- 
ness, but  rather  the  rules,  if  he  will  live  thereby, 
up  to  Avhich  he  should  completely  come  in  eveiy 
thing  that  he  doth.  And  I  say  again,  that  the 
whole  of  the  Pharisee's  righteousness  is  sinful, 
though  not  with  and  to  men,  yet  with  and  before 
the  God  of  heaven.  Sinful  I  say  it  is,  and  abomi- 
nable, both  in  itself,  and  also  in  its  effects. 

[77ie  Pharisees  whole  rightecnisness  sinful.] 

First,  In  itself ;  for  that  it  is  imperfect,  scanty, 
and  short  of  the  rule  by  which  righteousness  is 
enjoined,  and  even  with  which  every  act  should 
be:  For  shortness  here,  even  every  shortness  in 
these  duties,  is  sin,  and  sinful  weakness ;  where- 
fore the  curse  taketh  hold  of  the  man  for  coming 
short,  but  that  it  coiild  not  justly  do,  if  his  coming 
short  was  not  his  sin :  Cursed  is  every  one  that 
doeth  not,  and  that  continueth  not  to  do  all  things 
written  in  the  law.  De.  xs™.  2G.  Ga.  iii.  lo. 

Secoml,  It  is  smful,  because  it  is  wrought  by 
sinful  flesh ;  for  all  legal  righteousness  is  a  work 

of  the  flesh.   Eo.  ir.  l.  Phi.  iii.  3—8. 

A  work,  I  say,  of  the  flesh ;  even  of  that  flesh, 
who,  or  which  also  committeth  the  greatest  enor- 
mities. Por  the  flesh  is  but  one,  though  its 
worldngs  are  divers:  Sometimes  in  a  way  most 

VOL.  II. 


notoriously  sensual  and  devilish,  causing  tlie  soul 
to  waUow  in  wickedness  as  the  sow  doth  to  wallow 
in  the  mire. 

But  these  are  not  all  the  works  of  the  flesh ;  the 
flesh  sometimes  wiU  attempt  to  be  righteous,  and 
set  upon  doing  actions,  that  in  their  perfection 
would  be  very  glorious  and  beautiful  to  behold. 
But  because  the  law  is  only  commanding  words, 
and  yieldeth  no  help  to  the  man  that  attempts  to 
perform  it ;  and  because  the  flesh  is  weak,  and 
cannot  do  of  itself  that  which  it  beginneth  to 
meddle  wdth,  therefore  this  most  glorious  work  of 
the  flesh  faileth. 

But,  I  say,  as  it  is  a  work  of  the  flesh,  it  can- 
not be  good,  forasmuch  as  the  hand  that  worketh 
it,  is  defiled  with  sin :  For  in  a  good  man,  one 
spii-ltually  good,  '  that  is  in  his  flesh  there  dwells 
no  good  thing,'  but  consequently  that  which  is 
bad ;  how  then  can  the  flesh  of  a  carnal,  graceless 
man,  and  such  a  one  is  every  pharisee  and  self- 
righteous  man  in  the  world,  produce,  though  it 
joineth  itself  to  the  law,  to  the  righteous  law  of 
God,  that  which  is  good  in  his  sight. 

If  any  shall  think  that  I  pinch  so  hardly,  because 
I  call  man's  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  of 
the  righteous  law  of  God,  flesh ;  let  them  consider 
that  which  follows ;  to  wit,  That  though  man  by 
sin,  is  said  to  be  dead  in  sin  and  trespasses,  yet  not 
so  dead,  but  that  he  can  act  still  in  his  own  sphere. 
That  is,  to  do,  and  choose  to  do,  either  that  which 
by  all  men  is  counted  base,  or  that  which  by  some 
is  counted  good,  though  he  is  not,  nor  can  all  the 
world  make  him  capable  of  doing  anything  that 
may  please  his  God. 

Man  by  nature,  as  dead  as  he  is,  can,  and  that 
with  the  will  of  his  flesh,  will  his  own  salvation.' 
Man  by  nature  can,  and  that  by  the  power  of  the 
flesh,  pm-sue  and  follow  after  his  own  salvation;  but 
then  he  wills  it,  and  pursues  or  follows  after  it,  not 
in  God's  way,  but  his  o-wn.  Not  by  faith  in  Christ, 
but  by  the  law  of  Moses,  see  Ro.  is.  ic,  si;  x.  3—7. 

Wherefore  it  is  no  error  to  say,  that  a  man 
naturally  has  Will,  and  a  Power  to  pursue  his 
v,'lll,  and  that  as  to  his  salvation.  But  it  is  a 
damnable  error  to  say,  that  he  hath  will  and  power 
to  pursue  it,  and  that  in  God's  way.  For  then  we 
must  hold  that  the  mysteries  of  the  gospel  are 
natural ;  for  that  natural  men,  or  men  by  nature, 
may  apprehend  and  know  them ;  yea,  and  know 
them  to  be  the  only  means  by  which  they  must 
obtam  eternal  life :  for  the  imderstanding  must  act 
before  the  will ;  yea,  a  man  must  approve  of  the 
way  to  life  by  Jesus  Christ,  before  his  mind  will 
budge,  or  stir,  or  move  that  way :  '  But  the  natural 
man  recelveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God; 
(of  the  gospel)  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him, 
neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spi- 
ritually  discerned. '  1  Co.  ii.  u. 
2  n 


243 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


He  receivetli  not  these  tilings ;  that  is,  his  mind 
and  will  lie  cross  unto  tlicm,  for  he  counts  them 
foolishness  ;  nor  can  all  tho  natural  wisdom  in  the 
world,  cause  that  his  will  should  fall  iu  with  them, 
because  it  cannot  discern  them. 

Nature  discerneth  the  law,  and  the  righteousness 
thereof;  yea,  it  discerneth  it,  and  appro  vcth  thereof ; 
that  is,  that  the  righteousness  of  it  is  the  host  and 
only  way  to  life,  and  therefore  the  natural  will  and 
power  of  the  flesh, as  here  you  see  in  thePharisee,  do 
steer  their  course  hy  that  for  eternal  life,  i  Co.  ii.  14. 

The  righteousness  of  the  law  therefore  is  a  work 
of  the  flesh,  a  work  of  sinful  flesh,  and  therefore 
must  needs  he  as  filth  and  dung,  and  abominable 
as  to  that  for  which  this  man  hath  produced  it,  and 
presented  it  in  the  temple  before  God. 

Nor  is  the  Pharisee  alone  entangled  ia  this  mis- 
chief; many  souls  are  by  these  Avcrks  of  the  flesh 
flattered,  as  also  the  Pharisee  was,  into  an  opinion, 
that  their  state  is  good,  Avhen  there  is  nothing  in 
it.  The  most  that  their  conversion  amounteth  to, 
is,  the  Publican  is  become  a  Pharisee;  the  open 
sinner  is  become  a  self-righteous  man.  Of  the 
black  side  of  the  flesh  he  hath  had  enough,  now 
therefore  v/ith  the  white  side  of  the  flesh  he  will 
recreate  himself.  And  now,  most  wicked  must  he 
needs  be,  that  qucstioneth  tho  goodness  of  the 
state  of  such  a  man.  lie,  of  a  drunkard,  a 
swearer,  an  unclean  person,  a  sabbath-breaker,  a 
liar,  and  the  like,  is  become  reformed ;  a  lover  of 
righteousness,  a  strict  observer,  doer,  and  trader  in 
the  formalities  of  the  law,  and  a  herder  with  men 
of  his  complexion.  And  now  he  is  become  a  great 
cxclairacr  against  sin  and  sinners,  defying  to  ac- 
quaint with  those  that  once  were  his  companions, 
saying,  'I  am  not  even  as  this  Publican.' 

To  turn  therefore  from  the  flesh  to  the  flesli, 
from  sin  to  man's  righteousness :  yea,  to  rejoice  in 
confidence,  that  thy  state  is  better  than  is  that  of 
the  Publican :  I  mean,  better  in  the  eyes  of  divine 
justice,  and  in  the  judgment  of  the  law ;  and  yet 
to  be  found  by  the  lav/,  not  in  the  spirit,  but  in  tho 
flesh ;  not  in  Christ,  but  under  the  law ;  not  in  a 
state  of  salvation,  but  of  damnation,  is  common 
among  men:  For  they,  and  they  only,  are  tho 
right  men,  'which  worship  God  in  the  Spirit,  and 
rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in 
the  flesh.'  Where  by  flesh,  must  not  bo  meant 
the  horrible  transgressions  against  the  law,  though 
they  are  also  called  the  works  of  the  flesh,  Ga.  v.  19. 
for  they  minister  no  occasion  unto  men,  to  have 
confidence  in  them  towards  God :  but  that  is  that, 
which  is  insinuated  by  Paul,  where  he  saith,  he 
had  'no  confidence  in  the  flesh,'  though  ho  might 
have  had  it,  as  he  said,  '  Though  I  might  also  have 
confidence  in  the  flesh.  If  any  other  man,'  saith 
he,  'thinketh  that  he  hath  whereof  he  might  trust 
in  the  flesh,  I  more : '  rhii.  iii.  3, 4.  And  then  ho  re- 


peats a  two-fold  privilege  that  ho  had  by  the 
flesh. 

First,  That  he  was  one  of  the  seed  of  Abraham, 
and  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  an  Hebrew  of  the 
Hebrews,  &c. 

Secoiully,  That  he  had  fallen  in  with  the  strictest 
men  of  that  religion,  which  was  such  after  the 
flesh;  to  wit,  to  be  a  Pharisee,  and  was  the  son 
of  a  Pharisee,  had  much  fleshly  zeal  for  God,  and 
was  'touching  the  righteousness  which  is  in  the 
law  blameless. '  Phil.  iii.  6. 

But,  I  say  still,  there  is  nothing  but  flesh,  flesh ; 
fleshly  privileges,  and  fleshly  righteousness,  and  so 
consequently  a  fleshly  confidence,  and  trust  for 
heaven.  This  is  manifest  for  these  very  things, 
when  the  man  had  his  eyes  enlightened,  he  counted 
all  but  loss  and  dung,  that  he  might  be  found  iu 
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. 

[Godl^  men  are  afraid  of  their  oivn  righteousness.1 

And  this  leads  me  to  another  thing,  and  that  is, 
to  tell  thee,  0  thou  blind  Pharisee  that  thou  canst 
not  he  in  a  safe  condition,  because  thou  hast  thy 
confidence  in  the  flash,  that  is,  iu  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  flesh.  For  '  all  flesh  is  grass,  and  all 
tho  goodlincss  thereof  is  as  the  flower  of  the  field :' 
and  the  flesh  and  the  glory  of  that  being  as  weak 
as  the  grass,  which  to  day  is,  and  to  morrow  is 
cast  into  the  oven,  is  but  a  weak  business  for  a 
man  to  venture  his  eternal  salvation  upon.  Where- 
fore, as  I  also  hinted  before,  the  godly-wise  have 
been  afraid  to  be  found  in  their  righteousness,  I 
mean  their  own  personal  righteousness,  though 
that  is  far  better,  than  can  be  the  righteousness 
of  any  carnal  man:  for  the  godly  man's  righteous- 
ness is  v;^rought  in  the  spirit  and  faith  of  Christ ; 
but  the  ungodly  man's  righteousness  is  of  the 
flesh,  and  of  the  law.  Yet  I  say,  this  godly  man 
is  afraid  to  stand  by  his  righteousness  before  tho 
tribunal  of  God,  as  is  manifest  in  these  following 
particulars. 

Mrst,  He  sees  sin  in  his  righteousness,  for  so 
the  prophet  intimates,  when  he  saith,  'All  our 
righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags:  is. kiv. 6.  but 
there  is  nothing  can  make  one's  righteousness  filthy 
but  sin.  It  is  not  the  poor,  the  low,  the  mean,  the 
sickly,  the  beggarly  state  of  a  man,  nor  yet  his  being 
hated  of  devils,  persecuted  of  men,  broken  under 
necessities,  reproaches,  distresses,  or  any  kind  of 
troubles  of  this  nature,  that  can  make  the  godly 
man's  righteousness  filthy ;  nothing  but  sin  can  do 
it,  and  that  can,  doth,  hath,  and  will  do  it.  Nor 
can  any  man,  be  he  who  he  will,  and  though  he 
watches,  prays,  strives,  denies  himself,  and  puts 
his  body  luidcr  what  chastisement  or  hardships  ho 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


"4.' 


Ciin ;  yea,  tliougli  ho  aloO  sliall  get  IiIs  spirit  and 
soiil  hoisted  up  to  the  highest  peg,  or  pin  of  sanc- 
tity, and  holy  contemplation,  and  so  his  lusts  to 
the  greatest  degree  of  mortification ;  hut  sin  wiU 
be  with  him  in  the  best  of  his  perfonnances. 
With  him,  I  say,  to  pollute  and  defile  his  duties, 
and  to  make  his  righteousness  specked  and  spotted, 
filthy  and  menstruous. 

I  will  give  you  two  or  three  instances  for  this. 

1.  Nehemiah  was  a  man,  in  his  day,  one  that 
was  zealous,  A^ery  zealous  for  God,  for  his  house, 
for  his  people,  and  for  his  ways  ;  and  so  continued, 
and  that  from  first  to  last,  as  they  may  see  that 
please  to  read  the  relation  of  his  action  ;  j'ct  when 
he  comes  seriously  to  be  concerned  with  God  about 
his  duties,  he  reliuquisheth  a  standing  by  them. 
True,  he  mentioneth  them  to  God,  but  confesseth 
that  there  is  imperfections  in  them,  and  prayeth 
that  God  will  not  wipe  them  av.ay:  'Wipe  not 
out  my  good  deeds,  0  my  God,  that  I  have  done 
for  the  house  of  my  God,  and  for  the  ofiices  there- 
of.' And  again,  'Remember  me,  0  my  God,  con- 
cerning this,'  also  another  good  deed,  'and  spare 
me  according  to  the  greatness  of  thy  mercy:  - 
Eemember  me,  0  my  God,  for  good.'  Ne. xiii. 

I  do  not  think  that  by  these  prayers  he  plcadetli 
for  an  acceptation  of  his  person,  as  touching  justi- 
fication from  the  curse  of  the  law,  as  the  poor 
blind  Pharisee  doth ;  but  that  G  od  would  accept 
of  his  service,  as  he  was  a  son,  and  not  deny  to 
give  him  a  reward  of  grace  for  what  he  had  done, 
since  he  was  pleased  to  declare  in  his  testament, 
that  he  would  reward  the  labour  of  love  of  his 
saints  with  an  exceeding  weight  of  glory ;  and 
therefore  prayeth,  that  God  Avould  not  wipe  aAvay 
his  good  deeds,  but  remember  him  for  good,  ac- 
cording to  the  greatness  of  his  mercy. 

2.  A  second  instance  is  that  of  David,  where  he 
saith,  'Enter  not  into  judgment  Avith  thy  servant:' 
0  Lord  ;  'for  in  thy  sight  shall  no  man  living  be  jus- 
tified. '  Is.  cxiiii.  2.  David,  as  I  also  have  hinted  before, 
is  said  to  be  a  man  after  God's  own  heart,  Ac.  xiii. 
23.  and  as  here  by  the  Spirit  he  acknoAvledges  him 
for  his  servant ;  yet  behold  how  he  shrinketh,  how 
he  draweth  back,  how  he  prayeth,  and  petitioneth, 
that  God  would  vouchsafe  so  much  as  not  to  enter 
into  judgment  with  him.  Lord,  saith  he,  if  thou 
enterest  into  judgment  with  me,  I  die,  because  I 
shall  be  condemned  ;  for  in  thy  sight  I  cannot  be 
justified ;  to  wit,  by  my  own  good  deeds.  Lord, 
at  the  beginning  of  thy  dealing  with  me,  by  thy 
law  and  my  Avorks  I  die,  therefore  do  not  so  much 
as  enter  into  judgment  Avith  me,  0  Lord,  Nor  is 
this  my  case  only,  but  it  is  the  condition  of  all  the 
Avorld :  '  For  in  thy  sight  sliall  KO  man  living  bo 
justified.' 

3.  A  third  instance  is,  that  general  conclusion 
of  the  apostle,  'Cut  that  no  man  is  justified  by  the 


law  in  the  sight  of  God,  it  is  evident :  for.  The  just 
shaU  hve  by  faith. '  Ga.  iii.  ii.  By  this  saying  of  Paid, 
as  he  takcth  up  the  sentence  of  the  prophet  llabak- 
kuk,  ii.  4.  so  he  taketh  up  this  sentence,  yea,  and 
the  personal  justice  of  David  also.  Ko  man,  saith 
he,  is  justified  by  the  law  in  the  sight  of  God ;  no, 
no  just  man,  no  holy  man,  not  the  strictest  and 
most  righteous  man.  But  Avliy  not?  A\'hy?  Be- 
cause the  just  shall  live  by  faith. 

The  just  man,  therefore,  must  die,  if  he  has 
not  faith  in  another  righteousness,  than  that  Avhich 
is  of  the  law;  called  his  OAvn:  I  say,  ho  must  die, 
if  he  has  none  other  righteousness  than  that  which 
is  his  OAvn  by  the  laAV.*"  Thus  also  Paul  confesses 
of  himself:  I,  saith  he,  know  nothing  by  myself, 
either  before  conversion  or  after ;  that  is,  I  kncAV 
not,  that  I  did  anything  before  conversion,  cither 
against  the  law,  or  against  my  conscience  ;  for  I 
Avas  then,  touching  the  righteousness  Avhich  is  of 
the  law,  blameless.  Also,  since  my  conA'ersion,  I 
know  nothing  by  myself ;  for  '  I  have  li\'ed  in  all 
good  conscience  before  God  unto  this  day. '  Ac.  xxiii.  i. 

A  great  saying,  I  promise  you.  I  doubt  this  is 
more  than  our  glorious  justitiaries  can  say,  except 
they  say  and  lie.  Well,  but  yet,  '  I  am  not  hereby 
justified.'  1  Co.  iv.  4.riiii.  iii.  7.  Nor  Avill  I  dare  to  ven- 
ture the  eternal  sah'ation  of  my  soul  upon  mine 
OAvn  justice,  '  but  he  that  judgcth  me  is  the  Lord.' 
That  is,  though  I,  through  my  dimsightechiess, 
cannot  see  the  imperfections  of  my  righteousness  ; 
yet  the  Lord,  Avho  is  my  judge,  and  before  Avhoso 
tribunal  I  must  shortly  stand,  can  and  Avill ;  and 
if  in  his  sight  there  shall  be  found  no  more  but 
one  spot  in  my  righteousness,  I  must,  if  I  plead 
my  righteousness,  fall  for  that. 

Second,  That  the  best  of  men  are  afraid  to  stand 
before  God's  tribunal,  there  to  be  judged  by  the 
law  as  to  life  and  death,  according  to  the  sufii- 
ciency  or  non-sufficiency  of  their  righteousness,  is 
evident,  because  by  casting  away  their  OAvn,  in  tills 
matter,  they  make  all  the  means  they  can  for  this  ; 
that  is,  that  his  mercy,  by  an  act  of  grace,  bo 
made  over  to  them,  and  that  they  in  it  may  stand 
before  God  to  be  judged. 

Hence  David  cries  out  so  ollen,  *  Lead  mo,  0 
Lord,  in  thy  righteousness.'  Ps.  v.8.  'Deliver  me  in 
thy  righteousness. '  Ps.  xxxi.  i,  '  Judge  me,  0  Lord 
my  God,  according  to  thy  righteousness. '  Ps.  xxxt.24. 
•  Quicken  me  in  thy  righteousness. '  Ps.  cxix.  40.  '  0 
Lord,'  says  he,  'giA'e  ear  to  my  supplications;  in 
thy  faithfulness  ansAver  me,  and  in  thy  righteous- 
ness. And  enter  not  into  judgment  Avith  thy  ser- 
vant:' 0  Lord:  '  For  in  thy  sight  shall  no  man 
living  be  justified.'  Pa.  cxiiii.  l,  3.  And  David,  What 
if  God  doth  thus  ?     Why  then,  saith  he,    '  Jily 


*  '  For  wliosocver  shall  keep  the  whole  Inw,  and  yet  ofFcncI 
iu  one  point,  lie  is  guilty  of  aU.'  Jam.  ii.  10. 


2-14 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


tongue  shall  speak  of  tliy  rlglitcousncss. '  Ps.  xxxv.  28. 
'My  tongue  sliall  sing  aloud  of  thy  righteousness.' 
I's.  li.  14.  'My  mouth  shall  shew  forth  thy  righteous- 
ness.' Yea,  '  I  will  make  mention  of  thy  righte- 
ousness, even  of  thine  only. '  Ps.  Lvxi.  is,  16. 

Daniel  also,  when  he  comes  to  plead  for  himself 
and  his  people,  he  first  casts  away  his  and  their 
righteousness,  saying,  *  For  we  do  not  present  our 
supplications  hcfore  thee  for  our  righteousnesses.' 
And  pleads  God's  righteousness,  and  that  he  might 
have  a  share  and  interest  in  that,  saying,  '  0  Lord, 
righteousness  helongeth  unto  thee,'  ix.7, is.  to  wit, 
that  righteousness,  for  the  sake  of  which,  mercy 
and  forgiveness,  and  so  heaven  and  happiness  is 
extended  to  us. 

Righteousness  helongeth  to  thee,  and  is  thine, 
as  nearly  as  sin,  shame,  and  confusion,  is  ours,  and 
helongeth  to  us,  which  righteousness  he  afterwards 
calleth  '  The  Lord,'  saying,  do  it,  for  the  Lord's 
sake ;  read  the  16, 17,  verses  of  the  9th  of  Daniel. 
'  0  Lord,'  saith  he,  'according  to  all  thy  righte- 
ousness, I  heseech  thee,  let  thine  anger  and  thy 
fm-y  he  turned  away  from  thy  city  Jerusalem,  thy 
holy  mountain:  hecause  for  our  sins,  and  for  tlio 
iniquities  of  our  fathers,  Jerusalem  and  thy  people 
are  become  a  reproach  to  all  that  are  ahout  us. 
Now  therefore,  0  our  God,  hear  the  prayer  of  thy 
servant,  and  his  supplications,  and  cause  thy  face 
to  shine  upon  thy  sanctuary  that  is  desolate,  for 
the  Lord's  sake. '  For  the  sake  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  for  on  him  Daniel  now  had  his  eye,  and 
through  him  to  the  Father  he  made  his  supplica- 
tion ;  yea,  and  the  answer  was  according  to  his 
prayer,  to  wit,  that  God  would  have  mercy  on 
Jerusalem,  and  that  he  would  in  his  time  send  the 
Lord,  the  Messias,  to  hring  them  in  everlasting 
righteousness  for  them. 

Paul  also,  as  I  have  hinted  hefore,  disclaims  his 
own  righteousness,  and  layeth  fast  hold  on  the 
righteousness  of  God :  seeking  to  he  found  in  that, 
or  in  him  that  has  it,  not  having  his  own  righteous- 
ness ;  for  he  knew  that  when  the  rain  descends,  the 
winds  hlow,  and  the  floods  come  down  falls  on  aU 
men,  hut  they  that  have  that  righteousness.  Phi.  ui. 

Now  the  earnest  desire  of  the  righteous  to  be 
found  in  God's  righteousness,  ariseth  from  strong 
conviction  of  the  imperfections  of  their  own,  and 
of  good  knowledge  that  was  given  them  of  the 
terror  that  wiU  attend  men  at  the  day  of  the  fiery 
trial;  to  wit,  the  day  of  judgment.  For  although 
men  can  now  flatter  themselves  into  a  fool's  para- 
dise, and  persuade  themselves  that  all  shall  he  well 
with  them  then,  for  the  sake  of  their  own  silly  and 
vain-glorious  performances;  yet  when  the  day 
comes  that  shall  burn  like  an  oven,  and  when  all 
that  have  done  Avickedly  shall  he  as  stubble,  and  so 
will  all  appear  to  be  that  are  not  found  in  Christ, 
then  will  their  righteousness  vanish  like  smoke,  or 


be  like  fuel  for  that  burning  flame.  And  lienco 
the  righteousness  that  the  godly  seek  to  be  found 
in,  is  called  the  name  of  the  Lord,  a  strong  tower, 
a  rock,  a  shield,  a  fortress,  a  buckler,  a  rock  of 
defence,  unto  which  they  resort,  and  into  which 
they  run  and  are  safe. 

The  godly  wise  therefore  do  not,  as  this  Phari- 
see, bring  their  own  righteousness  into  the  temple, 
and  there  buoy  up  themselves  and  spirits  by  that 
into  a  conceit,  that  for  the  sake  of  that,  God  will 
be  merciful  and  good  unto  them:  but  tlu-owing 
away  their  own,  they  make  to  God  for  his,  because 
they  certainly  know,  even  by  the  word  of  God, 
that  in  the  judgment  none  can  stand  the  trial,  but 
those  that  are  found  in  the  righteousness  of  God. 

Third,  That  the  best  of  men  are  afraid  to  stand 
before  God's  tribunal  by  the  law,  there  to  be  judged 
to  life  and  death,  according  to  the  sufiiciency  or 
non-sufiiciency  of  their  righteousness,  is  evident : 
for  they  know,  that  it  is  a  vain  thing  to  seek  by 
acts  of  righteousness  to  make  themselves  righteous 
men,  as  is  the  way  of  all  them  that  seek  to  be 
justified  by  the  deeds  of  the  law. 

And  herein  lieth  the  great  difi'erence  between 
the  Pharisee  and  the  true  Christian  man.  The 
Pharisee  thinks,  by  acts  of  righteousness  he  shall 
make  himself  a  righteous  man,  therefore  he  cometh 
into  the  presence  of  God  well  furnished,  as  he 
thinks,  with  his  negative  and  positive  righteous- 
ness. 

Grace  suliercth  not  a  man  to  boast  it  before 
God,  whatever  he  saith  before  men :  '  His  soid 
which  is  lifted  up,  is  not  upright  in  him : '  Hab.  ii.  4. 
And  better  is  the  poor  in  spirit,  than  the  proud  in 
spirit.  The  Pharisee  was  a  very  proud  man,  a 
proud,  ignorant  man,  proud  of  his  own  righteous- 
ness, and  ignorant  of  God's:  for  had  he  not,  he 
could  not,  as  he  did,  have  so  condemned  the  Pub- 
lican, and  justified  himself. 

[17ie  Pharisee  ignorant  that  he  must  he  riglitecnis 
hefore  lie  can  do  rigMeousness.] 

And  I  say  again,  that  all  this  pride  and  vain- 
glorious shew  of  the  Pharisee,  did  arise  from  his 
not  being  acquainted  with  this ;  that  a  man  must 
be  good,  before  he  can  do  good ;  he  must  be  righ- 
teous, before  he  can  do  righteousness.  This  is 
evident  from  Paul,  who  insinuateth  this  as  the 
I'eason,  why  '  none  do  good,'  even  because  There 
is  none  that  is  righteous,  no,  not  one.  '  There  is 
none  righteous, '  saith  he ;  and  then  follows, '  There 
is  none  that  doeth  good. '  Ro.  iu.  10—12.  For  it  is  not 
possible  for  a  man,  that  is  not  first  made  righteous 
by  the  God  of  heaven,  to  do  anything  that  in  a  pro- 
per, in  a  law,  or  in  a  gospel-sense  maybe  called  righ- 
teousness. Meddle  with  righteous  things  he  may; 
attempt  to  make  himself  a  righteous  man,  by  his 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


245 


so  meddling  witli  tliem,  he  may ;  but  work  righte- 
ousness, and  so  by  such  -works  of  righteousness, 
make  himself  a  righteous  man,  he  cannot. 

The  righteousness  of  a  carnal  man,  is  indeed  by 
God  called  righteousness ;  but  it  must  be  imder- 
stood,  as  spoken  in  the  dialect  of  the  v/^orld;  or 
with  reference  to  the  world's  matters.  The  world 
indeed  calls  it  righteousness ;  and  it  will  do  no 
harm,  if  it  bear  that  term  with  reference  to  worldly 
matters.  Hence  worldly  civilians  are  called  good 
and  righteous  men,  and  so,  such  as  Christ,  under 
that  notion,  neither  died  for,  nor  giveth  his  grace 
imto.  Ko.  V.  7, 8.  But  we  are  not  now  discoursing 
about  any  other  righteousness,  than  that  which  is 
so  accounted  either  in  a  law,  or  in  a  gospel-sense; 
and  therefore  let  us  a  little  more  touch  upon  that. 

A  man  then  must  be  righteous  in  a  law-sense, 
before  he  can  do  acts  of  righteousness,  I  mean 
that  are  such,  in  a  gospel-sense.  Hence  first,  you 
have  true  gospel-righteousness  made  the  fruit  of  a 
second  birth.  '  If  ye  know  that  he  (Christ)  is 
righteous,  ye  know  that  every  one  that  doeth 
righteousness  is  born  of  him.'  l  Jn.  ii.  29.  Not  boru 
of  him  by  virtue  of  his  own  righteous  actions,  but 
born  of  him  by  virtue  of  Christ's  mighty  working 
with  his  word  upon  the  soul ;  who  afterwards,  from 
a  principle  of  life,  acteth  and  worketh  righteous- 
ness. 

And  he  saith  again,  *  Little  children,  let  no  man 
deceive  you,  he  that  doeth  righteousness  is  righte- 
ous, even  as  he  is  righteous. '  l  Jn.  iii.  7.  Upon  this 
scripture,  I  will  a  little  comment,  for  the  proof  of 
what  is  urged  before ;  namely,  that  a  man  must 
be  righteous  in  a  law-sense,  before  he  can  do  such 
things  that  may  be  called  acts  of  righteousness  in 
a  gospel-sejise.  And  for  this,  this  scripture,  minis- 
tercth  to  us  two  things  to  be  considered  by  us. 

HhQ  first  is,  that  he  that  doeth  righteousness  is 
righteous. 

The  second  is,  that  he  that  doeth  righteousness 
is  righteous,  as  Christ  is  righteous. 

First,  He  that  doeth  righteousness;  that  is, 
righteousness  which  the  gospel  callcth  so,  is  righ- 
teous ;  that  is,  precedent  to,  or  before  he  doth  that 
righteousness.  For  he  doth  not  say,  he  shall  make 
his  person  righteous  by  acts  of  righteousness  that 
he  shaU  do ;  for  then  an  evil  tree  may  bear  good 
fruit :  yea,  and  may  make  itself  good  by  doing  so : 
But  he  saith,  he  that  doeth  righteousness  is  righ- 
teous ;  as  he  saith,  he  that  doeth  righteousness  is 
born  of  him. 

So  then,  a  man  must  bo  righteous  before  he  can 
do  righteousness,  before  he  can  do  righteousness 
in  a  gospel-sense. 

Second,  Our  second  thing  then  is  to  inquire,  with 
what  righteousness  a  man  must  be  righteous,  be- 
fore he  can  do  that  which  in  a  gospel-sense  is  called 
righteousness  ? 


And  first,  I  answer.  He  must  be  righteous  in  a. 
law-sense ;  that  is,  he  must  be  righteous  in  tho 
judgment  of  the  law.  This  is  evident,  because  ho 
saith,  he  that  doeth  righteousness  is  righteous  as  ho 
is  righteous.  That  is,  in  a  law-sense ;  for  Christ 
in  no  sense  is  righteous  in  the  judgment  of  charity 
only ;  but  in  his  meanest  acts,  if  it  be  lawful  to 
make  such  comparison,  he  was  righteous  in  a  law- 
sense,  or  in  the  judgment  of  the  law.  Noav  the 
apostle  saith,  '  That  he  that  doeth  righteousness 
IS  righteous,  as  HE  is  righteous.'  They  are  the 
words  of  God,  and  therefore  I  cannot  err  in  quoting 
of  them,  though  I  may  not  so  fully,  as  I  would, 
make  the  glory  of  them  sliine  in  speaking  to  them. 

But  what  righteousness  is  that,  with  which  a 
man  must  stand  righteous  in  the  judgment  of  the 
law,  before  he  shall  or  can  be  found  to  do  acts  of 
righteousness,  that  by  the  gospel  are  so  called?  I 
answer 

First,  It  is  none  of  Ins  own  which  is  of  the  law, 
you  may  be  sure ;  for  he  liath  this  righteousnes3 
before  he  doeth  any  that  can  be  called  his  own. 
'  He  that  doeth  righteousness  is  righteous '  already, 
precedent  to,  or  before  he  doth  that  righteous- 
ness ;  yea,  he  is  righteous  before,  even  as  nE  is 
righteous. 

Second,  It  cannot  be  his  own  which  is  of  tho 
gospel ;  that  is,  that  which  floweth  from  a  princi- 
ple of  grace  in  the  soiil :  for  he  is  righteous  before 
he  doeth  this  righteousness.  He  that  doeth  rio-h- 
teousness,  is  righteous.  He  doth  not  say  he  that 
hath  done  it,  but  he  that  doeth  it ;  respecting  the 
act  while  it  is  in  doing,  he  is  righteous.  He  is 
righteous  even  then,  when  he  is  a  doing  of  the  very 
first  act  of  righteousness ;  but  an  act,  wliile  it  is 
in  doing,  cannot,  imtil  it  is  done,  be  called  an  act 
of  righteousness ;  yet,  saith  the  text,  '  he  is  righ- 
teous.' 

But  again,  if  an  act,  wliile  it  is  in  doing,  cannot 
be  called  an  act  of  righteousness ;  to  be  sure,  it 
cannot  have  such  influences  as  to  make  the  actor 
righteous ;  to  make  him  righteous,  as  the  Son  of 
God  is  righteous,  and  yet  the  righteousness  with 
which  this  doer  is  made  righteous,  and  that  before 
he  doeth  righteousness,  is  such ;  for  so  saith  the 
text,  tliat  makes  him  righteous  as  he  is  righteous. 

Besides,  it  cannot  be  his  o>vn,  which  is  gospel- 
righteousness,  flowing  from  a  principle  of  grace  in 
the  sold ;  for  that  in  its  greatest  perfection  m  us, 
while  we  live  in  this  world,  is  accompanied  with 
some  imperfections;  to  wit,  our  faith,  love,  and 
whole  course  of  holiness  is  wanting,  or  hath  some- 
thing lacking  in  it.  They  neither  are  apart,  nor 
when  put  all  together,  perfect,  as  to  the  degree, 
the  uttermost  degree  of  perfection. 

But  the  righteousness  under  consideration,  Avith 
which  the  man,  in  that  of  John,  is  made  righteous, 
is  a  perfect  righteousness ;  not  only  with  respect 


2-iG 


THE  PiiAllISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


to  the  nature  of  it,  as  a  penny  is  as  perfect  silver 
as  a  shilling ;  nor  yet  with  respect  to  a  compara- 
tive degree ;  for  so  a  shilling  arriveth  more  toward 
the  perfection  of  the  number  twenty,  than  doth  a 
two-penny  or  a  three-penny  piece :  but  it  is  a  righ- 
teousness so  perfect,  that  nothing  can  be  added  to 
it,  nor  can  any  thing  be  taken  from  it:  for  so 
implieth  the  words  of  the  text,  *  he  is  righteous, 
ji3  Christ  is  righteous.'  Yea,  thus  righteous 
before,  and  in  order  to  his  doing  of  righteousness. 
And  in  this  he  is  like  unto  the  Son  of  God,  Avho 
was  also  righteous  before  he  did  acts  of  righteous- 
ness referring  to  a  law  of  commandment :  where- 
fore it  is  said,  that  as  he  is,  so  are  we  in  this 
world.  As  he  is  or  was  righteous,  before  he  did 
acts  of  righteousness  among  men  by  a  law,  so  are 
HIS  righteous,  before  they  act  righteousness  among 
men  by  a  law.  '  lie  that  doth  righteousness  is 
righteous,  as  he  is  righteous.' 

Christ  Avas  righteous,  before  he  did  righteous- 
ness, with  a  two-fold  righteousness.  He  had  a 
righteousness  as  he  was  God;  his  godhead  was 
perfectly  righteous ;  yea,  it  was  righteousness  it- 
self. His  hiunan  nature  was  perfectly  righteous, 
it  was  naturally  spotless  and  undefiled.  Thus  his 
person  Avas  righteous,  and  so  qualified  to  do  that 
righteousness,  that  because  he  was  born  of  a 
woman,  and  made  imder  the  law,  he  was  bound 
by  the  law  to  perform. 

Now,  as  he  is,  so  arc  we:  not  by  way  of  natu- 
ral righteousness,  but  by  Avay  of  resemblance 
thereunto.  Had  Christ,  in  order  to  his  Avcrking 
of  righteousness,  a  two-fold  righteousness  inherent 
in  himself,  the  Christian,  in  order  to  his  Avorking 
of  righteousness,  hath  belonging  to  him  a  tAvo-fold 
righteousness.  Did  Christ's  tAvo-fold  righteous- 
ness qualify  him  for  that  work  of  righteousness, 
that  Avas  of  God  designed  for  him  to  do  ?  Why 
the  Christian's  two-fold  righteousness  doth  qualify 
him  for  that  work  of  righteousness,  that  God  hath 
ordained,  that  he  should  do  and  walk  in  in  this 
world. 

But  you  may  ask,  AA'hat  is  that  righteousness, 
with  which  a  Christian  is  made  righteous  before 
he  doth  righteousness  ? 

I  ansAver,  It  is  a  two-fold  righteousness. 

I.  It  is  a  righteousness  put  upon  him. 

II.  It  is  a  righteousness  put  into  him. 

I.  For  the  first.  It  is  rigMeousness  lyut  ujpon  1dm, 
with  which  also  he  is  clothed  as  with  a  coat  or 
mantle,  Ko.  iii.  23.  and  this  is  called  the  robe  of 
righteousness ;  and  this  is  called  the  garments  of 
salvation,  is.  ki.  lo.*     This  righteousness   is   none 


*  When  we  had  no  righteousness  of  our  ova'ii  to  cover  us, 
lie  put  on  us  nuked  beggars  that  ricli  robe,  the  rigliteousncss 
of  Christ.  Though  black  ia  ourselves,  wc  are  comely  iu 
Clu-ist's  comeliness ;  but  we  never  live  upon  his  righteousness, 
only  as  we  see  none  in  ourselves. — Ihjland. 


other  but  the  obedience  of  Christ ;  the  Avhicli  he 
performed  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  and  can  pro- 
perly be  called  no  man's  righteousness,  but  the 
righteousness  of  Christ ;  because  no  man  had  a 
hand  therein,  but  ho  completed  it  himself.  And 
hence  it  is  said.  That  *  by  the  obedience  of  one 
shall  many  be  made  righteous.'  Eo. v.  13.  By  the 
obedience  of  one,  of  one  man  Jesus  Christ,  as  you 
have  it  in  ver.  15.  for  he  came  down  into  the  world 
to  this  very  end ;  that  is,  to  make  a  generation 
righteous,  not  by  making  of  them  laAVS,  and  pre- 
scribing unto  them  rules :  for  this  Avas  the  work 
of  Moses,  Avho  said,  'And  it  shall  be  our  righteous- 
ness, if  Ave  observe  to  do  all  these  commandments 
before  the  Lord  our  God,  as  he  hath  commanded 
us.'  De.  vi.  23 ;  xxiv.  13.  Nor  yet  by  taking  aAvay  by 
his  grace  the  imperfections  of  their  righteousness, 
and  so  making  of  that  perfect  by  additions  of  his 
own;  but  he  makes  them  righteous  by  his  obe- 
dience ;  not  in  them,  but  for  them,  Avhile  he  per- 
sonally subjected  himself  to  his  Father's  law  on 
our  behalf,  that  he  might  have  a  righteousness  to 
bestow  upon  us.  And  hence  avo  are  said  to  bo 
made  righteous,  Avhile  we  Avork  not;  and  to  bo 
justified  Avhilc  ungodly,  Ro.  iv.  5.  Avhich  can  be  dono 
by  no  other  righteousness  than  that,  which  is  tlio 
righteousness  of  Christ  by  performance,  the  righ- 
teousness of  God  by  donation,  and  our  righteous- 
ness by  imputation.  For,  I  say,  the  person  that 
Avrought  this  righteousness  for  us,  is  Christ  Jesus  ; 
the  person  that  giveth  it  to  us,  is  the  Father ;  who 
hath  made  Christ  to  be  unto  us  righteousness,  and 
hath  given  him  to  us  for  this  very  end,  that  avo 
might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him, 
1  Co.  1. 30.  2  Co.  V.  21.  And  hence  it  is  so  often  said. 
One  shall  say,  surely  iu  the  Lord  have  I  righte- 
ousness and  strength.  And  again,  '  In  the  Lord 
shall  all  the  seed  of  Israel  be  justified,  and  shall 
glory. '  '  This  is  the  heritage  of  the  servants  of 
the  Lord,  and  their  righteousness  is  of  me,  saith 
the  Lord.'  is.  xiv.  2-1, 25;  liv.  J7. 

This  righteousness  is  that  which,  justlfieth,  and 
AvhIch  secureth  the  soul  from  the  curse  of  the  law  ; 
by  hiding,  through  its  perfection,  all  the  sins  and 
imperfections  of  the  soul.  Hence  it  follows,  in 
that  fourth  of  the  Romans,  '  Even  as  David  also 
describeth  the  blessedness  of  the  man,  imto  whom 
God  imputeth  righteousness  without  Avorks,  saying. 
Blessed  are  they  whose  iniquities  are  forgiven,  and 
Avhose  sins  are  covered.  Blessed  is  the  man  to 
Avhom  the  Lord  Avill  not  impute  sin.' 

And  this  it  doth,  even  AvhIle  the  person  that  by 
grace  is  made  a  jjartaker,  is  without  good  works, 
and  so  ungodly.  This  is  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
Christ's  personal  performances,  Avhich  he  did  Avhcu 
he  Avas  in  this  Avorld ;  that  is  that,  by  Avhich  the 
sold  Avhilo  naked,  is  covered,  and  so  hid  as  to  its 
nakedness,  from  the  divme  sentence  of  the  law; 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


247 


*I   spread  my  skirt  over  thee,  and  covered  thy 
nakedness. '  Eze.  xvi  8. 

Now  this  obediential  righteousness  of  Christ, 
eonsisteth  of  two  parts.  1.  In  a  doing  of  that  which 
the  law  commanded  us  to  do.  2.  In  a  paying 
that  price  for  the  transgression  thereof,  whicli 
justice  hath  said,  shall  be  required  at  the  hand  of 
man ;  and  that  is  the  cursed  death.  In  the  day 
that  thou  eatest  thereof,  thou  shalt  die  the  death ; 
to  wit,  the  death  that  comes  by  the  curse  of  the 
law.  So  then,  Christ  having  brought  in  that  part 
of  obedience  for  us,  which  eonsisteth  in  a  doing  of 
sueli  obediential  acts  of  righteousness  whicb  the 
law  commands ;  he  addeth  thereto  the  spilling  of 
his  blood,  to  be  the  price  of  our  redemption  from 
that  cursed  death,  »that  by  sin  we  had  brought 
upon  our  bodies  and  souls.  And  thus  are  the 
Christians  made  perfectly  righteous ;  they  have 
the  whole  obedience  of  Christ  made  over  to  them  ; 
to  wit,  that  obedience  that  standeth  in  doing  the 
law,  and  that  obedience  that  standeth  in  paying 
of  a  price  for  our  transgressions.  So  then,  Doth 
the  law  call  for  righteousness  ?  Here  it  is.  Doth 
the  law  call  for  satisfaction  for  our  sins  ?  Here  it 
is.  And  what  can  the  law  say  any  more  to  the 
sinner  but  that  which  is  good,  when  he  findeth  in 
the  personal  obedience  of  Christ  for  him,  that 
which  answcreth  to  what  it  can  command,  that 
which  it  can  demand  of  us. 

Herein  then  standeth  a  Christian's  safety,  not 
in  a  bundle  of  actions  of  his  own,  but  in  a  righte- 
ousness which  Cometh  to  him  by  grace  and  gift ; 
for  this  righteousness  is  such  as  comes  by  gift,  by 
tlie  gift  of  God.  Hence  it  is  called  the  gift  of 
righteousness,  the  gift  by  grace,  the  gift  of  righte- 
ousness by  grace,  which  is  the  righteousness  of 
one,  to  wit,   the   obedience  of  Jesus  Christ.    Ko. 

V.  15—19. 

And  this  is  the  righteousness  by  which,  he  that 
doth  righteousness,  is  righteous  as  he  is  righteous ; 
because  it  is  the  very  self-same  righteousness,  that 
the  Son  of  God  hath  accomplished  by  himself. 
Nor  has  he  any  other  or  more  excellent  righteous- 
ness, of  which  the  law  takcth  notice,  or  that  it 
requireth,  than  this.  For  as  for  the  righteous- 
ness of  his  god-head,  the  law  is  not  concerned 
with  that ;  for  as  he  is  such,  the  law  is  his  crea- 
ture, and  servant,  and  may  not  meddle  with  him. 

The  righteousness  also  of  his  human  nature,  the 
law  hath  nothing  to  do  with  that ;  for  that  is  the 
Tvorkmanship  of  God,  and  is  as  good,  as  piu-e,  as 
holy  and  undefiled,  as  is  the  law  itself.  AU  then 
that  the  law  hath  to  do  with,  is  to  exact  complete 
obedience  of  him  that  is  made  under  it,  and  a  due 
satisfaction  for  the  breach  thereof,  the  Vfhich,  if  it 
hath,  then  Moses  is  content. 

Now,  this  is  the  righteousness,  with  which  the 
Christian,  as  to  justification,  is  made  righteous; 


to  wit,  a  righteousness,  that  is  neither  essential  to 
his  god-head,  nor  to  his  manhood;  but  such  as 
standeth  in  that  glorious  person,  who  was  such,  his 
obedience  to  the  law.  Which  righteousness  him- 
self had,  Anth  reference  to  himself,  no  need  of  at 
aU,  for  his  god-head ;  yea,  his  manhood  was  per- 
fectly righteous  without  it.  This  righteousness 
therefore  was  there,  and  there  only,  necessary, 
where  Christ  was  to  be  considered  as  God's  ser- 
vant and  our  surety,  to  bring  to  God  Jacob  again, 
and  to  restore  the  preserved  of  Israel.  For  though 
Christ  was  a  Son,  yet  he  became  a  servant  to  do, 
not  for  himself,  for  he  had  no  need,  but  for  us, 
the  whole  law,  and  so  bring  in  everlasting  righte- 
ousness for  us. 

And  hence  it  is  said,  that  Christ  did  what  he 
did  for  us :  He  became  the  end  of  the  law  for 
righteousness  for  us  ;  he  suffered  for  us  ;  l  Pe.  ii.  21. 
he  died  for  us ;  i  Th.  v.  lo.  he  laid  down  his  life  for 
us,  1  Jn.  iii.  16.  and  he  gave  himself  for  us.  Ga.  i.  4. 
The  righteousness  then  that  Christ  did  fulfil,  when 
he  was  in  the  Tvorld,  was  not  for  himself  simply 
considered,  nor  for  himself  personally  considered, 
for  he  had  no  need  thereof;  but  it  was  for  the 
elect,  the  members  of  his  body. 

Christ  then  did  not  fidfil  the  law  for  himself, 
for  he  had  no  need  thereof.  Christ  again  did  ful- 
fil the  law  for  himself,  for  he  had  need  of  the 
righteousness  thereof;  he  had  need  thereof  for 
the  covering  of  his  body,  and  the  several  members 
thereof;  for  they,  in  a  good  sense,  are  himself, 
members  of  his  body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones; 
and  he  ovntis  them  as  parts  of  himself  in  many 
places  of  the  holy  scripture.  Ep.  v.  so.  Ac.  ix.  4, 5.  Jiat. 

xxT.  45 ;  X.  40.  Mar.  k.  37.  Lu.  x.  16.  1  Co.xiL  13,  27.     This  righ- 

teousness  then,  even  the  whole  of  what  Christ  did 
in  answer  to  the  law,  it  was  for  his,  and  God  hath 
put  it  upon  them,  and  they  are  righteous  in  it, 
even  righteous  as  he  is  righteous.  And  this  they 
have  before  they  do  acts  of  righteousness. 

II.  There  is  righteousness  put  into  them,  before 
they  act  righteous  things.  A  righteousness,  I  say, 
put  into  them ;  or  I  had  rather  that  you  should 
caU  it  a  principle  of  righteousness ;  for  it  is  a  prin- 
ciple of  life  to  rio'htcousness.  Before  man's  con- 
version,  there  is  in  him  a  principle  of  death  by 
sin ;  but  when  he  is  converted  to  Christ,  there  is 
put  into  him  a  principle  of  righteousness,  that  he 
may  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God.  Ro.  vii.  4—6. 

Hence  they  are  said  to  be  quickened,  to  be  made 
alive,  to  be  risen  from  death  to  life,  to  have  the 
Spirit  of  God  dwelling  in  them ;  not  only  to  make 
their  souls  alive,  but  to  quicken  their  mortal  bodies 
to  that  -which  is  good.  Ro.  \-iii.  il. 

Here,  as  I  hinted  before,  they  that  do  righte- 
ousness are  said  to  be  bom  of  him,  that  is,  ante- 
cedent to  their  doing  of  righteousness,  iJn. ii.29. 
'born  of  him,'  tliat  is,  made  alive  with  new  spiri- 


I 


248 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


tual  and  Jicavenly  life.  Wherefore  the  exhortation 
to  them  is,  'Neither  yiekl  ye  your  memhers  as 
instruments  of  unrighteousness  unto  sin :  hut  yiekl 
yourselves  unto  God,  as  those  that  are  alive  from 
the  dead,  and  your  memhers  as  instruments  of 
righteousness  unto  God. '  Ko.  n.  13. 

Now  this  principle  must  also  he  in  men,  before 
they  can  do  that  which  is  spiritually  and  gospelly 
good  :  For  whatever  seeming  good  thing  any  man 
doth,  before  he  has  bestowed  upon  him  this  hea- 
venly principle  from  God,  it  is  accounted  nothing, 
it  is  accounted  sin  and  abomination  in  the  sight  of 
God;  for  an  evil  tree  cannot  bring  forth  good 
fruit :  Men  do  not  gather  grapes  of  thorns ;  neither 
of  a  bramble  gather  they  figs.  Either  make  the 
tree  good  and  his  fruit  good,  or  the  tree  evil  and 
his  fruit  evil.  Lu.  vi.  43—45.  It  is  not  the  fruit  that 
makes  the  tree,  but  the  tree  that  makes  the  fruit. 
A  man  must  be  good,  before  he  can  do  good,  and 
evil  before  he  can  do  evil. 

They  be  not  righteous  actions  that  make  a 
righteous  man ;  nor  be  they  evil  actions  that  make 
a  Avieked  man :  for  a  tree  must  be  a  sweeting  tree 
before  it  yield  sweetings  ;*  and  a  crab  tree  before 
it  bring  forth  crabs,  f 

This  is  that  which  is  asserted  by  the  Son  of  God 
himself;  and  it  lieth  so  level  Avith  reason  and  the 
nature  of  things,  tho.t  it  cannot  be  contradicted.  Mat. 
vii.  16— 18.  *A  good  man  out  of  the  good  treasure  of 
his  heart,  bringeth  forth  that  Avhich  is  good ;  and  an 
evil  man  out  of  the  evil  treasure  of  his  heart,  bringeth 
forth  that  which  is  evil. '  Lu.  vi.  45.  But  this,  notwith- 
standing all  that  can  be  said,  seemeth  very  strange 
to  the  carnal  world ;  for  they  will  not  be  otherwise 
persuaded,  but  that  they  be  good  deeds  that  make 
good  men,  and  evil  ones  that  make  evil  men :  And 
60  by  such  dotish  apprehensions  do  what  in  them 
licth  to  fortify  their  hearts  with  the  mists  of  dark- 
ness against  the  clear  shining  of  the  word,  and 
conviction  of  the  truth. 

And  thus  it  was  from  the  beginning :  Abel  did 
his  first  services  to  God  from  this  principle  of 
righteousness ;  but  Cain  would  have  been  made 
righteous  by  his  deed ;  but  his  deed  not  flowing 
from  the  same  root  of  goodness,  as  did  Abel's, 
notwithstanchng  he  did  it  with  the  very  best  he 
had,  is  yet  called  evil :  For  he  wanted,  I  say,  the 
principles,  to  wit,  of  grace  and  faith,  without 
Avhich  no  action  can  be  counted  good  in  a  gospel 
sense. 


*  '  Sweeting,'  an  oljsolclc  term  for  a  sweet  apple. — Ed. 

t  Tliis  whole  paragi-apli  is  omitted  from  all  editions  sub- 
sequent to  1G88,  wlien  tlic  author  died.  It  is  the  practical 
illustration  of  his  whole  theory.  Ey  their  fruit  ye  shall  know 
them ;  the  fruit  does  not  make  them  what  they  ai'c  by  nature 
Jlud  sin  or  by  grace  and  righteousness.  The  rebiJce  of  the 
Saviour,  Mat.  xv.  16,  falls  heavily  on  the  man  who  rejected 
tliis  pai-agrapli. — Ed, 


These  two  things  then,  that  man  must  have  that 
will  do  righteousness.  lie  must  have  put  upon 
him  the  perfect  righteousness  of  Christ ;  and  ho 
must  have  dwelling  in  him,  as  a  fruit  of  the  new 
birth,  a  principle  of  righteousness.  Then  indeed 
he  is  a  tree  of  righteousness,  and  God  is  like  to  bo 
glorified  in,  and  by  him ;  but  this  the  Pharisee 
was  utterly  ignorant  of,  and  at  the  remotest  dis- 
tance from  it. 

[77ie  rigUeousness  of  Christ,  urdo  justification,  mvst 
he  imputed  to  the  Cliristian  hefore  lie  can  attain 
the  pinncqole  of  righteousness  urdo  sanctlficatlon.] 

Quest.  You  may  ask  me  next.  But  which  of 
these  are  first  bestowed  upoa  the  Christian,  the 
perfect  righteousness  of  Christ  unto  justification, 
or  this  gospel  principle  of  righteousness  unto 
sanctification  ? 

Answ.  The  perfect  righteousness  of  Christ  unto 
justification,  must  first  be  made  over  to  him  by  an 
act  of  grace.     This  is  evident, 

1 .  Because,  he  is  justified  as  ungodly ;  that  is, 
whilst  he  is  ungodly :  But  it  must  not  be  said  of 
them,  that  have  this  principle  of  grace  in  them, 
that  they  are  ungodly;  for  they  are  saints  and 
holy.  But  this  righteousness,  by  it  God  justifieth 
the  migodly,  by  imputing  it  to  them,  when,  and 
while  they,  as  to  a  principle  of  grace,  are  grace- 
less. 

This  is  further  manifested  thus:  The  person 
must  be  accepted  before  the  performance  of  the 
person  can ;  'And  the  Lord  had  respect  unto  Abel, 
and  to  his  ofiering. '  Ge.  iv.  4.  If  he  had  respect  to 
Abel's  person  first,  yet  he  must  have  respect  rmto 
it  for  the  sake  of  some  righteousness ;  but  Abel, 
in  that,  had  no  righteousness ;  for  that  he  acted 
after  that  God  had  had  respect  unto  his  person.  J 
'  And  the  LORD  had  respect  unto  Abel,  and  to 
his  ofiering:  But  unto  Cain,  and  to  his  ofiering,  he 
had  not  respect.' 

The  prophet  Ezekiel  also  shows  us  this ;  where, 
by  the  similitude  of  the  wretched  infant,  and  of 
the  manner  of  God's  receiving  it  to  mercy,  ho 
shows  hoAV  he  received  the  Jews  to  favour.  First, 
saith  he,  '  I  spread  my  skirt  over  thee,  and  covered 
thy  nakedness.' xvi.  8.  There  is  justification;  'I 
covered  thy  nakedness.'  But  what  manner  of 
nakedness  was  it  ?  Was  it  utter  nakedness,  naked- 
ness in  its  perfection  ?  Yes,  it  was  then  as  naked 
as  naked  coxild  be,  even  as  naked  as  in  the  day 
that  it  was  born.  And  as  thus  naked,  it  was 
covered,  not  with  miything,  but  Avith  the  skirt  of 
Christ ;  that  is,  with  his  robe  of  righteousness, 
A\ath  his  obedience,  that  he  performed  by  himself 

J  Abel  possessed  righteousness  before  his  offering,  which 
influenced  him  to  moke  this  acceptable  sacrifice, — Ed, 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


249 


for  that  very  purpose.     For  by  the  obedience  of 
one  many  are  made  righteous. 

2.  Righteousness  unto  justification  must  be  first, 
because  the  first  duty  that  a  Christian  performeth 
to  God,  must  be  accepted,  not  for  the  sake  of  the 
principle  from  which  in  the  heart  it  flows,  nor  yet 
for  the  sake  of  the  person  that  acts  it ;  but  for  the 
sake  of  Christ,  whose  righteousness  it  is,  by  which, 
before  the  sinner,  he  stands  just  before  God.  And 
hence  it  is  said,  *  By  faith  Abel  offered  unto  God  a 
more  excellent  sacrifice  than  Cain.'  He. xi.4.  By 
faith  he  did  it ;  but  faith  hath  respect  to  the 
righteousness  that  justifies.  For  we  are  justified 
by  faith,  not  by  faith  as  it  is  a  grace,  nor  by  faith 
as  it  is  an  acting  grace ;  but  by  the  righteousness 
of  faith ;  that  is,  by  that  righteousness  that  faith 
embraceth,  layeth  hold  of,  and  helpeth  the  soul  to 
rest  upon,  and  to  trust  to,  for  justification  of  life, 
which  is  the  obedience  of  Christ.  Besides,  it  is 
said,  by  faith  he  oftered ;  faith  then,  faith  in 
Christ,  was  precedent  to  his  off'ering. 

Now  since  faith  was  in  being  and  in  act  before 
Iii«  offer,  and  since  before  his  offer,  he  had  no 
personal  goodness  of  his  own,  faith  must  look  out 
from  home:  I  say,  it  must  look  out  to  another 
than  to  him  in  whom  it  resided  for  righteousness ; 
and  finding  the  righteousness  of  Christ  to  be  the 
righteousness,  which  by  God  was  designed  to  be 
performed  for  the  justification  of  a  sinner,  it 
embraces  it,  and  through  it  offereth  to  God  a  more 
excellent  sacrifice  than  Cain. 

Hence  it  follows,  '  by  which  he  obtained  witness 
that  he  was  righteous.'  By  which,  not  by  his 
offering,  but  by  his  faith.  For  his  offering,  simply 
as  an  offering,  could  not  have  made  him  righteous, 
if  he  had  not  been  righteous  before  ;  '  for  an  evil 
tree  cannot  bring  forth  good  fruit.'  Besides,  if 
this  be  granted,  why  had  not  God  respect  to  Cain's 
offering,  as  well  as  to  Abel's  ?  For,  did  Abel  offer  ? 
so  did  Cain.  Did  Abel  offer  his  best  ?  so  did  Cain 
his.  And  if  with  this,  we  shall  take  notice  of  the 
order  of  their  offering,  Cain  seemed  to  offer  first, 
and  so  with  the  frankest  will,  and  forwardest 
mind ;  but  yet,  saith  the  text,  '  The  Lord  had 
respect  to  Abel  and  to  his  offering.'  But  why  to 
Abel  ?  Why,  because  his  person  was  made 
righteous  before  he  offered  his  gift :  '  By  which  he 
obtained  witness  that  he  was  righteous.'  God 
testifying  of  his  gifts,  that  they  were  good  and 
acceptable,  because  they  declared  Abel's  accepta- 
tion of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  for  his  justice, 
through  the  riches  of  the  grace  of  God. 

By  faith  then,  Abel  offered  to  God  a  more  excel- 
lent sacrifice  than  Cain,  He  shrouded  himself 
imder  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  so,  as  out 
of  that  righteousness,  he  offered  to  God;  God  also 
looking  and  finding  him  there,  where  also  he  could 
not  have  been,  as  to  his   own  apprehension,  no 

VOL.  II. 


otherwise  than  by  faith,  he  accepted  of  his  gift ; 
by  which  acceptation,  for  so  you  may  understand 
it  also,  God  testified  that  he  was  rio-hteous:  For 
God  receiveth  not  the  gifts  and  offerings  of  those 
that  are  not  righteous,  for  their  sacrifices  are  an 
abomination  unto  him.  Pr.  xxi.  27. 

Abel  then  was  righteous  before ;  he  was,  I  say, 
made  righteous  first,  as  he  stood  ungodly  in  him- 
self; God  justifieth  the  ungodly.  Ro.ir.  Now  being 
justified,  he  was  righteous ;  and  being  righteous, 
he  offered  his  sacrifice  of  praise  to  God,  or  other 
offerings  which  God  accepted,  because  he  beheved 
in  his  Son,  as  also  other  scriptures  manifest 
abundantly.  But  this  our  Pharisee  xmderstand- 
eth  not, 

3.  Righteousness  by  imputation  must  be  first, 
because  we  are  made  so,  to  wit,  by  another, '  By  the 
obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous.' 
Now  to  be  made  righteous,  implies  a  passiveness 
in  him  that  is  SO  made,  and  the  activity  of  the 
work  to  lie  in  some  body  else ;  except  he  had  said, 
they  had  made  themselves  righteous ;  but  that  it 
doth  not,  nor  doth  the  text  leave  to  any  the  least 
countenance  so  to  insinuate :  Nay,  it  plainly  affirms 
the  contrary,  for  it  saith,  by  the  obedience  of  one, 
of  one  man  Jesus  Chi'ist,  many  are  made  righteous; 
by  the  righteousness  of  one,  Ro.  v.  So  then,  if  they 
be  MADE  righteous  by  the  righteousness  of  one:  I 
say,  if  many  be  made  righteous  by  the  righteous- 
ness of  one,  then  are  they  that  are  so,  as  ta  them- 
selves, passive  and  not  active,  with  reference  unto 
the  working  out  of  this  righteousness.  They  have 
no  hand  in  that;  for  that, is  the  act  of  OXE,  the 
righteousness  of  one,  the  obedience  of  one,  the 
workmanship  of  ONE,  even  of  Christ  Jesus. 

Agiiin,  if  they  are  made  righteous  by  this 
righteousness,  then  also  they  are  passive,  as  to 
their  first  privilege  by  it;  for  they  are  made 
righteous  by  it;  they  do  not  make  themselves 
righteous  ;  no,  they  do  not  make  themselves 
righteous  by  it. 

Imputation  is  also  the  act  of  God.  Even  as 
David  also  describeth  the  blessedness  of  the  man, 
unto  whom  God  imputeth  righteousness.  The 
righteousness  then  is  the  work  of  Christ,  his  own 
obedience  to  his  father's  law;  the  making  of  it 
ours,  is  the  act  of  his  father,  and  of  his  infinite 
grace ;  '  But  of  him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  of 
God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  and  righteousness,' 
'  For  he  (God)  hath  made  him  to  he  sin  for  us,  who 
knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  in  him.'  And  both  these  things  God 
showed  to  our  first  parents,  when  he  acted  in  grace 
towards  them  after  the  fall. 

There  it  is  said,  the  Lord  God  made  unto  Adam, 
and  unto  his  wife,  coats  of  skins,  and  clothed  them. 

Ge.  iii.  21. 

Whence  note, 

2  I 


250 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAX. 


(1.)  That  Adaui  aud-Iiis  wife  Trere  naked  both 
in  God's  eye,  and  in  their  own.  ver.  lo,  ii. 

(2.)  That  the  Lord  God  made  coats  of  skins. 

(3.)  That  in  his  making  of  them,  he  had  respect 
to  Adam  and  to  his  wife,  that  is,  he  made  them 
for  them. 

(4.)  That  v,'hen  he  had  made  them,  he  also 
clothed  them  therewith. 

They  made  not  the  coats,  nor  did  God  hid  them 
make  them ;  but  God  did  make  them  himself  to 
cover  their  nakedness  with.  Yea,  when  he  had 
made  them,  he  did  not  bid  them  put  them  on,  but 
he  himself  did  clothe  them  with  them :  For  thus 
runs  the  text ;  '  Unto  Adam  also  and  to  his  wife 
did  the  Loud  God  make  coats  of  skins,  and  clothed 
theni.'  0!  It  was  the  Lord  God  that  made  this 
coat,  with  which  a  poor  sinner  is  made  righteous ! 
And  it  is  also  the  Lord  God  that  putteth  it  upon 
us.     But  this  our  Pharisee  understaudeth  not. 

But  now,  if  a  man  is  not  righteous  before  he  is 
made  so,  before  the  Lord  God  has,  by  the  righte- 
ousness of  another,  made  him  so ;  then  whether 
this  righteousness  come  first  or  last,  the  man  is 
not  righteous  luitil  it  cometh,  and  if  he  be  not 
righteous  until  it  cometh,  then  what  works  soever 
are  done  before  it  comes,  they  are  not  the  works 
of  a  righteous  man,  nor  the  fruits  of  a  good  tree, 
but  of  a  bad.  And  so  again,  this  i-ighteousness 
must  first  come  before  a  man  be  righteous,  and 
before  a  man  does  righteousness.  Make  the  tree 
good  and  its  fruit  will  be  good. 

IS'ow,  since  a  man  must  be  made  righteous  before 
he  can  do  righteousness,  it  is  manifest  his  Avorks 
of  righteousness  do  not  make  him  righteous,  no 
more  than  the  fig  makes  its  own  tree  a  fig-tree,  or 
than  the  grape  doth  make  its  own  vine  a  vine. 
Hence  those  acts  of  righteousness,  that  Christian 
men  do  perform,  are  called  the  fruits  of  righteous- 
ness, which  are  by  Jesus  Christ  to  the  glory  and 
praise  of  God.  PM.  i.  ii. 

The  fruits  of  righteousness  they  are  by  Jesus 
Christ,  as  the  fruits  of  the  tree  are  by  the  tree 
itself.  For  the  truth  is,  that  principle  of  righte- 
ousness, of  which  mention  has  been  made  before, 
and  concerning  which  I  have  said,  it  comes  In,  in 
the  second  place ;  it  is  also  originally  to  be  fomid 
for  us  no  where  but  in  Christ. 

Hence  it  is  said  to  be  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  again, 
*  of  his  fulness  have  all  we  received,  and  grace  for 
grace.'  Jn. Lie.  A  man  must  then  be  miited  to 
Christ  first,  and  so  being  united,  he  partakcth  of 
this  benefit,  to  wit,  a  princij)le  that  is  supernatural, 
S|iritual,  and  heavenly.  Now  his  being  miited  to 
Christ,  is  not  of,  or  from  himself,  but  of,  and  from 
the  Father,  who,  as  to  this  work,  is  the  husband- 
man ;  even  as  the  twig  that  is  grafted  into  the 
tree,  officiateth  not,  that  is,  grafteth  not  itself 
thereinto,  but  is  grafted  in  by  some  other,  itself 


being  utterly  passive  as  to  that.  Now  being 
united  unto  Christ,  the  soul  is  first  made  partaker 
of  justification,  or  of  justifying  righteousness,  and 
now  no  longer  beareth  the  name  of  an  ungodly 
man,  for  he  is  made  righteous  by  the  obedience  of 
Christ,  he  being  also  united  to  Christ,  partaketh 
of  the  root  and  fatness  of  Christ ;  the  root,  that  is, 
his  divine  nature ;  the  fatness,  that  is,  that  fidness 
of  grace  that  is  laid  up  in  him  to  be  communicated 
unto  us,  even  as  the  branch  that  is  grafted  into 
the  olive-tree,  partaketh  of  the  root  and  fatness  of 
the  olive-tree.  Now  partaking  thereof,  it  quicken- 
eth,  it  groweth,  it  buddeth,  and  ylcldeth.  fruit  to 
the  glory  and  praise  of  God.  Ko.  si.  17. 

But  these  things,  as  I  have  often  said,  the  poor 
Pharisee  was  ignorant  of,  when  so  swaggeringly 
he,  with  his,  '  God  I  thank  thee,'  came  into  the 
temple  to  pray;  and  indeed,  in  that  which,  hath 
here  been  said,  is  something  of  the  mystery  of 
God's  will  in  his  way  with  his  elect;  and  such  a 
mystery  it  is,  that  it  lieth  hid  for  ever  to  nature 
and  natural  men ;  for  they  think  of  nothing  less 
than  of  this,  nor  of  nothing  more,  when  they  think 
of  their  soids  and  of  salvation,  than  that  something 
must  be  done  by  themselves  to  reconcile  them  to 
God.  Yea,  if  through  some  common  convictions 
their  imderstandlngs  should  be  swayed  to  a  con- 
senting to  that,  that  justification  is  of  grace  by 
Christ,  and  not  of  works  by  men ;  yet  conscience, 
reason,  and  the  law  of  nature,  not  being  as  yet 
subdued  by  the  power  and  glory  of  grace  unto  the 
obedience  of  Christ,  will  rise  up  In  rebellion  against 
this  doctrine,  and  will  overrule  and  bow  down  the 
soul  again  to  the  law  and  works  thereof  for  life. 

4.  Righteousness  by  imputation  must  be  first, 
because,  else  faith,  which  is  a  part,  yea,  a  great 
part,  of  that  which  is  called  a  principle  of  grace 
In  the  soul,  will  have  nothing  to  fix  itself  upon, 
nor  a  motive  to  work  by.  Let  this  therefore 
be  considered  by  those  that  are  on  the  contrary 
side. 

Faith,  so  soon  as  it  has  being  in  the  soul,  is  like 
the  child  that  has  being  in  the  mother's  lap,  it 
must  have  something  to  feed  upon,  not  something 
at  a  distance,  afar  off,  or  to  be  purchased,  I  speak 
now  as  to  justification  from  the  curse,  but  some- 
thing by  promise  made  over  of  grace  to  the  soul ; 
something  to  feed  upon  to  support  from  the  fears 
of  perishing  by  the  curse  for  sin.  Nor  can  it  rest 
content  with  all  duties  and  performances,  that  other 
graces  shall  put  the  soul  upon ;  nor  with  any  of 
its  ovni  works,  until  it  reaches  and  takes  hold  of 
the  righteousness  of  Christ.  Faith  is  like  the 
dove,  that  found  no  rest  any  where  in  all  the  world 
mitll  it  returned  to  Noah  into  the  ark.  But  this 
our  Pharisee  understaudeth  not. 

Objection.  Perhaps  some  may  object,  That  from 
this  way  of  reasoning  it  is  apparent,  that  sanctifi- 


TIIE  PIIAllISEE  AXD  THE  PUBLICAN. 


251 


(.ation  is  first,  since  tlie  soul  may  have  faith,  and 
so  a  principle  of  grace  in  it ;  and  yet,  as  yet  it 
cannot  find  C'hiist  to  feed  and  to  refresh  the  soul 
withal. 

Answ.  From  this  ^vay  of  reasoning  it  is  not  at 
all  apparent,  that  sanctification,  or  a  principle  of 
grace  is  in  the  soul  before  righteousness  is  imputed, 
and  the  soul  made  perfectly  righteous  thereby. 
And  for  the  clearmg  up  of  this  let  me  propose  a 
few  thmgs. 

(1.)  Justifying  righteousness,  to  wit,  the  obe- 
dience of  that  one  man  Christ  is  imputed  to  the 
sinner  to  justify  him  in  God's  sight.  For  his  law 
calls  for  perfect  righteousness,  and  before  that  be 
come  TO,  and  put  upon  the  poor  sinner,  God  can- 
not bestow  other  spii-itual  blessings  upon  him ; 
because  by  the  law  he  has  pronounced  him 
accursed ;  by  the  which  curse,  he  is  also  so  holden, 
iintil  a  righteousness  shall  be  found  upon  the  sinner, 
that  the  law,  and  so  divine  justice  can  alike  approve 
of,  and  be  contented  vrith.  So  then,  as  to  the 
justification  of  the  sinner,  there  must  be  a  righte- 
ousness for  God;  I  say,  for  the  sinner,  and  for 
God.  For  the  sinner  to  be  clothed  with,  and  for 
God  to  look  upoii,  that  he  may,  for  the  sake  thereof 
in  a  way  of  justice,  bless  the  sinner  with  forgive- 
ness of  sins :  For  forgiveness  of  sins  is  the  next 
thing  that  followeth  upon  the  appearance  of  the 
sinner  before  God  in  the  righteousness  of  Christ. 

Ro.  iv.  6,  7. 

Xow,  upon  this  forgiveness,  fuUows  the  second 
blessing.  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse 
of  the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us.  And  sc, 
consequently,  hath  obtained  for  us  the  forgiveness 
of  sins :  for  he  that  is  delivered  from  the  curse, 
hath  received  forgiveness  of  sins,  or  rather  is  made 
partaker  thereof;  now  being  made  a  partaker 
thereof,  the  second  blessing  immediately  follows : 
to  wit,  the  blessing  of  Abraham,  that  is,  '  the 
promise  of  the  spirit  through  faith, '  Ga.  iii.  13,  u.  but 
this  our  Pharisee  understaudeth  not. 

But  now,  although  it  be  of  absolute  necessity 
that  imputed  righteousness  be  first  TO  the  soul ; 
that  is,  that  perfect  righteousness  be  found  upon 
the  sinner  first  by  God,  that  he  may  bestow  other 
blessings  in  a  way  of  justice.  Yet  it  is  not  of 
absolute  necessity  that  the  soid  shoidd  see  this 
first. 

Let  God  then  put  righteousness,  the  righteous- 
ness of  his  Son  upon  me ;  and  by  virtue  of  that, 
let  the  second  blessing  of  God  come  in  to  me ;  and 
by  virtue  of  that,  let  me  be  made  to  see  myself  a 
sinner,  and  Christ's  righteousness,  and  my  need  of 
it,  in  the  doctrine  of  it,  as  it  is  revealed  in  the 
scriptures  of  truth.  Let  me  then  believe  this  doc- 
trine to  be  tiU3,  and  be  brought  by  my  belief  to 
repentance  for  my  sins,  to  hungering  and  thirsting 
vehemently  after  this  rightejusness ;   for  this  is 


'  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness. '  Yea, 
let  me  pnxy,  and  cry,  and  sigh,  and  groan  day  and 
night  to  the  God  of  this  righteousness,  that  he  will 
of  grace  make  me  a  partaker :  And  let  me  thus 
prostrate  before  my  God,  all  the  time  that  in  wis- 
dom he  shall  think  fit.  And  in  his  o\vn  time  he 
shall  show  me,  that  I  am  a  justified  person,  a 
pardoned  person,  a  person  in  whom  the  Spirit  of 
God  hath  dwelt  for  some  time,  though  I  knew  it 
not. 

So  then  justification  before  God  is  one  thing ; 
and  justification  in  mine  own  eyes  is  another:  not 
that  these  are  two  justifications,  but  the  same 
i-ighteousness  by  which  I  stand  justified  before 
God,  may  be  seen  of  God,  when  1  am  ignorant  of 
it ;  yea,  for  the  sake  of  it  I  may  be  received, 
pardoned,  and  accounted  righteous  of  him,  and  yet 
I  may  not  understand  it.  Yea,  further,  he  may 
proceed  in  the  way  of  blessing,  to  bless  me  with 
additional  blessings,  and  yet  I  be  ignorant  of  it. 

So  that  the  question  is  not.  Do  I  find  that  I  am 
righteous  ?  But  am  I  so  ?  Doth  God  find  me  so, 
when  he  seeth  that  the  righteousness  of  his  Son  is 
upon  me,  being  made  over  to  me  by  an  act  of  his 
grace  ?  For  I  am  justified  freely  by  his  grace, 
through  the  redemption  which  is  in  Jesus  Christ, 
whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation 
through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righte- 
ousness for  the  redemption  of  sins  that  are  past, 
through  the  forbearance  of  God.  Ro.iii.  25.  But  this 
our  Pharisee  understaudeth  not. 

I  am  then  made  righteous  first,  hy  the  righte- 
ousness of  another;  and  because  I  am  thus 
righteous,  God  accepteth  of  my  person  as  such, 
and  bestoweth  upon  me  his  gTace ;  the  which,  at 
first,  for  want  of  skill  and  experience  in  the  word 
of  righteousness,  I  make  use  of  but  poorly,  and 
have  need  to  be  certified  that  I  am  made  righteous, 
and  that  I  have  eternal  life.  He.  v.  13.  not  by  faith 
first  and  immediately,  but  by  the  written  word, 
which  is  called  the  word  of  faith;  which  word 
declareth  unto  me,  to  whom  grace,  and  so  faith  in 
the  seed  of  it  is  given,  that  I  have  eternal  life ; 
and  that  I  should  with  boldness,  in  peace  and  joy, 
believe  on  the  Son  of  God.  Ko.  xv.  13. 1  Jn.  v.  13.  But, 
Again,  I,  in  the  first  acts  of  my  faith,  when  I 
am  come  at  Christ,  do  not  accept  of  him,  because, 
I  know  I  am  righteous,  either  with  imputed 
righteousness,  or  with  that  which  is  inherent :  both 
these,  as  to  my  present  privilege  in  them,  may  be 
hidden  from  mine  eyes,  and  I  only  put  upon  taking 
of  encouragement  to  close  with  Christ  for  hfe  and 
righteousness,  as  he  is  set  forth  to  be  a  propitia- 
tion before  mine  eyes,  in  the  word  of  the  truth  of 
the  gospel ;  to  which  word  I  adhere  as,  or  because 
I  find,  I  want  peace  with  God  m  my  soul,  and 
because  I  am  convinced,  that  the  means  of  peace 
is  not  to  be  found  any  where  but  in  Jesus  Christ, 


252 


THE  THARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


Wow,  by  my  thus  adhering  to  him,  I  find  stay  for 
my  soul,  and  peace  to  my  conscience,  because  the 
word  doth  ascertain  me,  that  he  that  beheveth  on 
him  hath  remission  of  sins,  hath  eternal  life,  and 
shall  be  saved  from  the  wrath  to  come. 

But  alas  I  who  knows  the  many  streights,  and  as 
I  may  say,  the  stress  of  weather,  I  mean  the  cold 
blasts  of  hell,  with  which  the  poor  soul  is  assaulted, 
betwixt  its  receiving  of  grace,  and  its  sensible 
closing  with  Jesus  Christ  ?  *  None,  I  daresay,  but 
IT  and  its  fellows.  '  The  heart  knoweth  his  own 
bitterness ;  and  a  stranger  doth  not  intermeddle 
with  his  joy.'  Pr.  xiv.  lo.  No  sooner  doth  Satan  per- 
ceive that  God  is  doing  with  the  soul,  in  a  way  of 
grace  and  mercy,  but  he  endeavoureth  what  he 
may,  to  make  the  renewing  thereof  bitter  and 
Avearisome  work  to  the  sinner.  0  what  mists, 
M'hat  moimtains,  what  clouds,  what  darkness,  what 
objections,  what  false  apprehensions  of  Go,d,  of 
Christ,  of  grace,  of  the  word,  and  of  the  soul's 
condition,  doth  he  now  lay  before  it,  and  haunt  it 
with;  whereby  he  fighteth,  dejecteth,  casteth 
down,  daunteth,  distresseth,  and  almost  driveth  it 
quite  into  despair.  Now,  by  the  reason  of  these 
things,  faith,  and  all  the  grace  that  is  in  the  soul, 
is  hard  put  to  it  to  come  at  the  promise ;  and  by 
the  promise  to  Christ,  as  it  is  said,  when  the 
tempest  and  great  danger  of  shipwreck  lay  upon 
the  vessel  in  which  Paul  was.  They  '  had  much 
work  to  come  by  the  boat.'  Ac.  xxrii.  16.  For  Satan's 
design  is,  if  he  cannot  keep  the  soul  from  Christ, 
to  make  his  coming  to  him,  and  closing  with  him, 
as  hard,  difficult,  and  troublesome,  as  he  by  his 
devices  can.  But  faith,  true  justifying  faith,  is  a 
grace,  that  is  not  weary  by  all  that  Satan  can  do ; 
but  meditatcth  upon  the  word,  and  taketh  stomach, 
and  courage,  fighteth,  and  crieth,  and  by  crying 
and  fighting,  by  help  from  heaven,  its  way  is  made 
through  all  the  oppositions  that  appear  so  mighty, 
and  di-aweth  up  at  last  to  Jesus  Christ,  into  whose 
bosom  it  puttcth  the  soul,  where,  for  the  time,  it 
sweetly  resteth  after  its  marvellous  tossings  to  and 
fro.t 

And  besides  what  hath  been  said,  let  me  yet 
illustrate  this  truth  unto  you  by  this  familiar  simili- 
tude. 

Suppose  a  man,  a  traitor,  that  by  the  law  should 

*  '  Then  was  I  most  distressed  with  blasphemies,  if  I  have 
been  hearing  the  word,  then  uncleanness,  blasphemies,  and 
despair  would  hold  me  as  captive.'  '  I  blessed  the  condition 
of  the  dog  and  toad,  and  counted  their  state  far  better  than 
tliis  state  oi  mme.'— Grace  Aboundbiff,  lOG  and  184. 

t  Many  are  the  devices  of  Satan  to  keep  soids  from  Christ. 
The  world  and  the  flesh  are  Ids  grand  instruments  of  seduc- 
tion, while  his  temptations  and  snares  drown  tliem  in  despair. 
Their  wisdom  is  to  resist  manfully  by  faith  in  the  serpent- 
bruiser,  Jesus,  He  wiU  consummate  his  victories  by  a  glori- 
ous triumph  over  all  the  powers  of  hell  and  darkness.— %)«;2(f. 


die  for  his  sin,  is  yet  such  an  one,  that  the  king 
hath  exceeding  kindness  for ;  may  not  the  king 
pardon  this  man  of  his  clemency ;  yea,  order  that 
his  pardon  should  be  di-awn  up  and  sealed,  and  so 
in  every  sense  be  made  sure ;  and  yet,  for  the  pre- 
sent, keep  all  this  close  enough  from  the  ears,  or 
the  knowledge  of  the  person  therein  concerned. 
Yea,  may  not  the  king  after  all  leave  this  person, 
with  others  under  the  same  transgression,  to  sue 
for,  and  obtain  this  pardon  with  great  expence  and 
difficulty,  with  many  tears  and  heart-achings,  -with 
many  fears,  and  dubious  cogitations. 

Why  this  is  the  case  between  God  and  the  soul 
that  he  saveth ;  he  saveth  him,  pardoneth  him, 
and  secureth  him  from  the  curse  and  death  that  to 
him  is  due  for  sin,  but  yet  doth  not  tell  him  so, 
but  ascends  in  his  gTcat  suit  unto  God  for  it. 
Only  this  difference  we  must  make  in  this  between 
God  and  the  potentates  of  this  world :  God  cannot 
pardon  before  the  sinner  stands  before  him  righte- 
ous by  the  righteousness  of  Christ ;  because  he  has 
in  judgment,  and  justice,  and  righteousness  threat- 
ened and  concluded,  that  he  that  wants  righteous- 
ness shall  die. 

And  I  say  again,  because  this  righteousness  is 
God's,  and  at  God's  disposal  only;  it  is  God  that 
must  make  a  man  righteous  before  he  can  forgive 
him  his  sins,  or  bestow  upon  him  of  his  secondary 
blessings  ;  to  wit,  his  Spirit,  and  the  graces  thereof. 
And  I  say  again,  it  must  be  this  righteousness ; 
for  it  can  be  no  other,  that  must  justify  a  sinner 
from  sin  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  from  the  sentence 
of  his  law.     But 

(2.)  This  is,  and  must  be  the  way  of  God  Avith 
the  sinner,  that  faith  may  not  only  have  an  object 
to  work  upon,  but  a  motive  to  work  by. 

Here,  as  I  said.  Faith  hath  an  object  to  work 
upon,  and  that  is  the  person  of  Christ,  and  that 
personal  righteousness  of  his,  which  he  in  the  days 
of  his  flesh  did  finish  to  justify  sinners  Avithal. 
This  is,  I  say,  the  object  of  faith  for  justification, 
whereunto  the  soul  by  it  doth  continually  resort. 
Hence  David  said  to  Christ,  *  Be  thou  my  strong 
habitation ; '  or  as  you  have  it  in  the  margin,  '  Be 
thou  to  me  for  a  rock  of  habitation,  whereunto  I 
may  continually  resort : '  Ps.  kxi.  3.  And  two  things 
he  inserts  by  so  saying. 

The  first  is,  That  the  Christian  is  a  man  under 
continual  exercises,  sometimes  one  way,  and  some- 
times another ;  but  all  his  exercises  have  a  tendency 
in  them  more  or  less  to  spoil  him ;  if  he  deals  with 
them  hand  to  hand ;  therefore  he  is  rather  for  flying 
than  standing ;  for  flying  to  Christ,  than  for  grap. 
pling  with  them  in  and  by  his  own  power. 

The  second  is,  That  Christ  is  of  God,  jjrovided 
to  be  our  shelter  as  to  this  very  thing.  Hence  his 
name  is  said  to  be  a  strong  tower,  and  that  the 
righteous  run  into  it,  and  are  safe.  Pr.xviii.  lo.     That 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


253 


also  of  David  in  the  fifty-sixth  psalm  is  very  preg- 
nant to  this  purpose;    'Mine  enemies,'  saith  he, 

•  would  daily  swallow  me  up,  for  they  he  many  that 
firrht  against  me,  0  thou  most  high.'  And  what 
then  ?     Why,  '  What  time  1  am  afraid,'  saith  he, 

*  I  will  trust  in  thee.'  Thus  you  see,  faith  hath 
an  ohject  to  work  upon  to  carry  the  soul  unto,  and 
to  secm-e  the  soid  in,  in  times  of  difficulty,  and 
that  they  are  almost  continually,  and  that  object  is 
Jesus  Christ,  and  his  righteousness.     But, 

Again,  as  faith  hath  an  object  to  work  upon,  so 
it  hath  a  motive  to  work  by ;  and  that  is  the  love 
of  God  in  giving  of  Christ  to  the  soul  for  righte- 
ousness. Nor  is  there  any  profession,  religion,  or 
duty  and  performance,  that  is  at  all  regarded, 
where  this  faith,  which  by  such  means  can  work, 
is  wanting.  *  For  in  Jesus  Christ  neither  circum- 
cision availeth  any  thing,  nor  imcircumcision ;  but 
faith  which  worketh  by  love. '  Ga.  v.  6.  So  he  saith 
not  here,  but  faith  which  acteth  lovely,  or  but  faith 
whose  fruit  is  love,  though  true  faith  hath  love  for 
its  offspring,  but  faith  which  worketh  by  love ;  that 
is  true  saving  justifying  faith,  as  it  beholdeth  the 
righteousness  of  Christ,  as  made  over  to  the  soul 
for  justification,  so  it  beholdeth  love,  love  to  be  the 
cause  of  its  so  being  made  over.  It  beholdeth  love  in 
the  Father,  in  giving  of  his  Son;  and  love  in  the  Son, 
in  giving  of  himself  to  be  made  soul-saving  righte- 
ousness for  me.  And  this  seeing,  it  worketh  or  this 
apprehending,  it  worketh  by  it ;  that  is,  it  is  stirred 
up  to  an  holy  boldness  of  venturing  all  eternal 
concerns  upon  Christ,  and  also  to  an  holy  endeared 
afiiecting  love  of  him  for  his  sweet  and  blessed 
redeeming  love.  Hence  the  apostle  saith,  '  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.' 

2  Co.  V.  11, 15. 

Thus  then  is  the  heart  united  in  afi'ection  and 
love  to  the  Father  and  the  Son,  for  the  love  that 
they  have  shewed  to  the  poor  sinner,  in  their  thus 
delivering  him  from  the  wrath  to  come.  Nor  doth 
this  love  of  God  cause  that  the  faith  of  the  poor 
man  slioidd  work  by  it  to  him  alone,  no ;  for  by 
this  love  faith  worketh,  in  sweet  passions  and  pangs 
of  love,  to  all  that  are  thus  reconciled,  as  this  sin- 
ner seetli  he  is.  The  motive  then,  whereby  faith 
Avorketh,  both  as  to  justification,  and  sanctifica- 
tion,  the  great  motive  to  them,  I  say,  is  love,  the 
love  of  God,  and  the  love  of  Christ:  'We  love 
him  because  he  first  loved  us. '  That  is,  when  our 
faith  hath  told  us  so ;  for  so  are  the  words  above, 
'  We  have  known  and  believed  the  love  that  God 
hath  to  us.'  And  then,  'We  love  him  because  he 
first  loved  us.'  And  then,  'This  commandment 
have  we  from  him.  That  he  who  loveth  God,  love 


his  brother  also.'  i  Ju. iv. IG— 21.    But  this  our  poor 
Pharisee  understandeth  not.     But, 

5.  Righteousness  by  imputation  must  be  first, 
to  cut  off  boasting  from  the  heart,  conceit,  and 
lips  of  men.  Wherefore  he  saith  as  also  was 
hinted  before,  That  we  are  justified  freely  by  the 
grace  of  God,  not  through,  or  for  the  sake  of  an 
holy  gospel  principle  in  us ;  hut  '  through  the 
redemption  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ,'  kc.  '"Where 
is  boasting  then  ?  It  is  excluded.  By  what  law  ? 
of  works  ?  Nay:  but  by  the  law  of  faith.'  Ro.  iii. 
2i,  27.  And  this  is  the  law  of  faith  that  we  are 
justified  as  afore  [is  shewen]. 

Nor  can  any  man  propound  such  an  essential 
way  to  cut  off  boasting  as  this,  which  is  of  God's 
providing :  for  what  has  man  here  to  boast  of  ? 
No  righteousness,  nor  yet  of  the  application  of  it 
to  his  soul.  The  righteousness  is  Christ's,  not 
the  sinner's.  The  imputation  is  God's,  not  the 
sinner's.  The  cause  of  imputation  is  God's  grace 
and  love,  not  the  sinner's  works  of  righteousness. 
The  time  of  God's  imputing  righteousness,  is  when 
the  sinner  was  a  sinner,  wrapped  up  in  ignorance, 
and  wallowing  in  his  vanity;  not  when  he  was 
good,  or  when  he  was  seeking  of  it ;  for  his  inward 
gospel  goodness  is  a  fruit  of  the  imputation  of 
justifying  righteousness,  as  has  been  already 
shewed.  'Where  is  boasting  then?'  Where  is 
our  Pharisee  then,  with  his  brags  of  not  being  as 
other  men  are  ?  It  is  excluded,  and  he  with  it, 
and  the  poor  Publican  taken  into  favour,  that 
boasting  might  be  cut  off.  '  Not  of  works,  lest 
any  man  should  boast.'  There  is  no  trust  to  be 
put  in  men,  those  that  seem  most  humble,  and  that 
to  appearance,  are  farthest  off  from  pride,  it  is 
natural  to  them  to  boast ;  yea,  to  boast  now,  now 
they  have  no  cause  to  boast.  For  by  grace  are  we 
saved  through  faith,  and  that  not  of  om-selves,  it 
is  the  gift  of  God.  Not  of  works,  lest  any  man 
should  boast. 

But  if  man  is  so  prone  to  boast,  when  yet  there 
is  no  ground  of  boasting  in  him,  nor  yet  in  what 
he  doth,  how  would  he  have  boasted,  had  he  been 
permitted  by  the  God  of  heaven  to  have  done  some- 
thing, though  that  something  had  been  but  a  very 
little  something  towards  his  justification.  But  God 
has  prevented  boasting  by  doing  as  he  has  done. 
Ep.  ii.  8, 9.  Nay,  the  apostle  addeth  further,  lest 
any  man  should  boast,  that  as  to  good  works,  'we 
are  God's  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus 
unto  good  works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained, 
that  we  should  walk  in  them. '  ver.  lo.  Can  the  tree 
boast,  because  it  is  a  sweeting  tree,*  since  it  was 
not  the  tree,  but  God  that  made  it  such :  Where 
is  boasting  then  ?      '  But  of  him  are  ye  in  Chiist 

*  '  A  sweeting  tree,'  a  sweet  apple,  and  not  a  crab  apple 
tree. — ^Ed. 


254 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAX. 


Jesus,  ■who  of  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  and 
righteousness,  and  sanctification,  and  redemption : 
That  according  as  it  is  written,  He  that  gloi-ieth, 
let  hun  glory  in  the  Lord.'  l  Co.  i.  so,  si.  Where  is 
boasting  then  ?  Where  is  our  Pharisee  then,  with 
all  his  works  of  righteousness,  and  with  his  boasts 
of  being  better  than  his  neighbours  ? 

Objection.  It  may  be  said.  If  we  should  be  justi- 
fied for  the  sake  of  our  inherent  righteousness, 
since  that  righteousness  is  the  gift  of  God,  will  it 
not  foUow  that  boasting  is  in  the  occasion  thereof, 
cut  off. 

Ans.  No,  for  although  the  principle  of  inherent 
righteousness  be  the  gift  of  God,  yet  it  bringeth 
forth  fruits  by  man,  and  through  man,  and  so  man 
having  a  hand  therein,  though  he  should  have  never 
so  little,  he  has  an  occasion  offered  him  to  boast. 
Yea,  if  a  man  shoidd  be  justified  before  God  by 
the  grace,  or  the  working  of  the  grace  of  faith  in 
him,  he  would  have  groimd  of  occasion  to  boast, 
because  faith,  though  it  be  the  gift  of  God,  yet  as 
it  actetli  in  man,  takes  man  along  with  it  in  its  so 
acting;  yea,  the  acting  of  faith  is  as  often  attri- 
buted to  the  man  by  whom  it  is  acted,  and  oftener, 
than  to  the  grace  itself.  How  then  can  it  be,  but 
that  man  must  have  a  hand  therein,  and  so  a  ground 
therein,  or  thereof  to  boast. 

But  now  !  since  justification  from  the  curse  of 
the  law  before  God,  lieth  only  and  wholly  in  God's 
imputing  of  Christ's  righteousness  to  a  man,  and 
that  too,  while  the  man  to  whom  it  is  imputed,  is 
in  himself  wicked  and  ungodly,  there  is  no  room 
left  for  boasting  before  God,  for  that  is  the  boasting 
intended ;  but  rather  an  occasion  given  to  shame 
and  confusion  of  face,  and  to  stop  the  mouth  for 
ever,  since  justification  comes  to  him  in  a  way  so 
far  above  him,  so  vastly  without  him,  his  skill, 
help,  or  Avhat  else  soever.  Ezc.  x\-i.  61—63. 

C.  Righteousness  by  imputation  must  be  first, 
that  justification  may  not  be  of  debt,  but  of  mercy 
and  grace.  This  is  evident  from  reason :  It  is 
meet  that  God  shoidd  therefore  justify  us  by  a 
righteousness  of  his  own,  not  of  his  own  prescribing, 
for  that  he  may  do,  and  3'et  the  righteousness  be 
ours  ;  but  of  his  own  providing,  that  the  righteous- 
ness may  be  his.  '  Xow  to  him  that  worketh,  is 
the  rev/ard  not  reckoned  of  grace,  but  of  debt. '  Eo. 
iv.4.  If  I  work  for  justif^'ing  righteousness,  and 
that  vray  get  righteousness,  my  justification  is  not 
of  grace  but  of  debt,  God  giveth  it  not  unto  me, 
for  he  oweth  it  unto  me ;  so  then  it  is  no  longer 
his  but  mine :  Mine  not  of  grace,  but  debt :  And 
if  so  then,  I  thank  him  not  for  remission  of  sins, 
nor  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  nor  for  eternal 
life ;  for  if  justifying  righteousness  is  of  debt,  then 
when  I  have  it,  and  what  dependeth  thereon,  I 
have  but  mine  own,  that  which  God  OAvcth  to  me. 

^Nor  will  it  help  at  all  to  say,  but  I  obtain  it  by 


God's  grace  in  me,  because  that  doth  not  cut  off 
my  work,  nor  prevent  my  having  of  an  hand  in  my 
justifying  righteousness. 

Suppose  I  give  a  man  materials,  even  all  materials 
that  are  necessary  to  the  completing  of  such  or 
such  a  thing;  yet  if  he  worketh,  though  the 
materials  be  mine,  I  am  to  him  a  debtor,  and  he 
deserveth  a  reward.  Thou  sayest,  God  has  given 
thee  his  Spirit,  his  grace,  and  all  other  things  that 
are  necessary  for  the  working  up  of  a  complete 
righteousness.  Well,  but  is  thy  work  re-quired  to 
the  finishing  of  this  righteousness  ?  If  so,  this  is 
not  the  righteousness  that  justifieth,  because  it  is 
such  as  has  thy  hand,  thy  workmanship  therein, 
and  so  obtains  a  reward.  And  observe  it,  righte- 
ousness, justifying  righteousness,  consisteth  not 
in  a  principle  of  righteousness,  but  in  works  of 
righteousness ;  that  is,  in  good  duties,  in  obedience, 
in  a  walking  in  the  law  to  the  pleasing  of  the  law, 
and  the  content  of  the  justice  of  God. 

I  suppose  again,  that  thou  shalt  conclude  with 
me,  that  justifying  righteousness,  I  mean  that 
which  justifies  from  the  curse  of  the  lav/,  resideth 
only  in  the  obedience  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  and  that 
the  principle  of  grace  that  is  in  thee,  is  none  of 
that  righteousness,  no,  not  then  when  thou  hast 
to  the  utmost  walked  with  God  according  to  thy 
gift  and  grace :  Yet  if  thou  concludest  that  this 
principle  must  be  in  thee,  and  these  works  done  by 
thee,  before  this  justifying  righteousness  is  imputed 
to  thee  for  justification,  thou  layest  in  a  caveat 
against  justification  by  grace ;  and  also  concludest, 
that  though  thou  art  not  justified  by  thy  righteous- 
ness, but  by  Christ,  yet  thou  art  justified  by  Christ's 
righteousness,  for  the  sake  of  thine  own,  and  so 
makest  justification  to  be  still  a  debt.  But  here 
the  scripture  doth  also  cut  thee  off :  '  Not  for  thy 
righteousness,  or  for  the  uprightness  of  thine  heart 
dost  thou  go  to  possess  their  land;'  which  was  but 
a  type  of  heaven,  and  if  our  righteousness  cannot 
give  us  by  its  excellency  a  share  in  the  type,  be 
sure,  that  for  it,  Ave  shall  never  be  sharers  in  the 
antitype  itself.  *  Understand  therefore,  that  the 
Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee  not  this  good  land  to 
possess  it,  for  i\\j  righteousness ;  for  thou  art  a 
stiff-necked  people.'  De.  k.  5,  6. 

Gospel-performances  therefore  are  not  first;  that 
was  first,  for  the  sake  of  which,  God  did  receive 
these  people  into  favour  with  himself,  and  that  was 
a  covenant  righteousness ;  and  where  could  that 
covenant  righteousness  be  found  but  in  the  prince, 
mediator,  and  high  priest  of  the  covenant  ?  For 
it  was  HE  and  HE  only  that  was  appointed  of  God, 
nor  could  any  but  himself,  bring  in  everlasting 
righteousness.  Da.  ix.  21,  23.  This  is  evident  from 
these  texts  last  mentioned ;  it  was  not  for  their 
righteousness,  that  they  possessed  the  land. 

Again,  As  it  was  not  for  theii*  righteousness. 


THE  FHAEISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


255 


tliat  tliey  vrere  made  possessors  of  the  land,  so  it 
was  not  for  the  sake  of  their  righteousness,  that 
they  vrcTQ  made  partakers  of  sucli  a  righteousness 
that  did  make  them  possess  the  LT,nd,  This  is  plain 
to  reason ;  for  then  inherent  or  inlierent  and  per- 
sonal righteousness,  when  by  us  performed,  is  of 
worth  to  obtain  of  God  a  justifying  righteousness. 
But  if  it  be  of  worth  to  obtain  a  justifying  righte- 
ousness, then  it  seems,  it  is  more  commodious  to 
both  parties  than  is  justifying  righteousness.  First, 
it  is  more  commodious  to  him  that  worketh  it,  for 
by  it  he  obtaineth  everlasting  righteousness ;  and 
secondly,  it  is  more  commodious  unto  him  that 
receiveth  it,  else  why  doth  he  for  it  give  us  a  due 
debt,  and  so  put  upon  us  the  everlasting  justifying 
righteousness. 

Perhaps  it  will  be  objected,  that  God  doth  all 
this  of  grace ;  but  I  answer,  that  these  are  but 
fallacious  words,  spake  by  the  tongue  of  the  crafty. 
For  we  are  not  now  discoursing  of  what  rewards 
God  can  give  to  the  operations  of  his  own  grace 
in  us,  but  whether  he  can  in  a  way  of  justice,  or 
how  he  will,  bestow  any  spiritual  blessings  xipon 
sinful  creatures,  against  whom,  for  sin,  he  has 
pronounced  the  cm-se  of  the  law,  before  he  hath 
found  them  in  a  righteousness,  that  is  proved  to 
be  as  good  justice  and  righteousness,  as  is  the 
justice  and  righteousness  of  the  law,  with  which 
we  have  to  do. 

I  assert  he  cannot,  becai:se  he  cannot  lie,  because 
he  cannot  deny  liimself :  For  if  he  should  first 
threaten  the  transgression  of  the  law  -with  death, 
and  yet  afterwards  receive  the  transgressor  to 
grace,  without  a  plenary  satisfaction,  what  is  this 
but  to  lie,  and  to  diminish  his  truth,  righteousness, 
and  faithfulness ;  yea,  and  also  to  overthrow  the 
sanction  and  perfect  holiness  of  his  law.  His 
mercy  therefore  must  act  so  towards  this  sinner, 
that  justice  may  be  content,  and  that  can  never  be, 
without  a  justifying  righteousness. 

jSTow  what  this  justifying  righteousness  should 
be,  and  vrhen  imputed,  that  is  the  question.  I  say, 
it  is  the  righteousness  or  the  obedience  of  the  Son 
of  God  in  the  flesh,  which  he  assim:ied,  and  so  his 
own,  and  the  righteousness  of  no  body  else,  other- 
wise than  by  imputation. 

I  say  again,  that  this  righteousness  must  be 
imputed  first,  that  the  sinner  may  stand  just  in 
God's  sight  from  the  curse,  and  that  God  might 
deal  with  him  both  in  a  way  of  justice  as  well  as 
mercy,  and  yet  do  the  sinner  no  harm. 

But  you  may  ask,  How  did  God  deal  with 
shiners  before  this  righteousness  was  actually  in 
being  ? 

I  answer,  He  did  then  deal  with  sinners  even  as 
he  dealeth  with  them  now ;  he  justifieth  them  by 
it,  by  A-irtue  of  the  suretiship  of  him  that  was  to 
bring  it  in.     Christ  became  surety  for  us,  and  by 


his  suretiship  laid  himself  under  an  obligation  to 
bring  in,  in  time,  for  those  for  whom  he  became  a 
surety,  this  everlasting  and  justifying  righteousnef;s, 
and  by  virtue  of  this  those  of  his  elect  that  came 
into  and  went  out  of  the  world,  before  he  came  to 
perform  his  work,  were  saved  through  the  forbear- 
ance of  God.  Wherefore,  before  the  Lord  came, 
they  were  saved  for  the  Lord's  sake,  and  for  the 
sake  of  his  name.  And  they  that  were  spiritually 
wise  understood  it,  and  pleaded  it  as  their  neces- 
sities required,  and  the  Lord  for  His  sake  also 
accepted  them.  He.  vii.  23.  Eo.  iv.  24.  Da.  k.  17.  Ps.  xxv.  11. 

7.  Righteousness  by  imputation  must  be  first: 
that  justification  may  be  certain  ;  '  therefore  it  is 
of  faith,  (of  the  righteousness  that  faith  layeth 
hold  on)  that  it  might  be  by  grace ;  to  the  end  the 
promise  might  be  siu"e  to  all  the  seed.' Ro.  iv.  ic. 
That  the  promise.  What  promise  ?  The  promise 
of  remission  of  sins,  &c.  might  be  sure. 

Now  a  promise  of  remission  of  sins  supposeth 
a  righteousness,  a  righteousness  going  before ;  for 
there  is  no  forgiveness  of  sins,  nor  promise  of  for- 
giveness, but  for  the  sake  of  righteousness :  but 
not  for  the  sake  of  righteousness  that  shall  be  by 
us,  but  that  IS  already  found  in  Christ  as  head, 
and  so  imputed  to  the  elect  for  their  remission. 
'God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven  you.'  Ep. 
iv.  S3.  For  Christ's  sake  ;  that  is,  for  the  sake  of 
the  righteousness  of  Christ.  Therefore  imputed 
righteousness  must  be  first ;  yea,  it  must  be  before 
forgiveness,  and  forgiveness  is  extended  by  God, 
then  when  we  lie  in  our  blood,  though  to  us  it  is 
manifested  afterwards.*  Therefore  it  is  OF  faith, 
he  saith  not  by  it,  respecting  the  act  of  faith ;  but 
of,  respecting  the  doctrine  or  word  which  presenteth 
me  with  this  blessed  imputed  righteousness :  '  They 
that  are  of  faith,  are  the  children  of  faithful  Abra- 
ham.' They  that  are  of  the  doctrine  of  faith,  for 
all  the  elect  are  the  sons  of  that  doctrine  in  which 
is  this  righteousness  of  Christ  contained ;  yea,  thoy 
are  begotten  by  it  of  God  to  this  inheritance,  to 
their  comfortable  enjoyment  of  the  comfort  of  it 
by  faith. 

That  '  the  promise  might  be  sure  to  all  the 
seed;'  to  all  them  wrapped  up  in  the  promise,  and 
so  begotten  and  born.  That  it  might  be  sure, 
implying  that  there  is  no  certain  way  of  salvation 
for  the  elect  but  this,  because  God  can  never  by 


*  As  the  disoLcdicuce  of  tlie  first  Adam  is  imputed  to  all 
his  natiu'al  posterity,  and  Lriags  death  upon  all ;  so  the  riglite- 
ousucss  of  the  second  Adam  is  imputed  to  all  his  spii-itual 
progeny,  to  ohtaia  life  for  them.  As  the  carnal  Adam,  lost 
original  righteousness,  derives  a  corrupt  natme  to  all  his 
descendants ;  so  the  spiritual  Adam,  by  his  ohedicnce,  conveys 
a  vital  efficacy  of  grace  to  us.  The  same  Spirit  of  holiness 
which  anointed  om-  Eedcemer  doth  quicken  all  his  race,  that 
as  they  have  borne  the  image  of  the  cartlsly,  they  may  hence- 
forth bear  the  imnge  of  the  heavenly  Adam. — Bjlancl. 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICxVN. 


other  means  reconcile  us  to  himself  ;  for  his  hea- 
venly eyes  perceive  through  and  through  the  silly 
cohweb  righteousness  that  we  work ;  yea,  they 
spy  faults  and  sins  in  the  best  of  our  gospel  per- 
formances. How  then  can  God  put  any  trust  in 
eucli  people,  or  how  can  remission  be  extended  to 
us  for  the  sake  of  that?  Yea,  our  faith  is  faulty, 
and  also  imperfect ;  how  then  should  remission  be 
extended  to  us  for  the  sake  of  that  ?  But  now  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  is  perfect,  perpetual  and 
stable  as  the  great  mountains,  wherefore  he  is 
called  the  rock  of  our  salvation,  because  a  man 
may  as  soon  tumble  the  mountains  before  him,  as 
one  would  tumble  a  little  ball,  I  say,  as  soon  as 
sin  can  make  invalid  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
when,  and  unto  whom,  God  shall  impute  it  for 
justice.  Ps.  xxxvi.  6.  In  the  margin  it  is  said,  to  be 
like  the  mountain  of  God ;  to  wit,  that  is  called 
Mount  Zion,  or  that  Moriah  on  Avhich  the  temple 
was  built,  and  upon  which  it  stood :  All  other 
bottoms  are  fickle,  all  other  righteousnesses  are 
so  feeble,  short,  narrow,  and  thin,  yea,  so  specked 
and  full  of  imperfections.  *  For  what  the  law 
could  not  do  in  that  it  was  Aveak  through  the 
flesh,'  Christ  did  for  us  in  the  similitude  of  sinful 
flesh.  But  what  could  not  the  law  do?  Why  it 
could  not  give  us  righteousness,  nor  strengthen  us 
to  perform  it.  It  coidd  not  give  us  any  certain, 
sohd,  weU-grounded  hope  of  i-emission  of  sin  and 
salvation,  '  but  the  bringing  in  of  a  better  hope 
did,  by  the  which  we  draw  nigh  unto  God.' 

Wherefore  this  righteousness  being  imputed, 
justice  findeth  no  fault  therewith,  but  consenteth 
to  the  extending  to  the  sinner  those  blessings  that 
tend  to  perfect  his  happiness  in  the  heavens. 

8.  Righteousness  by  imputation  must  be  first, 
'  That  in  all  thinrjs  he  (Christ)  might  have  the 
pre-eminence. '  Christ  is  head  of  the  church,  and 
therefore  let  him  have  the  highest  honour  in  the 
soul ;  but  how  can  he  have  that,  if  any  precede  as 
to  justification,  before  his  perfect  righteousness  be 
imputed?  If  it  be  said,  grace  may  be  in  the  soid, 
though  the  soul  doth  not  act  it,  imtil  the  moment 
that  justifying  righteousness  shall  be  imputed. 

I  ask,  What  should  it  do  there  before,  or  to 
what  pui*pose  is  it  there,  if  it  be  not  acted  ?  And 
again,  how  came  it  thither,  how  got  the  soul  pos- 
session of  it,  while  it  was  unjustified?  Or,  How 
could  God  in  justice  give  it  to  a  person,  that  by 
the  law  stood  condemned,  before  they  were  quitted 
from  that  condemnation?  And  I  say,  nothing 
can  set  the  soul  free  from  that  curse,  but  the  per- 
fect obedience  of  Christ ;  nor  that  either,  if  it  be 
not  imputed  for  that  end  to  the  sinner  by  the  grace 
of  God. 

Imputed,  that  is,  reckoned,  or  accounted  to  him. 
And  why  should  it  not  be  accounted  to  him  for 
righteousness?     Who  did  Christ  bring  it  into  the 


world  for,  for  the  righteous  or  for  sinners  ?  no 
doubt  for  sinners.  And  how  must  it  be  reckoned 
to  them  ?  when  in  circumcision  or  in  imcircumci- 
sion;  not  in  circumcision,  but  in  \mcircumcision ; 
not  as  righteous,  but  as  sinners.  And  how  are 
they  to  consider  of  themselves,  even  then  when 
they  first  are  apprehensive  of  their  need  of  this 
righteousness?  Are  they  to  think,  that  they  are 
righteous  or  sinners. 

And  again.  How  are  they  to  believe  concerning 
themselves,  then  when  they  put  forth  the  first  act 
of  faith  towards  this  righteousness  for  justifica- 
tion? Are  they  to  think,  that  they  are  righteous 
or  sinners?  Sinners,  sinners  doubtless  they  are 
to  reckon  themselves,  and  as  such  to  reckon  them- 
selves justified  by  this  righteousness.  And  this 
is  according  to  the  sentence  of  God,  as  appeareth 
by  such  sayings. 

'  For  when  we  were  yet  without  strength,  in  due 
time  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly.* 

'  But  God  commended  his  love  toward  us,  in 
that,  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for 
us.' 

'  For  if  when  we  were  enemies,  we  were  recon- 
ciled to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son,'  ifcc.  Ro.  v.  6, 

8,10. 

Out  of  these  words  I  gather  these  three  things. 

1.  That  Christ  by  God's  appointment  died 
for  us. 

2.  That  by  his  death  he  reconciled  us  to  God. 

3.  That  even  then,  when  the  very  act  of  recon- 
ciliation was  in  performing,  and  also  when  per- 
formed, we  were  ungodly,  sinners,  enemies. 

Now  the  act  by  which  we  are  said  to  be  recon- 
ciled to  God  while  ungodly,  while  sinners,  and 
while  enemies,  was  Christ's  ofi"ering  himself  a 
sacrifice  for  us,  which  is,  in  the  words  above-men- 
tioned, called  his  death.  Christ  died,  Christ  died 
for  the  ungodly,  Christ  died  for  us  while  sinners. 
Christ  reconciled  us  to  God  by  his  death.  And 
just  as  here  Christ  is  said  to  die  for  us,  so  the 
Father  is  said  to  impute  righteousness  to  us ;  to 
wit,  as  we  are  without  works,  as  we  are  ungodly : 
'  Now  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on 
him  that  justifieth  the  ungodl\%  his  faith  is  counted 
for  righteousness.'  Ho.  iv.  5.  He  worketh  not,  but  is 
ungodly,  when  this  gracious  act  of  God,  in  imput- 
ing of  the  righteousness  of  Christ  to  him,  is  ex- 
tciided,  the  which  when  he  shall  believe,  his  faith 
is  counted  to  him  for  righteousness.  And  why 
should  we  not  have  the  benefit  of  the  righteousness, 
while  we  are  ungodly,  since  it  was  completed  for 
us  while  we  were  yet  ungodly  ?  Yea,  we  have  the 
benefit  of  it :  '  For  -  when  we  were  enemies,  we 
were  reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son.' 

Uo.  V.  10. 

When  I  say,  the  benefit,  I  mean  that  benefit 
that  we  are  capable  of,  and  that  is  justification  be- 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


357 


fore  God ;  for  tliat  a  man  may  be  capable  of  while 
be  is  in  himself  migodly,  because  this  justice  comes 
to  him  by  the  righteousness  of  another.  True,  was 
it  to  be  his  own  righteousness  by  which  he  was  to 
be  justified,  he  should  not  could  not  so  be,  as  or 
■while  he  is  ungodly.  But  the  righteousness  is 
Christ's,  and  that  imputed  by  God,  not  as  a  reward 
for  work,  or  of  debt,  but  freely  by  his  grace,  to 
the  glory  of  it,  and  therefore  may  be  done,  and  is 
BO,  while  the  person  concerned  is  without  works, 
imgodly,  and  a  sinner. 

And  he  that  denieth  that  we  are  capable  of  this 
benefit  while  we  are  sinners  and  ungodly,  may 
with  like  reason  deny  that  we  are  created  beings. 
For  that  which  is  done  for  a  man  without  him, 
may  be  done  for  him,  not  only  at  any  time  which 
they  that  do  it  shall  appoint,  but  for  him  while  in 
any  condition  in  this  world.  While  a  man  is  a 
beggar,  may  not  I  make  him  worth  ten  thousand 
a  year,  if  I  can  and  will ;  yea  and  yet  he  shall  not 
Ivnow  thereof  in  that  moment  that  I  make  him  so  ? 
yet  the  revenue  of  that  estate  shall  really  be  his 
from  the  moment  that  I  make  him  so,  and  he  shall 
know  it  too  at  the  reM-day. 

This  is  the  case,  we  are  sinners  and  ungodly ; 
there  is  a  righteousness  wrought  out  by  Jesus 
Christ,  the  which  God  hath  designed  we  shall  be 
made  righteous  by ;  and  by  it,  if  he  will  impute  it 
to  us,  we  shall  be  righteous  in  his  sight,  even  then 
when  we  are  yet  ungodly  in  ourselves ;  '  for  he 
justifies  the  ungodly,' 

Now  though  it  is  irregular  and  blame-worthy  in 
man  to  justify  the  wicked,  because  he  cannot  for 
the  wicked  provide,  and  clothe  him  with  a  justify- 
ing righteousness ;  yet  it  is  glorious  and  for  ever 
worthy  of  praise  for  God  to  do  it ;  because  it  is  in 
his  power  not  only  to  forgive,  but  to  make  a  man 
righteous,  even  then  when  he  is  a  sinner,  and  to 
justify  him,  as  afore  is  proved,  while  he  is  un- 
godly. 

Objection.  But  it  may  be  yet  objected,  That 
tliough  God  has  received  satisfaction  for  sin,  and 
60  sufficient  terms  of  reconciliation  by  the  obedience 
end  death  of  his  Son,  yet  he  imputeth  it  not  unto 
us  but  upon  condition  of  our  becoming  good. 

Ansio,  This  must  not  be  admitted  :  Eor, 

1 .  The  scripture  saith  not  so ;  but  that  we  are 
reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son,  and  jus- 
tified too,  and  that  while,  or  when  we  are  sinners 
and  ungodly. 

2.  If  this  objection  carrieth  the  truth  in  it,  then 
it  foEows,  that  the  Holy  Ghost,  faith,  and  so  all 
grace,  may  be  given  to  us,  and  we  may  have  it 
dwelling  in  us,  yea,  acting  in  us,  before  we  stand 
righteous  in  the  judgment  of  the  law  before  God ; 
for  nothing  can  make  us  stand  just  before  God  in 
the  judgment  of  the  law,  but  the  obedience  of  the 
Son  of  God  without  us.     And  if  the  Holy  Ghost, 

VOL.  II. 


faith  and  so  consequently  the  habit  of  every  grace, 
may  be  in  us,  acting  in  us,  before  Christ's  righte- 
ousness be  by  God  imputed  to  us,  then  we  are  not 
justified  as  sinners  and  ungodly:  but  as  persons 
inherently  holy  and  righteous  before. 

But  I  have  over  and  over  already  shewed  you, 
that  this  cannot  be,  therefore  righteousness  for 
justification  must  be  imputed  first.  And  here  let 
me  present  the  reader  Avith  two  or  three  things. 

(1.)  That  justification  before  God  is  one  thing; 
and  justification  to  the  understanding  and  con- 
science is  another.  Now,  I  am  treating  of  justifi- 
cation before  God,  not  of  it  as  to  man's  understand- 
ing and  conscience,  and  I  say,  a  man  may  be  jus- 
tified before  God,  even  then  Avlien  himself  knoweth 
nothing  thereof,  is.  xi.  o.  Mat.  ix.  2.  and  so  when  and 
while  he  hath  not  faith  about  it,  but  is  ungodly. 

(2.)  There  is  a  justification  by  faith,  by  faith's 
applying  of  that  righteousness  to  the  understand- 
ing and  conscience,  which  God  hath  afore  of  his 
grace  imputed  for  righteousness  to  the  soul  for 
justification  in  his  sight.  And  this  is  that  by 
which  we,  as  to  sense  and  feeling,  have  peace  with 
God :  *  Being  justified  by  faith  we  have  peace  with 
God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. '  Eo.  v.  l.  And 
these  two  the  Apostle  keepeth  distinct,  a  little 
lower  in  this  chapter :  for  after  that  he  had  said 
in  the  tenth  verse,  that  while  'we  were  enemies  we 
were  reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son:' 
He  addeth,  'And  not  only  so,  but  Ave  also  joy  in 
God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Chi'ist,  by  Avhom  we 
have  now  received  the  atonement. '  ver.  ll.  Here  you 
see  that  to  be  reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of 
his  Son,  is  one  thing  ;  and  for  us  actually,  for  that 
I  think  he  aimeth  at,  to  receive  by  faith,  this  re- 
conciliation, is  another.  That  is  a  thing  over  and 
above,  and  not  only  so,  but  Ave  have  received  the 
atonement. 

(3.)  Men  do  not  gather  their  justification  from 
God's  single  act  of  imputing  of  righteousness,  that 
Ave  might  stand  clear  in  his  sight  from  the  curse 
and  judgment  of  the  laAV ;  but  from  the  word,  the 
Avliich  they  neither  see  nor  understand,  till  it  is 
brought  to  their  understanding  by  the  light  and 
glory  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

We  are  not  therefore  in  the  ministry  of  the  word 
to  pronounce  any  man  justified,  from  a  supposition 
that  God  has  imputed  righteousness  to  him,  since 
that  act  is  not  knoAvn  to  us,  until  the  fruits  that 
follow  thereupon  do  break  out  before  our  eyes ;  to 
wit,  the  signs  and  eff"ects  of  the  Holy  Ghost's  in- 
dAA'elling  in  our  souls.  And  then  we  may  conclude 
it  ;  that  is,  that  such  a  one  stands  just  before  God, 
yet  not  for  the  sake  of  his  inherent  righteousness, 
nor  yet  for  the  fruits  thereof,  and  so  not  for  the 
sake  of  the  act  of  faith,  but  for  the  sake  of  Jesus 
Christ  his  doing  and  suffering  for  us. 

Nor  Avill  it  avail  to  object,  That  if  at  first  Ave 
3  K 


25S 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


stand  just  Lefore  God  by  his  imputing  of  Christ's 
rigliteousness  unto  us,  though  faith  he  not  in  us  to 
act,  we  may  always  stand  justified  so;  and  so 
what  need  of  faith  ?  For  therefore  are  we  justi- 
fied, first,  by  the  imputation  of  God,  as  we  are 
ungodly,  that  thereby  we  might  be  made  capable 
of  receiving  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  his  graces  in 
a  way  of  righteousness  and  justice.  Besides,  God 
will  have  those  that  he  shall  justify  by  his  grace 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ,  to 
have  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  so  faith,  that  they  may 
know  and  believe  the  things  not  only  that  shall  be, 
but  that  already  are,  freely  given  to  us  of  God. 
Now,  says  Paul,  'we  have  received,  not  the  spirit 
of  the  world,  but  the  spirit  which  is  of  God; 
that  we  might  know  the  things  that  are  freely 
given  to  us  of  God.'  lC0.ii.12.  To  know,  that 
is,  to  believe.  It  is  given  to  you  to  believe, 
who  believe  according  to  the  working  of  his 
mighty  power,  'and  vfe  have  known  and  believed 
the  love  that  God  hath  to  us,'  preceding  to  our  be- 
lieving. lJii.iv.i6.  He  then  that  is  justified  by 
God's  imputation,  shall  believe  by  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  for  that  must  come,  and  work 
faith,  and  strengthen  the  soul  to  act  it,  because 
imputed  righteousness  has  gone  before.  He  then 
that  believeth  shall  be  saved ;  for  his  believing-  is 
a  sign,  not  a  cause,  of  his  being  made  righteous 
before  God  by  imputation :  And  he  that  believeth 
not  shall  be  damned,  because  his  non-belief  is  a 
sign  that  he  is  not  righteous,  and  a  cause  that  his 
sins  abide  upon  him. 

And  thus  much  for  the  Pharisee,  and  for  his  in- 
formation ;  and  now  I  come  to  that  part  of  the 
text  which  remains,  which  part  in  special  respecteth 
the  Publican. 

[tub  publican's  rr.ATEn.] 
And  the  Publican,  standing  afar  off,  would 

NOT  LIFT  up  so  MUCH  AS  HIS  EYES  UNTO  HEAVEN, 
BUT  SMOTE  UPON  HIS  BREAST,  SAYING,  GOD  BE  MER- 
CIFUL TO  ME  A  SINNER, 

What  this  Publican  Avas,  I  have  shewed  you, 
both  vrlth  respect  to  his  nation,  office,  and  disposi- 
tion. Wherefore  I  shall  not  here  trouble  the 
reader  as  to  that,  with  a  second  rehearsal  of  these 
things ;  we  now  therefore  come  to  his  repentance 
in  the  whole  and  in  the  parts  of  it ;  concernino- 
which  I  shall  take  notice  of  several  things,  some 
more  remote,  and  some  more  near  to  the  matter 
and  life  of  it. 

But  first  let  us  see  how  thwart  and  cross  the 
Pharisee  and  the  Publican  did  lie  in  the  temple  one 
to  another,  while  they  both  v/ere  presenting  of 
their  prayers  to  God, 

First,  The  Pharisee  he  goes  in  boldly,  fears 
nothing,  but  trusteth  in  himself  that  his  state  is 


good,  that  God  loves  him,  and  that  there  was  no 
doubt  to  be  made  but  of  his  good  speed  in  this  his 
religious  enterprize.  But  alas !  poor  Publican,  he 
sneaks,  he  lears,  he  is  hardly  able  to  crawl  into  the 
temple,  and  Avhen  he  comes  there,  stands  behind,  a 
loof  off,  as  one  not  worthy  to  approach  the  divme 
presence. 

Second,  The  Pharisee  at  his  approach  hath  his 
mouth  full  of  something,  yea  of  many  fine  things, 
whereby  he  strokes  himself  over  the  head,  and  in 
effect  calls  himself,  and  that  in  his  presence,  one 
of  God's  white  boys,  that  always  kept  close  to  his 
will,  abode  with  him ;  or  as  the  prodigal's  brother 
said,  '  Lo,  these  many  years  do  I  serve  thee,  neither 
transgressed  I  at  any  time  thy  commandment;' 
Ln.  XV.  29.  But  alas !  poor  Publican,  thy  guilt,  as 
to  these  pleas,  stops  thy  mouth,  thou  hast  not  one 
good  thing  to  say  of  thyself,  not  one  rag  of  righ- 
teousness ;  thy  conversation  tells  thee  so,  thy  con- 
science tells  thee  so ;  yea,  and  if  thou  shouldest 
now  attempt  to  set  a  good  face  on  it,  and  for  thy 
credit  say  something  after  the  Pharisee  in  way  of 
thine  own  commendations,  yet  here  is  God  on  the 
one  side,  the  Pharisee  on  the  other,  together  with 
thine  own  heart  to  give  thee  check,  to  rebuke  thee, 
to  condemn  thee,  and  to  lay  thee  even  with  the 
ground  for  thy  insolency. 

Third,  The  Pharisee  in  his  approach  to  God, 
wipes  his  fingers  of  the  Publican's  enormities,  will 
not  come  nigh  him,  lest  he  should  defile  him  with 
his  beastly  rags :  '  I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  -  or 
oven  as  this  Publican.'  But  the  poor  Publican, 
alas  for  him,  his  fingers  are  not  clean,  nor  can  he 
tell  how  to  make  them  so ;  besides,  he  meekly  and 
quietly  puts  up  this  reflection  of  the  Pharisee  upon, 
him,  and  by  silent  behaviour,  justifies  the  severe 
sentence  of  that  self-righteous  man,  concluding 
with  him,  that  for  his  part,  he  is  wretched,  and 
miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked,  and  not 
worthy  to  come  nigh,  or  to  stand  by,  so  good,  so 
virtuous,  so  holy,  and  so  deserving  a  man  as  our 
spangling  Pharisee  is. 

Fourth,  The  Pharisee,  as  at  feasts  and  syna- 
gogues, chose  the  chief  and  first  place  for  his  per- 
son, and  for  his  prayer,  counting  that  the  Publican 
vi^as  not  meet,  ought  not  to  presume  to  let  his 
stinking  breath  once  come  out  of  his  polluted  lips 
in  the  temple,  till  he  had  made  his  holy  prayer. 
And  poor  Publican,  how  dost  thou  hear  and  put 
up  this  with  all  other  affronts,  counting  even  as  the 
Pharisee  counted  of  tlice,  that  thou  wast  but  a  dog 
in  comparison  of  him,  and  therefore  not  fit  to  go 
before,  but  to  come  as  in  chains,  behind,  and  for- 
bear to  present  thy  mournfid  and  *debrorous  sup- 


*  '  Debrorous,'  proLaLly  a  misprint  for  '  dolorous/  sorrow- 
ful or  dismal. 

'  Tlirongh  many  a  dark  and  dreary  vale 
Tlicy  passed,  and  many  a  regiou  ioioxovis.'— Milton. 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


259 


plication  to  the  holy  God,  till  he  had  presented  him 
vvith  his,  in  his  own  conceit,  brave,  gay,  and  fine 
oration. 

Fifth,  The  Pharisee,  as  he  is  nnmerous  in  his 
repeating  of  his  good  deeds,  so  is  stiff  in  standing 
to  them,  bearing  up  himself,  that  he  hath  now  suffi- 
cient foundation  on  which  to  bear  up  his  soul  against 
all  the  attempts  of  the  law,  the  devil,  sin  and  hell. 
But  alas,  poor  Publican  !  Thou  standest  naked ; 
nay,  worse  than  naked ;  for  thou  art  clothed  with 
filthy  garments,  thy  sins  cover  thy  face  with  shame: 
nor  hast  thou  in,  from,  or  of  thyself,  any  defence 
from,  or  shelter  against  the  attempts,  assaults,  and 
censures  of  thy  ghostly  enemies,  but  art  now  in 
thine  own  eyes,  though  in  the  temple,  cast  forth 
into  the  open  field  stark  naked,  to  the  loathing  of 
thy  person,  as  in  the  day  that  thou  wast  born,  and 
there  ready  to  be  devoured  or  torn  in  pieces  for 
thy  transgressions  against  thy  God. 

What  wilt  thou  do  Publican  !  What  wilt  thou 
lo  !  Come,  let's  see,  which  way  wilt  thou  begin 
to  address  thyself  to  God ;  bethink  thyself  man, 
has  thou  any  thing  to  say,  speak  out  man,  the 
Pharisee  by  this  time  has  done,  and  received  his 
sentence.  Make  an  0  yes  ;*  let  all  the  world  be 
silent ;  yea,  let  the  angels  of  heaven  come  near  and 
listen  ;  for  the  Publican  is  come  to  have  to  do  with 
God !  Yea,  is  come  from  the  receipt  of  custom 
into  the  temple  to  pray  to  him. 

'  And  the  Publican,  standing  afar  off,  would  not 
lift  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  unto  heaven,  but  smote 
upon  his  breast,  saying,  God  be  merciful  to  me  a 
sinner. '  And  is  this  thy  way  poor  Pubhcan !  0 
cunning  sinner !  0  crafty  Publican !  thy  wisdom 
has  outdone  the  Pharisee,  for  it  is  better  to  apply 
ourselves  to  God's  mercy,  than  to  trust  to  our- 
selves that  we  are  righteous.  But  that  the  Pub- 
lican did  hit  the  mark,  yea,  get  nearer  unto,  and 
more  into  the  heart  of  God  and  his  Son  than  did 
the  Pharisee,  the  sequel  of  the  matter  will  make 
manifest. 

Take  notice  then  of  this  profound  speech  of  the 
Pubhcan,  every  word  is  heavier  than  the  earth, 
and  has  more  argument  in  it,  than  has  ten  thou- 
sand Pharisaical  prayers.  '  God  be  merciful  to  me 
a  sinner.'  Yea,  the  Son  of  God  was  so  delighted 
■\vith  this  prayer,  that  for  the  sake  of  it,  he,  even 
a,s  a  limner,  di'aweth  out  the  Pubhcan  in  his  manner 
of  standing,  behaviour,  gestures,  &c.  while  he 
makes  this  prayer  to  God :  "Wherefore  we  wiU  take 
notice  both  of  the  one  and  of  the  other ;  for  surely 
Lis  gestures  put  lustre  unto  his  prayer  and  re- 
pentance. 

First,  His  prayer  you  see  is  this,  '  God  be  mcr- 
ciFid  to  me  a  sinner.' 

*  '  j\f  nke  an  0  yes/  alluding  to  tlic  form  of  proclamation  at 
sessions  of  the  peace — '  Oyer,'  the  Frencli  for  '  Hear,'  now 
corrupted  to  *  0  yes,' — Ed. 


Second,  His  gestures  in  his  prayer  were  in 
genei'al  three. 

First,  He  stood  afar  off. 

Second,  He  would  not  lift  up  so  viuch  as  his  eyes 
to  heaven. 

Third,  He  s-nwte  vjwn  his  breast,  with  his  fist, 
saying,  '  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner.' 

First,  To  begin  first  with  his  prayer.  In  his 
prayer  we  have  two  things  to  consider  of.  First, 
His  confession:  I  am  a  sinner.  Second,  His  im- 
ploring of  help  against  this  malady :  '  God  be  mer- 
ciful to  me  a  sinner.' 

[His  Confession.] 

First,  In  his  confession  divers  things  are  to  be 
taken  notice  of.     As, 

1.  The  fairness  and  simplicity  of  his  confession: 
A  sinner :  I  am  a  sinner ;  '  God  be  merciful  to  me 
a  sinner.'  This  indeed  he  vras,  and  this  indeed 
confesses ;  and  this,  I  say,  he  doth  of  godly  sim- 
plicity. For,  for  a  man  to  confess  himself  a  sin- 
ner, it  is  to  speak  all  against  himself  that  can  be 
spoken.  And  man,  as  degenerate,  is  too  much  an 
hypocrite,  and  too  much  a  self-flatterer,  thus  to 
confess  against  himself,  unless  made  simple  and 
honest  about  the  thing  through  the  power  of  con- 
viction upon  his  heart.  And  it  is  yet  worth  your 
noting,  that  he  doth  not  say  he  was,  or  had  been, 
but  that  at  that  time  his  state  was  such,  to  wit,  a 
sinner.  '  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner,'  or  who 
am,  and  now  stand  before  thee  a  shmer,  or,  in  my 
sins. 

Now  a  little  to  shew  you  what  it  is  to  be  a  sin- 
ner ;  for  every  one  that  sinneth  may  not  in  a  proper 
sense  be  called  a  sinner.  Saints,  the  sanctified  in 
Christ  Jesus,  do  often  sin,  but  it  is  not  proper  to 
call  them  sinners :  But  here  the  Publican  calls 
himself  a  sinner ;  and  therefore  in  efiect,  calls  him- 
self an  evil  tree,  one  that  hath  neither  good  natm^e, 
nor  that  beareth  good  fruit :  one  whose  body  and 
soul  is  polluted,  whose  mind  and  conscience  is  de- 
filed :  one  who  hath  'walked  according  to  the  course 
of  this  world,  and  after  the  spirit  that  now  worketh 
in  the  children  of  disobedience.'  They  having 
their  minds  at  enmity  with  or  against  God,  and 
are  taken  captive  by  the  devil  at  his  vrili.  A  sin- 
ner, one  whose  trade  hath  been  in  and  about  sin, 
and  the  Avorks  of  Satan  all  his  days. 

Thus  he  waves  all  pleas,  and  shews  of  pleas,  and 
stoops  his  neck  immediately  to  the  block.  Though 
he  was  a  base  man,  yet  he  might  have  had  pleas ; 
pleas,  I  say,  as  well  as  the  Pharisee,  though  not 
so  many,  yet  as  good.  He  was  of  the  stock  of 
Abraham,  a  Jew,  an  Israelite  of  the  Israelites,  and 
so  a  privileged  man  in  the  things  and  religion  of 
the  Jews,  else  what  doth  he  do  in  the  temple  ? 
Yea,  why  did  not  the  Pharisee,  if  he  was  a  hea- 
then, lay  that  to  his  charge  while  he  stood  before 


260 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


God  ?  but  tlie  truth  is,  lie  could  not ;  for  the  Pub- 
lican Avas  a  Jew  as  well  as  the  Pharisee,  and  con- 
sequently might,  had  he  been  so  disposed,  have 
pleaded  that  before  God.  But  that  he  would  not, 
he  coidd  not,  for  his  conscience  was  under  convic- 
tions, the  awakenings  of  God  were  upon  him ; 
wherefore  his  privileges  melt  away  like  grease,  and 
fly  from  him  like  the  chaff  of  the  summer  threshing- 
floor,  which  the  wind  taketh  up  and  scattereth  as 
the  dust ;  he  therefore  lets  all  privileges  fall,  and 
pleads  only  that  he  is  '  a  sinner. ' 

2.  In  this  confession  he  judges  and  condemns 
himself:  For,  for  a  man  to  say,  '  I  am  a  sinner,' 
is  as  much  as  to  say,  I  am  contrary  to  the  holiness 
of  God,  a  transgressor  of  his  law,  and  consequently 
an  object  of  the  curse,  and  an  heir  of  hell.  The 
Publican  therefore  goeth  very  far  in  this  his  con- 
fession, but  this  is  not  all ;  for,  for  a  man  to  con- 
fess that  he  is  a  sinner,  is  in  the 

3.  Third  place,  to  confess,  that  there  is  nothing 
in  him,  done,  or  can  be  done  by  him,  that  should 
allure,  or  prevail  with  God  to  do  any  thing  for 
him.  For  a  sinner  cannot  do  good ;  no,  nor  work 
up  his  heart  unto  one  good  thought :  no,  though 
he  should  have  heaven  itself,  if  he  could ;  or  was 
sure  to  burn  in  hell  fire  for  ever  and  ever  if  he  could 
not.  For  sin,  Avhere  it  is  in  possession  and  bears 
rule,  as  it  doth  in  every  one  that  we  may  properly 
call  a  sinner,  there  it  hath  the  mastery  of  the  man, 
hath  bound  up  his  senses  in  cords  and  chains,  and 
made  nothing  so  odious  to  the  soul  as  are  the 
things  that  be  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  Wherefore  it 
is  said  of  such,  that  they  are  enemies  in  their 
minds  ;  that  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  to  God,  and 
that  wickedness  proceedeth  of  the  wicked;  and 
that  the  Ethiopian  may  as  well  change  his  skin,  or 
the  leopard  his  spots,  as  they  that  are  accustomed 
to  do  evil  may  learn  to  do  well.  Ep.  ii.  Ro.  viii.  i  Sa. 

oiv.  13.  Je.  xiii.  23. 

4.  In  this  confession,  he  implicitly  aeknow- 
ledgeth,  that  sin  is  the  worst  of  things,  forasmuch 
as  it  layeth  the  soul  without  the  reach  of  all  remedy 
that  can  be  found  mider  heaven.  Nothing  below, 
or  short  of  the  mercy  of  God,  can  deliver  a  poor 
soul  from  this  fearful  malady.  This  the  Pharisee 
did  not  see.  Doubtless  he  did  conclude,  that  at 
some  time  or  other  he  had  sinned ;  but  he  never 
in  all  his  life  did  arrive  to  a  sight  of  what  sin  was : 
His  knowledge  of  it  was  but  false  and  counterfeit, 
as  is  manifest  by  his  cure ;  to  wit,  his  own  righte- 
ousness. For  take  this  for  a  truth  undeniable, 
that  he  that  thinks  himself  better  before  God,  be- 
cause of  his  reformations,  never  yet  had  the  true 
Imowledge  of  his  sin:  But  the  poor  Publican  he 
had  it,  he  had  it  in  truth,  as  is  manifest,  because 
it  drives  him  to  the  only  sovereign  remedy.  For 
indeed,  the  right  knowledge  of  sin,  in  the  guilt  and 
filth,  and  damning  power  thereof,  makes  a  man  to 


understand,  that  not  any  thing  but  grace  and 
mercy  by  Christ,  can  secure  him  from  the  hellish 
ruins  thereof. 

Suppose  a  man  sick  of  an  apoplexy  unto  death, 
and  should  for  his  remedy  make  use  only  of  those 
things  that  are  good  against  the  second  ague, 
would  not  this  demonstrate  that  this  man  was  not 
sensible  of  the  nature  and  danger  of  this  disease. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  every  sinner,  that  shaU 
make  use  only  of  those  means  to  justify  him  before 
God,  that  can  hardly  make  him  go  for  a  good 
Christian  before  judicious  men.  But  the  poor 
Publican,  he  knew  the  nature  of  his  disease,  the 
danger  of  his  disease ;  and  knew  also,  that  no- 
thing but  mercy,  infinite  mercy  could  cure  him 
thereof. 

5.  This  confession  of  the  Publican,  declareth 
that  he  himself  was  horn  up  now,  by  an  almighty, 
though  invisible  hand.  For  sin,  when  seen  in  its 
colours,  and  when  appearing  in  its  monstrous 
shape  and  hue,  frighteth  all  mortals  out  of  their 
wits,  away  from  God ;  and  if  he  stops  them  not, 
also  out  of  the  world.  This  is  manifest  by  Cain, 
Judas,  Saul,  and  others,  who  could  not  stand  up 
before  God  under  the  sense  and  appearance  of  their 
sin,  but  fly  before  him,  one  to  one  fruit  of  despair, 
and  one  to  another.  But  now  this  Publican, 
though  he  apprehends  his  sin,  and  that  himself 
was  one  that  was  a  sinner,  yet  he  beareth  up, 
comcth  into  the  temple,  approaches  the  presence 
of  an  holy  and  sin-revenging  God,  stands  before 
him,  and  confesses  that  he  is  that  ugly  man,  that 
man  that  sin  had  defiled,  and  that  had  brought 
himself  into  the  danger  of  damnation  thereby. 

This  therefore  was  a  mighty  act  of  the  Publican. 
He  went  against  the  voice  of  conscience,  against 
sense  and  feeling,  against  the  curse  and  condemn- 
ing verdict  of  the  law ;  he  went,  as  I  may  say, 
upon  hot  burning  coals  to  one,  that  to  sui  and 
sinners  is  nothing  but  consuming  fire. 

Now  then,  did  the  Publican  this  of  his  own  head, 
or  from  his  own  mind  ?  No  verily,  there  was  somo 
supernatural  power  within  that  did  secretly  prompt 
him  on,  and  strengthen  him  to  this  most  noble 
venture.  True,  there  is  nothing  more  common 
among  wicked  men,  than  to  tick  and  toy,  and  play 
with  this  saying  of  the  Publican,  *  God  be  merci- 
ful to  me  a  sinner ;'  not  at  all  being  sensible  either 
what  sin  is,  or  of  their  need  of  mercy.  And  such 
sinners  shall  find  their  speed  in  the  Publican's 
prayer,  far  otherwise  than  the  Publican  sped  him- 
self; it  wiU  happen  unto  them  much  as  it  happened 
imto  the  vagabond  Jews,  exorcists,  who  took  upon 
them  to  call  over  them  that  had  evil  spirits,  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus ;  that  were  beaten  by  that 
spirit  and  made  fly  out  of  that  house  naked  and 
wounded.  Ac.xix.  13— 16.  Poor  sinner,  dead  sinner, 
thou  wUt  say  the  Publican's  prayer,  and  make  the 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


261 


Publican's  confession,  and  say,  '  God  he  merciful 
to  me  a  sinner.'  But  hold,  dost  thou  do  it  with 
the  Publican's  heart,  sense,  dread  and  simplicity? 
If  not,  thou  dost  but  abuse  the  Publican  and  his 
prayer,  and  thyself,  and  his  God ;  and  shalt  find 
God  rejecting  of  thee  and  thy  prayers,  saying. 
The  Publican  I  know,  his  prayers,  and  tears,  and 
godly  tears  I  know ;  but  who  or  what  art  thou  ? 
And  will  send  thee  away  naked  and  wounded. 
They  are  the  hungry  that  he  filleth  with  good 
things,  but  the  rich  and  the  senseless,  he  seudeth 
empty  away. 

For  my  part,  I  find  It  one  of  tlie  hardest  things 
that  I  can  put  my  soid  upon,  even  to  come  to  God, 
when  warmly  sensible  that  I  am  a  sinner,  for  a 
share  in  grace  and  mercy.  Oh  !  methiuks  it  seems 
to  me  as  if  the  whole  face  of  the  heavens  were  set 
against  me.  Yea,  the  very  thought  of  God  strikes 
me  through,  I  cannot  bear  up,  I  cannot  stand  be- 
fore him,  I  cannot  but  with  a  thousand  tears  say, 
*  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner. '  Ezr.  ix.  is. 

At  another  time  when  my  heart  Is  more  hard 
and  stupid,  and  when  his  terror  doth  not  make  me 
afraid,  then  I  can  come  before  him  and  talk  of  my 
sins,  and  ask  mercy  at  his  hand,  and  scarce  be 
sensible  of  sin  or  grace,  or  that  indeed  I  am  before 
God :  But  above  all,  they  are  the  rare  times,  when 
I  can  go  to  God  as  the  Publican,  sensible  of  his 
glorious  majesty,  sensible  of  my  misery,  and  bear 
up,  and  affectionately  cry,  '  God  be  merciful  to  me 
a  sinner.' 

But  again,  the  Publican  by  his  confession,  show- 
eth  a  piece  of  the  highest  wisdom  that  a  mortal 
man  can  show ;  because  by  so  doing,  he  engageth 
as  well  as  imploreth  the  grace  and  mercy  of  God 
to  save  him.  You  see  by  the  test  he  imploreth 
it ;  and  now  I  will  shew  you  that  he  engageth  it, 
and  makes  himself  a  sharer  in  It. 

•  He  that  covereth  his  sins  shall  not  prosper : 
but  whoso  confesseth  and  forsaketli  tJiem  shall 
have  mercy. '  Pr.  xxviii.  is.  And  again,  '  If  we  confess 
our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins, 
and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness. '  i  Jn.  i.  9. 

[He  engageth  It].  In  the  promise  of  pardon.  He 
shall  find  mercy ;  he  shall  have  his  sins  forgiven. 
As  also  Solomon  prays,  that  God  wiU  forgive  them 
that  know  their  own  sore,  and  they  are  indeed, 
such  as  are  sensible  of  the  plague  of  their  own 
heart.  2  Ch.  vi.  29, 30.  1  Ki.  \iii.  37, 3S.  And  the  reason  Is, 
because  the  sinner  is  now  driven  to  the  farthest 
point ;  for  confession  is  the  farthest  point,  and  the 
utmost  bound  unto  which  God  has  appointed  the 
Publican  to  go,  with  reference  to  his  work.  As  it 
is  said  of  Saul  to  David,  when  he  was  about  to 
give  him  Micah  his  daughter  to  wife,  '  The  king 
deslreth  not  any  dowry,  but  an  hundred  foreskins 
of  the  Philistines,  to  be  avenged  of  the  king's 
enemies.'  l  Sa.  xviu.  25. 


So  says  God  In  this  matter,  I  desire  no  sacri- 
fices, nor  legal  righteousness  to  make  thee  accept- 
able to  me,  only  acknowledge  and  confess  thine 
iniquity  that  thou  hast  transgressed  against  me. 
Je.  iii.  12, 13.  And  though  this  by  some  may  be 
thought  to  be  a  very  easy  way  to  come  at,  and 
partake  of,  the  mercy  of  God ;  yet  let  the  sensible 
sinner  try  It,  and  he  shaU  find  It  one  of  the  hardest 
things  in  the  world.  And  there  are  two  things, 
to  which  man  Is  prone,  that  makes  confessloa 
hard. 

I.  There  is  a  great  Incldency  in  lis  to  be  partial, 
and  not  thorough  and  plain  in  our  confessions.  We 
are  apt  to  make  half  confessions  ;  to  confess  some, 
and  hide  some;  or  else  to  make  feigned  confessions, 
flattering  both  ourselves,  and  also  God,  while  we 
make  confession  unto  him ;  or  else  to  confess  sin 
as  our  o\vn  fancies  apprehend,  and  not  as  the  word 
descries  them.  These  things  we  are  very  incident 
to :  Men  can  confess  little  sins,  while  they  hide 
great  ones.  Men  can  feign  themselves  sorry  for 
sin,  when  they  are  not,  or  else  in  their  confessions 
forget  to  judge  of  sin  by  the  word.  Hence  it  Is 
said.  They  turned  to  God,  not  with  their  whole 
heart,  but  as  It  were  felgnedly.  They  spake  not 
aright,  saying,  what  have  I  done  ?  They  flatter 
him  with  their  lips,  and  lie  unto  him  with  their 
tongues,  and  do  their  wickedness  In  the  dark,  and 
sin  against  him  with  a  high  hand,  and  then  come 
to  him  and  cover  the  altar  with  their  tears.  These 
things  therefore,  demonstrate  the  difiiculty  of  sin- 
cere confession  of  sin ;  and  that  to  do  it  as  it 
should,  is  no  such  easy  thing. 

To  right  confession  of  sin,  several  things  must 
go.     As, 

1.  There  must  be  found  conviction  for  sin  upon 
the  spirit :  for  before  a  man  shall  be  convinced  of 
the  nature,  aggravation,  and  evil  of  sin,  how  shall 
he  make  godly  confession  of  it  ?  Now  to  convince 
the  sold  of  sin,  the  law  must  be  set  home  upon  the 
conscience  by  the  Spirit  of  God ;  '  For  by  the  law 
is  the  knowledge  of  sin. '  Ro.  iii.  20.  And  again,  '  I 
had  not  kno^vn  sin  except  the  law  had  said.  Thou 
shalt  not  covet. '  Ko.  vii.  7.  This  law,  now,  when  it 
effectually  ministereth  conviction  of  sin  to  the  con- 
science, doth  it  by  putting  of  life,  and  strength, 
and  terror  Into  sin.  By  Its  working  on  the  con- 
science, it  makes  sin  revive,  '  and  the  strength  of 
sin  is  the  law. '  1  Co.  xv.  56.  It  also  increaseth  and 
multipheth  sin,  both  by  the  revelation  of  God's 
anger  against  the  soul ;  and  also  by  mustering  up, 
and  calling  to  view  sins  committed,  and  forgotten 
time  out  of  mind.  Sin  seen  In  the  glass  of  the  law 
is  a  terrible  thing,  no  man  can  behold  it  and  live. 
'  V/hen  the  commandment  came,  sin  revived,  and 
I  died;'  when  it  came  from  God  to  my  conscience, 
as  managed  by  an  almighty  arm,  '  then  It  slew  me.' 
And  now  is  the  time  to  confess  sin,  because  now  a 


2C2 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


soul  knows  wliat  it  is,  and  sees  what  it  is,  both,  in 
tlie  nature  and  consequence  of  it. 

2.  To  right  confession  of  sin,  there  must  he 
sound  knowledge  of  God,  especially  as  to  his  jus- 
tice, holiness,  righteousness,  and  purity ;  wherefore 
the  Publican  here  begins  his  confession  by  calling 
upon,  or  by  the  acknowledgment  of  his  majesty: 
*  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner.'  As  if  he  should 
say,  God,  0  God,  0  great  God,  0  sin-revenging 
God,  I  have  sinned  against  thee,  I  have  broken  thy 
law,  I  have  opposed  thy  holiness,  thy  justice,  thy 
law,  and  thy  righteous  will.  0  consuming  fire  ! 
for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire,  I  have  justly  pro- 
voked thee  to  wrath,  and  to  take  vengeance  of  me 
for  my  transgressions.  But,  alas  !  how  few,  that 
make  confession  of  sin,  have  right  apprehension  of 
God,  unto  whom  confession  of  sin  doth  belong  ! 
Alas,  'tis  easy  for  men  to  entertain  such '  appre- 
hensions of  God  as  shall  please  their  own  humours, 
and  as  will  admit  them  without  dying,  to  bear  up 
xmder  their  sense  of  sin,  and  that  shall  make  their 
confession  rather  facile,  and  fantastical,  than  solid 
and  heart-breaking.  The  sight  and  knowledge  of 
the  great  God  is  to  the  sinful  man  the  most  dread- 
ful thing  in  the  world ;  and  is  that  which  makes 
confession  of  sin  so  rare  and  wonderfid  a  thing. 
Most  men  confess  their  sins  behind  God's  back, 
but  few  to  his  face  ;  and  you  know  there  is  ofttimes 
a  vast  difference  in  one  thus  doing  among  men. 

3.  To  right  confession  of  sin,  there  must  be  a 
deep  conviction  of  the  certainty  and  terrlbleness  of 
the  day  of  judgment.  This  John  the  Baptist 
inserts,  where  he  insinuates,  that  the  Pharisees' 
"want  of  sense  of,  and  the  true  confession  of  sin, 
was  because  they  had  not  been  warned,  or  had  not 
taken  the  alarm,  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come. 
What  dread,  terror,  or  frightful  apprehension  can 
there  be  put  into  a  revelation  of  sin,  where  there 
is  no  sense  of  a  day  of  judgment,  and  of  our  giving 
there  imto  God  an  account  for  it.  Mat.  iii.  7.  Lu.  iii.  7. 

I  say  therefore,  to  right  confession  of  sin  there 
must  be, 

(1.)  A  deep  conviction  of  the  certainty  of  the 
day  of  judgment ;  namely,  that  such  a  day  is 
coming,  that  such  a  day  shall  be.  This  the  apostle 
insinuates,  where  he  saith,  '  God  commandeth  all 
men  every  where  to  repent ;  Because  he  hath 
appointed  a  da^^  in  the  which  he  Avill  judge  the 
world  in  righteousness  by  that  man  whom  he  hath 
ordained ;  ivhereof  he  hath  given  assurance  unto 
all  men,  in  that  he  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead. ' 

Ac.  xrii.  30,  31. 

This  will  give  a  sense  of  what  the  soid  must 
expect  at  that  day  for  sin,  and  so  will  drive  to  an 
hearty  acluiowledgment  of  it,  and  strong  cries  for 
deliverance  from  it.  For  thus  will  the  soul  argue 
that  expecteth  the  judgment  day,  and  that  believes 
that  he  must  count  for  all  there.     0  my  heirt ! 


It  is  in  vain  now  to  dissemble,  or  to  hide,  or  to 
lessen  transgressions ;  for  there  is  a  judgment  to 
come,  a  day  in  which  God  will  judge  '  the  secrets 
of  men  by  his  Son,'  and  at  that  day  he  will  bring 
to  light  'the  hidden  things  of  darkness,  and  will 
make  manifest  the  counsels  of  the  heart.'  If  it 
must  be  so  then,  to  what  boot*  will  it  be  now  to 
seek  to  dissemble,  or  to  lessen  in  this  matter. 
1  Co.  iv.  5.  This  also  is  in  the  Old  Testament  urged 
as  an  argument  to  cause  youth,  and  persons  of  aU 
sizes  to  recal  themselves  to  sobriety,  and  so  to 
confession  of  their  sin  to  God;  where  the  Holy 
Ghost  saith  ironically,  '  Ecjoice,  0  young  man,  in 
thy  youth ;  and  let  thy  heart  cheer  thee  in  the 
days  of  thy  youth,  and  walk  in  the  ways  of  thine 
heart,  and  in  the  sight  of  thine  eyes :  but  know 
thou,  that  for  all  these  things  God  will  bring  thee 
into  judgment.'  Ec.  xi.  9.  So  again,  'God  shall 
bring  every  work  into  judgment,  with  every  secret 
thing,  wliether  good,  or  whether  evil.'  Ec. .\ii.  14. 

The  certainty  of  this,  I  say,  must  go  to  the 
producing  of  a  sincere  confession  of  sin,  and  this 
is  intimated  by  the  Publican,  who,  with  his  con- 
fession, addeth  a  hearty  crave  for  mercy,  '  God  be 
merciful  to  me  a  sinner.'  As  if  he  should  say,  if 
thou  art  not  merciful  to  me,  by  thy  judgment 
when  thou  comest  I  shall  be  swallowed  up  ;  Avith- 
out  thy  mercy  I  shall  not  stand,  but  fall  by  the 
judgment  which  thou  hast  appointed. 

(2.)  As  there  must  be,  for  the  producing  of 
sincere  confession  of  sin,  a  deep  conviction  of  the 
certainty,  so  there  must  also  be  of  the  ternhleness 
of  the  day  of  judgment.  Wherefore  the  apostle, 
makes  use  of  the  first,  so  of  this  to  put  men  upon 
repentance,  an  ingredient  of  which  is  sincere  con- 
fession of  sin.  '  For  we  must  all  appear  before 
the  judgment  seat  of  Christ ;  that  every  one  may 
receive  the  things  clone  in  his  body,  according  to 
that  he  hath  done,  whether  it  he  good  or  bad. 
Knovv'ing  therefore  the  terror  of  the  Lord,  we  per- 
suade men.' 2  Co.  v.  10, 11.  The  terror  of  the  Lord, 
as  we  see  here,  he  makes  use  of  tlmt,  to  persuade 
men  to  come  by  confession  of  sin,  and  repentance, 
to  God  for  mercy. 

And  I  am  persuaded,  that  it  will  be  found  a 
truth  one  day  that  one  reason  that  this  day  doth 
so  swarm  with  wanton  professors,  is,  because  they 
have  not  begun  at  sound  conviction  for,  nor  gone 
to  God  at  first  with  sincere  confession  of  sin. 
And  one  cause  of  that  has  been,  for  that  they  did 
never  seriously  fall  in  with,  nor  yet  in  heart  sink 
under,  either  the  certainty  or  terribleuess  of  the 
day  of  judgment. 

0 !  the  terrors  of  the  Lord !  the  amazing  face 
that  will  be  put  upon  all  things  before  the  tribunal 
of  God.     Yea,  the  terror  that  will  then  be  read  in 

*  '  Boot/  proiit  or  ridvautfigc. — Ed. 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


263 


the  face  of  Gcd,  of  Christ,  of  saints  and  angels, 
against  the  ungodly ;  whoso  helieves  and  under- 
stands it,  cannot  live  without  confession  of  sin  to 
God,  and  coming  to  him  for  mercy. 

Mountains,  mountains  fall  upon  us,  and  cover 
us,  will  then  the  cry  of  the  ungodly  be,  and  'hide 
us  from  the  face  of  him  that  sitteth  upon  the 
throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  lamh :  For  the 
great  day  of  his  wrath  is  come,  and  who  shall  he 
able  to  stand  ?'  This  terror  is  also  signified  where 
it  is  said,  *  And  I  saw  a  great  white  throne,  and 
him  that  sat  on  it,  from  v>-hose  face  the  (very) 
earth  and  the  heaven  fled  away,  and  there  was 
fomid  no  place  for  them.  And  I  saw  the  dead, 
small  and  great,  stand  before  God ;  and  the  books 
were  opened :  and  another  book  was  opened,  which 
is  the  booh  of  life :  and  the  dead  were  judged  out 
of  those  things  which  were  written  in  the  books, 
according  to  their  works.  And  the  sea  gave  up 
the  dead  which  were  in  it;  and  death  and  hell 
dehvered  up  the  dead  which  were  in  them :  and 
they  were  judged  every  man  according  to  their 
works.  And  death  and  hell  were  cast  into  the 
lake  of  fire.  This  is  the  second  death.  And 
whosoever  was  not  foimd  written  in  the  book  of 
life  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire.  Ke.  xx.  Here  is 
terror,  and  this  terror  is  revealed  afore-hand  in 
the  word  of  the  truth  of  God,  that  sinners  might 
hear  and  read  and  consider  it,  and  so  come  and 
confess,  and  implore  God's  mercy. 

The  terror  of  the  Lord,  how  Aviil  it  appear,  when 
he  '  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven  with  his  mighty 
angels,  in  flaming  fire  taking  vengeance  on  them 
that  know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gospel 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  iJHi. i.  7— 9. 

The  terror  of  the  Lord,  how  will  it  appear,  when 
his  wrath  shall  bm-n  and  flame  out  like  an  oven, 
or  a  fiery  furnace  before  him,  while  the  wicked 
stand  in  his  sight.  Matxiii.  50. 

The  terror  of  the  Lord,  how  will  it  appear,  while 
the  angels  at  his  commandment  shall  gather  the 
wicked  in  bundles  to  bm-n  them  !  '  As  -  the  tares 
are  gathered  and  burned  in  the  fire  ;  so  shall  it 
be  in  the  end  of  this  world.  The  Son  of  Jilan 
shall  send  forth  his  angels,  and  they  shall  gather 
out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend,  and 
them  which  do  iniquity;  and  shall  cast  tliem  into 
a  fuinace  of  fire:  there  shall  be  waihng  and 
gnashing  of  teeth.  Mat.  xiii.  -lo— 12.  Tviio  can  conceive 
of  this  terror  to  its  full  with  his  mind?  Wherefore 
much  more  imable  are  men  to  express  it  with 
tongue  or  pen;  yet  the  truly  penitent  and  sin- 
confessing  Pubhcan,  hath  apprehension  so  far 
thereof,  by  the  word  of  the  testimony,  that  it 
driveth  him  to  God,  with  a  confession  of  sin  for  an 
interest  in  God's  mercy.     But, 

4.  To  right  and  sincere  confession  of  sin,  there 
must  be  a  good  conviction  of  a  probability  of 


mercy.  This  also  is  intimated  by  the  Publican  in 
his  confession ;  '  God  (saith  he)  be  merciful  to  me 
a  sinner.'  He  had  some  glimmerings  of  mercy, 
some  conviction  of  a  probability  of  mercy,  or  that 
he  might  obtain  mercy  for  his  pardon,  if  he  went, 
and  with  unfeigned  lips  did  confess  his  sins  to  God.* 

Despair  of  mercy,  shuts  up  the  mouth,  makes 
the  heart  hard,  and  di-ives  a  man  away  from  God ; 
as  is  manifest  in  the  case  of  Adam  and  the  fallen 
angels.  But  the  least  intimation  of  mercy,  if  the 
heart  can  but  touch,  feel,  taste,  or  have  the  least 
probabihty  of  it,  that  v,'ill  open  the  mouth,  tend  to 
soften  the  heart,  and  to  make  a  very  Publican 
come  up  to  God  into  the  temple  and  say,  '  God  bo 
merciful  to  mo  a  sinner.' 

There  must  then  be  this  holy  mixture  of  things 
in  the  heart  of  a  truly  confessmg  Publican.  There 
must  be  sound  sense  of  sin,  sound  knowledge  of 
God :  deep  conviction  of  the  certainty  and  terrible- 
ness  of  the  day  of  judgment,  as  also  of  the  pro- 
bability of  obtaining  mercy. 

But  to  come  to  that  which  remains ;  I  told  you 
that  there  were  two  things  that  did  make  unfeigned 
confession  hard.     The  first  I  have  touched  upon. 

II.  And  now  the  second  follows  :  And  that  is, 
some  private,  close  leaning  to  some  piece  or  parcel 
of  goodness,  that  a  man  shall  conceit  that  he  hath 
done  before,  or  is  doing  now,  or  that  he  purposeth 
in  his  deceitful  heart  that  he  wlU  do  one  of  these 
days,  with  which  he  hopes  to  prevail  with  God  for 
the  pardon  of  his  sins.  This  man  to  be  sure  knows 
not  sin  in  the  nature  and  evil  of  it,  only  he  has 
some  false  apprehensions  about  it.  For  where  the 
right  knov.-ledge  of  sin  is  in  the  heart,  that  man 
sees  so  much  cvU  in  the  least  trtinsgression,  as 
that  it  would,  even  any  one  sin,  break  the  backs 
of  all  the  angels  of  heaven,  should  the  great  God 
but  impute  it  to  them.  And  he  that  sees  this  is 
far  enough  off  from  thinking  of  doing  to  mitigate, 
or  assuage  the  rigour  of  the  law,  or  to  make  par- 
donable his  ov.m  transgressions  thereby.  But  he 
that  sees  not  this,  cannot  confess  his  transgressions 
aright ;  for  the  confession  consisteth  in  the  general, 
in  a  man's  taking  to  himself  his  transgressions, 
and  standing  in  them,  with  the  acknowledgment- 
of  them  to  be  his,  and  that  he  cannot  stir  from 
under  them,  nor  do  any  thing  to  make  amends  for 
them,  or  to  palliate  the  rigour  of  justice  againsi: 
the  soul.  And  this  the  Publican  did  when  he 
cried,  'God  be  mercifid  to  me  a  sinner.' 

He  made  his  sins  his  own,  he  took  them  to  him, 

*  Tlie  r^ci-cy  of  God  has  not  only  a  quick  eye  to  spj  out  a 
penitent,  but  a  swift  foot  to  run  iintl  embrace  him.  ^Siliai^ 
infinite  condescension  !  God  the  Tather  is  said  to  '  run,  fall 
on  the  neclv  of,  and  kiss'  the  sinner,  whom  he  has  by  his  Spirit 
inclined  to  sxic  for  mercy  and  peace,  which,  being  obtained,  he 
will  withhold  £i-oui  him  no  manner  of  thing  that  is  good. — 
Si/ i and. 


264 


THE  PHAEISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


he  stood  before  God  in  tlicm,  ficcounting  that  lie 
was  surely  undone  for  ever  if  God  did  not  extend 
foro-ivencss  unto  liim.  And  this  is  to  do  as  the 
proj^het  Jeremy  bids;  to  wit,  'only  to  acknowledge 
our  iniquities,'  to  aelmowledge  them  and  to  stand 
in  them  at  the  terrible  bar  of  God's  justice,  imtil 
mercy  takes  them  out  of  the  way;  not  shifting 
our  shoulders  or  conscience  of  them,  by  doing,  or 
promising  to  do,  either  this  or  that  good  v/ork, 
only  acknowledge,  acknowledge  only.  And  the 
reason  of  this  kind  of  confession  is, 

1.  Because  this  carrieth  in  it  the  true  nature 
of  confession,  to  confess,  and  to  abide  under  the 
crimes  confessed,  without  shifts  and  evasions,  is 
the  only  real  simple  way  of  confessions.  *  I  said, 
I  would  confess  my  transgressions  unto  the  Lord;' 
and  what  then,  '  and  thou  forgave  st  the  iniquity 
of  my  sin,'  Ts.  xxxii.  5.  Mark,  nothing  comes  in 
"betwixt  confession  and  forgiveness  of  sin,  nothing 
of  works  of  righteousness,  nothing  of  legal  amend- 
ments, nothing  but  an  outcry  for  mercy ;  and  that 
act  is  so  far  off  from  lessening  the  oifence,  that  it 
greatly  heighteneth  and  aggravates  it. '  That  is  the 
first  reason. 

2.  A  second  reason  is,  because  God  doth  expect 
that  the  penitent  confessors  should  for  the  time 
that  his  wisdom  shall  think  meet,  not  only  confess, 
but  bear  their  shame  upon  them;  yea,  saith  God, 
'be  thou  confounded  also  and  bear  thy  shame,' 
when  God  takes  away  thine  iniquity,  thou  shalt 
be  confounded  and  never  open  thy  mouth  more  be- 
cause of  thy  shame.  Eze.  xvi.  52,  g3.  We  count  it 
convenient  that  men,  when  their  crimes  and  trans- 
gressions are  to  be  manifested,  that  they  be  set  in 
Bome  open  place,  with  a  paper,  wherein  their  trans- 
gressions are  inserted,  pinned  upon  their  back  or 
their  forehead,  that  they  may  not  only  confess,  but 
bear  their  own  shame.*  And  at  the  penitential 
confession  of  sinners,  God  has  something  of  this 
kind  to  do ;  if  not  before  men,  yet  before  angels, 
that  they  may  behold,  and  be  affected,  and  rejoice 
when  they  shall  see,  after  the  revelation  of  sin, 
the  sinner  taken  into  the  favour  and  abundant 
mercy  of  God.  Ux.  xv. 

3.  A  third  reason  is,  For  that  God  will  in  the 
forgiveness  of  sin,  magnify  the  riches  of  his  mercy; 
but  this  cannot  be,  if  God  shall  suffer,  or  accept 
of  such  confession  of  sin,  as  is  yet  intermixed  with 

*  The  pOlovy,  to  wliick  nllusion  is  here  made,  was  a  crael 
mode  of  puuiblinient,  now  out  of  date.  In  earlier  times,  tlie 
cars  were  nailed  to  tte  wood,  and  after  an  hour's  anguish  were 
cut  off,  and  the  nose  and  checks  slit;  thus  were  treated Leigh- 
,ton  and  other  holy  men.  In  later  days,  the  victims  were 
suhjcctcd  to  the  brutality  of  a  mob,  and  sometimes  excited  by 
factious  men. 

'  Tell  us  T\-ho  'tis  upon  the  ridge  stanfls  there 
So  full  of  fault,  aud  yet  so  void  of  fear; 
And  from  the  jiaper  in  his  hat 
let  all  mankind  be  told  for  what.' — Defoe. 


those  things  that  will  darken  the  heinousness  of 
the  offence,  and  that  will  be  darkened  either  by  a 
partial,  feigned,  or  overly  confession  :  or  by  a 
joining  with  the  confession  any  of  the  sinners  pre- 
tended good  deeds. 

That  God  in  the  salvation,  and  so  in  the  confes- 
sion of  the  sinner,  designs  the  magnifying  of  his 
mercy,  is  apparent  enough  from  the  whole  current 
of  scripture,  and  that  any  of  the  things  now  men- 
tioned will,  if  suffered  to  be  done,  darken  and 
eclipse  this  thing,  is  evident  to  reason  itself. 

Suppose  a  man  stand  indicted  for  treason,  yet 
shall  so  order  the  matter,  that  it  shall  ring  in  the 
country,  that  his  offences  are  but  petty  crimes  ; 
though  the  king  shall  forgive  this  man,  much 
glory  shall  not  thereby  redound  to  the  riches  and 
greatness  of  his  mercy.  But  let  all  things  lie 
naked,  let  nothing  lie  hid  or  covered,  let  sin  be 
seen,  shewn,  and  confessed,  as  it  is  with  and  in 
the  sinner  himself,  and  then  there  will  be  in  his 
forgiveness  a  magnifying  of  mercy. 

4.  A  fourth  reason  is,  for  that  else  God  cannot 
be  justified  in  his  sayings,  nor  overcome  when  he 
is  judged.  Ps.  li.  Ro.  iii,  God's  word  hath  told  us 
what  sin  is,  both  as  to  its  nature  and  evil  effects. 
God's  word  hath  told  us,  that  the  best  of  our 
righteousnesses  are  no  better  than  filthy  rags. 
God's  word  has  also  told  us,  that  sin  is  forgiven 
us  freely  by  grace,  and  not  for  the  sake  of  our 
amendments:  and  all  this  God  will  have  shewn, 
not  only  in  the  acts  of  his  mercy  towards,  but 
even  in  the  humiliations  and  confessions  of  the 
penitent:  For  God  will  have  his  mercy  begin  to  be 
displayed  even  there  where  the  sinner  hath  taken 
his  first  step  toward  him:  'That  as  sin  hath 
reigned  unto  death,  even  so  might  grace  reign 
through  righteousness  unto  eternal  life  by  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.'  Ro.  v.  21. 

5.  A  fifth  reason  is,  because  God  would  have 
by  the  Publican's  conversion,  others  affected  with 
the  displays  and  discoveries  of  wonderful  grace ; 
but  to  cloud  and  cover  it  with  lessening  of  sin,  and 
the  sinful  righteousness  of  man,  is  not  the  way  to 
do  this.  Wherefore  the  sinner's  confession  must  be 
such  as  h/ull,  nor  must  anything  of  his  to  lessen 
sin  come  in  betwixt  confession  and  mercy;  and 
this  is  the  way  to  affect  others  [who  are]  as  bad 
as  publicans  and  sinners,  aud  to  make  them  come 
in  to  God  for  mercy. 

For  what  will  such  say  when  sin  begins  to 
appear  to  the  conscience,  and  when  the  law  shall 
follow  it  with  a  voice  of  words,  each  one  like  a 
clap  of  thunder?  I  say,  what  will  such  say  when 
they  shall  read  that  the  Publican  did  only  acknow- 
ledge his  iniquity,  and  found  grace  and  favour  at 
the  hand  of  God  ?  But  that  God  is  infinitely  mer- 
ciful ;  merciful  indeed,  and  that  to  those,  or  to 
such,  as  do  in  truth  stand  in  need  of  mercy.    Also 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICaX. 


265 


that  he  sheweth  mercy  of  his  own  good  pleasure, 
nothing  moving  him  thereto  but  the  bounty  of  his 
own  goodness  and  the  misery  of  his  creature. 

I  say,  this  is  the  way  to  make  others  be  affected 
with  mercy;  as  he  saith,  by  the  apostle  Paul, 
*  But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love 
wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  ia 
sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ,  (by 
grace  ye  are  saved ;)  and  hath  raised  its  up  together, 
and  made  lis  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in 
Christ  Jesus :  That  in  the  ages  to  come  he  might 
shew  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in  his  kind- 
ness toward  us  through  Christ  Jesus.  Ep.  il  4—7. 
You  may  also  see  that  i  Ti.  i.  is,  16. 

6.  Another  reason  of  this  is,  because  this  is  the 
way  to  heighten  the  comfort  and  consolation  of  the 
soul;  and  that  both  here  and  hereafter.  What 
tendeth  more  to  this,  than  for  sinners  to  see,  and 
with  guilt  and  amazement  to  confess  what  sin  is, 
and  so  to  have  pardon  extended  from  God  to  the 
sinner  as  such  ?  This  fills  the  heart ;  this  ravishes 
the  soul !  this  puts  a  whole  heaven  of  joy  into 
every  one  of  the  thoughts  of  salvation  from  sin, 
and  deliverance  from  wrath  to  come.  '  And  the 
ransomed  of  the  Loud  shall  return,  and  come  to 
Zion  with  songs  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their 
heads :  they  shall  obtain  joy  and  gladness,  and 
sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee  away.'  is.  xxxv.  10. 
Indeed  the  belief  of  this  makes  joy  and  gladness 
endless :  I  say,  it  will  make  it  begin  here,  and 
make  that  it  shall  never  have  consummation  in 
heaven. 

7.  Besides,  it  layeth  upon  the  soul  the  greatest 
obligations  to  holiness ;  what  like  the  apprehension 
of  free  forgiveness,  and  that  apprehension  must 
come  in  through  a  sight  of  the  greatness  of  sin, 
and  of  my  inability  to  do  anything  towards  satis- 
faction, to  engage  the  heart  of  a  rebel  and  traitor 
to  love  his  prince,  and  to  submit  to  his  laws. 

When  Elisha  had  taken  the  Syrians  captives, 
some  were  for  using  severities  towards  them ;  but 
he  said,  *  Set  bread  and  water  before  them,  that 
they  may  eat  and  drink,  and  go  to  their  master;' 
and  they  did  so.  And  what  follows,  '  So  the  bands 
of  Syria  came  no  more  into  the  land  of  Israel.' 
He  conquered  their  malice  with  his  compassion. 
And  it  is  the  love  of  Christ  that  constraiueth  to 

live  to  him.    3  Ki.  vi.  23,  23.  2  Co.  V.  14.. 

Many  other  things  might  possibly  be  urged,  but 
at  present  let  these  be  sufficient. 

[Ris  imploring  of  mercy, "[ 

Secoiid.  The  second  thing  that  we  made  mention 
of  in  the  Publican's  prayer  was,  an  imploring  of 
help  against  this  malady;  God  be  merciful  to 
ME  A  SINNER.  In  which  petition  I  shall  take 
notice  of  several  things. 

VOL.  II. 


I.  That  a  man's  help  against  sins,  doth  not  so 
absolutely  He  in  his  personal  conquest,  as  in  the 
pardon  of  them.  I  suppose  a  conquest,  though 
there  can  indeed  by  man  be  none,  so  long  as  he 
liveth  in  this  world ;  I  mean,  a  complete  conquest 
and  annihilation  of  sin. 

The  Publican,  .and  so  every  graciously  awakened 
sinner,  is  doubtless  for  the  subduing  of  sin ;  but 
yet  he  looketh  that  the  chief  help  against  it  doth 
lie  in  the  pardon  of  it.  Suppose  a  man  should 
stab  his  neighboui"  with  his  knife,  and  afterwards 
burn  his  knife  to  nothing  in  the  fire,  would  this 
give  him  help  against  his  murder  ?  No  verily, 
notwithstanding  this,  his  neck  is  obnoxious  to  the 
halter,  yea,  and  his  soul  to  hell  fire.  But  a  par- 
don gives  him  absolute  help :  '  It  is  God  that 
justifies,  who  shall  condemn.'  Uo.  viii.  Suppose  a 
man  should  live  many  days  in  rebellion  against 
God,  and  after  that  leave  off  to  live  any  longer  so 
rebelliously,  would  this  help  him  against  the  guilt 
which  he  contracted  before?  No  verily,  without 
remission  there  is  no  help,  but  the  rebel  is  imdone. 
Wherefore  the  first  blessedness,  yea,  and  that 
without  which  all  other  things  cannot  make  one 
blessed,  it  hes  in  pardon.  '  Blessed  is  he  whose 
transgression  is  forgiven,  ivhose  sin  is  covered.'  Ps. 
ixxii.  1.  '  Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  wiU 
not  impute  sin. '  Ko.  iv.  8. 

Suppose  a  man  greatly  sanctified  and  made  holy; 
I  say,  suppose  it ;  yet  if  the  sins,  before  committed 
by  him,  be  not  pardoned,  he  cannot  be  a  blessed 
man. 

Yet  again,  Suppose  a  man  should  be  caught  up 
to  heaven,  not  having  his  sins  pardoned,  heaven 
itself  cannot  make  him  a  blessed  man.  I  suppose 
these  things,  not  that  they  can  be,  but  to  illustrate 
my  matter.  There  can  be  no  blessedness  upon 
any  man  who  yet  remaineth  unforgiven.  You  see 
therefore  here,  that  there  was  much  of  the  wisdom 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  this  prayer  of  the  Publican. 
He  was  directed  tlie  right,  the  only,  the  next*  way 
to  shelter,  where  blessedness  begins  even  to  mercy 
for  the  pardon  of  his  sins.  Alas !  What  would  it 
advantage  a  traitor  to  be  taken  up  into  the  king's 
coach,  to  be  clothed  with  the  king's  royal  robe,  to 
have  put  upon  his  finger  the  king's  gold  ring,  and 
to  be  made  to  wear,  for  the  present,  a  chain  of 
gold  about  his  neck,  if  after  all  this  the  king  should 
say  unto  him,  but  I  wiU  not  pardon  thy  rebellion ; 
thou  shalt  die  for  thy  treason?  Pardon  then,  to 
him  that  loves  life,  is  chiefest,  is  better,  and  more 
to  be  preferred  and  sought  after,  than  all  other 
things ;  yea,  it  is  the  highest  point  of  wisdom  in 
any  sinner  to  seek  after  that  first. 

*  '  Nest/  nighest  or  nearest.   Tiis  sentence  is  highly  poeti- 
cal, as  much  or  more  so  as  any  in  the  writings  of  the  most 
,  cultivated  scholars. — Ed. 

"     T 
*/    Li 


2G6 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


Tliis  therefore  confutetli  the  bliuduess  of  some, 
and  the  hypocrisy  of  others.  Some  are  so  silly, 
and  so  blind,  as  quite  to  forget  and  look  over  the 
pardon  of  sin,  and  to  lay  their  happiness  in  some 
external  amendments ;  "when  alas  poor  wretches, 
as  they  are,  they  abide  still  under  the  "wrath  of 
God.  Or  if  they  be  not  quite  so  foolish  as  utterly 
to  forget  the  forgiveness  of  sin,  yet  they  think  of 
it,  but  in  the  second  place ;  they  are  for  setting 
of  sanctification  before  justification,  and  so  seek 
to  confound  the  order  of  God ;  and  that  which  is 
worse  unto  them,  they  by  so  doing,  do  what  they 
can  to  keep  themselves  indeed  from  being  sharers  in 
that  great  blessing  of  forgiveness  of  sins  by  grace. 

But  the  Publican  here  was  guided  by  the  wisdom 
of  heaven :  He  comes  into  the  temple,  he  confesseth 
himself  a  sinner,  and  forthwith,  without  any  delay, 
before  he  removeth  his  foot  from  where  he  stands, 
craveth  help  of  pardon ;  for  he  knew  that  all  other 
things,  if  yet  he  remained  as  involved  in  guilt, 
would  not  help  him  against  that  damnation  that 
belonged  to  a  vile  and  imforgiven  sinner. 

This  also  confuteth  the  hypocrites,  such  as  is 
our  Pharisee  here  in  the  text,  that  glory  in  nothing 
more,  or  so  much,  as  that  they  are  '  not  as  other 
men,  -  -  unjust,  adulterers,  extortioners,  or  even  as 
tliis  Publican;'  for  these  men  have  missed  of  the 
beginning  of  good  Avhich  is  the  forgiveness  of  sin; 
and  if  they  have  missed  of  the  first,  of  the  begin- 
ning good,  they  shall  never,  as  so  standing,  receive 
the  second,  or  the  third:  Justification,  sanctifica- 
tion, glorification,  they  are  the  three  things,  but 
the  order  of  God  must  not  be  perverted.  Justifi- 
cation must  be  first,  because  that  comes  to  man 
while  he  is  migodly  and  a  sinner. 

Justification  camiot  be  where  God  has  not  passed 
a  pardon.  A  pardon  then  is  the  first  thing  to  be 
looked  after  by  the  sinner ;  this  the  Pharisee  did 
not,  therefore  he  went  down  to  his  house  unjusti- 
fied ;  he  set  the  stumbling-block  of  his  iniquity 
before  his  face  when  he  went  to  enquire  of  the 
Lord;  and  as  he  neglected,  shghted,  scorned, 
because  he  thought  that  he  had  no  need  of  pardon ; 
therefore  it  was  given  to  the  poor,  needy,  and 
miserable  Pubhcan,  and  lie  went  away  with  the 
blessing  of  it. 

Publicans,  since  this  is  so  weighty  a  point,  let 
me  exhort  you  that  you  do  not  forget  this  prayer 
of  your  wise  and  elder  brother,  to  wit,  the  Publi- 
can, that  went  up  into  the  temple  to  pray.  I  say, 
forget  it  not,  neither  sufi'er  any  vam-glorious  or 
self-conceited  hj^ocrite  to  beat  j^ou  with  argu- 
ments, or  to  allure  you  with  their  silly  and  deceitful 
tongues,  from  this  most  wholesome  doctrine.  Re- 
member that  you  are  sinners,  equal  to,  or  as 
abominable  as  are  the  Publicans,  wherefore  do 
you,  as  you  have  him  for  your  pattern,  go  to  God, 
and  to  him  confess  in  all  simple,  honest,  and  self- 


abasing- wise  your  great,  numerous,  and  abominable 
sins ;  and  be  sure  that  in  the  very  next  place  you 
forget  not  to  ask  for  pardon,  saying,  '  God  be 
merciful  to  me  a  sinner.'  And  remember  that 
heaven  itself  cannot  help  you  against,  nor  keep 
you  from,  the  damnation  and  misery  that  comes 
by  sin,  if  'twas  possible  you  should  go  thither,  if 
you  miss  of  pardon  and  forgiveness. 

II.  As  the  Publican  imploreth  help,  so  withal  he 
closely  approveth,  notwithstanding,  of  the  sentence 
of  the  law  that  was  gone  out  against  him.  This 
is  manifest,  for  he  saith  to  God,  '  be  merciful  to 
me ; '  and  also  in  that  he  concludes  himself  '  a 
sinner,'  I  say,  he  justifieth,  he  appx'oveth  of  the 
sentence  of  the  law,  that  was  gone  out  against, 
him,  and  by  which  he  now  stood  condemned  in  hi& 
own  conscience  before  the  tribunal  of  God's  justice. 
He  saith  not  as  the  hypocrite,  '  Because  I  am  inno- 
cent, surely  his  anger  shall  turn  from  me  ;'  Je.  ii.  35. 
or  '  What  have  we  spoken  so  much  against  thee  ? ' 
MaL  iiL  13.  No,  he  is  none  of  these  murmurers  or 
complainers,  but  fairly  falls  before  the  law,  wit- 
nesses, judge  and  jury,  and  consenteth  to  the  ver- 
dict, sentence,  and  testimony  of  each  of  them. 

To  illustrate  this  a  httle,  suppose  a  malefactor 
should  be  arraigned  before  a  judge,  and  that  after 
the  witnesses,  jury,  and  judge,  have  aU  condemned 
him  to  death  for  his  fact,  the  judge  again  should 
ask  him  Avhat  he  can  say  for  himself  why  sentence 
of  death  should  not  pass  upon  him  ?  Now  if  he 
saith,  nothing,  but  good,  my  lord,  mercy ;  he  in 
sum  confesseth  the  indictment,  justifieth  the  wit- 
nesses, approveth  of  the  verdict  of  the  jury,  and 
consenteth  to  the  judgment  of  the  judge. 

The  Pubhcan  therefore  in  crying  mercy,  justi- 
fieth the  sentence  of  the  law  that  was  gone  out 
against  his  sins:  He  wrangleth  not  with  the  law, 
saying,  that  was  too  severe,  though  many  men  do 
thus,  saying,  God  forbid,  for  then  woe  be  to  us. 
He  wrangleth  not  with  the  witness,  which  was  his 
own  conscience,  though  some  will  bufiet,  smite,, 
and  stop  its  mouth,  or  command  it  to  be  silent. 
He  wrangleth  not  with  the  jury,  Avhich  was  the 
prophets  and  apostles,  though  some  men  cannot 
abide  to  hear  aU  that  they  say.  He  wrangleth 
not  with  the  judge,  nor  sheweth  himself  irreverently 
before  him,  but  in  aU  humble- wise,  with  all  manner 
of  gestures  that  could  bespeak  him  acquiescing 
with  the  sentence,  he  flieth  to  mercy  for  relief. 

Nor  is  this  alone  the  way  of  the  Pubhcan ;  but 
of  other  godly  men  before  his  time :  Vvlien  David 
was  condemned,  he  justified  the  sentence  and  the 
judge,  out  of  whose  mouth  it  proceeded,  and  so 
fied  for  succour  to  the  mercy  of  God.  Ps.  li.  "When 
Shemaiah  the  prophet  pronounced  God's  judgments 
against  the  princes  of  Judah  for  their  sin,  they  said, 
'  The  Lord  is  righteous. '  3  ch.  xii.  6.  When  the 
church  in  the  Lamentations  had  reckoned  up  seve- 


THE  PHARISEE  AKD  THE  PUBLICAN. 


267 


ral  of  Iier  grievous  afflictions  wherewith  she  had 
heen  chastised  of  her  God,  she,  instead  of  com- 
plaining, doth  justify  the  Lord,  and  approve  of  the 
sentence  that  "wa-s  passed  upon  her,  saying,  *  The 
Lord  is  righteous  ;  for  I  have  rehelled  against  his 
commandment.'  La. Lis.  So  Daniel,  after  he  had 
enumerated  the  e\als  that  hcfel  the  chm-ch  in  his 
day,  addeth,  *  Therefore  hath  the  Lord  -  hrought 
it  upon  us ;  for  the  Lord  our  God  is  righteous  in  all 
his  works  which  he  doeth :  for  we  obeyed  not  his 
voice. '  Da.  it.  li. 

I  Icnow  that  all  these  do  justify  the  judgment  of 
God  that  was  gone  out  against  them,  as  the  Pub- 
lican did  the  sentence  wherewith  he  was  condemned. 
And  I  say,  that  unless  a  man  doth  come  hither,  his 
confession  and  cry  for  mercy  is  not  right,  and  so 
according  to  the  scripture,  reason,  and  nature  of 
things  as  they  ought  to  be ;  for  he  that  has  any 
other  plea,  why  doth  he  cry  God,  Mercy !  Surely 
not  because  he  concludes  that  what  is  done,  is  done 
justly  and  righteously  against  him,  but  because 
he  is  overruled  by  spite,  prejudice,  tyi^anny,  or 
the  hke. 

But  this  is  not  the  case  with  our  Publican.  He 
has  transgressed  a  law  that  is  holy,  just,  and  good : 
the  witness  that  accuseth  him  of  this,  is  God  and 
his  conscience ;  he  is  also  cast  by  the  verdict  of 
holy  men  of  God ;  and  all  this  he  knows,  and  im- 
plicitly confesses,  even  in  that  he  directs  his  prayer 
unto  his  judge  for  pardon.  And  it  is  one  of  the 
cxcellentest  sights  in  the  world  to  see,  or  imder- 
stand  a  sinner  thus  honestly  receinng  the  sentence 
of  the  law  that  is  gone  out  against  him ;  to  see 
and  hear  a  Publican  thus  to  justify  God.*  And 
this  God  will  have  done  for  these  reasons. 

1.  That  it  might  be  conspicuous  to  all  that  the 
Publican  has  need  of  mercy.  This  is  for  the  glory 
of  the  justice  of  God,  because  it  vindicates  it  in  its 
goings  out  against  the  Publican.  God  loveth  to 
do  things  in  justice  and  righteousness,  when  he 
goeth  out  against  men,  though  it  be  but  such  a 
going  out  against  them  as  only  tendeth  to  their 
conviction  and  conversion.  AYhen  he  dealt  with 
our  father  Abraham  in  this  matter,  he  called  him 
to  his  foot,  as  here  he  doth  the  Publican.  And 
smner,  if  ever  God  coimts  thee  worthy  to  inherit 
the  throne  of  glory,  he  will  bring  thee  hither. 
But, 

2.  The  Publican,  by  the  power  of  conviction 
stoops  to,  and  falleth  under  the  righteous  sentence 
gone  forth  against  him,  that  it  might  be  also 
manifest  that  what  afterward  he  shall  receive  is  of 


*  A  humbling  view  of  our  sinful  selves  is  manifested  to  tlie 
soul  by  the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God.  The  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ  has  all  the  properties  of  a  great  and  true  light ;  it  has 
a  piercing  power  and  penetrating  virtue ;  it  enters  the  darkest 
recesses  of  the  soul,  and  detects  the  errors  of  men's  judgment, 
as  well  as  discovers  the  enormities  of  their  lives. — rx^Iand. 


the  mere  grace  and  sovereign  goodness  of  God. 
And  indeed  there  is  no  way  that  doth  more  naturally 
tend  to  make  this  manifest  than  this.  For  thus ; 
there  is  a  man  proceeded  against  for  life,  by  the 
law,  and  the  sentence  of  death  is  in  conclusion 
most  justly  and  righteously  passed  upon  him  by 
the  judge.  Suppose  now  that  after  this,  this  man 
lives,  and  is  exalted  to  honour,  enjoys  great  things, 
and  is  put  into  place  of  trust  and  power,  and  that 
by  him  that  he  has  offended,  even  by  him  that  did 
pass  the  sentence  upon  him.  What  will  all  say, 
or  what  will  they  conclude,  even  upon  the  very  first 
hearing  of  this  story  ?  "Will  they  not  say,  well, 
whoever  he  was  that  found  himself  wrapped  up  in 
this  strange  providence,  must  thank  the  mercy  of 
a  gracious  prince ;  for  aU  these  things  bespeak 
gi-ace  and  favour.     But, 

3.  As  the  Publican  falleth  willingly  under  the 
sentence,  and  justifieth  the  passing  of  it  upon  him ; 
so  by  his  flying  to  mercy  for  help,  he  declareth  to 
all  that  he  cannot  deliver  himself:  lie  putteth  help 
away  from  himself,  or  saith,  it  is  not  in  me. 

This,  I  say,  is  another  tiling  included  in  tliis 
prayer,  and  it  is  a  thing  distinct  from  that  but  now 
we  have  been  speaking  to.  For  it  is  possible  for 
a  man  to  justify  and  fall  under  the  sentence  of  the 
judge,  and  yet  retain  that  with  himself  that  wiU 
certainly  deliver  him  from  that  sentence  Avhen  it 
has  done  its  worst.  IJany  have  held  up  their 
hand,  and  cried  guilty  at  the  bar,  and  yet  have 
fetched  themselves  oft*  well  enough  for  all  that; 
but  then  they  have  not  pleaded  mercy,  for  he  that 
doth  so,  j)uts  his  life  altogether  into  the  hands  of 
another,  but  privilege  or  good  deeds  either  done  or 
to  be  done  by  them.  But  the  publican  in  the  text 
puts  all  out  of  his  own  hand ;  and  in  efteet  saith  to 
that  God  before  whom  he  went  up  into  the  temple 
to  pray ;  Lord,  I  stand  here  condemned  at  the  bar 
of  thy  justice,  and  that  worthily,  for  the  sentence 
is  good,  and  hath  in  righteousness  gone  out  against 
me ;  nor  can  I  deliver  myself,  I  heartily  and  freely 
confess  I  camiot ;  wherefore  1  betake  myself  only 
to  thy  mercy,  and  do  pray  thee  to  forgive  the 
transgressions  of  me  a  sinner.  0  hoAV  few  be 
there  of  such  kind  of  Publicans  !  I  mean  of  Pub- 
licans thus  made  sensible,  that  come  imto  God  for 
mercy. 

Mercy  with  most,  is  rather  a  compliment,  I  mean, 
while  they  plead  it  with  God,  than  a  matter  of 
absolute  necessity ;  they  have  not  awfully,  and  in 
judgment  and  conscience  fallen  under  the  sentence, 
nor  put  themselves  out  of  all  plea  but  the  plea  of 
mercy.  Indeed,  thus  to  do,  is  the  effect  of  the 
proof  of  the  vanity  and  emptiness  of  all  experiments 
made  i;se  of  before. 

Kow  there  is  a  two-fold  proof  of  e.vperiments ; 
the  one  is,  the  result  of  practice  the  other  is,  the 
result  of  faith. 


26S 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


The  woman  with  her  bloody  issue  made  her  proof 
by  practice,  when  she  had  spent  all  that  she  had  upon 
physicians  and  was  nothing  bettered,  but  rather 
grew  worse.  Mar.  v.  26.  But  our  Publican  here  proves 
the  emptiness  and  vanity  of  all  other  helps,  by  one 
cast  of  faith  upon  the  contents  of  the  bible,  and  by 
another  look  upon  his  present  state  of  condemna,- 
tion ;  wherefore  he  presently,  without  any  moi-e 
ado,  condemneth  all  other  helps,  ways,  modes,  or 
means  of  deliverance,  and  betakes  himself  only  to 
the  mercy  of  God,  saying,  '  God  be  merciful  to  me 
a  sinner.' 

And  herein  he  showcth  wonderful  wisdom.    For, 

(1.)  By  this,  He  thrusts  himself  under  the  shelter 

and  blessing  of  the  promise :  and  I  am  sure  it  is 

better  and  safer  to  do  so,  than  to  rely  upon  the 

best  of   excellences    that  this  world  can  afford. 

Ho.  xiv.  1 — 4. 

(2.)  He  takes  the  ready  way  to  please  God ;  for 
God  takes  more  delight  in  showing  of  mercy,  than 
in  any  thing  that  we  can  do.  iio.  vi.  6.  Mat.  k.  13;  &  xii.  7- 
Yea  and  that  also  is  the  man  that  pleaseth  him, 
even  he  that  hopes  in  his  mercy.  Ps.  cxlvii.  ii.  The 
Publican  therefore,  whatever  the  Pharisee  might 
think,  stood  all  this  while  upon  sure  ground,  and 
had  by  far  the  start  of  him  for  heaven.  Alas  ! 
his  dull  head  could  look  no  further  than  to  the 
conceit  of  the  pitiful  beauty  and  splendour  of  his 
own  stinking  righteousness.*  Nor  durst  he  leave 
that  to  trust  wholly  to  the  mercy  of  God ;  but  the 
Publican  comes  out,  though  in  his  sins,  yet  like 
an  awakened,  enlightened,  resolved  man,  and  first 
abases  himself,  then  gives  God  the  glory  of  his 
justice,  and  after  that  the  glory  of  his  mercy,  by 
saying,  '  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner ; '  and  thus 
in  the  ears  of  the  angels  he  did  ring  the  changes 
of  heaven.     Again, 

(3.)  The  Publican,  in  his  thus  putting  himself 
upon  mercy,  showeth,  that  in  his  opinion  there  is 
more  virtue  in  mercy  to  save,  than  there  is  in  the 
law  and  sin  to  condemn.  And  although  this  is 
not  counted  a  great  matter  to  do,  while  men  ai'e 
far  from  the  law,  and  while  their  conscience  is 
asleep  Avithin  them  ;  yet  when  the  law  comes  near, 
and  conscience  is  awake,  who  so  tries  it,  will  find 
it  a  laboursome  work.  Cain  could  not  do  thus  for 
his  heart,  no,  nor  Saul ;  nor  Judas  neither.  This 
is  another  kind  of  thing  than  most  men  think  it  to 
be,  or  shall  find  it,  whenever  they  shall  behold 
God's  angry  face,  and  when  they  shall  hear  the 
words  of  his  law. 

However  our  Publican  did  it,  and  ventured  his 
body,  soul,  and  future  condition  for  ever  in  this 
bottom,  with  other  the  saints  and  servants  of  God, 
leavino-  of  the  world  to  swim  over  the  sea  of  God's 


*  This  sentence  is  peculiarly  strildng,  and  is  very  illustra- 
tive of  Bunyan's  homely,  cutting,  faithful  phraseology. — Ed. 


wrath  if  they  will,  in  their  weak  and  simple  vessels 
of  bull-rushes,  or  to  lean  \ipon  their  cobweb-hold, 
Avlien  he  shall  arise  to  the  judgment  that  he  hath 
appointed. 

In  the  mean  time  pray  God  awaken  us  as  he  did 
the  Publican ;  pray  God  enlighten  us  as  he  did  the 
Publican ;  pray  God  grant  us  boldness  to  come  to 
him  as  the  Publican  did ;  and  also  in  that  trembling 
spirit  as  he  did,  when  he  cried  in  the  temple 
before  him,  '  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner.' 

[His  Gestures.] 

Second.  Thus  having  in  brief  passed  over  his 
prayer,  we  come  in  the  next  place  to  his  gestures  ; 
for  in  my  judgment  the  right  understanding  of 
them  will  give  us  yet  more  conviction  of  the  Publi- 
can's sense  and  awakening  of  spirit  under  this 
present  action  of  his. 

And  I  have  observed  many  a  poor  wretcb  that 
has  readily  had  recourse  to  the  Publican's  prayer, 
that  never  knew  what  the  Publican's  gestures,  in 
the  presence  of  God,  while  in  prayer  before  him, 
did  mean.  Nor  must  any  man  be  admitted  to 
think,  that  those  gestures  of  his  were  in  custom, 
and  a  formality  among  the  Jews  in  those  days  ;  for 
'tis  evident  enough  by  the  carriage  of  the  Pharisee, 
that  it  was  below  them  and  their  mode,  when  they 
came  into  the  temple,  or  when  they  prayed  any 
where  else ;  and  they  in  those  days  were  counted 
for  the  best  of  men,  and  men  too  in  religious 
matters  they  were  to  imitate  and  take  their  exam- 
ples at  the  hands  of  the  best,  not  at  the  hands  of 
the  worst. 

The  Publican's  gestures  then,  were  properly  his 
own,  caused  by  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  by  that  dread 
of  the  majesty  of  God  that  was  upon  his  spirit. 
And  a  comely  posture  it  was,  else  Christ  Jesus, 
the  Son  of  God,  would  never  have  taken  that  par- 
ticular notice  thereof  as  he  did,  nor  have  smiled 
upon  it  so  much  as  to  take  it,  and  distinctly  repeat 
it  as  that  which  made  his  prayer  the  more  weighty, 
and  the  more  also  to  be  taken  notice  of.  Yea,  in 
mine  opinion,  the  Lord  Jesus  has  committed  it  to 
record,  for  that  he  liked  it,  and  for  that  it  shall 
pass  for  some  kind  of  touchstone  of  prayer,  that  is 
made  in  good  sense  of  sin,  and  of  God,  and  of  need 
of  his  goodness  and  mercy.  For  verily,  all  these 
postures  signify  sense,  sight  of  a  lost  condition, 
and  a  heart  in  good  earnest  for  mercy. 

I  know  that  they  may  be  counterfeited,  and 
Christ  Jesus  knows  who  doth  so  too ;  but  that  will 
not  hinder,  or  make  weak  or  invalid  what  hath 
already  been  spoken  about  it.  But  to  forbear  to 
make  a  further  prologue,  and  to  come  to  the  hand- 
ling of  particulars. 

'  And  the  Publican,  standing  afar  ofi",  would  not 
lift  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  imto  heaven,  but  smote 
upon  his  breast.' 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


269 


Three  things,  as  I  told  you  already,  we  may 
perceive  in  these  words,  by  which  his  Publican 
posture,  or  gestures  are  set  forth. 

First.  He  stands  afar  off.  Second.  He  would 
not  lift  up  so  viuch  as  his  eyes  to  lieaven.  Third. 
He  smote  upon  his  breast. 

First.  For  the  first  of  these,  *  He  stood  afar  off. ' 
•And  the  Publican  standing  afar  off.'  This  is,  I 
say,  the  first  thing,  the  first  posture  of  his  with 
which  we  are  acquainted,  and  it  informeth  us  of 
several  things. 

1.  That  he  came  not  with  senselessness  of  the 
majesty  of  God  when  he  came  to  pray,  as  the 
Pharisee  did,  and  as  sinners  commonly  do.  For 
this  standing  back,  or  afar  off,  declares  that  the 
majesty  of  God  had  an  awful  stroke  upon  his  spirit : 
He  saw  whither,  to  whom,  and  for  Avhat,  he  was 
now  approaching  the  temple.  It  is  said  in  that 
twentieth  of  Exodus,  That  when  the  people  saw 
the  thunderings  and  the  lightnings,  and  the  noise 
of  the  trumpet,  and  the  mountain  smoking,  and  all 
these  were  signs  of  God's  terrible  presence,  and 
dreadful  majesty,  they  removed  themselves,  '  and 
stood  afar  off. '  Ex.  xx.  18.  This  behaviour  therefore 
of  the  Publican  did  well  become  his  present  action, 
especially  since,  in  his  own  eyes,  he  was  yet  an 
unforgiven  sinner.  Alas !  What  is  God's  majesty 
to  a  sinful  man,  but  a  consuming  fire  ?  And  what 
is  a  sinful  man  in  himself,  or  in  his  approach  to 
God,  but  as  stubble  fully  dry. 

How  then  could  the  Publican  do  otherwise  than 
what  he  did,  than  stand  afar  off,  if  he  either 
thought  of  God  or  himself.  Indeed  the  people 
afore-named,  before  they  saw  God  in  his  terrible 
majesty,  could  scarce  be  kept  off  from  the  mount 
with  words  and  bounds,  as  it  is  now  the  case  of 
many :  Their  blindness  gives  them  boldness ;  their 
rudeness  gives  them  confidence ;  but  when  they 
shall  see  what  the  Publican  saw,  and  felt,  and 
understood  as  he,  they  will  pray,  and  stand  afar 
off,  even  as  these  people  did.  They  removed  And 
stood  afar  off,  and  then  fell  to  praying  of  Moses 
that  this  dreadful  sight  and  sound  might  be  taken 
from  them.  And  what  if  I  shoidd  say,  he  stood 
afar  off  for  fear  of  a  blow,  though  he  came  for 
mercy,  as  it  is  said  of  them.  They  stood  '  afar  oft' 
for  the  fear  of  her  torment.  *  Re.  xviii.  lo. 

I  know  what  it  is  to  go  to  God  for  mercy,  and 
what  it  is  to  stand  all  that  while  in  my  spirit 
through  fear  afar  off,  being  possessed  Avith  this, 
will  not  God  now  smite  mo  at  once  to  the  ground 
for  my  sins.  David  thought  something  Avhen  he 
said  as  he  prayed,  '  Cast  me  not  away  from  thy 
presence,  and  take  not  thy  Holy  Spirit  from  me.' 

Ps.  li.  11. 

There  is  none  knows,  but  those  that  have  them, 
what  turns  and  returns,  what  coming  on  and  going 
off,  there  is  in  the  spirit  of  a  man  that  indeed  is 


awakened,  and  that  stands  awakened  before  the 
glorious  Majesty  iu  prayer.*  The  prodigal  also 
made  his  prayer  to  his  Father  intentionally,  while 
he  was  yet  a  great  way  off.  And  so  did  the  lepers 
too ;  '  And  as  he  entered  into  a  certain  village, 
there  met  him  ten  men  that  were  lepers,  which 
stood  AFAR  OFF :  And  they  lift  up  tlieir  voices  and 
said,  Jesus,  Master,  have  mercy  on  us.'  Lu.  xvii. 

13, 13. 

See  here,  it  has  been  the  custom  of  prayino-  men 
to  keep  their  distance,  and  not  to  be  rudely  bold 
in  rushing  into  the  presence  of  the  holy  and  hea- 
venly majesty ;  especially  if  they  have  been  sensi- 
ble of  their  own  vileness  and  sins,  as  the  prodigal, 
the  lepers,  and  our  Publican  was.  Yea,  Peter 
himself,  when  upon  a  time  he  perceived  more  than 
commonly  he  did  of  the  majesty  of  Jesus  his  Lord, 
what  doth  he  do  !  '  When  Simon  Peter  saw  it,^ 
says  the  text,  '  he  fell  down  at  Jesus'  knees,  say- 
ing. Depart  from  me ;  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  0 
Lord. '  Lu.  V.  8.  Oh  !  when  men  see  God  and  them- 
selves, it  fills  them  with  holy  fear,  of  the  greatness 
of  the  majesty  of  God,  as  well  as  with  love  to,  and 
desire  after  his  mercy. 

Besides,  by  his  standing  afar  off,  it  might  be  to 
intimate  that  he  now  had  in  mind,  and  with  great 
weight  upon  his  conscience,  the  infinite  distance 
that  was  betwixt  God,  and  him.  Men  should  know 
that,  and  tremble  in  the  thoughts  of  it,  when  they 
are  about  to  approach  the  omnipotent  presence. 

What  is  poor  sorry  man  !  poor  dust  and  ashes, 
that  he  should  crowd  it  up,  and  go  jostlingly  in  the 
presence  of  the  great  God  ?  especially  since  it  is 
apparent,  that  besides  the  disproportion  that  is 
betwixt  God  and  him,  he  is  a  filthy,  leprous,  pol- 
luted, nasty,  stinking,  sinful  bit  of  carrion. t 
Esther,  when  she  went  to  supplicate  the  king  her 
husband  for  her  people,  made  neither  use  of  her 
beauty,  nor  relation,  nor  other  privileges  of  which 
she  might  have  had  temptation  to  make  use,  espe- 
cially at  such  a  time,  and  in  such  exigencies,  as 
then  did  compass  her  about:  But  I  say,  she  made 
not  use  of  them  to  thrust  herself  into  his  presence, 
but  knew,  and  kept  her  distance,  standing  in  the 
inward  court  of  his  palace,  imtil  he  held  out  the 


*  The  newly  awakened  soul,  beholding  itself  in  the  glass  of 
the  law,  is  shocked  at  its  own  deformity.  Sin  is  truly  odious, 
and  an  intolerable  burthen.  So  felt  the  royal  penitent  when 
he  cried,  '  Jly  flesh  trembleth  for  fear  of  thee ;  and  I  am  afraid 
of  thy  judgments.'  God's  indignation  at  sin  mi;st  be  felt  on 
this  side  the  grave,  in  the  conscience  of  the  sinner,  if  ever  he 
hopes  to  escape  the  dreadfid  punishment  of  it  iu  the  world  to 
come.  But  blessed  be  God,  the  blood  of  atonement  is  a 
sovereign  balsam  for  sick  and  wounded  souls,  and  is  abun- 
dantly efficacious  for  procuring  pardon,  peace,  and  reconcilia- 
tion by  the  application  of  the  eternal  S\>\ni.—R!/Iand. 

t  These  humbling  words,  being  too  rough  for  ears  polite, 
have  been  omitted  from  all  the  editions  of  this  book  published 
since  the  author's  death,  except  the  5th,  1702.— Ed. 


270 


THE  PHARISEE  AKD  THE  PUBLICAN. 


golden  sceptre  to  her;  Teex  *  Esther  drew  near, 
and  touched  the  top  of  the  sceptre.'  Es.  v.  2. 

Men  also  when  they  come  into  the  presence  of 
God,  should  know  their  distance ;  yea,  and  shew 
that  they  know  it  too,  by  such  gestures  and  car- 
I'iages,  and  behaviours  that  are  seemly.  A  re- 
markable saying  is  that  of  Solomon.  *  Keep  thy 
foot  when  thou  goest  to  the  house  of  God,  and  be 
more  ready  to  hear,  than  to  give  the  sacrifice  of 
fools:  for  they  consider  not  that  they  do  evil. 
(And  as  they  should  keep  their  foot,  so  also  he 
adds)  Be  not  rash  with  thy  mouth,  and  let  not  thine 
heart  be  hasty  to  utter  any  thing  before  God :  for 
God  is  in  heaven,  and  thou  upon  earth :  therefore 
let  thy  words  be  few.'  Ec.  v.  l, 2. 

Three  things  the  Holy  Ghost  exhorteth  to  in  this 
text. 

The  one  is,  that  we  look  to  ovLvfeet,  and  not  be 
forward  to  crowd  into  God's  presence. 

xinother  is.  That  we  should  also  look  well  to  our 
tongues,  that  they  be  not  rash  in  uttering  any  thing 
before  God. 

And  the  tliird  is,  because  of  the  infinite  distance 
that  is  betwixt  God  and  us,  which  is  intimated  by 
those  words,  '  for  God  is  in  heaven,  and  thou  upon 
earth.' 

The  Publican  therefore  shewed  great  wisdom, 
holy  shame,  and  humility,  in  this  brave  gesture 
of  his,  namely,  in  his  standing  afar  off,  when  he 
went  up  into  the  temple  to  pray.  But  this  is  not 
all. 

2.  The  Publican,  in  standing  afar  off,  left  room 
for  an  advocate,  an  high  priest,  a  day's-man  to  come 
betwixt,  to  make  peace  between  God  and  this  poor 
creature.  Moses,  the  great  mediator  of  the  Old 
Testament,  was  to  go  nigher  to  God  than  the  rest 
of  the  elders,  or  of  the  people  were.  Ex.  xx.  21.  Yea, 
the  rest  of  the  people  were  expressly  commanded 
to  worship,  standing  afar  off.  xix.  21.  No  man  of 
the  sons  of  Aaron  that  hath  a  blemish  was  to  come 
nigh.  '  No  man  that  hath  a  blemish  of  the  seed 
of  Aaron  the  priest,  shall  come  nigh  to  offer  the 
offerings  of  the  Lord  made  by  fire:  He  shall 
not  come  nigh  to  offer  the  bread  of  his  God.'  le. 

xxi.  21. 

The  Publican  durst  not  be  his  own  mediator,  he 
knew  he  had  a  blemish,  and  was  infirm,  and  there- 
fore he  stands  back ;  for  he  knew  that  it  Avas  none 
of  him  that  his  God  had  chosen  to  come  near  unto 
him,  to  ofter  the  fat  and  the  blood.  Eze.  xiiv.  13—15. 
The  PubUcan  therefore  was  thus  far  right :  he  took 
not  up  the  room  himself,  neither  with  his  person, 
nor  his  performances,  but  stood  back,  and  gave 
place  to  the  high  priest  that  was  to  be  intercessor. 

"\Ye  read,  that  Avhen  Zacharias  went  into  the 
temple  to  burn  incense,  as  at  that  time  his  lot  Avas, 
'  The  whole  multitude  of  the  people  were  praying 
without. '  Lu.  i.  9, 10.     They  left  him  where  he  was, 


near  to  God,  between  God  and  them,  mediating 
for  them ;  for  the  offering  of  incense  by  the  chief 
priest  was  a  figurative  making  of  intercession  for 
the  people,  and  they  maintained  their  distance. 

It  is  a  great  matter  in  praying  to  God,  not  to 
go  too  far,  nor  come  too  short  in  that  duty.  I 
mean  in  the  duty  of  prayer,  and  a  man  is  very  apt 
to  do  one  or  the  other.  The  Pharisee  went  so  far, 
he  was  too  bold,  he  came  into  the  temple  making 
such  a  rufile  with  his  own  excellences,  there  was 
in  his  thoughts  no  need  of  a  Mediator.  He  also 
went  up  so  nigh  to  God,  that  he  took  up  the  room 
and  place  of  the  Mediator  himself;  but  this  poor 
Publican,  he  knows  his  distance,  and  keeps  it,  and 
leaves  room  for  the  High  Priest  to  come  and  inter- 
cede for  him  with  God.  He  stood  afar  off,  not  too 
far  off;  for  that  is  the  room  and  place  of  unbelievers, 
and  in  this  sense  that  saying  is  true,  '  For,  lo,  they 
that  are  far  from  thee  shall  perish : '  Ps.  ixxiii.  27. 
That  is,  they  whose  unbelief  hath  set  them  in  their 
hearts  and  affections  more  upon  their  idols,  and 
that  have  been  made  to  cast  God  behind  their 
backs,  to  follow  and  go  a  whoring  after  them. 

Hitherto  therefore  it  appears,  that  though  the 
Pharisee  had  more  righteousness  than  the  Publican, 
yet  the  Publican  had  more  spiritual  righteousness 
than  the  Pharisee :  And  that  though  the  Publican 
had  a  baser,  and  more  ugly  outside  than  the  Pha- 
risee, yet  the  Publican  knew  how  to  prevail  with 
God  for  mercy  better  than  he. 

As  for  the  Publican's  posture  of  standing  in 
prayer,  it  is  excusable,  and  that  by  the  very  father 
of  the  faithfid  himself:  For  Abraham  stood  praying 
when  he  made  intercession  for  Sodom.  Ge.  xviu.  22, 23. 
Christ  also  alloweth  it  where  he  saith,  '  And  when 
ye  STAND  PRATING,  forgivo,  if  ye  have  ought  against 
any:  that  your  Father  also  which  is  in  heaven 
may  forgive  you  your  trespasses. '  Mar.  xi.  25.  Indeed 
there  is  no  stinted  order  prescribed  for  our  thus  or 
thus  behaving  of  ourselves  in  prayer,  whether 
kneeling,  or  standing,  or  walking  or  lying,  or  sit- 
ting ;  for  all  these  postures  have  been  used  by  the 
godly.  *  Paul  kneeled  do\vn  and  prayed. '  Ac  .xx.  3C. 
Abraham  and  the  Publican  stood  and  prayed. 
David  prayed  as  he  walked.  2  Sa.  .xv.  so,  31.  Abraham 
prayed  lying  upon  his  face.  Ge.  xvii.  17,  is.  Moses 
prayed  sitting.  Ex.  xvii.  12.  And  indeed  prayer, 
effectual  fervent  prayer,  may  be,  and  often  is,  made 
unto  God,  under  all  these  circumstances  of  beha- 
viour: for  God  has  not  tied  us  to  any  of  them;  and 
he  that  shall  tie  himself,  or  his  people,  to  any  one 
of  these,  doth  more  than  he  hath  warrant  for  from 
God ;  and  let  such  take  care  of  innovating,  it  is 
the  next  way  to  make  men  hypocrites  and  dis- 
semblers in  those  duties,  in  which  they  should  bo 
sincere. 

True,  which  of  those  soever  a  man  shall  chose 
to  himself  for  the  present,  to  perform  this  solemn 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


371 


duty  in,  it  is  requii-ed  of  liim,  and  God  expects  it, 
that  he  should  pray  to  him  in  truth,  and  with  de- 
sire, affection,  and  hunger,  after  those  things,  that 
with  his  tongue  he  maketh  mention  of  before  the 
throne  of  God.  And  indeed  without  this,  all  is 
nothing.  But  alas !  how  few  be  there  in  the  world 
whose  heart  and  mouth  in  prayer  shall  go  together? 
Dost  thou,  when  thou  askest  for  the  spirit,  or  faith, 
or  love  to  God,  to  holiness,  to  saints,  to  the  word, 
and  the  hke,  ask  for  them  with  love  to  them,  desire 
of  them,  hungering  after  them  ?  Oh  !  this  is  a 
mighty  thing  !  and  yet  prayer  is  no  more  before 
God,  than  as  it  is  seasoned  with  these  blessed 
quahfications.  Wherefore  it  is  said,  that  while 
men  are  praying,  God  is  searching  of  the  heart,  to 
see  what  is  the  meaniag  of  the  spirit,  or  whether 
there  be  the  spu-it  and  his  meaning  in  all  that  the 
mouth  hath  uttered,  either  by  words,  sighs,  or 
groans ;  because  it  is  by  him,  and  through  his  help 
only  that  any  make  prayers  according  to  the  will 
of  God.  Ko.  viiL  26, 27.  "Whatever  thy  posture  there- 
fore shall  be,  see  that  thy  prayers  be  pertinent  and 
fervent,  not  mocking  of  thine  ovra.  soul  with  words, 
while  thou  wantest  and  art  an  utter  stranger  to  the 
very  vital  and  living  spirit  of  prayer. 

Xow  our  Publican  had,  and  did  exercise,  the 
very  spirit  of  prayer  in  prayer.  He  prayed  sensi- 
bly, seriously,  affectionately  hungering,  thirsting, 
and  with  longing  after  that,  for  wliich  with  his 
mouth  he  implored  the  God  of  heaven :  His  heart 
and  soul  were  in  his  words,  and  it  was  that  which 
made  his  pkater  ;  even  because  he  prayed  in 
PRATER ;  he  prayed  inwardly,  as  well  as  outwardly. 

David  teUs  us,  that  God  heai'd  the  voice  of  his 
supphcation,  the  voice  of  his  cry,  the  voice  of  his 
tears,  and  the  voice  of  his  roaring.  For  indeed 
there  are  all  these  without  this  acceptable  soimd 
in  them,  nor  can  any  thing  but  sense,  and  affec- 
tion, and  fervent  desire,  make  them  sound  well  in 
the  ears  of  God.  Tears,  supplications,  prayers, 
cries,  may  be  aU  of  them  done  in  formality,  hypo- 
crisy, and  from  other  causes,  and  to  other  ends 
than  that  which  is  honest  and  right  in  God's  sight: 
For  God  as  he  had  experience  of,  would  search  and 
look  after  the  voice  of  his  tears,  supplications, 
roarings,  prayers,  and  cries. 

And  if  men  had  less  care  to  please  men,  and 
more  to  please  God,  in  the  matter  and  manner  of 
praying,  the  world  would  be  at  a  better  pass  than 
it  is.  But  this  is  not  in  man's  power  to  help,  and 
to  amend :  WTien  the  Holy  Ghost  comes  upon  men 
with  greater  conviction  of  their  state  and  condition, 
and  of  the  use  and  excellency  of  the  grace  of  sin- 
cerity and  humility  in  prayer,  then,  and  not  tdl 
then,  will  the  grace  of  prayer  be  more  prized,  and 
the  spacious  flouting,  comphmentary  hps  of  flat- 
terers be  more  laid  aside.  I  have  said  it  already, 
and  I  wUl  say  it  again,  that  there  is  now-a-days  a 


great  deal  of  wickedness  committed  in  the  very 
duty  of  prayer ;  by  words,  of  which  men  have  no 
sense,*  by  reaching  after  such  conclusions  and 
clenches  therein,  as  may  make  their  persons  to  be 
admired ;  by  studying  for,  and  labouring  after  such 
enlargements  as  the  spirit  accompanieth  not  the 
heart  in.  0  Lord  God,  0  Lord  God,  make  our 
heai'ts  upright  in  us,  as  in  all  points  and  parts  of 
our  profession,  so  in  this  solemn  appointment  of 
God,  '  If  I  regard  iniquity  In  my  heart, '  said  David, 
'  the  Lord  wiU  not  hear  me. '  But  if  I  be  truly  sincere 
he  wiU,  and  then  it  is  no  matter  whether  I  kneel, 
or  stand,  or  sit,  or  he,  or  walk ;  for  I  shall  do 
none  of  these,  nor  put  up  my  prayers  imder  any 
of  these  circumstances,  lightly,  foohshly,  and  idly, 
but  to  beautify  this  gesture  with  the  inwai'd  work- 
ing of  my  mind  and  spirit  in  prayer ;  that  whether 
I  stand  or  sit,  walk  or  he  down,  glory  and  gravity, 
humility  and  sincerity  shall  make  my  prayer  pro- 
fitable, and  my  outward  behaviour  comely  in  his 
eyes,  with  whom  in  prayer  I  now  have  to  do. 

And  had  not  our  Pubhcan  been  inwardly  sea- 
soned with  these,  Chiist  would  have  taken  but 
httle  pleasure  in  his  modes  and  outward  behaviour : 
but  being  so  honest  inwardly,  and  in  the  matter 
of  his  prayer,  his  gestures  by  that  were  made 
beauteous  also;  and  therefore  it  is  that  our  Lord 
so  delightfully  dilateth  upon  them,  and  draweth 
them  out  at  length  before  the  eyes  of  others. 

I  have  often  observed,  that  that  which  is  natu- 
ral, and  so  comely  in  one,  looks  odiously  when 
imitated  by  another,  I  speak  as  to  gestures  and 
actions  in  preaching  and  prayer.  3Iany,  I  doubt 
not,  but  wiU  imitate  the  Publican,  and  that  both  in 
the  prayer  and  gestm-es  of  the  Publican,  whose 
persons  and  actions  will  yet  stink  full  foully  in  the 
nostrils  of  him  that  is  holy  and  just,  and  that 
searchcth  the  heart  and  the  reins. 

Well,  the  Pubhcan  stood  and  prayed,  he  stood 
afar  off,  and  prayed,  and  his  prayers  came  even  to 
the  ears  and  heart  of  God. 

*  And  the  Publican  standing  afar  ofp,  woru) 

NOT  LIFT  UP  so  MUCH  AS  HIS  EYES  UNTO  HEAVEN. ' 

Secoiid,  We  are  now  come  to  another  of  his  pos- 
tures. '  He  would  not,  (says  the  text)  so  much 
as  hft  up  his  eyes  to  heaven.'  Here  therefore 
was  another  vesture  added  to  that  which  went  be- 


*  A  simple-liearted  man,  at  a  prayer  meeting,  used  tlie 
words,  '  Incline  oni-  hearts  to  cast  our  bread  upon  the  waters, 
that  we  may  find  it  after  many  days.'  Tpon  leaving  the 
prayer  meeting,  while  crossing  a  bridge,  a  youth  said  to  him, 
•  If  you  were  to  throw  a  loaf  into  the  river,  what  good  would 
it  be"  even  if  you  did  find  it  after  many  days;'  to  which  his  elder 
repKed,  'Oh,  it  is  a  scripture  expression,  though  I  do  not 
Icuow  its  meaning !  1! '  This  happened  to  the  editor  forty- 
five  years  ago,  before  Sunday  schools  and  the  Tract  Society 
had  spread  their  flood  of  scriptural  knowledge  over  the  Idng- 
dom. — Ed, 


273 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


fore ;  and  a  gesture  that  a  great  while  before  had 
been  condemned  by  the  Holy  Ghost  himself.  *  Is 
it  such  a  fast  that  I  have  chosen?  A  day  for  a 
man  to  afflict  his  soul  ?  Is  it  to  bow  down  his 
head  as  a  bulrush. '  is.  ivm.  5. 

But  why  condemned  then,  and  smiled  upon 
now  ?  Why!  Because  done  in  hypocrisy  then, 
and  in  sincerity  now.  Hypocrisy  and  a  spirit  of 
error  Avill  so  besmut  God's  ordinances,  that  he  shall 
take  no  pleasure  in  them :  but  sincerity,  and  hon- 
esty in  duties,  will  make  even  those  circumstances 
that  in  themselves  are  indifferent,  at  least  comely 
in  the  sight  of  men.  May  I  not  say  before  God  ? 
the  Rechabites  were  not  commanded  of  God,  but 
of  their  father,  to  do  as  they  did;  but,  because 
they  were  sincere  in  their  obedience  thereto,  even 
God  himself  maketh  use  of  what  they  did  to  con- 
demn the  disobedience  of  the  Jews ;  and  moreover 
doth  tell  the  Rechabites,  at  last,  that  they  should 
not  want  a  man  to  stand  before  him  for  ever. 
'  And  Jeremiah  said  unto  the  house  of  the  Recha- 
bites, Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  the  God  of 
Israel ;  Because  ye  have  obeyed  the  commandment 
of  Jonadab  your  father,  and  kept  all  his  precepts, 
and  done  accoi'ding  unto  all  that  he  hath  com- 
manded you;  therefore,  thus  saith  the  Lord  of 
Hosts,  the  God  of  Israel;  Jonadab  the  son  of 
Rechab  shall  not  want  a  man  to  stand  before  me 
for  ever. '  Je.  xxxxv.  18, 19. 

'He  would  not  hft  up  his  eyes  to  heaven.' 
Why  ?  Sui-ely  because  shame  had  covered  his 
face.  Shame  will  make  a  man  blush  and  hang  his 
head  like  a  bulrush.  Shame  for  sin  is  a  virtue,  a 
comely  thing ;  yea,  a  beauty-spot  in  the  face  of  a 
sinner  that  cometh  to  God  for  mercy. 

God  complains  of  the  house  of  Israel,  that  they 
could    sin,    and    that  without    shame ;   yea,  and 
threateneth  them  too  with  sore  and  repeated  judg- 
ments, '  because  they  were  not  ashamed, '  it  is  in 
Je.  viii.  12.    Their  crimes  in  general  were,  they  turned 
every  one  to  his  course,  as  the  horse  runneth  into 
the  battle.  In  particular,  they  were  such  as  rejected 
God's  word,  they  loved  this  world,  and  set  themselves 
against  the  prophet's  crying  peace,  peace,  peace, 
when  they  cried  judgment,  judgment :   '  Were  they 
ashamed  when  they  had  committed  abomination ; 
nay,  they  were  not  at  all  ashamed,  neither  could  they 
blush :  therefore  shall  they  fall  among  them  that 
fall:  in  the  time  of  their  visitation  they  shall  be 
cast  down,  saith  the  Lord.'     Oh!  to  stand,  or  sit, 
or  lie,  or  kneel,  or  walk  before  God  in  prayer, 
with  blushing  cheeks  for  sin,  is  one  of  the  excel- 
lentest    sights    that  can   be  seen    in    the  world. 
Wlierefore  the  church  taketh  some  kind  of  heart 
to  herself  in  that  she  coidd  he  down  in  her  shame  ; 
yea,  and  makes  that  a  kind  of  an  argument  v/ith 
God,  to  prove  that  her  prayers  did  come  from  her 
heart,  and  also  that  he  would  hear  them.  Jeiii.  23. 


Shame  for  sin  argueth  sense  of  sin,  yea,  a  right 
sense  of  sin,  a  godly  sense  of  sin ;  Ephraim  pleads 
this  when  under  the  hand  of  God:  'I  was,'  saith 
he,  '  ashamed,  yea,  even  confounded,  because  I 
did  bear  the  reproach  of  my  youth.'  But  what 
follows  ?  *  Is  Ephraim  my  dear  son  "^  is  he  a 
pleasant  child  ?  for  since  I  spake  against  him,  I 
do  earnestly  remember  him  still:  therefore  my 
bowels  are  troubled  for  him:  I  will  surely  have 
mercy  upon  him,  saith  the  Lord. '  Je.  xxxi.  19, 20. 

I  know  that  there  is  a  shame  that  is  not  the 
spirit  of  an  honest  heart ;  but  that  rather  floweth 
from  sudden  sm-prisal,  when  the  sinner  is  unawares 
taken  in  the  act,  in  the  very  manner.  And  thus 
sometimes  the  house  of  Israel  was  taken,  and  then 
when  they  blushed,  their  shame  is  compared  to  the 
shame  of  a  thief.  '  As  the  thief  is  ashamed  when 
he  is  found,  so  is  the  house  of  Israel  ashamed; 
they,  their  kings,  their  princes  and  their  priests, 
and  their  prophets. 

But  where  Avere  they  taken,  or  about  what  were 
they  found  ?  Why  they  were  found  '  saying  to  a 
stock,  Thou  art  my  father ;  and  to  a  stone.  Thou 
hast  brought  me  forth.'  Je.  ii.  26,  27.  God  catched 
them  thus  doing,  and  this  made  them  ashamed, 
even  as  the  thief  is  ashamed  when  the  owner  doth 
catch  him  stealing  of  his  horse. 

But  this  was  not  the  Publican's  shame;  this 
shame  brings  not  a  man  into  the  temple  to  pray, 
to  stand  willingly,  and  to  take  shame  before  God 
in  prayer.  This  shame  makes  one  rather  to  fly 
from  his  face,  and  to  count  one's  self  most  at  ease 
when  they  get  farthest  off  from  God. 

The  Publican's  shame  therefore,  which  he  de- 
monstrateth  that  he  had,  even  by  hanging  do-wn  of 
his  head,  was  godly  and  holy,  and  much  like  that  of 
the  prodigal,  when  he  said,  •  Father,  I  have  sinned 
against  heaven,  and  in  thy  sight,  and  am  no  more 
worthy  to  be  called  thy  son. '  Lu.  xv.  21.  I  suppose 
that  his  postures  were  much  the  same  with  the 
Publican's,  as  were  his  prayers,  for  the  substance 
of  them.  0  however  grace  did  work  in  both  to 
the  same  end,  they  were  both  of  them,  after  a 
godly  manner  ashamed  of  their  sins. 

He  would  not  lift  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  to 
heaven. 

It  saith  not  he  could  not,  but  he  would  not; 
which  yet  more  fully  makes  it  appear  that  it  was 
shame,  not  guilt,  not  guilt  only  or  chiefly,  though 
it  is  manifest  enough  that  he  had  guilt  also  by  his 
crying,  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  shiner.  I  say, 
guilt  was  not  the  chief  cause  of  hanging  down  his 
head,  because  it  saith,  he  woidd  not;  for  when 
guilt  is  the  cause  of  stooping,  it  lieth  not  in  the 
will,  or  in  the  power  thereof,  to  help  one  up. 

David  tells  us,  that  when  he  was  under  guilt, 
his  iniquities  were  gone  over  his  head:  *As  an 
heavy  biu-den  they  are  too  heavy  for  me.'  Ps.  xxxTiii.  4. 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


273 


And  that  with  them  he  was  howed  do^vn  greatly. 
Or,  as  he  sajs  in  another  place,  '  ]\Iine  iniqui- 
ties have  taken  hold  upon  me,  so  that  I  am  not 
able  to  look  up ;'  Ps.  xl.  lo.  I  am  not  able  to  do  it; 
guilt  disahleth  the  understanding  and  conscience, 
shame  makes  all  willingly  fall  and  bare  at  the  feet 
of  Christ. 

*He  would  not.'  He  knew  what  he  was,  what 
he  had  been,  and  should  be,  if  God  had  not  mercy 
upon  him :  Yea,  he  knew  also  that  God  knew  what 
he  was,  had  been,  and  would  be,  if  mercy  prevented 
not;  wherefore  thought  he,  Wherefore  should  I 
lift  up  the  head  ?  I  am  no  righteous  man,  no  godly 
man;  I  have  not  served  God,  but  Satan;  this  I 
know,  this  God  knows,  this  angels  know,  where- 
fore I  will  not  'lift  up  the  head.'  It  is  as  much 
as  to  say,  I  will  not  be  an  hypocrite,  like  the  Pha- 
risee ;  for  lifting  up  of  the  head  signifies  innocency 
and  harmlessness  of  life,  or  good  conscience,  and 
the  testimony  thereof,  under,  and  in  the  midst  of 
all  accusations.  Wherefore  this  was  the  counsel 
of  Zophar  to  Job  :  '  If  thou  prepare  thine  heart, 
and  sti-etch  out  thine  hands  towards  him ;  If  ini- 
quity he  in  thine  hand,  put  it  far  away,  and  let 
not  wickedness  dwell  in  thy  tabernacles.  For  then 
shalt  thou  lift  up  thy  face  without  spot ;  yea,  thou 
shalt  be  stedfast,  and  shalt  not  fear.'  Jobxi.  13— 15. 

This  was  not  the  Publican's  state,  he  had  lived 
in  lewdness  and  villany  all  his  days ;  nor  had  he 
prepared  his  heart  to  seek  the  Lord  God  of  his 
fathers,  he  had  not  cleansed  his  heart  nor  hands 
from  violence,  nor  done  that  which  was  lawful  and 
right.  He  only  had  been  convinced  of  his  evil 
ways,  and  was  come  into  the  temple  as  he  was,  all 
foul,  and  in  his  filthy  garments,  and  amidst  his 
pollutions  ;  how  then  could  he  be  innocent,  hoi}- 
or  without  spot  ?  And  consequently  how  could  he 
lift  up  his  face  unto  God  ?  I  remember  what 
Abner  said  to  Asahel,  '  Turn  thee  aside,  from  fol- 
lowing me ;  wherefore  should  I  smite  thee  to  the 
ground  ?  how  then  should  I  hold  up  my  face  to 
Joab  thy  brother  ?'  2  Sa.  ii.  22. 

As  if  he  had  said,  if  I  kill  thee,  I  shall  blush, 
be  ashamed,  and  hang  my  head  like  a  bulrush, 
the  next  time  I  come  into  the  company  of  tliv 
brother. 

This  was  the  Publican's  case,  he  was  guilty,  he 
had  sinned,  he  had  committed  a  trespass,  and  now 
being  come  into  the  temple,  into  the  presence  of 
that  God  whose  laM's  he  had  broken,  and  against 
whom  he  had  sinned,  how  could  he  lift  up  his 
head  ?  how  could  he  bear  the  face  to  do  it?  Iso, 
it  better  became  him  to  take  his  shame,  and  to 
hang  his  head  in  token  of  guilt ;  and  indeed  he 
did,  and  did  it  to  purpose  too,  for  he  would  not 
lift  up,  no,  not  so  mucli  as  his  eyes  to  heaven. 

True,  some  would  have  done  it,  the  Pharisee 
did  it ;  though  if  he  had  considered,  that  hypocrisy, 

VOL.  II. 


and  leaning  to  his  own  righteousness  had  been  sin, 
ho  would  have  found  as  little  cause  to  have  done 
it,  as  did  the  Publican  himself.  But,  I  sav,  he 
did  it,  and  sped  thereafter ;  he  went  down  to  his 
house  as  he  came  up  into  the  temple,  a  poor  un- 
justified Pharisee,  whose  person  and  prayers  were 
both  rejected,  because,  like  the  whore  of  whom  we 
read  in  the  Proverbs,  after  he  had  practised  all 
manner  of  hypocrisy,  he  comes  into  the  temple 
'  and  wipes  his  mouth,  and  saith,  I  have  done  no 
wickedness. '  Pr.  xxx.  20.  He  lifts  up  his  head,  his 
face,  his  eyes  to  heaven ;  he  struts,  he  vamits 
himself;  he  swaggers,  he  vapours,  and  cries  up 
himself,  saying,  '  God,  I  thank  thee,  that  I  am  not 
as  other  men  are.' 

True,  had  he  come  and  stood  before  a  stock  or 
a  stone,  he  might  have  said  thus,  and  not  have 
been  reprehended ;  for  such  are  gods  that  see  not, 
nor  hear,  neither  do  they  understand.  But  to 
come  before  the  true  God,  the  living  God,  the  God 
that  fills  heaven  and  earth  by  his  presence,  and 
that  knows  the  things  that  come  into  the  mind  of 
man,  even  every  one  of  them,  I  say,  to  come  into 
his  house,  to  stand  before  him,  and  thus  to  lift  up 
his  head  and  eyes  in  such  hypocrisy  before  him : 
this  was  abominable,  this  was  to  tempt  God,  and 
to  prove  him ;  yea,  to  challenge  him  to  know  what 
was  in  man  if  he  could,  even  as  those  did  who  said, 
'  How  doth  God  (see)  know  ?  can  he  judge  through 

the  dark  cloud  ?    Job  xxii.  13.  Ps.  Ixxiii.  11. 

But  the  publican,  no  the  publican  could  not, 
durst  not,  would  not  do  thus :  He  woidd  not  lift 
up  so  much  as  his  eyes  to  heaven.  As  who  should 
say,  0  Lord,  I  have  been  against  thee,  a  traitor 
and  a  rebel,  and  like  a  traitor  and  rebel  before 
thee  will  I  stand.  I  will  bear  my  shame  before 
thee  in  the  presence  of  the  hol}^  angels ;  yea,  I 
will  prevent  thy  judging  of  me  by  judging  myself 
in  thy  sight,  and  AviU  stand  as  condemned  before 
thee,  before  thou  passest  sentence  upon  me. 

This  is  now  for  a  sinner  to  go  to  the  end  of 
things.  For  what  is  God's  design  in  the  work  of 
conviction  for  sin,  and  in  his  awakening  of  the 
conscience  about  it  ?  What  is  his  end  I  say,  but 
to  make  the  sinner  sensible  of  what  he  hath  done, 
and  that  he  might  unfeignedly  judge  himself  for 
the  same.  Kow  this  our  Publican  doth ;  his  will 
therefore  is  now  subjected  to  the  word  of  God,  and 
he  justifies  him  in  all  his  ways  and  works  towards 
him.  Blessed  be  God  for  any  experience  of  these 
things. 

'  He  would  not  hft  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  to 
heaven. '  He  knew  by  his  deeds  and  deservings 
that  he  had  no  portion  there ;  nor  would  he  divert 
his  mind  from  the  remembering,  and  from  being 
aftected  with  the  evil  of  his  ways. 

Some  men  when  they  are  under  the  guilt  and 
conviction  of  their  evil  life,  Avill  do  what  they  can 
2  il 


274 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


to  look  any  ways,  and  tliat  on  purpose  to  divert 
their  minds,  and  to  call  tliem  oif  from  thinking  on 
what  they  have  done;  and  by  their  thus  doing, 
they  bring  many  evils  more  upon  their  ov/n  souls : 
for  this  is  a  kind  of  striving  with  God,  and  a  shew- 
ing a  dislike  to  his  ways.  Would  not  you  think, 
if  when  you  are  shewing  your  son  or  your  servant 
his  faults,  if  he  should  do  what  he  could  to  divert 
and  take  off  his  mind  from  what  you  are  saying, 
that  he  striveth  against  you,  and  shewcth  dislike 
of  your  doings.  What  else  means  the  complaints 
of  masters  and  of  fathers  in  this  matter  ?  I  have 
a  servant,  I  have  a  son,  that  doth  contrary  to  my 
wiU.  0  but  why  do  you  not  chide  them  for  it: 
The  answer  is,  so  I  do ;  but  they  do  not  regard 
my  words ;  they  do  what  they  can,  even  while  I 
am  speaking,  to  divert  their  minds  from  my  words 
and  counsels.  Why,  all  men  will  cry  out  this  is 
base,  this  is  worthy  of  great  rebuke ;  such  a  son, 
such  a  servant  deserveth  to  be  shut  out  of  doors, 
and  so  made  to  learn  better  breeding  by  want  and 
hardship. 

But  the  Publican  would  not  divert  his  mind  from 
v,-hat  at  present  God  was  about  to  make  him  sen- 
sible of,  no,  not  by  a  look  on  the  choicest  object, 
he  would  not  lift  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  to  heaven. 
They  are  but  bad  scholars,  whose  eyes,  Avhen  their 
master  is  teaching  of  them,  are  wandering  off  of 
their  books. 

God  saitli  unto  men,  when  he  is  a  teaching 
them  to  know  the  evil  of  their  ways,  as  the  angel 
said  to  the  prophet,  when  he  came  to  shew  him 
the  pattern  of  the  temple ;  '  Son  of  man, '  says  he, 
'  behold  with  thine  eyes,  and  hear  with  thine  ears, 
and  set  thine  heart  upon  all  that  I  shall  shew 
thee ;  for  to  the  intent  that  I  might  shew  tliem 
unto  thee,  art  thou  brought  hither,'  Eze.  xl.  4.  So  to 
the  intent  that  God  might  shew  to  the  Publican 
the  evil  of  his  ways,  therefore  was  he  brought 
xmder  the  power  of  convictions,  and  the  terrors  of 
the  law ;  and  he  also  like  a  good  learner  gave 
good  heed  unto  that  lesson  that  now  he  was  learn- 
ing of  God ;  for  he  woidd  not  lift  up  so  much  as 
his  eyes  to  heaven. 

Looking  downwards  doth  ofttimcs  bespeak  men 
very  ponderous  and  deep  in  their  cogitations ;  also 
that  the  matter  about  which  in  their  minds  they 
are  now  concerned,  hath  taken  great  hold  of  their 
spirits.  The  Publican  hath  now  new  things,  great 
things,  and  long-lived  things,  to  concern  himself 
about:  His  sins,  the  curse,  with  death,  and  hell, 
began  now  to  stare  him  in  the  face ;  Wherefore  it 
was  no  time  now  to  let  his  heart,  or  his  eyes,  or 
his  cogitations  wander,  but  to  be  fixed,  and  to  be 
vehemently  applying  of  himself  as  a  sinner,  to  the 
God  of  heaven  for  mercies. 

Few  know  the  weight  of  sin,  and  how,  when 
the  guilt  thereof  takes  hold  of  tlie  conscience,  it 


commands  homewards  all  the  facidtics  of  the  soul. 
Ko  man  can  go  out  or  off  now.  Now  he  is  wind- 
bound,  or  as  Paul  says,  caught.  Now  he  is  made 
to  possess  bitter  days,  bitter  nights,  bitter  hours, 
bitter  thoughts ;  nor  can  he  shift  them,  for  his  sin 
is  ever  before  him.  As  David  said,  'For  I  aclinow- 
ledge  my  transgressions:  and  my  sin  is  ever 
before  me, '  in  mine  eye,  and  sticketh  fast  in  every 
one  of  my  thoughts.  Ps.  li.  3. 

He  would  not  lift,  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  to 
heaven.  Third,  But  smote  upon  nis  beeast. 
This  was  the  third  and  last  of  his  gestures.  He 
smote  upon  his  breast ;  to  wit,  with  his  hand,  or 
with  his  fist.  I  read  of  several  gestures  vrith  the 
hand  and  foot,  according  to  the  working  and  pas- 
sions of  the  mind.  'Tis  said  Balak  smote  his 
hands  together,  being  angry  because  that  Balaam 
had  blessed  and  not  cursed  for  him  the  childi-en  of 
Israel.  Nu.  xxh-.  lo. 

God  says  also,  that  he  had  smitten  his  hands 
together,  at  the  sins  of  the  children  of  Israel. 
Eze.  xxii.  13.  God  also  bids  the  prophet  stamp  with 
his  feet,  and  smite  with  his  hand  upon  his  thigh, 
upon  sundry  occasions,  and  at  several  enormities, 
but  the  Publican  here  is  said  to  smite  upon  his 
breast,  cb.  vi.  ii ;  xxi.  13.    And, 

1.  Smiting  upon  the  breast  betokeneth  sorrow 
for  something  done,  this  is  an  experiment  common 
among  men.  And  indeed,  therefore  as  I  take  it, 
doth  our  Lord  Jesus  put  him  under  this  gesture  in 
the  act  and  exei'cise  of  his  repentance,  because  it 
is  that  which  doth  most  lively  set  it  forth. 

Suppose  a  man  comes  to  great  damage  for  some 
folly  that  he  has  wrought,  aud  he  be  made  sorrow- 
ful for  being  and  doing  such  folly :  There  is  nothing 
more  common  than  for  such  a  man,  if  he  may,  to 
walk  to  and  fro  in  the  room  where  he  is,  with  head 
hung  down,  fetching  ever  and  anon  a  bitter  sigh : 
aud  smiting  himself  upon  the  breast  in  his  dejected 
condition ;  '  But  smote  upon  his  breast,  saying, 
God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner.' 

2.  Smiting  upon  the  breast  is  sometimea  a  token 
of  indignation  and  abhorrence  of  something  thought 
upon.  I  read  in  Luke,  that  when  Christ  was 
crucified,  those  s^Jectators  that  stood  to  behold  the 
barbarous  usage  that  he  endured  at  the  hands  of 
his  enemies,  '  smote  their  breasts  and  returned.' 
'  And  all  the  people  that  came  together  to  that 
sight,  beholding  the  things  which  were  done,  smote 
their  breasts,  and  returned.'  Lu. xxiii. 4S.  smote  their 
breasts  ;  that  is,  in  token  of  indignation  against, 
and  abhorrence  of  their  cruelty,  that  so  grievously 
used  the  Son  of  God. 

Here  also  we  have  our  Publican  smiting  upon 
his  breast,  in  token  of  indignation  against,  and 
abhorrence  of  his  former  life.  And  indeed  without 
indignation  against,  and  abhorrence  of  his  former 
life,  his  repentance  had  not  been  good.     Where- 


THE  PHARISEE  AXD  THE  PL'BLICAi;. 


275 


fore  tlie  apostle  dotli  mfikc  Indignation  against  sin, 
and  against  oui-sclves  for  that,  one  sign  of  true 
repentance,  2  Co.  vii.  11.  and  liis  indignation  against 
sin  in  general,  and  against  his  former  life  in  par- 
ticular, was  manifested  by  his  smiting  upon  the 
breast.  Even  as  Ephraim's  smiting  upon  the 
thigh  vas  a  sign  and  token  of  his :  *  Surely,'  says 
he,  'after  that  I  was  turned,  I  repented;  and  after 
that  I  was  instructed,  I  smote  upon  viy  thigh :  I 
Avas  ashamed,  yea,  even  confounded,  because  I  did 
bear  the  reproach  of  my  youth.'  Je. xxxi.l9,  Man 
when  he  vehemently  dislikes  a  thing,  is  very  apt 
to  shew  that  dislike  that  to  that  thing  he  hath,  by 
this  or  another  outward  gesture :  as  in  plotting  the 
branch  to  the  nose,*  in  snuffing  or  snorting  at  it; 
Eze.  viii.  17.  5M.  i.  13.  or  in  deriding ;  or,  as  some  say,  in 
blowing  of  their  noses  at  it.  Lu.  xvi.  li  But  the 
Publican  here  chooseth  rather  to  use  this  most 
solemn  posture ;  for  smiting  upon  the  breast,  seems 
to  imply  a  more  serious,  solemn,  grave  way  or 
manner  of  dislike,  than  any  of  those  last  men- 
tioned do. 

3.  Smiting  upon  the  breast,  seems  to  intimate 
a  quarrel  with  the  heart  for  beguiling,  deluding, 
flattering,  seducing,  and  enticing  of  him  to  sin: 
For  as  conviction  for  sin  begets  in  man,  I  mean  if 
it  be  thorough,  a  sense  of  the  sore  and  plague  of 
the  hi^irt.  So  repentance,  if  it  be  right,  begets 
in  the  man  an  outcry  against  the  heart ;  for  as 
much  as  by  that  light,  by  which  repentance  takes 
occasion,  the  sinner  is  made  to  see,  that  the  heart 
is  the  fountain,  and  well-spring  of  sin.  'For  from 
within,  out  of  the  heart  of  men  proceed  evil 
thoughts,  adulteries,  -  covetousness,'  &c.  Mar. vii.  21, 
2;:.  And  hence  it  is,  that  commonly  young  converts 
do  complain  so  of  their  hearts,  calling  them  wicked, 
treacherous,  deceitful,  desperate  ones. 

Indeed  one  difference  between  true  and  false 
repentance  lieth  in  this.  The  man  that  truly 
repents  crieth  out  of  his  heart ;  but  the  other,  as 
Eve,  upon  the  serpent,  or  something  else.  And 
that  the  Publican  perceived  his  heart  to  be  naught 
I  conclude,  by  his  smiting  upon  his  breast. 

4.  Smiting  upon  the  breast,  seems  to  intimate 
one  apprehensive  of  some  new,  sudden,  strange 
and  amazing  thing:  As  Avhen  a  man  sees  some 
strange  sight  in  the  air,  or  hcareth  some  sudden 
or  dismal  sound  in  the  clouds :  Why,  as  he  is 
sti'uck  into  a  deep  damp  in  his  mind,  so  'tis  a 
wonder  if  he  can  keep  or  hold  back  from  smiting 
vipon  his  breast. 

Now  ofttimes  a  sight  of  God  and  sense  of  sin, 
comes  to  the  sinner  like  a  flash  of  lightning,  not 
for  short  continuance,  but  for  suddenness,  and  so 
for  surprisal ;  so  that  the  sinner  Is  struck,  taken 


*   This  is  variously  interpreted,  but  mny  it  not  mean  an 
ancient  mode  of  mockinj,  now  called  taking  a  sight  ? — Ed. 


and  ciiptivated  to  his  own  amazement,  with  what 
so  unexpectedly  Is  come  upon  him.     It  is  said  of 
Paul  at  his  conversion,  that  when  conviction  of  his 
bad  life  took  fast  hold  of  his  conscience,  he  trem- 
bled, and  was  astonished.   Ac.  Lx.  6.     And  althouirh 
we  read  not  of  any  particular  circumstance  of  his 
behaviour  under  his  comiction  outwardly,  yet  it  is 
almost  impossibly  but  he  must  have  some,  and  those 
of  the  most  solid  sort.     For  there  Is  such  a  sj-m- 
pathy  betwixt  the  soul  and  the  body,  that  the  one 
cannot  be  in   distress   or  comfort,  but  the  other 
must  partake  of,  and  also  signify  the  same.     If  it 
be  comfort,  then  'tis  shewn ;  If  comfort  of  mind, 
then  by  leaping,   skipping,   cheerfulness    of    the 
countenance,  or  some  other  outward  gesture.     If  it 
be  sorrow  or  heaviness  of  spirit,  then  that  is  shewed 
by  the  body,  in  weeping,  sighing,  groaning,  softly- 
going,  shaking  of  the  head,  a  lowering  counten- 
ance, stamping,  smiting  upon  the  thigh  or  breast 
as  here  the  Publican  did,  or  somewhat. 

We  must  not  therefore  look  upon  these  outward 
actions  or  gestures  of  the  Publican,  to  be  empty 
insignificant  things ;  but  to  be  such,  that  in  truth 
did  expi-ess  and  shew  the  temper,  frame,  and  pre- 
sent complexion  of  his  soul.  For  Christ,  the  wis- 
dom of  God,  hath  mentioned  them  to  that  very 
end,  that  in  and  by  them,  might  be  held  forth,  and 
that  men  might  see,  as  in  a  glass,  the  very  emblem 
of  a  converted,  and  truly  penitent  sinner.  '  He 
smote  upon  his  breast.' 

5.  Smiting  upon  the  breast,  is  sometimes  to 
signify  a  mixture  of  distrust,  joined  with  hope. 
And  indeed  in  young  converts,  hope  and  distrust, 
or  a  degree  of  despair,  do  work  and  answer  one 
another,  as  doth  the  noise  of  the  balance  of  the 
watch  In  the  pocket.  Life  and  death,  life  and 
death  Is  always  the  motion  of  the  mind  then,  and 
this  noise  continues  mitil  faith  is  stronger  grown, 
and  until  the  soul  is  better  acquainted  with  the 
methods  and  ways  of  God  with  a  sinner.  Yea, 
was  but  a  carnal  man  in  a  convert's  heart,  and 
could  see,  he  should  discern  these  two,  to  wit, 
hope  and  fear,  to  have  a  continual  motion  in  the 
soul :  wrestling  and  opposing  one  another,  as  doth 
light  and  darkness,  in  striving  for  the  victory. 

And  hence  it  is  that  you  find  such  people  so 
fickle  and  uncertain  in  their  spirits ;  Now  on  the 
mount,  then  in  the  valleys ;  now  in  the  sunshine, 
then  in  the  shade;  now  warm,  then  frozen;  now 
bonny  and  blithe,  then  in  a  moment  pensive  and 
sad ;  as  thinking  of  a  portion  nowhere  but  in  hell. 
This  will  cause  smiting  on  the  breast ;  nor  can  I 
imagine  that  the  Publican  was  as  yet  farther  than 
thus  far  in  the  Christian's  progress,  since  yet  he 
was  smiting  upon  his  breast. 

6.  Smiting  upon  the  breast,  seems  to  intimate, 
that  the  party  so  doing  is  very  apprehensive  of 
some  great  loss  that  he  has  sustained ;  either  by 


276 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAN. 


negligence,  carelessness,  foolishness,  or  the  like, 
and  this  is  the  way  in  which  men  do  lose  their 
souls.  Now  to  lose  a  thing,  a  great  thing,  the 
only  choice  thing  that  a  man  has,  negligently,  care- 
lessly, foolishly,  or  the  like,  why  it  puts  aggrava- 
tions into  the  thoughts  of  the  loss  that  the  man  has 
sustained;  and  aggravations  in  the  thoughts  of 
them  go  out  of  the  soul,  and  come  in  upon  a  sud- 
den, even  as  the  hailiff,  or  the  king's  sergeant  at 
arms,  and  at  every  appearance  of  them  makes  the 
soul  start ;  and  starting,  it  smites  upon  the  breast. 
I  might  multipl}"  particulars ;  but  to  be  brief, 
we  have  before  us  a  sensible  soul,  a  sorrowful  soul, 
a  penitent  soul :  one  that  prays  indeed,  that  prays 
sensibly,  affectionately,  effectually.  One  that  sees 
his  loss,  that  fears  and  tremblcth  before  God  in 
consideration  of  It,  and  one  that  knows  no  way, 
but  the  right  way,  to  secure  himself  from  perish- 
ing, to  wit,  by  having  humble  and  hearty  recourse 
to  the  God  of  heaven  for  mercy. 

I  shoidd  now  come  to  speak  something  by  way 
of  use  and  application ;  but  before  I  do  that,  I  will 
briefly  draw  up,  and  present  you  with  a  few  con- 
clusions that  in  my  judgment  do  naturally  flow 
from  the  text,  therefore  in  this  place  I  will  read 
over  the  text  again. 

'  Two  men  went  up  into  the  temple  to  pray ;  the 
one  a  Pharisee,  and  the  other  a  Publican:  The 
Pharisee  stood  and  prayed  thus  with  himself,  God, 
I  thank  thee,  that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  ex- 
tortioners, unjust,  adulterers,  or  even  as  this  Pub- 
lican :  I  fast  twice  in  the  week,  I  give  tithes  of 
all  that  I  possess.  And  the  Publican,  standing 
afar  off,  would  not  lift  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  unto 
heaven,  but  smote  upon  his  breast,  saying,  God  be 
merciful  to  me  a  smner.' 

From  these  words  I  gather  these  several  conclu- 
sions, with  these  Inferences. 

Conclusion  First,  It  doth  not  always  follow,  that 
they  that  pray  do  know  God,  or  love  him,  or  trust 
in  him.  This  conclusion  Is  evident  by  the  Phari- 
see in  the  text ;  he  prayed,  but  he  knew  not  God, 
lie  loved  not  God,  he  trusted  not  in  God ;  that  is, 
he  knew  him  not  in  his  Son,  nor  so  loved,  nor  trusted 
in  him.  He  was,  though  a  praying  man,  far  off 
from  this.  Whence  it  may  be  inferred,  that  those 
that  pray  not  at  all  cannot  be  good,  ciinnot  know, 
love,  or  trust  in  God.  For  if  the  star,  though  it 
shines,  is  not  the  sun,  then  surely  a  clod  of  dirt 
cannot  be  the  sun.  Why,  a  praying  man  doth  as 
far  outstrip  a  non-praying  man,  as  a  star  outstrips 
a  clod  of  earth.  A  non-praying  man  lives  like  a 
beast,  nay  worse,  and  with  reference  to  his  station, 
a  more  sottish  life  than  he.  '  The  ox  knoweth  his 
owner,  and  the  ass  his  master's  crib :  but  [this 
man]  Israel  doth  not  know,  [but  this  man]  my 
people  doth  not  consider.'  is. i. 3.  The  prayerless 
man  is  therefore  of  no  religion,  except  he  be  an 


Atheist,  or  an  Epicurean.  Therefore  the  non- 
praying  man  is  numbered  among  the  heathens, 
and  among  those  that  know  not  God,  and  Is 
appointed  and  designed  by  the  sentence  of  the 
word  to  the  fearful  wrath  of  God.  Ps.  tak.  c.  Jc.  x.  25. 
Conclusion  Second,  A  second  conclusion  is.  That 
the  man  that  prays,  if  in  his  prayer  he  pleads  for 
acceptance,  either  in  whole  or  In  part,  for  his  own 
good  deeds,  is  in  a  miserable  state.  This  also  is 
gathered  from  the  Pharisee  here,  he  prayed,  but 
in  his  prayer  he  pleaded  his  own  good  deeds  for 
acceptance,  that  is,  of  his  person,  and  therefore 
went  dowm  to  his  house  unjustified.  Now  to  be 
unjustified  is  the  worst  condition  that  a  man  can 
be  in,  and  he  is  in  this  condition  that  doth  thus. 
The  conclusion  is  true,  forasmuch  as  the  Pharisee 
mentioned  In  the  parable  is  not  so  spoken  of,  for 
the  only  sake  of  that  sect  of  men,  but  to  caution, 
forewarn,  and  bid  all  men  take  heed,  that  they  by 
doing  as  he,  procure  not  his  rejection  of  God,  and 
be  sent  away  from  his  presence  unjustified.  I  do 
therefore  infer  from  hence,  that  If  he  that  pleadeth 
his  own  good  doing  for  personal  acceptance  with 
God,  be  thus  miserable ;  then  he  that  teacheth  men 
so  to  do,  is  much  more  miserable.  We  always 
conclude,  that  a  ring-leader  in  an  evil  way,  is  more 
blame-worthy,  than  those  that  are  led  of  him.  This 
falls  hard  upon  the  leading  Socinians  and  others, 
M'ho  teach,  that  men's  works  make  their  persons 
accepted  of  God. 

True,  they  say,  through  Christ;  but  that  Is 
brought  In  as  a  *blandation,  merely  to  delude  the 
simple  with,  and  is  an  horrible  lie ;  for  we  read 
not  In  all  the  word  of  God,  as  to  personal  justifica- 
tion in  the  sight  of  God  from  the  curse,  and  that 
is  the  question  under  consideration,  that  it  must  J 
be  by  man's  righteousness,  as  made  prevalent  by  ^ 
Christ's,  but  contrariwise  by  his,  and  his  only, 
without  the  deeds,  works,  or  righteousness  of  the 
law  which  is  our  righteousness.  Wherefore  I  say, 
the  teachers  and  leaders  of  this  doctrine  have  the 
greater  sin. 

Conclusion  Third,  A  third  conclusion  Is.  They 
that  use  high  and  flaunting  language  In  prayer, 
their  shnpHcitly  and  godly  sincerity  is  to  be  ques- 
tioned, as  to  tlie  doing  of  that  duty  sincerely. 
This  still  flows  from  our  text,  the  Pharisee  greatly 
used  this  ;  for  higher  and  more  flaunting  language 
can  hardly  be  found,  than  in  the  Pharisee's  mouth; 
nor  will  ascribing  to  God  by  the  same  mouth  laud 
and  praise,  help  the  business  at  all:  For  to  be  sure, 
M'here  the  efi"ect  is  base  and  rotten,  the  cause  cannot 
be  good. 

The  Pharisee  would  hold  himself  in  hand  that 
he  was  not  as  other  men,  and  then  gives  thanks  to     j 


*  ' Blaridalion,'  a  piece  of  flattery.     'They  flattered  the 
Bishop  of  Ely  with  this  blandation.' — Camden. 


THE  PHARISEE  AND  THE  PUBLICAX. 


277 


God  for  tliis  :  But  tlie  conclusion  was  most  vilely 
false,  and  therefore  the  praise  for  it  could  not  but 
be  foolish,  vain,  and  frivolous.  Whence  I  infer, 
that  if  to  use  such  language  in  prayer  is  dangerous, 
then  to  aflfect  the  use  thereof  is  yet  more  danger- 
ous: Praj^er  must  be  made  with  humble  hearts, 
and  sensible  words,  and  of  that  we  have  treated 
before,  wherefore  high,  flaunting,  swelling  words 
of  vanity  becomes  not  a  sinner's  mouth,  no,  not  at 
any  time,  much  less  when  he  comes  to,  and  pre- 
sents himself  before  God  in  that  solemn  duty  of 
prayer.  But,  I  say,  there  are  some  that  so  affect 
the  Pharisee's  mode,  that  they  cannot  be  well  if 
in  some  sort  or  other  they  be  not  in  the  practice 
of  it ;  not  knowing  what  they  say,  nor  whereof 
they  affirm ;  but  these  are  greatly  addicted  to 
hypocrisy,  and  to  desire  of  vain-glory,  especially 
if  the  sound  of  their  words  be  within  the  reach  of 
other  men's  ears. 

Conclusion  Fourth,  A  fourth  conclusion  is,  that 
reformation  and  amendment,  though  good,  with, 
and  before  men,  are  nothing  as  to  justification  with 


God.  This  is  manifest  by  the  condition  of  our 
Pharisee ;  he  was  a  reformed  man,  a  man  beyond 
others  for  personal  righteousness,  ye*  he  went  out 
of  the  temple  from  God  mijus-tified,  his  works, 
came  to  nothing  with  God.  Hence  I  infer,  that 
the  man  that  hath  nothing  to  commend  him  to 
God  of  his  own,  yet  stands  as  fair  before  God  for 
justification,  and  so  acceptance,  as  any  other  man 
in  the  world. 

Conclusion  Fifth,  A  fifth  conclusion  is,  it  is  tho 
sensible  sinner,  the  self-bemoaning  sinner,  the  self- 
judging  sinner,  the  self-abhorring  sinner,  and  the 
self-condemning  sinner,  whose  prayers  prevail  with 
God  for  mercy.  Hence  I  infer,  that  one  reason 
why  men  make  so  many  prayers,  and  prevail  no 
more  with  God,  is  because  their  prayers  are  rather 
the  floatings  of  pharisaical  fancies,  than  the  fruits 
of  sound  sense  of  sin,  and  sincere  desire  of  enjoy- 
ing God  in  mercy,  and  in  the  fruits  of  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

The  use  and  application  we  must  let  alone  tiU 
another  time. 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE   OF  JUSTIFICATION, 
BY  FAITH  IX  JESUS  CHRIST; 

SnE"\VING, 

TRUE    GOSPEL-IIOLINESS   FLOWS   FROM   THEXCE  ; 

on,  MR.  fowler's  TRETEXDED  design  of  CHRISTIANITY,  PROVED  TO  EE  NOTHIXG  MORE  THAN  TO 

TRAIIPLE  UNDER  FOOT  THE  BLOOD  OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD  ;    AND  THE  IDOLIZING 

OF  man's  OVv'N  RIGHTEOUSNESS, 

AS  ALSO, 

EOW  WKTLE  HE  PRF.TKXDS  TO  BE  A  MIXISTEK  0?  THE  CHURCH  OF  EXGL.\XD,  HE  OVEKTHKOWETH  THE  -U-IIOLESOME 

DOCTEINE  COXTAIXED  IN  THE  IOtH,  IItH,   AND  13tH,  O?  THE  THIHTY-NINE  AHTICLES  OF  THE  SAME, 

AXi)  THAT  HE  EALLrXH  IX  "O'lTH  THE  QUAKER  AND  ROMAXIST,  AGAINST  TUE3I. 

By    JOHN    B  U  N  Y  A  X. 


* LisalloT-ecI  hicJeecl  of  men,  hid  clcosen  of  God,  &vA  p-ecloi!s.^ — 1  Pet.  ii.  4. 
rrintcd  for  Francis  Smith,  at  the  Elephant  anil  Castle,  without  Temple  Bar,  1G72. 


EDITOPt'S  ADVEETISEMEXT. 


This  is  one  of  the  least  known  hut  most  deeply 
interesting  productions  of  John  Bunyau.  It  has 
never  been  reprinted  in  a  separate  form ;  and  once 
only  in  any  edition  of  his  works — that  vrith  notes, 
by  Mason  and  Ryland,  and  then  with  great  care- 
lessness, the  errata  remaining  uncorrected,  and 
one  leaf  being  entirely  omitted.  This  treatise  was 
published  to  counteract  the  pernicious  errors  in  a 
very  popular  volume  called  '  The  Design  of  Chris- 
tianity, by  Edward  Fowler,  minister  of  God's  Word 
at  Northill,  in  Bedfordshire.  Printed  by  the  author- 
ity of  the  Bishop  of  London,  April  1 7th,  1G71;'  an 
octavo  volume  of  308  pages.  The  whole  object 
proposed  by  Mr.  Fowler  was  to  shew,  that  Christi- 
anity is  intended  merely  to  restore  man  to  the 
original  state  which  he  enjoyed  before  the  fall. 

Bunyan  was  at  that  time  suffering  his  tedious 
imprisonment  for  conscience  sake  in  Bedford  jail ; 
and  having  refused  to  expatriate  himself,  was  in 
daily  fear  lest  his  cruel  sentence,  '  you  must  stretch 
by  the  neck'  for  refusing  to  attend  the  church  ser- 
vice, should  be  carried  into  execution. 

The  fame  of  Fowler's  gross  perversion  of  the 
design  of  Christ's  gospel  reached  Bunyan  in  prison, 
and  its  popularity  grieved  his  spirit.  At  length, 
on  the  13th  of  the  11th  Month  (February),  a  coi)y 
of  the  book  was  brought  to  him  ;  and  in  the  almost 
incredible  space  of  forty-two  short  days,  on  the  2/'th 
of  the  12th  IMonth  (March)  1671-2,  he  had  fully 
analysed  '  The  Design,'  exposed  the  sophistry, 
and  scripturally  answered  the  gross  errors  which 
abound  in  every  page  of  this  learned  and  subtle 
piece  of  casuistry. 


The  display  of  Latin  and  Greek  quotations  from 
the  heathens  and  fathers,  those  thunderbolts  of 
scholastic  warfare,  dwindled  into  mere  pop-gun 
weapons  before  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  puts 
all  such  rabble  to  utter  rout.  Kever  was  the 
homely  proverb  of  Cobbler  Howe  more  fully  exem- 
plified, than  in  this  triumphant  answer  to  the  subtil- 
ties  of  a  man  deeply  schooled  in  aU  human  acquire- 
ments, by  an  unlettered  mechanic,  whose  knowledge 
was  drawn  from  one  book,  the  inspired  volume : — 

•  The  Spirit's  teaching  in  a  cohbler's  shop. 
Doth  Oxford  and  Cambridge  o'ertop.' 

The  Babel  building  of  the  learned  clergyman  could 
not  withstand  the  attack  of  one  who  was  armed 
with  such  irresistible  weapons.  His  words  burn 
'like  a  fire,'  and  consimie  the  wood,  hay  and 
stubble  ;  while  they  fell  with  overpowering  weight, 
as  '  a  hammer  that  breaketh  the  rock  in  pieces. ' 
Je.niii.  29.  So  Cunningly  was  'the  design'  con- 
structed, that  nothing  but  the  fire  and  hammer  of 
God's  word  could  have  demolished  it.  Armed  with 
such  weapons,  he  fearlessly  from  his  dungeon  made 
the  attack ;  and,  encouraged  by  the  Spirit  which 
animated  the  prophet,  he  was  not  '  dismayed  at 
their  faces,'  but  became  as  'a  defenced  city,  and 
an  iron  pillar,  and  brazen  walls  against  the  whole 
land.'   Je.  i.  48. 

Such  internal  and  powerful  support  encouraged 
Bunyan  to  use  the  greatest  plainness  of  speech. 
He  was  fully  aware  of  his  danger,  and  of  the  great 
influence  of  Mr.  Fowler,  but  he  had  counted  the 
cost  of  plain  honest  dealing,  and  was  "imdaunted 


EDITOR-3  .VDVERTISEMEXT. 


279 


hj  the  perils  atIucIi  surrounded  liim.  Witli  notle 
bearing,  worthy  the  descendant  of  the  apostles,  he 
declares,  *  As  for  your  subtle  and  close  incensing 
THE  POWER  to  persecute  Xonconforraists,  know  that 
we  are  willing,  God  assisting,  to  overcome  you 
v>ith  truth  and  patience ;  not  sticking  to  sacrifice 
our  lives,  and  dearest  concerns  in  a  faithful  Avitness- 
beariug. '  *  *  Wherefore,  sir,  laying  aside  all  fear 
of  men,  not  regarding  what  you  may  procure  to 
be  inflicted  upon  me,  for  this  my  plain  dealing  with 
you,  I  tell  you  again,  that  you  are  one  of  thera  that 
have  closely,  privily,  and  devilishly,  by  your  book, 
turned  the  grace  of  our  God  into  a  lascivious  doc- 
trine.'! Mr,  Fowler's  opinions  were  not  only 
contrary  to  scriptm-e,  but  to  that  which  some 
esteem  a  more  heinous  offence,  they  opposed  the 
thirty-nine  articles;  and  the  result  was  thatBunyan, 
who  vindicated  the  scriptures  and  those  articles, 
was  kept  in  prison,  while  the  clergyman  who  op- 
posed them  was  soon  after  consecrated  Bishop  of 
Gloucester!  It  may  lead  some  simple  readers  to 
wonder  how  it  could  be,  that  state  religion  thus 
made  a  mockery  of  itself.  The  reason  is  perfectly 
obvious  ;  Fowler's  religion  vras  that  of  a  statesman, 
which  may  be  comprised  in  one  word,  expediency; 
and  the  man  who  coidd  publish  as  truth,  that 
religion  consists  in  obeying  the  orders  made  therein 
by  the  state,  deserved  the  primacy  of  the  united 
churches  of  England  and  Ireland,  His  words  are, 
speaking  of  religious  observances,  '  Whatsoever  of 
such  are  commended  by  the  custom  of  the  places 
vre  live  in,  or  commanded  by  superiors,  or  made 
by  any  circumstance  convenient  to  be  done ;  our 
christian  liberty  consists  in  this,  that  we  have  leave 
to  do  them.  And,  indeed,  it  is  so  far  from  being 
a  sin,  that  it  worJd  be  so  to  refuse  so  to  do,' 
Gould  the  state  have  selected  a  fitter  tool  for  their 
pui-poses  ? 

Mr.  Fowler  is  soinewhat  inconsistent  with  regard 
to  persecution;  in  p,  266  he  says,  'As  for  factious 
hypocrites,  they  would  be  with  ease  supjprest;^  in 
p.  262  he  describes  these  factious  hypocrites,  '  Such 
as  preach  up  free  grace, — laying  hold  on  Christ's 
righteousness  and  renouncing  our  ovrn  righteousness.' 
Such  are  to  be  suppressed,  but  for  Roman  catholics 
'  unposing  their  own  sense  upon  the  word  of  God, 
and  their  persecuting,  burning,  and  damning  men 
for  not  subscribing  to  theirs  as  to  GocVs  word  can 
be  no  better  than  an  act  of  devilish  pride  and  bar- 
barous cruelty,'  p.  247.  Docs  not  the  same  pride 
and  cruelty  apply  equally  to  the  church  of  Bonner 
for  burning  Latimer,  of  Fowler,  for  the  imprison- 
ment of  Bunyan  ;  and  of  Philpot,  for  dragging  his 
brother,  Shore,  from  his  family,  and  shutting  him 
up  in  Exeter  jail  ? 

The  admirers  of  Bun  van  vriU  feel  surprised  at  his 


*  P.  32  i. 


P.  "21. 


strictures  upon  persons  calling  themselves  Quakers. 
In  these  severe  remarks  he  does  not  refer  to  the 
Society  of  Friends ;  but  to  some  unworthy  indivi- 
duals vrho  assumed  the  name  of  Quakers.   They  will 
be  equally  surprised  at  liis  freedom  of  speech  with 
one  who  he  considered  to  be  an  enemy  to  his  Lord. 
He  calls  Mr.   Fowler  '  a  brutish,  beastly  man,' 
'  this  thief,'  '  a  blasphemer,'  '  horribly  Avicked,'  '  a 
learned    ignorant    Nicodemus,'    *  one  that  would 
fling  heaven's  gates  off  the  hinges,'  *  a  bat,'  'an 
angel  of  darkness.'    Such  epithets  sound  strangely 
In  our  more  refined  age  ;  but  they  were  then  con- 
sidered essential  to  faithful  dealing.     The  Bishop 
In  his  reply,  called  *  Dirt  wiped  off, '  beat  the  tinker 
In  abusive  language ;  he  calls  Bunyan  '  A  wretched 
scribbler,'   'grossly  ignorant,'  'most  unchristian 
and  wicked,'  '  a  piece  of  proud  folly,'  *so  very  dirty 
a  creature  that  he  disdains  to  dirt  his  fingers  with 
him,'  '  Bunyan  can  no  more  disgrace  him  than  a 
rude  creature  can  eclipse  the  moon  by  barking  at 
her ;  or  make  palaces  contemptible  by  hfting  up 
their  legs  against  them,'  *a  most  black-mouthed 
caluminator,'   'Infamous  in  Bedford  for  a  pestilent 
schismatic,'  and  with  a  heart  full  of  venom  he  called 
upon  his  majesty  not  to  let  such  a  firebrand.  Im- 
pudent, malicious  schismatic  to  enjoy  toleration, 
or  go  unpunislied,  lest  he  should  subvert  all  govern- 
ment.    Bunyan  had  then  suffered  nearly  twelve 
years'  incarceration  in  a  miserable  jail,  and  was 
more  zealous  and  intrepid  than  ever:  and  yet  this 
learned  fanatic  woidd  have  added  to  his  privations, 
because  he  could  not  resist  the  arrows  of  truth  with 
which  this  poor  prisoner  for  Christ  assailed  him, 
drawn  all  biu-ning  from  the  furnace  of  God's  holy- 
word. 

Bunyan's  views  of  the  kingly  office  of  Christ  are 
very  striking :  not  oiJy  Is  he  king  over  the  chmx-h 
requiring  personal  obedience,  but  over  the  universe 
for  the  benefit  of  believers.  '  Christ  is  as  weU  a 
Lord  for  us,  as  to,  or  over  us ;  and  it  highly  con- 
cerneth  the  soul — when  it  beheveth  In,  or  trusteth 
to,  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  for  justification 
with  God — to  see  that  this  righteousness  lords  It 
over  death  and  sin,  and  the  devil  and  hell  for  us.' 
'  He  led  captivity  captive,  tliat  Is,  carried  them  pri- 
soners, whose  prisoners  we  were :  He  rode  to  heaven 
in  triumph,  having  in  chains  the  foes  of  believers. ' 
This  compendious  treatise  Is  upon  a  most  import- 
ant subject,  and  detects  dangerous  errors  enveloped 
in  most  Insinuating  sophistry.  In  preparing  this 
edition  for  the  press,  the  text  has  been  carefully 
collated  with  the  original,  which  is  in  the  editor's 
possession.  The  quotations  have  been  verified ; 
those  from  Fowler  by  the  first  edition  of  his  '  De- 
sign of  Christianity,'  1671.  The  extracts  from 
'Penn's  Sandy  Foundation,'  by  the  second  edition, 
in  the  Friends'  library,  Devonshire  House.  Those 
from   Camplan   have   not   been   discovered;    tte 


280 


A  PREMONITION  TO  THE  11E.\DER. 


author's  being  confined  at  Bedford,  while  his  book 
was  printing  in  London,  occasioned  numerous  typo- 
graphical errors  which  have  been  corrected,  and 
all  the  obsolete  words  explained. 


To  assist  the  reader,  a  few  leading  words  havo 
been  introduced  in  italics,  and  between  brackets, 
to  distinguish  them  from  the  text. 

George  Offor. 


A  PEEMONITION  TO  THE  READER. 


Gentle  Reader, 


That  thou  mayest  not  be  tired  with  longing  to 
know  Avhat  errors,  and  doctrines  destructive  to 
Christianity,  Mr.  Fowler  in  his  feigned  design  of 
Christianity,  hath  presented  the  world  withal;  and 
that  thou  mayest  even  iu  the  entry,  see  that  which 
more  fully  is  shewn  in  the  house :  namely,  of  the 
contradiction  that  is  in  his  book,  to  the  wholesome 
doctrine  of  the  church  of  England,  while  he  stands 
a  minister  of  the  same,  I  have  thought  convenient, 
instead  of  an  epistle,  to  present  thee  with  those 
doctrines  contained  in  his;  and  that  are  refuted  by 
the  book  that  thou  hast  in  thy  hand.  The  which 
also,  I  hope,  will  be  a  sufficient  apology  for  this 
my  undertaking. 

His  Doctrines  are  these : 

1.  That  the  first  principles  of  morals,  those  first 
written  in  men's  hearts,  are  the  essentials,  the  in- 
dispensable, and  fundamental  points  or  doctrines 
of  the  gospel,  p.  8,  28i,  283.  2.  That  these  first  prin- 
ciples, are  to  be  followed,  principally,  as  they  are 
made  known  to  us,  by  the  dictates  of  human  na- 
ture :  and  that  this  obedience  is  the  first,  and  best 
sort  of  obedience,  we  Christians  can  perform,  p.  8, 9, 
10.  3.  That  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  soundness 
of  soul ;  and  the  purity  of  human  nature  in  the 
world,  p.  C.  4.  That  the  law,  in  the  first  principles 
of  it,  is  far  beyond,  and  more  obliging  on  the  hearts 
of  Christians,  than  is,  that  of  coming  to  God  by 
Christ,  p.  7—10.  o.  That  the  precept  of  coming  to 
God  by  Christ,  (tc.  is  in  its  own  nature,  a  thing 
indifl^crent,  and  absolutely  considered  neither  good 
iior  evil,  p.  7, 8, 9.  6.  That  Christ's  great  errand, 
in  coming  into  the  world,  was  to  put  us  again 
in  possession  of  the  holiness  we  had  lost,    p.  12. 

7.  That  John  the  Baptist,  the  Angel  that  was 
sent  to  Zacharias,  and  Mary,  preached  this  doc- 
trine, and  so  also  did  Malachi  the  prophet,   p.  13. 

8.  That  Christ  by  saving  us  from  sin,  is  meant, 
not  first,  his  saving  ns  from  the  punishment, 
but  from  the  filth,  and  from  the  punishment,  as  a 
consequence  of  that,  p.  u,  15.  9.  That  Christ's  work, 
when  he  was  come,  was  to  establish  only  an  inward 
real  righteousness,  p.  16.  10.  That  Christ's  fulfilling 
the  law  FOR  US,  was  by  giving  more  perfect,  and 
lighter  instances  of  moral  duties,  than  were  before 
expressly  given,  p.  17.     11.  That  Christ's  doctrine, 


life,  actions,  miracles,  death,  resurrection,  ascen- 
sion, and  coming  again  to  judgment,  is  all  preached 
to  establish  us  in  this  righteousness,  chap.  2—8.  12. 
That  it  is  not  possible  a  wicked  man  shouM  have 
God's  pardon,  p.  119.  13.  That  it  is  impossible 
Christ's  righteousness  should  be  imputed  to  an 
unrighteous  man,  p.  120.  14.  And  that  if  it  were, 
he  boldly  affirms,  it  would  signify  as  little  to  his 
happiness,  while  he  continueth  so,  as  would  a  gor- 
geous and  splendid  garment,  to  one  that  is  almost 
starved,  p.  120.  15.  For  God  to  justify  a  wicked 
man,*  &e.,  woidd  far  more  disparage  his  justice 
and  holiness,  than  advance  his  grace  and  kindness, 
p.  130.  16.  He  saitli,  men  are  not  capable  of  God's 
pardoning  grace,  till  they  have  truly  repented  them 
of  all  their  sins,  p.  130.  17.  The  devils,  saitli  he, 
have  a  large  measure  of  these  attributes  of  God; 
as  his  power,  knowledge,  &;c.t  p.  124.  18.  That 
Christ  did  himself  perform,  as  our  example,  what- 
ever he  required  of  us  to  do ;  yea,  that  he  trod 
himself  every  step  of  our  way  to  heaven,  p.  lis. 
19.  The  salvation  of  Christ,  first,  consists  in  curing 
our  wounds  (our  filth)  and  secondarily,  in  freeing 
us  from  the  smart,  p.  210.  20.  That  pardon  doth 
not  so  much  consist  in  I'cmission,  as  in  healing; 
[to  wit,  our  filth,]  p.  216.  21.  Faith  justifieth,  as 
it  includeth  true  holiness  in  the  nature  of  it ;  it 
justifieth  AS  it  doth  so,  p.  221.  22.  That  faith  which 
entitles  a  sinner  to  so  high  a  privilege  as  that  of 
justification,  must  needs  be  such  as  complieth  with 
all  the  purposes  of  Christ's  coming  into  the  Avorld, 
&c.  And  it  is  no  less  necessary  that  it  should 
justify  OS  it  doth  this,  p.  222.  23.  He  wonders  that  any 
worthy  man  shoidd  be  so  difficultly  persuaded,  to 
embrace  this  account  of  justifying  faith,  p.  223.  24. 
There  can  be  no  pretence  for  a  man,  to  think  that 
faith  should  be  the  condition  or  instrument  of  jus- 
tification, as  it  complieth  with,  only  the  precept  of 
relying  on  Christ's  merits  for  the  obtaining  of  it, 
p.  223.  25.  It  is,  saith  he,  as  clear  as  the  sun  at 
noon-day,  that  obedience  to  the  other  precepts 
must  go  before  obedience  to  this,  p.  223.  26.  He 
shall  be  his  Apollo,  that  can  give  him  a  sufficient 
reason,  why  justifying  faith  should  consist  in  re- 
cumbencej  and  reliance  on  Christ's  merits  for  the 


*  Fowler's  words,  ia  place  of,  &c.,  are  '  wliile  he  continues 
so  (if  it  were  possible  for  God  to  do  it).' 
t  Holiness  is  excepted ! ! 
X  '  liecumbence/  depending  npon. 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATlOi^ . 


281 


pardon  of  sin,*  p.  221.  27.  He  will  tate  the  boldness 
to  tell  those  who  are  displeased  with  this  account 
of  justifying  faith,  that  in  his  opinion  it  is  impos- 
sible they  should  OXCE  think  of  any  other,  p.  225. 
28.  The  imputation  of  Christ's  righteousness,  con- 
sisteth  in  dealing  with  sincerely  righteous  persons, 
as  if  they  were  perfectly  so,  tbc.  p.  225.  29.  The 
grand  intent  of  the  gospel  is,  to  make  us  partakers 
of  inward  real  righteousness ;  and  it  is  hut  se- 
condaiy,  that  we  should  he  accepted  as  hefore, 
p.  226.  30.  It  is  not  possible  (he  saith)  that  any 
other  notion  of  this  doctrine  should  have  truth  in 
it,  p.  22G.  31.  Whatsoever  is  commended  by  the 
customs  of  the  place  we  live  in,  or  commanded 
by  superiors,  or  made  by  any  circumstance  con- 
venient to  be  done,  our  christian  liberty  consists 
in  this  that  we  have  leave  to  do  them,  p.  242.  32. 
For  our  refusing  to  comply  with  these,  can  hardly 
proceed  from  any  thing,  than  a  proud  affectation 
of  singularity,  or  at  best  from  superstitious  scru- 
pidosity,  p.  242.  33.  Those  ministers  hinder  the 
design  of  Christianity,  that  preach  up  free  grace, 
and  christian  privileges,  other  ways  than  as 
motives  to  obedience,  and  that  scarce  ever  insist 
upon  any  other  duties  than  those  of  believing,  lay- 
ing hold  of  Christ's  righteousness,  applying  the 
promises,  <fec.,  p.  262.  34.  But  to  make  the  chris- 
tian duties  to  consist  either  whoUy  or  mostly  in 
these,  <kc.,  is  the  way  effectually  to  harden  hypo- 
crites, p.  262.  35.  Those  ministers  do  nothing  less 
than  promote  the  design  of  Christianity,  that  are 
never  in  their  element,  but  when  they  are  talking 


*  Fowler  adds,  '  and  not  also  in  his  power  for  the  mortificr.- 
tioQ  of  it.' 


of  the  u-respectiveness  of  God's  decrees,  the  abso- 
lute [ness  of  his]  promises,  the  utter  disability,  and 
perfect  impotence  of  natural  men,  to  do  any  thing 
towards  their  own  conversion,  p.  262.  36.  He  is  the 
only  child  of  Abraham,  who  in  the  purity  of  his 
heart  obeyeth  those  substantial  laws,  that  are  by 
God  imposed  upon  him,  p.  2S3.  37.  There  is  \o 
duty  more  affectionately  commanded  in  the  gospel, 
than  that  of  almsgiving,  p.  284.  38.  It  is  impossible 
we  should  not  have  the  design  of  Christianity 
accomplished  in  us,  &;c.,  if  we  make  our  Sa\-iour's 
most  excellent  life,  the  pattern  of  our  lives,  p.  296. 
39.  To  do  well  is  better  than  believing,  p.  299.  40. 
To  be  imitators  of  Christ's  righteousness,  even  of 
the  righteousness  we  should  rely  on,  is  counted  by 
]\Ir.  Fowler,  more  noble,  than  to  rely  thereon,  or 
trust  thereto,  p.  soo. 

Keader, 

I  have  given  thee  here  but  a  taste  of  these 
things  ;  and  by  my  book  but  a  brief  reply  to  the 
errors  that  he  by  his  hath  divulged  to  the  world : 
Ay,  though  many  more  are  by  me  reflected  thau 
the  forty  thou  are  here  presented  with. 

God  give  thee  eyes  to  see,  and  an  heart  to  shun 
and  escape  all  these  things  that  may  yet  come  to 
pass,  for  hurt,  and  to  stand  before  the  Son  of  Man. 

Thus  hoping  that  this  short  taste  may  make  Mr. 
Fowler  ashamed,  and  thee  receive  satisfaction, 
touching  the  truth  and  state  of  this  man's  spirit 
and  principles  ;  I  rest. 

Thine  to  serve  thee  in  the  gospel  of  Christ, 

J.  Bunyan. 

Trom  Prison,  the  27th  of  the 
12th  Month,  1671. 
[27th  March,  1672.] 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH  IN  JESUS  CHRIST; 

PROVING 

THAT  GOSPEL-HOLINESS  FLOWS  FROM  THENCE. 


Sir, 

Having  heard  of  your  book,  entitled,  Tlie  Design 
of  CJiristianity ;  and  that  in  it  was  contained  such 
principles  as  gave  just  offence  to  christian  ears ;  I 
was  desirous  of  a  view  thereof,  that  from  my  sight 
of  things  I  might  be  the  better  able  to  judge.  But 
I  could  not  obtain  it  till  the  13th  of  tliis  11th 
month,  which  was  too  soon  for  you.  Sir,  a  pre- 
tended minister  of  the  word,  so  vilely  to  expose  to 
pubhc  view  the  rottenness  of  your  heart  in  princi- 
ples diametrically  opposite  to  the  simplicity  of  the 
gospel  of  Christ.  And  had  it  not  been  for  this 
consideration,  that  it  is  not  too  late  to  oppose  open 

VOL.  IT. 


blasphemy  (such  as  endangereth  the  souls  of  thou- 
sands) I  had  cast  by  this  answer,  as  a  thing  out 
of  season. 

Two  things  are  the  design  of  your  book. 

1 .  To  assert  and  justify  a  thing  which  you  call 
inward,  real  righteousness  and  holiness. 

2.  To  prove,  That  the  wliole,  the  grand,  the 
only,  and  ultimate  design  of  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
is  to  begin  and  perfect  this  righteousness. 

Into  the  truth,  or  untruth,  of  both  these,  as 
briefly  as  I  may,  I  shall  at  this  time  inquire. 

First,  Therefore,  a  little  to  examine  the  nature 
of  your  holiness  and  righteousness,  as  youi'self 
hath  described  the  same. 

2  N 


2S3 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTEINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


'  It  is  (say  you)  so  sound  a  complexion  of  soul, 
as  maintains  in  life  and  vigour,  wiiatsoever  is 
essential  to  it,  and  suffereth.  not  anything  unnatural 
to  mix  witli  that  which  is  so ;  by  the  force  and 
power  whereof  a  man  is  enabled  to  behave  him- 
self as  [becometh]  a  creature  indued  with  a  prin- 
ciple of  reason,  keeps  his  supreme  faculty  in  its 
throne,  brings  into  due  subjection  all  his  inferior 
ones,  his  sensual  imagination,  his  brutish  passions 
and  affections.' 

You  add  farther,  '  It  is  the  purity  of  the  human 
nature,  engaging  those  in  whom  it  resides,  to 
demean  themselves  suitably  in  that  state  in  which 
God  hath  placed  them,  and  not  to  act  disbecomingly 
in  any  condition,  circumstance  or  relation.' 

You  say,  moreover,  'It  is  a  divine,  or  God-like 
nature,  causing  an  hearty  approbation  of,  and  an 
affectionate  compliance  with  the  eternal  laws  of 
righteousness ;  and  a  behaviour  agreeable  to  the 
essential,  and  immutable  diiferences  of  good  and 
evil, '  p.  6. 

Farther,  You  call  it  a  principle  or  habit  of  soul, 
'originally  dictates  of  human  nature,'  p.  8. 

'  A  disposition  and  temper  of  the  inward  man, 
as  powerfully  inclines  it  to  regard,  and  attend  to; 
affectionately  to  embrace  and  adhere  to;  to  be 
actuated  by,  and  under  the  government  of,  all 
those  [good]  practical  principles,  that  are  made 
known  either  by  revelation,  nature,  or  the  use  of 
reason,'  p.  ii.  Which  in  conclusion  you  call  that 
holiness  which  already  we  have  lost,  p.  12. 

Thus,  Sir,  is  your  holiness,  by  you  described ; 
which  holiness  you  aver  is  that,  which  is  the  great 
and  only  design  of  Christ  to  promote  both  by  his 
life  and  glorious  gospel. 

To  take  therefore  your  description  in  pieces,  if 
happily  there  may  be  found  ought,  but  naught 
therein. 

1 .  '  It  is  (say  you)  an  healthful  complexion  of 
soul,  the  purity  of  the  human  nature,'  &c. 

Ans.  These  are  but  words;  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  the  purity  of  our  nature,  abstract  and 
distinct  from  the  sinful  pollution  that  dwelleth  in 
us.  Ro.  vii.  21.  It  is  true,  a  man  may  talk  of,  and 
by  argument  distinguish  between  nature  and  sin ; 
but  that  there  is  such  a  principle  in  man  (since 
Adam's  fall)  a  principle  by  which  he  may  act,  or 
that  Christ's  whole  gospel-design  is,  the  helping 
forward  such  a  principle,  is  altogether  without 
scripture  or  reason.  There  is  no  man  by  nature, 
that  hath  any  soundness  in  him,  is.  i.  6.  no,  neither 
in  soul  or  body ;  his  understanding  is  darkened, 
his  mind  and  conscience  is  defiled.  Tit.  i.  15.  his  will 
is  perverted  and  obstinate.  Ep.  iv.  18.  *  There  is  no 
judgment  in  his  goings.'  Is.  lix.  c— 10.  Where  now  is 
the  sound  and  healthful  complexion  of  soul  ?  Let 
the  best  come  to  the  best,  when  we  have  mustered 
up  all  the  excellences  of  the  soul  of  maa,  as  man. 


shall  nought  we  find  there,  but  the  lame,  the  blind, 
the  defiled,  the  obstinate  and  misled  faculties 
thereof.  And  never  think  to  evade  me  by  saying, 
the  graces  of  the  Spirit  of  God  are  pure :  for  with 
them  you  have  nothing  to  do  ;  your  doctrine  is  of 
the  sound  complexion  of  soul,  the  purit}^  of  the 
human  natm'e,  a  habit  of  soul,  and  the  holiness  we 
lost  in  Adam,  things  a  great  way  off  from  the 
spirit  of  grace,  or  the  gracious  workings  of  the 
spirit.  You  talk  indeed  of  a  divine  or  godlike 
nature,*  but  this  is  still  the  same  with  your  pure 
himian  nature,  or  with  your  sound  complexion,  or 
habit  of  soul ;  and  so  must  either  respect  man,  as 
he  was  created  in  the  image  or  likeness  of  God,  or 
else  you  have  palpable  contradiction  in  this  your 
description.  But  it  must  be  concluded,  that  the 
divine  nature  you  talk  of,  is  that,  and  no  other 
than  the  dictates  of  the  human  nature,  or  your 
feigned  purity  thereof;  because  you  make  it  by 
your  words  the  self  same ;  it  is  the  purity  of  the 
human  nature,  it  is  a  divine  or  Godlike  nature. 

2.  But  you  proceed  to  tell  us  of  a  degree,  it  is 
so  sound  and  healthful  a  complexion  or  tempera- 
ture of  the  faculties,  qualities,  or  virtues  of  soul, 
*as  maintains  in  life  and  vigour  whatsoever  is 
essential  to  it,  and  suffereth  not  anything  unnatural 
to  mix  with  that  which  is  so.'t 

Ans.  If,  as  was  said  before,  there  is  no  sound- 
ness of  soul  in  man,  as  man,  and  no  such  thing  as 
a  purity  of  our  nature,  abstract  from  that  which  is 
sin ;  then  where  shall  we  find  so  healthful  a  com- 
plexion, or  temperature  of  soul,  as  to  maintain  in 
life  and  vigour  whatsoever  is  essential  to  it,  and 
that  suffereth  not  any  thing  unnatural  to  mix  with 
that  which  is  so  ? 

But  let  us  take  Paul's  definition  of  a  man  ; 
*  There  is  none  righteous,  no,  not  one :  there  is 
none  that  understandeth,  there  is  none  that  seeketh 
after  God.  They  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way,  they 
are  together  become  unprofitable ;  there  is  none 
that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one.  Their  throat  is  an 
open  sepulchre;  with  their  tongues  they  have 
used  deceit ;  the  poison  of  asps  is  under  their  lips : 
whose  mouth  is  full  of  cursing  and  bitterness :  [tlieir 
feet  are  swift  to  shed  blood :  destruction  and  misery 
are  in  their  ways :  and  the  way  of  peace  have  they 
not  knoAvn :  there  is  no  fear  of  God  before  their 
eyes.'  Uo.iii.  I  the  rather  give  you  this  of  Paul, 
than  any  of  my  own ;  because  it  is  the  soundest 
comi>lexion  of  soul,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  himself 
could  draw.  Here  is  now  no  purity  of  the  human 
nature,  nor  such  sound  complexion  of  soiil  as  can 
keep  itself  from  mixing  with  that  which  is  contrary 
to  itself.  And  note,  that  this  is  the  state  of  all 
men,  and  that  as  they  stand  in  themselves  before 
God:  wherefore  together,  even  altogether,  all  the 


Fowler's  Design,  p.  0. 


t  Ibid. 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRIISiE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


283 


men  in  tlie  world,  take  tLem  in  tlieir  most  pure 
naturals,  or  witli  all  the  purity  of  liumauity,  which 
they  can  make,  and  together,  they  still  will  he 
improfitahle,  and  so  must  come  short  of  doing 
good,  '  that  every  mouth  might  he  stopped,  and 
all  the  world  hecome  guilty  hefore  God. '  ver.  19.  * 

3.  But  proceeding,  you  say,  that  this  complexion 
is  so  forcible  as  to  'keep  his  supreme  faculty  (I 
suppose  you  mean  the  conscience)  in  its  throne, 
(and  that)  hrings  into  due  subjection  all  his  infe- 
rior ones,  (as  namely)  his  sensual  imagination, 
brutish  passions  and  affections.'! 

Ans.  These  words  suppose  that  it  is  within  the 
power  of  a  man's  own  soul,  always  to  keep  sin  out 
of  itself,  and  so  giiilt  out  of  the  conscience  ;  albeit 
the  scripture  saith,  that  both  the  mind  and  it  are 
defiled  with  the  filth  of  sin,  in  aU  whoever  do  not 
believe  the  gospel,  with  which  belief  this  descrip- 
tion meddleth  not.  Tit.  L 15. 

They  suppose  that  this  conscience  is  perfectly 
clear  and  light,  when  the  scriptures  say  they  have 
the  understanding  darkened ;  yea  and  farther,  in 
despite  of  these  your  sayings  of  the  soimd  com- 
plexion of  soul,  of  the  purity  of  human  nature,  and 
of  this  supreme  faculty,  the  scriptures  teach,  that 
man  in  his  best  estate  is  altogether  vanity,  that 
they  are  darkness  and  night,  &.c.  Ep.  iv.  18, 19. 1  Th.  t. 

Ps.  xxxit.  5. 

*  Yea,  (say  you)  this  sound  complexion  brings 
into  due  subjection  all  his  inferior  ones.'j 

Ans.  Here  seems  to  be  a  contradiction  to  the 
former  part  of  this  description,  yea,  to  the  nature 
of  the  soul  itself;  for  you  say  before,  it  suffereth 
not  any  thing  imnatural  to  mix  itself  therewith, 
when  yet  here  you  seem  to  suggest  that  part,  I 
say,  even  part  of  itself  is  disobedient  and  rebellious, 
*it  brings  into  subjection  all  his  inferior  ones,' 

'It  brings  into  due  subjection.' 

Ans.  Due  subjection  is  such  as  is  everlasting, 
universal,  perfect  in  nature,  kind,  and  manner, 
such  as  the  most  righteous,  perfect,  comprehensive 
law,  or  commandment  cannot  object  against,  or 
find  fault  therewith.     Here's   a  soul !    here's  a 

*  Seeing,  then,  it  is  evident  from  scripture,  tow  deeply  and 
dreadfully  man  is  fallen  from  God,  what  a  folly  it  is  to  su])- 
pose,  in  such  a  depraved  creatm-e,  conditions  previous  to  his 
justification !  They  who  talk  at  this  rate,  know  not  what  they 
say,  nor  whereof  they  aflEirm.  In  a  natural  man  there  is  no 
meetness,  but  a  meetness  to  sin,  and  a  meetuess  to  be  damned. 
They  who  know  themselves,  know  this.  And  there  arc  no 
pre-requisites  to  justification,  hut  what  God,  by  his  Spirit,  is 
pleased  to  work  in  men's  hearts.  None  are  meet  to  obey  the 
jjospel,  till  God  implants  iu  their  souls  a  principle  of  faith  and 
evangelical  obedience.  Before  this  is  done,  there  is  no  meet- 
ness in  the  creatm-e,  no  disposition  to  do  anytliing  spiritually 
good;  neither  are  any  of  our  works,  till  a  change  of  nature 
takes  place,  acceptable  and  well-pleasing  in  the  sight  of 
Almighty  God. — 3!ason  and  Eyiand, 

t  Fowler,  p.  G.  +  Ibid. 


pure  human  nature  I  here  are  pure  dictates  of  a 
brutish  beastly  man,  that  neither  knows  himself 
nor  one  tittle  of  the  word  of  God.  But  '  There  is 
a  generation  tMt  are  pure  in  their  own  eyes,  and 
yet  are  not  washed  from  their  filthiness.'  Pr.  xxx.  12. 

'  It  is  the  purity  of  the  human  nature,  engaging 
those  in  whom  it  resides,'  &c. § 

A71S.  That  is,  verily  in  none  at  all ;  for  there  is 
no  such  thing  in  any  man  in  this  world,  as  a  purity 
of  human  nature :  'we  are  all  as  an  imclean  thing,' 
Is.  ixiv.  6.  and  •  Who  can  bring  a  clean  thing  out  of 
an  unclean  ?  not  one. '  Job  xiv.  4.     Again, 

*  What  is  man,  that  he  should  be  clean?  or  he 
zchich  is  born  of  a  woman,  that  he  should  be 
righteous  ?  Job  re.  14  These  are  therefore  expres- 
sions without  the  testimony  of  the  word,  arising 
from  your  own  phantasy. 

'  It  is  a  divine,  or  Godlike  nature.'  || 

Ans.  This  you  seem  also  to  fetch  from  the  simi- 
litude or  likeness  of  God  that  was  in  us  at  our  first 
creation,  before  we  sinned;  but  that  similitude 
being  at  best  but  created,  and  since  most  unspeak- 
ably defiled,  defaced  and  polluted  with  sin ;  there 
is  now,  no  not  in  the  best  of  men,  as  men,  any 
sinless  likeness,  and  similitude  of  God  to  be  foimd, 
no  such  2:ietty  divine,  or  Godlike  nature  to  be  found, 
as  you  imagine. 

But  having  thus  stated  your  holiness  in  its  nature 
and  essence,  you  come  in  the  next  place  to  tell  us, 
under  what  considerations  it  moveth  a  person  to 
act,  also  by  what  rules  and  laws  it  squareth  its 
acts  and  doings. 

First,  By  or  under  what  considerations  it  acts, 
and  these  you  scatter  here  and  there  in  your 
description  of  holiness,  under  these  heads.  I.  To 
act  'as  becomes  a  creature  endued  with  a  principle 
of  reason,'  eyeing  the  state  or  place  in  which  God 
hath  set  him  ;  approving  of,  affecting  and  comply- 
ing with  the  eternal  laws  of  righteousness,  p.  6. 
which  eternal  laws  in  p.  8.  you  call  '  divine  moral 
laws,'  those  that  were  first  wu-itten  in  the  hearts 
of  men,  '  and  originally  dictates  of  human  nature,' 
&c.  II.  *  To  do  these,  from  truly  generous  motives 
and  principles,' p.  7.  Such  as  these,  1.  Because 
*  it  is  most  highly  becoming  aU  reasonable  creatures 
(you  might  also  have  added,  and  those  imreasonable) 
to  obey  God  in  every  thing ;  (within  thek  spheres) 
and  as  much  disbecoming  them,  to  disobey  him,' 
p.  8.  2.  '  Because  it  is  a  base  thing  to  do  unjustly,' 
p.  11. 

Now  a  little  to  touch  upon  all  these,  and  then  to 
proceed  to  what  is  behind. 

I.  To  act  and  do  the  things  of  the  moral  law, 
but  as  *  creatures  endued  with  a  principle  of 
reason,'  is  but  to  do  things  in  oiur  sphere  as  men, 
as  the  beast,  the  hog  or  horse  doth  things  in  his, 


§  Fowler,  p.  6. 


U  Ibid. 


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A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


as  a  Least ;  wlilcli  is  at  best,  if  it  could  be  attained, 
to  act  but  as  pure  naturals,  wliicb  state  of  man  is 
of  at  infinite  distance  from  tbat,  in  which  it  is 
by  God  expected  the  man  must  act,  that  doth 
ought  that  is  pleasing  in  his  sight.     For, 

1,  The  qualification  and  consideration  by  you 
propounded,  is  that  which  is  in  all  men,  in.  men 
simply  as  men,  they  being  reasonable  creatures, 
and  somewhat,  though  but  somewhat  capable  of 
acting  as  such. 

2,  This  qualification  is  not  only  in,  but  of  men ; 
reason  is  of  the  man  himself,  even  that  which  is  as 
essential  to  him,  as  is  that  of  his  being  created  or 
made. 

3,  The  law  also,  which  you  call  divine,  moral, 
and  eternal,  is  that  which  is  naturally  seated  in  the 
heart,  and  as  you  youi-self  express  it,  is  originally 
the  dictates  of  humane  nature,  or  that  which  man- 
Idnd  doth  naturally  assent  to,  p.  ll. 

Now  I  say,  that  a  man  cannot  by  these  princi- 
ples, and  these  qualifications,  please  the  God  of 
heaven,  is  apparent.  (1.)  Because  none  of  these 
are  faith,  '  But  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to 
please  Mm. '  He.  xi.  6.  (2.)  Because  none  of  these  are 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  there  is  nothing  accepted 
of  God,  under  a  New  Testament  consideration,  but 
those  which  are  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit.  Ga.  v.  22— 2i. 
(3.)  The  man  and  principles  you  have  stated,  may 
be  such  as  are  utterly  ignorant  of  Jesus  Chiist, 
and  of  aU  his  New  Testament  things,  as  such: 
'  But  the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of 
the  Spirit  of  God :  (the  things  of  his  New  Testa- 
ment) for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him :  neither 
can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually 
discerned.'  1  Co.  11.14.  (4.)  Your  qualifications  and 
considerations,  know  nothing  at  all  of  the  adoption 
of  sons,  and  of  our  acting  and  doing  our  duty  as 
such.  You  only  content  yourself  to  rest  within  the 
confines  of  the  humane  nature,  acts  of  reason,  as 
men  or  creatures  only,  or  m  their  supposed  pure, 
natural  principles. 

And  Sii',  a  little  by  way  of  digression ;  I  wiU 
tell  you  also  of  our  truly  christian  righteousness, 
both  as  to  its  original  or  first  principle ;  and  also 
how,  or  under  what  capacity,  it  puts  the  person 
that  is  acted  by  it. 

First,  The  principle  which  is  laid  within  us,  it 
is  not  the  purity  of  the  humane  nature,  but  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  itself,  which  we  have  of  God  received, 
by  believing  in  the  Son  of  God,  a  principle  as  far 
above  yours  of  humanity,  as  is  the  heavens  above 
the  earth ;  yours  being  but  like  those  of  the  first 
Adam,  but  ours  truly  those  of  the  second.  1  Co.  vi.  10. 
'  As  is  the  earthy,  such  are  they  also  that  arc 
earthy :  and  as  is  the  heavenly,  such  are  they  also 
that  are  heavenly.'  lCo.xv.48. 

Now  whosoever  hath  not  this  principle,  althougli 
he  be  a  creature,  and  also  have  the  dictates  of  the 


humane  nature,  yea,  and  also  follows  them,  yet  he 
is  not  Christ's :  '  If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit 
of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his.'  Ro.  viii.  9.  Thus  there- 
fore is  the  christian  principle  another  from,  and  far 
above,  your  heathenish  Pagan  one.  By  this  Spirit  is 
the  Christian  qualified  with  principles,  not  natural, 
but  spiritual,  such  as  faith,  hope,  joy,  peace,  kc.  all 
which  are  the  fruits  of  the  revelation  of  the  forgive- 
ness of  sins,  freely  by  grace,  Ga.  v.  25.  '  through  the 
redemption  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ. '  Ro.  lii.  24.  In 
this  spii-it  and  faith  we  walk,  by  this  spirit  we  are 
led,  Ko.  viii.  14.  even  into  the  joy  and  peace  of  the  Nevr 
Testament  of  our  Lord ;  wherefore  our  holy  actions 
are  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  that  is  by  Jesus 
Christ,  not  by  our  humane  nature,  or  the  purity 
of  it  in  us ;  yea,  they  are  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  the  qualifications  that  attend  the  new 
covenant,  and  those  that  by  the  work  of  regenera- 
tion are  brought  within  the  bounds  and  privileges 
thereof.     Wherefore, 

Second,  The  capacity  that  we  are  in,  who  act 
and  do  from  the  heavenly  principle ;  it  is  that  of 
sons,  the  sons  of  God  by  adoption,  as  the  apostle 
said,  '  Because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth 
the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying, 
Abba,  Father.'  Ga.  iv.  6.  And  again,  *  As  many  as 
are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of 
God. '  Ko.  viii.  14.  This  is  a  far  other  than  is  your 
human  description  of  acting  as  a  creature,  endued 
with  a  principle  of  reason ;  for  here  is  a  man  acts 
as  a  son,  endued  with  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  who 
hath,  before  the  v.'orld  was,  predestinated  him  to 
this  estate,  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  himself.  Ep.  l.  4;  iv.  6. 
As  a  son  therefore,  the  Christian  acts  and  does, 
because  he  is  endued  with  that  high  and  heavenly 
principle  mentioned  before ;  by  which  principle 
this  man  hath  received  a  new  heart,  a  new  spirit, 
a  new  understanding,  a  good  conscience,  so  made 
by  *  faith  in  the  blood  of  the  Lord  Jesus. '  He.  x. 
Thus  being  made  again  anew  and  another  man, 
he  acts  from  a  new  and  another  principle  than 
yours ;  a  principle  as  far  beyond  and  above  you,  as 
is  a  man  above  a  brute,  and  as  is  grace  above 
nature,  sco.  v.l4— 16. 

Third,  As  the  Christian  acts  and  does  from  a 
better  principle,  and  under  a  better  capacity  or 
consideration  than  that  you  have  described ;  so  (to 
allude  to  your  own  notion)  the  first  principles  by 
which  they  receive  this  spirit  and  adoption,  are 
not  those  principles  of  morals,  or  those  originally 
dictates  of  human  nature;  but  it  is  through  the 
hearing  of  faith,  Ga.  m.  1— 3.  by  which  we  under- 
stand, that  the  Son  of  God  became  a  man,  died 
for  our  sins,  hath  saved  us  from  the  curse  of  God, 
and  accounted  us  to  be  the  righteousness  of  God 
in  him ;  this  being  heard  with  the  gospel,  and  a 
Nev/  Testament  hearing,  the  Holy  Ghost  forthwith 
possesseth  us,  by  the  glorious  working  whereof 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


285 


\"e  are  helped,  through  the  Son,  to  call  the  God  of 
heaven,  our  Father. 

Now  thus  being  made  free  from  sin,  by  the  only 
faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  '  we  have  our  fruit  unto  hoU- 
ness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life. '  Eo.  vi.  23. 

And  here  come  in  those  reasonable  conclusions, 
which  you  would  make  the  very  radicals  of  Chris- 
tianity, they  being  only  remote,  and  after  conclu- 
sions, drawn  from  the  fore-mentioned  mercy  of 
God,  viz.,  from  predestination,  calling,  adoption, 
and  justification  by  Christ's  blood,  while  we  in 
ourselves  ai'e  sinners.  I  say  these  are  the  things 
which  Paul  endeavom-ed  to  provoke  the  Romans, 
Philippiaus,  and  Colossiaus,  to  an  holy  conversa- 
tion by. 

To  the  Romans,  'I  beseech  you  therefore,'  saith 
he,  '  by  the  mercies  of  God,  (What  mercies  ?  Why 
those  of  election,  redemption,  caUing,  justification, 
and  adoption,  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  chapters) 
that  ye  present  your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy, 
acceptable  unto  God,  ichich  is  your  reasonable 
service.'  Ro. xii. l. 

To  the  Philippiaus,  '  If  there  be  therefore  any  con- 
solation in  Christ,  if  any  comfort  of  love,  if  any 
fellowship  of  the  Spirit,  if  any  bowels  and  mercies, 
fulfil  ye  my  joy,  that  ye  be  like  minded.'  Piii.  ii.  i,  2. 

To  the  Colossians,  '  If  ye  then  be  risen  with 
Christ,  seek  those  things  which  are  above,  where 
Christ  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God ;  set  your 
afi'ection  on  things  above,  not  on  things  on  the 
earth ;  for  ye  are  dead,  and  your  life  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  God,  When  Christ,  wlio  is  our  life,  shall 
appear,  then  shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in  glory. ' 
Co.  iii.  1—4.  Now  mark  ;  mortify  therefore,  there- 
fore !  wherefore  ?  Avhy,  because  they  were  risen 
■svith  Christ ;  because  they  should  appear  at  the 
end  of  this  world  with  Christ  himself  in  glory; 
therefore  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,  or  our 
members  that  are  upon  the  earth. 

These, Sir,  are  the  motives  by  which  we  Chris- 
tians act ;  because  we  are  forgiven,  because  we 
are  sons,  and  if  sons,  then  heirs,  and  so  we  act ; 
but  to  speak  to  this  more  anon. 

Perhaps  you  will  say  I  deal  not  fairly  with  you, 
because  you  treat,  as  of  moral,  so  of  gospel  or 
Xew  Testament  laws. 

But  to  that  I  wiU  answer  at  present,  that  in  this 
description  of  your  holy  principle,  which  is  the 
foimdatiou  of  your  book,  whether  the  laws  be 
natm-al  or  spiritual,  moral  or  of  grace,  the  prin- 
ciple by  which  you  do  them,  is  no  other  than  the 
principle  of  nature,  the  dictates  of  the  human 
nature ;  and  so  such  as  can  by  no  means  reach 
the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  any  farther  than  to 
make  a  judgment  of  them,  by  that  wisdom  which 
is  '  enmity  with  God, '  as  will  farther  be  seen  in 
my  progress  tlu-ough  your  book. 

Indeed  you  make  mention  of  divine  laws,  and 


that  under  two  heads.  1.  Such  as  are  of  an  indis- 
pensable and  eternal  obligation,  as  those  purely 
moral,  p.  7  and  8.  2.  Such  which  you  call  positive 
precepts,  in  themselves  of  an  indifi'erent  nature, 
and  absolutely  considered,  are  neither  good  nor 
evil.  Of  those  of  this  kind  that  we  have  under 
the  gospel,  you  say  you  know  but  three,  viz..  That 
of  coming  to  God  by  Christ,  and  the  institutions 
of  baptism,  and  the  Lord's  supper,  p.  9. 

So  then,  although  j^ou  talk  of  gospel  positive 
laws,  and  particularly  that  of  coming  to  God  by 
Christ ;  yet  those  which  you  call  first  principles  of 
morals,  are  of  higher  concern  with  you,  and  more 
indispeusible  by  far  than  this,  this  being  a  thing 
of  an  indifterent  natm*e,  and  in  itself  absolutely 
considered,  is  neither  good  nor  evil ;  but  the  other 
is  the  life  of  the  matter.  But  a  little  to  gather 
you  up. 

The  morals,  say  you,  are  indispensable,  and 
good  in  themselves,  but  that  of  coming  to  God  by 
Christ,  a  thing  indifierent,  and  in  itself  neither 
good  nor  evil.  Wherefore  though  in  this  yom* 
description,  you  talk  of  conforming  to  aU  those 
good  and  practical  principles,  that  are  made  known 
either  by  revelation,  nature,  or  the  use  of  reason, 
yet  in  this  your  obedience  you  reckon  coming  to 
God  by  Christ,  but  an  act  of  a  very  indifi'erent 
nature,  a  thing  if  done  not  good  in  itself,  neither 
evil  in  itself,  should  a  man  leave  it  undone ;  and 
so  consequently  a  man  may  have  in  him  the 
ground  and  essentials  of  Christianity  without  it, 
may  be  saved,  and  go  to  heaven  without  it :  for 
this  I  say,  whatsoever  is  of  an  indifi'erent  nature  in 
itself,  is  not  essential  to  the  Christian  religion ;  but 
may  or  may  not  be  done  Avithout  the  hazard  of 
eternal  salvation ;  but  say  you,  this  of  coming  to 
God  by  Christ,  is  one  of  the  positive  precepts,  p.  9. 
which  are  in  themselves  things  indifterent,  and 
neither  good  nor  evil :  therefore  not  of  the  sub- 
stance of  Christianity. 

But,  Sir,  where  learned  you  this  new  doctrine, 
as  to  reckon  coming  to  God  by  Christ,  a  thing  of 
so  indifi'erent  a  natm-e,  a  thing  not  good  in  itseh", 
but  with  respect  to  certain  circumstances,  p.  7.  Had 
you  said  this  of  baptism  and  the  Supper  of  the 
Lord,  I  could  with  some  allowance  have  borne 
your  words,  but  to  coimt  coming  to  God  by  Christ 
a  thing  indifferent  in  itself,  is  a  blasphemy  that 
may  not  be  borne  by  Christians,  it  being  too  high 
a  contempt  of  the  blood,  and  too  great  a  disgrace 
to  the  person  of  the  Lord,  the  king  of  glory ;  of 
which  more  hereafter,  but  to  return. 

II.  The  intent  of  this  yom-  description  is  to  set 
before  us  these  two  things. 

(1.)  What  are  the  essentials  of  the  rule  of  that 
holiness,  which  by  the  gospel  we  are  immediately 
obliged  to,  if  we  would  be  justified  in  the  sight  of 
Gcd. 


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(2.)  What  are  tlie  principles  by  wliich  we  act, 
■when  we  do  these  works  aright. 

1.  For  the  first  you  tell  us,  'they  are  the  first 
principles  of  morals,  such  as  are  self-evident,  and 
therefore  not  capable  of  being  properly  demon- 
strated ;  as  being  no  less  hnowable,  and  easily 
assented  to,  than  any  proposition  that  may  be 
brought  for  the  proof  of  them,'  p.  8.  Such  as  are 
self-evident  or  evident  of  themselves ;  to  what  ?  To 
us  as  men  that  know  the  principles  of  reason,  and 
that  are  as  easily  assented  to  as  any  proposition ; 
why  said  you  not  such  as  may  be  as  easily  known, 
as  we  know  there  is  a  day  or  night,  winter  and 
siunmer,  or  any  other  thing  that  may  be  brought 
for  the  proof  of  them.  This  law  therefore  is  none 
other  than  that  mentioned  in  Ko.  ii.  14, 15.  which  is 
the  law  of  our  nature,  or  that  which  Avas  implanted 
in  us  in  the  day  of  our  creation,  and  therefore  is 
said  to  be  ourselves,  even  nature  itself,  i  Co.  xi.  14 

2.  The  princiiile,  say  you,  by  which  we  act,  and 
in  the  strength  of  which  we  do  this  law,  it  is  the 
principle  of  reason,  or  a  reasonable  compliance 
with  this  law  written  in  our  hearts,  and  originally 
dictates  of  human  nature,  <kc.  wMch  certain  prin- 
ciple, say  you,  is  this,  to  count  it  'most  highly 
becoming  all  reasonable  creatures,  to  obey  God 
in  every  thing ;  and  as  much  disbecoming  them, 
in  any  thing  to  disobey  him. '  p.  8. 

The  sum  is;  this  your  holiness  both  in  root  and 
act  is  no  other  than  what  is  common  to  all  the  men 
on  earth ;  I  mean  so  common  as  that  for  the  first, 
is  in  their  nature,  as  the  second  is  also  part  of 
themselves,  they  being  creatures  whose  prime  or 
principal  distinction  from  other,  consisteth  more  in 
that  they  are  reasonable,  and  such  as  have  reason 
as  a  thing  essential  to  them;  wherefore  the  excel- 
lency that  you  have  discoursed  of,  is  none  other 
than  the  excellency  and  goodness  that  is  of  this 
world,  such  as  in  the  first  principles  of  it,  is  com- 
mon to  Heathens,  Pagans,  Turks,  Infidels :  and 
that  as  evidently  dictates  to  those  that  have  not 
heard  the  gospel  (1  mean  as  to  the  nature  the  good 
and  evil)  as  it  doth  in  them  that  sit  under  the  sound 
thereof;  and  is  the  self-same  which  our  late  un- 
godly heretics  the  Quakers  have  made  such  a  stir 
to  promote  and  exalt,  only  in  the  description  thereof 
you  seem  more  ingenious  than  they :  for  whereas 
they  erroneously  call  it  Christ,  the  light  of  Christ, 
faith,  grace,  hope,  the  spirit,  the  word  that  is  nigh, 
&,c.  you  give  it  the  names  due  thereto,  viz.  A  com- 
plexion or  complication  and  combination  of  all  the 
virtue  of  the  soul,  the  human  nature,  the  dictates 
of  it,  the  principles  of  reason,  such  as  are  self- 
evident,  than  which  there  is  nothing  mankind  doth 
naturally  assent  to,  p.  6— il.    Only  here,  as  I  have 
said,  you  glorify  your  errors  also,  with  names  and 
titles  that  are  not  to  be  found,  but  in  your  own 
deluded  brains:  as  that  the  virtues  of  the  souls  can 


keep  themselves  incommixed,  that  there  is  yet  in 
us  the  purity  of  the  humane  nature,  or  such  a  dis- 
position, that  can  both  by  light  and  power  give  a 
man  to  see,  and  powerfully  incline  him  to,  and  bring 
him  under  the  government  of  all  those  good  and 
practical  principles,  that  are  made  known  either 
by  revelation,  nature,  or  the  use  of  reason. 

But  I  say,  these  principles  thus  stated  by  you, 
being  the  principles,  and  the  goodness  of  this  world, 
and  such  as  have  not  faith,  but  the  law ;  not  the 
Holy  Ghost,  but  himiane  nature  in  them ;  they  can- 
not be  those  which  you  affirm,  was  or  is  the  de- 
sign, the  great,  the  only,  and  ultimate  design  of 
Christ,  or  his  gospel  to  promote,  and  propagate  in 
the  world ;  neither  with  respect  to  our  justification 
before  God  from  the  curse ;  neither  with  respect 
to  the  workings  of  his  Spirit,  and  the  faith  of 
Jesus  in  our  hearts,  the  true  gospel  or  evangelical 
holiness. 

First,  It  is  not  the  righteousness  that  justifieth 
us  before  God  from  the  curse ;  because  it  is  that, 
which  is  properly  our  own ;  and  acted  and  managed 
by  principles  of  om*  own,  arising  originally  in  the 
roots  of  it,  from  our  own.  There  is  the  righteous- 
ness of  men,  and  the  righteousness  of  God :  that 
which  is  the  righteousness  of  men,  is  that  which 
we  do  work  from  matter  and  principles  of  our  own; 
but  that  which  is  the  righteousness  of  God,  is  that 
which  is  wrought  from  matter  and  principles  purely 
divine,  and  of  the  nature  of  God.  Again,  that 
Avhich  is  our  own  righteousness,  is  that  which  is 
wrought  in  and  by  our  own  persons  as  men ;  but 
that  which  is  the  righteousness  of  God,  is  that 
which  is  wrought  in  and  by  the  second  person  in 
the  Trinity,  as  God  and  man  in  one  person ;  and 
that  resideth  only  in  that  person  of  the  Son.  I 
speak  now  of  the  righteousness  by  which  we  stand 
just  before  God,  from  the  curse  of  the  law.  Now 
this  righteousness  of  ours,  our  own  righteousness, 
the  apostle  always  opposeth  to  the  righteousness 
of  God,  saying,  '  They  going  about  to  establish 
their  own  righteousness,  have  not  submitted  them- 
selves unto  the  righteousness  of  God. '  Ro.  ix.  3.  Far- 
ther, This  righteousness  of  our  own,  Paul  counts 
loss  and  dog's-meat,  in  comparison  of  that  other, 
far  more  glorious  righteousness,  which  he  caUeth 
as  it  is  in  truth,  the  righteousness  of  God,  Phi.  iiL 
7—9.  which  as  I  said  but  now,  resideth  in  the  per- 
son of  the  Son.  Therefore  (saith  Paul)  I  cast 
away  my  own  righteousness,  and  do  comit  it  loss, 
and  '  but  dung,  that  I  may  Avin  Christ,  and  be 
found  in  him,  not  having  mine  OAvn  righteousness, 
which  is  of  the  laAV,  but  that  Avhich  is  through  the 
faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  Avhich  is  of  God 
by  faith. '  The  righteousness  therefore,  that  is  our 
ov/n,  that  ariseth  from  matter  and  principles  of 
our  own  (such  as  that  Avhich  you  have  described) 
justifieth  us  not  before  God  from  the  curse. 


A  DEFENCE  OE  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


287 


Second,   The  rigliteousness  that  you  have  de- 
scribed, justifieth  us  not,  as  before,  because  it  is 
the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  moral  law,  that 
is,  it  is  wrought  by  us,  as   walking  in  the  law. 
Now  it  mattereth  not,  whether  you  respect  the 
law  in  its  first  principles,  or  as  it  is  revealed  in  the 
table  of  the  ten  commandments,  they  are  in  nature 
but  one  and  the   same,  and  their  substance  and 
matter  is  written  in  our  hearts,  as  we  are  men. 
Now  this  righteousness,  the  apostle  casteth  away, 
as  was  shewn  before  ;   '  Not  having  mine  own  righ- 
teousness (saith  he)  which  is  of  the  law;'  why? 
Because  the  righteousness  that  saveth  us  from  the 
wrath  of  God,  is  the  righteousness  of  God ;  and  so 
a  righteousness  that  is  without  the  law.     'But  now 
the  righteousness  of  God  without  the  law  is  mani- 
fested, being  witnessed  by  the  law  and  the  pro- 
phets; even  the  righteousness  of  God,  which  is  by 
faith  of  Jesus  Christ  unto  all  and  upon  aU  them 
that  believe : '  Ko.  m.  21, 22.      The  righteousness  of 
God  without  the  law ;  the  righteousness  of  Christ 
who  is  naturally  God ;  wherefore  such  a  righteous- 
ness as  was  accomplished  by  him  that  was  Lord, 
and  the  very  God  of  the  law ;  whose  nature  was 
infinite,  and  not  that  which  the  law  could  command 
or  condemn ;  neither  was  the  command  of  the  law, 
the  great  and  principal  argument  with  him,  no,  not 
in  its  first  and  highest  principles,  to  do  or  continue 
to  do  it ;  but  even  that  which  the  law  commanded 
of  us,  that  he  did,  not  hy  the  law,  but  by  that 
spirit  of  life,   that  eternal  spirit,  and  Godhead, 
which  was  essential  to  his  very  being :    He  did 
naturally  and  infinitely  that  which  the  law  required 
of  us,  from  higher,  and  more  mighty  principles 
than  the  law  could  require  of  him :  for  I  should 
reckon  it  a  piece  of  prodigious  blasphemy  to  say, 
that  the  law  could  command  his  God;  the  creatm'e, 
his  Lord  and  Creator :  but  this  Lord  God,  Jesus 
Christ,  even  he  hath  accomphshed  righteousness, 
even  righteousness  that  is  without,  that  is  ahove, 
higher,  and  better  than  that  of  the  law ;  and  that 
is  the  righteousness  that  is  given  to,  and  put  upon 
all  them  that  believe.     Wherefore  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,   in    his   most    hlessed    life,    was   neither 
prompted  to  actions  of  holiness,  nor  managed  in 
them,  by  the  purity  of  humane  nature,  or  those  you 
call  first  principles  of  morals,  or  as  he  was  simply 
a  reasonable  creature ;  but  being  the  natural  Son 
of  God,  truly,  and  essentially,  eternal  as  the  Fa- 
ther ;  by  the  eternal  Spirit,  his  Godhead,  was  his 
manhood  governed,  and  acted,  and  spirited  to  do 
and  sufi'er.     '  He  through  the  eternal  Spirit  oftered 
himself  without  spot  to  God;'  He.  ix.u.  which  ofter- 
ing  respects  not  only  his  act  of  dying,  but  also 
that  by  which  he  was  capacitated  to  die  without 
spot  in  his  sight ;  which  was  the  infinite  dignity, 
and  sinlessness  of  his  person ;  and  the  perfect  jus- 
tice of  his  actions.     Now  this  person,  thus  acting, 


is  approved  of,  or  justified  by  the  law  to  be  good: 
for  if  the  righteousness  of  the  law  be  good,  which 
law  is  but  a  creature,  the  righteousness  of  the  Lord, 
the  God  of  this  law,  must  needs  be  much  more  o"ood; 
wherefore  here  is  the  law,  and  its  perfection  swal- 
lowed up,  even  as  the  light  of  a  candle,  or  star  is 
swallowed  up  by  the  light  of  the  sun.     Thus  then 
is  the  believer  made,  not  the  righteousness  of  the 
law,  'but  the  righteousness   of  God  in   Christ,' 
2  Co.  V.  21.  because  Christ  Jesus,  who  is  the  righte- 
ousness of  the  Christian,  did  walk  in  this  world, 
in,  and  under  the  law ;  not  by  legal  and  humane 
principles,  which  are  the  excellences  of  men,  but 
in,  and  by  those  that  are  divine,  even  such  as  were, 
and  are  of  his  own  nature,  and  the  essence  of  his 
eternal  Godhead.     This  is  the  righteousness  ivith- 
out  the  law,  accomphshed  by  a  person  and  princi- 
ples, far  otherwise,  than  is  he,  or  those  you  make 
description  of;  and  therefore  yours  cannot  be  that, 
by  which  we  stand  just  before  the  justice  of  God 
without  the  law.     Now  if  it  be  a  righteousness 
without  the  law,  then  it  is  a  righteousness  without 
men,  a  righteousness  that  cannot  be  found  in  the 
world ;  for  take  away  the  law,  the  rule,  and  you 
take  away,  not  only  the  righteousness,  but  that  by 
which  men,   as  men,  work  righteousness  in  the 
world :   '  ]\Iine  own  righteousness  which  is  of  the 
law.'     The  righteousness  then  by  which  a  man 
must  stand  just  in  the  sight  of  God  from  the  curse, 
is  not  to  be  foimd  in  men,  nor  in  the  law,  but  in 
him,  and  him  only,  who  is  greater,  and  also,  with- 
out the  law ;  for  albeit,  for  our  sakes  he  became 
under  the  law,  even  to  the  curse  and  displeasure 
of  God ;  yet  the  principles  by  which  he  walked  in 
the  world  to  Godward,  they  were  neither  luimane, 
nor  legal,  but  heavenly,  and  done  in  the  Spirit  of 
the  Son.    Wherefore  it  is  not  the  righteousness  you 
have  described,  by  which  we  stand  just  before  God. 
Third,  The  righteousness  you  have  described,  can- 
not be  that  which  justifieth  us  before  God,  because 
of  its  imperfections,  and  that  both  with  respect  to 
the  principle,  and  the  power  with  which  it  is  man- 
aged :  for  though  you  have  talked  of  a  sound  com- 
plexion of  soul,  the  purity  of  the  humane  nature, 
and  that  with  this  addition  of  power,  as  to  be  able 
to  keep  itself  incommixt  with  that  which  is  not  of 
itself;  yet  we  Christians  know,  and  that   by  the 
words  of  God,  that  there  is  in  man,  as  man,  now 
no  soundness  at  all,  but  from  the  crown  of  the 
head,   to  the  sole  of  the  foot,  hotches  and  boils, 
putrefactions  and  sores.  Is.i.  6.      We  are  ALL  an 
unclean  thing,  and  our   righteousness    as    filthy 
ulcerous  rags.  is.  kiv.  6.     '  If  there  had  been  a  law 
given  which  could  have  given  life,  verily  righteous- 
ness should  have  been  by  the  law.'  Ga.  iu.  21.    Could 
a  man  perform  the  law  to  the  hking  of  the  justice 
of  the  eternal  majesty,  then  would  the  law  give 
life!  to  that  man ;  but  because  of  the  perfection  of 


2SS 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


an  infinite  justice,  and  the  weakness  and  xmprofit- 
ableness  of  the  laAv  tlirougli  our  flesh,  Eo.  viii.  3, 
therefore,  though  you  spealc  yet  farther  of  the  ex- 
cellency of  your  sound  complexion,  and  of  the 
purity  of  the  human  nature,  you  must  fly  from 
yourself,  to  another  righteousness  for  life,  or  at 
the  last  stick  in  the  jaws  of  death  and  everlasting 
desperation.  *  For  by  the  works  of  the  law  shall 
no  flesh  he  justified. '  Ga.  u.  ic. 

It  is  therefore  no  better  than  error,  thus  to 
ascribe  to  poor  man,  '  that  hath  drank  iniquity 
like  water,'  a  soundness  of  soul,  a  purity  of  human 
nature.  Wherefore  Jude  saith  of  you,  and  of  all 
such  naturalists,  '  That  even  in  the  things  that 
you  know  naturally,  as  the  brute,  in  them  you  cor- 
rupt yourselves, '  Jude  lo,  even  in  the  very  principles, 
the  first  or  original  dictates  of  your  nature  or  hu- 
manity. There  is  none  that  understandeth  or  is 
good,  therefore  there  is  none  that  doth  good,  no 
not  one:  that  is,  none  as  continuing  in  a  natural 
state ;  none  by  the  power  or  principles  of  nature  ; 
for  he  meaneth  here,  in  your  own  sense,  as  men  by 
natural  principles  have  to  do  with  the  justice  of 
the  law. 

Fourth,  The  righteousness  which  you  have  de- 
scribed cannot  be  that  which  justifieth  us  before  God, 
because  it  is  that  which  is  not  of  faith.     *  The  law 
is  not  of  faith :  but.  The  man  that  doeth  them  shall 
live  in  them. '  Ga.  iii.  13.     The  apostle  also  in  the  10th 
chapter  of  the  Romans  tells  us,  that  the  righteous- 
ness that  is  completed  by  doing  the  law  is  one,  and 
another  besides  the  righteousness  of  faith.     For 
faith  in  the  justification  of  a  sinner  from  the  curse 
and  wrath  of  God,  respecteth  only  the  mercy  of 
God,  and  forgiveness  of  sins  for  the  sake  of  Christ. 
*  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven  him  that  is 
enabled  to  believe,  that  is,  trust  to,  and  venture 
the  eternal  concern  of  his  soul  upon  the  righteous- 
ness that  is  no  where  to  be  found,  but  in  the  per- 
son of  the  Son  of  God.'     For  there  is  justice  more 
than  answerable  to  all  the  demands  of  the  law, 
and  equal  to  the  requirements  of  the  eternal  jus- 
tice of  God,  and  he  is  our  justice  ;  he  is  made  unto 
us  of  God,  righteousness,  or  justice ;  that  is,  the 
righteousness  or  justice  that  is  in  him,  is  by  God 
accounted  the  man's  that  shall  accept  thereof  by 
faith,  that  he  might  be  made  the  justice  or  righte- 
ousness of  God  in  him.     For  the  righteousness  that 
Baveth  a  sinner  from  damnation  must  be  equal  to 
that  in  the  eternal  Deity:  But  where  can  that  be 
found  but  in  him  that  is  naturally  God,  as  is  indeed 
the  Son  of  the  Father ;  in  him,  therefore,  and  not 
in  the  law,  there  is  a  righteousness  fit  for  faith  to 
apply  to.     Besides,  the  law  is  not,  neither  can  be, 
the  object  of  faith  to  men ;  for  that  which  is  the 
object  of  faith  (I  speak  now  as  to  justifying  righte- 
ousness) it  must  be  a  righteousness  already  com- 
pleted, and  as  I  said,  a  righteousness  to  be  received 


and  accepted,  being  now  perfected  and  offered,  and 
given  to  us  by  the  kindness  and  mercy  of  God ; 
but  a  man  may  believe  long  enough  in  the  law,  be- 
fore that  performs  for  him  a  perfect  righteousness. 
The  law  can  work  nothing  unless  it  be  wrath.  *  No 
thou  must  work  by,  and  not  believe  in,  the  law. ' 
Ro.  IT.  Besides,  all  that  cometh  out  of  the  mouth 
of  the  law  is,  *  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth 
not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of 
the  law  to  do  them,'  Ga.  iii.  10,  which  no  man  is 
capable  of  doing,  so  as  to  escape  the  curse  by 
doing,  that  hath  once,  or  first  transgressed  the 
same.  Wherefore  it  is  a  vain  thing,  yea  an  hor- 
rible wickedness  in  you,  thus  to  abuse  the  law,  and 
the  weakness  of  man,  by  suggesting  that  the  onlv, 
the  ultimate,  or  grand  design  of  Christ  Jesus  was, 
or  is,  the  promoting  of  a  righteousness  by  the  law, 
that  is  performed  by  humane  principles  in  us.* 

I  coidd  double,  yea  ten  times  double  the  number 
of  these  arguments  against  you,  but  I  will  pass 
from  this  to  the  second  thing,  *  The  righteousness 
you  have  described,  is  not  the  true  gospel  inward 
holiness.' 

I  told  you  before,  that  the  principles  which  you 
have  described,  are  not  evangelical  principles  ;  and 
now  I  will  add,  that  as  they  are  not  such  in  them- 
selves, so  neither  do  they  fetch  in,  or  obtain  by 
our  adhering  to  them,  those  things  which  alone 
can  make,  or  work  in  the  soul,  those  truly  gospel 
inward  acts  of  holiness. 

[Tilings  essential  to  inioard  gospel  JioUness.] 

There  are  three  things  which  are  essential  to 
the  inward  gospel  holiness ;  of  which  as  your  de- 
scription is  utterly  destitute,  so  neither  can  they 
by  that  be  obtained,  or  come  into  the  heart.  1. 
The  Holy  Ghost.  2.  Faith  in  Clirist.  3.  A  neio 
heart,  and  a  new  spirit. 

Without  these  three,  there  is  no  such  thing  as 


*  Man,  in  liis  first  estate,  was  lioly  and  righteous ;  and  he 
continued  to  be  possessed  of  this  righteousness  as  long  as  he 
was  obedient  to  his  Creator ;  but  as  soon  as  he  disobeyed  the 
divine  command,  he  lost  all  his  holiness  and  righteousness  at 
once ;  he  emptied  himself  of  every  spark  of  goodness,  and  was 
full  of  aU  manner  of  wickedness ;  he  forfeited  all  his  primitive 
purity,  and  became  a  sinful,  impure,  and  unrighteous  creature. 
Hence,  all  mankind  are  destitute  of  original  righteousness : 
there  is  none  of  the  cliildren  of  men  righteous,  '  no  not  one : 
there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no  not  one,'  Eom.  iii.  10,  12. 
■What  then  becomes  of  the  pui-ity  and  dignity  of  human  nature, 
so  vainly  boasted  of  ?  or  how  shall  man  be  righteous  before 
God  ?  To  this  last  question,  we  answer  with  Paul,  in  the 
above-quoted  chapter,  ver.  21,  23,  '  Now  the  righteousness  ot 
God  without  the  law  is  manifested,  being  witnessed  by  the  law 
and  the  prophets ;  even  the  righteousness  of  God,  which  is  by 
faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  unto  all  and  upon  all  them  that  beUeve.' 
^Vithout  this  righteousness,  no  soul  ever  was,  no  soul  ever  vrD] 
be,  justified  before  God. — M'.csoji  and  Ri/Iand. 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION, 


289 


gospel  holiness  in  man,  as  before  I  have  also  hinted 
at.  But  now  as  there  ai-e  none  of  these  three  found 
in  your  description  of  inward  holiness ;  so  neither 
can  you,  or  others,  by  all  your  inclinations,  either 
to  those  you  call  first  principles  of  natural  reason, 
or  the  dictates  of  human  nature,  obtain  or  fetch 
into  the  soul  the  least  dram  of  that  which  is  essen- 
tial, to  that  which  is  indeed  according  to  the  gos- 
pel description  of  inward  gospel  holiness,  as  will 
further  be  manifest  in  this  that  foUoweth. 

1.  Tlie  Holy  Ghost  is  not  obtained  by  your 
desci'iption,  that  consisting  only  in  principles  of 
nature,  and  in  putting  forth  itself  in  acts  of  civility 
and  morality.  When  the  apostle  would  convince 
the  bewitched  Galatians,  that  your  doctrine  which 
was  also  the  doctrine  of  the  false  apostles,  was 
that,  which  instead  of  helping  forward,  did  hinder, 
and  pervert  the  gospel  of  Christ ;  he  applieth  him- 
self to  them  in  this  manner.  '  This  only  would  1 
learn  of  you,  Received  ye  the  Spirit  by  the  works 
of  the  law,  or  by  the  hearing  of  faith  ?'  Ga.  iii.  2. 
By  the  works  of  the  law,  that  is,  by  putting  of 
your  principles  into  practice.  Nay,  may  I  not  add, 
by  putting  of  your  principles  into  practice,  by  a 
more  bright  and  clear  rule,  than  in  the  beginning 
of  your  description  is  inserted  by  you  ;  for  the  law 
as  written  and  engraven  in  stones,  with  the  addi- 
tion of  all  the  Mosaical  precepts,  was  a  more  ample, 
and  full  discovery  of  the  mind  of  God,  than  can  be 
obtained  by  your  virtues  of  soul,  your  purity  of 
human  nature,  or  the  first  principles  of  morals,  as 
they  are  written  in  the  heart  of  man ;  and  origin- 
ally dictates  of  human  nature.  Ro.  iii.  1—3.  Yet  by 
these,  by  following  these,  by  labouring  to  live  up 
to  the  light  of  these,  their  own  experience  told 
them,  that  they  neither  could,  nor  did  obtain  the 
enjoyment  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  but  that  rather  their 
now  declining  the  word  of  faith,  by  which  indeed 
they  receive  it  at  first  (whatever  pretences  of  holi- 
ness, and  godliness  were  the  arguments  to  prevail 
with  them  so  to  do)  was  in  truth  none  other  but 
the  very  witchcraft,  and  enchantments  of  the 
devil. 

Farther,  The  apostle  sets  this  your  spirit  and 
principles,  and  that  which  indeed  is  the  Spirit  of 
God,  in  a  line  diametrically  opposite  one  against  an- 
other ;  yea  the  receiving  of  the  one,  opposeth  the  re- 
ceiving of  the  other.  '  Now  we  have  received, 
(saith  he)  not  the  spirit  of  the  world,'  (that  is, 
your  spirit,  and  principles  of  hiunanity)  to  walk  by 
it,  or  live  in  it ;  '  but  the  Spirit  which  is  of  God  ; 
that  we  may  know  the  things  that  are  freely  given 
to  us  of  God. '  1  Co.  ii  13.  But  what  is  the  spirit  of 
the  world  ?  He  tells  us  in  the  verse  before,  it  is 
the  spirit  of  a  man ;  which  Solomon  calls,  '  the 
candle  of  the  Lord ;  searching  aU  the  inward  parts 
of  the  belly,'  Pr. xx. 27.  by  human  principles,  good 
motions  to  moral  duties,  workings  of  reason,  dic- 

VOL.  \l. 


tates  of  nature  to  obey  God  as  Creator.  These 
things  flow  from  the  spirit  of  a  man,  which  is  the 
spirit  of  all  the  world.  They  that  preach,  or  speak 
by  this  spirit,  they  preach  or  speak  of  the  world, 
of  the  virtues  of  the  world ;  and  the  world,  '  the 
whole  world  heareth  them,'  or  know  in  themselves 
what  they  say.  1  Jn.  iv.  5. 

Now  when  this  spirit  is  received,  embraced,  and 
followed,  as  the  spirit  that  is  of  God,  then  it  must 
be  branded  with  the  mark  of  the  spirit  of  error, 
and  of  antichrist  ;  because  the  act  in  so  doing,  is 
most  wicked;  yea,  and  Christ  himself  is  made 
head  against,  by  it. 

But  I  say,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  not  obtained  by 
these  principles,  nor  by  the  pursuit  of  them. 

2.  Faith  is  not  obtained  by  the  pursuit  of  your 
principles,  but  by  hearing  of  another  doctrine ;  he 
that  presseth  men  to  look  to,  and  live  by  the  purity 
of  human  nature,  principles  of  natural  reason,  or 
by  the  law,  as  Avritten  in  the  heart,  or  bible ;  he 
sets  the  word  of  faith  out  of  the  world  ;  for  these 
doctrines  are  as  opposite,  as  the  spirits  I  spake  of 
before ;  '  For  Moses  describeth  the  righteousness 
which  is  of  the  law.  That  the  man  which  doeth 
those  things  shall  live  by  them.'  Now  he  that 
receiveth  this  law,  to  do,  and  live  by;  he  hath  set 
up,  and  is  in  pursuit  of  a  doctrine  of  another 
nature,  than  that  which  is  called  the  righteousness 
of  faith;  tbat  being  such,  as  for  justification,  and 
deliverance  from  the  curse,  maketh  no  mention  at 
all  of  hearing  the  law,  or  of  doing  good  works ; 
but  of  hearing  of  the  mercy  of  God,  as  extended  to 
sinners  ;  and  of  its  coming  to  us  through  the  death, 
and  resurrection  of  Christ  Jesus.  '  The  righteous- 
ness 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  Avord  is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth, 
and  in  thy  heart :  that  is,  the  word  of  faith,  which 
we  preach ;  That  if  thou  shalt  confess  with  thy 
mouth  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  shalt  believe  in  thine 
heart  that  God  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead, 
thou  shalt  be  saved. '  Ro.  x.  5,  9.  This  then  is  the 
doctrine  of  faith,  or  the  righteousness  with  which 
faith  hath  to  do.  Now  as  old  covenant-works  are 
begotten  in  men  by  the  doctrine  of  works  ;  so  faith 
is  begotten  by  the  doctrine  of  faith.  Therefore 
after  he  had  said,  'faith  cometh  by  hearing;'  he 
insinuates  it  to  be  the  hearing  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  of  peace  (peace  by  the  blood  of  the  cross) 
and  the  glad  tidings  of  good  things,  (ver.  n— 170  of 
good  things  promised  for  the  sake  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  ;  not  for  the  sake  of  good  deeds  done  of  us, 
by  human  principles,  or  the  dictates  of  our  nature. 

Faith,  Then  the  second  essential,  comes  into  the 
heart,  not  by  the  preaching,  or  the  practice  of  youi' 

a  o 


S90 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OE  JUSTIFICATION. 


principles  ;  but  by  another,  a  higher,  and  far  more 
heavenly  doctrine.  And  hence  the  apostle  com- 
pletely puts  the  difference  betwixt  the  Avorker  of 
good  -works  in  the  spirit  of  the  law,  and  the  be- 
liever that  taketh  hold  of  grace  by  Christ,  that 
he  may  be  saved  thereby.  The  one  he  calls 
'Them  that  are  of  the  works  of  the  law;'  the 
other,  '  They  which  are  of  faith. '  Ga.  iii.  This  being 
done,  he  tells  us,  that  as  they  differ  in  the  princi- 
ples, to  wit,  of  faith  and  works,  so  they  shall  differ 
in  conclusion :  '  For  the  law  is  not  of  faith,  the 
promise  is  only  made  to  faith ;  therefore,  they 
only  that  are  of  faith,  ai'e  blessed  with  faithful 
Abraham.' 

3.  The  third  essential  is,  a  neio  heart,  and  a 
new  spuit  or  mind ;  and  this  also  comes  not  by 
your  principle,  that  being  but  the  old  covenant 
that  gendereth  to  bondage,  and  that  holds  its  Ish- 
maels  imder  the  curse  for  ever:  there  comes  no 
new  heart  by  the  law,  nor  new  spirit.  It  is  by  the 
new  covenant,  even  the  gospel,  that  all  things  are 

made  new.  Je.  xxxi.  33.  Eze.  xxxvi.  He.  viii.  8.  2  Co.  v.  17—19. 

The  apostle,  after  a  large  discourse  of  the  two 
ministrations,  and  their  excellencies,  3  Co.  iii.  tells 
-us  that  the  heart  is  nothing  changed,  so  long  as  it 
abideth  in  the  works  of  the  law,  but  remaineth 
blind  and  ignorant:  '  Nevertheless  (saith  he)  when 
it  shall  turn  (from  the  law)  to  the  Lord,  the  vail 
shall  be  taken  away.'  But  what  is  it  to  turn  from 
the  law  to  the  Lord  ?  Why,  even  to  leave  and 
forsake  your  spirit  and  principles,  and  works  from 
those  principles,  and  fly  to  the  grace  and  merits; 
'  the  glory  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  Now  when 
the  heart  is  turned  to  Christ,  then  the  vail  of  Mo- 
ses is  taken  off;  wherefore  then  the  soul  '  with 
open  face  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the 
Lord,  is  changed  -  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as 
by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord. '  2  Co.  iii.  14, 18. 

Obj.  But  it  seems  a  paradox  to  many,  that  a 
man  should  live  to  the  law,  that  is,  devote  himself 
to  the  works  of  the  ten  commandments,  the  most 
perfect  rule  of  life ;  and  yet  not  be  counted  one 
changed,  or  new. 

Ans.  Though  it  seemeth  an  untruth,  yet  it  is 
most  true,  that  by  the  works  of  the  law,  no  heart 
is  made  new,  no  man  made  ncAv.  A  man  from 
principle  of  nature  and  reason,  (which  principles 
are  of  himself,  and  as  old)  may  give  up  himself  to 
the  goodness  of  the  law :  yet  these  principles  are 
80  far  off  from  being  new,  that  they  are  as  old  as 
A.dam  in  Paradise ;  and  come  into  the  world  with 
all  the  children  of  men.  To  which  principles  the 
law,  or  the  first  principles  of  morals,  so  equally 
suit,  that,  as  you  have  said,  p.  8.  <  they  are  self- 
evident,  than  which  there  is  nothing  mankind  doth 
more  naturally  assent  to,'  p.  11.  Now  nature  is  no 
new  principle,  but  an  old :  even  our  own,  and  of 
ourselves.     The  law  is  no  new  principle,  but  old, 


and  one  with  ourselves  (as  also  you  well  have  called 
it)  *  first  written  in  men's  hearts,  and  originally 
dictates  of  human  nature. '  Let  a  man  then  be  as 
devout,  as  is  possible  for  the  law,  and  the  holiness 
of  the  law.  Yet  if  the  principles  from  which  he 
acts,  be  but  the  habit  of  soul,  the  purity  (as  he 
feigns)  of  his  own  nature ;  principles  of  natural 
reason,  or  the  dictates  of  human  nature ;  all  this' 
is  nothing  else  but  the  old  gentleman  in  his  holi- 
day clothes:  the  old  heart,  the  old  spirit,  the 
spirit  of  the  man,  not  the  spirit  of  Christ,  is  here. 

And  hence  the  apostle,  Avhen  he  would  shew  us 
a  man  alive,  or  made  a  new  man  indeed ;  as  he 
talketh  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  faith,  so  he  tells  us 
such  are  dead  to  the  law,  to  the  law,  as  a  law  of 
works ;  to  the  law  as  to  principles  of  nature. 
*  Wherefore,  my  brethren,  ye  also  are  become 
dead  to  the  law  (the  moral  law,  and  the  ceremonial 
law)  by  the  body  of  Christ,  that  ye  should  be  mar- 
ried to  another  (another  than  the  law)  even  to  him 
who  is  raised  from  the  dead,  that  we  should  bring 
forth  fruit  unto  God. '  Ro.  vii.  4. 

Ye  are  become  dead  to  the  law.  Dead  to  the 
law  !  Why  ?  That  you  should  be  married  to  an- 
other. Married  to  another  !  Why  ?  '  That  you 
should  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God. '  But  doth  not 
a  man  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God,  that  walketh 
orderly  according  to  the  ten  commandments  ?  No, 
if  he  do  it  before  faith  make  this  in  the  spirit  of 
a  man,  bj'  the  dictates  of  human  nature,  respecting 
the  law,  as  that,  by  the  obeying  of  which,  he  must 
obtain  acceptance  with  God.  This  is  bringing  forth 
fruit  unto  himself ;  for  all  that  he  doth,  he  doth  it 
as  a  man,  as  a  creature,  from  principles  natural, 
and  of  himself,  his  own,  and  for  none  other  than 
himself ;  and  therefore  he  seiweth  in  an  old  spirit, 
the  oldness  of  the  letter,  and  for  himself.  But 
now  (that  is,  ye  being  dead  to  the  law,  and  married 
to  Christ)  that  (the  law)  being  dead ;  by  which 
(while  in  ourselves)  we  were  held ;  noAv  we  are 
delivered  from  that  law,  both  as  to  its  curse  and 
impositions,  as  it  stands  a  law  of  works  in  the 
heart  of  the  world ;  we  serve  in  newness  of  the 
spirit,  '  and  not  in  the  oldness  of  the  letter.'  rer.  6. 
A  man  must  first  then  be  dead  to  your  principles, 
both  of  nature  and  the  law ;  if  he  will  serve  in  a 
new  spirit,  if  he  would  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God.* 


*  Great  will  be  the  condemnation  of  all  those  who  profess  to 
Imow  God,  but  in  worlcs  deny  him ;  who  are  aboniinable  and 
disobedient,  and  unto  every  good  work  reprobate,  Tit.  i.  ]  6. 
A  great  profession,  without  a  suitable  life  and  conversation, 
■nill  only  procure  a  greater  condemnation.  Therefore,  up,  ye 
sleepy  virgins ;  up,  and  be  doing ;  shew  your  faith  by  your 
works.  There  is  no  true  religion  without  good  works,  attended 
with  a  godly  walk  and  behaviour.  There  maybe  works  seemingly 
good,  where  there  is  no  true  religion.  Good  works  are  not  the 
causes,  but  the  fruits  and  etfects  of  true  religion,  of  justifying 
faith  wrought  in  the  soul  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  where  true 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTJIINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


291 


AYhereforc  your  description  of  tlie  principle  of 
lioliness  in  man,  and  also  tlie  principles  by  ■which 
this  holiness  is  put  forth  by  him  into  righteous 
acts ;  they  are  such  as  are  altogether  void  of  the 
true  essentials  of  inward  gospel-holiness  and  righ- 
teousness. 

[fowler's  assertion  that  the  grand,  the  only 

AND  ultimate  DESIGN  OP  THE  GOSPEL  OF  CHRIST 
IS  TO  RE-PRODUCE  MAn's  ORIGINAL  RIGHTEOUSNESS 
EXAMINED  AND  CONFUTED.] 

But  there  Is  one  thing  more  in  this  description, 
or  rather  effect  thereof,  which  I  shall  also  inquire 
into :  and  that  is  your  saying,  *  As  it  was  the 
errand  of  Christ  to  effect  our  deliverance  out  of 
that  sinful  state  we  had  brought  ourselves  into: 
so  to  put  us  again  into  possession  of  that  holiness 
which  we  had  lost. '  p.  13.  The  proof  of  this  position 
is  now  your  next  business  ;  that  is,  if  I  understand 
your  learning,  the  remaining  part  of  your  book, 
which  consisteth  of  well  nigh  300  pages,  is  spent 
for  proof  thereof;  which  I  doubt  not  but  effectually 
to  confute  with  less  than  300  lines.  Only  first  by 
the  way,  I  would  have  my  reader  to  take  notice 
that  in  this  last  clause,  (to  put  us  again  into  pos- 
session of  that  holiness  which  we  had  lost)  is  the 
sum  of  all  this  large  description  of  his  holiness  in 
the  foregoing  pages ;  that  is,  the  holiness  and 
righteousness  that  Mr.  Fowler  hath  been  describ- 
ing ;  and  adds,  that  Christ's  whole  business  when 
he  came  into  the  world  was,  as  to  effect  our  deli- 
verance from  sin ;  '  so  to  put  us  again  in  possession 
of  that  holiness  which  we  had  lost.'  The  holiness 
therefore  that  here  he  contendeth  for,  is  that,  and 
only  that  which  was  in  Adam  before  the  fall,  which 
he  lost  by  transgression ;  and  we  by  transgressing 
in  him.  A  little  therefore  to  inquire  into  this,  if 
perhaps  his  reader  and  mine  may  come  to  a  right 
understanding  of  things. 

First  then,  Adam  before  the  fall,  even  in  his 
best  and  most  sinless  state,  was  but  a  pure  natural 
man,  consisting  of  body  and  soul ;  these,  to  use 
your  own  terms,  were  his  pure  essentials :  p.  ii.  in 
this  man's  heart,  God  also  did  write  the  law;  that 
is,  as  you  term  them,  the  first  principles  of  morals, 
p.  8.  This  then  was  the  state  of  Adam,  he  was  a 
pure  natural  man ;  made  by  God  sinless ;  all  the 
faculties  of  his  soul  and  members  of  his  body  were 
clean.  '  God  made  man  upright. '  Ec.  vii.  29.  But 
he  made  him  not  then  a  spiritual  man  ;  '  the  first 
Adam  was  made  a  living  soul,'  '  howbeit  that  was 
not  first  which   is   spiritual ;    but   that  which  is 


religion  is,  good  works,  of  every  divine  kind  and  quality,  will 
naturally  follow,  to  tlie  glory  and  praise  of  tliat  grace  which 
alone  brings  salvation  to  miserable  ruined  sinners. — 3Iason 
and  HyJand. 


natural,  and  afterward  that  which  is  spiritual : 
The  first  man  is  of  the  earth,  earthy.'  i  Co.  xv.  45— 
47.  A  living  soul  he  was ;  yet  but  a  natural  man, 
even  in  his  first  and  best  estate  ;  but  earthly,  when 
compared  with  Christ,  or  with  them  that  believe 
in  Christ.  So  then,  the  holiness  of  Adam  in  his 
best  estate,  even  that  which  he  lost,  and  we  in 
him,  it  was  none  other,  than  that  which  was  natural, 
even  the  sinless  state  of  a  natural  man.  This 
holiness  then  was  not  of  the  nature  of  that,  which 
hath  for  its  root  the  Holy  Ghost ;  for  of  that  we 
read  not  at  all  in  him,  he  only  was  indued  with  a 
living  soul;  his  holiness  then  could  not  be  gospel, 
nor  that  which  is  a  branch  of  the  second  covenant: 
his  acts  of  righteousness,  were  not  by  the  opera- 
tions of  the  Spirit  of  grace,  but  the  dictates  of  the 
law  in  his  own  natural  heart.  But  the  apostle 
when  he  treateth  of  the  christian  inherent  holiness; 
first  excluding  that  in  Adam,  as  earthly;  he  tells 
us,  it  is  such  as  is  in  Christ :  '  As  is  the  earthy, 
such  are  they  that  are  earthy ;  and  as  is  the  hea- 
venly, such  are  they  that  are  heavenly. '  Let  then 
those  that  are  the  sons  of  Adam,  in  the  state  of 
nature  as  he,  though  not  so  pure,  and  spotless  as 
he,  be  reckoned  to  bear  his  image  and  similitude : 
but  let  them  that  are  the  children  of  Christ,  though 
not  so  pure  as  he,  bear  the  image  and  similitude 
of  Christ :  '  for  they  are  conformable  to  the  image 
of  the  Son  of  God, '  Ro.  viii.  29.  The  holiness  there- 
fore that  was  in  Adam,  being  but  that  which  was 
natural,  earthly,  and  not  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  cannot 
be  that  which  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  give 
us  possession  of. 

Second,  Adam  in  his  best,  and  most  sinless  state, 
was  but  a  type  or  figure :  '  The  figure  of  him  that 
was  to  come. '  Ro.  V.  14.  A  type  in  what  ?  A  type 
or  figure  doubtless,  in  his  sinless  and  holy  estate, 
a  type  and  figure  of  the  holiness  of  Christ:  But 
if  Christ  should  come  from  heaven,  to  put  us  in 
possession  of  this  sinless  holiness  that  was  in  Adam, 
or  that  we  lost  in  him :  to  what  more  would  his 
work  amount,  than  to  put  us  into  the  possession 
of  a  natural,  figurative,  shadowish  righteousness 
or  holiness.  But  this  he  never  intended;  therefore 
it  is  not  the  possessing  of  his  people  with  that 
holiness,  that  was  the  great  errand  Christ  came 
into  the  world  upon. 

Tliird,  The  hohness  and  righteousness  that  was 
in,  and  that  we  lost  by,  Adam  before  the  fall;  was 
such  as  stood  in,  and  was  to  be  managed  by  his 
natural  perfect  compliance  with  a  covenant  of 
works.  For,  'Do  this  sin  and  die,'  were  the  terms 
that  was  from  God  to  Adam.  But  Christ  at  his 
coming  brings  in  another,  a  better,  a  blessed  cove- 
nant of  grace;  and  likewise  possesseth  his  children, 
with  the  holiness,  and  privileges  of  that  covenant ; 
not  with  Adam's  heart  nor  Adam's  mind ;  but  a 
new  heart,  a  new  spirit,  a  new  principle  to  act 


292 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


by,  and  walk  in  a  new  covenant.  Therefore  the 
holiness  that  was  in  Adam  before,  or  that  we  lost 
in  him  by  the  fall,  could  not  be  the  holiness  that 
Christ  at  his  coming  made  it  his  great  or  only 
business  to  put  us  in  possession  of. 

Fourth,  The  holiness  that  was  in  Adam  before, 
and  that  we  lost  in  him  by  the  fall,  was  such  as 
might  stand  with  perfect  ignorance  of  the  media- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ:  for  Christ  was  not  made 
known  to  Adam  as  a  Saviour,  before  that  Adam 
was  a  sinner ;  neither  needed  he  at  all  to  know 
him  to  be  his  Mediator,  before  he  knew  he  had 
offended.  Ge.  iii.  But  Christ  did  not  come  into  the 
woi'ld  to  establish  us  in,  or  give  us  possession  of 
such  holiness  as  might  stand  with  perfect  ignor- 
ance of  his  ]\Iediatorship.  No ;  the  holiness  that 
we  believers  have,  and  the  righteous  acts  that  we 
fulfil,  they  come  to  us,  and  are  done  by  us,  through 
the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  of  his  being 
the  Messias  promised.  Ep.  iv.  21, 23.  2  Pe.  i.  3. 

Fifth,  The  holiness  that  was  in  Adam,  Avas 
neither  given  him  through  the  promise,  neither 
encouraged  by  the  promise.  Adam  had  no  pro- 
mise to  possess  him  with  a  principle  of  holiness ; 
it  came  to  him  by  creation ;  neither  had  he  any 
promise  to  strengthen  or  encourage  him  in  holiness. 
All  he  had  was  instructions  concerning  his  duty, 
and  death  threatened  if  he  did  it  not.  Ge.  u.  15—17. 
But  Christ  came  not  to  give  us  possession  of  an 
holiness  or  righteousness,  that  came  to  us  by  our 
creation,  without  a  promise  ;  and  that  hath  no  pro- 
mise to  encourage  us  to  continue  therein  ;  but  of 
an  holiness  that  comes  to  us  by  the  best  of  pro- 
mises, and  that  we  are  encouraged  to  by  the  best 
of  promises.  Therefore  it  was  not  his  great  errand 
when  he  came  from  heaven  to  earth,  to  put  us  in 
possession  of  that  promiseless  holiness  that  Adam 
had  before,  and  that  was  lost  in  him  by  the  fall. 

Lastly,  In  a  word ;  the  holiness  that  Adam  had 
before,  and  that  we  lost  in  him  by  the  fall ;  it  was 
a  natural  shadowish  old  covenant,  promiseless  holi- 
ness ;  such  as  stood  and  might  be  walked  in,  while 
he  stood  perfectly  ignorant  of  the  Mediator  Christ. 
Whei-efore  it  is  rather  the  design  of  your  Apollo 
the  devil,*  whom  in  p.  101.  you  bring  forth  to  ap- 
plaud your  righteousness ;  I  say,  it  is  rather  his 
design  than  Christ's,  to  put  men  upon  an  endea- 
vour after  a  possession  of  that:  for  that  which  is 
truly  evangelical,  is  the  spiritual,  substantial,  new 
covenant  promised  holiness ;  that  which  cometh 
to  us  by,  and  standeth  in  the  Spirit,  faith  and 
knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  not  that  which  we 
lost  in  Adam.  Wherefore  the  song  which  there 
you  learnt  of  the  devil,  is  true,  in  the  sense  he 
made  it,  and  in  the  sense  for  which  you  bring  it ; 
which  is,  to  beget  in  men,  the  highest  esteem  of 


*  IlierockSj  the  Greek  philosoplicr. 


their  own  human  nature ;  and  to  set  up  this  natu- 
ral, shadowish,  promiseless,  ignorant  holiness,  in 
opposition  to  that  which  is  truly  Christ's. 

To  dwell  in  heaven  doth  not  more  please  him,  than 
Within  the  souls  of  pious  mortal  men. 

This  is  the  song ;  but  you  find  it  not  in  JMat- 
thew,  Mark,  Luke,  or  John,  but  among  the  hea- 
thens who  were  his  disciples,  and  who  were  wont 
to  inquire  at  his  mouth,  and  learn  of  him. 

Thus  have  I  razed  the  foundation  of  your  book, 
even  by  overthrowing  the  holiness,  and  righteous- 
ness, which  by  you  is  set  up,  as  that  which  is  the 
only  true  gospel,  and  evangelical.  Wherefore  it 
remaineth,  that  the  rest  of  your  book,  viz.  what- 
ever therein  is  brought,  and  urged  for  the  proof 
of  this  your  description  of  holiness,  &c.  it  is  but 
the  abuse  of  Christ,  of  scripture,  and  reason ;  it  is 
but  a  wresting  and  corrupting  the  word  of  God, 
both  to  your  own  destruction,  and  them  that  believe 
you. 

\_Fowlers  insidious  errors  raided.'] 

But  to  pass  this,  and  to  come  to  some  other 
passages  in  your  book ;  and  first  to  that  in  p.  5. 
where  you  say, 

'  The  holiness,  which  is  the  design  of  the  religion 
of  Christ  Jesus,  -  is  not  such  as  is  subjected  in 
any  thing  without  us,  or  is  made  ours  by  a  mere 
external  application,'  <fcc. 

Answ.  \.  These  words  secretly  smite  at  the 
justification  that  comes  by  the  imputation  of  that 
most  glorious  righteousness  that  alone  resideth  in 
the  person  of  the  Lord  Jesus ;  and  that  is  made 
ours  by  an  act  of  eternal  grace,  we  resting  upon  it 
by  the  faith  of  Jesus. 

2.  But  if  the  holiness  of  which  you  speak,  be 
not  subjected  in  any  thing  without  us ;  then  it  is 
not  of  all  that  fulness  which  it  pleased  the  Father 
should  dwell  in  Christ :  for  the  holiness  and  righte- 
ousness, even  the  inward  holiness  that  is  in  saints, 
it  is  none  other  than  that  which  dwelleth  in  the 
person  of  the  Son  of  God  in  heaven :  neither  doth 
any  man  partake  of,  or  enjoy  the  least  measure 
thereof,  but  as  he  is  united  by  faith  to  this  Son  of 
God,  the  thing  is  as  true  in  him  as  in  us ;  in  him 
as  the  head,  and  without  measure  ;  1  Jn.  ii.  8.  and  is 
originally  seated  in  him,  not  in  us.  '  Of  his  ful- 
ness have  all  we  (saints)  received,  and  grace  for 
grace. '  Jn.  i.  16.  Wherefore  the  holiness  that  hath 
its  original  from  us,  from  the  purity  of  the  human 
nature  (which  is  the  thing  you  aim  at)  and  that 
originally,  as  you  term  it,  is  the  dictates  thereof, 
is  the  religion  of  the  Socinians,  Quakers,*  tSjc, 
and  not  the  reliiiion  of  Jesus  Christ. 


*  Bunyan  must  have  formed  his  opinions  of  the  Quakers 
from  some  persons  vfho  passed  as  such.     No  form  either  of 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


293 


Ami  now  I  will  come  to  your  indifferent  things, 
viz.,  those  which  you  call  'positive  precepts;' 
things,  say  you,  *  of  an  indifferent  nature ;  and 
absolutely  considered,  are  neither  good,  nor  evil ; — 
but  are  capable  of  becoming  so ;  only  by  reason  of 
certain  circumstances : '  of  these  positive  indifferent 
precepts,  you  say,  you  know  but  three  in  the 
gospel;  but  three,  that  are  purely  so,  viz.,  'That 
of  going  to  God  by  Christ,  and  the  institutions  of 
baptism,  and  the  Lord's  Supper.'  This  we  have 
in  p  7  aud  9. 

Answ.  These  words,  as  I  hinted  before,  are  highly 
derogatory  to  the  Lord,  the  King  of  glory ;  and 
trample  as  much  upon  the  blood  of  the  Son  of 
God,  as  words  can  likely  do.     For, 

1.  If  going  to  God  by  Christ,  be  in  itself  but  an 
indifferent  thing,  then,  as  I  also  hinted  before,  it 
is  not  of  the  substance  of  Christianity ;  but  a  man 
may  be  truly  a  Christian  without  it ;  may  be  saved, 
and  go  to  heaven  without  it ;  this  is  in  truth  the 
consequence  of  your  words :  for  things  purely  of  an 
indifferent  nature,  do  not  in  themselves  either  make 
or  mar  the  righteousness  that  justifieth  us  from 
the  curse  before  God.  Wherefore,  by  your  argu- 
ment, if  a  man  remain  ignorant  of  that  positive 
precept,  of  'coming  to  God  by  Christ;'  he 
remaineth  ignorant  but  of  an  indifferent  thing,  a 
thing  that  in  itself  is  neither  good  nor  evil,  and 
therefore  not  essentially  material  to  his  faith  or 
justifying  righteousness. 

2.  An  indifferent  thing  in  itself  is  next  to  nothing, 
neither  good  nor  evil  then,  but  a  thing  betwixt  them 
both. 

Then  is  the  blood  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  in  itself, 
of  no  value  at  aU ;  nor  faith  in  him,  of  itself,  any 
more  than  a  thing  of  nought ;  their  virtue  and 
goodness  onlydependeth  upon  certain  circumstances 
that  make  them  so.  For  the  indifferency  of  the 
thing  lieth  not  simply  in  coming  to  God,  but  in 
coming  to  him  by  Christ:  coming  otherwise  to 
God,  even  in  this  man's  eyes,  being  the  all  in  all ; 
but  in  this  coming,  in  coming  to  him  by  Christ, 
there  lieth  the  indifferency.  I  marvel  what  injury 
the  Lord  Jesus  hath  done  this  man,  that  he  should 
have  such  indifferent  thoughts  of  coming  to  God 
by  him  ? 

But  hath  he  no  better  thoughts  of  his  own  good 
deeds,  which  are  by  the  law  ?  Yes,  doubtless,  for 
those  (saith  he) '  are  of  an  indispensable,  and  eternal 
obligation,  which  were  first  written  in  men's  hearts, 
and  originally  dictates  of  human  nature, '  p.  8.  Mark, 
not  a  dictate  of  human  nature,  or  necessary  con- 
clusion or  deduction  from  it,  is  of  an  indifferent, 
but  of  an  indispensable ;  not  of  a  transient,  but  of 

doctrine  or  discipline  had  appeared  in  1673.  As  soon  as  their 
tenets  were  published,  they  professed,  as  they  do  to  this  day, 
entire  dependence  upon  Jesus  Christ  for  holiness. — Ed. 


an  eternal  obligation.  It  is  only  going  to  God  by 
Christ,  aud  two  other  things  that  he  findeth  in  the 
gospel,  that  of  themselves  are  of  an  indifferent 
nature. 

But  how  indifferent  ?  Even  as  indifferent  in  itself 
as  the  blood  of  a  silly  sheep,  or  the  ashes  of  an 
heifer  ;  for  these  are  his  very  words.  '  Such  (that 
is,  such  ordinances  as  in  themselves  are  of  an  in- 
different nature)  were  aU  the  injunctions  and  pro- 
hibitions of  the  ceremonial  law  ;  and  some  few  such 
we  have  under  the  gospel,'  p.  7.  Then,  in  p. 9.  he 
tells  you  what  these  positive  precepts  under  the 
gospel,  or  things  indifferent,  are :  '  That  of  going 
to  God  by  Christ,  is  one ;  and  the  other  two,  arc 
the  institutions  of  baptism,  and  the  Lord's  supper.' 
Such  therefore  as  were  the  ceremonies  of  the  law, 
such,  even  such,  saith  he,  is  that  of  going  to  God 
by  Christ,  kc. 

Wherefore,  he  that  shall  lay  no  more  stress  upon 
the  Lord  Jesus  to  come  to  God  by,  than  this  man 
doth,  would  lay  as  much,  were  the  old  ceremonies 
in  force,  upon  a  silly  sheep,  as  upon  the  Christ  of 
God.  For  these  are  all  alike  positive  precepts, 
such  as  were  the  ceremonies  of  the  law,  things  in 
themselves  neither  good  nor  evil,  but  absolutely 
considered  of  an  indifferent  nature. 

So  that  to  come  to  God  by  Christ,  is  reckoned, 
of  itself,  by  him,  a  thing  of  a  very  indifferent 
nature,  and  therefore  this  man  cannot  do  it,  but 
with  a  very  imlifferefit  heart ;  his  great,  and  most 
substantial  coming  to  God,  must  needs  be  by  some 
other  way.  Jn.x.i.  But  why  should  this  thief  love 
thus  to  clamber,  and  seek  to  go  to  God  by  other 
means  ;  such  which  he  reckoneth  of  a  more  indis- 
pensable nature,  and  eternal ;  seeing  Christ  only, 
as  indifferent  as  he  is,  is  the  only  way  to  the 
Father.  '  I  am  the  way,  (saith  he)  the  truth  and 
the  life  ;  no  man  cometh  to  the  Father  but  by  me.' 
If  he  be  the  only  way,  then  there  is  none  other ; 
if  he  be  thus  the  truth,  then  is  all  other  the  he ; 
and  if  he  be  here  the  life,  then  is  all  other  the 
death ;  let  him  call  them  indispensable  and  eternal 
never  so  often. 

So  then,  how  far  off  this  man's  doctrine  is,  of 
sinning  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  let  him  that  is 
wise  consider  it.  For  if  coming  to  God  by  Christ, 
be  in  itself  but  a  thing  indifferent,  and  only  made 
a  duty  upon  tlie  account  of  certain  circumstances ; 
then,  to  come  to  God  by  Christ,  is  a  duty  incum- 
bent upon  us  only  by  reason  of  certain  circum- 
stances ;  not  that  the  thing  in  itself  is  good,  or 
that  the  nature  of  sin,  and  the  justice  of  God, 
layeth  a  necessity  on  us  so  to  do.  But  what  be 
these  certain  circumstances  ?  For  it  is  because  of 
these,  if  you  wiU  believe  him,  that  God  the  Father, 
yea,  the  whole  Trinity,  did  consult  in  eternity,  and 
consent,  that  Christ  should  be  the  way  to  life : 
now,  I  say,  it  is  partly  because  by  him  was  the 


294 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATIO:^. 


greatest  safety,  he  being  naturally  the  justice, 
wisdom,  and  power  of  God ;  and  partly,  because  it 
would,  we  having  sinned,  be  utterly  impossible  we 
should  come  to  God  by  other  means  and  live.  He 
that  will  call  tliese  circumstances,  that  is,  things 
over  and  above  besides  the  substantials  of  the 
gospel,  will  but  discover  his  unbelief  and  ignor- 
ance, he. 

As  for  your  saying,  that  Calvin,  Peter  Martyr, 
Musculus,  Zanchy,*  and  others,  did  not  question, 
but  that  God  could  have  pardoned  sin,  without  any 
other  satisfaction,  than  the  repentance  of  the  sin- 
ner, p.  81.  It  matters  nothing  to  me,  I  have  neither 
made  my  creed  out  of  them,  nor  other,  than  the 
holy  scriptures  of  God. 

But  if  Christ  was  from  before  all  worlds  ordained 
to  be  the  Saviour,  then  was  he  from  all  eternity  so 
appointed  and  prepared  to  be.  And  if  God  be,  as 
you  say,  infinitely,  p.  136.  and  I  will  add,  eternally 
just;  how  can  he  pardon  without  he  he  presented 
with  that  satisfaction  for  sin,  that  to  all  points  of 
the  highest  perfection  doth  answer  the  demands  of 
this  infinite,  and  eternal  justice  ?  Unless  you  will 
say,  that  the  repentance  of  a  sinner  is  sufficient  to 
answer  whatever  could  be  justly  demanded  as  a 
satisfaction  thereto ;  which  if  you  should,  you 
would  in  consequence  say,  that  man  is,  or  may  be 
in  himself,  just,  that  is,  equal  with  God ;  or  that 
the  sin  of  man  was  not  a  transgression  of  the  law 
that  was  given,  and  a  procurer  of  the  punishment 
that  is  threatened,  by  that  eternal  God  that  gave 
it.  (But  let  me  give  you  a  caution,  take  heed 
that  you  belie  not  these  men)  Christ  cries,  '  If  it 
be  possible  let  this  cup  pass  from  me. '  Mat.  xx\i.  39. 
If  what  be  possible  ?     Why,  that  sinners  should  be 

saved  without  his    blood.    He.  ix.  23.  Lu.  xxir.  26.  Ac.  xTii.  3. 

'Ought  not  Christ  to  have  suff'ered?'  'Christ 
must  needs  have  suffered,'  not  because  of  some 
certain  circumstances,  but  because  the  eternal 
justice  of  God,  could  not  consent  to  the  salvation 
of  the  sinner,  without  a  satisfaction  for  the  sin 
committed. t  Of  which,  more  in  the  next,  if  you 
shall  think  good  to  reply. 


*  ]Mr.  Fowler  gives  no  rel'ercnce  to  any  of  the  works  of 
these  learned  divines,  nor  could  he !  1  He  traduces  these  great 
reformers  and  the  doctrines  of  his  own  church,  and  yet  was 
soon  after  made  a  bishop  ! ! ! — Ed. 

t  The  saints  of  God  experience  a  mystery  of  iniquity,  a  hor- 
rible depth  of  corruption  iu  their  own  hearts,  and  groan  under 
the  plague  and  burden  of  it.  If  we  rightly  know  orn-sclves, 
and  behold  our  vileness,  filthiness,  and  exceeding  sinfulness,  in 
their  true  colours,  we  shall  be  obliged  to  own  that  we  are  very 
wicked,  unholy,  ungodly,  abominable;  and  that  a  principle 
and  inclination  to  evil  is  so  prevalent  in  the  best  of  us,  that 
were  God  to  leave  us  to  ourselves,  we  should  greedily  commit 
the  most  heinous  sins.  These  truly  humbled  persons,  and 
these  alone,  are  made  sensible  of  the  want  of  the  application 
of  the  precious  atoning  blood  of  Christ  to  cleanse  them  from 
the  pollution  of  sin,  and  of  the  sanctifying  grace  of  the  Spirit 


Now,  that  my  reader  may  see  that  I  have  not 
abused  you  m  this  reply  to  your  sayings,  I  will 
repeat  your  words  at  large,  and  leave  them  upon 
you  to  answer  it. 

You  say,  •  Actions  may  become  duties  or  sins 
'  these  two  ways ;  first,  as  they  are  compliances 
'  with,  or  transgressions  of,  divine  positive  precepts: 
'  These  are  the  declarations  of  the  arbitrary  will  of 
'  God,  whereby  he  restrains  our  liberty,  for  great 
'  and  wise  reasons,  in  things  that  are  of  an  indifferent 
'  nature,  and  absolutely  considered  are  neither  good 
'  nor  evil ;  and  so  makes  things  not  good  in  them- 
'  selves  (and  capable  of  becoming  so  only  by  reason 
'  of  certain  circumstances)  duties,  and  things  not 
'  evil  in  themselves,  sins.  Such  were  aU  the  in- 
'  junctions  and  prohibitions  of  the  ceremonial  law, 
*  and  some  few  such  we  have  under  the  gospel,'  p  7. 
Then  p.  9.  you  tell  us,  that  '  the  reasons  of  the 
'  positive  laws  (that  is,  concerning  things  in  them- 
'  selves  indifferent)  contained  in  the  gospel  are  de- 
'  clared ;  of  which  (say  you)  I  know  not  above 
'  three  that  are  purely  so,  viz.  That  of  going  to  God 
'  by  Christ,  and  the  institutions  of  baptism,  and 
'  the  Lord's  Supper.' 

Here  now  let  the  reader  note,  That  the  positive 
precepts,  declarations  of  the  arbitrary  will  of  God, 
in  things  of  an  indifferent  nature,  being  such,  as 
absolutely  considered,  are  neither  good  nor  evil ; 
some  few  such,  say  you,  we  have  under  the  gospel, 
namely,  that  of  coming  to  God  by  Christ,  <fec.  I 
am  the  more  punctual  in  this  thing,  because  you 
have  confounded  your  weak  reader  with  a  crooked 
parenthesis  in  the  midst  of  the  paragraph,  and  also 
by  deferring  to  spit  your  intended  venom  at  Christ, 
till  again  you  had  puzzled  him,  with  your  mathe- 
matics and  metaphysics,  he,  putting  in  another 
page,  betwixt  the  beginning  and  the  end  of  your 
blasphemy. 

Indeed,  in  the  seventh  chapter  of  your  book, 
you  make  a  great  noise  of  the  effects  and  conse- 
quences of  the  death  of  Christ,  as  that  it  was  a 
sacrifice  for  sin,  an  expiatory,  and  propitiatory 
sacrifice,  p.  83.  Yet,  he  that  well  shall  weigh  you, 
and  compare  you  with  yourself,  shall  find  that  words 
and  sense,  with  you  are  two  things  ;  and  also,  that 
you  have  learned  of  your  brethren  of  old,  to  dis- 
semble with  words,  that  thereby  your  own  heart- 
errors,  and  the  snake  that  lieth  in  your  bosom, 
may  yet  there  abide  the  more  undiscovered.  For 
in  the  conclusion  of  that  very  chapter,  even  in  and 
by  a  word  or  two,  you  take  away  that  glory,  that 
of  right  belongeth  to  the  death  and  blood  of  Christ, 
and  lay  it  upon  other  things. 

For  you  say,  '  The  scriptures  that  frequently 
affirm,  that  the  end  of  Christ's  death  was  the  for- 


to  deliver  them  from  the  dominion  and  tyranny  of  it. — Maion 
and  Rj/and, 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


295 


giveness  of  our  sins,  and  the  reconciling  of  xis  to 
his  Father,  we  are  not  so  to  understand,  [those 
places  where  this  is  expressed]  as  if  these  blessings 
were  absolutely  thereby  procured  for  us  any  other- 
Avise,  than  upon  condition  of  our  effectual  believing. ' 

p.  91. 

I  answer,  By  the  death  of  Christ  was  the  for- 
giveness of  sins  effectually  obtained  for  all  that 
shall  be  saved,  and  they,  even  while  yet  enemies, 
by  that  were  reconciled  unto  God.  So  that,  as  to  for- 
giveness from  God,  it  is  purely  upon  the  account 
of  grace  in  Christ ;  '  We  are  justified  by  his  blood, 
we  are  reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son.' 
Eo.  V.9, 10.  Yea  peace  is  made  by  the  blood  of  his 
cross,  Co.  i.  20.  and  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  for- 
given us.  Ep.  iv.  32.  So  then,  our  effectual  believing 
is  not  a  procuring  cause  in  the  sight  of  God,  or  a 
condition  of  ours  foreseen  by  God,  and  the  motive 
that  prevaileth  with  him  to  forgive  us  our  manifold 
transgressions  :  Believing  being  rather  that  which 
makes  application  of  that  forgiveness,  and  that  pos- 
sesseth  the  soul  with  that  peace  that  already  is  made 
for  us  with  God,  by  the  blood  of  his  Son  Christ  Jesus; 
'  Being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. '  Eo.  v.  i.  The  peace 
and  comfort  of  it  cometh  not  to  the  soul,  but  by 
believing.  Yet  the  work  is  finished,  pardon  pro- 
cured, justice  being  satisfied  already,  or  before,  by 
the  precious  blood  of  Christ. 

Observe,  I  am  commanded  to  believe,  but  what 
should  I  believe  ?  Or  what  should  be  the  object 
of  my  faith  in  the  matter  of  my  justification  with 
God  ?  Why,  I  am  to  believe  in  Christ,  I  am  to 
have  faith  in  his  blood  ?  But  what  is  it  to  believe 
in  Christ  ?  and  what  to  have  faith  in  his  blood  ? 
Verily,  To  believe  that  while  we  were  yet  sinners 
Christ  died  for  us,  that  even  then,  when  we  were 
enemies,  we  were  reconciled  to  God  by  the  death 
of  his  Son :  To  believe  that  there  is  a  righteous- 
ness already  for  us  completed. 

I  had  as  good  give  you  the  apostle's  argument 
and  conclusion  in  his  own  language.  '  But  God 
commendeth  his  love  toward  us,  in  that,  while  we 
were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us.  Much  more 
then,  being  now  justified  by  his  blood,  we  shall  be 
saved  from  wrath  through  him.'  Eo.  v.  8,  9.  And 
note  that  this  word  now  respects  the  same  time 
with  YET  that  went  before.  *  For  if,  when  we  were 
enemies,  we  were  reconciled  to  God  by  the  death 
of  his  Son,  much  more,  being  reconciled,  we  shall 
be  saved  by  his  life,'  or  intercession.  Eo.  v.  lo. 

Believing  then,  as  to  the  business  of  my  deliver- 
ance from  the  curse  before  God,  is  an  accepting  of, 
1  Ti.  i.  15.  a  trusting  to,  Ep.  L  12,  13.  or  a  receiving, 
Jq.  i.  12.  the  benefit  that  Christ  hath  already 
obtained  for  me  ;  by  which  act  of  faith,  I  see  my 
interest  in  that  peace  that  is  made  before  witla 
God  by  the  blood  of  his  cross:  For  if  peace  be 


made  already  by  his  blood,  then  is  the  curse  taken 
away  from  his  sight  ;  if  the  curse  be  taken  away 
from  his  sight,  then  there  is  no  sin  with  the  curse 
of  it  to  be  charged  from  God  by  the  law,  for  so 
long  as  sin  is  charged  by  the  law,  with  the  curse 
thereto  belonging,  the  curse,  and  so  the  wrath  of 
God  remaineth. 

'  But  (say  you)  Christ  died  to  put  us  into  a 
capacity  of  pardon,'  p.  91. 

Ans.  True ;  but  that  is  not  all.  He  died  to  put 
us  into  the  personal  possession  of  pardon :  Yea,  to 
put  us  into  a  personal  possession  of  it,  and  that 
before  we  know  it. 

'  But  (say  you)  the  actual  removing  of  our  guilt 
is  not  the  necessary  and  immediate  result  of  his 
death, '  p.  91. 

Alts.  Yea,  but  it  is  from  before  the  face  of  God, 
and  from  the  judgment  and  curse  of  the  law ;  for 
before  God  the  guilt  is  taken  away,  by  the  death 
and  blood  of  his  Son,  immediately,  for  all  them 
that  shall  be  saved ;  else  how  can  it  be  said  we 
are  justified  by  his  blood ;  he  hath  made  peace  by 
his  blood.  '  He  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our 
sins  in  his  own  blood,'  Ee. i. 5.  and  that  we  are 
reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son ;  which 
can  by  no  means  be  ;  if,  notwithstanding  his  death 
and  blood,  sin  in  the  guilt,  and  consequently  the 
curse  that  is  due  thereto,  should  yet  remain  in  the 
sight  of  God.  But  what  saith  the  apostle  ?  '  God 
was  in  Christ,  reconcihng  the  world  to  himself, 
not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them.'  2  Co.  v.  19. 
Those  that  are  but  reconciling,  are  not  yet  recon- 
ciled: I  mean,  as  Paul,  not  yet  come  aright  over 
in  their  own  souls  by  faith ;  yet  to  these  he  im- 
puteth  not  their  trespasses :  Wherefore  ?  because 
they  have  none  :  or  because  he  forgiveth  them  as 
they  believe  and  work:  Neither  of  both;  but 
because  he  hath  first  made  his  Son  to  be  sin  for 
them,  and  laid  all  the  guilt  and  curse  of  their  sin 
upon  him,  that  they  might  be  made  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  in  him.  Therefore  even  because  by 
him  their  sin  and  curse  is  taken  oft",  from  before 
the  law  of  God ;  therefore,  God  for  the  sake  of 
Christ,  seeketh  for,  and  beseecheth  the  sinner  to 
be  reconciled ;  that  is,  to  believe  in,  and  embrace 
his  majesty. 

*  No  (say  you)  the  actual  removing  of  our  guilt, 
is  not  the  necessary  and  immediate  result  of  his 
death ;  but  suspended  until  such  time  as  the  fore- 
mentioned  conditions,  by  the  help  of  his  grace,  are 
performed  by  us,'  p. 92. 

Ans.  1.  Then  may  a  man  have  the  grace  of 
God  within  him  ;  yea,  the  grace  and  mercy  of  the 
new  covenant,  viz.  Faith,  and  the  Hke,  that  yet 
remaineth  under  the  curse  of  the  law ;  and  so  hath 
yet  his  sins  imtaken  away  from  before  the  face  of 
God ;  for  where  the  curse  is  only  suspended,  it 
may  stand  there  notwithstanding,  in  force  against 


296 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


the  soul.  Now,  let  the  soiJ  stand  accursed,  and 
his  duties  must  stand  accursed  :  For  first  the  per- 
son, and  then  the  offering  must  be  accepted  of 
God.  God  accepted  not  the  works  of  Cain,  be- 
cause he  had  not  accepted  his  person.  Ge.  iv.  5.  But 
having  first  accepted  Abel's  person,  he  therefore 
did  accept  his  offering.  He.  xi.  4.  And  hence  it  is 
said,  that  Abel  ofi'ered  by  faith :  He  believed  that 
his  person  was  accepted  of  God,  for  the  sake  of 
the  promised  Messias,  and  therefore  believed  also 
that  his  offering  should  be  accepted. 

2,  Faith,  as  it  respecteth  justification  in  the 
sight  of  God,  must  know  nothing  to  rest  upon  but 
the  mercy  of  God,  through  Christ's  blood:  But  if 
the  curse  be  not  taken  away,  mercy  also  hangeth 
in  suspense  ;  yea,  lieth  as  drowned,  and  hid  in 
the  bottom  of  the  sea.  This  doctrine  then  of 
your's  overthroweth  faith,  and  rusheth*  the  soul 
into  the  works  of  the  law,  the  moral  law ;  and  so 
quite  involveth  it  in  the  fear  of  the  -wrath  of  God, 
maketh  the  soul  forget  Christ,  taketh  from  it  the 
object  of  faith  ;  and  if  a  miracle  of  mercy  prevent 
not,  the  soul  must  die  in  everlasting  desperation. 

'  But  (say  you)  it  is  suspended  till  such  time  as 
the  forementioned  conditions,  by  the  help  of  his 
grace,  are  performed  by  us,'  p  93. 

Ans.  Had  you  said  the  manifestation  of  it  is 
kept  from  us,  it  might,  with  some  allowance,  have 
been  admitted ;  but  yet  the  revelation  of  it  in  the 
word,  which  in  some  sense  may  be  called  a  mani- 
festation thereof,  is  first  discovered  to  us  by  the 
word  ;  yea,  is  seen  by  us,  and  also  believed  as  a 
truth  recorded ;  before  the  enjoyment  thereof  be 
with  comfort  in  our  own  souls,  i  Jn.  v.  ii. 

But  you  proceed  and  say,  '  Therefore  was  the 
death  of  Christ  designed  to  procure  our  justifica- 
tion from  all  sins  past,  that  we  might  be  by  this 
means  provoked  to  become  new  creatures, '  p.  93. 

Ans.  That  the  death  of  Christ  is  a  mighty 
argument  to  persuade  with  the  believer,  to  devote 
himself  to  God  in  Christ,  in  all  things,  as  becometh 
one  that  hath  received  grace  and  redemption  by 
his  blood,  is  true ;  but  that  it  is  in  our  power,  as 
is  here  insinuated,  to  become  new  creatures,  is  as 
untrue.  The  new  creature,  is  of  God ;  yea,  imme- 
diately of  God ;  man  being  as  incapable  to  make 
himself  anew,  as  a  child  to  beget  himself.  2  Co.  v. 
17, 18.  Neither  is  our  conformity  to  the  revealed 
will  of  God,  any  thing  else,  if  it  be  right,  than  the 
fruit  and  effect  of  that.  All  things  are  already, 
or  before,  become  new  in  the  Christian  man.  But 
to  return: 

After  all  the  flourish  you  have  made  about  the 
death  of  Christ,  even  as  he  is  an  expiatory,  and 


*  '  Eusheth  the  soul.'  To  rush  is  a  neuter  verb,  here  used 
in  an  active  sense; — ' preeipitateth '  gives  the  correct  idea. 
—Ed. 


propitiatory  sacrifice  ;  in  conclusion,  you  temiinato 
the  business  far  short  of  that  for  which  it  was 
intended  of  God :  for  you  almost  make  the  effects 
thereof  but  a  bare  suspension  of  present  justice 
and  death  for  sin  ;  or  that  which  hath  delivered 
us  at  present  from  a  necessity  of  dying,  that  we 
might  live  imto  God ;  that  is,  according  as  you 
have  stated  it.  '  That  we  might  from  principles 
'  of  humanity  and  reason,  act  towards  the  first 
'  principles  of  morals,  &c.  till  we  put  ourselves 
'  into  a  capacity  of  personal  and  actual  pardon. ' 

Ans.  The  sum  of  your  doctrine  therefore  is, 
that  Christ  by  his  death  only  holds  the  point  of 
the  sword  of  justice,  not  that  he  received  it  into  his 
own  soul;  that  he  suspends  the  curse  from  us,  not 
that  himself  was  made  a  curse  for  us,  that  the 
guilt  might  be  remitted  by  our  virtues ;  not  that 
he  was  made  to  be  our  sin:  But  Paul  and  the 
New  Testament,  giveth  us  account  far  otherwise  ; 
viz.  '  That  Christ  M^as  made  our  sin,  our  curse, 
and  death,  that  we  by  him  (not  by  the  principle 
of  pure  humanity,  or  our  obedience  to  your  first 
principles  of  morals,  <kc.)  should  be  set  free  from 
the  law  of  sin  and  death. '  3  Co.  v.  21.  Ga.  m  13. 

If  any  object  that  Christ  hath  designed  the 
purifying  our  hearts  and  natures ;   I  answer. 

But  he  hath  not  designed  to  promote,  or  to 
perfect  tJaat  righteousness  that  is  founded  on,  and 
floweth  from,  the  purity  of  our  human  nature ;  for 
then  he  must  design  the  setting  up  man's  righte- 
ousness, that  which  is  of  the  law:  and  then  he 
must  design  also  the  setting  up  of  that  which  is 
directly  in  opposition,  both  to  the  righteousness, 
that  of  God  is  designed  to  justify  us  ;  and  that  by 
which  we  are  inwardly  made  holy.  As  I  have 
shewed  before. 

You  have  therefore,  Sir,  in  all  that  you  have 
yet  asserted,  shewed  no  other  wisdom  than  a 
heathen,  or  of  one  that  is  short,  even  of  a  novice 
in  the  gospel. 

In  the  next  place,  I  might  trace  you  chapter 
by  chapter ;  and  at  large  refute,  not  only  the  whole 
design  of  your  book  by  a  particular  replication  to 
them ;  but  also  sundry  and  damnable  errors,  that 
like  venom  drop  from  your  pen. 

But  as  before  I  told  you  in  general,  so  here  I 
tell  you  again.  That  neither  the  scriptures  of  God, 
the  promise,  or  threatenings,  the  life,  or  death, 
resurrection,  ascension,  or  coming  again  of  Christ 
to  judgment ;  hath  the  least  syllable  or  tendency 
in  them  to  set  up  your  heathenish  and  pagan 
holiness  or  righteousness ;  wherefore  your  whole 
discourse  is  but  a  mere  abuse  of,  and  corrupting 
the  holy  scriptures,  for  the  fastening,  if  it  might 
have  been,  your  errors  upon  the  godly.  1  conclude 
then  upon  the  whole,  that  the  gospel  hath  cast  out 
man's  righteousness  to  the  dogs;  and  conclude 
that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  a  puritv  of  human 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


297 


nature,  as  a  principle  in  us,  tlierel^y  to  work  rigli- 
teousness  withal.  Farther,  It  never  thought  of 
returning  us  again  to  the  holiness  we  lost  in  Adam, 
or  to  make  our  perfection  to  consist  in  the  posses- 
sion of  so  natural,  and  ignorant*  a  principle  as 
that  is,  in  all  the  things  of  the  holy  gospel ;  hut 
hath  declared  another  and  far  hetter  way,  which 
you  can  by  no  means  imderstand  by  all  the  dic- 
tates of  your  humanity. 

I  will  therefore  content  myself  at  present  with 
gathering  up  some  few  errors,  out  of  those  abun- 
dance which  are  in  your  book ;  and  so  leave  you 
to  God,  who  can  either  pardon  these  grievous 
errors,  or  damn  you  for  your  pride  and  blasphemies. 

[Fowler  s  false  quotations  of  scr'qjture.] 

You  pretend  in  the  beginning  of  your  second 
chapter,  to  prove  your  assertion,  viz.  '  That  the 
great  errand  that  Christ  came  upon,  was  to  put  us 
again  into  possession  of  that  holiness  which  we 
had  lost. '  p.  ii2.  For  proof  whereof  you  bring  John 
the  Baptist's  doctrine,  Mat.iii.1,2.  and  the  angel's 
saying  to  Zacharias,  Lu.i.l6,l7.  and  the  prophet 
Malachi,  iii.  l,  2, 3.  in  which  texts  there  is  as  much 
for  your  purpose,  and  no  more,  than  there  is  in  a 
perfect  blank ;  for  which  of  them  speak  a  word  of 
the  righteousness  or  holiness  Avhich  we  have  lost  ? 
Or  where  is  it  said,  either  by  these  mentioned,  or 
by  the  whole  scripture,  that  we  are  to  be  restored 
to,  and  put  again  into  possession  of  that  holiness  ? 
These  are  but  the  dictates  of  your  human  nature. 

John's  ministry  was,  '  To  make  ready  a  people 
prepared  for  the  Lord  Jesus  ;'  not  to  possess  them 
with  themselves  and  their  own,  but  now  lost,  holi- 
ness. And  so  the  angel  told  his  father,  saying, 
'  Many  of  the  children  of  Israel  shall  he  turn  to 
the  Lord  their  God:'  Not  to  Adam's  innocency, 
or  to  the  holiness  that  we  lost  by  him.  Neither 
did  the  prophet  Malachi  prophesy  that  Christ  at 
his  coming  should  put  men  again  in  possession  of 
the  holiness  we  had  lost.  And  I  say  again,  as 
you  here  fall  short  of  your  purpose,  so  I  challenge 
you  to  produce  but  one  piece  of  a  text,  that  in  the 
least  looketh  to  such  a  thing.  The  whole  tenor 
of  the  scripture,  that  speaks  of  the  errand  of 
Christ  Jesus,  tells  us  another  lesson,  to  wit.  That 
he  himself  came  to  save  us,  and  that  by  his  own 
righteousness ;  not  that  in  Adam,  or  which  we 
have  lost  in  him,  unless  you  can  say  and  prove 
that  we  had  once,  even  before  we  were  converted, 
the  holiness  of  Christ  within  us,  or  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  upon  us. 

But  you  yet  get  on,  and  tell  us,  '  That  this  was 
also  the  prophesy  of  the  angel  to  Joseph  ( p.  14. ) 

*  '  So  natural,  and  ignorant,'  in  distinction  from  that  spiri- 
tual wisdom  which  is  imiaortal  and  iHimiinating. — Ed. 
VOL,  II. 


in  these  words  he  (Jesus)  shall  save  his  people 
from  their  sins.'  '  Not  (say  you)  from  the  pun- 
ishment of  them,  although  that  be  a  true  sense  too; 
but  not  the  primary,  but  secondary,  and  implied 
only,  and  the  consequence  of  the  former  salva- 
tion,' p.  15. 

Ans.  Thus  Penn  the  quaker  and  you  run  in  this, 
in  one  and  the  self  same  spirit;  he  affirming-  that 
sanctification  is  antecedent  to  justification,  but  not 
tlie  consequence  thereof. 

2.  But  what  salvation?  Why  salvation ?  say  you: 
First  from  the  filth ;  for  that  is  the  primary  and 
first  sense :  justification  from  the  guilt,  being  the 
never-failing  consequence  of  this.  But  how  then 
must  Jesus  Christ,  first  save  us  from  the  filth? 
You  add  in  p.  16,  '  That  he  shall  bring  in,  instead 
of  the  ceremonial  observations,  a  far  more  noble, 
viz.,  An  inward  substantial  righteousness:  and  by 
abrogating  that  (namely  of  the  ceremonies)  he  shall 
establish  only  this  inward  righteousness.'  This  is, 
that  holiness,  or  righteousness  you  tell  us  of,  in  the 
end  of  the  chapter  going  before,  that  you  acknow- 
ledge we  had  lost ;  so  that  the  sum  of  all  that  you 
have  said,  is,  That  the  way  that  Christ  will  take  to 
save  his  people  from  their  sins,  is,  first  to  restore 
imto  them,  and  give  them  possession  of,  the  righ- 
teousness that  they  had  lost  in  Adam :  and  having 
established  this  in  them,  he  would  acquit  them  also 
of  guilt.  But  that  this  is  a  shameless  error,  and 
blasphemy,  is  apparent,  from  which  hath  already 
been  asserted  of  the  nature  of  the  holiness,  or 
righteousness,  that  we  have  lost,  viz.,  That  it  was 
only  natural  of  the  old  covenant,  typical :  and  such 
as  might  stand  with  perfect  ignorance  of  the  media- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ:  and  now  I  add,  That  for 
Christ  to  come  to  establish  this  righteousness,  is 
alone,  as  if  he  should  be  sent  from  heaven,  to  over- 
throw, and  abrogate  the  eternal  purpose  of  grace, 
which  the  Father  had  purposed  should  be  mani- 
fested to  the  world  by  Christ.  But  Christ  came  not 
to  restore,  or  to  give  us  possession  of  that  which 
was  once  our  own  holiness,  but  to  make  us  par- 
takers of  that  which  is  in  him,  'that  we  might  be 
made  partakers  of  HIS  holiness.'  Neither  (wero 
it  granted  that  you  speak  the  truth)  is  it  possible 
for  a  man  to  be  filled  with  inward  gospel  holiness, 
and  righteousness,  that  yet  abideth,  as  before  the 
face  of  God,  under  the  curse  of  the  law,  or  the 
guilt  of  his  own  transgressions.  He.  xii.  The  guilt 
must  theiefore,  first  be  taken  ofi^,  and  we  set  free 
by  faith  in  that  blood,  that  did  it,  before  we  can 
act  upon  pure  Christian  principles.  Pray  tell  me 
the  meaning  of  this  one  text ;  which  speaking  of 
Christ,  saith,  '  Who  when  he  had  by  himself  purged 
our  sins,  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Ma- 
jesty on  high. '  He.  i.  3.  Tell  me,  I  say,  by  this  text, 
whether  is  here  intended  the  sins  of  all  that  shall 
be  saved  ?  If  so,  what  kind  of  a  purging  is  hero 
2  p 


298 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


meant,  seeing  tliousauds,  and  thousands  of  thou- 
sands, of  the  persons  intended  by  this  act  of  purg- 
ing were  not  then  in  being,  nor  their  personal  sins 
in  act?  And  note,  he  saith,  he  purged  them,  be- 
fore he  sat  down  at  the  right  hand  of  God :  purging 
then,  in  this  place,  cannot  first,  and  primarily,  re- 
spect the  purging  of  the  conscience :  but  the  tak- 
ing, the  complete  taking  of  the  guilt,*  and  so  the 
curse  from  befol'c  the  face  of  God,  according  to 
other  scriptures :  '  He  hath  made  him  to  be  sin,  and 
accursed  of  God  for  us.'  Now  he  being  made  the 
sin  which  we  committed,  and  the  curse  which  we 
deserved ;  there  is  no  more  sin  nor  curse ;  I  mean 
to  be  charged  by  the  law,  to  damn  them  that  shall 
believe,  not  that  their  believing  takes  away  the 
curse,  but  puts  the  soul  upon  trusting  to  him,  that 
before  purged  this  guilt,  and  curse :  I  say,  before 
he  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  God ;  not  to  sus- 
pend, as  you  would  have  it,  but  to  take  away  the 
sin  of  the  world.  '  The  Lord  hath  laid  upon  him 
the  iniquities  of  us  all. '  is.  liii.  6.  And  he  bare  them 
in  his  own  body  on  the  tree :  l  Pe.  ii.  u,  nor  yet  that 
he  should  often  offer  himself ;  for  then  must  he 
often  have  suffered  since  the  foundation  of  the 
world:  but  now,  (and  that  at  once,)  in  the  end 
of  the  world  hath  he  appeared,  to  put  away 
sin,  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself.  lie.  ix.  2t— 26.  Mark, 
he  did  put  it  away  by  the  sacrifice  of  his  body  and 
soul,  when  he  died  on  the  cross :  but  he  could  not 
then  put  away  the  inward  filth  of  those,  that  then 
remained  unconverted ;  or  those  that  as  yet  wanted 
being  in  the  world.  The  putting  away  of  sin  there- 
fore, that  the  Holy  Ghost  here  intendeth,  is,  such 
a  putting  of  it  away,  as  respecteth  the  guilt,  curse, 
and  condenmation  thereof,  as  it  stood  by  the  accu- 
sations of  the  law,  against  all  flesh  before  the  face 
of  God ;  which  guilt,  curse,  and  condemnation, 
Christ  himself  was  made  in  that  day,  when  he  died 
the  death  for  us.  And  this  is  the  first  and  princi- 
pal intendment  of  the  angel,  in  that  blessed  saying 
to  godly  Joseph,  concerning  Christ ;  '  He  shall  save 
his  people  from  their  sins ;'  from  the  guilt  and  curse 
due  to  them,  first :  and  afterwards  from  the  filth 
thereof.  This  is  yet  manifest,  further;  because 
the  heart  is  purified  by  faith,  and  hope.  Ac.  xy.  9.  Un. 
iii.  3.  Now  it  is  not  the  nature  of  faith ;  I  mean,  of 
justifying  faith,  to  have  any  thing  for  an  object; 
from  which  it  fetcheth  peace  with  God,  and  holi- 
ness before,  or  besides  the  Christ  of  God  himself ; 
for  he  is  the  way  to  the  Father :  and  no  man  can 
come  to  the  Father,  but  by  him.  Come ;  that  is, 
60  as  to  find  acceptance,  and  peace  with  him :  the 
reason  is,  because  without  his  blood,  guilt  remains, 
lie.  ix.  22.  He  hath  made  peace  by  the  blood  of  his 
cross:  bo  then,  faith  in  the  first  place  seeketh 
peace.  But  why  peace  first?  Because  till  peace 
is  fetched  into  the  soul,  by  faith's  laying  hold  on 
the  blood  of  Christ :  sin  remains  in  the  guilt  and 


curse,  though  not  in  the  sight  of  God,  yet  upon 
the  conscience,  through  the  power  of  unbelief. 
'He  that  believeth  not,  stands  yet  condemned.' 
Jn.  iii.  18, 19.  Now,  SO  long  as  guilt,  and  the  curse  in 
power  remains,  there  is  not  purity,  but  unbelief ; 
not  joy,  but  doubting ;  not  peace,  but  peevishness  ; 
not  content;  but  murmuring,  and  angering  against 
the  Lord  himself.  'The  law  Avorkcth  wrath.' 
iio.  iv.  15.  Wherefore,  as  yet  there  can  be  no  purity 
of  heart,  because  that  faith  yet  wants  his  object. 
But  having  once  foimd  peace  with  God  by  believing 
what  the  blood  of  Chi-ist  hath  done  ;  joy  followeth  ; 
so  doth  peace,  quietness,  content,  and  love;  which  is 
also  the  fulfilling  of  the  law:  yet  not  from  such  dung- 
ish  principles  as  yours,  for  so  the  apostle  calls  them. 
Phi.  iii.  8.  But  from  the  Holy  Ghost  itself  ;  which 
God,  by  faith,  hath  granted  to  be  received  by  them 
that  believe  in  the  blood  of  his  Jesus. 

But  you  add.  That  Christ  giveth,  first  repent- 
ance, and  then  forgiveness  of  sins,  p.  17. 

Answ.  1.  This  makes  nothing  for  the  holiness 
Avhich  we  lost  in  Adam :  for  the  proof  of  which  you 
bring  that  text,  Ac.  v.  31. 

2.  But  for  Christ  to  take  away  guilt,  and  the 
curse,  from  before  the  face  of  God,  is  one  thing  ; 
and  to  make  that  discovery,  is  another. 

3.  Again,  Christ  doth  not  give  forgiveness  for 
the  sake  of  that  repentance,  which  hath  its  rise, 
originally  from  the  dictates  of  our  own  nature,  which 
is  the  thing  you  are  to  prove ;  for  that  repentance 
is  called  the  sorrow  of  thio  world,  and  must  be  again 
repented  of :  but  the  repentance  mentioned  in  the 
text,  is  that  which  comes  from  Christ :   But, 

4.  It  cannot  be  for  the  sake  of  gospel-repentance, 
that  the  forgiveness  of  sins  is  manifested,  because 
both  are  his  peculiar  gift, 

5.  Therefore,  both  faith,  and  repentance,  and 
forgiveness  of  sins,  are  given  by  Christ ;  and  come 
.to  us,  for  the  sake  of  that  blessed  offering  of  his 
body,  once  for  all.  For  after  he  arose  from  the 
dead,  having  led  captivity  captive,  and  taken  the 
curse  from  before  the  face  of  God  :  therefore  his 
Father  gave  him  gifts  for  men,  even  all  the  things 
that  are  necessary,  and  effectual,  for  our  conver- 
sion, and  preservation  in  this  world,  (fcc.  Ep.  iv.  8. 

This  text,  therefore,  with  all  the  rest  you  bring, 
falleth  short  of  the  least  shew  of  proof,  '  That  the 
great  errand  for  which  Christ  came  into  the  world 
was — to  put  us  in  possession  of  the  holiness  that 
we  had  lost.' 

Your  third  chapter  is  as  empty  of  the  proof  of 
your  design  as  that  through  which  we  have  passed : 
there  being  not  one  scripture  therein  cited,  that 
giveth  the  least  intimation,  that  ever  it  entered 
into  the  heart  of  Christ  to  put  us  again  into 
possession  of  that  holiness  which  we  had  before 
we  were  converted  :  for  such  was  that  we  lost  in 
Adam. 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


29» 


You  tell  us  tlie  sum  of  all  is,  '  that  we  are  eom- 
Dianded  to  add  to  our  faith,  virtue,'  (to.  p.  25.  I 
suppose  you  intend  a  gospel  faith,  which  if  you 
can  prove  Adam  had  hefore  the  fall,  and  that  we 
lost  this  faith  in  him  ;  and  also  that  this  gospel 
faith  is  none  other,  but  that  which  originally  ariseth 
from,  or  is  the  dictates  of  human  nature,  I  will  con- 
fess you  have  scripture,  and  knowledge  beyond  me. 
In  the  mean  time  j'ou  must  suffer  me  to  tell  you, 
you  are  as  far  in  this  from  the  mind  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  as  if  you  had  yet  never  in  aU  your  days 
heard  whether  there  be  a  Holy  Ghost  or  no. 

Add  to  your  faith.  The  apostle  here  lays  a  gos- 
pel principle,  viz..  Faith  in  the  Son  of  God:  which 
faith  layeth  hold  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  alone 
for  the  sake  of  Christ  ;  therefore  he  is  a  gi-eat  way 
off,  of  laying  the  purity  of  the  human  nature,  the 
law,  as  written  in  the  heart  of  natural  man,  as  the 
principle  of  holiness  ;  from  whence  is  produced  good 
works  in  the  soul  of  the  godly. 

In  your  fourth  chapter  also  (p.  28.)  even  In  the  be- 
ginning thereof;  even  with  one  text  you  have  over- 
thrown your  whole  book. 

This  chapter  is  to  prove,  that  the  only  design  of 
the  promises,  and  threatenings  of  the  gospel,  is  to 
promote,  and  put  us  again  in  possession  of  the  holi- 
ness we  had  lost.  For  that  the  reader  must  still 
remember,  is  the  only  design  of  your  book,  p.  12. 
Whereas  the  first  text  you  speak  of,  2  Pe.i.  4.  maketh 
mention  of  the  Divine  nature,  or  of  the  Spirit  of 
the  living  God,  which  is  also  received  by  the  pre- 
cious faith  of  Christ,  and  the  revelation  of  the  know- 
ledge of  him  ;  this  blessed  Spirit,  and  therefore  not 
the  dictates  of  human  nature,  is  the  principle  that 
is  laid  in  the  godly:  but  Adam's  holiness  had  nei- 
ther the  knowledge,  or  faith,  or  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  as  its  foundation,  or  principle :  yea,  nature 
was  his  foundation,  even  his  own  nature  was  the 
original,  from  whence  his  righteousness  and  good 
works  arose. 

The  next  scriptures  also,  viz.  2  Co.  vii.  1.  Ro.  sii.  1. 
overthrow  j'ou;  for  they  urge  the  promises  as  mo- 
tives to  stir  us  up  to  holiness.  But  Adam  had 
neither  the  Spirit  of  Jesus,  or  faith  in  him,  as  a 
principle :  nor  any  promises  to  him  as  motives : 
wherefore  this  was  not  that  to  which  he,  or  which 
we  Christians  are  exhorted  to  seek  the  possession 
of;  but  that  which  is  operated  by  that  Spirit  which 
we  receive  by  the  faith  of  Jesus,  and  that  M'hich 
is  encouraged  by  those  promises,  that  God  hath 
since  given  to  them  that  have  closed  by  faith  with 
Jesus. 

The  rest  also,  (in  p.  29.)  not  one  of  them  doth 
promise  us  the  possession  of  the  holiness  we  have 
lost,  or  any  mercy  to  them  that  have  it. 

You  add :  'And  whereas  the  promises  of  pardon, 
and  of  eternal  life  are  very  frequently  made  to 
lelieviaj ;  there  is  nothing  more  evidently  declared, 


than  that  this  faith  is  such  as  purifieth  the  heart, 
and  is  productive  of  good  works. '  p.  so. 

Ans.  I.  If  the  promise  be  made  at  all  to  believ- 
ing, it  is  not  made  to  us  upon  the  account  of  the 
holiness  we  had  lost ;  for  I  tell  you  yet  again,  that 
holiness  is  not  of  faith,  neither  was  faith  the  effect 
thereof.     But, 

2.  The  promises  of  pardon,  though  they  be  made 
to  such  a  faith  as  is  fruitful  in  good  works :  yet 
not  to  it,  as  it  is  fruitful  in  doing,  but  in  receivino- 
good.  Sir,  the  quality  of  justifying  faith  is  this, 
Kot  to  work,  hid  to  believe,  as  to  the  business  of 
pardon  of  sin :  and  that  not  only,  because  of  the 
sufficiency  that  this  faith  sees  in  Christ  to  justify, 
but  also  for  that  it  knows  those  whom  God  thus 
pardoneth,  he  justifieth  as  ungodly.  •  But  to  him 
tliat  worketh  not,  but  believeth ;'  (Mark,  here  faith 
and  works  are  opposed)  '  But  to  him  that  worketh 
not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth  the 
imgodly,.  his  faith  is  counted  for  righteousness.' 

Ro.  iv.  5. 

You  add  farther,  '  That  the  promises  may  be 
reduced  to  these  three  heads ;  that  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  of  remission  of  sins,  and  eternal  happiness, 
in  the  enjoyment  of  God,'  p. so. 

Am.  If  you  can  prove  that  any  of  these  promises 
were  made  to  the  holiness  that  we  had  lost,  or 
that  by  these  promises  we  are  to  be  possessed  with 
that  holiness  again ;  I  will  even  now  lay  down  the 
bucklers.  For  albeit,  the  time  wiU  come  when  the 
saints  shall  be  absolutely,  and  perfectly  sinless ; 
yet  then  shall  they  be  also  spiritual,  immortal,  and 
incorruptible,  which  you  cannot  prove-  Adam  was, 
in  the  best  of  his  holiness,  even  that  which  we  lost 
in  him. 

The  threatenings  you  speak  of*  are  every  one 
made  against  sin,  but  not  one  of  them  to  drive  us 
into  a  possession  of  that  holiness  that  we  liad  lost: 
nay,  contrariwise,  he  that  looks  to,  or  seeks  after 
that,  is  as  sure  to  be  damned,  and  go  to  hell,  as 
he  that  transgresseth  the  law ;  because  that  is  not 
the  righteousness  of  God,  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  the  righteousness  of  faith,  nor  that  to  which 
the  promise  is  made. 

And  this  was  manifested  to  the  world  betimes, 
even  in  that  day,  when  God  drove  the  man  and  his 
wife  out  of  Eden,  and  placed  cherubims,  and  a 
flaming  sword,  in  the  way  by  which  they  came 
out,  to  the  end,  that  by  going  back  by  that  way, 
they  might  rather  be  killed  and  die,  than  lay  hold 
of  the  '  tree  of  life.'  Ge.  iiL 

Which  the  apostle  also  respects,  when  he  calleth 
the  way  of  the  gospel,  the  new  and  LiviXG  way, 
even  that  which  is  made  by  the  blood  of  Christ; 
He.  X.  20.  concluding  by  this  description  of  the  Avay 

*  Against  all  ungodliness  and  unrigliteousness  of  men,  such 
as  disbelief,  idolatry,  adultery,  &c.,  p.  35. 


300 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


tliat  is  by  blootl,  tliat  the  other  Is  old,  and  the 
way  of  death,  even  that  which  is  by  the  moral  law, 
or  the  dictates  of  our  nature,  or  by  that  fond  con- 
ceit of  the  goodly  holiness  of  Adam. 

[Our  Lord's  object  not  merely  to  restore  man's 
natural  holiness,  but  to  impart  his  own  infinite 
and  eternal  holiness  to  those  that  believe.  ] 

Your  fifth  chapter  tells  us,  'That  the  promoting 
of  holiness  was  the  design  of  our  Saviour's  whole 
life  and  conversation  among  men,'  p.  3g. 

Ans.  1.  Were  this  granted,  it  reacheth  nothing 
at  all  the  design  for  which  you  in  your  way  pre- 
sent us  with  it :   For, 

2.  That  which  you  have  asserted  is:  That  the 
errand  about  which  Christ  came,  was,  as  the  effec- 
ting our  deliverance  out  of  that  sinful  state  we  had 
brought  ourselves  into,  so  to  put  us  again  in  pos- 
session of  that  holiness  which  we  had  lost;  for 
that,  you  say,  is  the  business  of  your  book,  p.  13. 
Wherefore  you  should  have  told  us  in  the  head  of 
this  chapter,  not  so  much  that  our  Saviour  de- 
signed the  promoting  of  holiness  in  general  by  his 
life,  but  that  the  whole  design  of  our  Saviour's  life 
and  conversation,  was  to  put  us  again  into  posses- 
sion of  that  holiness  which  Ave  had  lost,  into  a 
possession  of  that  natural,  old  covenant,  figurative, 
ignorant  holiness.  But  it  seems  you  count  that 
there  is  no  other  than  that  now  lost,  but  never 
again  to  be  obtained  holiness,  that  was  in  Adam. 

3.  Farther,  you  also  falter  here,  as  to  the  stating 
of  the  proposition ;  for  in  the  beginning  of  your 
book,  you  state  it  thus :  That  the  enduing  men 
with  inward  real  righteousness,  or  true  holiness, 
was  the  ultimate  end  of  our  Saviour's  coming  into 
the  world,  still  meaning  the  holiness  we  lost  in 
Adam.  You  should  therefore  In  this  place  also, 
have  minded  your  reader  of  this  your  proposition, 
and  made  it  manifest  if  you  could, '  that  the  ultimate 
end  of  our  Saviour's  whole  life  and  conversation, 
was  the  enduing  men  with  this  Adamitish  holiness.' 
But  holiness,  and  that  holiness,  is  alone  with  you; 
and  to  make  it  his  end,  and  whole  end ;  his  busi- 
ness, and  the  whole  business  of  his  life;  Is  but  the 
same  with  you. 

But  you  must  know,  that  the  whole  life  and 
conversation  of  our  Saviour,  was  intended  for  an- 
other purpose,  than  to  drive  us  back  to,  or  to  endue 
lis  with,  such  an  holiness  and  righteousness  as  I 
have  proved  this  to  be. 

You  have  therefore.  In  this  j-our  discourse,  put 
an  insufferable  affront  upon  the  Son  of  God,  in 
making  all  his  life  and  conversation  to  centre  and 
terminate  In  the  holiness  we  had  lost :  As  If  the 
Lord  Jesus  was  sent  down  from  heaven,  and  the 
word  of  God  made  flesh ;  that  by  a  perfect  life  and 
conversation,  he  might  shew  us  how  holy  Adam 


was  before  he  fell ;  or  what  an  holiness  that  our 
holiness  was,  which  we  had  before  we  were  con- 
verted. 

Your  discourse  therefore,  of  the  life  and  conver- 
sation of  the  Lord  Jesus,  Is  none  other  than  hea- 
thenish :  For  you  neither  treat  of  the  principle,  his 
Godhead,  by  which  he  did  his  works ;  neither  do 
you  In  the  least,  in  one  syllable,  aver  the  first,  the 
main  and  prime  reason  of  this  his  conversation ; 
only  you  treat  of  It  so  far,  as  a  mean  man  might 
have  considered  it.  And  indeed  it  stood  not  with 
your  design  to  treat  aright  with  these  things ;  for 
had  you  mentioned  the  first,  though  but  once,  your 
Babel  had  tumbled  about  your  ears ;  for  if  in  the 
holy  Jesus  did  *  dwell  the  word,'  one  of  the  three 
In  heaven;  or  if  the  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
was  truly,  essentially,  and  naturally  God ;  then- 
must  the  principle  from  whence  his  Avorks  did  pro- 
ceed, be  better  than  the  principle  from  whence 
proceeded  the  goodness  in  Adam ;  otherwise  Adam 
must  be  God  and  man.  Also  you  do,  or  may  know 
that  the  self-same  act  may  be  done  from  several 
principles :  and  again,  that  it  Is  the  principle  fron> 
whence  the  act  Is  done,  and  not  the  bare  doing  of 
the  act,  that  makes  it  better  or  worse  accepted.  In 
the  eyes  either  of  God  or  men. 

Now  then,  to  shew  you  the  main,  or  chief  design 
of  the  life  and  conversation  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

First,  It  was  not  to  shew  us  what  an  excellent 
holiness  we  once  had  In  Adam,  but  that  thereby 
God,  the  Eternal  Majesty,  according  to  his  pro- 
mise, might  be  seen  by,  and  dwell  with,  mortal 
men :  For  the  Godhead  being  altogether  In  Its  own 
nature  Invisible,  and  yet  desirous  to  be  seen  by,  and 
dwell  with  the  children  of  men ;  therefore  was  the- 
Son,  who  Is  the  self-same  substance  with  tire  Fa- 
ther, closed  with,  or  tabernacled  in  our  flesh;  that 
in  that  flesh,  the  nature  and  glory  of  tlie  Godliead- 
might  be  seen  by,  and  dwell  with  us :  '  The  word 
was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us,  (and  we  be- 
held his  glory,  (what  glory  ?  the  glory,)  as  of  the 
only  begotten  of  the  Father)  full  of  grace  and 
truth.'  Jn.  i.  14.  Again,  '  The  life  (that  is,  the  life 
of  God,  in  the  works  and  conversation  of  Christ) 
v/as  manifested,  and  we  have  seen  it,  and  bear  wit- 
ness, and  shew  imto  you  that  eternal  life,  which 
was  with  the  Father,  and  was  manifested  unto  us;' 
1  Jn.  i.  2.  And  hence  he  is  called  the  image  of  the 
invisible  God  ;  Col.  i.  15.  or  he  by  whom  the  invisible 
God  Is  most  perfectly  presented  to  the  sons  of  men. 
Did  I  say  before,  that  the  God  of  glory  is  desirous 
to  be  seen  of  us  ?  Even  so  also,  have  the  pure  in 
heart,  a  desire  that  It  should  be  so :  '  Lord,  say 
they,  shew  us  the  Father,  and  it  sufficeth  us.' 
Jn.  .\iv.  8.  And  therefore  the  promise  Is  for  their 
comfort,  that  'they  shall  see  God.'  Mat.  v.  8.  But 
how  then  must  they  see  him  ?  Why,  in  the  per- 
son, and  by  the  life  and  works  of  Jesus.     When 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


301 


riiilip,  untler  a  mistake,  thought  of  seeing  God 
some  otlier  way,  than  in  and  hy  this  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  What  is  the  answer  ?      '  Have  I  heen  so 
long  time  with  you,   (saith  Christ)  and  yet  hast 
thou  not  known  me,  Phihp  ?     He  that  hath  seen 
me,  hath  seen  the  Father ;  and  how  sayest  thou 
then.  Shew  us  the  Father  ?     Believest  thou  not 
that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me  ? 
The  Avords  that  I  speak  unto  you  I  speak  not  of 
myself:  but  the  Father,  that  dwelleth  in  me,  he 
doth  the  works.     Beheve  me,  that  I  am  in  the 
Father,  and  the  Father  in  me ;  or  else  believe  me 
for  the  very  works'  sake.'  Jn.  xiv.  9— ll.      See  here, 
that  both  the  words  and  works  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
were  not  to  shew  you,  and  so  to  call  you  back  to 
the  holiness  that  we  had  lost,  but  to  give  us  visions 
of  the  perfections  that  are  in  the  Father.       He 
hath  given  us  'the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God, 
in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.'  2Co.  iv.  6.    And  hence 
it  is,  that  the  apostle,  in  that  brief  collection  of 
the  wonderful  mj^stery  of  godliness,  placeth  this 
in  the  front  thereof:    'God  was  manifest  in  the 
flesh.'  iTi.  iii.  16.      "Was  manifest,  viz.   In  and  by 
the  person  of  Christ,  when  in  the  flesh  he  lived 
among  us ;  manifest,  I  say,  for  this,  as  one  reason, 
that   the  pure  in  heart,  who  long   after  nothing 
more,   might  see   him.       'I    beseech    thee,'  said 
Moses,  '  shew  me  thy  glor3^  '*     '  And  will   God 
indeed  dwell  with  men  on  the  earth  ?'  saith  Solo- 
mon. 

Now  to  fulfil  the  desires  of  them  that  fear  him, 
hath  he  shewed  himself  in  flesh  unto  them;  which 
discovery  principally  is  made  by  the  words  and 
works  of  Christ.      But, 

Second,  Christ  by  his  words  and  works  of  righ- 
teousness, in  the  da^'s  of  his  flesh,  neither  shewed 
us  which  was,  nor  called  us  back  to  the  possession 
of  the  holiness  that  we  had  lost ;  but  did  perfect, 
in,  and  by  himself,  the  law  for  us,  that  we  had 
broken.  Man  being  involved  in  sin  and  misery, 
by  reason  of  transgression  committed  against  the 
law,  or  ministration  of  death,  and  being  utterly 
imable  to  recover  himself  therefrom,  the  Son  of 
God  himself  assumeth  the  flesh  of  man,  and  for 


*  How  astonishing  the  mystery !  how  condescending  the 
love !  that  the  ii.iiuite  Deity  and  iinite  tlesh  should  meet  in 
one  person  (Christ),  in  order  to  display  to  mankind  the  glory 
of  God  in  that  di\-ine  person  !  to  hring  hell  deserving  mortals 
into  a  nearness,  yea,  into  a  oneness  with  his  Creator,  that  they 
might  be  made  partakers  of  his  holiness,  and  adore  and  admire 
Lis  perfections  for  ever  !  0  Christians,  know  and  prize  yonr 
inestimable  privileges,  and  be  instant  at  the  throne  of  grace, 
that  your  sods  may  be  so  far  assimilated  to  the  image  of  the 
ever-blessed  and  adorable  Jesus,  that  you  may  be  constantly 
looking  and  hastening  to,  and  longing  for  that  happy  time, 
when,  having  di'opt  the  dimning  rags  of  mortality,  the  veil  of 
sinful  Hesh,  you  shall  be  brought  to  '  know  him  even  as  you 
are  known'  of  him,  because  you  shall  'sec  him  as  he  is.' — 
li'jland. 


sin  condemned  sin  in  that  flesh.     And  that  first, 
by  walking,    through    the    power  of    his  eternal 
Spirit,  in  the  highest  perfection  to  every  point  of 
the  whole  law,  in  its  most  exact  and  full  require 
ments ;  which  was  to  be  done,  not  only  without 
commixing  sin  in  his  doing,  but  by  one  that  was 
perfectly  without  the  least  being  of  it  in  his  nature; 
yea,  by  one  that  now  was  God-Man,  because  it 
was  God  whose  law  was  broken,  and  whose  justice 
was  ofl^ended :   For,  were  it  now  possible  to  give  a 
man  possession  of  that  holiness  that  he  hath  lost 
in  Adam,  that  holiness  could  neither  in  the  princi- 
ciple  nor  act  deliver  from  the  sin  by  him  before 
committed.       This  is  evident   by  many  reasons  : 
1 .  Because  it  is  not  a  righteousness  able  to  answer 
the  demands  of  the  law  for  sin ;  that  requiring  not 
only  a  perfect  abiding  in  the  thing   commanded, 
but  a  satisfaction  by  death,  for  the  transgression 
committed  against  the  law.      '  The  wages  of  sin 
is  death. '  Ro.  vi.  23.   Wherefore  he  that  would  under- 
take the  salvation  of  the  world,  must  be  one  who 
can  do  both  these  things ;  one  that  can  perfectly 
do  the  demands  of  the  law  in  thought,  Avord,  and 
deed,  without  the  least  commixture  of  the  least 
sinful  thought  in  the  whole  course  of  his  life  :  He 
must  be  also  able  to  give  by  death,  even  by  the 
death  that  hath  the  curse  of  God  in  it,  a  complete 
satisfaction   to   the  law  for   the    breach   thereof. 
Now  this  could  none  but  Christ  accomplish;  none 
else  having  power  to  do  it.      '  I  have  power  (said 
he)  to  lay  down  my  life,  and  I  have  power  to  take 
it  again:  And  this  commandment  have  I  received 
of  my  Father. '  Jn.  x.  18.     This  work  then  must  be 
done,  not  by  another  earthly  Adam,  but  by  the 
Lord  from  Heaven ;  by  one  that  can  abolish  sin, 
destroy  the  devil,  kill  death,  and  rule  as  Lord  in 
heaven  and  earth.      Now  the  words  and  works  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  declared  him  to  be  such  an  one. 
He  was  first  without  sin  ;  then  he  did  no  sin  ;  nei- 
ther could  either  the  devil,  the  whole  world,  or  the 
law,  find  any  deceit  in  his  mouth :  But  by  being 
under  the  law,  and  walking  in  the  law,  by  that 
Spirit  which  Avas  the  Lord  God  of  the  law,  he  not 
only  did  always  the  things  that  pleased  the  Father, 
but  by  that  means  in  man's  flesh,  he  did  perfectly 
accomplish  and  fulfil  that  law  Avhich  all  flesh  stood 
condemned  by.     It  is  a  foolish  and  an  heathenish 
thing,  nay  worse,  to  think  that   the    Sou   of  God 
should  only,  or  specially  fulfil,  or  perfect  the  laAv, 
and  the  prophets,  by  giving  more  and  higlier  in- 
stances of  moral  duties  than  Avere  before  expressly 
given,  p.  17.     This  Avould  have  been  but  the  lading 
of  men  with  heavy  burthens.       But  know  then, 
whoever  thou  art  that  readest,  that  Christ's  expo- 
sition of  the  law  was  more  to  shew  thee  the  per- 
fection of  his  OAvn  obedience,  than  to  drive  thee 
back  to  the  holiness  thou   hadst  lost;    for   God 
sent  him  to  fidfil  it,  by  doing  it,  and  dying  to  the 


i03 


A  DEFENCE  OE  THE  DOCTRINE  OP  JUSTIFICATION. 


most  sore  sentence  it  could  pronounce :  not  as  he 
stood  a  single  person,  but  common,*  as  Mediator 
between  God  and  man ;  making  up  in  himself  the 
breach  that  Avas  made  by  sin,  betwixt  God  and  the 
world.     For, 

lldrd,  He  was  to  die  as  a  lamb,  as  a  lamb  with- 
out blemish,  and  without  spot,  according  to  the 
type;  'Your  lamb  shall  be  without  blemish.'  Ex. 
xii.  5.  But  because  there  was  none  such  to  be  found 
BY  and  AMONG  all  the  children  of  men ;  therefore 
God  sent  his  from  heaven.  Hence  John  calls  him 
the  Lamb  of  God,  Jn.  i.  29.  and  Peter  him  that  was 
without  spot,  who  washed  us  by  his  blood.  1  Pe.  i.  19. 
Now  wherein  doth  it  appear  that  he  Avas  without 
spot  and  blemish,  but  as  he  walked  in  the  law? 
These  words  therefore  without  spot  are  the  sentence 
of  the  law,  who  searching  him  could  find  nothing 
in  him  why  he  should  be  slain,  yet  he  died  because 
there  was  sin :  Sin !  where  ?  Not  in  him,  but  in 
his  people ;  *  For  the  transgression  of  my  people 
was  he  stricken.'  is.  liii.  8.  He  died  then  for  our  sins, 
and  qualified  himself  so  to  do,  by  coming  sinless 
into  the  world,  and  by  going  sinless  through  it ; 
for  had  he  not  done  both  these,  he  must  have  died 
for  himself.  But  being  God,  even  in  despite  of 
all  that  stumble  at  him,  he  conquered  death,  the 
devil,  sin,  and  the  curse,  by  himself,  and  then  sat 
down  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

Fourth,  And  because  he  hath  a  second  part  of 
his  priestly  office  to  do  in  heaven ;  therefore  it  was 
thus  requisite  that  he  should  thus  manifest  himself 
to  be  holy  and  harmless,  undefiled,  and  separate 
from  sinners  on  the  earth.  He.  vii.  26.  As  Aaron  first 
put  on  the  holy  garments,  and  then  went  into  the 
holiest  of  all.  The  life,  therefore,  and  convereation 
of  our  Lord  Jesus,  was  to  shew  us  with  Avhat  a 
curious  robe  and  girdle  he  Avent  into  the  holy  place ; 
and  not  to  shew  us  Avith  Avhat  an  Adamitish  holiness 
he  would  possess  his  own.  '  Such  an  high  priest 
became  us,  who  is  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  sepa- 
rate from  sinners,  and  made  higher  than  the 
heavens;'  that  he  might  always  be  accepted,  both 
in  person  and  ofi'cring,  Avhcn  he  presenteth  his  blood 
to  God,  the  atonement  for  sin.  Indeed  in  some 
things  he  Avas  an  example  to  us  to  follow  him  ;  but 
mark,  it  Avas  not  as  he  Avas  Mediator,  not  as  he  was 
under  the  laAv  to  God,  not  as  he  died  for  sin,  nor 
as  he  maketh  reconciliation  for  iniquity.  But  in 
these  things  consist  the  life  of  our  soul,  and  the 
beginning  of  our  happiness.  He  was  then  exem- 
plary to  us,  as  he  carried  it  meekly  and  patiently, 
and  self-denyiugly  tOAvards  the  Avorld ;  But  yet  not 
so  neither  to  any  but  such  to  Avhom  he  first  off"ered 
justification  by  the  means  of  his  own  righteous- 
ness ;  for  before  he  saith  '  learn  of  me, '  he  saith, 

*  '  Common,'  as  the  Lead  of  his  cliurcli,  in  whom  all  his 
people  have  au  equal  or  common  right. — Ed. 


•  I  Avill  give  you  rest;'  rest  from  the  guilt  of  sin, 
and  fear  of  everlasting  burnings.  Mat  xi.  And  so 
Peter  first  tells  us,  he  died  for  our  sins ;  and  next, 
that  he  left  us  an  example.  1  Pe.  ii.  21.  But  should 
it  be  granted  that  the  Avliole  of  Christ's  life  and 
conversation  among  men  was  for  our  example,  and 
for  no  other  end  at  all,  but  that  we  should  learn  to 
live  by  his  example,  yet  it  Avould  not  follow,  but 
be  as  far  from  truth  as  the  ends  of  the  earth  are 
asunder,  that  by  this  means  he  sought  to  possess 
us  Avith  the  holiness  we  had  lost,  for  that  he  had 
not  in  himself ;  it  is  true  he  Avas  born  Avithout  sin, 
yet  born  God  and  man  ;  he  lived  in  the  world  Avith- 
out  sin,  but  he  lived  as  God-Man :  he  Avalked  in 
and  up  to  the  laAV,  but  it  Avas  as  God-Man.  Neither 
did  his  manhood,  even  in  those  acts  of  goodness, 
Avhich  as  to  action,  most  properly  respected  it ;  do 
ought  Avithout,  but  by  and  in  conjunction  with  his 
Godhead:  Wherefore  all  and  every  Avhit  of  the 
righteousness  and  good  that  he  did  was  that  of 
God-]\ran,  the  righteousness  of  God.  But  this  Avas 
not  Adam's  principle,  nor  any  holiness  that  Ave 
had  lost. 

Your  fifth  chapter,  therefore,  consisteth  of  words 
spoken  to  the  air. 

Your  sixth  chapter  tells  us,  *  That  to  make  men 
truly  virtuous  and  holy,  was  the  design  of  Christ's 
inimitable  actions,  or  mighty  works  and  miracles, 
and  these  did  only  tend  to  promote  it,'  p.  G8. 

He  neither  did,  nor  needed,  so  much  as  one  small 
piece  of  a  miracle  to  persuade  men  to  seek  for  the 
holiness  which  they  had  lost,  or  to  give  them  again 
possession  of  that ;  for  that  as  I  have  shewed, 
though  you  Avould  fain  have  it  otherwise,  is  not  at 
all  the  Christian  or  gospel  righteousness.  Where- 
fore, in  one  word,  you  are  as  short  by  tliis  cliapter 
to  prove  your  natural  old  covenant,  promiseless, 
figurative  holiness,  to  be  here  designed,  as  if  you 
liad  said  so  much  as  amounts  to  nothing.  Farther, 
Christ  needed  not  to  Avork  a  miracle  to  persuade 
men  to  fall  in  love  with  themselves,  and  their  own 
natural  dictates ;  to  persuade  them  that  they  have 
a  purity  of  the  human  nature  in  them  ;  or  that  the 
holiness  Avhich  they  have  lost,  is  the  only  true, 
real,  and  substantial  holiness :  These  things,  both 
corrupted  nature  and  the  devil,  have  of  a  long  time 
fastened,  and  fixed  in  their  minds. 

His  miracles  therefore  tend  rather  to  take  men 
off"  of  the  pursuit  after  the  righteousness  or  holiness- 
that  Ave  had  lost,  and  to  confirm  unto  us  the  truth 
of  a  far  more  excellent  and  blessed  thing ;  to  Avit, 
the  righteousness  of  God,  of  Christ,  of  faith,  of  the 
Spirit,  Avhich  thai  you  speak  of  never  knew;  neither 
is  it  possible  that  he  should  knoAV  it  who  is  hunting 
for  your  sound  complexion,  your  purity  of  human 
nature,  or  its  dictates,  as  the  only  true,  real,  and 
substantial  righteousness.  '  They  are  ignorant  of 
God's   righteousness,  that  go  about  to  estabhsh 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION 


303 


tLcir  own  riglitcousness;'  and  neither  have,  nor 
can,  without  a  miracle,  submit  themselves  unto  the 
righteousness  of  God.     They  cannot  submit  them- 
selves thereto  ;  talk  thereof  they  may,  notion  it  they 
may,  profess  it  too  they  may;  but  for  a  man  to  sub- 
mit klmself  thei-eto,  is  by  the  mighty  poM'er  of  God. 
Miracles  and  signs  are  for  them  tliat  believe  not. 
1  Co.  xiv.  23.     Why  for  them  ?     That  they  might  be- 
lieve ;  therefore  their  state  is  reckoned  fearful  that 
have  not  yet  believed  for  all  his  wondrous  works. 
And  though  he  did  so  many  miracles  among  them, 
yet  they  believed  him  not.  Jn.  xii.  S7-^o.      But  what 
should   they  believe?       That    Jesus    is    the  true 
Messias,    the   Christ  that    should  come    into  the 
world.    Do  you  say  that  I  blaspheme  (saith  Christ) 
because  I  said  I  am  the  Son  of  God :   '  If  I  do  not 
the  works  of  my  Father  believe  me  not ;  but  if  I  do, 
though  ye  believe  not  me  believe  the  works :  that 
ye  may  know,  and  believe  that  the  Father  is  in  me, 
and  I  in  him.'  Jn.  x.  37, 38.    But  what  is  it  to  believe 
that  he  is  Messias,  or  Christ  ?    Even  to  believe  that 
this  man  Jesus  was  ordained  and  appointed  of  God 
(and  that  before  all  worlds)  to  be  the  Saviour  of  men, 
by  accomplishing  in  himself  an  everlasting  righte- 
ousness for  them,  and  by  bearing  their  sins  in  his 
body  on  the  tree  ;  that  it  was  he  that  was  to  recon- 
cile us  to  God,  by  the  body  of  his  flesh,  when  he 
hanged  on  the  cross.     This  is  the  doctrine  that  at 
the  beginning  Christ  preached  to  that  learned  igno- 
rant Nicodemus.     '  As  Moses  (said  he)  lifted  up  the 
serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son  of 
Man  be  lifted  up,  that  Avhosoever  belicveth  in  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life.'  Jn.  iii.  14,  15. 
The  serpent  was  lifted  up  upon  a  pole :    Nu.  xxi.  9. 
'  Christ  was  hanged  on  a  tree. '     The  serpent  was 
lifted  up  for  murmurers :   Christ  was  hanged  up 
for  sinners :  The  serpent  was  lifted  up  for  them 
that  were  bitten  with  fiery  serpents,  the  fruits  of 
their  wicked  murmuring :   Christ  was  hanged  up 
for  them  that  are  bitten  with  guilt,  the  rage  of  the 
devil,  and  the  fear  of  death  and  wrath:   The  ser- 
pent was  hanged  up  to  be  looked  on :    Christ  was 
hanged  up  that  we  might  believe  in  him,  that  we 
might  have  faith  in  his  blood :  They  that  looked 
upon  the  serpent  of  brass  lived:   They  that  believe 
in   Christ  shall  be  saved,  and  shall  never  perish. 
Was  the  serpent  then  lifted  up  for  them  that  were 
good  and  godly?  No,  but  for  the  sinners :   *  So  God 
commended  his  love  to  us,  in  that,  while  we  were 
yet  sinners  Christ  died  for  us.'     But  what  if  they 
that  were  stung,  could  not,  because  of  the  swelling 
of  their  face,  look  up  to  the  brazen  serpent?  then 
without  remedy  they  die :   So  he  that  believeth  not 
in  Christ  shall  be  damned.     But  might  they  not 
be  healed  by  humbling  themselves?    one  would 
think  that  better  than  to  live  by  looking  up  only : 
No,  only  looking  up  did  it,  when  death  swallowed 
up  them  that  looked  not.    This  then  is  the  doctrine. 


*  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners : '  ac- 
cording to  the  proclamation  of  Paul,  '  Be  it  known 
unto  you  therefore,  men  and  brethren,  that  through 
this  man  is  preached  unto  you  the  forgiveness  of 
sins ;  And  by  him  all  that  believe  are  justified  from 
all  things,  from  which  ye  coidd  not  be  justified  by 
the  law  of  Moses.'  The  forgiveness  of  sins:  But 
what  is  meant  by  forgiveness  ?  Forgiveness  doth 
strictly  respect  the  debt,  or  punishment  that  by 
sin  we  have  brought  upon  ourselves.  But  how  are 
we  by  this  man  forgiven  this  ?  Because  by  his 
blood  he  hath  answered  the  justice  of  the  law,  and 
so  made  amends  to  an  offended  majesty.  Besides, 
this  man's  righteousness  is  made  over  to  him  that 
looks  up  to  him  for  life ;  yea,  that  man  is  made 
the  righteousness  of  God  in  him.  This  is  the 
doctrine  that  the  miracles  were  wrought  to  confirm, 
and  that,  both  by  Christ,  and  his  apostles,  and  not 
that  holiness  and  righteousness,  that  is  the  fruit  of 
a  feigned  purity  of  our  nature. 

Take  two  or  three  instances  for  all. 
First,  '  Then  came  the  Jews  round  about  him, 
and  said  unto  him.  How  long  dost  thou  make  us 
to  doubt?  If  thou  be  the  Christ,  tell  us  plainly, 
Jesus  answered  them,  I  told  you,  and  ye  believed 
not ;  the  works  that  I  do  in  my  Father's  name, 
they  bear  witness  of  me.  But  ye  believe  not, 
because  ye  are  not  of  my  sheep.'  Jn.  x.  24^26. 

By  this  scripture  the  Lord  Jesus  testifies  what 
was  the  end  of  his  words  and  wondrous  works,  viz. 
That  men  might  know  that  he  was  the  Christ ; 
that  he  was  sent  of  God  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the 
world  ;  and  that  these  miracles  required  of  them, 
first  of  all,  that  they  accept  of  him  by  helievinrj ; 
a  thing  little  set  by,  by  our  author,  for  in  p.  299.  he 
preferreth  his  doing  righteousness  far  before  it,  and 
above  all  things  else,  his  words  are  verbatim  thus, 
'  Let  us  exercise  ourselves  unto  real  and  substantial 
godliness,  (such  as  he  hath  described  in  the  first 
part  of  his  book,  viz.  That  which  is  the  dictates 
of  his  human  nature,  &lc.)  and  in  keeping  our 
consciences  void  of  offence,  both  towards  God  and 
towards  men,  and  in  studying  the  gospel  to  enable 
us,  not  to  discourse,  or  only  to  beheve,  but  also 
and  above  all  things  to  do  well/  But  believing, 
though  not  with  this  man,  yet  by  Christ  and  his 
wondrous  miracles,  is  expected  first,  and  above 
ALL  things,  from  men ;  and  to  do  well,  in  the  best 
sense  (though  his  sense  is  the  worst)  is  that  which 
by  the  gospel  is  to  come  after. 

Second,  '  Go  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature.  He  that  believeth  and 
is  baptized  shall  be  saved ;  but  he  that  believeth 
not  shall  be  damned.  And  these  signs  shall  follow 
them  that  believe :  In  my  name  shall  they  cast  out 
devils,  they  shall  speak  with  new  tongues;  they 
shall  take  up  serpents,  and  if  they  drink  any  deadly 
thing,  it  shall  not  hurt  them,'  &c.  Jlai.  xvi.  15— 18. 


304 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


Mark  you  here,  it  is  "believing,  helieving ;  It  is, 
I  say,  believing  that  is  here  required  by  Christ. 
Believing  what  ?  The  gospel ;  even  good  tidings 
to  sinners  by  Jesus  Christ ;  good  tidings  of  good, 
glad  tidings  of  good  things.  Mark  how  the  apostle 
hath  it ;  the  glad  tidings  is,  '  That  through  this 
man  [Jesus]  is  preached  unto  you  the  forgiveness 
of  sins;  and  by  him  all  that  believe  are  justified 
from  all  things,  from  which  ye  could  not  be  justi- 
fied by  the  law  of  Lfoses. '  Ac.  xiii.  38,  39. 

These  signs  shall  follow  them  that  believe. 
Mark,  signs  before,  and  signs  after,  and  all  to  ex- 
cite to,  and  confirm  the  weight  of  believing.  'And 
they  went  forth,  and  preached  everywhere,  the 
Lord  working  with  them,  and  confirming  the  word 
with  signs  following.     Amen.'  Mar.  xvi.  so. 

Tliird,  '  Therefore  we  ought  to  give  the  more 
earnest  heed  to  the  things  which  we  have  heard, 
lest  at  any  time  we  should  let  them  slip.  For  if 
the  word  spoken  by  angels  was  stedfast,  and  every 
transgression  and  disobedience  received  a  just  re- 
compense of  reward  ;  How  shall  we  escape,  if  we 
neglect  so  great  salvation  ;  which  at  the  first  began 
to  be  spoken  by  the  Lord,  and  was  confirmed  unto 
us  by  them  that  heard  him  ;  God  also  bearing  them 
witness  both  with  signs  and  wonders,  and  with 
divers  miracles,  and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  accord- 
ing to  his  own  will. '   He.  ii.  1—4. 

Here  we  are  excited  to  the  faith  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  under  these  words  '  so  great  salvation.'  As 
if  he  had  said,  give  earnest  heed,  the  most  earnest 
heed,  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  because  it 
is  '  so  great  salvation.'  What  this  salvation  is,  he 
tells  us,  it  is  that  which  was  preached  by  the  Lord 
himself ;  '  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave 
his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.' 
Jn.  iii.  16.  God  SO  loved,  that  he  gave  his  Son  to  be 
so  great  salvation.  Now  as  is  expressed  in  the 
text,  to  be  the  better  for  this  salvation,  is,  to  give 
heed  to  hear  it ;  for  '  Faith  comeih  by  hearing. ' 
Ko.  X.  17. 

He  saith  not  give  heed  to  doing,  but  to  the  word 
you  have  heard;  faith,  I  say,  cometh  by  hearino-, 
and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God.  Ro.  x.  But  that 
this  hearing  is  the  hearing  of  faith,  is  farther 
evident : 

L  Because  he  speaketh  of  a  great  salvation, 
accomphshed  by  the  love  of  God  in  Christ,  accom- 
plished by  his  blood.  '  By  his  own  blood  he  entered 
in  once  into  the  holy  place,  having  obtained  eternal 
redemption  for  us. '  He.  ix.  13. 

2.  This  salvation  is  set  in  opposition  to  that 
which  was  propounded  before,  by  the  ministration 
of  angels,  which  consisted  in  a  law  of  works  ;  that 
which  Moses  received  to  give  to  the  children  of 
Israel.  '  For  the  law  (a  command  to  works 
and  duties)  was  given  by  Moses,   but  ^race  and 


truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ.'  Jn. i.  17.  To  live  by 
doing  works  is  the  doctrine  of  the  law  and  Moses  ; 
but  to  live  by  faith  and  grace,  is  the  doctrine  of 
Christ,  and  the  gospel. 

Besides,  the  threatening  being  pressed  Avith  an 
'  How  shall  we  escape?'  Respects  still  a  better, 
a  freer,  a  more  gracious  way  of  life,  than  either 
the  moral  or  ceremonial  law ;  for  both  these  were 
long  before :  But  here  comes  in  another  way,  not 
that  propounded  by  Moses,  or  the  angels,  but  since 
l)y  the  Lord  himself.  '  How  shall  we  escape,  if 
we  neglect  so  great  salvation  ;  which  at  the  first 
began  to  be  spoken  by  the  Lord,  and  was  coirfirmed 
unto  us  by  them  that  heard  kmi.' 

Now  mark.  It  is  this  salvation,  this  so  great  and 
eternal  salvation,  that  was  obtained  by  the  blood 
of  the  Lord  himself.  It  was  this,  even  to  confirm 
faith  in  this,  that  the  God  of  heaven  himself  came 
down  to  confirm,  by  signs  and  wonders ;  '  God 
bearing  them  witness,  both  with  signs  and  wonders, 
and  with  divers  miracles,  and  gifts  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  according  to  his  own  will. '  He.  ii.  4. 

Thus  we  see,  that  to  establish  a  holiness  that 
came  from  the  first  principles  of  morals  in  us,  or 
that  ariseth  from  the  dictates  of  our  human  nature, 
or  to  drive  us  back  to  that  figurative  holiness  that 
we  had  once,  but  lost  in  Adam,  is  little  thought 
on  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  as  little  intended  by  any 
of  the  gospel  miracles. 

A  word  or  two  more.  The  tribute  money  you 
mention,*  was  not  as  you  would  clawingly  insinu- 
ate for  no  other  purpose,  than  to  shew  Christ's 
loA^alty  to  the  magistrate :  But  first,  and  above  all, 
to  shew  his  godhead,  to  confirm  his  gospel,  and 
then  to  shew  his  loyalty,  the  which.  Sir,  the  per- 
sons you  secretly  smite  at,  have  respect  .for,  as 
much  as  you. 

Again,  Also  the  curse  of  the  barren  fig-tree, 
mentioned,  p.  73.  was  not  (if  the  Lord  himself  may 
be  believed)  to  give  us  an  emblem  of  a  person  void 
of  good  works  ;  but  to  shew  his  disciples  the  power 
of  faith,  and  what  a  wonder-working  thing  that 
blessed  grace  is.  Wherefore,  when  the  disciples 
wondered  at  that  sudden  blast  that  was  upon  the 
tree,  Jesus  answered  not,  behold  an  emblem  of  one 
voidof  moral  virtues;  but  'Verily,  I  say  unto  3'ou,  If 
ye  have  faith,  and  doubt  not,  ye  shall  not  only  do 
this  which  is  done  to  the  fig-tree,  but  also  if  ye 
shall  say  unto  this  mountain.  Be  thou  removed, 
and  be  thou  cast  into  the  sea ;  it  shall  be  done. 
And  all  things,  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  prayer 


*  '  And  even  that  miracle  which  might  seem  the  most  incon- 
siderable, namely,  his  causing  his  disciple  Peter  to  catch  a  fish 
with  a  small  piece  of  money  in  its  mouth,  was  also  instructive 
of  a  duty;  it  being  an  instance  of  his  loyalty  to  the  supreme 
magistrate;  for  the  money  was  expended  in  paying  tribute, 
aud  taken  out  of  the  sea  in  that  strange  manner  for  no  other 
pm-pose.' — Fotvlers  Design,  ^"c,  p.  72. 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  UOCTimSTE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


805 


believing,  ye  shall  receive.'  Mat. xxi. 21,22.  Again, 
Mark  saith,  When  Peter  saw  the  fig-tree  that  the 
Lord  had  cursed  dried  up  from  the  roots,  he  said 
to  his  master,  'behold  the  fig-tree  vrhich  thou 
cm'sedst  is  withered  away.'  xi.  21.  Christ  now  doth 
not  say  as  you,  this  tree  was  an  emblem  of  a  pro- 
fessor void  of  good  works  ;  but,  *  Have  faith  in,  or 
the  faith  of  God.  For,  verily  I  say  unto  you, 
That  whosoever  shall  say  imto  this  moxmtain,  Be 
thou  removed,  and  be  thou  cast  into  the  sea,  and 
shaU  not  doubt  in  his  heart,  but  shall  believe  that 
those  thiugs  which  he  saith  shall  come  to  pass,  he 
shall  have  whatsoever  he  saith.  Therefore  I  say 
unto  you.  What  things  soever  ye  desire,  when  ye 
pray,  believe  that  ye  receive  them,  and  ye  shall 
have  thetn.'  Christ  Jesus  therefore  had  a  higher, 
and  a  better  end,  than  that  which  you  propound, 
in  his  cursing  the  barren  fig-tree,  even  to  shew, 
as  himself  expounds  it,  the  mighty  power  of  faith ; 
and  how  it  lays  hold  of  things  in  heaven,  and  tmn- 
bleth  before  it  things  on  earth.  Wherefore  your 
scriptureless  exposition,  doth  but  lay*  you  even 
Solomon's  proverb,  *  The  legs  of  the  lame  are  not 
equal, '  «fec.  Pr.  xxvi.  7. 

I  might  enlarge  ;  but  enough  of  this  ;  only  here 
I  add,  that  the  wonders  and  miracles  that  attend 
the  gospel,  were  wrought,  and  are  recorded,  to 
persuade  to  faith  in  Christ.  By  faith  in  Christ 
men  are  justified  from  the  curse,  and  judgment  of 
the  law.  This  faith  worketh  by  love,  by  the  love 
of  God  it  brings  up  the  heart  to  God,  and  good- 
ness;  but  not  by  your  covenant,  Eze.xvi.  61.  not  by 
principles  of  human  nature,  but  of  the  Spirit 
of  God;  not  m  a  poor,  legal,  old  covenant,  pro- 
miseless,  ignorant,  shadowish,  natural  holiness,  but 
by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

[The  deaih  of  Clirist  accomplished  an  infinitely 
greater  object  than  the  restoring  of  man  to  his 
m^igincd  temporal  holiness.  ] 

I  come  now  to  your  seventh  chapter;  but  to 
that  I  have  spoken  briefly  already,  and  therefore 
here  shall  be  the  shorter. 

In  this  chapter  you  say,  *  that  to  make  men  holy 
was  the  design  of  Christ's  death.'  p. 78. 

Ans.  1.  But  not  with  yom'  described  principles 
of  humanity,  and  dictates  of  human  nature.  He 
designed  not,  as  I  have  fully  proved,  neither  by  his 
death,  nor  life,  to  put  us  into  a  possession  of  the 
holiness  which  we  had  lost,  though  the  proof  of 
that  be  the  business  of  your  book. 

2.  To  make  men  holy,  was  doubtless  designed 
by  the  death  and  blood  of  Christ :  but  the  way  and 

*  'Lay  you,'  brings  forth  to  yourself.  'Lay'  is  here  used 
as  in  '  a  hen  lays  eggs ;'  such  an  application  to  this  proverb 
13  a  cutting  satire. — Ed. 

VOL.  II. 


manner  of  the  proceeding  of  the  Holy  Ghost  there- 
in, you  write  not  of ;  although  the  first  text  you 
mention  (p.  78, 70.)  doth  fairly  present  you  with  it. 
For  the  way  to  make  men  inwardly  holy,  by  the 
death  and  blood  of  Christ,  is,  first,  to  possess!  them 
with  the  knowledge  of  this,  that  their  sins  were 
crucified  with  him,  or  that  he  did  bear  them  in  his 
body  on  the  tree :  '  Knowing  this,  that  our  Old 
Man  is  crucified  with  him,  that  the  body  of  sin 
might  be  destroyed,  that  henceforth  we  should  not 
serve  sin.'  Ko.  vi.  6.  So  he  died  for  all,  that  they 
that  live,  should  not  henceforth  live  unto  them- 
selves, as  you  would  have  them,  nor  to  the  law  or 
dictates  of  their  own  nature,  as  your  doctrine  would 
persuade  them ;  '  but  to  him  that  died  for  them, 
and  rose  again.'  2Co. v.  15. 

There  are  two  things,  in  the  right  stating  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  effects  of  the  death  and  blood  of 
Christ,  that  do  naturally  efiect  in  us  an  holy  prin- 
ciple, and  also  a  life  becoming  such  a  mercy. 

First,  For  that  by  it  we  are  set  at  liberty,  by 
faith  therein,  from  the  guilt,  and  curse  that  is  duo 
to  guilt,  from  death,  the  devil,  and  the  wrath  to 
come.  No  encouragement  to  hoUness  like  this, 
like  the  persuasion,  and  belief  of  this;  because 
this  carrieth  in  it  the  greatest  expression  of  love, 
that  we  are  capable  of  hearing  or  believing,  and 
there  is  nothing  that  worketh  on  us  so  powerfully 
as  love.  '  Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God, 
but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  he  the 
propitiation  for  our  sins.'  iJn. iv.io.  He  then  that 
by  faith  can  see  that  the  body  of  his  sin  did  hang 
upon  the  cross,  by  the  body  of  Christ,  and  that 
can  see  by  that  action,  death  and  sin,  the  devil 
and  hell,  destroyed  for  him ;  it  is  he  that  wiU  say, 
'  Bless  the  Lord,  0  my  soul,  and  all  that  is  within 
me  bless  his  holy  name,'  «fec.  Ps.  ciiLi— i. 

Second,  Moreover,  the  knowledge  of  this  giveth 
a  man  to  imderstand  this  mystery.  That  Christ 
and  himself  are  imited  in  one.  For  faith  saith. 
If  om-  Old  Man  was  crucified  with  Christ,  then 
were  we  also  reckoned  in  him,  when  he  hanged  on 
the  cross, '  I  am  crucified  with  Christ. '  Ga.  ii.  20.  All 
the  Elect  did  mystically  hang  upon  the  cross  in 
Christ.  We  then  are  dead  to  the  law,  and  sin, 
first,  by  the  body  of  Christ.  Ro.vii.  4.  Now  he  that 
is  dead  is  free  from  sin ;  now  if  we  be  dead  with 
Christ,  we  believe  that  vre  shall  live  with  him, 
knowing  that  Christ  being  i-aised  from  the  dead, 
dieth  no  more,  death  hath  no  more  dominion  over 
him ;  for  in  that  he  died,  he  died  imto  sin  once ; 
but  in  that  he  liveth,  he  liveth  unto  God:  likewise 
reckon  yourselves  also  dead  imto  sin,  but  alive 
unto  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Ro.  vi. 


t  'To  possess  them.'  Possess  was  formerly  used  as  an 
active  verb,  but  now  is  only  used  as  a  neuter  verb ;  the  mean- 
ing is  'to  fin  them  with  the  certainlv  of  the  kaowlcdge.' 

2  a    ' 


306 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


This  also  Peter  doth  lively  discourse  of,  '  Foras- 
mucli  then  (saith  he)  as  Christ  hath  suffered  for 
us  in  the  flesh,  arm  yourselves  likewise  with  the 
same  mind  :  for  he  that  hath  suffered  in  the  flesh 
hath  ceased  from  sin. '  i  Pe.  iv.  i.  By  which  words  he 
insinuateth  the  mystical  union  that  is  between 
Christ  the  head,  and  the  Elect  his  body:  arguing 
from  the  suffering  of  a  part,  there  should  be  a 
sympathy  in  the  whole.  If  Christ  then  suffered 
for  us,  we  were  (even  our  sins,  bodies  and  souls) 
reckoned  in  him  when  he  so  suffered.  Wherefore, 
by  his  sufferings,  the  wrath  of  God  for  us  is  ap- 
peased, the  curse  is  taken  from  us :  for  as  Adam 
by  his  acts  of  rebellion,  made  all  that  were  in  Mm 
guilty  of  his  wickedness ;  so  Christ  by  his  acts, 
and  doings  of  goodness,  and  justice ;  made  all  that 
were  reckoned  in  him  good,  and  just  also :  but  as 
Adam's  transgression  did  first,  and  immediately 
reside  with,  and  remain  in  the  person  of  Adam 
only,  and  the  imputation  of  that  transgression  to 
them  that  sprang  from  him ;  so  the  goodness,  and 
justice,  that  was  accomphshed  by  the  second  Adam, 
first,  and  immediately  resideth  in  him,  and  is  made 
over  to  his  also,  by  the  imputation  of  God.  But 
agam,  as  they  that  were  in  Adam,  stood  not  only 
guilty  of  sin,  by  imputation,  but  polluted  by  the  filth 
that  possessed  him  at  his  fall;  so  the  children  of  the 
second  Adam,  do  not  only,  though  first,  stand  just 
by  virtue  of  the  imputation  of  the  personal  acts  of 
justice,  and  goodness  done  by  Christ;  but  they 
also  receive  of  that  inward  quality,  the  grace,  and 
lioliness  that  was  in  him,  at  the  day  of  his  rising 
from  the  dead.* 

Thus  therefore  come  we  to  be  holy,  by  the  death, 
and  blood  of  the  Lord :  this  also  is  the  contents  of 
those  other  scriptures,  which  abusively  you  cite,  to 
justify  your  assertion,  to  wit. 

'  That  the  great  errand  of  Christ  in  coming  into 
the  world,  was — to  put  us  again  into  possession  of 
the  holiness  which  we  had  lost.  And  that  only 
designed  the  establishing  such  a  holiness,  as  is 
seated  originally  in  our  natures,  and  originally 
dictates  of  the  human  nature.'  The  rest  of  the 
chapter  being  spoken  to  already,  I  pass  it,  and 
proceed  to  the  next. 

Your  eighth  chapter  tells  us,  '  That  it  is  only 


*  '  As  in  Adam  all  died/  were  bereft  of  every  good,  and 
became  obnoxious  to  wratli  and  endless  misery,  so  '  in  Christ,' 
by  virtue  of  his  life,  death,  and  resurrection,  '  shall  all  be  made 
alive;'  they  shall  have  that  incorruptible  seed  implanted  in 
their  hearts,  which  liveth  and  abideth  for  ever.  Eveiy  grace 
and  blessing  is  derived  to  the  renewed  soul  from  its  union  to 
Christ,  as  its  living  head,  through  the  eternal  Spirit.  Christ 
hath  fulfilled  all  righteousness  for  us  and  in  our  stead,  and  this 
was  the  end  and  intent  of  his  coming  into  the  world ;  so  that 
Christ  is  now  become  the  righteousness  of  all  them  that  do 
truly  believe  in  him.  '  Created  IN  Christ  Jesus  unto  good 
works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained  that  we  should  wallc 
in  them,'  Eph.  ii.  10. — Mason  and  Jtyland, 


the  promoting  of  the  design  of  making  men  holy, 
that  is  aimed  at  by  the  apostles  insisting  on  the 
doctrines  of  Christ's  resurrection,  ascension,  and 
coming  again  to  judgment.' 

Though  this  should  be  granted,  as  indeed  it 
ought  not ;  yet  there  is  not  one  syllable  in  all  their 
doctrines,  that  tendeth  in  the  least  to  drive  men 
back  to  the  possession  of  the  holiness  we  had  lost; 
which  is  still  the  thing  asserted  by  you,  and  that, 
for  the  proof  of  which  you  make  this  noise,  and  ado. 
Neither  did  Christ  at  all  design  the  promoting  of 
holiness,  by  such  principles  as  you  have  asserted  in 
your  book ;  neither  doth  the  holy  Spirit  of  God, 
either  help  us  in,  or  excite  us  to  our  duty,  simplt! 
from  such  natural  principles. 

But  the  apostles  in  these  doctrines  you  mention, 
had  far  other  glorious  designs ;  such  as  were  truly 
gospel,  and  tended  to  strengthen  our  faith  yet  far- 
ther: As, 

First,  For  the  resurrection  of  Christ ;  they  urge 
THAT,  as  an  undeniable  argument,  of  his  doing 
away  sin,  by  his  sacrifice  and  death :  '  He  was 
delivered  for  our  offences, '  because  he  put  himself 
into  the  room,  and  state  of  the  wicked,  as  under- 
taking their  deliverance  from  death,  and  the  ever- 
lasting wrath  of  God.  Now  putting  himself  into 
their  condition,  he  bears  their  sins,  and  dies  their 
death ;  but  how  shall  we  know,  that  by  undertak- 
ing this  work,  he  did  accompHsh  the  thing  he  in- 
tended ?  the  answer  is,  '  He  was  raised  again  for 
our  justification.*  Ko.  iv.  2S.  Even  to  make  it  mani- 
fest, that  by  the  offering  of  himself  he  had  purged 
our  sins  from  before  the  face  of  God.  For  in  that 
he  was  raised  again,  and  that  by  him,  for  the 
appeasing  of  whose  wrath  he  was  dehvered  up  to 
death ;  it  is  evident  that  the  work  for  us,  was  by 
him  effectually  done :  for  God  raised  him  up  again. 
And  hence  it  is  that  Paid  calls  the  resunrection  of 
Christ,  '  the  sure  mercies  of  David.  And  as  con- 
cerning that  he  raised  him  up  from  the  dead,  nmo 
no  more  to  return  to  corruption,  he  said  on  this 
wise,  I  will  give  you  the  sure  mercies  of  David.' 
Ac.  xiii.  34.  For  Christ  having  conquered  and  over- 
come death,  sin,  the  devil,  and  the  ciu-se,  by  him- 
self, as  it  is  manifest  he  did,  by  his  rising  from  the 
dead ;  what  now  remains  for  him,  for  whom  he 
did  this,  but  mercy  and  goodness  for  ever  ? 

Wherefore  the  resurrection  of  Christ  is  that 
which  sealeth  the  truth  of  our  being  delivered  from 
the  wrath  by  his  blood. 

Second,  As  to  his  ascension  they  [the  inspired 
writers]  urge  and  make  use  of  that,  for  divers 
weighty  reasons  also. 

I.Asa  farther  testimony  yet,  of  the  sufficiency 
of  his  righteousness  to  justify  sinners  withal:  for 
if  ho  that  undertaketh  the  work,  is  yet  entertained 
by  him,  whose  wrath  he  was  to  appease  thereby: 
What  is  it?  But  that  he  hath  so  completed  that  work. 


DEFENCE  or  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


307 


Wlierefore  he  saith,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  shall 
convmce  the  world ;  that  he  hath  a  sufficient  righ- 
teousness, and  that  because  he  went  to  the  Father 
and  they  saw  him  no  more,  Jn.  xvi.  because  he,  when 
he  ascended  up  to  the  Father,  was  there  enter- 
tained, accepted,  and  embraced  of  God.  That  is 
an  excellent  word.  *  He  is  chosen  of  God,  a,nd 
precious.*  Chosen  of  God  to  be  the  righteousness, 
that  his  Divine  Majesty  is  pleased  with,  and  takes 
complacency  in ;  God  hath  chosen,  exalted,  and 
set  down  Christ  at  his  own  right  hand;  for  the 
sweet  savour  that  he  smelled  in  his  blood,  when  he 
died  for  the  sins  of  the  world. 

2.  By  his  ascension  he  sheweth  how  he  returned 
conqueror,  and  victor  over  our  enemies.  His  as- 
cension was  his  going  home,  from  whence  he  came, 
to  dehver  us  from  death :  now  it  is  said,  that  when 
he  returned  home,  or  ascended,  *  he  led  captivity 
captive,'  Ep.  iv.  that  is,  carried  them  prisoners, 
whose  prisonei-s  we  were:  He  rode  to  heaven  in 
triumph,  having  in  chains  the  foes  of  believers. 

3.  In  that  he  ascended,  it  was,  that  he  might 
perform  for  us,  the  second  part  of  his  priestly 
office,  or  mediatorship.  He  is  gone  into  heaven 
itself,  there  '  now  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God 
for  us. '  He.  k.  24.  *  Wherefore,  he  is  able  also  to  save 
them  to  the  uttermost,  that  come  unto  God  by  him, 
(as  indifferent  a  thing  as  you  make  it  to  be)  seeing 
he  ever  liveth  (viz.  in  heaven,  whither  he  is  as- 
cended) to  make  intercession  for  them.'  vii. 23. 

4.  He  ascended,  that  he  might  be  exalted  not 
only  above,  but  be  made  head  over  all  things  to  the 
church.  Wherefore  now  in  heaven,  as  the  Lord 
in  whose  hand  is  all  power,  he  ruleth  over,  both 
men,  and  devils,  sin,  and  death,  hell,  and  all  cala- 
mities, for  the  good  and  profit  of  his  body,  the 
church.  Ep.  i.  19— 23. 

5.  He  ascended  to  prepare  a  place  for  us,  who 
shall  live  and  die  in  the  faith  of  Jesus.  Jn.  xiv.  i— 3. 

6.  He  ascended,  because  there  he  was  to  receive 
the  Holy  Ghost,  the  great  promise  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament ;  that  he  might  communicate  of  that  unto 
his  chosen  ones,  to  give  them  light  to  see  his  won- 
derful salvation,  and  to  be  as  a  principle  of  holiness 
in  their  souls :  *  For  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not  yet 
given,  because  that  Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified.' 
Jn.  vii.  39.  But  when  he  ascended  on  high,  even  as 
he  led  captivity  captive,  so  he  received  gifts  for 
men  ;  by  which  gifts  he  meaneth  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  the  blessed  and  saving   operations   thereof. 

Lu.  xxir.  Ac.  i.  2. 

Third.  As  to  his  coming  again  to  judgment,  that 
doctrine  is  urged,  to  shew  the  benefit  that  the  godly 
will  have  at  that  day,  when  he  shall  gather  together 
his  elect,  and  chosen,  from  one  end  of  heaven  unto 
the  other.  As  also  to  shew  you  what  an  end  he 
will  make  with  those  who  have  not  obeyed  his  gos- 
pel. Mat.  xsv.  2  Hi.  i.  8.  2  Pe.  iii.  7—11. 


Now  it  is  true,  all  these  doctrines  do  forcibly 
produce  an  holy,  and  heavenly  life,  but  neither  from 
your  principles,  nor  to  the  end  you  propound  ;  to 
wit,  that  we  should  be  put  into  possession  of  our 
first,  old  covenant  righteousness,  and  act  from 
human  and  natural  principles. 

Your  ninth  chapter  is  spent,  as  you  suppose,  to 
shew  us  the  nature,  and  evil  of  sin  ;  but  because 
you  do  it  more  like  a  heathen  philosopher,  than  a 
minister  of  the  gospel,  I  shall  not  much  trouble 
myself  therewith. 

Your  tenth  chapter  consisteth  in  a  commendation 
of  virtue,  but  still  of  that,  and  no  other,  thougli 
counterfeited  for  another,  than  at  first  you  have 
described,  (chap,  i.)  even  such,  which  is  as  much  in 
the  heathens  you  make  mention  of,  as  in  any  other 
man,  being  the  same  both  in  root,  and  branches, 
which  is  naturally  to  be  found  in  all  men,  even  as 
is  sin  and  wickedness  itself.  And  hence  you  call 
it  here,  a  Hving  up  to  yom-  feigned  '  highest  princi- 
ple, like  a  creature  possessed  of  a  mind  and  reason.' 
Again,  '  While  we  do  thus,  we  act  most  agreeably 
to  the  right  frame  and  constitution  of  our  souls, 
and  consequently  most  naturally ;  and  all  the  actions 
of  noiure,  are  confessedly  very  sweet  and  pleasant ;' 
of  which  very  thing  you  say,  '  the  heathens  had  a 
great  sense. '  p.  lis,  114. 

Answ.  No  marvel,  for  it  was  their  work,  not  to 
search  the  deep  things  of  God,  but  those  which  be 
the  things  of  a  man,  and  to  discourse  of  that  righ- 
teousness, and  principle  of  holiness,  which  was 
naturally  founded,  and  found  within  themselves,  as 
men  ;  or,  as  you  say,  *  as  creatures  possessed  with 
a  mind  and  reason. '  But  as  I  have  already  shewed, 
all  this  may  be,  where  the  Holy  Ghost  and  faith  is 
absent,  even  by  the  dictates,  as  you  call  them,  of 
human  nature  ;  a  principle,  and  actions,  when 
trusted  to  that,  as  much  please  the  devil,  as  any 
wickedness  that  is  committed  by  the  sons  of  men. 
I  should  not  have  thus  boldly  inserted  it,  but  that 
yourself  did  tell  me  of  it,  p.  101.  But  I  believe  it 
was  only  extorted  from  you  ;  your  judgment,  and 
your  Apollo,  suit  not  here,  though  indeed  the  devil 
is  in  the  right ;  for  this  righteousness  and  hohness 
which  is  our  own,  and  of  ourselves,  is  the  greatest 
enemy  to  Jesus  Christ :  the  post  against  his  post, 
and  the  wall  against  his  wall.  '  I  came  not  to  call 
the  righteous  (puts  you  quit  of  the  world)  but  siu- 
ners  to  repentance.' 

[Man  in  wretched  uncertainly  if  he  2')ossessed  no 
better  holiness  than  that  of  Adam  in  his  creation.] 

Your  eleventh  chapter  is,  to  shew  what  a  misera- 
ble creature  that  man  is,  that  is  destitute  of  yom' 
holiness. 

Answ.  And  I  add,  as  miserable  is  he,  that  hath, 
or  knoweth  no  better.     For  such  an  one  is  under 


SOS 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


the  curse  of  God,  because  he  ahidcth  in  the  law 
of  works,  or  in  the  principles  of  his  own  nature, 
which  neither  can  cover  his  sins  from  the  sight  of 
God,  nor  possess  him  with  faith  or  the  Holy  Ghost. 

There  are  two  things  in  this  chapter,  that  pro- 
claim you  to  be  ignorant  of  Jesus  Christ. 

First,  you  say,  It  is  not  possible  a  wicked  man 
should  have  God's  pardon,  p.  119,130. 

Secondly,  You  suppose  it  to  be  impossible  for 
Christ's  righteousness  to  be  imputed  to  an  tmrigh- 
tcous  man,  p.  120. 

Answ.  To  both  which,  a  little  briefly ;  God  doth 
not  use  to  pardon  painted  sinners,  but  such  as  are 
really  so.  Christ  died  for  sinners,  iTi.i.  15.  and 
God  justifieth  the  ungodly.  Bo.  v.  c— 9.  even  him  that 
worketh  not,  iv.  3—5.  nor  hath  no  works  to  make  him 
godly,  ix.  18.  Is.  x.\xiii.  11.  Besides,  pardon  supposes 
sin  ;  now  he  that  is  a  sinner  is  a  wicked  man ;  by 
nature  a  child  of  Avrath,  and,  as  such,  an  object  of 
the  curse  of  God,  because  he  hath  broken  the  law 
of  God.  But  such  God  pardoneth  ;  not  because 
they  have  made  themselves  holy,  or  have  given  up 
themselves  to  the  law  of  nature,  or  to  the  dictates 
of  their  human  principles,  but  because  he  will  be 
gracious,  and  because  he  will  give  to  his  beloved 
Son  Jesus  Christ,  the  benefit  of  his  blood. 

As  to  the  second  head,  Avhat  need  is  there  that 
the  righteousness  of  Christ  should  be  imputed,  where 
men  are  righteous  first  ?  God  useth  not  thus  to 
do  ;  his  righteousness  is  for  the  '  stout-hearted, 
that  are  far  from  righteousness.'  is. xUi.  12. 

The  believing  of  Abraham  was  while  yet  he  was 
unclrcumcised ;  and  circumcision  Avas  added,  not  to 
save  him  by,  but  as  a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of 
that  faith,  which  he  had,  being  yet  unclrcumcised. 
Now  we  know  that  circumcision  in  the  flesh,  was  a 
type  of  circumcision  in  the  heart  ;  Ro.  ii.  wherefore 
the  faith  that  Abraham  had,  before  his  outward 
circumcision,  was  to  shew  us,  that  faith,  if  it  be 
right,  layeth  hold  upon  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
before  we  be  circumcised  inwardly ;  and  this  must 
needs  be  so  :  for  if  faith  doth  purify  the  heart,  then 
it  must  be  there  before  the  heart  is  purified.  Nov,^ 
this  inward  circumcision  is  a  seal,  or  sign  of  this  : 
that  that  is  the  only  saving  faith,  that  layeth  hold 
upon  Christ  before  we  be  circumcised.  But  he 
that  believeth  before  he  be  inwardly  circumcised, 
must  believe  in  another,  in  a  righteousness  without 
hun,  and  that,  as  he  standeth  at  present  in  himself 
ungodly ;  for  he  is  not  circumcised  ;  which  faith, 
if  it  be  right,  approveth  itself  also  so  to  be,  by  an 
after  work  of  circumcising  inwardly.  But,  I  say, 
the  soul  that  thus  layeth  hold  on  Christ,  taketh  the 
only  way  to  please  his  God,  because  this  is  that 
also,  which  himself  hath  determined  shall  be  accom- 
plished upon  us.  '  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  UNGODLT,  his  faith  is  counted  for 
righteousness.'  Ro.iv.  He  that  is  ungodly,  hath  a 
want  of  righteousness,  even  of  the  inward  righte- 
ousness of  works :  but  what  must  become  of  him  ? 
Let  him  believe  in  him  that  justifieth  the  imgodly, 
because,  for  that  purpose,  there  is  in  him  a  righte- 
ousness. We  will  now  return  to  Paul  himself;  he 
had  righteousness  before  he  was  justified  by  Christ ; 
yet,  he  choose  to  be  justified  rather  as  an  imrigh- 
teous  man,  than  as  one  endued  with  so  brave  a 
qualification.  That  I  may  '  be  found  in  him,  not 
having  mine  own  righteousness,'  away  with  mine 
own  righteousness  ;  I  choose  rather  to  be  justified 
as  ungodly,  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  than  by 
mine  own,  and  his  together,  pm.  iii. 

You  argue  therefore,  like  him  that  desireth  to  be 
a  teacher  of  the  law,  (nay  worse,)  that  neither  know- 
etli  what  he  saith,  nor  Avhereof  he  afiirmeth.  But 
you  say, 

*  Were  it  possible  that  Christ's  righteousness 
could  be  imputed  to  an  unrighteous  man,  I  dare 
boldly  affirm  that  it  would  signify  as  little  to  his 
happiness,  while  he  continueth  so,  as  would  a  gor- 
geous, and  splendid  garment,  to  one  that  is  almost 
starved,'  &c.  p.  120. 

A71SIV.  1.  That  Christ's  righteousness  is  imputed 
to  men,  while   sinners,  is  sufficiently  testified  by 

the  word  of  God.  Eze.  xvi.  1—8.  Zec.  iii.  1—5.  Ro.  iii.  24r-25; 
iv.  1—5;  V.  6—9.  2  Co.  v.  18—21.  Phil.  iii.  G— 8.  1  Ti.  i.  15, 16.  Re.  i.  5. 

2.  And  that  the  sinner,  or  imrighteous  man,  is 
happy  in  this  imputation,  is  also  as  abundantly  evi- 
dent. For,  (1.)  The  wrath  of  God,  and  the  curse 
of  the  law,  ai'e  both  taken  olf  by  this  imputation. 
(2.)  The  graces  and  comforts  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
are  all  entailed  to,  and  followers  of,  this  imputation, 
'  Blessed  is  he  to  whom  the  Lord  will  not  impute 
sin.'  It  saith  not,  that  he  is  blessed  that  hath  not 
sin  to  be  imputed,  but  he  to  whom  God  will  not 
impute  them,  he  saith,  therefore  the  non-imputation 
of  sin,  doth  not  argue  a  non  being  thereof  in  the 
soul,  but  a  glorious  act  of  grace,  imputing  the  suffi- 
ciency of  Christ's  righteousness,  to  justify  him  that 
is  yei  ungodly. 

But  what  blessedness  doth  follow  the  imputation 
of  the  righteousness  of  Clirist,  to  one  that  is  yet 
ungodly  ? 

Answ.  Even  the  blessing  of  Abraham,  to  wit, 
grace  and  eternal  life  :  For  Christ  was  made  the 
curse,  and  death,  that  was  due  to  us  as  sinners; '  That 
the  blessing  of  Abraham  might  come  on  the  Gen- 
tiles, through  [faith  in]  Jesus  Christ ;  that  we  might 
receive  the  promise  of  the  Spirit  through  faith.' 
Ga.  iii.  13, 14.  Now  faith  hath  its  eye  upon  two  things, 
with  respect  to  its  act  of  justifying.  First,  it  ac- 
knowledgeth  that  the  soul  is  a  sinner,  and  then, 
that  there  is  a  sufficiency  in  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  to  justify  it  in  the  sight  of  God,  though  a 
sinner 


DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


303 


We  have  believed  in  Jesus  Christ,  that  vre  might 
be  justified  by  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  not  by  the 
•works  of  the  law ;  therefore  they  that  believe  aright, 
receive  righteousness,  even  the  righteousness  of  an- 
other, to  justify  them,  while  yet  in  themselves  they 
are  sinners. 

Why  do  they  believe  in  Christ  ?  the  answer  is  : 
that  they  might  be  justified,  not  because  in  their 
own  eyes  they  are.  They  therefore  at  present 
stand  condemned  in  themselves,  and  therefore  they 
believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  that  they  mijJd  be  set  free 
from  present  condemnation.  Now  being  justified 
by  his  blood,  as  ungodly,  they  shall  be  saved  by 
his  life,  that  is,  by  his  intercession  :  for  whom  he 
justifieth  by  his  blood,  he  saveth  by  his  interces- 
sion ;  for  by  that  is  given  the  spirit,  faith,  and  all 
grace  that  preserveth  the  elect  mito  eternal  life 
and  glory. 

I  conclude  therefore,  that  you  argue  not  gospelly, 
in  that  you  so  Boldly  affirm,  That  it  would  signify 
as  little  to  the  happiness  of  one,  to  be  justified  by 
Christ's  righteousness,  while  a  sinner  ;  as  would  a 
gorgeous  and  splendid  garment  to  one  that  is  ready 
to  perish.  For  farther,  thus  to  be  justified,  is  meat 
and  drink  to  the  sinner  ;  and  so  the  beginning  of 
eternal  life  in  him.  '  My  flesh  is  meat  indeed, 
(said  Christ),  and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed  ;  and 
he  that  eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood, 
hath  eternal,  or  everlasting  life.'  He  afiSrmeth  it 
once  again  :  '  As  the  living  Father  hath  sent  me, 
and  I  live  by  the  Father,  so  he  that  eateth  me,  even 
he  shall  live  by  me.'  Jn.  vi.  57.  Here  now  is  a  man 
an  hungered,  what  must  he  feed  upon  ?  Not  his 
pure  humanity,  not  upon  the  sound  complexion  of 
his  soul,  nor  yet  on  the  dictates  of  his  human  na- 
ture, nor  those  neither,  which  you  call  truly  gene- 
rous principles :  but  upon  the  flesh  and  blood  of  the 
Son  of  God,  which  was  once  given  for  the  sin  of 
the  world.  Let  those  then,  that  would  be  saved 
from  the  devil  and  hell,  and  that  would  find  a  foun- 
tain of  grace  in  themselves,  first  receive,  and  feed 
xipon  Christ,  as  sinners  and  imgodly ;  let  tlaem  be- 
lieve that  both  his  body,  and  blood,  and  soul,  was 
oQ'ered  for  them,  as  they  were  sinners.  The 
believing  of  this,  is  the  eating  of  Christ ;  this 
eating  of  Christ,  is  the  beginning  of  eternal  life, 
to  wit,  of  all  grace  and  health  in  the  soul ;  and 
of  glory  to  be  enjoyed  most  perfectly  in  the  next 
Avorld. 

Your  twelfth  chapter  is  to  shew,  '  That  holiness 
being  perfected  is  blessedness  itself;  and  that  the 
glory  of  heaven  consists  chiefly  in  it. ' 

Ansio.  But  none  of  your  holiness,  none  of  that 
inward  holiness,  which  we  have  lost  before  conver- 
sion, shall  ever  come  to  heaven :  that  being,  as  I 
have  shewed,  a  holiness  of  another  nature,  and 
arising  from  another  root,  than  that  we  shall  in 
heaven  enjoy. 


But  further,  your  description  of  the  glory  that 
we  shall  possess  in  heaven,  is  questionable,  as  to 
your  notion  of  it ;  your  notion  is,  that  the  substance 
of  it  consists  'in  a  perfect  resemblance  to  the  diviuo 
nature, '  p.  123, 124. 

Ansio.  Therefore  not  in  the  enjoyment  of  the 
divine  nature  itself:  for  that  which  in  substance  is 
but  a  bare  resemblance,  though  it  be  a  most  per- 
fect one,  is  not  the  thing  itself,  of  which  it  is  a  re- 
semblance. But  the  blessedness  that  we  shall 
enjoy  in  heaven,  in  the  very  substance  of  it,  con- 
sisteth  not  wholly,  nor  principally,  in  a  resemblance 
of,  but  in  the  enjoyment  of  God  himself ;  '  Heirs 
of  God.'  Wherefore  there  shall  not  be  in  us  a 
likeness  only  to,  but  the  very  nature  of  God: 
'  Heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ.'  Ro.  viii. 
17.  Hence  the  apostle  tells  us,  that  he  '  rejoiced  In 
hope  of  the  glory  of  God. '  Ko.  v.  2.  Not  only  in  hope 
of  a  resemblance  of  it.  '  The  Lord  is  my  portion, 
salth  my  soul.'  But  this  is  like  the  rest  of  your 
discourse.  You  are  so  in  love  with  your  Adamitish 
holiness,  that  with  you  it  must  be  God  in  earth, 
and  heaven. 

Who  they  are  that  hold,  [that]  our  happiness  in 
heaven  shall  come  by  a  mere  fixing  our  eyes  upon 
the  divine  perfections,  I  know  not ;  But  thus  I  read, 
'  we  shall  be  like  him. '  Why  ?  or  hoAV  ?  *  For  wo 
shall  see  him  as  he  Is.'  Our  likeness  then  to  God, 
even  in  the  very  heavens,  will  in  great  part  come 
by  the  visions  of  him.  And  to  speak  the  truth, 
our  very  entrance  into  eternal  life,  or  the  beginnings 
of  it  here,  they  come  to  us  thus,  '  But  we  all, 
(every  one  of  us  that  shall  be  saved,  come  by  it 
only  thus)  with  open  face  beholding  as  in  a  glass 
the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same 
image  from  glory  to  glory,  eveii  as  b}'-  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord.'  2 Co. Mi.  18. 

And  whereas  you  tell  us,  p.  124.  That  the  devils 
themselves  have  a  large  measure  of  some  of  the 
attributes  of  God,  as  knowledge,  power,  &c.  though 
themselves  are  unlike  unto  them. 

In  this  you  most  prodigiously  blaspheme. 

Your  thirteenth  chapter  is  to  show,  '  That  our 
Saviour's  preferring  the  business  of  making  men 
holy,  before  any  other,  witnesseth,  that  this  is  to 
do  the  best  service  to  God.' 

But  still  respecting  the  holiness,  you  have  in 
your  first  chapter  described,  which  still  the  reader 
must  have  his  eye  upon,  it  is  false,  and  a  slander 
of  the  Son  of  God.  He  never  Intended  to  promote 
or  prefer  your  natural  old  covenant  holiness,  viz. 
that  which  we  had  lost  in  Adam,  or  that  which 
yet  from  him,  in  the  dregs  thereof,  remaineth  in 
human  nature;  but  that  which  is  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  of  faith,  of  the  new  covenant. 

I  shall  not  here  again  take  notice  of  your  130th 
page,  nor  with  the  error  contained  therem,  about 
justification  by  imputed  righteousness. 


310 


A  DEFENCE  OP  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  SQSTIFICATIOX. 


But  one  thing  I  observe,  that  in  all  this  chapter 
you  have  nothing  fortified  what  you  say,  by  any 
word  of  God ;  no,  though  you  insinuate  (p.  129  and 
p.  131. )  that  some  dissent  from  your  opinion.  But 
instead  of  the  holy  words  of  God,  being  as  you 
feign,  conscious  to  yourself,  you  cannot  do  it  so 
■well  as  by  another  method,  viz.  The  words  of  Mr. 
John  Smith ;  therefore  you  proceed  with  his,  as 
he  with  Plato's,  and  so  wrap  you  up  the  business. 

[Christ  gives  a  new  and  spirihial  ligM.] 

You  come  next  to  an  improvement  upon  the 
whole,  where  you  make  a  comparison  between  the 
heathens  and  the  gospel ;  shewing  how  far  the 
gospel  helpeth  the  light  the  heathens  had,  in  their 
pursuit  after  your  holiness.  But  stiU  the  excellency 
of  the  gospel,  as  you  have  vainly  dreamt,  is  to 
make  improvement  first  of  the  heathen  principles  ; 
such  good  principles,  say  you,  '  as  were  by  the 
light  of  nature  dictated  to  them,'  p.  133.     As, 

*  1.  That  there  is  but  one  God;  that  he  is  infi- 
nitely perfect,'  &c. 

'  2.  That  we  owe  our  lives,  and  aU  the  comforts 
of  them  to  him. ' 

'  3.  That  he  is  our  sovereign  Lord.' 

*  4.  That  he  is  to  be  loved  above  all  things,'  p.  ISG. 
Ans.  1.  Seeing  all  these  are,  and  may  be  known, 

as  you  yourself  confess,  by  them  that  have  not  the 
gospel ;  and  I  add,  nor  yet  the  Holy  Ghost,  nor 
any  saving  knowledge  of  God,  or  eternal  life: 
Therefore  it  cannot  be  the  design  of  Jesus  Christ 
by  the  gospel  to  promote  or  help  forward  this 
knowledge,  simply  from  this  principle,  viz.  Natural 
light,  and  the  dictates  of  it.  My  reason  is,  because 
when  nature  is  strained  to  the  highest  pin,  it  is  but 
nature  still;  and  so  all  the  improvement  of  its 
light  and  knowledge  is  but  an  increase  of  that 
which  is  but  natural.  '  But  (saith  Paul)  the 
natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit 
of  God :  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him :  neither 
can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually 
discerned. '  l  Co.  ii.  14. 

But  the  gospel  is  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit; 
a  revelation  of  another  thing  than  is  found  in,  or 
can  be  acquired  by,  heathenish  principles  of  nature. 

I  say,  a  revelation  of  another  thing ;  or  rather, 
another  discovery  of  the  same.  As,  1.  Concern- 
ing the  Godhead;  the  gospel  giveth  us  another 
discovery  of  it,  than  is  possible  to  be  obtained  by 
the  dictates  of  natural  light ;  even  a  discovery  of 
a  trinity  of  persons,  and  yet  unity  of  essence,  in 
the  same  Deity,  l  Jn.  v.  i,  5,8.  2.  The  light  of  nature 
v/ill  not  shew  us,  that  God  was  in  Christ,  recon- 
ciling the  world  to  himself.  3.  The  light  of  nature 
will  not  shew  us,  that  we  owe  what  we  are,  and 
have,  to  God,  because  we  are  the  price  of  the 
blood  of  his  Son.     4.  The  licjht  of  nature  will  not 


shew,  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  election  m 
Christ.  5.  Or,  that  there  is  such  a  thing,  as  tho 
adoption  of  children  to  God,  through  him.  6.  Nor, 
that  we  are  to  be  saved  by  faith  in  his  blood. 
7.  Or,  that  the  man  Christ  shall  come  from  heaven 
to  judgment.  These  things,  I  say,  the  light  of 
nature  teacheth  not;  but  these  things  are  the 
great  and  mighty  things  of  the  gospel,  and  those 
about  which  it  chiefly  bcndeth  itself,  touching 
upon  other  things,  still  as  those  that  are  knowable, 
by  a  spirit  inferior  to  this  of  the  gospel. 

Besides,  as  these  things  are  not  known  by  the 
light  of  nature,  so  the  gospel,  when  it  comes,  as  I 
also  told  you  before,  doth  implant  in  the  soul 
another  principle,  by  which  they  may  be  received, 
and  from  which  the  soul  should  act  and  do,  both 
towards  God  and  towards  men ;  as  namely  the 
Holy  Ghost,  faith,  hope,  the  joy  of  the  Spirit,  &c. 

The  other  things  you  mention,  viz. 

1.  '  The  immortality  of  the  soul,'  p.  138. 

2.  '  The  doctrine  of  rewards  and  pnnishments  in 
the  life  to  come, '  p.  140. 

3.  '  Of  the  forgiveness  of  sin  upon  true  repen- 
tance,' «fec.  p.  142. 

[4.  The  doctrine  of  God's  readiness  to  assist 
men  by  his  special  grace  in  their  endeavours  alter 
virtue,  p.  143.  ] 

Ans.  All  these  things  may  be  assented  to,  where 
yet  the  grace  of  the  gospel  is  not,  but  yet  the 
apprehension  must  be  such,  as  isthelight  by  Avhich 
they  are  discovered ;  but  the  light  of  nature  cannot 
discover  them,  according  to  the  light  and  nature 
of  the  gospel ;  because  the  gospel  knowledge  of 
them,  ariseth  also  from  another  principle:  So 
then.  These  doctrines  are  not  confirmed  by  the 
gospel,  as  the  light  of  nature  teacheth  them: 
Wherefore,  Paul,  speaking  of  the  things  of  the 
gospel,  and  so  consequently  of  these,  he  saith, 
'  Which  things  also  we  speak,  KOT  in  the  words 
which  man's  wisdom  teacheth,  but  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  teacheth  ;  comparing  spiritual  things  with 
spiritual.'  iCo.ii. is.  As  if  he  should  say,  We 
speak  of  God,  of  the  soul,  of  the  life  to  come,  of 
repentance,  of  forgiveness  of  sins,  <t;c.  Not  as 
philosophers  do,  nor  yet  in  their  light ;  but  as 
saints.  Christians,  and  sons  of  God,  as  such  who 
have  received,  not  the  spirit  of  the  world,  but  the 
spirit  which  is  of  God ;  that  we  may  know  the 
things  that  are  freely  given  to  us  of  God. 

But  you  add  (for  the  glory  of  the  gospel)  That 
we  have  other  things,  which  no  man  could,  with- 
out divine  revelation,  once  have  dreamed  of.     As, 

That  God  hath  made  miserable  sinners  the 
objects  of  such  transcendant  love,  as  to  give  them 
his  only  begotten  Son. 

Ans.  I  must  confess.  If  this  one  head  had  by 
you  been  handled  well,  you  would  have  written 
like  a  worthy  gospel  minister.     But  you  add,  p.  146. 


i  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


311 


1.  That  wlien  Christ  was  sent,  it  was  to  shew 
us  upon  what  terms  God  was  reconcileable  to  us, 
viz.  By  laying  '  before  us  all  the  parts  of  that 
holiness,  which  is  necessary  to  restore  our  natures 
to  his  own  likeness ;  -  and  most  pathetically, 
moreover  to  intreat  us  to  do  what  hetli  in  us  to 
put  them  in  practice,  that  so  it  may  be  to  eternity 
well  with  us. '  What  these  things  are,  you  men- 
tion not  here ;  therefore  I  shall  leave  them  to  be 
spoken  to  under  the  third  head. 

2.  A  second  thing  you  mention  is,  '  That  this 
Son  of  God  conversed  upon  equal  terms  with  men, 
becoming  the  Son  of  Man,  born  of  a  woman,  (a 
great  demonstration  that  God  hath  a  liking  to  the 
human  nature).'  But  little  to  the  purpose  as  you 
have  handled  it. 

3.  '  That  the  Son  of  God  taught  men  their  duty, 
by  his  own  example,  and  did  himself  perform  what 
he  required  of  them ;  and  that  himself  did  tread 
before  us  every  step  of  that  way,  which  he  hath 
told  us  leadeth  to  eternal  life.' 

An?w.  Now  we  are  come  ta  the  point,  viz.:  'That 
the  way  to  eternal  life  is.  First  of  all  to  take  Christ 
for  our  example,  treading  his  step : '  And  the 
reason,  if  it  be  true,  is  weighty ;  '  For  he  hath 
trod  every  step  before  us,  which  he  hath  told  us 
leads  to  eternal  life. ' 

1.  Every  step.  Therefore  he  went  to  heaven  by 
virtue  of  an  imputative  righteousness.  For  this  is 
one  of  our  steps  thither. 

2.  Every  step.  Then  he  must  go  thither,  by 
faith  in  his  own  blood  for  pardon  of  sin.  For  this 
is  another  of  our  steps  thither. 

3.  Every  step.  Then  he  must  go  thither  by 
virtue  of  his  own  intercession  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  before  he  came  thither:  For  this  is  one  of 
our  steps  thither. 

4.  Every  step.  Then  he  must  come  to  God,  and 
ask  mercy  for  some  great  wickedness,  which  he  had 
committed.  For  this  is  also  one  of  our  steps  thither. 

But  again,  we  will  consider  it  the  other  way. 

1 .  Every  step.  Then  we  cannot  come  to  heaven, 
before  we  first  be  made  accursed  of  God.  For  so 
was  he  before  he  came  thither. 

2.  Every  step.  Then  we  must  first  make  our 
body  and  soul  an  ofi'ering  for  the  sin  of  others. 
For  this  did  he  before  he  came  thither. 

3.  Every  step.  Then  we  must  go  to  heaven  for 
the  sake  of  our  own  righteousness.  For  that  was 
one  of  his  steps  thither. 

0,  Sir  I  What  will  thy  gallant,  generous  mind 
do  here  ?  Indeed  you  talk  of  his  being  an  expia- 
tory sacrifice  for  us,  but  you  put  no  more  trust  to 
that,  than  to  Baptism,  or  the  Lord's  Supper; 
counting  that,  with  the  other  two,  but  things 
indifferent  in  themselves,  p.  6—9. 

You  add  again,  '  That  this  Son  of  God  being 
raised  from  the  dead,  and  ascended  to  heaven,  is 


our  high  priest  there:'  But  you  talk  not  at  all  of 
his  sprinkling  the  mercy  seat  with  his  blood,  but 
clap  upon  him,  the  heathens  demons ;  negotiating 
the  aftairs  of  men  with  the  supreme  God,  and  so 
wrap  up,  with  a  testification  that  it  is  needless  to 
enlarge  on  the  point,  p.  149. 

But  to  be  plain,  and  in  one  word  to  tell  you, 
about  all  these  things  you  are  heathenishly  dark ; 
there  hath  not  in  these  one  hundred  and  fifty  pages 
one  gospel  truth  been  christianly  handled  by  you ; 
but  rather  a  darkening  of  truth  by  words  without 
knowledge.  What  man  that  ever  had  read,  or 
assented  to  the  gospel,  but  woxild  have  spoken,  vet 
kept  within  the  bounds  of  truth,  more  honourably 
of  Christ,  than  you  have  done?  His  sacrifice 
must  be  stept  over,  as  the  spider  straddleth  over  the 
wasp,  his  intercession  is  needless  to  be  enlarged 
upon.  But  when  it  falleth  in  your  way  to  talk  of 
yotu-  human  nature,  of  the  dictates,  of  the  first 
principles  of  morals  within  you,  and  of  your  gener- 
ous mind  to  follow  it :  oh  what  need  is  there  now 
of  amplifying,  enlarging,  and  pressing  it  on  men's 
consciences  !  As  if  that  poor  heathenish,  pagan 
principle,  was  the  very  spirit  of  God  witliin  us : 
And  as  if  righteousness  done  by  that,  was  that, 
and  that  only,  that  would  or  coidd  fling  heaven 
gates  off  the  hinges. 

Yea,  a  little  after  you  tell  us,  that  *  The  doctrine 
of  his  sending  the  Holy  Ghost,  was  to  move  and 
excite  us  to  our  duty,  and  to  assist,  cheer,  and 
comfort  us  in  the  performance  of  it. '  Still  meaning 
our  close  adhering,  by  the  purity  of  our  himian 
nature,  to  the  dictates  of  the  law,  as  written  in  our 
hearts  as  men.  Which  is  as  false  as  God  is  true. 
For  the  Holy  Ghost  is  sent  into  our  hearts,  not  to 
excite  us  to  a  compliance  with  our  old  and  wind- 
shaken  excellencies,  that  came  into  the  world  with 
us ;  but  to  write  new  laws  in  our  hearts ;  even  the 
law  of  faith,  the  word  of  faith  and  of  grace,  and  the 
doctrine  of  remission  of  sins,  through  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb  of  God,  that  holiness  might  flow  from  thence. 
Your  15th  chapter  is  to  shew.  That  the  gospel 
giveth  far  greater  helps  to  an  holy  life,  than  the 
Jewish  ceremonies  did  of  old.     I  answer. 

But  the  reader  must  here  well  weigh,  that  in 
the  gospel  you  find  also  some  positive  precepts, 
that  are  of  the  same  nature  with  the  ceremonies 
under  the  law ;  of  which,  that  of  coming  to  God 
by  Christ,  you  call  one,  and  baptism,  and  the 
Lord's  supper,  the  other  two.  So  then  by  your 
doctrine,  the  excellency  of  the  gospel  doth  not  he 
in  that  we  have  a  Christ  to  come  to  God  by,  but 
in  things  as  you  feign  more  substantial.  What 
are  they?  'Inward  principles  of  holiness,'  p.  159. 
Spiritual  precepts,  p.  163.  That  height  of  vu-tue, 
and  true  goodness,  that  the  gospel  designeth  to 
raise  us  to :  all  which  are  general  words,  falling 
from  a  staggering  conscience,  leaving  the  world, 


812 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


that  are  ignorant  of  Lis  mind,  in  a  muse;  but 
tickling  bis  brethren  with  the  delights  of  their 
moral  principles,  with  the  dictates  of  their  human 
nature,  and  their  gallant  generous  minds.  Thus 
making  a  very  stalking-horse  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  of  the  words  of  truth  and  holiness, 
thereby  to  slay  the  silly  one ;  making  the  Lord  of 
life  and  glory,  instead  of  a  saviour,  by  his  blood, 
the  instructor,  and  schoolmaster  only  of  human 
nature,  a  chacer  away  of  evil  affections,  and  an 
extinguisher  of  burning  lusts  ;"*  and  that  not  so 
neither,  but  by  giving  perfect  explications  of  moral 
precepts,  (p.  17.)  and  setting  himself  an  example 
before  them  to  follow  him,  p.  29". 

Your  sixteenth  chapter,  containeth  an  answer  to 
those  that  object  against  the  power  of  the  christian 
religion  to  make  men  holy. 

Aiisio.  And  to  speak  truth,  what  you  at  first 
render  as  the  cause  of  the  unholiness  of  the  pro- 
fessors thereof  (p.  I7i.)  is  to  the  purpose,  had  it  been 
christianly  managed  by  you,  as  namely,  men's 
gross  unbelief  of  the  truth  of  it ;  for  it  '  effectually 
worketh  in  them  that  believe.'  i  Th. ii. is.  But  that 
you  only  touch  and  away,  neither  showing  what  is 
the  object  of  faith,  nor  the  cause  of  its  being  so 
effectual  to  that  purpose ;  neither  do  you  at  all 
treat  of  the  power  of  unbelief,  and  how  all  men  by 
nature  are  shut  up  therein.  Ko.  xi.  32.  But  presently, 
according  to  your  old  and  natural  course,  you  fall,, 
first,  upon  a  supposed  power  in  men,  to  embrace 
the  gospel,  both  by  closing  with  the  promise,  and 
shunning  the  threatening ;  (p.  173.)  farther  adding, 
that  '  mankind  is  endued  with  a  principle  of  free- 
dom, and  that  this  principle  is  as  essential,  as  any 
other  to  the  human  nature, '  (p.  173.)  By  all  which 
it  is  manifest,  that  however  you  make  mention  of 
unbelief,  because  the  gospel  hath  laid  the  same  in 
your  way,  yet  your  old  doctrine  of  the  purity  of 
the  human  nature,  now  broken  out  into  a  freedom 
of  wiU,  and  that,  as  an  essential  of  the  human 
nature,  is  your  great  principle  of  faith,  and  your 
following  of  that,  as  it  dictateth  to  you  obedience 

*  Would  to  God  this  legal,  self-exalting,  Clirist-dislionouring 
doctrine  tad  been  confined  to  the  times  in  wliich  our  author 
iSTote,  or  had  been  then  baiiished  to  hell,  from  whence  it  came  • 
but  alas  I  it  is  but  too  prevalent  in  these  degenerate  times,  in 
which  Arianism,  Armiuianism,  Socinianisui,  &c.,  &c.,  so  di'ead- 
fidly  infect  the  multitude  even  of  professors !  In  the  national 
churches,  what  do  we  hear  but  Moses  and  the  law,  '  This  do 
and  live;'  or,  in  other  words,  do  your  duty  as  well  as  you  can, 
and  Christ  wiU  do  the  rest :  thus  malcing  the  gospel  the  sacri- 
fice of  Chi'ist,  and  the  Avork  of  the  Spirit,  of  no  ell'cct.  "Whereas, 
on  the  contrary,  unregenerate,  depraved,  and  siufid  mortals 
'  liave  no  power  to  do  good  works  pleasant  and  acceptable  to 
God,  without  the  grace  of  God  preventing  (or  going  before) 
them,  that  they  may  have  a  good  will;  and  working  iu  and  by 
them,  when  they  have  that  good  wiU ;'  which  is  perfectly 
agreeable  to  our  Lord's  declaration,  John  xv.  5,  '  ^Yilhout  me, 
ye  can  do  nothing.' — Mason  or  Hi/Iand. 


to  the  first  principles  of  morals,  the  practice  of 
faith,  by  which  you  think  to  be  saved.     That  this 
is  so,  must  unavoidably  be  gathered  from  the  good 
opinion  you  have  yourself  of  coming  to  God  by 
Christ;  viz..  That  in  the  command  thereof,  it  is 
one  of  these  positive  precepts,  and  a  thing  in  itself 
absolutely  considered  indifferent,  and  neither  good' 
nor  evil.      Noav  he  that  looketh  upon  coming  to 
God  by  Christ  with  such  an  eye  as  this,  cannot  lay 
the  stress  of  his  salvation  upon  the  faith,  or  belief 
thereof:  Indifferent  faith,  will  serve  for  indifferent 
things ;  yea,  a  man  must  look  beyond  that  Avhich 
he  beheveth  is  but  one  with  the  ceremonial  laws, 
but  not  the   same  with  baptism,  or  the  Lord's 
supper ;  for  with  those  you  compare  that  of  coming 
to  God  by  Christ.      Wherefore  faitli,  with  you, 
must  be  turned  into  a  cheerful  and  generous  com- 
plying with  the  dictates  of  the  human  nature  ;  and 
unbelief,  into  that  which  opposeth  this,  or  that 
makes  the  heart  backward  and  sluggish  therein. 
This  is  also  gathered  from  what  you  aver  of  the 
divine  moral  laws,  that  they  be  of  an  indispensable 
and  eternal  obhgation,  (p.  8.)  things  that  are  good 
in  themselves,  (p.  9.)  considered  in  an  abstracted 
notion,  (p.  lo.)    Wherefore,  things  that  are  good  in 
themselves,  must  needs  be  better  than  those  that 
are  iu  themselves  but  indifferent ;  neither  can  a 
positive  precept  make  that,  which  of  itself  is  neither 
good  nor  evil,  better  than  that  which  in  its  own 
nature  remaineth  the  essentials  of  goodness. 

I  conclude  then,  by  comparing  you  with  your- 
self, by  bringing  your  book  to  your  book,  that  you 
understand  neither  faith,  nor  unbelief,  any  farther 
than  by  obeying  or  disobeying  the  human  nature, 
and  its  dictates  in  chief;  and  that  of  coming  to 
God  by  Christ,  as  one  of  the  things  that  is  indif- 
ferent in  itself. 

But  a  little  to  touch  upon  your  principle  of  free- 
dom, which  in  p.  9.  you  call  an  understanding  and 
liberty  of  wiU. 

Answ.  First,  That  there  is  no  such  thing  in  man 
by  nature,  as  liberty  of  will,  or  a  principle  of  free- 
dom, in  the  saving  things  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
is  apparent  by  several  scriptures.  Indeed  there  is 
in  men,  as  men,  a  willingness  to  be  saved  their 
own  way,  even  by  following,  as  you,  their  own 
natural  principles,  as  is  seen  by  the  Quakers,  as 
well  as  yourself;  but  that  there  is  a  freedom  of 
will  in  men,  as  men,  to  be  saved  by  the  way  which 
God  hath,  prescribed,  is  neither  asserted  m  the 
scriptures  of  God,  neither  standeth  with  the  nature 
of  the  principles  of  the  gospel. 

The  apostle  saith,  '  The  natural  man  receiveth 
not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God.'  And  tho 
reason  is,  not  because,  not  j)rlnclpally  because,  he 
layeth  aside  a  liberty  of  will,  but  because  '  they 
are  foolishness  to  him. '  l  Co.  ii.  14.  Because  in  his 
judgment   they   are  things  of  no   moment,  but 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


^3 


tilings,  as  you  [Mr.  Fowler]  have  imagiued  of 
them,  that  in  themselves  are  but  indifferent.  And 
that  this  judgment  that  is  passed  by  the  natural 
man,  concerning  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
of  -which,  that  of  coming  to  God  by  Christ,  is  the 
chief,  is  that  which  he  cannot  hut  do  as  a  man,  is 
evident  from  that  which  foUoweth:  '  neither  can 
he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  dis- 
cerned.' Neither  can  he  know  them  as  a  man, 
because  they  are  spiritually  discerned.  Now,  if 
he  cannot  know  them,  from  what  principle  should 
he  will  them?  For  judgment,  or  knowledge, 
must  be  before  the  will  can  act.  I  say,  again, 
a  man  must  know  them  to  be  things  in  chief,  that 
are  absolutely,  and  indispensably  necessary,  and 
those  in  which  resteth  the  greatest  glory ;  or  else 
his  will  will  not  comply  with  them,  nor  centre  and 
terminate  in  them  as  such,  but  still  count  them- 
selves, as  you,  though  somewhat  convinced  that 
he  ought  to  adhere  unto  them,  things  that  in 
themselves  are  only  indifferent,  and  absolutely 
considered  neither  good  nor  evil. 

A  farther  enlargement  upon  this  subject,  will 
be  time  enough,  if  you  shall  contradict. 

Another  reason,  or  cause,  which  you  call  an 
immediate  one,  of  the  unsuccessfulness  of  the 
gospel,  is,  *  men's  [strange  and]  unaccountable 
mistaking  the  design  of  it,  -  not  to  say  worse,  as 
to  conceive  no  better  of  it,  than  as  a  science,  and 
a  matter  of  speculation,'  he,  p.  173. 

Answ.  If  this  be  true,  you  have  shewed  us  the 
reason,  why  yourself  have  so  base  and  unworthy 
thoughts  thereof:  for  although  coming  to  God  by 
Christ  be  the  very  chief,  first,  the  substance,  and 
most  essential  part  of  obedience  thereto ;  yet  you 
have  reckoned  this  but  like  one  of  the  ceremonies 
of  the  law,   or  as   baptism  with  water,   and  the 
Lord's  supper,  p.  7— 9.     Falling  more  directly  upon 
the  body  of  the  moral  law,  as  written  in  the  heart 
of  men,   and  inclining  more   to   the  teaching,  or 
dictates  of  human  nature,  which  were  neither  of 
them  both  ever  any  essential  part  of  the  gospel, 
than  upon  that  which  indeed  is  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
And  here  I  may,  if  God  will,  timely  advertise 
my  reader,  that  the  gospel,  and  its  attendants,  are 
to  be  accounted  things  distinct:  the  gospel,  pro- 
perly taken,  being  glad  tidings  of  good  things ;  or, 
the  doctrine  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins  freely  by 
grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ 
Jesus.     For  to  speak  strictly,  neither  is  the  grace 
of  faith,  hope,  repentance,  or  newness  of  life,  the 
gospel ;  but  rather  things  that  are  wrought  by  the 
preaching  thereof,  things  that  are  the  effects  of  it ; 
or  its   inseparable   companions,  to  all   them  that 
shall  be  saved.     Wherefore  the  gospel  is  said  to 
be  preached  in  all  nations,  for  the  obedience  of 
faith.  Ro.  xvi.  26.    Hope  also  is  called  the  hope  of  the 
gospel,  not  the  gospel  itself.     So  again,  the  gospel 

VOL.  II. 


is  preached  that  men  should  repent,  but  it  is  not 
preached  that  men  should  gospel. 

But  your  gospel,  which  principally  or  chiefly, 
centres  in  the  dictates  of  human  nature ;  and  your 
faith,  which  is  chiefly  a  subjecting  to  those  dictates, 
are  so  far  off  from  being  at  all  any  near  attendants 
of  the  gospel,  that  they  never  are  urged  in  the 
New  Testament,  but  in  order  to  show  men  they 
have  forgotten  to  act  as  men.  Eo.i.i9—2i;ii.  14,15. 
1  Co.  xi.  14. 

Your  last  reason  is,  because  of  '  several  untoward 
opinions,'  the  gospel  is  very  unsuccessful,  p.  174. 

Ans.  But  what  these  opinions  are,  we  hear  not ; 
nor  how  to  shun  them,  you  tell  us  here  nothing  at 
all.  This  I  am  sure,  there  are  no  men  in  this  day 
have  more  opposed  the  light,  glory,  and  lustre  of 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  than  those,  as  the  Quakers 
and  others,  that  have  set  up  themselves,  and  their 
own  humanity,  as  the  essential  parts  of  it. 

You  in  answer  to  other  things,  add  many  other 
reasons  to  prove  they  are  mistaken  that  count  the 
gospel  a  thing  of  but  mean  operation  to  work  holi- 
ness in  the  heart :  at  which  you  ought  yourself  to 
tremble,  seeing  the  Son  himself,  who  is  the  Lord 
of  the  gospel,  is  of  so  little  esteem  with  you,  as  to 
make  coming  to  God  by  him  so  trivial  a  business  as 
you  have  done. 

Your  large  transcript  of  other  men's  sayings,  to 
prove  the  good  success  of  the  gospel  of  old,  did 
better  become  that  people  and  age,  than  you  and 
yours ;  they  being  a  people  that  lived  in  the  power 
thereof,  but  you  such  bats  as  cannot  see  it.  That 
saying  you  mention  of  Rigaltias,  doth  better  be- 
come you  and  yours :  '  Those  now-a-days  do  retain 
the  name,  and  society  of  Christians,  which  live 
altogether  antichristian  lives.  Take  away  publi- 
cans, and  a  wretched  rabble,  kc.  and  our  Christian 
churches  will  be  lamentably  weak,  small,  and  insig- 
nificant things,'  p.  181. 

I  shall  add  to  yours  another  reason  of  the  unsuc- 
cessfidness  of  the  gospel  in  our  days,  and  that  is, 
because  so  many  ignorant  Sir  Johns,*  on  the  one 
hand,  and  so  many  that  have  done  violence  to  their 
former  light,  and  that  have  damned  themselves  in 
their  former  anathematizing  of  others,  have  now 
for  a  long  time,  as  a  judgment  of  God,  been  per- 
mitted to  be,  and  made  the  mouth  to  the  people : 
persons  whose  lives  are  debauched,  and  who  in  the 
face  of  the  world,  after  seeming  serious  detestings 
of  wickedness,  have  for  the  love  of  filthy  lucre,  and 
the  pampering  their  idle  carcasses,  made  shipwreck 
of  their  former  faith,  and  that  feigned  good  con- 
science they  had.  From  which  number  if  you. 
Sir,  have  kept  yourself  clear,  the  less  blood  of  the 
damned  will  fall  upon  your  head :   I  know  you  not 


*    '  Sir  Johns,'  formerly  the  title  given  to  the  priests.     It 
was  succeeded  by  the  title  'reverend.' — Ei). 
3  E 


S14 


A  DEFE.NCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION 


Tiy  face,  much  less  j'-our  personal  practice ;  yet  I 
have  heard  as  if  blood  might  pursue  you,  for  your 
unstable  weathercock  spirit,  -which  doubtless  could 
not  but  stumble  the  weak,  and  give  advantage  to 
the  adversary  to  speak  vilifyingly  of  religion. 

'[Limng  faith  esseniicd  to  salvation.] 

As  to  your  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  chapters,* 
I  shall  say  little,  only  I  wish  that  your  eighteenth 
had  been  more  express  in  discovering  how  far  a 
man  may  go,  with  a  notion  of  the  truth  of  the 
gospel,  and  yet  perish  because  he  hath  it  not  in 
power. 

Only  in  your  inveighing  so  much  against  the 
pardon  of  sin,  while  you  seem  so  much  to  cry  up 
healing ;  you  must  know  that  pardon  of  sin  is  the 
beginning  of  health  to  the  soul :  He  pai-doneth  our 
iniquities,  and  healeth  all  our  diseases.  Ps.  ciii.  3. 
And  where  he  saitli,  by  the  stripes  of  Christ  we 
are  healed,  it  is  evident  that  healing  beginneth  at 
pardon,  and  not  pardon  after  healing,  as  you  would 
rather  have  it.  i  Pe.  a.  24.  compare  is.  mi.  As  for  your 
comparison  of  the  plaister,  and  the  physician's 
portion,  t  I  say  you  do  but  abuse  your  reader,  and 
muddy  the  way  of  the  gospel.  For  the  first  thing 
of  which  the  soul  is  sick,  and  by  which  the  con- 
science receiveth  wounding ;  it  is  the  guilt  of  sin, 
and  fear  of  the  curse  of  God  for  it.  For  which  is 
provided  the  wounds  and  precious  blood  of  Christ, 
which  flesh  and  blood,  if  the  soul  eat  thereof  by 
faith,  giveth  deliverance  therefrom.  Upon  this  the 
filth  of  sin  appears  most  odious,  for  that  it  hath 
not  only  at  present  defiled  the  soul,  but  because  it 
keeps  it  from  doing  those  duties  of  love,  which  by 
the  love  of  Christ  it  is  constrained  to  endeavour 
the  perfecting  of.  For  filth,  appears  filth ;  that  is 
irksome,  and  odious  to  a  contrary  principle  now 
implanted  in  the  soul ;  which  principle  had  its  con- 
veyance thither  by  faith  in  the  sacrifice  and  death 
of  Christ  going  before.  '  The  love  of  Christ  con- 
straineth  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 


*  Chap.  17 :  '  How  feai-fully  the  gospel  is  abused  by  tlie 
papists.'  Chap.  18  :  '  Those  sottish,  who  expect  salvation  with- 
out holiness ;  and  those  more  so  who  encourage  themselves 
by  the  grace  of  the  gospel  in  unholiness.' — Heads  of  these 
Chapters. — Ed. 

I  '  Would  that  man  be  accounted  any  better  than  a  perfect 
idiot,  who,  being  sorely  hurt,  should  expect  from  his  surgeon  per- 
fect ease,  when  he  will  not  permit  him  to  apply  any  plaister  for 
the  healing  of  his  wound?  Or  that  being  deadly  sick,  should 
look  that  his  physician  should  deliver  him  from  his  pain,  when 
he  will  not  take  any  course  he  ])rescribes  for  the  removal  of  the 
distemper  that  is  the  cause  of  it?  ' — Fowler  s  Desiyn,  p.  216. 
How  admirably  does  Bunyan  detect  and  unravel  this  casuistic 
Eopliiitry. — Ed. 


them,  and  rose  again.'  2Co.  v.  li.  The  man  that 
hath  received  Christ,  desireth  to  be  holy,  because 
the  nature  of  the  faith  that  layeth  hold  on  Christ 
(although  I  will  not  say  as  you,  it  is  of  a  generous 
mind)  Avorkcth  by  love,  and  longeth,  yea,  greatly 
longeth  that  the  soul  may  be  brought,  not  only 
into  an  universal  conformity  to  his  will,  but  into 
his  very  likeness  ;  and  because  that  state  standeth 
not  with  what  we  are  now,  but  with  what  we  shall 
be  hereafter:  therefore  '  in  this  we  groan,  -  being 
burdened  (with  that  which  is  of  a  contrary  nature) 
to  be  clothed  upon  -  with  our  house  which  is  from 
heaven.'  2Co. v. i— 8.  Which  state  is  not  that  of 
Adam's  innocency;  but  that  which  is  spiritual 
and  heavenly,  even  that  which  is  now  in  the  Lord 
in  heaven. 

But  I  will  descend  to  your  nineteenth  chapter, 
it  may  be  more  may  be  discovered  there. 

[Justifying  falLh  and  the  imputation  of  Clirlst's 
righteousness.] 

Your  nineteenth  chapter  is  to  shew ;  '  That  a 
right  understanding  of  the  design  of  Christianity 
(viz.  as  you  have  laid  it  down)  will  give  satisfaction 
concerning  the  true  notion. '  First,  '  Of  justifying 
faith.'  Second,  *  Of  the  imputation  of  Christ's 
righteousness,'  p.  221. 

First,  Of  justifying  faith ;  '  It  is  (say  you)  such 
a  belief  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  as  includes  a 
sincere  resolution  of  obedience  unto  all  its  precepts.' 

Ans.  To  this  I  shall  answer,  first,  that  the  faith 
which  we  call  justifying  faith,  '  Is  like  precious 
faith'  with  all  the  elect,  2  Pe  i.  i.  and  that  which  is 
most  holy :  Jude  20.  but  those  acts  of  it,  which  re- 
spect our  justification  with  God  from  the  curse  of 
the  law  that  is  due  for  sin ;  are  such,  as  respect 
not  any  good  work  done  by  us,  but  the  righteous- 
ness that  resideth  in  the  person  of  Christ ;  and  is 
made  ours  by  the  imputation  of  grace.  This  faith, 
I  say,  accounteth  him  in  whom  it  is,  now  a  sinner, 
and  without  works ;  yea,  if  he  have  any  that  in 
his  own  eyes  are  such,  this  faith  rejects  them,  and 
throweth  them  away ;  for  it  seeth  a  righteousness 
in  the  person  of  Christ  sufiicient ;  even  such  as  is 
verily  the  righteousness  of  God.  '  Now  to  him 
that  worketh  not,  but  believeth.'  Works  and  faith 
are  put  here  in  opposition,  faith  being  considered 
as  justifying,  in  the  sight  of  God  from  the  curse. 
The  reason  is,  because  the  righteousness  by  which 
the  soul  must  thus  stand  justified,  is  a  righteous- 
ness of  God's  appointing,  not  of  his  prescribing 
us ;  a  righteousness  that  entirely  is  included  in  the 
person  of  Christ.  The  apostle  also,  when  he  speaks 
of  God's  saving  the  election,  which  hangeth  upon 
the  same  hinge,  as  this  of  justification  doth,  to  wit, 
on  the  grace  of  God ;  he  opposeth  it  to  works  ;  and 
that,  not  to  this  or  that  sort  only,  but  even  to  work. 


A  DEFENCE  OF  TIIE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


in  tlie  nature  of  work,  '  If  by  grace,  tlien  is  it  no 
more  of  works :  otherwise  grace  is  no  more  grace. 
But  if  it  be  of  works,  then  is  it  no  more  grace : 
otherwise  work  is  no  more  work. '  Ro.  xi.  6.  By  this 
text,  I  say,  the  apostle  doth  so  thoroughly  dis- 
tinguish between  grace  and  works  as  that  which 
soever  standeth  in  the  case,  the  other  must  be 
annihilated :  If  it  be  by  grace,  then  must  works 
be  no  more,  *  then  it  is  no  more  of  works : '  but  if 
it  be  of  works,  then  is  grace  no  more,  *  then  it  is 
no  more  of  grace.' 

But  this,  notwithstanding,  you  urge  farther; 
.'  that  faith  justifieth,  as  it  includes  a  sincere  re- 
solution,' <fec. 

Ans.  Although,  as  I  have  said  before,  the  faith 
which  is  the  justifying  faith,  is  that  of  the  holiest 
nature,  yet  in  the  act,  by  which  it  layeth  hold  of 
justifying  righteousness,  it  respects  it,  simply,  as 
a  righteousness  offered  by  grace,  or  given  unto  the 
person  that  by  faith  layeth  hold  thereon  as  he 
stands  yet  ungodly  and  a  sinner. 

Faith  justifieth  not  separate  from  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  as  it  is  a  grace  in  us,  nor  as  it  sub- 
jecteth  the  soul  to  the  obedience  of  the  moral  law, 
but  as  it  receiveth  a  righteousness  offered  to  that 
sinner,  that  as  such  will  lay  hold  on,  and  accept 
thereof.  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners,  by  being  their  redemption,  and  righteous- 
ness himself.  1  Co.  i.  30. 

But  you  add,  '  The  faith  which  entitles  a  sinner 
to  so  high  a  privilege  as  that  of  justification,  must 
needs  be  such  as  complieth  with  all  the  purposes 
of  Christ's  coming  into  the  world,'  &:c.  p.  223. 

Ans.  By  this  supposition,  faith  justifieth  not  by 
receiving  of  the  righteousness  that  Christ  by  him- 
self accomplished  for  sinners ;  but  by  falling  in 
with  all  good  works,  which  because  they  cannot  be 
known,  much  less  done,  by  the  soul  at  first,  his 
faith  being  then,  as  to  the  perfection  of  knowledge 
of  duties,  weak,  he  standeth  still  before  God  unjus- 
tified, and  so  must  stand  until  he  doth  comply  with 
all  those  purposes  of  Christ's  coming  into  the  world. 

But  yet  again  you  recal  yourself,  and  distin- 
guish one  purpose  from  the  rest,  as  a  grand  one, 
p.  232.  And  that  is  to  receive  Christ  as  Lord,  as 
well  as  a  Saviour. 

Ans.  1  •  Although  the  soul  that  in  truth  receiveth 
Christ,  receiveth  him  wholly,  and  entirely  as  Christ, 
and  not  as  chopt,  and  pulled  in  pieces ;  yet  I  dis- 
tinguish between  the  act  of  faith,  which  layeth 
hold  of  Christ  for  my  justification  from  the  curse 
before  God,  and  the  consequences  of  that  act, 
which  are  to  engage  me  to  newness  of  life.  And 
indeed,  as  it  is  impossible  for  a  man  to  be  a  new 
man,  before  he  be  justified  in  the  sight  of  God;  so 
it  is  also  as  impossible,  but  that  when  faith  hath 
once  laid  hold  on  Christ  for  life,  it  should  also 
follow  Christ  by  love.     But, 


2.  Christ  may  be  received  at  first  as  Lord,  and 
that  in  our  justification,  and  yet  not  at  all  be 
considered  as  a  law-giver,  for  so  he  is  not  the 
object  of  faith  for  our  justification  with  God,  but 
a  requirer  of  obedience  to  laws  and  statutes,  of 
them  that  already  are  justified  by  the  faith  that 
receiveth  him  as  righteousness.  But  Christ  is  as 
well  a  Lord  for  us,  as  to,  or  over  us ;  and  it  highly 
concerneth  the  soul,  when  it  believeth  in,  or  trusteth 
to  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  for  justification  with 
God,  to  see  that  this  righteousness  lords  it  over 
death,  and  sin,  and  the  devil,  and  hell  for  us :  the 
name  wherewith  he  shall  be  called,  is,  '  the  Lord 
our  righteousness. '  Je.  xxiiL  6.  Our  righteousness, 
then  is  Lord,  and  conqueror  over  all;  and  we  more 
tlian  conquerors  through  this  Lord  that  loved  us. 
Ro.  viiL  The  author  to  the  Hebrews  calls  him 
*  King  of  righteousness,'  He.  vii.  because  by  his 
righteousness  he  ruleth  as  Lord  and  King,  and  can 
reign  and  lord  it,  at  all  times  over  all  those  that 
seek  to  separate  us  from  the  presence,  and  glory 
of  God.* 

Now,  how  you  will  brook  this  doctrine  I  know 
not ;  I  am  sure  he  stands  in  need  thereof,  that  is 
lorded  over  by  the  curse  of  the  law,  the  guilt  of 
sin,  the  rage  of  the  devil,  and  the  fear  of  death 
and  hell ;  he,  I  say,  would  be  glad  to  know  that 
in  Christ  there  is  a  righteousness  that  lords  it, 
or  that  Christ,  as  he  is  righteousness,  is  Lord. 

Wherefore  reader,  when  thou  shalt  read  or  hear, 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  if  thou  art  at  the  same 
time  under  guilt  of  sin,  and  fear  of  hell,  then  do 
thou  remember  that  Christ  is  Lord  more  ways  than 
one,  He  is  Lord  as  he  is  righteousness  ;  he  is  Lord 
as  he  is  imputative  righteousness ;  he  is  '  the  Lord 
our  righteousness.'  Je.xxiii.  6.  Of  the  same  import 
is  that  also,  '  He  is  a  Prince,  and  a  Saviour,'  he 
is  a  Prince,  as  he  is  a  Saviour ;  because  the  righ- 
teousness by  which  he  saveth,  beareth  rule  in  hea- 
ven, and  earth.  And  hence  we  read  again,  that 
even  when  he  was  in  the  combat  with  our  sins, 
the  devils,  the  curse,  and  death,  upon  the  cross, 
he  even  in  that  place  '  made  a  shew  of  them  opeidy, 
triumphing  over  them.' Col.  ii.  15, 16.     Now  in  these 


*  '  The  righteousness  of  God  is  revealed  fiom  faith  to  faith;* 
that  is,  from  oue  degree  of  faith  to  another :  therefore  increase 
in  faith ;  live  nearer  to  Christ ;  and  the  nearer  you  live  to 
the  Saviour,  the  farther  you  will  be  from  sin ;  yea,  he  wll 
make  you,  by  precious  faith  in  him,  more  than  conqueror  over 
all  your  spiritual  enemies:  therefore  venture  wholly  upon 
Christ,  and  see  if  he  will  cast  you  out :  indeed,  he  never  will. 
Trust  in  him,  hope  in  him,  believe  in  him,  and  you  will  never 
be  disappointed.  All  youi-  fitness  is  in  Christ.  Believe  in 
him,  and  he  is  yours.  In  him  dwells  all  fullness.  Believe  in 
Christ,  and  all  that  Christ  has  is  yours :  his  blood  is  yours, 
his  wisdom  is  yours,  his  righteousness,  his  sanclification  is 
yours ;  yea,  Christ  Jesus  himself  is  yours — he  is  yours  in  this 
world,  and  in  the  world  to  come ;  he  is  yours  in  time,  and  ia 
eternity.    Even  so,  AmtQ.^^Mason  and  Ujjland. 


316 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  .TUSTIFICATION. 


tilings  he  is  Lord  for  us,  and  the  Captain  of  our 
salvation ;  as  also  in  that  '  He  led  captivity  cap- 
tive;' Ep.  iv.  8.  all  which  places,  with  many  more, 
heing  testimonies  to  us,  of  the  sufficiency  of  that 
righteousness  which  saveth  us  from  the  justice  of 
the  law  and  wrath  of  God.  But  you  respect  not 
this  his  manner  of  lording ;  hut  will  have  him  be 
a  Saviour,  as  he  giveth  laws,  especially  those  you 
call  indispensable,  and  eternal,  the  moral  law. 
You  would  have  him  a  Saviour,  as  he  bringeth  us 
back  to  the  holiness  we  had  lost.  But  this  is 
none  other  than  barbarous  quakerism,  the  stress 
of  their  writing  also  tending  to  no  other  purpose. 

But  you  tell  us,  '  That  you  scarcely  admired  at 
any  thing  more  in  all  your  life,  than  that  any 
worthy  men  especially,  should  be  so  difficultly  per- 
suaded to  embrace  this  account  of  justifying  faith, 
and  should  perplex  and  make  intricate  so  very 
plain  a  doctrine,'  p.  223. 

Ans.  And  doubtless  they  far  more  *groundedly 
stand  amazed  at  such  as  you,  who  while  you  pre- 
tend to  shew  the  design  of  the  gospel,  make  the 
very  essential  of  it,  a  thing  in  itself  indifferent, 
and  absolutely  considered  neither  good  nor  evil, 
p.  7.  that  makes  obedience  to  the  moral  laws,  p.  8. 
more  essential  to  salvation,  than  that  of  going  to 
God  by  Christ,  p.  9.  that  maketh  it  the  great  design 
of  Christ,  to  put  us  into  a  possession  of  that  pro- 
miseless,  natural,  old  covenant  holiness  which  Ave  had 
lost  long  since  in  Adam,  that  maketh  as  if  Christ, 
rejecting  all  other  righteousness,  or  holiness,  hath 
established  only  this,  p. lO— ic.  Yea,  that  maketh 
the  very  principle  of  this  holiness  to  consist  in  *  a 
sound  complexion  of  soul,  the  purity  of  human 
nature  in  us,  a  habit  of  soul,  truly  generous  mo- 
tives and  principles,  divine  moral  laws  which  were 
first  written  in  men's  hearts,  and  originally  dic- 
tates of  human  nature.'  All  this  villany  against 
the  Son  of  God,  with  much  more  as  bad,  is  com- 
prized within  less  than  the  first  sixteen  pages  of 
your  book. 

But  say  you,  '  what  pretence  can  there  be  for 
thinking,  that  faith  is  the  condition,  or  instrument 
of  justification,  as  it  complieth  with  only  the  pre- 
cept of  relying  upon  Christ's  merits  for  the  ob- 
taining of  it :  especially  when  it  is  no  less  manifest 
than  the  sun  at  noon-day,  that  obedience  to  the 
other  precepts  must  go  before  obedience  to  this;  and 
that  a  man  may  not  rely  upon  the  merits  of  Christ 
for  the  forgiveness  of  his  sins,  and  he  is  most  pre- 
sumptuous in  so  doing,  and  puts  an  affront  upon 
his  Saviour  too,  till  he  be  sincerely  willing  to  be 
reformed  from  them.'  p. 223. 

Ans.  That  the  merits  of  Christ,  for  justification, 
are  made  over  to  that  faith  that  receiveth  them, 
while  the  person  that  belicveth  it,  stands  in  his 


'  More  grounderUy,'  with  better  foundation. 


own  account,  by  the  law  a  sinner ;  hatli  already 
been  shewed.  And  that  they  are  not  by  God 
appointed  for  another  piirpose,  is  manifest  through 
all  the  Bible. 

1.  In  the  type,  Avhen  the  bloody  sacrifices  were 
to  be  offered,  and  an  atonement  made  for  the  soul, 
the  people  were  only  to  confess  their  sins  over  the 
head  of  the  bullock,  or  goat,  or  lamb,  by  laying 
their  hands  thereon,  and  so  the  sacrifice  Avas  to  be 
slain.  They  were  only  to  acknowledge  their  sins. 
And  observe  it,  in  the  day  that  these  offerings  Avere 
made,  they  Avere  'not  to  Avork  at  all;  for  he  that  did 
any  Avork  therein,  was  to  be  cut  off  from  his  people.' 

Le.  iv.;  xvi.;  xxiii. 

2.  In  the  antitype  thus  it  runs ;  '  Christ  died 
for  our  sins  ;  Christ  gave  himself  for  our  sins ;  he. 
Avas  made  to  be  sin  for  us ;  Christ  Avas  made  a 
curse  for  us.' 

'  Yea,  but  (say  you)  What  pretence  can  there 
be,  that  faith  is  the  condition,  or  instrument  of  jus- 
tification, as  it  complieth  with  only  the  precepts 
of  relying  upon  Christ's  merits;'  that  is,  first,  or 
before  the  soul  doth  other  things. 

Ans.  I  say,  avoiding  your  oAvn  ambiguous  terms, 
that  it  is  the  duty,  the  indispensable  duty  of  all 
that  would  be  saved.  First,  Immediately,  noAV  to 
close  in  by  faith  with  that  woi-k  of  redemption, 
which  Christ  by  his  blood  hath  purchased  for  them, 
as  they  are  sinners. 

1.  Because  God  doth  hold  it  forth,  yea,  hath  set 
it  forth  to  be  received  by  us,  as  such.  Ro.  m.  23—27. 

2.  Because  God  hath  commanded  us  by  faith  to 
receive  it  as  such.  Ac.  xvi. 

And  I  add.  If  the  jailor  was  altogether  ignorant 
of  Avhat  he  must  do  to  be  saved,  and  Paul  yet  bids 
him  then,  before  he  knew  anything  else,  '  Believe 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  he  should  be  saved,' 
that  then  believing,  even  believing  on  Christ  for  a 
righteousness  to  justify  and  save  him,  must  go 
first,  and  may,  nay  ought  to  be  pressed,  even  then, 
when  the  soul  stands  ignorant  of  Avhat  else  he  ought 

to  do,  Ac.  xvi.  30—33. 

'  But  (you  say)  It  is  evident  as  the  sun  at  noon- 
day, that  obedience  to  the  other  precepts  must  go 
before  obedience  to  this,  that  is,  before  faith  in 
Christ.' 

Ans.  This  you  say ;  but  Paul  said  to  the  igno- 
rant jailor,  that  knew  nothing  of  the  mind  of  God 
in  the  doctrine  of  justification,  that  he  should  first 
believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  so  should 
be  saved.  Again,  Avhen  Paul  preached  to  the 
Corinthians,  the  first  doctrine  that  he  delivered 
unto  them  Avas,  '  That  Christ  died  for  their  sins, 
according  to  the  scriptures, '  &;c.  l  Co.  xv.  1—3. 

But  Avhat  be  these  other  precepts  ?  Not  Bap- 
tism, nor  the  supper  of  the  Lord ;  for  these  you 
say  are,  as  poor  and  inconsiderable,  as  that  of 
coming  to  God  by  Christ,  even  all  three,  things  iu 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRIME  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


317 


themselves  neither  good  uor  evil,  but  of  an  indif- 
ferent nature  ;  they  must  be  therefore  some  more 
weighty  things  of  the  gospel,  than  these  positive 
precepts.  But  what  things  are  they  ?  It  is  good 
that  you  tell  us,  seeing  you  tacitly  forbid  all  men 
upon  pain  of  presumption,  and  of  doing  affront  to 
Jesus  Christ,  that  they  rely  not  on  the  merits 
of  Christ  for  forgiveness  till  they  be  sincerely 
willing  to  perform  iliem  first ;  yet  I  find  not  here 
one  particular  precept  instanced  by  you:  But 
perhaps  we  shall  hear  of  them  hereafter,  therefore 
now  I  shall  let  them  pass.  You  tell  us  farther, 
'  That  such  a  reliance  (as  that  of  acting  faith,  first, 
on  the  merits  of  Christ  for  justification)  is  ordinarily 
to  be  found  amongst  unregenerate,  and  even  the 
worst  of  men,'  p.  225. 

Ans.  This  is  but  a  falseliood  and  a  slander,  for 
the  unregenerate  know  him  not ;  how  then  can 
they  believe  on  him  ?  l  Jn.  iii.  l.  Besides,  the  worst 
of  men,  so  far  as  they  pretend  religion,  set  up 
your  idol  in  their  hearts,  viz.  their  own  good 
meanings,  their  own  good  nature,  the  notions  and 
dictates  of  their  nature,  living  that  little  which 
they  do  live  upon  the  snuff  of  their  own  light,  the 
sparks  of  their  own  fire,  and  therefore  woe  unto 
them. 

But  you  add,  '  How  can  it  be  otherwise,  than 
that  that  act  of  faith  must  needs  have  a  hand  in 
justifying,  and  the  special  hand  too,  which  dis- 
tinguisheth  it  from  that  which  is  to  be  found  in 
such  persons.' 

Ans.  1.  There  is  no  act  of  faith  doth  more  dis- 
tinguish true  faith  from  fa'se,  and  the  Christian 
from  the  painted  hypocrite,  than  that  which  first 
lays  hold  on  Christ,  while  the  person  that  hath  it 
stands  in  his  own  esteem,  ungodly;  all  over  like 
yourself,  being  fearful  and  unbelieving  Re.  xxi.  8. 
despisers,  who  wonder,  and  ]  erish.  Ac  xUi.  40, 4i. 

2.  And  this  faith,  by  thus  acting,  doth  more 
subdue  sin,  though  it  doth  not  justify  as  subduing, 
but  as  applymg  Christ's  righteousness,  than  all  the 
wisdom  and  purity  of  human  nature,  or  the  dictates 
of  that  nature  tliat  is  found  in  the  whole  Avorld. 

But  you  add  farther :  '  What  good  ground  can 
men  have  for  this  fancy,  when  as  our  Saviom- 
bath  merited  the  pardon  of  sin  for  this  end,  that 
it  might  be  an  effectual  motive  to  turn  from  it  V 

Ans.  Although  you  speak  this  in  great  derision 
to  faith  when  it  worketh  right,  yet  know  that 
therefore  (seeing  you  would  hear  it)  1  saj^,  therefore 
hath  our  Saviour  merited  pardon,  and  bestowed  it 
on  men  freely,  and  bid  them  believe  or  receive  it, 
and  have  it ;  that  thereby  they  might  be  encour- 
aged to  live  to  him,  and  love  him,  and  comply  with 
his  commandments.  '  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  toward  us,  in  that,  while  we  were  yet  sin- 


ners, Christ  died  for  us.  Much  more  then,  being 
NOW  justified  by  his  blood,  we  shall  be  saved  from 
wrath  through  him.' Ro.v.  Now,  as  here  we  are 
said  to  be  justified  by  his  blood,  that  is,  as  his 
blood  appeaseth  the  justice  of  God ;  so  ao-ain,  it 
is  said  that  this  blood  is  set  forth  by  God  for  us 
to  have  faith  in  it,  by  the  term  of  a  propitiation. 
'  Whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  he  a,  propitiation  (or 
a  sacrifice  to  appease  the  displeasure  of  God) 
thr  lugh  faith  in  his  blood.  -  To  declare  at  this 
time  his  righteousness,  that  he  might  be  just,  and 
the  justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus.'  Ro. 

iii.  25,  2G. 

Again,  As  we  are  thus  justified  by  blood  in  the 
sight  of  God,  by  faith  in  it,  so  also  it  is  testified 
of  his  blood,  that  it  sprinkleth  the  conscience  of 
the  faithful,  but  still  only  as  it  is  received  by  faith. 
But  from  what  is  the  conscience  sprinkled,  but 
from  those  dead  works  that  remain  in  all  that  have 
not  yet  been  justified  by  faith  in  ibis  blood.  Now 
if  faith  in  this  blood  doth  sprinkle  the  conscience, 
and  so  doth  purge  it  from  all  dead  works,  then 
must  faith  go  first  to  the  blood  of  Christ  for  justi- 
fication, and  must  bring  this  home  to  the  defiled 
conscience,  before  it  be  delivered  from  those  dead 
works  that  are  in  it,  and  made  capable  of  serving 

the  living  God.  Ro.  v.  7— lO;  iii.  24,  25.  He.  ix.  14;  x.  1&— 22. 

But  you  say,  '  you  will  never  trust  3'our  discur- 
sive faculty  so  long  as  you  live,  if  you  are  mis- 
taken here, '  p.  224. 

Tell  not  me  of  your  discursive  faculty:  The 
word  of  God  is  plain.  And  never  challenge  man, 
for  he  that  coudemneth  your  way  to  heaven,  to 
the  very  pit  of  hell,  as  Paul  doth,  can  yet  set  forth 
a  better. 

Second,  I  come  now  to  the  second  thing,  viz. 
the  doctrine  of  the  imputation  of  Chnst's  liglUeous- 
ness,  which  you  thus  expound. 

'  It  consists  in  dealing  with  sincerely  righteous 
persons,  as  if  they  were  perfectly  so,  for  the  sake, 
and  upon  the  account  of  Christ's  righteousness,' 

p.  225.  226. 

Ans.  1.  Any  thing  but  truth  ;  but  I  would  know 
how  sincerely  righteous  they  were  that  were  jus- 
tified without  works  ?  Or  how  sincerely  righteous 
they  were  whom  God  justified  as  ungodly  ?  Ro  iv.  3—5. 

2.  Your  explication  of  the  imputation  of  Christ's 
righteousness  makes  it  respect  our  works  rather 
than  our  persons :  '  It  consists  (say  you)  in  dealing 
with  sincerely  righteous  persons,  as  if  they  were 
perfectly  so  :'  That  is,  it  justifieth  their  imperfect 
righteousness  first,  and  so  secondarily  their  persons 
for  the  sake  of  that. 

But  observe  a  few  things  from  this  exphcation. 

] .  This  concludeth  that  a  man  may  be  sincerely 
righteous  in  God's  account,  without  the  righte- 
ousness of  Christ ;  for  that  is  to  be  imputed  to 
such,  and  none  but  such. 


318 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION, 


2.  Tills  conciudcth  that  men  may  be  sincerely 
righteous,  before  Christ's  righteousness  is  imputed: 
For  this  sincere  righteousness  is  precedent  to  the 
imputation  of  Christ's. 

3.  This  concludeth  that  a  man  may  have  true, 
yea  saving  grace  in  great  and  mighty  action  in 
him,  before  he  hath  faith  in  the  righteousness  of 
Christ.  For  if  a  man  must  be  sincerely  righteous 
first ;  then  he  must  not  only  have  that  we  call  the 
habit,  but  the  powerful  acts  of  grace. 

Besides,  if  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  not  to 
be  looked  to  first,  but  secondarily ;  not  before,  but 
after  we  be  made  sincerely  righteous ;  then  may 
not  faith  be  thus  acted  if  a  man  should  have  it, 
until  he  be  first  a  sincerely  righteous  person. 

4.  This  concludeth  that  a  man  may  be  brought 
from  under  the  curse  of  the  law  in  God's  sight, 
before  he  have  faith  in  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
yea  before  it  be  imputed  to  him :  for  he  that  in 
God's  account  is  reckoned  sincerely  righteous,  is 
beloved  of  his  God. 

5.  This  concludeth  that  a  man  may  be  from 
under  the  curse  of  God,  without  the  imputation  of 
the  righteousness  of  Christ:  For  if  a  man  must 
be  sincerely  righteous  in  God's  account  without  it, 
then  he  is  from  under  the  curse  of  God  without  it. 

6.  This  doctrine  teacheth  farther,  that  Christ 
came  to  call,  and  justify  the  righteous,  contrary  to 
his  express  word.  In  short,  by  this  account  of 
things,  first  we  must  be  healed,  and  then  the 
plaister  comes. 

Yea,  so  confident  is  this  man  in  this  his  asser- 
tion, that  he  saith,  '  It  is  not  possible  any  other 
notion  of  this  doctrine  should  have  truth  in  it,' 
p.  226.  0  this  Jesus  !  This  rock  of  off"ence  !  But 
he  that  believeth  on  him  shall  not  be  confounded. 

But  blessed  be  God  for  Jesus  Christ,  and  for 
that  he  took  our  nature,  and  sin,  and  curse,  and 
death  upon  him :  And  for  that  he  did  also  by 
himself,  by  0)ie  ofibring  purge  our  sins.  We  that 
have  believed  have  found  rest,  even  there  where 
God  and  his  Father  hath  smelled  a  sweet  savour 
of  rest ;  because  we  are  presented  to  God,  even 
now  complete  in  the  righteousness  of  him,  and 
stand  discharged  of  guilt,  even  by  the  faith  of 
him:  yea,  as  sins  past,  so  sins  to  come,  were 
taken  up  and  satisfied  for,  by  that  off'ering  of  the 
body  of  Jesus,  we  who  have  had  a  due  sense  of 
sins,  and  of  the  nature  of  the  justice  of  God,  we 
know  that  no  remission  of  the  guilt  of  any  one  can 
be,  but  by  atonement  made  by  blood.  He.  ix.  23. 
We  also  know  that  where  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  is 
wanting,  there  can  be  neither  good  principle,  nor 
good  endeavour.  For  faith  is  the  first  of  all  graces, 
and  without  it  there  is  nothing  but  sin.  Ko.  .\iv.  23. 
We  know  also,  that  faith  as  a  grace  in  us,  severed 
from  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  is  only  a  beholder 
of  things,  but  not  a  justifier  of  persons,  and  that 


if  it  lay  not  hold  of,  and  applieth  not  that  riglite- 
ousness  which  is  in  Christ,  it  carrieth  us  no  farther 
than  to  the  [faith  of]  devils.  We  know  that  this 
doctrine  killeth  sin,  and  curseth  it  at  the  very 
roots  ;  I  say  we  know  it,  '  who  have  mourned  over 
him  whom  we  have  pierced, '  Zee.  xii.  lo.  and  who 
have  been  confounded  to  see  that  God  by  his 
blood  should  be  pacified  towards  us  for  all  the 
wickedness  we  have  done.  Eze.  xvi.  es.  Yea,  we  have 
a  double  motive  to  be  holy  and  humble  before  him ; 
one  because  he  died  for  us  on  earth,  another  be- 
cause he  now  appears  for  us  in  heaven,  there 
sprinkling  for  us  the  mercy-seat  with  his  blood, 
there  ever-living  to  make  intercession  for  them 
that  come  unto  God  by  him.  '  If  any  man  sin, 
we  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ 
the  righteous,  and  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our 
sins.'  iJu.  ii.  1,  2.  Yet  this  worketh  in  us  no  loose- 
ness, nor  favour  to  sin,  but  so  much  the  more  an 
abhorrence  of  it :  '  She  loveth  much,  for  much  was 
forgiven  her.'  Lu.  vii.  47.  Yea,  she  weeps,  she 
washeth  his  feet,  and  wipeth  them  with  the  hairs 
of  her  head,  to  the  confounding  of  Simon  the 
pharisee,  and  all  such  ignorant  hypocrites. 

[The  Bible  the  onhj measure  and  standard  of  tritlh.] 

But  I  pass  this,  and  come  to  the  twentieth 
chapter,  which  is  to  learn  us  by  what  measure 
and  standard  we  are  to  judge  of  doctrines  ;  and 
that  is  by  the  design  of  Christianity  as  stated,  you 
must  know,  by  Mr.  Fowler.  Wherefore  it  will 
be  requisite  here  again,  that  a  collection  of  prin- 
ciples and  doctrines  be  gathered  out  of  this  book, 
that  the  man  that  hath  a  short  memory  may  be 
helped  the  better  to  bear  them  in  mind,  and  to 
make  them,  if  he  shall  be  so  bewitched  by  them, 
instead  of  the  Bible,  a  standard  for  truth,  and  a 
rule  for  him  to  obtain  salvation  by. 

First  then,  he  must  know  .that  the  principle  by 
which  he  must  walk  must  be  the  purity  of  the 
human  nature,  a  divine  or  God-like  nature,  which 
yet  is  but  an  habit  of  soul,  or  more  plainly  the 
moral  law,  as  written  in  the  heart,  and  originally 
the  dictates  of  human  nature,  a  generous  principle, 
such  an  one  as  although  it  respects  law,  yet  acti 
in  a  sphere  above  it ;  above  it  as  a  written  law, 
that  acts  even  in  the  first  principles  of  it,  p.  7— 10. 

Second,  He  must  know,  that  the  holiness  Christ 
designed  to  possess  his  people  with,  is  that  which 
we  had  lost  in  Adam,  that  which  he  had  before  he 
fell,  that  natural  old  covenant  Christ-less  holi- 
ness, p.  13. 

Third,  He  must  put  a  difierence  between  those 
laws  of  the  gospel  that  are  essential  to  holiness, 
and  those  positive  precepts  that  in  themselves  are 
indifierent,  and  absolutely  considered  neither  good 
nor  evil ;  but  must  know  also  that  of  these  positive 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


819 


precepts,  lie  allowcth  but  three  in  the  gospel,  but 
three  that  are  purely  such ;  to  wit,  that  of  coming 
to  God  by  Christ,  the  institutions  of  baptism,  and 
the  Lord's  supper,  p.  7— 9. 

Fourth,  He  must  hold  for  certain,  that  the  faith 
vrhich  entitleth  a  sinner  to  so  high  a  privilege  as 
that  of  justification,  must  needs  be  such  as  com- 
plieth  with  all  the  purposes  of  Christ's  coming 
into  the  world,  whether  at  present  it  understands 
them  or  not,  and  it  is  no  less  necessary  it  should 
justify  as  it  doth  so,  p.  323. 

Fifth,  He  must  know,  that  a  man  may  not  rely 
upon  the  merits  of  Christ  for  the  forgiveness  of  his 
sins,  before  he  have  done  other  good  works  first, 

p.  223. 

Sixth,  And  that  the  right  explication  of  the 
imputation  of  Christ's  righteousness  is  this,  that 
it  consistcth  in  having  to  do  with  persons  that  are 
sincerely  righteous,  p.  225.  For  it  is  not  possible 
for  Christ's  righteousness  to  be  imputed  to  an 
unrighteous  man,  p.l20. 

These  things,  with  many  like  to  them,  being 
the  main  points  by  this  man  handled,  and  by  him 
asserted  to  be  the  design  of  Christianity,  by  these 
we  must,  as  by  a  rule  and  standard,  understand 
how  to  judge  of  the  truth  of  doctrines.  And, 
saith  he,  '  seeing  the  design  of  Christianity  is  to 
make  men  holy,  (still  meaning  from  principles  of 
humanity,  and  by  possessing  us  again,  with  the 
often  repeated  holiness  which  we  had  lost,)  what- 
soever opinions  do  either  directly,  or  in  their  evi- 
dent consequences,  obstruct  the  promoting  of  it, 
are  perfectly  false, '  p.  227, 238. 

Ans.  Thus  with  one  word,  as  if  he  wore  Lord 
and  Judge  himself,  he  sendeth  to  the  pit  of  hell, 
all  things  that  sanctify  or  make  holy  the  hearts  of 
men,  if  they  oppose  the  design  of  his  Christianity. 
But  what  if  the  Holy  Ghost  will  become  a  principle 
in  the  hearts  of  the  converted,  and  will  not  now 
suffer  them  to  act  simply  and  alone  upon  the  prin- 
ciples of  pure  humanity;  or  what  now  if  faith 
will  become  a  principle  to  act  by,  instead  of  these 
that  are  originally  dictates  of  human  nature  ?  Or 
what  if  a  man  should  act  now  as  a  son,  rather  than 
simply  as  a  creature  endued  with  a  principle  of 
reason  ?  I  question  here  whether  these  things 
thus  doing  do  not  obstruct,  put  by,  yea  and  take 
the  way*  of  his  pure  humanity,  dictates  of  human 
nature,  and  instead  thereof  act  and  govern  the 
soul  by  and  with  their  own  principles.  For  albeit, 
there  be  the  dictates  of  human  nature  in  the  sons 
of  men,  yet  neither  is  this  nature,  nor  yet  the 
dictates  of  it,  laid  by  Jesus  Christ  as  the  truly 
christian  principles  in  his.     But  you  add : 

'  Those  doctrines  which  in  their  own  nature  do 
evidently  tend  to  the  serving  of  this  design  of 


'  Take  tlie  way,'  occupy  tlie  j'lace. — Ed. 


Christianity,  we  may  conclude  are  most  true  and 
genuine,'  p.  229. 

Alls.  The  holiness  which  you  so  often  call  the 
design  of  Christianity,  being  by  yourself  said  to  be 
that  which  we  had  lost,  for  this  one  sentence  is  it 
on  Avhich  your  whole  book  is  built,  p.  12.  whatso- 
ever doctrine  or  doctor  it  be  that  asserts  it,  both 
that  doctrine  is  of  the  devil,  and  that  dottor  an 
angel  of  darkness,  or  rather  a  minister  of  Satan, 
become  as  a  minister  of  righteousness.  For  where 
is  it  said  in  all  the  whole  book  of  God,  that  ever 
the  Lord  Christ  designed,  yea  made  it  his  erraftd 
from  heaven,  to  put  us  again  in  possession  of  the 
holiness  Avhich  we  had  lost  ?  Yet  this  you  affirm, 
and  tell  us  the  business  of  your  book  is  to  prove 
it.  But  blessed  be  God,  your  shifts  are  dis- 
covered, and  your  fig-leaves  rent  from  off  you,  and 
the  righteousness  or  holiness  so  much  cried  up  by 
you,  proved  to  be  none  of  the  holiness  of  the  gos- 
pel, but  that  which  stood  with  perfect  ignorance 
thereof.  I  might  speak  to  Avhat  yet  remains  of 
falsehood,  in  the  other  part  of  this  chapter ;  but 
having  overthrown  the  foundation,  and  broken  the 
head  of  your  Leviathan  ;  what  remains  falleth  of 
itself,  and  dieth  of  its  own  accord. 

What  you  say  of  modes  or  forms,  and  sticklers 
for  little  trifles,  such  as  place  their  religion  in 
mere  externals,  you  may  fasten  them  where  of  due 
they  belong :  Yet  I  tell  you  the  least  of  the  com- 
mandments of  Christ  is  better  than  your  adamitish 
holiness. 

[  llie  necessity  of  a  sound  foundation.  ] 

Your  twenty-first  chapter  tells  us,  if  we  Avill 
believe  you,  how  we  shall  judge  of  the  necessity 
of  doctrine,  to  be  embraced  or  rejected ;  also  you 
say,  it  giveth  us  a  brief  discourse  of  the  nature  of 
fundamentals  :  But  because  your  discourse  of  them 
is  general,  and  not  any  one  particularized,  I  might 
leave  you  in  your  generals  till  you  dealt  more  can- 
didly, both  with  the  word  of  God  and  your  abused 
reader. 

First,  Indeed  you  tell  us  of  piimary  funda- 
mentals. '  Such,  as  without  the  knowledge  and 
belief  of  which  it  is  impossible  to  acquire  that 
inward  righteousness  and  true  holiness  which  the 
christian  religion  aimeth  at ;  -  but  the  particulars 
of  these,  say  you,  I  shall  not  enumerate,  because 
(as  will  appear  from  what  will  be  said  anon)  it  is 
not  needful  to  have  a  just  table  of  them,'  p.  234. 

Ans.  Deep  divinity!  (1.)  They  are  such  as  with- 
out the  knowledge  and  belief  of  them,  it  is  not 
possible  Ave  should  acquire  your  true  holiness ;  and 
yet  for  all  that,  it  is  not  needful  that  Ave  be  told 
Avhat  they  are,  or  that  Ave  should  haA-e  a  just  table 
of  them.  (2.)  But  if  they  be  things  necessary, 
things  Avithout  the  knowledge  of  which  it  is  impossible 


330 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


we  should  be  truly  holy,  then  is  it  needful  that 
we  understand  what  they  are  :  yea,  then  is  it 
needful  that  they  be  written,  and  presented  one  by 
one  unto  us,  that  our  knowledge  of  them  being 
distinct  and  full,  we  may  the  better  be  able  to  ob- 
tain or  acquire  your  glorious  (so  pretended)  holiness. 

But  I  know  your  primary  fundamentals,  they 
are  your  first  principles  of  morals ;  not  faith  in 
the  righteousness  of  Christ,  for  that  is  compre- 
hended in  your  positive,  and  in  themselves  inditfer- 
ent  things :  your  morals  are  the  things  in  them- 
selves absolutely  necessary ;  of  an  indispensable 
and  eternal  obligation,  p.  8,  9.    But, 

Second,  You  tell  us  of  points  of  faith  that  are 
secondarily  fundamental;  the  disbelief  of  Avhich 
cannot  consist  with  true  holiness,  in  those  to 
whom  the  gospel  is  sufficiently  made  known. 

Ans.  The  secondary  fundamentals  also,  are  all 
kept  close  and  hid,  and  not  otherwise  to  be  under- 
stood, but  by  implication ;  however,  the  disbelief 
of  these  is  not  of  so  sad  a  consequence  as  is  that 
of  the  former,  because,  say  you,  '  They  are  not  in 
their  own  nature,  holiness,'  p. 335.  Yea,  he  insinu- 
ateth  that  the  disbelief  of  them  may  stand  with 
true  holiness  in  those  to  whom  the  gospel  is  not 
sufticiently  made  known. 

Of  these  secondai-y  fundamentals  therefore,  what- 
ever is  their  number,  this  is  one,  even  coming  to 
God  by  Christ;  for  as  in  p.  7.  ana  9.  he  calleth  it  a 
positive  precept,  a  thing  that  in  itself  is  neither 
good  nor  evil ;  so  here  he  speaks  of  such  as  are 
not  in  their  own  nature  holy;  not  such,  as  that 
holiness  is  not  in  some  degree  or  other  attainable 
without  the  belief  of  them. 

That  one  of  these  secondary  fundamentals  in- 
tended by  Mr,  Fowler,  is,  that  of  coming  to  God  by 
Christ,  I  farther  gather,  because  he  saith,  that  •  in 
the  number  of  these,  are  all  such  doctrines,  as  are 
Avith  indisputable  clearness  revealed  to  us, '  that  is, 
by  the  holy  scriptures  of  the  New  Testament, 
p.  235.  For  therein  is  this  revealed  to  be  a  funda- 
mental ;  but  he  saith,  not  a  primary  one,  because, 
that  in  itself,  it  is  but  iudiff'erent,  and  not  in  its 
own  nature  good.  '  Now  the  belief  of  these,  saith 
he,  though  it  is  not  in  itself  any  more,  than  in 
higher  or  lower  degrees,  profitable,  (confusion ! 
darkness !  confusion ! )  yet  it  is  absolutely  necessary 
from  an  external  cause : '  That  is,  with  such  abun- 
dant clearness,  as  that  nothing  can  cause  men  to 
refuse  to  admit  them,  but  that  which  argueth  them 
to  be  stark  naught. 

Ans.  Then,  hence  it  seems  that  the  reason  why 
you  admit  these  secondary  sort  of  fundamentals,  is 
not  from  any  internal  power,  but  an  external  de- 
claration only.  2.  Nay.  and  you  do  but  admit 
them  neither,  and  that  too,  for  some  external  cause; 
not  because  of  the  worthiness  of  the  nature  of  the 
points  themselves.     3.   And  were  it  not,  but  that 


you  are  loth  to  be  counted  stark  naught  in  the  eycfi 
of  men,  so  far  as  I  can  discern,  you  would  not  at 
all  make  profession  of  them,  with  pretence  as  unto 
God ;  for,  say  you,  '  We  must  take  notice  here, 
that  all  such  points  [as  these]  (viz.  these  fundamen- 
tals,) are  not  of  equal  necessity  to  be  received  by 
all  Christians,  because,  that  in  regard  of  the  diver- 
sity of  their  capacities,  educations,  and  other  means 
and  advantages,  some  of  them  may  be  most  plainly 
perceived  by  some,  to  be  delivered  in  the  scriptures, 
which  cannot  be  so  by  others,  with  the  like  ease.' 
Ans.  From  these  words  I  take  notice  of  four 
things, 

1.  That  by  tliis  universal  (all  Christians)  is  com- 
prehended the  Heathen  and  Pagan  people,  they 
give  heed  to,  and  mind  to  follow  that  light,  that 
originally,  and  naturally,  stirreth  them  to  moral 
duties.  These  be  they  that  want  the  education, 
and  advantages  of  others,  and  are  not  in  such  a 
capacity,  as  they  to  whom  these  things  are  de- 
livered by  the  scriptures. 

2.  That  this  people,  notwithstanding  they  want  a 
scripture  revelation  of  these  secondary  fundamen- 
tals, yet  have  the  more  necessary,  the  first  sort  of 
fundamentals  ;  for  the  secondary  sort,  say  you,  are 
not  in  their  own  nature  such,  as  that  holiness  is 
not  in  some  degree  or  other  attainable  without  the 
belief  of  them. 

3.  That  therefore,  these  secondary  sort  of  fun- 
damentals, are  only  necessary  to  be  believed  by 
them  that  have  the  indisputable  (the  scripture) 
revelation  of  them ;  and  that,  in  truth,  the  others 
may  be  saved  without  them. 

4.  But  yet,  even  those  that  are  made  capable, 
by  education  and  other  advantages,  to  obtain  the 
belief  of  them,  ought,  notwithstanding,  not  to  have 
the  same  respect  for  them,  as  for  those  of  the  first 
sort  of  fundamentals,  because  they  are  not  in  their 
own  nature  such. 

But  Avill  this  man  know,  that  Christ  is  not  only 
a  fundamental,  but  the  very  foundation  of  all  other 
fundamental  truths,  revealed  both  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament and  the  New ;  and  that  his  pure  human 
nature,  with  the  dictates  of  it,  with  his  feigned 
adamitish  holiness,  is  no  fundamental  at  all ;  I 
mean  no  fundamental  of  faith,  no  gospel  funda- 
mental. 1  Co.  iii.  14.  Ep.  ii.  19,  20.  Yca,  will  he  know, 
that  from  heaven  there  is  none  other  name  given, 
than  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  whereby  we  must 
be  saved,  none  other  name  given  under  the  whole 
heavens,  Ac  iv.  12. 

Oh  the  witchcrafts,  by  which  some  men's  spirits 
are  intoxicated !  and  the  strength  of  delusion,  by 
which  some  are  infatuated,  and  turned  aside  from  the 
simplicity  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ !     But  I  proceed : 

Your  great  question,  or  ratlier  your  Urim  and 
Thummim,  by  which  you  would  have  all  men  make 
judgment  of  their  saveable,  or  damnable   state, 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


821 


p.  23G.  is,  according'  to  your  description  of  things, 
most  devilish  and  destructive.  For  to  ohey  God 
and  Christ  in  all  things,  with  you,  is  to  do  it  from 
])rinciples  purely  human  in  the  faith  of  this :  that 
Christ  hath  designed  to  possess  us  again  with  that 
holiness  we  had  lost.  Again,  to  obey  God  and 
Christ,  with  you,  is,  so  to  obey  all  their  laws,  as 
respecting  the  first  principles  of  morals ;  and  our 
obedience  to  them,  far  more  indispensable  than 
that  of  coming  to  God  by  Christ.  Farther,  he 
that  obeys  them  in  all  things,  with  your  directions, 
must  not  look  upon  faith  in  the  blood  of  Christ, 
and  justification  by  his  righteousness,  as  the  main 
and  first,  but  the  second  part  of  our  duty ;  other 
commands,  or  precepts,  more  naturally  holy  and 
good,  first  being  embraced,  and  lived  in  the  prac- 
tice of,  by  us. 

This,  I  say,  being  the  doctrine  you  have  asserted, 
and  the  foundation  on  which  your  Urim  and  Thum- 
mim  stands ;  the  foundation,  with  your  trial,  are 
both  from  the  devil  and  hell,  as  hath  at  large  been 
proved,  and  discovered  in  this  book. 

And  I  now  will  add,  and  bid  you  take  your  ad- 
vantage, that  should  a  man  with  all  his  might, 
strive  to  obey  all  the  moral  laws,  either  as  they 
are  contained  in  the  first  principles  of  morals,  or 
in  the  express  decalogue,  or  Ten  Commandments ; 
without  faith,  first,  in  the  blood,  and  death,  and 
resurrection  of  Christ,  &c.  For  his  justification 
with  God ;  his  thus  doing  would  be  counted  wicked- 
ness, and  he  in  the  end,  accounted  a  rebel  against 
the  gospel,  and  shall  be  damned  for  want  of  faith  in 
the  blood  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

[7%e  Christians  greaX prindples.l 

Your  twenty-second  chapter,  saith,  *  That  the 
design  of  Christianity,  teacheth  us  what  doctrines 
and  practices  we  ought,  as  Christians,  to  be  most 
zealous  for,  or  against, '  p.  237. 

Alls.  But  there  is  not  by  that,  it  being  rightly 
stated,  one  syllable  that  tendeth  to  encourage  any 
man,  to  have  lower  thoughts  of  coming  to  God  by 
Christ,  than  of  keeping  the  moral  law.  For  even 
the  first  text  you  bring,  doth  utterly  overthrow  it. 
'Contend  [earnestly],  say  you,  for  the  faith;'  I 
answer  then,  not  for  the  law  of  works,  for  the  law 
is  not  of  faith ;  but  the  man  that  doth  these  things, 
shall  live  in  them,  by  them.  *  Contend  earnestly 
for  the  faith,  for  there  are  certain  men  crept  in 
xmawares,  which  were  before  of  old,  ordained  unto 
this  condemnation;'  even  the  condemnation  that 
is  to  come  upon  them  that  contend  against  the 
faith ;  for  these  ungodly  men  turn  the  grace  of 
God  into  lasciviousness,  and  deny  the  only  Lord 
God,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Now  these 
creeping  ungodly  men,  may  be  divided  in  three 
ranks. 
VOL.  II. 


1.  Such  as  by  principle,  and  practice  both,  say, 
'  Let  us  do  evil,  that  good  may  come :  whose  dam- 
nation is  just.'  Ro.  iii.  8. 

2.  Such  as  by  practice  only,  appear  to  be  such, 
denying  to  profess  the  principle  thereof,  such  are 
they  that  made  excuse  and  delay,  when  invited  to 
come  to  the  wedding.  Mat.  xxii.  1—5.  Lu.  xiv. 

3.  There  is  yet  another  sort;  and  they  are  such 
as  seem  to  deny  it,  both  in  principle,  and  practice 
also ;  only  they  do  it  covertly,  privily  bringing  in 
damnable  heresies,  even  denying  the  Lord  that 
bought  them.  These  '  bring  upon  themselves  swift 
destruction. '  2  Pe.  ii.  1. 

This  third  sort,  made  of  the  doctrine  of  grace, 
and  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  through  the  faith  of 
the  righteousness  of  Christ,  a  loose  and  licentious 
doctrine,  or  a  doctrine  that  giveth  liberty  to  the 
flesh.     By  reason  of  these  the  way  of  truth  is  evil 
spoken  of,  and  the  hearts   of  innocent  ones  alien- 
ated therefrom.     These  will  not  stick  to  charge  it 
upon  the  very  chief  of  the  brethren,  if  they  shall 
say,  '  As   sin  abounded,  grace  hath  much  more 
abounded:  that  they  press  men  to  do  evil,  that  good 
may  come  of  it.  'ko.  iii.  8, 9.    But,  as  I  said,  these  vilify 
Christ,  not  with  open  words,  but  covertly;  privily 
they  bring  in  their  blasphemy  xmder  a  cloak,  cry- 
ing, the  law,  holiness,  strictness,  good  works,  he. 
Besides,   these  clothe  their  doctrines  with  names 
and  notions  that  belong  not  at  all  unto  them ;  as 
of  Christ,  grace,  the  spirit,  the  gospel,  when  there 
is  only  there,  the  devil,  and  his  angels,  and  errors ; 
as  angels  of  light,  and  ministers  of  righteousness. 
Of  this  last  sort  are  you,  and  the  subject  matter 
of  your  book ;  for  you  bring  into  the  world   an 
anti-gospel    holiness,    anti-gospel    principles,    and 
anti-gospel  fundamentals ;  and  that  these  things 
might  be  worshipped  by  your  disciples,  you  give 
them  the  name  of  holiness,  the  design  of  Christ, 
and  of  Christianity;  by  which  means  you  remove 
the  Christ  of  God,  from  before,  and  set  him  behind, 
forbidding  men  to  believe  on  him,  till  they  have 
practised  your  things  first :  nay,  after  they  have 
practised  yours,  they  then  must  come  to  God  by 
him,  still  respecting  the  principles  and  dictates  of 
humanity,  as  things  of  the  greatest  weight,  things 
that  are  good  in  themselves ;  still  considering  that 
'  coming  to  God  by  Christ,  is  not  good  in  itself, 
but  so  only  upon  the  account  of  certain  circum- 
stances ;  a  thing  in  itself  of  an  indifterent  nature, 
and  absolutely  considered  neither  good  nor  evil. 

Wherefore,  Sir,  laying  aside  all  fear  of  men,  not 
regarding  what  you  may  procure  to  be  inflicted 
upon  me  for  this  my  plain  dealing  with  you,  I  tell 
you  again,  that  yourself  is  one  of  them,  that  have 
closely,  privily,  and  devilishly,  by  your  book, 
turned  the  grace  of  our  God  into  a  lascivious  doc- 
trine, bespattering  it  with  giving  liberty  to  loose- 
ness, and  the  hardening  of  the  ungodly  m  wicked- 
2  s 


322 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


ness,  against  wliom,  sliall  you  persist  in  your  wick- 
edness, I  shall  not  fail,  may  I  live,  and  know  it, 
and  be  helped  of  God  to  do  it,  to  discover  yet  far- 
ther the  rottenness  of  your  doctrine,  with  the  ac- 
cursed tendencies  thereof. 

What  you  say  about '  doubtful  opinion,  alterable 
modes,  rites,  and  circumstances  in  religion,'  p.  239. 
I  know  none  so  wedded  thereto  as  yourselves,  even 
the  whole  gang  of  your  rabbling  counterfeit  clergy; 
who  generally  like  the  ape  you  speak  of,*  lie  blow- 
ing up  the  applause  and  glory  of  your  trumpery, 
and  like  the  tail,  with  your  foolish  and  sophistical 
arguings,  you  cover  the  filthy  parts  thereof,  as  you 
sweetly  argue  in  the  next  chapter,  p.  242.  saying, 
*  Whatsoever  of  such  are  commended  by  the  custom 
of  (lie  place  we  live  in,  or  commanded  by  superiors, 
or  made  by  any  circumstance  convenient  to  be  done, 
our  christian  liberty  consists  in  this,  that  we  liave 
have  to  do  tJiem.'i  So  that  do  but  call  them 
things  indifi'erent,  things  that  are  the  customs  of 
the  place  we  live  in,  or  made  by  any  circumstance 
convenient,  and  a  man  may  not  doubt  but  he  hath 
leave  to  do  them,  let  him  live  at  Rome  or  Constan- 
tinople, or  amidst  the  greatest  corruption  of  wor- 
ship and  government.  These  are  therefore  doubt- 
less, a  third  sort  of  fundamentals,  by  which  you 
can  wrestle  with  conviction  of  conscience,  and 
stifle  it ;  by  which  you  can  suit  yourself  for  every 
fashion,  mode,  and  way  of  religion.  Here  you  may 
hop  from  Presbyterianism,  to  a  prelatical  mode; 
and  if  time  and  chance  should  serve  you,  back- 
wards, and  forwards  again:  yea,  here  you  can 
make  use  of  several  consciences,  one  for  this  way 
now,  another  for  that  anon ;  now  putting  out  the 
light  of  this  by  a  sophistical  delusive  argument, 
then  putting  out  the  other,  by  an  argument  that 
best  suits  the  time.  J  Yea,  how  oft  is  the  candle 
of  the  wicked  put  out,  by  such  glorious  learning 
as  this.  Nay,  I  doubt  not,  but  a  man  of  your 
principles,  were  he  put  upon  it,  would  not  stick  to 
count  those  you  call  gospel-positive  precepts,  of 
no  value  at  all  in  the  christian  religion  ;  for  now, 
even  now,  you  do  not  stick  to  say  that,  that  even 
that  of  going  to  God  by  Christ,  is  one  of  these,  and 
that  such  an  one,  as  if  absolutely  considered  in  it- 
self, is  neither  good  nor  evil.     How  then,  if  God 

*  'Doubtful  opinioiiB,  modes  and  rites,  eagerly  opposed, 
is  like  the  apes  blowing  at  a  glowworm,  wbich  affords  neither 
light  nor  warmth,'  p.  239. 

■}•  These  sentiments  are  the  essential  fundamentals  of  all 
state  religions,  be  they  heathen,  christian,  or  mohamedan. 
This  plain  avowal  of  them  might  have  been  the  cause  why  the 
author  was  soon  after  made  a  bishop  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land.— Ed. 

I  Like  the  vicar  of  Bray,  neai-  ilaideuhead,  who  boasted  of 
his  consistency.  He  was  under  Henry  VIII.  a  papist,  then 
a  semi-protestant ;  under  Edward,  a  protestant ;  under  Mary, 
again  a  papist ;  and  under  Elizabeth,  a  protestant.  Still  he 
had  never  ceased  to  be  vicar  of  Braij. — Ho. 


should  cast  you  into  Turkey,  where  Mahomet  reigns 
as  Lord  ?  It  is  but  reckoning  that  it  is  the  reli- 
gion, and  custom  of  the  country,  and  that  which  is 
authorised  by  the  power  that  is  there ;  wherefore 
it  is  but  sticking  to  your  dictates  of  human  nature, 
and  remembering  that  coming  to  God  by  Christ  is 
a  thing  of  an  indifi'erent  nature  in  itself,  and  then 
for  peace  sake,  and  to  sleep  in  a  whole  skin,  you  may 
comply,  and  do  as  your  superior  commands.  Why  ? 
Because  in  Turkey,  are  your  first  sort  of  funda- 
mentals found :  there  are  men  that  have  human 
nature,  and  the  law  of  morals  written  in  their 
hearts ;  they  have  also  the  dictates  thereof  written 
within  them,  which  teach  them,  those  you  call  the 
eternal  laws  of  righteousness  ;  wherefore  you  both 
would  agree  in  your  essential,  and  immutable  dif- 
ferences of  good  and  evil,  p.  6.  and  difi"er  only  about 
these  positive  laws,  indiiferent  things.  Yea,  and 
Mahomet  alsoybr  tlce  time,  because  by  a  custom 
made  convenient,  might  be  now  accounted  worship- 
ful, and  the  circumstances  that  attend  his  worship, 
especially  those  of  them  that  clash  not  with  the 
dictates  of  your  human  nature,  might  also  be  swal- 
lowed down. 

Behold  you  here  then,  good  reader,  a  glorious 
Latitudinarian,  that  can,  as  to  religion,  turn  and 
twist  like  an  eel  on  the  angle;  or  rather  like  the 
weather-cock  that  stands  on  the  steeple. 

'  For  (saith  he)  our  refusing  to  comply  with 
either  of  these  can  hardly  proceed  from  anything 
better  than  a  proud  afiectation  of  singularity,  or 
at  best,  from  superstitious  scrupulosity.'  p.  242. 

Do  but  believe  him  therefore  in  what  he  saith, 
and  you  cannot  choose  but  be  ready  with  him  to 
comply  with  all  modes  that  may  serve  for  advan- 
tage. 

Besides,  he  saith,  •  that  the  word  superstition, 
in  the  Greek*  implieth,  a  frightful,  and  over- 
timorous  apprehension  of  the  divine  nature ;  and 
consequently  a  base  and  under-valuing  conception 
of  it.' 

So  that  to  be  tender  of  conscience,  especially  in 
things  of  divine  worship,  binding  up  the  soul  to  the 
words  of  the  everlasting  testament,  in  such  things 
especially,  as  a  fool  can  call  little,  and  insignificant 
trivial  matters,  rendereth  a  man  such  an  one  as 
hath  a  very  erroneous  conscience. 

But  he  would  not  be  understood  (p.  244.)  as  if  he 
here  intended  to  vilify  things  that  are  plainly  com- 
manded, or  to  tolerate  that  which  is  plainly  for- 
bidden, only  he  would  have  all  things  that  may 
faU  within  the  reach  of  these  two  general  heads, 
be  examined  by  this  general  rule,  '  his  description 
of  the  design  of  Christianity. ' 

Answ.  But  I  could  teU  him,  that  whatsoever  is 
imposed  as  a  part  of  God's  worship,  is  judged  by 


A  DEFENCE  OP  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


S23 


a  Letter  rule  than  his,  both  as  to  its  goodness  and 
badness,  neither  can  we  account  any  thing  indif- 
ferent that  is  a  part  thereof.  Besides,  whatsoever 
is  reputed  a  part  of  God's  worship,  layeth  hold  on 
the  conscience  of  the  godly:  although  a  ranting 
Latitudinarian  may  say,  '  If  the  devil  should  preach, 

1  would  hear  him,  before  I  would  suffer  persecu- 
tion.' As  a  brave  fellow  which  I  could  name,  in 
his  zeal  was  pleased  to  declare. 

But  what  trust  should  any  man  put  to  the  rule 
to  which  you  direct  him  for  help,  and  relief  therein ; 
seeing  that  from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  from 
the  top  to  the  bottom,  it  is  a  cursed  blasphemous 
book ;  a  book  that  more  vilifieth  Jesus  Christ,  than 
many  of  the  Quakers  themselves:  for  which  of 
them  said  -worse  of  him,  and  make  coming  to  God 
by  him,  a  more  insignificant  thing,  than  you  by 
your  pretended  design  of  Christianity  have  done. 

We  have  therefore  a  more  sure  word  of  the  pro- 
phets, to  the  which  *  we  do  well  to  take  heed,' 

2  Pe.  i.  19.  by  which,  both  your  doctrine,  and  practice, 
is  already  judged  to  be  naught,  as  will  be  farther 
discovered  time  enough,  when  you  shall  justify  or 
condemn  particulars. 

Your  twenty-fourth  chapter  I  shall  now  pass  by, 
until  I  can  better  compare  you  and  popery,  against 
which  you  there  so  stoutly*  diggle  together. 

[The  scandalous  lives  and  foolish  doctrines  of  state 
priests,  not  the  true  ground  of  dissent.] 

Your  twenty-fifth  chapter  carrieth  in  it  an 
hideous  outcry  against  many  of  your  ministers  and 
guides,  complaining  and  confessing,  '  That  no  one 
thing  hath  so  conduced  to  the  prejudice  of  your 
church  of  England,  and  done  the  separating  parties 
so  much  service,  as  the  scandalous  lives  of  some 
that  exercise  the  ministerial  function  in  her, '  p.  258. 

Answ.  I  will  grant  it,  if  you  respect  these  poor 
carnal  people,  who  yet  have  been  shamed  from 
your  assemblies,  by  such  vicious  persons  you  men- 
tion :  but  the  truly  godly,  and  spiritually  judicious 
have  left  you  from  other  arguments,  of  which  I 
shall  not  here  dilate. 

But  from  p.  261.  to  the  end  of  the  chapter,  you 
take  upon  you  to  particularize  other  of  your  minis- 
ters that  are  an  oflfence  to  you,  and  to  the  design 
of  your  Christianity.! 

1.  '  Such  as  affect  to  make  people  stare  at  their 
high  flown  bombast  language,  or  to  please  their 
phantasies  with  foolish  jugglings,  and  pedantic  or 
boyish  wit ;  or  to  be  admired  for  their  ability  in 

*  '  Diggle  together,'  probably  from  '  degladiation,'  a  combat, 
quarrel,  or  contest;  a  fencing  matcli  between  two  friends. 
—Ed. 

t  Fowler's  picture  of  the  want  of  uniformity  in  the  preachers 
of  his  sect,  all  being  under  the  '  Act  of  Uniformity/  is  very 
amusing  and  instructive ! ! — Ed. 


dividing  of  an  hair,  their  metaphysical  acuteness, 
and  scholastic  subtilty,  or  for  their  doughty  dex- 
terity in  controversial  squabbles. '  And  I  add,  had 
you  joined  herewith,  such  as  vilify  and  trample 
upon  the  blood  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  preferring  the 
snivel  of  their  own  brains  before  him,  you  had 
herein  but  drawn  your  own  picture,  and  given 
your  reader  an  emblem  of  yourself. 

2.  The  second  sort  you  blame,  are  *  such  as  seek 
to  approve  themselves  to  their  auditories  to  be 
men  of  mysteries,  and  endeavour  to  make  the  plain 
and  easy  doctrines  of  the  gospel  as  intricate  and 
obscure  as  ever  they  are  able. '  I  will  add  to  these, 
such  as  take  away  the  doctrine  of  faith,  and  that 
set  themselves  and  their  works  in  the  room  thereof: 
such  as  have  sought  to  overturn  the  foundation, 
Jesus  Christ,  and  have  made  coming  to  God  by 
him,  in  itself  of  a  far  more  indifferent  nature  than 
the  dictates  of  our  humanity. 

3.  Another  sort  (you  say)  are  '  such  as  preach 
upon  free  grace,  and  christian  privileges,  otherwise 
than  as  motives  to  cite  to  obedience,  and  never 
scarce  insist  upon  any  duties,  but  those  of  believing, 
laying  hold  on  Christ's  righteousness,  applying  the 
promises,  and  renouncing  our  own  righteousness,' 
which  they  that  have  none  at  all  to  renounce,  have 
a  mighty  kindness  for. 

Answ.  (1.)  Who  they  are  that  preach  free  grcce 
in  your  church,  to  excite  men  to  uncleanness,  you 
may  know  better  than  I.  But  if  these  words, 
otherwise  than  to  cite  men  to  obedience,  be  thus 
thrust  in,  of  purpose  thereby  to  speak  evil  of  the 
preachers  of  free  grace,  and  the  exalters  of  the 
imputed  righteousness  of  Christ,  then  look  to  it ; 
for  such  venom  language  as  this,  doth  but  involve 
you  within  the  bowels  of  that  most  dreadful  pro- 
phecy, concerning  the  false  prophets  of  the  last 
days,  that  shall  privily  bring  in  damnable  heresies, 
even  denying  the  Lord  that  bought  them. 

(2.)  The  preaching  of  free  grace,  pressing  to 
believing,  and  laying  hold  on  Christ's  righteous- 
ness, is  the  most  available  means  under  heaven,  to 
make  men  holy,  and  righteous: J  1.  Before  God. 
2.  Then  before  men. 

(3.)  The  preaching  of  these  are  first,  and  prin- 
cipally to  beget  faith,  to  beget  life,  to  beget  souls 
to  God ;  yea,  to  beget  in  men  such  a  principle, 
whereby  they  may  serve  God  acceptably,  with 
reverence  and  godly  fear. 

(4.)  But  to  preach  free  grace,  doth  much  con- 
demn your  free  will;  to  preach  Christ's  righteous- 
ness doth  utterly  curse,  and  condemn  yours ;  and 
to  preach  the  promise  of  grace,  doth  quite  shut 


\  Undoubtedly  so ;  because  the  good  works  of  a  man  who 
is  under  the  influence  and  power  of  divine  grace,  flow  from 
the  constraining  love  of  a  covenant-reconciled  God  in  Christ 
Jesus,  whom  the  holy-making  Spirit  glorifies  and  renders  pre- 
cious to  every  true  believer  in  him. — ilason  and  Rijland. 


324 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


out  a  covenant  of  works :  therefore  no  marvel  if 
you,  who  are  so  wedded  to  these  things,  be  such 
an  enemy  to  free  grace,  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
and  the  gospel  promises,  that  you  make  even 
these  things  a  characteristical  note  (first  abusing 
the  consequences  of  them)  of  a  church-troubling 
preacher. 

(5.)  You  tauntingly  proceed,  saying,  '  such 
preachers  also  press  us  to  renounce  our  own  righte- 
ousness, which  they  that  have  none  at  all  to  re- 
nounce, have  a  mighty  kindness  for.' 

Ansiv.  Indeed  those  that  have  a  righteousness  of 
their  own,  as  the  pharisees,  and  hypocrites  of  old, 
had  never  much  kindness  for  the  doctrine  of  grace, 
and  the  ministers  of  Christ,  but  the  publicans  and 
harlots  had :  and  therefore,  these,  while  they  that 
had  righteousness  stumbled  and  fell,  entered  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  '  The  publicans  and  the 
harlots  go  into  the  kingdom  of  God  before  you.' 
But  what  righteousness  have  you  of  your  own.  to 
which  you  so  dearly  are  wedded,  that  it  may  not 
be  let  go,  for  the  sake  of  Christ  ?  seeing  also  so 
long  as  you  go  about  to  establish  it,  you  submit 
not  yourself  'to  the  righteousness  of  God.'  Ro.x.3. 
Yea,  why  do  you  taunt  those  ministers  that  per- 
suade us  to  renounce  our  own  righteousness,  and 
those  also  that  follow  their  doctrine  ?  Seeing  this 
was  both  the  doctrine  and  practice  of  Paul  and  all 
others,  save  only  those  that  had  Moses'  veil  over 
their  hearts. 

Another  sort  of  ministers  that  you  say  are  ene- 
mies to  the  promoting  of  holiness,  are  such  as  '  are 
never  in  their  element,  but  when  they  are  talking 
of  the  irrespectiveness  of  God's  decrees,  the  abso- 
luteness of  his  promises,  the  utter  disability  and 
perfect  impotence  of  natural  men,  to  do  any  thing 
towards  their  own  conversion,  and  that  insist  with 
great  emphasis,  and  vehemence,  upon  such  hke 
false,  and  dangerous  opinions, '  p.  263. 

Answ.  The  men  that  preach  these  things,  being 
rightly  stated,  preach  the  truth  of  God,  if  the 
scriptures  may  bear  sway ;  they  having  all  been 
proved  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  both  by  the  pro- 
phets and  apostles  :  and  when  you  shall  think 
meet  by  argument  to  contradict  them,  either  I,  or 
same  other  may  show  you  the  folly  of  your  under- 
taking. In  the  mean  time  let  the  reader  take 
notice  that  here  you  have  judged  not  by  scripture, 
nor  by  reason,  but  upon  a  bare  presimaption,  arising 
from  your  pride  or  ignorance.  Wherefore  pray 
you  in  your  next,  shew  us,  (1.)  What  is  in  man 
that  the  decree  of  election  should  respect  as  a 
thing  foreseen  of  God,  to  prevail  with  him  to  pre- 
destinate him  to  eternal  life  by  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord.  (2.)  Make  it  manifest  that  in  the  word  of 
God  there  neither  is,  nor  can  be  any  absolute 
promise  contained.  (3.)  Shew  us  what  ability 
there  is  in  a  natural  man,  as  such,  to  do  thuigs 


towards  his  own  conversion ;  I  mean  things  imme- 
diately tending  to,  and  that  must  infallibly  con- 
summate therein,  and  let  us  see  what  things  they 
are.  And  know  that  when  you  have  well  done  all 
this,  according  to  the  scriptures  of  truth,  that  then 
it  will  be  time  enough  to  condemn  the  contrary  for 
false,  and  dangerous  opinions. 

But  shall  1  speak  the  truth  for  you  ?  The 
reason  of  this  your  presumptuous  exclamation,  and 
condemnation  of  these  things ;  is  because  they 
stand  in  the  way  of  promoting  your  ignorant,  tot- 
tering, promiseless,  and  gospelless  holiness ;  they 
stand  in  the  way  of  old  Adam,  they  stand  in  the 
way  of  your  dunghill  rebellious  righteousness,  they 
stand  in  the  way  of  your  freedom  of  will,  and 
a  great  rabble  more  of  such  like  pretended  virtues. 
Yea,  they  do,  and  must,  and  shall  stand  there, 
when  you  and  the  rest  of  the  Socinians,  and 
Quakers,  have  said  their  all  against  them. 

There  is  yet  another  sort  of  preachers  whom 
you  condemn,  and  so  do  I  as  well  as  you,  though 
not  in  your  spirit,  nor  to  advance  your  pestiferous 
principles  :  and  they  are  '  such  as  make  it  their 
great  business,  to  advance  the  petty  interest  of 
any  party  whatsoever,  and  concern  themselves 
more  about  doing  this,  than  about  promoting,  and 
carrying  on  that,  wherein  consists  the  chief  good 
of  all  mankind,  and  are  more  zealous  to  make  pro- 
selytes to  their  particular  sects,  than  converts  (I 
will  add  first  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  then)  to  an  holy 
life ;  and  press  more  exact  and  rigid  conformity  to 
their  modes  and  forms,  than  to  the  laws  of  God, 
and  the  essential  duties  of  the  christian  religion,' 

p.  263. 

Lastly,  The  caution  which  you  give  to  ministers, 
because  there  wanteth  for  it,  among  yoit  a  founda- 
tion, is  to  be  esteemed  but  an  error,  and  an  abuse 
of  the  words,  and  practices  of  the  apostle.  And 
as  for  your  subtil  and  close  incensing  the  power  to 
persecute  Nonconformists,  know  that  we  are  will- 
ing, God  assisting,  to  overcome  you  with  truth  and 
patience,  not  sticking  to  sacrifice  our  lives,  and 
dearest  concerns  in  a  faithful  witness-bearing 
against  your  filthy  errors,  compiled  and  foisted 
into  the  world,  by  your  devilish  design  to  promote 
Paganism,  against  Christianity,  p.  265, 266. 

[A  comjjliant  temper  may  prove  dangerotis.] 

I  come  now  to  your  twenty-sixth  chapter,  which 
is  spent  to  prove,  '  That  an  obedient  temper  of 
mind,  is  a  necessary  and  excellent  qualification  to 
prepare  men  for  a  firm  belief,  and  a  right  under- 
standing of  the  gospel  of  Christ,'  p.  267. 

Answ.  1.  Forasmuch  as  the  obedient  temper 
you  mention,  is  precedent  to,  or  before,  faith,  and 
the  right  understanding  of  the  gospel,  it  must  needs 
be   also,  that    which    stands  with    unbelief,  and 


A  DEFENCi:  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


325" 


ignorance  of  tte  same.  Now  that  this  should  he 
an  excellent,  and  necessary  qualification,  to  a  firm 
helief,  and  right  understanding  of  the  gospel,  is 
altogether  without  proof,  and  truth.  But  this  is 
aflirmed  for  the  farther  promoting  of  your  human 
nature,  and  the  things  that  originally  are  dictates 
thereof.     But, 

2.  The  obedience,  or  inclination  to  obedience, 
that  is  before  faith,  or  the  understanding  of  the 
gospel,  is  so  far  off  from  being  an  excellent  pre- 
parative, or  good  qualification  for  faith,  and  the 
knowledge  of  the  gospel,  that  in  its  own  nature, 
which  is  more  than  in  its  consequences,  it  is  a 
great  obstruction  thereto. 

For,  whUe  a  man  remains  faithless  and  ignorant 
of  the  gospel,  to  what  doth  his  obedient  temper  of 
mind  incline  ?  Not  to  faith,  nor  the  gospel  of 
Christ ;  for  with  these,  as  yet  you  suppose  he  hath 
not  to  do ;  therefore  he  inclineth  to  the  law  of 
morals,  either  as  it  was  delivered  in  tables  of  stone 
from  Sinai,  or  as  written  in  the  hearts  of  all  the 
children  of  men,  to  it,  under  the  last  consideration, 
which  is  in  truth,  the  most  heathen  and  pagan  to 
it,  as  so  you  intend,  your  obedient  temper  of  mind 
should  incline,  p.  7— lo. 

Now  this  doctrine,  being  in  itself  of  quite  another 
nature  than  the  doctrine  of  faith,  and  also,  as 
such,  a  covenant  by  itself,  it  requireth  the  mind 
by  virtue  of  its  commands,  to  stand  to  that,  and 
to  rest  in  that;  for  of  necessity,  the  heart  and 
mind  of  a  man  can  go  no  farther  than  it  seeth,  and 
hath  learnt,  but  by  this  moral  doctrine,  the  heart 
and  mind  is  bound  and  limited  to  itself,  by  the 
power  of  the  dictate  to  obedience,  and  the  promise 
of  obtaining  the  blessing,  when  the  preceptive  part 
of  it  is  fulfilled.  Hence  Paul  tells  us,  that  though 
that  ministration,  that  was  written,  and  engraven 
in  stones,  (which  in  nature  is  the  same  with  this) 
is  glorious,  yet  these  imperfections  attended  the 
man  that  was  in  it.  2  Co.  iii. 

1.  He  was  but  within  the  bounds  of  the  mini- 
stration of  death. 

2.  In  this  estate  he  was  bhnd,  and  could  not  see 
how  to  be  delivered  therefrom :  '  The  vail  is  over 
their  heart,'  so  that  they  could  not  heretofore, 
neither  can  they  now,  see  to  the  end  of  that  which 
was  commanded,  neither  to  the  perfection  of  the 
command,  nor  their  own  insufficiency  to  do  it,  nor 
to  the  death  and  curse  of  God,  that  attended  liira, 
that  in  every  thing  continued  not  in  [all]  that  was 
written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them. 

3.  Every  lecture,  or  reading  of  this  old  law,  is 
as  a  fresh  hood-winking  of  its  disciples,  and  a 
doubling  of  the  hindrance  of  their  coming  to  Christ 
for  life.  '  But  their  minds  were  blinded,  for  imtil 
this  day,  remaineth  the  same  vail  untaken  away  in 
reading  of  the  old  testament ;  which  vail  is  done 
away  in  Christ.     But  even  unto  this  day,  when 


Moses   is   read,  the  vail  is   upon   their   hearts.' 

2  Co.  iii.  14, 15. 

And  let  the  reader  note,  that  all  these  things 
attend  the  doctrine  of  morals :  the  ceremonies  bein"- 
in  themselves  more  apt  to  instruct  men  in  the 
knowledge  of  Christ,  they  being  by  God's  ordi- 
nation, figures,  shadows,  representations,  and 
emblems  of  him ;  but  the  morals  are  not  so, 
neither,  as  written  in  our  natures,  nor  as  written 
and  engraven  in  stones.  Ga.  iii.  24.  Wherefore,  your 
so  highly  commended  obedient  temper  of  mind, 
you  intending  thereby  an  hearty  compliance  before 
faith,  with  morals  for  righteousness,  is  so  far  oflF 
from  being  an  excellent  temper,  and  a  necessary 
qualification,  to  help  a  man  to  a  firm  belief,  and 
right  understanding  of  the  gospel ;  that  it  is  the 
most  ready  way  of  all  ways  in  the  world,  to  keep 
a  man  perpetually  blind,  and  ignorant  thereof. 
Wherefore  the  apostle  saith,  that  the  vail,  the 
ignorance,  cannot  be  taken  away,  but  when  the 
heart  shall  turn  to  the  Lord,  that  is,  from  the  doc- 
trine of  morals,  as  a  law  and  covenant  in  our 
natures,  or,  as  it  was  written  and  engraven  in 
stones,  to  Christ  for  mercy  to  pardon  our  trans- 
gressions against  it,  and  for  imputative  righteous- 
ness to  justify  us  from  it.  Whde  Moses  is  read, 
the  vail  is  over  the  heart ;  that  is,  while  men  with 
their  minds  stand  bending  also  to  do  it.  But 
mark,  when  it,  the  heart,  shall  turn  to  the  Lord, 
or  to  the  word  of  the  gospel,  which  is  the  revela- 
tion of  him,  then  the  vail  shall  be  taken  away. 

And  hence  it  will  not  be  amiss,  if  again  Ave  con- 
sider how  the  Holy  Ghost  compareth,  or  setteth 
one  against  another,  these  two  administrations. 

The  law  he  calls  the  letter,  even  the  law  of 
morals,  that  law  that  was  written  and  engraven 
in  stones.  The  other  ministration,  he  calls  the 
ministration  of  the  spirit,  even  that  which  Christ 
off'ered  to  the  world,  upon  believing. 

Again,  he  denieth  himself  to  be  a  minister  of 
the  law  of  morals.  He  hath  made  us  able  ministers 
of  the  New  Testament,  not  of  the  letter,  or  law ; 
but  of  the  spirit  or  gospel.  The  reason  is,  for  the 
letter,  or  law,  can  do  nothing  but  kill,  curse,  or 
condemn  ;  but  the  spirit,  or  the  gospel,  giveth  life. 
Farther,  in  comparing,  he  calls  the  law,  the  mini- 
stration of  death,  or  that  which  layeth  death  at 
the  doors  of  all  flesh  ;  but  the  gospel,  the  ministra- 
tion of  righteousness,  because,  by  this  ministry, 
there  is  a  revelation  of  that  righteousness  that  is 
fulfilled  by  the  person  of  Christ ;  and  to  be  imputed 
for  righteousness  to  them  that  believe,  that  they 
might  be  dehvered  from  the  ministration  of  death. 
How  then?  Hath  the  ministration  of  God  no 
glory?  Yes,  forasmuch  as  it  is  a  revelation  of 
the  justice  of  God  against  sin.  But  yet  again,  its 
glory  is  turned  into  no  glory,  when  it  is  compared 
with  that  which  excelleth.     '  But  if  the  ministra- 


326 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


tion  of  death,  written  and  engraven  in  stones,  was 
glorious,  so  that  the  children  of  Israel  could  not 
stedfastly  behold  the  face  of  Moses  for  the  glory 
of  his  countenance ;  which  glory  was  to  be  done 
away ;  how  shall  not  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit 
be  rather  glorious  ?  For  if  the  ministration  of  con- 
demnation he  glory,  much  more  doth  the  ministra- 
tion of  righteousness  exceed  in  glory.  For  even 
that  which  was  made  glorious  had  no  glory  in  this 
respect,  by  reason  of  the  glory  that  excelleth.' 

2  Co.  iii.  7—10. 

So  then,  your  obedient  temper  of  mind,  forasmuch 
as  it  respecteth  the  law  of  morals,  and  that  too, 
before  faith,  or  a  right  understanding  of  the  gospel, 
is  nothing  else  but  an  obedience  to  the  law,  a  living 
to  death,  and  the  ministration  of  condemnation  ; 
and  is  a  persuading  the  world,  that  to  be  obedient 
to  that  ministration,  that  is  not  the  ministration  of 
the  gospel,  but  holdeth  its  disciples  in  blindness 
and  ignorance,  in  which  it  is  impossible  Christ 
should  be  revealed,  is  an  excellent,  yea,  a  necessary 
qualification  to  prepare  men  for  a  firm  belief,  and 
a  right  understanding  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  which 
yet  even  blindeth,  and  holdeth  all  blind  that  are  the 
followers  of  that  ministration.  I  come  now  to  your 
proof,  which  indeed  is  no  proof  of  this  anti-gospel 
assertion,  but  texts  abused,  and  wrested  out  of 
their  place,  to  serve  to  underprop  your  erroneous 
doctrine.  The  first  is,  *  If  any  man  will  do  his 
will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine,  whether  it  be 
of  God,  or  wlielher  I  speak  of  myself. '  Jn.  vii.  17.  p.  268. 

Ans.  This  scripture  respecteth  not  at  all  the 
moral  law,  or  obedience  to  the  dictates  of  human 
nature,  as  an  acceptable  qualification  precedent  to 
faith ;  or  that,  for  the  sake  of  which  God  will  give 
men  faith  in,  and  a  right  understanding  of  the 
gospel,  but  is  itself  an  immediate  exhortation  to 
believing,  with  a  promise  of  what  shall  follow ;  as 
who  shall  say.  The  Father  hath  sent  me  into  the 
world  to  be  salvation  to  it,  through  faith  in  my 
blood:  My  Father's  will  therefore  is,  'that  men 
believe  in  me ; '  and  if  any  will  do  his  will,  he 
shall  know  of  the  doctrine,  he  shall  feel  the  power 
thereof,  by  the  peace  and  comfort  that  will  pre- 
sently possess  the  soul,  and  by  the  holy  efi"ects 
that  follow. 

That  this  is  the  true  exposition  of  this  place 
will  be  verified  if  you  consider,  that  to  do  the  will 
of  God,  in  a  New  Testament  sense,  is  to  be  taken 
under  a  double  consideration.  I.  As  it  respecteth 
Christ.     2.  Man. 

\.  Asit respecteth  Christ,  so  it  concerns  his  com- 
pleting the  redemption  of  man  by  himself,  by  his 
own  personal  performances.  Jn.  vi.  38, 39.  lie.  x.  5— 10. 

2.  As  it  respecteth  vian,  it  doth  first  and  im- 
mediately respect  our  believing  on  him  for  remis- 
sion of  sins  and  eternal  life.  '  And  this  is  the  will 
of  him  [the  Father]  Avhich  sent  me  (saith  Christ) 


that  every  one  that  seeth  the  Son,  and  believeth  on 
him,  may  have  everlasting  life :  and  I  will  raise 
him  up  at  the  last  day. '  Jn.  vi.  40.  This  then  is  the 
will  of  God ;  that  men  do  believe  in  Jesus  Christ. 

Again,  when  the  Jews  asked  Jesus  Christ  what 
they  should  do,  that  they  might  work  the  works 
of  God,  he  did  not  send  them  first  to  the  moral 
precept,  or  to  its  first  principles  in  the  hearts  of 
men ;  by  obeying  that,  to  fit  themselves  for  faith ; 
but  immediately  he  tells  them,  •  This  is  the  work 
of  God,  that  ye  believe  on  him  whom  he  hath  sent.' 
Jn.  vi.  29.  This  is  the  work  of  God  ;  that  is,  'This  is 
his  commandment.  That  we  should  believe  on  the 
name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  love  one  another, 
as  he  gave  us  commandment. '  1  Jn.  iii.  23.  If  any 
man  will  do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine, 
that  is,  as  I  have  said,  he  shall  feel,  and  have  the 
authority  of  this  faith  in  his  heart,  both  to  give 
peace  and  joy  in  his  heart,  and  assurance,  and  the 
sealing  of  his  soul  to  glory.  For  all  these  things 
come  in  upon  believing  yirs<  in  Christ. 

1.  '  By  faith  we  have  peace  with  God.'  Ro.  v.  1. 

2.  '  We  have  joy  and  peace  through  believing.' 

Ro.  XV.  13. 

3.  *  Assurance  comes  also  through  believing,' 

Jn.  vi.  69.  He.  x.  22. 

4.  Yea,  and  the  sealings  up  to  eternal  life ;  '  In 
whom  also  after  that  ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed 
with  that  holy  spirit  of  promise. '  Ep.  i.  13. 

5.  Sanctification,  and  a  right  obedient  temper, 
is  not  to  be  found  in  men  before,  but  after  they 
have  believed ;  '  He  purified  their  hearts  by  faith.' 
Ac.  XV.  9.  Yea,  heaven  and  eternal  happiness  is 
promised  to  them  who  are  sanctified  by  faith  which 
is  in  Christ,  ch.  xxvi.  18. 

This  first  text,  therefore,  hath  been  by  you 
abused,  in  that  you  have  ungodlily  strained  it,  but 
in  vain,  to  make  it  warrant  your  heathenish  prepa- 
rations to  faith. 

The  second  scripture;  '  He  that  is  of  God  heareth 
God's  words :  ye  therefore  hear  them  not,  because 
ye  are  not  of  God. '  Jn.  nii.  47. 

Ans.  This  scripture  supposeth  men  must  first 
be  of  God,  before  they  can  hear  God's  word ',  be- 
fore they  can  hear  it  with  the  hearing  of  faith ; 
and  therefore  nothing  respecteth  those  that  before 
they  have  faith,  live  in  the  law  of  works ;  and 
least  of  all,  those  that  become  obedient  thereto, 
that  thereby  they  may  obtain  everlasting  life.  For 
these  are  not  of  God,  not  of  him  in  a  New  Testa- 
ment sense ;  not  sons,  because  they  are  born  of 
men,  of  the  will  of  men,  of  the  law,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  wisdom  of  flesh  and  blood.  Jn.  i.  12, 13. 

Your  third  scripture  is,  *  And  as  many  as  were 
ordained  to  eternal  life  believed, '  Ac.  xiii.  48.  Which 
text  you  thus  expound :  '  That  as  many  of  the 
Gentiles  as  were  disposed,  or  in  a  ready  prepared- 
ness for  eternal  life,  believed ;  that  is,  those  which 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  EOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


327 


were  proselytes  of  the  gate,  who  were  admitted  by 
the  Jews  to  the  hope  of  eternal  Hfe,  and  to  have 
their  portion  in  the  age  to  come,  without  submitting 
to  their  whole  law,  or  any  more  than  owning  the 
God  of  Israel,  and  observing  the  seven  precepts  of 
Noah,"  p.  269* 

Alls.  1.  That  obedience  to  the  moral  law  is  not 
a  preparative  to  faith,  or  an  excellent  and  neces- 
sary qualification  to  the  right  understanding  of  the 
gospel  I  have  proved. 

2.  That  to  be  a  Jewish  proselyte  was  to  live  in 
the  faith  of  Messias  to  come,  is  the  strain  of  all 
the  scriptures  that  have  to  deal  with  them. 

3.  But  that  ordaining  men  to  eternal  life  respects 
an  act  of  the  Jews,  or  that  the  Jews  did  dispense 
with  the  GentUe  proselytes,  in  their  casting  otf  all 
their  laws,  but  the  seven  precepts  of  Noah. 

4.  Or  that  God  counted  this  a  fit,  or  forerunning 
qualification  to  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  neither 
stands  with  the  word  of  God,  nor  the  zeal  of  that 
people. 

5.  Besides,  the  words  presently  following  seem 
to  me  to  insmuate  more,  viz.  That  the  Jews  and 
religious  proselytes  that  adhered  to  Paul  at  his 
first  sermon,  ver.  43.  did  contradict  and  blaspheme 
at  his  second,  ver.  43.  and  moreover,  that  it  was  they 
that  raised  persecution  upon  him,  and  expelled  him 
out  of  their  coasts,  ver.  so.  When  the  GentUes,  even 
those  that  were  more  barbarously  ignorant  at  his 
coming,  when  they  heard  that  by  Christ  there 
was  offered  to  them  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  they 
believed,  ver.  48.  and  glorified  the  word  of  the  Lord: 
The  wisdom  of  heaven  so  disposing  such  of  their 
hearts,  that  were  before  by  him,  not  by  Jews  or- 
dained to  life.  '  And  as  many  as  were  ordained  to 
eternal  life,  believed.' 

But  you  come  again,  in  p.  2C9.  to  the  scripture 
first  urged  by  you,  '  If  any  man  will  do  his  will, ' 
«kc.  and  you  tell  us,  that  this  must  also  needs  be  im- 
plied, he  shall  rightly  understand  the  doctrine  too; 
which  word  (imderstand)  you  so  carry,  as  may  best 
help  you  in  case  you  should  meet  with  an  adver- 
sary. As  if  any  should  thus  object,  that  here  you 
have  granted  that  the  words  make  promise  of  an 
understanding  of  the  gospel ;  yea  require  in  it  the 
very  first  act  of  the  wiU ;  then  you  readily  shift  it 
by  saying.  That  this  is  implied  only,  suggesting 


*  The  Jews  were  divided  into  three  sections :  I.  The  descen- 
dants of  Israel ;  II.  Proselytes  who  conformed  to  all  the  Mosaic 
rites ;  and,  III.  Those  who  were  bound  to  obey  the  seven  pre- 
cepts of  Noah — and  these,  although  they  did  not  conform  to 
the  Jewish  rites,  yet  were  admitted  to  the  worship  of  the  true 
God  and  the  hope  of  the  life  to  come.  According  to  the 
Talmud  these  precepts  were — 1.  To  renounce  idols  and  all 
idolatrous  worship.  2.  To  worship  the  true  God,  the  creator 
of  heaven  and  earth.  3.  Bloodshed,  to  commit  no  mm-der. 
4.  Not  to  be  defiled  with  fornication.  5.  Rapine,  against 
theft  and  robbery.  6.  To  administer  justice.  7.  Not  eating 
flesh  with  the  blood  in  it. — Ed. 


that  obedience  to  morals  is  expressed,  and  there- 
fore must  first  be  thought  on  and  done.  But  if 
one  of  your  brotherhood  stop  here,  and  make  the 
objection ;  then  you  add,  '  It  is  knowledge,  at 
least,  in  all  the  necessary  points  thereof,  abso- 
lutely necessary  and  essential  parts,  from  amono- 
which  you  long  since  did  cast  out,  "  Comino-  to 
God  by  Jesus  Christ."  '  Yea  you  add,  '  That  by 
(that  which  you  call)  the  design  of  the  gospel,  it 
may  be  presumed,  that  whosoever  considereth  it, 
with  a  design  of  being  so,  (that  is,  of  living  up  to 
human  principles,  and  that  desireth  to  be  possessed 
again  of  the  holiness  he  hath  lost,  for  that  is  it  for 
the  proof  of  which  you  have  written  above  300 
pages)  he  must  needs  believe  the  gospel  to  have 
come  from  God,  and  also  be  enlightened  in  the 
true  knowledge  of  at  least  the  necessary  points 
of  it,'  viz.  All  moral  duties  contained  therein, 
which  are  never  a  one  of  them  as  such  an  essential 
of  the  gospel,  but  are  such  duties  as  are  conse- 
quential to  the  belief  thereof. 

Wherefore,  although  you  feign  it,  '  this  honest 
temper,'  as  you  call  it,  wiU  not  help  you,  1.  To 
judge  of  the  gospel  without  prejudice;  nor  2.  To 
evidence  it  with  satisfaction ;  nor  3.  Secure  those 
in  whom  it  is  from  error  and  delusion ;  no  man 
being  more  brutish  or  heathenish,  nor  so  void  of 
satisfaction  about  it,  nor  more  involved  in  error 
concerning  it,  than  yourself;  being  truly  what  you 
charge  upon  others;  1.  Grossly  ignorant;  2.  Too 
highly  opinionate ;  3.  Proud  in  aflfectation ;  4. 
Liquorish ;  5.  A  self-lover ;  6.  And  for  your  blas- 
phemy under  the  just  judgment  of  God.  '  If  our 
gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost :  In 
whom  the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds 
of  them  which  believe  not,  lest  the  light  of  the 
glorious  gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of 
God,  should  shine  into  them.'  scciv. 3, 4. 

[*  For  me  to  live  is  Christ '  includes  in  it  more  than 
good  Iiabits  or  holy  frames  of  soul.] 

I  am  come  now  to  your  last  chapter,  which  tells 
us  wherein  the  essence  and  hfe  of  Christianity 
consisteth,  viz.  In  a  good  state  and  habit  of  mind, 
in  a  holy  frame  and  temper  of  soul,  p.  282. 

Ans.  1.  It  consisteth  in  a  hfe  of  faith,  when  I 
live  in  the  belief  of  this,  that  Christ  loved  me,  and 
gave  himself  for  me.  *  The  life  that  I  now  live  in 
the  flesh  (saith  Paid)  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son 
of  God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me. ' 

2.  And  besides,  a  good  state  and  habit  of  mind, 
or  an  holy  frame  and  temper  of  soul,  in  yom* 
notion  of  them,  which  respeeteth  purely  obedience 
to  morals,  from  natural  impulses,  or  dictates  of 
our  humanity,  they  are  rather  heathenish  than 
Christian,  and  being  alone,  end  in  death  rather 
than  life.      '  As  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the 


328 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


law,  are  under  the  curse,'  he  saith  not  tliey  that 
sin  against  it,  but  they  that  are  of  the  works  of 
it,  such  as  do  justice,  righteousness,  charity,  good- 
ness, mercy,  patience,  and  all  kind  of  moral  duties, 
from  principles  human,  natural,  or  as  men,  they 
are  under  the  curse,  because  they  have  sinned  first, 
and  also  are  infirm  and  weak  in  their  pursuit  after 
the  perfections  they  desire.  These  follow  after 
righteousness,  but  thai  flies  from  them  ;  wherefore 
they  do  not  obtain  it,  because  they  seek  it  not  by 
faith  in  Christ,  but  as  it  were  by  the  works ;  the 
righteous,  good,  and  holy  works  of  the  law.  Ro.  ix. 
so,  33.     But  you  add, 

'  It  is  such  a  habit  of  mind,  such  a  frame  and 
temper  of  soul,  as  esteemeth  God  as  the  chiefest 
good,  and  preferreth  him  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ 
before  all  the  world,  and  that  prizeth  above  all 
things  an  interest  in  the  divine  perfections,'  he. 

p.  282. 

Arts.  1.  God  must  needs  be  esteemed  the  chiefest 
good,  by  all  that  have  but,  and  are  ruled  by,  the 
light  of  nature,  because  they  see  him  by  his  works 
to  be  almighty,  merciful,  and  eternal.  Ro.  i.  20.  But 
this  may  be  where  the  knowledge  of  the  man,  the 
Mediator  is  not ;  therefore  this,  in  this  and  in  your 
sense,  cannot  be  of  the  essence  of  Christianity,  for 
that  it  is  common  to  all  the  world.  That  estima- 
tion of  God  which  is  common  to  natui-al  men,  can- 
not be  of  the  essence  of  Christianity,  because  they 
want  that  knowledge  of  him  that  comes  by  Jesus 
Christ,  and  so  are  not  capable  to  esteem  of  him 
under  a  Christian  consideration. 

But  you  say,  '  it  is  that  good  habit  and  temper 
of  mind  that  preferreth  God,  and  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  before  all  the  world.' 

Ans.  He  that  esteemeth  God  above  all,  must 
needs,  at  least  in  his  judgment,  so  prefer  him ;  but 
whereas  you  add,  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  you 
put  in  them  words  but  as  a  cloak,  for  yourself 
have  not  preferred  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  no,  not 
before  a  moral  law,  no  not  before  your  obedience 
to  it,  although  but  by  human  principles  ;  yea,  you 
have  accounted  the  command  of  God,  by  which  we 
are  enjoined  by  him  to  come  to  God,  a  thing  in 
itself  but  like  levitical  ceremonies,  or  as  Baptism 
and  the  Lord's  Supper;  a  thing  in  itself  indifi"erent, 
and  absolutely  considered  neither  good  nor  evil, 
P-  7,  8, 9. 

You  add ;  '  It  is  such  a  temper  as  prizeth  above 
all  things,  an  interest  in  the  divine  perfections; 
such  as  justice  and  righteousness,  universal  cha- 
rity, goodness,  mercy,  patience,  and  all  kinds  of 
purity, '  p.  282. 

Ans.  Seeing  by  these  expressions  you  only  in- 
tend moral  virtues,  and  those  that  are  inherent  in 
you,  and  originally  operations  of  humanity,  it  is 
evident  that  you  have  but  impiously  and  idola- 
trously  attributed  to  your  own  goodness  so  high 


and  blessed  a  title.  For  whatsoever  13  in  your 
nature,  and  originally  the  dictates  thereof,  and 
whatsoever  proficiency  you  make  therein  by  human 
principles,  and  helps  of  natural  endowments  ;  these 
things  are  but  of  yourself,  your  own  justice,  your 
own  righteousness,  your  own  charity,  goodness, 
mercy,  patience,  kindness,  he.  Now  to  call  these 
the  divine  perfections,  when  they  are  only  your 
own  human  virtues,  bespeaks  you,  I  say,  fond, 
impious,  and  idolatrous,  and  shews  you,  in  the 
midst  of  all  your  pretended  design  to  glorify  God, 
such  an  one  who  have  set  up  your  own  goodness 
with  him,  yea  and  given  it  the  title  of  his  blessed 
grace  and  favour. 

That  scripture  you  mention,  Ro.  xiv.  17.  although 
by  the  word  righteousness  there,  is  intended  obe- 
dience to  the  moral  law,  yet  to  it  by  persons  already 
justified  by  Christ's  righteousness ;  hence  they 
are  said  to  do  it  in  the  joy  and  peace  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  or  by  the  joy  and  peace  which  they  had  by 
faith  in  Christ's  righteousness,  as  revealed  to  them 
by  the  Spirit  of  God.  Hence  again,  they  are  said 
in  IT  to  serve  Christ,  or  to  receive  the  law  at  his 
hand,  which  he  giveth  to  them  to  walk  after,  hav- 
ing first  justified  them  from  the  curse  thereof  by 
his  blood. 

2.  The  law  was  given  twice  on  Sinai,  the  last 
time,  with  a  proclamation  of  mercy  going  before, 
and  he  that  receiveth  it  thus,  receiveth  it  after  a 
gospel  manner.  For  they  as  justified  persons  are 
dead  to  the  law  as  a  covenant  of  works  by  the  body 
of  Christ,  that  they  might  live  to  another,  even  to 
him  that  is  raised  from  the  dead.  Ro.  vii.  Ga.  ii.  la 
But  you  by  this  sci'ipture  intend  not  this  doctrine, 
for  you  make  justification  by  Christ,  come  after, 
not  before  obedience  to  the  law ;  yea,  you  make 
obedience  thereto,  the  essential,  and  coming  to  God 
by  Christ,  but  a  thing  of  a  more  remote  nature, 
from  true  and  substantial  gospel-righteousness. 

In  p.  283,  you  speak  again  of  the  old  principle, 
and  thus  you  comment,  '  A  principle  of  holiness 
that  respecteth  duty,  as  with  respect  to  the  nature 
of  the  command,  so  not  with  respect  to  the  duty 
as  occasioned  by  certain  external  inducements  and 
motives,  but  from  a  good  temper  and  disposition 
of  soul.' 

Ans.  Thi.s  I  say,  still  respecting  your  old  prin- 
ciple of  humanity,  and  the  purity  of  your  nature, 
the  most  amounts  but  to  this :  Your  principle  is 
confined  to  a  liberty  of  will  and  affections,  with 
respect  to  doing  of  the  law  of  works,  Avhich  many 
have  professed  to  have,  and  do  before  you,  and  yet 
have  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God.  For  as  I 
told  you  before,  I  tell  you  now  again,  that  the 
gospel-principles  are  the  Holy  Ghost  and  faith, 
which  help  that  soul  in  whom  tbey  dwell  to  count 
believing  in  Jesus  Christ  the  great  and  essential 
part  of  our  Christianity,  and  our  reckoning  oiu*- 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


339 


selves  p&rdoned  for  the  sake  of  him :  *  And  thus 
being  set  free  from  sin,  "vve  become  the  servants  of 
God,  and  have  our  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end 
everlasting  life. '  Ko.  vi.  22. 

Your  description  of  a  child  of  Abraham,  you 
meaning  in  a  New  Testament  sense,  is  quite  beside 
the  truth.  For  albeit,  the  sons  of  Abraham  wiU 
live  holy  lives,  and  become  obedient  to  the  sub- 
stantial laws ;  yet  it  is  not  their  subjection  to 
morals,  but  faith  in  Jesus,  that  giveth  them  the 
denomination  of  children  of  Abraham.  '  Know  ye, 
therefore,  that  they  that  are  of  faith  are  the  chil- 
dren of  faithful  Abraham :  They  that  are  of  faith, 
the  same  are  the  children  of  Abraham :  Yea,  they 
that  are  of  faith  are  blessed  with  faithful  Abra- 
ham. '  Ga.  iii.  7, 9.  In  p.  284,  you  Say,  *  That  there  is 
no  one  duty  more  affectionately  recommended  to 
us  in  the  gospel  than  is  alms- giving.' 

Ans.  Yes,  That  there  is,  and  that  whicli  aaore 
immediately  respecteth  oiu- justification  with  God, 
than  ten  thousand  such  commandments  ;  and  that 
is  faith  in  Christ.  Alms-deeds  is  also  a  blessed 
command ;  yet  but  one  of  the  second  table,  such 
as  must  flow  from  faith  going  before.  Faith  I 
mean  that  layeth  hold  on  Christ's  righteousness, 
if  it  be  accepted  of  God.  For  before  the  heart 
be  good  the  action  must  be  naught ;  now  the  heart 
is  good  by  faith,  because  faith,  by  applying  Christ's 
righteousness,  makes  over  [a]  whole  Christ  to  the 
soul,  of  whose  fulness  it  recelveth,  and  grace  for 
grace.  Jn.  i.  16.  Many  things  in  this  last  chapter 
are  worthy  reprehension,  but  because  you  tell  us, 
in  the  last  two  pages  thereof,  is  the  sum  of  all  that 
need  to  be  said,  I  will  immediately  apply  myself 
to  what  is  there  contained. 

You  say,  p.  296,  *  It  is  not  possible  we  should  not 
have  the  design  of  Christianity  accomplished  in  us, 
and  therefore  that  we  should  be  destitute  of  the 
power  of  it,  if  we  make  our  Saviour's  most  excel- 
lent life  the  pattern  of  our  lives.  By  our  Saviom"'s 
life,  as  by  a  parenthesis  you  also  express,  you 
mean,  as  yourself  hath  in  short  described  it,  ch.  v. 
yiz.,  'The  greatest  freedom,  affability,  courtesy, 
candour,  ingenuity,  gentleness,  meeloiess,  humility, 
contempt  of  the  world,  contentation,  charity,  ten- 
derness, compassion,  patience,  submission  to  the 
divine  will,  love  of  God,  devoutest  temper  of  mind 
towards  him,  mighty  confidence  -^and  trust  in 
God,'  kc. 

Answ.  Our  Saviour's  life,  in  not  only  these,  but 
all  other  duties  that  respected  morals,  was  not 
principally  or  first  to  be  imitated  by  us,  but  that 
the  law,  even  in  the  preceptive  part  thereof,  might 
be  fully  and  perfectly  fulfilled  for  us.  '  Christ  is 
the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness ;'  the  end,  not 
only  of  the  ceremonial  law,  but  the  ten  command- 
ments too ;  for  if  the  word  righteousness,  respect- 
eth in  special  them.     '  Jesus  increasec"  m  favour 

VOL.  II. 


with  God.'  Lu.  ii.  52.  Mat.  iii.  17.  This  respccteth  him 
as  made  under  the  law,  and  his  pleasing  of  God  in 
that  capacity.  So  also  doth  that,  '  In  him  I  am 
well  pleased.'  Now  I  say,  as  Jesus  stood  in  this 
capacity,  he  dealt  with  the  law  in  its  greatest  force 
and  severity,  as  it  immediately  came  from  God, 
without  the  advantage  of  a  Mediator,  and  stood 
by  his  perfect  complying  with,  and  fulfilling  every 
tittle  thereof.  Besides,  as  Jesus  Christ  had  thus 
to  do  with  the  law,  he  did  it  in  order  to  his  '  finish- 
ing transgression,  and  putting  an  end  to  sin,' 
Da.  ix.  24.  and  so  consequently  as  Mediator,  and 
undertaker  for  the  world.  For  his  perfect  com- 
plying withal,  and  fulfilling  every  tittle  of  the  law, 
respected  nothing  his  own  private  person,  that  he 
for  himself  might  be  righteous  thereby;  for  in  him- 
self he  was  eternally  just  and  holy,  even  as  the 
Father,  but  it  respected  us,  even  us.  For  us  he 
was  made  xmder  the  law,  that  ice,  by  his  fulfilling 
the  law,  might  by  him  be  redeemed  from  imder  tlie 
law,  and  also  receive  the  adoption  of  sons,  Ga.  iv. 
4, 5.  For  we  having  sinned,  and  transgressed  the 
law,  and  the  justice  of  God,  yet  requiring  obedience 
thereto,  and  the  law  being  too  w^eak  through  our 
flesh  to  do  it,  God  therefore  sent  his  own  Son  ia 
the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  who  himself  for  us  did 
first  of  aU  walk  m  the  law,  and  then  for  sin  suf- 
fered also  iu  his  flesh,  the  sentence,  and  curse 
pronounced  against  us  by  the  law.  For  it  was 
nothing  less  necessary,  when  the  Son  of  God 
became  undertaker  for  the  sin  of  the  world,  that 
he  should  walk  in  obedience  to  the  whole  of  the 
precepts  of  the  law,  to  deliver  us  from  the  judg- 
ment of  the  law ;  I  say  it  was  no  less  necessary  he 
should  so  do,  than  that  he  should  bear  our  curse 
and  death.  For  it  would  have  been  impossible  for 
him  to  have  overcome  the  last,  if  he  had  not  been 
spotless  toucliing  the  first.  For  therefore  it  was 
impossible  he  should  be  holden  of  death,  because 
he  did  nothing  worthy  of  death ;  no,  not  in  the 
judgment  of  the  law,  to  which  he  immediately 
stood.  Now  as  Christ  Jesus  stood  thus  to,  and 
walked  in  the  law,  it  is  blasphemy  for  any  to  pre- 
sume to  imitate  him ;  because  thus  to  do  is  to  turn 
Mediator  and  undertaker  for  the  sin  of  the  world. 
Besides,  whoso  doth  attempt  it,  midertakes  an 
impossibility ;  for  no  man  can  stand  by  the  moral 
law,  as  it  immediately  comes  from  the  divine 
majesty;  he  having  sinned  first,  even  before  he 
goeth  about  to  fulfil  it.  And  in  this  sense  is  that 
to  be  understood,  *  as  many  as  are  of  the  works  of 
the  laAv  are  under  the  curse,' held  accursed,  be- 
cause they  have  sinned  first ;  accursed  in  their  per- 
formances, because  of  imperfection,  and  therefore 
assuredly  accursed  at  last,  because  they  come  shoi-t 
of  the  righteousness  thereof. 

1.  Christ  Jesus  did  never  set  himself  forth  for 
an  example,  that  we  by  imitatmg  his  steps  iu 
2  T 


330 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCXrJXE  OF  JUSIIFICATION. 


morals  should  oLtain  jiTstificatioii  ■witli  God  from 
the  curse  of  that  law ;  for  this  would  be  to  over- 
throw, and  utterly  abolish  the  work  which  himself 
came  into  the  world  to  accomplish,  which  was  not 
to  be  our  example,  that  we  by  treading  his  steps 
might  have  remission  of  sins,  but  that  through  the 
faith  of  him,  through  faith  in  his  blood,  we  might 
be  reconciled  to  God. 

2.  Besides,  thus  to  imitate  Christ,  is  to  make 
of  him  a  Saviour,  not  hy  sacrifice,  but  by  example. 
Xay,  to  speak  the  whole,  this  would  be  to  make 
his  mediatorship  wholly  to  center,  rather  in  pre- 
scribing of  rules,  and  exacting  obedience  to  morals, 
than  in  giving  himself  a  ransom  for  men ;  yea,  1 
will  add  to  imitate  Christ,  as  you  have  prescribed, 
may  be  done  by  him,  that  yet  may  be  ignorant  of 
the  excellency  of  his  person,  and  the  chief  end  of 
Ms  being  made  flesh:  For  in  all  these  things 
which  you  have  discoursed  in  that  fifth  chapter  of 
him,  you  have  only  spoken  of  that,  something  of 
Avhich  is  apprehended  by  the  light  of  nature  ;  yea, 
nature  itself  will  teach  that  men  should  trust  in 
God,  which  is  the  most  excellent  particular  that 
there  you  mention.  Wherefore  our  Lord  Jesus 
himself  foreseeing,  that  in  men  there  will  be  a 
proudness,  to  content  themselves  with  that  confi- 
dence, he  intimateth  that  it  would  be  in  us  insig- 
nificant, if  it  stand  without  faith  in  himself.  '  Ye 
believe  [natm-ally]  in  God  (saith  he)  believe  also 
in  me.' Jn. xiv.  1.  Faith  in  Jesus  is  as  absolutely 
necessary  as  to  believe  immediately  in  the  divine 
being.  Yea,  without  faith  in  Jesus,  whosoever 
believeth  in  God  is  sure  to  perish  and  burn  in  hell. 
'  If  you  believe  not  that  I  am  he,  ye  shall  die  in 
your  sins. '  Ju.  viii.  2i.  And  to  take  Jesus  in  morals 
for  example,  is  nowhere  called  believing  in  him, 
neither  is  there  one  promise  of  eternal  life,  annexed 
to  such  a  practice.  But  you  say,  '  If  we  tread  in 
liis  blessed  steps,  and  be  such,  according  to  our 
measure  and  capacity,  as  we  have  understood  he 
was  in  this  world.'  p.  29C. 

Aiisw.  I  say,  for  a  man  to  confine  himself  only 
to  the  life  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  for  an  example,  or  to 
-think  it  enough  to  make  him,  in  his  life,  a  pattern 
for  us  to  follov,'-,  leaveth  us,  through  our  shortness 
in  the  end,  with  the  devil  and  his  angels,  for  want 
of  faith  in  the  doctrine  of  remission  of  sins ;  for 
Christ  did  nowhere  make  another  mediator  between 
God  and  him,  nor  did  he  ever  trust  to  another 
man's  righteousness,  to  be  thereby  justified  from 
the  curse  of  the  law ;  neither  did  he  at  all  stand 
in  need  thereof,  without  which,  we  must  be  damned 
and  perish.  Now  I  say,  these  things  being 
nowhere  practised  by  him,  he  cannot  therein  be 
an  example  to  us.  And  I  say  again,  seeing  that 
in  these  things,  by  faith  in  them,  is  immediately 
wrapped  up  our  reconciliation  with  God;  it  fol- 
loweth,  that  though  a  man  take  the  Lord  Christ 


in  his  whole  life,  for  an  example  in  the  end,  that 
notAvithstanding,  he  abideth  imreconciled  to  God. 
Neither  will  that  clause,  '  and  be  such, '  help  such 
a  person  at  all:  For  justification  with  God,  comes 
not  by  imitating  Christ  as  exemplary  in  morals, 
but  through  faith  in  his  precious  blood.  In  the 
law  I  read,  that  the  Paschal  Lamb  vras  neither  to 
be  eaten  sodden  nor  raw,  but  roast  with  fire,  must 
it  be  eaten.  Ex.  xii.  Now  to  make  salvation  prin- 
cipally to  depend  upon  imitating  Christ's  life,  it  is 
to  feed  upon  him  raw,  or  at  most,  as  sodden,  not 
sanctified  and  holy:  But  the  precept  is,  'Eat  it 
roast  with  fire;'  is  to  be  the  antitype,  as  accursed 
of  God  for  sin,  and  enduring  the  punishment  for 
it,  Ex.  xix.  De.  xxxiii.  2.  Mai.  iv.  1.  The  law  is  compared 
to  fire,  and  its  curse  to  a  burning  oven.  Now 
under  the  curse  of  this  fiery  law,  was  the  Lord 
Jesus  afllicted  for  the  sins  of  the  world:  where- 
fore, as  so  considered,  our  faith  must  lay  hold  upon 
him,  for  justification  with  God.  '  This  is  the  law 
of  the  burnt-ofibring :  (which  was  the  offering  for 
sin ;)  It  is  the  burnt-ofl'ering,  because  of  the  burn- 
ing upon  the  altar  all  night  imto  the  morning,  and 
the  fire  of  the  altar  shall  be  burning  in  it.'  Le.  vi.  9. 
But  now  I  Avould  inquire:  Had  Israel  done  the 
commandment,  if  they  had  eaten  the  passover  raw, 
or  boiled  in  water  ?  Or  if  they  had  ofi"cred  that 
offering,  that  was  to  be  bui-nt  as  a  sin-ofi'ering, 
otherwise  than  it  was  commanded  ?  Even  so,  to 
feed  upon  Christ,  as  he  is  hol}^  and  of  good  life 
only;  and  also,  as  taking  him  therein  for  an 
example  to  us,  to  follow  his  steps  for  justification 
with  God ;  this  is,  to  eat  the  passover  raw,  and 
not  as  roast  with  fire ;  this  is,  to  feed  upon  Jesus, 
without  respecting  him  as  accursed  of  God  for  our 
sin,  and  so  consequently  to  miss  of  that  eternal 
life,  that  by  his  blood  ho  hath  obtained  for  every 
one  that  believeth  on  him.  I  have  been  pleased 
with  this  observation :  That  none  of  the  signs  and 
wonders  in  Egypt,  could  deliver  the  children  of 
Israel  thence,  till  the  Lamb  was  slain,  aiiu  roast 
with  fire.  Ex.  xii.  31.  And  I  have  been  also  pleased 
with  this :  That  the  Father,  not  Moses,  gave  the 
manna  from  heaven,  which  was  a  type  of  the  flesh, 
and  blood  of  Christ,  that  v.hoso  feedeth  on,  shall 
live  for  ever.  Jn.  vi.  33.  Yea,  circumcision  also,  which 
was  a  type  of  inward,  and  heart-holiness,  was  not 
of  Moses,  but  of  the  Fathers,  and  principally  a, 
consequence  of  the  faith  of  Abraham.  Jn.  vii.  22. 
Whence  I  gather,  that  no  vronder,  but  the  blood 
of  Christ  can  save ;  that  no  kindness,  but  the 
mercy  of  God,  can  give  this  to  us ;  and  that  no 
law,  but  the  law  of  faith,  can  make  us  truly  holy 
in  heart.  But  you  add,  '  Those  that  sincerely,  and 
industriously,  endeavour  to  hnitate  the  holy  Jesus 
in  his  Spirit  and  actions,  can  never  be  ignorant 
what  it  is  to  be  truly  Christians.'  Those  that 
follow  Jesus  in  his  Spirit,  must  first  receive  that 


A  r;LrE\:cE  of  the  dcctrlxe  or  justificatiox. 


331 


Spirit  from  heaven,  whicli  Spirit  is  received,  as  I 
have  often  said,  by  applying-  first,  hy  faith,  the 
mei'its  of  Christ  to  the  soul,  for  life  and  justifica- 
tion -with  God.     The  Spirit  is  not  received  by  the 
works  of  the  lav>',  but  by  the  hearui^  of  faith ; 
neither  conies  it  in  the  ministry,   or  doctrine  of 
morals,  but  in  and  by  the  ministry  of  faith ;  and 
the  law  is  net  of  faith.     WTierefore  seeing  you 
have,  in  p.  223.  of  your  book,  forbidden  sinners  to 
come  first  to  Jesus  for  justification  with  God ;  the 
Spirit  you  talk  of,  however  you  call  it  the  Spirit  of 
Jesus,  can  be  no  other  than  the  spirit  of  a  man ; 
which  you  also  yourself,  in  p.  7,  s,  9.  call  *  the  purity 
of  human  nature,  a  principle  of  reason,  the  first 
principles  of  morals,  or  those  that  are  originally 
dictates  of  human  nature.'     Wherefore  by  these 
words,  'in  his  Spirit,' you  do  but  blaspheme  the 
Holy  Ghost,   and   abuse   your   ignorant   reader; 
calling   now,    Quaker-hke,   the   dictates    of  your 
humanity,  and  your  Socinian  compHances  there- 
with, the  Spirit  of  Holy  Jesus.     I  conclude  there- 
fore, that  the  way  of  salvation,  or  the  design  of 
ChrFstianity  as  prescribed  by  you,  is  none  other 
than  the  errors  of  your  own  brain,  the  way  of 
<leath,  the  sum  and  heart  of  Papistical  Quakerism, 
and  is  quite  denied  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  his 
blessed  Testament.     And  now  go  your  ways,  and 
imitate  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  take  the  whole  history 
of  his  life  for  your  example,  and  walk  in  his  steps, 
and  be  such  as  much  as  you  can,  yet  without  faith 
in  his  blood,  first;  yea,  and  if  you  stand  not  just 
before  God  through  the  imputation  of  his  righte- 
ousness, 3'our  imitating  will  be  found  no  better 
than  rebellion,  because  by  that,  instead  of  faith  in 
lus  blood,  you  hope  to  obtain  remission  of  sins, 
thrusting  him  thereby  from  his  ofiice  and  work, 
and  setting  your  dunghill  righteousness  up  in.  his 
stead. 

\_Foidcr''s  false  and  danjeivus  conclusions.] 

I  come  now  to  your  conclusion.  First,  in  p.  £33. 
*You  press  men  to  betake  themselves  to  find  (that 
which  you  call)  the  design  of  Christianity,  ac- 
complished in  their  hearts  and  lives. ' 

Ans.  Seeing  that  the  holiness  that  yoiu:  errone- 
ous book  has  exalted,  is  none  other  but  that  which 
we  have  lost ;  yea,  and  again,  seeing  you  have  set 
this  in  the  head  of,  and  before  the  righteousness 
of  Christ,  I  admonish  my  reader  to  tremble  at  the 
blasphemy  of  your  book,  and  account  the  whole 
design  therein,  to  be  none  other  but  that  of  an 
enemy  to  the  Son  of  God,  and  salvation  of  the 
world.  For  that  holiness  as  I  have  shewed,  is 
none  other  but  a  shadowish,  Christless,  graceless 
holiness ;  and  your  so  exalting  of  it,  very  blas- 
phemy. You  proceed,  saying,  *  Let  us  exercise 
ourselves  unto  real  and  substantial  godlmess ;  (still 


meaning  yom-  Adamitish  holiness)  let  us  study  the 
go-spel  not  to  discourse,  or  only  to  believe,  but  also, 
and  above  all  things,  to  do  well.' 

Ans.  Herein  still  you  manifest,  either  i"-norance 
of,  or  mahce  against,  the  doctrine  of  faith ;  that 
doctrine,  which  above  aU  doctrines,  is  the  quint- 
essence of  the  Xew  Testament,  because  therein, 
and  not  principally,  as  you  feign,  by  doing  well, 
is  the  righteousness  of  God  revealed,  and  that  from 
faith  to  faith  ;  not  from  faith  to  works,  nor  yet 
from  works  to  faith.  Besides,  the  gospel  is 
preached  in  all  nations,  for  the  obedience  of  faith. 
Ro.  xvi.  20.  Neither  works,  the  law,  the  dictates  of 
humanity,  nor  the  first  principles  of  morals,  know- 
ing what  to  do  with  the  righteousness  of  the  gospel, 
which  is  a  righteousness  imputed  by  God,  nob 
wrought  by  us  ;  a  righteousness  given,  not  earned, 
a  righteousness  received  by  believing,  not  that 
which  floweth  from  our  obedience  to  laws,  a  righte- 
ousness wliich  comes  from  God  to  us,  not  one  that 
goeth  from  us  to  God.  Besides,  as  I  also  have 
hinted  before,  the  apostle  and  you  are  directly 
opposite.  You  cry,  'above  all  things,  do  well:' 
that  is,  work  and  do  the  law;  but  he,  'above  all, 
take  the  shield  of  faith,  wherewith  are  quenched 
aU  the  fiery  darts  of  the  wicked. '  Ep.  vi.  ic. 

But  you  add,  p.  sco.  '  Let  us  do  what  lieth  in  us 
to  convince  our  Atheists,  that  the  religion  of  the 
blessed  Jesus,  is  no  trick  or  device ;  and  our  wan- 
ton and  loose  Christians,  that  it  is  no  notional 
business,  or  speculative  science.' 

Alls.  This  you  cannot  do  by  your  moral  natural 
principles  of  humanity:  For  even  some  of  your 
brave  philosophers,  whose  godliness  you  have  so 
much  applauded,  were  even  then  in  the  midst  of 
their,  and  your  virtues,  atheistically  ignorant  of" 
the  religion  of  Jesus.  And  as  to  the  loose  Chris- 
tian ;  Christ  neither  hath  need  of,  nor  will  he  bless 
your  blasphemous  opinions,  nor  feigned  godliness, 
but  real  ungodhness,  to  make  them  converts  to  his 
faith  and  grace,  neither  can  it  be  expected  it  should, 
seeing  you  have  not  only  dirty  thoughts,  but  vili- 
fying words,  and  sayings  of  his  person,  work,  and 
righteousness.  You  have  set  your  Avorks  before 
his,  p.  223.  calling  them  substantial,  indispensable, 
and  real ;  but  coming  to  God  by  hun,  a  thing  in 
itself  indifferent,  p.  7—9.  You  go  on,  and  say,  '  Let 
us  declare — that  we  are  not  barely  reliers  on 
Christ's  righteousness,  by  being  imitators  of  it,' 
p.  300.  You  cannot  leave  oii  to  contemn  and  blas- 
pheme the  Son  of  God.  Do  you  not  yet  know 
that  the  righteousness  of  Christ  en  which  the  sin- 
ner ought  to  rely  for  life,  is  such,  as  consisted  in 
his  standing  to,  and  doing  of  the  law,  without  a 
Mediator  ?  And  would  you  be  doing  this  ?  What 
know  you  not,  that  an  essential  of  the  righteous- 
ness he  accomplished  for  sinners  when  he  was  in 
the  world;    is,    'That  he  Avas  conceived   by  tha 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


Holy  Ghost,  born  without  sin,  did  all  things  in  the 
power  of,  and  union  with  his  o^vn  eternal  Godhead.' 
And  are  you  able  thus  to  imitate  him  ?  Again, 
the  righteousness  on  which  we  ought  to  rely  for 
life,  is  that  which  hath  in  it  the  merit  of  blood : 
•we  are  '  justified  by  his  blood'  through  faith  in  his 
blood.  Ro.  V.  9.  Is  this  the  righteousness  you  would 
imitate  ?  Farther,  the  righteousness  on  which 
poor  sinners  shoidd  rely,  is  that,  for  the  sake  of 
which  God  forgiveth  the  sins  of  him  that  resteth 
by  faith  thereupon.  But  would  you  be  imitating 
of,  or  accomplishing  such  a  righteousness  ? 

Your  book.  Sir,  is  begun  in  ignorance,  managed 
with  error,  and  ended  in  blasphemy. 

Now  the  God  of  glory,  if  it  may  stand  with  his 
glory,  give  you  a  sight  of  your  sins,  against  the 
Son  of  God,  that  you  may,  as  Saul,  lie  trembling, 
and  being  astonished,  cry  out  to  be  justified,  with 
the  righteousness  of  God  without  the  law,  even 
that  which  is  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  unto  all, 
and  upon  all  them  that  believe. 

Many  other  gross  absurdities,  which  I  have 
omitted  in  your  Avhole  book,  may  perhaps,  be  more 
thoroughly  gathered  up,  when  you  shall  have  taken 
the  opportunity  to  reply.  In  the  meantime  I  shall 
content  myself  with  this. 

Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world. '  Jn.  i.  29. 

*  Even  Jesus,  which  delivered  us  from  the  wrath 
to  come.'  iTh. i.  10. 

'  Who  when  he  had  by  himself  purged  our  sins, 
sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Slajesty  on  high. ' 

He.  i.  3. 

*  Christ  died  for  our  sins. '  1  Co.  xv.  3. 

'  God  hath  made  him  to  he  s'n  for  us.'  2  Co.  v.  21. 
'  Christ  was  made  a  curse  for  us. '  Ga.  iii.  13. 

*  He  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree. ' 
1  Pc.  ii.  24. 

'  He  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in 
his  own  blood.'  Re.  i.  5. 

'God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven  you.'  Ep. 
iv.  32. 

*  We  have  redemption  through  his  blood,  the 
forgiveness  of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his 
grace. '  Ep.  i.  7. 

Now  unto  the  King,  eternal,  immortal,  invisible, 
the  only  wise  God,  be  honour,  and  glory,  for  ever, 
and  ever.     Amen. 

THE  CONCLUSIO^i. 

That  my  reader  may  farther  perceive  that  Mr. 
Fowler,  even  by  the  chief  of  the  articles  of  the 
church  of  England,  is  adjudged  erroneous;  and 
besides  the  very  fundamentals  of  the  doctrine  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  that  in  those  very  principles 
that  are  in  the  main,  I  say,  and  that  most  imme- 
diately  concern   Christ,  faith,  and  salvation,  wiU 


be  evident  to  them  that  compare  his  design  of 
Christianity,  with  these  articles  heremito  recited. 

The  Article  [X.]  concerning  Free-will. 

'  The  condition  of  man,  after  the  fall  of  Adam, 
is  such,  that  he  cannot  turn  and  prepare  himself, 
by  his  own  natural  strength  and  good  works,  to 
faith,  and  calling  upon  God:  wherefore  we  have 
no  power  to  do  good  works,  pleasant  and  accepta- 
ble to  God,  without  the  grace  of  God  by  Christ 
preventing*  us,  that  we  may  have  a  good  will, 
and  working  with  ns,  when  we  have  that  good 

wm.' 

Tlie  Article  [XL]  concerning  Justijication. 

'  We  are  accounted  righteous  before  God,  only 
for  the  merit  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
by  faith;  and  not  for  our  own  works,  or  deservings. 
Wherefore  that  we  are  justified  by  faith  only,  is 
a  most  wholesome  doctrine,  and  very  full  of  com- 
fort,' <kc. 

77ie  Article  [XIII.]  of  Wai'hs  before  Justification. 

'  Works  done  before  the  grace  of  Christ,  and 
the  inspiration  of  his  Spirit,  are  not  pleasant  to 
God,  for  as  much  as  they  spring  not  of  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ,  -  or  deserve  grace  of  congruity:  yea 
rather,  for  that  they  are  not  done  as  God  hath 
willed  and  commanded  them  to  be  done,  we  doubt 
not  but  they  have  the  nature  of  sin.' 

These  articles,  because  they  respect  the  points 
in  controversy  betwixt  Mr.  Fowler,  and  myself; 
and  because  they  be  also  fundamental  truths  of 
the  christian  religion,  as  I  do  heartily  believe,  let 
all  men  know  that  I  quarrel  not  with  him,  about 
things  wherein  I  dissent  from  the  church  of  Eng- 
land, but  do  contend  for  the  truth  contained,  even 
in  these  very  articles  of  theirs,  from  which  he  hath 
so  deeply  revolted,  that  he  clasheth  with  every  one 
of  them,  as  may  farther  be  shewn  when  he  shall 
take  heart  to  reply. 

But  to  wind  up  this  unjjleasant  scribble,  I  shall 
have  done  when  I  have  farther  shewed,  how  he 
joineth  with  papist,  and  quaker,  against  these 
Avholesome,  and  fundamental  articles. 

Mr.  Foivlers  Doctrine  compared  with  Campian  the 
Jesuit,  ujjon  that  question  whether  Faith  only  jus- 
tifieth:  saiih  Cainpian, 

1.  Campian.  '  We  (Papists)  say,  that  as  grace 
is  put  into  us  in  justification,  so  also  our  righte- 
ousness is  enlarged  through  good  works,  and  is 

*  '  To  prevent,'  from  '  prsevenio,'  to  go  before ;  '  preventing 
us'  was  formerly  used  for  'preparing  us.'  It  is  now  obsolete 
in  tliis  sense,  but  frequently  occurs  in  the  Bible. — Ed. 


A  DEFENCE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


333 


inherent  in  us ;  therefore  it  is  not  true  that   God 
doth  justify  hy  faith  only.' 

Fowler,  p.  221.  '  Justifying  faith  is  such  a  helief 
of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  as  includes  a  sincere 
resolution  of  ohedience  unto  all  its  precepts :  and 
that  it  justifieth  as  it  doth  so.  -  In  short,  is  it 
possible  that  faith  in  Christ's  blood,  for  the  for- 
giveness of  sins,  should  be  the  only  aot  which  jus- 
tifieth a  sinner  ? '  p.  224. 

2.  Campian.  '  So  that  faith  is  urged,  but  not 
faith  ONLY ;  again,  by  faith  is  meant  all  Chris- 
tianity, and  the  whole  religion  of  Christians.' 

Fowler,  p.  222.  'For  surely  the  faith  which  entitles 
the  sinner  to  so  high  a  privilege,  as  that  of  justi- 
fication, must  needs  be  such  as  complieth  with  all 
the  purposes  of  Christ's  coming  into  the  world ; 
especially  with  his  grand  purpose,  -  as  Lord,  and 
that  it  is  no  less  necessary  that  it  shoidd  justify 
as  it  doth  this. ' 

3.  Campian.  '  Though  works  void  of  Christ  are 
nothing ;  yet  through  grace  they  serve  to  justifi- 
cation. ' 

Fowler,  p.  225, 226.  '  Of  the  imputation  of  Christ's 
righteousness,  -  this  is  the  true  explication;  it  con- 
sists in  dealing  with  sincerely  righteous  persons : 
as  if  they  were  perfectly  so,  for  the  sake  and  upon 
the  account  of  Christ's  righteousness.  The  grand 
intent  of  the  gospel  being  to  make  us  partakers 
of  an  inward  and  real  righteousness ;  and  it  bemg 
but  a  secondary  one,  that  we  shoidd  be  accepted, 
and  rewarded,  as  if  we  were  completely  righteous.' 

4.  Cavipian.  '  Speaking  of  faith,  hope,  and 
charity,  he  confesseth ;  that  faith  in  nature  is 
before  them,  but  it  doth  not  justify  before  they 
come.' 

Fowler,  p.  223.  '  WHiat  pretence  can  there  be  for 
thinking,  that  faith  is  the  condition,  or  instrument 
of  justification,  as  it  complieth  with  only  the  precept 
of  relying  on  Christ's  merits,  for  the  obtaining  of 
it :  especially  when  it  is  no  less  manifest  than  the 
sun  at  noon-day,  that  obedience  to  the  other  pre- 
cepts, [or  Avorks  of  love,]  must  go  before  obedience 
to  this.'  p. 2S4. 

5.  Campian.  '  I  deny  (that  faith  only  doth  jus- 
tify) for  you  have  not  in  all  the  word  of  God,  that 
faith  only  doth  justify.' 

Foioler,  p.  225.  '  And  for  my  part,  I  must  con- 
fess, that  I  woidd  not  wilUngly  be  he  that  should 
xmdertake  to  encounter  one  of  the  champions  of 
that  foul  cause,  with  the  admission  of  this  princi- 
ple, that  faith  justifieth,  only  as  it  apprehendeth 
(resteth  or  relieth  on,  p.  224.)  the  merits,  and  righte- 
ousness of  Jesus  Christ,  I  must  certainly  have  great 
luck,  or  my  adversary  but  little  cunning,  if  I  were 
not  forced  to  repent  me  of  such  an  engagement. ' 

6.  Campian.  '  Abraham  being  a  just  man,  was 
made  more  just  by  a  living  faith.' 

Fowler,  p.  283.   '  He  only  is  a  true  child  of  Abra- 


ham, who  in  the  purity  of  the  heart  obeyeth  those 
subs!antial  laws,  that  are  imposed  by  God,  upon 
him.' 

7.  Campian.  '  I  say  that  charity  and  good 
works,  are  not  excluded  (in  the  causes  of  our  jus- 
tification. ') 

Foioler,  p.  214, 215.  *  For  we  have  she^vn,  not  only 
that  reformation  of  life  from  the  practice,  and 
pm-ification  of  heart  from  the  Hking  of  sin,  are  as 
plainly  as  can  be  asserted  in  the  gospel  to  be  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  give  men  a  right  to  the  pro- 
mises of  it,  but  also  that  its  great  salvation  doth 
even  consist  in  it.' 

Mr.  Fowler  s  Dodrine  compared  loith  William  Penn 
the  Quaker 

1.  Penns  Sandy  Foundation,  p.  19.  [p.  16.  ed.  lesi.] 
*  Life  and  salvation  is  to  them  that  folloAV  Christ 
the  light,  in  all  his  righteousness,  which  every 
man  comes  only  to  experiment,  as  he  walks  in  a 
holy  subjection  to  that  measm-e  of  light  and  grace, 
wherewith  the  fulness  hath  enlightened  him.' 

Fowler,  p.  8.  '  That  is,  those  which  are  of  an  in- 
dispensable, and  eternal  obligation,  which  were  first 
written  in  men's  hearts,  and  originally  dictates  of 
human  nature.' 

2.  Penn,  p.  32.  [p.  26.  ed.  1684.]  *  I  really  confess  that 
Jesus  Christ  fulfilled  the  Father's  will,  and  offered 
up  a  most  satisfactory  sacrifice,  but  not  to  pay 
God,  or  help  him  [as  otherways  being  unable]  to 
save  men.' 

Fowler,  p.  85.  *  Christ  was  set  forth  to  be  a  pro- 
pitiatory sacrifice  for  sin ;  I  will  not  say  that  liis 
Father  (who  is  perfectly  sui  juris)  might  be  put 
by  this  means  into  a  capacity  of  forgiving  it. ' 

3.  Penn,  p.  I6.  [p.  14.  ed.  1684.]  'God's  remis.sion  is 
grounded  on  man's  repentance,  not  that  it  is 
impossible  for  God  to  pardon  without  a  plenary 
satisfaction.' 

Fowler,  p.  84.  '  There  are  many  that  do  not  ques- 
tion but  that  God  could  have  pardoned  sin,  without 
any  other  satisfaction,  than  the  repentance  of  the 
sinner,'  &lc. 

4.  Penn,  p.  27.  [p-  22.  ed.  1684.]  '  Justification  doth 
not  go  before,  but  is  subsequential  to  the  mortifi- 
cation of  lusts.' 

Fowler,  p.  14, 15.  '  This  blessing  of  making  men 
holy,  was  so  much  the  design  of  Christ's  coming, 
that  he  had  his  very  name  from  it : '  observe  the 
words  are,  '  He  shall  save  his  people  from  their 
sins;'  not  from  the  punishment  of  them.  And 
that  is  the  primary  sense  of  them,  which  is  most 
plainly  expressed  in  them :  '  That  he  shall  save  his 
people  from  the  punishment  of  sin,  is  a  true  sense 
too  ;  but  it  is  secondary  and  implied  only ;  as  this 
latter  is  the  never  failing  and  necessary  consequent 
of  the  former  salvation.' 

5.  Penn,  p.  25.  [p.  21.  ed.  lest.j  'Since  therefore  there 


;3-i 


A  DEFENCE  OE  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


can  Lc  no  admittance  liacl,  without  performing  that 
.rif^'hteous  ■will,  and  doing  those  holy,  and  perfect 
sayings ;  alas  !  to  what  value  will  an  imputative 
righteousness  amount?'  &c. 

Fowler,  p.  16.  '  Christ  shall  hring  in  an  inward 
suhstantial,  and  everlasting  righteousness,  and  hy 
abrogating  tho  outward  (ceremonial)  and  esta- 
blishing ONLY  this  righteousness,  he  should  en- 
large the  Jewish  Chiu'ch,  an  accession  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, being  by  that  means  made  unto  it.' 

6.  Penn,  p.  24,  ss.  [p.  20.  ed.  1684.]  '  Since  God  has 
prescribed  an  inoffensive  life,  as  that  which  only 
can  give  aeeeptanee  with  him ;  and  on  the  con- 
trary hath  determined  never  to  justify  the  wicked, 
tkc.  -  -  Will  not  the  abomination  appear  greatest 
of  all,  where  God  shall  be  found  condemning  the 
just,  on  purpose  to  justify  the  wicked ;  and  that 
he  is  thereto  compelled,  or  else  no  salvation,  which 
is  the  tendency  of  their  doctrine,  who  imagine  the 
righteous,  and  merciful  God  to  condemn  and  pun- 
ish his  [innocent*]  righteous  Son,  that  he  having 
satisfied  for  our  sins,  v/e  might  be  justified  (while 
unsanctified)  by  the  imputation  of  his  perfect  righ- 
teousness. 0  why  should  this  horrible  thing  be 
contended  for  by  Christians  ! ' 

Fowler,  p.  119.  '  If  it  vf ere  possible  (as  it  hath 
been  proved  it  is  not)  that  a  wicked  man  should 
have  God's  pardon,  it  vv^ould  not  make  him  cease 
to  be  miserable.' 

Fowler,  p.  120.  *  Were  it  possible  that  Christ's 
I'ighteousness  could  be  imputed  to  an  unrighteous 
man,  I  dare  boldly  affirm  it  would  signify  as  little 
to  his  happiness,  as  would  a  gorgeous  and  splendid 


*  'lauoctnt'  iustcud  of  '  risjihleo'as '  ci  i684. 


garment,  to  one  that  is  almost  starved  with  hun- 
ger, or  that  lieth  racked  by  the  torturing  diseases 
of  the  stone,  or  colic. 

Fowler,  p.  130.  •  To  justify  a  wicked  man,  while  he 
continueth  so,  if  it  were  possible  for  God  to  do  it, 
woidd  far  more  disparage  his  justice,  and  holiness, 
than  advance  his  grace  and  kindness.' 

7.  Penn,  p.sc.  [p.  22.  ed.  igs4.]  'Uidess  Avebe[comG] 
doers  of  that  law,  which  Christ  came  not  to  destroy, 
but  as  our  example  to  fulfil,  we  can  never  be  justi- 
fied before  God. ' 

Fowler,  p.  200.  '  It  is  impossible  we  shoidd  not 
have  the  design  of  Christianity  accomplished  in  us, 
and  therefore  that  we  should  be  destitute  of  the 
power  of  it,  if  we  make  om-  Saviour's  most  excel- 
lent life,  the  pattern  of  our  Uves.  Those  that  sin- 
cerely, and  industriously  endeavour  to  imitate  the 
holy  Jesus  in  his  spirit  and  actions,  can  never  be 
ignorant  what  it  is  to  be  truly  Christians,  nor  can 
they  fail  to  be  so.' 

8.  Penn,  p.  2g.  '  Nor  let  any  fancy  that  Christ 
hath  so  fulfilled  it  for  them,  as  to  exclude  their 
obedience,  from  being  requisite  to  their  acceptance, 
but  only  as  their  pattern. ' 

Fowler,  p.  us.  'This  Son  of  God  taught  men 
their  duty,  by  his  own  example,  and  did  himself 
perform  among  them,  what  he  required  of  them. 
Now  that  he  should  tread  before  us  EVERY  step 
of  that  way,  which  he  hath  told  us  leadeth  to  eter- 
nal happiness,  and  commend  those  duties  which 
are  most  ungrateful  to  our  corrupt  inclinations,  by 
his  own  practice ;  our  having  so  brave  an  example 
is  no  small  encouragement,  to  a  cheerful  perform- 
ance  of  all  that  is  commanded.' 

Understandest  thou  what  thou  readest  ? 


REPROBATION    ASSERTED: 

OK, 

THE  DOCTEINE  OF  ETERNAL  ELECTION  AND  REPROBATION  PROMISCUOUSLY 
HANDLED,  IN  ELEVEN  CHAPTERS. 

WHEREIN  THE  MOST  MATERIAL  OBJECTIONS  MADE   BY  THE  OPPOSERS  OF  THIS  DOCTRINE,  ARE   PULLY  ANSWERED;   SE-V-ERAI 
DOUBTS  REMOVED,  AND  SUNDRY  CASES  OP  CONSCIENCE  RESOLVED. 

By  JOHN  BUNYAN  of  Bedford,  a  lover  of  peace  akd  truth. 


TTJiat  then?    Israel  Jiath  not  oMained  tluit  ivJdcIi  he  seeketh  for;  but  the  election  hath  oltamed  it,  and  the  red  tocre 

blinded.' — Rom.  xi  7. 

London:  Printed  for  G.  L.,  and  ai-e  to  be  sold  in  Tum-stile-alley,  in  Ilolbourn.     Small  4to,  44  pages. 


THE  CONTENTS  OF  THE  CHAPTERS. 


I,  TJuit  there  -is  a  reprobation. 
II.   WJiat  reprobation  is. 
III.  Cff  the  antiquity  of  reprobation. 
IV.  Cf  the  causes  of  reprobation. 
V.  Of  the  unchangeableness  of  eternal  reprobation. 
YI.  Whether  to  be  reprobated,  be  the  same  with  being  ap- 
psointed  before-hand  nnto  eternal  condemnation?    If  not, 
how  do   they  differ?    Also,  whether  reprobation  be  the 
cause  of  condemnation  ? 

VII.  Wliether  any  under  eternal  reprobation  Jiave  just  cause 
to  quarrel  with  God  for  not  electing  them  ? 

VIII.  Whether  eternal  reprobation  in  itself  or  in  its  doc- 
tnne,  be  in  very  deed  an  hindrance  to  any  man  in  seeking 
tJie  salvation  of  his  soul? 

IX.  Wliether  God  icould,  in  deed  and  in  truth,  that  the  gos- 


pel with  the  grace  thereof,  should  be  tendered  to  those  tJud 
yet  he  hath  bound  up  under  eternal  reprobation?  Aasioered 
in  the  affirmative. 

X.  Seeing  then  that  the  grace  of  God  in  the  gospel,  is  by  that 
to  be  proffered  to  sinners,  as  sinners;  as  icell  to  the  repro- 
bate as  to  the  elect;  Is  it  possible  for  those  who  indeed 
are  not  elect,  to  receive  it,  and  be  saved?  Answered  in  the 
negative. 

XI.  Seeing  it  is  not  possible  that  the  reprobate  should  receive 
this  grace  and  live,  and  also  seeing  this  is  infallibly  fore- 
seen of  God;  and  again,  seeing  God  hath  fore-determined 
to  stiffer  it  so  to  be,  IFJiy  doth  he  yet  will  and  command 
that  the  gospel,  and  so  grace  in  the  general  tenders  thereof, 
should  be  proffered  unto  them?  Answered  and  cleared 
by  five  reasons,  and  the  removing  of  three  objections. 


EDITOE'S  ADYEETISEMENT. 


This  valuable  tract  was  first  published  without  a 
date,  but  according  to  Doe's  List,  about  the  year 
1674,  and  lias  never  been  reprinted  in  a  separate 
volume ;  it  appeared  in  only  one  edition  of  the  col- 
lected "works  of  Jolin  Bunyan — that  with  the  notes 
by  Ryland  and  Mason ;  and  in  his  select  works, 
published  in  America  in  1832,  No  man  coidd 
have  been  better  qualified  to  write  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  reprobation  than  Bunyan. — His  extraordi- 
nary knowledge  of,  and  fervent  attachment  to,  the 
holy  oracles,  peculiarly  fitted  him  with  unwavering 
verity  to  display  this  doctrine  of  divine  truth.  He 
was  incapable  of  any  misrepresentation  with  a  view 
of  concealing  what  fallen  reason  might  deem  a 
deformity,  or  to  render  the  doctrines  of  the  cross 
palatable  to  mankind.  His  object  is  to  display 
the  truth,  and  then  humbly  to  submit  to  the  wisdom 
of  God,  and  zealously  to  vindicate  it.  There  is 
no  subject  which  more  fully  displays  our  fallen 
nature,  than  that  of  reprobation.  All  mankind 
agree  iu  opinion,  that  there  ever  has  been  an  elect, 
or  good  class  of  society;  and  a  reprobate,  or  worth- 
less and  bad  class ;   varying  iu  tui-pitude   or  in 


goodness  to  a  great  extent  and  in  almost  imper- 
ceptible degrees.  All  must  unite  in  ascribing  to 
God  that  divine  foreknowledge  that  renders  ten 
thousand  years  but  as  one  day,  or  horn*,  or  moment 
in  his  sight.  All  ascribe  to  his  omnipotence  the 
power  to  ordain  or  decree  what  shall  come  to  pass 
— and  where  is  the  spirit  that  can  demonstrate  a 
shade  of  diiference  between  such  foreknowledge  and 
preordination.  All  agree  that  in  the  lower  class  of 
animals  some  of  the  same  species  pass  their  lives 
in  luxury  and  comfort,  while  others  are  cruelly  tor- 
mented, this  world  comprising  their  whole  teiTn  of 
existence ;  and  will  those  who  refuse  to  submit  to 
the  sovereignty  of  God  in  the  doctrine  of  election 
dare  to  arraign  his  conduct  in  leaving  some  out  of 
his  electing  love  ?  The  reprobate  or  Avorthless  lose 
nothing  by  the  happiness  of  others.  It  is  inscrut- 
ably hid  from  mankind  who  are  the  elect,  until  the 
Holy  Spirit  influences  them  with  the  love  of  God 
in  Christ  Jesus,  and  this  sometimes  in  the  last 
moments  of  life.  There  is  every  encouragement, 
nay  incentive,  to  the  sinner  who  feels  the  burthen 
of  guilt  to  fly  for  refuge  to  the  hope  set  before 


53G 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


liim  In  the  gospel.  *  It  is  a  faithful  saying,  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners  ; '  even  the  chief  of 
sinners.  The  glad  tidings  are  addressed  to  all 
sin-sick  souls ;  and  Bunyan's  statement  of  this 
truth  is  clear,  scriptural,  and  reasonable.  Very 
different  is  the  account  of  reprobation  given  by  R. 
Resburie  in  his  Stop  to  the  Gangrene  of  Amiinian- 
ism,  1651.  '  For  the  reprobate  God  decrees  the 
permitting  of  sin  in  order  to  hardening,  and  their 
hardening  in  it,  in  order  to  their  condemnation.' 


p.  69.  *  As  election  is  the  book  of  life,  so  reproba- 
tion of  death ;  the  names  of  the  reprobate  are  there 
registered  for  destruction.'  p.  73.  It  is  much  to 
be  regretted  that  sentiments  like  these  have  been 
too  commonly  uttered.  It  is  as  an  antidote  to  such 
ideas  that  this  little  work  was  written )  but,  imfor- 
timately,  it  has  never  been  widely  circulated  and 
read.  May  the  divine  blessing  follow  this  attempt 
to  spread  these  important,  although  to  many,  un- 
palatable, doctrines. 

George  OrFon. 


EEPEOBATION  ASSERTED. 


CHAP.  I. 

Tliat  tliere  is  a  ReprohaJtion. 

In  my  discourse  upon  this  subject,  I  shall  study  as 
much  brevity  as  clearness  and  edification  will  allow 
me ;  not  adding  words  to  make  the  volume  swell, 
but  contracting  myself  within  the  boimds  of  few 
lines,  for  the  profit  and  commodity  of  those  that 
shall  take  the  pains  to  read  my  labours.  And 
though  I  might  abundantly  multiply  arguments 
for  the  evincing  and  vindicating  this  conclusion, 
yet  I  shall  content  myself  with  some  few  scripture 
demonstrations :  the  first  of  which  I  shall  gather 
out  of  the  ninth  of  the  Romans,  from  that  discourse 
of  the  apostle's,  touching  the  children  of  the  flesh, 
and  the  children  of  the  promise. 

1.  At  the  beginning  of  this  chapter,  we  find  the 
apostle  grievously  lamenting  and  bemoaning  of  the 
Jews,  at  the  consideration  of  their  miserable  state: 
'  I  say  the  truth  in  Christ,  (saith  he)  I  lie  not,  my 
conscience  also  bearing  me  witness  in  the  Holy 
Ghost,  that  I  have  great  heaviness  and  continual 
sorrow  in  my  heart.  For  I  could  Avish  that  my- 
self were  accursed  from  Christ  for  my  brethren, 
my  kinsmen  according  to  the  flesh : '  Poor  hearts, 
saith  he,  they  will  perish ;  they  are  a  miserable 
sad  and  helpless  people ;  their  eyes  are  darkened 
that  they  may  not  see,  and  their  back  is  bowed 
down  alway.  Ro.  xi.  lo.  Wherefore  ?  Have  they  not 
the  means  of  grace?  Yes  verily,  and  that  in 
goodly  measure.  First  they  *  are  Israelites  ;  to 
whom  periaineth  the  adoption,  and  the  glory,  and 
the  covenants,  and  the  giving  of  the  law,  and  the 
service  of  God,  and  the  promises ;  whose  are  the 
fathers,  and  of  whom  as  concerning  the  flesh 
Christ  came,  vfho  is  over  all,  God  blessed  for  ever. 
Amen.'  What  then  should  be  the  reason ?  Why 
saith  he,  though  they  be  the  children  of  Abraham 
according  to  the  flesh,  yet  they  are  the  children 
of  Abraham  but  according  to  the  flesh :  '  For  they 
are  not  all  Israel  (in  the  best  sense)  which  are  of 


Israel :  neither,  because  they  are  the  seed  of  Abra- 
ham, are  they  all  children :  but,  in  Isaac  shall  thy 
seed  be  called. '  That  is,  they  that  are  the  chilcbeu 
of  the  flesh,  they  are  not  the  childi'en  of  God;  but 
the  children  of  the  promise  shall  be  counted  for 
the  seed.  So  then,  here  you  see  that  they  that 
are  only  the  children  of  the  flesh,  as  the  greatest 
part  of  Israel  were,  they  are  those  that  are  neither 
counted  for  the  seed,  the  children  of  promise,  nor 
the  children  of  God ;  but  are  rejected,  and  of  the 
reprobation.  This  therefore  shall  at  this  time 
serve  for  the  first  scripture-demonstration. 

2.  Another  scripture  you  have  in  the  eleventh 
chapter  of  this  epistle,  from  these  words,  *  The 
election  hath  obtained  it,  and  the  rest  were 
blinded. '  Ro.  xi.  7.  These  words  are  shedding*  words, 
they  sever  between  men  and  men ;  the  election,  the 
rest ;  the  chosen,  the  left ;  the  embraced,  the  re- 
fused :  '  The  election  have  obtained  it,  and  the 
rest  were  blinded.'  By  rest  here,  must  needs  be 
understood  those  not  elect,  because  set  one  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  other ;  and  if  not  elect,  what  then  but 
reprobate  ? 

3.  A  third  scripture  is  that  in  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles,  'And  as  many  as  were  ordained  to  eter- 
nal life,  believed. '  xiii.  48.  *  And  as  many ; '  by  these 
words,  as  by  the  former,  you  may  see  how  the 
Holy  Ghost  distinguisheth  or  divideth  between  men 
and  men  ;  the  sons,  and  the  sons  of  Adam.  '  As 
many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life,  believed  : '' 
If  by  many  here,  we  are  to  understand  every  indi- 
vidual, then  not  only  the  whole  world  must  at  least 
believe  the  gospel,  of  which  we  see  the  most  fall 
short,  but  they  must  be  ordained  to  eternal  life ; 
Avhich  other  scriptures  contradict:  for  there  is  the 
rest,  besides  the  elect ;  the  stubble  and  chaff,  as 
well  as  wheat :  many  therefore  must  here  include 
but  some ;   '  For  though  -  Israel  be  as  the  sand 


*  'Shedding  words'  means  'scattering  or  spreading  words/ 
as  ill  Acts  ii.  33  j  now  obsolete. — Ei>. 


r.EPEOBATIOX  ASSERTED. 


!7 


of  the  sea,  a  remnant  shall  be  saved. '  Ro.  k.  27.  is.  i. 

9.  and  X.  22,  23. 

I  might  here  multiply  many  other  texts,  but  in 
the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  shall  every 
word  be  established.  Let  these  therefore  for  this, 
suffice  to  prove  that  there  is  a  reprobation.  For 
this  I  say,  though  the  children  of  the  flesh,  the 
rest  besides  the  election,  and  the  like,  were  not 
mentioned  in  the  Avord ;  yet  seeing  there  is  such  a 
thing  as  the  children  of  the  promise,  the  seed,  the 
childi-cn  of  God,  and  the  like,  and  that  too  imder 
several  other  phrases,  as  predestinated,  foreknown, 
chosen  in  Christ,  and  M'ritten  in  the  book  of  life, 
and  appointed  unto  life,  with  many  others :  I  say 
seeing  these  things  arc  thus  apparent,  it  is  without 
doubt,  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  reprobation 

also.  Ko.  viii.  Ep.  i.  3,  -t  1  Th.  v.  9. 

Kay,  further,  From  the  very  word  election,  it 
followeth  unavoidably ;  for  whether  you  take  it  as 
relating  to  this,  of  distinguishing  between  persons 
as  touching  the  world  to  come,  or  with  reference 
to  God's  acts  of  choosing  this  or  that  man  to  this 
or  that  office,  work,  or  employment  in  this  world, 
it  still  signifieth  such  a  choosing,  as  that  but  some 
are  therein  concerned,  and  that  therefore  some  are 
thence  excluded.  Are  all  the  elect,  the  seed,  the 
saved,  the  vessels  of  mercy,  the  chosen  and  pecu- 
liar ?  Are  not  some,  yea  the  most,  the  childi-eu 
of  the  flesh,  the  rest,  the  lost,  the  vessels  of  wrath, 
of  dishonour,  and  the  children  of  perdition  ?  Ho.  xi. 
9. 1  Pe.  ii.  8,  9.  Mat.  x.  16.  2  Sa.  vi.  21.  Ps.  Ixxviii.  67,  G8.  Jn.  xv.  16.  3 
Co.  IT.  3.  TlO.  if.  21,  22.  Jn.  xrii.  12. 

CHAP.  II. 
What  Reprdbaiion  is. 

Having  thus  shewed  you  that  there  is  such  a 
thing  as  a  reprobation,  I  come  now  to  shew  you 
what  it  is.  Which  that  I  may  do  to  your  edifica- 
tion, I  shall  First  shew  you  what  this  word  repro- 
bation signifieth  iu  the  general,  as  it  concerneth 
persons  temporary  and  visibly  reprobate :  Second, 
more  particularly,  as  it  concerneth  persons  that 
are  eternally  and  invisibly  reprobate. 

First,  Generally,  As  it  concerneth  persons  tem- 
porarily and  visibly  reprobate,  thus :  To  be  repro- 
bate is  to  be  disapproved,  void  of  judgment,  and 
rejected,  ke.  To  be  disappi-oved,  that  is,  when 
the  word  condemns  them,  either  as  touching  the 
faith  or  the  holiness  of  the  gospel ;  the  which  they 
must  needs  be,  that  are  void  of  spiritual  and  hea- 
venly judgment  in  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom ; 
a  manifest  token  [that]  they  are  rejected.  And 
hence  it  is  that  they  are  said  to  be  reprobate  or 
void  of  judgment  concerning  the  faith ;  reprobate 
or  void  of  judgment  touching  every  good  work ; 
having  a  reprobate  mind,  to  do  those  things  that 
are  not  convenient,  either  as  to  faith  or  manners. 


And  hence  it  is  again,  that  they  are  also  said  to 
be  rejected  of  God,  cast  away,  and  the  like.  2  Co. 

xiii.  6,  7.  2  Ti.  iii.  8.  Tit.  i.  16.  Ko.  i.  23.  Je.  \i.  30. 1  Co.  k.  27. 

I  call  this  temporary  A-isible  reprobation,  because 
these  appear,  and  are  detected  by  the  word  as  such 
that  are  found  imder  the  above-named  errors,  and 
so  adjudged  without  the  grace  of  God.  Yet  it  is 
possible  for  some  of  these,  however  for  the  present 
disapproved,  through  the  blessed  acts  and  dispen- 
sations of  grace,  not  only  to  become  visible  saints, 
but  also  saved  for  ever.  Who  doubts  but  that  he 
who  now  by  examining  himself,  concerning  faith, 
doth  find  himself,  though  imder  profession,  grace- 
less, may  after  that,  he  seeing  his  woeful  state, 
not  only  cry  to  God  for  mercy,  but  find  grace,  and 
obtain  mercy  to  help  in  time  of  need  ?  though  it 
is  true,  that  for  the  most  part  the  contraiy  is  ful- 
filled on  them. 

Second,  But  to  pass  this,  and  more  particularly 
to  touch  the  eternal  invisible  reprobation,  which  I 
shall  thus  hold  forth:  It  is  to  be  passed  by  in,  or 
left  out  of,  God's  election ;  yet  so,  as  considered 
upright.  In  which  position  you  have  these  fom* 
things  considerable:  1.  The  act  of  God's  election. 
2.  The  negative  of  that  act.  3.  The  persons 
reached  by  that  negative.  And,  4.  Their  qualifi- 
cation when  thus  reached  by  it. 

1.  For  the  first.  This  act  of  God  in  electing, 
it  is  a  choosing  or  fore-appointing  of  some  infallibly 
imto  eternal  life,  which  he  also  hath  determined 
shall  be  brought  to  pass  by  the  means  that  should 
be  made  manifest  and  efficacious  to  that  very  end. 

Ep.  i.  3—5. 1  Pe.  i.  2. 

2.  Now  the  negative  of  this  act  is,  a  passing  by, 
or  a  leaAang  of  those  not  concerned  in  this  act ;  a 
leaving  of  them,  I  say,  without  the  bounds,  and  so 
the  saving  privileges  of  this  act ;  as  it  followeth  by 
natm'al  consequence,  that  because  a  man  chooseth 
but  some,  therefore  he  chooseth  not  all,  but  leaveth, 
as  the  negative  of  that  act,  all  others  whatsoever. 
Wherefore,  as  I  said  before,  those  not  contained 
within  this  blessed  act,  are  called  the  rest  besides 
the  election.  '  The  election  hath  obtained  it,  and 
the  rest  were  blinded.' 

3.  The  persons  then  that  are  contained  under 
the  negative  of  this  act,  they  are  those,  and  those 
only,  that  pass  through  this  wicked  world  without 
the  saving  grace  of  God's  elect ;  those,  I  say,  that 
miss  the  most  holy  faith,  which  they  in  time  are 
blest  withal,  who  are  fore-appointed  unto  glory. 

4.  And  now  for  the  quahfication  they  were  con- 
sidered under,  when  this  act  of  reprobation  laid 
hold  upon  thenii  to  wit,  They  were  considered 
upright. 

This  is  evident.  From  this  consideration,  that 
reprobation  is  God's  act,  even  the  negative  of  his 
choosing  or  electing,  and  none  of  the  acts  of  God 
make  any  man  a  sinner.     It  is  further  evident  by 


83S 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


the  similitude  that  is  taken  from  the  carriage  of 
tlie  potter  in  his  making  of  his  pots  ;  for  by  this 
comparison  the  God  of  heaven  is  pleased  to  shew 
unto  ns  the  natm'e  of  his  determining  in  the  act 
of  reprobation,  '  Hath  not  the  potter  power  over 
the  clay,  of  the  same  lump  V  &,c.  Ro.  k.  21.  Consi- 
der a  little,  and  you  shall  see  that  these  three 
things  do  necessarily  fall  in,  to  complete  the  pot- 
ter's action  in  every  pot  he  makes. 

(1.)  A  determination  in  his  own  mind  what  pot 
to  make  of  this  or  that  piece  of  clay  ;  a  determina- 
tion, I  say,  precedent  to  the  fashion  of  the  pot ; 
the  which  is  true  in  the  highest  degree,  in  him 
that  is  excellent  in  workmg ;  he  determines  the 
end,  before  the  beginning  is  perfected :  is.  xiL  22.  xlvi. 
10.  '  For  this  caim  (very  purpose)  have  I  raised 
thee  up.'  Ex.  k.  iG. 

(2.)  The  next  thing  considerable  in  the  potter; 
it  is  the  so  making  of  the  pot,  even  as  he  deter- 
mined ;  a  vessel  to  honour,  or  a  vessel  to  dishonour. 
There  is  no  confusion  nor  disappointment  under 
the  hand  of  this  eternal  God,  his  work  is  perfect, 
and  every  way  doth  answer  to  what  he  hath  deter- 
mined. De.  xxxii.  4. 

(3.)  Observe  again,  That  whether  the  vessel  be 
to  honom*  or  to  dishonour,  yet  the  potter  makes  it 
good,  sound,  and  fit  for  service ;  his  fore-deter- 
laining  to  make  this  a  vessel  to  dishonour,  hath  no 
persuasion  at  all  with  him  to  break  or  mar  the  pot: 
IVhich  very  thing  doth  well  resemble  the  state  of 
man  as  under  the  act  of  eternal  reprobation,  for 
*  God  made  man  upright.'  Ec.  vii.  29. 

From  these  conclusions  then, 

Consider,  1.  That  the  simple  act  of  reprobation, 
it  is  a  leaving  or  passing  by,  not  a  cursing  of  the 
creature. 

Consider,  2.  Neither  doth  this  act  alienate  the 
heart  of  God  from  the  reprobate,  nor  tie  him  up 
from  loving,  favouring,  or  blessing  of  liim ;  no,  not 
from  blessing  of  him  with  the  gift  of  Christ,  of 
faith,  of  hope,  and  many  other  benefits.  It  only 
denieth  them  that  benefit,  that  will  infallibly  biding 
them  to  eternal  life,  and  that  in  despite  of  all  op- 
position ;  it  only  denieth  so  to  bless  them  as  the 
elect  themselves  are  blessed.  Abraham  loved  all 
the  children  he  had  by  all  his  wives,  and  gave  them 
portions  also ;  but  his  choice  blessing,  as  the  fruit 
of  his  chiefest  love,  he  reserved  for  chosen  Isaac. 

Ge.  XXV.  5,  G. 

Consider  Lastly,  The  act  of  reprobation  doth 
harm  to  no  man,  neither  means  him  any ;  nay,  it 
rather  decrees  him  upright,  lets  him  be  made  up- 
right, and  so  be  turned  into  the  vrorld.* 

*  As  election  took  place  before  the  creation  of  man — all 
men  in  Adam  were  decreed,  made  and  tm-ned  into  the  world 
upright. — Ed. 


CHAP.  III. 
Of  the  Antiquity  of  Reprolatlon. 

Having  now  proceeded  so  far  as  to  shew  you 
what  reprobation  is,  it  will  not  be  amiss  if  in  this 
place  I  briefly  shew  you  its  antiquity,  even  when  it 
began  its  rise;  the  which  you  may  gather  by 
these  following  particulars. 

First,  Reprobation  is  before  the  person  cometh 
into  the  world,  or  hath  done  good  or  evil :  This  is 
evident  by  that  of  Paul  to  the  Romans :  '  For  the 
children  being  not  yet  born,  neither  having  done 
any  good  or  evil,  that  the  purpose  of  God  according 
to  election  might  stand  not  of  works,  but  of  him 
that  caUeth ;  it  was  said  unto  Rebecca,  The  elder 
shall  serve  the  younger.'  ix.  11.  Here  you  fi:id 
twain  in  their  mother's  Avomb,  and  both  receiving 
then-  destiny,  not  only  before  they  had  done  good 
or  evil,  but  before  they  were  ui  a  capacity  to  do 
it,  they  being  yet  imborn ;  their  destiny,  I  say,  the 
one  unto,  the  other  not  unto,  the  blessing  of  eternal 
life  ;  the  one  chose,  the  other  refused ;  the  one  elect, 
the  other  reprobate.  The  same  also  might  be  said 
of  Ishmael  and  his  brother  Isaac,  both  which  did 
also  receive  their  destiny  before  they  came  into  the 
world:  for  the  promise  that  this  Isaac  should  be 
the  heir,  it  was  also  before  Ishmael  was  born, 
though  he  was  elder  by  fourteen  years,  or  more, 

than     his    brother.    Ge.  .w.  4,  5;  x\-i.  4,  5,  IG;  xvii.  25;  Xii.  3. 

And  it  is  yet  further  evident, 

1 .  Because  election  is  an  act  of  grace ;  '  There 
is  a  remnant  according  to  the  election  of  grace.' 
Ro.  xi.  5.  Which  act  of  grace  saw  no  way  so  fit  to 
discover  its  purity  and  independency,  as  by  fasten- 
ing on  the  object  before  it  came  into  the  world ; 
that  being  the  state  in  which  at  least  no  good  were 
done,  either  to  procure  good  from  God,  or  to  eclipse 
and  darken  this  precious  act  of  grace.  For  though- 
it  is  true  that  no  good  thing  that  we  have  done 
before  conversion,  can  obtain  the  grace  of  election; 
yet  the  grace  of  election  then  appeareth  most,  when 
it  prevents  t  our  doing  good,  that  we  might  be  loved  i 
therefore :  wherefore  he  saith  again,  '  That  the 
purpose  of  God  according  to  election  might  stand, 
not  of  works,  but  of  him  that  calleth ;  it  vras  said 
unto  her.  The  elder  shall  serve  the  younger. '  Ro.  k. 
11, 12. 

2.  This  is  most  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  the , 
promise  of  giving  seed  to  Abraham;  which  promise, , 
as  it  was  made  before  the  child  was  conceived,  so 
it  was  fulfilled  at  the  best  time,  for  the  chscovery. 
of  the  act  of  grace,  that  could  have  been  pitched 


t  '  Prevents  our  doing  good.'  Few  words  in  the  English, 
language  have  more  altered  in  their  meaning  than  'prevent;* 
it  is  derived  from  'prscveuio,'  to  go  before.  In  Bunyan's  time, 
it  meant  'to  go  before,'  'clear  the  way,'  'make  the  way  easy' 
for  om"  doing  good.  Its  present  meaning  is  'to  obstruct,'  by 
going  or  standing  before  us. — Ed. 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


339 


upon:  At  this  time  will  I  come  (saitli  God)  '  and 
Savali  shall  have  a  son;'  Ge.  xviii.  14.  which  promise, 
because  it  carried  in  its  bowels  the  very  grace  of 
electing  love,  therefore  it  left  out  Ishmael,  with  the 
children  of  Keturah :  '  For  in  Isaac  shall  thy  seed 
be  called.'  Uo.  iv.  16— 19;  iv. 7. 

3.  This  was  the  best  and  fittest  way  for  the  de- 
crees to  receive  sound  bottom,  even  for  God  both 
to  choose  and  refuse,  before  the  creature  had  done 
good  or  evil,  and  so  before  they  came  into  the 
world:  'That  the  purpose  of  God  according  to 
election  might  stand, '  saith  he,  therefore  before  the 
cJdldren  were  yet  born,  or  had  done  any  good  or 
evil,  it  was  said  unto  her,  &,c.  God's  decree  would 
for  ever  want  foundation,  should  it  depend  at  all 
upon  the  goodness  and  holiness  either  of  men  or 
angels ;  especially  if  it  were  to  stand  upon  that 
good  that  is  wrought  before  conversion,  yea,  or 
after  conversion  either.  We  find,  by  daily  experi- 
ence, how  hard  and  difiicult  it  is,  for  even  the 
holiest  in  the  world,  to  bear  up  and  maintain  their 
faith  and  love  to  God ;  yea,  so  hard,  as  not  at  all 
to  do  it  without  continual  supplies  from  heaven. 
How  then  is  it  possible  for  any  so  to  carry  it  before 
God,  as  to  lay,  by  this  his  holiness,  a  foundation 
for  election,  as  to  maintaui  that  foundation,  and 
thereby  to  procure  aU  those  graces  that  infallibly 
saveth  the  sinner?  But  now  the  choice,  I  say, 
being  a  choice  of  grace,  as  is  manifest,  it  being 
acted  before  the  creature's  birth ;  here  grace  hath 
laid  the  comer-stone,  and  determined  the  means 
to  bring  the  work  to  perfection.  Thus  *  the  foun- 
dation of  God  standeth  sure,  having  this  seal,  The 
Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his.'  2Ti. ii.19.  That 
is,  who  he  hath  chosen,  having  excluded  works, 
both  good  and  bad,  and  founded  all  in  an  unchange- 
able act  of  grace ;  the  negative  whereof,  is  this 
harmless  reprobation. 

Second,  But  secondly.  To  step  a  little  backward, 
and  so  to  make  all  sure:  This  act  of  reprobation 
was  before  the  world  began ;  which  therefore  must 
needs  confirm  that  which  was  said  but  now,  that 
they  were,  before  they  were  born,  both  destinated 
before  they  had  done  good  or  evil.  This  is  manifest 
by  that  of  Paul  to  the  Ephcsians,  at  the  beginning 
of  his  epistle;  where,  speaking  of  Election,  whose 
negative  is  reprobation,  he  saith,  '  God  hath  chosen 
us  in  Christ  before  the  foimdation  of  the  world.' 
Isay  further,  if  you  please,  consider,  that  as  Christ 
was  ordained  to  suffer  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world,  and  as  we  that  are  elected  were  chosen  in 
him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world ;  so  it  was 
also  ordained  we  should  know  him,  before  the 
foimdation  of  the  world  ;  ordained  that  we  slxould 
be  holy  before  hun  in  love,  before  the  foundation 
of  the  world ;  and  that  we  in  time  should  be  cre- 
ated in  him  to  good  works,  and  ordained  before 
that  we  should  walk  in  them.     Wherefore  repro- 


bation also,  it  being  the  negative  of  electing  Icve ; 
that  is,  because  God  elected  but  some,  therefore  he 
left  the  rest :  these  rest  therefore  must  needs  be 
of  as  ancient  standing  mider  reprobation,  as  the 
chosen  are  under  election ;  both  which,  it  is  also 
evident,  vras  before  the  world  began.  Which  servetb 
yet  further  to  prove  that  reprobation  could  not  be 
with  respect  to  this  or  the  other  sin,  it  being  only 
a  leaving  them,  and  that  before  the  world,  out  of 
that  free  choice  which  he  was  pleased  to  bless  the 
other  with.  Even  as  the  clay  with  which  the  dis- 
honourable vessel  is  made,  did  not  provoke  the 
potter,  for  the  sake  of  this  or  that  impediment,  ther'e- 
fore  to  make  it  so  ;  but  the  potter  of  his  own  v/ill, 
of  the  clay  of  the  same  lump,  of  the  clay  that  is  full 
as  good  as  that  of  which  he  hath  made  the  vessel  to 
honour,  did  make  this  and  the  other  a  vessel  of  dis- 
honour,   &C.    1  Pe.  i.  20,  21.  1  Co.  ii.  7.  Ep.  i.  3,  4;  ii.  10.* 

CHAP.  IV. 

0/  the  causes  of  FieprolcIiGii. 

Having  thus  in  a  word  or  two  shewed  the  anti- 
quity of  Reprobation,  I  now  come  in  this  place  to 
shew  you  the  cause  thereof;  for  doubtless  this  must 
stand  a  truth.  That  v.'hatever  God  doth,  there  is 
suiEcient  ground  therefore,  whether  by  us  appre- 
hended, or  else  without  our  reach. 

Mrst  then,  It  is  caused  from  the  very  nature  of 
God.  There  are  two  things  in  God,  from  which, 
or  by  the  virtue  of  which,  all  things  have  their  rise, 
to  wit,  the  eternity  of  God  in  general,  and  the 
eternal  perfection  of  every  one  of  his  attributes  in 
particular:  for  as  by  the  first,  he  must  needs  be 
before  all  things ;  so  by  virtue  of  the  second,  must 
all  things  consist.  And  as  he  is  before  all  things, 
they  having  consistence  by  him ;  so  also  is  he  be- 
fore aU  states,  or  their  causes,  be  they  either  good 
or  bad,  of  continuance  or  otherwise,  he  being  the 
first  without  beginning,  tkc,  whereas  all  other 
things,  with  their  causes,  have  rise,  dependance, 
or  toleration  of  being  from  him.  Coi.  i.  17. 

Hence  it  follows,  that  nothing,  either  person  or 
cause,  (fee,  can  by  any  means  have  a  being,  but 
first  he  knows  thereof,  allows  thereof,  and  decrees 
it  shall  be  so.  '  Who  is  he  that  saith,  and  it  coni- 
eth  to  pass,  when  the  Lord  commandetli  it  not?' 
La.  iii.  S7.  Now  then,  because  that  reprobation,  as 
well  as  election,  are  subordinate  to  God ;  his  will 
also,  which  is  eternally  perfect,  being  most  imme- 

*  They  \ylio  diligently  attend  to  tlie  scriptm-es,  will  find 
tliroughout  tlie  whole  a  vein  of  election  and  reprobation.  The 
holy  seed  may  be  traced  in  many  instances,  and  in  divers  fami- 
lies, in  the  Bible,  from  Adam  to  the  birth  of  our  Saviom",  whose 
ancestors,  according  to  the  flesh,  were  of  the  line  of  election  or 
the  godly:  which  those  who  are  only  bom  after  the  flesh,  and 
not  after  the  Spirit,  namely,  the  reprobate,  have  always  despised 
and  persecuted,  and  will  do  so  to  the  end  of  time. — Mason 
and  Ri/land. 


uo 


r^EPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


diately  liereiu  concerned ;  it  was  impossible  that 
nny  should  be  reprobate,  before  God  had  both  willed 
and  decreed  it  should  be  so.  It  is  not  the  being 
of  a  thing  that  administers  matter  of  knowledge  or 
foresight  thereof  to  God,  but  the  perfection  of  his 
knowledge,  wisdom,  and  power,  (fee,  that  giveth 
the  thing  its  being :  God  did  not  fore-decree  there 
should  be  a  world,  because  he  foresaw  there  would 
be  one ;  but  there  must  be  one,  because  he  had 
before  decreed  there  should  be  one.  The  same  is 
true  as  touching  the  case  in  hand:  '  For  this  cause 
[very  purpose]  have  I  raised  thee  up,  for  to  shew 
in  thee  my  power. '  Ex.  k.  ic.  Eo.  ix.  17. 

Second,  A  second  cause  of  eternal  reprobation, 
is  the  exercise  of  God's  sovereignty;  for  if  this  is 
true,  that  there  is  nothing  either  visible  or  invisible, 
whether  in  heaven  or  earth,  but  hath  its  being  from 
him :  then  it  must  most  reasonably  follow,  that  he 
is  therefore  sovereign  Lord,  &c.,  and  may  also  ac- 
cording to  his  own  will,  as  he  pleaseth  himself,  both 
exercise  and  manifest  the  same ;  being  every  whit 
absolute ;  and  can  do  and  may  do  whatsoever  his 
soul  desireth :  and  indeed,  good  reason,  for  he  hath 
not  only  made  them  all,  but  'for  his  pleasure  they 
both  were  and  are  created. '  Re.  iv.  11. 

Now  the  very  exercise  of  this  sovereignty  pro- 
duceth  reprobation :  '  Therefore  hath  he  mercy  on 
whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he  har- 
deneth.'  Ko.  ix.  18.  '  Hath  not  the  potter  power  over 
the  clay,  of  the  same  lump?'  And  doth  he  not 
make  his  pots  according  to  his  pleasure?  Here 
therefore  the  mercy,  justice,  wisdom  and  power  of 
God,  take  liberty  to  do  what  they  will ;  saying, 
'  My  counsel  shall  stand,  and  I  will  do  all  my  plea- 
sure. '  Is.  xlvi.  10.  Job  xxiii.  13.  Da.  iv.  35.  Is.  xliii.  13. 

Third,  Another  cause  of  eternal  reprobation,  is 
the  act  and  working  of  distinguishing  love,  and 
everlasting  grace.  God  hath  universal  love,  and 
particular  love ;  general  love,  and  distinguishing 
love  ;  and  so  accordingly  doth  decree,  purpose,  and 
determine:  from  general  love,  the  extension  of 
general  grace  and  mercy :  but  from  that  love  that 
is  distinguishing,  peculiar  grace  and  mercy:  '  Was 
not  Esau  Jacob's  brother?'  salth  the  Lord,  'yet  I 
loved  Jacob. '  Mai.  i.  3.  Yet  I  loved  Jacob,  that  is, 
with  a  better  love,  or  a  love  that  is  more  distinguish- 
ing. As  he  further  makes  appear  in  his  answer  to 
our  father  Abraham,  Avhen  he  prayed  to  God  for 
Ishmael:  'As  for  Lshmael,  (salth  he,)  I  have  heard 
thee  :  Behold,  I  have  blessed  him,  and  will  make 
him  fruitful.  But  my  covenant  will  I  establish  with 
Isaac,  Avhich  Sarah  shall  bear  unto  thee. '  Gc.  xvii.  20, 
21.  Touching  which  words,  there  are  these  things 
observable. 

1.  That  God  had  better  love  for  Isaac,  than  he 
had  for  his  brother  Ishmael.     Yet, 

2.  Not  because  Isaac  had  done  more  worthy  and 
goodly  deeds,  for  Isaac  was  yet  uuborn. 


3.  This  choice  blessing  could  not  be  denied  to 
Ishmael,  because  he  had  disinherited  himself  by 
sin ;  for  this  blessing  was  entailed  to  Isaac,  before 
Ishmael  had  a  being  also.  Ro.  iv.  ic— 19.  6e.  xv.  4, 5;  xvi. 

4.  These  things  therefore  must  needs  fall  out 
through  the  working  of  distinguishing  love  and 
mercy,  which  had  so  cast  the  business,  '  that  the 
purpose  of  God  according  to  election  might  stand. ' 

Further,  Should  not  God  decree  to  shew  distin- 
guishing love  and  mercy,  as  well  as  that  which  is 
general  and  common,  he  must  not  discover  his  best 
love  at  all  to  the  sons  of  men.  Again,  if  he  should 
reveal  and  extend  his  best  love  to  all  the  world  In 
general,  then  there  would  not  be  such  a  thing  as 
love  that  doth  distinguish ;  for  distinguishing  lovo 
appeareth  in  separating  between  Isaac  and  Ishmael, 
Jacob  and  Esau,  the  many  called,  and  the  few 
chosen.  Thus  by  virtue  of  distinguishing  love, 
some  must  be  reprobate:  for  distinguishing  love 
must  leave  some,  both  of  the  angels  in  heaven, 
and  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth ;  wherefore  the 
decree  also  that  doth  establish  it,  must  needs  leave 
some. 

Fourth,  Another  cause  of  reprobation.  Is  God's 
Avillingness  to  shew  his  wrath,  and  to  make  his 
power  known.  This  is  one  of  those  arguments 
that  the  holy  apostle  setteth  against  the  most 
knotty  and  strong  objection  that  ever  was  framed 
against  the  doctrine  of  eternal  reprobation :  '  Thou 
wilt  say  then  unto  me,  (salth  he,)  Why  doth  he 
yet  find  fault?'  For  if  it  be  his  avIII  that  some 
should  be  rejected,  hardened,  and  perish,  why  then 
is  he  offended  that  any  sin  against  him  ;  '  for  who 
hath  resisted  his  will  ? '  Hold,  salth  the  apostle  ; 
stay  a  little  here ;  first  remember  this,  Is  it  meet 
to  say  xmto  God,  What  doest  thou?  'Shall  the 
thing  formed  say  to  him  that  formed  it,  Why  hast 
thou  made  me  thus?  Hath  not  the  potter  power 
over  the  clay,  of  the  same  lump,'  &c.  Besides, 
when  you  have  thought  your  worst,  to  wit,  that 
the  effects  of  reprobation  must  needs  be  consum- 
mate in  the  eternal  perdition  of  tlie  creature ;  yet 
again  consider,  '  What  if  God,  Avilling  to  shew  his 
Avrath,'  as  v/ell  as  grace  and  mercy?  And  what 
if  he,  that  he  may  so  do,  exclude  some  from  having 
share  in  that  grace  that  would  infallibly,  against 
all  resistance,  bring  us  safe  unto  eternal  life  ?  What 
then?  Is  he  therefore  the  author  of  your  perish- 
ing, or  his  eternal  reprobation  either?  Do  you  not 
know  that  he  may  refuse  to  elect  who  he  will,  with- 
out abusing  of  them  ?  Also  that  he  may  deny  to 
give  them  that  grace  that  would  preserve  them 
from  sin,  without  being  guilty  of  their  damnation  ? 
May  he  not,  to  shew  his  wrath,  suffer  '  with  much 
lona;-sufferin<x'  all  that  are  'the  vessels  of  wrath,' 
by  their  own  voluntary  will,  to  fit  themselves  for 
wrath  and  for  destruction  ?  Ro.  ix.  19—22.  Yea,  might 
he  not  even  in  the  act  of  reprobation,  conclude  also 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


3-n 


to  suffer  them  tlius  left,  to  fall  from  the  state  he 
left  them  in,  that  is,  as  they  ■were  considered  up- 
right ;  and  when  fallen,  to  hind  them  fast  in  chains 
of  darkness  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great  day, 
but  he  must  needs  he  charged  foolishly?  You 
shall  see  in  that  day  what  a  harmony  and  what  a 
glory  there  will  he  found  in  all  God's  judgments 
in  the  overthrow  of  the  sinner ;  also  how  clear  the 
Lord  will  shew  himself  of  having  any  working  hand 
in  that  which  causeth  eternal  ruin ;  notwithstand- 
ing he  hath  reprohated  such,  doth  suffer  them  to 
sin,  and  that  too,  that  he  might  shew  his  wrath  on 
the  vessels  of  his  wrath ;  the  which  I  also,  after 
this  next  chapter,  shall  further  clear  up  to  you. 
As  '  the  Lord  knoweth  how  to  deliver  the  godly 
out  of  temptations,'  without  approving  of  their  mis- 
carriages ;  so  he  also  knoweth  how  '  to  reserve  the 
imjust  mito  the  day  of  judgment  to  he  punished : ' 
2Pe.  ii.  9.  yet  never  to  deserve  the  least  of  blame  for 
his  so  reserving  of  them ;  though  none  herein  can 
see  his  way,  for  he  alone  knows  how  to  do  it.* 

CHAP.  V. 
Of  the  UncIicmjeaUeness  of  Eternal  Reprobation. 

Many  opinions  have  passed  through  the  hearts 
of  the  sons  of  men  concerning  reprobation ;  most 
of  them  endeavouring  so  to  hold  it  forth,  as  there- 
with they  might,  if  not  heal  their  conscience 
slightly,  yet  maintain  their  own  opinion,  in  their 
judgment,  of  other  things  ;  still  wringing,  now  the 
word  this  way,  and  anon  again  that,  for  their  pur- 
pose ;  also  framing  within  their  soid  such  an  ima- 
gination of  God  and  his  acts  in  eternity,  ars  woidd 
suit  with  such  opinions,  and  so  present  all  to  the 
world.  And  the  rather  they  have  with  greatest 
labour  strained  unweariedly  at  this  above  many 
other  truths,  because  of  the  grim  and  dreadfid 
face  it  carrieth  in  most  men's  apprehensions.  But 
none  of  these  things,  however  they  may  please  the 
creature,  can  by  any  means  in  any  measure,  either 
cause  God  to  undo,  unsay,  or  undetermine  what 
he  hath  concerning  this,  decreed  and  established. 

First,  Because  they  suit  not  with  his  nature, 
especially  in  these  foundation-acts :  *  The  founda- 
tion of  God  standeth  sure,'  2Ti.  u.  19.  even  touchino- 
reprobation,  '  that  the  purpose  of  God  according 
to  election  might  stand. '  Ro.  k.  11.  *  I  knoAv  (saith 
Solomon)  that  whatsoever  God  doeth,  it  shall  be 

*  It  is  of  God's  mere  mercy  and  grace  that  any  sinners  are 
called  and  admitted  to  the  privilege  of  justification  and  adop- 
tion, npon  God's  o^vii  terms.  The  reason  why  the  sinful  and 
unworthy  heathen  (of  whom  Britain  is  a  part)  were  called  to 
he  a  people,  who  were  not  a  people,  while  the  Jews  were  left 
out  and  cast  off  for  their  obstinate  unhelief,  was  not  because 
the  Gentiles  were  either  more  worthy  or  more  willing  (for  they 
were  all  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins),  but  from  God's  discrimi- 
nating grace  and  mercy. — 3Tasoii  and  B///aiid. 


for  ever :  nothmg  can  be  put  to  it,  nor  any  thing 
taken  from  it, '  to.  Ec.  a.  u.  «  Hath  he  said,  and 
shall  he  not  do  it  ?  Hath  he  spoken,  and  shall  he 
not  make  it  good?'  Ku.  sxiM.  19.  His  decrees  are 
composed  according  to  his  eternal  wisdom,  esta- 
blished upon  his  unchangeable  will,  governed  by 
his  knowledge,  prudence,  power,  justice,  and 
mercy,  and  are  brought  to  conclusion,  on  his  part, 
in  perfect  holiness,  through  the  abiding  of  his  most 
blessed  truth  and  faithfulness :  '  He  is  the  rock, 
his  work  is  perfect :  for  all  his  ways  are  judgment: 
a  God  of  truth  and  without  inic[uity,  just  and  right 

is  he.'  De.  xxxii. -1. 

Second,  This  decree  is  made  sure  by  the  number, 
measure,  and  bounds  of  election  ;  for  election  and 
reprobation  do  inclose  all  reasonable  creatures ; 
that  is,  either  the  one  or  the  other ;  election,  those 
that  are  set  apart  for  glory;  and  reprobation,  those 
left  out  of  this  choice. 

Now  as  touching  the  elect,  they  are  by  this  de- 
cree confined  to  that  limited  number  of  persons 
that  must  amount  to  the  complete  making  up  the 
fidness  of  the  mystical  body  of  Christ;  yea  so  con- 
fined by  this  eternal  purpose,  that  nothing  can  be 
diminished  from  or  added  thereunto:  and  hence 
it  is  that  they  are  called  his  body  and  members  in 
particular,  '  the  fulness  of  him  that  filleth  all  in 
all.'  Ep.  i.  23.  and  '  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the 
fidness  of  Christ.'  Ep.  iv.  13.  Which  body,  considering 
him  as  the  head  thereof,  in  conclusion  maketh  up 
one  perfect  man,  and  holy  temple  for  the  Lord. 
These  are  called  Christ's  substance,  inheritance 
and  lot ;  Ps.  xvi.  and  are  said  to  be  booked,  marked, 
and  sealed  with  God's  most  excellent  knowledge, 
approbation  and  liking.  2  Ti.  a.  19.  As  Christ  said 
to  his  Father,  *  Thine  eyes  did  see  my  substance, 
yet  being  unperfect ;  and  in  thy  book  all  ?«?/ 
memhers  were  written,  v:hich  in  continuance  were 
fashioned,  Avhen  as  yet  there  loas  none  of  them.' 
Ps.  cxxxix.  16.  This  being  thus,  I  say,  it  is  in  the 
first  jilace  impossible  that  any  of  those  members 
should  miscarry,  for  '  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  io 
the  charge  of  God's  elect  ?'  Ro.  viii.  33.  and  because 
they  are  as  to  number  every  way  sufficient,  being 
his  body,  and  so  by  their  completing  to  be  made 
a  perfect  man :  therefore  aU  others  are  rejected, 
that  the  '  purpose  of  God  according  to  election 
might  stand. '  Ro.  k.  11.  Besides,  it  would  not  only 
argue  weakness  in  the  decree,  but  monstrousness 
in  the  body,  if  after  this,  any  appointed  should 
miscarr}',  or  any  besides  them  be  added  to  them. 

Mat.  xxiv.  24. 

Tliird,  Nay  further,  that  all  may  see  how  punc- 
tual, exact,  and  to  a  tittle  this  decree  of  election 
is,  God  hath  not  only  as  to  number  and  quantity 
confined  the  persons,  but  also  determined  and 
measured,  and  that  before  the  world,  the  number 
of  the  c'ifts  and  ffraces  that  are  to  be  bestovred  on 


343 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


these  members  in  general ;  and  also  what  graces 
and  gifts  to  be  bestowed  on  this  or  that  member 
in  particular :  He  '  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiri- 
tual blessings  -  in  Christ,  according  as  he  hath 
chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the 
word ;'  Ep.  i.  3,  i.  And  bestoweth  them  in  time  upon 
us,  '  According  to  the  eternal  purpose  which  he 
purposed  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord:'  Ep.  m.  ii.  He 
hath  given  to  the  eye,  the  grace  that  helongeth  to 
the  eye ;  and  to  the  hand  that  which  he  also  hath 
appointed  for  it.  And  so  to  every  other  member 
of  the  body  elect,  he  doth  deal  out  to  them  their 
determined  measure  of  grace  and  gifts  most  fit  for 
their  place  and  office.  Thus  is  the  decree  esta- 
blished, both  of  the  saved,  and  also  the  non-elect. 

TvO.  xii.  3.  Ep.  iv.  16.  Col.  ii.  19.  Ep.  iv.  13, 13. 

Fourth,  But  again,  another  thing  that  doth  esta- 
blish this  decree  of  eternal  reprobation,  is  the 
weakness  that  sin,  in  the  fall,  and  since,  hath 
brought  all  reprobates  into :  For  though  it  be  most 
true,  that  sin  is  no  cause  of  eternal  reprobation ; 
yet  seeing  sin  hath  seized  on  the  reprobate,  it  can- 
not be  but  thereby  the  decree  must  needs  be  the 
faster  fixed.  If  the  king,  for  this  or  the  other 
weighty  reason,  doth  decree  not  to  give  this  or  that 
man,  who  yet  did  never  offend  him,  a  place  in  his 
privy  chamber ;  if  this  man  after  this  shall  be  in- 
fected with  the  plague,  this  rather  fastens  than 
loosens  the  king's  decree.  As  the  angels  that 
were  left  out  of  God's  election,  by  reason  of  the 
sin  they  committed  after,  are  so  far  off  from  being 
by  that  received  into  God's  decree,  that  they  are 
therefore  bound  for  it  in  chains  of  everlasting 
darkness  to  the  judgment  of  the  great  day. 

CHAP.  VI. 

V/hdher  to  he  reproLaied  he  the  same  with  heing 
a2->pointed  bcfore-liand  unto  eternal  condemnation? 
If  not,  hoio  do  they  differ  ?  Also  ivhether  repro- 
bation be  the  cause  of  condemnation  ? 

It  hath  been  the  custom  of  ignorant  men  much 
to  quarrel  at  eternal  reprobation,  concluding,  for 
want  of  knowledge  in  the  mystery  of  God's  will, 
that  if  he  reprobate  any  from  eternity,  he  had  as 
good  have  said,  I  will  make  this  man  to  damn  him; 
I  will  decree  this  man,  without  any  consideration,  to 
the  everlasting  pains  of  hell.  When  in  very  deed,  for 
God  to  reprobate,  and  to  appoint  before-hand  to  eter- 
nal condemnation,  are  two  distinct  things,  properly 
relating  to  two  distinct  attributes,  arising  from  two 
distinct  causes. 

First,  They  are  two  distinct  things :  Reproba- 
tion, a  simple  leaving  of  the  creature  out  of  the 
bounds  of  God's  election;  but  to  appoint  to  con- 
demnation is  to  bind  them  over  to  everlasting  pun- 
ishment. Now  there  is  a  great  difference  betv^-een 
my  refusing  to  make  of  such  a  tree  a  pillar  in  my 


house,  and  of  condemning  it  unto  the  fire  to  be 
burned. 

Second,  As  to  the  attributes;  reprobation  re- 
spects God's  sovereignty;  but  to  appoint  to  con- 
demnation, his  justice.  Ro.  is.  is.  Ge.  xviii.  25. 

Tliird,  As  to  the  causes ;  sovereignty  being  ac- 
cording to  the  Avill  of  God,  but  justice  according 
to  the  sin  of  man.  For  God,  though  he  be  the 
only  sovereign  Lord,  and  that  to  the  height  of  per- 
fection ;  yet  he  appointeth  no  man  to  the  pains  of 
everlasting  fire,  merely  from  sovereignty,  but  by 
the  rule  of  justice:  God  damneth  not  the  man  be- 
cause he  is  a  man,  but  a  sinner ;  and  fore-appoints 
him  to  that  place  and  state,  by  fore-seeing  of  him 
wicked.  Eo.  i.  is,  19.  Col.  iii.  G. 

Again,  As  reprobation  is  not  the  same  with 
fore-appointing  to  eternal  condemnation;  so  neither 
is  it  the  cause  thereof. 

If  it  be  the  cause,  then  it  must  either,  1.  Leave 
him  infirm.  Or,  2.  Infuse  sin  into  him.  Or,  3. 
Take  from  him  something  that  otherwise  would 
keep  him  upright.  4.  Or  both  license  Satan  to 
tempt,  and  the  reprobate  to  close  in  with  tho 
temptation.  But  it  doth  none  of  these ;  therefore 
it  is  not  tho  cause  of  the  condemnation  of  the 
creature. 

That  it  is  not  the  cause  of  sin,  it  is  evident, 

1.  Because  the  elect  are  as  much  involved 
therein,  as  those  that  are  passed  by. 

2.  It  leavetb  him  not  infirm ;  for  he  is  by  an 
after-act,  to  wit,  of  creation,  formed  perfectly  up- 
right. 

3.  That  reprobation  infuseth  no  sin,  appearetk, 
because  it  is  the  act  of  God. 

4.  That  it  taketh  nothing,  that  good  is,  from 
him,  is  also  manifest,  it  being  only  a  leaving  of  him. 

5.  And  that  it  is  not  by  this  act  that  Satan  is 
permitted  to  tempt,  or  the  reprobate  to  sin,  is 
manifest ;  because  as  Christ  was  tempted,  so  the 
elect  fall  as  much  into  the  temptation,  at  least 
many  of  them,  as  many  of  those  that  are  repro- 
bate :  whereas  if  these  things  came  by  reprobation, 
then  the  reprobate  would  be  only  concerned  therein. 
All  which  will  be  further  handled  in  these  questions 
yet  behind. 

Object.  From  what  hath  been  said,  there  is  con- 
cluded this  at  least.  That  God  hath  infallibly 
determined,  and  that  before  the  world,  the  infallible 
damnation  of  some  of  his  creatures:  for  if  God 
hath  before  the  Avorld  [was  made]  bound  some 
over  to  eternal  punishment,  and  that  as  you  say, 
for  sin ;  then  this  determination  must  either  be 
fallible  or  infallible ;  not  fallible,  for  then  your 
other  position  of  the  certainty  of  the  number  of 
God's  elect,  is  shaken ;  unless  you  hold  that  there 
may  be  a  number  that  shall  neither  go  to  heaven 
nor  hell.  Well  then,  if  God  hath  indeed  deter- 
mined, fore-determined,  that  some  must  infallibly 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


343 


perisli ;  doth  not  this  his  determination  lay  a 
ne:es3ity  on  the  reprobate  to  sin,  that  he  may  be 
damned;  for,  no  sin,  no  damnation;  that  is  yom- 
o'^vn  argument. 

Atis.  That  God  hath  ordained,  (JuJe  4.)  the  dam- 
nation of  some  of  his  creatm-es,  it  is  evident ;  but 
whether  this  his  determination  be  positive  and 
absolute,  there  is  the  question:  for  the  better 
understanding  whereof,  I  shall  open  unto  you  the 
variety  of  God's  determinations,  and  their  natm'e, 
as  also  rise. 

The  detenninations  of  God  touching  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  creature,  they  are  either  ordinary  or 
extraordinary:  those  I  count  ordinary  that  were 
commonly  pronounced  by  the  prophets  and  apostles, 
(tc,  in  their  ordinary  way  of  preaching;  to  the 
end  men  might  be  affected  with  the  love  of  their 
own  salvation :  now  these  cither  bound  or  loosed, 
but  as  the  condition  or  qualification  was  answered 
by  the  creature  under  sentence,  and  no  otherwise. 

1  Sa.  xii.  25.  Is.  i.  20.  Mat.  .wiii.  3.  Lu.  xiii.  1,  2,  3.  Ko.  ii.  8,  9 ;  viii. 
13;  xi.  23.  lCo.vi.  9— 11. 

Again,  These  extraordinary,  though  they  j'espect 
the  same  conditions,  yet  they  are  not  grounded 
immediately  upon  them,  but  upon  the  infallible 
fore-knowledge  and  fore-sight  of  God,  and  are 
thus  distinguished.  First  the  ordinary  determina- 
tion, it  stands  but  at  best  upon  a  supposition  that 
the  creature  may  continue  in  sin,  and  admits  of  a 
possibdity  that  it  may  not ;  but  the  extraordinary 
stands  upon  an  infallible  fore-sight  that  the  crea- 
ture will  continue  in  sin ;  wherefore  this  must 
needs  be  positive,  and  as  infallible  as  God  hunself. 

Again,  These  two  determinations  are  also  dis- 
tinguished thus :  the  ordinary  is  applicable  to  the 
elect  as  well  as  to  the  reprobate,  but  the  otlier  to 
the  reprobate  only.  It  is  proper  to  say  even  to 
the  elect  themselves,  *  He  that  believeth  shall  be 
saved,  and  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned ;' 
but  not  to  say  to  them.  These  are  appointed  to 
UTTER  destruction,  or  that  they  shall  utterly  perish 
in  their  o^wn  corruptions  ;  or  that  for  them  is 
reserved  the  blackness  of  darkness  for  ever,  i  Ki.  sx. 

42.  3  Pe.  ii.  12.  Jude  13. 

So  then,  though  God  by  these  determinations 
doth  not  lay  some  mider  irrecoverable  condemna- 
tion, yet  by  one  of  them  he  doth ;  as  is  further 
made  out  thus : 

1.  God  most  perfectly  foresceth  the  final  Im- 
penitency  of  those  that  so  die,  from  the  beginning 
to  the  end  of  the  world.  Pr.  xv.  ii.  Ps.  cx.-;.\ix.  2.  is.  .xivi.io. 

2.  Now  from  this  infallible  foresight,  it  is  most 
easy  and  rational  to  conclude,  and  that  positively, 
the  infallible  overthrow  of  every  such  creature. 
Did  I  infallibly  foresee  that  this  or  that  man  would 
cut  out  his  heart  in  the  morning,  I  might  infallibly 
determine  his  death  before  night. 

Chjcct.  But  still  the  question  is,  ^^Hicther  God 


'  by  this  his  determination  doth  not  lay  a  necessity 
on  the  creature  to  sin  ?     For,  no  sin.  no  condem- 
nation :  this  is  true  by  your  own  assertion. 
Alls.  No,  by  no  means :  for, 

1.  Though  it  be  true,  that  sin  must  of  absolute 
necessity  go  before  the  infallible  condemnation  and 
overthrow  of  the  sinner ;  and  that  it  must  also  be 
pre-considered  by  God;  yet  it  needs  not  lay  a 
necessity  upon  him  to  sin :  for  let  him  but  alone 
to  do  what  he  will,  and  the  determination  cannot 
be  more  infalHble  than  the  sin,  which  is  the  cause 
of  its  execution. 

2.  As  it  needs  not,  so  it  doth  not:  for  this 
positive  determination  is  not  groimded  upon  what 
God  will  effect,  but  on  what  the  creatm-e  will ;  and 
that  not  through  the  instigation  of  God,  but  the 
instigation  of  the  devd.  What?  might  not  I,  if  I 
most  undoubtedly  foresaw  that  such  a  tree  in  my 
garden  would  only  cumber  the  ground,  notwith- 
standing reasonable  means,  might  not  I,  I  say, 
from  hence  determine,  seven  years  before,  to  cut 
it  down,  and  bui'n  it  in  the  fire,  but  I  must,  by  so 
determinmg,  necessitate  this  tree  to  be  fruitless  ? 
the  case  in  hand  is  the  very  same.  God  there- 
fore may  most  positively  determine  the  infallible 
damnation  of  his  creature,  and  yet  not  at  all  neces- 
sitate the  creatui-e  to  sin,  that  he  might  be  damned. 

Object.  But  how  is  this  simihtude  pertinent  ? 
For  God  did  not  only  foresee  sin  woidd  be  the 
destruction  of  the  creature,  but  let  it  come  into 
the  world,  and  so  destroy  the  creature.  If  you, 
as  you  foresee  the  fruitlessness  of  your  tree,  should 
withal  see  that  which  makes  it  so,  and  that  too 
before  it  makes  it  so,  and  yet  let  the  impediment 
come  and  make  it  so  ;  are  not  you  now  the  cause 
of  the  unfruitfulness  of  that  tree  which  you  have 
before  condemned  to  the  fire  to  be  bm-ued?  for 
God  might  have  chose  whether  he  would  have  let 
Adam  sin,  and  so  sin  to  have  got  into  the  world 
by  him. 

Ans.  Similitudes  never  answer  every  way;  if 
they  be  pertinent  to  that  for  which  they  are  in- 
tended, it  is  enough;  and  to  that  it  answereth 
well,  being  brought  to  prove  no  more  but  the 
natural  consequence  of  a  true  and  infallible  fore- 
sight. And  now  as  to  what  is  objected  farther, 
as  that  God  might  have  chose  whether  sin  should 
have  come  into  the  world  by  Adam,  to  the  destruc- 
tion of  so  many :  to  that  I  shall  answer, 

1.  That  sin  could  not  have  come  mto  the  world 
without  God's  permission,  it  is  evident,  both  from 
the  perfection  of  his  foresight  and  power. 

2.  Therefore  all  the  means,  motives,  and  in- 
ducements thereunto,  must  also  by  him  be  not 
only  foreseen,  but  permitted. 

3.  Yet  so,  that  God  will  have  the  timing,  pro- 
ceeding, bounding,  and  ordering  thereof,  at  his 
disposal:  '  Surely  the  wrath  of  mau  shall  praise 


344 


REPROBATION  ASSEPtTED. 


thee,    ar.d   the   remaiiider   of    Avratli   slialt   tliou 

restrain. '  Ps.  Ixxvi.lO.  l  Ki.xxii.  20—23.  Jn.  viii.  20.  Lu.  xxii.  51, 53. 

4.  Therefore  it  must  needs  come  into  the  Avorld, 
not  without,  hut  by  the  knowledge  of  God;  not  in 
despite  of  him,  hut  by  his  suffering  of  it. 

Object.  But  how  then  is  he  clear  from  having  a 
hand  in  the  death  of  him  that  perisheth  ? 

Ans.  Nothing  is  more  sure  than  that  God  could 
have  kept  sin  out  of  the  world,  if  it  had  been  his 
will ;  and  this  is  also  as  true,  that  it  never  came 
into  the  world  with  his  liking  and  compliance ;  and 
for  this,  you  must  consider  that  sin  came  into  the 
world  by  two  steps : 

1.  By  being  offered.     2.  By  prevailing. 

Touching  the  first  of  these,  God  without  the 
least  injury  to  any  creature  in  heaven  or  earth, 
might  not  only  suffer  it,  but  so  far  countenance 
the  same :  that  is,  so  far  forth  as  for  trial  only : 
as  it  is  said  of  Abraham ;  *  God  tempted  Abra- 
ham '  to  slay  his  only  son,  Ge.  xxii.  i.  and  led  Christ 
by  the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness  to  be  tempted  of 
the  devil.  Mar.i.i3.  Lu.  iv.  1.  This  is  done  without  any 
harm  at  all ;  nay,  it  rather  produceth  good ;  for 
it  tends  to  discover  sincerity,  to  exercise  faith  in, 
and  love  to  his  Creator ;  also  to  put  him  in  mind 
of  the  continual  need  he  hath  of  depending  on  his 
God  for  the  continuation  of  help  and  strength,  and 
to  provoke  to  prayers  to  God,  whenever  so  engaged. 

Tie.  viii.  1—3.  1  Pe.  i.  7.  He.  v.  7.  Mat.  xxvi.  32,  41. 

Object.  But  God  did  not  only  admit  that  sin 
should  be  oifered  for  trial,  and  there  to  stay ;  but 
did  suffer  it  to  prevail,  and  overcome  the  world. 

Ans.  Well,  this  is  granted:  but  yet  consider, 

1.  God  did  neither  suffer  it,  nor  yet  consent  it 
should,  but  under  this  consideration ;  If  Adam, 
upright  Adam,  gave  way  thereto,  by  forsaking  his 
command,  '  In  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof 
thou  shalt  surely  die.'  Ge.  ii.  17;  iii. 3.  Which  Adam 
did,  not  because  God  did  compel  him  or  persuade 
him  to  it,  but  voluntarily  of  his  own  mind,  con- 
ti-ary  to  his  God's  command:  so  then,  God  by 
suffering  sin  to  break  into  the  world,  did  it  rather 
in  judgment,  as  disliking  Adam's  act,  and  as  a 
punishment  to  man  for  listening  to  the  tempter ; 
and  as  a  discovery  of  his  anger  at  man's  disobe- 
dience; than  to  prove  that  he  is  guilty  of  the 
misery  of  his  creature. 

2.  Consider  also,  that  when  God  permitted  sin 
for  trial,  it  was,  when  offered  first,  to  them  only 
who  were  upright,  and  had  sufficient  strength  to 
resist  it. 

3.  They  were  by  God's  command  to  the  con* 
trary,  driven  to  no  strait  to  tempt  them  to  incline 

I  to  Satan :  *  Of  every  tree  of  the  garden  thou  mayest 

r-  freely  eat,'  saith  God  ;  only  let  this  alone. 

1^  4.  As  touching  the  beauty  and  goodness  that 

O.  was  in  the  object  imto  which  they  were  allured ; 

;f  What  was  it  ?  Was  it  better  than  God  ?  Yea,  was 


it  better  than  the  tree  of  life  ?  For  from  that  they 
were  not  exempted  till  after  they  had  sinned.  Did 
not  God  know  best  what  was  best  to  do  them  good  ? 

5.  Touching  him  that  persuaded  them  to  do 
this  wicked  act ;  was  his  word  more  to  be  valued 
for  truth,  more  to  be  ventured  on  for  safety,  or 
more  to  be  honoured  for  the  Avorthiness  of  him  that 
spake,  than  was  his  that  had  forbad  it  ?  The  one 
being  the  devil,  with  a  lie,  and  to  kill  them ;  the 
other  being  God,  with  his  truth,  and  to  preserve- 
them  safe. 

Quest.  But  was  not  Adam  unexpectedly  sur- 
prised ?  Had  he  notice  beforehand,  and  warning 
of  the  danger  ?  For  God  foresaw  the  business. 

Alls.  Doubtless  God  was  fair  and  faithful  to  his 
creature  in  this  thing  also ;  as  clearly  doth  appear 
from  these  considerations. 

1.  The  very  commandment  that  God  gave  him, 
fore-bespake  him  well  to  look  about  him ;  and  did 
indeed  insinuate  that  he  was  likely  to  be  tempted. 

2.  It  is  yet  more  evident,  because  God  doth 
even  tell  him  of  the  danger;  *  In  the  day  that  thou 
eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die.' 

3.  Nay  God  by  speaking  to  him  of  the  very  tree 
that  was  to  be  forborn,  telling  him  also  where  it 
stood,  that  he  might  the  better  knoAv  it ;  did  in 
effect  expressly  say  unto  him,  Adam,  if  thou  bo 
tempted,  it  will  be  about  that  tree,  and  the  fruit 
thereof :  wherefore  if  thou  findest  the  tempter 
there,  then  beware  thy  life. 

(1.)  To  conclude  then:  though  sin  did  not  come 
into  the  world  without  God's  sufferance,  yet  it  did 
without  his  liking:  God  suffered  also  Cain  to  kill 
his  brother,  and  Ishmael  to  mock  at  Isaac,  but  ho 
did  not  like  the  same.  Ge.  iv.  9— ii.  Ga.  iv.  so. 

(2.)  Therefore  though  God  was  first  in  conclud- 
ing sin  should  be  offered  to  the  world ;  yet  man 
was  the  first  that  consented  to  a  being  overcome 
thereby. 

(3.)  Then,  Though  God  did  fore-determine  that 
sin  should  enter,  yet  it  was  not  but  with  respect 
to  certain  terms  and  conditions,  which  yet  was  not 
to  be  enforced  by  virtue  of  the  determination,  but 
permitted  to  be  completed  by  the  voluntary  inclina- 
tion of  a  perfect  and  upright  man.  And  in  that 
the  determination  was  most  perfectly  infallible,  it 
was  through  the  foresight  of  the  undoubted  inclina- 
tion of  this  good  and  upright  person. 

Quest.  But  might  not  God  have  kept  Adam  from 
inclining,  if  he  would  ? 

A72S.  What  more  certain  ?     But  yet  consider, 

1.  Adam  being  now  an  upright  man,  he  was 
able  to  have  kept  himself,  had  he  but  looked  to  it 
as  he  should  and  might. 

2.  This  being  so,  if  God  had  here  stept  in,  he 
had  either  added  that  which  had  been  needless, 
and  so  had  not  ob^^^ained  thankfulness ;  or  else  had 
made  the  strength  of  Adam  useless,  yea  his  own 


KEPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


345 


TTorlimanship  in  so  creating  him,  superfluous ;  or 
else  bj  consequence  imperfect. 

(3.)  If  he  had  done  so,  he  had  taken  Adam  from 
his  duty,  which  vras  to  trust  and  heheve  his  Maker; 
he  bad  also  made  void  the  end  of  tlie  command- 
ment, which  was  to  persuade  to  watchfulness,  dili- 
gence, sobriety,  and  contentedness  ;  yea,  and  by  so 
doing  would  not  only  himself  have  tempted  Adam 
to  transgression,  even  to  lay  aside  the  exercise  of 
that  strength  that  God  had  already  given  him  ;  but 
should  have  become  the  pattern,  or  the  first  father 
to  all  looseness,  idleness,  and  neglect  of  dut}*. 
Which  would  also  not  only  have  been  an  ill  ex- 
ample to  Adam  to  continue  to  neglect  so  reasonable 
and  wholesome  duties,  but  would  have  been  to 
himself  an  argument  of  defence  to  retort  upon  his 
God,  when  he  had  come  at  anotlier  time  to  reckon 
with  him  for  his  misdemeanom's.* 

]Many  other  weighty  reasons  might  here  be  fur- 
ther added  for  God's  vindication  in  this  particular, 
but  at  this  time  let  these  suffice, 

CHAP.  YII. 

JTIidher  any  under  Eternal  Rep^obcUlon  have  just 
cause  to  quarrel  with  God  for  not  electing  of 
tliem  ? 

That  the  answer  to  this  question  may  be  to  edi- 
fication, recall  again  what  I  have  before  asserted ; 
to  wit,  That  for  a  man  to  be  left  out  of  God's  elec- 
tion, and  to  be  made  a  sinner,  is  two  things ;  and 
again,  For  a  man  to  be  not  elect,  and  to  be  con- 
demned to  hell-fire,  is  two  things  also.  Now  I  say, 
if  non-election  makes  no  man  a  sinner,  and  if  it 
appoints  no  man  to  condemnation  neither,  then 
what  ground  hath  any  reprobate  to  quarrel  with 
God  for  not  electing  of  him?  Nay,  further,  repro- 
bation considereth  him  upright,  leaveth  him  up- 
right, and  so  turneth  him  into  the  world ;  what 
wrong  doth  God  do  1dm,  though  he  hath  not 
elected  him  ?  What  reason  hath  he  that  is  left  in 
this  case  to  nuarrel  atrainst  his  ]\raker  ? 


'■'  The  tinal  condemnation  of  tlic  ■incked  does  not  spring 
from  God's  sovereign  will  to  destroy  any  of  his  rational  crea- 
tures; this  is  evident  from  the  many  pressing  invitations, 
declarations,  and  promises  in  the  word  of  God :  for  Jehovah 
swears  by  his  great  self,  that  he  desires  not  the  death  of  a  sin- 
ner. Oar  Lord  assigns  the  cause  of  reprobation  in  these 
words,  John  v.  40,  '  Ye  will  not  come  unto  me,  that  ye  might 
have  life ;'  wherefore  Christ,  the  oaly  remedy  for  their  cure, 
being  rejected,  the  sinner  is  condemned,  and  rendered  the 
object  of  wrath  and  punishment  by  the  law  and  justice  of  God; 
because  the  same  word  of  truth  which  says,  '  '\^'hoscevcr  uill, 
let  him  come,  and  take  of  the  water  of  life  freely,'  also  says, 
'  The  soul  that  sinneth  (or  lives  and  dies  in  sin  unpardoned) 
shall  die.'  Thus  sin  is  the  object  of  God's  hatred,  and  not  the 
man,  abstractedly  considered.  May  we  therefore  each  of  us  have 
grace  to  look  to  Christ  for  full  and  complete  salvation,  who  hath 
put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself,  whereby  he  has  per- 
fected  for  ever  them  that  are  sanctitied ! — Ilijland  and  2Iason. 
VOL.  II 


If  thou  say,  because  God  hath  not  chosen  them, 
as  weU  as  chosen  others :  I  answer,  '  Nay  but, 
0  man,  who  art  thou  that  repliest  against  God  ? 
ShaU  the  thing  formed  say  to  him  that  formed  il. 
Why  hast  thou  made  me  thus  ?'  Ro.  Lt.  20.  '  Behold, 
as  the  clay  is  in  the  potter's  hand,  so  are  ye  in  my 
hand,  0  house  of  Israel,'  saith  the  Lord  God.  Je. 
xviii.  6.  So  then,  if  I  should  say  no  more  but  that 
God  is  the  only  Lord  and  Creator,  and  that  by  his 
sovereignty  he  hath  power  to  dispose  of  them  ac- 
cording to  his  pleasure,  either  to  choose  or  to  refuse, 
according  to  the  counsel  of  his  own  will,  who  could 
object  against  him  and  be  guiltless?  '  He  giveth 
not  account  of  any  of  his  matters.'  Job  xx>dii.  1:3. 
'  And  lolvat  his  soul  desireth,  even  tliai  he  doeth.' 

Job  xxiii.  13, 

Again,  God  is  wiser  than  man,  and  therefore  can 
shew  a  reason  for  what  he  acts  and  does,  both 
when  and  where  at  present  thou  seest  none.  ShaR 
God  the  only  wise,  be  arraigned  at  the  bar  of  thy 
blind  reason,  and  there  be  judged  and  condemned 
for  his  acts  done  in  eternity?  Who  hath  directed 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  •  or  who  hath  been  his 
counsellor?'  Bo. xi. 34.  Do  you  not  know  that  he  is 
far  more  above  us,  than  we  are  above  our  horse  or 
mule  that  is  without  understanding  ?  '  Great  things . 
doeth  he,  which  we  cannot  comprehend.'  Jo.  xxxms. 
'  Great  things  and  unsearchable,  marvellous  things- 
without  number. '  Job  v.  9. 

But,  I  say,  should  we  take  it  Avell  if  our  beast 
should  call  us  to  account  for  this  and  the  other 
righteous  act,  and  judge  us  unrighteous,  and  our 
acts  ridiculous,  and  all  because  it  sees  no  reason 
for  our  so  doing?  Why,  we  are  as  beasts  beforo 
God.  Ps.  ixxiii.  22. 

But  again,  to  come  yet  more  close  to  the  point : 
the  reprobate  quarrels  with  God,  because  he  hath 
not  elected  him ;  well,  but  is  not  God  the  master 
of  his  o^vn  love  ?  And  is  not  his  will  the  only  ruld 
of  his  mercy?  And  may  he  not,  without  he  give 
ofi"ence  to  thee,  lay  hold  by  electing  love  and 
mercy  on  whom  himself  pleaseth  ?  Must  thy  reason, 
nay,  thy  lust,  be  the  ruler,  ordcrer,  and  disposer  of 
his  grace  ?  *  Is  it  not  lawful  for  me  to  do  what  I 
will  with  mine  own?'  saith  he,  '  Is  thine  eye  evil,, 
because  I  am  good?'  Mat.  xx.  15. 

Further,  What  harm  doth  God  to  any  reprobate,, 
by  not  electing  of  him ;  he  was,  as  hath  been  said, 
considered  upright,  so  formed  in  the  act  of  crea- 
tion, and  so  turned  into  the  world :  indeed  he  was 
not  elected,  but  hath  that  taken  anything  from 
him?  No,  verily,  but  leaveth  him  in  good  condi- 
tion :  there  is  good,  and  better,  and  best  of  all ;  ha 
that  is  in  a  good  estate,  though  others  through 
free  grace  are  in  a  far  better,  hath  not  any  cause  to 
murmur  either  with  him  that  gave  him  such  a 
place,  or  at  him  that  is  placed  above  him.  In  a 
vford,  reprobation  maketh  no  man  personally  a 
2  X 


346 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


sinner,  neither  doth  election  make  any  man  per- 
sonally righteous.  It  is  the  consenting  to  sin  that 
makes  a  man  a  sinner;  and  the  imputation  of  gi-ace 
and  righteousness  that  makes  [men]  gospelly  and 
personally  just  and  holy. 

But  again,  seeing  it  is  God's  act  to  leave  some 
out  of  the  bounds  of  his  election,  it  must  needs  be, 
tiierefore,  positively  good:  Is  that  then  which  is 
good  in  itself  made  sin  unto  thee  ?  God  forbid :  God 
doth  not  evil  by  leaving  this  or  that  man  out  of 
liis  electing  grace,  though  he  choose  others  to 
<!ternal  life,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Where- 
i'ore  there  is  not  a  reprobate  that  hath  any  cause, 
4ind  therefore  no  just  cause,  to  quarrel  with  his 
]\Iaker,  for  not  electing  of  him. 

And  that,  besides  what  hath  been  spoken,  if 
you  consider, 

1.  For  God  to  elect,  is  an  act  of  sovereign  grace; 
but  to  pass  by,  or  to  refuse  so  to  do,  is  an  act  of 
sovereign  power,  not  of  injustice. 

2.  God  might  therefore  have  chosen  whether  he 
n'ould  have  elected  any,  or  so  many  or  few ;  and 
also  which  and  where  he  would. 

3.  Seeing  then  that  all  things  are  at  his  dispose, 
he  may  fasten  electing  mercy  Avhere  he  pleaseth ; 
and  other  mercy,  if  he  will,  to  whom  and  when  he 
nv'ill. 

4.  Seeing  also  that  the  least  of  mercies  are  not 
deserved  by  the  best  of  sinners ;  men,  instead  of 
■quarrelling  against  the  God  of  grace,  because  they 
have  not  what  they  list,  should  acknowledge  they 
arc  unworthy  of  their  breath  ;  and  also  should  con- 
fess that  God  may  give  mercy  where  he  pleaseth, 
nud  that  too,  both  which  or  what,  as  also  to  whom, 
iind  when  he  will ;  and  yet  be  good,  and  just,  and 
very  gracious  still:  Nay,  Job  saith,  *  He  taketli 
-away,  who  can  hinder  him?  Who  will  say  unto 
diiin,  What  doest  thou?'  Jobk.  12. 

The  wdl  of  God  is  the  rule  of  all  righteousness, 
.neither  knoweth  he  any  other  way  by  which  he 
governeth  and  ordereth  any  of  his  actions.  What- 
soever God  doth,  it  is  good  because  he  doth  it ; 
whether  it  be  to  give  grace,  or  to  detain  it;  whether 
in  choosing  or  refusing.  The  consideration  of  this, 
made  the  holy  men  of  old  ascribe  righteousness  to 
their  Maker,  even  then  when  jct  they  could  not  see 
the  reason  of  his  actions.  They  would  rather  stand 
amazed,  and  wonder  at  the  heighths  and  depths  of 
Jiis  unsearchable  judgments,  than  quarrel  at  the 
strange  and  most  obscure  of  them.  Job  xxxiv.  lo— 13; 

jcxxvi.  3;  xxxvii.  23.  Je.  xii.  1.  Ko.  xi.  33. 

God  did  not  intend  that  all  that  ever  he  would 
do,  should  be  known  to  every  man,  no  nor  yet  to 
the  wise  and  prudent.  It  is  as  much  a  duty  some- 
times to  stay  ourselves  and  wonder,  and  to  confess 
our  ignorance  m  many  things  of  God,  as  it  is  to 
do  other  things  that  are  duty  without  dispute.  So 
t'.icn,  let  poor  dust  and  ashes  forbear  to  condemn 


the  Lord,  because  he  goeth  beyond  them ;  and 
also  they  shoxdd  beware  they  speak  not  wickedly 
for  him,  though  it  be,  as  they  think,  to  justify  his 
actions.  '  The  Lord  is  righteous  in  all  his  ways, 
and  holy  in  all  his  works.'*  Ps.  ctlv.  17.  Mat.  xi.  25 

1  Co.  ii.  8.  Job  xiii.  6— S. 

CHAP.  vin. 

Wictlier  Eternal  rep'ohatlon  in  ilself,  or  in  its  doc- 
trine, be  in  very  deed  an  liiiidrance  to  any  tnan 
in  seeking  tJie  salvation  of  his  soul. 

In  my  discourse  upon  this  question,  I  must  en- 
treat the  reader  to  mind  well  what  is  premised  in 
the  beginning  of  the  former  chapter,  Avhich  is. 
That  reprobation  makes  no  man  a  sinner,  appoints 
no  man  to  condemnation,  but  leaveth  him  upright 
after  all.  So  then,  though  God  doth  leave  the 
most  of  men  without  the  bounds  of  his  election, 
his  so  doing  is  neither  in  itself,  nor  yet  its  doctrine, 
in  very  deed,  an  hindrance  to  any  man  in  seeking 
the  salvation  of  his  soul. 

First,  It  hindereth  not  in  itself,  as  is  clear  by 
the  ensuing  considerations : — 

1.  That  which  hindereth  him  is  the  weakness 
that  came  upon  him  by  reason  of  sin.  Now  God 
only  made  the  man,  but  man's  listening  to  Satan 
made  him  a  sinner,  which  is  the  cause  of  all  his 
weakness :  this  therefore  is  it  that  hindereth  him, 
and  that  also  disenableth  him  in  seeking  the  sal- 
vation of  his  soul.  •  Let  no  man  say  when  he  is 
tempted,  I  am  tempted  of  God:  for  God  cannot  be 
tempted  with  evil,  neither  temptcth  he  any  man.' 
Ja.  i.  13.  '  God  made  man  upright ;  but  they  have 
sought  out  many  inventions. '  Ec.  vU.  29.  Eze.  xvi.  so.  Ho. 

xiii.  9  ;  xiv.  1.  Ge.  iii.  8—11. 

2,  It  hindereth  not  in  itself,  for  it  taketh  not 
anything  from  a  man  that  would  help  him,  might 
it  continue  with  him ;  it  takes  not  away  the  least 
part  of  his  strength,  wisdom,  courage,  innocency, 
or  will  to  good ;  all  these  were  lost  by  the  fall,  in 
that  day  when  he  died  the  death.  Nay,  repi'oba- 
tion  under  some  consideration  did  rather  establish 
all  these  upon  the  reprobate  ;  for  as  it  decrees  him 

*  '  Secret  things  belong  to  God,  but  those  that  are  revealed 
belong  to  us.'  It  is  a  vain  thing  for  men  to  cavil  at  tlie  doc- 
trine of  peculiar  election,  and  to  quarrel  with  God  for  choosing 
some,  and  passing  by  others.  Their  best  way  would  be  to 
assui'e  themselves  of  their  own  election,  by  using  the  means, 
and  walking  in  the  ways  of  God's  appointment,  as  laid  down^ 
in  the  word,  and  then  they  will  find  that  God  cannot  deny 
himself,  but  will  make  good  to  them  every  promise  therein ; 
and  thus,  by  scripture  evidence,  they  Avill  liiid  that  tlicy  are 
elected  unto  life,  and  will  be  thankful  and  humble.  They  will 
then  find  that  an  hearty  affectionate  trusting  in  Christ  for  aU 
liis  s;ilvation,  as  freely  promised  to  us,  hath  natm-ally  enough 
in  it  to  work  in  our  soids  a  natural  bent  and  inclination  to, 
and  ability  for,  the  practice  of  all  holiness.  —  H'jland  and 
Mason. 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


3-i? 


left,  so  left  upright.  Wlievefore  man's  hindrance 
eometh  on  him  from  other  means,  even  by  the  fall, 
and  not  by  the  simple  act  of  eternal  reprobation. 

Ge.  iii. 

3.  As  reprobation  hindercth  not  either  of  these 
two  ways,  so  neither  is  it  from  this  simple  act  that 
Satan  is  permitted  either  to  tempt  them,  that  they 
might  be  tried,  or  that  they  migiit  be  overthrown. 

(I.)  It  is  not  by  this  act  that  Satan  is  permitted 
to  tempt  them  that  they  might  be  tried ;  because 
then  the  Son  of  God  himself  must  be  reached  by 
this  reprobation  ;  he  being  tempted  by  the  devil  as 
much,  if  not  more  than  any.  Yea,  and  then  must 
every  one  of  the  elect  be  under  eternal  reproba- 
tion ;  for  they  also,  and  that  after  their  conversion, 
are  greatly  assaulted  by  him.  'Many  are  the 
troubles  of  the  i-ighteous,'  <t;c.  Mat.  iv.  l,2.IIe.  ii.  17; 
iv.  15. 

(2.)  Neither  is  it  from  the  act  of  reprobation 
that  sin  hath  entered  the  world,  no  more  than 
from  election,  because  those  under  the  power  of 
election  did  not  only  fall  at  first,  but  do  still  gene- 
rally as  foully,  before  conversion,  as  the  reprobate 
himself.  Whereas,  if  either  the  temptation,  or 
the  fall,  were  by  virtue  of  reprobation,  then  the 
reprobates,  and  they  only,  should  have  been  tempt- 
ed, and  have  fallen.  The  temptation  then,  and 
the  fall,  doth  come  from  other  means,  and  so  the 
hinderance  of  the  reprobate,  than  from  eternal 
reprobation.  For  the  temptation,  the  fall  and 
hinderance  being  universal,  but  the  act  of  reproba- 
tion particular,  the  hinderance  must  needs  come 
from  such  a  cause  as  taketh  hold  on  all  men,  which 
indeed  is  the  fall ;  the  cause  of  which  was  neither 
election  nor  reprobation,  but  man's  voluntary  list- 
ening to  the  tempter.  Eo.  iii.  9. 

(3.)  It  is  yet  far  more  evident  that  reprobation 
hindereth  no  man  from  seeking  the  salvation  of 
his  soul :  because  notwithstanding  all  that  repro- 
bation doth,  yet  God  giveth  to  divers  of  the  repro- 
bates great  encouragements  thereto  ;  to  wit,  the 
tenders  of  the  gospel  in  general,  not  excluding 
any;  great  light  also  to  understand  it,  with  many 
a  sweet  taste  of  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the 
powers  of  the  world  to  come ;  he  maketh  them 
sometimes  also  to  be  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  admitteth  many  of  them  into  fellowship  with 
his  elect ;  yea,  some  of  them  to  be  rulers,  teachers, 
and  governors  in  his  house:  all  which,  without 
doubt,  both  are  and  ought  to  be  great  encourage- 
ments even  to  the  reprobates  themselves,  to  seek 
the  salvation  of  their  souls.  Mat.  .\i.  28.  Re.  xxii.  17.  Ile.vi. 

4,  5.  Mat.  XXV.  1,  2.  Ac.  i.  16, 17. 

Second,  As  it  hindercth  not  in  itself,  so  it  hin- 
dereth not  by  its  doctrine :  for,  all  that  this  doc- 
trine saith  is,  that  some  are  left  out  of  God's  elec- 
tion, as  considered  upright.  Now  this  doctrine 
cannot  hinder  any  man.      For, 


1.  No  man  still  stands  upright. 

2.  Though  it  saith  some  are  left,  yet  it  points 
at  no  man,  it  nameth  no  man,  it  binds  all  faces  in 
secret.  So  then,  if  it  hinder,  it  hindercth  all,  even 
the  elect  as  well  as  reprobate ;  for  the  reprobate 
hath  as  much  ground  to  judge  himself  elect,  as  the 
very  elect  himself  hath,  before  he  be  converted, 
being  both  alike  in  a  state  of  nature  and  unbelief, 
and  both  alike  visibly  liable  to  the  curse,  for  the 
breach  of  the  commandment.  Again,  As  they  are 
equals  here,  so  also  have  they  ground  alike  to  close 
in  with  Christ  and  live ;  even  the  open,  free,  and 
full  invitation  of  the  gospel,  and  promise  of  life 
and  salvation,  by  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ.  Ep.    ii. 

1,  2.  Eo.  iii.  9.  Jn.  iii.  16.  2  Co.  v.  19—21.  Re.  jcxi.  6;  xxii.  17. 

3.  It  is  evident  also  by  experience,  that  this 
doctrine  doth  not,  in  deed,  neither  can  it  hinder 
any  (this  doctrine  I  mean,  when  both  rightly 
stated  and  rightly  used)  because  many  v/ho  have 
been  greatly  afflicted  about  this  matter,  have  yet 
at  last  had  comfort;  Avhich  comfort,  when  they 
have  received  it,  hath  been  to  them  as  an  argu- 
ment that  the  thing  they  feared  befi^re,  Avas  not 
because  of  reprobation  rightly  stated ;  but  its  doc- 
trine much  abused  was  the  cause  of  their  afflictions 
and  had  they  had  the  same  light  at  first  they  re- 
ceived afterwards,  their  troubles  then  Avould  soon 
have  fled,  as  also  now  they  do.  Wherefore  dis- 
couragement comes  from  want  of  light,  because 
they  are  not  skilful  in  the  word  of  righteousness : 
for  had  the  discouragement  at  first  been  true,, 
which  yet  it  could  not  be,  unless  the  person  knew 
by  name  himself  under  eternal  reprobation,  whicli. 
is  indeed  impossible,  then  his  light  would  have- 
pinched  him  harder;  light  would  rather  have  fast- 
ened this  his  fear,  than  at  aU  have  rid  him  of  it. 
ne.  V.  12-U. 

Indeed  the  scripture  saith,  the  word  is  to  some 
the  savour  of  death  unto  death,  when  to  others  the 
savour  of  life  unto  life.  But  mark,  it  is  not  this 
doctrine  in  particular,  if  so  much  as  some  other, 
that  doth  destroy  the  reprobate.  It  was  respite 
at  which  Pharaoh  hardened  his  heart;  and  the 
grace  of  God  that  the  reprobates  of  old  did  turn 
into  lasciviousness.  Yea,  Christ  the  Saviour  of 
the  world,  is  a  stumbling-block  unto  some,  and  a 
rock  of  offence  unto  others.  But  yet  again,  con- 
sider that  neither  HE,  nor  any  of  God's  doctrines, 
are  so  simply,  and  in  their  own  true  natural  force 
and  drift :  for  they  beget  no  uubehef,  they  provoka 
to  no  wantonness,  neither  do  they  in  the  least  en- 
courage to  irapenitency;  all  this  comes  from  that 
ignorance  and  wickedness  that  came  by  the  fall : 
Wherefore  it  is  by  reason  of  tliat  also,  that  they 
stumble,  and  fall,  and  grow  weak,  and  are  dis- 
couraged, and  split  themselves,  either  at  the  doc- 
trine of  reprobation,  or  at  any  other  truth  of  God. 

Ex.  viii.  15.  Jude  iv.  1. 1  Pe.  ii.  8 


31S 


nEPROBATlON  ASSERTED. 


Lastly,  To  conclude  as  I  began,  there  Is  no  man 
Avliile  in  this  world,  that  doth  certainly  know  that 
he  is  left  out  of  the  electing  love  of  the  great  God ; 
neither  hath  he  any  word  in  the  whole  bible,  to 
persuade  hina  so  to  conclude  and  believe ;  for  the 
scriptures  hold  forth  salvation  to  the  greatest  of 
sinners.  Wherefore,  though  the  act  of  reproba- 
tion were  far  more  harsh,  and  its  doctrine  also 
n<ore  sharp  and  severe,  yet  it  cannot  properly  be 
said  to  hinder  any.  It  is  a  foolish  thing  in  any  to 
be  troubled  with  those  things  which  they  have  no 
ground  to  believe  concerns  themselves  ;  especially 
when  the  latitude  of  their  discouragement  is  touch- 
ing their  own  persons  only.  '  The  secret  tilings 
belong  unto  the  Lord  our  God.'  De.xxk. 29.  Indeed 
every  one  of  the  words  of  God  ought  to  put  us 
upon  examination,  and  into  a  serious  enquiry  of  our 
present  state  and  condition,  and  how  we  now  do 
stand  for  eternity;  to  wit,  whether  we  are  ready  to 
meet  the  Lord,  or  how  it  is  with  us.  Yet,  when 
search  is  fully  made,  and  the  worst  come  unto  the 
Avorst,  the  party  can  find  himself  no  more  than  the 
chief  of  sinners,  not  excluded  from  the  grace  of  God 
tendered  in  the  gospel ;  not  from  an  invitation,  nay 
a  promise,  to  be  embraced  and  blest,  if  he  comes 
to  Jesus  Christ.  Wherefore  he  hath  no  ground  to 
be  discouraged  by  the  doctrine  of  reprobation,  l  Ti.  i. 

15.  Ac.  iii.  19.  3  Cli.  xxxiii.  Jn.  vii.  37;  vi.  37.  Mar.  ii.  17. 

CHAP.  IX. 

WJidher  God  would  indeed  and  in  truth,  tliat  the 
gospel,  tvUJi  the  grace  thereof,  slioidd  be  tendered 
to  those  that  yet  he  hath  bound  tip  under  Etamal 
Rer)rohation  ? 

To  this  question  I  shall  answer, 

First,  In  the  language  of  our  Lord,  '  Go  preach 
the  gospel  unto  every  creature;'  Mar.  xvi.  15.  and 
again,  '  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved  ;  all  ye 
cuds  of  the  earth.'  is.  xiv. 23.  'And  whosoever  Avill, 
let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely.'  Ke.xxii.17. 
And  the  reason  is,  because  Christ  died  for  aU, 
'tasted  death  for  every  man;' 2  Co.  v.  15.  He.  ii.  9.  is 
'  the  Saviour  of  the  world,'  1  Ju.  iv.  14.  and  the  propi- 
tiation for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world. 

Second,  I  gather  it  from  those  several  censures 
that  even  every  one  goeth  under,  that  doth  not 
receive  Christ,  when  ofi'ered  in  the  general  tenders 
of  the  gospel ;  '  He  that  believeth  not,  -  shall  be 
damned;'  Mar. xvi. ic.  'He  that  believeth  not  God 
hath  made  him  a  liar,  because  he  believeth  not  the 
record  that  God  gave  of  his  Son;'  Uu. v.  10.  and. 
Woe  imto  thee  Capernaum,  ♦  V/oe  mito  thee 
Chorazin !  woe  unto  thee  Bethsaida ! '  Mat.  xi.  21.  with 
many  other  sayings,  all  which  words,  with  many 
other  of  the  same  nature,  carry  in  them  a  very 
great  argument  to  this  very  purpose ;  for  if  those 
that  perish  in  the  days  of  the  gospel,  shall  have, 


at  least,  their  damnation  heightened,  because  they 
have  neglected  and  refused  to  receive  the  gospel, 
it  must  needs  be  that  the  gospel  was  with  all  faith- 
fulness to  be  tendered  unto  them ;  the  Avhich  it 
could  not  be,  unless  the  death  of  Christ  did  extend 
itself  unto  them ;  Jn.  iii.  16.  He.  ii.  3.  for  the  ofFer  of  the 
gospel  cannot,  with  God's  allowance,  be  offered 
any  further  than  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ  doth 
go ;  because  if  that  be  taken  away,  there  is  indeed 
no  gospel,  nor  grace  to  be  extended.  Besides,  if 
by  every  creature,  and  the  like,  should  be  meant 
only  the  elect,  then  are  all  the  persuasions  of  the 
gospel  to  no  effect  at  all ;  for  still  the  unconverted, 
who  are  here  condemned  for  refusing  of  it,  they 
return  it  as  fast  again :  I  do  not  know  I  am  elect, 
and  therefore  dare  not  come  to  Jesus  Christ ;  for 
if  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  so  the  general 
tender  of  the  gospel,  concern  the  elect  alone ;  I, 
not  knowing  myself  to  be  one  of  that  number,  am 
at  a  mighty  plunge ;  nor  know  I  whether  is  the 
greater  sin,  to  believe,  or  to  despair:  for  I  say 
again,  if  Christ  died  only  for  the  elect,  &c.  then, 
I  not  knowing  myself  to  be  one  of  that  number, 
dare  not  believe  the  gospel,  that  holds  fortli  his 
blood  to  save  me ;  nay,  I  think  with  safety  may 
not,  until  I  first  do  know  I  am  elect  of  God,  and 
appointed  thereunto. 

Third,  God  the  Father,  and  Jesus  Christ  his 
Son,  would  have  all  men  whatever,  invited  by  the 
gospel  to  lay  hold  of  life  by  Christ,  Avhether  elect 
or  reprobate ;  for  though  it  be  true,  that  there  is 
such  a  thing  as  election  and  reprobation,  yet  God, 
by  the  tenders  of  the  gospel  in  the  ministry  of  his 
word,  looks  upon  men  under  another  consideration, 
to  wit,  as  sinners ;  and  as  sinners  invites  them  to 
believe,  lay  hold  of,  and  embrace  the  same.  He 
saith  not  to  his  ministers.  Go  preach  to  the  elect, 
because  they  are  elect ;  and  shut  out  others, 
because  they  are  not  so:  But,  Go  preach  the 
gospel  to  sinners  as  sinners ;  and  as  they  are  such, 
go  bid  them  come  to  me  and  live.  And  it  must 
needs  be  so,  otherwise  the  preacher  could  neither 
speak  in  faith,  nor  the  people  hear  in  faith.  First, 
the  preacher  could  not  speak  in  faith,  because  he 
knoweth  not  the  elect  from  the  reprobate ;  nor 
they  again  hear  in  faith,  because,  as  unconverted, 
they  would  be  alwaj's  ignorant  of  that  also.  So 
then,  the  minister  neither  knowing  whom  he  should 
offer  life  unto,  nor  yet  the  people  which  of  them 
are  to  receive  it ;  how  could  the  word  now  be 
preached  in  faith  with  power  ?  And  how  could 
the  people  believe  and  embrace  it  ?  But  now  the 
preacher  offering  mercy  in  the  gospel  to  sinners, 
as  they  are  sinners,  here  is  way  made  for  the 
word  to  be  spoke  in  faith,  because  his  hearers 
are  sinners ;  yea,  and  encouragement  also  for 
the  people  to  receive  and  close  therewith,  they 
understaudinn;   they  are    sinners :    '  Christ   Jesus 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


349 


carae  into  the  world  to  save  sinners.' i  Ti.i.  13.  Lu. 

ivxir.  4C,  47. 

Fourth,  The  gospel  must  be  preached  to  sinners 
as  they  are  sinners,  without  distinction  of  elect  or 
reprobate ;  because  neither  the  one  nor  yet  the 
other,  as  considered  under  these  simple  acts,  are 
fit  subjects  to  embrace  the  gospel :  for  neither  the 
one  act,  nor  yet  the  other,  doth  make  either  of 
them  sinners  ;  but  the  gospel  is  to  be  tendered  to 
men  as  they  are  sinners,  and  personally  under  the 
curse  of  God  for  sin :  wherefore  to  proffer  grace  to 
the  elect  because  they  are  elect,  it  is  to  proffer 
grace  and  mercy  to  them,  as  not  considering  them 
as  sinners.  And,  I  say,  to  deny  it  to  the  repro- 
bate, because  he  is  not  elected,  it  is  not  only  a 
denial  of  grace  to  them  that  have  no  need  thereof, 
but  also  before  occasion  is  given  on  their  part,  for 
such  a  dispensation.  And  I  say  again,  therefore, 
to  offer  Christ  and  grace  to  man  elect,  as  simply 
so  considered,  this  administers  to  him  no  comfort 
at  all,  he  being  here  no  sinner ;  and  so  engageth 
not  the  heart  at  all  to  Jesus  Christ ;  for  that  comes 
in,  and  is  effected  on  them  as  they  are  sinners. 
Yea,  to  deny  the  gospel  also  to  the  reprobate, 
because  he  is  not  elect,  it  wiU  not  trouble  him  at 
all ;  for  salth  he.  So  I  am  not  a  sinner,  and  so  do 
not  need  a  Saviour.  But  now,  because  the  elect 
have  no  need  of  grace  in  Christ  by  the  gospel,  but 
as  they  are  sinners ;  nor  the  reprobates  cause  to 
refuse  it,  but  as  they  are  sinners ;  therefore  Christ 
by  the  word  of  the  gospel,  is  to  be  proffered  to 
both,  without  considering  elect  or  reprobate,  even 
as  they  are  sinners.  '  The  whole  have  no  need  of 
the  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick :  I  came  not 
to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance.' 

Mar.  ii.  17.  2  Co.  v.  14, 15.  Lu.  vii.  47. 

Thus  yon  see  the  gospel  is  to  be  tendered  to  all 
in  general,  as  well  to  the  reprobate  as  to  the  elect, 
TO  SINNERS  AS  SINNERS ;  and  SO  are  they  to  receive 
it,  and  to  close  with  the  tenders  thereof.* 

CHAP.  X. 

Scdnj  then  that  the  grace  of  God  in  the  gospel,  is 
by  that  to  lie  proffered  to  sinners,  as  sinners ;  as 
vMl  to  the  rejyrobate  as  the  elect ;  Is  it  jiossihle  for 
those  v:ho  indeed  are  not  elect,  to  receive  it,  and 
he  saved  ? 

To  this  question  I  shall  answer  several  things : 
hut  frst  I  shall  shew  you  what  that  grace  is,  tliat 

*  jS'one  are  excluded  the  benefit  of  the  great  and  precious 
salvation  procured  and  fiuished  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but 
they,  who  by  perverseness,  unbelief,  and  inipenitency,  exclude 
themselves.  Sinners, — miserable,  helpless,  and  hopeless  sin- 
ners, are  the  objects  of  this  salvation :  whosoever  is  enabled 
to  see,  in  the  light  of  God's  Spii-it,  their  wretched  and  forlorn 
state ;  to  feci  their  want  of  Christ  as  a  suitable  Saviour,  and 
to  repent  and  forsake  their  sins,  shall  find  mercy;  for  '  God  is 
£10  respecter  of  persons,'  Acts  x.  34. — Uijland  and  Mason. 


is  tendered  In  the  gospel ;  and  secondly,  what  it  is 
to  receive  it  and  be  saved. 

First  then,  The  grace  that  is  offered  to  sinners 
as  sinners,  without  respect  to  this  or  that  person, 
it  Is  a  sufficiency  of  righteousness,  pardoning  grace, 
and  life,  laid  up  In  the  person  of  Christ,  held  forth 
In  the  exhortation  and  word  of  the  gospel,  and 
promised  to  be  theirs  that  receive  it ;  yea,  I  say. 
In  so  universal  a  tender,  that  not  one  is  by  it  ex- 
cluded or  checked  in  the  least,  but  rather  encou- 
raged, if  he  hath  the  least  desire  to  life  ;  yea,  it  is 
held  forth  to  beget  both  desires  and  longings  after 
the  life  thus  laid  up  In  Christ,  and  held  forth  by 

the    gospel.  Jn.  i.  16.  Col.  i.  19,  23.  1  Ju.  v.  11, 13.  Ac.  xiii.  3S,  30. 
Uo.  X.  12— 14.;  xvi.  25,  25. 

Secondly,  To  receive  this  grace  thus  tendered  by 
the  gospel,  it  is, 

1.  To  believe  it  Is  true. 

2.  To  receive  it  heartily  and  unfeignedly  through 
faith.     And, 

3.  To  let  it  have  its  natural  sway,  course  and 
authority  in  the  soul,  and  that  In  that  measure,  as  to 
bring  forth  the  fruits  of  good  living  in  heart,  word, 
and  life,  both  before  God  and  man. 

Now  then  to  the  question. 

Is  it  possible  that  this  tender,  thus  offered  to 
the  reprobate,  should  by  him  be  thus  received  and 
embraced,  and  he  live  thereby  ? 

To  which  1  answer  in  the  negative.  Nor  yet  for 
the  elect  themselves,  I  mean  as  considered  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins,  which  is  the  state  of  all  men, 
elect  as  well  as  reprobate.  So  then,  though  thei'e 
he  a  sufficiency  of  life  and  righteousness  laid  up  in 
Christ  for  all  men,  and  this  tendered  by  the  gospel 
to  them  without  exception ;  yet  sin  coming  iu 
between  the  soul  and  the  tender  of  this  grace,  it 
hath  in  truth  disabled  all  men,  and  so,  notwith- 
standing this  tender,  they  continue  to  be  dead. 
For  the  gospel,  I  say,  coming  In  word  only,  saveth 
no  man,  because  of  man's  impediment ;  wherefore 
those  that  indeed  are  saved  by  this  gospel,  the 
word  comes  not  to  them  In  word  only,  but  also  iu 
power,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost ;  is  mixed  with  faith, 
even  with  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God,  by 
whose  exceeding  great  and  mighty  power  they  are 
raised  from  this  death  of  sin,  and  enabled  to 
embrace  the  gospel.  Doubtless,  all  men  being 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  and  so  captivated 
under  the  power  of  the  devil,  the  curse  of  the  law, 
and  shut  up  in  unbelief;  it  must  be  the  power  of 
God,  yea  the  exceeding  greatness  of  that  power 
that  ralseth  the  soul  from  this  condition,  to  receive 

the    holy    gospel.    Ep.  IL  1—3.  l  Th.  i.  5,  6.  Col.  ii.  13.  He.  iv. 

1,  2.  Ep.  i.  IS,  19.  Sec. 

For  man  by  nature,  (consider  him  at  best),  can 
see  no  more,  nor  do  no  more  than  what  the  prin- 
ciples of  nature  understands  and  helps  to  do  ;  which 
nature  beiiig  below  the  discerning  of  things  truly. 


S50 


IlErROBATION  ASSERTED. 


spiritually,  and  savingly  good,  it  miist  needs  fall 
short  of  receiving,  loving  and  delighting  in  them. 
'  The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him : 
neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiri- 
tually discex'ned.'  iCo.  ii.  14.  Now  I  say,  if  the 
natural  man  at  best  (for  the  elect  before  conver- 
sion are  no  more,  if  quite  so  much)  cannot  do  this, 
how  shall  they  attain  thereto,  being  now  not  only 
corrupted  and  infected,  but  depraved,  bewitched 
and  dead ;  swallowed  up  of  unbelief,  ignorance, 
confusion,  hardness  of  heart,  hatred  of  God,  and 
the  like  ?  When  a  thorn  by  nature  beareth  grapes, 
and  a  thistle  beareth  figs,  then  may  this  thing  be. 
Mat.  vii.  10— IS.  To  lay  hold  of  and  receive  the 
gospel  by  a  true  and  saving  faith,  it  is  an  act  of 
the  soxd  as  made  a  new  creature,  which  is  the 
workmanship  of  God :  '  Now  he  that  hath  wrought 
us  for  the  self-same  thing  is  God.'  2Co.  v. 5.  'For  a 
corrupt  tree  cannot  bring  forth  good  fruit.'  Lu.  vi. 
43—45.     '  Can  the  Ethiopian  change   his    skin  ? ' 

Je.  xiu.  23. 

But  yet  the  cause  of  this  impossibility. 

1.  Lloth  not  in  reprobation,  the  elect  themselves 
being  as  much  unable  to  receive  it  as  the  other. 

2.  Neither  is  it  because  the  reprobate  is  excluded 
in  the  tender,  for  that  is  universal. 

3.  Neither  is  it  because  there  wanteth  arguments 
in  the  tenders  of  the  gospel,  for  there  is  not  only 
plenty,  but  such  as  be  persuasive,  clear,  and  full 
of  rationality. 

4.  Neither  Is  it  because  these  creatures  have  no 
need  thereof,  for  they  have  broken  the  law. 

5.  Wherefore  it  is,  because  indeed  they  are  by 
bin  dead,  captivated,  mad,  self-opposers,  blind, 
alienated  in  their  minds,  and  haters  of  the  Lord. 
Eehold  the  ruins  that  sin  hath  made  ! 

Wherefore  whoever  receiveth  the  grace  that  is 
tendered  in  the  gospel,  they  must  be  quickened  by 
the  power  of  God,  their  eyes  must  be  opened,  their 
understandings  illuminated,  their  ears  unstopped, 
their  hearts  circumcised,  their  wills  also  rectified, 
and  the  Son  of  God  revealed  in  them.  Yet  as  I 
said,  not  because  there  wanteth  argument  in  these 
tenders,  but  because  men  are  dead,  and  blind,  and 
cannot  hear  the  word.  '  Why  do  ye  not  imder- 
stand  my  speech  (saith  Christ) :  Even  because  ye 
cannot  hear  my  word.'  Ju.  viii.  43.  Ac.  k.  15;  xxvi.  9,  lo.  Ps. 
ex.  S.  Ga.  i.  15.  Mat.  xi.  27. 

For  otherwise,  as  I  said  but  now,  there  is,  1. 
nationality  enough  in  the  tenders  of  the  gospel. 
2.  Persuasions  of  weight  enough  to  provoke  to 
faith.  And,  3.  Arguments  enough  to  persuade  to 
continue  therein. 

1.  Is  it  not  reasonable  that  man  should  believe 
God  in  the  proiier  of  the  gospel  and  life  by  it?  Is 
there  not  reason,  I  say,  both  from  the  truth  and 
faithfulness   of  God,  from  the  sufficiency  of  the 


merits  of  Christ,  as  also  from  the  freeness  and  full- 
ness of  the  promise?  What  imreasonable  thing 
doth  the  gospel  bid  thee  credit?  Or  what  false- 
hood doth  it  command  thee  to  receive  for  truth? 
Indeed  in  many  points  the  gospel  is  above  reason, 
but  yet  in  never  a  cue  against  it ;  especially  in 
those  things  wherein  it  beginneth  with  the  sinner, 
in  order  to  eternal  life. 

2.  Again,  touching  its  persuasions  to  provoke  to 
faith:  With  how  many  signs  and  Avonders,  mira- 
cles and  mighty  deeds,  hath  it  been  once  and  again 
confirmed,  and  that  to  this  very  end  ?  He.  i.  1—3.  J  Co. 
xiv.  22.  With  how  many  oaths,  declarations,  attesta- 
tions, and  proclamations,  is  it  avouched,  confirmed, 

and  established  ?  lie.  vi.  17,  is.  Ac.  xiii.  33.  Je.  iii.  12.  Ga.  iii.  15. 

And  why  should  not  credence  be  given  to  that  gos- 
pel that  is  confirmed  by  blood,  the  blood  of  the  Son 
of  God  himself  ?  Yea,  that  gospel  that  did  never 
yet  fall  any  that  in  truth  hath  cast  themselves  upon 
it,  since  the  foundation  of  the  world.  He.  i\-.  16— is. 

and  xii.  1 — 3. 

3.  Again,  as  there  is  rationality  enough,  and 
persuasions  sufficient,  so  there  is  also  argument 
most  prevalent  to  persuade  to  continue  therein,  and 
that  to  heartily,  cheerfully,  and  uufelgncdly,  unto 
the  end:  did  not,  as  I  have  said,  blindness,  mad- 
ness, deadness,  and  wilful  rebellion,  carry  them 
away  in  the  vanity  of  their  minds,  and  overcome 
them.  Ep.  iv.  17— 19. 

(1.)  For,  first,  if  they  could  but  consider  how 
they  have  sinned,  how  they  have  provoked  God, 
&e.,  if  they  could  but  consider  what  a  dismal  state 
the  state  of  the  damned  Is,  and  also,  that  in  a  mo- 
ment their  condition  is  like  to  be  the  same,  woidd 
they  not  cleave  to  the  gospel  and  live? 

(2.)  The  enjoyment  of  God,  and  Christ,  and 
saints,  and  angels,  being  the  sweetest ;  the  plea- 
sures of  heaven  the  most  comfortable,  and  to  live 
always  in  the  greatest  height  of  light,  life,  joy,  and 
gladness  imaginable,  one  would  think  were  enough 
to  persuade  the  very  damned  now  in  hell. 

There  is  no  man  then  perisheth  for  want  of  suffi- 
cient reason  in  the  tenders  of  the  gospel,  nor  any 
for  want  of  persuasions  to  faith ;  nor  yet  because 
there  wanteth  arguments  to  provoke  to  continue 
therein.  But  the  truth  is,  the  gospel  In  this  hatli 
to  do  with  unreasonable  creatures ;  with  such  as 
will  not  believe  it,  and  that  because  it  is  truth : 
'And  because  I  tell  you  the  truth,  (saith  Christ,) 
therefore  ye  believe  me  not.'  Ju.  viii.  46. 

Quest.  Well,  but  if  this  in  truth  be  thus,  how 
then  comes  it  to  pass  that  some  receive  it  and  live 
for  ever?  For  you  have  said  before,  that  the  elect 
are  as  dead  as  the  reprobate,  and  full  as  unable  as 
they,  as  men,  to  close  with  these  tenders,  and  lives 

Answ.  Doubtless  this  is  true,  and  were  the  elect 
left  to  themselves,  they,  through  the  wickednes. 
of  their  heart,  would  perish  as  do  others.     Neither 


IIEPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


351 


could  all  tlie  reasonable  persuasive  prevalent  argu- 
ments of  the  gospel  of  God  in  Christ,  prevail  to 
make  any  receive  it,  and  live.  Wherefore  here  you 
must  consider,  that  as  there  is  mercy  proclaimed 
iu  the  general  tenders  of  the  gospel,  so  there  is 
also  the  grace  of  election ;  -which  grace  kindly  over- 
ruleth  and  winneth  the  spirit  of  the  chosen,  work- 
ing in  them  that  unfeigned  closing  therewith,  that 
makes  it  effectual  to  their  imdoubted  salvation ; 
wlilch  indeed  is  the  cause  that  not  only  in  other 
ages,  hut  also  to  this  day,  there  is  a  remnant  that 
receive  this  grace ;  they  being  appointed,  I  say, 
thereto,  before  the  world  began  ;  preserved  in  time 
from  that  which  would  imdo  them,  and  enabled  to 
embrace  the  glorious  gospel  of  grace,  and  peace, 

and  life,  l  Ki.  xL-c.  is.  Ro.  xi.  5. 1  Til.  V.  9. 

NoAv  there  is  a  great  difference  between  the  grace 
of  election,  and  the  grace  that  is  wrapped  np  in 
the  general  tenders  of  the  gospel;  a  difference,  I 
say,  and  that  both  as  to  its  timing,  latituding,  and 
v.'orklng. 

1.  Touching  its  timing ;  it  is  before,  yea  long 
before,  there  was  either  tender  of  the  grace  Avrapped 
lip  in  the  gospel  to  any,  or  any  need  of  such  a  ten- 
der. Ep.  i.  4,  5. 

2.  They  also"  differ  in  latitude ;  the  tenders  of 
grace  in  the  gospel  are  common  and  universal  to 
all,  but  the  extension  of  that  of  election  special  and 
pecidiar  to  some,  '  There  is  a  remnant  according 
to  the  election  of  grace. '  Ro.  xi.  5. 

3.  Touching  the  working  of  the  grace  of  elec- 
tion ;  it  differs  much  in  some  things  from  the 
working  of  the  grace  that  is  offered  in  the  general 
tenders  of  the  gospel.  As  is  manifest  in  these 
particulars : 

(1.)  The  grace  that  is  offered  in  the  general 
tenders  of  the  gospel,  calleth  for  faith  to  lay  hold 
upon,  and  accept  thereof;  but  the  special  grace  of 
election,  worketh  that  faith  which  doth  lay  hold 

thereof.  Ac.  xri.  31.  xiii.  48.  Phil.  I  29.  2  Th.  i.  11. 

(2.)  The  grace  that  is  offered  in  the  general 
tenders  of  the  gospel,  calleth  for  faith  as  a  condi- 
tion in  us,  without  Avhieh  there  is  no  life  ;  but  the 
special  grace  of  election  worketh  faith  in  us  with- 
out any  such  condition.  Mar.  xvi.  is,  IG.  Ro.  xi.  5,  6. 

(3.)  The  grace  that  is  offered  In  the  general 
tenders  of  the  gospel,  promlseth  happiness  upon 
the  condition  of  persevering  in  the  faith  only ;  but 
the  special  grace  of  election  causeth  this  perseve- 
rance. Col.  i.  23.  Ep.  ii.  10.  Ro.  xi.  7.  1  Pe.  i.  5—7. 

(4.)  The  grace  offered  in  the  general  tenders  of 
the  gospel,  when  it  sparldeth  most,  leaveth  the 
greatest  part  of  men  behind  it ;  but  the  special 
grace  of  election,  when  it  shineth  least,  doth  in- 
fallibly bring  every  soul  therein  concerned  to  ever- 
lasting life.  Ro.  X.  16.  -viii.  33—35. 

(5.)  A  man  may  overcome  and  put  out  all  the 
light  and  life  that  is  begotten  in  him  by  the  srene- 


ral  tenders  of  the  gospel ;  but  none  shall  overcome, 
or  make  void,  or  frustrate  the  grace  of  election. 

Jude  4.  2  Pc.  ii.  20—22.  Mat.  xxiv.  24.  Ro.  xi.  1—3,  &c. 

(6.)  The  general  tenders  of  the  gospel,  consi- 
dered without  a  concurrence  of  the  o-race  of  elec- 
tion, helps  not  the  elect  himself,  when  sadly  fallen. 
Wherefore,  when  I  say  the  gi-ace  that  is  offered  in 
the  general  tenders  of  the  gospel,  1  mean  that  o-race 
when  offered,  as  not  being  accompanied  with  a  spe- 
cial operation  of  God's  eternal  love,  by  way  of  con- 
junction therewith.  Otherwise  the  grace  that  is 
tendered  in  the  general  offers  of  the  gospel.  Is  that 
which  saveth  the  sinner  now,  and  that  brings  him 
to  everlasting  life ;  that  is,  when  conjoined  with 
that  grace  that  blesseth  and  maketh  this  general 
tender  effectually  efficacious.  The  grace  of  elec- 
tion worketh  not  without,  but  by  these  tenders 
generally ;  neither  doth  the  grace  thus  tendered, 
effectually  work,  but  by  and  with  the  grace  of  elec- 
tion: *As  many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life 
believed :'  Ac  xiii.  48.  The  word  being  then  effectual 
to  life,  when  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  effectually 
therewith  to  that  end.  Mar.  xri.  20.  They  '  spake 
(saith  the  text)  uato  the  Grecians,  preaching  the 
Lord  Jesus.  And  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  with 
them;  and  a  great  number  believed,  and  turned 
unto  the  Lord. '  Ac.  xi.  20, 21. 

We  must  always  put  difference  between  the  word 
of  the  gospel,  and  the  power  that  manageth  that 
word ;  we  must  put  difference  between  the  common 
and  more  special  operations  of  that  power  also ; 
even  as  there  is  evidently  a  difference  to  be  put  be- 
tween those  words  of  Christ  that  were  effectual  to 
do  what  was  said,  and  of  those  words  of  his  which 
were  but  words  only,  or  at  least  not  so  accompanied 
with  power.  As  for  instance  :  that  same  Jesus 
that  said  to  the  Leper,  '  Say  nothing  to  any  man,' 
said  also  to  Lazarus,  'Come  forth;'  yet  the  one 
obeyed,  the  other  did  not ;  though  he  that  obeyed 
was  least  in  a  capacity  to  do  it,  he  being  now  dead, 
and  stunk  in  his  grave.  Indeed  unbelief  hath  hin- 
dered Christ  much,  yet  not  when  he  putteth  forth 
himself  as  Almighty,  but  when  he  doth  suffer  him- 
self by  them  to  be  abused  who  are  to  be  dealt  with 
by  ordinary  means  :  Otherwise  legions  of  devils, 
with  ten  thousand  impediments,  must  fall  down  be- 
fore him,  and  give  way  imto  him.  There  is  a 
speaking,  and  a  so  speaking:  'They  so  spake,  that 
a  great  multitude,  both  of  the  Jews,  and  also  of 
the  Greeks,  believed. '  Ac.  xiv.  1.  Even  as  1  have 
hinted  already,  there  is  a  difference  between  the 
coming  of  the  woi'd  when  it  is  in  power,  1  Th.  L  5. 
and  when  it  is  in  word  only.  So  then,  the  blessed 
grace  of  election  chooseth  this  man  to  good,  not  be- 
cause he  is  good ;  it  chooseth  him  to  beUeve,  not 
because  he  doth  believe  ;  it  chooseth  him  to  perse- 
vere, not  because  he  doth  so ;  it  fore-ordains  that 
tliis  man  shall  be  created  In  Clmst  Jesus  unto  ccood 


EEPKOBATION  ASSERTED. 


works,  Ep.  i.  <i— G.  not  if  a  man  will  create  himself 
thereto,  i  Pe.  i.  2.  Ep-  ii.  10. 

What  shall  we  say  then  ?  Is  the  fault  in  God, 
if  any  perish  ?  Doubtless  no ;  nor  yet  in  his  act 
of  eternal  reprobation  neither:  it  is  grace  that 
saveth  the  elect,  but  sin  that  damns  the  rest:  it 
is  superabundant  grace  that  causeth  the  elect  to 
close  with  the  tenders  of  life,  and  live ;  and  it  is 
the  aboundings  of  sin  that  holds  off  the  reprobate 
from  the  rational,  necessary,  and  absolute  tenders, 
of  grace.  To  conclude  then ;  the  gospel  calleth 
for  credence  as  a  condition,  and  that  both  from  the 
elect  and  reprobate ;  but  because  none  of  them 
both,  as  dead  in  sin,  will  close  therewith,  and  live; 
therefore  grace,  by  virtue  of  electing  love,  puts 
forth  itself  to  work  and  do  for  some  beyond  reason; 
and  justice  cuts  off  others,  for  slighting  so  good, 
so  gracious,  and  necessary  a  means  of  salvation, 
so  full  both  of  kindness,  mercy  and  reason. 

CHAP.  XT. 

Seeing  [that]  it  is  not  possible  tluxt  tlie  reprobate 
should  receive  this  grace  and  live,  ami  also  seeing 
[that]  this  is  infallibly  foreseen  of  God;  and 
again,  seeing  God  hath  fore-determined  to  suffer 
it  so  to  he ;  Why  doth  tie  yet  will  aiid  command 
that  tlie  gospel,  and  so  grace  in  tJie  general  tenders 
thereof,  should  be  proffered  unto  tliem  ? 

Why  then  is  the  gospel  offered  them  ?  Well, 
that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  eternal  reprobation, 
[  have  shewed  you ;  also  what  this  eternal  repro- 
bation is,  I  have  opened  unto  you :  and  shall  now 
shew  you  also,  that  though  these  reprobates  will 
infallibly  perish,  which  God  not  only  foresaw,  but 
fore-determined  to  suffer  them  most  assuredly  so 
to  do ;  yet  there  is  reason,  great  reason,  why  the 
gospel,  and  so  the  grace  of  God  thereby,  should 
be  tendered,  and  that  in  general  terms,  to  them  as 
well  as  others. 

But  before  I  come  to  lay  the  reasons  before  you, 
I  must  mind  you  afresh  of  these  particulars : 

1.  That  eternal  reprobation  makes  no  man  a 
sinner. 

2.  That  the  fore-knowledge  of  God  that  the 
reprobate  would  perish  makes  no  man  a  sinner. 

3.  That  God's  infallibly  determining  upon  the 
damnation  of  him  that  perisheth,  makes  no  man  a 
sinner. 

4.  God's  patience  and  long-suffering,  and  for- 
bearance, until  the  reprobate  fits  himself  for  eter- 
nal destruction,  makes  no  man  a  sinner. 

So  then,  God  may  reprobate,  may  suffer  the 
reprobate  to  sin,  may  fore-determine  his  infallible 
damnation,  through  the  pre-consideration  of  him  in 
sin,  and  may  also  forbear  to  work  that  effectual 
work  in  his  soul  that  woidd  infallibly  bring  him 
cut  of  this  condition,  and  yet  neither  be  the  au- 


author,  contriver,  nor  means  of  man's  sin  and 
misery. 

Again,  God  may  infallibly  foresee  that  this  re- 
probate, when  he  hath  sinned,  will  be  an  unrea- 
sonable opposer  of  his  own  salvation;  and  may 
also  determine  to  suffer  him  to  sin,  and  be  thus 
unreasonable  to  the  end,  yet  be  gracious,  yea  very 
gracious,  if  he  offer  him  life,  and  that  only  upon 
reasonable  terms,  which  yet  he  denieth  to  close 
with.  Is.  i.  18.  Iv.  13. 

The  reasons  are, 

1.  Because  not  God,  but  sin,  hath  made  him 
unreasonable ;  without  which,  reasonable  terms 
had  done  his  work  for  him :  for  reasonable  terms 
are  the  most  equal  and  righteous  terms  that  can 
be  propounded  between  parties  at  difference ;  yea 
the  terms  that  most  suiteth  and  agreeth  with  a 
reasonable  creature,  such  as  man ;  nay,  reasonable 
terms  are,  for  terms,  the  most  apt  to  work  with 
that  man  whose  reason  is  brought  into  and  held 
captive  by  very  sense  itself.  Eze.  jniii.;  xxxiii. 

2.  God  goeth  yet  further,  he  addeth  promises 
of  mercy,  as  those  that  are  inseparable  to  the 
terms  he  offereth,  even  to  pour  forth  his  Spirit 
unto  them ;  '  Turn  at  my  reproof,  and  behold  I 
will  pour  forth  of  my  Spirit  unto  you,  and  incline 
your  car ;  come  unto  me,  hear  and  your  soul  shall 
live.'  Pr.i.  23-27. 

Now  then  to  the  question  itself,  to  wit,  that 
seeing  it  is  impossible  the  reprobate  should  be 
saved ;  seeing  also  this  is  infallibly  foreseen  of 
God,  and  seeing  also  that  God  hath  beforehand 
determined  to  suffer  it  so  to  be ;  yet  I  shall  shew 
you  it  is  requisite,  yea  very  requisite,  that  he  should 
both  will  and  command  that  the  gospel,  and  so 
grace  in  the  general  tenders  thereof  should  be  prof- 
fered unto  them. 

First  Reason. — And  that  first,  to  shew  that 
this  reprobation  doth  not  in  itself  make  any  man 
absolutely  incapable  of  salvation :  for  if  God  had 
intended  that  by  the  act  of  reprobation,  the  persons 
therein  concerned  should  also  by  that  only  act  have 
been  made  incapable  of  everlasting  life,  then  this 
act  must  also  have  tied  up  all  the  means  from 
them,  that  tendeth  to  that  end ;  or  at  least  have 
debarred  the  gospel's  being  offered  to  them  by 
God's  command,  for  that  intent;  otherwise  who  is 
there  but  would  have  charged  the  Holy  One  as 
guilty  of  guile,  and  worthy  of  blame,  for  com- 
manding that  the  gospel  of  grace  and  salvation 
should  be  offered  unto  this  or  that  man,  whom  yet 
he  hath  made  incapable  to  receive  it,  by  his  act 
of  reprobation.  Wherefore  this  very  thing,  to  wit, 
that  the  gospel  is  yet  to  be  tendered  to  those 
eternally  reprobated,  sheweth  that  it  is  not  simply 
the  act  of  God's  reprobation,  but  sin,  that  incapa- 
citateth  the  creature  of  live  everlasting.  Which 
sin  is  no  branch  of  this  reprobation,  as  is  evidents 


EEPKOBATION  ASSERTED. 


because  tlie  elect  and  reprobate  are  both  alike 
defiled  therewith. 

Second  Reason — God  also  shewcth  by  this, 
that  the  reprobate  do  not  perish  for  want  of  the 
oifers  of  salvation,  though  he  hath  offended  God, 
and  that  upon  most  righteous  terms ;  according  to 
what  is  written,  '  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.' 
Kze.  sxxiii.  11;  x\iii.  31,32.  '  Turn  ye  unto  me,  saith  the 
Lord  of  Hosts,  and  I  will  turn  unto  you,  saith  the 
Lord  of  Hosts. '  Zee.  i.  3.  So  then,  here  lieth  the 
point  between  God  and  the  reprobate,  I  mean  the 
reprobate  since  he  hath  sinned,  God  is  willing  to 
save  him  upon  reasonable  terms,  but  not  upon 
tenns  above  reason ;  but  no  reasonable  terms  will 
[go]  down  with  the  reprobate,  therefore  he  must 
perish  for  his  unreasonableness. 

That  God  is  AviEing  to  save  even  those  that 
perish  for  ever,  is  apparent,  both  from  the  consi- 
deration of  the  goodness  of  his  nature,  Ps.  cxlv.  9.  of 
man's  being  his  creature,  and  indeed  in  a  miserable 
state.  Jobxiv.  15;  iii.  16.  But  I  say,  as  I  have  also 
said  already,  there  is  a  great  difference  between 
his  being  wiUing  to  save  them,  through  their  com- 
plying with  these  his  reasonable  terms,  and  his 
being  resolved  to  save  them,  whether  they,  as  men, 
will  close  therewith,  or  no ;  so  only  he  saveth  the 
elect  themselves,  even  '  according  to  the  riches  of 
his  grace. '  Ep.  i.  7.  Even  'according  to  his  riches 
in  glory,  by  Christ  Jesus. '  Phi.  iv.  19.  Working  effec- 
tually in  them,  what  the  gospel,  as  a  condition, 
caUeth  for  from  them.  And  hence  it  is  that  he  is 
said  to  give  faith.  Phi.  i.  29.  yea  the  most  holy  faith, 
for  that  is  the  faith  of  God's  elect,  to  give  repent- 
ance, Ac.  V.  31.  to  give  a  new  heart,  to  give  his  fear, 
even  that  fear  that  may  keep  them  for  ever  from 
everlasting  ruin ;  Ep.  i.  4.  still  engaging  his  mercy 
and  goodness  to  follow  them  all  the  days  of  their 
lives,  Je.  xxxii.  40.  Eze.  xxxvi.  26,  27.  that  they  may  dwell 
in  the  house  of  the  Lord  for  ever,  Ps.  xxiii.  a.  and  as 
another  scripture  saith,  '  Xow  he  that  hath  wrought 
us  for  the  selfsame  thing,  is  God.'  2  Co.  v.  5.  Ro.  viii. 

26,  &:c. 

But  I  say,  his  denying  to  do  thus  for  every  man 
in  the  world,  cannot  properly  be  said  to  be  because 
he  is  not  heartily  willing  they  should  close  with 
the  tenders  of  the  grace  held  forth  in  the  gospel, 
and  hve.  Wherefore  you  must  consider  that  there 
is  a  distinction  to  be  put  between  God's  denying 
grace  on  reasonable  terms,  and  denying  it  abso- 
lutely ;  and  also  that  there  is  a  difference  between 
his  withholding  further  grace,  and  of  hindering 
men  from  closing  with  the  grace  at  present  offered; 
also  that  God  may  withhold  much,  when  he  taketh 
away  nothing ;  yea,  take  away  much,  when  once 
abused,  and  yet  be  just  and  righteous  still.  Further, 
God  may  deny  to  do  tliis  or  that  absolutely,  when 

VOL.  II. 


yet  he  hath  promised  to  do,  not  only  that,  but 
more,  conditionally.  Which  things  considered, 
you  may  with  ease  conclude,  that  he  may  be  wiUing 
to  save  those  not  elect,  upon  reasonable  terms, 
though  not  without  them. 

It  is  no  unrighteousness  in  God  to  offer  grace 
unto  the  world,  though  but  on  these  terms  only, 
that  they  are  also  foreseen  by  him  infallibly  to  re- 
ject ;  both  because  to  reject  it  is  imreasonable, 
especially  the  terms  being  so  reasonable,  as  to  be- 
lieve the  truth  and  live ;  and  also  because  it  is 
grace  and  mercy  in  God,  so  much  as  once  to  offer 
means  of  reconciHation  to  a  sinner,  he  being  the 
offender;  but  the  Lord,  the  God  offended;  they 
being  but  dust  and  ashes,  he  the  heavenly  Majesty. 
If  God,  when  man  had  broke  the  law,  had  yet 
with  aU  severity  kept  the  world  to  the  utmost  con- 
dition of  it,  had  he  then  been  unjust  ?  Had  he 
injured  man  at  aU  ?  Was  not  every  tittle  of  the 
law  reasonable,  both  in  the  first  and  second  table  ? 
How  much  more  then  is  he  merciful  and  gracious, 
even  in  but  mentioning  terms  of  reconciliation  ? 
especially  seeing  he  is  also  willing  so  to  condescend, 
if  they  will  believe  his  word,  and  receive  the  love 
of  the  truth.  Though  the  reprobate  then  doth 
voluntarily,  and  against  aU  strength  of  reason,  run 
himself  upon  the  rocks  of  eternal  misery,  and  spht 
himself  thereon,  he  perisheth  in  his  own  corrup- 
tion, by  rejecting  terms  of  hfe.  2Tii.iLio.  2Pe.  ii.  12,13. 

Object.  But  the  reprobate  is  not  now  in  a  capa- 
city to  fulfil  these  reasonable  terms. 

Ajis.  But  I  say,  suppose  it  should  be  granted, 
is  it  because  reprobation  made  him  incapable,  or 
sin  ?  Not  reprobation,  but  sin :  if  sin,  then  before 
he  quarrel,  let  him  consider  the  case  aright,  where, 
in  the  result,  he  will  find  sin,  being  consented  to 
by  his  voluntary  mind,  hath  thus  disabled  him:  and 
because,  I  say,  it  was  sin  by  his  voluntary  consent 
that  did  it,  let  him  quarrel  with  himself  for  con- 
senting, so  as  to  make  himself  incapable  to  close 
with  reasonable  terms ;  yea,  with  those  terms  be- 
cause reasonable,  therefore  most  suitable,  as  terms, 
for  him  notwithstanding  his  wickedness.  And  I  say 
again,  forasmuch  as  those  reasonable  terms  have 
annexed  unto  them,  as  their  inseparable  companions, 
such  wonderfid  mercy  and  grace  as  indeed  there 
is,  let  even  them  that  perish,  yet  justify  God;  yea 
cry,  '  His  goodness  endureth  for  ever  ; '  though 
they,  through  the  wretchedness  of  their  hearts,  get 
no  benefit  by  it. 

Third  Reasox. — God  may  wiU  and  command 
that  his  gospel,  and  so  the  grace  thereof,  be  ten- 
dered to  those  that  shall  never  be  saved,  (besides 
what  hath  been  said)  to  shew  to  all  spectators  what 
an  enemy  sin,  being  once  embraced,  is  to  the  sal- 
vation of  man.  Sin,  without  the  tenders  of  the 
grace  of  the  gospel,  could  never  have  appeared  so 
exceeding  sinful,  as  bv  that  it  both  hath  and  dotli: 
2   Y 


354 


KEPEOBATION  ASSERTED. 


'  If  I  had  not  come  and  spoken  unto  tliem,  (saitli 
Christ)  they  had  not  had  sin:  hut  now  they  have 
no  cloke  for  their  sin. '  Jn.  xv.  23.  As  sins  that  oppose 
tiie  law,  are  discovered  by  the  law,  that  is,  by  the 
goodness,  and  justness,  and  holiness  of  the  law  ; 
iio.  vii.  so  the  sins  that  oppose  the  gospel,  are  made 
manifest  by  that,  even  by  the  love,  and  mercy,  and 
forgiveness  of  the  gospel:  If  'he  that  despised 
Moses'  law  died  without  mercy,  -  of  how  much 
sorer  punishment,  suppose  ye,  shall  he  be  thought 
worthy,  who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of 
God?'  lie.  X.  28,  20.  Who  could  have  thought  that 
sin  Avould  have  opposed  that  which  is  just,  but 
especially  mercy  and  grace,  had  we  not  seen  it 
with  our  eyes  ?  And  how  could  we  have  seen  it 
to  purpose,  had  not  God  left  some  to  themselves  ? 
Here  indeed  is  sin  made  manifest :  '  For  all  he  had 
done  so  many  miracles  amongst  them,'  (to  wit,  to 
persuade  them  to  mercy)  'yet  they  believed  not  on 
liim. '  la.  xii  37.  Sin,  where  it  reigneth,  is  a  mortal 
t'uemy  to  the  soul ;  it  blinds  the  eyes,  holds  the 
hands,  ties  the  legs,  and  stops  the  ears,  and  makes 
the  heart  implacable  to  resist  the  Saviour  of  souls. 
That  man  will  neither  obey  the  law  nor  the  gospel, 
who  is  left  unto  his  sin :  which  also  God  is  willing 
should  be  discovered  and  made  manifest,  though 
it  cost  the  damnation  of  some :  For  this  very  pur- 
pose, saith  God  to  Pharaoh,  *  have  I  raised  thee 
up,  for  to  shew  in  thee  my  power ;  and  that  my 
name  may  be  declared  in  all  the  earth,'  Ex.  ix.  ]6. 
Ro.  ix.  17.  For  God,  by  raising  up  Pharaoh  to  his 
kingdom,  and  suiiering  him  to  Avalk  to  the  height, 
according  as  his  sin  did  prompt  him  forward, 
shewed  unto  aU  beholders  what  a  dreadful  thing 
sin  is  ;  and  that  without  the  special  assistance  of 
his  Holy  Spirit,  sin  would  neither  be  charmed  by 
law  nor  gospel.  This  reason,  though  it  be  no 
profit  unto  those  that  are  damned ;  yet  it  is  for 
the  honour  of  God,  and  the  good  of  those  he  hath 
chosen. 

It  is  for  the  honour  of  God,  even  for  the  honour 
of  his  power  and  mercy :  for  his  power  is  now  dis- 
oovered  indeed,  when  nothing  can  tame  sin  but 
that ;  and  his  mercy  is  here  seen  indeed  ;  because 
that  doth  engage  him  to  do  it.     Eead  Ro.  Lx.  22,  23. 

Fourth  Reason. — God  commandeth  that  the 
tender  of  the  gospel,  and  the  grace  thereof,  be  in 
general  offered  to  all,  that  means  thereby  might 
be  sufficiently  provided  for  the  elect,  both  to  beget 
them  to  faith,  and  to  maintain  it  in  them  to  the 
end,  in  what  place,  or  state,  or  condition  soever 
they  are.  Ep.  i.  God,  through  the  operation  of  his 
manifold  wisdom,  hath  an  end  and  an  end  in  his 
acts  and  doings  amongst  the  children  of  men :  and, 
so  in  that  he  commandeth  that  his  gospel  be  ten- 
dered to  all,  an  end,  I  say,  to  leave  the  damned 
vt-ithout  excuse,  and  to  provide  sufficiency  of  means 
for  the  gathering  all  his   elect.     '  Oh  that  God 


would  speak,  (saith  Zopliar,)  and  open  his  lips 
against  thee ;  and  -  shew  thee  the  secrets  of  wis- 
dom, that  they  are  double  to  that  which  is.'  Job  xi. 
3,  0.  For  though  God  worketh  with  and  upon  the 
elect,  otherwise  than  with  and  upon  the  reprobate ; 
yet  he  worketh  with  and  upon  the  elect,  with  and 
by  the  same  word  he  commandeth  should  be  held 
forth  and  offered  to  the  reprobate.  Now  the  text 
thus  running  in  most  free  and  universal  terms,  the 
elect  then  hearing  thereof,  do  through  the  mighty 
power  of  God  close  in  with  the  tenders  therein 
held  forth,  and  are  saved.  Thus  that  word  that 
was  offered  to  the  reprobate  Jews,  and  by  them 
most  fiercely  rejected,  even  that  word  became  yet 
effectual  to  the  chosen,  and  they  were  saved  thei'e- 
by.  They  gladly  received  the  word, '  and  as  many 
as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life  believed. '  Ac  xiii.  48.*' 
'  Not  as  though  the  word  of  God  had  taken  none 
effect.'  Ro.  Lv. 6.  '  God  hath  not  cast  away  his  peo- 
ple whom  he  foreknew.'  xi.  2.  The  word  shall 
accomplish  the  thing  for  which  God  hath  sent  it, 
even  the  salvation  of  the  few  that  are  chosen,  when 
tendered  to  all;  though  rejected  by  most,  through 
the  rebellion  of  their  hearts.  Ac.  xxviii.  28.  He.  iv.  1—3. 

Object.  But  if  God  hath  elected,  as  you  have 
said,  what  need  he  lay  a  foundation  so  general  for 
the  begetting  faith  in  his  chosen  particulars,  see- 
ing the  same  Spirit  that  worketh  in  them  by  such 
means,  could  also  work  in  them  by  other,  even  by 
a  word,  excluding  the  most,  in  the  first  tenders 
tliereof,  amongst  men  ? 

Alls.  I  told  you  before,  that  though  this  be  a 
principal  reason  of  the  general  tenders  of  the  graco 
of  the  gospel,  yet  it  is  not  all  the  reason  why  the 
tender  should  be  so  general,  as  the  three  former 
reasons  shew. 

But  again,  in  the  bowels  of  God's  decree  of 
election,  is  contained  the  means  that  arc  also 
ordained  for  the  effectual  bringing  of  those  electeil 
to  that  glory  for  which  they  were  fore-appointed  ; 


*  As  tlie  same  suu  which  softens  the  wax,  hardens  the  clay, 
so  it  is  with  the  preached  gospel,  which  is  to  some  'the  savour 
of  death  unto  death,  and  to  others  the  savour  of  life  unto  life,' 
2  Cor.  ii.  16.  The  gospel  is  iueifectual  to  any  saving  purpose 
respecting  the  reprohate;  partly  through  pride,  and  in  not 
enduring  to  he  reproved  by  it ;  partly  through  slothfidness,  in 
not  coming  under  the  sound  of  it ;  and  principally  through 
cm'scd  infidelity,  in  not  beKcving  the  gracious  message  it 
biings.  Let  it  be  well  attended  to,  that  all  v/ho  hoar  the 
gospel,  are  obliged  to  the  duty  of  believing,  as  well  as  to  all 
the  duties  of  the  moral  law,  and  that  licfore  they  know  their 
particular  election ;  for  we  canuot  have  a  certain  knowledge 
of  our  election  to  eternal  life  before  we  do  believe :  it  is  a 
thing  hidden  in  the  unsearchable  counsel  of  God,  untd  it  be 
manifest  by  our  elTectual  calling,  and  believing  on  Chiist ; 
therefore  we  must  believe  on  Christ  before  we  know  our  elec- 
tion; or  else  we  shall  never  know  it,  and  shall  never  believe. 
AU  joy,  peace,  comfort,  assurances,  are  communicated  to  the 
sou]  in  the  way  of  believing.  May  the  Lord  give  and  increase 
s  ;ving  faith ! — 3fason  and  R,>jland. 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


355 


even  to  gather  together  in  one,  all  the  children  cf 
God.  Jn.  xi.  53.  *  Whereunto  he  called  you,  (saith 
Paul,)  by  our  gospel,  to  the  obtaining  of  the  glory 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. '  2  Th.  ii.  u.  God's  decree 
of  election  then,  destroyeth  not  the  means  which 
his  wisdom  hath  prepared,  it  rather  establisheth, 
yea  ordains  and  establisheth  it ;  and  maketh  that 
means  vrhich  in  the  outward  sound  is  indefinite 
and  general,  efi"ectual  to  this  and  that  man,  through 
a  special  and  particular  application :  Ga.  ii.  20, 21.  thus 
that  Christ  that  in  general  was  offered  to  all,  is  by 
a  special  act  of  faith  applied  to  Paul  in  particular; 
*  He  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.' 

Further,  As  the  design  of  the  Heavenly  [Majesty 
is  to  bring  his  elect  to  glory  by  means,  so  by  the 
means  thus  universal  and  general,  as  most  bchoove- 
ful  and  fit ;  if  we  consider  not  only  the  way  it  doth 
please  him  to  work  with  some  of  his  chosen,  in 
order  to  this  their  glory,  but  also  the  trials,  temp- 
tations, and  other  calamities  they  must  go  tln-ough 
thereto. 

1.  Touching  his  working  with  some,  how  invisible 
is  it  to  those  in  whose  souls  it  is  yet  begun?  How 
is  the  word  buried  trader  the  clods  of  their  hearts 
for  months,  yea  years  together  ?  Only  thus  much 
is  discovered  thereof,  it  sheweth  the  soul  its  sin, 
the  which  it  doth  also  so  aggravate  and  apply  to 
the  conscience  (Jesus  still  refi-aining,  like  Joseph, 
to  make  himself  known  to  his  brethren)  that  vrere 
there  not  general  tenders  of  mercy,  and  that  to  the 
worst  of  sinners,  they  would  soon  miscarry,  and 
perish,  as  do  the  sons  of  perdition.  But  by  these 
the  Lord  upholdeth  and  helpeth  them,  that  they 
stand,  when  others  fall  for  ever.  Ps.  cxbc.  40. 

2.  And  so  likewise  for  their  trials,  temptations, 
and  other  calamities,  because  God  wiU  not  bring 
them  to  heaven  without,  but  by  them ;  therefore 
he  hath  also  provided  a  word  so  large,  as  to  lie 
fair  for  the  support  of  the  soul  in  all  conditions, 
that  it  may  not  die  for  thirst. 

3.  I  might  add  also  in  this  place,  tlicir  imper- 
fect state  after  grace  received,  doth  call  for  such 
a  word ;  yea,  many  other  things  which  might  be 
named:  which  God,  only  wise,  hath  thought  fit 
should  accompany  us  to  the  ship,  yea  in  the  sea, 
to  our  desired  haven. 

Fifth  Reasox. — God  wllleth  and  commandeth 
the  gospel  should  be  oiFered  to  all,  that  thereby 
distinguishing  love,  as  to  an  inward  and  spiritual 
•work,  might  the  more  appear  to  be  indeed  the 
fruit  of  special  and  peculiar  love.  For  in  that  the 
gospel  is  tendered  to  all  in  general,  when  yet  but 
some  do  receive  it;  yea,  and  seeing  these  some 
are  as  unable,  unwUllng,  and  by  nature,  as  much 
averse  thereto,  as  those  that  refuse  it,  and  perish; 
it  is  evident  that  something  more  of  heaven  and 
the  operation  of  the  Spirit  of  God  doth  accompany 
the  word  thus  tendered  for  their  life  and  salvation 


that  enjoy  it.  :  Th.  i.  4—7.    Xot  now  as  a  word  barely 
tendered,  but  backed  by  the  strength  of  heaven : 
*  Behold  what  manner  of  love  the   Father  hath 
bestowed  upon  us,  that  we  should  be  called  the 
sons  of  God  ! '  Un.  iii.  1.  even  we  who  believe  *  ac- 
cording to  the  working  of  his  mighty  power,  Avhicli 
he  wrought  in  Christ,  when  he  raised  him  from 
the  dead. '  Ep.  i.  20.    This  provoketh  to  distinguishing 
admiration,  yea,  and  also  to  a  love  like  that  which 
hath  fastened  on  the  called,  the  preserved,  and  tlio 
glorified:   '  He  hath  not  dealt  so  with  any  nation: 
and  as  for  his  judgments,  they  have  not  known 
them.     Praise  ye  the  Lord. '  Ps.  cxiviL  20.   Now  aio 
the  sacrifices  bound  even  to  the  horns  of  the  altar, 
with  a  '  Lord,  how  is   it  that  thou  wilt  manifest 
thyself  unto  us,  and  not  unto  the  world ! '  Ju.  x-iv.  2-:. 
He  '  sent  from  above,  he  took  me  ;  he  drev.-  me  out 
of  many  waters ;  he  delivered  me  from  my  strong- 
enemy,  and  from  them  that  hated  me ;  for  they 
were  too  strong  for  me.'  3  Sa.  xxii.  17.  Ps.  xviii.  IG. 

For  thus  the  elect  consideretli:  though  we  all 
came  alike  into  the  world,  and  are  the  children  of 
wrath  by  nature ;  Ep.  ii.  1—3.  yea,  though  we  have 
alike  so  weakened  ourselves  by  sin,  Ro.  iii.  g.  that 
the  whole  head  is  sick,  and  the  whole  heart  faint, 
Is.  i.  5.  being  altogether  gone  out  of  the  way,  and 
every  one  become  altogether  unprofitable,  both  to 
God  and  ourselves ;  Ro.  iii.  13.  yet  that  God  should 
open  mine  eyes,  convert  my  soul,  give  me  faith, 
forgive  my  sins  ',  raise  me,  when  I  fall ;  fetch  mo 
again,  when  I  am  gone  astray ;  this  is  wonderful ! 
Ps.  xxxvii.  23.  Yea,  that  he  should  prepare  eternal 
mansions  for  me ;  Ps.  xxiii.  6.  and  also  keep  me  by 
his  blessed  and  mighty  power  for  that ;  and  that 
in  a  way  of  believing,  which  without  his  assistance 
I  am  no  way  able  to  perform !  3  Co.  v.  3.  That  ho 
should  do  this  notwithstanding  my  sins,  though  I 
had  no  righteousness  !  Dc.  ix.  5—7.  Yea,  that  he 
should  do  it  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace, 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord !  Even  according  to  an  everlasting  covenant 
of  grace,  which  yet  the  greatest  part  of  the  world 
are  void  of,  and  wiU  for  ever  miss  and  fall  short 
of !  Eze.  svi.  60—63.  Besides,  that  he  should  mollify 
my  heart !  break  it,  and  then  delight  in  it ;  Ps.  li.  17. 
put  his  fear  in  it,  and  then  look  to  me,  is.  ixvl.  3.  Ps. 
ciTmiiL  6.  and  keep  me  as  the  apple  of  his  eye ; 
De.  xxxii.  10.  yea,  resolve  to  guide  me  with  his  coun- 
sel, and  then  receive  me  to  glory !  Further,  that 
all  this  shoidd  be  the  efiect  of  unthought  of,  unde- 
served, and  undesired  love  !  Mai.  i.  2.  De.  viL  7,  8.  That 
the  Lord  should  think  on  this  before  he  made  the 
world,  Je.xxxi.3.  and  sufiiclently  ordain  the  means 
before  he  had  laid  the  foundation  of  the  hiUs  ! 
For  this  he  is  worthy  to  be  praised :  l  Co.  iL  9.  yea, 
♦  Let  every  thing  that  hath  breath  praise  the  Lord ; 
praise  ye  the  Lord.' 

Cirjed.  But  you  have  said  before,  that  the  repro- 


356 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


bate  is  also  blessed  witb  many  gospel  mercies,  as 
with  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  faith,  light,  the  gift 
of  the  IIolj  Ghost,  and  the  tastes  or  relish  of  the 
powers  of  the  world  to  come :  if  so,  then  what 
should  be  the  reason  that  yet  he  perisheth  ?  Is  it 
because  the  grace  that  he  receivethdiffereth  from  the 
grace  that  the  elect  are  saved  by  ?  If  they  differ, 
where  lieth  the  difference  ?  Whether  in  the  nature, 
or  in  the  degree,  or  in  the  management  thereof  ? 

A71S.  To  this  objection  I  might  answer  many 
things;  but,  for  brevity,  take  this  reply:  That 
the  non-elect  may  travel  very  far  both  in  the 
knowledge,  faith,  light,  and  sweetness  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  may  also  attain  to  the  partaking  of 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  yea,  and  by  the  very  operation 
of  these  things  also,  escape  the  pollutions  of  the 
world,  and  become  a  visible  saint,  join  in  church- 
communion,  and  be  as  chief  amongst  the  very 
elect  themselves.  This  the  scriptures  every  where 
do  shew  us. 

The  question  then  is,  whether  the  elect  and 
reprobate  receive  a  differing  grace  ?  To  which  I 
answer,  Yes,  in  some  respects,  both  as  to  the 
nature  thereof,  and  also  the  degree. 

1.  To  begin  then  with  the  nature  of  it. 

(1.)  The  faith  that  the  chosen  are  blessed  with, 
it  goeth  under  another  name  than  any  faith  besides, 
even  the  faith  of  God's  elect,  Tit.  i.  1.  as  of  a  faith 
belonging  to  them  only,  of  which  none  others  do 
partake ;  which  faith  also,  for  the  nature  of  it,  is 
called  faith  most  holy ;  Jude  30.  to  shew  it  goes 
beyond  all  other,  and  can  be  fitly  matched  no 
where  else,  but  with  their  most  blessed  faith  who 
infallibly  attain  eternal  glory  :  even  '  like  precious 
faith  with  us, '  saith  Peter ;  2  Pc.  i.  1.  with  his  elect 
companions.  And  so  of  other  things.  For  if  this 
be  true,  that  they  differ  in  their  faith,  they  must 
needs  therewith  differ  in  other  things :  for  faith 
being  the  mother  grace,  produceth  all  the  rest 
according  to  its  own  nature,  to  wit,  love  that 
abounds,  that  never  fails,  and  that  is  never  con- 
tented till  it  attain  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  «kc. 

2  '111.  i.  3.  1  Co.  xiii.  8.  Plii.  iiL 

(2.)  They  differ  as  to  the  nature,  in  this;  the 
faith,  and  hope,  and  love,  that  the  chosen  receive, 
it  is  that  which  floweth  from  election  itself ;  he 
hath  blessed  us  *  according  as  he  hath  chosen  us,' 
Ep.  i.  4, 5.  even  with  those  graces  he  set  apart  for  us, 
when  he  in  eternity  did  appoint  us  to  life  before 
the  foimdation  of  the  world :  which  graces,  because 
the  decree  in  itself  is  most  absolute  and  infallible, 
they  also,  that  they  may  completely  answer  the  end, 
will  do  the  work  infallibly  likewise,  still  through 
the  management  of  Christ :  '  I  have  prayed  for 
thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not. '  Lu.  xxii.  32.     But, 

2.  As  they  differ  in  nature,  they  differ  also  in 
degree :  for  though  it  be  true  that  the  reprobate 
is  blessed  with  grace,  yet  this  is  also  as  true,  that 


the  elect  are  blessed  with  more  grace.  It  is  the 
privilege  only  of  those  that  are  chosen,  to  be  blessed 
with  ALL  spiritual  blessings,  and  to  have  all  the 
good  pleasure  of  the  goodness  of  God  fulfilled  in 
and  upon  them.  Those  who  are  blessed  with  all 
spiritual  blessings  must  needs  be  blessed  with  eter- 
nal life ;  and  those  in  whom  the  Lord,  not  only 
works  all  his  good  pleasure,  but  fulfilleth  aU  the 
good  pleasure  of  his  goodness  upon  them,  they 
must  needs  be  preserved  to  his  heavenly  kingdom; 
Ep.  i.  4, 5. 1  Th.  i.  10.  but  none  of  the  non-elect  have 
these  things  conferred  upon  them  ;  therefore  the 
grace  bestowed  upon  the  one,  doth  differ  both  in 
nature  and  degree  from  the  other. 

3.  There  is  a  difference  as  to  the  management 
also.  The  reprobate  is  principal  for  the  manage- 
ment of  the  grace  he  receiveth,  but  Jesus  Christ 
is  principal  for  the  management  of  the  grace  the 
elect  receiveth.  When  I  say  principal,  I  mean 
chief ;  for  though  the  reprobate  is  to  have  the 
greatest  hand  in  the  management  of  what  mercy 
and  goodness  the  Lord  bestoweth  on  him,  yet  not 
so  as  that  the  Lord  will  not  help  him  at  all ;  nay 
contrariwise  he  will,  if  first  the  reprobate  do  tridy 
the  duty  that  lieth  on  him :  '  If  thou  doest  AveU, 
shalt  thou  not  be  accepted  ?  but  if  thou  doest  not 
well,  sin  lieth  at  the  door.'  Ge. iv.7.  Thus  it:  was 
also  with  Saul,  who  was  rejected  of  God  upon  this 
account,  i  Sa.  xiii.  ii— 14 ;  xv.  26.  And  I  say,  as  to  the 
elect  themselves,  though  Jesus  Christ  our  blessed 
Saviour  be  chief,  as  to  the  management  of  the 
grace  bestowed  on  his  chosen,  yet  not  so  as  that 
he  quite  excludeth  them  from  '  striving  according 
to  his  working,  which  worketh  in  me  mightily.' 
Col.  i.  29.  Nay  contrariwise,  if  those  who  in  truth 
are  elect,  shall  yet  be  remiss,  and  do  wickedly, 
they  shall  feel  the  stroke  of  God's  rod,  it  may  be 
till  their  bones  do  break.  But  because  the.Avork 
doth  not  lie  at  their  door  to  manage  as  chief,  but 
as  Christ's,  therefore  though  he  may  perform  his 
work  with  much  bitterness  and  grief  to  them ;  yet 
he  being  engaged  as  the  principal,  will  perform 
that  which  concerueth  them,  even  until  the  day 
(the  coming)  of  Jesus  Christ.  Ps.  cxxxviii.  8.  Phi.  i.  6. 

From  what  hath  been  said,  there  ariseth  this  con- 
clusion : 

The  elect  are  always  under  eternal  mercy,  but 
those  not  elect  always  under  eternal  justice;  for  you 
must  consider  this:  there  is  eternal  mercy  and  eter- 
nal justice,  and  there  is  present  mercy  and  present 
justice.  So  then,  for  a  man  to  be  in  a  state  of  mercy, 
it  maybe  either  a  state  of  mercy  present,  or  both  pre- 
sent and  eternal  also.  And  so  again  for  a  man  to  be  in 
a  state  under  justice,  it  maybe  understood  either  of 
present  justice  only,  or  of  both  present  and  eternal 
also. 

That  this  may  yet  further  be  opened,  I  shall 
somewhat  eularffe. 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


357 


I  begin  with  present  mercy  and  present  justice. 
That  which  I  call  present  mercy,  is  that  faith, 
light,  knowledge,  and  taste  of  the  good  word  of 
God,  that  a  man  may  have,  and  perish.  This  is 
called  in  scripture.  Believing  for  a  while,  during 
for  a  while,  and  rejoicing  in  the  light  for  a  season. 

He.  vi.  4,  5.  2  Pe.  ii.  20.  Mat.  xiii.  23.  Lu.  viii.  13.    Kow  I  CaU  this 

mercy,  both  because  none,  as  men,  can  deserve  it, 
and  also  because  the  proper  end  thereof  is  to  do  good 
to  those  that  have  it.  But  I  call  it  present  mercy, 
because  those  that  are  only  blessed  with  that,  may 
sin  it  away,  and  perish  ;  as  did  some  of  the  Gala- 
tians,    Hebrews,    Alexandrians,  with  the  Asians, 

and  others.  Ga.  v.  4.  He.  xii.  15,  16.  1  Ti.  i.  20.  2  Ti.  ii.  18 ;  i.  15. 

He.  xiL  15.  But  yet  observe  again,  I  do  not  call 
this  present  mercy,  because  God  hath  determined 
it  shall  last  but  a  while  absolutely;  but  because  it 
is  possible  for  man  to  lose  it,  yea  determined  he 
shall,  conditionally.  Jn.  v.  35.  l  Co.  xii.  7. 

Again,  as  to  present  justice,  it  is  that  which 
lasteth  but  a  while  also ;  and  as  present  mercy  is 
properly  the  portion  of  those  left  out  of  God's 
election,  so  present  justice  chiefly  hath  to  do  with 
God's  beloved ;  who  yet  at  that  time  are  also  un- 
der eternal  mercy.  This  is  that  justice  that  afflict- 
ed Job,  ch.  vi.  4.  David,  Ps.  h-xxviii.;  xxxviii.  3.  Heman, 
and  the  godly,  who  notwithstanding  do  infallibly 
attain,  by  virtue  of  this  mercy,  eternal  life  and 

glory.     Am.  iii.  2. 1  Co  .-u.  30,  31.  Ps.  xxx.  5 ;  ciii.  9.  1  Pe.  i.  6.         I 

call  this  justice,  because  in  some  sense  God  deal- 
eth  with  his  children  according  to  the  quality  of 
their  transgressions;  and  I  caUit  also  present  jus- 
tice, because  though  the  hand  of  God  for  the  pre- 
sent be  never  so  heavy  on  those  that  are  his  by 
election,  yet  it  lasteth  but  a  while ;  wherefore 
though  this  indeed  be  called  wrath,  yet  is  but  a 
little  wrath,  wrath  for  a  moment,  time,  or  season, 
■*  In  a  little  wrath  I  hid  my  face  from  thee  for  a 
moment;  but  with  everlasting  kindness  will  I 
have  mercy  on  thee,  saith  the  Lord  thy  Redeemer, ' 

Is.  liv.  8. 

Thus  you  see  there  is  present  mercy  and  present 
justice  ;  also  that  the  elect  may  be  under  present 
justice,  when  the  rest  may  be  under  present  mercy. 

Again,  As  there  is  present  mercy  and  present 
justice,  so  there  is  eternal  mercy  and  eternal  jus- 
tice :  and  I  say,  as  the  elect  may  be  under  present 
justice,  when  the  non-elect  may  be  under  present 
mercy;  so  the  elect  at  that  time  are  also  under 
eternal  mercy,  but  the  other  under  eternal  justice. 

That  the  elect  are  under  eternal  mercy,  and 
that  when  under  present  justice,  is  evident  from 
what  hath  been  said  before,  namely,  from  their 
being  chosen  in  Christ  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world ;  as  also  from  the  consideration  of  their 
sound  conversion,  and  safe  preservation  quite 
through  this  wicked  world,  even  safe  mito  eternal 
life ;  as  he  also  saith  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah, 


'Yea,  I  have  loved  thee  with  an  everlasting  love: 
therefore  with  loving  kindness  have  I  drawn  thee.' 
cii.  xxxi.  3.  And  hence  it  is  that  he  calleth  the  elect 
his  sheep,  Ju.  x.  16.  his  children,  xi.  52.  and  people,: 
Ac.  xviii.  9, 10.  and  that  before  conversion ;  for  thouo-h 
none  of  them  as  yet  were  his  children  by  callino-, 
yet  were  they  his  according  to  election. 

Now  the  elect  being  under  this  eternal  grace 
and  mercy,  they  must  needs  be  under  it  both  be- 
fore present  justice  seizeth  upon  them,  while  it 
seizeth  them,  and  also  continueth  with  them  longer 
than  present  justice  can,  it  being  from  everlastino- 
to  everlasting.  This  being  so,  here  is  the  reason 
why  no  sin,  nor  yet  temptation  of  the  enemy,  with, 
any  other  evil,  can  hm-t  or  destroy  those  thus  elect 
of  God :  yea  this  is  that  which  maketh  even  those 
things  that  in  themselves  are  the  very  bane  of  men, 
yet  prove  very  much  for  good  to  those  within  this 
purpose;  Eo.  viii.  28.  And  as  David  saith,  'It  is  good 
for  me  that  I  have  been  afflicted,'  Ps. cxk.71.  And 
again,  'But  when  we  are  judged  we  are  chastened 
of  the  Lord,  that  we  should  not  be  condemned  with 
the  world,'  ICo.  xi.  33.  Xow  afflictions,  &c.,  in 
themselves  are  not  only  fruitless  and  unprofitable, 
but,  being  unsanctified,  are  destructive ;  *  I  smote 
him,  and  he  went  on  frowardly:'  Is.  Ivii.  17.  But  now 
eternal  mei'cy  working  with  this  or  that  affliction, 
makes  it  profitable  to  the  chosen ;  '  I  have  seen  his 
ways,  and  will  heal  him,  and  restore  comforts  unto 
him  and  to  his  mourners,'  ver.  18.  As  he  saith  in 
another  place,  '  Blessed  is  the  man  whom  thou 
chastenest,  and  teachest  him  out  of  thy  law, '  Ps.  xciv. 
12.  For  eternal  mercy  doth  not  look  on  those  who 
are  the  elect  and  chosen  of  God,  as  poor  sinful 
creatures  only,  but  also  as  the  generation  whom 
the  Lord  hath  blessed,  in  whom  he  hath  designed 
to  magnify  his  mercy  to  the  utmost,  by  pardoning 
the  transo-ressions  of  the  remnant  of  his  heritage, 
1  Pe.  ii.  9.  Mi.  vii.  18, 19.  '  Having  predestinated  us  unto 
the  adoption  of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  him- 
self, -  wherein  he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the 
beloved. '  Ep.  i.  6.  Wherefore,  I  say,  the  elect,  as 
they  do  also  receive  that  grace  and  mercy  that  may 
be  sinned  away,  so  they  have  that  grace  and  mercy 
which  cannot  be  lost,  and  that  sin  cannot  deprive 
them  of,  even  mercy  that  aboimds,  and  goeth  be- 
yond all  sin ;  such  mercy  as  hath  engaged  the 
power  of  God,  the  intercession  of  Christ,  and  the 
communication  of  the  blessed  Spirit  of  adoption, 
which  Spirit  also  engageth  the  heart,  directs  it 
into  the  love  of  God,  that  it  may  not  depart  from 
God  after  that  rate  as  the  reprobates  do,  Ep.  v.  29, 
30.  '  I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with 
them,  (saith  God)  that  I  will  not  turn  away  from 
them,  to  do  them  good ;  but  I  will  put  my  fear  in 
tlieir  hearts,  that  they  shall  not  depart  from  me.' 

Je.  xxiii.  40. 

But  now  I   say,    God's   dealing  with  the  non- 


S5S 


REPROBATION  ASSERTED. 


elect,  is  far  otherwise,  tliey  being  under  the  con- 
sideration of  eternal  justice,  even  then  Avhen  in  the 
enjoyment  of  present  grace  and  mercy.  And 
hence  it  is  that  as  to  their  standing  before  the  God 
of  heaven,  they  are  counted  dogs,  and  sows,  and 
devils,  even  then  when  before  the  elect  of  God 
themselves  they  are  counted  saints  and  brethren : 
*  The  dog  is  turned  to  his  own  vomit  again,  and  the 
sow  that  was  washed  to  her  ^'allowing  in  the  mire. ' 
2  Pe.  ii.  22.  And  the  reason  is,  because  notwithstand- 
ing all  their  shew  before  the  world,  their  old  na- 
ture and  corruptions  do  still  bear  sway  within, 
which  in  time  also,  according  to  the  ordinary 
judgment  of  God,  is  suffered  so  to  shew  itself, 
that  they  are  visible  to  saints  that  are  elect,  as 
was  the  case  of  Simon  Magus,  and  that  wicked 
apostate  Judas,  avIio  '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 
wetd  out  that  they  might  be  made  manifest  that 
they  were  not  all  of  us : '  i  Jn.  ii.  19.  They  were  not 
elect  as  we,  nor  were  they  sanctified  as  the  elect 
of  God  themselves  ;  wherefore  eternal  justice 
counts  them  the  sons  of  perdition,  when  under  their 
]>rofession.  And  I  say,  they  being  tmder  this 
eternal  justice,  it  must  needs  have  to  do  wdth  them 
in  the  midst  of  their  profession ;  and  because  also 
it  is  much  offended  with  them  for  conniving  with 
thch-   last,    it  taketh  away  frfui  them,  and  that 


most  righteously,  those  gifts  and  graces,  and  bene- 
fits and  privileges  that  present  mercy  gave  them ; 
and  not  only  so,  but  cuts  them  off  for  their  ini- 
quity, and  layeth  them  under  wrath  for  ever. 
They  'have  forsaken  the  right  way,  (saith  God) 
-  following  the  way  of  Baalam  the  son  of  Bosor ;  - 
these  are  wells  without  water,  clouds  that  are  car- 
ried with  a  tempest;'  trees  whose  fruit  withereth, 
without  fruit,  twice  dead,  plucked  up  by  the  roots, 
'  for  whom  is  reserved  the  blackness  of  darkness 

for  ever. '  2  Pe.  ii.  5, 16, 17.  Jude  11—13.  Jn.  xviL  12.  Mat.  xiii.  12  ; 
XXT.  29.  Mar.  iv.  25.  Lu.  viii.  18. 

These  things  thus  considered,  yon  see, 

1 .  That  there  is  present  grace  and  present  mercy, 
eternal  grace  and  eternal  mercy. 

2.  That  the  elect  are  under  eternal  mercy, 
and  THAT,  when  under  present  justice ;  and  that 
the  reprobate  is  under  eternal  justice,  and  that 
when  under  present  mercy. 

3.  Thus  you  see  again,  that  the  non-elect  perish 
by  reason  of  sin,  notwithstanding  present  mercy, 
because  of  eternal  justice  ;  and  that  the  elect  arc 
preserved  from  the  death,  though  they  sin  and  are 
obnoxious  to  the  strokes  of  present  justice,  by  rea- 
son of  eternal  mercy.  What  shall  we  say  then  ? 
Is  there  unrighteousness  with  God  ?  God  forbid : 
'He  hath  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy, 
and  compassion  on  whom  he  will  have  compassion.'' 
P.O.  is.  15. 


QUESTIONS  ABOUT  THE  NATURE  AND  PERPETUITY 

OF  THE 

SEVENTH-DAY    SABBATH. 

AND  P200F, 

TEAT  THE  FIRST  DAY  OF  THE  WEEK  IS  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  SABBATH. 

By  JOHN    BUNYAK 


*  The  Son  of  man  is  lord  also  of  the  Sabhaih  day.^ 
I.oadon:  Printed  for  Natli.  PonJcr,  at  llie  Peacock  in  the  PoultrVj  1GS3. 


■EDITOE'S  ADVERTISEMENT. 


All  our  inquiries  into  divine  commands  are  required 
to  be  made  personally,  solemnly,  prayerfully.  To 
•  prove  all  things, '  and  '  hold  fast '  and  obey  *  that 
\^■hich  is  good,'  is  a  precept,  equally  binding  upon 
the  clo-wn,  as  it  is  upon  the  philosopher.  Satisfied 
from  our  observations  of  nature,  that  there  is  a 
God ;  our  next  inquiry  is  into  the  revelation  of  his 
will:  which,  when  understood,  must  be  implicitly 
obeyed,  in  defiance  of  any  usages  of  society,  and 
of  every  erroneous  pre-conccived  opinion.  In  this 
important  investigation,  we  shall  find,  that  the  com- 
mands of  God  revealed  toman,  fall  under  two  classes. 
First,  Moral  and  Eternal,  being  essential  to  the 
happiness  of  all  created  intelligences,  whether  pure 
or  sinful.  As,  the  fear  and  love  of  the  Creator, 
who  preserves  and  boimtifuUy  blesses  his  creatures; 
and  flowing  from  this  is  love  to  all  his  creation. 
He  who  wantonly  destroys  life  in  order  that  he 
may  glut  a  demoniac  propensity  with  the  agonizing 
death  straggle,  is  a  practical  atheist.  The  Chris- 
tian will  cherish  and  promote  the  happiness  of  all; 
he  dares  only  to  take  away  life  to  preserve  life. 

Second,  Ceremonial  or  Temporal.  Those  which 
have  been  commanded  by  God,  for  local,  family  or 
national  obsen-ances,  and  which,  when  they  have 
fulfilled  their  intended  object,  are  removed  or  suf- 
fered gradually  to  die  away. 

The  well-being  of  society  requires  that  a  portion 
of  time  be  set  apart  for  divine  worship.  Individuals 
are  commanded  to  pray  without  ceasing.  An  in- 
valuable custom  leads  families  to  unite  in  morning 
and  evening  prayer ;  and  it  is  an  important  ques- 
tion whether  the  Creator  having  sanctified,  and 
rested  on,  the  seventh  day,  intended  that  rest  as  a 
pattern  to  all  his  rational  creatures.  If  so,  the 
seventh  day  must  depend  upon  our  being  able  to 
fix  upon  which  day  of  the  week  the  creation  com- 
menced. Again  our  inquiries  will  extend  to  those 
injunctions,  given  to  the  Jews  in  the  wilderness,  to 
sanctify  certain  days  to  public  worship  ;  and  Avhe- 


ther  that  law  was  intended  for  all  mankind.  In 
either  case  it  is  essential  that  we  ascertain  wliether 
those  various  Sabbaths  of  Aveeks — of  months  or  of 
years — with  the  ceremonies  to  be  performed  on 
them,  were  to  continue  to  the  end  of  time  or  for  a 
limited  period. 

In  all  these  inquiries  we  are  strictly  confined  to 
revelation,  for  there  is  no  indication  in  nature,  or 
in  any  of  its  laws,  of  a  day  of  rest ;  but  on  the 
contrary  a  state  of  progression  marks  every  day 
alike.  Our  Lord  has  taught  us  that  'the  Sabbath 
was  made  for  man,'  and  therefore  did  not  exist 
among  the  angels,  prior  to  the  ci'eation  of  man,  as 
aU  moral  or  universal  obligations  must  have  ex- 
isted ;  for  they  are  the  same  from  eternity  to  eter- 
nity; and  over  this,  like  other  ceremonial  or  local 
commands,  the  Creator  claims  dominion.  '  The 
Son  of  man  is  Lord  also  of  the  Sabbath. ' 

Researches  into  these  questions  were  made  in 
earlier  times,  and  some  curious  calculations  have 
appeared  to  prove,  that  the  work  of  creation  com- 
menced on  the  day  called  Monday,  so  that  what 
is  now  termed  the  first  day  of  the  week,  was  ori- 
ginally the  rest  of  God  from  creation ;  as  it  was 
his  rest  from  the  work  of  redemption,  by  rising 
from  the  tomb.  But  the  extent  of  that  period 
called  a  day,  in  creation,  has  never  been  defined : 
and  the  terms  *  work '  or  •  rest, '  as  apphed  to  the 
Deity,  are  used  in  condescension  to  our  finite 
powers.  The  controversy  iipon  this  subject  as- 
sumed a  more  public  and  definite  form  at  the 
Reformation.  Sir  Thomas  ]\Iore  asserted  that  the 
seventh  day  was  superseded  by  the  first,  in  obe- 
dience to  tradition  :*  it  forms  the  first  of  the  five 
commandments  of  Holy  Church — '  The  Sundays 
hear  thou  mass. '  "William  Tyndale,  in  reply,  con- 
tends that  'we  bo  lords  over  the  Sabbath;'  we 
may  change  it  for  Monday,  or  any  other  day,  as 


*  Dialogues,  1st  chap.,  xxr. 


360 


EDITOR'S  ADVERTISEHIENT. 


■we  see  need,  or  have  two  every  week,  if  one  is  not 
enough  to  teach  the  people.*  Calvin  preferred  a 
daily  assembling  of  the  church,  hut  if  that  was 
impossible,  then  at  stated  intervals:  his  words 
are — '  Since  the  Sabbath  is  abrogate,  I  do  not  so 
rest  upon  the  number  of  seven,  that  I  would  bind 
the  church  to  the  bondage  thereof ;  neither  will 
I  condemn  those  churches  that  have  other  solemn 
days  for  their  meetings.'!  Luther  considers  the 
observance  of  the  Jewish  Sabbath  one  of  the 
'weak  and  beggarly  rudiments. 'j 

The  controversy  became  still  more  popular  in 
this  country,  when  James  the  First  and  Charles 
the  First  put  forth  the  book  of  sports  to  be  allowed 
and  encouraged  on  Sundays.  The  Puritans  called 
Sunday  'The  Sabbath,'  and  a  voluminous  contest 
was  carried  on  as  to  whether  it  ought  not  rather 
to  be  called  'The  Lord's  day.'  In  1628,  Mr. 
Braboume,  a  clergyman  of  note,  kept  the  Jewish 
Sabbath,  and  in  a  short  time  several  churches,  in 
England,  assembled  on  that  day,  and  were  called 
'  seventh  day,  or  Sabbath  keepers ' — many  of  them 
were  Baptists.  This  led  to  the  controversy  in 
which  Bmiyan  took  his  part,  in  this  very  conclu- 
sive and  admirable  treatise. 

The  work  was  first  published  in  the  year  1685, 
and  was  not  reprinted  until  the  year  1806,  when 
it  appeared  in  the  third  volume  of  select  works  by 
John  Bunyan ;  since  then  it  has  been  reprinted  in 
two  American  editions  of  his  works.  The  reason 
why  it  was  not  republished,  probably  was,  that  the 
churches  of  the  Sabbath  keepers  died  away.  At 
this  time  only  three  are  known  in  England ;  one 
of  these  is  at  ]\Iillyard,  London,  where  my  talented 
antiquarian  friend,  W.  H.  Black,  is  elder  and  pas- 
tor. These  places  of  worship  are  supported  by  an 
endowment.  Bunyan's  book  does  not  appear  to 
have  been  answered ;  indeed,  it  would  require 
genius  of  no  ordinary  kind  to  controvert  such 
conclusive  evidence. 

His  arguments  are,  that  the  appearances  of 
nature  shew  no  difference  of  days — that  no  Sab- 
bath or  other  day  Avas  set  apart  for  worship  before 
the  giving  of  the  Law  at  Sinai.  '  Thou  camest 
down  also  upon  Mount  Sinai,  and  madest  known 
unto  them  thy  holy  Sabbaths,  by  the  hand  of 
Moses. '  Ke.  ix.  13, 14.  '  The  seventh  day  is  the  Sab- 
bath of  the  Lord  thy  God :  in  it  thou  shalt  not  do 
any  work — and  remember  that  thou  wast  a  servant 
in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  that  the  Lord  thy  God 
brought  thee  out  thence  through  a  mighty  hand 
and  by  a  stretched  out  arm,  therefore  the  Lord 
thy  God  commanded  tlice  to  keep  the  Sabbath 
day. '  De.  V.  11, 15.  While  many  crimes  are  mentioned 
in  patriarchal  times,  there  is  no  complaint  of  Sab- 
bath-breaking. We  read  of  fratricide,  drunkenness, 

*  Ans\Yer  to  l\Iore.  f  Institutes,  b.  ii.  ch.  8. 

j  Com.  on  Gal.  iv.  9. 


lying,  unbelief,  theft,  idolatry,  slave-dealing,  and 
other  crimes,  but  no  hint  as  to  sanctifying  or  dese- 
crating the  Sabbath.  At  length,  a  few  days  before 
the  giving  of  the  laAv,  a  natural  phenomenon  an- 
nounced to  the  Jews  the  great  change  that  was  at 
hand — the  manna  fell  in  double  quantity  on  Friday, 
and  was  not  found  on  Saturday.  So  new  was  this 
that,  contrary  to  the  command,  the  people  went  out 
on  the  seventh  day  as  on  other  days,  and  were  re- 
buked but  not  punished  for  it.  But  no  sooner  is  the 
Sabbath  instituted  by  Moses,  than  it  is  broken,  and 
the  Sabbath-breaker  is  pmiished  with  a  cruel  death. 
It  was  instituted  as  a  peculiar  observance  to  dis- 
tinguish the  Jews  from  all  other  nations — '  The 
Lord  hath  given  you  the  Sabbath. '  Ex.  xvi.  39.  '  The 
children  of  Israel  shall  keep  the  Sabbath.'  Ex.  xxxL 
IG,  17.  '  I  gave  them  [the  Israelites  who  were  deli- 
vered from  Egypt]  my  Sabbaths  to  be  a  sign  be- 
tween me  and  them.' Eze. XX.  13.  Ceremonies  were 
commanded  to  be  performed  as  the  Sabbath  wor- 
ship, which  cannot  now  be  observed,  see  Le.  xxiv.  Xu. 
xxviii.  Ne.  xiii.  23.  Ezc.  xlvi.  4.  The  Jewish  Sabbath  was 
'  a  shadow  of  things  to  come,  but  the  body  is  of 
Clu-ist.'  Col.  ii.  16, 17.  The  shadows  have  fled  away; 
we  possess  the  substance.  The  covenant  of  Moses 
was  written  on  stone — the  new  covenant  is  written 
on  our  hearts,  lie.  viii.  9, 10.  Bunyan  admits  no  un- 
certainty as  to  a  fixed  day  for  christian  worship : 
the  law  of  nature  requires  it ;  the  God  of  nature 
fixes  the  day,  without  borrowing  it  from  the  minis- 
tration of  death.  The  Jewish  passover  and  Sab- 
baths are  superseded ;  Christ  our  passover  is  slain, 
and  we  have  not  an  annual  but  a  perpetual  feast. 
We  have  an  infinitely  greater  deliverance  to  com- 
memorate than  that  of  the  Jews  from  Egypt. 
Released  from  the  dominion  and  punishment  of 
sin,  we  have  entered  into  a  rest  boundless  as  eter- 
nity. Manna,  which  never  fell  on  the  Jewish 
Sabbath,  falls  in  peculiar  and  rich  abundance  on 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  it  first  began  to 
fall.  The  first  day  is  peculiarly  sanctified  and 
honoured  of  G  od.  On  this  day  the  Son  rested  from 
His  work  of  redemption.  He.  iv.  10.  He  is  Lord  of 
the  Sabbath,  and  hath  peculiarly  blessed  his  own 
day.  On  this  day  some  of  the  saints  that  slept 
arose.  Mat.  xxvii.  52, 53.  On  this  day  Christ  was  made 
the  head  of  the  corner,  and  we  will  rejoice  and  be 
glad  in  it.  On  the  Jirst  day  God  begat  his  beloved 
Son  from  the  dead.  Ac.  xiii.  33.  Let  all  the  angels 
of  God  worship  him.  He.  i.  6.  Hence  it  is  called  the 
Lord's  day.  He.  i.  lo.  This  day  is  the  only  one 
named  upon  which  Christ  appeared  to  his  disciples 
after  his  resurrection :  it  was  on  the  evening  of 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  and  on  the  evening  of 
the  following  eighth  day,  that  they  assembled  and 
Christ  appeared  in  the  midst  of  them.  On  this 
day  he  walked  with  his  disciples  to  Emmaus,  and 
made  their  hearts  to  burn  Avitbin  tliem  with  holy 


TO  THE  READER. 


361 


joy  and  vronder.  The  marvels  of  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost honoured  the  first  day  of  the  week.  On 
this  day  the  first  great  conversion  of  '  about  three 
thousand  souls '  took  place.  On  this  day  the  dis- 
ciples at  Jerusalem  came  together  to  break  bread. 
Ac.  XX.  7.  Upon  THE,  not  A,  first  day  they  broke 
bread ;  and  upon  the  first  day,  the  collections  were 
made  for  the  poor  saints,  i  Co.  x\i.  i,  3.  With  such 
concurrent  and  ample  testimony  we  must  conclude 
that  the  seventh  day  Sabbath,  with  its  Jewish 
ritual,  is  dissolved,  and  the  first  day  has  taken  its 
place.  The  Saviour  said,  'It  is  finished;'  and 
from  that  moment  to  the  end  of  the  inspired  vo- 
lume, the  seventh  day  is  swallowed  up  in  the 
glories  of  the  first  day  of  the  week.  Let  Jews 
commemorate  their  temporal  deliverance  from 
Pharaoh  and  Egypt  with  their  divers  ceremonies ; 


but  Christians,  blessed  with  a  foretaste  of  eternal 
glory,  will  commemorate  the  resurrection  of  their 
Lord,  as  the  first  fruits  of  an  unspeakable  rest 
from  the  dominion  of  sin,  of  Satan,  and  of  hell. 
Our  glorified  Redeemer  sanctioned  and  blessed  the 
first  day,  with  his  personal  appearance  in  the  as- 
semblies of  his  saints.  His  inspired  apostles  kept 
it,  as  it  is  recorded,  and  thus  it  is  sanctioned  by  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  and  their  descendants  are  bound  to 
keep  it  to  the  end  of  the  vrorld.  Go,  little  trea- 
tise, and  carry  conviction  with  thee.  Emancipate 
the  christian  mind  from  all  the  beggarly  rudiments 
of  Jewish  rites  and  ceremonies.  Add  to  the  holy 
enjoyments  of  God's  saints  in  public  vrorship,  on 
the  day  when  their  eternal  redemption  is  com- 
memorated by  the  triumphant  resurrection  of  their 
Lord Geo.  Offoh. 


TO    THE   EEADEPt. 


Some  may  think  it  strange,  since  God's  church 
has  already  been  so  weU  furnished  with  sound 
grounds  and  reasons  by  so  many  wise  and  godly 
men,  for  proof  that  the  first  day  of  the  week  is 
our  true  Christian  sabbath,  that  I  should  7icnv 
offer  this  small  treatise  upon  the  same  account. 
But  when  the  scales  are  even  by  what  already  is 
put  in,  a  little  more,  you  know,  makes  the  weight 
the  better. 

Or  grant  we  had  down  weight  before,  yet  some- 
thing over  and  above  may  make  his  work  the 
harder,  that  shall  by  hanging  fictions  on  the  other 
cud,  endeavour  to  make  things  seem  too  light. 

Besides,  this  book  being  little,  may  best  suit 
such  as  have  but  shallow  purses,  short  memories,  and 
but  little  time  to  spare,  which  usually  is  the  lot  of 
the  mean  and  poorer  sort  of  men. 

I  have  also  written  upon  this  subject,  for  that  I 
woidd,  as  in  other  gospel  truths,  be  a  fellow  witness 
Avith  good  men  that  the  day  in  which  our  Lord  rose 
from  the  dead  should  be  much  set  by  of  Christians. 

I  have  obseiTed  that  som.e,  otherwise  sound  in 
faith,  ai'e  apt  to  be  entangled  with  a  Jewish  sab- 
bath, (fee,  and  that  some  also  that  are  afar  off 
from  the  observation  of  that,  have  but  little  to  say 
for  their  own  practice,  though  good ;  and  might  I 
help  them  I  should  be  glad. 

A  Jewish  seventh-day  sabbath  has  no  promise 
of  grace  belonging  to  it,  if  that  be  true,  as  to  be 
sure  it  is,  where  Paul  says,  The  command  to  honour 
parents   is  t'ue  first  commandment  with  promise. 

Ep.  vi.  1—3. 

Also  it  follows  from  hence,  that  the  sabbath  t'nat 
has  a  promise  annexed  to  the  keeping  of  it,  is 
rather  that  which  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  give  to  the 
churches  of  the  Gentiles,  is.  ivL 

VOL.  TT. 


Perhaps  my  method  here  may  not  In  all  things 
keep  the  common  path  of  argumentation  with  them 
that  have  gone  before  me :  but  I  trust  [that]  the 
godly  wise  will  find  a  taste  of  scripture  truth  in 
what  I  present  them  with  as  to  the  sanction  of  our 
Christian  sabbath. 

I  have  here,  by  handling  four  questions,  proved, 
that  the  seventh  day  sabbath  was  not  moral.  For 
that  must  of  necessity  be  done,  before  it  can  be 
made  appear  that  the  first  day  of  the  week  is 
that  which  is  the  sabbath  day  for  Christians.  But 
withal  it  follows,  that  if  the  seventh  day  sabbath 
was  not  moral,*  the  first  day  is  not  so.  What  is 
it  then?  Why,  a  sabbath  for  holy  worship  is 
moral;  but  this  or  that  day  appointed  for  such 
service,  is  sanctified  by  precept  or  by  approved 
example.  The  timing  then  of  a  sabbath  for  us  lies 
in  God,  not  man ;  in  grace,  not  nature ;  nor  in  the 
ministration  of  death,  written  and  engraven  in 
stones :  God  always  reserving  to  himself  a  power 
to  alter  and  change  both  time  and  modes  of  wor- 
ship according  to  his  own  will. 

A  sabbath  then,  or  day  of  rest  from  worldly 
affairs  to  solemnize  worship  to  God  in,  all  good 
men  do  by  nature  conclude  is  meet ;  yea,  neces- 
sary: yet  that,  not  nature,  but  God  reveals. 

Nor  is  that  day  or  time  by  God  so  fixed  on,  in  its 
own  nature,  better  than  auyother:  the  holiness  thou 
of  a  sabbath  lies,  not  in  the  nature  or  place  of  a 
day,  but  in  the  ordinance  of  God. 

Nor  doth  our  sanctifying  of  it,  to  the  ends  for 


*  The  word  'moral'  is  here  used  to  mark  the  diirerjucft 
between  oLli-atious  binding  on  all  mankind  and  a  positive  or 
limited  command:  thus,  to  love  God  is  a  moral  or  universal 
obligation,  but  to  be  baptized  is  positive  and  oblisatorv  omy  ou 
those  who  believe,  Acts  viii.  37. — Ea. 
2  Z 


3fi3 


THE  SEVEXTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


which  it  is  ordained,  lie  in  a  hare  confession  that  I  from  the  following  sheets ;  hut  shall  commit  hoth 
at  is  such  ;  but  in  a  holy  performance  of  the  duty  J  him  and  them  to  the  wise  dispose  of  God,  and  rest, 
of  the  day  to  God  hy  Christ,  according  to  his  word,  i  Thine  to  serve  thee, 

Eut  I  Yt'ill  not  enlara;e  to  detain  the  reader  lono-er  JOH.  Bunyak. 


QUESTIONS   ABOUT   THE 
NATURE  AND  PEHPETUITY  OF  THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


QUESTION  I. 

Whether  ilte  seventh  day  sabbath  is  of,  or  made 
known  to,  man  by  the  law  and  light  of  nature  ? 

SoMExniNG  must  be  here  premised  before  I  show 
the  grounds  of  this  question.  First  then,  by  the 
law  or  light  of  nature,  I  mean  that  law  which  was 
concrcate  with  man ;  that  Avhich  is  natural  to  him, 
being  original  with,  and  essential  to,  himself;  con- 
sequently, that  which  is  invariable  and  unalterable, 
as  is  that  nature.  Secondly,  I  grant  that  by  this 
law  of  nature,  man  understands  that  there  is  one 
eternal  God;  that  this  God  is  to  be  worshipped 
according  to  his  own  will ;  consequently,  that  time 
must  be  allowed  to  do  it  in:  but  whether  the  law 
or  light  of  nature  teacheth,  and  that  of  itself,  with- 
out the  help  of  revelation,  that  the  seventh  day  of 
the  week  is  that  time  sanctified  of  God,  and  set 
apart  for  his  worship,  that  is  the  question ;  and  the 
grounds  of  it  are  these : 

First,  Because  the  law  of  nature  is  antecedent 
to  this  day,  yea  completed  as  a  law  before  it  was 
known  or  revealed  to  man,  that  God  either  did  or 
would  sanctify  the  seventh  day  of  the  Aveek  at  all. 

Now  this  law,  as  was  said,  being  natural  to  a 
man,  for  man  is  a  law  imto  himself,  Ro.  ii.  could 
only  teach  the  things  of  a  man,  and  there  the 
Apostle  stints  it,  iCo.ii.ii.  But  to  be  able  to 
determine,  and  that  about  things  that  were  yet 
without  being,  either  in  nature  or  by  revelation,  is 
that  Avhich  belongs  not  to  a  man  as  a  man ;  and 
the  seventh  day  sabbath,  as  yet,  was  such.  For 
Adam  was  completely  made  the  day  before ;  and 
God  did  not  sanctify  the  seventh  day  before  it  was, 
none  otherwise  than  by  his  secret  decree.  There- 
fore, by  the  law  of  nature,  Adam  understood  it  not, 
it  was  not  made  known  to  him  thereby. 

Second,  To  affirm  the  contrary,  is  to  make  the 
law  of  nature  supernatural,  which  is  an  impossi- 
bility. Yea,  they  that  do  so  make  it  a  predictor, 
a  prophet ;  a  prophet  about  divine  things  to  come  ; 
yea,  a  prophet  able  to  foretcl  what  shall  be,  and 
that  without  a  revelation ;  which  is  a  strain  that 
never  yet  prophet  pretended  to. 

Besides,  to  grant  this,  is  to  run  into  a  grievous 
error;   for  this  doth  not  only  make  the  law  of 


nature  the  first  of  prophets,  contrary  to  f^c.  iii.  lo. 
compared  with  Jn.  i.  i.  but  it  seems  to  make  the 
will  of  God,  made  known  by  revelation,  a  needless 
thing.  For  if  the  law  of  nature,  as  such,  can 
predict,  or  foretel  God's  secrets,  and  that  before 
he  reveals  them,  and  this  law  of  nature  is  universal 
in  every  individual  man  in  the  world,  what  need  is 
there  of  particular  prophets,  or  of  their  holy  writ- 
ings ?  And  indeed  here  the  Quakers  and  others 
split  themselves.  For  if  the  law  of  nature  can  of 
itself  reveal  unto  me  one  thing  pertaining  to  insti- 
tuted worship,  for  that  we  are  treating  of  now,  and 
the  exact  time  which  God  has  not  yet  sanctified 
and  set  apart  for  the  performance  thereof,  Avhy  may 
it  not  reveal  unto  me  more,  and  so  still  more  ;  and 
at  last  all  that  is  requisite  for  me  to  know,  both  as 
to  my  salvation,  and  how  God  is  to  be  worshipped 
in  the  church  on  earth. 

Third,  If  it  be  cf  the  law  of  nature,  then  all 
men  by  nature  are  convinced  of  the  necessity  of 
keeping  it,  and  that  though  they  never  read  or 
heard  of  the  revealed  will  of  God  about  it ;  but 
this  we  find  not  in  the  world. 

For  though  it  is  true  that  the  law  of  nature  is 
common  to  all,  and  that  all  men  are  to  this  day 
under  the  power  and  command  thereof;  yet  Ave 
find  not  that  they  are  by  nature  under  the  convic- 
tion of  the  necessity  of  keeping  of  a  seventh  day 
sabbath.  Yea,  the  Gentiles,  though  we  read  not 
that  they  ever  despised  the  law  of  nature,  yet  never 
had,  as  such,  a  reverence  of  a  seventh  day  sabbath, 
but  rather  the  contrary. 

Fourth,  If  therefore  the  seventh  day  sabbath 
is  not  of  the  law  of  nature,  then  it  should  seem  not 
to  be  obligatory  to  all.  For  instituted  Avorship, 
and  the  necessary  circumstances  thereunto  belong- 
ing, is  obligatory  but  to  some.  The  tree  that 
Adam  Avas  foi-bld  to  eat  of,  avc  read  not  but  that 
his  children  might  have  eat  the  fruit  thereof:  and 
circumcision,  the  passover,  and  other  parts  of 
instituted  AA'orship  Avas  enjoined  but  to  some. 

Fifth,  I  doubt  the  seventh  day  sabbath  is  not 
of  the  law  of  nature,  and  so  not  moral;  because 
though  Ave  read  that  the  law  of  nature,  and  that 
before  Moses,  Avas  charged  upon  the  Avorld,  yet  I 
find  not  till  then,  that  the  profanation  of  a  seventh 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


363 


clay  saLLatli  wns  cliarged  upon  the  world :  and 
iniieed  to  me  tliis  very  thing  makes  a  great  scruple 
in  the  case. 

A  law,  as  I  said,  we  read  of,  and  that  from 
Adam  to  Moses.  Uo.  v.  is,  14.  The  transgressions 
also  of  that  law,  we  read  of  them,  and  that  par- 
ticularly, as  in  Ge.  iv.  8.  Ss  \i.  5;  k.  21,  2i2;  xii.  13;  xiii.  13;  xmi. 
13—15;  xbc.  5;  (Kze.  xvi.  49,  50.*)  Ge.  xx\i.  30;  x.vxt.  2;  xl.  15;  xliv. 

8— 10.  De.Tiii.  19, 20;  xii.  2.  Ps.  cvi.  35— 37.  and  Romans  the 
iirst  and  second  chapters. 

But  in  all  the  scriptures  we  do  not  read,  that 
the  hreach  of  a  seventh  day  sahhath  was  charged 
upon  men  as  men  all  that  time.  Whence  I  gather, 
that  either  a  seventh  day  sahhath  was  not  dis- 
cerned by  the  light  of  nature,  and  so  not  by  that 
law  imposed ;  or  else,  that  men  by  the  help  and 
assistance  of  that,  for  we  speak  of  men  as  men,t 
in  old  time  kept  it  better,  than  in  after  ages  did 
the  church  of  God  with  better  assistance  by  far. 
For  they  are  there  yet  found  fault  with  as  breakers 
of  the  sabbath.  T:ze.  xx.  13. 

It  follows  therefore,  that  if  the  law  of  nature 
doth  not  of  itself  reveal  to  us,  as  men,  that  the 
seventh  day  is  the  holy  sabbath  of  God.  That 
that  day,  as  to  the  sanction  of  it,  is  not  moral,  but 
rather  arbitrary,  to  wit,  imposed  by  the  will  of  God 
upon  his  people,  until  the  time  he  thought  fit  to 
change  it  for  another  day. 

And  if  so,  it  is  hence  to  be  concluded,  that 
though  by  the  light  of  nature  men  might  see  that 
time  must  be  allowed  and  set  apart  for  the  perform- 
ance of  that  worship  that  God  would  set  up  in  his 
house,  yet,  as  such,  it  could  not  see  what  time  the 
Lord  would  to  that  end  choose.  Nature  therefore 
saw  that,  by  a  positive  precept,  or  a  word  revealing- 
it,  and  by  no  othei's  means, 

Nor  doth  this  at  all  take  away  a  whit  of  that 
sanction  which  God  once  put  upon  the  seventh  day 
sabbath ;  miless  any  will  say,  and  by  sufficient 
argument  prove,  that  an  ordinance  for  divine  Avor- 
sliip  rcceiveth  greater  sanction  from  the  law  of 
nature  than  from  a  divine  precept:  or  standeth 
stronger  when  it  is  established  by  a  law  humane, 
for  such  is  the  law  of  nature,  than  when  imposed 
by  revelation  of  God. 

But  the  text  will  put  this  controversy  to  an  end. 
The  sanction  of  the  seventh  day  sabbath,  even  as 
it  was  the  rest  of  God,  was  not  till  after  the  law 
<rf  nature  was  completed ;  God  rested  the  seventh 
day  and  sanctified  it.  Ge.  ii.  3.  Sanctified  it ;  that 
is,  set  it  apart  to  the  end  there  mentioned,  to  wit, 
to  rest  thereon. 

Other  grounds  of  this  question  I  might  produce, 
but  at  present  I  will  stop  here,  and  conclude,  That 


if  a  seventh  day  sabbath  was  an  essential  neces- 
sary to  the  instituted  worship  of  God,  then  itself 
also  as  to  its  sanction  for  that  work,  was  not 
founded  but  by  a  positive  precept;  consequently 
not  known  of  man  at  first,  but  by  revelation  of 
God. 

QUESTION  II. 

Whether  the  seventh  day  scibhath,  as  to  mans  hecp- 
ing  of  it  holy,  was  ever  made  hioicn  to,  or  im- 
posed by,  a  jjositive  precept  upon  him  until  the 
time  of  Moses  1  uhdehfrom  Adam  was  about  two 
thousand  years. 

Something  must  also  be  here  premised,  in  order 
to  my  propounding  of  my  grounds  for  this  question ; 
and  that  is.  That  the  seventh  day  was  sanctified  so 
soon  as  it  had  being  in  the  world,  unto  the  rest  of 
God,  as  it  is  Ge.  ii.  2, 3.  and  he  did  rest,  from  all  his 
works  which  he  had  made  therein.  But  the  ques- 
tion is.  Whether  when  God  did  thus  sanctify  this 
day  to  his  oion  rest,  he  did  also  by  the  space  of  time 
above-mentioned,  impose  it  as  an  holy  sabbath  of 
rest  upon  men ;  to  the  end  they  might  solemnize 
worship  to  him  in  special  manner  thereon?  And 
I  question  this, 

First,  Because  we  read  not  that  it  was.  And 
reading,  I  mean,  of  the  divine  testimony,  is  ordained 
of  God,  for  us  to  find  out  the  mind  of  God,  both 
as  to  faith  and  our  performance  of  acceptable  ser- 
vice to  him. 

In  reading  also,  we  are  to  have  regard  to  two 
things. 

I.  To  see  if  we  can  find  a  precept:   or, 

II.  A  countenanced  practice  for  what  we  do. 
For  both  these  ways  we  are  to  search,  that  we 
may  find  out  what  is  that  good,  that  acceptable 
will  of  God. 

For  the  first  of  these  we  have  Ge.  ii.  IG,  17.  and  for 
the  second,  Ge.  vm.  20, 21.  [as  to  public  worship  but 
not  on  a  stated  day.] 

Now  as  to  the  imposing  of  a  seventh  day  sab- 
bath upon  men  from  Adam  to  Moses,  of  that  we 
find  nothing  in  holy  writ  either  from  precept  or 
example.  True,  we  find  that  solemn  worship  was 
performed  by  the  saints  that  then  lived :  for  both 
Abel,   Noah,   Abraham,   Isaac,   Jacob,   sacrificed 

unto  God,  Ge.  iv.  4;  v-iii.  20,  21;  xii.  7;  xiii.  4;  xxxv.  1.  but  WC 
read  not  that  the  seventh  day  was  the  time  pre- 
fixed of  God  for  their  so  worshipping,  or  that  they 
took  any  notice  of  it.  Some  say,  that  Adam  in 
eating  the  forbidden  fruit,  brake  also  the  seventh 
day  sabbath,  because  he  fell  on  that  day; J  but  wo 


*  The  original  edition  refers  to  (Ezck.  49,  50),  but  it  is  evi- 
dently a  typograpliical  error  in  omitting  tke  chapter, 
t  Man  unaided  by  revelation. 


%  Adam  is  supposed  by  some  rabbins  not  to  have  passed 
cue  night  in  a  state  of  perfection,  (see  Ainsworth  on  Gen.  iii. 
1;  xxviii.  11 ;  and  Psal.  slis.  13),  and  to  have  fallen  on  the 
Sabbath  day. 


564 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


read  not  tliat  the  breacli  of  a  sabbath  was  charged 
upon  him.  That  which  we  read  is  this ;  '  Hast 
thou  eaten  of  the  tree,  whereof  I  commanded  thee 
that  thou  shouldest  not  eat  ?  '  Ge.  iii.  ii.  Some  say 
also  that  Cain  killed  Abel  on  a  sabbath  day  ;*  but 
we  read  not  that,  in  his  charge,  God  laid  any  such 
thing  at  his  door.  This  was  it  of  which  he  stood 
guilty  before  God ;  namely,  That  his  brother's 
blood  ci-ied  imto  God  against  him  from  the  ground. 

Ge.  iv.  10. 

I  therefore  take  little  notice  of  what  a  man  saith, 
though  he  flourisheth  his  matter  with  many  brave 
words,  if  he  bring  not  with  him,  '  Thus  saith  the 
Lord.'  For  that,  and  that  only,  ought  to  be  my 
ground  of  faith  as  to  how  my  God  would  be  wor- 
shipped by  me.  For  in  the  matters  material  to 
the  worship  of  God,  it  is  safest  that  thus  I  be 
giiided  in  my  judgment:  for  here  only  I  perceive 
'the  footsteps  of  the  flock,'  Ca.  i.  8.  Eze.  m.  ll.  They 
say  further,  that  for  God  to  sanctify  a  thing,  is  to 
set  it  apart.  This  being  true ;  then  it  follows, 
that  the  seventh  day  sabbath  was  sanctified,  that 
Is,  set  apart  for  Adam  in  paradise  ;  and  so,  that  it 
was  ordained  a  sabbath  of  rest  to  the  saints  from 
the  beginning. 

But  I  answer,  as  I  hinted  before,  that  God  did 
sanctify  it  to  his  own  rest.  *  The  LORD  (also) 
hath  set  apart  him  that  is  godly  for  himself. '  But 
again,  it  is  one  thing  for  God  to  sanctify  this  or 
that  thing  to  an  use,  and  another  thing  to  com- 
mand that  that  thing  be  forthwith  in  being  to  us. 
As  for  instance :  the  land  of  Canaan  was  set  apart 
many  years  for  the  children  of  Israel  before  they 
possessed  that  land.  Christ  Jesus  v/as  long  sanc- 
tified ;  that  is,  set  apart  to  be  our  redeemer  before 
he  sent  him  into  the  world.  De.  xxxii.  8.  Jn.  x.  S6. 

If  then,  by  God's  sanctifying  of  the  seventh  day 
for  a  sabbath,  you  understand  it  for  a  sabbath  for 
man,  (but  the  text  saith  not  so)  yet  it  might  be  so 
set  apart  for  man,  long  before  it  shoidd  be,  as  such, 
made  known  imto  him.  And  that  the  seventh  day 
sabbath  was  not  as  yet  made  known  to  men. 

Second,  Consider  secondly,  Moses  himself  seems  to 
have  the  knowledge  of  it  at  first,  not  by  tradition, 
but  by  revelation ;  as  it  is.  Ex.  xvi.  23.  '  This  "is  thai 
(saith  he)  which  the  Lord  hath  said,  (namely  to 
me ;  for  we  read  not,  as  yet,  that  he  said  it  to  any 
body  else),  To  morrow  is  the  sabbath  of  the  holy 
rest  unto  the  Lord.' 

Also  holy  Nehemiah  suggestetli  this,  Avhen  he 
saith  of  Israel  to  God,  Thou  '  madest  known  unto 
them  thy  holy  sabbath  [by  the  hand  of  Moses  thy 
servant]'  >'e.  ix.  14.     The  first  of  these  texts  shews 

*  The  murder  of  Abel  took  place  'at  tlic  end  of  days;'  see 
raargin  to  Gen.  iv.  3.  Properly  rendered  '  in  process  of  time;' 
tut  by  some  supposed  to  mean  at  the  end  of  the  week.  See 
Dr.  Gill's  Coramcntaiy. 


us,  that  tidings  of  a  seventh  day  sabbath  for  men,, 
came  j'??'si  to  Moses  from  heaven  :  and  the  second, 
that  it  was  to  Israel  before  unknown. 

But  how  could  be  either  the  one  or  the  other, 
if  the  seventh  day  sabbath  was  taught  to  men  by 
the  light  of  nature,  which  is  the  moral  law?  Or  if 
from  the  beginning  it  was  given  to  men  by  a  posi- 
tive precept  for  to  be  kept. 

This  therefore  strengtheneth  my  doubt  about  the 
afiirmative  of  the  first  question,  and  also  prepareth 
an  argument  for  what  I  plead  as  to  this  we  have 
now  under  consideration. 

Third,  This  yet  seems  to  me  more  scrupulous, 
because  that  the  punishment  due  to  the  breach  of 
the  seventh  day  sabbath  was  hid  from  men  to  tho. 
time  of  Moses ;  as  is  clear ,  for  that  it  is  said  of 
the  breaker  of  the  sabbath,  '  They  put  him  in  ward, 
because  it  Avas  not  [as  yet]  declared  what  should 
be  done  to  him.'  Ku.  xv.  32— 36. 

But  methinks,  had  this  seventh  day  sabbath  been 
imposed  upon  men  from  the  beginning,  the  penalty 
or  pimishment  due  to  the  breach  thereof  had  cer- 
tainly been  known  before  now. 

When  Adam  was  forbidden  to  eat  of  the  tree  of 
the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  the  penalty  was 
then,  if  he  disobeyed,  annexed  to  the  prohibition. 
So  also  it  was  as  to  circumcision,  the  passover, 
and  other  ordinances  for  worship.  How  then  caii 
it  be  thought,  that  the  seventh  day  sabbath  should 
be  imposed  upon  men  from  the  beginning ;  and 
that  the  punishment  for  the  breach  thereof,  should 
be  hid  with  God  for  the  space  of  two  thousand 
years !  Ge.  u.  ic,  17 ;  xvii.  13, 14.  Ex.  .\ii.  io—AS.  and  the  same 
chapter,  ver.  19. 

Fourth,  God's  giving  of  the  seventh  day  sab- 
bath was  with  respect  to  stated  and  stinted  v^ov- 
ship  in  his  church ;  the  which,  imtil  the  time  of 
Moses,  was  not  set  up  among  his  people.  Things, 
till  then  were  adding  or  growing:  noio  a  sacrifice, 
then  circumcision,  then  again  long  after  that  the 
passover,  &c. 

But  when  Israel  was  come  into  the  wilderness, 
there  to  receive  as  God's  congregation,  a  stated, 
stinted,  limited  way  of  worship,  then  he  appoints 
them  a  time,  and  times,  to  jierform  this  worship 
in ;  but  as  I  said  afore,  before  that  it  was  not  so, 
as  the  whole  five  books  of  Moses  plainly  shew: 
wherefore  the  seventh  day  sabbath,  as  such  a 
limited  day  cannot  be  moral,  or  of  the  law  of 
nature,  nor  imposed  till  then. 

And  methinks  Christ  Jesus  and  his  apostles  do 
plainly  enough  declare  this  very  thing.  For  that 
Mdien  they  repeat  unto  the  people,  or  expound  bo- 
fore  them  the  moral  law,  they  quite  exclude  the 
seventh  day  sabbath.  Yea,  Paul  makes  that  law 
to  us  complete  without  it. 

We  wiU  first  touch  upon  what  Christ  doth  in  this 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


363 


As  in  his  sermon  upon  the  mount,  Mut.  v— vii.  In 
all  that  large  and  heavenly  discourse  upon  this 
law,  you  have  not  one  syllable  about  the  seventh 
day  sabbath. 

So  when  the  young  man  came  running,  and 
kneeling,  and  asking  Avhat  good  thing  he  should 
do  to  inherit  eternal  life,  Christ  bids  him  keep  the 
commandments ;  but  when  the  young  man  asked 
which ;  Christ  quite  leaves  out  the  seventh  day, 
and  puts  him  upon  the  other.     As  in  Mat.  xix.  ig— 

19.     As  in  Mar.  x.  17—20.      As  in  Lii.  xviii.  18—20. 

You  will  say,  he  left  out  the  first,  and  second, 
and  third  likewise.  To  which  I  say,  that  was  be- 
cause the  young  man  by  his  question  did  presup- 
pose that  he  had  been  a  doer  of  them  :  for  he  pro- 
fes.sed  in  his  supplication,  that  he  was  a  lover  of 
that  which  is  naturally  good,  which  is  God,  in  that 
his  petition  was  so  universal  for  every  thing  which 
he  had  commanded. 

Paul  also  when  he  makes  mention  of  the  moral 
law,  quite  leaves  out  of  that  the  very  name  of  the 
seventh  day  sabbath,  and  professeth,  that  to  us 
Christians  the  law  of  nature  is  complete  without  it. 
As  in  Ro.  m.  7— 19.  As  in  Ro.  xiii.  7— lo.  As  inlTi.i.s 
—11. 

'  He  that  loveth  another,  saith  he,  hath  fulfilled 
the  law.  For  this,  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adul- 
tery, Thou  shalt  not  kill.  Thou  shalt  not  steal, 
Thou  shalt  not  covet ;  and  if  there  he  any  other 
commandment,  it  is  brlefiy  comprehended  in  this 
saying,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself. 
Love  worketh  no  ill  to  his  neighbour:  therefore 
love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law.' 

I  make  not  an  argument  of  this,  but  take  an 
occasion  to  mention  it  as  I  go.  But  certainly,  had 
the  seventh  day  sabbatli  been  moral,  or  of  the  law 
of  nature,  as  some  would  fain  persuade  themselves, 
it  would  not  so  slenderly  have  been  passed  over  in 
all  these  repetitions  of  this  law,  but  would  by 
Christ  or  his  apostles  have  been  pressed  upon  the 
people,  when  so  fair  an  opportunity  as  at  these 
times  offered  itself  imto  them.  But  they  knew 
what  they  did,  and  wherefore  they  were  so  silent 
as  to  the  mention  of  a  seventh  day  sabbath  when 
they  so  well  talked  of  the  law  as  moral. 

Fifth,  Moses  and  the  prophet  Ezekiel  both,  do 
fully  confirm  what  has  been  insinuated  by  us ;  to 
wit,  that  ths  seventh  day,  as  a  sabbath,  was  not 
imposed  upon  men  until  Israel  was  brought  into 
the  wilderness. 

1.  Moses  saith  to  Israel,  '  Remember  that  thou 
wast  a  servant  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  that  the 
Lord  thy  God  brought  thee  out  thence  through  a 
mighty  hand  and  by  a  stretched  out  arm :  there- 
fore the  Lord  thy  God  commanded  thee  to  keep 
the  sabbath  day.'  Yea,  he  tells  us,  that  the  cove- 
nant which  God  made  with  them  in  Horcb,  that 
written  in  stones,  was  not  made  with  their  fore- 


fathers, to  wit,  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  but 
with  them.  De.  v.  1—15. 

2.  Ezekiel  also  is  punctual  as  to  this  :  I  caused 
them,  saith  God  by  that  prophet,  '  to  go  forth  out 
of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  brought  them  into  the 
wilderness.  And  I  gave  them  my  statutes,  and 
shewed  them  my  judgments,  which  if  a  man  do, 
he  shall  even  live  in  them.  Moreover  also  I  gave 
them  my  sabbaths,  to  be  a  sign  between  me  and 
them,  that  they  might  know  that  I  am  the  Lord 
that    sanctify   them.'   Eze.  xx.  10— 12. Ex.  xx.  8;  x.\xi.  13; 

XXXV.  2. 

What  can  be  more  plain  ?  And  these  to  be 
sure,  are  two  notable  witnesses  of  God,  who,  as 
you  see,  do  jointly  concur  in  this  ;  to  Avit,  That 
it  was  not  from  paradise,  nor  from  the  fathers, 
but  from  the  wilderness,  and  from  Sinai,  that 
men  received  the  seventh  day  sabbath  to  keep  it 
holy. 

True,  it  was  God's  sabbath  before :  for  on  the 
first  seventh  day  we  read,  that  God  rested  there- 
on, and  sanctified  it.  Hence  he  calls  it  in  the 
first  place,  !My  sabbath.  I  gave  them  my  sabbath: 
But  it  seems  it  was  not  given  to  the  church  till  he 
had  brought  them  into  the  wilderness. 

But  I  say,  if  it  had  been  moral,  it  had  been 
natural  to  man ;  and  by  the  light  of  nature  men 
would  have  understood  it,  even  both  before  it  was, 
and  otherwise.  But  of  this  you  see  we  read  no- 
thing, either  by  positive  law,  or  countenanced  ex- 
ample, or  any  other  way,  but  rather  the  flat  con- 
trary ;  to  wit,  that  Moses  had  the  knowledge  of  it 
first  from  heaven,  not  by  tradition.  That  Israel 
had  it,  not  of,  or  from  their  fathers,  but  in  the 
wilderness,  from  him,  to  vrit,  jMoses,  after  he  had 
brought  them  oat  of  the  land  of  Egypt.  And  that 
that  whole  law  in  which  this  seventh  day  sab- 
bath is  placed,  was  given  for  the  bounding  and 
better  ordering  of  them  in  their  church  state  for 
their  time,  till  the  Messias  should  come  and  put, 
by  a  better  ministration,  this  out  of  his  church,  as 
we  shall  further  shew  anon. 

The  seventh  day  sabbath  therefore  was  not  from 
paradise,  nor  from  nature,  nor  from  the  fathers, 
but  from  the  wilderness,  and  from  Sinai. 

QUESTION  IIL 

VHiether  ichen  the  seventh  day  sabbath  icas  given  to 
Israel  in  the  uildemess  the  Gentiles,  as  such,  was 
concerned  therein. 

Before  I  shew  my  ground  for  this  question,  I 
must  also  first  premise,  That  the  Gentiles,  as  sucli, 
were  then  without  the  church  of  God,  and  prJo 
thereof;  consequently  had  nothing  to  do  with  the 
essentials  or  necessary  circumstances  of  that  wor- 
ship which  God  had  set  up  for  himself  now  amon^; 
the  children  of  Israel. 


3G6 


THE  SEVENTir-DAY  SABBATH. 


Kow  then  for  the  groimcT  of  the  question. 
First,  we  read  not  that  God  gave  it  to  any  but 
to  the  seed  of  Jacob.  Hence  it  is  said  to  Israel, 
and  to  Israel  only,  '  The  Lord  hath  given  yod  the 
sabbath.'  Ex. xvi.  29.  And  again,  '  also  I  gave  them 
my  sabbath.'  Eze.  xx.  5, 12. 

Now,  if  the  gift  of  the  seventh  day  sabbath  was 
only  to  Israel,  as  these  texts  do  more  than  seem 
to  say;  then  to  the  Gentiles,  as  such,  it  was  not 
given.  Unless  any  shall  conclude,  that  God  by 
thus  doing  preferred  the  Jew  to  a  state  of  gentile- 
ism  ;  or  that  he  bestowed  on  them,  by  thus  doing, 
some  high  Gentile  privilege.  But  this  would  be 
very  fictious.  For,  to  lay  aside  reason,  the  text 
always,  as  to  preference,  did  set  the  Jew  in  the 
first  of  places.  Eo.  ii.  10.  Nor  was  his  giving  the 
seventh  day  sabbath  to  them  but  a  sign  and  token 
thereof. 

But  the  great  objection  is,  because  the  seventh 
day  sabbath  is  found  amongst  the  rest  of  those 
precepts  which  is  so  commonly  called  the  moral 
law;  for  thence  it  is  concluded  to  be  of  a  perpetual 
duration. 

But  I  answer:  That  neither  that  as  given  on 
Sinai  is  moral ;  I  mean,  as  to  the  manner  and 
ends  of  its  ministration ;  of  which,  God  jiermitting, 
we  shall  say  more  in  our  answer  to  the  fourth 
(juestiou,  whither  I  direct  vou  for  satisfaction. 
But, 

Second,  The  Gentiles  could  not  be  concerned, 
as  such,  with  God's  giving  of  a  seventh  day  sab- 
bath to  Israel,  because,  as  I  have  shewed  before, 
it  was  given  to  Israel,  considered  as  a  church  of 
God.  Ac.  vii.  33.  Nor  was  it  given  to  them,  as 
such,  but  with  rites  and  ceremonies  thereto  be- 
longing, so  Le.  xxiv.  5—9.  Nu.  xxviii.  9,  10.  Ke.  xiii.  22.  Eze. 
xlvi.  4. 

Now,  I  say,  if  this  sabbath  hath  ceremonies 
thereto  belonging,  and  if  these  ceremonies  Avere 
essential  to  the  right  keeping  of  the  sabbath :  and 
again,  if  these  ceremonies  were  given  to  Israel 
only,  excluding  all  but  such  as  were  their  prose- 
lytes, then  this  sabbath  was  given  to  them  as 
excluding  the  Gentiles  as  such.  But  if  it  had 
been  moral,  the  Gentiles  coidd  as  soon  have  been 
deprived  of  their  nature  as  of  a  seventh  day  sab- 
bath, though  the  Jews  should  have  appropriated 
it  unto  themselves  only 

Again,  to  say  that  God  gave  this  seventh  day 
sabbath  to  the  Gentiles,  as  such,  (and  yet  so  he 
must,  if  it  be  of  the  moral  law)  is  as  much  as  to 
say,  that  God  hath  ordained  that  that  sabbath 
should  be  kept  by  the  Gentiles  lo'dhout ;  but  by  the 
Jews,  not  without  her  ceremonies.  And  what  con- 
clusion will  follow  from  hence,  but  that  God  did  at 
one  and  the  same  time  set  up  two  sorts  of  accept- 
able -worships  in  the  world:  one  among  the  Jews, 
another  among  the  Gentiles !     But  how  ridiculous 


such  a  thought  would  be,  and  how  repugnant  to 
the  wisdom  of  God,  you  may  easily  perceive. 

Yea,  what  a  diminution  woidd  this  be  to  God's 
church  that  then  was,  for  one  to  say,  the  Gentiles 
were  to  serve  God  with  more  liberty  than  the  Jew! 
For  the  laAT  was  a  yoke,  and  yet  the  Gentile  is 
called  the  dog,  and  said  to  be  without  God  in  the 

world.  De.  vu.  7.  Ps.  cxlvU.  19,  20.  Mat.  xv.  20.  Ep.  ii.  11. 13. 

Third,  When  the  Gentiles,  at  the  Jews'  return 
from  Babylon,  came  and  oftered  their  wares  to  sell 
to  the  children  of  Israel  at  Jerusalem  on  this  sab- 
bath ;  yea,  and  sold  them  to  them  too :  yet  not 
they,  but  the  Jews  were  rebuked  as  the  only 
breakers  of  that  sabbath.  Nay,  there  dwelt  then 
at  Jerusalem  men  of  Tyre,  that  on  this  sabbath 
sold  their  commodities  to  the  Jews,  and  men  of 
Judah:  yet  not  they,  but  the  men  of  Judah,  were 
contended  with,  as  the  breakers  of  this  sabbath. 

True,  good  Neheraiah  did  threaten  the  Gentiles 
that  were  merchants,  for  lying  then  about  the 
walls  of  the  city,  for  .that  by  that  means  they  were 
a  temptation  to  the  Jews  to  break  tlieir  sabbaths ; 
but  still  he  chai'ged  the  breach  thereof  only  upon 
his  own  people.  Ne.  xiii.  15—20. 

But  can  it  be  imagined,  had  the  Gentiles  now- 
been  concerned  with  this  sabbath  by  law  divine, 
that  so  holy  a  man  as  Nehemiah  would  have  let 
them  escape  without  a  rebuke  for  so  notorious  a 
transgression  thereof;  especially  considering,  that 
now  also  they  were  upon  God's  ground,  to  wit, 
within  and  without  the  walls  of  Jerusalem. 

Fourth,  Wherefore  he  saith  to  Israel  again, 
'  Verily  my  sabbaths  YE  shall  keep.'  And  again, 
*  Ye  shall  keep  the  sabbath.'  And  again,  '  The 
children  of  Israel  shall  keep  the  sabbath,  to  observe 
the  sabbath  throughout  theiu  generations. '  E.'c.  xx.\i. 

M— IG;  and  . xvi.  59.* 

What  can  be  more  plain,  these  things  thus 
standing  in  the  testament  of  God,  than  that  the 
seventh  day  sabbath,  as  such,  was  given  to  Israel, 
to  Israel  only  ;  and  that  the  Gentiles,  as  such, 
were  not  concerned  therein! 

Fifth,  The  very  reason  also  of  God's  giving 
of  the  seventh  day  sabbath  to  the  Jews,  doth 
exclude  the  Gentiles,  as  such,  from  having  any 
concern  therein.  For  it  was  given  to  the  Jews, 
as  was  said  before,  as  they  were  considered  God's 
church,  and  for  a  sign  and  token  by  which  they 
should  know  that  he  had  chosen  and  sanctified 
them  to  himself  for  a  peculiar  people.  Ex.  xxxi.  13— 

17.  Eze.  XX.  12,  13. 

And  a  great  token  and  sign  it  was  that  he  had 
so  chosen  them :  for  in  that  he  had  given  to  them 
this  sabbath,  he  had  given  to  them  (his  ov/n  rest) 

*  'llie  Lord  liatTi  given  you  the  sabbatli.'  See  also  xxxi. 
17,  'It  (the  observance  of  the  sabbath)  is  a  sign  between  mi: 
and  the  cJdldren  of  Israel  for  ever.' — Ed. 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


387 


a  figure  and  pledge  of  his  sending  liis  Son  into  tlie 
world  to  redeem  them,  from  the  bondage  and 
slavery  of  the  devil :  of  'which  indeed  this  sabbath 
was  a  shadow  or  type.    Coi.  ii.  16, 17.* 

Thus  have  I  concluded  my  ground  for  this 
third  question.  I  shall  therefore  now  propound 
another. 

QUESTION  IV. 

Yil.dlier  tlie  seventh  day  saLbath  did  not  fall,  as 
such,  wUh  the  rest  of  the  Jewish  rites  and  cere- 
monies 1  Or  whetlier  duxt  day,  as  a  soLhath,  was 
aftencards  by  the  apostles  imposed  upon  the 
churches  of  the  Gentiles  ? 

I  would  now  also,  before  I  shew  the  groxmds  of 
my  proposing  this  question,  premise  what  is  neces- 
sary thereunto ;  to  wit,  That  time  and  day  were 
both  fixed  upon  b}'  law,  for  the  solemn  performance 
of  divine  worship  among  the  Jews  ;  and  that  tijyie 
and  day  is  also  by  law  fixed,  for  the  solemnizing 
of  divine  worship  to  God  in  the  churches  of  the 
Gentiles.  But  that  the  seventh  day  sabbath, 
as  such,  is  that  time,  that  day,  that  still  I  ques- 
tion. 

Kow  before  I  shew  the  grounds  of  my  question- 
ing of  it,  I  shall  enquire  into  the  nature  of  that 
ministration  in  the  bowels  of  which  this  seventh 
day  sabbath  is  placed.     And, 

First,  I  say,  as  to  that,  the  nature  of  that  law 
is  moral,  but  the  ministration,  and  circumstances 
thereunto  belonging,  are  shadowish  and  figm-a- 
tive. 

By  the  nature  of  it,  I  mean  the  matter  thereof : 
by  the  ministration  and  circumstances  thereto 
belonging,  I  do  mean  the  giving  of  it  by  such 
hands,  at  such  a  j)lace  and  time,  in  such  a  mode, 
as  when  it  was  given  to  Israel  in  the  wilder- 
ness. 

The  matter  therefore,  to  wit,  '  Thou  shalt  love 
the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all 
thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  with  all  thy 
strength:'  and  'thy  neighbour  as  thyself,'  is  ever- 
lasting, (Mar.  xii.  29—31.)  and  is  not  from  Sinai,  nor 
from  the  two  tables  of  stone,  but  in  nature;  for 
this  law  commenced  and  took  being  and  place  that 
day  in  which  man  was  created.  Yea,  it  was  con- 
create  with  him,  and  without  it  he  cannot  be  a 
rational  creature,  as  he  was  in  the  day  in  which 
God  created  him.  But  for  the  ministration  of  it 
from  Sinai,  with  the  circumstances  belonging  to 


'■'  Tkis  is  a  strikiug  application  of  Col.  ii.  17.  The  sabbath 
'  a  shadow  of  things  to  come ;'  to  the  Jews  it  Vas  a  shadow  of 
the  rest  that  rcmaineth  to  the  childi'cn  of  God,  reflected  from 
the  completion  of  the  work  of  creation.  The  day  of  rest  and 
worship  to  the  Christian,  is  a  much  stronger  type,  yet  but  a 
shadoio  of  the  holy  enjoyments  of  his  eternal  rest,  prefigured 
from  the  finishing  of  the  mightier  work  of  redemption. — En. 


that  miuistratlon,  they  are  not  moral,  nor  ever- 
lasting, but  shadowish  and  figurative  only. 

That  ministration  cannot  be  moral  for  three 
reasons.  1 .  It  commenced  not  when  morality  com- 
menced, but  two  thousand  years  after.  2.  It  was 
not  miiversal  as  the  law,  as  moral,  is ;  it  was 
given  only  to  the  church  of  the  Jews  in  those 
tables.  3.  Its  end  is  past  as  such  a  ministration, 
though  the  same  law  as  to  the  morality  thereof 
abides.  Where  are  the  tables  of  stone  and  this 
law  as  therein  contained?  We  onl\-,  as  to  that, 
have  the  notice  of  such  a  ministration,  and  a  re- 
hearsal of  the  law,  with  that  mode  of  giving  of  it, 
in  the  testament  of  God. 

But  to  come  to  particulars. 

1.  The  very  preface  to  that  ministration  car- 
rieth  in  it  a  type  of  our  deliverance  from  the  bon- 
dage of  sin,  the  devil,  and  hell.  Pharaoh,  and 
Egypt ;  and  Israel's  bondage  there,  being  a  type 
of  these. 

2.  The  very  stones  in  which  this  law  was 
engraven,  was  a  figure  of  the  tables  of  the  heart. 
The  first  two  were  a  figure  of  the  heart  carnal,  by 
which  the  law^  was  broken :  the  last  two,  of  the 
heart  spiritual,  in  which  the  new  law,  the  law  of 
grace  is  written  and  preserved.  Ex.  :txxiv.i.  2Co.  iii.s. 

3.  The  very  mount  on  which  this  ministration 
was  given,  was  typical  of  Mount  Ziou.  See  He.  x:L 
where  they  are  compared,  ver.  is— 22. 

4.  Yea,  the  very  church  to  whom  that  minis- 
tration was  given,  was  a  figure  of  the  chm-ch  of 
the  gospel  that  is  on  Mount  Zion.  See  the  same 
scripture,  and  compare  it  Avith  Ac.  vii.  ."s.  Ke.  sir.  1—5. 

5.  That  ministration  was  given  in  the  hand  and 
by  the  disposition  of  angels,  to  prefigure  how  the 
new  law  or  ministration  of  the  Spirit  was  to  be 
given  afterwards  to  the  churches  under  the  New 
Testament  by  the  hands  of  the  angel  of  God's 
everlasting   covenant   of  grace,    who  is  Ms   only 

begotten  Son.  is.  Ixiii.  9.  Mai.  iii.  1.  t  Ac  iii.  22,  23. 

6.  It  was  given  to  Israel  also  in  the  hand  of 
Moses,  as  mediator,  to  shew,  or  typify  out,  that 
the  law  of  grace  was  in  after  times  to  come  to  the 
church  of  Christ  by  the   hand  and  mediation  of 

Jesus    our    Lord.  Ga.  iii.  lO.  Dc.  v.  5.  He.  viii.  6.  1  Ti.  ii.  5.  He. 
ix.  15 ;  xii,  2i. 

7.  As  to  this  ministration,  it  was  to  continue 
but  'till  the  seed  should  come;'  and  then  must, 
as  such,  give  place  to  a  better  ministration.  Ga.  iii. 
19.     'A  better  covenant,  estabhshed  upon  better 

promises.'  He.  viii.  6. 

From  all  this  therefore  I  conclude,  that  there  is 
a  difierence  to  be  put  between  the  morality  of  the 
law,  and  tlie  ministration  of  it  upon  Sinai.  The 
law,  as  to  its  morality  was  before ;  but  as  to  this 

t  In  Banyan's  original  edition  it  is  '  Jlatth.  3,  i,'  but  this 
must  be  a  typographical  error. — Ed. 


36S 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


ministration,  it  was  not  till  the  cliurch  was  with 
Moses,  and  he  with  the  angels  on  Mount  Sinai  in 
the  wilderness. 

Now  in  the  law,  as  moral,  we  conclude  a  time 
propounded,  but  no  seventh  day  sabbath  enjoined. 
But  in  that  law,  as  thus  ministered,  which  mmi- 
stration  is  already  out  of  doors  ;*  we  find  a  seventh 
day;  that  seventh  day  on  which  God  rested,  on 
which  God  rested  from  all  his  works,  enjoined. 
What  is  it  then  ?  Why  the  whole  ministration  as 
written  and  engraven  in  stones  being  removed,  the 
seventh  day  sabbath  must  also  be  removed ;  for 
that  the  time,  nor  yet  the  day,  was  as  to  our  holy 
sabbath,  or  rest,  moral;  but  imposed  with  that 
whole  ministration,  as  such,  upon  the  church, 
until  the  time  of  reformation :  which  time  being 
come,  this  ministration,  as  I  said,  as  such,  ceaseth; 
and  the  whole  law,  as  to  the  morality  of  it,  is 
delivered  into  the  hand  of  Christ,  who  imposes  it 
now  also ;  but  not  as  a  law  of  works,  nor  as  that 
ministration  written  and  engraven  in  stones,  but 
as  a  rule  of  life  to  those  that  have  believed  in  him. 

I  Co.  ix.  21. 

So  then,  that  law  is  still  moral,  and  still  sup- 
poses, since  it  teaches  that  there  is  a  God,  that 
time  must  be  set  apart  for  his  church  to  worship 
him  in,  according  to  that  will  of  his  that  he  had 
revealed  in  his  word.  But  though  by  that  law 
time  is  required ;  yet  by  that,  as  moral,  the  time 
never  was  prefixed. 

The  time  then  of  old  was  appointed  by  such  a 
ministration  of  that  law  as  Ave  have  been  now  dis- 
coursing of ;  and  when  that  ministration  ceaseth, 
that  time  did  also  vanish  with  it.  And  now  by 
our  new  law-giver,  the  Son  of  God,  he  being  'lord 
also  of  the  sabbath  day,'  we  have  a  time  prefixed, 
as  the  law  of  nature  requireth,  a  iiew  day,  by  him 
who  is  the  lord  of  it ;  I  say,  appointed,  wherein 
we  may  worship,  not  in  the  oldness  of  that  letter 
written  and  engraven  in  stones,  but  according  to, 
and  most  agreeing  with,  his  new  and  holy  testa- 
ment. And  this  I  confirm  further  by  those  reasons 
that  now  shall  follow. 

Fi7'st,  Because  we  find  not  from  the  resurrection 
of  Christ  to  the  end  of  the  Bible,  anything  written 
by  which  is  imposed  that  seventh  day  sabbath 
upon  the  churches.  Time,  as  I  said,  the  law  as 
moral  requires ;  but  that  time  we  find  no  longer 
imposed.  And  m  all  duties  pertaining  to  God  and 
his  true  worship  in  his  churches,  we  must  be 
guided  by  his  laws  and  testaments.  By  his  old 
laws,  when  his  old  worship  was  in  force ;  and  by 
his  new  laws,  when  his  new  worship  is  in  force. 
And  he  hath  verily  now  said,  '  Beliold,  I  make  all 
things  new. '  Ro.  xxi.  5. 


*  '  Oat  of  doors/  no  more  to  be  found,  quite  gone,  fairly 
scut  a'.vay. — Loc.'ce,     'Out  of  coiu't.' — Laie-icnn. — Ed. 


Second,  I  find,  as  I  Lave  shewed,  that  this 
seventh  day  sabbath  is  confined,  not  to  the  law  of 
nature  as  such,  but  to  that  ministration  of  it  which 
was  given  on  Sinai :  which  ministration  as  it  is 
come  to  an  end  as  such,  so  it  is  rejected  by  Paul 
as  a  ministration  no  ways  capable  of  abiding  in 
the  church  now,  since  the  ministration  of  the 
Spirit  also  hath  taken  its  place.  2Co.  iii.  Where- 
fore instead  of  propounding  it  to  the  churches  with 
arguments  tending  to  its  reception,  he  seeks  by 
degrading  it  of  its  old  lustre  and  glory,  to  wean 
the  churches  from  any  fhkement  thereof : 

1.  By  calling  of  it  the  ministration  of  death,  of 
the  letter,  and  of  condemnation,  a  term  most 
frightful,  but  no  ways  alluring  to  the  godly. 

2.  By  calling  it  a  ministration  that  now  has 
no  glory,  by  reason  of  the  exceeding  glory  of  that 
ministration  under  which  by  the  Holy  Spirit  the 
New  Testament  churches  are.  And  these  are 
weaning  considerations.  2  Co.  iii. 

3.  By  telling  of  them  it  is  a  ministration  that 
tendeth  to  blind  the  mind,  and  to  veil  the  heart  as 
to  the  knowledge  of  their  Christ :  so  that  they  can- 
not, while  under  that,  behold  his  beauteous  face, 
but  as  their  heart  shall  turn  from  it  to  him.  2  Co.  iii. 

4.  And  that  they  might  not  be  left  in  the  dark, 
but  perfectly  know  what  ministration  it  is  that  he 
means,  he  saith  expressly,  it  is  that  '  written  and 
engraven  in  stones.'  See  again  2Co.iii.  And  in 
that  ministration  it  is  that  this  seventh  day  sab- 
bath is  found. 

But  shall  we  think  that  the  apostle  speaiis  any 
thing  of  all  here  said,  to  wean  saints  ofl'  from  the 
law  of  nature,  as  such !  No  verily,  that  he  retains 
In  the  church,  as  being  managed  there  by  Christ : 
but  THIS  ministration  is  dangerous  nov),  because 
it  cannot  be  maintained  In  the  church,  but  in  a 
way  of  contempt  to  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit, 
and  is  derogatory  to  the  glory  of  that. 

Now  these,  as  I  said,  are  weaning  considera- 
tions. No  man,  I  do  think,  that  knows  himself, 
or  the  glory  of  a  gospel  ministration,  can,  if  he 
understands  what  Paul  says  here,  desire  that 
such  a  ministration  should  be  retained  in  the 
churches. 

Third.  This  seventh  day  sabbath  has  lost  its 
ceremonies  (those  imto  which  before  you  are  cited 
by  the  texts)  which  was  with  it  imposed  upon  the 
old  church  for  her  due  performance  of  worship  to 
God  thereon.  How  then  can  this  sabbath  noio  be 
kept  ?  Kept,  I  say,  according  to  law.  For  if 
the  chm-ch  on  which  it  was  first  imposed,  was  not 
to  keep  it,  yea,  could  not  keep  it  legally  without 
the  practising  of  those  ceremonies :  and  if  those 
ceremonies  are  long  ago  dead  and  gone,  how  will 
tliose  that  pretend  to  a  belief  of  a  continuation  of 

t  '  Any  likcnient,'  any  fondness  or  partidity. — Ed. 


THE  se\t:nth.day  sabbath. 


369 


tlie  sanction  tliereof,  keep  it,  I  saj,  according  as 
it  is  written  ? 

If  they  say,  they  retain  the  day,  but  change 
their  manner  of  observation  thereof  ;  I  ask,  who 
has  commanded  them  so  to  do  ?  This  is  one  of 
the  laws  of  this  sabbath.  '  Thou  shalt  take  fine 
flour,  and  bake  twelve  cakes  thereof :  two  tenth 
deals  shall  be  in  one  cake.  And  thou  shalt  set 
them  in  two  rows,  six  on  a  row,  upon  the  pure 
table  before  the  Lord.  And  thou  shalt  put  pure 
fi'ankincense  upon  each  row,  that  it  may  be  on  the 
bread  for  a  memorial,  eveii  an  offering  made  by 
fire  unto  the  Lord.  Every  sabbath  he  shall  set  it 
in  order  before  the  Lord  continually,  being  taken 
from  the  children  of  Israel  by  an  everlasting  cove- 
nant. Le.  xxiv.  5—8.    You  may  see  also  other  places, 

as  J»'u.  xxviii.  9, 10.  Kc.  jdii.  23.  and  Eze.  xM.  4. 

Now  if  these  be  the  laws  of  the  sabbath,  this 
seventh  day  sabbath ;  and  if  God  did  never  com- 
mand that  this  sabbath  should  by  his  church  be 
sanctified  without  them :  and,  as  was  said  before, 
if  these  ceremonies  have  been  long  since  dead  and 
buried,  how  must  this  sabbath  be  kept  ? 

Let  men  take  heed,  lest  while  they  plead  for 
law,  and  pretend  themselves  to  be  the  only  doers 
of  God's  will,*  they  be  not  found  the  biggest  trans- 
gressors thereof.  And  why  can  they  not  as  Avell 
keep  the  other  sabbaths  ?  As  the  sabbaths  of 
months,  of  years,  and  the  jubilee  ?  For  this,  as  I 
have  shewed,  is  no  moral  precept,  it  is  only  a 
branch  of  the  ministration  of  death  and  condem- 
nation. 

Foiuih,  The  seventh  day  sabbath,  as  such, 
was  a  sig-n  and  shadow  of  things  to  come ;  and  a 
sign  cannot  be  the  thing  signified  and  substance 
too.  WTiereforo  when  ihe  thing  signified  or  sub- 
stance, is  come,  the  sign  or  thing  shadowing 
ceaseth.  And,  I  say,  the  seventh  day  sabbath 
being  so,  as  a  seventh  day  sabbath  it  ceaseth  also. 

See  again  Ex.  xxxi.  13, 14.  Eze.  XX.  12,  21.  Col.  ii.  14. 

Nor  do  I  find  that  our  Protestant  writers,  not- 
withstanding their  reverence  of  the  sabbath,  do 
conclude  otherwise;  but  that  though  time  as  to 
worshipping  God,  must  needs  be  contained  in  the 
bowels  of  the  moral  law,  as  moral ;  yet  they  for 
good  reasons  forbear  to  affix  the  seventh  dav  as 
that  time  there  too. 

*  This  spirit  is  not  extinct.  Mr.  Shenston,  in  his  '  Plea 
for  the  Seventh -day,'  charges  those  who  keep  the  Lord's  day 
'  that  they  yield  to  the  tide — keep  their  friends — riches — com- 
forts ;  they  believe  that  the  seventh-day  is  the  sabbath,  and 
would  greatly  prefer  keeping  it,  if  the  rulers  of  the  nation 
would  alter  the  day;  they  imagine  that  their  God  is  some 
dumb  idoll't  Language  most  unseemly  and  insulting  — 
charging  all  who  observe  the  Lord's  day  with  being  hypocrites 
and  the  worst  of  fools.  Mr.  S.  forgot  the  solemn  proverb,  'with 
what  judgment  ye  judge  ye  shall  be  judged.' 


VOL.  II. 


t  Edit.  1S3G,  pp.  41,  42. 


They  do  it,  I  say,  for  good  reasons ;  reasons 
drawn  from  the  scripture ;  or  rather,  for  that  the 
scripture  draws  them  so  to  conclude:  yet  they 
cast  not  away  the  morality  of  a  sabbath  of  rest  to 
the  church.  It  is  to  be  granted  them,  that  time 
for  God's  worship  abideth  for  ever,  but  the  seventh 
day  vanishes  as  a  shadow  and  sign ;  because  such 
indeed  it  was,  as  the  scripture  above  cited  declares 
as  to  the  sanction  thereof  as  a  sabbath. 

The  law  of  nature  then  calls  for  time ;  but  the 
God  of  nature  assigns  it,  and  has  given  power  to 
his  Son  to  continue  sucn  time  as  himself  shall  by 
his  eternal  wisdom  judge  most  meet  for  the 
churches  of  the  Gentiles  to  solemnize  worship  to 
God  by  him  in.  Hence  he  is  said  to  be  '  Lord 
even  of  the  sabbath  day. '  Mat.  xii.  s. 

Fifth,  I  find  by  reading  God's  word,  that  Paul 
by  authority  apostolical,  takes  away  the  sanctions 
of  aU  the  Jews'  festivals  and  sabbaths. 

This  is  manifest,  for  that  he  leaves  the  observa- 
tion or  non-observation  of  them,  as  things  indiffer- 
ent, to  the  mind  and  discretion  of  the  believers. 
*  One  man  esteemeth  one  day  above  another : 
another  esteemeth  every  day  alike.  Let  every 
man   be  fully  persuaded   in   his  o^vn  mind.'  Eo. 

-xiv.  5. 

By  this  last  clause  of  the  verse,  '  Let  every  man 
be  fuUy  persuaded  in  his  own  mind,'  he  dotli 
plainly  declare,  that  such  days  are  now  stript  of 
their  sanction. |  For  none  of  God's  laws,  while 
they  retain  their  sanction,  are  left  to  the  will  and 
mind  of  the  believers,  as  to  whether  they  will 
observe  them  or  no.  Men,  I  say,  are  not  left  to 
their  liberty  in  such  a  case ;  for  when  a  stamp  of. 
divine  authority  is  upon  a  law,  and  abides,  so  long 
we  are  bound,  not  to  our  mind,  but  to  that  law : 
but  when  a  thing,  once  sacred,  has  lost  its  sanc- 
tion, then  it  falls,  as  to  faith  and  conscience, 
among  other  common  or  indifi'erent  things.  And 
so  the  seventh  day  sabbath  did.     Again, 

Sixth,  Thus  Paul  writes  to  the  church  of 
Coloss.  *  Let  no  man  therefore  judge  you  in 
meat,  or  in  drink,  or  in  respect  of  an  holyday,  or 
of  the  new  moon,  or  of  the  sabbath:  which  are  a 
shadow  of  things  to  come;  but  the  body  is  of 
Christ.'  Col.  u.  iG,  17.  Here  also,  as  he  serveth  other 
holy  days,  he  serveth  the  sabbath.  He  gives  a 
liberty  to  believers  to  refuse  the  observation  of  it, 
and  commands  that  no  man  should  judge  against 
them  for  their  so  doing.  And  as  you  read,  the 
reason  of  his  so  doing  is,  because  the  body,  tho 
substance  is  come.  Christ  saith  he,  is  the  body, 
or  that  which  these  things  were  a  shadow  or 
figure  of.      '  The  body  is  of  Christ,' 


J  This  was  the  opinion  of  those  great  reformers,  Tyndale, 
Calvin,  and  Luther ;  see  introduction  by  the  Editor.  It  was 
a  sentiment  which  led  to  no  practical  e\'il. — Ed. 

O   A 


370 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


Nor  lifitli  the  apostle,  sir.CG  he  saith  *  or  of  tlie 
sabbath '  one  ■would  tlilnk,  left  any  hole,  out  at 
which  men's  inventions  could  get :  but  man  has 
sought  out  many ;  and,  so,  many  he  will  use. 

But  again.  That  the  apostle  by  this  word  *  sab- 
bath' intends  the  seventh  day  sabbath,  is  clear; 
for  that  it  is  by  Moses  himself  counted  for  a  sign, 
as  we  have  shewed:  and  for  that  none  of  the 
other  sabbaths  were  a  more  clear  shadow  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  than  this.  For  that,  and  that 
alone,  is  called  '  the  rest  of  God : '  in  it  God  rested 
from  all  his  works.  Hence  he  calls  it  by  way  of 
eminency,  'My  sabbath,  and  my  holy  day.'  is. M. 

4;  Iviii.  13. 

Yet  could  that  rest  be  nothing  else  but  typical ; 
for  God,  never  since  the  world  began,  really  rested, 
but  in  his  Son.  '  This  is  he,'  saith  God,  '  in  whom 
I  am  well  pleased.'  This  sabbath  then,  was  God's 
rest  typically,  and  was  given  to  Israel  as  a  sign  of 
his  grace  towards  them  in  Christ.  Wherefore 
when  Christ  was  risen,  it  ceased,  and  was  no 
longer  of  obligation  to  bind  the  conscience  to  the 
observation  thereof.  [Or  of  the  sabbath.]  He 
distinctly  singleth  out  this  seventh  day,  as  that 
which  was  a  most  noble  shadow,  a  most  exact 
shadow.  And  then  puts  that  with  the  other 
together ;  saying,  they  are  a  shadow  of  things  to 
come ;  and  that  Christ  has  answered  them  all. 
'  The  body  zs  of  Christ.' 

Seventh,  No  man  will,  I  think,  deny  but  that 
He.  iv.  4.  intends  the  seventh  day  sabbath,  on  which 
God  rested  from  all  his  works ;  for  the  text  doth 
plainly  say  so :  yet  may  the  observing  reader  easily 
perceive  that  both  it,  and  the  rest  of  Canaan  also, 
made  mention  of  ver.  5.  were  typical,  as  to  a  day 
made  mention  of  yers.  7  and  8.  which  day  he  calls 
another.  He  would  not  afterwards  have  made 
mention  of  another  day.  If  Joshua  had  given 
them  rest,  he  Avould  not.  Now  if  they  had  not 
that  rest  in  Joshua's  days,  be  sure  they  had  it  not 
by  Moses  ;  for  he  was  still  before. 

All  the  rests  therefore  that  Moses  gave  them, 
and  that  Joshua  gave  them  too,  were  but  typical 
of  another  day,  in  which  God  would  give  them 
rest.  He.  iv.  9, 10.  And  M'hethcr  the  day  to  come,  was 
Christ,  or  Heaven,  it  makes  no  matter:  it  is 
enough  that  they  before  did  fail,  as  always  shadows 
do,  and  that  therefore  mention  by  David  is,  and 
that  afterward,  made  of  another  day.  '  There 
remains  therefore  a  rest  to  the  people  of  God.'  A 
rest  to  come,  of  Vvhich  the  seventh  day  in  which 
God  rested,  and  the  land  of  Canaan,  vv-as  a  type ; 
which  rest  begins  in  Christ  noic,  and  shall  be  con- 
summated in  glory. 

And  in  that  he  saith  'There  remains  a  rest,' 
referring  to  that  of  David,  what  is  it,  if  it  signifies 
not,  that  the  other  rests  remain  not  ?  There 
remains  therefore  a  rest,  a  rest  prefigured  by  the 


seventh  day,  and  by  the  rest  of  Canaan,  though 
they  are  fled  and  gone. 

'  There  remains  a  rest;'  a  rest  which  stands  not 
now  in  signs  and  shadows,  in  the  seventh  day,  or 
Canaan,  but  in  the  Son  of  God,  and  his  kingdom, 
to  whom,  and  to  which  the  weary  are  invited  to 

come  for  rest.  is.  xxviii.  12.  Mat.  xi.  20.  He.  iv.  11. 

Yet  this  casts  not  out  the  Christians  holiday  or 
sabbath :  for  that  was  not  ordained  to  be  a  type 
or  shadow  of  things  to  come,  but  to  sanctify  the 
name  of  their  God  in,  and  to  perform  that  worship 
to  him  which  was  also  in  a  shadow  signified  by 
the  ceremonies  of  the  law,  as  the  epistle  to  the 
Hebrews  doth  plentifully  declare. 

And  I  say  again,  the  seventh  day  sabbath  can- 
not be  it,  for  the  reasons  shewed  afore. 

Eighth,  Especially  if  you  add  to  all  this,  that 
nothing  of  the  ministration  of  death  written  and 
engraven  in  stones,  is  brought  by  Jesus,  or  by  his 
apostles,  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  as  a  part  of 
his  instituted  worship.  Hence  it  is  said  of  that 
ministration  in  the  bowels  of  which  this  seventh 
day  sabbath  is  found,  that  it  has  now  NO  glory ; 
that  its  glory  is  done  aAvay,  in  or  by  Christ,  and 
so  is  laid  aside,  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit  that 
excels  in  glory,  being  come  in  the  room  thereof. 

I  will  read  the  text  to  you.  '  But  if  the  minis- 
tration of  death,  written  and  engraven  in  stones, 
was  glorious,  so  that  the  children  of  Israel  could 
not  stedfastly  behold  the  face  of  Moses  for  the 
glory  of  his  countenance;  which  r/tor?/ was  to  be 
done  away:  (It  was  given  at  first  with  this  pro- 
viso, that  it  should  not  always  retain  its  glory, 
that  sanction,  as  a  ministration.)  How  shall  not 
the  ministration  of  the  Spirit  be  rather  glorious  ? 
For  if  the  ministration  of  condemnation  he  glory, 
much  more  doth  the  ministration  of  righteousness 
exceed  in  glory.  For  even  that  which  was  made 
glorious  had  no  glory  in  this  respect,  by  reason  of 
the  glory  that  exceUeth.  For  if  that  which  was 
done  away  was  glorious,  much  more  that  which 
rcmaineth  is  glorious. '  2  Co.  iii.  7— ii. 

What  can  be  more  plain  ?  The  text  says  ex- 
pressly, that  this  ministration  doth  not  remain; 
yea,  and  insinuates,  that  in  its  first  institution  it 
was  ordained  Mith  this  proviso,  '  It  was  to  be  done 
away.'  Now  if  in  its  first  institution  upon  Sinai 
it  was  thus  ordained ;  and  if  by  the  coming  in  of 
the  ministration  of  the  spirit,  this  ordination  is 
now  executed ;  that  is,  if  by  it,  and  the  apostle 
saith  it,  it  is  done  away  by  a  ministration  that  re- 
mains :  then  where  is  that  seventh  day  sabbath  ? 

Thus  therefore  I  have  discoursed  upon  this 
fourth  question:  And  having  shewed  by  this  dis- 
course that  the  old  seventh  day  sabbath  is  abo- 
lished and  done  away,  and  that  it  has  nothing  to 
do  with  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles ;  I  am  next 
to  shew  what  day  it  is  that  must  abide  as  holy  to 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


J71 


the  Christians,  and  for  them  to  perform  their  Now 
Testament  church  service  in. 
Take  the  question  thus. 

QUESTION  Y. 

Since  it  is  denied  that  the  seventh  day  sabbath  is 
moral,  and  it  is  found  that  it  is  not  to  abide  as  a 
sabbath  for  ever  in  the  church,  What  time  is  to 
he  fixed  on  for  Neio  Testament  samts  to  perform 
together,  divine  luorship  to  God  by  Christ  in  ? 

Upon  this  question  hangs  the  stress  of  all,  as  to 
the  subject  now  under  consideration:  hut  before 
I  can  speak  distinctly  to  it,  I  must  premise,  as  I 
have  in  order  to  my  speaking  to  the  questions 
before,  somethinq;  for  the  better  clearing  of  our 
way — 

[Therefore  I  remark,  that]  we  are  not  now  speak- 
ing of  ail  manner  of  worshipping  God,  nor  of  all  times 
in  which  aU  manner  of  worship  is  to  be  performed ; 
but  of  that  worship,  which  is  church  worship,  or  wor- 
ship that  is  to  be  performed  by  the  assembly  of  saints, 
when  by  the  will  of  God  they  in  all  parts  of  his 
dominion  assemble  together  to  worship  him;  which 
worship  hath  a  prefixed  time  allotted  to,  or  for  its 
performance,  and  without  which  it  cannot,  accord- 
ing to  the  mind  of  God,  be  done.  This  is  the 
time,  I  say,  that  we  are  to  discourse  of,  and  not 
of  ALL  time  appointed  for  aU  manner  of  worship. 

I  do  not  question  but  that  worship  by  the  godly 
is  performed  to  God  every  day  of  the  week ;  yea, 
and  every  night  too,  and  that  time  is  appointed  or 
allowed  of  God  for  the  performance  of  such  wor- 
ship. But  this  time  is  not  fixed  to  the  same  mo- 
ment or  hour  universally,  but  is  left  to  the  discre- 
tion of  the  behevers,  as  their  frame  of  spirit,  or 
occasions,  or  exigencies,  or  temptations,  or  duty 
shall  require. 

We  meddle  then  only  with  that  time  that  the 
worship  aforesaid  is  to  be  performed  in;  which 
time  the  law  of  nature  as  such  supposes,  but  the 
God  of  nature  chooses.  And  this  time  as  to  the 
churches  of  the  Gentiles,  we  have  proved  is  not 
tliat  time  which  was  assigned  to  the  Jews,  to  wit, 
THAT  seventh  day  which  was  imposed  upon  them 
by  the  ministration  of  death ;  for,  as  we  have 
shewed  already,  that  ministration  indeed  is  done 
away  by  a  better  and  more  glorious  ministration,  the 
ministration  of  the  spirit;  which  ministration  surely 
would  be  much  more  inferior  than  that  which  has 
now  no  glory,  was  it  defective  as  to  this.  That 
is,  if  it  imj)osed  a  gospel  service,  but  appointed 
not  time  to  perform  that  worship  in:  or  if  not- 
v,-ithstanding  all  its  commendation,  it  should  be 
forced  to  borrow  of  a  ministration  inferior  to  itself; 
that,  to  wit,  the  time  without  which  by  no  means 
its  most  solemn  worship  can  be  performed. 

This  then  is  the  conclusion,  that  TIME  to   wor- 


ship God  in,  is  required  by  the  law  of  nature ;  but 
that  the  law  of  nature  doth,  as  such,  fix  it  on  the 
seventh  day  from  the  creation  of  the  Avorld,  that  I 
utterly  deny,  by  what  I  have  said  already,  and 
have  yet  to  say  on  that  behalf.  Yea,  I  hope  to 
make  it  manifest,  as  I  have,  that  this  seventh  day 
is  removed;  that  God,  by  the  ministration  of  the 
spirit,  has  changed  the  time  to  another  day,  to 
wit.  The  first  day  of  the  week.  Therefore  we 
conclude  the  time  is  fixed  for  the  worship  of  the 
New  Testament  Christians,  or  chm-ches  of  the 
Gentiles,  unto  that  day. 

Now  in  my  discourse  upon  this  subject,  I  shall, 

I.  Touch  upon  those  texts  that  are  more  close, 
yet  have  a  divine  intimation  of  this  thing  in  them. 

II.  And  then  I  shall  come  to  texts  more  ex- 
press. 

FIRST,  for  those  texts  that  are  more  close,  yet 
have  a  divine  intimation  of  this  thing  in  them. 

First,  The  comparison  that  the  Holy  Ghost  makes 
between  the  rest  of  God  from  his  works,  and  the 
rest  of  Christ  from  his,  doth  intimate  such  a  thing. 
*  He  that  is  entered  into  his  rest,  he  also  hath 
ceased  from  his  own  works,  as  God  did  from  his.' 

He.  iv.  10. 

Now  God  rested  from  his  works,  and  sanctified 
a  day  of  rest  to  himself,  as  a  signal  of  that  rest, 
which  day  he  also  gave  to  his  church  as  a  day  of 
holy  rest  likewise.  And  if  Christ  thus  rested 
from  his  own  works,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  says  he 
did  thus  rest,  he  also  hath  sanctified  a  day  to 
himself,  as  that  in  Avhich  he  hath  finished  his 
work,  and  given  it  (that  day)  also  to  his  church 
to  he  an  everlasting  memento  of  his  so  doing,  and 
that  they  should  keep  it  holy  for  his  sake. 

And  see,  as  the  Father's  work  was  first,  so  his 
day  went  before ;  and  as  the  Son's  work  came 
after,  so  his  day  accordingly  succeeded.  The 
Father's  day  was  on  the  seventh  day  from  the 
creation,  the  Son's  the  first  day  following. 

Nor  may  this  be  slighted,  because  the  text  says, 
as  God  finished  his  work,  so  Christ  finished  his ; 
He  also  hath  ceased  from  his  own  works  as  God 
did  from  his.  He  rested,  I  say,  as  God  did;  but 
God  rested  on  his  resting  day,  and  therefore  so  did 
Christ.  Not  that  he  rested  on  the  Father's  rest- 
ing day ;  for  it  is  evident,  that  then  he  had  great 
part  of  his  work  to  do ;  for  he  had  not  as  tlieu 
got  his  conquest  over  death,  but  the  next  day  he 
also  entered  into  his  rest,  having  by  his  rising 
again,  finished  his  work,  viz.,  made  a  conquest 
over  the  powers  of  darkness,  and  brought  hfe  and 
immortality  to  light  through  his  so  doing. 

So  then,  that  being  the  day  of  the  rest  of  the 
Son  of  God,  it  must  needs  be  the  day  of  the  rest- 
of  his  churches  also.  For  God  gave  his  resting 
day  to  his  church  to  be  a  sabbath ;  and  Christ 
rested  from  his  own  works  as  God  did  from  his, 


873 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


therefore  he  also  gave  the  day  in  which  he  rested 
from  his  works,  a  sabbath  to  the  churches,  as  did 
the  Father.  Not  that  there  are  two  sabbaths  at 
once:  the  Father's  was  imposed  for  a  time,  even 
until  the  Son's  should  come;  yea,  as  I  have 
shewed  you,  even  in  the  very  time  of  its  imposing 
it  was  also  ordained  to  be  done  away.  Hence  he 
saith,  that  ministration  '  was  to  be  done  away. ' 
2  Co.  iii.  7.  Therefore  we  plead  not  for  two  sabbaths 
to  be  at  one  time,  but  that  a  succession  of  time 
was  ordained  to  the  New  Testament  saints,  or 
churches  of  the  Gentiles,  to  worship  God  in;  which 
time  is  that  in  which  the  Son  rested  from  his  own 
works  as  God  did  from  his. 

Second,  Hence  he  calls  himself.  The  *  Lord 
even  of  the  sabbath  day,'  as  Lu.  v. Mat. xu. 8.  shews. 
Now  to  be  a  Lord,  is  to  have  dominion,  dominion 
over  a  thing,  and  so  power  to  alter  or  change  it 
according  to  that  power ;  and  where  is  he  that 
dares  say  Christ  has  not  this  absolutely!  We 
will  therefore  conclude  that  it  is  granted  on  all 
hands  he  hath.  The  question  then  is.  Whether 
he  hath  exercised  that  power  to  the  demolishing 
or  removing  of  the  Jews'  seventh  day,  and  esta- 
blishing another  in  its  room  ?  The  wliich  I  think 
is  easily  answered,  in  that  he  did  not  rest  from 
his  own  works  therein,  but  chose,  for  his  own  rest, 
to  himself  another  day. 

Surely,  had  the  Lord  Jesus  intended  to  have 
established  the  seventh  day  to  the  churches  of  the 
Gentiles,  he  would  himself  in  the  first  place  have 
rested  from  his  o^vvn  works  therein ;  but  since  he 
passed  by  that  day,  and  took  no  notice  of  it,  as  to 
the  finishing  of  his  own  works,  as  God  took  notice 
.of  it  when  he  had  finished  his ;  it  remains  that  he 
fixed  upon  another  day,  even  the  first  of  the  week; 
on  which,  by  his  rising  again,  and  shewing  him- 
self to  his  disciples  before  his  passion,  he  made  it 
manifest  that  he  had  chosen,  'as  Lord  of  the  sab- 
bath,' that  day  for  his  own  rest:  consequently, 
and  for  the  rest  of  his  churches,  and  for  his  wor- 
ship to  be  solemnized  in. 

Third,  And  on  this  day  some  of  the  saints 
that  slept  arose,  and  began  their  eternal  sabbath. 
Mat.  x-wii.  w,  53.  See  how  the  Lord  Jesus  hath  glori- 
fied this  day  !  Never  was  such  a  stamp  of  divine 
honour  put  upon  any  other  day,  no  not  since  the 
world  began.  '  And  the  graves  were  opened;  and 
many  bodies  of  the  saints  which  slept  arose,  and 
came  out  of  the  graves  after  his  resurrection,'  &c. 
That  is,  they  arose  as  soon  as  he  was  risen.  But 
why  was  not  all  this  done  on  the  seventh  day  ?  No, 
that  day  was  set  apart  that  saints  might  adore 
God  for  the  works  of  creation,  and  that  saints 
through  that  might  look  for  redemption  by  Christ. 
But  now  a  work  more  glorious  than  that  is  to  be 
done,  and  therefore  another  day  is  assigned  for 
the  doing  of  it  in.     A  work,  I  say,  of  redemption 


completed,  a  day  therefore  by  itself  must  be  as- 
signed for  this ;  and  some  of  the  saints  to  begin 
their  eternal  sabbath  with  God  in  heaven,  there- 
fore a  day  by  itself  must  be  appointed  for  this. 
Yea,  and  that  this  day  might  not  want  that  glory 
that  might  attract  the  most  dim-sighted  Christian 
to  a  desire  after  the  sanction  of  it,  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Christ,  and  also  of  those  saints  met  toge- 
ther on  it :  yea,  they  both  did  begin  their  eternal 
rest  thereon. 

Fourth,  The  psalmist  speaks  of  a  day  that  the 
Lord  Jehovah,  the  Son  of  God,  has  made ;  and 
saith,  'we  will  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  it.'  But 
what  day  is  this  ?  Why  the  day  in  which  Christ 
was  made  the  '  head  of  the  corner,'  which  must  be 
applied  to  the  day  in  which  he  was  raised  from  the 
dead,  which  is  the  first  of  the  week. 

Hence  Peter  saith  to  the  Jews,  when  he  treatetli 
of  Christ  before  them,  and  particularly  of  his  re- 
surrection. '  This  is  the  stone  which  was  set  at 
nought  of  you  builders,  which  is  become  the  head 
of  the  corner. '  He  was  set  at  nought  by  them, 
the  whole  course  of  his  ministry  imto  his  death, 
and  was  made  the  head  of  the  corner  by  God,  on 
that  day  he  rose  from  the  dead.  This  day  there- 
fore is  the  day  that  the  Lord  Jehovah  has  made  a 
day  of  rejoicing  to  the  church  of  Christ,  and  we  will 
rejoice  and  be  glad  in  it.  Ps.  cxviii.  24. 

For  can  it  be  imagined,  that  the  Spirit  by  the 
prophet  should  thus  signalise  this  day  for  nothing; 
saying,  '  This  is  the  day  which  the  Lord  hath  made;' 
to  no  purpose  ?  Yes,  you  may  say,  for  the  resur- 
rection of  his  son. 

But  I  add,  that  that  is  not  all,  it  is  a  day  that 
the  Lord  has  both  made  for  that,  and  that  we 
might  'rejoice  and  be  glad  in  it.'*  Rejoice,  that  is 
before  the  Lord  while  solemn  divine  worship  is  per- 
foi-med  on  it,  by  all  the  people  that  shall  partake 
of  the  redemption  accomplished  then. 

Fifth,  God  the  Father  again  leaves  such  an- 
other stamp  of  divine  note  and  honour  upon  thi& 
day  as  he  never  before  did  leave  upon  any ;  where 
he  saith  to  our  Lord,  '  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day 
have  I  begotten  thee. '  Ac.  xui.  S3.  Still,  I  say,  hav- 
ing respect  to  the  first  day  of  the  week ;  for  that, 
and  no  other,  is  the  day  here  intended  by  the 
apostle.  This  day,  saith  God,  is  the  day :  '  And 
as  concerning  that  he  raised  him  up  from  the  dead, 
now  no  more  to  return  to  corruption,  he  said  on 
this  wise,  I  will  give  thee  the  sure  mercies  of 
David.  Wherefore  he  saith  also  in  another  Psalm, 
Thou  shalt  not  suff"er  thine  Holy  One  to  see  cor- 
ruption.' Wherefore  the  day  in  which  God  did  this 
work,  is  greater  than  that  in  which  he  finished 
the  work  of  creation ;  for  his  making  of  the  crea- 
tion saved  it  not  from  corruption,  but  now  he  hath 


*  Psal.  cxviii.  24. 


THE  se"vt;nth-day  sabbath. 


373 


done  a  work  Avhicli  corruption  cannot  touch,  where- 
fore the  day  on  which  he  did  this,  has  this  note 
from  his  own  mouth,  Tnis  day,  as  a  day  that  doth 
transcend. 

And,  as  I  said,  this  day  is  the  first  of  the  week; 
for  it  was  on  that  day  that  God  hegat  his  heloved 
Son  from  the  dead.  This  first  day  of  the  week 
therefore,  on  it  God  found  that  pleasure  which  he 
found  not  in  the  seventh  day  from  the  world's  crea- 
tion, for  that  in  it  his  Son  did  live  again  to  him. 

Now  shall  not  Christians,  when  they  do  read  that 
God  saitli, '  This  day, '  and  that  too  with  reference 
to  a  work  done  on  it  by  him,  so  full  of  delight  to 
him,  and  so  full  of  life  and  heaven  to  them,  set 
also  a  remark  upon  it,  saying,  This  was  the  day 
of  God's  pleasure,  for  that  his  Son  did  rise  thereon, 
and  shall  it  not  he  the  day  of  my  delight  in  him  ! 

This  is  the  day  on  which  his  Son  was  both  begotten 
and  born,  and  became  the  first  fruits  to  God  of 
them  that  sleep ;  yea,  and  in  which  also  he  was 
made  by  him  the  chief,  and  head  of  the  corner ; 
and  shall  not  we  rejoice  in  it  ?  Ac  xiii.  33.  He.  i.  5.  Col.  i. 

18.  Re.  i.  5. 

Shall  kings,  and  princes,  and  great  men  set  a 
remark  upon  the  day  of  their  birth  and  coronation, 
and  expect  that  both  subjects  and  servants  should 
do  them  high  honour  on  that  day,  and  shall 
the  day  in  which  Christ  was  both  begotten  and 
born,  be  a  day  contemned  by  Christians !  And 
his  name  not  be  but  of  a  common  regard  on  that 

I  say  again,  shall  God,  as  with  his  finger,  point, 
and  that  in  the  face  of  the  world,  at  this  day,  say- 
ing, *  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day,'  <fec.,  and  shall 
not  Christians  fear,  and  awake  from  their  employ- 
ments, to  worship  the  Lord  on  this  day ! 

If  God  remembers  it,  well  may  I!  If  God  says, 
and  that  with  all  gladness  of  heart,  '  Thou  art  my 
Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee!'  may  not! 
ought  not  I  also  to  set  this  day  apart  to  sing  the 
songs  of  my  redemption  in  ? 

This  day  my  redemption  was  finished. 

This  day  my  dear  Jesus  revived. 

This  day  he  was  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God 
with  power. 

Yea  this  is  the  day  in  which  the  Lord  Jesus 
finished  a  greater  work  than  ever  yet  was  done  in 
the  world ;  yea,  a  work  in  which  the  Father  him- 
self was  more  delighted  than  he  was  in  making  of 
heaven  and  earth.  And  shall  darkness  and  the 
shadow  of  death  stain  this  day !  Or  shall  a  cloud 
dwell  on  this  day !  Shall  God  regard  this  day 
from  above!  And  shall  not  his  light  shine  upon 
this  day !  What  shall  be  done  to  them  that  curse 
this  day,  and  would  not  that  the  stars  should  give 
their  light  thereon.  This  day !  After  this  day  was 
come,  God  never,  that  we  read  of,  made  mention 
with  delight,  of  the  old  seventh  day  sabbath  more. 


Sivth,  Nor  is  that  altogether  to  be  slighted, 
when  he  saith,  'When  he  bringeth  in  the  first-be- 
gotten into  the  world.  Let  all  the  angels  of  God  wor- 
ship him. '    To  wit,  at  that  very  time  and  day.  He.i.  c. 

I  know  not  what  our  expositors  say  of  this  text, 
but  to  me  it  seems  to  be  meant  of  his  resurrection 
from  the  dead ;  both  because  the  apostle  is  speak- 
ing of  that,  ver.  5,  and  closes  that  argument  with 
this  text,  '  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  be- 
gotten thee  ?  And  again,  I  will  be  to  him  a  Father, 
and  he  shall  be  to  me  a  Son  ?  And  again,  when 
he  bringeth  in  the  first-begotten  into  the  world,  ho 
saith.  And  let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship  him.' 

So  then,  for  God's  bringing  of  his  first-begotten 
now  into  the  Avorld,  was  by  his  raising  him  agaiii 
from  the  dead  after  they  by  crucifying  of  him  had 
turned  him  out  of  the  same. 

Thus  then  God  brought  him  into  the  world, 
never  by  them  to  be  hurried  out  of  it  again.  For 
Christ  being  now  raised  from  the  dead,  dies  n,o 
more ;  death  hath  no  more  dominion  over  him. 

Now,  saith  the  text,  when  he  bringeth  him  thus 
into  the  world,  he  requireth  that  worship  be  done 
unto  HIM,  When  ?  That  very  day,  and  that  by 
aU  the  angels  of  God.  And  if  by  aU,  then  minis- 
ters are  not  excluded  ;  and  if  not  ministers,  then 
not  churches ;  for  what  is  said  to  the  angels,  is 
said  to  the  church  itself.  Rev.  u.  l— 7, 8,  li,  12, 17,  18,  £0; 

iii.  1,  6,  7,  13, 14,  and  23. 

So  then,  if  the  question  be  asked,  when  they 
must  worship  him :  the  answer  is,  when  he  brought 
him  into  the  world,  which  was  on  the  first  day  of 
the  week;  for  then  he  bringeth  him  again  from 
the  dead,  and  gave  the  whole  world  and  the  govern- 
ment thereof  into  his  holy  hand.  This  text  there- 
fore is  of  weight  as  to  what  we  have  now  under 
consideration,  to  wit,  that  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
the  day  in  which  God  brought  his  first-begotten  into 
the  world,  should  be  the  day  of  worshipping  him 
by  all  the  angels  of  God. 

Seventh,  Hence  this  day  is  called  'the  Lord's 
day, '  as  John  saith,  '  I  was  in  the  Spirit  on  the 
Lord's  day,'  the  day  in  which  Jesus  rose  from 
the  dead.  Re.  i.  10. 

'  The  Lord's  day.'  Every  day,  say  some,  is 
the  Lord's  day.  Indeed  this  for  discourse  sake 
may  be  granted ;  but  strictly,  no  day  can  so  pro- 
perly he  called  the  Lord's  day,  as  this  first  day  of 
the  week ;  for  that  no  day  of  the  week  or  of  the 
year  has  those  badges  of  the  Lord's  glory  upon  it, 
nor  such  divine  grace  put  upon  it  as  has  the  first 
day  of  the  week. 

This  we  have  already  made  appear  in  part,  and 
shall  make  appear  much  more  before  we  have  done 
therewith. 

There  is  nothing,  as  I  know  of,  that  bears  this 
title  but  the  Lord's  supper,  and  this  day.  1  Co.  li.  20. 
Re.  i.  10.     And  since  Christians  coimt  it  an  abuse  to 


3  TI- 


THE SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


allegorize  the  first,  let  tliem  also  be  ashamed  to 
fantasticalizc  the  last.  The  Lord's  day  is  doubt- 
less the  day  in  which  he  rose  from  the  dead.  To 
be  sure  it  is  not  the  old  seventh  day ;  for  from  the 
day  that  he  arose,  to  the  end  of  the  Bible,  "vve  find 
not  that  he  did  hang  so  mueh  as  one  twist  of  glory 
upon  that ;  but  this  day  is  beautified  with  glory 
upon  glory,  and  that  both  by  the  Father  and  the 
Son ;  by  the  prophets  and  those  that  were  raised 
from  the  dead  thereon ;  therefore  this  day  must  be 
more  than  the  rest. 

But  we  are  as  yet  but  upon  divine  intimations, 
drawn  from  such  texts  which,  if  candidly  consider- 
ed, do  very  much  smile  upon  this  great  truth ; 
namely,  that  the  first  day  of  the  week  is  to  be 
accounted  the  Christian  sabbath,  or  holy  day  for 
divine  worship  in  the  churches  of  the  saints.  And 
fSECOND,  Now  I  come  to  the  texts  that  are  more 
express. 

Then  First,  This  was  the  day  in  the  which  he  did 
iise  to  shew  himself  to  his  people,  and  to  congregate 
witb  them  after  he  rose  from  the  dead.  On  the  first 
first- dajr,  even  on  the  day  on  which  he  rose  from  the 
dead,  he  visited  his  pcoplC;  both  Avhen  together  and 
apart,  over,  and  over,  and  over,  as  both  Luke  and 
John  do  testify.  Im.  xxiv.  Jn.  xx.  And  preached  such 
sermons  of  his  resurrection,  and  gave  unto  them ; 
jea,  and  gave  them  such  demonstration  of  the 
truth  of  all,  as  was  never  given  them  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world.  Shewing,  he  shewed 
them  his  risen  body ;  opening,  he  opened  their 
understandings ;  and  dissipating,  he  so  scattered 
their  unbelief  on  this  day,  as  he  never  had  done 
before.  And  this  continued  one  way  or  another 
even  from  before  day  until  the  evening. 

Second,  On  the  next  first  day  following  the  church 
^vas  within  again ;  that  is,  congregated  to  wait 
upon  their  Lord.  And  John  so  relates  the  matter, 
as  to  give  us  to  imderstand  that  they  were  not  so 
assembled  together  again  till  then.  '  After  eight 
days,'  saith  he,  'again  his  disciples  were  within,' 
clearly  concluding,  that  they  were  not  so  on  the 
days  that  were  between,  no  not  on  the  old  seventh 
day. 

Now  why  should  the  Holy  Ghost  thus  precisely 
speak  of  their  assembling  together  upon  the  first 
day,  if  not  to  confirm  us  in  this,  that  the  Lord 
had  chosen  that  day  for  the  new  sabbath  of  his 
church  ?  Surely  the  Apostles  knew  what  tliey 
did  in  their  meeting  together  upon  that  day ;  yea, 
and  the  Lord  Jesus  also ;  for  that  he  used  so  to 
visit  them  when  so  assembled,  made  his  practice 
a  law  luito  them.  For  practice  is  enough  for  us 
New  Testament  saints,  especially  when  the  Lord 
Jesus  himself  is  in  the  head  of  tliat  practice,  and 
that  after  he  rose  from  the  dead. 

Perhaps  some  may  stumble  at  the  word  'after,' 
r.fter  eight  days ;  but  the  meaning  is,  at  the  con- 


clusion of  the  eighth  day,  or  when  they  had  spent 
in  a  manner  the  whole  of  their  sabbath  in  waiting 
upon  their  Lord,  then  in  comes  their  Lord,  and 
finisheth  that  their  day's  service  to  him  with  con- 
firming of  Thomas's  faith,  and  by  letting  drop 
other  most  heavenly  treasure  among  them.  Christ 
said,  he  must  lie  three  days  and  three  nights  in 
the  heart  of  the  earth,  yet  it  is  evident,  that  he 
rose  the  third  day.  i  Co.  xv.  i. 

We  must  take  then  a  part  for  the  whole,  and 
conclude,  that  from  the  time  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
rose  from  the  dead,  to  the  time  that  he  shewed  his 
hands  and  his  side  to  Thomas,  eight  days  were 
almost  expired ;  that  is,  he  had  sanctified  xmto 
them  two  first  days,  and  had  accepted  that  service 
they  had  performed  to  him  therein,  as  he  testified 
by  giving  of  them  so  blessed  a  farewell  at  the  con- 
clusion of  both  those  days. 

Hence  now  we  conclude,  that  this  was  the  cus- 
tom of  the  church  at  this  day,  to  Avit,  upon  the 
first  day  of  the  week  to  meet  together,  and  to  wait 
upon  their  Lord  therein.  For  the  Holy  Ghost 
counts  it  needless  to  make  a  continued  repetition 
of  things ;  it  is  enough  therefore  if  we  have  now 
and  then  mention  made  thereof. 

Ohj.  But  Christ  shewed  himself  alive  to  them  at 
other  times  also,  as  in  Jn.  xxi.  &c. 

Ans.  The  names  of  all  those  days  in  which  he 
so  did  are  obliterated  and  blotted  out,  that  they 
might  not  be  idolized ;  for  Christ  did  not  set  them 
apart  for  worship,  but  this  day,  the  first  day  of 
the  week,  by  its  name  is  kept  alive  in  the  church, 
the  Holy  Ghost  surely  signifying  thus  much,  that 
how  hidden  soever  other  days  were,  Christ  would 
have  Ms  day,  the  first  day  had  in  everlasting  re- 
membrance among  saints. 

Churches  also  meet  together  now  on  the  week 
days,  and  have  the  presence  of  Christ  with  them 
too  in  their  employments ;  but  that  takes  not  off 
from  them  the  sanction  of  the  first  day  of  the 
week,  no  more  than  it  would  take  away  the  sanc- 
tion of  the  old  seventh  day,  had  it  still  continued 
holy  to  them:  wherefore  this  is  no  let  or  objection 
to  hinder  our  sanctifying  of  the  first  day  of  the 
week  to  our  God.     But, 

Third,  Add  to  this,  that  upon  Pentecost,  which 
was  the  first  day  of  the  week,  mention  is  made  of 
their  being  together  again:  for  Pentecost  was 
always  the  morrow  after  the  sabbath,  the  old 
seventh  day  sabbath.  Upon  this  day,  I  say,  the 
Holy  Ghost  saith,  they  were  again  '  with  one  ac- 
cord together  in  one  place.' 

But  oh  !  the  glory  that  then  attended  them,  by 
the  presence  of  the  Holy  Ghost  among  them:  never 
was  such  a  thing  done  as  was  done  on  that  first 
day  until  then.  We  will  read  the  text,  '  And 
when  the  day  of  Pentecost  was  fully  come,  they 
were  all  with  one  accord  in  one  place.     And  sud- 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


575 


dcnly  tlicre  came  a  sound  from  heaven  as  of  a 
nisliing  miglity  Avind,  and  it  filled  all  the  house 
v/here  they  were  sitting.  And  there  appeared 
unto  them  cloven  tongues  like  as  of  fire,  and  it  sat 
upon  each  of  them.  And  they  were  all  filled  with 
the  Holy  Ghost.'  Ac.ii. i— 4. 

Here  is  a  first  day  glorified  !  Here's  a  coun- 
tenance given  to  the  day  of  their  Christian  assem- 
bling.    But  we  will  note  a  few  things  upon  it. 

1.  The  church  was  now,  as  on  other  first  days, 
all  with  one  accord  in  one  place.  We  read  not 
that  they  came  together  by  virtue  of  any  pre- 
cedent revelation,  nor  by  accident,  but  contrari- 
wise by  agreement,  they  were  together  *  with  one 
accord,'  or  by  appointment,  in  pursuance  of  their 
duty,  setting  apart  that  day,  as  they  had  done  the 
first  days  afore,  to  the  holy  service  of  their  blessed 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ 

2.  We  read  that  this  meeting  of  theirs  was 
not  begun  on  the  old  sabbath,  but  when  Pente- 
cost was  fully  come :  the  Holy  Ghost  intimating, 
that  they  had  left  now,  and  began  to  leave,  the 
seventh  day  sabbath  to  the  unbelieving  Jews. 

3.  Nor  did  the  Holy  Ghost  come  down  upon 
them  till  e .  ■^ry  moment  of  the  old  sahbath  was 
past,  Pentecost,  as  was  said,  was  fully  come 
first.  '  And  when  the  day  of  Pentecost  was  fully 
come,  they  were  all  with  one  accord  in  one  place.' 
And  then,  &c. 

And  why  was  not  this  done  on  the  seventh  day 
sabbath  ?  But,  possibly,  to  shew,  that  the  minis- 
tration of  death  and  condemnation  was  not  that, 
by  or  through  which  Christ  the  Lord  would  com- 
municate so  good  a  gift  imto  his  churches.  Ga.  m. 

1-5. 

This  gift  must  be  referred  to  the  Lord's  day, 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  to  fulfil  the  scripture, 
and  to  sanctify  yet  farther  this  holy  day  mito  the 
use  of  all  New  Testament  churches  of  the  saints. 
For  since  on  the  first  day  of  the  week  our  Lord 
did  rise  from  the  dead,  and  by  his  special  presence, 
I  mean  his  personal,  did  accompany  his  church 
therein,  and  SO  preach  as  he  did,  his  holy  truths 
imto  them,  it  was  most  meet  that  they  on  the  same 
day  also  should  receive  the  first  fruits  of  their 
eternal  life  most  gloriously. 

And,  I  say  again,  since  from  the  resurrection 
of  Christ  to  this  day,  the  church  then  did  receive 
upon  the  first  day,  but  as  we  read,  upon  no  other, 
such  glorious  things  as  we  have  mentioned,  it  is 
enough  to  beget  in  the  hearts  of  them  that  love 
the  Son  of  God,  a  high  esteem  of  the  first  day  of 
the  week.  But  how  much  more,  when  there  shall 
be  joined  to  these,  proof  that  it  was  the  custom  of 
the  first  gospel  church,  the  church  of  Christ  at 
Jerusalem,  after  our  Lord  was  risen,  to  assemble 
together  to  wait  upon  God  on  the  first  day  of  the 
week  T,'ith  their  Lord  as  leader. 


To  say  httle  more  to  this  head,  but  only  to 
repeat  Avhat  is  written  of  this  day  of  old,  to  wit, 
that  it  should  be  proclaimed  the  selfsame  day,  to 
wit,  the  morrow  after  the  sabbath,  which  is  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  '  that  it  may  be  an  holy  con- 
vocation unto  you;  ye  shall  do  no  servile  work 
therein :  it  shcdl  he  a  statute  for  ever  in  all  your 

dwellings, '  Le.  xxiii.  21. 

This  ceremony  was  about  the  sheaf  that  was  to 
be  waved,  and  bread  of  first  fruits,  which  was  a 
type  of  Christ ;  for  he  is  unto  God  '  the  first  fruits 
of  them  that  slept. '  i  Co.  xv.  20. 

This  sheaf,  or  bread,  must  not  be  waved  on  the 
old  seventh  day,  but  on  the  morrow  after,  which 
is  the  first  day  of  the  week,  the  day  in  which 
Christ  rose  from  the  dead,  and  waved  himself  as 
the  first  fruits  of  the  elect  unto  God.  Now  from 
this  day  they  were  to  count  seven  sabbaths  com- 
plete, and  on  the  morrow  after  the  seventh  sabbath, 
which  was  the  first  day  of  the  week  again ;  and 
this  Pentecost  upon  which  we  now  are,  then  they 
were  to  have  a  new  meat  oiteriug,  with  meat  ofi'er- 
ings  and  drink  ofi'erings,  (tc. 

And  on  the  selfsame  day  they  were  to  proclaim 
that  that  first  day  should  be  a  holy  convocation 
unto  them.  The  which  the  apostles  did,  and 
grounded  that  their  proclamation  so  on  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  Christ,  not  on  ceremonies,  that  at 
the  same  day  they  brought  three  thousand  souls 
to  God.  Ac.  ii.  41. 

Now  what  another  signal  [applause]  was  hero 
put  upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  !  The  day  in 
which  our  Lord  rose  fi"om  the  dead,  assembled 
with  his  disciples,  poured  out  so  abundantly  of  the 
Spirit,  and  gathered  even  by  the  first  draught  that 
his  fishermen  made  by  the  gospel,  such  a  number 
of  souls  to  God, 

Thus  then  they  proclaimed,  and  thus  they  ga- 
thered sinners  on  the  first  first-day  that  thev 
preached  ;  for  though  they  had  assembled  together 
over  and  over  with  their  Lord  before  therein,  yet 
they  began  not  jointly  to  preach  imtil  this  first  day 
Pentecost. 

Now,  after  this  the  apostles  to  the  churches  did 
never  make  mention  of  a  seventh  day  sabbath. 
For  as  the  wave  sheaf  and  the  bread  of  first  fruits 
vrere  a  figure  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  the  waving, 
of  his  life  from  the  dead :  so  that  morrow  after  the 
sabbath  on  which  the  Jews  waved  their  sheaf,  was 
a  figure  of  that  on  which  our  Lord  did  rise ;  con- 
sequently, when  their  morrow  after  the  sabbath 
ceased,  our  morrow  after  that  began,  and  so  has 
continued  a  blessed  morrow  after  their  sabbath,  as 
a  holy  sabbath  to  Christians  from  that  time  ever 
since. 

Fourth,  We  come  yet  more  close  to  the  cus- 
tom of  churches;  I  mean,  to  the  custom  of  the 
churches  of  the  Gentiles;  for  as  yet  we  have  spoken 


376 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


but  of  the  practice  of  the  cliurcli  of  God  wlilcli 
was  at  Jerusalem ;  only  we  will  add,  that  the  cus- 
toms that  were  laudable  and  binding  with  the 
church  at  Jerusalem,  were  with  reverence  to  be 
imitated  by  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles;  for 
there  was  but  one  law  of  Christ  for  them  both  to 
worship  by. 

Now  then,  to  come  to  the  point,  to  wit,  that  it 
was  the  custom  of  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles, 
on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  but  upon  no  other 
that  we  read  of,*  to  come  together  to  perform 
divine  worship  to  their  Lord. 

Hence  it  is  said  *  And  upon  the  first  day  of  the 
week,  when  the  disciples  came  together  to  break 
bread,'  &c.  Ac.  xx.  7.  This  is  a  text,  that  as  to  mat- 
ter of  fact  cannot  be  contradicted  by  any,  for  the 
text  saith  plainly  they  did  so,  the  disciples  then 
came  together  to  break  bread,  the  disciples  among 
the  Gentiles,  did  so. 

Thus  you  see  that  the  solemnizing  of  a  first 
day  to  holy  uses  was  not  limited  to,  though  first 
preached  by  the  chnrch  that  was  at  Jerusalem. 
The  church  at  Jerusalem  was  the  mother  church, 
and  not  that  at  Rome,  as  some  falsely  imagme ; 
for  from  this  church  went  out  the  law  and  the 
holy  word  of  God  to  the  Gentiles.  Wherefore  it 
must  be  supposed  that  this  meeting  of  the  Gentiles 
on  the  first  day  of  the  week  to  break  bread,  came 
to  them  by  holy  tradition!  from  the  church  at  Je- 
rusalem, since  they  were  the  first  that  kept  the 
first  day  as  holy  unto  the  Lord  their  God. 

And  indeed,  they  had  the  best  advantage  to  do 
it ;  for  they  had  their  Lord  in  the  head  of  them 
to  back  them  to  it  by  his  presence  and  preaching 
thereon. 

But  we  will  a  little  comment  upon  the  text. 
'  Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week.'  Thus  you  see 
the  day  is  nominated,  and  so  is  kept  alive  among 
the  churches.  For  in  that  the  day  is  nominated 
on  which  this  religious  exercise  was  performed,  it 
is  to  be  supposed  that  the  Holy  Ghost  would  have 
it  live,  and  be  taken  notice  of  by  the  churches  that 
succeed. 

It  also  maybe  nominated  to  shew,  that  both  the 
church  at  Jerusalem,  and  those  of  the  Gentiles  did 
harmonize  in  their  sabbath,  jointly  concluding  to 
solemnize  worship  on  a  [the   same]    day.     And 


*  '  That  we  read  of  in  tlic  New  Testament ;  for  this  is  our 
sole  authority  in  all  iuquiiics  as  to  a  Christian's  faith  and 
practice. — Ed. 

f  '  Tradition'  is  a  communication  without  writing,  and 
when  made  orally  by  some  apostle  or  messenger  from  the  first 
chui-ch  at  Jerusalem,  and  the  message  so  obeyed  as  to  be  left 
tif.on  record  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  has  the  same  authority  as 
if  it  had  been  commanded  in  an  epistle.  It  has  nothing  to  do 
with  the  vain  traditions  of  the  fathers  (so  called),  which  were 
not  heard  of  until  after  the  inspired  volume  was  completed 
and  closed.  Any  subsequent  commands  are  censures  upon 
God's  omniscience,  and  ai'c  deserving  only  of  contempt.— Ed. 


then  again  to  shew,  that  they  all  had  left  the  old 
sabbath  to  the  uubehevers,  and  jointly  chose  to 
sanctify  the  day  of  the  rising  of  their  Lord,  to  this 
work. 

They  *  came  together  to  break  bread,'  to  par- 
take of  the  supper  of  the  Lord.  And  what  day 
so  fit  as  the  Lord's  day  for  this  ?  This  was  to  be 
the  work  of  that  day,  to  wit,  to  solemnize  that 
ordinance  among  themselves,  adjoining  other  so- 
lemn worship  thereto,  to  fill  up  the  day,  as  the 
following  part  of  the  verse  shews.  This  day  there- 
fore was  designed  for  this  work,  the  loliole  day, 
for  the  text  declares  it.  The  first  day  of  the  week 
was  set  by  them  apart  for  this  work. 

'  Upon  THE  first  day;'  not  upon  a  first  day,  or 
upon  one  first  day,  or  upon  such  a  first  day ;  for 
had  he  said  so,  we  had  had  from  thence  not  so 
strong  an  argument  for  our  purpose :  but  when  he 
saith,  *  upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  '  they  did 
it,  he  insinuates,  that  it  was  their  custom.  [It 
was]  also  upon  one  of  these,  [that]  Paul  being 
among  them,  preached  unto  them,  ready  to  depart 
on  the  morrow.  Upon  the  first  day:  what,  or 
which  first  day  of  this,  or  that,  of  the  third  or 
fourth  week  of  the  month  ?  No,  but  upon  the 
first  day,  every  first  day ;  for  so  the  text  admits 
us  to  judge. 

'  Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  the  dis- 
ciples came  together,'  supposes  a  custom  when,  or 
as  they  were  wont  to  come  together  to  perform 
such  service  among  themselves  to  God:  then  Paul 
preached  unto  them,  &c. 

It  is  a  text  also  that  supposes  an  agreement 
among  themselves  as  to  this  thing.  They  came 
together  then  to  break  bread ;  they  had  appointed 
to  do  it  then,  for  that  then  was  the  day  of  their 
Lord's  resurrection,  and  that  in  which  he  himself 
congregated  after  he  revived,  with  the  first  gospel 
church,  the  church  at  Jerusalem. 

Thus  you  see,  that  breaking  of  bread,  was  th& 
work,  the  work  that  by  general  consent  was  agreed 
to  be  by  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles  performed 
upon  the  first  day  of  the  week.  I  say,  by  the 
churches;  for  I  doubt  not  but  that  the  practice 
here,  was  also  the  practice  of  the  rest  of  the  Gen- 
tile churches,  even  as  it  had  been  before  the  prac- 
tice of  the  church  at  Jerusalem. 

For  this  practice  now  did  become  universal,  and 
so  this  text  implies ;  for  he  speaks  here  universally 
of  the  practice  of  all  disciples  as  such,  though  he 
limits  Paul  preaching  to  that  church  with  whom 
he  at  present  personally  was.  Upon  the  first  day 
of  the  week,  '  when  the  disciples  came  together  to 
break  bread,'  Paul  being  at  that  time  at  Troas 
preached  to  them  on  that  day. 

Thus  then  you  see  how  the  Gentile  churches  did 
use  to  break  bread,  not  on  the  old  sabbath,  but  on 
the  first  day  of  the  week.     And,  I  say,  they  had 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


377 


it  from  the  eliurcli  at  Jerusalem;  wliere  the  apostles 
were  first  seated,  and  beheld  the  way  of  their  Lord 
with  their  eyes. 

Now,  I  say,  since  we  have  so  ample  an  example, 
not  only  of  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  but  also  of 
the  churches  of  the  Gentiles,  for  the  keeping  of  the 
first  day  to  the  Lord,  and  that  as  countenanced  by 
Christ  and  his  apostles,  we  should  not  be  afraid 
to  tread  in  their  steps,  for  their  practice  is  the 
same  with  law  and  commandmnet.     But, 

Fifih,  We  will  add  to  this  another  text.  *  Now 
(saith  Paul)  concerning  the  collection  for  the  saints, 
as  I  have  given  order  to  the  churches  of  Galatia, 
even  so  do  ye.  Upon  the  first  clay  of  the  week  let 
every  one  of  you  lay  by  him  in  store,  as  God  hath 
prospered  him,  that  there  be  no  gathei'ings  when  I 

come. '  1  Cor.  xvi.  1,  2. 

This  text  some  have  greatly  sought  to  evade, 
counting  the  duty  here,  on  this  day  to  be  done,  a 
duty  too  inferior  for  the  sanction  of  an  old  seventh 
day  sabbath ;  when  yet  to  show  mercy  to  an  ass 
on  the  old  sabbath,  was  a  work  which  our  Lord  no 
v/ays  condemns.  Lu.  xiii.  15 ;  xiv.  5. 

But  to  pursue  our  design,  we  have  a  duty 
enjoined,  and  that  of  no  inferior  sort.  If  charity 
be  indeed  as  it  is,  the  very  bond  of  perfectness : 
and  if  without  it  all  our  doings,  yea  and  sufferings 
too,  are  not  worthy  so  much  as  a  rush,  l  Co.  xiii.  Coi. 
iiL  14.  we  have  here  a  duty,  I  say,  that  a  seventh 
day  sabbath,  when  in  force,  was  not  too  big  for  it 
to  be  performed  in. 

The  work  now  to  be  done,  was,  as  you  see,  to 
bestow  their  charity  upon  the  poor ;  yea,  to  pro- 
vide for  time  to  come.  And  I  say,  it  must  be 
collected  upon  the  first  day  of  the  week.  Upon 
THE  first  day ;  not  A  first  day,  as  signifying  one 
or  two,  but  upon  the  first  day,  even  every  first 
day;  for  so  your  ancient  Bibles  have  it;*  also  our 
later  must  be  so  understood,  or  else  Paul  had 
left  them  to  whom  he  did  write,  utterly  at  a  loss. 
For  if  he  intended  not  every  first  da}',  and  yet  did 
not  specify  a  particular  one,  it  could  hardly  even 
have  been  imderstood  which  first  day  he  meant. 
But  we  need  not  stand  upon  this.  This  work 
was  a  work  for  a  first-day,  for  every  first  day  of 
the  week. 

Note  again  that  we  have  this  duty  here  com- 
manded and  enforced  by  an  apostolical  order :  '  I 
have  given  order,'  saith  Paul,  for  this;  and  his 

*  The  New  Testament  by  "Wliittingliam,  1557 ;  the  Genevan 
or  Puritan  Bible  by  Knox,  Covcrdalc,  and  others,  1560;  and 
the  New  Testament  revised  by  Tomson,  1576,  very  frequently 
reprinted,  and  very  favourite  translations  among  our  puritan 
and  pilgrim  forefathers  in  the  faith.  The  marginal  note  to 
the  Puritan  Bible,  in  Acts  xx.  7,  'first  day,'  is,  'which  wc  call 
Simday.  Of  this  place,  and  also  of  the  1  Cor.  xvi.  2,  we 
gather  that  the  Christians  used  to  have  their  solemn  assemblies 
this  day,  laying  aside  the  ceremony  of  the  Jewish  Salbalh.' — Ed. 
VOL.  II. 


orders,  as  he  saith  in  another  place,  *  are  the  com- 
mandments of  the  Lord.'  You  have  it  in  the  same 
epistle,  ch.  xiv.  37. 

"  Whence  it  follows,  that  there  was  given  even  by 
the  apostles  themselves,  a  holy  respect  to  the  first 
day  of  the  week  above  all  the  days  of  the  week ; 
yea,  or  of  the  year  besides. 

Further,  I  find  also  by  this  text,  that  this  order 
is  universal.  I  have,  saith  he,  given  this  order 
not  only  to  ^''ou,  but  to  the  churches  of  Galatia. 
Consequently  to  all  other  that  were  concerned  in 
this  collection.  2  Co.  riii.;  ix.  (kc. 

NoAV  this,  whatever  others  may  think,  puts  yet 
more  glory  upon  the  first  day  of  the  week.  For 
in  that  all  the  churches  are  commanded,  as  to 
make  their  collections,  so  to  make  them  on  this 
day :  what  is  it,  but  that  this  day,  by  reason  of  tho 
sanction  that  Christ  put  upon  it,  was  of  virtue  to 
sanctify  the  oftering  through  and  by  Christ  Jesus, 
as  the  altar  and  temple  afore  did  sanctify  the  gift 
and  gold  that  was,  and  was  ofi'ercd  on  them.  The 
proverb  is,  '  The  better  day,  the  better  deed.'  And 
I  believe,  that  things  done  on  the  Lord's  day,  are 
better  done,  than  on  other  days  of  the  week,  in  his 
worship. 

Ohj.  But  yet,  say  some,  here  are  no  orders  to 
keep  this  first  day  holy  to  the  Lord. 

Ans.  1.  That  is  supplied;  for  that  by  this  very 
text  this  day  is  appointed,  above  all  the  days  of 
the  week,  to  do  this  holy  duty  in. 

2.  You  must  understand  that  this  order  is  hut 
additional,  and  now  enjoined  to  fill  up  that  which 
was  begun  as  to  holy  exercise  of  religious  worship 
by  the  churches  long  before. 

3.  The  universality  of  the  duty  being  enjoined 
to  this  day,  supposes  that  this  day  was  univei'sally 
kept  by  the  churches  as  holy  already. 

4.  And  let  him  that  scrupleth  this,  shew  me,  if 
he  can,  that  God  by  the  mouth  of  his  apostles  did 
ever  command  that  all  the  churches  should  be 
confined  to  this  or  that  duty  on  such  a  day,  and 
yet  put  no  sanction  upon  that  day ;  or  that  he  has 
commanded  that  this  work  should  be  done  on  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  and  yet  has  reserved  other 
church  ordinances  as  a  public  solemnization  cf 
worship  to  him,  to  be  done  of  another  day,  as  of  a 
day  more  fit,  more  holy. 

5.  If  charity,  if  a  general  collection  for  the  saints 
in  the  churches  is  commanded  on  this  day,  and  on 
no  other  day  but  this  day ;  for  church  collection  is 
commanded  on  no  other,  there  must  be  a  reason 
for  it :  and  if  that  reason  had  not  respect  to  the 
sanction  of  the  day,  I  know  not  Avhy  the  duty 
should  be  so  strictly  confined  to  it, 

6.  But  for  the  apostle  now  to  give  Avith  this  a 
particular  command  to  the  churches  to  sanctify 
that  day  as  holy  unto  the  Lord,  had  been  utterly 
supei-fluous;  for  that  they  already,  and  that  by 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


the  conntcnnncc  of  their  Lord,  and  his  church  at 
Jerusalem,  had  done. 

Before  non-,  I  say,  it  was  Lecorao  a  custom,  as 
by  what  hath  been  said  ah-eady  is  manifest :  where- 
fore what  need  that  their  so  solemn  a  practice  be 
imposed  again  upon  the  brethren  ?  An  intimation 
now  of  a  continued  respect  thereto,  by  the  very 
naming-  of  the  day,  is  enough  to  keep  the  sanctity 
thereof  on  foot  in  the  churches.  How  much  more 
then,  when  the  Lord  is  still  adding  holy  duty  to 
holy  dut}'-,  to  be  performed  upon  that  day.  So  then, 
in  that  the  apostle  writes  to  the  churches  to  do 
this  holy  dut^^  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  he 
puts  them  in  mind  of  the  sanction  of  the  day,  and 
insinuates,  that  he  would  still  have  them  have  a 
due  respect  thereto. 

Quest.  But  is  there  yet  another  reason  why  this 
holy  duty  should,  in  special  as  it  is,  be  commanded 
to  be  performed  on  tlie  first  day  of  the  week  ? 

An^.  1.  Yes:  for  that  now  the  churches  were  come 
together  in  their  respective  places,  the  better  to 
agree  about  collections,  and  to  gather  them.  You 
know  church  worship  is  a  duty,  so  long  as  we  are 
in  the  world,  and  so  long  also  is  this  of  making 
collections  for  the  saints.  And  for  as  much 
as  the  apostle  speaks  here,  as  I  have  hinted 
afore,  of  a  cluirch  collection,  when  is  it  more  fit 
to  be  done,  than  Avhcn  the  church  is  come  to- 
gether upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  to  worship 
God? 

2.  This  part  of  worship  is  most  comely  to  be 
done  upon  the  first  day  of  the  week,  and  that  at 
tlie  close  of  that  day's  work.  For  thereby  the 
church  shows,  not  only  her  thankfulness  to  God 
for  a  sabbath  day's  mercy,  but  also  returncth  him, 
by  giving  to  the  poor,  that  sacrifice  for  their 
benefit  that  is  most  behovcful  to  make  manifest 
their  professed  subjection  to  Christ.  Pr.xlv.  17.  sCo.  Lx. 
13—13.  It  is  therefore  necessary,  tliat  this  work  be 
done  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  for  a  comel}^ 
close  of  the  worship  that  we  perform  to  the  Lord 
our  God  on  that  day. 

3.  On  the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  the  church 
is  performing  of  holy  worship  unto  God,  then  that 
of  collection  for  the  saints  is  most  meet  to  be  per- 
formed ;  because  then,  in  all  likelihood,  our  heai-ts 
will  be  most  warm  with  the  divine  presence ;  con- 
sequently most  open  and  free  to  contribute  to  the 
necessity  of  the  saints.  You  know,  that  a  man 
when  his  heart  is  open,  is  taken  with  some  excel- 
lent thing ;  then,  if  at  all,  it  is  most  free  to  do 
something  for  the  promoting  thereof. 

Why,  waiting  upon  God  in  the  way  of  his 
appointments,  opens,  and  makes  free,  the  heart  to 
the  poor:  and  because  the  first  day  of  the  week 
was  it  in  which  now  such  solemn  service  to  him 
was  done,  therefore  also  the  apostle  commanded, 
that  upon  the  same  day  also,  as  on  a  day  most  fit, 


this  duty  of  collecting  for  the  poor  should  be  done. 
'For  God  lovcth  a  cheerful  giver.'  3Co. ix. 6, 7. 

Wherefore  the  apostle  by  this,  takes  the  churches 
as  it  were  at  the  advantage,  and  as  we  say,  [strikes] 
v.-hile  the  iron  is  hot,  to  the  intent  he  might,  what 
in  him  lay,  make  their  collections,  not  sparing  nor 
of  a  grudging  mind,  but  to  flow  from  cheerfulness. 
And  the  first  day  of  the  week,  though  its  institu- 
tion be  set  aside,  doth  most  naturally  tend  to  this  ; 
because  it  is  the  day,  the  only  day,  on  which  wo 
received  such  blessings  from  God.  Ac.  iii.  26. 

This  is  the  day  on  which,  at  first,  it  rained 
manna  all  day  long  from  heaven  upon  the  new 
testament  church,  and  so  continues  to  do  this  day. 
Oh  !  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  which  was  on 
this  day,  and  the  riches  that  we  receive  thereby. 
Though  it  should  be,  and  is,  I  hope  thought  on  every 
day  ;  yet  when  the  first  of  the  week  is,  fully  come ! 
Then  to-day !  This  day !  This  is  the  day  to  bo 
warmed;  this  day  he  was  begotten  from  the  dead. 
The  thought  of  this,  will  do  much  with  an  honest 
mind:  this  is  the  day,  I  say,  that  the  first  saints 
did  find,  and  that  after  saints  do  find  the  blessings 
of  God  come  down  upon  them  ;  and  therefore  this 
is  the  day  here  commanded  to  be  set  apart  for  holy 
duties. 

And  although  what  I  have  said  may  be  but 
little  set  by  of  some,  yet,  for  a  closing  word  as  to 
this,  I  do  think,  could  but  half  so  much  be  pro- 
duced from  the  day  Christ  rose  from  the  dead 
quite  down  [to  the  end  of  revelation],  for  the  sanc- 
tion of  a  seventh  day  sabbath  in  the  churches  of 
the  Gentiles,  it  would  much  sway  with  me.  But 
the  truth  is,  neither  doth  the  apostle  Paul,  nor  any 
of  his  fellows,  so  much  as  once  speak  one  word  to 
the  churches  that  shows  the  least  regard,  as  to 
conscience  to  God,  of  a  seventh  day  sabbath  more. 
No,  the  first  day,  the  first  day,  the  first  day,  is 
now  all  the  cry  in  the  churches  by  the  apostles, 
for  the  performing  church  worship  in  to  God. 
Christ  began  it  on  that  day:  then  the  Holy  Ghost 
seconded  it  on  that  day:  then  the  churches  prae- 
tised  it  on  that  day.  And  to  conclude  ;  the  apostle 
by  the  command  now  under  consideration,  continues 
the  sanction  of  that  day  to  the  churches  to  the 
end  of  the  world. 

But  as  to  the  old  seventh  day  sabbath,  as  hath 
been  said  afore  in  this  treatise,  Paul,  who  is  the 
apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  has  so  taken  away  that 
whole  ministration  in  the  bowels  of  which  it  is ; 
yea,  and  has  so  stript  it  of  its  old  testament  gran- 
deur, both  by  terms  and  arguments,  that  it  is 
strange  to  me  it  should  by  any  be  still  kept  up  in 
the  churches ;  specially,  since  the  same  apostle, 
and  that  at  the  same  time,  has  put  a  better  minis- 
tration in  its  place.  2  Co.  iii. 

But  when  the  consciences  of  good  men  are  cap- 
tivated with  an  error,  none  can  stop  them  from  a 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


379 


prosecution  thereof,  a,s  If  were  itself  of  the  best 
of  truths. 

Ohj.  But  Paul  prcnchcd  frequently  on  the  old 
sabbath,  and  that  after  the  resurrection  of  Christ. 

Ans.  To  the  unbelieving  Jc^vs  and  their  pro- 
selytes, I  grant  he  did.  But  we  read  not  that  he 
did  it  to  any  new  testament  church  on  that  day : 
nor  did  he  celebrate  the  instituted  worship  of 
Christ  in  the  churches  on  that  day.  For  Paul, 
who  had  before  cast  out  the  ministration  of  death, 
a,s  that  which  had  no  glor^',  would  not  now  take 
thereof  any  part  for  new  testament  instituted  wor- 
ship ;  for  ho  knew  that  that  would  veil  the  heart, 
and  blind  the  mind  from  that,  which  yet  instituted 
worship  was  ordained  to  discover. 

lie  preached  then  on  the  seventh  day  sabbath, 
of  a  divine  and  crafty  love  to  the  salvation  of  the 
unbelieving  Jevrs. 

1  say,  he  preached  now  on  that  day  to  them  and 
their  proselytes,  because  that  day  was  theirs  by 
their  estimation.  He  did  it,  I  say,  of  great  love 
to  their  souls,  that  if  possible,  he  might  save  some 
of  them. 

Wherefore,  if  3'ou  observe,  you  shall  still  find, 
that  where  it  is  said  that  he  preached  on  that  da}', 
it  was  to  that  people,   not  to  the   chiu-ches   of 

Christ.       See  Ac.  ix.  20 ;  xiii.  14— IC;  xvi.  13 ;  xvii.  1—3;  xviii.  -1. 

Thus,  though  he  had  put  away  the  sanction  of 
that  day  as  to  himself,  and  had  left  the  Christians 
that  were  weak  to  their  liberty  as  to  conscience  to 
it,  yet  he  takes  occasion  upon  it  to  preach  to  the 
Jews  that  still  were  wedded  to  it,  the  faith,  that 
they  might  be  saved  by  grace. 

Paul  did  also  many  other  things  that  were 
Jewish  and  ceremonial,  for  which  he  had,  as  then, 
no  conscience  at  all,  as  to  any  sanction  that  he 
believed  was  in  them. 

As  his  circumcising  of  Timothy.  Ac.  xvi.  1—3. 

His  shaving  of  his  head.  Ac.  xviii.  is. 

His  submitting  to  Jewish  purifications.  Ac. 
xxi.  21— ?:g. 

His  acknowledging  of  himself  a  Pharisee,  cli.xxiii.o. 

His  implicitly  ov.-ning  of  Ananias  for  high  priest 
after  Christ  M'as  risen  from  the  dead.  Ac.  xxiii.  1—5. 

He  tells  us  also  that,  '  unto  the  Jews  he  became 
as  a  Jew '  that  he  might  save  the  Jew.  And 
'without  law,'  to  tlicm  that  were  without  law,  that 
also  he  might  gain  them.  Yea,  he  became,  as  he 
saith,  'all  things  to  all  raen,^  that  he  might  gain 
the  more,  as  it  is  i  Co.  ix.  10—23. 

But  these  things,  as  I  said,  he  did  not  of  con- 
science to  the  things ;  for  he  knew  that  their 
sanction  was  gone.  Nor  would  he  suffer  tliem  to 
be  imposed  upon  the  churches  directly  or  imUrectly; 
no,  not  by  Peter  himself.  Ga  ii.  11. 

Were  I  in  Turkey  with  a  church  of  Jesus  Christ, 
I  would  keep  the  first  day  of  the  week  to  God, 
and  for  the   edification  of  his  people :  and  would 


also  preach  the  vrord  to  the  infidels  on  their  sab- 
bath day,  which  is  our  Friday ;  and  be  glad  too, 
if  1  might  have  such  opportunity  to  try  to  persuadj 
them  to  a  love  of  their  own  salvation. 

Ohj.  But  if  the  seventh  day  sabbath  is,  as  you 
say,  to  be  laid  aside  by  the  churches  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, why  doth  Christ  say  to  his,  '  Pray  ye  that 
your  flight  be  not  in  the  winter,  neither  on  the 
sabbath  day  ?'  For,  say  some,  by  this  saying  it 
appears,  that  the  old  seventh  day  sabbath,  as  you 
have  called  it,  will  as  to  the  sanction  of  it,  abido 
in  force  after  Christ  is  ascended  into  heaven. 

Ans.  I  say  first,  these  words  were  spoken  to  the 
Jewish  Christians,  not  to  the  Gentile  churches. 
And  the  reason  of  this  first  hint,  you  wiE  see 
clearer  afterwards. 

The  Jews  had  several  sabbaths  ;  as,  their  scvcutli 
day  sabbath,  their  monthly  sabbaths,  their  sabbath 
of  3'ears,  and  their  jubilee.  Lc.  xxv. 

Now  if  he  means  their  ordinary  sabbaths,  or 
that  called  the  seventh  day  sabbath,  v/hy  doth  he 
join  the  winter  thereto?  for  in  that  he  joineth  tho 
winter  with  that  sabbath  that  he  exhorteth  them 
to  pray  their  flight  might  not  be  in,  it  should  seem 
that  he  meaneth  rather  their  sabbath  of  years,  or 
their  jubilee,  which  did  better  ansv/er  one  to  an- 
other than  one  day  and  a  winter  could. 

And  I  say  again,  that  Christ  should  suppose 
that  their  flight  should,  or  might  last  some  consi- 
derable part  of  a  winter,  and  yet  that  then  they 
should  have  their  rest  on  those  seventh  day  sab- 
baths, is  a  little  beside  my  reason,  if  it  be  consi- 
dered again,  that  the  Gentiles  befoi'e  whom  they 
were  then  to  fly,  were  enemies  to  their  sabbath, 
and  consequently  would  take  opportunity  at  their 
sabbaths  to  alfiict  them  so  much  the  more. 
Wherefore,  I  would  that  they  who  plead  for  a 
continuation  of  the  seventh  day  sabbath  from  this 
text,  would  both  better  consider  it,  and  the  inco- 
herence that  seems  to  be  betwixt  such  a  sabbatli 
and  a  winter. 

But  again,  were  it  granted  that  it  is  the  seventh 
day  sabbath  that  Christ  here  intendeth ;  yet,  since 
as  we  have  proved,  the  sanction  before  this  was 
taken  away;  I  mean  before  this  flight  should  be, 
he  did  not  press  them  to  pray  thus  because  by  any 
law  of  heaven  they  shoidd  then  be  commanded  to 
keep  it  holy;  but  because  some  would,  througli 
their  weakness,  have  conscience  of  it  till  then. 
And  such  would,  if  their  flight  shoidd  happcii 
thereon,  be  as  much  grieved  and  perplexed,  as  if 
it  yet  stood  obligatory  to  them  by  a  law. 

This  seems  to  have  some  truth  in  it,  becauso 
among  the  Jews  that  believed,  there  continued  a 
long  time  many  that  were  wedded  yet  to  the  law,  to 
the  ceremonial  part  thereof,  and  were  not  so  clearly 
evauo-clized  as  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles  were. 
'Thou  seest  brother,'  said  James  to  Paul,  'how 


330 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


many  thousands  of  Jews  tliere  are  Tflilclx  believe ; 
and  they  are  all  zealous  of  the  law.'  Ac.  xxi.  20;  xv.  5. 

Of  these,  and  such  weak  unhelievhig  Jews, 
perhaps  Christ  speaks,  when  he  gives  this  exhor- 
tation to  them  to  pray  tluis ;  whose  consciences  he 
knew  would  be  weak,  and  being  so,  would  bind 
when  they  were  entangled  with  an  error,  as  fast 
as  if  it  bound  by  a  law  indeed. 

Again,  though  the  scventli  day  sabbath  and 
ceremonies  lost  their  sanction  at  the  resurrection 
of  Christ,  yet  they  retained  some  kind  of  being  in 
the  church  of  the  Jews,  until  the  desolation  spoken 
of  by  Daniel  should  be. 

Hence  it  is  said,  that  then  the  oblation  and 
sacrifices  shall  cease.  Da.  ix.  27.  And  hence  it  is, 
that  Jerusalem  and  the  temple  are  still  called  the 
holy   place,    even    until   this    flight    should    be. 

Milt.  xxiv.  15. 

Now  if  Jerusalem  and  the  temple  are  still  called 
holy,  even  after  the  body  and  substance,  of  which 
they  were  shadows,  were  come ;  then  no  marvel 
though  some  to  that  day  that  believed  were  en- 
tangled therewith,  &c.  For  it  may  very  well  be 
supposed  that  all  conscience  of  them  would  not  be 
quite  taken  away,  until  all  reason  for  that  con- 
science should  be  taken  away  also.  But  when 
Jerusalem,  and  the  temple,  and  the  Jews'  worship, 
by  the  Gentiles  was  quite  extinct  by  ruins,  then  in 
i-eason  that  conscience  did  cease.  And  it  seems 
by  some  texts,  that  all  conscience  to  them  was 
not  taken  away  till  then. 

Quest.  But  what  kind  of  being  had  the  seventli 
day  sabbath,  and  other  Jewish  rites  and  cere- 
monies, that  by  Clirist's  resurrection  were  taken 
away? 

Ans.  These  things  liad  a  virtual  and  a  nominal 
being.  As  to  their  virtual  being,  that  died  that 
(lay  Christ  did  rise  from  the  dead,  they  being 
crucified  with  him  on  the  cross.  Col.  u. 

But  noAv,  Avhen  the  virtual  being  was  gone,  they 
still  with  the  weak  retained  their  name,  among 
many  of  the  Jews  that  believed,  until  the  abomi- 
nation that  maketh  desolate  stood  in  the  holy 
place :  for  in  Paul's  time  they  were,  as  to  that, 
but  ready  to  vanish  away. 

Kow,  I  say,  they  still  retaining  their  nominal 
grandeur,  though  not  by  virtue  of  a  law,  they 
could  not,  till  time  and  dispensation  came,  be 
swept  out  of  the  way.  Wo  will  make  what  hath 
been  said,  as  to  this,  out  by  a  familiar  similitude. 

There  is  a  lord  or  great  man  dies ;  now  being- 
dead,  he  has  lost  his  virtual  life.  He  has  now  no 
relation  to  a  wife,  to  children,  virtually;  yet  his 
name  still  abides,  and  that  in  that  family,  to  which 
otherwise  he  is  dead.  Wherefore  they  embalm 
him,  and  also  keep  him  above  ground  for  many 
days.  Yea,  he  is  still  reverenced  by  those  of  the 
family,  and  that  in  several  respects.     Kor  doth 


any  thing  but  time  and  dispensation  wear  this 
name  away. 

Thus  then  the  Old  Testament  signs  and  shadows 
went  off  the  stage  in  the  church  of  Christ  among 
the  Jews.  They  lost  their  virtue  and  signification 
when  Christ  nailed  them  to  his  cross.  Coi.  ii.  But 
as  to  their  name,  and  the  grandeur  that  attended 
that,  it  continued  with  many  that  were  weak,  and 
vanished  not,  but  when  the  abomination  that  made 
them  desolate  came. 

The  sum  then  and  conclusion  of  the  matter  is 
this  ;  the  seventh  day  sabbath  lost  its  glory  when 
that  ministration  in  which  it  was,  lost  its :  But 
yet  the  name  thereof  might  abide  a  long  time  Avith 
the  Jewish  legal  Christians,  and  so  might  become 
obligatory  still,  though  not  by  the  law,  to  their 
conscience,  even  as  circumcision  and  other  cere- 
monies did:  and  to  them  it  Avould  be  as  grievous 
to  fly  on  that  day,  as  if  by  law  it  was  still  in  force. 
For,  I  say,  to  a  weak  conscience,  that  law  which 
has  lost  its  life,  may  yet  through  their  ignorance, 
be  as  binding  as  if  it  stood  still  upon  the  authority 
of  God. 

Things  then  become  obligatory  these  two  ways. 
(1.)  By  an  institution  of  God,  (2.)  By  the  over- 
ruling power  of  a  man's  misinformed  conscience. 
And  although  by  virtue  of  an  institution  divine 
worship  is  acceptable  to  God  by  Christ,  yet  con- 
science will  make  that  a  man  shall  have  but  little 
case  if  such  rules  and  dictates  as  it  imposes  be  not 
observed  by  him. 

This  is  my  answer,  upon  a  supposition  that  the 
seventh  day  sabbath  is  in  this  text  intended :  and 
the  answer,  I  think,  stands  firm  and  good. 

Also,  there  remains,  notwithstanding  this  ob- 
jection, no  divine  sanction  in  or  upon  the  old 
seventh  day  sabbath. 

Some  indeed  will  urge,  that  Christ  here  meant 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  which  here  he  puts 
under  the  term  of  sabbatli.  But  this  is  foreign  to 
me,  so  I  waive  it  till  I  receive  more  satisfaction 
in  the  thing. 

Quest.  But  if  indeed  the  first  day  of  the  week 
be  the  new  christian  sabbath,  why  is  there  no 
more  spoken  of  its  institution  in  the  testament  of 
Christ? 

Ans.  No  more  !  AVhat  need  is  there  of  more 
than  enough  !  Yea,  there  is  a  great  deal  found 
in  the  testament  of  the  Lord  Jesus  to  prove  its 
authority  divine. 

(1.)  For  we  have  shewed  from  sundry  scriptures, 
that  from  the  very  day  our  Lord  did  rise  from  the 
the  dead,  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  in  which  the 
the  twelve  apostles  v/ere,  did  meet  together  on  that 
day,  and  had  the  Lord  himself  for  their  preacher, 
while  they  were  auditors  ;  and  thus  the  day  began. 
(2.)  We  have  shewed  that  the  Holy  Ghost,  tlie 
third  person  in  the  Trinity,  did  second  this  of 


TILE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


881 


Christ,  in  coming  down  from  heaven  upon  this  day 
to  manage  the  apostles  in  their  preaching ;  and  in 
that  very  day  so  managed  them  in  that  work,  that 
by  his  help  they  then  did  bring  three  thousand 
souls  to  God. 

(3.)  We  have  shewed  also,  tliat  after  this  the  gen- 
tile churches  did  solemnize  this  day  for  holy  wor- 
ship, and  that  the}'  had  from  Paul  both  comitenance 
and  order  so  to  do. 

And  now  I  will  add,  that  more  neea  not  be 
spoken :  for  the  practice  of  the  first  church,  with 
their  Lord  in  the  head  of  them  to  manage  them  in 
that  practice,  is  as  good  as  many  commands.  What 
then  shall  we  say,  when  we  see  a  first  practice 
turned  into  holy  custom? 

I  say,  moreover,  that  though  a  seventh  day  sab- 
bath is  not  natural  to  man  as  man,  yet  our  chris- 
tian holy  day  is  natural  to  us  as  saints,  if  our 
consciences  are  not  clogged  before  with  some  old 
fables,  or  Jewish  customs. 

But  if  an  old  religion  shall  get  footing  and  root- 
ing in  us,  though  the  grounds  thereof  be  vanished 
away,  yet  the  man  concerned  will  be  hard  put  to 
it,  should  he  be  saved,  to  get  clear  of  his  clouds, 
and  devote  himself  to  that  service  of  G  od  which  is 
of  his  own  prescribing. 

Luther  himself,  though  lie  saw  many  things  were 
without  ground  which  he  had  received  for  truth, 
liad  yet  work  hard  enough,  as  himself  intimates, 
to  get  his  conscience  clear  from  all  those  roots  and 
strings  of  inbred  error. 

But,  I  say,  to  an  untainted  and  well  bred  Chris- 
tian, we  have  good  measure,  shaken  together,  and 
running  over,  for  our  christian  Lord's  day.  And 
I  say  again,  that  the  first  day  of  the  week,  and 
the  spirit  of  such  a  Christian,  suit  one  another  as 
nature  suitcth  nature ;  for  there  is  as  it  were  a 
natural  instinct  in  Christians,  as  such,  when  they 
imderstand  what  in  a  first  day  was  brought  forth, 
to  fall  in  therewith  to  keep  it  holy  to  their  Lord. 

1 .  The  first  day  of  the  week !  Why  it  was  the 
day  of  our  life.  'After  two  days  he  will  revive 
us,'  and  in  the  third  day  '  we  shall  live  in  his  sight.' 
'After  two  days'  there  is  the  Jews'  preparation, 
and  seventh  day  sabbath,  quite  passed  over;  and 
in  the  third  day,  that  is  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
which  is  the  day  our  Lord  did  rise  from  the  dead, 
v,-e  began  to  live  by  him  in  the  sight  of  God.  Ho.  vi. 

C.  Ju.  XX.  i.  1  Co.  XV.  -i. 

2.  The  first  day  of  the  week!  That  is  the  day 
in  which,  as  I  hinted  before,  our  Lord  was  wont 
to  preach  to  his  disciples  after  he  rose  from  the 
dead ;  in  whicli  also  he  did  use  to  shew  them  his 
hands  and  his  feet.  Lu.  xxiv.  ss,  G9.  Jn.  xx.  23.  To  the 
end  they  might  be  confirmed  in  the  trutli  of  his 
victory  over  death  and  the  grave  for  them.  The 
day  in  which  he  made  himself  known  to  them  in 
breaking  bread.     The  day  in  which  he  so  plenti- 


fully poured  out  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  them.  The 
day  in  which  the  church,  both  at  Jerusalem  and 
those  of  the  Gentiles,  did  use  to  perform  to  God 
divine  worship:  all  which  has  before  been  suffi- 
ciently proved.  And  shall  we  not  imitate  our 
Lord,  nor  the  church  that  was  immediatclv  acted"'* 
by  him  in  this,  and  the  churches  their  fellows? 
Shall,  I  say,  the  Lord  Jesus  do  all  this  in  his 
church,  and  the}''  together  with  him !  Shall  the 
churches  of  the  Gentiles  also  fall  in  with  their  Lord 
and  with  their  mother  at  Jerusalem  herein!  And 
again,  shall  all  this  be  so  punctually  committed  to 
sacred  story,  with  the  day  in  wliicli  these  thino-s 
were  done,  under  denomination,  over  and  over,  say- 
ing. These  things  were  done  on  the  first  day,  on 
the  first  day,  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  while 
all  other  days  are,  as  to  name,  buried  in  everlast- 
ing oblivion!  And  shall  we  not  take  that  notice 
thereof  as  to  follow  the  Lord  Jesus  and  the  churches 
herein?     Oh  stupidity! 

3.  This  day  of  the  week !  They  that  make  but 
observation  of  what  the  Lord  did  of  old,  to  a  manv 
sinners,  and  with  his  churches  on  this  day,  must 
needs  conclude,  that  in  this  day  the  treasures  of 
heaven  were  broken  up,  and  the  richest  things 
therein  communicated  to  his  church.  Shall  the 
children  of  this  world  be,  as  to  this  also,  wiser  in 
their  generations  than  the  children  of  liglit,  and 
former  saints,  upon  whose  shoulders  v,c  pretend  to 
stand,  go  beyond  us  here  also. 

Jacob  could  by  observation  gather  that  the  place 
where  he  lay  down  to  sleep  was  no  other  but  the 
house    of   God,    and   the   very   gate    of  heaven. 

Gc.  xx\-iii.  17. 

Labau  could  gather  by  observation,  that  the 
Lord  blessed  him  for  Jacob's  sake.  Gc.  xxx.  27. 

David  could  gather  by  what  he  met  with  upon 
Mount  Moriah,  that  that  v.-as  the  place  v.'here  God 
would  have  the  temple  builded,  therefore  he  sacri- 
ficed there.  1  Ch.  x.xi.  20—28;  xxii.  1,  2.  2  Cli.  iii.  1. 

Ruth  was  to  mark  the  place  where  Boaz  lay 
down  to  sleep,  and  shall  not  Christians  also  mark 
the  day  in  which,  our  Lord  rose  from  the  dead. 

Ru.  iii.  4. 

I  say,  shall  we  not  mark  it,  wlicn  so  many 
memorable  things  were  done  on  it,  for  and  to  and 
in  the  churches  of  God !  Let  saints  be  ashamed 
to  think  that  sucli  a  day  should  be  looked  over,  or 
counted  common,  when  tempted  to  it  by  Satan, 
when  [it  was]  kept  to  religious  service  of  old,  and 
when  beautified  with  so  many  divine  characters  of 
sanctity  as  we  have  proved,  by  Christ,  his  church, 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  command  of  apostolical 
authority  it  was. 

But  why,  I  say,  is  this  day,  on  which  our  Lord 


*  '  Acted  by,'  a  mode  of  speech  now  obsolete ;  it  mciii^a 
'actuated  by'  or  'influenced  by.' — Ed. 


3S2 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


rose  from  the  dead,  nominated  as  it  is?  Why  was 
it  not  sufficieiit  to  say  *  he  rose  again. '  or,  he  rose 
again  the  third  day?  without  a  specification  of  the 
very  name  of  the  day.  For,  as  was  said  afore, 
Christ  appeared  to  his  disciples,  after  his  resurrec- 
tion, on  other  days  also ,  yea,  and  thereon  did 
miracles  to.  Why  then  did  not  these  days  live  ? 
Why  was  their  name,  for  all  that,  hlotted  out,  and 
this  day  only  kept  alive  in  the  churches  ? 

The  day  on  which  Christ  was  horn  of  a  virgin  ; 
the  day  of  his  circumcision,  the  day  of  his  haptism. 
and  of  his  transfiguration,  are  not  hy  their  names 
committed  hy  the  Holy  Ghost  to  holy  Avrit  to  he 
kept  alive  in  the  world,  nor  yet  such  days  in  which 
he  did  many  great  and  wonderful  things.  But 
Tins  day,  this  day  is  still  nominated ;  the  first  day 
of  the  week  is  tlie  day.  I  say,  why  are  things 
thus  left  with  us?  But  because  we,  as  saints  of 
old,  should  gather,  and  separate,  what  is  of  divine 
authority  from  the  rest.  For  in  that  this  day  is 
so  often  nominated  while  all  other  days  lie  dead  in 
their  graves,  it  is  as  much  as  if  God  should  say, 
liememher  the  first  day  of  the  week  to  keep  it  holy 
to  the  Lord  your  God. 

And  set  this  aside,  and  I  know  not  what  reason 
can  be  rendered,  or  Avhat  proj^hecy  shoidd  be  ful- 
filled by  the  bare  naming  of  the  day. 

When  God,  of  old,  did  sanctify  for  the  use  of 
his  church  a  day,  as  he  did  many,  he  always  called 
them  either  by  the  name  of  the  day  of  the  month, 
or  of  the  week,  or  by  some  other  signal  by  which 
they  might  be  certainly  known,  why  should  it  not 
then  be  concluded,  that  for  this  very  reason  the 
first  day  of  the  week  is  thus  often  nominated  by 
the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  testament  of  Christ  ? 

Moreover,  he  that  takes  away  the  first  day,  as 
to  this  service,  leaves  us  now  no  day,  as  sanctified 
of  God,  for  his  solemn  Avorship  to  be  by  his  churches 
performed  in.  As  for  the  seventh  day  sabbath, 
that,  as  we  have  seen,  is  gone  to  its  grave 
with  the  signs  and  shadows  of  the  Old  Testament. 
Yea,  and  has  such  a  dash  left  upon  it  by  apos- 
tolical authority,  that  it  is  enough  to  make  a 
Christian  fly  from  it  for  ever.  2  Co.  iu. 

Now,  I  say,  since  that  is  removed  by  God :  if 
we  should  sulfer  the  first  day  also  to  be  taken  away 
by  man,  what  day  that  has  a  divine  stamp  upon  it, 
would  be  left  for  us  to  worship  God  in  ? 

Alas !  the  fiz-st  day  of  the  week  is  the  Christian's 
market  day,  that  which  they  so  solemnly  trade  in 
for  sole  provision  for  all  the  week  follovring. 
This  is  the  day  that  they  gather  manna  in.  To 
be  sure  the  seventh  day  sabbath  is  not  that.  For 
(jf  old  the  people  of  God  could  never  find  manna  on 
that  day.  '  On  the  seventh  day  (said  ilcscs) 
ichich  is  the  sabbath,  in  it  there  shall  be  none.'  Ex. 

xvi.  2(j. 

Any  day  of  the  vrcek  manna  could  be  found,  but 


on  that  day  it  was  not  to  be  found  upon  the  face 
of  the  ground.  But  now  our  first  day  is  the  manna 
day ;  the  only  day  that  the  churches  of  the  New 
Testament,  even  of  old,  did  gather  manna  in.  But 
more  of  this  anon. 

Nor  will  it  out  of  my  mind  but  that  it  is  a  very 
high  piece  of  ingratitude,  and  of  imcomely  beha- 
viour, to  deny  the  Son  of  God  his  day,  the  Lord's 
day,  the  day  that  he  has  made.  And  as  we  have 
shewed  already,  this  first  day  of  the  week  is  it ; 
yea,  and  a  great  piece  of  unmannerliness  is  it  too, 
for  any,  notwithstanding  the  old  seventh  day  is  so 
degraded  as  it  is,  to  attempt  to  impose  it  on  the 
Son  of  God.  To  impose  a  day  upon  him  which 
yet  Paul  denies  to  be  a  branch  of  the  ministration 
of  the  Spirit,  and  of  righteousness.  Yea,  to  im- 
pose a  part  of  that  ministration  which  he  says 
plainly  'which  was  done  away,'  for  that  a  better 
ministration  stript  it  of  its  glory,  is  a  high  attempt 
indeed.  3  Co.  iii. 

Yet  again,  the  apostle  smites  the  teachers  of 
the  law  upon  the  mouth,  saying,  *  understanding 
neither  what  they  say,  nor  whereof  they  afiirm,' 
1  Ti.  i.  7. 

The  seventh  day  sabbath,  was  indeed  God's  rest 
from  the  works  of  creation ;  but  yet  the  rest  that 
he  found  in  what  the  first  da}^  of  the  week  did  pro- 
duce, for  Christ  was  born  from  the  dead  on  it, 
more  pleased  him  than  did  all  the  seventh  days 
that  ever  the  world  brought  forth :  wherefore,  as  1 
said  before,  it  cannot  be  but  that  the  Avell-bred 
Christian  must  set  apart  this  day  for  solemn  wor- 
ship to  God,  and  to  sanctify  his  name  therein. 

Must  the  church  of  old  be  boimd  to  remember 
that  night  in  which  they  did  come  out  of  Egypt! 
must  Jephtha's  daughter  have  four  days  for  the 
virgins  of  Israel  yearly  to  lament  her  hard  case 
in  !  Yea,  must  two  days  be  kept  by  the  church  of 
old,  yearly,  for  their  being  delivered  from  Haman's 
fury!  And  must  not  one  to  the  world's  end  bo 
kept  by  the  saints  for  the  Son  of  God  their  Re- 
deemer, for  all  he  has  delivered  them  from  a  worse 
than  Pharaoh  or  Haman,  even  from  the  devil,  and 
death,  and  sin,  and  hell!    Oh  stupidity!  Ex. xiL  24. 

Judg.  xi.  39,  40.  Es.  ix.  2G— S3. 

A  day!  say  some,  God  forbid  but  he  should 
have  a  day.  But  what  day?  Oh!  The  old  day 
comprised  within  the  bounds  and  bowels  of  the 
ministration  of  death. 

And  is  this  the  love  that  thou  hast  to  thy  Re- 
deemer, to  keep  that  day  to  him  for  all  the  service 
that  he  hath  done  for  thee,  v/liich  has  a  natural 
tendency  in  it  to  draw  thee  off  from  the  consider- 
ation of  the  works  of  thy  redemption,  to  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world!      Oh  stupidity'! 

But  why  must  he  be  imposed  upon  ?  Has  ho 
chosen  that  day  ?  Did  he  finish  Ids  work  thereon  ? 
Is  there  in  aU  the  New  Testament  of  our  Lord, 


THE  SEYEXTII-DAY  SABBAXn. 


3S3 


from  tlie  day  lie  rose  from  the  dead,  to  the  end  of 
his  holy  book,  one  syllable  that  signifies  in  the  least 
the  tenth  part  of  such  a  thing?  Where  is  the 
scripture  that  saith  that  this  Lord  of  the  sabbath 
commanded  his  church,  from  that  time,  to  do  any 
part  of  church  service  thereon  ?  Where  do  "we 
find  the  churches  to  gather  together  thereon  ? 

But  why  the  seventh  day?  What  is  it?  Take 
but  the  shadow  thereof  away.  Or  what  shadow 
now  is  left  in  it  since  its  institution  as  to  divine 
service  is  taken  long  since  from  it? 

Is  there  any  thing  in  the  works  that  was  done 
in  that  day,  more  than  shadow,  or  that  in  the  least 
tends  otherwise  to  put  us  in  mind  of  Christ ;  and 
he  being  come,  what  need  have  we  of  that  shadow  ? 
And  I  say  again,  since  that  day  was  to  be  observed 
by  a  ceremonial  method,  and  no  way  else,  as  we 
find  ;  and  since  ceremonies  have  ceased,  what  way 
of  divine  appointment  is  there  left  to  keep  that  old 
sabbath  by  Christians  in  ? 

If  they  say,  ceremonies  have  ceased.  By  the 
same  argument,  so  is  the  sanction  of  the  day  in 
which  they  were  to  be  performed.  I  would  gladly 
see  the  place,  if  it  is  to  be  found,  where  it  is  said. 
That  day  retains  its  sanction,  which  yet  has  lost 
that  method  of  service  which  was  of  God  appointed 
for  the  performance  of  worship  to  him  thereon. 

When  Canaan  worship  fell,  the  sanction  of  Ca- 
naan fcU.  When  temple  worship,  and  altar  wor- 
ship, and  the  sacrifices  of  the  Levitieal  priesthood 
fell,  do^m  also  came  the  things  themselves.  Like- 
vrise  so,  when  the  service,  or  shadow  and  cere- 
monies of  the  seventh  day  sabbath  fell,  the  seventh 
day  sabbath  fell  likewise. 

On  the  seventh  day  sabbath,  as  I  told  you, 
manna  was  not  to  be  found.  But  why  ?  For  that 
tJwi  day  was  of  Moses  and  of  the  ministration  of 
death.  But  manna  was  not  of  him.  IMoses,  saith 
Christ,  '  gave  you  not  that  bread  of  heaven. '  Jn. 
vi.  31, 33.  Moses,  as  Avas  said,  gave  that  sabbath  in 
tables  of  stone,  and  God  gave  that  manna  from 
heaven.  Christ,  nor  his  Father,  gives  grace  by 
tlie  law ;  no  not  by  that  law  in  which  is  contained 
the  old  seventh  day  sabbath  itself. 

The  law  is  not  of  faith,  why  then  should  grace 
be  by  Christians  expected  by  observation  of  the 
law  ?  The  law,  even  the  law  written  and  engraven 
in  stones,  enjoins  perfect  obedience  thereto  on  pain 
of  the  curse  of  God.  Nor  can  that  part  of  it  now 
imder  consideration,  according  as  is  required,  be 
fulfilled  by  any  man,  was  the  ceremony  thereto 
belonging,  allowed  to  be  laid  aside,  is.  Iviii.  13.  Never 
man  yet  did  keep  it  perfectly,  except  he  whose 
name  is  Jesus  Christ:  in  him  therefore  we  have 
kept  it,  and  by  him  are  set  free  fi-om  that  law,  and 
brought  under  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit. 

But  Avhy  should  vre  be  bound  to  seek  manna  on 
that  day,  on  which  God  says,  none  shall  be  found. 


Perhaps  it  will  be  said,  that  the  ranction  of  that 
day  would  not  admit  that  manna  should  be  gathered 
on  it. 

But  that  was  not  all,  for  on  that  day  there  was 
none  to  be  found.  And  might  I  choose,  I  had 
ratlicr  sanctify  that  day  to  God  on  which  I  might 
gather  this  bread  of  God  all  day  long,  then  set  mv 
mind  at  all  upon  that  in  wliich  no  such  bread  was 
to  be  had. 

The  Lord's  day,  as  was  said,  is  to  the  Christians 
the  principal  manna  day. 

On  this  day,  even  on  it  manna  in  the  morning 
very  early  was  gathered  by  the  disciples  of  our 
Lord,  as  newly  springing  out  of  the  ground.  The 
true  bread  of  God :  the  sheaf  of  first  fruits,  which 
is  Christ  from  the  dead,  was  ordained  to  be  waved 
before  the  Lord  on  the  morrow  after  the  sabbath, 
the  day  on  which  our  Lord  ceased  from  his  oicii 
work  as  God  did  from  his.  Le.  x-xiii. 

Now  therefore  the  disciples  found  their  green 
ears  of  corn  indeed  !  Now  they  read  life,  both  in 
and  out  of  the  sepulchi'e  in  Avhich  the  Lord  was 
laid.  Now  they  could  not  come  together  nor 
speak  one  to  another,  but  either  their  Lord  was 
with  them,  or  they  had  heart  enflaming  tidings 
from  him.  Koto  cries  one  and  says.  The  Lord  is 
risen  :  And  then  another  and  says.  He  hath 
appeared  to  such  and  such. 

Now  comes  tidings  to  the  eleven  that  their 
women  were  early  at  the  sepulchre,  where  they  had 
a  vision  of  angels  that  told  them  their  Lord  was 
risen :  Then  comes  another  and  says,  The  Lord  is 
risen  indeed.  Two  also  came  from  Emmaus  and 
cried,  We  have  seen  the  Lord:  and  by  and  by, 
Avhile  they  yet  were  speaking,  their  Lord  shov.-s 
himself  in  the  midst  of  them. 

Now  he  calls  to  their  mind  some  of  the  eminent 
passages  of  his  life,  and  eats  and  drinks  in  their 
presence,  and  opens  the  scriptures  to  them :  yea, 
and  opens  their  understanding  too,  that  their 
hearing  might  not  be  unprofitable  to  them  ;  all 
which  continued  from  early  in  the  morning  till  late 
at  night.  Oh  !  what  a  manna  day  was  this  to  the 
church.  And  more  than  all  this  you  Avill  find,  if 
you  read  but  the  four  evangelists  upon  this  subject. 

Thus  began  the  day  after  the  sabbath,  and  thus 
it  has  continued  through  all  ages  to  this  very  day. 
Never  did  the  seventh  day  sabbath  yield  manna  to 
Christians.  A  new  world  was  now  begun  with 
the  poor  church  of  God,  for  so  said  the  Lord  of 
the  sabbath,  'Behold,  I  make  all  things  new.'  A 
new  covenant,  and  why  not  then  a  new  resting  day 
to  the  church  ?  Or  Aviiy  must  the  old  sabbath  be 
joined  to  this  new  ministration  ?  let  him  that  can, 
show  a  reason  for  it. 

Christians,  if  I  have  not  been  so  large  upon 
things  as  some  might  expect;  know,  that  my 
brevity  on  this  subject  is,  from  consideration  that 


3S4 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  SABBATH. 


must  needs  not  Le  spoken  thereto,  and  becnuso  I 
may  have  occasion  to  write  a  second  part. 

Christians,  beware  of  being  entangled  with  ohl 
testament  ministrations,  lest  by  one  you  be  brought 
into  many  inconvenieneies. 

I  have  observed,  that  though  the  Jewish  rites 
Iiavc  lost  their  sanction,  yet  some  that  are  Avcak  in 
judgment,  do  bring  themselves  into  bondage  by 
them.  Yea,  so  high  have  some  been  carried  as  to 
a  pretended  conscience  to  these  that  they  have  at 
last  proceeded  to  circumcision,  to  many  wives,  and 
the  observation  of  many  bad  things  besides. 

Yea,  I  have  talked  with  some  pretending  to 
Christianity,  who  have  said,  and  affirmed,  as  Avell 
as  they  could,  that  the  Jev/ish  sacrifices  must  up 
again. 

But  do  you  give  no  heed  to  these  Jewish  fables 
'That  turn  from  the  truth.' Tit.  i.  it.  Do  you,  I 
say,  that  love  th.e  Lord  Jesus,  keep  close  to  his 
testament,  his  v>'ord,  his  gospel,  and  observe  nis 
holy  day. 

And  this  caution  in  conclusion  I  would  give,  to 
put  stop  to  this  Jewish  ceremony,  to  wit,  That  a 
seventh  day  sabbath  pursued  according  to  its  im- 
position by  law,  (and  I  know  not  that  it  is  imposed 
by  the  apostles)  leads  to  blood  and  stoning  to  death 
those  that  do  but  gather  sticks  thereon.  Ku.  xv.  32— 
SG.  A  thing  which  no  way  becomes  the  gospel, 
that  ministration  of  the  Spirit  and  of  righteous- 
ness. 2  Cor.  iii.    Nor  yet  the  professors  thereof.  Lu.  k. 

C-i— 5G. 

Nor  can  it  with  fairness  be  said,  that  tlicit  sab- 
bath day  remains,  although  the  law  thereof  is 
repealed.  For  confident  I  am,  that  there  is  no 
more  ground  to  make  such  a  conclusion,  than  there 
is  to  say,  that  circumcision  is  still  of  force,  thouo-h 
the  law  for  cutting  of  the  uncircumcised  is  by  the 
gospel  made  null  and  void. 

I  told  you  also  in  the  epistle,  that  if  the  fifth 
commandment  was  the  first  that  was  with  promise; 
then  it  follows,  that  the  fourth,  or  that  seventh 
day  sabbath,  had  no  promise  entailed  to  it. 
Whence  it  follows,  that  where  you  read  in  the 
prophet  of  a  promise  annexed  to  a  sabbath,  it  is 
best  to  understand  it  of  our  gospel  sabbath,  is.  ivi. 

Now  if  it  be  asked.  What  promise  is  entailed  to 
our  first  day  sabbath  ?  I  answer,  The  biggest  of 
promises.     For, 

First,  The  resurrection  of  Christ  was  tied  by 
promise  to  this  day,  and  to  none  other.  He  rose 
the  third  day  after  his  death,  and  that  was  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  *  according '  to  what  was 
fore-promised  in  the  scriptures.  lio.  vi.  i,  2.  l  Co.  xv.  s— c. 

Second,  That  we  should  live  before  God  by  him, 
is  a  promise  to  be  fulfilled  on  this  day ;  '  After 
two  days  will  he  revive  us :  in  the  third  day  -  we 
shall  live  in  his  sight.'  lio.  vi.  2.  See  also  Is.  xxvi.  lo, 
and  compare  thom  again  with  1  Co.  xv.  4. 


Tidrd,  The  great  promise  of  the  new  testament, 
to  wit,  the  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit,  fixeth  upon 
these  days ;  and  so  he  began  in  the  most  wonder- 
fid  effusion  of  it  upon  Pentecost,  which  was  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  that  the  scriptures  might  bo 
fulfilled.  Ac.  ii.  IG— 19. 

Nor  could  these  three  promises  be  fulfilled  upon 
any  other  days,  for  that  the  scripture  had  fixed 
them  to  the  first  day  of  the  week. 

I  am  of  opinion  that  these  things,  though  but 
briefly  touched  upon,  cannot  be  fairly  objected 
against,  however  they  may  be  disrelished  by  some. 

Nor  can  I  believe,  that  any  part  of  our  religion, 
as  we  are  Christians,  stands  in  not  kindling  of  fires, 
and  not  seething  of  victuals,  or  in  binding  of  men 
not  to  stir  out  of  those  places  on  the  seventh  day, 
in  which  at  the  dawning  thereof  they  were  found. 
And  3'et  these  are  ordinances  belonging  to  that 
seventh  day  sabbath.  Ex.  xvi.  23—29. 

Certainly  it  must  needs  be  an  error  to  Impose 
these  things  by  divine  authority  upon  new  testa- 
ment believers,  our  worship  standing  now  in  things 
more  weighty,  spiritual,  and  heavenly. 

Nor  can  it  be  proved,  as  I  have  hinted  before, 
that  this  day  was,  or  is  to  be  imposed  without 
those  ordinances,  with  others  in  other  places  men- 
tioned and  adjoined,  for  the  sanction  of  that  day, 
they  being  made  necessary  parts  of  that  Avorship 
that  was  to  be  performed  thereon. 

I  have  charity  for  those  that  abuse  themselves 
and  their  Lord,  by  their  preposterous  zeal  and 
affection  for  the  continuing  of  this  day  in  the 
churches.  For  I  conclude,  that  if  they  did  either 
believe,  or  think  of  the  incoherence  that  this  day 
with  its  rites  and  ceremonies  has  Avith  the  mini- 
stration of  the  Spirit,  our  ncAV  testament  ministra- 
tion, they  would  not  so  stand  in  their  own  light  as 
they  do,  nor  so  stiffly  plead  for  a  place  for  it  in  the 
churches  of  the  Gentiles.  But  as  Paul  insinuates 
in  other  cases,  there  is  an  aptness  in  men  to  bo 
imder  the  law  because  they  do  not  hear  it.  Ga.  iv. 

Nor  Avill  it  out  of  my  mind,  but  if  the  seventh 
day  sabbath  Avas  by  divine  authority,  and  to  be 
kept  holy  by  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles,  it  should 
not  have  so  remained  among  the  Jcavs,  Christ's 
deadliest  enemies,  and  have  been  kept  so  much 
hid  from  the  believers,  his  best  friends.  For  Avho 
has  retained  the  pretended  sanction  of  that  day 
from  Christ's  time,  quite  down  in  the  Avorld,  but 
the  Jcavs,  and  a  fcAV  JcAvish  Gentiles,  I  will  except 
some.  But,  I  say,  since  a  sabbath  is  that  Avithout 
Avhich  the  great  AA'orship  oi  God  under  the  gospel 
cannot  be  Avell  performed :  hoAv  can  it  be  thought, 
that  it  should  as  to  the  knoAvledge  of  it,  be  con- 
fined to  so  blasphemous  a  generation  of  the  Jcavs, 
Avith  Avhom  that  Avorship  is  not  ? 

I  Avill  rather  conclude,  that  those  Gentile  pro- 
fessors that  adhere  thereto  are  JcAvified,  legalized, 


THE  se"\t:nth.day  sabbath. 


385 


and  so  far  gone  back  from  tlie  authority  of  God, 
who  from  such  bondage  has  set  his  churches  free. 

I  do  at  this  time  but  hint  upon  things,  reserving 
a  fuller  argmnent  upon  them  for  a  time  and  place 
more  fit;  where,  and  when,  I  may  perhaps  also 
show,  some  other  wild  notions  of  those  that  so 
stiffly  cleave  to  tliis. 

Meantime,  I  entreat  those  who  are  captivated 
with  this  opinion,  not  to  take  it  iU  at  my  hand  that 
I  thus  freely  speak  my  mind.  I  entreat  them  also 
to  peruse  my  book  without  prejudice  to  my  person. 
The  truth  is,  one  thing  that  has  moved  me  to  this 
work,  is  the  shame  that  has  covered  the  face  of  my 
soul,  when  I  have  thought  of  the  fictions  and  fancies 
that  are  growing  among  professors.  And  while  I 
see  each  fiction  turn  itself  to  a  faction,  to  the  loss 
of  that  good  spirit  of  love,  and  that  oneness  that 
formerly  was  with  good  men. 

I  doubt  not  but  some  unto  whom  tliis  book  may 

VOL.  II. 


come,  have  had  seal  from  God,  that  the  first  day 
of  the  week  is  to  be  sanctified  by  the  church  to 
Jesus  Chi-ist,  Not  only  from  his  testimony,  which 
is,  and  should  be,  the  groimd  of  our  practice ;  but 
also,  for  that  the  first  conviction  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  made  upon  their  consciences,  to  make  them 
know  that  they  were  sinners,  began  with  them  for 
breaking  this  sabbath  day;  which  day,  by  that 
same  spirit  was  told  them,  was  that  now  called  the 
first  day,  and  not  the  day  before,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  doth  not  use  to  begin  this  work  with  a  he, 
which  first  conviction  the  Spirit  has  followed  so 
close,  with  other  things  tending  to  complete  the 
same  work,  that  the  soul  from  so  good  a  beginnin-Tf 
could  not  rest  until  it  found  rest  in  Christ.  Let 
this  then  to  such  be  a  second  token  that  the  Lord's 
day  is  by  them  to  be  kept  in  commemoration  of  their 
Lord  and  his  resurrection,  and  of  what  he  did  on 
this  day  for  their  salvation.     Amen. 


OF   THE   TRINITY   AND   A   CHRISTIAN, 


OF  THE  LAW  AND  A  CHPJSTIAN. 


EDITOE'S  ADVEETISEMENT. 


These  t\^o  sliort  treatises  were  found  among  Jlr. 
Eunyan's  papers  after  his  decease.  Tliey  probably 
were  intended  for  publication,  like  his  '  Prison 
Meditations'  and  his  'Map  of  Salvation,'  on  a  single 
page  each,  in  the  form  of  a  broadside,  or  handbill. 
This  was  the  popular  mode  in  which  tracts  were 
distributed ;  and  when  posted  against  a  wall,  or 
framed  and  hung  up  in  a  room,  they  excited  notice, 
and  were  extensively  read.  They  might  also  have 
afforded  some  trifling  profit  to  aid  this  poor  but 
eminent  servant  of  Christ  in  his  very  limited  income. 
They  form  two  pages  in  that  exceedingly  interest- 


ing volume  of  *  The  Works  of  Mr.  John  Bunyan,' 
in  small  folio,  1 692.  To  which  is  added  '  The 
Straggler,'  containing  some  most  valuable  facts, 
relative  to  the  various  works,  imprisonment  and 
sufferings  of  the  author.  The  titles  to  these 
treatises  were  added  by  Mr.  Doe,  the  personal 
friend  of  Bunyan,  who  edited  the  works  and  "S^Toto 
'  The  Strugglcr,'the  author  having  left  them  with- 
out any  heading  or  title.  They  are  very  unfinished, 
and  may  have  been  intended  as  a  syllabus  or  out- 
line of  more  extended  treatises. — Geo.  Offok. 


OF  THE  THINITY  AND  A  CHRISTIAN. 


Uow  a  young,  or  shaken  Clirlslian  should  demean 
himsdf  under  (lie  loe'igldy  thougJds  of  the  doctrine 
of  the  Trinity,  or  jjlurality  of  j^ci^sons  in  the 
eternal  godhead. 

The  reason  why  I  say  a  young,  or  shaken  Chris- 
tian ;  it  is  because  some  that  are  not  young,  but  of 
an  ancient  standing,  may  not  only  be  assaulted 
with  violent  temptations,  concerning  gospel  princi- 
ples, but  a  second  time  may  become  a  child,  a  babe, 
a  shallovr  man,  in  the  things  of  God ;  especially, 
cither  when  by  backsliding  he  hath  provoked  God 
to  leave  him,  or  when  some  new,  unexpected,  and, 
as  to  present  strength,  over-weigh t}-  objection  doth 
fall  upon  the  spirit ;  by  means  of  which,  great 
shakings  of  mind  do  commonly  attend  such  a  soul, 
in  the  most  weighty  matters  of  the  concerns  of 
faith,  which  this  is  one  that  I  have  supposed  in  the 
above-named  question.  Wherefore  passing  other 
things,  I  will  come  directly  to  that,  and  briefly 
propose  some  helps  to  a  soul  in  such  a  case. 

THE  FIRST  rRErARATIVE. 

First,  then,  be  sure  thou  keep  close  to  the  word 
of  God ;  for  that  is  the  revelation  of  the  mind 
and  will  of  God,  both  as  to  the  truth  of  what  is 
either  in  himself  or  ways;  and  also  as  to  Avhat 
he  requireth  and  expectetli  of  thee,  either  concern- 
ing faith  in,   or  obedience  to,  what  he  hath  so 


revealed.     Now  for  thy  better  performing  of  this 
I  shall  give  thee  in  brief  these  following  directions. 

1.  Suffer  thyself,  by  the  authority  of  the  word, 
to  be  persuaded  that  the  scripture  indeed  is  the 
word  of  God ;  the  scriptures  of  truth,  the  words 
of  the  holy  one;  and  that  they  therefore  must 
be  every  one  true,  pure,  and  for  ever  settled  iu 
heaven. 

2.  Conclude  therefore  from  the  former  doctrine, 
that  that  God  whose  words  they  are,  is  able  to 
make  a  reconciliation  and  most  sv/eet  and  harmo- 
nious agreement  with  all  the  sayings  therein,  how 
obscure,  cross,  dark,  and  contradictory  soever  they 
seem  to  thee.  To  understand  all  mysteries,  to 
have  all  knowledge,  to  be  able  to  comprehend  with 
all  saints,  is  a  great  work ;  enough  to  crush  the 
spirit,  and  to  stretch  the  strings  of  the  most  capa- 
cious and  Avidened  soul  that  breatheth  on  this  side 
glory,  be  they  notwithstanding  exceedingly  enlarged 
by  revelation.  Paul,  when  he  was  catight  up  to 
heaven,  saw  that  which  was  unlawful,  because  im- 
possible for  man  to  utter.  And  saith  Christ  to  the 
reasoning  Pharisee,  '  If  I  have  told  you  earthly 
things,  and  ye  believe  not,  how  shall  ye  believe,  if 
I  tell  you  of  heavenly  things  ? '  Ju.  iii.  12.  It  is  great 
lewdness,  and  also  insufferable  arrogancy  to  come 
to  the  v/-ord  of  God,  as  conceiting  already  that 
whatever  thou  readest,  must  either  by  thee  be 
understood,  or  of  itself  fall  to  the  gromid  as  a 
senseless  error.       But   God  is  wiser  than   man. 


Oi'^  THE  LAW  AND  A  CHRISTIAN. 


3S7 


wliercfore  fear  tliou  him,  and  tremble  at  his  word, 
sa3'ing  still,  with  godly  suspicion  of  thine  own. 
infirmity,  what  I  see  not,  teach  thou  me,  and  thou 
art  God  only  wise ;  hut  as  for  me,  *  I  was  as  a 
Least  before  thee.'  Ps.  ksiii.  22, 

3.  Take  heed  of  taking  a  part  of  the  word  only, 
lest  thou  thereby  go  away  with  the  trutli  as  man- 
gled in  pieces.  For  instance,  vrhere  thou  rcadest, 
'The  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord;'  De. vi. 4.  there 
take  heed  that  thou  dost  not  thence  conclude,  Then 
there  ai-e  not  three  persons  in  the  godhead:  Or  when 
thou  readest  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit,  then  take  heed  of  concludhig,  there  must 
therefore  either  be  three  Gods,  or  else  that  Jesus 
Christ  and  the  Holy  Ghost  are  not  true  God,  but 
the  Father  only.  Vv'herefore  to  help  thee  here, 
observe, 

THE  SECOND  PnErARATIVS. 

1.  That  Christian  religion  requii'eth  credit  con- 
ccniiug  every  doctrine  contained  in  the  word; 
oredit,  I  say,  according  to  the  trae  relation  of 
cvciy  sentence  that  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  revealed 
for  the  asserting,  maintaining,  or  vindicatinfj  that 
same  truth. 

2.  And  therefore  hence  it  is  that  a  Christian  is 
not  called  a  doer,  a  reasoner,  an  objector,  and 
perverse  disputer ;  but  a  believer.  Be  thou  an 
example  to  the  believer.  •  And  believers  were  the 
more  added  to  the  Lord, '  &lc.  Ac.  v.  14.  l  Ti.  iv.  13. 

3.  Therefore  know  again  that  the  word,  if  it 
saith  and  expresseth  that  this  or  that  is  so  and  so, 
as  to  the  matter  in  hand,  thou  art  bound  and 
obliged  both  by  the  name,  profession,  and  the 
truth,  imto  which  thou  hast  joined  thyself,  to 
assent  to,  confess  and  acknowledge  the  same,  even 
then  when  thy  carnal  reason  will  not  stocp  thereto. 
*  Righteous  art  thou,   0   Lord,'   saitli  Jei*emiah, 


*yct  let  me  talk  with  thee:  Wherefore  doth,  the 
way  of  the  wicked  prosper?*  Jc.  xii.  1.  Mark,  first  ho 
acknowledgeth  that  God's  way  with  the  wicked  is 
just  and  right,  even  then  when  yet  he  could  not 
see  the  reason  of  his  actings  and  dispensations 
towards  them.  The  same  reason  is  good  as  to 
our  present  case.  And  hence  it  is  that  the  apostle 
teacheth,  the  spiritual  armour  of  Christians  should 
be  much  exercised  against  those  high-towering  and 
self-exalting  imaginations,  that  within  our  own 
bosoms  do  exalt  themselves  against  the  knowledgo 
of  God.  That  every  thought,  or  carnal  reasoning, 
fuay  be  not  only  taken,  but  brought  as  captive 
into  obedience  to  Christ ;  that  is,  be  made  to  stoop 
to  the  word  of  God,  and  to  give  way  and  place  to 
the  doctrine  therein  contained,  how  cross  soever 
our  thoughts  and  the  word  he  to  each  other.  And 
it  is  observable  that  he  here  teacheth,  They  exalt 
themselves  against  the  knowledge  of  God,  which 
cannot  be  understood  that  our  carnal  or  natural 
i-eason  doth  exalt  itself  against  an  eternal  deity, 
simply  considered;  for  that  nature  itself  doth 
gather  from  the  very  things  that  are  made,  even 
his  eternal  power  and  godhead ;  it  must  be  then 
that  they  exalt  themselves  against  that  God  as 
thus  and  thus  revealed  in  the  word,  to  wit,  against 
the  knowledge  of  one  God  consisting  of  three  per- 
sons. Father,  Son,  and  Spirit ;  for  this  is  the 
doctrine  of  the  scriptures  of  truth ;  and  therefore 
it  is  observable  these  thoughts  must  he  brought 
captive,  and  be  made  subject  in  particular  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  to  the  second  person  in  the 
godhead  ;  for  the  Father  is  ever  acknowledged  by 
all  that  profess  the  least  of  religion ;  but  the  Sou 
is  that  stumbling-stone,  and  rock  of  offence,  against 
which  thousands  dash  themselves  in  pieces;  though 
in  him  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and 
knowledge,  and  in  him  dwells  the  fulness  of  tho 
godhead  bodily. 


OF  THE  LAW  AND  A  CHRISTIAN. 


The  law  was  given  twice  upon  mount  Sinai,  but 
the  appearance  of  the  Lord  when  he  gave  it  the 
second  time,  was  wonderfidly  diil'frent  from  that 
of  his  [appearance],  when  at  the  first  he  delivered 

it  to  Israel.  Ex.  xk.  aud  x.\.\iv. 

1.  When  he  gave  it  the  first  time,  he  caused 
his  terror  and  severity  to  appear  before  Moses,  to 
the  shaking  of  his  soul,  and  the  dismaying  of 
Israel :  Ex.  .\i\-.  16.  He.  xii.  18—20.  But  when  he  gave  it 
the  second  time,  he  caused  all  his  goodness  to  pass 
before  Moses,  to  the  comfort  of  his  conscience, 
and  the  bowing  of  his  heart.  Ex.  xxxiv.  s. 

2.  Vv'hcn  he  gave  it  the  first  time,  it  was  with 


thunderings  and  lightnings,  with  blackness  and 
darkness,  with  flame  and  smoke,  and  a  tearing 
sound  of  the  trumpet.  Ex.  xk.  IG— is.  But  when  ho 
gave  it  the  second  time,  it  vras  with  a  proclama- 
tion of  his  name  to  be  mercifid,  gracious,  long- 
saffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth, 
keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity, 
transgressions  and  sins.  Ex.  xxxiv.  6, 7- 

3.  When  he  gave  it  the  first  time,  Moses  was 
called  to  go  up  to  receive  it  through  the  fire,  Avhich 
made  him  exceedingly  fear  and  quake :  E.x.  xix.  is. 
He.  .xii.  21.  But  when  he  went  to  receive  it  the  second 
time,  he  was  laid  in  a  clift  of  the  rock.  Ex.  xxxi.  22. 


383 


OF  THE  LAW  AND  A  CHRISTIAN. 


4.  From  all  wliich  I  gather,  that,  though  as  to 
the  matter  of  the  law,  both  as  to  its  being  given 
the  first  time,  and  the  second,  it  hinds  the  unbe- 
liever imder  the  pains  of  eternal  damnation,  if  he 
close  not  with  Christ  by  faith  ;  yet  as  to  the  man- 
ner of  its  giving  at  these  two  times,  I  think  the 
first  doth  more  principally  intend  its  force  as  a 
covenant  of  works,  not  at  all  respecting  the  Lord 
Jesus ;  but  this  second  time  not,  at  least  in  the 
manner  of  its  being  given,  respecting  such  a  cove- 
nant, but  rather  as  a  rule,  or  directory,  to  those 
who  already  are  foimd  in  the  clift  of  the  rock, 
Christ:  for  the  saint  liimself,  though  he  be  with- 
out law  to  God,  as  it  is  considered  the  first  or  old 
covenant,  yet  even  he  is  not  without  law  to  him  as 
considered  under  grace,  not  without  law  to  God, 
but  under  the  law  to  Christ.  1  Co.  h.  21. 

5.  Though  therefore  it  be  sad  with  the  xmbe- 
iiever,  because  he  only  and  wholly  standeth  under 
the  law,  as  it  is  given  in  fire,  in  smoke,  in  black- 
ness, and  darkness,  and  thunder ;  all  which  threaten 
him  with  eternal  ruin  if  he  fulfil  not  the  utmost 
tittle  thereof:  yet  the  believer  stands  to  the  law 
under  no  such  consideration,  neither  is  he  so  at  all 
to  hear  or  regard  it,  for  he  is  now  removed  from 
thence  to  the  blessed  mountain  of  Zion,  to  grace 
and  forgiveness  of  sins  ;  he  is  now,  I  say,  by  faith 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  shrouded  under  so  perfect  and 
blessed  a  righteousness,  that  this  thundering  law 
of  mount  Sinai  cannot  find  the  least  fault  or  dimi- 
nution therein  ;  but  rather  approveth  and  alloweth 
thereof  either  when,  or  wherever  it  find  it.  He.  xii. 
This  is  called  the  righteousness  of  God  without  the 
law,  and  is  also  said  to  be  witnessed  by  both  the 
law  and  the  prophets  :  even  the  righteousness  of 
God,  which  is  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  'unto  all 
and  upon  all  them  that  bchcve,  for  there  is  no 
difi'crence. '  Eo.  iii.  23. 

6.  Wherefore  whenever  thou  who  believest  in 
Jesus,  dost  hear  the  law  in  its  thundering  and 
lightning  fits,  as  if  it  would  burn  up  heaven  and 
earth ;  then  say  thou,  I  am  freed  from  this  law, 
these  thundcrings  have  nothing  to  do  Avith  my 
soul ;  nay  even  this  law,  while  it  thus  thunders 
and  roarcth,  it  doth  both  allow  and  approve  of  my 
righteousness.  I  know  that  Ilagar  would  some- 
times be  domineering  and  high,  even  in  Sarah's 
house  and  against  her ;  but  this  she  is  not  to  be 
suff'ered  to  do,  nay  though  Sarah  herself  be  barren; 
wherefore  serve  it  also  as  Sarah  served  her,  and 
expel  her  out  from  thy  house.  My  meaning  is, 
when  tliis  law  with  its  thundering  threateniugs  doth 


attempt  to  lay  hold  on  thy  conscience,  shut  it  out 
with  a  promise  of  grace ;  cry,  the  inn  is  took  up 
already,  the  Lord  Jesus  is  here  entertained,  and 
here  is  no  room  for  the  law.  Indeed  if  it  will  be 
content  with  being  my  informer,  and  so  lovingly 
leave  off  to  judge  me;  I  wiU  be  content,  it  shall  be  in 
my  sight,  I  will  also  delight  therein ;  but  other- 
wise, I  being  now  made  upright  without  it,  and 
that  too  with  that  righteousness,  which  this  law 
speaks  well  of  and  approveth ;  I  may  not,  will  not, 
cannot,  dare  not  make  it  my  saviour  and  judge, 
nor  sufibr  it  to  set  up  its  government  in  my  con- 
science ;  for  by  so  doing  I  fall  from  grace,  and 
Christ  Jesus  doth  profit  me  nothing.  Ga.  v.  i— 5. 

7.  Thus  therefore  the  soul  that  is  married  to 
him  that  is  raised  up  fi-om  the  dead,  both  may  and 
ought  to  deal  with  this  law  of  God  ;  yea,  it  doth 
greatly  dishonour  its  Lord  and  refuse  its  gospel 
privileges,  if  it  at  any  time  otherwise  doth,  what- 
ever it  seeth  or  feels.  The  law  hath  power  over 
the  wife  so  long  as  her  husband  liveth,  but  if  her 
husband  be  dead  she  is  freed  from  that  law,  so 
that  she  is  no  adulteress  though  she  be  married 
to  another  man.  Ko.  vii.  1—3.  Indeed  so  long  as  thou 
art  alive  to  sin,  and  to  thy  righteousness  which  is 
of  the  law,  so  long  thou  hast  them  for  thy  husband 
and  they  must  reign  over  thee :  But  when  once 
they  are  become  dead  mito  thee,  as  they  then 
most  certainly  will,  when  thou  closest  with  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  then  I  say,  thy  former  hus- 
bands have  no  more  to  meddle  with  thee,  thou  art 
freed  from  their  law.  Set  a  case,  a  woman  be 
cast  into  prison  for  a  debt  of  hundreds  of  poimds, 
if  after  this  she  marry ;  yea,  though  while  she  is 
in  the  gaoler's  hand,  in  the  same  day  that  she  is 
joined  to  her  husband,  her  debt  is  all  become  his  ; 
yea,  and  the  law  also  that  arrested  and  imprisoned 
this  woman,  as  freely  tells  her,  go,  she  is  freed, 
saith  Paul,  from  that,  and  so  saith  the  law  of  this 
land. 

The  sum  then  of  what  hath  been  said  is  this,  the 
Christian  hath  now  nothing  to  do  with  the  law,  as 
it  thundereth  and  burneth  on  Sinai,  or  as  it  bindeth 
the  conscience  to  wrath  and  the  displeasure  of 
God  for  sin;  for  from  its  thus  appearing,  it  is 
freed  by  faith  in  Christ.  Yet  it  is  to  have  regard 
thereto,  and  is  to  count  it  holy,  just  and  good ; 
r.o.  vii.  12.  which  that  it  may  do,  it  is  always  when- 
ever it  seeth  or  regards  it,  to  remember  that  ho 
who  giveth  it  to  us  is  '  merciful,  and  gracious, 
long-suffering,    and   abundant    in   goodness    and 

truth, '  (k,C.  Ex.  xxiiv.  0. 


SCRIPTURAL    POEMS 


SEVERAL  PORTIONS  OE  SCRIPTURE  DIGESTED  INTO  ENGLISH  VERSE, 


T.  The  Book  of  Ruth, 
11.  The  History  of  Samsox. 
Ill,  Chkist's  Sekmox  ox  the  Mou^t. 


IV.  The  Prophecy  of  Jonah. 
V.  The  Life  of  Joseph. 
VI.  The  Epistle  of  Ja^ies. 


By    JOHN    BUNYAN. 


LICENSED  ACCORDING  TO   ORDER. 

London:  Printed  for  J.  Blare,  at  the  Looking  Glass,  on  Loudon  Bridge,  1701. 


ADVERTISEMENT  BY  THE  EDITOR. 


This  very  interesting  little  volume  of  poems,  we 
believe,  Las  not  been  reprinted  since  tbe  year  1701, 
nor  has  it  ever  been  inserted  in  any  edition  or  cata- 
logue of  Bunyan's  "n'orks.  This  may  have  arisen 
from  the  author's  having  sold  his  entire  copyright — 
a  fact  -u'hich  prevented  Charles  Doe  from  publishing 
many  other  of  Bunyan's  treatises,  when  he  projected 
his  edition  of  the  entire  "works,  of  which  the  first 
volume  only  was  printed.  With  some  other  of  Bun- 
yan's rarest  tracts,  it  escaped  the  researches  of  Wil- 
son, who  published  the  works  in  1737,  and  also  of 
"Wliitefield,  Mason,  and  all  other  editors  of  Bunyan's 
works,  Mr.  Doe,  in  his  very  interesting  pages  called 
*  The  Straggler,  for  the  Preservation  of  Mr.  John 
Bunyan's  Labours,'  gives  a  catalogue  table  of  his 
books  in  the  order  in  which  they  were  pubhshed ; 
but  he  had  not  discovered  these  poems,  nor  the 
Emblems,  nor  the  Exhortation  to  Peace  and  Unity. 
The  volume  from  which  this  edition  is  printed 
consists  of  one  hundred  pages  in  crown  octavo,  with 
a  very  rude  cut  of  Ruth  and  Boaz,  It  is  of  extreme 
rarity,  if  not  unique,  in  a  perfect  state.  The 
imprint  is — London,  for  J.  Blare,  at  the  Looking 
Glass,  on  London  Bridge,  1701 .  It  forms  part  of 
the  Editor's  extensive  collection  of  the  original  or 
early  editions  of  Bunyan's  tracts  and  treatises ; 
the  scarcity  of  which  may  be  accounted  for,  from 
their  having  been  printed  on  ver}'  bad  paper,  and 
worn  out  by  use,  being  so  generally  and  eagerly 
read  by  pious  persons  among  the  labouring  classes 
of  the  community. 

The  style  and  substance  of  these  scriptural  poems 
are  entirely  Bunyan's.  His  veneration  for  the  holy 
oracles  appears  through  every  page,  by  his  close 
adherence  to  the  text.  He  fidly  proves  what  he 
asserts  in  his  address  to  the  reader — 


•  The  "WORD  are  for  tlie  most  part  all  the  snr.^c, 
For  I  affected  plaiuncss  more  than  fame,' 

However  uncouth  it  may  appear  to  use  a  plural 
verb  after  a  singular  noun,  it  really  expresses  his 
meaning,  which  is  evidently,  that  portions  of  the 
WORD  of  God  are  rendered  into  poetry  as  nearly  as 
possible,  word  for  word  with  the  original ;  and  he 
immediately  apologises  for  this  rudeness,  in  ne- 
glecting the  rules  of  grammar,  by  stating  his 
earnest  plamness  of  speech,  and  his  want  of  educa- 
tion in  early  life. 

'  Nor  coulJ'st  thou  hope  to  have  it  better  douc, 
For  I'm  no  poet,  nor  a  poet's  son, 
But  a  mechanic,  guided  by  no  rule, 
But  what  I  gained  in  a  grammar  school 
In  my  minority.' 

How  exactly  does  this  agree  with  liis  account  of 
himself  m  boyhood, — '  It  pleased  God  to  put  it  into 
my  parent's  heart  to  put  me  to  school,  to  learn 
both  to  read  and  write ;  though,  to  my  shame  I 
confess,  I  did  soon  lose  that  I  learnt,  even  almost 
utterly.'* 

Our  surprise  will  be  excited,  not  by  little  inac- 
curacies of  style  or  departures  from  the  rules  of 
grammar,  but  at  the  talent  of  a  poor  mechanic,  in 
so  faithfully  rendering  scripture  histories  in  such 
simple  and  striking  language.  As  Mr.  Burton 
says,  in  commending  his  Gospel  Truths  Vindicated, 
— '  This  man  hath  not  the  learning  or  wisdom  of 
man,  yet  through  grace  he  hath  received  the  teach- 
ing of  God,  and  the  learning  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
which  is  the  thing  that  makes  a  man  both  a  Chris- 
tian and  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  is.  L  4.     He  was 


•  Grace  Abounding,  No,  3, 


390 


SCEIPTUEAL  POEMS. 


not  cliosen  out  of  an  earthly,  Lut  out  of  the  hea- 
venly University,  and  hath  taken  th^cse  three  hea- 
venly degrees — Union  with  Christ — The  Anomt- 
ing  of  the  Spirit,  and  Experience  of  the  Tempta- 
tions of  Satan ;  far  better  than  all  the  University 
learning  and  degrees   that  ca;i  he  had,'       May 


j  Bunyan's  desire  he  realized,  and  his  versos  provij 
1  to  aU  our  readers 

'As  dcligliting 
To  tlice  in  rcaJiiig,  as  to  nic  in  writiiur.* 


IlACK-XEY,  August  23,  ISlQ. 


Geo.  Offoh. 


SGEIPTUEAL   POEMS. 


TO  THE  READER. 

Whoe'er  thou  art  tliat  shall  peruse  this  I)oo;C, 

Tliis  may  inform  tliee,  wlicu  I  undertooi; 

To  write  tliese  lines,  it  was  not  my  design 

To  publish  this  imperfect  work  of  mine: 

Composed  only  for  diversion's  salce. 

Eut  being  inclin'd  to  think  thou  may'st  partuk( 

Some  benefit  thereby,  I  have  thought  lit. 

Imperfect  as  it  is,  to  publish  it. 

The  subjects  are  a  part  of  the  contents, 

Eoth  of  the  Old  and  the  New  Testaments ; 

The  word  are  for  the  most  part  all  the  same. 

For  I  aflccted  plainness  more  than  fame. 

IS' or  could'st  thou  hope  to  liave  it  better  done: 

Tor  I'm  no  poet,  nor  a  poet's  sou, 

13ut  a  mechanic,  guided  by  no  ride. 

But  whai  I  gained  in  a  grammar  school 

In  my  minority:  I  can't  commend  it, 

Such  as  it  is  into  the  world  I  send  it. 

And  should  be  glad  to  see  some  hand  to  mend 


Would  but  those  men  v/hose  genius  leads  them  to  t, 

And  who  have  time  and  parts  wherewith  to  do'l^ 

Employ  their  pens  in  such  a  task  as  this, 

'Twould  be  a  most  dehghtsome  exercise 

Of  profit  to  themselves  and  others  too : 

If  what  the  learned  Herbert  says,  holds  true, 

A  verse  may  fmd  him,  who  a  sermon  flies, 

And  turn  dchght  into  a  sacrifice  ;* 

Thus  I  conchide,  and  wish  it  as  delighting 

To  thee  in  reading  as  to  me  in  writing. 

John  E'j?rYAN. 


*  George  Herbert,  in  tliat  admiraLlc  poem  ciiiUd  'Tiis  Tcsiplc.'uilrj 
duces  Ms  I'eader  to  the  chiu'cli  porch  thus : — 

'Tuou,  whose  sweet  youtli  m)(l  ciirly  hojics  enhnnee 
Thy  rate  and  price,  and  mark  tlice  fur  a  trcasitre; 
Hearken  unto  a  verser,  who  may  chance 
lUiyme  thee  to  good,  and  make  a  bait  of  pleasure. 

A  WKC  may  find  liim,  wiio  a  scruioii  liics, 

And  tui'u  delight  into  a  sucriiico.' 


THE   BOOK   OF   RUTH. 

A  TEKY  KUDE  WOODCUT: — la'TII  GI-EANIXG. UVIIl  Cr.rEPING  TO  EOAZ,  T/IIO  IS  ASLEEP. 


CHAP.  I. 

Ix  ancient  times,  e'er  Israel  Icncw  tiie  way 

Of  kingly  power,  v.'hcn  judges  bore  the  sway  : 

A  certain  man  of  Bethlehem  Juda  fled, 

By  reason  of  a  famine  that  o'ersprcad 

The  land,  into  the  land  of  Moab,  where 

He  and  his  wife,  and  sons,  sojourners  were. 

His  name  Eliinelech,  his  eldest  son 

AVas  called  jMalilon,  t'other  Chilion, 

His  wife  was  Naomi,  Ephrathites  they  were: 

They  went  to  TMoab  and  continued  there : 

"Where  of  her  husband  Naomi  was  bereft. 

And  only  she  and  licr  two  sons  were  left: 

AVho  took  them  wives  of  Moab  in  their  youth. 

The  name  of  one  was  Orpah,  t'other  Ruth: 

And  there  they  died  ere  twice  five  years  were  gone; 

And  Naomi  was  wholly  left  alone. 

Then  she  arose,  and  her  step-daughters  with  lu:r. 

To  leave  the  laud  of  jMoab  altogether: 

i'or  she  had  heard  the  Lord  had  visited 

Her  native  coimtiy,  with  increase  of  bread, 

"Wherefore  the  land  of  Moab  she  forsook. 

And  to  her  native  place  her  course  she  took. 


Her  daughters  with  her:  whom  she  did  desire. 
That  to  their  mother's  house  they  would  retire, 
The  Lord,  said  she,  be  kind  to  you  again. 
As  you  to  me,  and  to  the  dead  have  been. 
God  grant  you  each  may  be  with  husbands  blest. 
And  in  the  enjoyment  of  them  both  lind  rest. 
Then  she  embraced  them,  and  there  withal, 
Down  from  their  cheeks,  tlie  tears  began  to  fall. 
They  wept  aloud,  and  said,  IMost  surely  v."e 
Unto  thy  people  wiU  return  with  thee. 
But  Naomi  replied.  Wherefore  wUl  ye. 
My  daughters,  thus  resolve  to  go  with  mc  ? 
Arc  there  yet  any  more  sons  in  my  womli, 
That  may  your  husbands  be  in  time  to  come  ? 
Eeturn  again,  my  daughters,  go  your  way, 
Eor  I'm  too  old  to  marry :  should  I  say 
I've  hope  ?     Should  I  this  night  conceive  a  sou  ? 
Would  either  of  you  stay  till  he  is  grown  ? 
.Would  you  so  long  Vyfithont  an  fhnsband  live  ? 
Nay,  nay,  my  daughters,  for  it  doth  mc  gneve 
Exceedingly,  even  for  your  sakes,  that  I 
Do  under  this  so  great  afiliction  lie. 

t  'Au  husband,'  c.  L  12. 


V 


SCIUPrUEAL  POKMS. 


391 


And  here  tliey  wq)t  again.     And  Oqwh  kiss'd 

Her  mother,  but  Rutli  would  be  not  dismiss'd 

But  clave  unto  her:  unto  wliom  she  spake 

And  said,  Behold,  thy  sister  is  gone  back, 

With  her  ovra.  gods,  and  people  to  abide, 

Go  thou  along  with  her.     But  Ruth  replied, 

Intreat  uie  not  to  leave  thee,  oi  rctm-n: 

For  where  thou  goest,  I'll  go,  where  thou  sojourn, 

I'll  sojoiu'n  also.     And  what  people's  thine. 

And  who  thy  God,  the  same  shall  both  be  mine. 

"Where  thou  shalt  die,  there  wiR  I  die  liicwisc. 

And  I'll  be  buried  where  thy  body  lies. 

The  Lord  do  so  to  me,  and  more,  if  I 

Do  leave  thee,  or  forsake  thee  till  I  die. 

And  when  she  saw  the  purpose  of  her  heart, 

She  left  off  to  desire  her  to  depart. 

So  they  two  travelled  along  together 

To  Bethlehem,  and  when  they  were  come  tlr!;!icr. 

Behold!  the  people  were  surprised,  and  cried, 

What,  is  this  Xaonii  ?     But  she  replied, 

Oh!  call  me  Mai-a,  and  not  Naomi; 

For  I  have  been  afiUcted  bitterly. 

I  went  out  from  you  full,  but  now  I  come. 

As  it  hath  pleased  God,  quite  empty  home: 

Why  then  call  ye  me  Naomi  ?     Since  I 

Have  been  aSlicted  so  exceedingly. 

So  Naomi  retm-n'd,  and  Ruth  together. 

Who  had  come  from  the  land  of  INIoab  with  her: 

And  unto  Bethlem  Judah  did  they  come. 

Just  as  the  Barley  Harvest  was  begun. 

CHAP.  II. 

There  was  a  man  of  kin  to  Naomi, 

One  that  was  of  her  husband's  family. 

His  name  was  Boaz,  and  his  wealth  was  greet. 

And  Ruth,  the  Jloabitess,  did  intreat 

Her  Mother's  leave,  that  she  might  go,  and  gather 

Some  ears  of  corn,  where  she  should  most  find  favour : 

Go,  daughter,  go,  said  she.     She  went  and  oame 

Near  to  the  reapers,  to  glean  after  them: 

And  lo,  it  was  her  hap  to  light  among 

The  reapers,  which  to  Boaz  did  belong. 

Behold,  now  Boaz  came  from  Bethlehem 

Unto  his  reapers,  and  saluted  them. 

And  they  bless'd  him  again:  and  he  aiqaired 

Of  him  that  was  set  over  them  he  hired. 

From  whence  the  damsel  was,  and  was  inform'd 

S!ie  was  the  Moabitess  that  return'd 

With  Naomi:  and  she  did  ask,  said  he, 

That  here  amongst  the  rcnpers  she  might  be. 

And  that  she  might  have  liberty  to  glean 

Among  the  sheaves.     And  she  all  day  hath  been, 

Ev'n  from  the  morning  until  now,  with  us. 

That  she  hath  stay'd  a  htUe  in  the  house. 

Then  Boaz  said  to  Ruth,  observe,  my  daughter. 

That  thou  go  not  from  hence,  or  follow  alter 

The  reapers  of  another  field,  but  where 

jMy  maidens  are,  see  that  thou  tarry  there: 

Observe  what  field  they  reap,  and  go  thou  tl-.crc, 

Have  I  not  charged  the  young  men  to  forbear 

To  touch  thee  ?     And  when  thou  dost  thirst,  approach 

And  drink  of  what  the  youths  have  set  *abroach. 

*  '  Set  abroach,'  in  a  posture  to  run  out,  or  yield  tbe  liquor  contaiuetl. 
-Ed. 


Then  she  fell  on  her  face,  and  to  the  ground 
She  bow'd  herself,  and  said.  Why  have  I  found 
Such  favour  in  thine  eyes;  that  thou,  to  mo 
Who  am  a  stranger,  should  so  courteous  be  ? 
And  Boaz  said,  it  hath  been  fuEy  she^vn 
To  me,  what  to  thy  mother-in-law  thou'st  done. 
Since  of  tliine  husband  thou  hast  been  bereft: 
How  thou  thy  father  and  thy  mother  left. 
And  thine  o^^^l  native  land;  to  come  unto 
A  laud  which  thou  before  didst  never  know: 
The  Lord,  the  God  of  Israel,  the  defence 
Whom  now  thou'st  chosen,  be  thy  rcconipcucc. 
Then  said  she,  let  me  in  thy  sight,  my  lord, 
Find  favour  in  that  thou  dost  thus  afford 
3Ie  comfort,  and  since  thou  so  kind  to  m.e 
Dost  spealc,  though  I  thereof  unworthy  be. 
And  Boaz  said,  at  meal  time  come  thou  near. 
Eat  of  the  bread,  and  dip  i'  th'  vinegar. 
And  by  the  reapers  she  sat  down  to  meat. 
He  gave  her  parched  corn,  and  she  did  cat. 
And  was  sufSc'd ;  and  left,  and  rose  to  glean: 
And  Boaz  gave  command  to  the  young  men, 
Let  her  come  in  among  the  sheaves,  said  he. 
To  glean,  and  let  her  not  reproached  be. 
Let  fall  some  handfuls  also  purposely. 
And  let  her  take  them  without  injiuy. 
So  she  till  even  glean' d,  and  then  beat  out 
Her  barley,  being  an  *ephah  or  thereabout. 
She  took  it  up,  and  to  the  city  went. 
And  to  her  mother-in-law  did  it  present: 
And  what  she  had  rcserv'd  to  her  she  gave. 
When  she  had  took  what  she  desigu'd  to  liave. 
Then  unto  her,  her  mother-in-law  did  say, 
In  what  field  hast  thou  been  to  glean  to-day? 
And  where  hast  thou  been  working  ?     Blest  be  he. 
That  thus  halh  taken  cognizance  of  thee. 
She  told  ^nth  whom,  and  furthermore  did  sny. 
The  man's  name's  Boaz,  where  I  wrought  to-day. 
And  Naomi  replied,  may  he  be  blest, 
Even  of  the  Lord,  whose  kindness  manifest 
Unto  the  living  and  the  dead  hath  been: 
The  man's  our  kinsman,  yea,  the  nest  of  kin. 
And  Ruth,  the  ^Moabitess,  said,  he  gave 
3Ie  likewise  a  commandment  not  to  leave. 
Or  to  depart  from  foUowiug  his  young  men, 
L'util  they  had  brought  all  his  harvest  in. 
And  Naomi  said  unto  Ruth,  my  daughter, 
'Tis  good  that  thou  observe  to  foUow  after 
His  maidens,  that  they  meet  thee  not  elsewhere. 
So  she  to  Eoaz's  maidens  still  kept  near. 
Tin  barley  and  wheat  harvest  both,  she  saw 
Were  done,  and  she  dwelt  \vith  her  mother-iu  hvr. 

CHAP.  III. 
Then  Naomi  said.  Shall  I  not,  my  daughter. 
Seek  rest  for  thee,  that  thou  do  well  hereafter? 
And  is  not  Boaz,  with  whose  maids  thou  wast. 
One  of  the  nearest  kinsmen  that  thou  hast  ? 
Behold,  this  night  he  in  his  tlireshing  floor 
Is  \\-innovi-ing  Barley,  wash  thyself  therefore. 
Anoint  thee,  put  thy  clothes  on,  and  get  down 
Unto  the  fioor;  but  make  not  thyself  kno^-n. 


*  'An  ephali,'  a  measure  containhig  three  pecks  aud  three  pints.- 
Calmct. 


892 


SCRIPTURAL  POEMS. 


Till  he  hath  eat  and  dranlc,  and  shall  prepare 

To  lie  him  iovm;  then  take  good  notice  whore 

He  goes  about  to  take  his  night's  repose, 

And  go  thou  in  there,  and  lift  up  the  clothes 

Trom  off  his  feet,  and  likewise  lay  thee  down, 

And  what  thou  hast  to  do  he  will  make  known. 

And  she  made  answer,  "Whatsoever  thou 

Ilast  me  commanded,  will  I  gladly  do. 

And  down  unto  the  floor  she  hasted,  and 

Forthwith  fulfilled  her  mother-in-law's  command. 

So  now  when  Boaz  had  his  heart  refresh'd, 

"With  meat  and  drink,  he  laid  him  down  to  rest. 

Near  to  the  heap  of  corn;  she  softly  came, 

TJncover'd's  feet,  and  lay  down  by  the  same. 

And,  lo  !  at  midnight,  as  he  tum'd  him  round. 

He  was  afraid,  for  at  his  feet  he  found 

A  woman  lay.     "Who  art  thou  ?  then  said  he. 

I  am  thine  handmaid  Ruth,  replied  she. 

Over  thine  handmaid  therefore  spread  thy  skiit, 

I  pray,  because  thou  a  near  kinsman  art. 

]51cssed  be  thou,  said  he,  because  thou  hast 

3Iade  manifest  more  kindness  at  the  last. 

Than  at  the  first,  in  that  thou  did'st,  my  daughter. 

No  young  men,  whether  poor  or  rich,  go  after. 

And  now,  my  daughter,  be  not  thou  afraid, 

I  will  do  to  thee  aU  that  thou  hast  said : 

For  aU  the  city  of  my  people  knows. 

Thou  art  a  woman  truly  virtuous ; 

And  now  though  I  am  kin  undoubtedly. 

Yet  there  is  one  that's  nearer  kin  than  I. 

Tarry  this  night,  and  when  'tis  morning  light. 

If  he  wiU  like  a  kinsman,  do  thee  right, 

We'll  let  him,  but  if  not,  I  myself  will, 

As  the  Lord  lives ;  tiU  morning  lie  thou  still. 

And  till  the  morning  at  liis  feet  she  lay. 

And  then  arose  about  the  break  of  day ; 

And  he  gave  her  a  charge,  not  to  declare 

That  there  had  any  womankind  been  thei'e. 

He  also  said,  bring  here  thy  veil,  and  hold 

To  me ;  she  did,  and  thereinto  he  told 

Six  measures  fuU  of  barley,  and  did  lay 

It  on  her,  and  she  hasted  thence  away. 

And  when  unto  her  mother-in-law  she  came. 

Art  thou,  said  she,  my  daughter  come  again  ? 

Then  what  the  man  had  done  she  told,  and  said. 

He  these  six  measures  full  of  barley  laid 

Upon  me,  for  said  he.  This  I  bestow, 

Lest  to  thy  mother  thou  should'st  empty  go. 

Then,  said  she,  sit  still  daughter,  tOl  thou  see 

"What  the  event  of  this  intrigue  will  be ; 

Tor  tUl  the  man  this  day  hath  made  an  end. 

No  satisfaction  will  on  him  attend. 

CHAP.  IV. 

And  Boaz  went  up  to  the  city  gate. 
And  after  a  short  space,  whde  there  he  s:ife. 
The  Idnsman  of  whom  he  had  spoke,  came  b}'', 
To  whom  he  said,  Ho,*  such  a  one,  draw  uigb. 
And  sit  dowTi  here.     He  came  and  sat  him  down. 
Then  he  took  ten  men,  elders  of  the  town, 


*  Similar  to  Christian's  exclamation,  when  calKng  to  Faithful  to  stop 
and  bear  him  company.    See  Pilgrun's  Progress,  Part  1st. 


And  caused  them  to  sit  down.     Then  to  the  man 

That  was  of  kin,  thus  he  his  speech  began, 

Naomi,  said  he,  who  not  long  since  sojouru'd 

Among  the  Moabites,  is  now  retm-n'd  ; 

And  doth  intend  to  sell  a  piece  of  ground. 

The  which  Elimelech  our  brother  own'd. 

And  now  to  give  thee  notice,  I  thought  fit. 

That  if  thou  pleasest,  thou  may'st  pm-chasc  it. 

In  presence  of  these  men  assembled  here. 

Then  if  thou  wilt  redeem  it,  now  declare 

Thy  mind,  but  if  thou  wdt  not,  then  let  me. 

Por  thou  art  next  of  kin,  and  I  next  thee. 

Then  said  the  kinsman,  I  will  it  redeem. 

Boaz  reply'd,  if  good  to  thee  it  seem. 

To  buy  it  of  the  hand  of  Naomi, 

Thou  also  art  obliged  the  same  to  buy 

Of  Ruth  the  Moabitess,  wife  o'  th'  dead ; 

On  his  inheritance  to  raise  up  seed. 

The  Idnsman  said,  I  cannot  do  this  thing 

Myself,  lest  I  an  inconvenience  bring 

Upon  mine  own  inheritance,  what's  mine 

By  right,  therefore  I  now  to  thee  resign. 

Now  this  in  Israel  did  a  custom  stand. 

Concerning  changing  and  redeeming  laud ; 

To  put  all  controversy  to  an  end, 

A  man  pluck'd  oif  his  shoe,  and  gave  his  friend  ; 

And  this  in  Israel  was  an  evidence, 

"When  e'er  they  changed  an  inheritance. 

Then  said  the  kinsman  unto  Boaz,  do 

Thou  take  my  right.     And  off  he  pluck'd  his  sLok. 

Then  Boaz  to  the  elders  thus  did  say 

And  to  the  people,  all  of  you  this  day 

Appear  for  me  as  ^vitnesses,  that  I 

Have  bought  all  of  the  hand  of  Naomi, 

That  was  Elimclech's  or  did  belong 

Either  to  Mahlon  or  to  Chilion : 

And  Ruth  the  Moabitess,  who  some  time 

Was  Jlahlon's  wife,  I've  purchas'd  to  be  mine. 

Still  to  preserve  alive  the  dead  man's  name 

On  his  inheritance,  lest  that  the  same 

Should  in  the  gate  where  he  inhabited. 

Or  'mongst  his  brethren  be  extinguished: 

Behold,  this  day,  my  witnesses  you  arc. 

Then  all  the  people  that  were  present  there. 

And  elders  said.  We  are  thy  witnesses  : 

May  God  tliis  woman  thou  hast  taken  bless. 

That  she,  like  Rachel,  and  like  Leah  be. 

Which  two  did  build  up  Israel's  family : 

And  thou  in  Ephi'atah  exalt  thy  name. 

And  through  the  town  of  Betld'hem  spread  thy  fame  ; 

And  may  the  seed  which  God  shall  give  to  thee 

Of  this  young  woman,  full  as  prosperous  be. 

As  was  the  house  of  Pharez  heretofore, 

(Pharez,  whom  Tamar  unto  Judali  bore.) 

So  he  took  Ruth,  and  as  his  wife  he  knew  her. 

And  God  was  pleased,  when  he  Avent  in  to  her 

To  grant  the  blessing  of  conception. 

And  she  accordingly  bare  him  a  son. 

Then  said  the  woman.  Blessed  be  the  Lord ! 

Bless  thou  him  Naomi,  who  doth  afford 

To  thee  this  day  a  kinsman,  which  shall  be 

Pamous  in  Israel ;  and  shall  be  to  thee 

As  the  restorer  of  thy  life  again. 

And  in  thy  drooping  age  shall  thee  sustain ; 


SCRIPTURAL  POEMS. 


393 


For  that  thy  daughter-in-law,  who  loves  thee  well 
Aud  in  thy  sight  doth  seven  sons  excel. 
Hath  born  this  cliild.     Then  Naomi  took  the  boy 
To  nui-se ;  and  did  him  in  her  bosom  lay. 


Her  neighbours  too,  gave  him  a  name,  for  wliy. 
This  son,  say  they,  is  born  to  Naomi : 
They  called  him  Obed,  from  whose  loins  did  s]iriiio 
Jesse,  the  sire  of  David,  Israel's  king. 


THE   HISTOEY  OF   SAMSON. 


JUDGES,  CHAP.  XTII. 

WiiEX  Israel's  sins  th'  Almighty  did  provoke, 
To  make  them  subject  to  Philistine  yoke 
For  forty  years :  in  Zorah  dwelt  a  man, 
His  name  jManoah,  of  the  tribe  of  Dan  ; 
His  wife  was  barren,  unto  whom  appeared 
The  angel  of  the  Lord,  and  thus  declared  : 
Though  thou,  said  he,  art  barren,  time  shall  come 
I'hou  slialt  enjoy  the  blessing  of  thy  womb  ; 
Now  therefore  I  entreat  thee  to  refrain 
From  wine,  strong  drink,  and  things  that  arc  unclean, 
For  lo,  thou  shalt  conceive,  and  bear  a  son. 
Upon  whose  head  there  shall  no  razor  come : 
For  he  to  God  a  Nazarite  shall  be. 
And  shall  begin  to  set  his  people  free 
Fi"om  the  Pliilistine  yoke.     The  woman  came 
And  told  her  husband,  she  had  seen  a  man 
Of  God  :  his  dreadful  look  made  me,  said  she. 
Think  him  an  angel  of  the  Lord  to  be : 
But  I  inquired  not  from  whence  he  came. 
Neither  did  he  make  known  to  me  his  name  : 
But  thus  he  said.  Thou  shalt  conceive  a  son ; 
"Wherefore  strong  drink  and  wine,  sec  that  thou  shun. 
And  have  a  care  that  thou  be  not  defil'd 
"With  things  that  are  unclean  ;  for  why,  the  chUd 
Shall  from  his  separation  from  the  womb. 
Become  a  Nazarite,  ev'n  to  his  tomb. 
iMauoah  then  did  supplicate  the  Lord, 
And  said,  O  Lord,  be  pleased  to  aiford 
This  favour  unto  me,  to  send  again 
The  man  of  God,  more  fully  to  explain 
Thy  will  to  us,  that  we  may  rightly  know. 
When  this  cliild  shall  be  born,  what  we  must  do. 
And  to  ^lauoah's  prayer  God  gave  ear. 
And  to  his  wife  the  angel  did  appear 
Again,  as  she  did  in  the  field  retire. 
At  such  time  as  her  husband  was  not  nigh  her. 
And  slie  made  haste,  and  ran,  and  strait  declai'cJ 
Unto  her  husband,  that  the  man  appeared 
Again,  whom  she  had  seen  the  other  day. 
Manoah  then  arose,  and  went  his  way, 
And  when  he  came,  he  said.  Art  thou  the  maa 
That  spakcst  to  my  wife  ?     He  said,  I  am. 
IManoah  said,  Now  let  thy  words  be  true ; 
How  shall  we  use  the  chUd,  "What  must  we  do  ? 
Then  said  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  let  her 
Of  all  that  I  have  charged  her  beware  : 
She  may  not  taste  of  what  comes  of  the  vine. 
Nor  may  she  drink  strong  drink,  or  any  wine, 
Nor  may  she  eat  of  things  that  are  unclean, 
From  all  that  I  have  said  let  her  refrain. 
Manoah  said  unto  the  angel,  stay 
VOL.  II. 


With  us,  till  we  have  dress'd  a  kid,  I  prr.y. 

But  he  reply'd,  though  thou  shalt  me  dct:ii:i, 

I'U  eat  no  bread,  but  if  thou  dost  design 

A  sacrifice  unto  the  Lord,  then  offer : 

For  ne'er  tiU  now,  Manoah  did  discover 

It  was  a  man  of  God  he  spake  unto. 

Then  said  he  to  the  angel,  Let  mc  know 

Thy  name,  that  when  these  things  shall  be  porform'd. 

The  honour  due  to  thee  may  be  return'd. 

^Vhereto  the  man  of  God  made  tliis  reply, 

Why  askest  thou,  since  'tis  a  mystery  ? 

So  he  a  kid,  and  a  meat-off'ring  took, 

Aud  olfer'd  to  the  Lord  upon  a  rock. 

And  there  the  man  of  God  did  wond'roush', 

The  whilst  Manoah  and  his  wife  stood  by  : 

For  as  the  altar  did  send  up  the  flame, 

Tlie  man  of  God  ascended  in  the  same. 

Manoah  and  his  mfe  stood  looking  on, 

And  on  their  faces  to  the  ground  fell  dov;n. 

But  then  the  angel  did  appear  no  more. 

Manoah  then  knew  who  he  was :  therefore 

He  said  unto  his  wife,  most  sm-ely  we 

Shall  die,  for  we  the  face  of  God  did  sec. 

But  she  repli'd.  If  God  woidd  such  a  thing, 

He  woidd  not  now  accept  our  offering. 

Or  would  he  have  to  us  these  things  made  known ; 

Or  told  us,  as  at  this  time  he  hath  done. 

And  now,  according  to  the  angel's  word, 

The  woman  bare  a  son,  to  whom  the  Lord 

Was  pleas'd,  his  blessing  graciously  to  give : 

She  call'd  him  Samson,  and  the  child  did  thrive. 

And  lo !  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  began. 

At  times  to  move  him  in  the  camp  of  Dan. 

CHAP.  XIV. 

Now  down  to  Timnath  Samson's  steps  incline. 
Where  seeing  the  daughter  of  a  Philistine, 
He  came  up  and  did  of  his  parents  crave. 
That  he  in  marriage  might  the  woman  jiave. 
Then  thus  his  father  and  his  mother  said, 
'Mongst  all  thy  Idn  can'st  thou  find  ne'er  a  mr.id ; 
Nor  yet  among  my  people,  fit  to  make 
A  wife,  but  thou  wilt  this  Philistine  take. 
Of  race  uncircumcised  ?     He  replied. 
Get  her  for  me,  for  I'm  well  satisfied. 
But  neither  of  his  parents  then  did  know. 
It  was  the  Lord  that  moved  him  thereto, 
To  seek  a  way  to  accomplish  his  designs. 
Upon  the  then  o'er-ruling  Philistines. 
Then  Samson  and  his  parents  both  went  down 
To  Timnath,  and  as  they  came  near  the  town. 
Among  the  vineyards  a  young  lion  roar'd : 
I'hen  on  him  came  the  spirit  of  the  Lord, 
3  D 


394 


SCRIPTURAL  P0E:>1S. 


And  though  unarm' cl,  lie  rent  him  like  a  kiJ, 

Bat  lie  discovered  not  to  them  the  deed. 

And  he  went  down,  and  with  the  woman  trcntc;"!. 

And  was  well  pleas'd  to  have  the  match  completed. 

And  in  a  while  as  he  retiu-ned  again 

To  take  his  wife,  hchold,  where  he  had  slain 

The  heast,  he  there  a  swarm  of  hecs  set  eye  on. 

And  honey  in  the  carcase  of  the  lion : 

lie  took  thereof,  and  eating,  on  he  went. 

And  to  his  parents  did  a  part  present : 

And  they  did  also  cat,  but  did  not  know 

That  frcra  the  lion's  carcase  it  did  flow. 

So  down  his  father  went  unto  the  woman, 

And  Samsou  made  a  feast,  as  it  was  commcrs 

Among  young  men.     The  Pliilistincs  provi;l3 

Thirty  companions  with  him  to  ahide 

And  Samson  said  unto  them,  now  behold, 

I  have  a  riddle  for  you  to  unfold ; 

"Which  if  you  do  before  the  seven  days'  feast 

Ee  ended,  I  will  give  to  every  guest 

A  sheet  and  change  of  garments  ;  but  if  yc 

Cannot  declare  it,  ye  shaU  give  to  me 

Full  thirty  sheets,  and  thirty  changes  too. 

Tlien  said  they,  "What's  thy  riddle,  let  us  know  ? 

And  Samson  said,  The  eater  sent  forth  meat. 

And  from  the  strong  there  came  a  thing  most  sweet. 

And  they  could  not  in  three  days  find  it  out, 

Y\'lierefore  before  the  seventh  came  about. 

They  said  unto  his  wife.  Thou  must  entice 

Thy  husband  to  discover  this  device 

Lest  we  burn  tliee,  and  all  thy  father's  house : 

Is  it  not  so,  that  yc  have  called  us 

To  make  a  spoil  ?     And  Samson's  wife  wept  sore. 

And  said,  thou  dost  but  hate  me,  and  no  more ; 

To  put  a  riddle  to  my  countrymen 

And  not  tell't  me.     And  he  reply'd  again, 

I  have  not  told  my  father  or  my  mother. 

And  shall  I  now  to  thee  this  thing  discover. 

And  she  continually  before  him  v.xpt. 

During  the  time  the  feasting  days  were  kept. 

And  now  behold  it  came  to  pass  that  he, 

Ey  reason  of  her  importunity. 

Did  on  the  seventh  day  to  her  unfold 

The  riddle,  which  she  to  her  brethren  told ; 

And  e'er  the  sun  went  down  on  that  same  day. 

The  Philistines  to  Samson  thus  did  say, 

'^Vhat  is  more  sweet  than  honey  ?     "What  more  strong 

Than  is  a  lion  ?     And  he  said,  how  long 

"Would  it  have  been,  e'er  you  had  understood 

This  thing,  had  you  not  with  my  heifer  plow'd  ? 

Then  came  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  upon 

Ilim,  and  he  hasted  down  to  Askelon, 

And  thirty  of  the  Philistines  he  slew, 

And  took  thek  clothes,  and  gave  the  ganncnts  use;. 

To  every  one  of  them  that  had  disclosed 

The  meaning  of  the  riddle  he  proposed ; 

And  towards  them  his  anger  fiercely  burned. 

And  he  unto  his  father's  house  returned. 

Put  Samson's  wife  was  given  unto  one 

That  was  his  fiiend  and  chief  companion. 

CHAP.  XV, 
But  in  a  while,  as  Samson  visited 
His  wife,  in  the  wheat  harvest  with  a  kid. 


To  her  into  her  chamber  he  woidd  go, 

The  which  her  father  would  not  let  him  do ; 

But  said,  I  thought  that  thou  had'st  quite  forsook  her, 

^^'hcrefore  I  gave  consent,  and  thy  friend  took  her ; 

Doth  not  her  sister's  beauty  her's  exceed, 

Though  young  ?  I  proy  then  take  her  in  her  stead. 

And  Samson  said,  I  shall  more  blameless  be 

Than  they,  though  I  shall  do  them  injury. 

And  then  he  caught  three  hundred  foxes,  and 

Tui-n'd  tail  to  tail,  and  put  a  fiery  brand 

Between  two  tails,  and  setting  fire  thereto, 

Into  the  standing  corn  he  let  them  go. 

And  buiTit  both  shocks  and  standing  com  and  vines, 

And  all  the  olives  of  the  Philistines. 

Then  they  inquired  who  this  thing  had  done. 

And  were  inform'd  it  was  the  Timnite's  son ; 

Because  his  father  took  his  wife  away. 

And  gave  her  his  companion  to  enjoy. 

And  the  Philistines  came  up,  fidl  of  wratli, 

And  burnt  with  fire,  her  and  her  father  both. 

And  Samson  said,  though  you  have  done  this  thing, 

A  further  evil  I  will  on  you  bring ; 

And  my  avenging  hand  shall  cease  hereafter ; 

And  hip  and  thigh  he  smote  them  with  great  slaughter 

And  he  retm-n'd,  and  came  up  to  the  top 

Of  Etam,  and  dwelt  there  upon  the  rock. 

Then  the  Philistines  up  to  Judah  went. 

And  in  the  vale  of  Lchi  pitched  their  tent. 

Then  said  the  men  of  Judah,  for  what  reason 

Are  you  come  up  against  us  at  this  season  ? 

And  they  made  answer.  We  are  come  to  bind 

Samson,  to  do  to  him  in  the  same  kind 

As  he  hath  done  to  us.     Then  there  went  up 

Thi'ee  thousand  men  of  Judah  to  the  top 

Of  the  rock  Etam,  and  to  Samson  said. 

Dost  thou  not  know  that  we  have  long  obcy'd 

The  Philistines  ?     "Wherefore  is  it  that  thou 

Hast  done  this  thing,  to  bring  this  evil  now. 

Upon  us,  let  us  know  it  ?     Then  said  he 

I  did  to  them  as  they  have  done  to  me. 

Then  said  they  we  are  come,  and  have  brought  bands, 

To  bind,  and  give  thee  up  into  their  hands. 

And  he  made  answer,  you  shall  swear  unto  me. 

That  you  yourselves  no  injury  wDl  do  me. 

And  they  reply'd,  no  no,  we  will  but  bind  thee. 

We  will  not  kUl  thee,  but  to  them  resign  thee. 

And  they  took  two  new  cords,  and  therewith  tied  lu'm. 

And  from  the  rock  where  he  abode  convey  him  : 

"Whom  when  they  to  the  camp  at  Lchi  brought. 

The  Philistines  against  him  gave  a  shout : 

And  mightily  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 

Came  on  him,  and  hke  burning  flax  each  cord 

That  was  upon  liis  arms  became ;  the  bands 

Were  likewise  separated  from  his  hands. 

And  he  the  jaw-bone  of  an  ass  espied, 

And  took  and  smote  them  till  a  thousand  died. 

Then  said  he,  with  an  ass's  jaw-bone  I 

Have  made  mine  enemies  in  heaps  to  lie. 

Behold  I  have  dcstroy'd  a  thousand  men 

With  this  same  worthless  ass's  jaw.     And  when 

He  m.adc  an  end  to  speak,  it  came  to  pass 

He  cast  away  the  jaw-bone  of  the  ass. 

And  said.  Now  let  the  place  where  this  was  done 

Be  by  the  name  of  Ramath-Lelii  knov.'n. 


SCKIPTUilAL  POEMS. 


393 


And  he  was  sore  r.tLirst,  and  to  tbe  Lord 
He  cried,  and  said,  O  Lord,  thou  did'st  afford 
This  great  deliverance,  and  now  shall  I, 
By  reason  of  my  thirst  fall  down  and  die, 
And  fall  into  the  most  accursed  hands 
Of  these  uneii'cumcis'd  Philistine  bands  ? 
But  God  was  plcas'd  to  cleave  an  hollow  place, 
Within  tlie  jaw,  from  whence  did  water  pass  j 
"Whereof  when  he  had  drunk,  his  spirit  came 
As  heretofore,  and  he  reviv'd  again  : 
"^'hercforc  that  place,  which  is  in  Lehi,  hova 
L'nto  this  day  the  name  of  Eu-ha]d;ore. 
And  in  the  days  the  Philistines  bore  sway, 
Israel  for  twenty  years  did  him  obey. 

CHAP.  XVL 

Then  down  to  Gaza  Samson  went,  and  there 

Seeing  an  harlot,  went  in  unto  her. 

And  when  the  Gazites  heard  he  was  come  thither: 

Straightway  they  gathered  themselves  together 

To  compass  him  about,  and  lay  in  wait 

All  night,  to  take  liim  in  the  city  gate  ; 

And  they  were  still  all  night,  for  why  ?     Say  they, 

To-morrow  we  shall  kill  him  wlien  'tis  day. 

And  he  tiU  midnigiit  lay,  and  then  arose. 

And  v.-ith  the  city  gates  away  he  goes. 

Bearing  the  posts  and  bar  and  all  away , 

And  on  an  hill  near  Hebron  did  them  lay. 

And  afterward  it  came  to  pass  he  saw. 

And  lov'd  a  woman  named  Delilah, 

MTho  in  the  vale  of  Sorek  dwelt,  to  whom 

There  did  the  lords  of  the  Philistines  come. 

And  said,  If  thou  wilt  but  entice  him  to  reveal 

Wliere  lies  his  strength,  and  which  way  we  may  deal 

"^'itli  him,  to  bind  him,  to  afflict  him,  we 

Each  one  \\ill  give  a  great  reward  to  thee. 

And  she  to  Samson  ■said,  I  pray  thee,  tell 

■Wherein  thy  strength  doth  other  men  excel. 

And  how  thou  may'st  be  bound.     And  he  replied. 

If  they  with  seven  green  withs  that  ric'er  were  di'ied. 

Shall  bind  me  hand  and  foot,  I  shall  be  then 

As  weak  and  impotent  as  other  men. 

Then  the  Philistine  lords  for  her  pronde 

The  seven  green  withs  which  never  had  been  driiul. 

And  she  thercNvith  did  bind  him,  (now  there  ^ve^c 

ilen  Ij'ing  in  wait  whom  she  had  placed  there,) 

Then  she  cried  out,  and  said.  Now  Samson  stand 

Thy  ground,  for  the  Philistines  are  at  hand. 

And  straight  he  brake  the  wths,  and  they  became 

I  ike  to  a  thread  of  tow  when  touch'd  with  flame : 

So  was  his  strength  not  found  out.     Then  said  she, 

Samson,  behold,  thou  hast  deceived  me. 

And  told  me  lies  :  therefore  no  longer  blind  me. 

But  tell,  I  pray  thee,  wherewith  I  may  bind  tl-ee. 

Bind  me  with  ropes  that  ne'er  were  us'd,  said  he; 

Then  weak  as  other  men  are,  shall  I  be. 

She  therefore  took  new  ropes,  and  bound  him,  and 

Cried,  Samson,  the  Philistines  are  at  hand : 

(And  in  the  chamber  there  were  men  lay  hid) 

And  fi'om  his  anus  he  brake  them  like  a  thread. 

Then  said  she.  Thou  hast  mocked  me  hitherto. 

And  told  me  lies :  now  tell  me  what  to  do 

To  bind  thee.     Ho  replied.  Thou  with  the  web 

3Iust  interweave  the  seveu  locks  of  niy  head. 


Then  she  his  locks  did  fasten  with  the  pin. 

And  said,  The  Pliilistines  are  coming  in. 

Shift,  Samson,  for  thyself;  then  he  awoke. 

And  pin  and  web,  and  all  away  he  took. 

Then  said  she.  How  canst  thou  pretend  to  love  me, 

When  thus  thy  doing  towards  me  disprove  thee  ? 

Tot  now,  behold,  thou  hast  deceived  me  thrice. 

And  hast  not  told  me  where  thy  great  strength  lies. 

At  length  his  soul  being  vex'd  exceedingly. 

By  reason  of  her  importunity: 

He  told  the  secrets  of  his  heart,  and  said. 

Never  yet  razor  on  my  head  was  luid; 

For  I  have  been  to  God  a  Nazarite, 

Even  from  the  day  that  first  I  savv-  the  light: 

"Wherefore  like  other  men,  if  I  am  shaven, 

I  shall  be  weak,  and  of  my  strength  bercaven. 

And  when  she  saw  that  he  had  told  her  all 

The  secrets  of  his  heart,  she  sent  to  call 

The  lords  of  the  Philistines.     Come,  said  she. 

This  once,  for  now  he  hath  made  kuo\\  n  to  ine 

The  very  truth.     Then  they  came  up  togetlicr. 

And  brought  the  money  in  their  hands  to  give  her. 

Then  down  to  sleep  upon  her  knees  she  laid  him. 

And  call'd  a  man,  who  of  his  locks  betray 'd  him. 

And  to  afflict  him  she  began,  and  then 

His  strength  became  lilce  that  of  other  men. 

Then  said  she,  Samson,  thy  Philistine  fees 

Are  jnst  at  hand :  and  he  from  sleep  arose. 

And  as  at  other  times  went  forth  to  shake  him. 

Not  knomng  that  the  Lord  did  now  forsake  him. 

But  the  Philistines  seized  him,  and  brought 

Him  down  to  Gaza,  having  first  put  out 

His  eyes,  and  did  with  brazen  fetters  bind 

And  made  him  in  the  prison  house  to  grind. 

Howbeit  the  hair  upon  his  head  began. 

After  he  had  been  shaved,  to  gi'ow  again. 

Then  the  Philistine  lords  together  met. 

And  a  thanksgiving-day  apart  they  set, 

For  to  rejoice,  and  unto  Dagon  pay 

Their  highest  service;  For  oiu-  God,  say  they. 

Did  this :  and  when  the  people  did  behold 

Poor  captive  Samson,  they  their  god  extoU'd, 

And  said,  Oiu:  God  liath  given  into  our  hand 

Him  that  destroy'd  us,  and  laid  waste  our  land. 

Aud  in  their  height  of  mirth  they  sent  to  call 

Samson,  to  come  and  make  sport  fcr  them  all. 

And  from  the  prison-house  they  brought  him,  and 

Between  the  pillars  they  set  him  to  stand  ; 

And  there  he  made  them  sport.     Then  to  the  lad 

That  led  him  by  the  hand,  thus  Samson  said ; 

Let  me  now  feel  the  pillars  that  sustain 

The  house,  that  I  myself  thereon  may  lean. 

Now  in  the  house  there  was  a  mighty  throng 

Of  men  and  women  gathcr'd,  and  among 

Them,  all  the  lords  of  the  Philistines  were. 

Besides,  upon  the  roof  there  did  appear. 

About  three  thousand  men  and  women,  who 

Beheld,  while  Samson  made  them  sport  below. 

And  Samson,  calling  on  the  Lord,  did  say, 

O  Lord,  my  God,  remember  me,  I  pray, 

This  once  give  strength,  that  I  aveng'd  may  bo 

Of  those  Philistines  who  have  blinded  me. 

And  ^x-ith  his  right  hand  aud  his  left,  he  held 

Two  middle  pillars  which  the  house  upheld; 


39  G 


SCRIPTUEAL  POEMS. 


And  said.  Let  me  with  the  Philistines  die, 
And  then  he  bowed  himself  most  mightily  : 
And  down  the  house  fell  on  the  lords,  and  all 
The  people  that  were  in't;  so  that  the  fall 
Thereof,  slew  at  his  dying  many  more 
Than  he  had  slaia  in  all  his  life  before. 


Then  did  Iiis  brethren  ard  his  kinsfolks  come 
And  took  him  up,  and  brought  him  with  them  home, 
And  laid  him  in  his  father's  sepulchre, 
■\Vhca  he  had  judged  Israel  twenty  year. 


CHRIST'S    SERMON   ON  THE  MOUNT. 


I\IATTnE\V,  CHAP.  V. 
And  Jesus,  seeing  the  multitudes,  ascended 
Up  to  a  mount,  where  sitting,  and  attended 
By  his  disciples,  he  began  to  preach; 
And  on  this  manner  following  did  them  teach. 
Blessed  are  all  such  as  are  poor  in  spirit. 
For  they  the  heavenly  kingdom  do  inherit. 
Blessed  are  they  that  mourn;  for  in  the  stead 
Thereof  shall  comfort  be  administred. 
Blessed  are  they,  whose  meekness  doth  excel : 
Por  on  the  earth  their  portion  is  to  dwell. 
Blessed  are  they,  who  after  righteousness 
Hunger  and  thirst ;  for  they  shall  it  possess. 
Blessed  are  they,  for  they  shall  mercy  find, 
"Who  to  do  mercifully  are  inclin'd. 
Blessed  are  all  such  as  are  pure  in  heart ; 
Por  God  his  presence  shall  to  them  impart. 
Blessed  are  they  that  do  make  peace ;  for  why  ? 
They  shall  be  call'd  the  sons  of  the  Most  High. 
Blessed  are  they  which  suffer  for  the  sake 
Of  righteousness :  for  they  of  heav'n  partake. 
Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall  falsely  speak 
All  Idnd  of  ill  against  you  for  my  sake. 
And  shall  revile,  aud  persecute  you  sore ; 
Rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad  therefore : 
Por  your  reward  in  heav'n  will  be  great : 
Por  thus  of  old  they  did  the  prophets  treat. 
Ye  are  the  salt  o'  th'  earth ;  but  wherewith  must 
The  earth  be  season'd  when  the  savour's  lost? 
It  is  from  thenceforth  good  for  nothing,  but 
To  be  cast  out,  and  trodd'n  under  foot. 
Ye  are  the  light  o'  th'  world;  a  city  set 
Upon  an  lull  cannot  be  hid ;  nor  yet 
Do  men  a  caudle  with  a  bushel  cover. 
But  set  it  where  it  lights  the  whole  house  over. 
So  shine  your  light,  yoiu"  good  works  seen  thereby 
Men  may  your  heavenly  Pathcr  glorify. 
Think  not  that  to  destroy  the  law  I  came. 
Or  prophets ;  no,  but  to  fulfil  the  same. 
Por  till  the  heav'n  and  earth  shall  pass  away. 
One  jot  or  tittle  from  the  law,  I  say. 
Shall  never  pass,  till  all  shall  be  complete. 
"Whoso  therefore  presumes  to  violate. 
One  of  these  least  commands,  and  tcachcth  so. 
Shall  in  God's  kingdom  be  accounted  low. 
But  he  that  doth,  and  teacheth  them  likewise. 
Shall  in  God's  kingdom  have  great  dignities. 
Por  I  declare  unto  yon,  that  unless 
You  shall  exceed  the  scribe  and  pharisees 
In  righteousness ;  you  shall  on  no  condition. 
Into  the  heavenly  Idngd'jm  gain  admission. 


Yc've  heard  'twas  said  of  old,  '  Thou  slialt  not  kill. 

And  he  incurs  the  judgment  who  shall  spill 

His  brother's  blood  :  but  I  to  you  declare. 

That  he  that's  wroth  without  a  cause,  shall  bear 

The  judgment.     Likewise  of  the  council  he 

That  saycth  '  racha'  shall  in  danger  be. 

But  whosoe'er  shall  say.  Thou  fool,  the  sams 

Shall  be  in  danger  of  eternal  flame. 

"When  therefore  to  the  altar  thou  dost  bring 

Thy  gift,  and  there  rememb'rcst  any  thing 

Thy  brother  hath  against  thee :  leave  it  there 

Before  the  altar,  and  come  thou  not  near, 

Till  thou  hast  first  made  reconciliation. 

Then  may'st  thou  come  and  offer  thine  oblation. 

Make  an  agreement  with  thine  adversary 

"^^hUst  thou  art  in  the  way,  and  do  not  tarry ; 

Lest  he  at  any  time  deliver  thee 

Unto  the  judge,  and  by  the  judge  thou  bs 

Unto  the  officer  forthwith  rcsign'd. 

And  in  imprisonment  thou  be  confin'd ; 

I  do  affirm  thou  shalt  not  be  enlarg'd. 

Till  thou  the  utmost  farthing  hast  discharg'd. 

Ye've  heard  that  they  of  old  did  testify, 

That  men  should  not  commit  adultery ; 

But  I  pronounce  him  an  adulterer, 

"Who  views  a  woman  to  lust  after  her. 

And  if  thy  right  eye  shall  ofiTensive  be. 

Pluck  thou  it  out  and  cast  the  same  from  thee ;     • 

For  it  is  better  lose  one,  than  that  all 

Thy  members  should  into  hell  torments  fall. 

And  if  thy  right  hand  doth  offend,  cut  off  it. 

And  cast  it  from  thee,  for  it  will  thee  profit 

Much  rather  that  one  of  thy  members  fell. 

Than  that  they  should  be  all  condemned  to  hell. 

It  hath  been  said,  whoso  away  shall  force 

His  wife,  shall  give  her  a  bill  of  divorce: 

But  whosoe'er  shall  put  his  mfe  away. 

Except  for  fornication's  sake,  I  say, 

Makes  her  adult'ress,  and  who  marries  her. 

So  put  away,  is  an  addterer. 

Again :  Ye've  heard.  Thou  shalt  not  be  forsworn. 

Was  ancient  doctrine,  but  thou  shalt  perform 

Uuto  the  Lord  thine  oaths:  But  I  declare. 

That  thou  shalt  not  at  all  presume  to  swear ; 

Neither  by  heaven,  for  it  is  God's  throne ; 

Nor  by  the  earth,  for  his  foot  stands  thereon : 

Neither  swear  by  Jerusalem,  for  why  ? 

It  is  the  city  of  the  King  Most  High : 

Nor  swear  thou  by  thine  head,  for  thou  canst  make 

No  hair  thereof  to  be  or  wliite  or  black : 

But  let  yea,  yea ;  nay,  nay,  in  speech  suffice, 

Por  what  is  more  from  evU  doth  ai'ise. 


SCRIPTURAL  POEMS. 


397 


Ye've  heard,  it  hath  been  said;  Eye  for  au  eye, 

Aud  tooth  for  tooth :  But  I  do  testify, 

That  j'ou  shall  not  resist ;  but  let  him  smite 

Thy  left  cheek  also,  who  assaults  thy  right. 

And  if  that  any  by  a  lawsuit  shaU 

Demand  thy  coat,  let  them  have  cloak  and  all. 

And  whosoe'er  compelleth  thee  to  go 

A  mile,  refuse  not  to  go  with  him  two. 

Give  him  that  asketh,  and  from  him  that  may 

Have  need  to  borrow,  turn  not  thou  away. 

Ye've  heard,  'twas  said :  That  thou  shalt  love  thy  friend 

And  hate  thy  foe :  But  let  your  love  extend 

Unto  your  enemies :  thus  I  declare. 

Bless  them  that  curse,  do  good  to  them  that  bear 

lU  will,  and  for  your  persecutors  pray, 

And  them  that  do  reproach  you ;  that  you  may 

Be  children  of  your  Father  that's  in  heaven ; 

Por  he  on  good  and  bad  alike  hath  given 

His  sun  to  rise,  and  in  like  manner  doth 

Send  rain  upon  the  just  and  unjust  both 

For  what  is  your  reward,  if  you  love  them 

That  love  you  ?     Do  not  publicans  the  same  ? 

And  if  your  brethren  only  you  salute, 

"What  more  than  they  do  ye  ?     They  also  do't, 

I  will  therefore  that  you  be  perfect,  ev'n 

As  is  your  Father  perfect  that's  in  heaven. 

CHAP.  YI. 

Take  heed  you  do  not  your  alms-deeds  bestow 

Before  men,  purposely  to  make  a  shew ; 

For  then  there  will  no  recompencc  be  given 

Unto  you  of  yom-  Father  that's  in  heaven : 

With  soimd  of  trumpet  do  not  thou  therefore 

Proclaim  what  thou  art  giving  to  the  poor ; 

As  is  the  manner  of  the  hypocrites 

To  do  i'  th'  synagogues,  and  in  the  streets  ;* 

That  men  may  give  them  praises.     Verily 

They  have  their  recompencc,  I  testify. 

But  when  thou  dost  alms,  let  thy  left  hand  know 

Not  what  thy  right  hand  is  about  to  do: 

That  giving  secretly,  thy  Father  may, 

Who  sees  in  secret,  openly  repay. 

And  when  thou  pray'st  be  not  as  hypocrites ; 

For  they  love  in  the  corners  of  the  streets, 

And  in  the  synagogues  to  stand  and  pray. 

There  to  be  seen  -.  they've  their  reward  I  say. 

But  thou,  when  thou  dost  make  thy  pray'r,  go  thee 

Into  thy  closet,  shut  thy  door  unto  thee. 

And  there  in  secret  to  thy  Father  cry, 

Who  seeing  thee  shall  reward  thee  openly. 

But  when  ye  pray  use  not  vain  repetitions. 

As  heathens  do,  for  they  think  their  petitions 

Prevail;  when  they  the  same  do  multiply: 

Be  ye  not  like  to  them  therefore ;  for  why ; 

Yoiu*  Father  knows  what  things  you  need  before 

You  ask  him,  on  this  wise  pray  ye  therefore. 

Our  Father  which  art  in  heav'n,  thy  name  alone 
Be  hallowed.     Thy  glorious  kingdom  come. 

*  These  lines,  and  those  on  the  next  page,  '  The  eye's  the  light  o'  th' 
body,'  remind  one  of  Bunyan's  style  in  his  Apology  for  the  Pilgrim's 
Progress, — 

'  Post  thou  love  picking  meat  ?    Or  wonld'st  thou  see 
A  man  i'  th'  clouds,  and  hear  him  speak  to  thee?'— Ed. 


Thy  mil  be  done  on  earth  as  'tis  in  heaven. 
Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.     And  ev'a 
As  we  remit  our  debtors,  grant  remission 
To  us.     And  lead  us  not  into  temptation. 
But  from  aU  evU  do  thou  us  deliver ; 
For  th'  kingdom,  power  and  glory's  thine  for  eviT. 
Amen. 

For  if  you  do  forgive  men  that  offend. 

Your  heavenly  Father  will  to  you  extend 

Forgiveness ;  but  if  not,  nor  will  ho  spare. 

At  any  time  when  you  offenders  are. 

Moreover  when  you  fast  beware  lest  you 

Look  sad,  as  hypocrites  are  wont  to  do ; 

For  they  disguise  their  faces,  that  they  may 

Appear  to  fast :  they've  their  reward  I  say. 

But  thou,  when  thou  dost  fast,  anoint  thine  head 

And  wash  thy  face,  that  undiscovered 

Thy  fasting  may  be  unto  men,  but  rather 

That  thou  be  seen  in  secret  of  thy  Father : 

And  then  thy  Father,  who  in  secresy 

Beholds  thee,  shall  reward  thee  openly. 

Lay  not  up  treasure  for  yourselves  in  store 

Upon  the  earth,  where  moth  and  rust  devour. 

And  where  by  thieves  you  may  be  quite  bereavcn. 

But  lay  up  treasure  for  yourselves  in  heaven. 

Where  neither  moth,  nor  rust,  nor  thieves  can  enter : 

For  Where's  your  treasure  there  your  hearts  will  centre. 

The  eye's  the  light  o'  th'  body,  which  if  right 

Then  thy  whole  body  wiU  be  full  of  light : 

But  if  thine  eye  be  evil,  then  there  will 

A  total  darkness  thy  whole  body  fill. 

If  therefore  all  the  light  that  is  in  thee 

Be  darkness,  how  great  must  that  darkness  be  ? 

No  man  can  serve  two  masters,  either  he 

WiU  hate  one,  and  love  t'other,  or  will  be 

Faitliful  to  one,  and  t'other  will  forego. 

Ye  cannot  serve  both  God  and  mammon  too. 

Take  no  thought  therefore  for  your  life,  I  say, 

What  you  shall  cat  or  drink  ;  or  how  you  may 

Your  bodies  clothe.     Is  not  the  hfe  much  more 

Than  meat ;  Is  not  the  body  far  before 

The  clothes  thereof?  Behold  the  fowls  o'  tli'  air. 

Nor  sow  nor  reap,  nor  take  they  any  care ; 

How  they  provision  into  barns  may  gather ; 

Yet  they  are  noiuish'd  by  yom*  heavenly  Father : 

Are  ye  not  worth  much  more  ?  Which  of  you  can 

By  talcing  thought  add  to  his  height  one  span  ? 

And  why  for  raiment  are  ye  taking  thought  ? 

See  how  the  lilies  grow ;  they  labour  not. 

Nor  do  they  spin ;  yet  Solomon,  I  say. 

In  all  his  pomp,  had  no  such  gay  array. 

If  in  the  field  God  so  doth  clothe  the  grass. 

Which  is  to-day,  and  doth  to-morrow  pass 

Into  the  oven,  shall  he  not  therefore 

0  ye  of  little  faith,  clothe  you  much  more  ? 

Take  no  thought  therefore,  saying.  What  shall  we  eat. 

Or  drink,  or  where  shall  we  our  raiment  get : 

(For  thus  the  heathen  people  use  to  do) 

For  that  you  need  them  doth  your  Father  know. 

But  seek  God's  kingdom,  and  his  righteousness 

First,  and  then  all  these  things  you  shall  possess. 

Be  not  then  exercis'd  with  care  and  sorrow. 

In  making  preparation  for  the  morrow  ; 


SCRIPTURAL  POEMS. 


Tlic  morrow  sliall  things  for  itself  prcpnre ; 
Siifficitiut  to  the  day  is  each  day's  care. 

CHAP.  VII. 

Judge  not  that  you  may  not  be  judg'd  ;  for  crsn 

As  you  pass  judgment,  judgment  shall  he  giv'u: 

And  with  such  measure  as  you  mete  to  men, 

It  shall  be  measured  unto  you  again. 

And  why  dost  thou  take  notice  of  the  mote 

That's  iu  thy  brother's  eye ;  but  dost  not  note 

The  beam  that's  in  thine  own  ?  How  wilt  thou  say 

Unto  thy  brother,  let  me  take  away 

The  mote  that's  in  thine  eye,  \Yhen  yet  'tis  plain 

The  beam  that's  iu  thine  own  doth  still  remain  ? 

Pu'st  cast  away  the  beam,  thou  hypocrite, 

From  thine  own  eye,  so  shall  thy  clearer  sight 

The  better  be  enabled  to  descry. 

And  pluck  the  mote  out  of  thy  brother's  eye. 

Give  not  to  dogs  the  things  that  are  divine, 

Neither  cast  ye  your  pearls  before  the  swine 

Lest  that  they  should  their  feet  them  trample  ur.dcr, 

And  tm-n  upon  you,  and  rend  yoii  asunder. 

Ask,  and  obtain;  seek,  and  ye  shall  hud;  do  ye 

Knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  ye : 

Por  he  tliat  seeks,  shall  find ;  that  asks,  obtain, 

And  he  that  knocks,  shall  an  admittance  gain. 

Or  what  man  is  there  of  you,  if  his  son 

Shall  ask  him  bread,  wiU  he  give  luni  a  stone? 

Or  if  he  ask  a  lish,  vnll  he  bestow 

A  serpent  ?  If  then  ye  being  evil  know 

To  give  your  children  good  gifts,  how  much  ratlier 

To  them  that  ask  him  shall  your  hcav'nly  Father. 

Then  what  you  wou'd  men  shou'd  to  you,  so  do 

To  them  :  for  that's  the  law  and  prophets  too. 

Enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  for  the  road 

That  doth  unto  destruction  lead,  is  broad; 

And  wide  the  gate ;  and  many  there  be  that 

Enter  therein:  because  strait  is  the  gate, 


Aud  narrow  is  the  way  that  is  iuclin'd 
To  life,  and  which  there  are  but  few  tliat  find. 
False  prophets  shun,  who  in  sheep's  clothes  appear. 
But  inwardly  devouring  wolves  they  are : 
Ye  by  their  fruits  shall  know  them.     Do  men  cither 
Pluck  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of  thistles  gather  ? 
Even  so  each  good  tree  good  fruit  will  produce ; 
But  a  corrupt  tree  fi-uit  unfit  for  use : 
A  good  tree  cannot  bring  forlh  evil  food. 
Nor  can  an  evil  tree  bear  fruit  that's  good : 
Each  tree  that  bears  not  good  frnit's  licwn  do^\^1 
And  bm"nt,  thus  by  their  fruits  they  shall  be  known. 
Not  every  one  that  saith  Lord,  Lord,  but  he 
That  doth  my  hcav'nly  Father's  will  shall  be 
An  heir  of  heaven :  many  in  that  day 
WiU  call  Lord,  Lord,  and  thus  to  me  will  sny ; 
Have  we  not  prophesied  in  thy  name  ? 
Cast  devils  out,  doue  wonders  in  the  same  ? 
And  then  \vill  I  profess  I  know  you  not ; 
Depart  from  me  ye  that  have  evil  wrought. 
Whoso  therefore  these  sayings  of  mine  doth  hear. 
And  doth  them,  to  a  wise  man  I'U  compare. 
The  which  upon  a  rock  his  building  founded, 
The  rain  descended  and  the  floods  surrounded. 
The  winds  arose,  and  gave  it  many  a  shoclc. 
And  it  fell  not,  being  founded  on  a  rock. 
And  ev'ry  one  that  hears  these  sayings  of  mine. 
And  not  to  do  them  doth  his  heart  incline, 
LTnto  a  foolish  man  shall  be  compar'd ; 
Wlio  his  foundation  on  the  sand  prepar'd : 
The  rain  descended  and  the  floods  were  great. 
The  winds  did  blow,  and  vehemently  beat 
Against  that  house  ;  and  down  the  builJiiig  came. 
And  mighty  was  the  downfall  of  tlic  same. 
And  now  when  Jesus  thus  had  finished 
His  sayings,  the  people  were  astonished 
Thereat:  for  not  as  do  the  scribes  taughi  he 
Them,  but  as  one  that  had  authority. 


THE   PROPHECY  OF   JONAH. 


CHAP.  I. 

Now  unto  Jonah,  old  Amittai's  son. 

Thus  did  the  word  of  the  Almighty  come. 

And  said,  Arise,  go  thou  forthwith  and  cry 

'Gainst  that  great  city  Nineveh  ;  for  why, 

The  sins  thereof  are  come  up  in  my  sight. 

But  he  arose,  that  he  to  Tarshish  miglit 

Flee  from  God's  presence;  and  went  dovrn  and  found 

A  ship  at  Joppa  unto  Tarshish  bound: 

He  paid  the  fare,  and  with  them  went  on  board 

For  Tarshish,  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord. 

But  the  Almighty  a  great  wind  did  raise, 

And  sent  a  mighty  tempest  on  the  seas. 

So  that  the  ship  was  likely  to  be  broken. 

Then  were  the  mariners  with  horror  stricken  ; 

And  to  his  God  they  cried  every  one  ; 

And  overboard  was  the  ship's  lading  thrown 

To  lighten  it :  but  down  into  the  ship 

"Was  Jonah  gone,  and  there  lay  fast  asleep. 


So  to  him  cam.e  the  master  and  did  say, 

What  meanest  thou,  0  sleeper  !  rise  aud  pray 

Unto  thy  God,  and  lie  perhaps  will  bear, 

And  save  us  from  the  danger  that  we  fe:ir. 

Then  said  they  to  each  other.  Come  let's  try, 

]5y  casting  lots,  on  whom  the  fault  doth  lie, 

In  bringing  all  this  evil  now  upon  us. 

So  they  cast  lots,  and  the  lot  fell  on  Jonas. 

Then  said  they,  AVe  entreat  thee  let  us  know, 

T'or  whose  cause  we  this  evil  vmdcrgo. 

Whence  coraest  thou?  What  is  thine  occupation? 

What  countryman  art  thou  ?  And  of  what  nation  ? 

And  unto  them  himself  he  did  declare. 

And  said,  I  am  an  Hebrew,  and  do  fear 

The  living  Lord,  the  God  of  heaven,  who 

Alone  hath  made  the  sea  and  dry  land  too. 

Then  were  the  men  exceedingly  afraid  ; 

Aud,  wherefore  hast  thou  done  this  thing  ?  they  said  i 

(For  they  did  understand  he  did  forego 

God's  presence,  for  himself  had  told  them  so.) 


SCRIPTUKAL  rOEilS. 


399 


TThat  shall  we  Jo  uuto  tlice,  then  tlicy  said, 

Tliat  so  the  raguig  of  the  sea  be  stay'd  ? 

(For  it  did  rage  and  foam.)     Tal^e  me,  said  he, 

And  cast  me  overboard  into  the  sea ; 

So  shr;ll  the  sea  be  calm,  for  on  my  score 

I  know  it  is,  that  thus  the  waves  do  roar. 

^Nevertheless  they  rowed  hard  to  gran 

The  land,  but  all  their  labour  was  in  vain ; 

So  much  against  them  did  the  tempest  beat. 

"U'lierefore  they  the  Almighty  did  entreat. 

And  said,  "We  do  beseech  thee,  and  we  jiray, 

0  Lord,  that  thou  would'st  not  upon  us  lay 

The  charge  of  guiltless  blood,  nor  let  it  be, 

That  now  we  perish,  on  th'  account  that  wq 

Take  this  man's  life  away ;  for  thou  alone 

As  it  hath  pleased  thee,  0  Lord,  hast  done. 

So  they  took  Jonah  up,  and  to  the  seas 

Committed  him,  then  did  the  tempest  cease. 

Tlien  did  the  dread  of  the  great  God  on  high. 

Seize  on  the  mariners  exceedingly. 

And  they  did  offer  up  a  sacrifice, 

And  vowed  vows  unto  the  Lord  likewise. 

And  now  the  Lord  for  Jonah  did  contrive 

A  mighty  fish,  to  swallow  'im  up  alive. 

And  in  the  fish's  belly  for  the  space 

Of  three  days  and  three  nights,  poor  Jonah  wr.s. 

CHAP.  IL 

Unto  the  Lord  his  God  then  Jonah  pray'd 

Out  of  the  belly  of  the  fish,  and  said. 

By  reason  of  affliction,  which  lay  sore 

Upon  me,  I  the  Lord  God  did  implore, 

And  he  gave  car;  and  from  Hell's  Belly  I 

Cry'd  unto  thee,  and  thou.  Lord,  heard'st  my  cry: 

Tor  thou  into  the  deep  hadst  cast  me  out. 

And  there  the  floods  did  compass  me  about; 

In  the  midst  of  the  sea,  thy  waves  were  sent. 

And  all  thy  billows  Avhich  my  head  o'erwent. 

Then  said  I  though  thy  presence  hath  forsook 

Me,  to  thy  holy  temple  will  I  look. 

The  waters  compassed  about  my  soul. 

And  the  great  deeps  did  round  about  me  roll. 

The  weeds  were  wrapt  about  my  head,  I  wciit 

Down  to  the  bottom  of  the  element; 

The  earth  with  her  strong  bars  surrounded  me. 

Yet  thou,  0  Lord,  from  death  hast  set  me  free. 

When  my  soul  fainted,  on  the  Lord  I  thought. 

And  to  thee,  to  thy  temple  then  was  brought 

'My  prayer.     They  their  own  mercies  do  despise, 

"Who  have  regard  to  lying  vanities. 

But  with  the  voice  of  my  thanksgiving,  I 

"WiU  oiTer  sacrifice  to  thee  on  high, 

And  pay  my  vows  wliicli  I  have  vow'd,  each  one, 

For  why  ?  Salvation's  of  the  Lord  alone. 

And  now  the  fish,  as  God  did  give  command. 

Did  vomit  Jonah  out  upon  dry  land. 

CHAP.  in. 

And  now  the  second  time  to  Jonah  came 
God's  word,  and  said.  Arise,  go  and  proclaim 
To  that  great  city  Nineveh,  what  I 
Have  heretofore  commanded  thee  to  cry. 
So  Jonah  rose  up,  and  prepar'd  to  go 
To  iCiuevch,  as  God  had  bid  him  do. 


(Now  was  the  city  Nineveh  so  great. 

That  it  was  three  days'  journey  long  complete) 

And  as  into  the  city  Jonah  made 

His  fii-st  day's  journey,  he  cry'd  out  and  said, 

"When  forty  days  shall  be  expired  and  pa^t, 

This  city  Nineveh  shall  be  laid  waste. 

Then  did  the  Ninevites  yntli  one  accord. 

Believe  this  was  the  message  of  the  Lord; 

And  did  proclaim  a  fast,  and  every  one. 

From  greatest  to  the  least,  put  sackcloth  on : 

For  to  the  king  this  nevrs  was  quicHy  flow;;, 

And  he  arose,  and  came  down  from  his  thi-oue. 

And  having  laid  aside  his  robes  of  state. 

He  put  on  sackcloth,  and  in  ashes  sate: 

And  issuing  out  his  royal  proclamation. 

And  tlirough  the  city  making  publication 

Thereof  (being  by  the  king  and  coimcil  sign' J) 

A  solemn  and  a  general  fast  enjoin'd; 

And  said,  I  will,  that  neither  man  nor  beast, 

Nor  flock,  nor  herd,  shall  their  provision  taste: 

But  let  them  all  put  sackcloth  on  and  cry 

Unto  the  Lord  with  greatest  fervency; 

Yea,  let  them  all  their  evil  ways  refrain. 

And  from  the  violence  which  they  retain. 

"Who  knows  if  God  will  yet  be  plcas'd  to  spare, 

And  turn  away  the  evil  that  we  fear  ? 

And  God  beheld  their  works,  and  saw  that  they 

Had  turned  from  the  evil  of  their  way. 

And  God  turn'd  from  his  wrath,  and  did  revoke 

T'le  di'cadful  judgment  whereof  he  had  spoke. 

CILVP.  IV. 

But  hereat  Jonah  was  exti'cmely  vext. 
And  in  his  mind  exceedingly  perplcxt: 
And  to  the  Lord  his  God  he  pray'd,  and  said, 

0  Lord,  I  pray  thee,  was  not  I  afraid 

Of  this,  when  I  was  yet  at  home  ?     Therefora 

1  unto  Tarshish  took  my  flight  before: 
For  that  thou  art  a  gracious  God  I  know, 
Of  tender  mercy,  and  to  anger  slow. 

Of  great  compassion,  and  dost  oft  recall 
The  evil  thou  dost  threat  manlrind  withal. 
Now  therefore.  Lord,  I  eai-nestly  do  pray 
That  thou  would'st  please  to  take  my  life  away, 
For  I  had  better  die  than  live.    Dost  thou 
Do  well,  said  God,  to  be  so  angry  now  ? 
So  then  out  of  the  city  Jonah  went. 
And  on  the  east  side  of  it  made  a  tent,* 
And  underneath  the  shade  thereof  he  sate. 
Expecting  what  would  be  the  city's  fate. 
And  over  Jonah's  head  behold  the  Lord 
Prepar'd,  and  caused  to  come  up  a  gom-d 
To  shadow  him,  and  ease  liim  of  his  grief; 
And  Jonah  was  right  glad  of  this  relief. 
But  God  a  worm  sent  early  the  next  day, 
"Which  smote  the  gom-d;  it  withered  away: 
And  when  the  sun  ai'ose,  it  came  to  pass. 
That  God  a  vehement  east  wind  did  raise; 
Besides  the  sun  did  beat  upon  his  head. 
So  that  he  fainted,  saj-ing,  "Woidd  I  were  dead; 
For  it  is  better  for  me  now  to  die. 
Than  thus  to  lead  my  life  in  misery. 

'  'rz'O-  a  cover,  a  booth,  I.'ovicr,  or  hut  niiide  of  the  boushs  of  tra-.s.— ivD. 


400 


SCRIPTURAL  POEMS. 


Anil  to  distressed  Jonah,  said  the  Lord, 

Dost  thou  well  to  he  angry  for  the  gourd  ? 

And  he  unto  the  Lord  made  this  reply, 

I  do  well  to  be  angry  e'en  to  die. 

Thou  hast  had  pity,  Jonah,  on  the  gourd, 

For  which  thou  didst  not  labour,  said  the  Lord, 

Kor  madcst  it  to  grow,  wliich  also  came 

Up  in  a  night,  and  perish'd  in  the  same. 


And  should  not  I  extend  my  gracious  pity 

To  Nineveh,  so  populous  a  city, 

"Where  more  than  six  score  thousand  persons  dwell, 

"Who  'twixt  theii-  right  hand,  and  their  left  can  tell 

No  difference,  wherein  are  also  found 

Cattle  wliich  do  in  multitudes  abound. 


THE   LIFE    OF   JOSEPH, 

TAKEN  OUT  OF  THE  LATTER  TART  OF  TUB  COOK  OF  GENESIS. 


CHAP,  xxxvn. 

M'liEN  Jacob  from  his  brother  Esau  fled. 

He  by  the  hand  of  providence  was  led 

To  Padan-aram,  in  AssjTia,  where 

He  scrv'd  his  uncle  Laban  twenty  year; 

During  which  time  he  was  in  all  things  blest. 

And  witli  a  num'rous  issue  'mongst  the  rest : 

Amongst  whom  none  so  pleasing  in  his  sight 

As  Joseph  was,  who  was  his  chief  delight: 

■\Vlio  by  the  time  that  Jacob  was  return'd 

Into  the  land,  wherc's  fathers  had  sojom-n'd, 

AVas  full  arrived  at  seventeen  years  of  age ; 

And  by  his  hopefulness  did  then  presage. 

He  was  endued  with  a  noble  mind. 

That  would  to  virtuous  actions  be  inclin'd; 

For  being  sent  to  feed  his  father's  flock, 

Among  his  brethren  he  great  notice  toolc 

Of  wliat  they  did,  and  if  in  any  sort 

They  did  amiss,  he  thereof  made  report 

Unto  his  father,  and  did  thus  create 

His  father's  favoiu-,  but  his  brethren's  hate. 

His  father  loved  him  better  than  the  rest, 

As  being  the  son  wherewith  his  age  was  blest. 

And  that  his  kindness  might  the  more  appear, 

-Made  him  a  party  colom-'d  coat  to  wear. 

But  as  it  often  haps,  his  father's  love 

Did  in  his  brethren  greater  hatred  move. 

But  that  which  most  incens'd  them  was  liis  dreams, 

]]y  which,  in  a  prophetic  way,  he  seems 

'i'lieir  low  submission,  and  his  futm-e  state 

Of  greatness  plainly  to  prognosticate. 

Tor  to  his  brethren  thus  his  dreams  he  told. 

And  said.  As  we  were  binding  sheaves,  behold, 

;My  sheaf  arose  and  stood  up  in  the  field. 

And  all  your  sheaves  stood  round  about,  to  yk\i 

Obeisance  unto  mine:  And  what,  must  we 

Indeed,  say  they,  be  subject  unto  thee  ? 

Tlieir  wrath  increas'd,  this  added  to  his  crime. 

And  Joseph  di-eamcd  yet  a  second  time; 

And  said.  Behold,  I  saw  the  sun  and  moon. 

And  the  eleven  stars  to  me  f;ill  down. 

At  which  his  father  highly  was  offended. 

And  foi'  these  words,  the  lad  he  reprehended. 

And  said,  Pond  youth,  dost  thou  pretend  to  shcv/ 

That  I,  thy  mother,  and  thy  brethren  too, 

JIust  all  submit  to  thee  ?     Thou  dost  but  dream: 

But  Jacob  kept  his  words,  and  thought  of  them. 


Now  Jacob's  sons  did  feed  their  flocks  in  Shechom, 

And  he  desired  Joseph  to  go  seek  them. 

And  find  them  out,  and  come  again  and  tell 

If  all  things  with  them  and  their  flocks  were  wcU. 

So  Joseph  went,  and  wander'd  here  and  there. 

But  could  not  find  out  where  his  brethren  were, 

Until  a  man  had  told  liim  their  intent 

Of  going  to  Dotham,  where  he  also  went. 

And  when  his  brethreu  at  a  distance  saw  him, 

They  held  a  consultation  how  to  slay  him. 

And  said.  Here  comes  the  dreamer,  we  shall  see 

What  the  event  of  all  his  dreams  will  be; 

For  we  will  kill,  and  in  a  pit  will  hide  him, 

And  say  some  beast  or  other  hath  destroy'd  him. 

But  Reuben  somewhat  tend'rer  than  the  rest, 

Endeavour'd  to  persuade  them  to  desist 

From  murder,  saying,  Into  this  pit  let's  cast  him, 

Aad  this  he  said  in  hopes  to  have  rclcas'd  him. 

And  now  when  Joseph  came  not  dreading  ought. 

They  stript  him  of  his  party  colour'd  coat. 

And  led  him  to  a  pit  that  was  hard  by. 

And  threw  him  into't,  but  the  pit  was  diy. 

And  sitting  down  to  eat,  they  chanc'd  to  spy, 

A  company  of  Ishmaelites  pass  by, 

Who  vntti  bahn,  myrrh,  and  spice,  thek  camels  lading 

From  Gilead  came,  and  were  to  Egypt  trading. 

Then  Judah  said,  'TwiU  do  us  little  good 

To  slay  our  brother,  and  conceal  his  blood; 

Come  therefore,  brethren,  be  advis'd  by  me. 

Let's  sell  him  to  these  Ishmaehtes,  for  he 

Is  our  own  flesh,  and  'tis  a  cruel  deed. 

To  kiE  hun,  and  to  this  they  all  agreed. 

Their  brother  then  out  of  the  pit  they  hale. 

And  to  these  merchants  offer 'd  him  to  sale: 

"Who,  him  for  twenty  silver  pieces  bought. 

And  with  them  to  the  land  of  Egj'pt  brought. 

But  Reuben,  ignorant  of  what  was  done. 

Came  to  the  pit,  and  seeing  the  lad  was  gone. 

He  rent  his  clothes  in  a  great  consternation, 

Retmniing  back  with  heavy  lamentation. 

And  now  that  they  might  make  their  story  good 

They  kiU'd  a  kid,  and  dipped  in  the  blood 

Their  brother  Joseph's  coat,  and  home  they  came. 

And  to  their  father's  view  expos'd  the  same, 

And  said.  This  we  have  found,  now  thou  dost  know 

Whether  it  be  thy  son's  coat,  yea  or  no. 

And  Jacob  knew  the  coat  fuH  well,  and  said. 

Now  hath  some  evil  beast  dcvour'd  the  lad ; 


SCRIPTURAL  rOEMS. 


4Ul 


Joseph  is  torn  in  pieces  without  doubt, 
For,  too,  too  well  I  know  this  is  his  coat. 
He  reut  his  clothes,  and  putting  sackcloth  on, 
He  for  a  long  time  mourned  for  his  son. 
His  children  striving  to  assuage  his  grief 
Endeavour'd  to  administer  relief: 
But  he  refus'd,  and  said,  Since  he  is  gone," 
I  wUl  in  sorrow  to  the  grave  go  down. 
Such  lamentation  made  he  for  liis  sou. 

CHAP.  XXXIX. 

And  now  these  merchants,  sons  of  Ishmacl, 

Again  did  poor  afllicted  Joseph  sell, 

To  an  Egyptian,  named  Potiphar, 

The  captain  of  King  Pharoah's  men  of  war. 

And  God  was  with  him,  and  did  greatly  uless, 

And  crown  his  undertakings  with  success. 

AV  hereof  his  master  being  well  aware. 

Committed  all  he  had  to  Joseph's  care; 

And  made  him  overseer  of  his  house. 

And,  from  the  time  his  master  us'd  him  thus. 

The  Lord  was  pleas'd  to  give  him  to  partake, 

So  many  blessings,  e'en  for  Joseph's  sake: 

Of  that  with  plenty  he  was  hedg'd  about. 

And  prospered  within  door  and  without. 

Such  was  his  master's  love,  and  he  so  just, 

That  all  things  were  committed  to  his  trust. 

Now  Joseph  was  grown  up  to  manly  stature. 

Of  goodly  presence,  and  most  comely  feature. 

Wherefore  his  mistress,  with  a  lustful  eye, 

Beheld  his  beauty,  and  resolv'd  to  try. 

If  to  unchaste  embraces  she  could  gain 

The  youth,  but  her  endeavours  prov'd  in  vaic: 

Por  he  refus'd,  and  said.  My  master  knows  ') 

In  all  the  house  of  nothing  that  he  owes,*    V 

Por  his  concerns  are  all  at  my  dispose:         J 

There's  not  a  thing  that  he  hath  kept  from  nie. 

But  all  is  in  my  hand,  save  only  thee; 

Then  how  can  I  commit  so  foul  a  fact. 

And  the  displeasure  of  my  God  contract? 

Yet  stiU  she  sued,  and  still  did  he  deny  her. 

Refusing  to  be  with  her,  or  lie  by  her. 

Now  on  a  time  when  all  the  men  were  gone 

Out  of  the  house,  and  she  was  left  alone : 

And  Joseph  at  that  instant  coming  in. 

About  some  business  he'd  to  do  within; 

She  took  advantage  of  their  being  together. 

And  held  his  clothes  to  force  liim  to  lie  with  her. 

But  Joseph  strove,  and  from  her  hands  got  loose. 

And  left  his  coat,  and  fled  out  of  the  house. 

And  when  she  saw  that  he  had  made's  escape. 

She  call'd  her  servants,  and  proclaim'd  a  rape: 

Come  see  now  how  this  Hebrew  slave,  said  she. 

Your  master's  favourite,  hath  affronted  me. 

He  came  to  violate  my  chastity, 

And  when  he  heard  that  I  began  to  cry. 

And  call  for  help,  afraid  lest  you  shoidd  find  hurt. 

He's  fled,  and  left  his  garment  here  behind  him. 

And  now  to  give  lier  words  the  greater  credit. 

Until  her  husband's  coming  home,  she  hid  it. 

To  whom  shp  spake,  and  said.  Why  hast  thou  brought 

This  Hebrew  here,  to  set  me  thus  at  uought? 

*  '  lie  owes,'  a  coatractiun  for  'he  ownctli.' — Ld. 
VOL.  II. 


The  slave  attempted  to  defile  my  bed. 

And  when  I  ciy'd,  he  left  his  coat  and  fled, 

See  here  it  is.     "Which  when  he  saw,  and  hcaj'd 

The  heavy  accusation  she  preferr'd, 

He  was  exceeding  wroth  at  his  behaviour. 

And  utterly  cashier'd  him  from  his  favour; 

Nay  more,  he  cast  him  into  prison,  where 

In  fetters  bound.  King  Pharaoh's  pris'ners  were. 

But  Joseph's  God,  who  never  yet  forsook 

Him  in  extremity,  was  pleas'd  to  look 

With  great  compassion  on  his  injuries. 

And  gave  him  favour  in  the  keeper's  eyes; 

So  that  he  was  entrusted  with  the  care 

And  chai-ge  of  all  the  pris'ners  that  WTrc  there: 

All  were  committed  unto  Joseph's  hand. 

And  what  was  done,  was  done  at  his  command. 

The  prison-keeper  took  no  care  at  all. 

Of  ought  that  he  entrusted  him  withal ; 

Because  he  saw  that  God  was  with  him,  and 

All  things  did  prosper  that  he  took  in  hand. 

CHAP.  XL. 

And  now,  whilst  Joseph  in  confinement  lay. 

It  came  to  pass  upon  a  certain  day. 

That  Pharaoh  King  of  Egypt,  being  wrotli 

With  his  chief  butler,  and  chief  baker  botii. 

For  their  ofiences,  put  them  botii  in  ward, 

In  the  house  of  the  captain  of  the  guard: 

Into  the  place  where  Joseph  was  confin'd. 

Unto  whose  custody  they  were  resign'd; 

And  he  attended  on  them  in  the  prison. 

And  there  they  were  continu'd  for  a  season, 

Daring  which  time  it  chanced  both  of  them 

Did  in  the  same  night  dream  each  man  his  dream: 

Which  dreams,  according  to  interpretation. 

Had  to  themselves  particular  relation. 

And  Joseph  coming  early  the  next  day. 

Into  the  room  where  Pharaoh's  servants  lay. 

Beheld  their  countenances  much  dejected: 

Wherefore  he  said.  What  evil  hath  effected 

This  melancholy  frame,  what  is't  that  causes 

These  marks  of  discontentment  in  your  faces? 

Then  said  they,  W^e  have  dream'd  each  man  his  di'cam; 

And  there  is  no  man  to  interpret  them. 

Then  Joseph  said.  Your  di'cams  to  me  make  known, 

Interpretations  are  from  God  alone. 

Then  unto  Joseph  the  chief  butler  told 

His  dream,  and  said,  Methought  I  did  behold 

A  vine,  whereon  three  branches  did  appear. 

Which  seem'd  to  bud,  to  blossom,  and  to  bear 

Clusters  of  full  ripe  grapes,  which  to  my  thiukiiig 

I  press'd  into  the  cup  for  Pharaoh's  drinking. 

And  Joseph  said,  Thy  di"eam  doth  signify. 

Thou  shalt  enjoy  thy  former  dignity: 

The  branches  which  thou  sawest  are  three  days, 

In  which  King  Pharaoh  wiU  his  butler  raise 

And  to  thy  place  again  wiU  thee  restore. 

And  thou  shalt  serve  him  as  thou'st  done  befors; 

But  do  not,  wiien  it  shall  be  well  with  thee, 

Forget  me,  but  show  kindness  unto  me. 

And  unto  Pharaoh  represent  my  case. 

That  I  may  be  dehver'd  from  this  place; 

For  I  was  stol'n  out  of  the  Hebrew's  land, 

And  also  here  am  wTongfidly  detained. 


40; 


SCRIPTURAL  POEMS. 


Tlien  tlic  cMef  Lalccr  having  nnderstoocl. 

That  the  interpretation  was  so  good. 

He  told  his  di'eam  to  Joseph  too,  and  saiJ, 

Lo,  I  had  tlu'ce  white  haskcts  on  mj  head. 

And  in  the  uppermost  there  sccm'd  to  be. 

Of  balud  provision,  great  variety, 

Tit  for  King  Pharaoh's  tahle,  and  there  came 

A  flock  of  bu-ds,  and  secm'd  to  eat  the  same. 

And  Joseph  said,  Thy  dream  portends  thy  full. 

For  at  the  end  of  three  days  Pharaoh  shall 

Lift  up  thy  head,  and  hang  tliee  ou  a  tree. 

So  that  the  birds  shall  feast  themselves  on  thcc. 

And  on  the  third  day  Pharaoh  made  a  feast 

Unto  his  servants,  and  among  the  rest 

The  butler  and  the  baker  v.-ere  brought  forth. 

The  day  being  kept  la  memory  of  his  birth. 

And  to  his  place  lung  Pharaoh  did  restore 

His  butler,  and  he  served  him  as  before. 

But  the  chief  baker  he  condemn'd  to  die, 

According  unto  Joseph's  prophecy. 

Yet  though  the  butler  had  rogaiu'd  his  place. 

He  was  unmindful  of  poor  Joseph's  case. 

CHAP.  XLT. 

And  now  when  two  years'  time  was  fully  past. 
And  Joseph  from  confinement  not  releast. 
It  came  to  pass  that  Pharaoh  dream'd,  and 
He  seemed  by  a  river-side  to  stand, 
Whence  he  seven  fat  weli-favour'd  kine  beheld. 
Come  up  and  grazed  in  the  neighbouring  lield. 
And  after  them  there  came  up  seven  more. 
Lean  and  iU-favom-'d,  and  did  soon  devom- 
The  seven  fat  kine  which  came  up  just  before 
So  Pharaoh  'woke,  and  mus'd  awhile,  and  then 
Soon  as  Ms  sleep  Ms  di-eara  returned  again: 
"Wherein  he  saw  upon  one  stalk  there  stood 
Seven  ears  of  corn  exceeding  rank  and  good. 
And  seven  others,  with  the  east  wind  blasted. 
And  withered,  sprang  up,  and  quickly  wasted 
The  seven  good  ears,  and  quite  devour'd  them: 
And  Pharaoh  'woke,  and  lo,  it  was  a  dream. 
And  in  the  morning  he  was  discontent, 
And  for  the  wise  men  and  magicians  sent, 
To  ease  his  mind;  but  there  was  none  of  them 
That  could  inteq)ret  to  the  Icing  his  dream. 
Then  the  chief  butler,  making  Ms  address 
Unto  King  Pharaoh,  said,  I  now  confess 
^ly  former  faults,  for  when  the  king  was  wToth 
AVith  his  cliief  butler,  and  chief  baker  both. 
It  pleased  him,  to  put  us  both  in  ward, 
In  the  house  of  the  captain  of  the  guai"d: 
And  in  one  night  we  dream'd  a  di'tam,  each  cno 
According  to  's  interpretation : 
And  there  was  then  an  Hebrew  there  in  ward, 
A  youth  that  serv'd  the  captain  of  the  guard : 
To  whom  we  told  whereof  we  had  been  dreaming 
And  he  interpreted  to  us  the  meaning; 
And  what  he  said  feU  out  accordingly,    \ 
Me  he  restored  to  my  dignity,  ^ 

Eut  told  the  baker  he  should  surely  die.  ) 
Then  Pliaraoh  sent  a  messenger  in  haste, 
And  Joseph  from  the  dungeon  vras  relcas'd: 


iforc.  ) 


And  having  shav'd  himself  and  chaug'd  Ms  clothes. 
Into  the  presence  of  the  king  he  goes. 
To  whom  king  Pharaoh  said,  I  have  been  told 
Thou  canst  the  meaning  of  a  dream  unfold: 
Now  I  have  dream'd  a  di'cam,  and  there  is  none 
Can  give  me  the  interpretation. 
And  Joseph  said,  I  cannot  do  this  thing 
ilyself,  but  God  shall  answer  thee,  oh  king. 
Then  Pliaraoh  said  to  Joseph,  In  my  dream. 
As  I  stood  by  a  river's  side,  there  came 
Up  from  the  river  seven  weh-favour'd  kine. 
And  fed  upon  the  banks,  all  fat  and  fine. 
And  after  them  there  came  up  seven  more. 
Lean  and  ill-favour'd,  and  exceeding  poor: 
Such  as  the  land  of  Egypt  never  bred. 
And  ou  the  seven  weU-favour'd  kine  they  fed, 
And  eat  them  up,  but  'twas  not  to  be  seen 
That  they  had  eat  them,  they  look'd  still  so  thin. 
So  I  awoke,  and  mus'd  awhile,  and  then 
Soon  as  my  sleep,  my  di-eam  retm'n'd  again; 
'Wherein  I  saw  upon  one  stalk  there  stood 
Seven  ears  of  corn,  exceeding  rank  and  good: 
Then  seven  others,  with  the  east  wind  blasted. 
And  withered,  came  up,  and  quicldy  wasted 
The  seven  good  ears,  and  quite  devoured  them. 
And  being  unsatisfied  about  my  dream, 
I  sought  "onto  tlie  wise  men  of  the  nation. 
But  they  could  give  me  no  interpretation. 
And  Joseph  said,  Thy  dream,  oh  king!  is  one, 
God  shews  to  Pharaoh  what  he  wUl  have  done. 
The  seven  fat  kine  and  seven  good  ears  agree 
To  shew,  seven  years  of  plenty  there  shall  be. 
The  seven  lean  kine,  and  seven  blasted  ears. 
Denote  there  shall  be  famine  seven  years. 
TMs  I  declare  to  Pharaoh,  God  doth  shew 
To  thee,  oh  king!  what  he's  about  to  do. 
Behold  seven  years  of  plenty  are  at  hand, 
"WMch  shall  be  very  great  tM'oughout  the  land. 
And  after  them  seven  years  of  famine  shall 
Arise,  and  shaU  consume  the  land,  and  aU 
The  former  plenty  shall  not  be  pcrceiv'd. 
So  much  the  land  with  famine  shall  be  griev'd. 
And  since  the  dream  was  doubl'd  to  the  king,  ^ 
It  is  because  God  hath  decreed  the  thing,         V 
And  on  this  land  the  same  will  shortly  bring ;  ) 
Now  therefore  if  I  may  the  king  advise. 
Let  him  look  out  a  man  discreet  and  wise, 
And  make  Miu  overseer  of  the  land : 
And  substitute  men  under  Ms  command 
To  gather  a  fifth  part  for  public  use, 
Of  what  tiie  seven  plenteous  j'cars  produce ; 
And  in  the  cities  lay  it  up  for  store, 
Against  the  famine  in  the  land  grows  sore ; 
And  let  it  be  repos'd  in  Pharaoh's  hand. 
That  so  the  famine  may  not  waste  the  laud. 
And  when  king  Pharaoh  and  Ms  servants  hc.".rd 
The  propositions  Joseph  had  prcferr'd. 
They  were  acceptable  in  Pharaoh's  eyes, 
And  in  the  eyes  of  all  his  com't  likewise  : 
So  that  he  said.  Can  such  an  one  be  found  ? 
A  man  in  whom  God's  Spiiit  doth  abound. 
And  Pharaoh  said  to  Joseph,  Forasmuch 
As  God's  great  kindness  unto  thee  is  such. 


SCRIPTLTwlL  POEMS. 


403 


As  to  reveal  this  thing  to  thee,  I  Icnow 
No  niau  so  wise  or  so  discreet  as  thou. 
Be  thou  therciore  the  ruler  of  the  land. 
And  let  my  people  be  at  thy  command  ; 
Thou  shalt  in  all  tilings  be  as  great  as  I, 
Save  only  in  the  royal  dignity. 
Eehold  tliis  day  I  have  advanced  thee 
Said  he,  to  be  a  man  of  high  degree 
Thi'oughout  the  laud.     And  therewithal  the  king 
Eestow'd  oil  Joseph  his  own  royal  ring  ; 
And  liim  with  robes  of  state  did  richly  deck, 
And  put  a  chain  of  gold  aliout  his  neck, 
And  in  his  second  chaiiot  made  him  ride,  ") 

And  as  he  past,  Bow  douTi  the  knee  tliey  cry'd,  > 
"With  so  great  honour  was  he  dignifi'd.  J 

And  Pharaoh  said  moreover,  I  am  king. 
No  man  shall  dare  to  purpose  any  tiling. 
Or  move  his  hand  or  foot  in  all  this  nation. 
Unless  it  shall  be  by  thy  approbation. 
He  also  gave  to  Joseph  a  new  name. 
And  for  a  wife  gave  him  a  princely  dame, 
'Who  was  the  daughter  of  a  priest  of  fame.  ) 
(Now  Joseph  had  attained  his  thirtieth  year, 
AVhcn  he  before  king  Phai-aoh  did  appear.) 
And  he  went  out  from  Pharaoh's  presence,  and 
Began  his  progress  over  aU  the  laud. 
Now  in  the  seven  plenteous  years,  the  field 
Did  its  increase  in  great  abimdauce  yield. 
■  And  Josepli  gather'd  all  that  plenteous  crop. 
And  in  th'  adjacent  cities  laid  it  up : 
AVhich  like  rnito  the  sand  npon  the  sliore,        ") 
Did  so  abound  that  he  could  count  no  more,     >• 
Such  was  tlie  plenty  that  the  earth  then  bore.  J 
And  unto  Joseph  there  was  born  a  son, 
Even  by  the  daughter  of  the  priest  of  On, 
Before  the  years  of  famine  were  begun  ; 
The  which  he  call'd  Manasseh,  for,  said  Ii?, 
God  makes  me  to  forget  my  misery. 
And  all  my  father's  house.     And  after  hira 
'^Vas  born  another  he  called  Ephraini ; 
Tor  God,  saith  he,  hath  made  me  to  possess 
Abundance  in  the  land  of  my  distress. 
And  when  the  seven  plenteous  years  were  gone, 
Tiie  seven  years  of  famine  nest  came  on, 
As  Joseph  said,  and  there  was  a  great  dearth 
In  every  nation  tliroughout  all  the  earth ; 
But  in  the  land  of  Egyjit  there  was  bread. 
And  when  the  people  almost  famished. 
Complained  to  the  king,  he  bade  them  go 
To  Joseph,  and  whate'er  he  said  to  do. 
And  now  the  famine  daily  waxing  sore, 
Joseph  began  to  bring  forth  of  his  store, 
Which  he  had  laid  up  for  the  public  good  ; 
To  whom  th'  Egyptians  came  and  bought  tlicir  food. 
And  people  from  aU  countries  far  and  near  '\ 
To  Egypt  came  to  bny  provision  there ;       [- 
Tor  in  all  lands  the  famine  was  severe.        j 

CITAP.  XLII. 

And  now,  behold,  when  Jacob  had  been  told 
That  there  was  com  in  Egj'pt  to  be  sold, 
He  said  unto  his  sons,  "Why  stand  ye  thus  ? 
Go  do^vn  to  Egypt  and  buy  corn  for  us ; 


That  so  our  craving  stomachs  may  be  fed, 

And  not  be  here  and  die  for  lack  of  bread. 

Thus  Jacob's  ten  sons  were  to  Egypt  sent. 

But  Joseph's  brother  Benjamin  ne'er  went. 

For  why,  his  father  said,  I  will  not  send  him. 

Lest  peradvcuture  some  ill  chance  attend  Liia. 

And  JoEcpli's  brethren  came  among  the  rc=t 

To  buy  provision,  fur  they  were  dlstrcss'd. 

Now  he  was  governor  of  all  the  land. 

And  all  the  com  of  Egj^t  in  his  hand. 

Wherefore  his  brethren,  when  they  came  to  treat 

With  him  for  corn,  bow'd  down  e'en  at  his  fecr : 

And  he  no  sooner  saw  them  but  he  knew  them, 

And  show'd  himself  extremely  strange  unto  them : 

And  very  roughly  asked  who  they  were. 

Prom  whence  they  came,  and  v/hat  their  bus'ncss  there. 

And  they  made  answer.  We  thy  servants  from 

The  land  of  Canaan  to  buy  food  are  come. 

Now  tho'  they  knew  him  not,  yet  he  kncv,-  thc.r., 

And  calhng  now"  to  mind  his  former  dre;un. 

He  said,  I  do  suspect  ye're  come  as  spies. 

To  see  in  what  distress  our  country  lies. 

But  they  reply'd  again,  3Iy  lord,  we're  ccir.e 

Only  to  buy  some  food  to  cany  home. 

Think  not  thy  servants  spies,  but  tmc  men  uitlicr 

For  we  are  aL.  the  children  of  one  father. 

Nay,  nay,  said  he,  but  ye  are  come  to  pry 

Into  the  nation's  great  necessity. 

But  they  rcply'd  again.  Thy  servants  are 

Inhabitants  of  Canaan,  and  declare. 

That  we're  twelve  brethi-en,  whom  one  man  bogot. 

The  youngest  is  at  home,  and  one  is  not 

Well  then,  said  Joseph,  hereby  shall  I  know, 

"Whether  ye're  spies,  as  I  have  said,  or  no ; 

Now  by  the  life  of  Pharaoh  do  I  swear. 

Until  your  brother  come  I'U  keep  you  here. 

Send  one  of  you  and  fetch  the  lad  to  me. 

And  you  shall  be  confin'd,  so  shall  there  be 

A  proof  of  what  you  say  before  mine  eyes. 

Or  by  the  life  of  Pharaoh  ye  arc  spies. 

Then  he  for  three  days  put  them  all  in  ward. 

And  on  the  third  day  said,  I  have  regard 

To  ecpiity,  therefore  if  ye  are  true 

And  honest  men,  do  this  ;  let  one  of  you 

Be  bound  in  prison  here,  and  let  the  other 

Go  carry  corn  home  and  bring  me  yonr  brother ; 

So  shall  ye  be  approv'd  and  shall  not  die. 

And  they  prepared  to  do  accordingly. 

And  as  they  were  discoursing  to  each  otlier,' 

They  said,  W^e  were  in  fault  about  our  brother, 

In  that  we  saw  his  soul  in  great  distress. 

And  yet  were  so  exceeding  pitiless. 

As  not  to  hearken  to  his  earnest  cries : 

This  is  the  cause  of  these  our  misc/ics. 

And  Reuben  said.  You  know  I  did  forewarn. 

And  beg  that  you  woidd  do  the  child  no  h:ir;a ; 

But  yon  would  not  do  then  as  I  desk'd. 

And  now  his  blood  is  at  our  hands  requir'd. 

Thus  they  discom-s'd  about  the  cause  that  brouglit 

Their  present  trouble,  but  they  little  thought 

That  Joseph  biew  of  what  they  did  confer. 

Because  he  spake  by  an  interpreter. 

And  he  being  moved  at  their  words  withdrew 

To  weep,  and  then  returned  to  renew 


404 


SCEIPTURAL  POEMS. 


His  former  tallc ;  and  choosing  Simeon  out, 

Before  them  all  he  bound  him  hand  and  foot. 

And  gave  command  to  fill  their  sacks  with  grain. 

And  to  restore  their  money  to  'em  again ; 

And  for  their  jomniey  gave  them  food  to  eat ; 

In  such  sort  Joseph  did  his  brethren  treat. 

Then  with  their  asses  laden  towards  home 

They  went,  and  when  into  their  inn  they  coma 

As  one  of  them  his  sack  of  corn  unty'd, 

To  give  his  ass  some  provender,  he  spy'd 

His  money  in  his  sack  again  rcturn'd ; 

■Wherefore  he  call'd  his  brethren  and  inform'vl 

Them  that  his  money  was  returned  back. 

Behold,  said  he,  it  is  here  in  my  sack. 

On  sight  whereof  tlicir  hearts  were  sore  dismay' J, 

And  being  very  much  affrighted  said. 

What  is  the  thing  that  God's  about  to  do. 

That  we  do  thus  these  troubles  undergo  ? 

Then  coming  to  their  father  they  related. 

After  what  sort  they  were  in  Egypt  treated : 

And  said,  the  man  that's  lord  of  all  the  land. 

And  hath  the  store  of  corn  all  in  his  hand, 

Spake  roughly  to  us,  and  aflirm'd  that  we 

Were  come  the  weakness  of  the  laud  to  sec. 

To  whom  we  said.  We  are  all  honest  men ; 

We  are  twelve  brethren,  whereof  here  are  ten. 

And  two  elsewhere,  all  which  one  man  begot. 

The  youugest's  with  oiu-  father,  one  is  not. 

Then  said  the  ruler  of  the  land,  Hereby 

>"•  hall  I  make  proof  of  your  integrity : 

Let  one  of  you  continue  here  with  me. 

And  take  provision  for  your  family ; 

And  get  you  gone  and  bring  the  youngest  hither. 

That  so  I  may  be  satisfied  whether 

Ye  are  true  men,  as  you  make  protestation, 

Then  I'll  release  him,  and  give  toleration 

To  you  to  come  and  traffic  in  the  nation. 

And  now  behold  as  they  their  sacks  unloos'd 

To  empty  out  their  corn,  there  was  unclos'd 

In  each  man's  sack  his  money  therein  bound, 

As  when  they  came  from  home,  Avhich  when  they  found. 

Both  they  and  their  old  father  were  afraid ; 

And  to  his  sons  afdicted  Jacob  said. 

You  of  my  children  have  bereaved  me, 

Joseph  and  Simeon  now  do  cease  to  be ; 

And  of  my  Benjamin  you  would  deprive  mc. 

These  things  do  cv'n  into  distraction  drive  me. 

Then  Rueben  said,  IMy  father  I  resign 

To  thy  disposing  these  two  sons  of  mine ; 

Give  me  the  lad,  and  let  them  both  be  skiu. 

If  I  do  not  return  him  safe  again. 

But  he  reply'd,  I  will  not  let  him  go, 

For  why  his  brother  is'  dcceas'd  you  know ; 

And  if  upon  the  way  some  evil  thing 

Should  happen  to  the  lad,  you  then  will  bring 

These  my  grey  hairs  with  sorrow  to  the  grave ; 

Eor  he's  the  only  comfort  that  I  have. 

CHAP.  XLIII. 

And  now  the  famine  still  continuing  sore,  '\ 

And  having  spent  all  their  late  purchas'd  store,  ^ 
Their  father  bids  them  to  go  do^^^l  for  more       ) 
To  whom  when  Judah  had  himself  addi-ess'd. 
He  said.  The  man  did  solemnly  protest, 


If  we  without  our  brother  came  again, 

To  seek  his  face  would  be  for  us  in  vain : 

If  therefore  thou  wilt  send  him,  well  and  good. 

Then  vnW  we  wilhngly  go  down  for  food ; 

But  if  thou  wilt  not,  we  must  let  thee  know. 

We  are  resolved  that  we  will  not  go : 

For,  as  I  said  before,  the  ruler  swore 

Without  him  we  should  see  his  face  no  more. 

Then  Israel  said,  Why  were  you  so  nnldnd 

To  say  you  had  a  brother  left  behind  P 

I'he  man,  said  they,  was  so  inquisitive, 

He  asked  if  our  father  were  aUve, 

Or  if  we  had  a  brother,  whereunto 

Accordingly  we  answer'd,  could  we  know 

If  he  would  bid  us  bring  the  lad  or  no  ? 

]\Ioreover  Judah  to  his  father  said. 

If  thou  wilt  but  entrust  me  with  the  lad, 

We  will  begone,  that  so  both  thou  aud  wo 

^lay  be  preserved  with  our  family  : 

I  will  be  surety  for  him,  if  T  fail 

To  bring  him  back,  on  me  the  blame  entail ; 

For  if  we  had  not  lingered,  we  had  been 

By  this  time  here  the  second  time  again. 

Well  then,  said  Isr'el,  if  it  must  be  so. 

My  sons,  take  my  advice  before  you  go ; 

Provide  some  of  the  best  fruits  of  the  laud, 

To  give  the  man  a  present  from  your  hand ; 

Balm,  myrrh,  and  spices,  and  a  little  honey. 

Some  nuts  and  almonds,  and  take  double  money, 

For  peradventure  it  was  a  mistake. 

In  that  yom:  money  was  retmmed  back. 

And  take  yoiu:  brother  Benjamin  and  go, 

And  God  Almighty  grant  the  man  may  shew 

You  mercy,  that  you  may  bring  back  again  ^ 

Y  our  other  brother,  and  my  Benjamin,        >- 

And  if  I  am  bereav'd,  so  have  I  been.  ) 

Then  did  the  men  prepare  the  present,  and 

They  took  their  money  double  in  their  hand 

With  Benjamin,  and  down  to  Egypt  went. 

Who  unto  Joseph  did  themselves  present. 

Who,  when  he  saw  that  Benjamin  was  come, 

Order'd  his  steward  to  conduct  them  home, 

x\nd  to  provide  a  dinner,  for,  said  he, 

I  do  intend  these  men  shall  dine  with  me. 

Then  did  the  steward  as  his  master  said. 

And  brought  them  home,  whereat  they  were  afrriil, 

And  said.  The  man  hath  caus'd  us  to  come  in. 

Because  our  money  was  return'd  again ; 

To  take  occasion  now  to  fall  upon  us, 

Aud  make  us  slaves,  and  take  our  asses  from  us. 

Unto  the  steward  they  drew  nigh  therefore, 

And  thus  communed  mth  him  at  the  door : 

0  sir,  say  they,  we  came  at  first  indeed 

To  buy  provision  to  supply  our  need ; 

And  in  our  inn  as  we  our  sacks  unloos'd, 

We  found  our  money  therein  all  inclos'd 

In  its  full  weight,  whereat  surpris'd  with  fear. 

Not  knowing  who  had  put  our  money  there, 

AVe  now  have  brought  it  in  fuU  weight  again. 

And  other  money  too,  to  buy  more  grain. 

Peace,  neace,  said  he,  let  not  fear  seize  upon  you 

For  I  had  the  disposing  of  yom-  money : 

God,  unto  whom  you  and  your  father  bow, 

Hath  giv'n  you  treasure  in  your  sacks  I  trow. 


SCRIPTURAL  POEMS. 


405 


And  then  rdeasing  Simon,  who  had  been 

Confin'd  in  Joseph's  house,  he  brought  them  in 

And  set  them  water,  and  they  wash'd  their  feet ; 

And  gave  their  asses  provender  to  eat. 

Then  they  made  ready,  against  Joseph  came. 

Their  gifts,  in  order  to  present  the  same 

At  noon ;  for  they  were  told  he  did  design 

To  have  their  company  with  him  to  dine. 

And  now  when  Joseph  was  returned  home. 

Into  his  presence  they  with  rev'rence  come. 

And  brought  their  presents  in  and  laid  before  liim. 

And  fell  down  at  his  feet  for  to  adore  him. 

Then  he  inquired  if  they  all  were  well, 

And  said,  ^Vhen  you  were  here  I  heard  you  tCA 

Of  an  old  man,  your  father,  how  does  he  ? 

Is  he  in  health,  or  doth  he  cease  to  be  ? 

"Whereto  in  humble  sort  they  thus  repli'd. 

Thy  servant,  ev'n  om-  father,  doth  abide 

In  perfect  health,  which  having  said. 

They  bowed  their  heads  and  great  obeisance  made. 

And  Joseph  viewing  Benjamin  his  brother 

Crhey  being  both  the  children  of  one  mothci') 

lie  asked  if  he  were  the  lad  of  whom 

They  spake,  then  said,  God  give  thee  grace,  ray  son. 

Then  making  haste  to  find  a  secret  place 

To  weep,  because  his  bowels  yeam'd  apace 

L'pon  his  brother,  to  liis  chamber  went. 

Where  ha\-ing  giv'n  histroub'ed  spirits  vent. 

He  washed  his  face,  and  did  himscK  refrain, 

And  to  his  brethren  then  came  forth  again. 

And  bade  his  servants  they  should  set  on  brcnd. 

At  his  command  the  tables  were  all  spread; 

One  for  himscL',  and  for  his  friends  another,       ■^ 

And  for  the  Egyptians  one  apart  from  either,     j. 

That  so  they  might  not  eat  bread  altogether ;     ) 

Tor  it  is  held  a  great  abomination 

For  them  to  eat  among  the  Hebrew  nation. 

And  they  were  placed  as  their  age  required. 

The  eldest  first,  whereat  the  men  admired. 

And  from  his  table  Joseph  sent  them  messes ; 

But  in  a  larger  manner  he  expresses 

To  Benjamin  his  kindness,  which  was  such. 

That  he  appointed  him  five  times  as  much 

As  to  the  rest :  and  they  di-ank  plenteoui'y. 

Tin  they  were  merry  in  his  company. 

CHAP.  XLIV. 
And  to  his  steward  Joseph  spake,  and  said, 
Give  these  men  corn  as  much  as  they  can  lade  ; 
And  in  their  sacks  bind  each  man's  money  up. 
And  in  the  youngest's  put  my  silver  cup 
Besides  his  money  ;  and  he  made  haste  and  did 
According  as  his  master  had  commanded. 
And  in  the  morning  by  the  break  of  d;'.y, 
"With  asses  laden  they  were  sent  away: 
And  now,  e'er  they  had  scarce  the  town's  end  prsj'J, 
He  sent  his  steward  after  them  in  haste. 
And  said,  Go,  follow  them,  and  ask  them  Avhy 
They  have  dealt  by  me  so  ungratefully  ? 
And  say  unto  them.  You  have  done  gi'cat  evil 
To  rob  my  master,  who  hath  been  so  civil, 
And  steal  the  cup  wherein  he  drinks  his  wine  ; 
Is  it  not  it  whereby  he  doth  *(l'viiir"  " 

The  word  ~-^i3,  translated  '  divkie,'  nieiins  to  eye  subtLUy,  to  !-l,jc1i. 


Tlien  he  pursu'd  and  quickly  overtook 

Them,  and  these  veiy  words  to  them  he  spoke. 

To  whom  they  said,  "Why  hath  my  lord  such  thought  ? 

Oh,  God  forbid  that  we  should  be  so  fnaught ; 

Behold,  thou  know'st  we  brought  the  money  back 

The  wliich  we  found  bound  up  in  each  man's  sack, 

AVhich  shews  that  we  had  no  design  to  cheat ; 

How  then  should  we  now  steal  your  master's  plate  ? 

'V\'ith  which  of  us  thy  sen'ants  it  is  found 

Let  liim  be  slain,  and  we  to  slavery  bouud. 

Now  as  you  S3,j,  said  he,  so  let  it  be, 

He  shall  be  bound,  but  you  shall  all  go  free. 

Then  they  unladed  ev'ry  man  his  beast. 

And  to  his  view  expos'd  their  sacks  in  haste. 

And  he  from  first  to  last  them  searched  rounci. 

And  lo,  the  cup  on  Benjamin  ^vas  fotmd: 

Thereat  surpris'd,  each  man  his  garment  rent, 

And  lades  his  beast,  and  back  again  they  went. 

And  now  when  Judah  and  the  rest  were  come  ■ 

To  Joseph's  house,  (for  he  was  yet  at  home) 

They  fell  before  him  to  the  ground,  to  whom 

He  said,  "What  deed  is  this  that  you  have  done? 

Are  you  not  sensible  that  such  a  one 

As  I,  can  certainly  thereof  make  trial  ? 

Then  Judah  said,  JMy  lord,  there's  no  denial : 

"We  cannot  clear  om-selves.     The  Lord  hath  sent. 

For  our  misdeeds,  this  heavy  punishment. 

Behold,  to  be  thy  slaves  we  all  are  bound. 

Both  we,  and  he  on  whom  the  cup  was  found. 

Then  Joseph  said.  The  Lord  forbid  that  I 

Should  exercis8  so  gi-eat  severity: 

For  he  mth  whom  'tis  found,  and  he  alone 

Shall  be  my  servant,  you  may  aU  be  gone. 

Then  unto  Joseph,  Judah  dramng  near. 

Said,  O  my  lord  !  I  pray  he  pleas'd  to  her.r 

Thy  servant  speak,  and  be  not  angry  now. 

For  as  king  Pharaoh  is  ev'n  so  art  thou. 

!My  lord  did  bid  thy  servants  to  discover 

"Whether  we  had  a  father  or  a  brother ; 

And  we  made  answer  that  thy  servants  had 

An  ancient  fatber  and  a  little  lad, 

The  child  of  his  old  age,  who  was  our  brotlicr. 

And  he  the  only  child  left  of  his  mother, 

His  brother  being  dead ;  and  that  this  lad 

'V\';.s  all  the  comfort  that  oiu-  father  had. 

Then  thou  wert  pleas'd  to  bid  thy  servants  bring 

The  lad,  that  thou  might'st  have  a  sight  of  him. 

And  we  made  answer,  if  the  lad  should  leave 

His  father,  it  would  bring  him  to  Ms  grave : 

And  thou  didst  then  protest  it  was  in  vain 

For  us  without  him  to  come  here  again. 

Then  towards  home  thy  servants  went  their  wny. 

And  told  our  father  what  my  lord  did  say. 

And  in  a  whde,  when  all  010-  corn  was  spent, 

Thy  servant,  ev'n  our  father,  would  have  sent 

To  buy  more  food ;  to  whom  thy  servants  said, 

"\^'e  cannot  go  except  thou  send  the  lad. 

Because  the  man  did  solemnly  declare, 

I'rJess  we  brought  him  we  shotdd  not  come  tbere. 

to  try.    •-  i^;:"'  'JHJ  Sini.  v.  5,  may  be  rendered,  'And  he  wdll  search 
deeply  for  it;  and  in  v.  15,  'Know  ye  not  that  a  man  like  me  would 
search  deeply,'  alluding  to  the  certainty  of  detection,  but  not  by  divina- 
tion.— Ed. 
+  '  So  naught,'  so  corrupt,  had,  or  worthies?. — Ed. 


40G 


SCillPTURAL  POEMS. 


And  tlien  thy  servant,  cv'n  our  faOicr,  said. 

Ye  know  tliat  by  my  wife  two  sons  I  Lad, 

And  one  of  them  ■went  forth  and  came  no  more, 

Which  made  me  thnik  some  beast  did  him  dcvu;ii'. 

And  if  I  now  should  also  condescend  ") 

To  let  this  go,  and  mischief  should  attend,  > 

You  will  with  son-ow  bring  me  to  my  end.  j 

"When  to  my  fithcr  T  shall  come  thereiurc, 

And  he  shall  see  that  I  do  not  restore 

The  lad  again,  he  certainly  will  die, 

(Since  in  his  life  my  father's  life  doth  lie) 

And  we  shall  bring  him  to  his  grave  thLixhy- 

Tor  I  became  a  surety  for  the  lad 

Unto  my  father,  unto  whom  I  said, 

If  I  do  not  in  safety  him  deliver, 

Tlicn  let  me  bear  the  blame  to  thee  for  ever. 

I  humbly  pray  thee,  therefore,  to  accept 

Me  in  his  stead,  and  let  me  here  be  kept 

]\Iy  lord's  bond-slave,  and  let  the  lad  go  free  : 

Por  how  can  I,  thy  servant,  bear  to  sec 

The  evil  that  shall  on  my  father  come, 

If  that  the  lad  return  not  safely  home. 

CHAP.  XLV. 

Then  Joseph,  who  by  no  means  now  could  liiJe 

His  Ijrotherly  affection  longer,  cry'd. 

Put  aU  men  forth;  and  he  was  left  alone 

ATlieu  to  his  brethren  he  himself  made  known. 

Then  Joseph  weeping  lifted  up  his  voice 

So  loud,  that  Pharaoh's  servants  heard  the  noise. 

And  to  his  brethren  (hd  himself  discover. 

And  said,  Lo !  I  am  Joseph  your  own  brother; 

And  doth  my  father  live  ?     AVhereat  amaz'd, 

They  could  not  speak,  but  at  each  other  gaz'd. 

Then  Joseph  said.  Come  near,  I  pray,  behold, 

I  am  your  brother  Joseph  whom  ye  sold 

To  Egypt,  be  not  grieved  now  therefore. 

Nor  vex  yourselves,  for  God  sent  me  before 

To  save  life  ;  for  these  two  years  there  hatli  been  "J 

A  famine,  and  five  more  to  come,  wherein  > 

Seed  time  nor  harvest  shall  at  aU  be  seen.  J 

The  Lord,  I  say,  hath  sent  me  to  provide 

A  place,  and  strangely  save  your  lives  beside. 

So  now  ye  sent  me  not,  but  it  :vas  ratlier 

The  Lord,  and  he  hath  made  me  as  a  father 

Unto  the  king,  lord  of  his  household,  and 

A  ruler  over  all  this  spacious  land. 

Unto  my  father,  therefore,  go  your  way, 

And  tell  hiiia.  Thus  doth  thy  son  Joseph  say: 

The  Lord  hath  rais'd  me  to  a  high  degree 

In  Eg\i)t,  tarry  not,  but  come  to  me. 

And  thou  shalt  dwell  in  Goshen  and  be  nigh  me. 

And  with  provision  there  will  I  supply  thee  ; 

Loth  thou  and  thine.  Hocks,  herds,  and  all  tliou  hast, 

(For  yet  these  iive  years  will  the  famine  last) 

Lest  otherwise,  provision  being  scant, 

Thou  and  thy  family  may  come  to  want. 

Eehold,  both  you  and  Eenjamin  my  brollicr 

Do  see  that  it  is  I  and  not  another. 

Go  tell  my  father  this  amazing  story. 

And  bring  him  hither  to  behold  my  gloiT. 

Then  falling  on  his  youngest  brother's  i;eck, 

And  he  on  his,  they  o'er  each  other  ^vept. 


And  to  the  rest  he  did  likewise,  wherefore 

They  now  were  more  familiar  than  before. 

And  now  whilst  they  discom-sed,  the  report 

Of  their  arrival  came  to  Pharaoh's  court. 

And  he  was  jdeas'd  thereat,  whercfoi-e  he  said 

To  Joseph,  let  thy  brethi'eu  straightway  lado 

Their  beasts  with  corn,  and  thus  unto  them  say, 

Unto  your  native  country  haste  away, 

And  fetch  your  father,  and  your  households,  and 

I'll  feed  you  with  the  good  things  of  the  laud ; 

And  since  you  are  commanded  by  the  king. 

Take  waggons  with  you  heucc  wherein  to  bring 

Your  wives,  your  little  ones,  and  come  down  liit'icr. 

Your  father,  you  and  yours  altogether ; 

And  never  heed  to  bring  your  household  stulT, 

For  here  in  Egypt  you  shall  have  enough. 

Then  did  the  Isr'elites  accordingly : 

And  Joseph  ordering  them  a  large  supply 

Of  necessaries  for  their  jom-ney,  sent 

"Waggons  according  to  the  Icing's  intent. 

And  to  each  man  he  gave  a  suit  of  clothes. 

But  on  his  brother  Benjamin  bestows 

Five  suits,  and  as  a  token  of  his  love, 

A  sum  of  money  over  and  above. 

And  thus  he  sent  ev'n  for  his  father's  use, 

Of  the  best  things  that  Egy[)t  did  lu'oduee. 

Ten  asses  load,  and  ten  she  asses  load 

Of  bread  and  meat,  to  spend  upon  the  road. 

Then  sending  them  away,  he  said,  I  pray 

See  that  you  do  not  fall  out  by  the  way. 

And  leaving  Egypt  with  their  numVous  truiu, 

Unto  their  father  they  returned  again  : 

To  whom,  as  soon  as  e'er  they  did  ai'rivc. 

They  said.  Our  brother  Joseph's  yet  alive. 

And  lord  of  all  the  land,  which  sore  disinnv'd 

Him,  for  he  scarce  beheved  what  they  s:\id. 

Then  they  of  all  that  pass'd  gave  him  relation. 

And  shewed  the  waggons  for  a  confirmatiou 

Which  being  manifest  before  liis  eyes. 

He  rais'd  himself,  and  said.  It  doth  sulTIce ; 

Joseph  my  son  is  yet  alive,  and  I 

"Win  go  to  see  him  once  before  I  die. 

CHAP.  XLYI. 

Then  Isr'el  setting  forward  on  his  \vay 

With  all  his  household,  came  to  Becrsi;cba; 

And  offer'd  sacrifice  there  to  implore 

The  God  his  father  Isaac  did  adore. 

And  in  the  visions  of  the  night  God  spiil:e 

To  him,  and  said.  Fear  not  to  undertake 

This  journey  into  Egypt,  for  I  am 

The  God  of  thy  forefathers,  Abraham 

And  Isaac ;  to  the  land  of  Egypt  I 

Will  go  with  thee,  and  there  wiU  multiply 

Thy  offspring,  and  of  thee  wiU  surely  nuike 

A  mighty  nation,  and  will  bring  thee  back  ; 

And  thy  son  Joseph  there  thine  eyes  shall  close. 

After  which  vision  he  from  thence  arose, 

And  in  the  waggons  which  king  Pharaoli  sent. 

He  and  his  family  to  Egypt  went : 

His  sons,  their  wives  and  childi-en,  and  the  rest 

Of  their  concerns,  whereof  they  were  possest 

When  they  in  Canaan  dwelt,  and  they  were  thca 

No  more  in  number  but  threescore  and  tea. 


SCRIPTURAL  POEMS. 


407 


Aiul  wlica  to  Egypt  Israel  drew  near 

He  scat  before  him  Judah,  to  prepare 

His  way  to  Goshen,  which  when  Joseph  hcai'd. 

Immediately  his  chariot  he  prcpar'd; 

Aud  mito  Goshea  he  directly  went. 

And  to  his  father  did  himself  present : 

And  being  over-joy'd  fell  on  his  neck, 

And  for  a  good  while  thereupon  he  wept. 

Then  Jacob  said.  Since  thou  yet  liv'st,  aud  I 

Have  seen  thy  face  once  more,  now  let  me  diC. 

And  Joseph  said,  ]My  bretliren  I  mil  go 

Unto  king  Pharaoh,  and  will  let  him  know 

That  you,  and  all  my  father's  house  are  come ; 

And  that  your  occupation  when  at  home, 

Hath  been  in  feeding  cattle  altogether, 

Aud  that  you've  brought  your  flocks  and  herds  all  hither. 

JS'ow  tlierefore  when  you  come  before  the  king. 

And  he  should  ask  you  what  your  trade  Iiath  bee!i. 

Say  thus :  Thy  servants  from  our  youth  tQl  now 

Have  dealt  in  cattle,  we  and  our  fathers  too. 

That  he  may  let  you  dwell  in  Goshen,  for 

Th'  Egyptians  do  a  shepherd's  life  abhor. 

CHAP.  XLYII. 

Tlien  to  king  Pharaoh  Joseph  weat  and  said, 
]\Iy  father  and  his  sons,  with  aU  they  had 
In  their  own  country,  are  come  down  to  me. 
And  in  the  land  of  Goshen  now  they  be. 
rive  of  his  brethren  also  with  him  went, 
"Whom  he  unto  Idng  Pharaoh  did  present. 
And  Pharaoh  asked  them  about  their  trade. 
And  they  unto  the  king  reply'd  and  said  : 
"We  and  our  fathei's  while  we  were  at  home 
"Were  shepherds  aU,  and  now  behold,  we  coiric 
^Yith  all  our  flocks,  to  get  some  pasture  here, 
Por  in  our  land  the  famine  is  severe. 
"We  therefore  pray  thee  to  appoint  a  portion 
Unto  thy  servants  in  the  land  of  Goshen. 
And  Pharaoh  said  to  Joseph,  I  empow'r  thee 
To  use  thy  pleasiure,  Goshen  is  before  thee ; 
Settle  thy  father  and  thy  brethren  there,    '\ 
And  if  among  them  active  men  there  are,  ^ 
Commit  my  cattle  to  their  special  care.      ) 
And  Joseph  brought  his  aged  father  in 
Before  the  king,  and  Jacob  blessed  him. 
And  Phai-aoh  aslciug  him  about  his  age. 
He  said.  The  years  of  my  life's  pilgrimage 
Ai"e  but  an  hundred  thirty,  very  few 
And  evil,  nor  have  I  attain'd  unto  ; 
The  yeai-s  of  my  forefathers  longer  age, 
T\'hich  they  pass'd  tliro'  in  this  tlieii-  pilgrimage. 
And  Jacob  bless'd  the  king  again,  and  then 
Out  of  his  presence  he  retum'd  again. 
And  Joseph  plac'd  his  father  and  relations 
In  Egj"pt,  and  appointed  them  possessions 
In  the  best  of  the  land,  ev'n  in  the  land 
Of  Eameses,  according  to  the  king's  command: 
And  there  he  nourished  them  mth  fit  supplies 
Of  bread,  according  to  their  families. 
And  now  the  people  having  spent  their  store. 
And  famine  stiU  increasing  more  and  more, 
Egypt  and  Canaan  too,  for  want  of  bread, 
"Were  sore  distress'd  and  almost  famished. 


And  Joseph  took  the  money  they  did  bring 

To  buy  their  com,  and  kept  it  for  the  king- 

"Wherefore  the  people  came  to  represent 

Their  case  to  him,  both  corn  and  coin  being  spent.. 

And  Joseph  said.  If  money  be  grown  scant. 

Bring  me  your  cattle  and  ye  shall  not  want. 

And  they  brought  horses,  asses,  and  their  flocks 

And  herds  of  cattle,  ev'n  all  their  stocks, 

And  gave  to  Joseph  in  exchange  for  bread, 

Por  which  the  people  he  for  that  year  fed : 

And  when  that  year  was  past,  the  second  year 

They  came  again,  and  said,  "We  can't  forbear 

To  let  thee  know  our  want,  my  lord  doth  know 

Thou  hast  our  money  and  our  cattle  too. 

And  there  is  nothing  left  (so  hard's  our  fate) 

But  only  each  man's  person  and  estate  : 

If  thou  wilt  give  us  bread,  into  thy  bauds 

"Will  we  resign  omr  persons  and  our  lands  : 

And  be  the  servants  of  the  king  for  ever. 

Prom  death  therefore  our  hungry  souls  deliver, 

And  take  some  pity  on  our  wretched  state. 

Lest  we  die,  and  the  land  be  desolate. 

And  the  Egyptians  sold  each  man  liis  fielJ, 

Because  the  famine  over  them  prcvad'd ; 

And  all  their  lands  became  the  long's  possession, 

Aud  Joseph  placed  them  at  his  own  discretion. 

But  the  land  of  the  priests  lie  purchased  not. 

For  Pharaoh  had  assigned  to  them  their  lot : 

And  they  received  their  food  from  Pharaoh's  Iiands, 

Ythcrefore  they  had  no  need  to  sell  their  lands. 

And  Joseph  said  unto  them.  Now  behold. 

You  and  your  lands  are  unto  Pharaoh  sold : 

Lo  1  here  is  seed  to  sow  in  each  man's  field. 

And  wlien  the  laud  its  ripe  increase  shall  yield, 

A  fifth  pai-t  shall  belong  unto  the  crown, 

Aud  the  other  four  parts  shall  be  your  ovra, 

Por  seed  to  sow  your  lands,  and  for  supplies 

Of  food  convenient  for  your  families. 

And  they  said ;  Thou  hast  sav'd  cur  lives,  my  lord,  "J 

Thy  gracious  favomr  nnto  us  afi'ord,  r 

And  we  will  do  according  to  thy  word.  ) 

And  Joseph  made  it  a  decree,  to  stand 

Ev'n  to  this  day  throughout  th'  Egyptian  land ; 

That  Pharaoh  should  have  a  fifth  pai't,  except 

The  priests'  lands,  which  unto  themselves  they  kept. 

And  in  the  land  of  Egj-pt  ev'n  in  Goshen, 

Did  Isr'el  dwell,  and  therein  had  possession ; 

And  grew  and  multiply'd  exceeding  fast. 

And  Jacob  Hv'd  till  seventeen  years  were  past : 

So  that  the  simi  of  Jacob's  age  appears 

To  be  an  hundred  forty-seven  yeai's. 

And  when  the  time  approach'd  that  he  must  die, 

He  called  Joseph,  nnto  whom  he  said.  If  I 

Have  now  found  favour  in  thy  sight,  I  pray. 

Swear  thou  unto  me  that  thou  volt  not  lay 

My  bones  in  Egypt,  for  I  fain  would  lie 

Among  my  ancestors  when  e'er  I  die. 

And  not  be  bury'd  here ;  therefore  fulfil 

This  my  desire ;  and  he  reply'd,  I  will : 

And  he  said.  Swear  imto  me,  which  he  did: 

Then  Jacob  Low'd  hir.:sclf  upon  his  bed. 


403 


SCRIPTURAL  POEMS. 


CHAP.  XLVIII. 

And  uow  wlien  Joseph  hcai^d  liis  father  lay 

Even  at  the  point  of  death  he  hastes  away 

To  visit  him,  and  took  along  with  lihn 

Ilis  sou  Manasseh,  and's  son  Ephraim. 

"Whereof  when  Jacob  heard  he  stren2;th'aed 

Himself,  and  rose  and  sat  upon  the  bed  : 

And  thus  to  Joseph  said,  Lo !  God  appeared 

To  me  at  Lu2  in  Canaan,  and  declared, 

That  he  would  bless,  and  make  me  a  great  natioc. 

And  give  my  seed  that  land  for  a  possession : 

And  Jacob  said,  Behold,  these  sons  of  thine 

As  Reuben  and  as  Simeon  shall  be  mine  ; 

And  all  the  rest  that  shall  be  boru  to  thee    "^ 

Hereafter,  shall  be  thine,  and  they  shall  be    r 

Call'd  by  the  name  of  their  own  family,         ) 

Behold  thy  mother  died  upon  the  way, 

^^^lea  I  from  Padan  came,  near  Ephi-atah, 

The  which  is  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  v.hcre. 

To  wit,  in  Bethlem,  did  I  bury  her. 

And  Jacob  seeing  Joseph's  sous  were  there. 

He  asked  of  him  who  the  childi-en  were. 

And  Joseph  said.  My  father,  lo!  these  be 

The  sons,  God  in  this  place  hath  given  me. 

Then  Jacob  said,  I  pray  thee  bring  them  ni^L 

To  me,  and  I  v.-ill  bless  them  e'er  I  die. 

(Now  Jacob's  eyes,  by  reason  of  age,  were  dim) 

And  Joseph  brought  his  sous  near  unto  him, 

Aud  Jacob  kissed  and  embraced  them : 

And  said,  I  never  thought  to  see  thy  face. 

And  lo!  the  Lord  hath  shewn  me  of  thy  race. 

And  Joseph  from  between  his  knees  brought  forth 

His  sons,  and  bow'd  himself  even  to  the  earth : 

And  in  his  right  hand  held  up  Ephraim, 

Towards  his  father's  left  hand  guiding  him 

And  ill  his  left  hand  to  his  father's  right. 

He  held  his  son  jMauassch  opposite. 

Aud  Isra'l  stretching  out  his  right  hand,  laid 

It  on  the  youngest,  namely  Ephraim's  head: 

And  laid  his  left  hand  wittingly  upon 

Manassch's  head,  although  the  eldest  son. 

And  Jacob  blessed  Joseph,  saying.  The  God 

Of  heaven,  in  whose  paths  my  fathers  trod, 

%Vho  all  my  life  hath  nourish'd  me,  even  he 

"VVho  from  all  evil  hath  redeemed  me, 

Bless  both  the  lads,  and  let  them  bear  my  name. 

And' the  name  of  my  fathers  Abraham 

Aud  Isaac,  and  let  them  midtiply 

In  the  midst  of  the  earth  exceedingly. 

And  Joseph  seeing  his  father's  riglit  hand  laid 

On  Ephi'aim's  head,  he  was  displeas'd,  aud  said, 

Not  so,  my  father,  lay  this  hand  upon 

Manassch's  head,  for  he's  the  eldest  son: 

And  thercwitlial  attempted  to  have  laid 

His  father's  riglit  hand  on  Manassch's  head 

But  he  refas'd  aud  said,  I  know't  my  son, 

I  kuow't  full  weU,  he  also  shall  become 

A  people,  and  be  mighty:  But  indeed 

His  younger  brother  shall  him  far  exceed. 

And  many  nations  shall  come  from  his  seed. 

Thus  Jacob  blessed  them,  and  said,  Tu  tliee 

Shall  Isra'l  bless,  and  say,  God  make  thee  be 


Like  Ephraim  and  ISIanasseh.     Thus  did  he 
Prefer  the  youngest  to  the  first  degree. 
And  Isra'l  said  to  Joseph,  Lo !  I  die. 
But  God  shall  visit  you,  and  certaiuly 
Shall  bring  you  back  unto  your  father's  land. 
And  thou  shalt  have  a  portion  from  my  hand, 
Above  thy  bretlu-en,  which  with  sword  and  bow 
I  took  from  th'  Amoriie,  luy  deadly  foe. 

CHAP.  XLIX. 

And  Jacob  called  all  his  sons  together. 

And  said.  Ye  sons  of  Jacob  come  you  hither: 

And  hearken  what  your  aged  father  says, 

Who  tells  you  what  shall  be  in  the  last  clays. 

Reuben  my  first  born,  of  my  strength  the  ilowrs. 

The  excellency  of  dignity  and  power: 

Unstable  as  water,  be  for  ever  vile. 

Because  thou  did  thy  father's  bed  defile. 

Simeon  and  Levi  're  brethi-en.     InstrLUucuts 

Of  cruelty  are  lodged  in  then-  tents. 

Come  not,  my  soul,  their  secret  councils  nigli. 

My  honour,  with  them  have  no  unity: 

For  in  tlieir  wrath  they  caused  a  man  to  fall. 

And  in  their  self-will  digged  down  a  wall. 

Curs'd  be  their  anger,  fierce,  yea  cm-sed  be 

Their  wrath,  for  it  was  full  of  cruelty. 

In  Jacob  therefore  let  their  seed  be  spread. 

And  every  where  iu  Israel  scattered. 

Judah  shall  have  liis  brethren's  praise,  aud  they 

Shall  bow  before  him;  he  his  foes  shall  slay. 

Judali's  a  lion's  whelp  retum'd  fi'om  prey. 

Pie  stoop'd,  he  couch'd,  and  as  a  lion  lay; 

As  an  old  lion,  who  shall  dare  molest. 

Or  rouse  liim  up,  when  he  lies  down  to  rest. 

The  sceptre  shall  fi'om  Judah  never  start. 

Nor  a  lawgiver  from  his  feet  depart; 

Until  the  blessed  ShUoh  come,  to  whom 

The  scatter'd  people  shall  from  all  parts  cou:e: 

Binding  his  I'oal  unto  the  choicest  viue. 

He  wash'd  his  garments,  all  of  them  iu  wine: 

His  eyes  shall  mth  the  blood  of  th'  grapes  look  rel, 

Aud  milky  whiteness  shall  his  teeth  o'crsprcad. 

Lo!  Zabulon  shall  dwell  upon  the  sea," 

An  haven  for  the  ship's  security. 

And  imto  Zidon  shall  his  border  be. 

And  Issachar  is  a  stroug  ass  between 

Two  burdens  crouching,  who  when  he  had  scea 

That  rest  was  pleasant,  and  the  land  was  good, 

Plis  servile  neck  unto  the  yoke  he  bow'd. 

Dan  as  a  judge  shall  over  Isra'l  sway, 

He  shall  be  as  a  serpent  in  the  way, 

To  bite  the  horse,  and  cast  the  rider  down. 

O  G  od  1  I  have  look'd  for  thy  salvation. 

Gad  by  a  troop  shall  be  o'ercome,  but  he 

Shall  at  the  last  obtain  the  vicloiy. 

The  bread  of  Asluu*  shall  be  fat  indeed, 

And  royal  dainties  shall  from  him  proceed. 

Like  to  a  hiud  let  loose  is  Naphtali, 

He  speaketh  all  his  words  acceptably. 

Joseph's  a  fi-uitful  bough,  whose  branches  tall 

Grow  by  a  well,  and  over-top  the  wall: 

By  reason  of  hatred  which  the  ai-chers  bore. 

They  shot  at  him  aud  griev'd  liim  very  sore, 


SCRIPTURAL  POEMS. 


409 


But  Joseph's  bow  in  its  full  strength  abode- 
And  by  the  arm  of  Jacob's  mighty  God, 
He  was  indu'd  with  strength,  from  whence  alone 
Is  Isra'l's  shepherd,  and  chief  comer-stone: 
Ev'n  by  my  father's  God,  who  shall  assist 
Thee,  by  th'  Almighty  God  shalt  thou  be  blest, 
"With  blessings  from  above,  and  from  below, 
"With  blessings  of  the  breast,  and  womb  also. 
Thy  father's  blessings  have  prevail'd  beyond 
My  ancestors.     Unto  the  utmost  bound 
Of  the  perpetual  hiUs,  yea  let  them  rest  "i 
On  Joseph's  head,  and  let  him  be  possest  / 
Of  all,  who  was  divided  from  the  rest.      ) 
Young  Benjamin  shall  wolf-like  talce  his  prey. 
And  part  by  night  what  he  hath  took  by  day. 
All  these  are  the  ten  tribes  of  Israel, 
And  thus  their  father  did  their  fate  forctel: 
And  blessed  every  one  of  them  apart. 
According  to  their  personal  desert. 
Moreover  he  gave  them  a  charge  and  sail], 
Lo!  I  shall  die,  but  let  my  bones  be  laid 
Among  my  ancestors  in  Canaan,  where 
Of  Ephron,  Abraham  bought  a  sepulchre. 
Together  mth  a  field,  to  be  a  place 
Of  burial,  for  him  and  all  his  race. 
(There  Abraham  and  Sarah  lie,  and  there"] 
They  Isaac  and  Rebecca  did  inter. 
And  there  when  Leah  died  I  buried  her.)  _ 
The  field  was  pmxhas'd  of  the  sons  of  Heth. 
Thus  having  said,  resigning  up  his  breath 
To  him  that  gave  't,  his  feet  into  the  bed 
He  drew,  and  so  was  number'd  to  the  dead. 


CHAP.  L. 

And  Joseph  fell  upon  his  father's  face. 

And  did  with  tears  his  lifeless  lips  embrace: 

And  sends  for  his  physicians  and  advises 

Them  to  embalm  his  father's  corpse  with  spices. 

And  they  did  so,  and  forty  days  did  pass. 

(For  so  the  manner  of  embalming  was) 

And  the  Egyptians  mourned  for  the  space  J 

Of  three  score  and  ten  days,  which  being  expired 

He  spake  to  Pharaoh's  servants  and  desired. 

That  they  would  please  to  speak  in  Pharaoli's  car. 

And  teE.  him  that  my  father  made  me  sweai". 

That  I  should  bury  liim  in  Canaan,  where 

He  hath  provided  his  own  sepulchre. 

I  therefore  pray  thee  that  I  mny  obtain 

Thy  leave,  and  I  will  soon  return  again. 

And  Pharaoh  said.  Since  thou  hast  swore,  fulfil 

Thy  oath,  according  to  thy  father's  ■uiU. 

And  Joseph  went  up  to  accompany 

His  father's  corpse  mth  great  solemnity. 

And  with  him  went  up  Pharaoh's  servants,  aird 

The  prime  nobility  of  all  the  land. 

And  Joseph's  household,  and  his  brctlu'en  al], 

Only  their  flocks,  and  herds,  and  children  small 


"Were  left  behind.     Moreover  there  went  up 

Chai-iots  and  horsemen,  ev'n  a  mighty  troop. 

And  they  came  up  to  Atad's  threshing  floor 

Beyond  the  river  Jordan,  where  full  sore 

They  mourned  for  liim  till  seven  days  were  past; 

So  long  their  mourning  in  that  place  did  last 

"Which  when  the  Canaanites  beheld  they  said. 

Surely  some  eminent  EgN'ptian's  dead. 

^\'herefore  they  call'd  it  Abel-mizraim.* 

Thus  did  his  sons  as  he  commanded  them. 

For  to  the  land  of  Canaan  they  convey'd 

Him,  and  in  Machpelah  near  Mararc,  laid 

His  body  in  the  cave  which  Ephron  sold 

To  Abraham,  for  liim  and  his  to  hold. 

And  thus  when  Joseph  fully  had  perform'd 

His  father's  vrSl,  to  Egj-pt  he  return'd. 

Together  ■nith  liis  brethren,  and  ^^ith  all 

Them  that  came  with  him  to  the  funeral. 

Now  Joseph's  brethren  being  well  aware 

That  they  were  fatherless,  began  to  feai" 

That  he  would  hate  them,  and  requite  them  all 

The  evil  they  had  treated  him  withal. 

"Wherefore  to  him  they  sent  a  messenger 

And  said.  Behold  our  father  did  declare 

Before  he  died,  that  we  should  come  and  say, 

Forgive  thy  brethren's  trespasses,  I  pray; 

And  their  misdeeds,  for  they  have  been  unkinJ. 

And  now  wc  humbly  pray  thee  be  iuclin'd 

To  pardon  om-  ofi"cnccs,  and  the  rather 

For  that  we  serve  the  God  e'en  of  thy  fcther. 

And  Joseph  wept  when  they  thus  spake,  and  they 

Came  nearer,  and  before  him  prostrate  lay,  ^ 

And  said,  W^e  are  thy  sei-vants  all  this  day.  J 

And  Joseph  bad  them  not  to  be  afraid, 

For  in  the  place  of  God  am  I  he  said: 

For  though  you  meant  me  iU,  God  meant  it  good. 

And  sent  me  hither  to  provide  you  food. 

Now  therefore  trouble  not  yom-selves,  for  I 

"V\*ill  nourish  you,  and  all  your  family. 

After  this  manner  did  he  satisfy, 

And  treat  them  v>ith  extreme  civihty. 

And  Joseph  and  his  father's  house  rcmain'd 

In  EgTiit,  and  he  liv'd  tiE  he  attain'd 

An  hundred  and  ten  years,  and  hv'd  to  see 

Of  Ephraim's  children  to  the  third  degree. 

And  Macher's  children  of  Manasseh's  tribe 

"Were  also  born  some  time  before  he  died. 

Then  Joseph  said,  Itfy  brethren,  lo!  I  die. 

But  God  will  ^'isit  you  undoubtedly; 

And  to  that  land  again  whereof  he  spalce 

Unto  our  ancestors,  will  bring  you  back. 

And  Joseph  also  made  bis  brethren  swear„ 

That  they  would  not  inter  his  body  there. 

And  thus  he  ended  his  hfe's  pilgrimage. 

Being  an  hundi'cd  and  ten  years  of  age; 

And  was  embalm' d,  and  in  a  cofiin  laid. 

In  Egjqit,  till  he  covJd  be  thence  convey'd. 


''  s^^">s>2  5;X'  t-e  mourning  oJ  l^g.vp^- — Eu. 


VOL.  II. 


3p 


410 


SCRIPTUEAL  POEMS. 


THE   GENEEAL  EPISTLE   OF  JAMES. 


CHAP.  I. 

TTnto  tlie  twelve  tribes  scattered  abroacl, 

James,  an  apostle  of  the  living  God, 

And  of  tlie  Iiord  Chiist  Jesus,  salutation. 

!My  brethren,  when  you  fall  into  temptation 

Of  divers  kinds,  rejoice,  as  men  that  know 

Prom  trial  of  your  faith  doth  patience  flow. 

But  let  your  patience  have  its  fdl  effect, 

That  you  may  be  entire,  without  defect. 

If  any  of  yon  lack  wisdom,  let  him  cry 

To  God,  and  he  wiU  give  it  lih'raUy, 

And  not  upbraid.     But  let  him  ask  in  faith, 

Not  -vvavering,  for  he  that  wavcreth. 

Unto  a  wave  o'  th'  sea  I  will  compare, 

Driv'n  with  the  wind  and  tossed  here  and  there 

For  let  not  such  a  man  himself  deceive. 

To  think  that  he  shall  from  the  Lord  receive. 

A  double-minded  man  most  sm-cly  lacketh 

Stability  in  aU  he  uudertakcth. 

Let  ev'ry  brother  of  a  low  degree 

Kejoice  in  that  he  is  advanc'd,  but  he 

That's  rich  in  being  made  low,  for  he  shall  pass 

Away,  as  doth  the  iiow'r  of  the  grass. 

Por  as  the  grass,  soon  as  the  sun  doth  rise. 

Is  scorch'd  by  reason  of  the  heat,  and  dies; 

Its  flow'r  fades,  and  it  retains  no  more 

The  beauteous  comeliness  it  had  before. 

So  fades  the  rich  man,  maugrc  all  his  store. 

The  man  is  blest  that  doth  endure  temptation 

For  when  he's  try'd,  the  erown  of  God's  salvation. 

The  which  the  Lord  hath  promised  to  give 

To  them  that  love  him,  that  man  shall  receive. 

Let  no  man  be  possest  with  a  persuasion. 

To  say,  when  he  falls  under  a  temptation. 

That  God's  the  cause;  for  with  no  evil  can 

God  be  tempted,  nor  tempts  he  any  man. 

But  every  man  is  tempted  when  he's  drawn 

Away,  and  by  his  lusts  prevail'd  upon ; 

Then  when  lust  hath  conceiv'd,  it  ushereth 

In  sin,  and  sin  when  finished  brings  dcatJi. 

Err  not,  my  brethren,  whom  I  dearly  love. 

Each  good  and  perfect  gift  is  from  above, 

Down  from  th'  original  of  lights  descending, 

"With  whom's  no  change,  nor  shadow  thereto  tending. 

According  to  his  own  good  pleasm-c,  he        ") 

Begat  us  with  the  word  of  truth,  that  we      > 

Should  as  the  fii-st  fi-uits  of  his  creatures  be.  j 

"Wherefore,  beloved  brethren,  I  entreat 

You  to  be  swift  to  hear,  and  slow  to  speak. 

And  slow  to  wrath,  for  wrath  cannot  incline 

The  sons  of  men  to  righteousness  divine. 

"Wherefore  avoiding  ev'ry  fdthiuess. 

And  superfluity  of  naughtiness: 

Eeeeive  with  meekness  the  engrafted  word, 

"Which  can  salvation  to  yoiu-  sotds  afl'ord. 

But  be  ye  doers  of  the  word  each  one. 

And  not  deceive  yom-selves  to  hear  alone; 

Por  he  that  hears  the  word  and  dotli  it  not, 

Is  like  unto  a  man  that  hath  forgot 


TVliat  kind  of  man  he  was,  tho'  in  a  glass 
lie  just  before  beheld  his  nat'ral  face. 
But  whoso  minds  the  law  of  lil^erty 
In  its  perfection,  and  continually 
Abides  therein,  forgets  not  what  he's  heard. 
But  doth  the  work  and  therein  hath  reward. 
If  any  man  among  you  seem  to  be 
Religious,  he  deceives  himself  if  he 
Doth  not  his  tongue  as  with  a  bit  restrain; 
And  all  that  man's  religion  is  but  vain. 
Religion,  pure  and  undefil'd,  which  is 
Acceptable  before  the  Lord,  is  tliis: 
To  visit  widows  and  the  fatherless. 
In  time  of  their  affliction  or  distress ; 
And  so  to  regulate  his  conversation. 
As  to  be  spotless  in  his  generation. 

CHAP.  II. 

Faith  of  the  Lord  of  glory,  Jesus  Christ, 

Doth  with  respect  of  persons  not  consist ; 

For  if,  my  brethren,  when  there  shall  come  in 

To  your  assembly  one  with  a  gold  ring, 

In  goodly  clothes,  and  there  shall  also  be 

Another  man  that's  meanly  cloth'd,  and  ye 

Shall  have  respect  to  him  in  rich  attii'c. 

And  say  unto  him,  come  thou,  sit  up  higher  ; 

And  bid  the  poor  man  stand  or  sit  below,  "J 

Are  ye  not  partial  then,  and  plainly  show,  V 

That  you  do  judge  amiss  in  what  you  do  ?  ) 

Hearken,  my  brethren,  hath  not  God  elected 

The  poor,  who  by  this  world  have  been  rejected ; 

Yet  rich  in  faith,  and  of  that  kingdom  heirs, 

"Wliich  God  wUl  give  his  foll'wers  to  be  theirs  ? 

But  you,  my  brethren,  do  the  poor  despise. 

Do  not  the  rich  men  o'er  you  tyrannise ; 

And  hale  ye  to  their  com-ts  ;  that  worthy  name 

By  which  you're  caU'd  do  not  they  blaspheme  ? 

Then  if  ye  do  the  royal  law  fulfil. 

To  love  thy  neighbom-  as  thyself,  'tis  well. 

According  to  the  scripture;  but  if  ye 

Shall  have  respect  to  persons,  ye  shall  be 

Guilty  of  sin,  and  by  the  law  eondemn'd. 

As  such  who  have  its  righteousness  contemn 'd. 

For  he  that  shall  but  in  one  point  offend. 

Breaks  the  whole  law,  whate'er  he  may  pretend. 

For  he  that  doth  forbid  adultery, 

Forbids  likewise  all  acts  of  cruelty. 

Now  tho'  thou  be  not  an  adulterer. 

Yet  if  thou  kill,  thou  shalt  thy  judgment  bear. 

So  speak  and  do  as  those  men  that  shall  be 

Judg'd  by  the  perfect  law  of  liberty : 

For  he  shall  judgment  without  mercy  know  ;  ■) 

That  to  his  neighbom-  doth  no  mercy  show ;  y- 

And  mercy  triumphs  against  judgment  too.    J 

Brethren  what  profit  is't  if  a  man  saith 

That  he  hath  faith,  and  hath  not  works ;  can  fidth 

Save  him  ?     If  any  of  the  brotherhood 

Be  destitute  of  clothes  or  daily  food. 

And  one  of  you  shall  say.  Depart  in  peace. 

Be  wanned  or  be  ye  fiU'd,  ne'erthdess, 


SCRIPTURAL  POEMS. 


411 


Yc  do  not  fiu-aisli  them  with  what  they  ncecl, 

■\Yhat  boots  it  ?  Tlius  faith  without  works  is  dead. 

Yea  may  a  man  say,  thou  dost  faith  profess, 

And  I  good  works,  to  me  thy  faith  express 

"U'ithout  thy  works,  and  I  will  plainly  show 

My  faith  unto  thee  by  the  works  I  do. 

Thou  dost  beheve  there  is  one  Gud,  'tis  true. 

The  devils  do  believe  and  tremble  too. 

But  wilt  thou  know,  vain  man,  that  faith  is  dead, 

^^Tiich  with  good  works  is  not  accompany'd. 

Was  not  our  father  Abraham  justify'd 

By  works,  and  by  the  same  his  faith  was  tr}"'d ; 

"When  he  his  Isaac  to  the  altar  brought ; 

Seest  thou  how  with  his  works  his  faith  then  wrought  ? 

And  with  his  works  he  perfected  his  faith  ? 

And  so  the  scripture  was  fulfill' d,  which  saith, 

Abraham  believed  God,  and  'twas  imputed 

Tor  righteousness,  and  he  God's  friend  reputed. 

Thus  may  you  see,  that  by  works  ev'ry  one 

Is  justify'd,  and  not  by  faith  alone. 

Thus  was  the  harlot  Kahab  justify'd  \ 

By  works,  when  she  the  messengers  did  hide,  >• 

And  by  another  way  their  feet  did  guide.         / 

For  as  the  body's  dead  without  the  spirit. 

So  faith  without  works  never  can  inherit. 

CHAP.  III. 

Affect  not,  brethi-en,  superiority. 

As  knowing  that  we  shall  receive  thereby 

The  greater  condemnation  in  the  end ; 

Tor  we  in  many  things  do  aU  offend. 

T\'ho  doth  not  with  his  tongue  offend,  he  can 

Guide  his  whole  body,  he's  a  perfect  man. 

Behold,  in  horses'  mouths  we  bridles  put. 

To  rule  and  turn  their  bodies  quite  about. 

Behold  likewise  the  ships,  which  tho'  they  be 

Of  mighty  bulk,  and  thro'  the  raging  sea 

Are  driv'n  by  the  strength  of  winds,  yet  they 

By  a  small  helm  the  pilot's  will  obey. 

Ev'n  so  the  tongue  of  man,  which  tho'  it  be 

But  a  small  member,  in  a  high  degree 

It  boasts  of  things.     Behold,  we  may  remark 

How  great  a  matter's  kindled  by  a  spark. 

The  tongue's  a  fu'e,  a  world  of  iU,  which  plac'J 

Among  the  members,  often  has  disgrac'd 

AH  the  whole  body,  fii'ing  the  whole  frame 

Of  natme,  and  is  kindl'd  by  heU  flame. 

AU  kind  of  beasts  and  birds  that  can  be  nam'd. 

Serpents  and  lishes,  are  and  have  been  tam'd 

By  mankind ;  but  the  tongue  can  no  man  tame, 

A  stubborn  evil  full  of  deadly  bane. 

"We  therewith  God  the  Father  bless,  and  we 

Therewith  curse  men  made  like  the  Deity : 

Blessing  and  cursing  from  the  same  mouth  flow. 

These  things,  my  brethren,  ought  not  to  be  so. 

Is  any  fountain  of  so  strange  a  nature, 

At  once  to  send  forth  sweet  and  bitter  water  ? 

Can  olives,  brethi-en,  on  a  fig-tree  gi'ow,  '\ 

Or  figs  on  vines  ?  no  more  can  water  flow       > 

From  the  same  fountain  sweet  and  bitter  too.  j 

He  that's  endu'd  with  wisdom  and  discretion 

Amongst  you,  let  that  man  by  the  profession 

Of  meekness,  wisely  give  a  demonstration. 

Of  all  his  works,  from  a  good  conversation. 


But  if  your  hearts  are  full  of  bitterness 

And  strife,  boast  not,  nor  do  the  truth  profess. 

This  wisdom  is  not  from  above  descending, 

But  eaiihly,  sensual,  and  to  evil  tending : 

For  where  there's  strife  and  envjing  there's  coufusici 

And  ev'ry  evi  work  in  the  conclusion. 

But  the  true  wisdom  that  is  from  above. 

Is,  in  the  fii-st  place,  pure,  then  full  of  love. 

Then  gentle  and  entreated  easily,  '\ 

Next  merciful,  without  partiality,  > 

Full  of  good  fruits,  without  hjT)oerisy.  ) 

And  what  is  more,  the  fruits  of  righteousness 

Is  sown  in  peace,  of  them  that  do  make  peace. 


CHAP.  lY. 

From  whence  come  wars  and  fights,  come  they  not  hence 

Ev'n  from  th'  inordinate  concupiscence 

That  in  your  members  prompts  to  variance  ? 

You  lust  and  have  not,  loll  and  desire  to  have ; 

But  ne'ertheless  obtain  not  what  you  crave. 

"VMth  war  and  fighting  ye  contend,  yet  have  not 

The  things  which  you  desire,  because  you  crave  not; 

Ye  crave  but  don't  receive,  the  reason's  just, 

I'e  crave  amiss  to  spend  it  on  your  lust. 

You  that  live  in  adidtery,  know  not  ye 

The  friendship  of  the  world  is  enmity 

With  God  ?     He  is  God's  enemy  therefore 

That  doth  the  fiiendship  of  the  world  adore. 

Do  ye  think  that  th'  scripture  saith  in  vain. 

The  spirit  that  lusts  to  hate,  doth  in  you  reigu  ? 

But  he  bestows  more  grace,  wherefore  he  says, 

God  scorns  the  proud,  but  doth  the  humble  raise. 

Unto  the  Lord  therefore  submissive  be. 

Resist  the  devil  and  he'll  from  you  flee. 

Draw  nigh  to  God,  and  he'U  to  you  draw  nigh. 

Make  clean  your  hands  you  sinners,  purify 

Y''our  hearts  you  double-minded,  weep  and  moiu-n. 

And  be  afflicted,  let  your  laughter  tura 

To  sorrow,  and  your  joy  to  sadness  :  stoop 

Before  the  Lord,  and  he  will  lift  you  up. 

My  brethren,  speak  not  evil  of  each  other ; 

He  that  doth  judge  and  speak  ill  of  his  brother. 

Doth  judge  and  speak  ill  of  the  law  ;  therefore 

If  thou  dost  judge  the  law,  thou  ai-t  no  more 

A  doer  of  the  same,  but  dost  assume 

The  judgment-seat,  and  ai't  thyseK  become 

A  judge  thereof.     There  is  but  one  law-giver, 

That's  able  to  destroy  and  to  deliver  ; 

Who  then  art  thou  that  dost  condemn  thy  neighbour  ? 

Go  to  now,  you  that  say,  to  such  a  place 

To-morrow  will  we  go,  and  for  the  space 

Of  one  whole  year,  or  so,  v.iU  there  remain. 

And  buy  and  sell,  and  get  great  store  of  gain  : 

Whereas  ye  know  not  what  a  day  may  do. 

For  what's  the  life  of  man  ?  Ev'n  Mkc  imto 

A  vapour,  which,  tho'  for  a  while  it  may 

Appeal-,  it  quicldy  vanisheth  away. 

So  that  ye  ought  to  say.  If  God  permit 

Us  life  and  health,  we  will  accomplish  it. 

But  now  ye  glory  in  yom-  confidence. 

Such  gloiTing  is  of  evil  conseciucnce. 

He  therefore  that  doth  kuow,  and  doth  not  act 

The  thing  that's  good,  doth  guilt  thereby  contract 


413 


SCRIFrURAL  POEMS. 


CHAP,  v.* 

Go  to  now,  0  ye  ricli  men,  howl  and  cry. 

Because  of  your  approacliiug  misery : 

Your  riches  are  corrupted,  and  the  moths 

Have  ent'red,  and  have  eaten  up  your  clothes. 

Your  gold  and  silver's  caulcer'd,  and  the  rust 

Thereof,  shall  he  an  evidence  that's  just 

Against  you,  and  like  fire  your  flesh  devour: 

Against  the  last  days  ye  have  heap'd  up  store. 

The  hire  of  them  that  reaped  down  your  field. 

The  which  hy  you  is  wrongfully  withheld, 

Cries,  and  the  voice  thereof  hath  reach'd  the  ears 

Ev'n  of  the  God  of  sahbath,  and  he  hears. 

Your  lives  in  pleasure  ye  on  earth  have  led. 

And  as  in  days  of  slaughter  nourished 

Your  wanton  hearts,  and  have  condemn 'd  and  slain 

The  just,  and  he  doth  not  resist  again. 

Be  patient  therefore,  brethren,  ev'n  unto 

The  coming  of  the  Lord :  behold,  ev'n  so 

The  husbandman  expecteth  patiently 

The  precious  increase  of  the  earth  to  see. 

With  patience  waiting  till  he  doth  obtain 

The  sliowcrs  of  early  and  of  latter  rain. 

So  be  ye  patient,  fixing  stedfastly 

Your  hearts,  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord  draws  nigh. 

Grieve  not  each  other,  brethren,  lest  ye  bear 

The  condemnation;!  lo!  the  judge  stands  near. 

The  prophets,  brethi-en,  who  aU  heretofore 

In  the  name  of  the  Lord  their  witness  bore. 


*■  By  a  tj'pograpliical  error,  in  the  original  edition,  it  is  misprinted 
Chap.  XL VI. 

+  How  admirably  doss  Bunyan  etiiMge  upou  tliis  in  Ms  'Pcaceah'.e 
Piinciples  yet  tnie.' 


Take  for  examples  in  their  sufferings 

And  patience :  they  that  endure  such  things. 

Ye  know  are  counted  blest.     Have  ye  not  read 

Of  Job,  how  patiently  he  suffered  ? 

Have  ye  not  seen  in  liim  what  was  God's  end; 

How  he  doth  pity  and  great  love  extend  ? 

My  brethren,  but  above  aU  things  forbear. 

By  heav'n  or  earih,  or  otherwise  to  swear ; 

But  let  your  yea  be  yea,  your  nay  be  nay. 

Lest  ye  become  reproveable  I  say. 

Let  him  sing  psalms  that's  merry ;  he  that's  gricv'd. 

Let  him  by  prayer  seek  to  be  rcliev'd. 

If  any  of  you  by  sickness  be  distress'd. 

Let  him  the  ciders  of  the  church  request 

That  they  would  come  and  pray  for  him  a  while ; 

Anointing  him  in  the  Lord's  name  with  oil ; 

So  shall  the  pray'r  that  is  of  faith  restore 

The  sick,  and  God  shall  raise  him  as  before. 

And  all  th'  oliences  which  he  hath  committed 

Shall  be  forgiv'n,  and  he  shall  be  acquitted. 

Confess  your  faults  each  one  unto  his  brother. 

And  put  up  supplications  for  each  other. 

That  so  you  may  be  heal'd  ;  the  fervency 

Of  just  men's  prayers  prevails  eifectuaUy. 

Elias  was  a  man  as  frail  as  we  are. 

And  he  was  earnest  with  the  Lord  in  pray'r. 

That  there  might  be  no  rain,  and  for  the  space 

Of  three  years  and  six  months  no  rain  there  was : 

And  afterward,  when  he  again  made  suit. 

The  heav'n  gave  rain,  the  earth  brought  forth  her  fruit. 

If  any  one  shall  from  the  truth  desert. 

And  one,  my  brethren,  shall  that  man  convert; 

Let  him  be  sure,  that  he  that  doth  recall 

The  poor  backsliding  sinner  from  his  fall. 

Shall  save  a  soul  from  death,  and  certairJ/ 

Shall  hide  a  multitude  of  sins  thereby. 


AN  EXPOSITION 


FIKST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS, 

AND   PART   OF  THE   ELEVENTH; 

AN  UNPINISHED  COMMENTARY  ON  THE  BIBLE,  FOUND  AMONG  THE  ADTHOr's  PAPERS  AFTER  III3  DEATH, 

IN  HIS  OWN  HANDWRITING  ;    AND  PUBLISHED  IN  1C91,  BY  CHARLES  DOE,  IN  A 

FOLIO  VOLUME  OF  THE  WORKS  OF  JOHN  EUNYAN. 


ADVERTISEMENT  BY  THE  EDITOE. 


Being  in  company  witli  an  enliglitened  society  of 
Protestant  dissenters  of  tlie  Baptist  denomination, 
I  obsei'ved  to  a  doctor  of  divinity,  who  was  ad- 
vancing towards  his  seventieth  year,  that  my  time 
had  heen  delightfully  engaged  with  John  Banyan's 
commentary  on  Genesis.  '  What,'  said  the  D.D,, 
with  some  appearance  of  incredulity,  *  Bunyan  a 
commentator — upon  Genesis ! !  Impossihle!  Well, 
I  never  heard  of  that  work  of  the  good  Bunyan 
before.  Why,  where  is  it  to  he  found  ? '  Yes,  it 
is  true  that  he  has  commented  on  that  portion  of 
sacred  scripture,  containing  the  cosmogony  of 
creation — the  fall  of  man — the  first  murder — the 
deluge — and  other  facts  which  have  puzzled  the 
most  learned  men  of  every  age ;  and  he  has  pi-oved 
to  he  more  learned  than  all  others  in  his  spiritual 
perceptions.  He  graduated  at  a  higher  university 
— a  university  unshackled  by  human  laws,  con- 
ventional feelings,  and  preconceived  opinions.  His 
intense  study  of  the  Bible,  guided  by  the  teaching 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  enabled  him  to  throw  a  new  and 
beautiful  light  upon  objects  which  are  otherwise 
obscure.  Oh !  that  young  ministers,  while  attain- 
ing valuable  book  learning,  may  see  the  necessity 
of  taking  a  high  degree  in,  and  of  never  forgetting 
this  Bible  university !  Reader,  is  it  not  sur- 
prizing, that  such  a  treatise  should  have  remained 
comparatively  hidden  for  more  than  one  himdrcd 
and  fifty  years.  It  has  been  reprinted  in  many 
editions  of  Bunyan 's  works :  but  in  all,  except  the 
first,  with  the  omission  of  the  scripture  references; 
and  with  errors  of  so  serious  a  character  as  if  it 
was  not  intended  to  be  read.  Even  in  printing 
the  text  of  Ge.  vii.7.  Noah's  three  sons  do  not  enter 
the  ark!  although  in  TiiLl6.  they  are  commanded 
to  go  forth  out  of  the  ark.  It  is  now  presented  to 
the  public  exactly  as  the  author  left  it,  with  the 
addition  of  notes,  which  it  is  hoped  wiU  illustrate 
and  not  encumber  the  text. 

This  exposition  is  evidently  the  residt  of  long 
and  earnest  study  of  the  holy  scriptures.  It  is  the 
history  of  the  creation  and  of  the  flood  explained 
and  spiritualized,  and  had  it  been  originally  pub- 


lished in  that  form  and  under  a  proper  title,  it 
would  most  probably  have  become  a  very  popular 
work.  The  author's  qualifications  for  writing  this 
commentary  were  exclusively  limited  to  his  know- 
ledge of  holy  writ.  To  book  learning  he  makes 
no  pretensions.  He  tells  us  that  in  his  youth 
'  God  put  it  into  my  parents'  hearts  to  put  me  to 
school,  to  learn  to  read  and  write  as  other  poor 
men's  children ;  though,  to  my  shame,  I  confess, 
I  did  soon  lose  that  little  I  learnt  even  almost 
utterly.'*  In  after  life,  his  time  was  occupied  in 
obtaming  a  livelihood  by  labour.  When  enduring 
severe  mental  conflicts,  and  while  he  maintained  his 
family  by  the  work  of  his  hands,  he  was  an  accept- 
able pastor,  and  extensively  useful  in  itinerant 
labours  of  love  in  the  villages  round  Bedford. 
His  humility,  when  he  had  used  three  common 
Latin  words,  prompted  him  to  say  in  the  margin, 
'The  Latine  I  borrow.'!  And  this  unlettered 
mechanic,  when  he  might  have  improved  himself 
in  book  wisdom,  was  shut  up  within  the  walls  of  a 
prison  for  nearly  thirteen  years,  for  obeying  God, 
only  solaced  with  his  Bible  and  Fox's  Book  of 
Martyrs.  Yet  he  made  discoveries  relative  to  the 
creation,  Avhich  have  been  very  recently  again  pub-' 
lislied  by  a  learned  philosopher,  who  surprised  and 
puzzled  the  world  with  his  vestiges  of  creation. 
Omitting  the  fanciful  theories  of  the  vestige  plii- 
losopher,  his  two  great  facts,  proved  by  geological 
discoveries,  are — I.  That  when  the  world  was  cre- 
ated and  set  in  motion,  it  was  upon  principles  by 
which  it  is  impelled  on  to  perfection — a  state  of 
irresistible  progress  in  improvement.  This  is  the 
theory  of  Moses:  and  Bunyan's  exposition  is,  that 
all  was  finished,  even  to  the  creation  of  all  the 
souls  which  were  to  animate  the  human  race,  and 
then  God  rested  from  his  work.  II.  The  second 
geological  discovery  is  that  the  world  was  far  ad- 
vanced towards  perfection,  producing  all  that  was 
needful  for  human  life,  before  man  was  created. 
Upon  this  subject,  Bunyan's  words   are — *  God 


Grace  Abouiiilm:;,  No.  3.         t  Pilsrim's  Progi'css,  Paii  2. 


414 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  EIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OP  GENESIS. 


sliews  liis  respect  to  this  excellent  creature,  in  that 
lie  first  proviJeth  for  liim  before  lie  giveth  liim 
his  being.  He  bringeth  him  not  to  an  empty  house, 
but  to  one  well  furnished  with  all  kind  of  neces- 
saries, having  beautified  the  heaven  and  the  earth 
with  glory,  and  all  sorts  of  nourishment  for  his 
pleasure  and  sustenance.'*  But  the  most  pious 
penetration  is  exhibited  in  the  spiritualizing  of  the 
creation  and  of  the  flood — every  step  produces 
some  t}^e  of  that  new  creation,  or  regeneration, 
without  which  no  soul  can  be  fitted  for  heaven. 
The  dim  twilight  before  the  natural  sun  was  made, 
is  typical  of  the  state  of  those  who  believed  before 
Christ,  the  Sun  of  righteousness,  arose  and  was 
manifested.  The  fixed  stars  are  emblems  of  the 
church,  whose  members  all  shine,  but  with  difi"erent 
degrees  of  lustre  —  sometimes  eclipsed,  and  at 
others  mistaken  for  transient  meteors.  The  whales 
and  lions  are  figures  of  great  persecutors.  But 
the  most  singular  idea  of  all  is,  that  the  moral 
degradation  of  human  nature  before  the  flood,  was 
occasioned  by  hypocrisy  and  persecution  for  con- 
science sake,  arising  from  governors  interfering 
with  matters  of  faith  and  worship ;  in  fact,  that  a 
STATE  CHURCH  Occasioned  the  deluge — and  since 
that  time  has  been  the  fruitful  source  of  the  miseries 
and  wretchedness  that  has  afflicted  mankind.  His 
prediction  of  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  in  the 
conversion  of  sinners,  when  the  church  shall  be  no 
longer  enthralled  and  persecuted  by  the  state,  is 
remarkable.  *  0  thou  church  of  God  in  England, 
which  art  now  upon  the  waves  of  affliction  and 
temptation,  when  thou  comest  out  of  the  furnace, 
if  thou  come   out  at  the  bidding  of  God,  there 

»  C,  i  V.  26. 


shall  come  out  with  thee,  the  fowl,  the  beast,  and 
abundance  of  creeping  things.  0  Judah,  he  hath  set 
an  harvest  for  thee,  when  I  returned  the  captivity  of 
my  people. 't  May  this  prediction  soon  be  veri- 
fied, and  the  temporal  government  no  longer  vex 
and  torment  the  church  by  interfering  with  spiritual 
things. 

It  is  remarkable  that  of  the  vast  number  of 
pious  and  enlightened  mechanics  who  adorn  this 
country  and  feed  its  prosperity,  so  few  read  the 
extraordinary  writings  of  John  Bunyan,  a  brother 
mechanic  ;  for  with  the  exception  of  the  Pilgrim's 
Progress  and  Holy  War,  they  are  comparatively 
little  known.  His  simple  but  illustrative  com- 
mentary— his  book  of  Antichrist — ^his  solemn  and 
striking  treatise  on  the  resurrection  and  final  judg- 
ment— in  fact,  all  his  works,  are  peculiarly  calcu- 
lated to  inform  the  minds  of  the  millions — to  re- 
form bad  habits,  and,  under  the  divine  blessing,  to 
purify  the  soul  with  that  heavenly  Avisdom  which 
has  in  it  the  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is  as 
well  as  of  that  which  is  to  come.  It  is  also  a  fact 
which  ought  to  be  generally  known,  that  those 
preachers  who  have  edited  Bunyan's  Avorks  and 
have  drunk  into  his  spirit,  have  been  most  emi- 
nently blessed  in  their  ministry ;  Wilson,  White- 
field,  and  Ryland,  can  never  be  forgotten.  If  the 
thousands  of  godly  preachers  who  are  scattered 
over  our  comparatively  happy  island  were  to  take 
Bunyan's  mode  of  expounding  scripture  as  their 
pattern,  it  would  increase  their  usefulness,  and 
consequently  their  happiness,  in  the  great  work 
of  proclaiming  and  enforcing  the  doctrines  of  the 
gospel Geo.  Offor. 

t  C.  viii.  IG. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS, 

AND  PART  OF  THE  ELEVENTH. 

lu  the  first  edition  of  tliis  commentary,  a  series  of  numbers  from  I  to  294  were  placed  in  tlie  margin,  tlie  use  of  which  the 
editor  could  not  discover;  probably  the  work  was  written  on  as  many  scraps  of  paper,  thus  numbered  to  direct  the  printer. 
They  are  omitted,  lest,  among  divisions  and  subdivisions,  they  should  puzzle  the  reader. 


CHAP.    I. 
I.  Of  God. 
God  ?sa  Spirit,  Jn.  iv.  c-1.  eternal,  De.  xxxiii.  27.  infinite, 
Ho.  i.  17—20.   incomprehensible,  JoTi  xi.  7.   perfect,  and 
unspeakably  glorious  in  his  being,  attributes,  and 
Avorks.    Ge.  xvii.  li.  Is.  vi.  3.  Ex.  xxxiii.  20.      '  The    eternal 
God.'     *  Do  not  I  fill  heaven  and  earth  ?  saith  the 
Lord.' Je. xxiii. 24.     'Neither  is  there  any  creature 
that  is  not  manifest  in  his  sight.'  He.  iv.  13.  Pr.  xv.  ]i. 
In  his  attributes  of  Avisdom,  power,  justice,  holi- 
ness, mercy,  &c.,  he  is  also  inconceivably  perfect 


and  infinite,  not  to  be  comprehended  by  things- 
in  earth,  or  things  in  heaven ;  knoAvn  in  the  per- 
fection of  his  being  only  to  himself.  The  sera- 
phims  cannot  behold  him,  but  through  a  veil;  no 
man  can  see  him  in  his  perfection  and  live. 

His  attributes,  though  apart  laid  down  in  the 
word  of  God,  that  we,  being  weak,  might  the  better 
conceive  of  his  eternal  power  and  godhead  ;  yet  in 
him  they  are  Avithout  division ;  one  glorious  and 
eternal  being.  Again,  though  sometimes  this, 
as  of  Avisdom,  or  that,  as  of  justice  and  mercy, 
is  most  manifest  in  his  works  and  Avonders  before 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  EIIIST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


415 


men ;  yet  every  sucli  work  is  begun  and  comj^leted 
by  the  joint  concurrence  of  all  his  attributes.  No 
act  of  justice  is  without  his  will,  power,  and  wis- 
dom ;  no  act  of  mercy  is  against  his  justice,  holi- 
ness and  purity. 

Besides,  no  man  must  conceive  of  God,  as  if 
he  consisted  of  these  attributes,  as  our  body  doth 
of  its  members,  one  standing  here,  another  there, 
for  the  completing  personal  subsistence.  For 
though  by  the  word  Ave  may  distinguish,  yet  may 
we  not  divide  them,  or  presume  to  appoint  them 
their  places  in  the  Godhead.  Wisdom  is  in  his 
justice,  holiness  is  in  his  power,  justice  is  in  his 
mercy,  holiness  is  in  his  love,  power  is  in  his  good- 
ness. 1  Jn.  i  9.  Ku.  xir.  17, 18. 

Wherefore,  he  is  in  all  his  attributes  almighty, 
all -wise,  holy  and  powerful.  Glory  is  in  his  wisdom, 
glory  is  in  his  holiness,  glory  is  in  his  mercy,  justice, 
and  strength;  and  'God  is  love.'  Un. iv. ic* 

II.  Of  the  Persons  or  Siibsistances  in  the  GodJiead. 

The  Godhead  is  but  one,  yet  in  the  Godhead 
there  are  three.  '  There  are  three  that  can  bear 
record  in  heaven.'  Un.  v.  7— 9.  These  three  are 
called  '  the  Father,  the  Son  [Word],  and  the  Holy 
Spirit;'  each  of  which  is  really,  naturally  and 
etei-nally  God:  yet  there  is  but  one  God.  But 
again,  because  the  Father  is  of  himself,  the  Son 
by  the  Father,  and  the  Spirit  from  them  both, 
therefore  to  each,  the  scripture  not  only  applieth, 
and  that  truly,  the  Avhole  nature  of  the  Deity,  but 
again  distinguisheth  the  Father  from  the  Son,  and 
the  Spirit  from  them  both ;  calling  the  Father  he, 
by  himself ;  the  Son  he,  by  himself ;  the  Spirit 
HE,  by  himself.  Yea,  the  Three  of  themselves,  in 
their  manifesting  to  the  chui-ch  what  she  should 
believe  concerning  this  matter,  hath  thus  expressed 
the  thing :  '  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after 
OUR  likeness.'  Ge.  L  26.  Again,  'The  man  is  become 
as  one  of  us.'  Ge.  m.  22.  Again,  'Let  us  go  down, 
and  there  confoimd  their  language : '  Ge.  xi.  6, 7.  And 
again,  '  Whom  shall  I  send,  and  who  will  go  for 
us?'  Is.  1-i. 8.  To  these  general  expressions  might 
be  added.  That  Adam  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord 
God  walking  in  the  midst  of  the  garden :  Ge.  iii.  s. 
Which  voice  John  will  have,  to  be  one  of  the  Three, 
calling  that  which  Moses  here  saith  is  the  voice, 
the  word  of  God:  'In  the  beginning,'  saith  he, 
'was  the  word:'  the  voice  Avhich  Adam  heard 
walking  in  the  midst  of  the  garden.  This  word, 
saith  John,  '  was  with  God,'  this  '  word  was  God. 
The  same  was  in  the  beginning  with  God.'  Ju.  i.  1, 3. 


*  Although  no  mortal  mind  can  by  searching  find  out  the 
Almighty  to  perfection,  yet  Bunyan's  views  of  the  Divine 
Being  is  an  approach  to  perfection.  It  is  worthy  the  pen  of 
the  most  profound  christian  pliilosophcr. — Ed. 


Marvellous  language  !  Once  asserting  the  unity 
of  essence,  but  twice  insinuating  a  distinction  of 
substances  therein.  '  The  word  was  with  God, 
the  word  was  God,  the  same  was  in  the  beginning 
with  God.'  Then  follows,  'AH  things  were  made 
by  him,'  the  word,  the  second  of  the  three. 

Now  the  godly  in  former  ages  have  called  these 
three,  thus  in  the  Godhead,  Persons  or  Subsist- 
ances ;  the  which,  though  I  condemn  not,  yet 
choose  rather  to  abide  by  scripture  phrase,  know- 
ing, though  the  other  may  be  good  and  soxmd, 
yet  the  adversary  must  needs  more  shamelessly 
spurn  and  reject,  when  he  doth  it  against  the  evi- 
dent text. 

To  proceed  then.  First,  There  are  Three.  Se- 
cond, These  three  are  distinct. 

First,  By  this  word  Three,  is  intimated  the  Fa- 
ther, the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  they  are 
said  to  be  three,  1.  Because  those  appellations  that 
are  given  them  in  scripture,  demonstrate  them  so 
to  be,  to  wit.  Father,  .Son  and  Holy  Ghost.  2. 
Because  their  acts  one  towards  another  discover 
them  so  to  be. 

Secondly,  These  three  are  distinct.  1.  So  distinct 
as  to  be  more  than  one,  only:  There  are  three. 
2.  So  distinct  as  to  subsist  without  depending.  The 
Father  is  true  God,  the  Son  is  true  God,  the  Spirit 
is  true  God.  Yet  the  Father  is  one,  the  Son  is 
one,  the  Spirit  is  one:  The  Father  is  one  of  himself, 
the  Son  is  one  by  the  Father,  the  Spirit  is  one  from 
them  both.  Yet  the  Father  is  not  above  the  Son, 
nor  the  Spirit  inferior  to  either :  The  Father  is 
God,  the  Son  is  God,  the  Spirit  is  God. 

Among  the  three  then  there  is  not  superiority. 
1 .  Not  as  to  time  ;  the  Father  is  from  everlasting, 
so  is  the  Son,  so  is  the  Spirit.  2.  Not  as  to  nature, 
the  Son  being  of  the  substance  of  the  Father,  and 
the  Spirit  of  the  substance  of  them  both.  3.  The 
fulness  of  the  Godhead  is  in  the  Father,  is  in  the 
Son,  and  is  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 

The  Godhead  then,  though  it  can  admit  of  a 
Trinity,  yet  it  admitteth  not  of  inferiority  in  that 
Trinity :  if  otherwise,  then  less  or  more  must  be 
there,  and  so  either  plurality  of  gods,  or  something 
that  is  not  God :  so  then.  Father,  Son  and  Spirit 
are  in  the  Godhead,  yet  but  one  God;  each  of 
these  is  God  over  all,  yet  no  Trinity  of  Gods,  but 
one  God  in  the  Trinity. 

Explication. — The  Godhead  then  is  common  to 
the  three,  but  the  three  themselves  abide  distinct 
in  that  Godhead:  Distinct,  I  say,  as  Father,  and 
Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  This  is  manifest  further  by 
these  several  positions. 

First,  Father  and  Son  are  relatives,  and  must 
needs  therefore  have  their  relation  as  such:  A 
Father  begetteth,  a  Sou  is  begotten. 

Proof. — '  Who  hath  ascended  up  into  heaven, 
or  descended  ?     Who  hath  gathered  the  wind  in 


416 


AN  EXrOSlTION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENES! J. 


his  fists  ?  Who  hath  hound  the  waters  in  a  gar- 
ment ?  What  is  his  name,  and  what  is  his  son's 
name,  if  thou  canst  tell  ? '  Pr.  xxx.  4. 

'  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,'  <fec.  Jn.  m.  16. 

'  The  Father  sent  the  Son  to  he  the  Saviour  of 
the  world.'  Un. iv.  14. 

Secondly,  The  Father  then  cannot  he  that  Son 
he  begat,  nor  the  Son  that  Father  that  begat  him, 
but  must  be  distinct  as  such. 

Proof. — *  I  am  one  that  bear  witness  of  myself, 
and  the  Father  that  sent  mo  beareth  witness  of 

me.'  Jn.  viii.  17, 18. 

*  I  came  forth  from  the  Father,  and  am  come 
into  the  world : '  again,  *  I  leave  the  world,  and  go 
to  the  Father. '  Jn.  xvi  28. 

*  The  Father  judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  com- 
mitted all  judgment  unto  the  Son :  That  all  men 
should  honour  the  Son,  even  as  they  honour  the 
Father. '  Jn.  v.  22, 2.3. 

Tldrdly,  The  Father  must  have  worship  as  a 
Father,  and  the  Son  as  a  Son, 

Proof. — They  that  worship  the  Father  must 
worship  him  *  in  spirit  and  in  truth :  for  the  Fa- 
ther seeketh  such  to  worship  him.'  Jn. iv. 23, 24. 

And  of  the  Son  he  saith,  and  *  when  he  bringeth 
in  the  first  begotten  into  the  world,  he  saith.  And 
let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship  him. '  He.  i.  6. 

Fourthly,  The  Father  and  Son  have  really 
theso  distinct,  but  heavenly,  relative  properties, 
that  discover  them,  as  such,  to  be  two  as  well  as 
one. 

Proof — *  The  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and  sheweth 
him  all  things. '  Ju.  v.  20. 

'  Therefore  doth  my  Father  love  mo,  because  I 
lay  down  my  life,  that  I  might  take  it  again.'  Ju. 
X.  17.  The  Father  sent  the  Son ;  the  Father  com- 
manded the  Son ;  the  Son  prayed  to  the  Father, 
and  did  always  the  things  that  pleased  him. 

Tlie  aLsiirdlties  that  fow  from  the  denial  of  this 
are  divers,  some  of  which  Iter eunder  folk) w. 

1  Absurdity. — It  maketh  void  all  those  scriptures 
that  do  afiirm  the  doctrine;  some  of  which  you  have 
before. 

2  Absurdity. — If  in  the  Godhead  there  be  but  one, 
not  three,  then  the  Father,  Son,  or  the  Spirit,  must 
needs  be  that  one,  if  any  one  only :  so  then  the  other 
two  are  nothing.  Again,  If  the  reality  of  a  being 
be  neither  in  the  Father,  Son,  nor  Spirit,  as  such, 
but  in  the  eternal  deity,  without  consideration  of 
Father,  Son,  and  Spirit  as  three  ;  then  neither  of 
the  three  are  anything  but  notions  in  us,  or  mani- 
festations of  the  Godhead ;  or  nominal  distinctions  ; 
so  related  by  the  word ;  but  if  so,  then  when  the 
Father  sent  the  Son,  and  the  Father  and  Son  the 
Siiirit,  one  notion  sent  another,  one  manifestation 


sent  another.  This  being  grarited,  this  unavoid- 
ably follows,  there  was  no  Father  to  beget  a  Son, 
no  Son  to  be  sent  to  save  us,  no  Holy  Ghost  to  be 
sent  to  comfort  us,  and  to  guide  us  into  all  the 
truth  of  the  Father  and  Son,  k.c.  The  most 
amounts  but  to  this,  a  notion  sent  a  notion,  a  dis- 
tinction sent  a  distinction,  or  one  manifestation 
sent  another.  Of  this  error  these  are  the  conse- 
I  quences,  we  are  only  to  believe  in  notions  and 
distinctions,  when  we  believe  in  the  Father  and  the 
Son;  and  so  shall  have  no  other  heaven  and  glory, 
than  notions  and  nominal  distinctions  can  furnish 
us  withal. 

3  Absurdity. — If  Father  and  Son,  &c.,  be  no 
otherwise  three,  than  as  notions,  names,  or  nomi- 
nal distinctions;  then  to  worship  these  distinctly, 
or  together,  as  such,  is  to  commit  most  gross  and 
hoiTible  idolatry:  For  albeit  we  are  commanded  to 
fear  that  great  and  dreadful  name.  The  Lord  our 
God;  yet  to  worship  a  Father,  a  Sou,  and  Holy 
Spirit  in  the  Godhead,  as  three,  as  reaUy  three  as 
one,  is  by  this  doctrine  to  imagine  falsely  of  God, 
and  so  to  break  the  second  commandment :  but  to 
worship  God  xmder  the  consideration  of  Father, 
and  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  believe  them  as 
really  three  as  one  when  I  worship,  being  the 
sum  and  substance  of  the  doctrine  of  the  scriptures 
of  God,  there  is  really  substantially  three  in  the 
eternal  Godhead. 

But  to  help  thee  a  little  in  thy  study  on  tlii.^i 
deep. 

1.  Thou  must  take  heed  when  thou  readest, 
there  is  in  the  Godhead,  Father,  and  Son,  <fec., 
that  thou  do  not  imagine  about  them  according  to 
thine  own  carnal  and  foolish  fancy;  for  no  man 
can  apprehend  this  doctrine  but  in  the  light  of 
the  word  and  Spirit  of  God.  '  No  man  knowetli 
the  Son,  but  the  Father;  neither  knowetli  any 
man  the  Father,  save  the  Son;  and  he  to  whom 
the  Son  T/ill  reveal  7i^«^.'  Mat.  xi.  27.  If  therefore 
thou  be  destitute  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  thou  canst 
not  appi'ehend  the  truth  of  this  mystery  as  it  is  in 
itself,  but  will  either  by  thy  darkness  be  driven  to 
a  denial  thereof;  or  if  thou  own  it,  thou  wilt  (that 
thy  acknowledgment  notwithstanding)  falsely  ima- 
gine about  it. 

2.  If  thou  feel  thy  thoughts  begin  to  wrestle 
about  this  truth,  and  to  struggle  concerning  tlii.s 
one  against  another;  take  heed  of  admitting  of 
such  a  question.  How  can  this  thing  be  ?  For 
here  is  no  room  for  reason  to  make  it  out,  here  is 
only  room  to  believe  it  is  a  truth.  You  find  not 
one  of  the  prophets  propounding  an  argument  to 
prove  it;  but  asserting  it,  they  let  it  lie,  for  faith 
to  take  it  up  and  embrace  it. 

'  The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the 
love  of  God,  and  the  commimion  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
be  vnth  you  all.     Amen.'  2  Co.  xiii.  u. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


417 


''        III.  Of  the  Creaiionofthe  World.  Ge.L 

The  Apostle  saith,  That  •  to  us  tliere  is  hut  one 
God,  the  Father,  of  whom  are  all  things,  and  we 
in  him,  and  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  hy  whom  are 
all  things,  and  we  hy  him.'  iCo.\-iii.  6.  *  God  that 
made  the  world. '  Ac.  xvii.  w.  *  All  things  were  made 
hy  him;  and  without  him  was  not  any  thing  made 
that  was  made.' Jo.  i. 3.  This  world  therefore  had 
a  beginning,  and  was  created  hy  the  God  of  heaven. 
Which  work,  because  it  is  wonderful,  and  discover- 
eth  much  of  the  greatness,  of  the  wisdom  and 
power  of  the  eternal  Godhead,  it  behoveth  such 
poor  mortals  as  we  to  behold  these  works  of  the 
mighty  God,  that  thereby  we  may  see  how  great 
he  is,  and  be  made  to  cry  out.  What  is  man!* 

Ps.  viii.  3,  4 

Now  in  the  creation  of  the  world  we  may  con- 
sider several  things;  as.  What  was  the  order  of 
God  in  this  work  ?  And,  whether  there  was  a 
secret  or  mystery  in  this  work  containing  the 
ti-uth  of  some  higher  thing  ?  For  the  first  of 
these: 

Of  the  Order  of  God  in  Making  tJie  Jllyrld. 
i  [tee  heaven.] 

Although  God  be  indeed  omnipotent,  and  not 
only  can,  but  doth  do  whatsoever  he  wiU ;  and 
though  to  do  his  works  he  needeth  not  length 
of  time;  yet  it  pleased  him  best,  in  the  creation 
of  the  world  (though  it  could,  had  it  pleased  him, 
have  done  aU  by  one  only  word)  to  proceed  by  de- 
grees from  one  thing  to  another,  to  the  completing 
of  six  days'  work  in  the  making  thereof. 

And  forasmuch  as  this  work  went  on  by  degrees, 
now  this  thing,  and  then  another,  it  may  not  be 
amiss,  if  in  our  discourse  on  this  wonderful  work, 
we  begin  where  God  began;  and  if  we  can,  go 
wondering  after  him  who  hath  thus  wrought. 

1.  The  first  thing  that  God  made  was  time;  I 
say,  it  was  time:  AU  the  plain  in  which  he  would 
build  this  beautiful  world ;  he  made  nothing  be- 
fore, but  in  the  beginning:  '  In  the  beginning  God 
created  the  heaven  and  the  earth. '  Ge.  i.  i.  In  the 
beginning  of  time.  '  For  in  six  days  the  Lord 
made  heaven  and  earth,  the  sea,  and  aU  that  in  them 
is.'  Ex.  XX.  11.  Therefore  the  first  day  must  first 
have  a  beginning  to  be.  Whatsoever  was  before 
time,  was  eternal;  but  nothmg  but  God  himself 
is  eternal,  therefore  no  creature  was  before  time. 

*  The  more  extensive  our  inquiries  are  into  tlie  wonders  of 
creation,  the  more  deeply  will  our  sonls  be  humbled.  The 
answer  to  the  inquiry,  '"\Yhat  is  man?'  can  then,  and  only 
then,  be  made  in  the  language  of  Isaiah,  '  Nothing — vanity — 
a  drop  of  a  bucket — the  small  dust  of  the  balance/  si.  15. — 
Id. 

TOL.  II. 


Time,  therefore,  which  was  indeed  the  beginning, 
was  the  first  of  the  creatures  of  God. 

2.  I  think,  the  second  of  creatures  that  the 
Lord  created,  were  the  holy  angels  of  God,  they 
being  called  the  moi-ning  stars,  as  created  and 
shining  in  the  morning  of  the  world;  and  there- 
fore they  are  said  to  be  by,  when  the  corner-stone 
of  the  universe  was  laid;  that  is,  when  he  'laid 
the  foundations'  of  the  world:  Then  '  the  morning 
stars  sang  together,  and  aU  the  sons  of  God  shouted 
for  joy. '  Job  V.  4—7. 

3.  I  think  the  third  thing  that  the  Lord  created, 
was  these  large  and  copious  heavens;  The  highest 
for  they  are  mentioned  with  respect  to  ^'^^'■''"• 
their  being  before  the  earth,  or  any  visible  crea- 
ture. '  In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heavens,' 
Ge.  i.  1.  &c.  Neither  do  I  think  that  the  heavens 
were  made  of  that  confused  chaos  that  afterwards 
we  read  of.  It  is  said,  he  stretched  out  the 
heavens  as  a  curtain,  and  with  his  hand  he  hath 
spanned  the  heavens;  Ps.  civ.  2.ls.  xi.  2D,  andxlviii.is.  in- 
timating, that  they  were  not  taken  out  of  that 
formless  heap,  but  were  immediately  formed  by 
liis  power.  Besides,  the  Holy  Ghost,  treating  of 
the  creating  of  heaven  and  earth,  he  only  saith. 
The  earth  was  void,  and  without  form;  but  no  such 
thins;  of  the  heavens. 

[the  earth.] 

4.  The  fourth  thing  that  God  created,  it  was 
(in  mine  opinion)  that  chaos,  or  first  matter,  with 
which  he  in  the  six  days  framed  this  earth,  with 
its  appurtenances;  for  the  visible  things  that  are 
here  below,  seem  to  me  to  be  otherwise  put  into 
being  and  order,  than  time,  the  angels,  and  the 
heavens,  they  being  created  in  their  o^vn  simple 
essence  hy  themselves:  But  the  things  that  are 
visibly  here   below,   whatever  their  essence  and 
nature  be,  they  Avere  formed  of  that  first  deformed 
chaos.     *  In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heaven 
and  the  earth,  and  the  earth  was  without  form  and 
void.'  Ge.i.1,3.     He  saith  not  so  of  the  heavens; 
they,  as  I  said,  were  at  first  stretched  forth  as  a 
curtain;    indeed  they  were  afterwards  garnished 
with  the  beauty  which  we  now  behold ;  but  other- 
wise they  had,  at  their  first  instant  of  being,  that 
form  which  now  they  have.     This  seems  clear  by 
the  antithesis  which  the  Holy  Ghost  put  between 
them,  God  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  but 
« the  earth  was  without  form  and  void.'  Ge.  i.  2.    The 
earth  was  without  form,  <kc.,  without  order;  things 
were  together  on  a  confused  heap;  the  waters  were 
not  divided  from  the  earth,  neither  did  those  thmgs 
appear  wlxich  are  now  upon  the  face  of  the  earth; 
as  man,  and  beast,  fish,  fowls,  trees,  and  herbs; 
aU  these  did  afterwards  shew  themselves,  as  the 
word  of  God  gave  them  being,  by  commandmg 
their  appearance,  in  what  form,  order,  place  and 

3  a 


418 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTEES  OE  GENESIS. 


time  lie  in  himself  had  hefore  determined;  hut  all, 
I  say,  took  their  matter  and  substance  of  that  first 
chaos,  which  he  in  the  first  day  of  the  world  had 
commanded  to  appear,  and  had  given  being  to: 
And  therefore  'tis  said,  God  said,  Let  the  earth 
bring  forth  grass,  herbs,  trees,  &lc,,  ver.  13.  and 
that  the  waters  brought  forth  the  fish,  and  fowl, 
yea,  even  to  the  mighty  whales :  vcr.  21,  23.  Also  the 
earth  brought  forth  cattle,  and  creeping  things: 
ver.  94.  And  that  God  made  man  of  the  dust  of 
the  groimd.  ui.  19.  All  these  things  therefore  were 
made  of,  or  caused  by  his  word  distinctly  to  ap- 
pear, and  be  after  its  kind,  of  that  first  matter 
which  he  had  before  created  by  his  word.  Observe 
therefore.  That  the  matter  of  all  earthly  things 
was  made  at  the  same  instant,  but  their  forming, 
&c.,  was  according  to  the  day  in  which  God  gave 
them  their  being,  in  their  own  order  and  kind. 
And  hence  it  is  said,  that  after  that  first  matter 
was  created,  and  found  without  form  and  void, 
that  the  Spirit  of  God  loioved  upon  the  face  of  the 
waters;  that  is  to  Avork,  and  cause  those  things  to 
appear  in  their  own  essence  and  form,  which,  as 
to  matter  and  substance,  was  before  created: 
Wherefore  it  follows.  And  God  said,  Let  there  be 
light;  and  God  divided  the  light  from  the  darkness, 
&c.  Now  he  set  to  putting  in  frame  that  whyih 
before  lay  in  disorder  and  confusion:  And  this  was 
a  great  part  of  the  six  days'  work;  I  say,  a  great 
part,  but  not  all ;  for  (as  I  said)  before  that  time, 
the  angels,  and  the  heavens  were  made ;  yea,  after 
the  beginning  of  the  morning  of  the  first  day.  I 
am  of  the  belief,  that  other  things  also,  that  were 
formed  after,  were  not  made  of  tliat  first  chaos,  as 
the  sun,  the  moon,  the  stars,  the  light,  the  souls 
of  men,  and  possibly  the  air,  &c.  The  sun,  and 
moon,  and  stars,  are  said  to  be  made  the  fourth 
day,  yet  not  of  the  body  of  heaven  itself,  much 
less,  in  my  opinion,  of  any  earthly  matter :  God 
made  them,  and  set  them  in  the  firmament  of 
heaven :  ver.  I6, 17.  So  the  light  that  was  made  be- 
fore, it  seems  to  be  a  thing  created  after  the 
heavens  and  the  earth  were  created:  Created,  I 
say,  as  a  thing  that  wanted  a  being  before,  any 
otherwise  than  in  the  decree  of  God:  and  God 
said.  Let  there  be  light;  Let  it  have  a  being:  ver. 3. 
And  so,  though  the  body  of  man  was  made  of  the 
substance  of  earth,  yet  as  to  his  soul,  it  is  said, 
God  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life, 
and  man  became  a  living  soul.  iL  7. 

Whether  there  vxis  a  secret  or  mystery  in  this  loorh, 
containing  tlie  truth  of  some  higher  thing. 

Though  God  in  very  deed,  by  his  eternal  power, 
created  heaven  and  earth  of  things  that  do  not 
appear,  we  that  are  Christians  believe :  yet  in  this 
his  wonderful  work,  neither  his  will  or  understand- 


ing did  here  terminate,  or  make  a  stop  ;  but  being 
infinite  in  wisdom,  he  made  them,  that  both  as  to 
matter  and  manner,  they  might  present  unto  us, 
as  in  a  mystery,  some  higher  and  more  excellent 
thing ;  in  this  wisdom  he  made  them  all.  And 
hence  it  is  that  other  things  are  also  called  a  crea- 
tion: As,  1,  The  essential  conversion  of  a  sinner. 
3  Co.  V.  17.  2.  The  recovery  of  the  church  from  a 
degenerate  state.  He.  xxi.  5. 

And  therefore,  as  Moses  begins  with  the  creation 
of  the  world,  so  John  begins  with  the  gospel  of 
salvation.  Gc.  i.  1.  Jn.  L 1.  There  is  also  besides 
many  excellent  things  in  the  manner  and  order  of 
the  creation  of  the  world,  held  forth  to  those  that 
have  understanding  :  Some  of  which  I  may  toucli 
upon  by  way  of  observation.  But  to  begin  with 
the  first : 

The  first  appearance  of  this  earthy  part  of  the 
world,  is  recorded  to  be  but  a  formless  and  void 
heap  or  chaos ;  and  such  is  man  before  a  new- 
creation  :  formless,  I  mean,  as  to  the  order  of  the 
Testament  of  Christ,  and  void  of  the  holy  order 
thereof:  And  hence  Jeremiah,  when  he  would  set 
forth  the  condition  of  a  wicked  people,  he  doth  it 
under  this  metaphor  :  *  I  beheld  (saith  he)  the 
earth,  and,  lo,  it  was  without  form  and  void.' 
Je.  iv.  23.  Indeed,  the  world  would  make  this  a  type 
of  Christ ;  to  wit,  a  man  of  no  form  or  comeli- 
ness :  Is.  liii.  3.  But  'tis  only  true  of  themselves  ; 
they  are  without  a  New  Testament  impression 
upon  them ;  they  are  void  of  the  sovereign  grace 
of  God.  So  then  the  power  of  God  gave  the 
world  a  being,  but  by  his  word  he  set  it  in  form 
and  beauty ;  even  as  by  his  power  he  gives  a  being 
to  man,  but  by  his  word  he  giveth  him  New  Testa- 
ment framing  and  glory.  Ep.  ii.  10—13.  This  is  still 
followed  by  that  which  follows : 

And  darkness  was  upon  the  face  of  the  deep. 

ver.  3. 

The  Deep  here,  might  bo  a  tjrpe  of  the  heart  of 
man  before  conversion  ;  and  so  Solomon  seems  to 
intimate.  Now  as  the  darkness  of  this  world  did 
cover  the  face  of  this  first  chaos  ;  so  spiritual 
darkness  the  heart  of  the  sons  of  men :  and  hence 
they  are  said  to  be  darkened,  to  be  in  darkness, 
yea,  to  be  very  darkness  itself. 

'  And  the  Spirit  of  God  moved  Tiie  first  day's  wor!c. 
upon  the  face  of  the  waters.'  [ver. 0—5.] 

A  blessed  emblem  of  the  word  of  God  in  the 
matter  of  regeneration ;  for  as  the  first  chaos 
remained  without  form,  and  void,  until  the  Spirit 
of  God  moved  to  work  upon  it,  and  by  working, 
to  put  this  world  into  frame  and  order ;  so  man, 
as  he  comes  into  the  world,  abides  a  confused 
lump,  an  unclean  thing  ;  a  creature  without  New 
Testament  order,  until  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
he  is  transformed  into  tlic  image  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Ga.  i.  15. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  TIIE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


419 


♦  And  the  Spirit  of  God  moved  upon  the  face.' 
Solomon  compares  the  heart  to  a  man's  face  ; 

because  as  in  the  face  may  be  discerned  whether 
there  is  anger  or  otherwise  ;  so  by  the  inclinations 
of  the  heart  are  discovered  the  truth  of  the  condi- 
tion of  the  man,  as  to  his  state  cither  for  heaven 
or  hell.  And  besides,  as  the  Spirit  of  God  moved 
upon  the  face  of  the  waters ;  so  in  the  work  of  our 
conversion,  the  Spirit  of  God  beginneth  with  the 
Jieart  of  the  sous  of  men  ;  because  the  heart  is 
the  main  fort :  Ac.  ii.  37.  Now  if  the  main  fort  be 
not  taken,  the  adversary  is  still  capable  of  making 
continual  resistance.  Therefore  God  first  conquers 
the  heart ;  therefore  the  Spirit  of  God  moveth 
"upon  the  face  of  our  heart,  when  he  cometh  to 
convert  us  from  Satan  to  God. 

*  And  God  said,  Let  there  be  light.' 

This  is  the  first  thing  with  which  God  began 
the  order  of  the  creation ;  to  wit,  light,  '  Let  there 
be  light : '  From  which  many  profitable  notes  may 
be  gathered,  as  to  the  order  of  God  in  the  salva- 
tion of  the  soul.     As, 

1.  When  the  Holy  Ghost  worketh  upon  us,  and 
in  us,  in  order  to  a  new  creation ;  he  first  toucheth 
our  understanding,  that  great  peace  of  the  heart, 
"with  his  spiritual  illumination  :  Mat.  iv.  16.  His  first 
word,  in  order  to  our  conversion,  is,  Let  there  be 
light :  light,  to  see  their  state  by  nature ;  light,  to 
see  the  fruits  and  efiects  of  sin ;  light,  to  see  the 
truth  and  worth  of  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ  ; 
light,  to  see  the  truth  and  faithfulness  of  God,  in 
keeping  promise  and  covenant  with  them  that 
embrace  salvation  upon  the  blessed  terms  of  the 
gospel  of  peace.  He.  x.  3j2.  Now  that  this  word.  Let 
there  be  light,  was  a  semblance  of  the  first  work 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  the  heart,  compare  it  with 
that  of  Paul  to  the  Corinthians ;  •  For  God,  who 
commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,' 
that  is,  at  the  beginning  of  the  world,  '  hath 
shined  in  our  hearts  to  give  the  light  of  the  know- 
ledge of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 

Christ.'  2Co.iv.  6. 

2.  'And  God  said.  Let  there  be  light.'  As 
here,  the  light  of  this  world ;  so  in  conversion,  the 
light  of  the  New  Testament  of  Christ,  it  comes  by 
the  word  of  God.  No  word,  no  light :  therefore 
the  apostle  saith,  He  '  hath  brought  life  and  im- 
mortality to  light  through  the  gospel.'  STim. i.io. 
And  therefore  Paul  saith  again,  That  salvation  is 
manifest  through  preaching,  through  the  expound- 
ing or  opening  of  the  word  of  faith. 

3.  '  And  God  said.  Let  there  be  light ;  and 
there  was  light:'  He  spake  the  word,  and  it  was 
done  ;  all  that  darkness  that  before  did  cover  the 
face  of  the  deep,  could  not  now  hinder  the  being 
of  light.  So  neither  can  all  the  blindness  and 
ignorance  that  is  in  the  heart  of  man,  hinder  the 
light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the 


face  of  Jesus  Christ.  Re.  iiL  7.  When  it  plcaselh 
God  to  reveal,  it  is  revealed ;  when  he  openetli, 
none  can  shut:  He  said.  Let  there  be  lisht.  and 
there  was  hglit. 

And  God  saw  that  the  light  was  good.  Truly 
the  light  is  good  (saith  Solomon)  and  a  pleasant 
thing  it  is  for  the  eye  to  behold  the  sun.  It  was 
good,  because  it  was  God's  creature ;  and  so  in 
the  work  of  grace  that  is  wrought  in  our  hearts, 
that  light  of  the  new-covenant,  it  is  good,  because 
it  is  God's  work,  the  work  of  his  good  pleasure  ; 
3Th.  Lll.  that  good  work  which  he  hath  not  only 
begun,  but  promised  to  fulfil  until  the  day  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Phi.  i.  6. 

God  saw  that  the  light  was  good.  The  dark- 
ness that  before  did  cover  the  face  of  the  waters, 
was  not  a  creatm-e  of  God,  but  a  privation,  or  that 
which  was  caused  by  reason  that  light  Avas  not  as 
yet  in  the  world :  so  sin,  that  darkness  that  might 
be  felt,  is  not  the  workmanship  of  God  in  the 
soul,  but  that  which  is  the  work  of  the  devil ;  and 
that  taketh  occasion  to  be,  by  reason  that  the  truo 
light,  as  yet,  doth  not  shine  in  the  soul. 

'And  God  divided  the  light  from  the  dark- 
ness.' As  Paul  saith.  What  communion  hath 
light  with  darkness  ?  they  cannot  agree  to  dwell 
together.  3Co.  vi.i4.  We  see  the  night  still  flies 
before  the  day,  and  dareth  not  come  upon  us 
again,  but  as  the  light  diniinisheth  and  conveyeth 
itself  away.  So  it  is  in  the  new  creation ;  before 
the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ  appears, 
there  is  night,  al|  night,  in  the  soul :  Ep.  v.  8.  but 
when  that  indeed  doth  shine  in  the  soul,  then  for 
night  there  is  day  in  the  soul  :  '  Ye  were  -  dark- 
ness (saith  Paul)  but  now  are  ye  light  in  the  Lord :' 
ver.  9.  And,  '  The  darkness  is  past  (saith  John) 
and  the  true  light  now  shineth.'  i  Jn.  u.  s. 

'  And  God  divided  the  light  from  the  dark- 
ness.' 

God  took  part  with  the  light,  and  preserved  it 
from  the  darkness.  By  these  words,  it  seems 
that  darkness  and  light  began  the  quarrel,  before 
that  bloody  bout  of  Cam  and  Abel.  Ga.v.  17.  The 
light  and  the  darkness  struggled  together,  and 
nothing  could  divide  or  part  them  but  God.  Dark- 
ness is  at  implacable  enmity  with  light  in  the 
creation  of  the  world ;  and  so  it  is  in  that  rare 
work  of  regeneration,  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the 
spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh  ;  as  Peter 
saitb,  Fleshly  lusts,  they  war  against  the  soul. 
This  every  Christian  feels,  and  also  that  which  I 
mentioned  before,  namely,  That  before  he  be  cap- 
able of  opposing  antichrist,  with  Abel,  in  the  world, 
he  findeth  a  struggling  in  his  own  soul  between 
the  light  and  the  darkness  that  is  there. 

'  And  God  called  the  light  Day,  and  the  dark- 
ness he  called  Night.' 

God  doth  not  only  distinguish  by  separating, 


420 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  JFIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


but  also  "by  certain  characters ;  tliat  things  which 
are  distinguished  and  separate,  may  to  us  be  the 
better  known ;  he  did  so  here  in  the  work  of  creat- 
ing the  world,  and  he  doth  so  also  in  the  great 
cfoncern  of  man's  eternal  happiness.  The  place 
of  felicity  is  called  heaven :  The  place  of  torment 
is  called  hell :  that  which  leads  to  hell  is  called 
sin,  transgression,  iniquity,  and  wickedness ;  that 
which  leads  to  heaven,  righteousness,  holiness, 
goodness  and  uprightness :  even  as  in  these  types 
God  called  the  light  day,  of  which  the  godly  are 
the  children  ;  1  Th.  t.  5.  but  the  darkness  he  called 
night,  of  which  all  ungodly  men  are  the  inhabiters 
and  children  also.  Thus  after  the  Spirit  of  God 
had  moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters  ;  after  God 
had  commanded  the  light  to  shine,  and  had  divided 
between  the  light  and  the  darkness,  and  had  cha- 
racterized them  by  their  proper  names,  he  concludes 
the  first  day's  work,  '  And  the  evening  and  the 
morning  were  the  first  day. '  In  which  conclusion 
there  is  wrapped  up  a  blessed  gospel-mystery ;  for 
God,  by  concluding  the  first  day  here,  doth  shew 
us  how  we  ought  to  determine  that  one  is  made 
indeed  a  Christian :  Even  then  when  the  Spirit  of 
God  hath  moved  upon  the  face  of  the  heart,  when 
he  hath  commanded  that  light  should  be  there, 
when  he  divideth  between,  or  setteth  the  light  at 
variance  with  the  darkness  ;  and  when  the  soul 
doth  receive  the  characters  of  both,  to  observe  them, 
and  carry  it  to  each  according  to  the  mouth  of 
God. 
The  second  day's  work.       'And  God  said.  Let  there  be  a 

[ver.6-8.]  firmament. '  ver.  6. 

This  firmament  he  calleth  heaven,  ver.  8.  Now 
this  firmament,  or  heaven,  was  to  make  a  separa- 
tion, or  to  divide  between  the  waters  and  the 
waters  ;  ver.  7.  To  separate,  I  say,  the  waters  from 
the  waters  ;  the  waters  which  were  imder  the  fir- 
mament, from  the  waters  which  were  above  the 
finnament.  Now  by  waters  is  signified  in  the 
scriptures  many  things,  as  afflictions,  worldly 
people,  Ps.  kix.  1,  2.  and  particularly  the  saints  ; 
Ee.  six.  6.  but  in  this  place  is  figured  forth,  all  the 
people  in  the  world,  but  so  as  consisting  of  two 
parts,  the  children  of  God,  and  the  children  of  the 
wicked  one:  They  under  the  heaven,  figure  out 
the  world,  or  ungodly :  they  above  the  firmament, 
the  elect  and  chosen  of  God.  And  hence  in  scrip- 
ture the  one  is  called  heaven,  and  the  other  is 
called  earth,  to  signify  the  separation  and  difference 
that  there  is  between  the  one  and  the  other. 

*  And  God  made  the  fii-mament,  and  divided  the 
waters  -  from  the  waters.' 

Indeed  the  world  think  that  this  separation 
comes,  or  is  made,  through  the  captiousness  of 
the  preacher :  But  in  truth  it  is  the  handy  work 
of  God  ;  And  God  made  the  firmament,  and  God 
divided,   (Sic.      'I,'   saith   he,    'will   nut   enmity 


between  thee  and  the  woman,  and  between  thy 
seed  and  her  seed.'  Ge.m.  15.  The  good  seed  are 
the  children  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  the  bad 
are  the  children  of  the  wicked  one.  Mat.  xiu.  38. 

*  And  God  made  the  firmament,  and  divided  the 
waters  which  were  under  the  firmament,  from  the 
waters  which  were  above  the  firmament:  and  it 

was  so. '  ver.  7. 

Whatsoever  the  Lord  doth,  it  abideth  for  ever. 
Ec.  iii.  14.  And  again.  What  he  hath  made  crooked, 
who  can  make  straight  ?  Ec.  i.  15.  He  said  it  in  the 
beginning,  and  behold  how  it  hath  continued ! 
Yea,  though  there  hath  been  endeavours  on  Satan's 
part,  to  mingle  his  children  with  the  seed  of  men ; 
yet  it  hath  not  been  possible  they  should  ever 
cleave  one  to  another,  '  even  as  iron  is  not  mixed 
with  clay. '  Da.  u.  43.  Yea,  let  me  add  further,  What 
laws  have  been  made,  what  blood  hath  been  shed, 
what  cruelty  hath  been  used,  and  what  flatteries 
and  lies  invented,  and  aU  to  make  these  two  waters 
and  people  one  ?  And  yet  all  hath  failed,  and 
fallen  short  of  producing  the  desired  effect ;  for 
the  Lord  hath  made  a  firmament,  even  heaven 
itself  hath  divided  between  them. 

'  And  God  called  the  firmament  heaven.  And 
the  evenmg  and  the  morning  were  the  second  day.' 

ver.  8. 

After  the  waters  were  divided  from  the  waters, 
God  called  the  cause  of  dividing,  heaven  ;  and  so 
concluded  the  second  day's  work.  And  indeed  it 
was  a  very  great  work,  as  in  the  antitype  we  feel 
it  to  this  very  day.  Dividing  work  is  difficult 
work,  and  he  that  can,  according  to  God,  com- 
pletely end  and  finish  it,  he  need  do  no  more  that 
day  of  his  life. 

'  And  God  said,  Let  the  waters  The  third  day's  work. 
under  the  heaven  be  gathered  to-         '^^''''^-  9— ^3.] 
gether  unto  one  place,  and  let  the  dry  land  appear: 
and  it  was  so. '  ver.  9. 

Although  in  the  second  day's  work,  the  waters 
above  the  firmament,  and  those  that  be  under,  are 
the  two  peoples,  or  great  families  of  the  world; 
Pr.  viii.  si.yet  bccausc  God  would  shew  us  by  things 
on  earth,  the  floxirishing  state  of  those  that  are  his. 
Ho.  X.  13.  Joel  ii.  21—23.  P3.  xci.  1.  He.  -vi.  7.  therefore  he  here 
doth  express  his  mind  by  another  kind  of  repre- 
sentation of  things:  Je. iv. a, 4.  'And  God  said.  Let 
the  waters  under  the  heaven  be  gathered  together 
unto  one  place  ;  and  let  the  dry  land  appear.' 
The  waters  here  signifying  the  world;  but  the 
fruitful  earth,  the  thrifty  church  of  God.  That 
the  fruitful  earth  is  a  figure  of  the  thriving  chm-ch 
of  God  in  this  world,  is  evident  from  many  scrip- 
tures, (and  there  was  nothing  but  thriftiness  till  the 
curse  came.)  And  hence  it  is  said  of  the  church, 
That  she  should  break  the  clods  of  the  ground ; 
that  she  should  sow  righteousness,  and  reap  it; 
I  that  she  should  not  sow  among  thorns ;  that  if 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


421 


this  be  done,  the  heart  is  circumcised,  and  spiri- 
tual fruit  shall  flow  forth,  and  grow  abundantly : 
And  hence  again  it  is  that  the  officers  and  eminent 
ones  in  the  church,  are  called  vines,  trees,  and 
other  fruitful  plants.  And  hence  it  is  said  again, 
When  the  Lord  reigneth,  let  the  earth  (that  is,  the 
church)  rejoice.  That  earth  which  bringeth  forth 
fruit  meet  for  him  by  whom  it  is  dressed,  receiveth 
blessing  from  God.  In  all  which  places,  and 
many  mora  that  might  be  named,  the  earth  is 
made  a  figure  of  the  church  of  God ;  and  so  I  count 
it  here  in  this  place. 

'  And  God  said.  Let  the  waters  xmder  the  heaven 
be  gathered  into  one  place. 

Let  them  be  together:  It  is  not  thus  of  all 
waters,  but  of  the  sea,  which  is  still  here  a  type  of 
the  world.  Let  them  be  so  together,  that  the 
earth  may  appear  ;  that  the  church  may  be  rid  of 
their  rage  and  tumult,  and  then  she  wiU  be  fruitful, 
as  it  foUows  in  this  first  book  of  Genesis.  Tho 
church  is  then  in  a  flourishing  state,  when  the 
world  is  farthest  off  from  her,  and  when  the  roar- 
ing of  their  waves  are  far  away.  Now  therefore 
let  all  the  wicked  men  be  far  from  thence :  Ezr.  vi.  6. 
The  Lord  gather  these  waters,  which  in  another 
place  are  called  the  doleful  creatures,  and  birds  of 
prey ;  Let  these,  0  Lord,  be  gathered  together  to 
their  own  places,  and  be  settled  in  the  land  of 
Shinar  upon  their  o\vn  base :  Zec.  v.  ii.  Then  the 
wilderness  and  the  solitary  places  shall  be  glad  for 
them ;  that  is,  for  that  they  are  departed  thence, 
the  desert  shall  rejoice  and  blossom  as  a  rose. 

Is.  xxxiv.  and  xxxv. 

'  And  God  called  the  dry  land  Earth ;  and  the 
gathering  together  of  the  waters  called  he  seas  : 
and  God  saw  that  it  was  good.'  rer. lo, 

God  saw,  that  to  separate  the  waters  from  the 
earth  was  good :  And  so  it  is,  for  then  have  the 
churches  rest.  Then  doth  this  earth  bring  forth  her 
fruit,  as  in  the  11th  and  12th  verses  may  here  be  seen. 
The  fourth  day's  work.       'And  God  said.  Let  there  be 

[ver.  14—19.]  lights  in  the  firmament  of  the 
heaven. '  ver.  14. 

The  wisdom  of  God,  is  there  to  make  use  of 
figures  and  shadows,  even  where  most  fit  things, 
the  things  under  consideration,  may  be  most  fitly 
demonstrated.  The  dividing  the  waters  from  the 
waters,  most  fitly  doth  show  the  work  of  God  in 
choosing  and  refusing ;  by  dividing  the  waters 
from  the  earth,  doth  show  how  fruitful  God's 
earth,  the  chm-ch  is,  when  persecutors  are  made 
to  be  far  from  thence. 

Wherefore  he  speaketh  not  of  garnishing  of  his 
church  until  he  comes  to  this  fourth  day's  work : 
By  his  Spirit  he  hath  garnished  the  heavens,  that 
most  fitly  showing  the  glory  of  the  church. 

Let  there  be  lights ;  to  wit,  the  sun,  the  moon, 
and  the  stars. 


The  sun  is  in  this  place  a  typo  of  Christ,  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness :  The  moon  is  a  type  of  the 
church,  in  her  uncertain  condition  in  this  world : 
The  stars  are  types  of  the  several  saints  and  ofiicers 
in  this  church.  And  hence  it  is  that  the  sun  is 
said  not  only  to  rule,  but  it,  with  the  moon  and 
stars,  to  be  set  for  signs,  and  for  seasons,  and  for 
days,  and  for  years,  (tc.  Ke.  i.  20.  But  if  we  take 
the  heaven  for  the  church,  then  how  is  she  beauti- 
fied, when  the  Son  of  God  is  placed  in  the  midst 
of  her !  Re.  i.  13, 13.  And  how  plainly  is  her  con- 
dition made  out,  even  by  the  changing,  increasing, 
and  diminishing  of  the  moon  !  And  how  excellent 
is  that  congregation  of  men,  that  for  light  and 
glory  are  figured  by  the  stars  !  Mat.  xxriii.  20. 

From  this  day's  work  much  might  be  observed. 

First,  That  forasmuch  as  the  sun  was  not  made 
before  the  fourth  day,  it  is  evident  there  was  light 
in  the  world  before  the  sun  was  created ;  for  in  the 
first  day  God  said.  Let  there  be  light,  and  there 
was  light.  This  may  also  teach  us  thus  much. 
That  before  Christ  came  in  person,  there  was 
spiritual  light  in  the  saints  of  God.  And  again. 
That  as  the  sim  was  not  made  before  the  fourth 
day  of  the  creation,  so  Christ  shoiild  not  be  born 
before  the  fourth  mystical  day  of  the  world ;  for 
it  is  evident,  that  Christ,  the  true  hght  of  the 
world,  was  not  bom  till  about  four  thousand  years 
after  the  world  was  made. 

Second,  As  to  the  moon,  there  are  four  things 
attending  her,  which  fitly  may  hold  forth  the  state 
of  the  church.  (1.)  In  that  she  changeth  from  an 
old  to  a  new,  we  may  conceive,  that  God  by  mak- 
ing her  so,  did  it  to  show  he  would  one  day  make 
a  change  of  his  church,  from  a  Jewish  to  a  Gentile 
congregation.  (2.)  In  that  she  increaseth,  she 
showeth  the  flourishing  state  of  the  church.  (3.) 
In  her  diminishing,  the  diminishing  state  of  the 
church.  (4.)  The  moon  is  also  sometimes  made  to 
look  as  red  as  blood,  to  show  how  dreadful  and 
bloody  the  suffering  of  tlie  church  is  at  some 
certain  times. 

Third,  By  the  stars,  we  imderstand  two  things. 
(1.)  How  innumerable  the  saints,  those  spiritual 
stars  shall  be.  He.  xi.  12.  (2.)  How  they  shall  differ 
each  from  other  in  glory.  1  Co.  iv.  41. 

'  And  God  said,  Let  there  be  lights  in  the  firma- 
ment of  the  heaven,  to  divide  the  day  from  the  night. ' 

For  though  before  the  lio-ht  was  divided  from 
the  darkness,  yet  the  day  and  night  was  not  so 
kept  within  their  bounds,  as  now  by  these  lights 
they  were :  probably  signifying,  that  nothing 
should  be  so  clearly  distinguished  and  made  appear, 
as  by  the  sun  light  of  the  gospel  of  Christ :  for  by 
that  it  is  that  *tlie  shadows  flee  away.'  So.  ii.17.  The 
light  of  the  srni  gathers  the  day  to  its  hours,  both 
longer  and  shorter,  and  forceth  also  the  night  to 
keeo  within  his  bounds. 


423 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


'And  God  made  two  great  lights;  the  greater 
light  to  rule  the  day,  and  the  lesser  light  to  rule 
the  night. '  ver.  IG. 

Signifying,  That  Christ  should  be  the  light  and 
governor  of  his  church,  which  are  the  children  of 
the  day ;  but  the  church,  a  light  to  the  children  of 
the  night,  that  by  them  they  might  learn  the 
mysteries  of  the  kingdom.  Saith  Christ  to  his 
own,  '  Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world : '  And  again, 
*  Let  your  light  so  shine,  -  that  men  may  see,'  &c., 
for  though  they  that  only  walk  in  the  night,  can- 
not see  to  walk  by  the  sun,  yet  by  the  moon  they 
may.  Thus  the  heaven  is  a  type  of  the  church, 
the  moon  a  type  of  her  uncertain  state  in  this 
world ;  the  stars  are  types  of  her  immovable  con- 
verts ;  and  their  glory,  of  the  differing  degrees  of 
theirs,  both  here,  and  in  the  other  world.  Much 
more  might  be  said,  but  I  pass  this. 
The  fifth  day's  work.  '  And  God  said.  Let  the  waters 
[ver.  20—23.]  bring  forth  abundantly  the  mov- 
ing creature  that  hath  life.'  ver.  20. 

The  sea,  as  I  said,  is  a  figure  of  the  world; 
wherefore  the  creatures  that  are  in  it,  of  the  men 
of  the  world.  Zec.  xiii.  8.  Is.  ix.  5.  This  sea  bringeth 
forth  small  and  great  beasts,  even  as  the  world 
doth  yield  both  small  and  great  persecutors,  who 
like  the  fishes  of  prey,  cat  up  and  devour  what 
they  can  of  those  fish  that  are  of  another  condition. 
Now  also  out  of  the  world  that  mj'stical  sea,  as 
fishers  do  out  of  the  natural ;  both  Christ  and  his 
servants  catch  mystical  fish,  even  fish  as  of  the 
great  sea. 

In  the  sea  God  created  great  whales,  he  made 
them  to  play  therein. 

Which  Avhales  in  the  sea  are  types  of  the  devils 
in  the  world :  Therefore  as  the  devil  is  called,  the 
prince  of  this  world ;  so  the  whale  is  called,  king 
over  aU  the  children  of  pride.  Joh  xU.  33, 3i. 
The  sixth  day's  work.  '  And  God  said.  Let  the  earth 
[ver.  21, 25  ]  brinjr  forth  the  livin":  creature 
after  his  kind. '  ver.  21. 

Of  the  beginning  of  this  sixth  day's  work  that 
may  be  said  which  is  said  of  the  fishes,  and  the 
rest  of  the  sea ;  for  as  there  is  variety  of  fish  in 
the  one,  so  of  beasts  and  cattle  in  the  other,  who 
also  make  a  prey  of  their  fellows,  as  the  fishes 
do ;  a  most  apt  representation  of  the  nature  and 
actions  of  bloody  and  deceitful  men:  Hence  per- 
secutors are  called  bulls,  bears,  lions,  wolves, 
tigers,  di'agons,  dogs,  foxes,  leopards,  and  the 
like.* 

'And  God  said.  Let  us  make  man.'  ver.  2S. 


*  How  sad,  but  true,  is  this  type  of  many  governments, 
especially  of  the  olden  times;  the  strong  devoui-  the  weak — 
strong  in  person  or  by  subtilty,  or  by  combination.  Should 
this  earth  ever  be  blessed  with  a  christian  govermuent,  the 
governors  will  exclusively  seek  the  welfare  and  happiness  of 
the  governed. — Ed. 


I  observe,  that  in  the  creation  of  the  world, 
God  goeth  gradually  on,  from  things  less,  to  things 
more  abundantly  glorious ;  I  mean,  as  to  the  crea- 
tion of  this  earth;  and  the  things  that  thereto 
appertain.  First  he  bringeth  forth  a  confused 
chaos,  then  he  commands  matter  to  appear  distinct, 
then  the  earth  bringeth  forth  trees,  and  herbs,  and 
grass ;  after  that  beasts  ;  and  the  sea,  fowls ;  and 
last  of  all.  Let  us  make  man.  Now  passing  by 
the  doctrine  of  the  trinity,  because  spoken  to 
before,  I  come  to  make  some  observation  upon  this 
wonderful  piece  of  the  workmanship  of  God. 

'  Let  us  make  man.'  Man  in  whom  is  also  in- 
cluded the  woman,  was  made  the  last  of  the  crea- 
tures.    From  whence  we  may  gather, 

God's  respect  to  this  excellent  creature,  in 
that  he  fii'st  provideth  for  him,  before  he  giveth 
him  his  being :  lie  bringeth  him  not  to  an  empty 
house,  but  to  one  well  fmniished  with  all  kind  of 
necessaries,  having  beautified  the  heaven  and  the 
earth  with  glory,  and  all  sorts  of  nourishment,  for 
his  pleasure  and  sustenance.! 

'  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after  our  like- 
ness.' 

An  image,  or  the  likeness  of  any  thing,  is  not 
the  thing  of  which  it  is  a  figure ;  so  here,  Adam 
is  an  image,  or  made  in  the  likeness  of  God.  Now 
as  Adam  is  the  image  of  God,  it  must  either 
respect  him,  as  he  consisteth  of  the  soul,  as  a  part ; 
or  as  he  consists  of  a  body  and  soul  together :  If 
as  he  is  made  a  reasonable  soul,  then  he  Is  an 
excellent  Image  of  the  eternal  Godhead,  the  attri- 
butes of  the  one  being  shadowed  out  by  the  quali- 
ties and  passions  of  the  other ;  for  as  there  is  in 
the  Godhead,  power,  knowledge,  love,  and  righte- 
ousness ;  so  a  likeness  of  these  Is  In  the  soul  of 
man,  especially  of  man  before  he  had  sinned :  And 
as  there  Is  passions  of  pity,  compassion,  affections, 
and  bowels  In  man ;  so  there  are  these  In  a  far 
more  infinite  way  In  God. 

Again,  If  this  image  respect  the  whole  man,  then 
Adam  was  a  figure  of  God,  as  Incarnate ;  or  of 
God,  as  he  was  to  be  made  afterwai'ds  man.  And 
hence  It  Is,  that  as  Adam  Is  called  the  image  of 
God ;  Eo.  V.  14.  so  also  is  Christ  himself  called  and 
reckoned  as  the  answering  antitype  of  such  an 
ima2;e. 


t  This  is  one  of  those  beautii'id  discoveries  which  modera 
geology  fully  confirms.  The  earth  is  created,  matured,  pre- 
pared and  fitted  for  him,  before  man  is  created.  That  modern 
popular  work,  '  The  Vestiges  of  Creation,'  elucidates  the  same 
fact  from  the  phenomena  of  natm-e:  but  the  philosopher  who 
wrote  that  cm-ious  book  little  thought  that  these  snhlime 
truths  were  published  more  than  a  century  and  a  half  ago,  by 
an  unlettered  mechanic,  whose  sole  som-ce  of  knowledge  was 
his  being  deeply  learned  in  the  holy  oracles.  They  discover 
in  a  few  words  that  Avhich  defies  centuries  of  philosophic 
researches  of  the  most  learned  men.  A  woudrous  book  is 
God's  book ! — Ed. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  riRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


423 


But  again,  Tliougli  Adam  "be  here  called  the 
image  or  similitude  of  God ;  yet  but  so  as  that 
he  was  the  shado^y  of  a  more  excellent  image. 
Adam  was  a  tyjoe  of  Christ,  who  only  is  '  the  express 
image'  of  his  Father's  person,  and  the  likeness  of 
his  excellent  glory.  He.  i.  3.  For  those  things  that 
were  in  Adam,  were  hut  of  a  humane,  hut  of  a 
created  substance ;  hut  those  that  were  in  Chi'ist, 
of  the  same  divine  and  eternal  excellency  with  the 
Father. 

Is  Christ  then  the  image  of  the  Father,  simply, 
as  considered  of  the  same  divine  and  eternal  excel- 
lency with  him  ?  Certainly,  No :  for  an  image  is 
doubtless  inferior  to  that  of  which  it  is  a  figure. 
Understand  then,  that  Christ  is  the  image  of  the 
Father's  glory,  as  horn  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  yet 
so,  as  being  very  God  also :  Not  that  his  Godhead 
in  itself  was  a  shadow  or  image,  hut  by  the  acts 
and  doing  of  that  man,  every  act  being  infinitely 
perfect  by  virtue  of  his  Godhead,  the  Father's 
perfections  were  made  manifest  to  flesh.  An 
image  is  to  be  looked  upon,  and  by  being  looked 
upon,  another  thing  is  seen ;  so  by  the  person  and 
doings  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  they  that  indeed  could 
see  him  as  he  was,  discovered  the  perfection  and 
glory  of  the  Father. — '  Philip,  He  that  hath  seen 
me  hath  seen  the  Father ;  and  hov.^  sayest  thou 
then.  Shew  us  the  Father  ?  '  Jn.  xiv.  9.  Neither  the 
Father  nor  the  Son  can  by  us  at  all  be  seen,  as 
they  are  simply  and  entirely  in  their  own  essence. 
Therefore  the  person  of  the  Father  must  be  seen 
by  us,  through  the  Son,  as  consisting  of  God  and 
man  ;  the  Godhead,  by  working  effectually  in  the 
manhood,  shewing  clearly  there  through  the  infinite 
perfection  and  glory  of  the  Father :  '  The  word 
was  made  flesh,  and  -  (then)  we  beheld  his  glory, 
the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father, 
(He  being  in  his  personal  excellencies,  infinitely 
and  perfectly,  what  is  recorded  of  his  Father,)  full 
of  grace  and  truth.'  Jn. i.  14.  So  again,  he  'is  the 
image  of  the  invisible  God.'  Col.  i.  15.  The  Godhead 
is  indeed  invisible  ;  how  then  is  Christ  the  image 
of  it  ?  Not  by  being  invisible  also ;  for  so  is  he 
as  much  hid  as  the  Father;  but  being  clothed 
with  flesh,  that  the  works  of  the  Son  might  by  us 
be  seen,  he  thereby  presenteth  to  us,  as  in  a  figure, 
the  eternal  excellency  of  the  Father,  And  hence 
as  he  is  called  '  an  image,'  he  is  also  called  *  the 
first-born '  of  every  creature.  Coi.  i.  is.  His  being  a 
creature,  respecting  his  manhood,  and  his  birth, 
and  his  rising  again  from  the  dead.  Therefore  a 
little  after,  he  is  called,  '  the  first-born  from  the 
dead : '  ver.  19.  And  in  another  place,  'the  first-begot- 
ten of  the  dead:'  Ec. i. 5.  And  'the  first-fruits  of 
them  that  slept.'  lCo.xv.20.  So  then,  though  Adam 
was  the  image  of  God,  yet  God's  image  but  as  a 
mere  creature :  But  Christ  though  a  creature  as 
touching  his  manhood ;  yet  being  also  God,  as  the 


Father,  he  shewed  forth  expressly,  in  capital 
characters,  by  all  his  works  and  doings  in  the 
world,  the  beauty  and  glory  of  the  Father :  '  The 
hght  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,'  is 
given  '  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.'  2  Co.  iv.  c.  Where 
by  face,  we  must  imderstand  that  which  is  visible, 
that  being  open  when  all  else  is  covered,  and  that 
by  which  most  principally  we  are  discovered  to 
others,  and  known.  Now  as  to  the  case  in  hand, 
this  face  must  signify  to  us  the  personal  virtues 
and  doings  of  Christ,  by  which  the  glory  of  the 
Father  is  exposed;  the  glory  of  his  justice,  by 
Christ's  exactness  of  life ;  the  glory  of  his  love,  by 
Christ's  compassion  to  sinners,  &;c 

Ver.  26.  'And  God  said,  Let  us  make  man  in  our 
image,  after  our  likeness :  and  let  them  have  domi- 
nion over  the  fish  of  the  sea,  and  over  the  fowl  of 
the  air,  and  over  the  cattle,  and  over  all  the  earth, 
and  over  every  creeping  thing  that  creepeth  upon 
the  earth.' 

As  Adam  was  a  type  of  Christ,  as  the  image 
and  glory  of  God ;  so  by  these  words  he  further 
showeth,  that  he  was  a  type  of  his  sovereign 
poAver ;  for  to  him  be  dominion  and  power  ever- 
lasting. He.  ii.  8, 9.  '  to  Vt'hom  be  praise  and  dominion 
for  ever, '  i  Pe.  iv.  ii.  juGe  25.  Now  by  the  fish  of  the 
sea,  the  beasts  of  the  earth,  the  fowls  of  the  air, 
and  every  creeping  thing,  we  may  imderstand  all 
creatures,  visible  and  invisible,  whether  they  be 
men,  angels,  or  devils ;  in  heaven,  earth,  or  under 
the  earth :  also  all  thrones,  authorities  and  powers, 
whether  in  heaven,  in  earth,  or  hell:  Christ  is 
made  head  over  all ;  He  hath  also  a  name  above 
every  name,  '  not  only  in  this  world,  but  in  that 
which  is  to  come.'  Ep. i. 25. 

Ver.  28.  '  And  God  blessed  them  ;  and  God  said 
unto  them,  (that  is,  to  the  man.  and  his  wife)  Be 
fruitful,  and  multiply,  and  replenish  the  earth,  and 
subdue  it,'  <&c. 

This  in  the  type  doth  show,  in  the  antitype,  llOW 
fruitful  Christ  and  his  church  shall  be ;  and  how 
he  at  last  shall,  all  over  the  earth,  have  a  seed  to 
replenish  and  subdue  it  by  the  power  of  the  im- 
mortal seed  of  the  word  of  God:  how  his  name 
shall  be  reverenced  from  one  end  of  the  earth  to 
the  other:  how  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  shall 
ALL  at  last  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and 
of  his  Christ. 

'And  subdue  it.'  God  did  put  tliat  majesty 
and  dread  upon  Adam,  at  his  creation,  that  aU  the 
beasts  of  the  field  submitted  themselves  unto  him. 
As  God  also  said  to  Noah,  '  The  fear  of  you  and 
the  dread  of  you  shall  be  upon  every  beast  of  the 
earth,  and  upon  every  fowl  of  the  air,  upon  all 
that  moveth  U20on  the  earth,  and  upon  all  the  fi.shes 
of  the  sea;  into  your  hand  are  they  delivered.' 
Ge.  L\.  3. 

*  ^  And  God  said,  Behold   I   have  given  vou 


434 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  EIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


every  herb  bearing  seed,  wMch  is  upon  tbe  face  of 
all  the  earth ;  and  every  tree,  in  the  which  is  the 
fruit  of  a  tree  yielding  seed ;  to  you  it  shall  be  for 
meat.'  Ge. i.  29. 

These  herbs  and  trees  are  types  of  the  whole- 
some word  of  the  gospel,  on  which  both  Christ,  his 
church,  and  unconverted  sinners,  ought  to  feed  and 
be  refreshed ;  and  without  which  there  is  no  sub- 
sisting either  of  one  or  the  other :  *  He  causeth  the 
grass  to  grow  for  the  cattle,  and  herb  for  the  ser- 
vice of  man :  that  he  may  bring  forth  food  out  of 
the  earth ;  and  wine  thcd  maketh  glad  the  heart 
of  man,  and  oU  to  make  his  face  to  shine,  and 
bread  ivhich  strengtheneth  man's  heart.'  Ps.  civ.  14, 15. 

'  And  God  saw  every  thing  that  he  had  made, 
and,  behold,  it  was  very  good. '  rer.  31. 

All  things  have  their  natural  goodness  by  crea- 
tion. Things  are  not  good,  because  they  have  a 
being  only,  but  because  God  gave  them  such  a 
being.  Neither  did  God  make  them,  because  he 
saw  they  would  attract  a  goodness  to  themselves ; 
but  he  made  them  in  such  kind,  as  to  bring  forth 
that  goodness  he  before  determined  they  should. 
'  And  the  evening  and  the  morning  were  the  sixth 
day.' 

CHAP.  II. 

Ver.  3.  '  And  God  blessed  the  seventh  day,  and 
sanctified  it :  because  that  in  it  he  had  rested 
from  all  his  work  which  God  created  and  made.' 

The  seventh  day  did  signify  two  things : 

First,  Christ  Jesus,  who  is  as  well  the  rest  of 
the  justice  of  God,  as  a  rest  for  sinful  man. 

Secondly,  It  Avas  also  a  t^ype  of  that  glorious 
rest  that  saints  shall  have  when  the  six  days  of 
this  world  are  fully  ended. 

For  the  first,  the  apostle  makes  the  sabbath  a 
shadow  of  Jesus  Christ,  *  a  shadow  of  things  to  come; 
but  the  body  (or  substance)  is  of  Christ. '  Coi.  ii.  17. 
And  hence  it  is  that  he  is  so  often  said  to  be '  a 
rest '  to  the  Gentiles,  a  glorious  rest,  and  that  he 
promiseth  rest  to  such  as  cast  their  burthen  upon 

him.  Mat.  xi.  29. 

The  second  also  the  apostle  asserteth  in  that 
fourth  chapter  to  the  Hebrews,  *  There  remaineth 
therefore  a  rest,'  or  the  keeping  of  a  sabbath,  *  to 
the  people  of  God : '  ver.  9.  read  also  ver.  4—11.  Which 
sabbath,  as  I  conceive,  will  be  the  seventh  thou- 
sand of  years,  which  arc  to  follow  immediately 
after  the  world  hath  stood  six  thousand  first :  for 
as  God  was  six  days  in  the  works  of  creation,  and 
rested  the  seventh ;  so  in  six  thousand  years  he 
will  perfect  his  works  and  providences  that  con- 
cern this  world.  As  also  he  will  finish  the  toil 
and  travel  of  his  saints,  with  the  burthen  of  the 
beasts,  and  the  curse  of  the  ground ;  and  bring  all 
into  rest  for  a  thousand  years.  A  day  with  the 
Lord,  is  as  a   thousand   years:    wherefore   this 


blessed  and  desirable  time  is  also  called  •  a  day,* 
'  a  great  day,'  '  that  gi-eat  and  notable  day  of  tho 
Lord,'  Ac.  ii.  20.  which  shall  end  in  the  eternal  judg- 
ment of  the  world.  God  hath  held  forth  this  by 
several  other  shadows,  as  the  sabbath  of  weeks,  the 
sabbath  of  years,  and  the  great  jubilee,  which  is 
to  be  the  year  after  forty-nine  years  are  expired. 
Le.  XXV.  1—13.  Of  all  which,  more  in  their  place,  if 
God  pennit. 

Ver.  4.  '  H  These  are  the  generations  of  the 
heavens  and  of  the  earth  when  they  Avere  created, 
in  the  day  that  the  Lord  God  made  the  earth  and 
the  heavens. ' 

Moses  seems  by  these  words,  'In  the  day,' to 
insist  principally  upon  them  in  their  first  and 
primitive  state,  before  there  was  sin  or  curse  in  the 
Avorld ;  for  in  the  day  that  they  were  created,  there 
was  a  far  more  glorious  lustre  and  beauty  than 
now  can  be  seen ;  the  heaven,  for  sin,  is,  as  it 
were,  turned  into  brass ;  and  the  rain  into  powder 
and  dust,  in  comparison  of  what  it  was  as  it  came 
from  the  fingers  of  God.  The  earth  hath  also 
from  that  time  a  curse  upon  it;  yea,  the  whole 
creation,  by  sin,  is  even  '  made  subject  to  vanity,' 
is  in  travail,  and  groans  under  the  burthen  that 
sin  hath  brought  upon  it.  Ro.  viii.  19—23. 

Ver.  5.  '  And  every  plant  of  the  field  before  it 
was  in  the  earth,  and  every  herb  of  the  field  before 
it  grew.' 

Thus  it  was  in  the  first  creation ;  they  thereforo 
became  neither  herbs  nor  trees,  by  the  course  of 
nature,  but  by  the  creation  of  God.  And  even  so 
it  is  in  the  new  creation,  men  spring  not  up  by 
nature  to  be  saints :  No,  not  in  the  church  of  God, 
but  first  they  are  created  in  Christ  Jesus,  and 
made  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  benefit,  and  then 
planted  in  the  church  of  God ;  '  planted, '  I  say, 
as  plants  before  prepared.  Indeed  hy])ocrites,  and 
formal  professors,  may  spring  up  in  the  church, 
by  virtue  of  her  forms,  and  outward  services,  as 
thorns  and  thistles  spring  up  in  the  earth,  by  virtue 
of  her  moisture  and  heartiness.  But  these  are  but 
the  fruits  of  the  curse,  and  are  determined  to  be 
burned  at  last  in  the  fire:  'Every  plant  (saith 
Christ)  which  my  heavenly  Father  hath  not 
planted,  shall  be  rooted  up. '  Mat.  xv.  13.  He.  vi.  8.* 

'  For  the  Lord  God  had  not  caused  it  to  rain 
upon  the  earth.'  This  is  the  reason  that  they 
came  not  up  by  nature  first,  but  were  first  created, 
then  planted,  then  made  to  grow.  So  the  reason 
why  men  by  nature  grow  not  in  the  church,  is,  be- 
cause the  Lord  doth  not  cause  it  to  rain  upon  them, 
they  still  abiding  and  doing  according  to  the  course 
of  this  world ;  but  he  plants  them  in  his  house  by 


*  la  what  pointed  language  are  ttese  solemn  warnings  put. 
Reatler,  in  the  sight  of  God,  let  the  heart-searching  inquiry  of 
the  apostle's  he  yours  ;  Lord,  is  it  I  ? 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


425 


tlie  mighty  power  of  his  word  and  Spirit,  by  wliicli 
they  are  created  saints,  and  then  they  afterwards 
grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

'  And  there  was  not  a  man  to  till  the  ground. ' 
It  seems  by  this  there  was  a  kind  of  necessity  why 
God  should  make  man,  yea,  a  multitude  of  men ; 
for  otherwise  he  had  made  what  before  he  made  in 
vain;  that  is,  his  end  in  making  so  glorious  a 
creature  as  this  world,  which  was  to  shew  forth 
his  glory  by,  had  been  void,  and  without  effect ; 
for  although  it  was  glorious,  as  it  came  out  of  the 
hand  of  God ;  yet  it  was  not  of  power  so  to  pre- 
serve itself,  but  would,  without  men  to  look  after 
and  dress  it,  be  turned  into  a  wilderness. 

Thus  it  is  with  the  world  of  men,  if  there  was 
not  the  second  Adam  to  plough  them  and  sow 
them,  they  could  none  of  them  become  saints ; 
No,  not  the  elect  themselves ;  because  the  means 
are  determined,  as  well  as  the  end. 

By  this  we  may  likewise  see  what  a  woful  con- 
dition that  people  is  in,  that  have  no  ministers  of 
the  w  ord  of  the  gospel :  *  My  people  perish,  [are 
destroyed]  for  lack  of  knowledge:' Ho.  iv.  6.  And 
again,  *  Where  there  is  no  vision,  the  people  perish. ' 
Pr.  xxL\-.  18.  Pray  therefore  to  the  Lord  of  the  har- 
vest, that  he  would  send  out  his  ploughers  to 
plough,  and  his  labourers  into  his  harvest. 

Ver.  6.  *  But  there  went  up  a  mist  from  the 
earth,  and  watered  the  whole  face  of  the  ground.' 
Although  as  yet  there  was  no  ploughman  nor 
rain,  yet  a  mist  arose  from  the  earth ;  so  where 
there  is  not  the  word  of  the  gospel,  there  is  yet 
sufficiency  of  light,  to  teach  men  how  to  govern 
themselves  in  civil  and  natural  society.  But  this 
is  only 'a  mist,'  men  cannot  gospelly  grow  by  this; 
therefore,  as  in  the  next  verse,  of  necessity  man 
must  be  formed. 

But  again,  I  have  sometimes  thought  by  this 
mist,  might  be  held  forth  that  nourishment  men 
had  by  the  doctrine  of  faith,  before  the  gospel  vras 
divulged  by  Moses,  the  prophets,  or  Christ,  &c. 
for  before  these,  that  nourishment  the  church  re- 
ceived, was  but  slender  and  short,  even  as  short 
as  the  nourishing  of  the  mist  is  to  sober  and  mo- 
derate showers  of  rain ;  to  which  both  the  law  and 
the  gospel  is  compared. 

Again,  I  have  also  sometimes  thought,  that  by 
this  mist  might  be  typified  those  excellent  pro- 
verbs and  holy  sayings  of  the  men  of  old,  before 
there  was  a  written  word  ;  for  it  caimot  be  but  the 
godly  did  contain  in  proverbs,  and  certain  sayings, 
the  doctrine  of  salvation  hereafter,  and  of  good 
living  here  ;  [see  Ro.  ii.  li.}  of  which  we  have  a  touch 
in  Genesis,  but  more  at  large  by  that  blessed  book 
of  Job  ;  which  book,  in  my  opinion,  is  a  holy  col- 
lection of  those  proverbs  and  sayings  of  the  an- 
cients, occasioned  by  the  temptation  of  that  good 

VOL.  II. 


man.  But  whatever  this  mist  did  signify  (in  other 
men's  judgment)  certain  it  is,  it  was  for  present 
necessity,  till  a  man  should  be  made  to  till  the 
ground,  and  the  fruits  thereof  watered  with  *  the 
bottles  of  heaven:'  Which,  so  far  as  I  see  yet, 
most  aptly  presents  us  with  some  of  all  these. 

Ver.  7.  '  And  the  Lord  God  formed  man  ofihe 
dust  of  the  ground, '  «fec. 

In  the  creation  of  man,  God  began  with  his  out- 
side ;  but  in  the  work  of  regeneration,  he  first  be- 
gins within,  at  the  heart.  He  made  him ;  that  is, 
his  body,  of  the  dust  of  the  ground ;  but  he  abides 
a  lifeless  lump,  till  the  Lord  puts  forth  a  second 
act.  '  And  [he]  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the 
breath  of  life ;  and  man  became  a  living  soul.* 
Now  he  lives,  now  he  acts :  so  it  is  in  the  king- 
dom of  Christ,  no  man  can  be  a  living  soul  in  that 
kingdom  by  his  first  creation,  he  must  have  life 
'  breathed '  into  him,  life  and  spirit  from  Jesus 
Christ.  Jn.xx-.  23. 

Now  therefore  is  Adam  a  type,  yet  but  an  earthly 
one,  of  things  more  high  and  heavenly ;  '  And  as 
we  have  borne  the  image  of  the  earthy,  we  shall 
also  bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly. '  i  Co.  xv.  49. 

Ver.  8.  '  IF  And  the  Lord  God  planted  a  garden 
eastward  in  Eden,  and  there  he  put  the  man  whom 
he  had  formed.' 

'And  the  Lord  God  planted  a  garden.'  Thus 
the  Holy  Ghost  speaks  clearer  and  clearer ;  for 
now  he  presents  the  church  to  us  under  the  simi- 
litude of  a  garden,  which  is  taken  out  of  the  wide 
and  open  field,  and  inclosed ;  '  A  garden  inclosed 
is  my  sister,  7ny  spouse  ;'  a  garden  inclosed,  '  a 
spring  shut  up,  a  fountain  sealed;'  Ca. iv.  13.  and 
there  he  put  the  man  whom  he  had  formed.  An 
excellent  type  of  the  presence  of  Christ  with  his 
church.  Ke.  i.  13,  13. 

Ver.  9.  '  And  out  of  the  ground  made  the  Lord 
God  to  grow  every  tree  that  is  pleasant  to  the 
sight,'  &c. 

These  trees,  and  their  pleasurableness,  do  shew 
us  the  beauty  of  the  truly  godly,  whom  the  Lord 
hath  beautified  with  salvation.  And  hence  it  is 
said,  the  glory  of  Lebanon,  of  Sharon,  and  of  Car- 
mel,  is  given  to  the  church :  that  is,  she  is  more 
beautified  with  gifts  and  graces  than  can  by  types 
and  shadows  be  expressed.  '  The  tree  of  life  also 
in  the  midst  of  the  garden,  and  the  tree  of  know- 
ledge of  good  and  evil.' 

This  '  tree  of  life,'  was  another  type  of  Christ, 
as  the  bread  and  healing  medicine  of  the  church, 
that  stands  '  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God.' 

Re.  ii.  7 ;  xxii.  3. 

The  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  was 
a  type  of  the  law,  or  covenant  of  works,  as  the 
sequel  of  the  story  clearly  manifesteth ;  for  had 
not  Adam  eaten  thereof,  he  had  enjoyed  for  ever 
his  first  blessedness.  As  Moses  saith,  '  It  shall 
3  u 


426 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


he  our  rigliteousness,  if  we  observe  to  do  all  these 
commandments  before  tlie  Lord  our  God,  as  he 
hath  commanded  us.'  De.  vi.  25.  But  both  Adam 
and  we  have  touched,  that  is,  broken  the  boughs 
and  fruit  of  this  tree,  and  therefore  now  for  ever, 
by  the  law,  no  man  can  stand  just  before   God. 

Ga.  ii.  IG. 

Ver.  10.  '  1|  And  a  river  went  out  of  Eden  to 
water  the  garden ;  and  from  thence  it  Avas  parted, 
and  became  into  four  heads.' 

This  river  while  it  abided  in  Eden,  in  the  gar- 
den, it  was  the  river  of  God ;  that  is,  serviceable 
to  the  trees  and  fruit  of  the  garden,  and  was 
herein  a  type  of  those  watering  ministers  that 
water  the  plants  of  the  Lord.  But  observe,  when 
it  had  passed  the  garden,  had  gotten  without  the 
bound  of  the  garden,  from  thence  it  was  parted, 
and  became  into  four  heads ;  from  thence  it  was 
transformed,  or  turned  into  another  manner  of 
thing:  it  now  became  into  four  heads;  a  type 
of  the  four  great  monarchies  of  the  world,  of  which 
Babylon,  though  the  first  in  order  of  being,  yet 
the  last  in  a  gospel  or  mysterious  sense.  The 
fourth  is  the  river  Euphrates,  that  which  was  the 
face  of  the  kingdom  of  Babel  of  old.  Hence  note. 
That  how  eminent  and  serviceable  soever  men  are 
while  they  abide  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  the 
CHURCH ;  yet  when  they  come  out  from  thence, 
they  evilly  seek  the  great  things  of  the  world : 
one  is  for  compassing  the  whole  land  of  Havilah, 
where  is  gold ;  another  is  for  compassing  this,  a 
third  that,  and  a  fourth  another  thing,  according 
as  you  see  these  four  heads  did.  Observe  again. 
That  while  men  abide  in  the  church  of  God,  there 
is  not  by  them  a  seeking  after  the  monarchies  of 
this  world;  but  when  they  depart  from  thence, 
then  they  seek  and  strive  to  be  heads ;  as  that 
cursed  monster  the  pope,  forsaking  the  garden  of 
God,  became  in  a  manner  the  prince  of  all  the 
earth:  Of  whom  Tyrus  mentioned  by  Ezekicl, 
was  a  very  lively  type,  '  Thou  hast  been  in  Eden, 
the  garden  of  God ;  every  precious-stone,  [that 
is,  doctrine,]  was  thy  covering;  as  the  sardius, 
topaz,  diamond,'  &e.  'till  iniquity  was  found  in 
thee;'  Eze.  xx-viii.  13— is.  till  thou  leftest  thy  station, 
and  place  appointed  of  God,  and  then  thou  wast 
cast  as  profane  out  of  the  mountain  of  God,  yea, 
though  a  covering  cherub.  See  it  again  in  Cain, 
who  Avhile  he  continued  in  the  church,  he  was  a 
busy  sacrificer,  as  busy  as  Abel  his  brother ;  but 
when  he  left  off  to  fear  the  Lord,  and  had  bloodily 
butchered  his  holy  brother,  then  he  seeks  to  be  a 
head,  or  monarch ;  then  he  gocth  and  buildeth  a 
city  to  preserve  his  name  and  posterity  for  ever, 
Gc.  iv.  17. 

Yer.  15.  'II  And  the  Lord  God  took  the  man, 
and  put  him  into  the  garden  of  Eden,  to  dress  it 
and  to  keep  it.' 


In  this  also  Adam  was  a  figure  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  as  pastor  and  chief  bishop  of  his 
church.  *  I  the  Lord,  [saith  Christ,]  do  keep  it ; 
I  will  water  it  every  moment,  I  will  keep  it  night 
and  day.'  is. xxrii. 3. 

'And  the  Lord  God  took  the  man.'  Neman 
taketh  this  honour  upon  him,  but  he  that  is  called 
of  God,  as  was  Aaron.  Blessed  is  he  also  that 
can  say  as  the  prophet  Amos ;  '  And  the  Lord 
took  me  (said  he)  as  I  followed  the  flock,  and  the 
Lord  said  unto  me,  Go,  prophesy  unto  my  people 
Israel. '  Am.  vu.  15. 

'To  dress  it  and  to  keep  it.'  lie  that  is  not 
dressed,  is  not  kept:  That  is  a  sad  judgment.  That 
which  dieth,  let  it  die  ;  That  which  is  diseased,  let 
it  not  be  dressed,  let  it  die  of  that  disease.  By 
dressing  therefore  I  understand,  pruning,  manuring 
and  the  like,  which  the  dresser  of  the  vineyard 
was  commanded  to  do,  without  which  all  is  over- 
run with  briers  and  nettles,  and  is  fit  for  nothing 
but  cursing,  and  to  be  burned.  Lu.  xUi.  6—9.  Pr.  xxiv.  so 

—3-1.  He.  vi.  7,  8. 

'  And  the  Lord  commanded  the  man,  saying. 
Of  every  tree  of  the  garden  thou  mayest  freely  eat. ' 

ver,  16. 

It  is  God's  word  that  glvetli  us  power  to  eat, 
to  drink,  and  do  other  our  works,  and  Avithout  the 
Avord  we  may  do  nothing.  The  command  gave 
Adam  leave :  '  Every  creature  of  God  is  good,  and 
nothing  to  be  refused,  if  it  be  received  with  thanks- 
giA'ing ;  for  it  is  sanctified  by  the  word  of  God  (by 
the  command  of  the  word,  and  by  receiving  of  it 
according  to  the  limits  thereof,)  and  prayer, '  i  Ti. iv. 

4,5. 

Ver.  17.  *  But  of  the  tree  of  the  knoAvledge  of 
good  and  evil,  thou  shalt  not  eat  of  it.'  I  said 
before.  What  God's  word  prohibits,  Ave  must  take 
care  to  shun. 

This  '  tree  of  knowledge, '  as  I  said  before,  was 
a  type  of  the  covenant  of  Avorks,  the  which  had  not 
Adam  touched,  (for  by  touching  it  he  broke  that 
covenant,)  he  then  had  lived  ever,  but  touching  it 
he  dies.  Ge.  iii.  3. 

Adam  going  into  the  garden  imder  these  condi- 
tions and  penalties,  Avas  therein  a  tj'pe  of  the  hiuni- 
liation  of  Christ ;  AA'ho  at  his  coming  into  the  world, 
was  made  under  the  laAV,  under  its  command  and 
penalty,  even  as  other  men,  but  Avithout  sin.  Ga.  iv. 

4,5. 

'  For  in  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof  thou 
shalt  surely  die.' 

*  For  in  the  day.'  Adam  lived  to  God  no  longer 
than  Avhile  he  kept  himself  from  eating  forbidden 
fruit ;  in  that  very  day  he  died ;  first  a  spiritual 
death  in  his  soul ;  his  body  also  was  then  made 
capable  of  mortality,  and  all  diseases,  Avhich  tAvo 
great  impediments  in  time  brought  him  doAA-n  to 
dust  a,f>:ain. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  EIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


427 


Ver,  18.  "H  And  the  Lord  God  said,  It  is  not 
good  that  man  shoukl  be  alone ;  I  -will  make  him 
an  help  meet  for  him.' 

By  these  words,  Adam's  state,  even  in  inno- 
cency,  seems  to  crave  for  help ;  wherefore  it  is 
manifest  that  that  state  is  short  of  that  we  attain 
by  the  resurrection  from  the  dead;  yea,  for  as  much 
as  his  need  required  earthly  help,  it  is  apparent 
his  condition  was  not  heavenly :  '  The  first  man  is 
of  the  earth,  earthy :  the  second  man  is  the  Lord 
from  heaven.' 1  Co. XV. 47.  Adam  in  his  first  estate 
was  not  spiritual :  •  That  ico.s  not  first  which  is 
spiritual,  but  that  which  is  natural;  and  afterwards 
that  which  is  spiritual.'  ver. 46.  Wherefore  those 
that  think,  it  enough  to  attain  to  the  state  of  Adam 
in  innocency,  think  it  sufiicient  to  be  mere  natural- 
ists; think  themselves  well,  without  being  made  spi- 
ritual :  yea,  let  me  add,  they  think  it  safe  standing 
by  a  covenant  of  works ;  they  think  themselves 
happy,  though  not  concerned  in  a  covenant  of 
grace  ;  they  think  they  know  enough,  though  igno- 
rant of  a  mediator,  and  count  they  have  no  need 
of  the  intercession  of  Christ.* 

Adam  stood  b}''  a  covenant  of  works :  Adam's 
kingdom  was  an  earthly  paradise ;  Adam's  excel- 
lency was,  that  he  had  no  need  of  a  Saviour ;  and 
Adam's  knowledfi-e  was  ignorance  of  Jesus  Christ : 
Adam  in  his  greatest  glory,  wanted  earthly  com- 
forts ;  Adam  in  his  innocency,  was  a  mere  natural 
man. 

Ver.  19.  'And  out  of  the  ground  the  Lord  God 
formed  every  beast  of  the  field,  and  every  fowl  of 
the  air.' 

This  proveth  further  what  I  said  at  first,  That 
in  the  first  chaos  was  contained  all  that  was  made 
upon  the  earth. 

'  And  brought  them  tmto  Adam,  to  see  what  he 
would  call  them:  and  whatsoever  Adam  called 
every  living  creature,  that  toas  the  name  thereof. ' 

In  this  Adam  was  a  lively  type  of  the  Lord 
Christ's  sovereign  and  glorious  power  over  all 
flesh :  *  Thou  hast  given  him  power  over  all  flesh, 
that  he  should  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou 
Last  given  him.'  Jn. x\-ii.  3. 

*  And  brought  them  unto  Adam  to  see  what  he 
would  call  them.' 

So  Christ  nameth  the  world ;  whom  he  will  he 
calleth  saints ;  and  whom  he  will  he  calleth  the 
world,  'ungodly,'  'serpents,'  'vipers,'  and  the 
like.     '  I  pray  for  them,  I  pray  not  for  the  world.' 

In.  xvii.  9. 

'  And  whatsoever  Adam  called  every  living 
creature,  that  was  the  name  thereof.'  Even  as 
Christ  passes  sentence,  so  shall  their  judgment  be. 

*  Bunyaa  beautifully  illustrates  tliis  view  of  divine  trutli  in 
!ns  controversy  with  Edward  Fowler,  Bishop  of  Gloucester. 
See  '  The  Defence  of  the  Doctrine  of  Justification  hy  Faith  in 
Je.sus  Christ.' — Eu. 


Ver.  20.  '  And  Adam  gave  names  to  all  cattle, 
and  to  the  fowl  of  the  air,  and  to  every  beast  of 
the  field.'  So  Christ  judgeth  of  angels,  devils,  and 
men. 

'  But  for  Adam,  there  was  not  found  an  help 
meet  for  him.'  All  the  glory  of  this  world,  had 
not  Adam  had  a  Avife,  could  not  have  completed 
this  man's  blessedness ;  he  would  yet  have  been 
wanting:  so  all  the  glory  cf  heaven,  considering 
Christ  as  mediator,  could  not,  without  his  church, 
have  made  him  up  complete.  The  church,  I  say, 
'  which  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  him  that  filleth 
all  in  all.' 

Ver.  21,  22.  'IF  And  the  Lord  God  caused  a 
deep  sleep  to  fall  upon  Adam,  and  he  slept :  and  he 
took  one  of  his  ribs,  and  closed  up  the  flesh  instead 
thereof;  and  the  rib  which  the  Lord  God  had 
taken  from  man,  made  he  a  woman,  and  brought 
her  unto  the  man.' 

In  these  Avords  we  find  an  help  provided  for 
Adam ;  also,  whence  it  came.  The  help  was  a 
Avife ;  she  came  out  of  his  side ;  she  was  taken 
thence  Avhile  Adam  slept.  A  blessed  figure  of  a 
further  mystery.  Adam's  Avife  was  a  type  of  the 
church  of  Christ ;  for  that  she  A\'-as  taken  out  of 
his  side,  it  signifies  we  are  flesh  of  Christ's  flesh, 
and  bone  of  Christ's  bone.  Ep.  v.  30.  And  in  that 
she  was  taken  thence  Avhile  Adam  slept,  it  signi- 
fies, the  church  is  Christ's,  by  virtue  of  his  death 
and  blood :  '  Feed  the  church  of  God,  Avhich  ho 
hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood.'  Ac  xx.  28. 

'  And  he  brought  her  to  the  man.'  That  is, 
And  God  brought  her  to  the  man.  By  which  he 
clearly  intimates.  That  as  the  church  is  the  work- 
manship of  God,  and  the  purchase  of  the  blood  of 
Christ;  so  yet  she  cannot  come  to  Christ,  unless 
brought  to  him  of  God :  '  No  man  can  come  to 
me  (saith  Christ)  except  the  Father  Avhich  hath 
sent  me,  draw  him.'  Jn.  vi.  u. 

Ver.  23.  '  And  Adam  said.  This  is  noAv  bone  of 
my  bones,  and  flesh  of  my  flesh :  she  shall  be  called 
Woman,  because  she  Avas  taken  out  of  Man.' 

In  that  Adam  doth  thus  acknowledge  his  wife 
to  be  bone  and  flesh  of  his  substance,  it  shews  us, 
that  Christ  will  acknowledge  those  that  are  his: 
'  He  is  not  ashamed  to  call  them  brethren,  saying, 
I  will  declare  thy  name  unto  my  brethren,  in  the 
midst  of  the  church  Avill  I  sing  praise  unto  thee.' 

Ilf.  ii.  11, 12. 

And  observe  it.  He  said,  '  She  is  bone  of  my 
bone,'  &c.  before  that  God,  that  brought  her  to  him; 
intimating,  that  Christ  both  oaatis  us  noAV  at  his 
Father's  right  hand,  and  Avill  not  be  ashamed  of 
us,  even  in  the  day  of  judgment.  Mat.  x.  33.  Lu.  xii.  8. 

Ver.  24.  'Therefore  shall  a  man  leave  his  father 
and  his  mother,  and  shall  cleave  unto  his  wife  : 
and  they  shall  be  one  flesh.' 

This  ought  to  be  truly  performed  in  our  married 


428 


A.N  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  TIKST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


estate  in  this  world.     But  here  endeth  not  the 
mystery, 

•  Therefore  shall  a  man  leave  his  father.'  Thus 
did  Christ  when  he  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners :  He  came  forth  from  the  Father ;  *  I 
came  forth  from  the  Father,  and  am  come  into 

the  world.'  Jn.  xvi.  28. 

'  Therefore  shall  a  man  leave  his  father  and  his 
mother.'  The  Jewish  church  may,  in  a  mystical 
sense,  be  called  the  mother  of  Christ ;  for  she  was 
indeed  God's  wife,  and  of  her  came  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ :  yet  his  mother  he  left  and  forsook,  to  be 
joined  to  his  Gentile  spouse,  which  is  now  his  only 
wife. 

Ver.  25.  *  And  they  were  both  naked,  the  man 
and  his  wife,  and  were  not  ashamed,' 

No  sin,  no  shame;  Let  men  stand  Avhere  God 
hath  set  them,  and  there  is  no  cause  of  shame, 
though  they  be  exposed  in  outward  appearance  to 
never  so  much  contempt, 

*  And  they  were  both  naked,'  Apparel  is  the 
fruits  of  sin ;  wherefore  let  such  as  pride  them- 
selves therein,  remember,  that  they  cover  one 
shame  with  another.  But  let  them  that  are  truly 
godly  have  their  apparel  modest  and  sober,  and 
with  shamefacedness  put  them  on,  remembering 
always  the  first  cause  of  our  covering  our  naked- 
ness, was  the  sin  and  shame  of  our  first  parents, 

[1  Pe.  iii.  3.] 

CHAP.  III. 

Ver,  1.  'Now  the  serpent  was  more  subtil  than 
any  beast  of  the  field  v/hich  the  Lord  God  had 
made.  And  he  said  unto  the  woman,  Yea,  hath 
God  said.  Ye  shall  not  eat  of  every  tree  of  the 
garden  ?' 

Li  these  words  we  have  an  entrance  of  the  first 
great  spiritual  conflict  that  was  fought  between 
the  devil  and  flesh ;  and  it  is  worth  the  observing, 
how  the  enemy  attempted,  engaged,  and  overcame 
the  world.  2  Co.  xi.  3. 

1 .  He  tempts  by  means ;  he  appeareth  not  in 
his  own  shape  and  hue,  but  assumeth  the  body  of 
one  of  the  creatures,  the  body  of  the  serpent,  and 
so  begins  the  combat.  And  from  hence  it  is,  that 
in  after  ages  he  is  spoken  of  under  the  name  of 
that  creature,  *  the  dragon,  that  old  serpent  which 
is  the  devil,  and  Satan;'  Re.  xx.  2.  because,  as  the 
Holy  Ghost  would  have  us  beware  of  the  devil,  so 
of  the  means  and  engines  which  he  useth ;  for 
where  one  is  overcome  by  his  own  fearful  appear- 
ance, ten  thousand  are  overcome  by  the  means  and 
engines  that  he  useth, 

2,  'The  serpent  was  more  subtil.'  The  devil,  in 
his  attempts  after  our  destruction,  maketh  use  of 
the  most  suitable  means.  The  serpent  was  more 
subtil,  therefore  the  cunning  of  the  devil  was  least 
of  all  discerned.     Had  he  made  use  of  some  of  the 


most  foolish  of  the  creatures,  Adam  had  luckily 
started  back,  for  he  knew  the  nature  of  all  the 
creatures,  and  gave  them  names  accordingly; 
wherefore  the  serpent,  Adam  knew,  was  subtil, 
therefore  Satan  useth  him,  thereby  to  catch  this 
goodly  creature.  Hereby  the  devil  least  appeared; 
and  least  appearing,  the  temptation  soonest  took 
the  tinder,* 

'  Now  the  serpent  was  more  subtil.'  More  sub- 
til. Hence  the  devil  is  called,  '  the  serpent  with 
heads,'  [with  great  cunning;]  'the  crooked  ser- 
pent,' [with  knotty  objections ;]  '  the  piercing 
serpent,'  [for  he  often  wounds  ;]  and  his  ways  are 
called  'devices,'  'temptations,'  'delusions,'  'wiles,* 
'  power,'  and  '  the  gates  of  hell ;'  because  of  their 
mighty  prevalency.  This  is  he  that  undertook  our 
first  parents. 

But  how  did  he  xmdertake  them  ? 

He  labours  to  make  them  question  the  simpli- 
city of  the  word  of  God,  bearing  Adam's  wife  in 
hand,  that  there  must  needs  be  some  meaning  that 
palliates  the  text ;  Hath  God  said  ye  shall  not  eat 
of  the  tree  ?  Which  interrogatory  suggested  them 
with  a  strong  doubt  that  this  word  would  not 
appear  a  truth,  if  you  compare  it  with  the  4th 
verse. 

Hence  learn,  that  so  long  as  we  retain  the  sim- 
plicity of  the  word,  we  have  Satan  at  the  end  of 
the  staff  ;  for  unless  we  give  way  to  a  doubt  about 
that,  about  the  truth  and  simplicity  of  it,  he  gets 
no  ground  upon  us.  And  hence  the  apostle  says. 
He  feared  lest  by  some  means,  as  the  serpent  be- 
guiled Eve  through  his  subtilty,  so  our  minds 
should  be  corrupted  from  the  simplicity  that  is  in 
Christ ;  2  Co.  xi.  3.  that  is,  lest  our  minds  should  be 
drawn  off  from  the  simplicity  of  the  word  of  the 
gospel  by  some  devilish  and  delusive  arguments : 
For  mark,  Satan  doth  not  first  of  all  deny,  but 
makes  a  doubt  upon  the  word,  whether  it  is  to  be 
taken  in  this  or  another  sense ;  and  so  first  cor- 
rupting the  mind  with  a  doubt  about  the  simplicity 
of  the  true  sense,  he  after  brings  them  to  a  denial 
thereof ;  '  Hath  God  said.  Ye  shall  not  cat  of 
every  tree  of  the  garden  ?' 

Ver.  2.  '  And  the  woman  said  unto  the  serpent. 
We  may  eat  of  the  fruit  of  the  trees  of  the  garden,' 
'  And  the  woman  said, '  Indeed,  the  question  was 
put  to  her,  but  the  command  Avas  not  so  imme- 
diately delivered  to  her:  '  The  Lord  God  commanded 
the  man,'  chap.  ii.  16.  This  therefore  I  reckon  a 
great  fault  in  the  woman,  an  usurpation,  to  under- 
take so  mighty  an  adversary,  when  she  was  not 
the  principal  that  was   concerned  therein ;  nay. 


*  Chj-istian,  you  are  specially  cautioned  to  '  beware  of  the 

flatterer.'     The  POgrim's  Christiau  and  Hopeful  forgot  the 

caution,  and  '  a  man  black  of  flesh  but  covered  with  a  very 

Ucjht  role,  caught  them  in  his  net,  and  they  were  chastised 

1  sore.' — Ed. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  TIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


429 


Tvlien  lier  husband  who  was  more  ahle  than  she, 
was  at  hand,  to  whom  also  the  law  was  given  as 
chief.  But  for  this  act,  I  think  it  is,  that  they 
are  now  commanded  silence,  and  also  commanded 
to  learn  of  their  husbands :  i  Co.  xiv.  34, 35.  A  com- 
mand that  is  necessary  enough  for  that  simple  and 
weak  sex:*  Though  they  see  it  was  by  them  that 
sin  came  into  the  world,  yet  how  hardly  are  some 
of  them  to  this  day  dissuaded  from  attempting 
unwarrantably  to  meddle  with  potent  enemies, 
about  the  great  and  weighty  matters  that  concern 
eternity.  1  Ti.  ii.  11—15. 

Hence  note.  That  often  they  who  are  least  able, 
will  first  adventure  to  put  in  their  head  to  defend 
that,  from  whence  they  return  with  shame. 

*  And  the  woman  said  unto  the  serpent.  We 
may  eat  of  the  fruit  of  the  trees  of  the  garden.' 

This  was  her  prologue  to  her  defence,  but  that  also 
for  which  she  had  no  warrant.  In  time  of  tempta- 
tion, it  is  our  wisdom  and  duty  to  keep  close  to  the 
Avord,  that  prohibits  and  forbids  the  sin ;  and  not 
to  reason  with  Satan,  of  how  far  our  outward  and 
worldly  privileges  go,  especially  of  those  privileges 
that  border  upon  the  temptation,  as  she  here  did : 
We  may  eat  of  all  but  one.  By  this  she  goeth  to 
the  outside  of  her  liberty,  and  sets  herself  upon  the 
brink  of  the  danger.  Christ  might  have  told  the 
tempter,  when  he  assaidted  him.  That  he  could 
have  made  stones  bread ;  and  that  he  could  have 
descended  from  the  pinnacle  of  the  temple,  as 
afterwards  he  did ;  Mat.  ir.  3—7.  lu.  iv.  but  that  would 
have  admitted  of  other  questions.  Wherefore  he 
chooseth  to  lay  aside  such  needless  and  unwarant- 
able  reasonings,  and  resisteth  him  with  a  direct 
word  of  God,  most  pertinent  to  quash  the  tempter, 
and  also  to  preserve  liimself  in  the  way.  To 
go  to  the  outside  of  privileges,  especially  when 
tempted  of  the  devil,  is  often,  if  not  always  very 
dangerous  and  hazardous. 

By  these  words  therefore,  in  mine  opinion,  she 
spoke  at  this  time  too  much  in  favour  of  the  flesh ; 
and  made  way  for  what  after  came  upon  her.  We 
may  eat  of  all  but  one. 

Ver.  3.  *  But  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  which  is 
in  the  midst  of  the  garden,  God  hath  said.  Ye 
shall  not  eat  of  it,  neither  shall  ye  touch  it,  lest 
ye  die.' 

Now,  too  late,  she  urgeth  that  which  should 
have  been  her  only  stay  and  weapon ;  to  wit,  the 
express  word  of  God;  That  she  should,  if  she 
would  have  disputed  with  the  tempter,  have  urged 
at  the  first  that  only,  and  have  thought  of  nothing 

*  Much  allowance  must  be  made  for  the  state  of  female 
education  in  Bimyan's  days.  Every  effort  was  made  to  keep 
women  in  subordination — a  mere  drudging,  stockiug  mending 
help  meet  for  man.  Now  we  feel  that  the  more  highly  she  is 
cultivated,  the  more  valuable  help  she  becomes,  and  that  in 
intellect  she  is  on  a  perfect  equality  with  man. — ^Ed. 


else.  ^  Thus  did  the  Lord  himself:  but  she  looking 
first  into  those  worthy  privileges  which  God  had 
given  her,  and  dilating  delightfully  of  them  before 
the  devil,  she  lost  the  dread  of  the  command  from 
off  her  heart,  and  retained  now  but  the  notion  of 
it :  which  Satan  perceiving,  and  taking  heart  there- 
from to  make  his  best  advantage,  he  now  adds  to 
his  former  forged  doubt,  a  plain  and  flat  denial, 
'  Ye  shall  not  surely  die.' 

Ver.  4.  •  And  the  serpent  said  unto  the  woman. 
Ye  shall  not  surely  die. ' 

When  people  dally  with  the  devil,  and  sit  too 
near  their  outward  advantages;  when  they  are 
tempted  to  break  the  command  of  God,  it  is  usual 
for  them,  even  by  setting  their  hearts  upon  things 
that  in  themselves  are  honest  and  lawful,  to  fall 
into  temptation :  To  see  a  piece  of  ground,  to  prove 
a  yoke  of  oxen,  to  marry  a  wife,  are  doubtless 
la^^'ful  things ;  but  upon  the  borders  of  these  privi- 
leges lay  the  temptation  of  the  devil ;  therefore  by 
the  love  of  these,  Avhich  yet  were  lawful  in  them- 
selves, the  devil  hardened  the  heart,  and  so  at 
last  made  way  for,  and  perfectly  produced  in  them, 
flatly  to  deny,  as  then,  to  embrace  the  words  of 
God's  salvation.  Mat.  xxii.  5.  Lu.  xiv.  16—20.  The  like 
befel  our  first  mother ;  wherefore  though  at  last 
she  freely  objected  the  word ;  yet  because  before 
she  had  so  much  reasoned  to  the  pleasing  of  the 
flesh,  she  lost  the  dread  and  savour  of  the  com- 
mand, and  having  nought  but  notion  left,  she  found 
not  wherewith  to  rebuke  so  plain  a  lie  of  the  devil, 
but  hearkened  to  his  further  reasoning. 

*Ye  shall  not  surely  die.'  Not  surely;  in  the 
word  there  is  some  slight  meaning,  of  which  you 
need  not  be  so  afraid.     And  besides, 

Ver.  5.  *  God  doth  know  that  in  the  day  ye  eat 
thereof,  then  your  eyes  shall  be  opened,  and  ye 
shall  be  as  gods,  knowing  good  and  evil.' 

In  these  words  two  privileges  are  asserted :  one. 
That  their  eyes  should  be  opened ;  the  other.  That 
they  should  be  as  gods,  knowing  good  and  evil. 
The  first  is  very  desirable,  and  was  not  at  all 
abridged  by  them ;  the  second,  as  to  their  knowing 
good  and  evil,  was  absolutely  forbidden ;  because 
they  could  not  attain  to  the  knowledge  of  that 
which  was  evil,  but  by  transgressing,  or  by  eating 
of  that  forbidden  tree. 

Hence  observe,  That  it  is  usual  with  the  devil, 
in  his  tempting  of  poor  creatures,  to  put  a  good 
and  bad  together,  that  by  shew  of  the  good,  the 
tempted  might  be  drawn  to  do  that  which  in  truth 
is  evil.  Thus  he  served  Saul ;  he  spared  the  best 
of  the  herd  and  flock,  under  pretence  of  sacrificing 
to  God,  and  so  transgressed  the  plain  command. 
1  Sa.  XV.  20—23.  But  this  the  apostle  saw  was  danger- 
ous, and  therefore  censureth  such,  as  in  a  state  of 
condemnation.  Eo. iii. 8.  Thus  he  served  Adam;  be 
put  the  desirableness  of  sight,  and  a  plain  trans- 


430 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OE  GENESIS. 


gression  of  God's  law  together,  that  by  the  loveli- 
ness of  the  one,  they  might  the  easier  he  brought 
to  do  the  other.  0  poor  Eve !  Do  we  wonder  at 
thy  folly!  Doubtless  we  had  done  as  bad  Avith 
half  the  argument  of  thy  temptation. 

'  Ye  shall  be  as  gods.'  In  these  words  he  at- 
tempts to  beget  in  them  a  desire  to  be  greater 
than  God  had  made  them,  l  Ti.  iii.  6,  He  knew  this 
was  a  likely  way,  for  by  this  means  he  fell  himself; 
for  being  puffed  up  with  pride,  they  left  their  own 
estate,  or  habitation,  and  so  became  devils,  and 
■were  tumbled  down  to  hell,  where  they  are  *  re- 
served in  everlasting  chains,  under  darkness,  unto 
the  judgment  of  the  great  day.'  Jude6. 

'  Ye  shall  be  as  gods.'  When  souls  have  begun 
to  hearken  to  the  tempter,  that  hearkening  hath 
made  way  for,  and  given  way  to  so  much  darkness 
of  mind,  and  hardness  of  heart,  that  now  they  can 
listen  to  anything:  as  to  hear  God  charged  with 
folly,  *  Ye  shall  not  surely  die;'  as  to  hear  him 
made  the  author  of  ignorance,  and  that  he  delights 
to  have  it  so,  by  seeking  by  a  command  to  prohibit 
them  from  knowing  what  they  could  ;  for  God  doth 
know,  that  in  the  day  ye  eat  thereof,  then  your 
eyes  shall  be  opened  ;  and  therefore  he  forbids  to 
touch  it. 

*  Ye  shall  be  as  gods.'  Here  is  also  a  pretence 
of  holiness,  which  he  knew  they  were  prone  unto ; 
*  Ye  shall  be  as  gods,'  as  knowing  and  perfect  as 
God.  Oh!  Thousands  are,  even  to  this  day,  by 
such  temptations  overcome !  Thus  he  wraps  his 
temptations  up  in  such  kind  of  words  and  sugges- 
tions as  will  carry  it  either  way.  But  mark  his 
holiness,  or  the  way  that  he  prescribes  for  holiness; 
it  is,  if  not  point  blank  against,  yet  without  and 
besides  the  word,  not  by  doing  what  God  commands, 
and  abhorring  what  he  forbids,  but  by  following 
the  delusion  of  the  devil,  and  their  own  roving 
fancies ;  as  Eve  here  does. 

Ver.  6.  '  IT  And  when  the  woman  saw  that 
the  tree  uos  good  for  food,  and  that  it  was  pleasant 
to  the  eyes,  and  a  tree  to  be  desired  to  make  one 
wise,  she  took  of  the  fruit  thereof,'  i;c. 

This  verse  presents  us  with  the  use  that  Eve 
made  of  the  reasonings  of  the  serpent ;  and  that 
was,  to  take  them  into  consideration ;  not  by  the 
word  of  God,  but  as  her  flesh  and  blood  did  sense 
them :  A  way  very  dangerous  and  devouring  to  the 
soul,  from  which  Paid  fled,  as  from  the  devil  him- 
self :  '  Immediately  I  conferred  not  with  flesh  and 
blood.'  Ga.i.  IG.  Wherefore,  pausing  upon  them, 
they  entangled  her  as  with  a  threefold  cord.  1. 
'  The  lust  of  the  flesh;'  she  saw  it  was  good  for 
food.  2.  'The  lust  of  the  eye;'  she  saw  it  was 
pleasant  to  the  eye.  3.  'The  pride  of  life;'  a 
tree  to  be  desired,  to  make  one  wise,  i  Jn.  ii.  lo. 
Being  taken,  I  say,  with  these  three  snares  of  the 
adversary,  which  are  not  of  the  Father,  but  of  the 


world,  and  the  devil  the  prince  thereof,  forthwith 
she  falls  before  him :  '  And  when  the  woman  saw' 
this,  '  she  took  of  the  fruit  thereof,  and  did  eat.' 

'  And  when  the  woman  saw. '  This  seeing,  as 
I  said,  is  to  be  understood  of  her  considering  v^hat 
Satan  presented  to  her,  and  of  her  sensing  or  tast- 
ing of  his  doctrine ;  not  by  the  word,  which  ought 
to  be  the  touch  stone  of  all,  but  by  and  according 
to  her  own  natural  reason  without  it.  Now  this 
makes  her  forget  that  very  command  that  but  now 
she  had  urged  against  the  tempter:  This  makes 
her  also  to  consent  to  that  very  reason,  as  an  in- 
ducement to  transgress ;  which,  because  it  was 
the  nature  of  the  tree,  was  by  God  suggested  as  a 
reason  why  they  should  forbear ;  it  was  the  tree  of 
the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  therefore  they 
shoidd  not  touch  it ;  it  was  the  tree,  that  would 
by  touching  it,  make  them  know  good  and  evil ; 
therefore  she  toucheth,  and  also  eateth  thereof. 
See  therefore  what  specious  pretences  the  devil, 
and  those  that  are  under  the  power  of  temptation, 
will  have  to  transgress  the  command  of  God.  That 
which  God  makes  a  reason  of  the  prohibition,  even 
that  the  devil  will  make  a  reason  of  their  trans- 
gression. 

God  commands  to  self-denial,  but  the  world 
makes  that  a  reason  of  their  standing  off  from  the 
very  grace  of  God  in  the  gospel.  God  also  com- 
mands. That  we  be  sober,  chaste,  humble,  just, 
and  the  like;  but  the  devil,  and  carnal  hearts, 
make  these  very  things  the  argument  that  keeps 
sinners  from  the  word  of  salvation.  Or  rather  take 
it  thus ;  God  forbids  wickedness,  because  it  is  de- 
lightful to  the  flesh,  and  draws  the  heart  from 
God,  but  therefore  carnal  men  love  wickedness 
and  sin :  Therefore  they  go  on  in  sin,  and  *  there- 
fore they  say  unto  God,  Depart  from  us,  for  we 
desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy  ways.'    Job  xxi.  U; 

xxii.  15—17. 

She  *  did  eat,  and  gave  also  unto  her  husband 
with  her,  and  he  did  eat.' 

The  great  design  of  the  devil,  as  he  supposed, 
was  now  accomplished ;  for  he  had  both  in  the 
snare,  both  the  man  and  his  Avife,  and  in  them,  the 
whole  world  that  should  be  after.  And  indeed 
the  cliief  design  of  Satan  was  at  the  head  at  first, 
only  he  made  the  weakest  the  conveyance  for  his 
miscliief.  Hence  note  again.  That  Satan  by  tempt- 
ing one,  may  chiefly  intend  the  destruction  of 
another.  By  tempting  the  Avife,  he  may  aim  at 
the  destruction  of  the  husband ;  by  tempting  the 
father,  he  may  design  the  destruction  of  the  chil- 
dren ;  and  by  tempting  the  king,  he  may  design 
the  ruin  of  the  subjects.  Even  as  in  the  case  of 
David :  *  Satan  stood  up  against  Israel,  and  pro- 
voked David  to  number  the  people.'  He  had  a 
mind  to  destroy  seventy  thousand,  therefore  he 
tempted  David  to  sin.  l  Ch.  xxi.  i. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  TIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OP  GENESIS. 


431 


She  gave  also  to  her  liusband,  and  lie  did  eat. 
Sin  seldom  or  never  tenninates  in  cue  person ;  but 
the  pernicious  example  of  one,  doth  animate  and 
embolden  another ;  or  thus,  the  beholding  of  evil 
in  another,  doth  often  allure  a  stander-by.  Adam 
■was  the  looker-on,  he  Avas  not  in  the  action  as 
from  the  serpent:  '  Adam  -was  not  deceived,'  that 
is,  by  having  to  do  -with  the  devil,  '  but  the  woman, 
the  woman  being  deceived,  -^'as  in  the  transgres- 
sion.' iTi.  iLi4.  This  should  exhort  all  men  that 
they  take  heed  of  so  much  as  beholding  evil  done 
by  others,  lest  also  they  should  be  allured.  When 
Israel  went  into  Canaan,  God  did  command  them 
not  so  much  as  to  ask.  How  those  nations  served 
their  gods  ?  lest  by  so  doing,  Satan  should  get  an 
advantage  of  their  minds,  to  incline  them  to  do 
the  hke.  De.  xii.  so.  Evil  acts,  as  well  as  evil  words, 
will  eat  as  doth  a  canker.  This  then  is  the  reason 
of  that  evil-favouredness  that  you  see  attending 
some  men's  lives  and  professions  ;  they  have  been 
corrupted,  as  Adam  was,  either  by  evil  words  or 
bad  examples,  even  till  the  very  face  of  their  lives 
and  professions  are  disfigured  as  with  the  pox  or 
canker.  2Ti.  ii.  17. 

Thus  have  we  led  you  through  that  woful 
tragedy  that  was  acted  between  the  woman  and  the 
serpent ;  and  have  also  shewed,  how  it  happened 
that  the  serpent  went  away  as  victor. 

1.  The  woman  admitted  of  a  doubt  about  the 
truth  of  the  word  that  forbad  her  to  eat ;  for  unbe- 
lief was  the  first  sin  that  entered  the  world. 

2.  She  preferred  the  privileges  of  the  flesh,  be- 
fore the  argument  to  self-denial ;  by  which  means 
her  heart  became  hardened,  and  grew  senseless  of 
the  dread  and  terror  of  the  words  of  God. 

3.  She  took  Satan's  arguments  into  considera- 
tion, and  *  sensed,  or  tasted  them ;  not  by  the 
word  of  God,  but  her  o^ti  natural,  or  rather  sore- 
deluded  fancy. 

4.  She  had  a  mind  to  gratify  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh,  the  lusts  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of 
life. 

Now  to  speak  of  the  evil  consequences  that  fol- 
lowed this  sinful  act :  That  is  not  in  the  wisdom 
of  mortal  man  to  do ;  partly,  because  we  know 
but  in  part  even  the  evil  and  destructive  nature  of 
sin ;  and  partly,  because  much  of  the  evil  that  will 
follow  this  action,  is  yet  to  be  committed  by  per- 
sons imborn.  Yet  enough  might  be  said  to  astonish 
the  heavens,  and  to  make  them  horribly  afraid. 
Je.  ii.  12.  1.  By  this  act  of  these  two,  the  whole 
world  became  guilty  of  condemnation  and  eternal 
judgment.  Eo.  t.    2.  By  this  came  all  the  blindness. 


*  '  Acd  sensed.'  Not  now  used  as  a  verb.  The  meauing 
is,  tliat  Eve,  instead  of  instantly  rejecting  tlic  temptation, 
because  contraiy  to  Gcd's  command,  slie  reasoned  upon  it,  and 
sougbt  counsel  of  ber  carnal  senses. — Ed. 


atheism,  ignorance  of  God,  enmity  and  malice 
against  him,  pride,  covetousness,  adultery,  idolatry, 
and  implacableness,  &c.  that  is  found  in  all  the 
world.  By  this,  I  say,  came  all  the  Avars,  blood, 
treachery,  tyranny,  persecution,  with  all  manner  of 
rapine  and  outrage  that  is  found  among  the  sons  of 
men.  3.  Besides,  all  the  plagues,  judgments,  and 
evils  that  befal  us  in  this  world,  with  those  ever- 
lasting burnings  that  will  swallow  up  millions  for 
ever  and  ever ;  all  and  every  Avhit  of  these  came 
into  the  world  as  the  portion  of  mankind,  for  that 
first  transgression  of  our  first  parents. 

Ver.  7.  *  And  the  eyes  of  them  both  were 
opened,  and  they  knew  that  they  were  naked ;  and 
they  sewed  fig-leaves  together,  and  made  them- 
selves aprons.' 

That  their  eyes  might  be  opened,  was  one  branch 
of  the  temptation,  and  one  of  the  reasons  that 
prevailed  with  the  woman  to  forsake  the  word  of 
God :  But  she  little  thought  of  seeing  after  this 
manner,  or  such  things  as  now  she  Avas  made  to 
behold.  She  expected  some  sweet  and  pleasant 
sight,  that  might  tickle  and  delight  her  deluded 
fancy ;  but  behold,  sin  and  the  wrath  of  God  ap- 
pears, to  the  shaking  of  their  hearts !  And  thus, 
even  to  this  very  day,  doth  the  devil  delude  the 
Avorld :  His  temptations  are  gilded  Avith  some  sweet 
and  fine  pretences ;  either  they  shall  be  Aviser, 
richer,  more  in  favour,  live  merrier,  fare  better,  or 
something ;  and  that  they  shall  see  it,  if  they  Avill 
but  obey  the  devil :  Which  the  fools  easily  are,  by 
these  and  such  hke  things,  allured  to  do.  But 
behold,  AA-hen  their  eyes  are  opened,  instead  of 
seeing  Avhat  the  devil  falsely  told  them,  they  see 
themselA'es  involved  in  sin,  niadj  guilty  of  the 
breach  of  God's  command,  and  subject  to  the 
wrath  of  God.f 

'  And  they  kncAV  that  they  loere  naked.'  Not 
only  naked  of  outward  clothing,  but  even  desti- 
tute of  righteousness ;  they  had  lost  their  innocency, 
their  uprightness,  and  sinless  vail,  and  had  made 
themselves  polluted  creatures,  both  in  their  hearts 
and  in  their  flesh  ;  this  is  nakedness  indeed ;  such 
a  kind  of  nakedness  as  Aaron  made  Israel  naked 
with,  when  he  set  up  his  idol  calf  for  them  to  wor- 
ship :  '  For  Aaron  had  made  them  naked  imto  their 
shame.'  Ex.  xxxii.  23.  Naked  before  the  justice  of  the 
law. 

•  And  they  knew  that  they  ivere  naked.'  And 
they  knew  it :  Why,  did  they  not  know  it  before  ? 
The  text  says.  They  Avere  naked,  and  were  not 
ashamed.  6 !  they  stood  not  naked  before  God ! 
they  stood  not  without  righteousness,  or  upright- 


t  This  passage  would  have  done  honour  to  Bishop  Taylor, 
or  any  one  of  our  best  English  writers.  How  blessed  are  we, 
if  our  eyes  have  been  thus  painfully  opened  to  see  and  feel  the 
a\\-ful  state  into  which  sin  plunges  us. — Ed. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


ness  before  him,  and  therefore  were  not  asliamed, 
but  now  they  knew  they  were  naked  as  to  that. 

'  And  they  sewed  fig-leaves  together,  and  made 
themselves  aprons.'  A  fit  resemblance  of  what 
is  the  inclination  of  awakened  men,  who  are  yet 
but  natural !  They  neither  think  of  Christ,  or  of 
the  mercy  of  God  in  him  for  pardon,  but  pre- 
sently they  betake  themselves  to  their  own  fig- 
leaves,  to  their  own  inventions,  or  to  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  law,  and  look  for  healing  from  means 
which  God  did  never  provide  for  cure.  '  When 
Ephraim  saw  his  sickness,  and  Judah  saw  his 
wound,  then  went  Ephraim  to  the  Assyrian.' 
Ho.  V.  13.  Not  to  God,  and  sent  to  King  Jarib,  not 
to  Christ,  yet  could  they  not  heal  him,  nor  cure 
him  of  his  wound, 

*  And  made  themselves  aprons.'  Not  coats,  as 
God  did  afterwards.  A  carnal  man  thinks  him- 
self sufficiently  clothed  with  righteousness,  if  the 
nakedness  which  he  sees,  can  be  but  covered  from 
his  own  sight :  As  if  God  also  did  see  that  and 
only  that  which  they  have  a  sight  of  by  the  light 
of  nature ;  and  as  if  because  fig-leaves  would  hide 
their  nakedness  from  their  sight,  that  therefore 
they  would  hide  it  from  the  sight  of  God.  But 
alas !  No  man,  without  the  help  of  another,  can 
bring  all  his  nakedness  to  the  sight  of  his  own 
eye ;  much  is  uncUscovered  to  him,  that  may  yet 
lie  open  and  bare  to  a  stander-by :  So  it  is  with 
the  men  that  stand  without  Christ  before  God,  at 
best  they  see  but  some  of  their  nakedness,  to  wit, 
their  most  gross  and  worst  faults,  and  therefore 
they  seek  to  cover  them ;  which  when  they  have 
hid  from  their  own  sight,  they  think  them  hid  also 
from  the  sight  of  God.  Thus  did  Adam,  he  saw 
his  own  most  shameful  parts,  and  therefore  them 
he  covered:  They  made  themselves  aprons,  or 
things  to  gird  about  them,  not  to  cover  them  all 
over  withal.  No  man  by  all  his  own  doings  can 
hide  all  his  own  nakedness  from  the  sight  of  the 
justice  of  God,  and  yet,  but  in  vain,  as  busy  as 
Adam  to  do  it. 

'  And  they  sewed  fig-leaves  together,  and  made 
themselves  aprons. '  Fig-leaves !  A  poor  apron, 
but  it  was  the  best  they  could  get.  But  was  that 
a  sufficient  shelter  against  either  thorn  or  thistle? 
Or  was  it  possible  but  that  after  a  while  these  fig- 
leaves  should  have  become  rotten,  and  turned  to 
dung?  So  will  it  be  with  all  man's  own  righteous- 
jiess  which  is  of  the  law ;  Paul  saw  it  so,  and 
therefore  counted  it  but  loss  and  dung,  that  he 
might  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him.  Phi.  m.  7, 8. 

Ver.  8.  '  And  they  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord 
God  walldng  in  the  garden  in  the  cool  of  the  day: 
and  Adam  and  his  wife  hid  themselves  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord  God,  among  the  trees  of  the 
garden.' 

'And  they  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord  God.' 


This  voice  was  not  to  be  understood  according,  as 
if  it  was  the  efi"ect  of  a  word ;  as  when  we  speak, 
the  sound  remains  with  a  noise  for  some  time  after ; 
but  by  voice  here,  we  are  to  understand  the  Lord 
Christ  himself;  wherefore  this  voice  is  said  to 
walk,  not  to  sound  only :  *  They  heard  the  voice 
of  the  Lord  God  walking.'  This  voice  John  calls 
the  word,  the  word  that  was  with  the  Father  before 
he  made  the  world,  and  that  at  this  very  time  was 
heard  to  walk  in  the  garden  of  Adam :  Therefore 
John  also  saith,  this  voice  was  in  the  beginning ; 
that  is,  in  the  garden  with  Adam,  at  the  beginning 
of  his  conversion,  as  well  as  of  the  beginning  of 
the  world.  Jn.  i.  1. 

'  And  they  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord  God 
walking  in  the  garden  in  the  cool  of  the  day.' 
The  gospel  of  it  is,  in  the  season  of  grace  ;  for  by 
the  cool  of  the  day,  he  here  means,  in  the  patience, 
gentleness,  goodness  and  mercy  of  the  gospel ;  and 
it  is  opposed  to  the  heat,  fire,  and  severity  of  the 
law. 

'And  Adam  and  his  wife  hid  themselves.' 
Hence  observe.  That  a  man's  own  righteousness 
will  not  fortify  his  conscience  from  fear  and  terror, 
when  God  begins  to  come  near  to  him  to  judgment. 
Why  did  Adam  hide  himself,  but  because,  as  he 
said,  he  was  naked?  But  how  could  he  be  naked, 
when  before  he  had  made  himself  an  apron  ?  0  I 
the  approach  of  God  consumed  and  burnt  off  his 
apron !  Though  his  apron  would  keep  him  from 
the  sight  of  a  bird,  yet  it  woidd  not  from  the  eye 
of  the  incorruptible  God. 

Let  therefore  all  self-righteous  men  beware,  for 
however  they  at  present  please  themselves  with  the 
worthiness  of  their  glorious  fig-leaves ;  yet  when 
God  shall  come  to  deal  with  them  for  sin,  assm-edly 
they  will  find  themselves  naked.* 

'  And  they  hid  themselves,'  A  man  in  a  natural 
state,  cannot  abide  the  presence  of  God ;  yea, 
though  a  righteous  man.  Adam,  though  adorned 
with  his  fig-leaves,  flies. 

Observe  again.  That  a  self-righteous  man,  a 
man  of  the  law,  takes  grace  and  mercy  for  his 
greatest  enemy.  This  is  appai-eut  from  the  car- 
riage of  the  Pharisees  to  Jesus  Christ,  who  because 
they  were  wedded  to  the  works  of  their  own 
righteousness,  therefore  they  hated,  persecuted, 
condemned,  and  crucified  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 
As  here  in  the  text,  though  the  voice  of  the  Lord 


*  How  solemn  are  tliese  awful  facts,  and  how  impressively 
does  Banyan  fix  tliem  on  our  hearts.  As  Adam  and  Eve 
attempted  to  liide  their  gtiilt  and  themselves  by  fig-leaves  and 
bushes,  so  does  man  now  endeavour  to  screen  his  guilt  from 
the  omniscient  eye  of  God  by  refuges  of  lies,  which,  like  the 
miserable  fig-leaf  apron,  will  be  burnt  up  by  the  presence  of 
God.  Oh,  simier !  seek  shelter  in  the  robe  of  the  Redeemer's 
righteousness ;  the  presence  of  your  God  wiU  add  to  its  lustre, 
and  make  it  shine  brighter  and  brighter. — Ed. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  TIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS, 


433 


God  walked  la  the  garden  iu  the  cool  of  the  day, 
in  the  tune  of  grace  and  love,  yet  how  Adam  with 
his  fig-leaves  flies  before  him. 

*  And  Adam  and  his  wife  hid  themselves  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord  God.'  These  latter 
words  are  spoken,  not  to  persuade  us  that  men  can 
hide  themselves  from  God,  but  that  Adam,  and 
those  that  are  his  by  nature,  will  seek  to  do  it, 
because  they  do  not  know  him  aright.  These 
words  therefore  further  shew  us  what  a  bitter 
thing  sin  is  to  the  soul ;  it  is  only  for  hiding  work, 
sometimes  under  its  fig-leaves,  sometimes  among 
the  trees  of  the  garden.  0  what  a  shaking,  starting, 
timorous  evil  conscience,  is  a  sinful  and  guilty  con- 
science !  especially  when  'tis  but  a  little  awakened, 
it  could  run  its  head  into  every  hole,  first  by  one 
fancy,  then  by  another ;  for  the  power  and  good- 
ness of  a  man's  own  righteousness,  cannot  with- 
stand or  answer  the  demands  of  the  justice  of 
God,  and  his  holy  law. 

*  And  Adam  and  his  wife  hid  themselves  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord  God,  among  the  trees  of 
the  garden.'  If  you  take  the  trees  in  a  mystical 
sense  as  sometimes  they  may  be  taken ;  Eze.  xxxi.  8— 
11.  then  take  them  here  to  signify,  or  to  be  a  type 
of  the  saints  of  God,  and  then  the  gospel  of  it  is. 
That  carnal  men,  when  they  are  indeed  awakened, 
and  roused  out  of  their  foolish  fig-leaf  righteous- 
ness ;  then  they  would  be  glad  of  some  shelter 
with  them  that  are  saved  and  justified  freely  by 
grace,  as  they  in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew ;  '  Give 
us  of  your  oil ;  for  our  lamps  are  gone  out. '  Mat.  xxv.  8. 
And  ao;ain,  The  man  without  the  wedding  garment 
had  crowded  himself  among  the  wedding  guests : 
Had  hid  themselves  among  the  trees  of  the  garden. 

Mat.  xxii.  11. 

Ver.  9.  *  IT  And  the  Lord  God  called  unto  Adam, 
and  said  unto  him,  Where  art  thou  ?' 

Adam  having  eaten  of  the  forbidden  tree,  doth 
now  fleet  his  station,  is  gone  to  another  than  where 
God  left  him.  Wherefore,  if  God  will  find  Adam, 
he  must  now  look  him  where  he  had  hid  himself. 
And  indeed  so  he  does  with  'Adam,  where  art  thou  ? ' 

'And  the  Lord  God  called,'  &c.  Here  begins 
the  conversion  of  Adam,  from  his  sinful  state,  to 
God  again.  But  mark,  it  begins  not  at  Adam's 
calling  upon  God,  but  at  God  calling  upon  him: 
'And  the  Lord  God  called  imto  Adam. '  Wherefore, 
by  these  words,  we  are  to  understand  the  begin- 
ning of  Adam's  conversion.  And  indeed,  grace 
hath  gone  the  same  way  with  the  elect,  from  that 
time  to  this  day.  Thus  he  dealt  with  Abraham, 
Isaac  and  Jacob;  he  called  them  from  their  native 
country,  the  country  of  their  kindred.  And  hence 
it  is,  that,  especially  in  the  New  Testament,  the 
saints  are  said  to  be  the  Called;  '  Called  of  God, 'and 
*  Called  of  Jesus  Christ.'  And  hence  again  it  is 
that   Calling  is  by  Paul  made  the  first  demon- 

VOL.  II. 


stration  of  election,  and  that  saints  are  admon- 
ished to  prove  their  election  by  their  calling ;  for 
as  Adam  was  iu  a  lost,  miserable  and  perishing 
condition,  until  God  called  him  out  of  those  holes 
into  which  sin  had  driven  him :  so  we  do  lie  where 
sin  and  the  devil  hath  laid  us,  imtil  by  the  word 
of  God  we  are  called  to  the  fellowship  of  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ. 

By  these  words  therefore  we  have  thebeginnino' 
of  the  discovery  of  efi'ectual  calling  or  conversion ; 
'  And  the  Lord  God  called:'  In  which  call  observe 
three  things, 

1.  God  called  so  that  Adam  heard  him.  And 
so  it  is  in  the  conversion  of  the  New  Testament 
saints,  as  Paul  says,  '  If  ye  have  heard  him,  and 
have  been  taught  by  him,  as  the  truth  is  in  Jesus.' 
Ep.  iy.  21.  That  therefore  is  one  discovery  of  effec- 
tual calling,  the  sinner  is  made  to  hear  him,  even 
to  hear  him  distinctly,  singling  out  the  very  per- 
son, calling,  'Adam,  Where  art  thou?'  'Saul, 
Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me?'  I  have  called 
thee  by  thy  name,  thou  art  mine.  As  he  also 
said  to  Moses,  '  I  know  thee  by  name,  and  thou 
hast  also  found  grace  in  my  sight. '  Ex.  xxxiii.  13. 

2.  God  called  so,  as  to  fasten  sin  upon  his  con- 
science, and  as  to  force  a  confession  from  him  of 
his  naked  and  shameful  state. 

3.  God  called  so,  as  to  make  him  tremble  under, 
and  be  afraid  of  the  judgment  of  God. 

'  And  the  Lord  God  called  unto  Adam,  and 
said  unto  him,  Where  art  thou  ? '  Indeed,  Where 
art  thou  must  of  necessity  be  forcibly  urged  to 
every  man  on  whose  soul  God  doth  work  effectual 
conversion;  for  until  the  person  is  awakened,  as  to 
the  state  and  condition  he  is  in,  he  will  not  desire, 
nay,  will  not  endure  to  be  turned  to  God ;  but 
when  in  truth  they  are  made  to  see  what  condition 
sin  hath  brought  them  to,  namely,  that  it  hath  laid 
them  imder  the  power  of  sin,  the  tyranny  of  the 
devil,  the  strength  of  death,  and  the  cm-se  of  God 
by  his  holy  law;  then  is  mercy  sweet. 

'Where  art  thou  ?'  God  knew  where  he  was, 
but  foolish  Adam  thought  otherwise ;  he  thought 
to  hide  himself  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  but 
the  Lord  foimd  him  out.  Indeed,  deluded  sinners 
think  that  they  can  hide  themselves  and  sins  from 
God.  '  How  doth  God  know,'  say  they,  '  Can  he 
judge  through  the  thick  cloud?'  Job  xxii.  13.  But 
such  shall  know  he  sees  them;  they  shall  know  it, 
either  to  their  correction,  or  to  their  condemna- 
tion. 'Though  they  dig  into  hell,'  saith  God, 
'  thence  shall  mine  hand  take  them;  though  they 
climb  up  to  heaven,  thence  will  I  bring  them  down: 
And  though  they  hide  themselves  in  the  top  of 
Carmel,  I  will  search  and  take  them  out  thence,* 
&c.*  Am.u. 2, 3.      'Can  any  hide  himself  in  secret 

*  Xhe  rcmaiiiing  words  of  this  alarniing  verse  ai-e  very 
3i 


434 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OE  GENESIS. 


places  that  I  shall  not   see  him,  salth  tlie  Lord  ? 
Do  not  I  fill  heaven  and  earth?  saith  the  Lord.' 

Je.  xxiii.  2-t. 

Ver.  10.  *  And  he  said,  I  heard  thy  voice  in 
the  garden,  and  I  was  afraid,  because  I  was  naked ; 
and  I  hid  myself. ' 

This  then  was  the  cause  of  his  flying,  he  heard 
the  voice  of  God :  A  wicked  and  evil  conscience 
saith,  every  thing  is  to  it  as  the  messenger  of 
death  and  destruction;  for,  as  was  said  before, 
*  the  voice  of  the  Lord  walked  in  the  garden  in 
the  cool  of  the  day,'  in  the  time  of  grace  and 
mercy.  But  it  mattereth  not  whether  he  came 
with  grace  or  vengeance ;  guilt  was  in  Adam's 
heart,  therefore  he  could  not  endure  the  presence 
of  God:  He  'that  doeth  evil  hateth  the  light.' Jn. 
iii.  20.  And  again,  '  The  wicked  flee  when  no 
man  pursueth.'  Pr.  xxvUi.  i,  Cain  thought  aU  that 
met  him,  would  seek  his  blood  and  life. 

*  I  heard  thy  voice.'  Something  by  the  word 
of  God  was  spoken,  that  shook  the  heart  of  this 
poor  creature;  something  of  justice  and  holiness, 
even  before  they  fell  into  this  communication :  for 
observe  it,  Adam  went  forthwith  from  the  tree  of 
knowledge  of  good  and  evil  a  convinced  man,  first 
to  his  fig-leaves,  but  they  would  not  do ;  therefore 
he  seeks  to  be  hid  among  the  trees.  And  observe 
again.  That  the  insufiiciency  of  fig-leaves  were  dis- 
covered by  this  voice  of  the  Lord  God,  that  at 
this  time  walked  in  the  garden :  '  I  heard  thy  voice 
in  the  garden,  and  I  was  afraid,  because  I  was 
naked ;  and  I  hid  myself. '  So  then,  there  was  a 
first  and  second  voice  which  Adam  heard;  the 
first  he  ran  away  from,  '  I  heard  thy  voice,  and 
hid  myself.'  The  second  was  this,  wherein  they 
commune  each  with  other.  The  first  therefore 
was  the  word  of  justice,  severity,  and  of  the  ven- 
geance of  God;  like  that  in  the  19th  of  Exodus, 
from  the  pronouncing  of  which,  a  trembling,  and 
almost  death,  did  seize  six  haudrcd  thousand  per- 
sons. 

•  I  heard  thy  voice  in  the  garden.'  It  is  a  word 
from  without  that  doth  it.  While  Adam  listened 
to  his  own  heart,  he  thought  fig-leaves  a  suflficient 
remedy,  but  the  voice  that  walked  in  the  garden 
shook  him  out  of  all  such  fancies :  '  I  heard  thy 
voice  in  the  garden,  and  I  was  afraid,  because  I 
was  naked;  and  I  hid  myself.' 

Ver.  11.  '  And  he  said.  Who  told  thee  that  thou 
wast  naked  ?  Ilast  thou  eaten  of  the  tree,  whereof 
I  commanded  thee  that  thou  shouldest  not  eat?' 

'  Who  told  thee  ?'  This,  as  I  said  before,  sup- 
striking:,  '  Tliougli  tliey  be  hid  from  my  siglit  in  tlie  bottom 
of  the  sea,  thence  will  I  command  the  serpent,  and  he  shall 
bite  them.'  Oh,  sinnei'  1  whither  can  you  flee  from  the  pun- 
ishment of  sin,  but  to  the  Saviour's  bosom  ?  Leave  yom-  sins 
and  fly  to  him ;  that  almighty  elernal  refuge  is  open  night 
and  dav. — Ed. 


poseth  a  third  person,  a  preacher,  and  that  was 
the  Son  of  God ;  the  voice  of  the  Lord  God  that 
walked  in  the  garden. 

'  Hast  thou  eaten  of  the  tree  ?'  That  is,  H  then 
hast  been  shewed  thy  nakedness,  thou  hast  indeed 
sinned ;  for  the  voice  of  the  Lord  God  will  not 
charge  guilt,  but  where  and  when  a  law  hath  been 
transgressed.  God  therefore,  by  these  words, 
driveth  Adam  to  the  point,  either  to  confess  or 
deny  the  truth  of  the  case.  If  he  confess,  then  he 
concludes  himself  under  judgment;  if  he  deny, 
then  he  addeth  to  his  sin :  Therefore  he  neither 
denieth  nor  confesseth,  but  so  as  he  may  lessen 
and  extenuate  his  sin. 

Ver.  12.  '  And  the  man  said.  The  woman  whom 
thou  gavest  to  be  with  me,  she  gave  me  of  the  tree, 
and  I  did  eat.' 

He  had  endeavoured  with  fig-leaves  to  hide  liis 
transgressions  before,  but  that  being  found  too 
scanty  and  short,  he  now  trieth  what  he  can  do 
with  arguments.  Indeed  he  aknowledgeth  that  he 
did  eat  of  the  tree  of  which  he  was  forbidden ;  but 
mark  where  he  layeth  the  reason:  Not  in  any  in- 
fection which  was  centred  in  him  by  reason  of  his 
listening  to  the  discourse  which  was  between  the 
woman  and  the  serpent;  but  because  God  had 
given  him  a  woman  to  be  with  him :  '  The  woman 
whom  thou  gavest  to  be  with  me,  she  gave  me  of 
the  tree.'  The  woman  was  given  for  an  help,  not 
an  hindrance ;  but  Satan  often  maketh  that  to 
become  our  snare,  Avhich  God  hath  given  us  as  a 
blessing.  Adam  therefore  here  mixeth  truth  with 
falsehood.  It  is  true,  he  was  beguiled  by  the 
Avoman ;  but  she  was  not  intended  of  God,  as  he 
would  insinuate,  to  the  end  she  might  be  a  trap 
unto  him.  Here  therefore  Adam  sought  to  lessen 
and  palliate  his  offence,  as  man  by  nature  is  prone 
to  do ;  for  if  God  will  needs  charge  them  with  the 
guilt  of  sin  for  the  breach  of  the  law,  they  will 
lay  the  fault  upon  anything,  even  upon  God's 
ordinance,  as  Adam  here  doth,  rather  than  they 
will  honestly  fall  under  the  guilt,  and  so  the  judg- 
ment of  the  law  for  guilt.  It  is  a  rare  thing,  and 
it  argueth  great  knowledge  of  God,  and  also  hope 
in  his  mercy,  when  men  shall  heartily  acknowledge 
their  iniquities,  as  is  evident  in  the  case  of  David: 
'  Wash  me  thoroughly  from  mine  iniquity,  and 
cleanse  me  from  my  sin.  For  I  acknowledge  my 
transgressions :  and  my  sin  is  ever  before  me. '  I's. 
H.  2,  3.  But  this  knowledge  is  not  at  first  in  young- 
converts;  therefore  when  God  begins  to  awaken, 
they  begin,  as  sleepy  men,  to  creep  further  under 
their  carnal  covering ;  which  yet  is  too  short  to 
hide  them,  and  too  narrow  to  cover  their  shame. 

Is.  xjcviii.  20. 

*  The  woman  whom  thou  gavest  to  be  with  me, 
she  gave  me  of  the  tree.'  Although,  as  I  said, 
this  sinner  seeks  to  hide,  or  at  least  to  lessen  his 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


435 


sin,  by  laying  the  cause  upon  the  woman,  the  gift 
of  God ;  yet  it  argue th  that  his  heart  was  now 
filled  with  shame  and  confusion  of  face,  for  that 
he  had  broken  God's  command ;  for  indeed  it  is 
the  nature  of  guilt,  however  men  may  in  appearance 
ruffle  under  it,  and  set  the  best  leg  before,  for  their 
vindication;  yet  inwardly  to  make  them  blush  and 
fail  before  their  accuser.  Indeed  their  inward 
shame  is  the  cause  of  their  excuse;  even  as  Aaron, 
when  he  had  made  the  golden  calf,  could  not  for 
shame  of  heart  confess  in  plainness  of  speech  the 
truth  of  the  fact  to  his  brother  Moses,  but  faulter- 
ingly :  They  gave  me  their  gold,  saith  he,  and  '  I 
cast  it  into  the  fire,  and  there  came  out  this  calf.' 
Ex. xxxii. 2i.  'And  there  came  out  this  calf;'  a 
pitiful  fumbling  speech:  The  Holy  Ghost  saith, 
Aaron  had  made  them  naked ;  '  had  made  them 
naked  unto  their  shame,'  for  he,  as  also  Adam, 
should,  being  chief  and  lord  in  their  place,  have 
stoutly  resisted  the  folly  and  sin  which  was  to  them 
propounded ;  and  not  as  persons  of  a  womanish 
spirit,  have  listened  to  wicked  proposals.* 

Ver.  13.  *  And  the  Lord  God  said  unto  the 
woman.  What  is  this  that  thou  hast  done?'  &c., 

Forasmuch  as  Adam  did  acknowledge  his  sin, 
though  Avith  much  weakness  and  infirmity,  God 
accepts  thereof;  and  now  applieth  himself  to  the 
woman,  whom  Satan  had  used  as  his  engine  to 
undo  the  world. 

Hence  observe,  That  when  God  sets  to  search 
out  sin,  he  wiU  foUow  it  from  the  seduced  to  the 
seducer,  even  tiU  he  comes  to  the  rise  and  first 
author  thereof,  as  in  the  following  words  may  more 
clearly  appear.  Not  that  he  excuseth  or  acquitteth 
the  seduced,  because  the  seducer  was  the  first 
cause,  as  some  do  vainly  imagine ;  but  to  lay  all 
under  guilt  who  are  concerned  therein :  the  woman 
was  concerned  as  a  principal,  therefore  he  taketh 
her  to  examination. 

'And  the  Lord  God  said  unto  the  woman,  A^Hiat  is 
this  that  thou  hast  done  ?'  What  is  this  ?  God 
seems  to  speak  as  if  he  were  astonished  at  the  in- 
undation of  evil  which  the  woman  by  her  sin  had 
overflowed  the  world  withal :  *  What  is  this  that 
thou  hast  done ! '  Thou  hast  imdone  thyself,  thou 
hast  undone  thy  husband,  thou  hast  undone  all  the 
world ;  yea,  thou  hast  brought  a  curse  upon  the 
whole  creation,  with  an  overplus  of  evils,  plagues, 
and  distresses. 

*  What  is  this  that  thou  hast  done ! '  Thou  hast 
defiled  thy  body  and  soul,  thou  hast  disabled  the 
whole  world  from  serving   God;  yea,  moreover. 


*  How  art  thou  fallen,  oh  Adam !  thus  to  lay  the  blame  of 
thy  sin  upou  God, — '  the  woman  whom  thou  gavest  me,'  she 
tempted  me.  Well  does  Bunyan  term  these  defences — pitiful 
fumbling  speeches,  faulteringly  made.  How  would  the  glori- 
fied spirits  of  Adam  and  Aaron  embrace  him,  when  he  entered 
heaven,  for  such  honest  dealing. — Ed. 


thou  hast  let  in  the  devil  at  the  door  of  thy  heart, 
and  hast  also  made  him  the  prince  of  the  world. 
*  What  is  this  thai  thou  hast  done ! '  Ah !  little, 
little  do  sinners  know  what  they  have  done,  when 
they  have  transgressed  the  law  of  the  Lord.  I 
say,  they  little  know  what  death,  what  plagues, 
what  curse,  yea,  what  hell  they,  by  so  doing,  have 
prepared  for  themselves. 

'  ^Vllat  is  this  that  thou  hast  done ! '  God  there- 
fore, by  these  words,  would  fasten  upon  the  wo- 
man's heart  a  deep  sense  of  the  evil  of  her  doings. 
And  indeed,  for  the  soul  to  be  brought  into  a  deep 
sense  of  its  sin,  to  cry  out  before  God,  Ah !  what 
have  I  done !  it  is  with  them  the  first  step  towards 
conversion :  '  Acknowledge  thy  iniquity  (saith  God) 
that  thou  hast  transgressed  against  me. '  Je.  iii.  13. 
And  again,  *  If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful 
and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us 
from  all  unrighteousness.'  iJn. i. 9.  The  want  of 
this  is  the  cause  of  that  obdurate  and  lasting 
hardness  that  continueth  to  possess  so  many  thou- 
sands of  sinners,  they  cry  not  out  before  God, 
What  have  I  done  ?  but  foolishly  they  rush  into, 
and  continue  in  sin,  *  till  their  iniquity  be  found  to 
be  hateful,'  yea,  their  persons,  because  of  their  sin. 

'  What  is  this  that  thou  hast  done  V  By  this 
interrogatory  the  Lord  also  implieth  an  admoni- 
tion to  the  woman,  to  plead  for  herself,  as  he 
also  did  to  her  husband.  He  also  makes  way 
for  the  working  of  his  bowels  towards  her,  which 
(as  wiU  be  shewn  anon)  he  flatly  denies  to  the  ser- 
pent, the  devil :  1  say  he  made  way  for  the  woman 
to  plead  for,  or  bemoan  herself;  an  evident  token 
that  he  was  unwilling  to  cast  her  away  for  her  sin: 
'  I  have  surely  heard  Ephraim  bemoaning  himself; 
-  I  will  surely  have  mercy  upon  him,  saith  the 
Lord.'  Je. xxxi.  18— 20.  Again,  by  these  words,  he 
made  way  for  the  working  or  yearning  of  his  own 
bowels  over  her ;  for  when  we  begin  to  cry  out  of 
our  miscarriages,  and  to  bewail  and  bemoan  our 
condition  because  of  sin,  forthwith  the  bowels  of 
God  begin  to  sound,  and  to  move  towards  his  dis- 
tressed creature,  as  by  the  place  before  alleged 
appears.  '  I  have  surely  heard  Ephraim  bemoan- 
ing himself; — therefore  my  bowels  are  troubled 
for  him :  I  will  surely  have  mercy  upon  him,  saith 
the  Lord.'  See  also  the  11th  and  14th  chapters 
of  Hosea. 

'  And  the  woman  said,  the  serpent  beguiled  mo 
and  I  did  eat. '  A  poor  excuse,  but  an  heart  aftect- 
ing  one;  for  many  times  want  of  wit  and  cunning 
to  defend  ourselves,  doth  affect  and  turn  the  heart 
of  a  stander-by  to  pity  us.  And  thus,  as  I  think, 
it  was  with  the  woman;  she  had  to  do  with  one 
that  was  too  cunning  for  her,  with  one  that  snapt 
her  by  his  subtil ty  or  wiles;  which  also  the  womaa 
most  simply  confesses,  even  to  the  provoking  of 
God  to  take  venjjfeance  for  her. 


436 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


Ver.  14,  'And  the  Lord  God  said  unto  the  ser- 
pent, Because  thou  hast  done  this,  thou  art  cursed 
above  all  cattle,  and  above  every  beast  of  the  field.' 

The  serpent  was  the  author  of  the  evil ;  there- 
fore the  thunder  rolls  till  it  comes  over  him,  the 
hot  burning  thunder-bolt  falls  upon  him. 

The  Lord,  you  see,  doth  not  with  the  serpent  as 
with  the  man  and  his  wife ;  to  wit,  minister  occa- 
sion to  commune  with  him,  but  directly  pronoun- 
ceth  him  cursed  above  all,  *  above  every  beast  of 
the  field.'  This  sheweth  us,  that  as  concerning 
the  angels  that  fell,  with  them  God  is  at  eternal 
enmity,  reserving  them  in  everlasting  chains  under 
darkness.  Cursed  art  thou:  By  these  words,  I 
say,  they  are  prevented  of  a  plea  for  ever,  and  also 
excluded  a  share  in  the  fruits  of  the  Messiah  Avhich 
should  afterwards  be  born  into  the  world.  He.  ii.  3. 

*  Because  thou  hast  done  this,  cursed  art  thou.' 
*  Because  thou  hast  done  this  : '  Not  as  though  he 
was  blessed  before ;  for  had  he  not  before  been 
wicked,  he  had  not  attempted  so  wicked  a  design. 
The  meaning  then  is.  That  either  by  this  deed  the 
devil  did  aggravate  his  misery,  and  make  himself 
the  faster  to  hang  in  the  everlasting  chains  under 
darkness;  or  else  by  this  he  is  manifested  to  us  to 
be  indeed  a  cursed  creature. 

Further,  '  Because  thou  hast  done  this,'  may  also 
signify  how  great  complacency  and  content  God 
took  in  Adam  and  his  wife  while  they  continued 
without  transgression  ;  But  how  much  against  his 
mind  and  workmanship  this  wicked  work  was. 
1.  Against  his  mind;  for  sin  so  sets  itself  against 
the  nature  of  God,  that,  if  possible,  it  would  anni- 
hilate and  turn  him  into  nothinc;,  it  beinc:  in  its 
nature  point  blank  against  him.  2.  It  is  against 
his  worlonanship ;  for  had  not  the  power  of  the 
Messias  stept  in,  all  had  again  been  brought  to 
confusion,  and  worse  than  nothing:  as  Christ  him- 
self expresses  it :  '  The  earth,  and  all  the  inhabi- 
tants thereof,  arc  dissolved :  I  bear  up  the  pillars 
of  it. '  Ps.  kxT.  3.  And  again,  '  He  upholdeth  all 
things  by  the  word  of  his  power. '  He.  i.  3. 

Besides,  this  being  done,  man,  notwithstanding 
the  grace  of  God,  and  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ, 
doth  yet  live  a  miserable  life  in  this  world ;  for 
albeit  that  Christ  hath  most  certainly  secured  the 
elect  and  chosen  of  God  from  perishing  by  Avhat 
Satan  hath  dene ;  yd  the  very  elect  themselves 
are,  by  reason  of  the  first  transgression,  so  in- 
fested and  annoyed  with  inward  filth,  and  so 
assaulted  still  by  the  devil,  and  his  vassals  the 
proper  children  of  hell,  that  they  groan  unutter- 
ably under  their  burthen ;  yea,  all  creatures,  '  the 
whole  creation  groaneth  and  travaileth  in  pain  to- 
gether until  now. '  Uo.  viii.  22.  And  that  most  princi- 
pally upon  the  very  account  of  this  first  sin  of 
Adam;  it  must  needs  be  therefore,  this  being  so 
high  an  affi-ont  to  the  divine  majesty,  and  so  di- 


rectly destructive  to  the  work  of  his  hands;  and 
the  aim  of  the  devil  most  principally  also  at  the 
most  excellent  of  his  creation  (for  man  was  created 
in  God's  own  image)  that  he  should  hereat  be  so 
highly  offended,  had  they  not  sinned  at  all  before, 
to  bind  them  over  for  this  very  fact  to  the  pains  of 
the  eternal  judgment  of  God. 

Ver.  15.  'And  I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and 
the  woman,  and  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed ;  it 
shall  bruise  thy  head,  and  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel. ' 

The  woman  may,  in  this  place,  be  taken  either 
really  or  figuratively;  if  really  and  naturally,  then 
the  threatening  is  also  true,  as  to  the  very  natures 
of  the  creatures  here  under  consideration,  to  wit, 
the  serpent  and  the  woman,  and  so  all  that  come 
of  human  race ;  for  we  find  that  so  great  an  anti- 
pathy is  between  all  such  deadly  beasts,  as  serpents 
and  human  creatures,  that  they  abiding  in  their 
own  natures,  it  is  not  possible  they  should  ever  be 
reconciled :  '  I  Avill  put  enmity  : '  1  will  put  it.  This 
enmity  then  was  not  infused  in  creation,  but  after- 
wards; and  that  as  a  punishment  for  the  abuse  of 
the  subtlety  of  the  serpent ;  for  before  the  fall,  and 
before  the  serpent  was  assumed  by  the  fallen 
angels,  they  Avere,  being  God's  creatures,  'good,' 
as  the  rest  in  their  kind ;  neither  was  there  any 
jarring  or  violence  put  between  them ;  but  after 
the  serpent  was  become  the  devils  vizor,  then  was 
an  enmity  begot  between  them. 

*  I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  ser- 
pent.' If  by  woman,  we  here  understand  the 
church,  (but  then  we  must  understand  the  devil, 
not  the  natural  serpent  simply,)  then  also  the 
threatening  is  most  true ;  for  between  the  church 
of  God,  and  the  devil,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world,  hath  been  maintained  most  mighty  wars 
and  conflicts,  to  which  there  is  not  a  like  in  all  the 
blood  shed  on  the  earth.  Yea,  here  there  cannot 
be  a  reconciliation,  (the  enmity  is  still  maintained 
by  God:)  The  reason  is,  because  their  natural  dis- 
positions and  inclinations,  together  with  their  ends 
and  purposes,  are  most  repugnant  each  to  other, 
even  full  as  much  as  good  and  evil,  riglrteousness 
and  sin,  God's  glory,  and  an  endeavour  after  his 
utter  extirpation. 

Indeed,  Satan  hath  tried  many  ways  to  be  at 
amity  with  the  church ;  not  because  he  loves 
her  holiness,  but  because  ho  hates  her  welfare, 
(wherefore  such  amity  must  only  be  dissembled,) 
and  that  he  might  bring  about  his  enterprise,  he 
sometimes  hath  allured  with  the  dainty  delicates 
of  this  world,  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  of  the  eyes, 
and  the  pride  of  life :  This  being  fruitless,  he  hath 
attempted  to  entangle  and  bewitch  her  with  his 
glorious  appearance,  as  an  angel  of  light ;  and  to 
that  end  hath  made  his  ministers  as  the  ministers 
of  righteousness,  preaching  up  righteousness,  and 
contending  for  a  divine  and  holy  worship:  3Co.xi.l2. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  PIEST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


437 


—13.  but  this  failing  also,  lie  liatli  taken  in  hand  at 
length  to  fright  her  into  friendship  with  him,  by 
stirring  up  the  hellish  rage  of  tyrants  to  threaten 
and  molest  her ;  by  finding  out  strange  inventions 
to  torment  and  afilict  her  children ;  by  making 
many  bloody  examples  of  her  own  bowels,  before 
her  eyes,  if  by  that  means  he  might  at  last  obtain 
his  purpose:  But  behold !  all  hath  been  in  vain, 
there  can  be  no  reconciliation.  And  why,  but  be- 
cause God  himself  maintains  the  enmity  ? 

And  this  is  the  reason  why  the  endeavours  of 
all  the  princes  and  potentates  of  the  earth,  that 
have  through  ignorance  or  malice  managed  his 
design  against  the  church,  have  fallen  to  the 
ground,  and  been  of  none  effect. 

God  hath  maintained  the  enmity:  doubtless  the 
mighty  wonder,  that  their  laws  cannot  be  obeyed;* 
I  mean  their  laws  and  statutes,  which  by  the  sug- 
gestion of  the  prince  of  this  world  they  have  made 
against  the  church :  But  if  they  understood  but 
this  one  sentence,  they  might  a  little  perceive  the 
reason.  God  hath  put  enmity  between  the  devil 
and  the  woman ;  between  that  old  serpent  called, 
The  Devil  and  Satan,  and  the  holy,  and  beloved, 
and  espoused  wdfe  of  Christ. 

*  I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman, 
and  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed.'  The  seeds 
here  are  the  children  of  both,  but  that  of  the 
woman,  especially  Christ.  Ga.  m.  16.  •  God  sent  forth 
his  Son  made  of  a  woman.'  Ga.  iv.  4.  Whether  you 
take  it  literally  or  figuratively;  for  in  a  mystery 
the  church  is  the  mother  of  Jesus  Christ,  though 
naturally,  or  according  to  His  flesh.  He  was  born 
of  the  virgin  Mary,  and  proceeded  from  her  womb : 
But  take  it  either  way,  the  enmity  hath  been  main- 
tained, and  most  mightily  did  shew  itself  against 
the  whole  kingdom  of  the  devil,  and  death,  and 
hell ;  by  the  undertaking,  engaging,  and  war  which 
the  Son  of  God  did  maintain  against  them,  from 
his  conception,  to  his  death  and  exaltation  to  the 
right  hand  of  the  Father,  as  is  prophesied  of,  and 
promised  in  the  text,  '  It  shall  bruise  thy  head. ' 

*  It  shall  bruise  thy  head. '  By  head,  we  are 
to  understand  the  whole  power,  subtilty,  and  de- 
stroying nature  of  the  devil ;  for  as  in  the  head  of 
the  serpent  lietli  his  power,  subtilty,  and  poisonous 
nature ;  so  in  sin,  death,  hell,  and  the  wisdom  of 
the  flesh,  lieth  the  very  strength  of  the  devil  him- 
self. Take  away  sin  then,  and  death  is  not  hurt- 
ful :  '  The  sting  of  death  is  sin : '  And  take  away 
the  condemning  power  of  the  law,  and  sin  doth 
cease  to  be  charged,  or  to  have  any  more  hurt  in 
it,  so  as  to  destroy  the  soul :   '  The  strength  of  sin 


*  A  decided  Cliristiau  cannot  obey  human  laws  affecting 
divine  worship.  All  such  are  of  Antichrist;  '  Ye  cannot  obey 
God  and  mammon.'  God  requires  an  undivided  allegiance. 
—Ed, 


is  the  law.'  1  Co.  xv.  ,^g.  Wherefore,  the  seed,  Jesus 
Christ,  in  his  bruising  the  head  of  the  serpent, 
must  take  away  sin,  abolish  death,  and  conquer 
the  power  of  the  grave.  But  how  must  this  be 
done  ?  Why,  he  must  remove  the  curse,  which 
makes  sin  intolerable,  and  death  destructive.  But 
how  must  he  take  away  the  curse  ?  Why,  by 
taking  upon  Him  'flesh,'  as  we;  Jn.i.14.  by  beino- 
made  '  under  the  law, '  as  we ;  Ga.  iv.  4.  by  being 
made  'to  be  sin  for  us,' 2 Co. v. 21.  and  by  being 
'made  a  curse  for  us,'  Ga. m.  10— 13.  He  standinfy 
therefore  in  our  room,  under  the  law  and  the  jus- 
tice of  God,  did  both  bear,  and  overcome  the  curse, 
and  so  did  bruise  the  power  of  the  devil. 

*  It  shall  bruise  thy  head. '  To  bruise  Is  more 
than  to  break ;  he  shall  quash  thy  head  to  death ; 
so  he  also  quashed  the  heel  of  Christ ;  which 
woidd,  had  not  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead 
sustained,  have  caused  that  he  had  perished  for 
ever. 

'And  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel.'  By  these 
words,  a  necessity  was  laid  upon  Jesus  Christ  to 
assume  our  flesh,  to  engage  the  devil  therein ;  and 
also  because  of  the  curse  that  was  due  to  us  for 
sin,  that  he  might  indeed  deliver  us  therefrom ; 
even  for  awhile  to  fall  before  this  curse,  and  to  die 
that  death  that  the  curse  inflicteth :  '  Christ  hath 
redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made 
a  curse  for  us, '  Thus  therefore  did  Satan,  that  is, 
by  the  fruits  and  effects  of  sin,  bruise,  or  kill,  the 
flesh  of  Christ :  But  he  being  God,  as  the  Father, 
it  was  not  possible  he  should  be  overcome.  There- 
fore his  head  remaineth  imtouched.  A  man's  life 
lieth  not  in  his  heel,  but  in  his  head  and  heart ; 
but  the  Godhead  being  the  head  and  heart  of  the 
manhood,  it  was  not  possible  Satan  should  meddle 
with  that ;  he  only  could  bruise  his  heel ;  which 
yet  by  the  power  of  the  Godhead  of  this  eternal 
Son  of  the  Father,  was  raised  up  again  from  the 
dead :  '  He  was  delivered  for  our  ofi'ences,  and 
was  raised  again  for  our  justification. '  Ro.  iv.  25, 

In  these  Avords  therefore  the  Lord  God  gave 
Adam  a  promise.  That  notwithstanduig  Satan 
had  so  far  brought  his  design  to  pass,  as  to  cause 
them  by  falling  from  the  command,  to  lay  them- 
selves open  to  the  justice  and  wrath  of  God  ;  yet 
his  enterprise  by  grace,  should  be  made  of  none 
effect.  As  if  the  Lord  had  said,  '  Adam,  thou 
seest  how  the  devil  hath  overcome  thee  ;  how  he, 
by  thy  consenting  to  his  temptation,  hath  made 
thee  a  subject  of  death  and  hell:  but  though  he 
hath  by  this  means  made  thee  a  spectacle  of  misery, 
even  an  heir  of  death  and  damnation :  yet  I  am 
God,  and  thy  sins  have  been  against  me.  Now 
because  I  have  grace  and  mercy,  I  will  therefore 
design  thy  i-ecovery.  But  how  shall  I  bring  it  to 
pass  ?  Why  I  Avill  give  my  Son  out  of  my  bosom, 
who   shall   in   your   room,    and   in   your   nature 


438 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN'  CHAPTERS  OP  GENESIS. 


encounter  this  adversary,  and  overcome  him.  But 
how  ?  Why,  hy  fulfilUng  my  law,  and  by  answer- 
ing the  penalties  thereof.  He  shall  bring  in  a 
righteousness  which  shall  be  "everlasting,"  by 
which  I  wiU  justify  you  from  sin,  and  the  curse  of 
God  due  thereto :  But  this  work  will  make  him 
smart,  he  must  be  made  "  a  man  of  sorrows,"  for 
upon  him  will  I  lay  your  iniquities ;  la.  im.  6.  Satan 
shall  bruise  his  heel.' 

Ver.  16.  '  li  Unto  the  woman  he  said,  I  will 
greatly  multiply  thy  sorrow  and  thy  conception  ; 
in  sorrow*  shalt  thou  bring  forth  children  ;  and 
thy  desire  sJicdl  be  to  thy  husband,  and  he  shall 
rule  over  thee.* 

'  I  will  greatly  multiply  thy  sorrow,'  (fee.  This 
is  true,  whether  you  respect  the  woman  according 
to  the  letter  of  the  text,  or  as  she  was  a  figure  of 
the  church  ;  for  in  both  senses  their  sorrows  for 
sin  are  great,  and  multiplied  upon  them:  The 
whole  heap  of  the  female  sex  know  the  first,t  the 
church  only  knows  the  second. 

'In  sorrow  shalt  thou  bring  forth  children,' 
The  more  fruitful,  the  more  afflicted  is  the  church 
in  this  world ;  because  the  rage  of  hell,  and  the 
enmity  of  the  world,  are  by  her  righteousness  set 
on  fire  so  much  the  more. 

But  again :  Forasmuch  as  the  promise  is  made 
before  this  judgment  of  God  for  sin  is  threatened, 
we  must  count  these  afflictions  not  as  coming  from 
the  hand  of  God  in  a  way  of  vengeance,  for  want 
of  satisfaction  for  the  breach  of  the  law  ;  but  to 
shew  and  keep  us  in  mind  of  his  holiness,  that 
henceforth  we  should  not,  as  at  first  through 
ignorance,  so  now  from  notions  of  grace  and  mercy, 
presume  to  continue  in  sin. 

I  might  add.  That  by  these  words  it  is  manifest, 
that  a  promise  of  mercy  and  forgiveness  of  sin, 
and  great  afflictions  and  rebukes  for  the  same,  may 
and  shall  attend  the  same  soul :  '  I  will  greatly 
multiply  thy  sorrow,'  comes  after  the  promise  of 
grace. 

'  And  thy  desire  shall  be  to  thy  husband,  and 
he  shall  rule  over  thee.'  Doubtless  the  woman 
was,  in  her  first  creation,  made  in  subordination 
to  her  husband,  and  ought  to  have  been  under 
obedience  to  him:  Wherefore,  still  that  had  re- 
mained a  duty,  had  they  never  transgressed  the 
commandment  of  God  ;  but  observe,  the  duty  is 
here  again  not  only  enjoined,  and  imposed,  but 
that  as  the  fruit  of  the  woman's  sin  ;  wherefore, 
that  duty  that  before  she  might  do  as  her  natural 
right  by  creation,  she  must  now  do  as  the  fruits 
of  her  disobedience  to  God.     Women  therefore. 


whenever  they  would  perk  it  and  lord  it  over  their 
husbands,  ought  to  remember,  that  both  by  crea- 
tion and  transgression  they  are  made  to  be  in  sub- 
jection to  their  own  husbands.  This  conclusion 
makes  Paul  himself :  *  Let  (saith  he)  the  woman 
learn  in  silence  with  all  subjection.  But  I  sufi"er 
not  a  woman  to  teach,  nor  to  usurp  authority  over 
the  man,  but  to  be  in  silence  ;  for  Adam  was  first 
formed,  then  Eve  ;  and  Adam  was  not  deceived, 
but  the  woman  being  deceived,  was  in  the  trans- 
gression.' 1  Tim.  ii.  11—14. 

Ver.  17.  'And  imto  Adam  he  said.  Because 
thou  hast  hearkened  unto  the  voice  of  thy  wife, 
and  hast  eaten  of  the  tree  of  which  I  commanded 
thee,  saying.  Thou  shalt  not  eat  of  it :  cursed  is 
the  ground  for  thy  sake,  in  sorrow  shalt  thou  eat 
of  it  all  the  days  of  thy  life.' 

God  having  laid  his  censure  upon  the  woman, 
he  now  proceedeth  and  cometh  to  her  husband, 
and  also  layeth  his  judgment  on  him :  The  judg- 
ment is,  '  Cursed  is  the  ground  for  thy  sake,'  and 
in  sorrow  thou  shalt  eat  thereof.  The  causes  of 
this  judgment  are,  First,  For  that  '  he  hearkened 
to  his  wife  : '  And  also,  '  For  that  he  had  eaten  of 
the  tree.' 

'  Because  thou  hast  hearkened  to  thy  wife.* 
Why  ?  Because  therein  he  left  his  station  and 
headship,  the  condition  which  God  had  appointed 
him,  and  gave  way  to  his  wife  to  assmne  it,  con- 
trary to  the  order  of  creation,  of  her  relation,  and 
of  her  sex  ;  for  God  had  made  Adam  lord  and 
chief,  who  ought  to  have  taught  his  wife,  and  not 
to  have  become  her  scholar. 

Hence  note.  That  the  man  that  suficreth  his 
wife  to  take  his  place,  hath  already  transgressed 
the  order  of  God.| 

'Because  thou  hast  hearkened  to  the  voice,' 
&c.  Wicked  women,  such  as  Eve  Avas  now,  if 
hearkened  unto,  are  *  the  snares  of  death  '  to  their 
husbands ;  for,  because  they  are  weaker  built,  and 
because  the  devil  doth  easier  fasten  with  them 
than  with  men,  therefore  they  are  more  prone  to 
vanity  and  all  mis-orders  in  the  matters  of  God, 
than  they  ;  [the  men]  and  so,  if  hearkened  unto, 
more  dangerous  upon  many  accounts :  '  Did  not 
Solomon  king  of  Israel  sin  by  these  things  ?  yet 
among  many  nations  was  there  no  king  like  him, 
who  was  beloved  of  his  God,  nevertheless  even  him 
did  outlandish  [wicked]  women  cause  to  sin.'  Nc. 
xiii.  26.  '  But  there  was  none  like  unto  Ahab, 
which  did  sell  himself  to  work  wickedness  in  the 


*  Genevan  or  Puritan  version. 

t  Many  are  the  anxieties,  sorrows,  and  pains,  that  females 
undergo,  from  which  man  is  comparatively  exempt.  How 
tenderly  then  ought  they  to  be  cherished. — Ed. 


X  Most  married  men  find  this  to  be  an  exceedingly  difficult 
duty.  There  are  few  Eves  but  whose  dominant  passion  is  to 
rule  a  husband.  Perhaps  the  only  way  to  govern  a  wife  is  to 
lead  her  to  think  that  she  rules,  while  in  fact  she  is  ruled. 
One  of  the  late  Abraham  Booth's  maxims  to  young  ministers, 
was.  If  you  would  rule  in  your  church,  so  act  as  to  allow  them 
to  think  that  they  rule  you. — Ed. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTEES  OP  GENESIS. 


439 


Bio-lit  of  the  Lord,  whom  Jezebel  his  wife  stirred 

up,'  1  Ki.  xxi.  25. 

Hence  note  further,  That  if  it  he  thus  dan- 
gerous for  a  man  to  hearken  to  a  wicked  wife,  how 
dangerous  is  it  for  any  to  hearken  unto  wicked 
whores,  who  will  seldom  yield  up  themselves  to 
the  lusts  of  beastly  men,  but  on  condition  they 
Avill  answer  their  imgodly  purposes  !  What  mis- 
chief by  these  things  hath  come  upon  souls, 
coimtries  and  kingdoms,  wiU  here  be  too  tedious 
to  relate. 

'  Because  thou  hast  hearkened  to  the  voice  of 
thy  wife,  and  hast  eaten  of  the  tree.'  That  is. 
From  the  hand  of  thy  wife ;  for  it  was  she  that 
gave  him  to  eat:  *  Therefore,'  <kc.  Although  the 
scripture  doth  lay  a  great  blot  upon  women,  and 
cautioneth  man  to  beware  of  these  fantastical  and 
xmstable  spirits,  yet  it  limiteth  man  in  his  censure: 
She  is  only  then  to  be  rejected  and  rebuked,  when 
she  doth  things  xmworthy  her  place  and  calling. 
Such  a  thing  may  happen,  as  that  the  woman,  not 
the  man,  may  be  in  the  right,  (I  mean,  when  both 
are  godly,)  but  ordinarily  it  is  otherwise.  Ge.  xxi.  12. 
Therefore  the  conclusion  is.  Let  God's  word  judge 
between  the  man  and  his  wife,  as  it  ought  to  have 
done  between  Adam  and  his,  and  neither  of  both 
will  do  amiss  ;  but  contrariwise,  they  will  walk 
in  all  the  commandments  of  God  without  fault. 
Lu.  i.  c. 

'  Therefore  cursed  he  the  ground  for  thy  sake. ' 
Behold  what  arguments  are  thrust  into  every 
corner,  thereby  to  make  man  remember  his  sin ; 
for  aU  the  toil  of  man,  all  the  barrenness  of  the 
ground,  and  all  the  fruitlessuess  after  all ;  What 
is  it  but  the  fruits  of  sin  ?  Let  not  us  then  find 
fault  with  the  weed,  with  the  hotness,  coldness, 
or  barrenness  of  the  soil  ;  but  by  seeing  these 
things,  remember  our  sin.  Cursed  be  the  ground 
*  for  thy  sake  ;'  for  this  God  makes  our  '  heaven 
as  iron, '  and  our  '  earth  as  brass. '  Ex.  xxvi.  19.  '  The 
Lord  shall  make  the  rain  of  thy  land  powder  and 
dust  ;  from  heaven  shall  it  come  down  upon  thee, 
imtil  thou  be  destroyed.'  De.  xxviii.  20—24. 

*  Li  sorrow  shalt  thou  eat  of  it  all  the  days  of 
thy  life.'  He  then  is  much  deceived,  who  thinks 
to  fill  his  body  with  the  delicates  of  this  world, 
and  not  therewith  to  drink  the  cruel  veuom  of  asps: 
Yea,  '  He  shall  suck  the  poison  of  asps,  the  viper's 
tongue  shall  slay  him. '  Job  xx.  16.  The  reason  is, 
because  he  that  shall  give  up  himself  to  the  lusts 
and  pleasures  of  this  life,  he  coutracts  guilt,  be- 
cause he  hath  sinned ;  which  guilt  will  curdle  all 
his  pleasures,  and  make  the  sweetest  of  them 
deadly  as  poison. 

'in  sorrow  shalt  thou  eat.'  Even  thou  that 
hast  received  the  promise  of  forgiveness:  How 
then  can  they  do  it  with  pleasure,  who  cat,  and 
forget  the  Lord?  Pr.xxx. 9j  xxxi.5. 


Again,  Let  not  the  sorrows,  crosses,  and  afSlc- 
tions,  that  attend  the  godly  in  the  things  of  this 
hfe,  weaken  their  faith  in  the  promise  of  grace, 
and  forgiveness  of  sins  ;  for  such  things  may  befal 
the  dearest  Christian. 

Ver.  18.  '  Thorns  also  and  thistles  shall  it  bring 
forth  to  thee ;  and  thou  shalt  eat  the  herb  of  the 
field.' 

This  shews  us  (as  I  also  hinted  before),  That 
the  thorns  and  thistles  of  the  ground,  are  but  as 
the  excrements  thereof ;  and  the  fruits  of  sin, 
and  the  curse  for  sin.  This  world,  as  it  dropt 
from  the  fingers  of  God,  was  far  more  glorious 
than  it  is  now:  Now  it  is  loaden  with  a  burden  of 
corruption,  thorns,  thistles,  and  other  annoyances, 
which  Adam  knew  none  of  in  the  days  of  his  inno- 
cency.  None  therefore  ever  saw  this  world,  as  it 
Avas  in  its  first  creation,  but  only  Adam  and  his 
wife ;  neither  shall  any  ever  see  it,  until  the  mani- 
festation of  the  children  of  God :  that  is,  until  the 
redemption  or  resurrection  of  the  saints  :  but  then 
it  shall  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corrup- 
tion, into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of 
God. 

*  And  thou  shalt  eat  the  herb  of  the  field.' 
These  words  are  for  his  comfort,  under  all  the 
sorrow  sin  should  bring  upon  him ;  '  Thou  shalt 
eat  the  herb : '  The  herb  was  a  type  of  the  gospel- 
comforts  which  the  destroying  angels  were  for- 
bidden to  smite.  Ke.  vii.  3.  Of  these  medicinal  and 
healing  herbs  therefore  Adam  and  his  seed  are 
admitted  to  eat,  that  their  soul  may  be  replenished 
in  the  midst  of  their  sorrow. 

Ver.  19.  'In  the  sweat  of  thy  face  shalt  thou  eat 
bread,  till  thou  return  unto  the  ground ;  for  out 
of  it  wast  thou  taken :  for  dust  thou  art,  and  unto 
dust  shalt  thou  return.' 

'  In  the  sweat  of  thy  face.'  This  is  true,  whether 
literally  or  allegorically  understood :  For  as  touch- 
ing the  things  that  pertain  to  this  life,  as  they 
become  not  ours  without  toil  and  labour ;  so  the 
spiritual  comforts  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  are 
not  obtained  without  travail  and  sweat :  *  Labour 
(saith  Christ)  for  the  bread  and  meat  which  eu- 
dureth  to  everlasting  life.'  Jn.  vi. 27. 

*  In  the  sweat  of  thy  face.'  Those  that  make 
conscience  of  walking  in  the  commandments  of 
God,  they  shall  be  blessed  with  the  bread  of  life, 
when  others  shall  be  hunger-bit.  That  may  also 
be  mystically  applied,  '  On  all  hills  that  shall  be 
digged  with  the  mattock,  there  shall  not  come 
thither  the  fear  of  briars  and  thorns  ;  but  it  shall 
be  for  the  sending  forth  of  oxen,  and  for  the  tread- 
ing of  lesser  cattle. '  is.  vii.  25.  The  meaning  is,  Where 
people  are  diligent  according  to  the  word  of  God, 
especially  in  spiritual  and  heavenly  things,  they 
shall  be  fat  and  flourishing,  though  sorroAV  be 
mixed  therewith :    '  When  vien  are  cast  down  : 


440 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTEES  OF  GENESIS. 


then  thoit  slialt  say,  thet'e  is  lifting  up  ;  and  lie 
shall  save  the  humble  person.'  Joi. xxii.  29. 

'Till  thou  return  to  the  ground.'  A  Christian 
should  not  leave  off  sweating  labour  so  long  as  he 
is  above  the  ground  ;  even  until  he  returneth 
thither,  he  ought  to  be  diligent  in  the  Avay  and 
■worship  of  God.  Jacob,  when  sick,  would  worship 
God,  though  so  weak  as  not  able  to  do  it,  without 
leaning  upon  the  top  of  his  staff:  A  blessed  example 
for  the  diligent,  and  reproof  for  those  that  are 

slothful.  He.  xi.  21. 

'For  out  of  it  wast  thou  taken.'  That  is, 
out  of  the  ground.  Behold  how  the  Lord  doth 
mix  his  doctrine  !  Now  he  teUs  him  of  his  sin, 
then  he  promiseth  to  give  him  a  Saviour,  then 
again  he  shews  him  the  fruits  of  his  sin,  and 
immediately  after  the  comforts  of  the  promise ;  yet 
again,  he  Avould  have  him  remember  that  he  is  but 
a  mortal  creature,  not  to  live  here  for  ever ;  neither 
made  of  silver  nor  gold,  but  even  of  a  clod  of  dust: 
'  For  dust  thou  art. '  Observe  therefore,  that  in 
the  midst  of  all  our  enjoyments,  God  would  have 
us  consider  our  frame,  that  we  may  know  how 
frail  we  are. 

'  For  out  of  it  was  thou  taken.'  It  is  hard  for 
us  to  believe  it,  though  we  daily  see  it  is  the  way 
even  of  all  the  earth,  to  return  thither  again :  '  For 
dust  thou  art,  and  to  dust  shalt  thou  return.' 

Whether  this  was  spoken  to  Adam,  as  a  judg- 
ment, or  a  mercy,  or  both,  is  not  hard  to  determine, 
(this  first  premised,  that  Adam  had  received  the 
promise  ;)  for  as  it  was  the  fruit  of  sin,  so  a  judg- 
ment and  a  token  of  God's  displeasiu-e  ;  '  for  the 
wages  of  sin  is  death. '  Ko.  vi.  23.  But  as  it  is  made 
by  the  wisdom  of  God,  a  prevention  of  further 
■wickedness,  and  a  conveyance  through  faith  in 
Christ,  to  a  more  perfect  enjoyment  of  God  in  the 
heavens  ;  so  it  is  a  mercy  and  blessing  of  God  ; 
Is.  ivii.  1,  2.  For  thus  '  to  die  is  gain.'  Wherefore 
thus  we  may  praise  the  dead,  that  are  already 
dead,  more  than  the  living,  which  are  yet  alive. 
Ec.  iv.  2.  This  made  Paul  desire  to  depart ;  for  he 
knew  that  through  death  was  the  way  to  have 
more  perfect  sight  of,  and  more  close  and  higher 
communion  with  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the 
Spirit  in  the  heavens.  2  Co.  v.  c.  I  have  a  desire  to 
depart,  and  be  with  Christ,  which  is  far  better. 
Phi.  i.  21— 23.  Thus  therefore  those  things  that  in 
their  own  nature  are  the  proper  fruits  and  Avages 
of  sin,  may  yet  through  the  wisdom  of  God  be 
turned  about  for  our  good ;  Jc.  xxiv.  5.  but  let  not 
this  embolden  to  sin,  but  rather  minister  occasion 
to  us  to  magnify  the  wisdom  of  God,  Ro.  viii.  2S. 

Ver.  20.  '  And  Adam  called  his  wife's  name 
five;  because  she  was  the  mother  of  all  living.' 

By  this  act  Adam  returneth  to  his  first  station 
and  authority  in  which  God  had  placed  him,  from 
which  he  fell  when  he  became  a  scholar  to  his 


wife  ;  for  to  name  the  creatures,  was  in  Adam  a 
note  of  sovereignty  and  power :  This  he  attained 
to,  as  an  effect  of  his  receiving  the  promise ;  for 
before  the  promise  is  received,  man  cannot  serve 
God  in  his  station,  because  as  he  wanteth  the 
power  of  will,  so  also  a  good  understanding  ;  but 
when  he  hath  received  the  promise,  he  hath  also 
received  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  giveth  to  the 
godly  to  know  and  do  his  duty  in  his  station: 
'The  spiritual'  man  discerneth,  and  so  'judgeth 
all  things  ;'  but  lie  is  not  discerned  nor  judged  of 
any.  l  Co.  ii.  15. 

And  he  called  his  wife's  name  Eve,  or  Hevah  : 
Because  she  gave  life  to,  or  was  the  first  mother 
of  all  mankind.  This  then  admits  of  two  positions. 
First,  That  the  world  was  created  when  Adam 
was  created.  And,  Secondly,  That  there  were 
none  of  the  sons  of  men  in  the  world  before  Adam, 
as  some  have  not  only  vainly,  but  irreligiously  and 
blasphemously  suggested.  '  Eve  is  the  mother  of 
all  living : '  Not  a  man  therefore  that  is  the  son  of 
man,  but  had  his  being  since  the  woman  was  made. 

Ver.  21.  '  ^  Unto  Adam  also  and  to  his  wife  did 
the  Lord  God  make  coats  of  skins,  and  clothed 
them.' 

By  this  action  the  Lord  God  did  preach  to  Adam, 
and  to  his  wife,  the  meaning  of  that  promise  that 
you  read  of  in  ver.  15.  Namely,  That  by  the  means 
of  Jesus  Christ,  God  himself  would  provide  a  suf- 
ficient clothing  for  those  that  accept  of  his  graco 
by  the  gospel :  The  coats  here,  being  a  type  of 
that  blessed  and  durable  righteousness. 

'  The  Lord  God  made  the  coats.'  Not  Adam 
now,  because  now  he  is  received  into  a  covenant 
of  grace  with  God :  Lideed  before  he  entered  into 
this  covenant,  he  made  his  own  clothing,  such  as 
it  was,  but  that  coidd  not  cover  his  nakedness  ; 
but  now  the  Lord  Avill  make  them:  And  'unto 
Adam  also  and  to  his  wife  did  the  Lord  God  niako 
coats:'  'Their  righteousness  is  of  me,  saith  the 
Lord.'  is.liv.  17.  Of  me,  that  is,  of  my  providing, 
of  my  performing.  And  this  is  the  name  whereby 
he  shall  be  called.  The  Lord  our  rigiiteousxess.' 

Je.  xxiii.  6. 

'  He  made  them  coats,  and  clothed  them.'  As 
the  righteousness  by  which  a  sinner  stands  just  in 
the  sight  of  God  from  the  curse,  is  a  righteous- 
ness of  God's  providing ;  so  also  it  is  of  his  putting 
on.  No  man  can  put  on  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
otherwise  than  by  God's  imputation:  if  God  reckon 
it  ours  then  it  is  ours  indeed ;  but  if  he  refusetk 
to  shew  that  mercy,  who  can  impute  that  righte- 
ousness to  men  ?  Blessed  are  they  to  whom  the 
Lord  imputeth  righteousness.  Ko.  iv.  Cursed  then 
must  they  needs  be  to  whom  God  hath  not  imputed 
the  righteousness  of  his  Son.  '  The  Lord  clothed 
them,'  according  to  that  of  Paul,  '  Christ  is  mado 
unto  us  of  God  wisdom  and  righteousness,'  &c. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


441 


1  Co.  i.  SO.    And  of  that  God  who  hath  made  hun 
thus  to  us,  even  of  him  are  we  in  Christ  Jesus. 

Did  the  Lord  God  make  coats  of  skins.  The 
coats  were  made  of  the  skins  of  beasts,  of  the 
skins  of  the  slain,  which  were  slain  either  for  food 
only,  or  for  sacrifice  also :  This  being  so,  the  effects 
of  that  promise  mentioned  before  were  by  this 
fiction  the  more  clearly  expounded  unto  Adam ;  to 
wit,  That  Christ,  'in  the  fulness  of  time,'  should 
be  born  of  a  woman  clothed  with  flesh  ;  and  as  so 
considered,  should  be  made  a  curse,  and  so  die 
4;hat  cursed  death  which  by  sin  we  had  brought 
upon  ourselves  ;  the  effects  and  fruits  of  which 
ehould  to  us  be  durable  clothing;  that  is,  'Ever- 
lasting righteousness.'  Da. k. 24. 

Ver.  22,  23.  '  ^  And  the  Lord  God  said,  Behold, 
the  man  is  become  as  one  of  us,  to  know  good 
and  evil :  and  now,  [therefore]  lest  he  put  forth 
his  hand,  and  take  also  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  eat, 
and  live  for  ever:  therefore  the  Lord  God  sent 
him  forth  from  the  garden  of  Eden,  to  tiU  the 
groimd  from  whence  he  was  taken.' 

'  Behold  the  man  is  become  as  one  of  us. '  These 
words  respect  the  temptation  of  the  devil  ;  the 
argument  that  prevailed  with  Adam  ;  and  the 
fruits  of  their  consenting :  And  therefore  I  under- 
stand them  as  spoken  ironically,  or  in  derision  to 
Adam.  As  if  God  had  said,  '  Now  Adam,  you  see 
what  a  god  you  are  become  :  The  serpent  told  you 
"  you  should  be  as  gods,"  as  one  that  was  infinite 
in  wisdom.  But  behold,  your  godhead  is  horrible 
wickedness,  even  pollution  of  body  and  soul  by  sin. 
A  thing  you  little  thought  of,  when  you  pleased 
yourself  with  the  thought  of  that  high  attainment; 
and  now  if  you  be  not  prevented,  you  will  proceed 
from  evil  to  evil ;  for  notwithstanding  I  have  made 
promise  of  sending  a  Saviour,  you  will,  through 
the  pollution  of  your  mind,  forget  and  set  at  nought 
my  promise ;  and  seek  life  and  salvation  by  that 
tree  of  life  which  was  never  intended  for  the  justi- 
fication of  sinners ;  therefore  I  will  turn  you  out 
of  the  garden,  "  to  till  the  ground  whence  thou 
wast  taken."  ' 

1.  Hence  observe,  That  it  often  falls  out,  after 
the  promised  blessing  is  come,  that  God  yet  mak- 
eth  us  to  possess  our  former  sins,  not  that  the 
guilt  thereof  might  be  charged  to  condemnation, 
but  that  remembering  of  them,  we  might  blush 
before  God,  and  be  the  more  efi'ectually  driven  to 
a  continual  embracing  of  the  mercy  promised. 

2.  Observe  again.  That  as  God  would  have  us 
to  remember  our  former  sins,  so  he  would  not  that 
we  should  feed  upon  ought  but  the  very  mercy 
promised.  We  must  not  rest  in  shadowish  sacra- 
ments, as  the  typical  tree  of  hfe,  but  must  remem- 
ber it  is  our  duty  to  live  by  faith  in  the  promised 
seed. 

3.  Observe  also,  That  even  our  outward  and 

VOL.  II. 


temporal  employments,  if  they  be  lawful  and  honest, 
are  so  ordered  of  God,  as  that  we  may  gather  some 
heavenly  mystery  from  them :  '  To  till  the  ground 
from  whence  he  was  taken:'  Mysteriously  intimat- 
ing two  things  to  Adam.  (1.)  That  seeing  he 
was  of  the  earth,  he  stood  In  as  much  need  to  be 
ordered  and  dressed  by  God,  In  order  to  his  future 
happiness,  as  the  ground,  in  order  to  Its  thrift  and 
fruitfulness.  (2.)  Again,  Seeing  he  was  taken 
from  the  ground,  he  Is  neither  God,  nor  angel,  but 
a  poor  earthen  vessel,  such  as  God  can  easily 
knock  in  pieces,  and  cause  to  return  to  the  ground 
again.  These  things  therefore  Adam  was  to  learn 
from  his  calling,  that  he  might  neither  think,  too 
highly  of  himself,  nor  forget  to  live  by  faith,  and 
depending  on  the  Lord  God,  to  be  blessed  of 
him. 

Ver.  24.  '  So  he  drove  out  the  man ;  and  he 
placed  at  the  east  of  the  garden  of  Eden  Cheru- 
blms,  and  a  flaming  sword  which  turned  every 
way,  to  keep  the  way  of  the  tree  of  life.' 

'  So  he  drove  out  the  man. '  Adam  was  loth  to 
forsake  this  garden  of  Eden,  because  there  was 
the  tree  of  life.  The  promise  wiU  hardly  satisfy, 
where  faith  is  weak  and  low.  Had  this  man  with 
great  faith  received  and  retained  the  gospel 
preached  before,  he  would  not  have  so  hankered 
after  a  shadow ;  but  the  conscience  being  awak- 
ened, and  faith  low  and  weak  there,  because  faith 
wants  the  flower  or  bloom  of  assurance,  the  cere- 
monial or  moral  law  doth  with  ease  engender 
bondage. 

*  And  he  placed  at  the  east  of  the  garden  of 
Eden  Cherublms,  and  a  flaming  sword.'  This 
shows  the  truth  of  what  I  said  before;  to  wit. 
That  Adam  was  loth  to  forsake  the  garden,  loth 
to  forsake  his  doing  of  something ;  but  God  sets  a 
shaking  sword  against  him,  a  sword  to  keep  that 
way,  or  to  prevent  that  Adam  should  have  life  by 
eating  of  the  tree  of  life. 

Observe,  This  tree  of  life,  though  lawful  for 
Adam  to  feed  on  before  he  had  transgressed,  yet 
now  is  wholly  forbidden  him  ;  Intimating,  that  that 
which  would  have  nourished  him  before  he  brake 
the  law,  will  now  avail  hira  nothing  as  to  hfe 
before  the  justice  of  God:  the  tree  of  life  might 
have  maintained  his  life  before  he  sinned;  but 
having  done  that,  he  hath  no  ways  now  but  to  Hve 
by  faith  in  the  promise ;  which  that  he  might 
effectually  do,  God  takes  from  him  the  use  of  all 
other  things,  he  driveth  him  out  of  the  garden,  and 
sets  to  keep  him  from  the  tree  of  life,  *  Cherubims, 
and  a  flaming  sword.' 

'And  he  placed  at  the  east  of  the  garden 
Cherublms,  and  a  flaming  sword.'  These  cheru- 
bims are  one  sort  of  the  angels  of  God,  at  this  time 
made  ministers  of  justice,  shaking  the  flaming 
sword  of  God's  severity  against  Adam  for  sin, 
3  K 


442 


A.N  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OP  GENESIS. 


threatening  to  cut  lilni  off  thereby,  if  he  ever  return 
bj  the  way  that  he  went. 

We  read  also,  that  the  Law  was  delivered  to 
Israel  from  Sinai,  by  the  hand  and  disposition  of 
angels ;  Ac.  viL  the  gospel,  only  by  the  Son  himself. 

He.  i.  2. 

To  keep  the  way.  Hence  the  apostle  implicitly 
concludes  it  a  way,  that  is,  to  death  and  damna- 
tion ;  by  opposing  another  against  it,  even  the 
new  and  living  one ;  a  new,  not  this  the  old ;  a 
living  one,  not  this  the  dead  one.  He.  x.  For,  for 
that  the  cherubims  are  here  placed  with  a  flaming, 
shaking  sword,  to  keep  the  tree  of  life,  it  is  evident 
that  death  is  threatened  to  him  that  shall  at  any 
time  attempt  to  come  at,  or  that  seeks  for  life  that 
way. 

A  flaming  sword,  turning  every  way  to  keep,' 
&c.  This  still  shews  us,  that  man,  though  he 
hath  already  received  the  promise,  is  yet  exceed- 
ing prone  to  seek  life  by  another  way  than  free- 
grace  by  Jesus  Christ ;  to  wit,  either  by  the  law 
he  hath  broken,  or  by  the  law  and  Christ  together; 
and  so  though  not  directly,  yet  *  as  it  were  by  the 
works  of  the  law.'  Uo.  k. 33.  But  all  is  to  no  pur- 
pose, they  are  every  way  prevented.  For,  for- 
sake the  simplicity  of  the  promise  in  the  gospel, 
and  thou  shalt  meet  with  the  stroke  of  the  justice 
of  God ;  for  that  flaming  sword  of  his  vengeance, 
it  turneth  every  way,  and  therefore  will  in  every 
way  lay  v,^rath  upon  thee,  if  thou  seek  life  by  ought 
but  Christ. 

CHAP.  IV. 

Ver.  1.  'And  Adam  knew  Eve  his  wife;  and 
she  conceived,  and  bare  Cain,  and  said,  I  have 
gotten  a  man  from  the  Lord. ' 

Now  we  are  come  to  the  generation  of  mankind. 
'  Adam  knew  his  wife : '  A  modest  expression ;  and 
it  should  teach  us,  in  all  such  matters  where  things 
are  discoursed  of,  that  are  either  the  fruits  of  sin, 
or  the  proper  efiects  of  man's  natural  infirmities, 
there  to  endeavour  the  use  of  such  expressions,  as 
neither  to  provoke  to  lust,  nor  infect  us  with  evil 
and  uncivil  communication.  'Adam  knew  his 
wife;'  Jacob,  Samson,  David,  and  others,  are  said 
to  go  in  unto  them.  So  as  to  our  natural  infirmi- 
ties of  the  stool,  the  scripture  expression  is,  '  When 
thou  goest  abroad  to  ease  thyself,  thou  shalt  turn 
again  and  cover  that  which  cometh  from  thee:' 
Modest  and  bashful  expressions,  and  such  as  be- 
come the  godly,  being  those  that  are  furthest  off 
of  occasioning  evil,  and  nearest  to  an  intimation, 
that  such  infirmities  bespeak  us  infirm  and  imper- 
fect creatures. 

'  And  she  conceived  and  bare  Cain.'  The  first 
sprout  of  a  disobedient  couple,  a  man.  in  shape, 
but  a  devil  in   conditions.     This  is   he  that  is 


called  elsewhere,  The  child  'of  that  wicked  one.' 

1  Jn.  iii.  13. 

*  And  she  said,  I  have  gotten  a  man  from  the 
Lord.'  If  Eve  by  these  words  did  only  ascribe 
the  blessing  of  children  to  be  the  gift  of  God,  then 
she  spake  like  a  godly  woman ;  but  if  she  supposed 
that  this  man  Cain  was  indeed  the  seed  promised, 
then  it  shows,  that  she  in  this  was  also  deceived, 
and  was  therein  a  figure  of  all  such  as  make  false 
and  strange  delusions,  signs  of  the  mercy  of  God 
towards  them:  The  man  she  thought  she  had  got 
from  the  Lord  as  a  mercy,  and  to  be  a  Saviour,  he 
proved  a  man  of  the  devil,  a  curse,  and  to  be  a 
destroyer. 

Ver.  2.  '  And  she  again  bare  his  brother  Abel, 
And  Abel  was  a  keeper  of  sheep,  but  Cain  was  a 
tiller  of  the  ground.' 

Observe  here,  That  the  good  child  is  not  the 
first-born,  but  Abel,  [a  breath.]  iCo.  i.  27, 28.  God 
often  doth  as  Jacob  did,  even  cross  hands,  in  be- 
stowing blessings,  giving  that  which  is  best  to  him 
that  is  least  esteemed:  For  Cain  was  the  man  in 
Eve's  esteem ;  she  thought,  when  she  had  him, 
she  had  got  an  inheritance ;  but  as  for  Abel,  he 
was  little  worth ;  by  his  name  they  showed  how 
little  they  set  by  him.  It  is  so  with  the  sincere 
to  this  day ;  they  bear  not  the  name  of  glory  with 
the  world:  Cain  with  them  is  the  profitable  sou; 
Abel  is  of  no  credit  with  them,  neither  see  they 
form  or  comeliness  in  him ;  he  is  the  melancholy, 
or  lowering  child,  whose  countenance  spoileth  the 
mirth  of  the  world :  '  The  heart  of  the  wise  is  in 
the  house  of  mournings ;  but  the  heart  of  fools  is 
in  the  house  of  mirth.'  Ec.  vii. 4. 

*  And  Abel  was  a  keeper  of  sheep,  but  Cain 
was  a  tiller  of  the  ground.'  By  this  it  seems  yet 
further,  that  Cain  was  the  man  in  favour,  even  hira 
that  should,  by  his  Father's  intentions,  have  been 
heir,  and  have  enjoyed  the  inheritance:  He  was 
nurtured  up  in  his  father's  employment,  but  Abel 
was  set  in  the  lower  rank. 

It  was  also  thus  with  Isaac  and  Jacob,  Ishmael 
and  Esau,  being  the  eldest,  and  those  that  by  in- 
tention were  to  be  heirs. 

Now  in  the  inheritance  lay,  of  old,  a  great  bles- 
sing: so  that  Esau  in  losing  his  father's  inheri- 
tance, lost  also  the  blessing  of  grace,  and  moreover 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  He.  xii.  16, 17.  Wherefore 
Cain  had  by  this  the  better  of  Abel,  even  as  the 
Jews  by  their  privileges  had  the  better  of  the 
Gentiles.  Eo.  m.  i,  3.  But  mark  it,  the  blessing  of 
grace  is  not  led  by  outward  order,  but  by  electing 
love :  Where  the  person  then  is  under  the  blessing 
of  election,  be  he  the  first  or  the  second  son,  the 
highest  or  lowest  in  the  family,  or  whether  he  be 
more  or  less  loved  of  his  friends,  'tis  he  that  Avith 
Abel  hath  the  everlasting  blessing. 

Ver.  3.  '  And,  in  process  of  time,  it  came  to  pass 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  TIKST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


443 


that  Cain  brouglit  of  the  fruit  of  the  ground  an 
offering  unto  the  Lord. ' 

Mark  here,  That  the  devil  can  suffer  his  chil- 
dren, in  outward  forms  of  worship,  to  he  godly 
and  righteous  men :  Cain,  a  limh  of  the  devil,  and 
yet  the  first  in  order  that  presents  himself  and  his 
service  to  God, 

Cain  hrought  of  the  fruit  of  the  ground,  as  of 
wheat,  oil,  honey,  or  the  like ;  which  things  were 
also  clean  and  good.  Hence  it  is  intimated,  that  his 
offering  was  excellent ;  and  I  conceive,  not  at  all, 
as  to  the  matter  itself,  inferior  to  that  of  Ahel's; 
for  in  that  it  is  said  that  Ahel's  was  more  excel- 
lent, it  is  not  with  respect  to  the  excellency  of  the 
matter  or  things  with  wliich  they  sacrificed,  but 
with  respect  to  Ahel's  faith,  which  gave  glory  and 
acceptahleness  to  his  offering  with  God,  'By  faith 
lie  offered  unto  God  a  more  excellent  sacrifice  than 
Cain.'  He. xi. 4. 

'  And  Abel,  he  also  brought  of  the  firstlings 
of  his  flock  and  of  the  fat  thereof. '  &c. 

Abel,  last  in  appearance,  but  in  truth  the  first 
in  grace ;  as  it  also  is  at  this  day :  Who  do  so 
flutter  it  out  as  our  ruffling  formal  worshippers  ? 
Alas !  the  good,  the  sincere  and  humble,  they 
seem  to  be  least  and  last ;  but  the  conclusion  of 
the  tragedy  will  make  manifest  that  the  first  is 
last,  and  the  last  first ;  for  the  many  are  but 
called,  the  few  are  chosen. 

'  And  the  Lord  had  respect  unto  Abel,  and  to 
his  offering.'  Herein  are  the  true  footsteps  of 
grace  discovered ;  to  wit,  the  person  must  be  the 
first  in  favour  with  God,  the  person  first,  the  per- 
formance afterwards. 

'  And  the  Lord  had  respect  to  Abel.'  But  how 
can  God  respect  a  man,  before  he  respect  his 
offering?  A  man's  gift  (saith  Solomon)  makes 
Avay  for  him :  It  should  seem  therefore  that  there 
lies  no  such  stress  in  the  order  of  words,  but  that 
it  might  as  well  be  read,  *  The  Lord  had  respect 
to  Abel,  because  he  respected  his  offering. ' 

Ansio.  Not  so:  For  thoug-h  it  be  true  amono; 
men,  that  the  gift  makes  way  for  the  acceptance 
of  the  person,  yet  in  the  order  of  grace  it  is  after 
another  manner;  for  if  the  person  be  not  first 
accepted,  the  offering  must  be  abominable ;  for  it 
is  not  a  good  work  that  makes  a  good  man,  but  a 
good  man  makes  a  good  work.  The  fruit  doth 
not  make  a  good  tree,  but  'a  good  tree  bringeth 
forth  good  fruit,'  Make  (saith  Christ)  the  tree 
good,  and  his  fruit  good ;  or  the  tree  evil,  and  his 
fruit  evil:  Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs 
of  thistles  ?  Had  Abel  been  a  thorn,  he  had  not 
brought  forth  grapes ;  had  he  been  a  thistle,  he 
had  not  brought  forth  figs.  So  then,  Abel's  per- 
son must  be  first  accepted,  and  after  that  his 
works. 

Object.   But  God  accepteth  no  man  while  he 


remains  a  sinner,  but  all  men  are  sinners  before 
they  do  good  works,  how  then  could  the  person  of 
Abel  be  accepted  first  ? 

Answ.  Abel  was  just  before  he  did  offer  sacri- 
fice. Just,  I  say,  in  the  sight  of  God.  This  God 
witnessed  by  testifying  of  his  gift :  '  By  faith 
Abel  offered  unto  God  a  more  excellent  sacrifice 
than  Cain,  by  which  he  obtained  witness  that  ho 
was  righteous : '  That  is,  God  by  accepting  of  the 
gift  of  Abel,  did  testify  that  Abel  was  a  righteous 
man;  for  we  know  God  'heareth  not  sinners:' 
'  The  prayers  of  the  wicked  are  an  abomination 
unto  God,'  But  Abel  was  accepted,  therefore  he 
was  righteous  first. 

Hence  observe.  That  a  man  must  be  righteous 
before  he  can  do  any  good  work. 

Quest.  Righteous !    '  With  what  righteousness  ? ' 

A'iisio.  With  the  righteousness  of  faith.  And 
therefore  it  is  said,  that  Abel  had  faith  before  he 
offered  sacrifice,  'By  faith  he  offered.'  He,  xi.  4. 
Where  faith  is  made  to  precede  or  go  before  the 
work  which  by  faith  he  offered  unto  God. 

Quest.  But  are  not  good  works  the  righteous- 
ness of  faith  ? 

Answ.  They  are  the  fruits  of  faith :  As  here  in 
the  case  of  Abel ;  his  faith  produced  an  offering ; 
but  before  he  gave  his  offering,  his  faith  had  made 
him  righteous ;  for  faith  respects  a  promise  of 
grace,  not  a  work  of  mine :  Now  the  promise  of 
grace,  being  this,  that  the  seed  of  the  woman, 
which  is  Christ,  should  destroy  the  power  of  the 
devil ;  by  this  Abel  saw  that  it  was  Christ  that 
should  abolish  sin  and  death  by  himself,  and  bring 
in  '  everlasting  righteousness  '  for  sinners.  Thus 
believing,  he  had  accepted  of  Christ  for  righteous- 
ness, which  because  he  had  done,  God  in  tnith 
proclaims  him  righteous,  by  accepting  of  his  per- 
son and  performances  when  oflered, 

Abel  then  presented  his  person  and  offering,  as 
shrouding  both,  by  faith,  imder  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  which  lay  wrapped  up  in  the  promise ;  but 
Cain  stands  upon  his  own  legs,  and  so  presents  his 
offering.  Abel  therefore  is  accepted,  both  his  per- 
son and  his  ofl'ering,  while  Cain  remains  accursed. 

Ver,  5.  '  But  unto  Cain,  and  to  his  offering,  he 
[the  Lord]  had  not  respect.  And  Cain  was  very 
wroth,  and  his  countenance  fell,' 

Mark:  As  first  Abel's  person  is  accepted,  and 
then  his  offering ;  so  first  Cain's  person  is  rejected, 
and  afterwards  his  offering:  For  God  seeth  not  sin 
in  his  own  institutions,  unless  they  be  defiled  by 
them  that  worship  him ;  and  that  they  needs  must, 
when  persons  by  *  themselves  offer  sacrifice  to  God, 
because  then  they  want  the  righteousness  of  faith. 


*  '  Ey  themselves.'  This  does  not  mean  mthout  hmnaa 
company,  but  'without  divine  aid/  without  the  sanction  and 
presence  of  God. — Ed. 


444 


AM  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIUST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


Tills  tlien  made  the  difFerence  betwixt  Abel  and 
his  brother ;  Abel  had  faith,  but  Cain  had  none. 
Abel's  faith  covered  him  with  Jesus  Christ,  there- 
fore he  stood  righteous  in  his  person  before  God : 
This  being  so,  his  oiFering  was  accepted,  because 
it  was  the  offering  of  one  that  was  righteous. 

'  But  unto  Cain,  and  to  his  offering,  the  Lord 
had  not  respect.'  Hence  note,  That  a  Christless 
man  is  a  wicked  man,  let  him  be  never  so  full  of 
actions  that  be  righteous ;  for  righteous  actions 
make  not  a  righteous  man,  the  man  himself  must 
first  be  righteous.* 

Wherefore,  though  Cain  was  the  eldest,  and 
first  in  the  worship ;  yet  Abel  was  the  wisest,  and 
the  most  acceptable  therein. 

*  And  Cain  was  very  wroth,  and  his  countenance 
fell.'  From  these  words  it  may  be  gathered,  that 
Cain  had  some  evident  token  from  the  observation 
of  God's  carriage  towards  both  himself  and  bro- 
ther; that  his  brother  was  smiled  upon,  but  he  re- 
jected :  He  was  wroth :  wroth  with  God,  and  wroth 
with  his  brother.  And  indeed,  before  the  world 
hate  us,  they  must  needs  hate  Jesus  Christ :  '  It 
hated  me  (saith  he)  before  it  haled  you. '  Jn.  xv.  is. 
He  was  wroth :  and  why  ?  Wroth  because  his 
sacrifice  was  not  accepted  of  God :  And  yet  the 
fault  was  not  in  the  Lord,  but  Cain:  He  came  not 
before  the  Lord,  as  already  made  righteous  with 
the  righteousness  of  Christ,  which  indeed  had  been 
doing  well,  but  as  a  cursed  wicked  wretch,  he 
thouglit  that  by  his  own  good  works  he  must  be 
just  before  the  Lord. 

The  difference  therefore  that  was  between  these 
worshippers,  it  lay  not  in  that  they  worshipped 
divers  gods,  but  in  that  they  worshipped  the  same 
God  after  a  diverse  manner:  The  one  in  faith,  the 
other  without ;  the  one  as  righteous,  the  other  as 
wicked. 

And  even  thus  it  is  between  us  and  our  adver- 
saries :  We  worship  not  divers  gods,  but  the  same 
God  in  a  diverse  manner :  We  according  to  faith  ; 
and  they  according  to  their  own  inventions,  t 

'  And  Cain  was  wroth.'  This  further  shows  us 
the  force  of  the  law,  and  the  end  of  those  that 
would   be  just  by  the    same;    namely,   That   in 


*  TLerc  is  no  error  more  universal,  nor  more  fatal,  than 
that  which  Bunyan  here,  as  well  as  in  other  of  his  treatises, 
so  admirably  elucidates  and  explodes.  No  sooner  does  a  poor 
sinner  feel  the  necessity  of  Hying  from  the  wrath  to  come, 
than  Satan  suggests  that  some  good  works  must  be  pleaded 
instead  of  casting  the  soul,  burthened  with  sin,  upon  the  com- 
passion of  the  Lord,  and  pleading  for  unconditional  mercy. 
Good  works  must  flow  from,  hut  cannot  be  any  cause  of  grace. 
—Ed. 

t  Adversaries  to  Christ  and  his  church,  although  professing 
to  be  Christians ;  worshipping  according  to  '  the  traditions  of 
men,'  and  rutting  the  saints  into  wretched  prisons,  and  to  a 
fiightful  death.  An  awful  state  of  self-delusion ;  how  Cain- 
lil-p.  1— Ed. 


conclusion  they  will  quarrel  with  God ;  for  when 
the  soul  in  its  best  performances,  and  acts  of 
righteousness,  shall  yet  be  rejected  and  cast  off 
by  God,  it  will  fret  and  wrangle,  and  in  its  spirit 
let  fly  against  God.  For  thus  it  judgeth.  That 
God  is  austere  and  exacting;  it  hath  done  what  it 
could  to  please  him,  and  he  is  not  pleased  there- 
with. This  again  offendeth  God,  and  makes  his 
justice  curse  and  condemn  the  soul.  Condemn  it, 
I  say,  for  imagining  that  the  righteousness  of  a 
poor,  sinful,  Avretched  creature,  should  be  suflicient 
to  appease  eternal  justice  for  sin.  Thus  the  law 
worketh  wrath,  because  it  always  bindeth  our 
transgression  to  us,  and  still  reckoneth  us  sinners, 
and  accursed,  when  we  have  done  our  utmost  to 
answer  and  fulfil  it.  Ro.  iv.  15. 

'  And  his  countenance  fell.'  However,  an  hypo- 
crite, while  God  forbeareth  to  smite  him,  may 
triumph  and  joy  in  his  goodness ;  yet  when  God 
shall  pronounce  his  judgment  according  as  he 
approves  of  his  act,  he  needs  must  lower  and  fall 
in  his  countenance  ;  for  his  person  and  gift  are 
rejected,  and  he  still  counted  a  sinner. 

Ver.  6.  '  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Cain,  Why 
art  thou  wroth?  and  why  is  thy  countenance 
fallen  ? ' 

These  words  are  applied  to  Cain,  for  a  further 
conviction  of  his  state  to  be  miserable.  '  Why 
art  thou  wroth  ?  '  Is  it  because  I  have  not  accepted 
thy  offering  ?  This  is  without  ground,  thy  person 
is  yet  an  abomination  to  me:  ]\Iust  I  be  made  by 
thy  gift,  v/hich  is  polluted,  for  and  by  thy  person, 
to  justify  thee  as  righteous  ?  Thou  hast  not  yet 
done  well.  Wherefore,  Cain  had  no  cause  to  be 
wroth ;  For  God  rejected  only  that  which  was  sin- 
ful, as  was  both  his  person,  and  gift  for  the  sake 
thereof:  Neither  had  he  grounds  to  lift  up  his  looks 
on  high,  when  he  came  to  offer  his  sacrifice ;  be- 
cause he  came  not  as  a  man  in  a  justify 'd  state. 
But  '  tfiere  is  a  generation  tliat  are  pure  in  their 
own  eyes,  and  yet  is  not  washed  from  their  filthi- 
ness.  Tliere  is  a  generation,  -  0  how  lofty  are 
their  eyes  !  and  their  eyelids  are  lifted  up. '  Tr.  xxx. 
13, 13.  Such  an  one,  or  the  father  of  these,  was 
Cain ;  he  counted  himself  clean,  and  yet  was  not 
washed ;  he  lifted  up  his  looks  on  high,  before  he 
was  changed  from  his  iniquity. 

Ver.  7.  '  If  thou  doest  well,  shalt  thou  not  be 
accepted  ?  and  if  thou  doest  not  well,  sin  lletli  at 
the  door.  And  unto  thee  sliall  he  his  desire,  and 
thou  shalt  rule  over  him.' 

'  If  thou  do  well. '  Why,  is  not  worshipping  of 
God,  well-doing  ?  It  may,  and  may  not,  even  as 
the  person  that  worships  is  found.  If  he  be  found 
righteous  at  his  coming  to  worship,  and  if  he 
worship  according  to  rule,  then  he  does  well,  then 
he  is  accepted  of  God ;  but  if  he  be  not  found 
righteous  before,  be  you  sure  he  cannot  do  well. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OE  GENESIS. 


445 


let  the  matter  wltli  wliicli  he  worshlppetli  he 
wrong  or  right.  '  Who  can  hring  a  clean  filing 
out  of  an  unclean?'  Jn. xi7.4.  Let  Cain  ho  clean, 
and  his  offering  will  be  clean,  because  brought  to 
God  in  a  vessel  that  is  clean ;  but  if  Cain  be  un- 
clean, all  the  holy  things  he  toucheth,  or  layeth  up 
in  his  skirt,  it  is  made  unclean  by  the  uncleanness 
of  his  person :  '  And  so  is  this  nation  before  me, 
eaith  the  Lord ;  and  so  is  every  work  of  their 
hands,  and  that  which  they  offer  there  is  unclean.' 

Hag.  ii.  11—14.* 

Men  therefore  ought  to  distinguish  between  doing 
and  well-doing,  even  in  the  worship  of  God.  All 
that  worship  do  not  do  well,  though  the  matter  of 
worship  be  good  in  itself.  Cain's  offering  you  find 
not  blamed,  as  if  it  had  been  of  a  superstitious 
complexion ;  but  he  came  not  aright  to  worsliip. 
Why?  he  came  not  as  one  made  righteous  before. 
Wherefore,  as  I  have  already  touched,  the  differ- 
ence that  lay  between  the  gifts  of  Abel  and  Cain, 
was  not  in  the  gifts  themselves,  but  the  qualifica- 
tions of  the  persons.  Abel's  faith,  and  Cain's 
works,  made  God  approve  and  reject  the  offering : 
'  By  faith  Abel  offered  to  God  a  more  excellent 
sacrifice  than  Cain:'  For,  as  I  said.  Faith  iu 
€hrist,  as  promised  to  come,  made  him  righteous, 
because  thereby  he  obtained  '  the  righteousness  of 
God;'  for  so  was  Christ  in  himself,  and  so  to  be 
to  him  that  by  faith  received  and  accepted  of  him : 
This,  I  say,  Abel  did ;  wherefore  now  he  is  righte- 
ous or  just  before  God.  This  being  so,  his  offer- 
ing is  found  to  be  an  offering  of  Abel  the  just,  and 
is  here  said  to  obtain  witness  even  of  God,  that  he 
SN'as  righteous,  because  he  accepted  his  gift. 

AVherefore,  he  that  does  well  must  first  be  good : 
*  He  that  doeth  righteousness  is  [must  first  be] 
righteous.'  Un. iii. 7.  He  is  righteous  first;  he  is 
righteous  even  as  Christ  is  righteous,  because 
Christ  himself  is  the  righteousness  of  such  a 
person.  And  so  on  the  contrary ;  the  reason  why 
some  men's  good  deeds  are  accursed  of  God,  it  is 
because  in  truth,  and  according  to  the  law,  the 
Lord  finds  sin  in  them ;  which  sins  he  cannot 
pardon,  because  he  finds  them  not  in  Christ.  Thus 
they  being  evil  for  Avant  of  the  righteousness  of  the 
Son  of  God,  they  worship  God  as  sinners,  according 
to  that  of  the  apostle.  Because  they  are  not  good, 
therefore  they  do  not  good,  no,  not  one  of  tliem. 

Bo.  iii.  10—13. 

The  way  therefore  to  do  well,  it  is  first  to  receive 
the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ ;  which  act  of  thine 
will  be  more  pleasing  to  the  Divine  ilajesty,  than 
all  whole  burnt-offerinfrs  and  sacrifices:  'I  will  have 


"  If  it  be  asked,  "Why  take  your  unregenerate  cliildren,  and 
■invite  the  ungodly,  to  the  place  of  worship  ?  Our  answer  is, 
There  the  Lord  is  pleased  to  meet  with  sinners — convinte, 
convert,  and  purify  them — giving  them  a  good  hope  that  their 
persons  and  services  ai'e  accepted. — Ed. 


mercy  (saith  God)  I  will  have  mercy,  and  not  sacri- 
fice.' Mat.  ii.  13;  xii.  7.  This  Cain  did  not  understand, 
therefore  he  goes  to  God  in  his  sins,  and  without 
faith  in  the  mercy  of  God  through  Christ,  he 
offereth  his  sacrifice.  Wherefore  because  his 
sacrifice  could  not  take  away  his  sin,  therefore  it 
still  abode  upon  him. 

But '  if  thou  doest  not  well,  sin  lieth  at  the  door.' 
This  reasoning  therefore  was  much  to  Cain's  con- 
dition; he  woidd  be  wroth,  because  God  did  not 
accept  his  offering,  and  yet  he  did  not  well :  Now, 
if  he  had  done  well,  God,  by  receiving  of  his 
brother's  sacrifice,  shows,  he  would  have  accepted 
him ;  for  this  is  evident,  they  were  both  alike  by . 
nature ;  their  offerings  also  were  in  themselves  one 
as  holy  as  the  other:  How  then  comes  it  to  pass 
that  both  were  not  accepted,  they  both  offered  to 
God  ?  Why,  Abel  only  sacrificed  well,  because  he 
first  by  faith  in  Christ  was  righteous :  This  because 
Cain  wanted,  '  sin  abideth  at  his  door.' 

'  And  to  thee  shall  he  his  desire,  and  thou  shalt 
rule  over  him.'  That  is,  if  sin  abideth  at  thy  door 
still,  to  thee  shall  be  his  desire  ;  he  shall  love, 
pity,  pray  for  thee,  and  endeavour  thy  conversion ; 
but  thou  shalt  be  lord  over  him,  and  shalt  put  thy 
yoke  upon  his  neck.  This  was  Jacob's  portion 
also  ;  for  after  Esau  had  got  head,  he  broke  Jacob's 
yoke  from  off  his  neck,  and  reigned  by  nineteen  or 
twenty  dukes  and  princes,  before  there  Avas  any 
king  in  Israel.  Ge.  .xxrii.  40. 

It  is  the  lot  of  Cain's  brood,  to  he  lords  and 
rulers  first,  while  Abel  and  his  generation  have 
their  necks  under  persecution ;  yet  while  they  lord 
it,  and  thus  tyrannically  afflict  and  persecute,  our 
very  desire  is  towards  them,  wishing  their  salva- 
tion :  While  they  curse,  we  bless ;  and  while  they 
persecute,  we  pray. 

Ver.  8.  'Ii  And  Cain  talked  with  Abel  his 
brother :  and  it  came  to  pass,  when  they  were  in 
the  field,  that  Cain  rose  up  against  Abel  his 
brother,  and  slew  him.' 

When  Cain  saw  that  by  God's  judgment  Abel 
was  the  better  worshipper,  and  that  himself  must 
by  no  means  be  admitted  for  well-doing,  his  heart 
began  to  be  more  obdurate  and  hard,  and  to  grow 
into  that  height  of  desperateness,  as  to  endeavour 
the  extirpating  of  all  true  religion  out  of  the  world ; 
which  it  seems  he  did,  by  killing  his  brother, 
mightily  accomplish,  until  the  days  of  Enos ;  for 
'  then  began  men  [agam]  to  call  upon  the  name  of 

the  Lord. '  ver.  2G. 

Hence  see  the  spite  of  the  children  of  hell  against 
God :  They  have  slain  thy  prophets,  and  digged 
down  thine  altars,  l  Ki.  xLt.  id.  If  they  may  have 
their  wills,  God  must  be  content  with  their  reli- 
gion, or  none ;  other  they  will  not  endure  should 
have  show  within  their  reach,  but  with  Cain,  will 
rather  kill  theii-  brother;   or  Avith  the  Pharisees, 


446 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIEST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


kill  tlieir  Lord ;  and  with,  tlie  evil  kings  of  old, 
will  rather  kill  their  sons  and  subjects.  That  the 
truth,  I  say,  may  fall  to  the  ground,  and  their  own 
inventions  stand  for  acceptable  sacrifices,  they  will 
not  only  envy,  but  endeavour  to  invalidate  all  the 
true  worship  and  worshippers  of  God  in  the  world ; 
the  v/hich  if  they  cannot  without  blood  accomplish, 
they  will  slay  and  kill  till  their  cruelty  hath 
destroyed  many  ten  thousands,  even  as  Cain,  who 
slew  his  brother  Abel.* 

And  Cain  talked  v^^ith  his  brother.  He  had  not 
a  laAV  Avhereby  to  arraign  him,  but  malice  enough, 
and  a  tongue  to  set  all  on  fire,  of  which  no  doubt, 
by  the  goodly  replies  of  his  brother,  was  easily 
blown  up  into  choler  and  madness,  the  end  of  which 
was  the  blood  of  his  brother. 

'And  Cain  talked  with  Abel,'  &c.  To  wit, 
about  the  goodness  and  truth  of  his  religion.  For 
that  the  New  Testament  seems  to  import,  he  slew 
him  '  because  his  works  were  righteous ;'  l  Jn.  m.  13. 
which  Abel,  no  doubt,  had  justified  before  his 
brother,  even  then  when  he  most  set  himself  to 
oppose  him.  Besides  this,  the  connection  of  the 
relation  importeth,  he  talked  with  him,  he  slew 
him;  he  talked  with  him  and  slew  hhu,  purely 
upon  a  religious  account,  because  his  works  were 
righteous. 

Hence  note,  That  when  wicked  men  have  the 
head  in  the  world,  professors  had  need  be  resolved 
to  hazard  the  worst,  before  they  do  enter  debate 
with  ungodly  men  about  the  things  that  jjertain  to 
the  kingdom  of  God.  For  behold  here,  words  did 
not  end  in  words,  but  from  Avords  came  blows,  and 
from  blows  blood.  The  counsel  therefore  is, 
'  That  you  sit  down  first,  and  count  up  the  cost, ' 
before  ye  talk  with  Cain  of  religion.  Lu.  xiv.  27—33. 
*  They  make  a  man  an  oftender  for  a  word,  and  lay 
a  snare  for  him  that  reproveth  in  the  gate,  and 
turn  aside  the  just  for  a  thing  of  nought.'  is.  xxk.  21. 

'And  Cain  talked  v>'ith  Abel  his  brother.' 
With  Abel  his  only  brother,  who  also  was  a  third 
part  of  the  world.  But  tyrants  matter  nothing, 
neither  nearness  of  kin,  nor  how  much  they  destroy: 
'The  brother  shall  betray  the  brother  to  death,' 
&c. 

'  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  they  were  in  the 
field,  that  Cain  rose  up  against  Abel  his  brother, 
and  slew  him.'  When  they  were  in  the  field,  from 
home,  out  of  the  sight,  and  far  from  the  help  of 
his  father :  Subtle  persecutors  love  not  to  bite, 
till  they  can  make  their  teeth  to  meet ;  for  which 
they  observe  their  time  and  place.     Joseph  was 

*  How  awfully  is  tliis  illustrated  by  acts  of  uniiorniily.  If 
it  be  lawful  to  pass  such  acts,  it  must  be  requisite  and  a  duty 
to  enforce  tbem.  It  was  tliis  that  filled  Europe  with  teai-s, 
and  the  saints  with  anguish,  especiaUy  in  Piedmont,  Prance, 
and  England.  Mercifully,  the  tyrant  Antichi-ist's  power  is 
curtailed. — Ed. 


also  hated  of  his  brethren,  but  they  durst  not 
meddle  till  they  found  him  in  the  field.  Ge.  xxxvii.  13. 
Here  it  is  also  that  the  holy  virgin  falleth :  He 
found  her  in  the  field, — and  there  was  none  to  save 
her.  De.  .\xii.  27 

Hence  observe  again,  That  be  the  danger  never 
so  imminent,  and  the  advantage  of  the  adversary 
never  so  great,  the  sincere  professor  of  the  truth 
stands  his  ground  against  wind  and  weather. 
Bloody  Cain  daunted  not  holy  Abel ;  no,  though 
now  he  have  his  advantage  of  him.  D;i.  ill.  16— is. 

He  rose  up  against  Abel  his  brother,  and  slew 
Jjim.  '  And  wherefore  slew  he  him  ?  Because 
his  own  works  were  evil,'  Sic.  iJn. iii.  12.  It  is 
therefore  hence  to  be  observed.  That  it  is  a  sign 
of  an  evil  way,  be  it  covered  with  the  name  of  the 
worship  of  God,  when  it  cannot  stand  without  the 
shedding  of  innocent  blood.  '  Wherefore  slew  he 
him  ?  Because  his  own  works  were  evil.'  Had 
his  works  been  good,  they  had  been  accepted  of 
God:  He  had  also  had  the  joy  thereof  in  his  con- 
science, as  doubtless  Abel  had;  which  joy  and 
peace  would  have  produced  love  and  pity  to  liis 
brother,  as  it  was  with  his  brother  towards  him ; 
but  his  works  being  evil,  they  minister  to  him  no 
heavenly  joy,  neither  do  they  beget  in  him  love  to 
his  brother;  but  contrariwise,  his  heart  fills  his 
eye  with  evil  also ;  which  again  provoketh  (while 
it  beholdeth  the  godly  carriage  of  Abel)  the  heart 
to  more  desperate  resolutions,  even  to  set  upon 
him  with  all  his  might,  and  to  cut  him  off  from 
the  earth.  Thus  the  goodness  of  God's  people 
provoketh  to  envy  the  wicked  heart  of  the  hypo- 
crite. As  it  was  betwixt  Saul  and  David ;  for 
after  Saul  had  seen  that  God  had  rejected  him  for 
his  wickedness,  the  more  he  hated  the  goodness  of 
David:  'And  Saul  saw  and  knew  that  the  Lord 
was  with  David.'  1  Sa.  xnii.  8—15.  *  And  Saul  was 
yet  the  more  afraid  of  David ;  and  Saul  became 
David's  enemy  continually.'  ver.  29. 

Ver.  9.  '  And  the  Lord  said  imto  Cain,  Where 
is  Abel  thy  brother?  And  he  said,  I  know  not: 
Am  I  my  brother's  keeper  ?' 

Cain  thought  it  had  been  no  more  but  to  kill 
his  brother,  and  his  intentions  and  desires  must 
needs  be  accomplished,  and  that  himself  should 
then  be  the  only  man.  '  Come,  let  us  kill  him, 
and  the  inheritance  shall  be  our's.'  Mar.  .\ii.  7.  But 
stay,  Abel  was  beloved  of  his  God,  who  had  also 
justified  his  offering,  and  accepted  it  as  a  service 
more  excellent  than  his  brother's.  So  then,  be- 
cause the  quarrel  arose  between  them  upon  this 
very  account,  therefore  Abel's  God  doth  reckon 
himself  as  engaged  (seeing  he  is  not)  to  take  up 
his  servant's  cause  himself. 

'  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Cain,  Where  is  Abel 
thy  brother  ?'  A  question  not  grounded  on  uncer- 
tainty, but  proposed  as  a  beginning  of  fm-ther 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


447 


reasoning ;  and  also  to  make  way  to  this  wictecl 
wretcli,  to  discover  tlie  desperate  wickedness  of  his 
Woody  heart  the  more.  For  questions  that  stand 
at  first  afar  off,  do  draw  out  more  of  the  heart  of 
another:  and  also  do  minister  more  occasion  for 
matter,  than  if  they  had  been  placed  more  near  to 
the  matter. 

'  Where  is  Abel  ?'  God  missed  the  acceptable 
sacrifices  of  Abel ;  Abel  was  dead,  and  his  sacri- 
fices ceased,  which  had  wont  to  be  savom-y  in 
the  nostrils  of  God ;  Cain  could  not  supply  them ; 
his  sacrifices  were  deficient,  they  were  not  of 
faith.  Hence  note,  that  if  tyrants  should  have 
their  will,  even  to  the  destroying  of  all  the  rem- 
nant of  God,  their  sacrifices  and  worship  would 
be  yet  before  God  as  abominable  as  they  were 
before. 

*  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Cain,  Where  is  Abel?' 
0  dreadful  question !  The  beginning  of  Cain's 
hell,  for  now  God  entereth  into  judgment  with  him. 
Wherefore,  however  this  wretch  endeavoured  at  first 
to  stifle  and  choke  his  conscience,  yet  this  was  to 
him  the  arrow  of  death:  Abel  cricth,buthis  brother 
would  not  hear  him  while  alive,  and  now  being 
dead  God  hears  the  cry  of  his  blood.  '  When  he 
maketh  inquisition  for  blood,  he  remembereth 
them:  he  forge tteth  not  the  cry  of  the  humble.' 
Ps.  k.  12.  Blood  that  is  shed  for  the  sake  of  God's 
word,  shall  not  be  forgotten  or  disregarded  of  God: 
'Precious  in  his  sight  is  the  death  of  his  saints.' 
Ps.  cxvi.  15.     '  And  precious  shall  their  blood  be  in 

his  sight.'  Ps.  kxii.  u. 

'Where  is  Abel  thy  brother?'  This  word,  thy 
brother,  must  not  be  left  out,  because  it  doth 
greatly  aggravate  his  wickedness.  He  slew  '  his 
brother;'  which  horrid  act  the  very  law  and  bond 
of  nature  forbiddeth.  But  when  a  man  is  given 
up  of  God,  it  is  neither  this  nor  another  relation 
that  will  bind  his  hands,  or  make  him  keep  within 
the  bounds  of  any  law.  Judas  wiU  seek  his 
master's,  and  Absalom  his  father's  blood.  '  Where 
is  Abel  thy  brother  ?' 

*  And  he  said,  I  know  not.'  He  knew  full  v^eU 
what  he  had  done,  and  that  by  his  hands  his  bro- 
ther's blood  was  fallen  to  the  ground,  but  now 
being  called  into  question  for  the  same,  he  endea- 
voureth  to  plead  ignorance  before  God,  '  I  know 
not.'  When  men  have  once  begun  to  sin,  they 
know  not  where  they  shall  end ;  he  slew  his  bro- 
ther, and  endeavours  to  cover  his  fact  with  a  lie. 
David  also  httle  thought  his  act  of  adidtery  would 
have  led  him  to  have  spilt  the  blood  of  Uriah,  and 
afterwards  to  have  covered  all  with  dissembling- 
lips  and  a  lying  tongue.  3  Sa.  xi. 

'  I  know  not:  Am  I  my  brother's  keeper  ?' 
This  is  the  way  of  all  ungodly  men,  they  will 
not  abide  that  guilt  should  be  fastened.     Sin  they 
love,  and  the  lusts  and  delights  thereof,  but  to 


count  for  it  they  cannot  abide ;  they  will  put  it 
off  with  excuses,  or  denials:  Even  like  Saul,  who 
though  he  had  spared  the  cattle  and  Agag  con- 
trary to  the  command  of  God,  yet  would  needs 
bear  Samuel  doivn,  that  he  had  kept,  yea  '  per- 
formed the  commandment  of  the  Lord.'  l  Sa.  xv.  1.3, 20. 
But  they  are  denials  to  no  boot,  and  excuses  that 
will  not  profit,  that  are  made  to  hide  the  sin  of  the 
soul  from  the  sight  and  judgment  of  God.  Lies 
and  falsehood  will  here  do  nothing. 

Ver.  10.  '  And  he  said.  What  hast  thou  done? 
the  voice  of  thy  brother's  blood  crieth  unto  mo 
from  the  ground.' 

Poor  Cain,  thy  feeble  shifts  help  thee  nothing, 
thy  excuses  are  drowned  by  the  cries  of  the  blood 
which  thou  hast  shed. 

*  What  hast  thou  done  ?'  the  blood  of  thy  bro- 
ther cries.  Beware  persecutors,  you  think  that 
when  you  have  slain  the  godly,  you  are  then  rid 
of  them ;  but  you  are  far  wide,  their  blood  which 
you  have  shed,  cries  in  the  ears  of  God  against 
you.  0  the  cries  of  blood  are  strong  cries,  they 
are  cries  that  reach  to  heaven ;  yea  they  are  cries 
that  have  a  continual  voice,  and  that  never  cease 
to  make  a  noise,  until  they  have  procured  ven- 
geance from  the  hands  of  the  Lord  of  sabbath : 
Jobxvi.  18.  And  therefore  this  is  the  word  of  the 
Lord  against  all  those  that  are  for  the  practice  of 
Cain :  '  Asl  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  will  pre- 
pare thee  unto  blood  and  blood  sliall  pursue 
thee:  sith  thou  hast  not  hated  blood,  (that  is, 
hated  to  shed  it,)  even  blood  shall  pursue  thee.' 

Eze.  xxx^-.  C. 

'The  voice  of  thy  brother's  blood  crieth  unto  me.' 
The  apostle  makes  this  voice  of  the  blood  of  Abel,  a 
type  of  the  voice  of  the  justice  of  the  law,  and  so 
extends  it  further  than  merely  to  the  act  of  murder; 
intimating  that  he  sheds  blood,  that  breaks  any  ot 
the  commands  of  God,  (and  indeed  so  he  doth,  'he 
layeth  wait  for  his  oion  blood,  and  privily  lurketh  for 
his  oion  life.')  Pr.  i.  18.  Wherefore  the  apostle  com- 
pareth  the  blood  of  Abel  and  the  blood  of  Christ  to- 
gether; but  so  as  by  the  rule  of  contraries,  making 
betwixt  them  a  contrary  voice,  even  as  there  is  be- 
tween a  broken  command  and  a  promise  of  grace,  the 
one  calling  for  vengeance  and  damnation;  the  other 
calling  for  forgiveness  and  salvation ;  '  the  blood 
of  sprinkling  it  speaketh  better  things  than  the 
blood  of  Abel ;'  He.  xii.  24.  that  is,  it  calls  to  God  to 
forgive  the  smner ;  but  Abel's  blood,  of  the  breach 
of  the  law,  that  cries  damn  them,  damn  them. 
Christ  also  sets  his  own  blood  in  opposition  to  the 
blood  of  all  that  was  shed  before  him  ;  concluding 
that  the  proper  voice  of  all  the  blood  of  the  godly, 
is  to  call  for  vengeance  on  the  persecutors,  even 
from  the  blood  of  Abel  to  the  blood  of  Zecharias, 
that  was  slain  between  the  altar  and  the  temple. 
Mat.  xxiLi.  35.    And  let  me  here  take  leave  to  propound^ 


448 


A.N  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


my  private  tliouglits :  namely,  tliat  the  Zecharlas 
that  here  is  mentioned,  might  not  he  he  that  we 
find  in  the  hook  of  Chronicles  ;  2  Ch.  xxIt.  21.  but  one 
of  that  name  that  lived  in  the  days  of  Christ,  pos- 
sibly John  Baptist's  father,  or  some  other  holy 
^         .,,    man.      My  reasons  for  this  conjecture. 

Bear    with  •'  j  ' 

this  con-  are,  1.  Because  the  murderers  are  con- 
jet  ure.  ^.^^  ^^  Christ  himself :  Zecharias,  whom 
ye  slew  between  the  altar  and  the  temple.  2. 
Because  Christ  makes  a  stop  at  the  blood  of  Ze- 
charias, not  at  the  blood  of  John  the  Baptist : 
wherefore,  if  the  person  here  mentioned  were  not 
murdered  after,  but  before  John  the  Baptist,  then 
Christ  seems  to  excuse  them  for  killing  his  servant 
John ;  for  the  judgment  stops  at  the  including  of 
the  guilt  of  the  blood  of  Zecharias.  3.  I  think 
such  a  thing,  because  the  voice  of  all  holy  blood 
that  hath  been  shed  before  the  law  by  the  adver- 
sary, excepting  only  the  blood  of  Jesus,  must  needs 
be  included  here;  the  proper  voice  of  his,  only 
being  to  plead  for  mercy  to  the  murderers.  How- 
ever, the  voice  of  blood  is  a  very  killing  voice,  and 
will  one  day  speak  with  such  thunder  and  terror 
in  the  consciences  of  all  the  brood  of  Cain,  that 
their  pain  and  burthen  will  be  for  ever  insupport- 
able. 

Ver.  11.  'And  now  art  thou  cursed  from  the 
earth,  which  hath  opened  her  mouth  to  receive 
thy  brother's  blood  from  thy  hand.' 

Here  begins  the  sentence  of  God  against  this 
bloody  man  ;  a  sentence  fearful  and  terrible,  for  it 
containeth  a  removing  of  liim  from  all  the  privi- 
leges of  grace  and  mercy,  and  a  binding  of  him 
over  to  the  pimishment  and  pains  of  the  damned. 

'  And  now  art  thou  cursed  from  the  earth. ' 
Peace  on  earth,  is  one  branch  of  those  blessed 
tidings  that  were  brought  into  the  world,  at  the 
coming  of  the  Messias.  Lu.  ii.  14.  Again,  before 
Clirist  was  come  in  the  flesh,  it  is  said.  He  rejoiced 
*in  the  habitable  part  of  his  earth.'  Pr.  viu.  so.  Where- 
fore, by  the  earth  in  this  place,  I  understand  the 
state  that  the  men  are  in,  to  whom,  by  the  mind 
of  God,  the  gospel  and  grace  of  God  is  to  be  ten- 
dered. Now,  M'hether  it  respect  the  state  of  man 
by  nature,  or  the  state  of  those  that  are  saints, 
from  both  these  privileges  Cain  is  separate,  as  are 
all  whom  the  Lord  hath  utterly  rejected.  Not  but 
that  yet  they  may  live  long  in  the  world,  but  God 
hath  cut  them  off  from  the  earth,  and  all  the  gos- 
pel privileges  therein,  and  set  them  in  the  condi- 
tion of  devils ;  so  that  as  to  grace  and  mercy  they 
are  separate  therefrom,  and  stand  as  men,  though 
alive,  bound  over  to  eternal  judgment.  And  as  to 
their  lives,  it  matters  not  how  long  they  live,  there 
is  *  no  sacrifice  for  their  sins,  but  a  certain  fearful 
looking  for  of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation, 
Avhich  shall  devour  the  adversaries.*  He.  x.  26,  27.  So 
that  I  say,  as  the  devils  be  bound  in  hell,  so  such 


lie  bound  in  earth ;  bound  I  say  in  the  chains  of 
darkness,  and  their  own  obstinate  heart,  over  to 
the  day  of  wrath  and  revelation  of  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God.  Cain  therefore  by  these  Avords 
is  denied  the  blessing  of  future  means  of  grace, 
and  stands  hound  over  to  answer  for  his  brother's 
blood,  which  the  ground  had  received  from  his 
cruel  hand. 

Ver.  12.  '  When  thou  tillest  the  ground,  it  shall 
not  henceforth  yield  to  thee  her  strength ;  a  fugitive 
and  a  vagabond  shalt  thou  be  in  the  earth.' 

This  is  a  branch,  or  the  fruits  of  this  wilful 
murder.  Indeed,  sins  carry  in  them  not  only  a 
curse  with  respect  to  eternity,  but  are  also  the 
cause  of  all  the  miseries  of  this  life.  '  God 
turneth  -  a  fruitful  land  into  barrenness,  for  the 
wickedness  of  them  that  dwell  therein. '  Ps.  cvii.  34. 

*  When  thou  tillest  the  ground.'  Sin  committed 
doth  not  always  exclude  the  sinner  from  an  enjoy- 
ment of  God's  mercies,  but  yet  if  unrepented  of, 
bringeth  a  curse  upon  them.  *  I  will  curse,  [saith 
God,]  your  blessings:  yea,  I  have  cursed  them 
already,  because  ye  do  not  \ajit  to  heart.'  Mai.  ii.  2. 
This  also  is  the  reason  that  the  table  of  some  is 
made  their  snare,  their  trap,  a  stumbling-block 
and  a  recompence  unto  them ;  Eo.  xi.  9.  men  ought 
not  therefore  to  judge  of  the  goodness  of  their 
state,  by  their  enjoyment  of  God's  creatures,  but 
rather  should  tremble  while  they  enjoy  them,  lest 
for  sin  they  should  become  accursed  to  them,  as 
were  the  enjoyments  of  this  wicked  man. 

*  A  fugitive  and  a  vagabond  shalt  thou  be  in  the 
earth.'  The  meaning  is,  thou  shalt  not  have  rest 
in  the  world,  but  shalt  be  continually  possessed  with 
a  guilty  conscience,  which  shall  make  thy  condition 
restless,  and  void  of  comfort.  For  the  man  that 
indeed  is  linked  in  the  chains  of  guilt  and  damna- 
tion, as  Cain  here  was ;  he  cannot  rest,  but  (as  we 
say)  fudge  up  and  down  from  place  to  place,  be- 
cause his  burthen  is  insupportable.  As  David  said, 
'  Let  their  eyes  be  darkened  that  they  see  not,  and 
make  their  loins  continually  to  shake.'  Ps.  ixiv.  23. 
A  continual  shaking  and  restlessness  doth  there- 
fore possess  such  persons  as  are  given  up  of  God, 
and  swallowed  up  of  guilt. 

*  A  fugitive  and  vagabond  shalt  thou  be  in  the 
earth.'  Some  men  certainly  know,  even  while 
they  are  in  this  world,  their  state  to  be  most 
miserable,  and  damnable,  as  Cain,  Saul  and  Judas 
did;  which  knowledge,  as  I  have  hinted,  puts 
them  besides  the  very  course  of  other  carnal  men; 
who  while  they  behold  them  at  quiet  under  their 
enjoyments,  these  cannot  but  wonder,  fear,  and  be 
amazed  with  the  deep  cogitations  which  will  abide 
upon  them,  of  their  certain  misery  and  everlasting 
perdition. 

Ver.  13.  'And  Cain  said  unto  the  Lord,  My 
punishment  is  greater  than  I  can  bear.'    Or  as  the 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


449 


margin  liatli  it,  'Mine  iniquity  is  greater  than  tliat 
it  may  be  forgiven.'  And  both  readings  are  true: 
for  however  some  men  please  themselves  ia  lessen- 
ing sin,  and  the  punishment  thereof,  yet  a  burdened 
conscience  judgeth  otherwise.  And  if  Cain  failed 
in  either,  it  was  in  that  he  counted  his  sin  (if  he 
did  so)  beyond  the  reach  of  God's  mercy.  But 
again,  when  men  persecute  the  worship  and  people 
of  God,  as  Cain  did  his  blessed  and  religious 
brother,  even  of  spite,  and  because  he  envied  the 
goodness  of  his  brother's  work ;  I  question  whe- 
ther it  be  lawful  for  a  minister  to  urge  to  such  the 
promise  of  grace  and  forgiveness ;  and  also  whe- 
ther it  be  the  mind  of  God  such  persons  should 
hope  therein.  He  that  sins  the  sin  unto  death,  is 
not  to  be  prayed  for,  l  Jn.  v.  ic.  but  contrariwise  he 
is  to  be  taken  from  God's  altar  that  he  may  die. 
Ex.  xxi.  14.  This  was  Cain's  case,  and  now  he  knew 
it ;  therefore  as  one  excluded  of  God  from  his 
mercy  and  all  the  means  thereof,  he  breaks  out 
with  roaring  under  the  intolerable  burden  of  the 
judgment  of  God  upon  him,  concluding  his  pun- 
ishment at  present  'greater  than  he  could  beai-,' 
and  that  yet  his  sin  should  remain  unpardonable 
for  ever:  As  saith  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  He 
hath  neither  forgiveness  here  nor  in  the  world  to 

come.  Mat.  xii.  S2. 

Ver.  14.  *  Behold,  thou  hast  di-iven  me  out  this 
day  from  the  face  of  the  earth ;  and  from  thy  face 
shall  I  be  hid ;  And  I  shall  be  a  fugitive  and  a 
vagabond  in  the  earth,  and  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
iJwl  every  one  that  findeth  me  shall  slay  me.' 

By  these  words  is  confirmed  what  was  said  be- 
fore, to  wit,  to  be  cursed  from  the  earth,  was  to 
be  separate  from  the  privileges  of  the  gospel.  For 
Cain  was  not  now  to  die,  neither  was  he  driven 
into  any  den  or  cave  ;  yet  driven  out  from  the  face 
of  the  earth,  that  is,  as  I  have  said,  he  was  ex- 
cluded from  a  share  in  those  special  mercies  that 
by  the  gospel  were  still  ofi^ered  by  grace  to  the 
others  that  inhabited  the  world:  The  mercies,  I 
say,  that  are  offered  by  the  gospel,  as  namely.  The 
mercy  of  eternal  life :  For  as  to  the  blessings  of 
this  world,  he  had  yet  a  notable  share  thereof. 
Besides,  he  groaneth  under  this  judgment,  as  an 
insupportable  curse :  '  Thou  hast  driven  me  out 
tliis  day  from  the  face  of  the  earth.'  And  indeed, 
if  we  take  it  according  as  I  have  laid  it  down,  it 
is  a  curse  that  would  break  the  whole  world  to 
pieces ;  for  he  that  is  denied  a  share  in  the  grace 
that  is  now  offered,  must  needs  be  denied  a  portion 
in  God's  kingdom.  And  this  Cain  saw;  wherefore 
he  adds  in  the  process  of  his  complaint,  *  And 
from  thy  face  shall  I  be  hid:'  *  I  shall  never  come 
into  thy  kingdom,  I  shah,  never  see  thy  face  in 
heaven.'  This  is  therefore  the  highest  of  all  com- 
plaints ;  namely,  for  a  man  from  a  certain  con- 
viction that  his  condition  must   without  fail  be 

VOL.  II. 


damnable,  to  condole  and  bemoan  his  forlorn  con- 
dition. 

'  Thou  hast  driven  me  out.'  0  !  when  God 
shall  bind  one  over  for  his  sin,  to  eternal  judg- 
ment, who  then  can  release  him  ?  This  was  Cain's 
state,  God  had  bound  him  over.  The  blood  of  his 
brother  was  to  rest  upon  him  and  not  to  be  purged 
with  sacrifice  for  ever. 

*  Thou  hast  driven  me  out  Tnis  Day.'  He 
knew  by  the  sentence  that  fell  from  heaven  upon 
him,  even  from  that  very  day  that  he  was  made 
a  companion  of,  and  an  associate  with  devils. 
This  day,  or  for  this  day's  work,  I  am  made  an 
inhabitant  of  the  pit  with  the  devil  and  his  angels. 
Hence  note.  That  God  doth  sometimes  smite  the 
reprobate  so  apparently,  that  himself  from  that 
day  may  make  a  certain  judgment  of  the  certainty 
of  his  damnation.  Thus  did  Balaam :  '  I  shall  see 
him,  but  not  now:  I  shall  behold  him,  but  not 
nigh.'  Ku.  ixiv.iT.  Where  by  now,  he  respects  the 
time  of  grace ;  and  by  nigh,  the  time  or  day  of 
judgment:  As  who  should  say,  *  I,  for  my  sor- 
ceries, and  wicked  divinations,  am  excluded  a  por- 
tion in  the  day  of  grace,  and  therefore  shall  not 
see  the  Saviour  KOW :  I  am  also  rejected,  as  to  a 
portion  in  the  blessed  world  to  come:  and  there- 
fore when  he  judgeth,  I  shall  not  see  him  nigh  : 
Nigh,  as  a  friend,  as  a  saviour  to  my  soul.'  I 
doubt  this  is  the  condition  of  many  now  alive,  who 
for  their  perfidiousness  and  treachery  to  Christ, 
and  his  chiu-ch,  have  already  received,  even  '  in 
themselves,  that  recompence  of  their  error  which 
was  meet.'  Ro.  i.  27. 

Ishmael  also,  in  the  day  he  laughed  at  Isaac, 
Gc.  X3d.  9.  and  Esau  in  the  day  he  sold  his  birth- 
right, Ge.  xxvii.,  xxviii.  might  have  gathered,  the  one 
from  God's  concurring  with  the  judgment  of  Sa- 
rah, the  other,  from  his  father's  adhering  to  his 
brother;  his  adhering,  I  say,  in  a  prophetic  spirit; 
Ga.  iv.  29.  that  from  thenceforth  they  both  were  ex- 
cluded grace  and  glory,  as  the  apostle  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  afterwards  doth.  He.  xii.  ic,  17. 

*  And  from  thy  face  shall  I  be  hid.'  By  face 
here,  we  are  to  imderstand  God's  favour,  and 
blessed  presence,  which  is  enjoyed  by  the  saints 
both  here,  and  in  the  world  to  come.  Ps.ir.e,  7;xvi.ll. 
Both  which  this  wicked  man,  for  the  murdering 
of  his  brother,  and  his  envy  to  the  truth,  now 
knew  himself  excluded  from. 

'  From  thy  face  shall  I  be  HID.'  The  pit  of 
hell,  to  which  the  damned  go,  besides  the  torment 
that  they  meet  with  there,  is  such  a  region  of  dark- 
ness, and  at  such  a  distance  from  the  heavens,  and 
the  glorious  comfortable  presence  of  God,  that  those 
that  shall  be  found  the  proper  subjects  of  it,  shall 
for  ever  be  estranged  from  one  glimpse  of  him : 
besides,  sin  shall  bind  all  their  faces  in  secret,  and 
so  confound  them  with  horror,  shame,  and  guilt, 
3l 


450 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  TilE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OP  GENESIS. 


that  tlicy  shall  not  be  able  from  thenceforth  for 
ever,  so  much  as  once  to  tlunk  of  God  with  comfort. 

*  From  thy  face.'  As  it  were  all  the  glory  of 
heaven,  it  lietli  in  beholding  the  face  of  God :  A 
thing  the  nngodly  little  think  of ;  yet  the  men 
that  have  received  in  themselves  already  the  sen- 
tence of  eternal  damnation,  they  know  it  after  a 
wonderful  rate ;  and  the  thoughts  of  the  loss  of 
his  face  and  presence,  doth,  do  what  they  can,  as 
much  torment  them,  as  the  thoughts  of  all  the 
misery  they  are  like  to  meet  withal  besides. 

'  And  a  fugitive  and  a  vagabond  shall  I  be  on 
the  earth.'  Even  from  the  present  frame  of  his 
spirit,  No\v,  having  received  the  sentence,  he  knew, 
the  judgment  past  being  imrevokable,  how  it  would 
be  with  him  all  his  life  long ;  that  he  should  spend 
his  days  in  trouble  and  guilt,  rolling  luider  the 
justice  of  God,  being  always  a  terror  and  bur- 
then to  himself,  to  the  day  he  was  to  be  cut  off 
from  the  earth,  that  he  might  go  to  the  place 
appointed  for  him. 

'  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  every  one  that 
iindeth  me  shall  slay  me.'  Guilt  is  a  strange 
thing,  it  makes  a  man  think  that  every  one  that 
sees  him,  hath  knowledge  of  his  iniquity.  It 
also  bringeth  such  a  faintness  into  the  heart,  Le. 
xxvi.SG.  that  the  sound  of  a  shaken  leaf  doth  chase 
such  persons :  and  above  all  things,  the  cries  of 
blood  are  most  fearful  in  the  conscience  ;  the  cries 
of  the  blood  of  the  poor  innocents,  which  the  seed 
of  Cain  hath  shed  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  Je.ii.3-i; 
xLt.4.    Thus  far  of  Cain's  complaint. 

Ver.  15.  '  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  There- 
fore whosoever  slayeth  Cain,  vengeance  shall  be 
taken  on  him  seven-fold.  And  the  Lord  set  a 
mark  upon  Cain,  lest  any  finding  him  should  kill 
him.' 

By  these  words,  the  judgment  is  confirmed, 
which  Cain,  in  the  verse  before,  so  mournfidly 
pronounced  against  his  own  soul.  As  if  the  Lord 
had  said,  '  Cain,  thy  judgment  is  as  thou  hast 
said,  I  have  driven  thee  out  this  day  from  a  share 
in  my  special  favour ;  and  when  thy  Hfe  is  ended, 
thou  shalt  be  hid  from  my  face,  and  blessed  pre- 
sence for  ever ;  and  seeing  it  is  thus,  therefore  I 
will  not  sutfer  tliat  thou  die  before  thy  time :  Alas, 
thy  glass  will  be  quickly  run !  Besides,  thy  days, 
while  thou  art  here,  will  sufficiently  be  filled  with 
vexation  and  distress  ;  for  thou  shalt  always  carry 
in  thy  conscience  the  cries  of  innocent  blood,  and 
the  fear  of  the  wrath  of  God :  I  have  said  it,  and 
will  perform  it :  I  am  not  a  man,  that  I  should  re- 
pent: So  that  thus  shall  thy  judgment  be:  There- 
fore he  that  killeth  Cain,  I  will  take  vengeance  on 
him. ' 

Hence  note,  That  none  need  to  add  to  the  sor- 
rows of  the  persecutors.  They  above  all  men 
are  prepared  unto  wrath.     Let  them  alone  (saith 


Christ)  they  will  quickly  fall  into  the  ditch.  Be- 
sides, God  hath  taken  the  revengement  of  the 
blood  of  his  servants  into  his  own  hand,  and  will 
execute  his  wrath  himself.  Therefore  he  saith  to 
his  saints  (as  in  this  case),  '  Dearly  beloved,  avenge 
not  yourselves,  but  rather  give  place  unto  wrath : 
for  it  is  written.  Vengeance  is  mine,  I  vi^ill  repay, 
saith  the  Lord. '  Ro.  xii.  lo.  And  the  reason  is,  be- 
cause the  quarrel  is  in  special  between  the  prose- 
cutor and  God  himself.  For  we  ai-e  not  hated 
because  we  are  men,  nor  because  wo  are  men  of  evil 
and  debauched  lives  ;  but  because  we  are  religious  ; 
because  we  stand  to  maintain  the  truth  of  God. 
Therefore  no  man  must  here  intercept,  but  must 
leave  the  enemy  in  the  hand  of  that  God  he  hath 
slighted  and  condemned.  This  made  Moses  that  he 
meddled  not  with  Corah  and  his  company,  but  left 
them  to  that  new  thing  which  the  Lord  himself 
would  do  unto  them,  because  they  had  condemned 
the  ordinance  of  God.  Nu.  x\n.  25— 35.  This  made  David 
also  that  he  meddled  not  with  Saul,  but  left  him  to 
the  vengeance  of  God,  though  he  had  opportunity  to 
have  destroyed  him.  i  Sa.  x.-ciy.  and  xxvi.io— 13.  Let  us 
learn  therefore  to  be  quiet  and  patient  under  the 
hand  of  wicked  and  blood-thirsty  men.  Let  us 
fall  before  them  like  holy  Abel ;  it  is  and  will  be 
grief  enough  to  them,  that  when  we  are  dead, 
our  blood  will  cry  from  the  ground  against 
them.* 

*  Therefore  he  that  killeth  Cain,  vengeance  shall 
be  taken,'  &c.  He  now  that  shall,  after  this  admo- 
nition, plead  for  religious  blood  with  the  sword, 
vengeance  shall  be  taken  on  him,  because  he  giveth 
not  place  to  the  Avrath  of  God,  but  intercepts  with 
his  own,  which  *  worketh  not  the  righteousness  of 
God.'  Ja. i.i9, 20.  Say  therefore  with  David,  when 
you  are  vexed  with  the  persecutor.  Mine  hand  shall 
not  be  upon  him ;  but  '  as  the  Lord  liveth,  the 
Lord  shall  smite  him ;  or,  his  day  shall  come  to 
die;  or,  he  shall  descend  in  battle,  and  perish.' 

'  Vengeance  shall  be  taken  on  him  seven  fold.' 
It  would  not  be  hard  to  shew  how  little  they  have 
prevailed,  who  have  taken  upon  them  to  take  ven- 
geance for  the  blood  of  saints,  on  them  that  have 
been  the  spillers  of  it.  But  my  business  here  is 
brevity,  therefore  I  shall  not  launch  into  that  deep, 
only  shall  say  to  such  as  shall  attempt  it  hereafter, 
'  Put  up  thy  sword  into  his  place ;  for  all  they  that 
take  the  sword  shall  perish  with  the  sword  I '  Mat. 
xxvi.  53.     And  '  here  is  the  patience  and  faith  of  the 


*  How  solemn  are  tliesc  injunctions,  and  how  opposed  to 
the  violent  conduct  of  mankind.  A  most  appalling  murder 
lias  been  committed; — a  virtuous  and  pious  young  man  is 
brutally  murdered  by  his  only  brother : — what  is  tlic  divine 
judgment  ?  If  any  man  kill  him,  vengeance  shall  be  taken  ou 
him  sevenfold:  set  a  mark  upon  him— drive  him  fi'oni  the 
abodes  of  man — shut  him  up  in  a  cage  like  a  wild  beast — but 
shed  not  liis  blood. — Ed. 


AN  EXPOSITIO:^  ox  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


451 


saiuts.'  Ka.  xiii.  10.  Let  Cain  and  God  alone,  and  do 
you  mind  faith  and  patience ;  suffer  with  Abel, 
until  your  righteous  Wood  be  spilt :  even  the  work 
of  persecutors,  is,  for  the  present,  punishment 
enough ;  the  fruits  thereof  being  the  provoking 
God  to  jealousy,  a  denying  of  them  the  knowledge 
of  the  way  of  life,  and  a  biuding  of  them  over  to 
the  pains  and  punishment  of  hcU. 

*  And  the  Lord  set  a  mark  upon  Cain. '  WTiat 
the  opinion  of  others  is  about  this  mark,  I  know 
not ;  to  me  it  seems  like  those  in  Timothy,  who 
had  '  their  conscience  seared  with  a  hot  iron, ' 
1  Ti.  iv.  3.  Which  words  are  an  allusion  to  the  way 
of  the  magistrates  in  theu*  deaUng  with  rogues 
and  felons ;  who  that  they  may  be  known  to  all, 
are  either  in  the  hand,  shoulder,  or  cheek  branded 
with  a  hot  ii'on.  So  Cam  was  marked  of  God  for  a 
reprobate,  for  one  that  had  murdered  a  righteous 
man,  even  of  envy  to  the  goodness  of  his  work : 
But  the  mark  (as  it  was  on  those  in  Timothy) 
was  not  on  any  outward  or  visible  part  of  his  body, 
but  (as  there  the  apostle  espresseth  it)  even  upon 
his  very  conscience ;  his  conscience  then  had  re- 
ceived the  fire-mark  of  the  wrath  and  displeasure 
of  God,  which,  as  a  burning  iron  doth  to  the  flesh, 
had  left  such  deep  impression  therein,  that  it  abode 
as  a  scar  or  brand  upon  him,  in  token  that  good 
would  for  ever  after  hold  hun  for  a  fugitive  rogue 
or  vagabond. 

'  And  the  Lord  set  a  mark  upon  Cain,  lest  any 
finding  him  should  kill  him. '  For  though  the  mark 
was  branded  with  burning  upon  his  conscience,  and 
so  inward  and  invisible ;  yet  the  effects  of  this  hot 
iron  might  be  visible,  and  seen  of  aU :  the  effects, 
I  say,  which  were,  or  might  be,  his  restlessness  in 
every  place,  his  dejectedness,  the  sudden  and  fear- 
ful pangs  and  agonies  of  his  mind,  which  might 
break  out  into  dolorous  and  amazing  complaints ; 
besides,  his  timorous  carriage  before  all  he  met, 
lest  they  should  kill  him ;  gave  aU  to  understand, 
that  God  had  with  a  vengeance  branded  him. 
And  indeed  this  was  such  a  mark  as  was  amazing 
to  all  that  beheld  him,  and  did  ten  times  more 
make  them  afraid  of  spilling  blood,  than  if  any 
visible  mark  had  been  set  upon  him ;  for  by  his 
trouble  and  distress  of  mind,  they  saw,  what  was 
the  guilt  of  blood :  and  by  his  continual  fear  and 
trembhng  under  the  judgment  of  God,  what  it  was 
to  be  in  fear  of,  nay,  to  have  the  first  fruits  of 
evex'lasting  damnation.  Thus  therefore  God  re- 
served Cain  to  the  judgment  which  he  had  appointed 
for  him. 

Ver.  16.  '  And  Cain  went  out  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord,  and  dwelt  in  the  land  of  Nod,  on  the 
cast  of  Eden.' 

The  right  carnage  of  a  reprobate,  and  the  infal- 
lible fruits  of  final  desperation.  For  a  man  that 
hath  received  in  his  mind  the  stroke  of  the  judg- 


ment of  God,  and  that  is  denied  all  means  of 
saving  and  sanctifying  grace,  (as  the  great  trans- 
gressors are,)  the  presence  of  God  is  to  such  most 
dreadful ;  vrhether  we  understand  the  knowledge 
of  him  as  he  is  in  himself,  or  as  he  discovereth 
himself  in  his  church  ;  for  the  thought  of  his  being, 
and  eternal  majesty,  keeps  the  womid  open,  and 
makes  terror  and  guilt  revive.  To  such  it  would 
be  the  best  of  news,  to  hear  that  the  Godhead  doth 
cease  to  be,  or  that  themselves  were  high  above 
him :  But  that  they  are  in  the  hand  of  the  living 
God,  this  is  the  dreadful  and  fearfid  thought. 

*  And  Cain  went  out  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord. '     These  words  may  be  taken  many  ways. 

1.  That  he  separated  himself  from  the  church 
(the  place  of  God's  presence)  3  Co.  -n.  16.  which  then 
consisted  of  his  father  and  mother,  and  of  those 
other  children  they  had.  And  this  appears  b}'  the 
text,  '  He  went  out  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord, 
and  dwelt  in  the  land  of  Kod. ' 

2.  A  man  goes  out  from  the  presence  of  God, 
when  he  withdi-aws  his  thoughts  from  holy  medita- 
tions, and  employeth  the  strength  of  his  mind  about 
the  things  of  this  life.  Job  xxi.  Ur— 18.  And  thus  he 
also  did ;  he  went  into  the  land  of  Nod,  and  there 
feU  to  building  a  city,  and  to  recreate  himself 
with  the  pleasm-cs  of  the  flesh  what  he  might. 

3.  A  man  goes  out  from  the  presence  of  God, 
when  he  throweth  up  the  worship  and  way  of  God; 
and  this  he  did  in  departing  from  the  church. 

3  Ch.  xk.  1—3. 

4.  Besides,  his  going  out  from  tne  presence  of 
the  Lord,  implieth,  that  he  hardened  his  heart 
agahist  him,  that  he  set  his  spirit  against  him ; 
that  he  said  to  God,  Depart  from  me ;  He.  iii.  13. 
that  he  grew  an  implacable  enemy  to  him,  and  to 
every  appearance  of  good  in  the  world.  Job  xv.  12,  is. 

'  And  Cain  went  out  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord.'  These  words  may  also  respect  his  being 
thrust  out  from  God,  as  one  anathematized,  ac- 
cursed, or  cut  oft',  in  effect  the  same  with  excom- 
munication. But  be  it  so,  the  act  was  extra- 
ordinary, being  administered  by  God  himself ;  even 
as  he  served  Corah  and  his  company,  though  in 
kind  there  was  a  difi"erence,  the  one,  even  Cain, 
being  yet  permitted  to  live  for  a  while  in  the  world  j 
the  other  being  scut  down  quick  into  hell ;  but  both, 
for  their  villany  against  the  worship  and  people  of 
God,  stand  bound  over  to  answer  it  at  the  eternal 
judgment. 

Ver.  17  '^  And  Cain  knew  liis  wife;  and  she 
conceived,  and  bare  Enoch :  and  he  builded  a  city, 
and  called  the  name  of  the  city,  after  the  name  of 
his  son,  Enoch.' 

Cain's  wife  was  his  sister,  or  near  kinswoman; 
for  she  sprang  of  the  same  loins  with  himself;  be- 
cause his  mother  was  '  the  mother  of  all  Hying.' 

Ge.  iii.  20. 


453 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


This  wife  bare  liim  a  son  ;  for  whose  sake,  as  it 
seems,  he  built  the  citj.  Hence  note.  That  men 
who  are  shut  out  of  heaven,  will  yet  use  some  means 
to  be  honourable  on  earth.  Cain  being  accursed 
of  God,  yet  builds  him  a  city;  the  renown  of  which 
act,  that  it  might  not  be  forgotten,  he  calleth  it 
after  the  name  of  his  son.  Much  like  this  was 
that  carnal  act  of  blasted  Absalom ;  because  he 
had  no  child,  he  would  erect  a  pillar,  which  must 
forsooth  be  called  Absalom's  place,  after  the  name 
of  Absalom,  to  keep  his  name  in  remembrance  upon 

earth,    2  Sa.  ivm.  18. 

'  And  he  builded  a  city,'  &;c.  Note,  That  it  is 
the  design  of  Satan,  and  the  deceitful  heart  of 
man,  to  labour  to  quiet  a  guilty  conscience,  not  by 
faith  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  but  by  over  much  busi- 
ness in  the  things  of  this  world. 

*  And  called  the  name  of  the  city,  after  the 
name  of  his  son,  Enoch.'  Although  Cain  had  a 
mind  to  keep  up  his  name  with  fame  in  the  world, 
yet  he  would  not  venture  to  dedicate  the  city  to 
his  own  name ;  that  would  have  been  too  gross ; 
and  perhaps  others  would  have  called  it.  The  City 
OF  THE  Murderer  ;  but  he  calleth  it  after  the 
name  of  his  son,  his  son  Enoch ;  whom  he  pre- 
tended was  a  man  both  taught,  and  dedicate,  as  it 
seems  his  name  imports.  Hence  note  again,  That 
men  who  themselves  are  accursed  of  God,  will 
yet  put  as  fair  glosses  on  their  actions,  as  their 
hypocritical  hearts  can  invent.  Who  must  this  city 
be  dedicated  to,  but  to  him  whom  Cain  had  dedi- 
cated and  taught.  I  will  not  say  that  in  truth  he 
gave  him  to  God,  for  that  his  reprobate  heart 
would  not  suffer ;  but  being  given  up  of  God,  yet 
retaining,  with  Saul,  considerations  of  honour: 
therefore,  as  is  the  custom  of  ungodly  hypocrites, 
he  would  put  the  best  show  on  his  migodly 
actions. 

Thus  Said,  when  he  had  received  the  sentence 
of  the  Lord  against  him ;  yet,  Turn  again  with 
me  (saith  he  to  Samuel)  '  yet  honour  me  now  before 
-  the  people,  and  before  Israel,'  l  Sa.xT.  30.  So  the 
money  wherewith  the  high  priests  and  scribes  had 
bought  the  life,  and  obtained  the  death  of  Christ ; 
with  that  they  make  some  shew  of  godliness,  in 
buying  with  it  a  piece  of  ground  to  bury  strangers 

in.    Mat.  xxTii.  S— 7. 

Ver.  18.  'And  imto  Enoch  was  born  Irad:  and 
Irad  begat  Mehujael:  and  Mehujael  begat  Methu- 
sael:  and  Methusael  begat  Lamech.' 

These  are  the  offspring  of  Cain ;  the  English  of 
whose  names,  if  the  nature  and  disposition  of  the 
persons  were  according,  they  might  well  be  called, 
with  abhorrence,  the  brood  of  wicked  Cain,  even 
the  generation  whom  the  Lord  had  cursed,  notwith- 
standing Enoch  was  their  father.  Enoch  begat 
Irad,  a  wild  ass ;  Irad  begat  Mehujael,  one  pre- 
sumptuous above  measure,  his  name  signifies,  one 


teaching  God.  But  '  who  hath  directed  the  Spirit 
of  tlie  Lord?'  Is.  xi.  13;  Or  '  Shall  any  teach  God 
knowledge?'  Jobxxi. 33.  The  son  of  this  man  was 
Methusael,  asking  death,  the  true  fruit  of  aU  such 
presumptuous  ones,  •  his  confidence  shall  be  rooted 
out  of  his  tabernacle,  and  it  shall  bring  him  to  the 
king  of  terrors.'  Jobxviii.  14.  His  son  was  Lamech, 
one  poor  or  smitten:  The  first,  that,  as  we  read, 
did  break  the  order  of  God  in  the  matter  of  mar- 
riage. 

Ver.  19.  'H  And  Lamech  took  unto  him  two 
wives:  the  name  of  the  one  was  Adah,  and  the 
name  of  the  other  Zillah.' 

This  man  was  the  first  that  brake  the  first  in- 
stitution of  God  concerning  marriage.  '  He  took 
unto  him  two  wives.'  The  New  Testament  says. 
Let  every  man  have  his  own  wife.  And  so  said 
the  law  in  its  first  institution :  therefore  plurality 
of  wives  first  camo  into  practice  by  the  seed  of 
cursed  Cain,  and  for  a  time  was  suffered  in  the 
world  through  the  hardness  of  man's  heart. 

Ver.  20,  21.  'And  Adah  bare  Jabal:  he  was 
the  father  of  such  as  dwell  in  tents,  and  of  such  as 
have  cattle.  And  his  brother's  name  ivas  Jubal : 
he  was  the  father  of  all  such  as  handle  the  harp 
and  organ,' 

Jabal  signifies  bringing,  or  budding ;  Jubal, 
bringing,  or  fading.  So  then  in  these  two  sons 
might  be  shewed  unto  us  the  world,  as  it  is  in  its 
utmost  glory:  that  is,  it  brings  buds,  it  brings 
fading  :  to-day  in  the  field,  to-morrow  in  the  oven : 
'  All  flesh  is  grass,  and  all  the  goodliness  thereof, 
is  as  the  flower  of  the  field.  The  grass  withereth, 
the  flower  fadeth :  because  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
bloweth  upon  it:  surely  the  people  is  grass.'  is. 

xl.  C— 8. 

And  observe  in  these,  the  last  was  the  musical 
one.  Indeed,  the  spirit  of  the  world,  after  things 
have  budded,  is  so  far  off  from  remembering  that 
they  again  must  fade ;  that  then  it  begins  its  Re- 
quiem ;  then  it  saith  to  itself.  Eat,  drink,  and  be 
merry ;  then  it  is  for  handling  the  harp  and  organ. 

Lu.  xii.  16—20. 

Ver.  22.  '  And  Zillah,  she  also  bare  Tubal-Cain, 
an  instructor  of  every  artificer  in  brass  and  iron : 
and  the  sister  of  Tubal-Cain  ^vas  Naamah.' 

Tubal-Cain,  a  worldly  possession ;  and  Naamah, 
one  that  by  her  name  should  be  beautiful.  Lamech 
his  fruit  then  was,  a  budding,  fading,  worldly 
possession,  with  a  little  deceitful,  vain  beauty,  for 
'  favour  is  deceitful,  and  beauty  is  vain :  bid  a 
woman  thai  feareth  the  Lord,  she  shaU  be  praised, ' 

Pr.  xxxi.  30. 

Ver.  23,  '  And  Lamech  said  unto  his  wives,  Adah 
and  Zillah,  hear  my  voice;  ye  wives  of  Lamech, 
hearken  unto  my  speech :  for  I  have  slain  a  man 
to  my  wounding,  and  a  young  man  to  my  hurt. 

He  that  sticks  not  to  exceed  in  one  point,  Avill 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


453 


not  fear  to  transgress  in  another.  lie  had  har- 
dened his  heart,  by  breaking  the  modest  and  orderly 
bounds  of  marriage,  and  so  fitted  himself  to  shed 
blood,  or  do  any  other  wickedness. 

'  Hearken  to  me,  ye  wives.'  Lustful  men  break 
their  minds  to  their  fleshly  companions,  sometimes, 
sooner  than  to  wiser  counsellors.  Even  as  Ahab, 
in  the  business  of  the  vineyard  of  Naboth,  breaks 
his  mind  to  that  ungodly  Jezebel  his  wife. 

*  I  have  slain  a  man  to  my  wounding.'  Who, 
or  what  man  this  murdered  person  was,  therein 
the  word  is  silent :  yet  this  Lamech  being  the  son 
of  a  bloody  murderer,  it  is  possible  he  was  some 
godly  man,  one  of  Adam's  other  children,  or  of 
his  grandchildren,  the  son  of  Seth :  for  these  sons 
of  Cain,  and  namely  this  in  special,  as  it  seems, 
took  not  heed  to  the  mark  wherewith  God  branded 
Cain ;  but  like  Belshazzar,  he  hardened  his  heart, 
though  he  knew  it,  and  would  turn  murderer  also. 

Da.  V.  IS— 22. 

'  I  have  slain  a  man  to  my  wounding. '  The 
guilt  of  blood  who  can  bear?  or  who  can  help 
himself  thereby?  It  is  a  wounding  thing,  it  is  a 
hurtful  thing,  he  that  sheds  man's  blood  wrong- 
fully, cannot  establish  himself  thereby.  Mat.  xiii.  6, 7. 
The  Jews  thought  to  have  preserved  themselves 
and  country  by  killing  Jesus  Christ ;  but  this  so 
provoked  the  justice  of  God,  that  for  this  thing's 
sake  he  sent  the  Gentiles  upon  them  to  burn  up 
their  city ;  who  when  they  were  come,  if  stories 
be  true,  slew  of  them  eleven  hundred  thousand ; 
and  those  of  them  that  were  taken  alive,  were  sold 
to  who  would  buy  them,  Thirty  a  penny.  *  Ye 
shed  blood  (says  God)  and  shall  ye  possess  the 
land?  Ye  stand  upon  your  sword,  ye  work 
abomination,  and  ye  defile  every  one  his  neigh- 
bour's wife:  and  shall  ye  possess  the  land?'  Em. 

xsiiii.  25,  26. 

Ver.  24.  '  If  Cain  shall  be  avenged  sevenfold, 
truly  Lamech  seventy  and  sevenfold.' 

Though  wicked  men  may  be  willingly  ignorant 
of  that  part  of  the  judgments  of  God,  that  are  to 
premonisli  them,  that  they  do  not  that  wicked 
thing  for  which  the  judgment  was  executed ;  yet 
if  there  be  anything  like  favour  miied  with  the 
judgment,  of  that  they  wiU  take  notice,  to  encou- 
rage themselves  to  evil :  even  as  this  ungodly  per- 
son, he  would  not  be  stopped  from  blood  by  the 
judgment  of  God  upon  Cain;  but  rather,  as  it 
seems,  because  the  judgment  was  not  speedily 
executed,  his  heart  was  fully  set  in  him  to  do  evil, 
r.c.  \'iii.  11.  Much  like  that  of  the  Jews,  who  because 
Jehoiakim  had  slain  Uriah  the  prophet,  and  yet 
God  spared  the  land ;  therefore  make  that  an 
argument  to  prevail  with  Zedekiah  to  kill  Jeremiah 

also.    Jc.  xxvi.  20— 23. 

'  If  Cain  shall  be  avenged  sevenfold,  truly 
Lamech  seventy  and  sevenfold. '     Give  wicked  men 


leave  to  judge  of  themselves,  and  they  will  pass  a 
sentence  favourable  enough.  Though  Lamech 
had  not  pity  when  ho  spilt  blood ;  yea,  though  the 
judgment  of  God  upon  Cain  could  not  hold  his 
murderous  hands :  yet  now  he  is  guilty,  let  him 
but  make  a  law  in  the  case,  and  woe  be  to  him 
that  killeth  Lamech:  Vengeance  shall  be  taken 
of  him  seventyfold  and  seven.  Joab  could  with 
pitiless  hands  spill  the  blood  of  men  more  righteous 
than  himself,  not  regarding  what  became  of  their 
souls :  but  when  his  blood  was  by  vengeance  re- 
quired for  the  same,  then  he  would  take  sanctuary 
at  the  horns  of  the  altar,  l  Ki.  ii.  28.  But  judgment 
is  not  wholly  left  to  men,  the  Lord  is  judge  him- 
self; before  whom  both  Cain  and  Lamech,  and  all 
their  successors,  shall  be  arraigned,  and  receive 
just  doom,  and  that  never  to  be  reversed. 

Ver.  25.  '  1[  And  Adam  knew  his  wife  again ; 
and  she  bare  a  son,  and  called  his  name  Seth :  for 
God,  said  she,  hath  appointed  me  another  seed 
instead  of  Abel,  whom  Gain  slew.' 

Now  we  have  done,  for  a  while,  with  Cain,  and  are 
come  again  to  the  church  of  God,  Cain  had  slain 
Abel,  and  by  that  means,  for  a  while,  had  greatly 
suppressed  the  flourishing  of  religion ;  in  which 
time  his  own  brood  began  to  be  mightj^  upon 
earth ;  so  encreasing,  as  if  religion  was  put  to  an 
end  for  ever.  But  behold  their  disappointment ! 
*  Adam  knew  his  wife  again,'  (for  Adam's  family 
was  then  the  true  church  of  God ;)  or  take  Adam 
for  a  type  of  Christ,  and  his  wife  for  a  type  of  the 
church,  and  then  this  observation  followeth;  namely. 
That  so  long  as  Christ  and  the  church  hath  to  do 
with  one  another,  it  is  in  vain  for  Cain  to  think  of 
suppressing  religion. 

'  Adam  knew  his  wife  again.'  If  Eve  had  now 
been  barren,  or  Adam  had  died  without  farther 
issue,  then  Cain  might  have  carried  the  day ;  but 
behold  another  seed!  a  seed  to  stand  in  Abel's 
place :  therefore  she  caUed  his  name  Seth  ;  that  is. 
Set  or  Put,  as  namely,  in  the  room  of  Abel,  to 
stand  up  for,  and  to  defend  the  truth  against  all 
the  army  and  power  of  Cain.  As  Paul  also  saith 
of  himself,  '  I  am  set,  [or  put,]  for  the  defence  of 
the  gospel.'  PM.i.  17.  This  man  therefore,  so  far  as 
can  be  gathered,  was  the  first  that  put  check  to 
the  outrage  of  Cain  and  liis  company.  But  mark 
some  observations  about  him. 

1,  He  was  set  in  the  stead  or  place  of  Abel ;  not 
an  inch  behind  him,  but  even  at  the  place  where 
his  blood  was  spilt.  So  that  he  that  will  revive 
lost  religion,  must  avow  it  as  God's  Abels  have 
done  before  him:  every  talker  cannot  do  this. 
The  blood  that  was  shed  before  his  face,  must 
not  put  check  to  his  godly  stomach ;  yea,  he  must 
say  to  religion,  as  Ruth  said  once  to  her  mother, 
'  Where  thou  diest,  I  wiU  die,  and  there  will  I  b« 
buried. '  Ru.  l  17.     This  is  the  way  to  revive  and  to 


454 


AX  EXPOSITION  ON  TRE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS, 


maintain  the  ways  of  God,  in  despite  of  bloody 
Cain.* 

2.  This  Setli  that  was  set  to  put  check  to  Cain, 
did  not  do  it  of  his  own  hrain,  hat  the  hand  of  God 
was  principal  in  the  work.  'God,'  said  she,  'hath 
appointed  me  another  seed  to  he  set  in  the  place 
of  Ahcl.'  And  indeed  it  is  otherwise  in  vain, 
Vv-hen  religion  is  once  suppressed,  to  think  it  should 
ever  revive  agam.  Alas!  where  is  the  man,  if 
he  want  God's  Spirit,  that  will  care  for  the  flourish- 
ing state  of  religion  ?  and  that  in  truth  will  make 
the  Lord  his  delight:  '  This  is  Zion,  whom  no  man 
seeketh  [for,  or  secketh]  after. '  Jc.  \xx.  17.  All  men 
here  say,  '  See  to  thine  own  house,  David. '  1  lu.  xii. 
30.  But  when  Seth  comes,  then  the  ground  is 
made  good  again ;  then  a  living  saint  is  found  to 
stand  and  maintain  that  truth  which  hut  now  his 
brother  hied  for.  When  James  was  killed,  Peter 
stands  up,  <fec.  Ac.  xii.  1—3.  And  therefore  Seth  is 
said  to  he  another  seed,  a  man  of  another  sj)irit : 
One  who  was  principled  Avitli  a  spirit  beyond  and 
above  the  spirit  of  the  world.  'Another  seed,' 
one  that  was  spirited  for  God's  word,  and  God's 
worship,  and  that  would  maintain  his  brother's 
cause. 

3.  Observe,  That  when  Seth  maintains  his  bro- 
ther's lot,  you  hear  no  more  of  the  brood  of  Cain. 
And  indeed,  the  way  to  weary  out  God's  enemies, 
it  is  to  maintain  and  make  good  the  front  against 
them :  '  Resist  the  devil,  and  he  will  fly. '  Ja.  iv.  7. 
Now  if  the  Captain,  their  king  Apollion,  be  made 
to  yield,  how  can  his  followers  stand  their  gromid  ? 
•  The  dragon,  -  the  devil,  Satan,  -  he  was  cast 
out  into  the  earth,  and  his  angels  were  cast  out 
with  him.'  Ke.  xii.  9.  But  how  ?  It  was  by  fighting : 
'  ]\Iichael  and  his  angels  fought  against  the  dragon; 
-  and  overcame  him  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and 
by  the  word  of  their  testimony,  and  by  not  loving 
of  their  lives  unto  the  death.'  Ec.  xiL 7,  s,  13. 

4.  Let  this,  in  the  last  place,  serve  for  perse- 
cutors. That  Avhen  3'ou  have  cast  down  many  ten 
thousands,  and  also  the  truth  to  the  ground ;  there 
is  yet  a  Seth,  another  seed  behind,  that  God  hath 
appointed  to  stand  in  the  stead  of  his  brethren,  by 
whom  you  will  certainly  be  put  to  flight,  and  made 
to  cease  from  oppressing  the  truth. 

Ver.  2G.  '  And  to  Seth,  to  him  also  there  was 
born  a  son ;  and  he  called  his  name  Enos :  Then 
began  men  to  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord.' 


*  "When  Bunyaa  was  in  prison,  under  sentence  to  be  hunc, 
all  his  thouglits  were,  not  how  to  cscaj)c,  but,  how  so  to  suflcr 
as  to  glorify  God ;  '  I  thought  with  myself  if  I  should  make  a 
scrabbling  shift  to  clamber  up  the  ladder,  yet  I  should  either 
Avith  quaking  or  other  symptoms  of  faintings,  give  occasion  to 
tlie  enemy  to  reproach  the  way  of  God  and  his  peo]de  for 
their  tiniorousness.  This,  therefore,  lay  with  great  trouble 
v.pon  me,  for,  methought,  I  was  ashamed  to  die  with  a  pale 
lace  and  tottering  knees  for  such  a  cause  as  this.'  —  Grace 
Abounding,  No.  334. — En 


The  Holy  Ghost,  in  recording  the  birth  of  Enos, 
goeth  out  of  his  ordinary  style,  in  that  he  doubleth 
the  mentioning  of  his  father,  with  respect  to  the 
birth  of  this  son.  And  indeed  it  is  worth  the 
observing ;  for  it  staggereth  the  faith  of  some,  to 
think  that  the  man  that  makes  good  the  groimd 
of  a  murdered  brother,  should  not  leave  issue  be- 
hind him:  But  '  to  Seth,  to  him  was  born  a  son.' 
Our  faithfulness  to  the  truth,  shall  be  no  hinder- 
ance  to  the  flourishing  state  of  our  ofi"spring,  take 
them  either  for  the  fleshly  or  spiritual  seed  of  God's 
servants,  but  sons,  (especially  in  the  latter  sense, 
if  Ave  truly  stand  by  the  Avord  of  God)  shall  surely 
be  born  unto  us. 

'And  to  Seth,  to  him  also  there  was  born  a  son  ; 
and  he  called  his  name  Enos.'  Enos,  a  man;  not 
a  devil,  like  Cain,  but  a  man ;  or,  a  man  that  Avas 
miserable  in  this  Avorld,  for  the  sake  and  cause  of 
God  ;t  for  it  seems,  as  Avas  his  father,  so  was  he, 
even  both  given  up  to  maintain  God's  truth  ;  which 
cannot  be  done  but  Avith  great  hazard,  so  long  as 
Cain  or  his  offspring  remain.  His  father  there- 
fore, by  his  very  name,  did  ofier  him  up  to  bear 
all  hardships  for  the  name  and  cause  of  God: 
'  Behold  I  send  you  forth  (saith  Christ)  as  lambs 
in  the  midst  of  Avolves.'  Li  efi"ect,  he  called  their 
name  Enos,  men  to  be  acquainted  Avith  grief  and 
miseries :  ^But  mark,  '  Then  began  men  to  call 
upon  the  name  of  the  Lord. ' 

'  Then,'  Avhen  Seth  maintained  Abel's  ground, 
and  when  Enos  endured  all  miseries  for  the  same : 
For  indeed  this  makes  spectators  believe  that 
religion  is  more  than  a  fictitious  notion :  The  hard- 
ships, miseries,  and  blood  of  the  saints,  Avill  make 
men,  otherwise  heedless,  consider  and  ponder  their 
cause  aright. 

'  Then  began. '  For,  as  I  also  before  have 
hinted,  the  outrage  of  bloody  Cain  did  put,  for  a 
time,  a  stop  to  the  flourishing  state  of  God's  wor- 
ship ;  which  in  all  probability  was  not  so  little  as 
half  a  hundred  years,  even  till  Seth,  and  the  son 
of  Seth,  stood  up  to  maintain  the  same ;  but  'then, 
TUEX  men  began  (more  men  than  Seth  and  Enos) 
to  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord. ' 

Note  again.  That  all  true  religion  beginneth 
with  fervent  prayer:  Or  thus,  That  Avhen  men 
begin  to  be  servants  to  God,  they  begin  it  Avith 
calling  upon  him.  Thus  did  Saul,  '  Behold  he 
praycth  :'  Ac.  ix.  And,  'Lord  have  mercy  upon  me,'^ 
is  the  first  of  the  groans  of  a  sanctified  heart. 

The  margin  hath  it,  '  They  began  to  call  them- 
selves by  the  name  of  the  Lord.'  As  God  saith 
in  another  place,  *  My  name  is  called  on  them.'' 
The   disciples  AA'ere  called   Christians,    (nay,   the' 


t  Eunyan  has  taken  the  meaning  of  all  these  Scripture  names 
from  the  fii-st  table  to  the  Genevan  or  Puritan  version,  vul- 
garly called  '  The  Breeches  Bible,'  an  invaluable  translation. 
— Ed. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


453 


saints  are  called  the  anointed  ones,  and  the  church 
is  called  Christ.)  l  Co.  xii.  12.  But  note,  That  fervent 
prayer  ends  in  faith  and  confidence  in  God.  They 
called  themselves  by  the  name ;  they  counted 
themselves  not  from  a  vain  and  groundless  opinion, 
but  through  the  faith  they  had  in  the  mercy  of 
God,  The  saints  and  holy  people  of  God. 

They  began  to  puWish  themselves,  in  contra- 
distinction to  the  offspring  of  Cain,  the  holy  people 
of  God.  Wherefore,  a  separation  from  the  wicked 
began  betimes ;  the  one  going  by  the  name  of  *  the 
sons  of  God ;'  the  other,  '  by  the  sons  and  daugh- 
ters of  men:'  ch. \-i.  1, 3.  'Then  began  men  to  call 
upon  the  name  of  the  Lord.' 

CHAP.  Y. 

Ver.  1 .  '  This  is  the  book  of  the  generations  of 
Adam.  In  the  day  that  God  created  man,  in  the 
likeness  of  God  made  he  him,' 

The  Holy  Ghost  having  thus  largely  treated  of 
Cain  and  his  offspring,  and  of  the  head  made 
against  him  by  Seth  and  Enos,  and  of  the  good 
success  that  followed,  he  now  comes  to  treat  of 
the  church  in  particular,  and  of  the  flourishing 
state  of  the  same. 

♦This  is  the  book.'  The  Holy  Ghost  cuts  off 
the  genealogy  of  Cain,  accounting  him  none  of  the 
race  of  the  church,  although  before  he  was  within 
the  pale  thereof.  John  observing  this,  calls  him, 
'  a  child  of  that  wicked  one,'  1  Jn.  m.  13.  as  our  Lord 
also  accounted  Judas.  Wherefore,  he  here  begins 
Iiis  book  again,  that  this  wicked  race  might  be 
quite  excluded.  '  Let  them  be  blotted  out  of  the 
book  of  the  living,  and  not  be  written  with  the 
righteous.'  Ps.kix.  2S. 

'  In  the  day  that  God  created  man,  in  the  like- 
ness of  God  made  he  him.'  Although  by  this 
new  beginning  the  Holy  Ghost  excludeth  Cain,  yet 
he  fetcheth  the  genealogy  of  the  church  from  the 
day  that  man  was  created ;  intimating  that  God, 
in  the  very  act  of  creation,  had  a  special  intention 
to  plant  him  a  church  in  the  world ;  and  therefore, 
even  before  sin  was  in  the  world,  the  image  of 
God  was  upon  man,  as  a  token  of  his  special 
respect,  and  of  the  great  delight  that  he  intended 
to  take  in  that  creature  above  all  that  he  had 
made.  ?r.  viii.  so,  31. 

Ver.  2.  'Male  and  female  created  he  them;  and 
blessed  them,  and  called  their  name  Adam,  in  the 
day  when  they  were  created.' 

When  Adam  was  created,  the  Lord  created 
two  in  one  :  So  when  Christ,  the  head  of  the 
church,  was  chosen,  the  church  was  also  chosen 
in  him, 

'  And  blessed  them.'  \Yith  the  blessing  of 
generation :  A  tj'pe  of  the  blessing  of  regeneration 
that  was  to  be  by  Christ  in  the  church,  according 


to  that  which  is  written,  '  So  shall  thy  seed  be.' 
Ep.  i.  4. 

'  And  called  their  name  Adam,  in  the  day  when 
they  were  created.'  So  that  in  the  man  the  woman 
is  included :  '  Neither  is  the  man  Avithout  the 
woman,  neither  the  woman  without  the  man,  in 
the  Lord.'  iCo.  xi.ii.  For  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the 
work  of  the  new  creation,  of  which  this  creation 
was  a  type,  counteth  not  by  male  and  female,  but 
'  ye  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus.'  Ga.  iu.  28.  Where- 
fore, women  are  not  to  be  excluded  out  of  the 
means  of  salvation ;  nay,  they  have,  if  they  believe, 
a  special  right  to  all  the  promises  of  grace  that 
God  hath  made  to  his  saints  in  all  ages:  Yea, 
'she  shall  be  saved  in  childbearing,  [though  she 
bear  children,]  if  she  continue  in  faith,  and  charity, 
and  holiness  with  sobriety.'  iTim.ii.  15. 

Ver,  3,  '  And  Adam  lived  an  hmadred  and 
thirty  years,  and  begat  a  son  in  his  own  likeness, 
after  his  image  ;  and  called  his  name  Seth.' 

Here  also  by  the  book  of  Chronicles,  the  Holy 
Ghost  carrieth  avray  the  genealogy,  because  Abel 
had  no  children,  saying  Adam,  Seth,  <fec.  1  Ch.  i.  1. 

'  An  hundred  and  thiry  years.'  Behold  the 
rage  of  hell !  For  imtil  Seth  stood  in  Abel's  place, 
religion  was  greatly  hindei'cd,  and  that  was  after 
the  world  had  stood  an  hundred  and  thirty  years. 
Indeed,  Abel,  while  he  had  his  breath,  did  hold  it 
up  in  the  world;  but  Cain,  who  was  of  that  wicked 
one,  smote  him  and  religion  both  to  the  ground. 

'And  begat  a  so?i  in  his  own  likeness.'  Who 
can  bring  a  clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean  ?  not  one. ' 
Job  xiv.  4.  If  the  father  be  polluted  with  the  inward 
filth  of  sin,  the  son  must  needs  be  like  him :  '  I 
was  shapen  in  iniquity;  (said  David)  and  in  sin 
did  my  mother  conceive  me.'  Ps.  li.  5.  Seth  then 
was  no  better  than  we  by  nature,  but  came  into 
the  world  in  the  blood  of  his  mother's  filth :  '  What 
is  man,  that  he  should  be  clean  ?  and  he  whidi  is 
born  of  a  woman,  that  he  should  be  righteous  ?' 

Jol)  XV.  1-i. 

This  therefore  should  teach  us  not  to  count  of 
our  election,  and  of  our  effectual  calling  but  by 
the  word  of  God.  Seth  by  nature  was  a  sinful 
man,  and  yet  the  chosen  servant  of  God ;  the  first 
that  took  up  God's  quarrel  after  the  death  of 
blessed  Abel. 

This  should  also  help  us  to  hold  up  the  bucklers 
against  the  kingdom  of  the  devil  and  hell.  Seth 
was  subject  to  like  infirmities  with  us,  and  yet  he 
got  ground  of  the  children  of  iniquity.  I  know  a 
sense  of  our  own  infirmities  is  apt  to  weaken  our 
hand  in  so  mighty  an  undertaking,  but  it  should 
not :  Although  we  be  like  old  Adam  by  nature, 
yet  God  is  able  to  make  us  stand. 

Ver.  4.  '  And  the  days  of  Adam,  after  he  Iiad 
begotten  Seth,  were  eight  hundred  years:  and  ho 
bee:at  sons  and  daughters,' 


456 


AiN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


Adam  therefore,  as  a  type  of  Christ,  reigned  in 
the  chxu'ch  almost  a  thousand  years.  The  world 
therefore  beginning  thus,  doth  shew  us  how  it  wiU 
end  ;  namely,  by  the  reign  of  the  second  Adam, 
as  it  began  with  the  reign  of  the  first. 

These  long-lived  men  therefore  shew  us  the 
glory  that  the  church  shall  have  in  the  latter  day, 
even  in  the  seventh  thousand  years  of  the  world, 
that  sabbath  when  Christ  shall  set  up  his  kingdom 
on  earth,  according  to  that  which  is  written,  '  They 
lived  and  reigned  Avith  Christ  a  thousand  years.' 
Ee.xx.i-i.  They:— Who?  The  church  of  God, 
according  also  as  it  was  with  Adam.  Therefore 
they  are  said  by  John  to  be  holy,  as  well  as  blessed: 
*  Blessed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  first 
resurrection:  on  such  the  second  death  hath  no 
power,  but  they  shall  be  priests  of  God,  and  of 
Christ,  and  shall  reign  with  him  a  thousand  years.' 
ver.  6.  In  all  which  time  the  wicked  in  the  world 
shall  forbear  to  persecute,  as  did  also  the  brood  of 
wicked  Cain  in  the  days  of  Adam,  Seth,  &,c. 
Hence  therefore  we  find  in  the  first  place  the 
dragon  chained  for  these  thousand  years. 

Ver.  5.  *  And  all  the  days  that  Adam  lived  were 
nine  hundi'ed  and  thirty  years :  and  he  died. ' 

Adam  therefore  lived  to  see  the  translation  of 
Enoch :  In  whose  translation  a  conquest  was  got 
over  all  the  enemies  of  his  soul  and  body:  So 
Christ  shall  reign  in  and  among  his  saints  till  all 
his  enemies  be  destroyed.  '  The  last  enemy  that 
shall  be  destroyed  is  death;'  l  Co. xv.26.  which  shall 
be  swallowed  up  when  the  members  of  that  glorious 
head  have  put  on  incorruption,  and  their  *  mortal 
shall  have  put  on  immortality.'  Adam's  reigning 
therefore  until  Enoch's  translation,  looks  like  a 
prophecy  of  the  perfection  of  Christ's  kingdom : 
For  he  shall  reign  till  he  hath  '  delivered  up  the 
kingdom  to  God,  even  the  Father:'  ver. 24.  As 
Adam,  tiU  his  Enoch  was  translated  and  took  up 
to  God. 

Ver.  6.  '  H  And  Seth  lived  an  hundred  and  five 
years,  and  begat  Enos.' 

Seth  therefore  stood  by  the  truth  of  God,  a  long 
time,  without  much  help  or  encouragement  from 
man;  which  was  a  great  trial  to  his  spii-it,  and 
proof  of  the  truth  of  his  faith,  and  tended  much  to 
the  perfection  of  his  patience.  Somewhat  like 
this  was  that  of  Paul,  who  had  no  man  stood  with 
him  when  he  stood  before  Nero. 

Seth  Avas  set  in  the  stead  of  Abel,  to  keep  the 
gap  against  the  children  of  heU ;  Avhich,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  he  faithfully  did,  even  till  Enos  was 
sent  to  his  aid  and  assistance. 

Seth  therefore  Avas  the  forlorn  hope  of  the  church 
in  those  days.  So  set  of  God  to  put  check  to  the 
enemy,  until  the  church  was  increased,  and  more 
able  to  defend  herself  from  the  outrage. 

This  therefore  should  teach  the  saints  of  God, 


especially  those  that  are  sent  before,  against  the 
ofispring  of  Cain,  to  stand  their  ground,  and  not 
to  shrink  like  Saul,  till  God  shall  send  others  to 
take  part  with  them,  i  Sa.  x.  8;  xUi.  8—14. 

Thus  David  stood,  as  it  were,  by  himself,  against 
the  Avicked  that  Avas  in  his  day ;  Avhich  made  him 
cry,  '  Who  will  rise  up  for  me  against  the  evU 
doers,'  or  Avho  will  stand  up  for  me  against  the 
workers  of  iniquity  ?  Ps.  xciv.  16. 

Ver.  7.  '  And  Seth  lived  after  he  begat  Enos 
eight  hundred  and  seven  years,  and  begat  sons  and 
daughters. ' 

Hence  also  we  may  gather  great  encouragement 
Avho  are  set  in  the  front  of  the  army  of  the  Lamb, 
against  the  army  and  regiment  of  Cain.  Seth, 
saith  the  Spirit,  Avas  set  in  the  stead  of  Abel,  there 
as  forlorn,  to  defend  religion :  Must  he  not  now  be 
SAvalloAved  up  ?  Will  the  blood-hounds  let  him 
escape  ?  Behold,  therefore  his  life  must  be  ac- 
counted a  wonder !  As  Avas  also  that  of  Paid. 
1  Co.  vi.  9.  But  for  Seth  to  stand  eight  hundred 
years  against  such  a  murderous  crcAv,  and  yet  to 
have  his  breath  in  his  nostrils  !  Our  times  are  in 
thy  hands,  and  thou,  Lord,  '  holdeth  our  soul  in 

life. '  Ps.  Levi.  9. 

'  And  all  the  days  of  Seth  were  nine  hundred 
and  twelve  years,  and  he  died.'  ver. 8. 

His  life  was  therefore  eighteen  years  shorter 
than  that  of  Adam  ;  he  lived  fifty-five  years  after 
Enoch,  and  died  six  hundred  and  fourteen  years 
before  the  flood. 

Ver.  9.  *  ^  And  Enos  lived  ninety  years,  and 
begat  Cainan.' 

Cainan  signifieth  a  buyer,  or  OAvner.  Let  it  be 
Avith  respect  to  religion,  and  then  the  sense  may 
be,  that  he  had  this  privilege  in  religion  by  the 
hazard  of  his  father  and  grandfather's  life ;  they 
bought  it  for  him,  and  made  him  the  owner  of  it : 
As  Paul  saith.  He  gave  not  place  to  the  false 
Apostles,  'that  the  truth  of  the  gospel  might  con- 
tinue Avith  the  Galatians.'  ch.  ii.  5.  As  Jotham  also 
said  to  Shechem,  'My  Father  fought  for  you,  and 
adventured  his  life  far,  and  delivered  you  out  of 
the  hand  of  Midian.'  JucLk.  17.  Namely,  that  they 
might  still  be  OAvners  of  the  inheritance  that  the 
Lord  had  given  them.  This  shcAvs  us  then,  that 
the  fruit  of  a  constant  standing  to  the  word  of  God, 
is.  That  the  generations  yet  imborn  shall  be  made 
the  possessors  and  OAvners  of  it. 

Ver.  10.  *  And  Enos  lived  after  he  begat  Cainan 
eight  hundred  and  fifteen  years,  and  begat  sons 
and  daughters.' 

He  lived  then  to  see  his  son  enjoy  the  fruits  of 
his  own  constancy  to  the  truth,  so  long  a  time  as 
eight  hundred  years,  (fee.  as  we  hope  God's  people 
noAV  may  do.  'Tis  true,  they  noAV  do  OAvn  the 
truth  with  hazard,  and  do  hold  it  up  by  enduring 
much  misery,  according  to  the  rage  of  wicked  men; 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTEHS  OF  GENESIS. 


457. 


but,  I  say,  'tis  hoped  others  Avill  reap  the  fruits  of 
our  travails,  and  that  some  of  us  shall  live  to  see 
it,  as  Enos  lived  to  see  his  Cainau  possess  religion 
eight  hundred  years.* 

Ver.  11.  '  And  all  the  days  of  Enos  were  nine 
hundred  and  five  years :  and  he  died. ' 

He  lived  then  one  hundred  fifty-three  years  after 
Enoch,  and  died  five  hundred  and  sixteen  years 
before  the  flood. 

Ver.  12.  '  ^  And  Cainan  lived  seventy  years, 
and  begat  Mahalaleel.' 

Mahalaleel,  signifieth  praising  God.  Wherefore 
he  was  born  in  settled  times,  wherein  religion  met 
with  little  or  no  molestation.  It  began  to  be  as 
hereditary  in  the  days  of  blessed  Cainan  ;  where- 
fore it  was  requisite  that  the  very  next  that  should 
possess  the  truth,  should  spend  their  days  in  prais- 
ing God.  Re.  xi.  15.  And  thus  it  will  be  at  the  down- 
fal  of  Antichrist :  '  After  this  (saith  John)  I  heard 
a  great  voice  of  much  people  in  heaven,  saying 
Allelujah ;  Salvation,  and  glory,  and  honour,  and 
power  unto  the  Lord  our  God.  -  -  -  -  And  a  voice 
came  out  of  the  throne  saying.  Praise  our  God,  all 
ye  his  servants ;  and  ye  that  fear  him,  both  small 
and  great. '  Re.  xLx.  1—6. 

*  The  whole  earth  (saith  the  Prophet)  is  at  rest 
and  is  quiet,  they  break  forth  into  singing.  Yea, 
the  fir-trees  rejoice  at  thee,  (0  thou  brood  of  the 
blood-thirsty  Cain,)  and  the  cedars  of  Lebanon, 
saying,  Since  thou  art  laid  down,  no  feller  is  come 
up  against  us.'  Is. xiv. 7, 8. 

Ver.  13.  'And  Cainan  lived  after  he  begat 
Mahalaleel  eight  hundred  and  forty  years,  and 
begat  sons  and  daughters.' 

God  gave  him  a  long  possession  and  enjoyment 
of  the  fruits  of  his  father's  labours.  They  sowed 
(as  Christ  said)  and  he  was  entered  into  their 
labours :  They  sowed  in  tears,  and  he  reaped  in 
joy.  Mahalaleel,  or  praise  our  God,  was  the  lan- 
guage of  those  times, 

Ver.  14.  '  And  all  the  days  of  Cainan  were  nine 
hundred  and  ten  years :  and  he  died. ' 

He  lived  then  two  hundred  and  forty-eight  years 
after  Enoch,  and  died  four  hundred  twenty-one 
years  before  the  flood. 

Ver.  15.  '^  And  Mahalaleel  lived  sixty  and  five 
years,  and  begat  Jared.' 

Jared  signifies  ruling,  and  sheweth  us  what  is 
the  holy  fruits  of  peace  and  thanksgiving  in  the 
chm-ch ;  to  wit,  government  according  to  the  testa- 
ment of  Christ.  Ac.  be.  31.  It  is  hard  to  have  all 
things  according  to  rule,  in  the  day  of  the  church's 


*  Bunyau,  after  suffering  mucli,  and  witnessing  the  cruel 
havoc  made  with  the  church  of  God  iu  his  time,  fell  asleep  in 
peace  on  the  eve  of  the  glorious  revolution ; — while  many  of 
his  cotemporaries  did,  he  did  not  'live  to  see  it.'  He  died 
August  31,  1688 — as  James  the  Second  fled  and  lost  his 
cro\vn  on  the  11th  of  December  following. — Ed. 
VOL.  II. 


affliction ;  because  of  the  weakness  and  fearfulness 
of  some;  and  because  possibly  those  who  have 
most  skill  in  that  matter,  may  for  a  time  be  laid 
up  in  chains :  but  now  when  the  church  hath  rest. 
and  quietness,  then  as  she  praiseth  God,  so  she 
conceiveth  and  bringeth  forth  governors,  and  good 
government  and  rule  among  her  members.  David, 
a  man  of  blood,  coidd  not  build  that  house  to  the 
Lord,  which  peaceable  Solomon,  that  man  of  rest, 
afterwards  did.  i  Ch.  xxviii.  3,  6.  When  armies  are 
engaged,  and  hot  in  battle,  'tis  harder  to  keep 
them  in  rank  and  file,  than  when  they  have  rest, 
and  time  for  discipline.  Jared  therefore  is  the 
fruits  of  thanksgiving,  as  thanksgiving  is  the  fruits 
of  peace  and  possession. 

Ver.  16.  'And  Mahalaleel  lived  after  he  begat 
Jared  eight  hundred  and  thirty  years,  and  begat 
sons  and  daughters.' 

He  lived  not  only  to  give  thanks  unto  God,  but 
to  shew  to  all  that  he  gave  thanks  in  truth,  by  sub- 
mitting his  neck  the  rest  of  the  hundred  of  years 
that  he  lived,  to  the  holy  law  and  word  of  God. 

A  good  rule  to  prove  peojjle  by ;  for  all  that 
pretend  to  give  thanks  for  liberty,  put  not  their 
neck  under  the  yoke,  but  rather  use  their  liberty 
as  an  occasion  for  the  flesh,  than  by  love  to  serve 
and  advantage  one  another  in  the  things  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ.  Ga.  v.  13.  i  Pe.  ii.  16.  But  as  '  the 
bramble  said  to  the  [rest  of  the]  trees,'  so  saith 
Christ  to  such  feigned  thanksgivers,  '  If  in  truth 
ye  anoint  me  king  over  you,  then  come  and  put 
your  trust  in  my  shadow. '  Ju.  Lx.  15.  Submit  to  my 
law,  and  be  governed  by  my  testament.  Let  your 
thanksginng  bring  forth  Jared,  and  walk  with  God 
in  the  days  of  Jared. 

Ver.  17.  '  And  aU  the  days  of  Mahalaleel  were 
eight  hundred  ninety  and  five  years:  and  he  died.' 

He  lived  then  three  hundred  and  three  years 
after  Enoch,  and  died  three  hundi-cd  and  sixty-six 
years  before  the  flood. 

Ver.  18.  '  And  Jared  lived  an  hundred  sixty 
and  two  years,  and  he  begat  Enoch.' 

Enoch,  is  taught,  or  dedicate:  The  true  effect 
of  rule  or  government,  be  it  good  or  bad :  in  Cain's 
posterity  it  was  bad ;  '  for  an  evil  tree  cannot 
bring  forth  good  fruit.'  By  Enoch  here,  we  are 
to  understand,  one  taught  in,  and  dedicated  luito, 
God.  This  Enoch  therefore  was  a  son  that  would 
hear  the  rules,  and  submit  to  the  government  of 
his  father  Jared.  '  As  an  ear-ring  of  gold,  and 
an  ornament  of  fine  gold,  so  is  a  wise  reprover 
upon  an  obedient  ear. '  Tr.  xxv.  12. 

Ver.  19.  'And  Jared  lived  after  he  begat  Enoch 
eight  hundred  years,  and  begat  sons  and  daughters. ' 

He  lived  therefore  to  see  the  fruit  of  his  good 
rule  and  government  in  the  church,  even  to  see  his 
teachable  and  dedicated  son  caught  up  to  God,  and 
to  his  throne.  A  good  encouragement  to  aU  rulers 
3  M 


45S 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  0?  GENESIS. 


in  tlie  laouse  of  Gotl,  and  also  to  all  godly  parents 
to  teach  and  rule  in  the  fear  of  God ;  for  that  is 
the  way  to  part  with  church  members,  and  chil- 
dren with  comfort;  yea,  that  is  the  way,  if  we 
shall  out-live  them,  to  send  them  to  heaven,  and 
to  God  before  us. 

Ver.  20.  '  And  all  the  days  of  Jared  were  nine 
hundred  sixty  and  two  years:  and  he  died.' 

He  lived  then  three  hundred  thirty-five  years 
after  Enoch,  and  died  two  hundred  thirty-four 
before  the  flood. 

Ver.  21.  '  And  Enoch  lived  sixty  and  five  years, 
and  begat  Methuselah. ' 

Methuselah  signifleth,  Spoiling  his  death:  This 
therefore  is  the  true  fruits  of  one  that  is  truly 
taught  in,  and  dedicate  to  the  service  of  God,  as 
Enoch  was  ;  by  this  means  he  spoileth  his  death : 
wherefore  he  adds,  'And  Enoch  walked  with  God.' 
Walking  with  God,  spoileth  death,  or  overcomes 
it,  or  it  shall  be  prevented,  he  shall  nat  be  hurt 
therev.'ith :  As  Christ  saith,  '  If  a  man  keep  my 
saying,  he  shall  never  taste  death. '  Jn.  viii.  53. 

Ver.  22.  '  And  Enoch  walked  with  God,  after 
he  begat  Methuselah  three  hundred  years,  and 
begat  sons  and  daughters.' 

These  words  [after  he  begat  Methuselali]  may 
have  respect  either  to  his  beginning  to  walk  vrith 
God,  or  to  the  number  of  tlie  years  that  he  lived 
after  the  birth  of  Methuselah,  or  both. 

If  it  respect  the  first,  then  it  sheweth  that  the 
only  encouragement  that  a  sinner  hath  to  walk 
with  God,  it  is  to  see  Methuselah,  or  his  death 
spoiled:  for  when  a  man  seeth  death,  and  all  evils, 
conquered  and  overcome,  then  his  sord  is  encou- 
raged in  holiness,  i  Co.  xv.  55— 5S.  Ko  encouragement 
to  walking  with  God  like  this :  '  Enoch  v.'alked 
with  God  after  he  begat  Methuselah.'  As  Paul 
saith,  '  Now  being  made  free  from  sin,  -  (which 
indeed  is  the  sting  of  death)  ye  have  your  fruit 
unto  holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life. '  Ho.  vi.  23. 

If  it  respect  the  second,  then  it  shews  us  the 
invincible  nature  of  true  faith,  (for  by  faith  Enoch 
walked  v»'ith  God:)  I  say,  it  sheweth  us  the  invin- 
cible nature  of  true  faith,  in  that  it  would  hold  up 
a  man  in  close  communion  Avith  God  for  the  space 
of  three  hundred  years. 

'He  walked  with  God  three  hundi'cd  years.' 
How  will  the  conversation  of  Enoch  rise  up  in 
judgment  with  this  generation,  that  walk  not  with 
God  at  all !  Or  if  they  do,  do  it  so  by  fits,  as  if 
walking  with  God  vras  but  a  work  by  the  by. 

'  He  walked  with  God  and  begat  sous  and 
daughters.'  And  kept  house,  and  lived  Vt'ith  his 
wife,  according  to  knovdedge.  This  shews  then, 
that  it  is  sin,  not  our  lawful  and  honest  employ- 
ment, that  hindereth  one's  walking  v/ith  God. 

Ver.  23,  24.  '  And  all  the  days  of  Enoch  were 
three  hundred  and  sixty  and  five  years:    And 


Enoch  walked  with  God :  and  he  teas  not ;  for  God 

took  him. '  ver.  23,  2i. 

The  New  Testament  saith,  *  By  faith  Enoch 
was  translated  that  he  should  not  see  death ;  and 
was  not  found,  because  God  had  translated  him: 
for  before  his  translation  he  had  this  testimony, 
that  he  pleased  God.' 

'  And  all  the  days  of  Enoch  were  three  himdred 
and  sixty,  and  five  years.'  Enoch  therefore  lived 
here  but  a  while ;  he  was  too  good  to  live  long  in 
this  world,  the  world  wa^s  not  worthy  of  him ; 
neither  Avoidd  he  be  spared  so  long  out  of  heaven, 
'for  God  took  him.'  The  end  of  walking  with 
God  or  the  path-way  thereof,  it  leads  men  to 
heaven,  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  glory  of  God. 
Thus  also  it  Avas  Avith  blessed  Elijah,  he  folloAved 
God  from  place  to  place,  till  at  length  he  Avas 
caught  up  into  heaven.  3  la.  ii.  i— ii. 

A  word  or  tAvo  more  of  Enoch.  Jude  observes. 
That  he  Avas  the  seventh  from  Adam:  Closely 
intimating  (as  I  conceive)  that  by  him  God  pre- 
figured the  resuri-ection  and  end  of  the  Avorld: 
And  intimated.  That  in  the  seventh  great  day  of 
the  Avorld  this  resurrection  should  be,  each  genera- 
tion from  Adam  being  a  type  of  a  thousand  years : 
So  that  Enoch,  the  seventh  from  Adam,  Avas  a 
typo  of  the  seventh  thousand,  in  Avhich  the  Lord 
Avill  reign  with  his  church  a  thousand  years. 

There  are  two  things  in  Enoch  that  incline  mo 
to  this  opinion.  First,  he  crieth  out,  *  Behold  the 
Lord  comes ! '  and  then  is  translated  that  he  should 
not  see  death,  Tlie  riglit  posture  and  end  of  thoso 
that  shall  live  at  the  day  of  God  Almighty ;  and 
that  shall,  like  Enoch,  be  found  '  Avalking  AA'ith 
God,'   Avhen  tho  Lord  shall  come  from  heaven. 

Jude  14, 15. 

Ver.  25.  '  H  And  Methuselah  lived  an  hundred 
eighty  and  seven  years,  and  begat  Lamech. ' 

Lamech  signifleth  poor,  or  smitten ;  wherefore 
I  doubt  that  the  apostacy  that  you  read  of  in  the 
next  chapter,  began  either  in  the  days  of,  or  by, 
this  man:  he  being,  as  it  seems,  more  dry  and 
void  of  grace  than  those  that  Aveut  before  him;  i 
poor,  or  smitten. 

Hence  note.  That  faith  and  godliness,  thougli 
often  it  goeth  from  the  father  to  the  son,  as  from 
Scth  to  Enos,  and  from  him  to  Cainan,  yet  it  is 
not  tied  here,  but  runs  according  to  electing  love, 
as  also  do  the  fruits  thereof. 

Ver.  26,  27.  '  And  Methuselah  lived  after  ho 
begat  Lamech  seven  hundred  eighty  and  tAvo 
years,  and  begat  sons  and  daughters.  And  all  tho 
days  of  Methuselah  Avere  nine  hundred  sixty  and 
nine  years,  and  he  died. ' 

Methuselah,  the  spoiling  of  death,  is  the  longest 
hver  in  the  Avoiid ;  yet  he  died  in  the  year  that  the 
flood  AA'as  u2>ou  the  earth ;  not  by  the  flood,  but  by 
the  course  of  nature,  as  also  did  Lamech  his  son,  ^ 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


459 


for  the  wicked  reprobate  only  was  swept  away  by 
that,  according  to  the  apostle  Peter. 

Ver.  28,  29.  '  IT  And  Lamech  lived  an  hundred 
eii^'hty  and  two  years,  and  begat  a  son:  and  he 
called  his  name  Noah,  saying,  This  same  shall 
comfort  lis  concerning  our  Avork  and  toil  of  our 
hands,  because  of  the  ground  which  the  Lord  hath 
cursed.' 

*  And  he  called  his  name  Noah.'  Noah  signi- 
fieth  rest ;  his  name  was  therefore  according  to  his 
•work,  for  he  was  a  preacher  of  righteousness, 
which  givetli  rest  to  all  that  embraceth  it.  Besides, 
it  was  he  that  prepared  the  ark,  the  place  of  rest 
to  the  church  of  God. 

'  This  same  shall  comfort  us  concerning  our 
work  and  toil  of  our  hands,  because  of  the  ground 
which  the  Lord  hath  cursed. ' 

These  words  seem  to  carry  in  them,  repentance 
for  the  apostacy  that  before  was  mentioned.  *  This 
same  shall  comfort  us,'  by  restoring  the  church  to 
her  former  rest,  and  by  delivering  us  from  the 
'  toil  of  our  hands;' for  sin  once  admitted  of  in 
the  church,  is  not  without  much  toil  extirpated, 
and  driven  forth  of  the  same ;  yea  sometimes  it 
getteth  such  footing  and  root,  that  it  cannot  again 
be  purged  and  destroyed,  but  by  breaking  the 
very  being  of  the  church  where  it  is.  Thus  it  was 
as  to  the  case  in  hand,  and  is  signified  also  by 
pulling  down  the  house  in  which  the  leprosy  was. 
Le.  xiv.  '13—45.  Yea  Eplicsus  itself  was  almost  thus 
far   infected,  had    not  a  threatening   prevented. 

He.  ii.  1 — 3. 

*  Because  of  the  ground  which  tlie  Lord  hath 
cursed.'  The  Lord  did  curse  it  for  the  sin  of 
Adam :  He  also  rencM'ed  the  curse  to  Cain,  because 
he  was  guilty  of  the  blood  of  his  brother.  I  incline 
also  to  think,  that  the  curse  here  mentioned,  is  the 
first,  reiterated  for  the  grievous  apostacy  of  this 
■congregation  ;  according  to  that  which  is  written, 
'  If  ye  walk  contrary  unto  me,'  '  I  will  punish  you 
seven  times  more:'  '  I  will  bring  seven  times  more 
plagues  upon  you,  according  to  your  sins. '  Le.  r-wi. 

IS— 21. 

Ver.  30.  *  And  Lamech  lived  after  he  begat 
Noah,  five  hundred  ninety  and  five  years,  and 
begat  sons  and  daughters.'  Wherefore  Lamech 
heard  the  preaching  of  Noah,  who  was  the  only 
minister  of  God  in  those  days,  to  recover  the 
church  to  repentance  from  their  apostacy,  which 
also  he  did  in  some  good  measure  effect,  while 
he  condemned  the  world  for  their  unbelief.  He.  .\i.  7. 

Ver.  3L  *  And  all  the  days  of  Lamech  were  seven 
hundred  seventy  and  seven  years :  and  he  died. ' 
He  died  five  years  before  the  flood.  Methuselah 
therefore  was  the  longest  liver  of  those  godly  that 
fell  on  the  other  side  the  flood,  for  he  died  not 
before  the  very  year  the  flood  came,  not  by  the 
water,  but  before.     The  righteous  is  taken  away 


from  the  evil  to  come ;  though,  as  the  prophet; 
saith,  no  man  of  the  wicked  laid  it  to  heart. 

Ver.  32.  '  II  And  Noah  v/as  five  hundred  years 
old :  and  Noah  begat  Shem,  Ham,  and  Japhet. ' 

CHAP.  VL 

Ver.  1.  '  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  men  began 
to  multiply  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  daughters 
were  born  unto  them. ' 

Moses  now  leaveth  the  genealogy  for  a  while, 
and  searchcth  into  the  state  and  condition  of  the 
church  now  after  so  long  a  time  as  its  standing 
upwards  of,  or  above,  a  thousand  years :  where  he 
presently  findeth  two  things.  L  The  church 
declined.  2.  And  God  provoked.  Wherefore  he 
maketh  inquiry  into  the  nature  of  the  church's 
sin ;  which  he  relateth  in  this  following  chapter. 

'  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  men  began  to  mul- 
tiply.' The  men  here  I  understand  to  be  the 
children  of  Cain,  the  clmrch  and  synagogue  of 
Satan,  because  they  are  mentioned  by  way  of 
antithesis  to  the  church  and  sons  of  God. 

'  And  daughters  were  born  unto  them.'  A  snare 
that  was  often  used  in  the  hand  of  the  devil,  to 
iutangle  withal  the  church  of  God ;  yea,  and  doth 
so  usually  speed,  that  it  hath  often  been  counted  by 
him  as  infallible ;  so  that  this  is  the  doctrine  of 
his  prophet  Balaam,  and  it  prevailed,  when  all  the 
engines  of  hell  beside  were  prevented.  '  The 
people  began  to  commit  whoredom  with  the  daugh- 
ters of  Moab.'  Ku.  XXV.  1,3.  It  may  be  this  child  of 
hell,  in  this  his  advice  to  Balak  looked  back  to  the 
daughters  of  Cain,  and  calling  to  remembrance 
how  of  old  they  intangled  the  church,  advertised 
him  to  put  the  same  into  practice  again.  Ke.  ii  14. 

Ver.  2.  •  That  the  sons  of  God  saw  the  daugh- 
ters of  men,  that  they  were  fair ;  and  they  took 
them  wives  of  all  which  they  chose.' 

This  Avas  the  way  then  of  the  sons  of  Cain,  to 
let  their  fair  daughters  be  shewed  to  the  sons  of 
God.  Pr.  xxu.  11.  For  it  seems  all  other  tlieir  wiles 
and  devices  were  not  able  to  bring  the  church  and 
the  world  together,  and  to  make  them  live  as  in 
one  commimion.  These  to  the  church  were  such, 
whose  hearts  were  snares  and  nets,  and  whose 
hands  were  bands  to  intangle  and  hold  them  from 
observing  the  laws  and  judgments  of  God.  Ec.  vii,  2G 

♦And  they  took  them  wives.'  First  their  eyo 
saw  them,  and  then  their  heart  lusted  after  them. 
Thus  the  devil  deceived  the  woman,  and  by  this 
means  perished  cursed  Achan.  *And  Achan 
answered  Joshua,  and  said.  Indeed  I  have  sinned 
against  the  Lord,  and  thus  and  thus  have  I  done : 
When  I  saw  among  the  spoils  a  goodly  Baby- 
lonish garment,'  &c.,  'then  I  coveted  them.'  Jos. 

vii.  20,  21. 

Note  therefore,  that  it  is  not  good  to  behold  with 


460 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OP  GENESIS. 


tlie  eye  that  •wlilcli  God  hatli  forLicl  ns  to  toiicli 
■with  our  hand.  '  I  made  a  covenant  with  mine  eyes, ' 
Baith  Job.  Job.  XXX.  1.  And  again,  if  at  unawares  a 
thing  was  cast  before  him,  the  bcliolding  of  which 
was  of  an  intangling  nature,  he  forthwitli  would 
hold  back  his  heart  as  with  a  bridle,  lest  the 
design  of  hell  should  he  eiFectod  upon  him.  vcr.  7. 

Crush  sin  then  in  the  conception,  lest  it  bring 
forth  death  in  thy  soul. 

Yer.  3.  *  And  the  Lord  said,  My  Spirit  shall  not 
always  strive  with  man,  for  that  he  also  is  flesh : 
yet  his  days  shall  be  an  hundred  and  twenty 
years.' 

By  these  w^ords  is  aggravated  the  sin  of  the 
church,  that  she  would  attempt  to  close  with,  and 
hold  a  sinful  communion,  against  the  dissuasions 
of  the  Spirit  of  God. 

'My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive.'  To  wit, 
my  Spirit  in  Noah,  for  he  was  the  only  preacher 
of  righteousness  to  the  church  in  those  backsliding 
times. 

By  this  then,  I  find,  that  the  doctrine  of  Noah, 
was.  To  declare  against  a  sinful  communion,  or  to 
command  the  church,  in  the  name  of  God,  that  she 
still  maintain  a  separation  from  the  cursed  children 
of  Cain :  As  he  said  to  the  proj)het  Jeremiah,  If 
thou  separate  the  precious  from  the  vile,  '  thou 
shalt  be  as  my  mouth.'  chap.  xv.  19. 

Noah  therefore  had  a  hard  task,  when  he 
preached  this  doctrine  among  them :  for  this  above 
all  is  hard  to  be  borne,  for  by  this  he  condemned 
the  world. 

The  first  great  quarrel  therefore  that  God  had 
with  his  church,  it  was  for  their  holding  unwar- 
rantable communion  with  others.  The  church 
should  always  '  dwell  alone,  and  not  be  reckoned 
among  the  nations.' Nu..x.\iii. 9.  The  church  is  'a 
chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  an  holy 
nation,  a  peculiar  people.'  iPe.  ii.  9.  Therefore  the 
work  of  the  church  of  God,  is  not  to  fall  in  with 
any  sinful  fellowship,  or  receive  into  their  com- 
munion the  ungodly  world,  but  to  shew  forth  the 
praises  and  virtues  of  him  who  hath  called  them 
out  from  among  such  communicants  into  his  mar- 
vellous light. 

'My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive.'  Hence 
note,  that  the  people  that  shall  continue  to  grieve 
the  Spirit  of  God,  and  to  resist  the  doctrine  of 
Noah,  they  are  appointed  for  heavy  judgments. 
'  Come  out  of  her,  my  people,  that  ye  be  not  par- 
takers of  her  sins,  and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her 
plagues.'  Re. xriii.  4.  This  because  those  (finally  im- 
penitent) in  Noah's  time  refused  to  do,  therefore 
the  wrath  of  God  overtook  them,  and  swept  them 
off  the  face  of  the  earth. 

'  Yet  his  days  shall  be  an  hundred  and  twenty 
years.'  Noah  therefore  began  his  preaching  about 
the  four  hundred  and  fourscore  year  of  his  life. 


which  continuing  the  space  of  sixseore  more,  it 
reached  to  the  day  that  the  flood  came. 

In  which  time  doubtless  his  faith  was  sufiiciently 
tried,  both  by  the  hard  censures  of  the  hj^pocrltes 
of  the  church,  and  the  open  profane  of  the  world, 
against  whom  he  daily  pronounced  the  judgments 
of  God  for  maintaining  their  forbidden  communion. 

Ge.  iii.  15. 

'  Yet  his  days  shall  be  an  hundred  and  twenty  I 
years.'     God  also  would  yet  have  patience  with  ^ 
these  people,  if  peradventure  they  would  repent 
that  his  hand  might  not  be  upon  them. 

Ver.  4.  '  There  were  giants  in  the  earth  in 
those  days ;  and  also  after  that,  Avhen  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.' 

*  There  were  giants  in  the  earth  in  those  days.' 
These  words  seem  to  be  spoken,  to  shew  us  the 
hazards  that  Noali  ran,  while  he  preached  the  truth 
of  God :  He  incurred  the  displeasure  of  the  giants, 
which  doubtless  made  all  men  tremble,  and  kept 
the  whole  world  in  awe.  But  Noah  must  engage 
the  giants,  he  must  not  fear  the  face  of  a  giant. 
This  way  God  took  also  with  Moses,  and  with  his 
people  of  Israel,  they  must  go  to  possess  the  land 
of  the  giants,  a  people  high  and  tall  as  the  cedars, 
a  people  of  whom  went  that  proverb,  '  Who  can 
stand  before  the  children  of  Anak  ?  '  De.  k.  2.  They 
must  not  be  afraid  of  Og  the  king  of  Bashan, 
though  his  head  be  as  high  as  the  ridge  of  a  house, 
and  his  bedstead  a  bedstead  of  iron.  De.  iii.  li. 

This  should  teach  us  then  not  to  fear  the  faces 
of  men :  no,  not  the  faces  of  the  mighty ;  not  to 
fear  them,  I  say,  in  the  matters  of  God,  though  m 
they  should  run  upon  us  like  a  giant.  a 

These  giants  I  suppose  were  the  children  of 
Cain,  because  mentioned  as  another  sort  than 
those  that  were  the  fruit  of  their  forbidden  and 
ungodly  communion :  For  he  adds,  'And  also  after 
that,'  or  besides  them,  *  when  the  sons  of  God 
came  in  unto  the  daughters  of  men,  and  they  bare 
children  to  them,  the  same,  [or  they  also]  became 
mighty  men  which  were  of  old,  men  of  renown. ' 

Then  Noah  found  giants  every  where:  Giants 
in  the  world,  and  giants  in  this  confused  com- 
munion. And  thus  it  is  at  this  day;  we  do  not 
only  meet  with  giants  abroad,  among  the  most 
ungodly  and  uncircumcised  in  heart,  but  eveu  j 
among  those  that  seem  to  be  of  the  religious, 
among  them  we  also  meet  with  giants  ;  men  mighty  j 
to  oppose  the  truth,  and  very  profound  to  make 
slaughter:  But  mark  the  advice  of  the  Lord, 
'  Fear  not  their  fear,  nor  be  afraid.  Sanctify  the 
Lord  of  hosts  himself,  (who  is  stronger  than  aU 
the  giants  that  are  upon  the  face  of  the  earth)  and 
let  him  be  your  fear,  and  let  him  be  your  dread.' 

Is.  viii.  12,  13. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


461 


'  And  when  the  sons  of  God  came  in  unto  the 
daughters  of  men,  and  they  hare  children  to  them, 
the  same  became  mighty  men  ; '  much  Hke  to  the 
giants.  The  fruit  therefore  of  luigodly  communion 
is  monstrous,  and  of  a  very  strange  complexion. 
They  are  hke  unto  them  that  worshipped  the  Lord, 
and  served  their  own  gods  also  ;  2  Ki.  xvii.  24, 4i.  or  | 
like  to  those  of  the  church,  of  whom  Nehemiah 
speaks,  that  had  mixed  themselves  with  the  chil- 
dren of  Ashdod,  Ammon  and  Moah,  whose  chil- 
dren were  a  monstrous  hrood,  that  spake  half  the 
language  of  Ashdod,  and  coidd  not  speak  the  Jews' 

Ian2fua2;e.  Ne.  xiii.  23,  24. 

By  both  these  sorts  of  giants  was  faithful  Noah 
despised,  and  his  work  for  God  condemned.  In 
David's  time  also  Goliah  defied  Israel,  and  so  did 
his  brethren  also,  l  Sa.  ^xvii.  lo.  Giants,  the  sons  of 
the  giant ;  hut  David  and  his  servants  must  engage 
them,  and  fight  them,  though  they  were  giants. 

1  Ch.  XX.  4—8. 

'  Mighty  men  which  were  of  old. '  Persecution 
therefore,  or  the  appearance  of  the  giants  against 
the  servants  of  God,  is  no  new  business ;  not  a 
thing  of  yesterday,  but  of  old,  even  when  Noah  did 
minister  for  God  in  the  world.  *  There  were  giants 
in  the  earth  in  those  days,'  to  oppose  him. 

*  Men  of  renovni. '  Not  for  faith  and  holiness, 
but  for  some  other  high  achievements,  may  be, 
mighty  to  fight,  and  to  shed  man's  blood ;  or  to 
find  out  arts,  and  the  nature  of  things ;  both  which 
did  render  them  famous,  and  men  to  be  noted  in 
their  place.  Such  kind  of  men  might  be  Corah, 
Dathan,  and  their  company  also  ;  yet  they  opposed 
Moses  and  Aaron,  yea,  God,  his  way  and  worship, 
and  perished  after  an  unheard  of  manner.  Nu.  xri.  l,  2. 
As  also  did  the  opposers  of  righteous  Noah,  in  the 
day  of  the  flood. 

Ver.  5.  •  And  God  saw  that  the  wickedness  of 
man  was  great  in  the  earth,  and  that  every  imagi- 
nation of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil 
continually.'  The  margin  saith,  'not  only  the 
imagination,  but  also  the  purposes  and  desires.' 

These  words  are  to  be  understood,  as  still 
respecting  the  apostacy  that  we  read  of  in  the  first 
and  second  verses,  and  are  (in  my  thoughts)  to  be 
taken  as  the  efi'ect  of  their  degeneracy.  For 
though  it  be  true,  that  the  best  of  men,  in  their 
anost  holy  and  godly  behaviour,  have  wicked  and 
fiinful  hearts ;  yet  so  long  as  they  walk  sincerely 
according  to  the  rules  prescribed  of  God,  there  is 
110  such  character  upon  them ;  especially  as  it 
stands  related  to  the  words  that  immediately  fol- 
low ;  to  wit,  •  that  it  repented  the  Lord  that  he 
made  them.' 

These  evil  and  wicked  purposes  then  were  in 
special  the  fruit  of  their  apostacy:  for  indeed, 
when  men  are  once  fallen  from  God,  they  then,  as 
the  judgment  of  God  upon  them,  are  given  ui?  to 


all  unrighteousness.  Again,  apostatizing  persons 
are  counted  abhorrers  of  God,  Zee.  xi.  8.  Yet  persons 
in  this  condition  will  seek  their  own  justification, 
turning  things  upside  down,  traversing  their  ways 
like  tlie  dromedaries ;  hearing  us  still  in  hand, 
that  they  stand  not  guilty  of  sin,  but  that  what 
they  do  is  allowable,  or  winked  at  of  God, 
Besides,  they  say  their  hearts  are  still  upright 
with  God,  and  that  they  have  not  forsaken  the 
simplicity  of  his  way,  of  a  wicked  and  ungodly 
design,  with  an  hundred  more  the  like  pretences; 
all  which  are  condemned  of  God,  and  held  by  him 
as  abominable  and  vile,  Je.  ii.  31—37. 

And  God  saw,  &c.  They  covered  their  shame 
from  men,  like  the  adulterous  woman  in  the  Pro- 
verbs, and  would  speak  with  oily  mouths,  thereby 
to  cozen  the  world ;  Pr.  xxx.  20.  but  God  knew  their 
hearts,  and  had  revealed  their  sin  to  his  servant 
Noah ;  he  therefore  in  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  one 
alone,  cried  out  against  their  wickedness. 

Hence  learn  to  judge  of  apostates,  not  by  their 
words,  nor  pretences,  nor  ungodly  coverings,  where- 
by they  may  seek  to  hide  themselves  from  the 
stroke  of  a  convincing  argument,  but  judge  them 
by  the  words  of  God;  for  however  they  think  of 
themselves,  or  would  be  accounted  of  others,  God 
sees  their  wickedness  is  great, 

*  And  that  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of 
his  heart,  was  only  evil  continually.'  If  they 
think  they  have  not  sinned ;  if  they  think  they 
promote  religion ;  if  they  think  to  find  out  a  medium 
to  make  peace  between  the  seed  of  the  woman,  and 
the  wicked  seed  of  Cain;  aU  is  alike  ungodly,  they 
have  forsaken  the  right  way,  they  have  dissembled 
the  known  truth,  they  have  rejected  the  word  of  the 
Lord :   And  what  wisdom  or  goodness  is  in  them  ? 

Ver.  6.  'And  it  repented  the  Lord  that  he  had 
made  man  on  the  earth,  and  it  grieved  him  at  his 
heart.* 

Repentance  is  in  us  a  change  of  the  mind ;  hut 
in  God,  a  change  of  his  dispensations ;  for  other- 
wise he  repenteth  not,  neither  can  he ;  because  it 
standeth  not  with  the  perfection  of  his  nature :  In 
him  'is  no  variableness,  neither  shadow  of  turning.' 
Ja.  i.  17. 

Wherefore,  it  is  man,  not  God,  that  turns. 
When  men  therefore  reject  the  mercy  and  ways  of 
God,  they  cast  themselves  under  his  wrath  and 
displeasure ;  which  because  it  is  executed  accord- 
ing to  the  nature  of  his  justice,  and  the  severity  of 
his  law,  they  miss  of  the  mercy  promised  before. 
Nu.  xxiii.  19.  Which  that  we  may  know,  those  shall 
one  day  feel  that  shall  continue  in  final  impenitency. 
Therefore,  God  speaking  to  their  capacity,  he  tells 
them,  he  hath  repented  of  doing  them  good,  '  The 
Lord  repented  that  he  had  made  Saul  king, '  1  Sa.  .-tv. 
35.  And  yet  this  repentance  was  only  a  change  of 
the  dispensation,   which  Saul  by  his  wickedness 


46; 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIKST  TEN  CHAPTEKS  OF  GENESIS. 


bad  put  Iiimself  under;  otherwise  tlie  stren"'tli,  the 
eternity  of  Israel,  '  will  not  lie  nor  repent. '  ver.  29. 

The  sum  is  therefore,  that  men  had  now  hj 
their  Avichedness  put  themselves  under  the  justice 
and  law  of  God;  which  justice  by  i-eason  of  its 
perfection,  could  not  endure  they  should  abide  on 
the  earth  any  longer ;  and  therefore  now,  as  a  just 
reward  of  their  deed,  they  must  be  swept  from  the 
face  thereof. 

'And  it  grieved  him  at  his  heart.'  This  is 
spoken  to  show,  that  he  did  not  feign,  but  was 
simple  and  sincere  in  his  promise  of  i-emission  and 
forgiveness  of  sins,  had  they  kept  close  to  his 
Avord,  according  as  he  had  commanded.  AVIiere- 
fore  God's  heart  went  not  with  them  in  their 
backsliding,  but  left  them,  and  v.-as  offended  with 
them. 

Ver.  7.  '  And  the  Lord  said,  I  will  destroy  man 
whom  I  have  created,  from  the  face  of  the  earth, 
both  man,  and  beast,  (or  from  man  to  beast,)  and  the 
creeping  thing,  and  the  fowls  of  the  air ;  for  it  re- 
peuteth  me  that  I  have  made  them.' 

This  may  be  either  understood  as  a  threatening, 
or  a  determination:  if  as  a  threatening  then  it 
admitted  of  time  for  repentance;  but  if  it  was 
spoken  as  a  determination,  then  they  had  stood 
out  the  day  of  grace,  and  had  laid  themselves  under 
imavoidable  judgment.  If  it  respected  the  first, 
then  it  was  in  order  to  the  ministry  of  Noah,  or  in 
order  to  the  effecting  the  ends  "of  its  sending; 
wiiich  were  either  to  soften  or  harden,  or  bring  to 
repentance,  or  to  leave  them  utterly  and  altogether 
inexcusable.  But  if  it  respected  the  second,  as  it 
might,  then  it  was  pronounced  as  an  effect  of  God's 
displeasure,  for  their  abuse  of  his  patience,  his 
mmister,  and  word.  As  it  also  was  with  Israel  of 
•old;  'They mocked  the  messengers  of  God,  and 
despised  his  Avords,  and  misused  his  prophets,  until 
the  wrath  of  the  Lord  arose  against  his  people,  till 
t]t€re  ivccs  no  remedy. '  2  ciu  xxxvi.  ig. 

'  And  the  Lord  said,  I  Avill  destroy  man  Avhom 
I  have  created. '  This  word  created,  is  added,  on 
purpose  to  show  that  the  world  is  mider  tlie  power 
of  his  hand ;  for  who  can  destroy,  but  he  that  can 
create  ?  Or  who  can  save  alive,  Avhen  the  maker 
of  the  world  is  set  against  them  ?  '  There  is  one 
lawgiver,  who  is  able  to  save  and  to  destroy.' 
Ja.  iv.  12.  And  again,  '  Fear  him  Avhich  is  able  to 
destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell. '  Mat.  x.  28.  In 
both  which  places  power  to  destroy  is  insinuated 
from  his  power  and  Godhead  :  As  he  saith  in 
another  place,  'All  souls  arc  mine;  -  the  soul 
that  sinneth,  it  shaU  die.'  Eze.  xviii.  4. 

'  Both  man  and  beast,  and  the  creeping  thino-, 
and  the  fowls, '  &c.  Thus  it  was  at  hrst  the  sin  of 
a  man  brought  a  curse  and  judgment  upon  other 
the  creatm-es  Avhom  God  had  made :  As  Paul  says, 
*  The  whole  creation  groaueth. '  Ko.  -nil.  23. 


But  again,  This  threatening  upon  the  beasts,  the 
fowls,  and  creeping  thing,  might  arise  from  a  double 
consideration:  First,  To  show,  that  when  God 
intends  the  destruction  of  man,  he  will  also  destroy 
the  means  of  his  preservation.  Jos.  vi.  so.  Or,  secondly, 
To  shew,  that  when  he  is  determined  to  execute 
his  judgments,  he  w^ill  cut  off'  all  that  stands  in  his 
way.  2  C!i.  XXXV.  21.  He  could  not  destroy  the  earth 
without  a  flood,  and  preserve  the  beast,  &c.,  alive ; 
therefore  he  destroys  them  also. 

'For  it  repcnteth  me  that  I  have  made  them.' 
This  seems  to  fall  mider  the  first  consideration,  to 
wit.  That  God  repented  that  he  made  the  beasts 
and  fowls ;  because  now  they  were  used  to  sustain 
his  implacable  enemies. 

Ver.  8.  '  II  But  Koah  found  grace  in  tlio  eyes 
of  the  LORD.' 

This  Avord  grace,  must  in  special  be  observed ; 
for  grace  is  it  Avhich  deiivereth  from  all  deserved 
judgments  and  destruction. 

Noah,  by  nature  was  no  better  than  other  men : 
therefore  the  reason  why  he  perished  not  A\-ith 
others,  it  AA'as  because  he  '  foimd  grace  in  the  eyes 
of  the  Lord. '  Ye  are  saved  by  grace.  Ep.  ii.  8.  And 
thus  Avas  Noah,  as  is  evident,  because  he  was 
saved  by  faith.  He.  xi.  7.  For  faith  respecteth  not 
works,  but  grace :  Ye  are  saved  by  grace  througli 
faith.  As  Paul  says  again,  '  Therefore  it  is  of 
faith  that  it  migJit  be  by  grace,'  &c.  Ho.  iv. ic.  We 
must  therefore,  in  our  deliverance  from  all  the  i 
judgments  of  God,  sing  grace,  grace,  unto  it. 

Ver.  9.  '  These  are  the  generations  of  Noah: 
Noah  AA-as  a  just  man,  and  perfect  in  his  genera- 
tions ;  and  Noah  Avalked  Avith  God.' 

The  Holy  Ghost  here  makes  a  short  digression 
from  his  progress,  in  his  relation  of  the  wickedness 
of  the  world ;  and  yet  not  impertinently ;  for  seeing 
Noah  AA'as  the  man  that  escaped  the  judgment,  his 
escape  must  be  for  some  reason ;  Avhich  was,  be- 
cause God  was  gracious  to  him,  and  because  God 
had  justified  him.  Besides  Noah  being  now  made 
righteous,  faithfully  walketh  with  God, 

'  He  Avas  just  and  perfect  in  his  generations.' 
But  Avhy  it  is  said,  Generations  ?  It  might  be, 
because  he  Avas  faithful  to  God  and  man,  having 
the  armour  of  righteousness  on  the  right  hand,  and 
on  the  left.  It  is  said  in  Isaiah,  That  Christ 
'  made  liis  grave  AA'ith  the  Avicked,  and  Avith  the 
rich  in  his  death.' lui.  9.  To  import.  That  they 
only  have  benefit  by  him  to  eternal  life,  that  die 
by  his  exam2)le,  as  Aveil  as  live  by  his  blood ;  for 
in  his  deaih  Avas  both  merit  and  example;  and  they 
are  like  to  miss  in  the  first,  that  are  not  concerned 
in  the  second.  Phi.  viii.  ic. 

'  Perfect  in  his  generations.'     In  his  carriage, 
doctrines  and  life,  before  both  God  and  man.  And 
thus  ought  CA'ery  preacher  to  be ;  he  ought  to  do      i 
in  the  sight  of  God,  what  he  commands  to  men  ; 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  EIKST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


40  o 
U-J 


by  tills  means  lie  savetli  botli  liimself,  and  tlicm 
that  liear  Iiim.  1  Ti.  ir.  16. 

Besides,  Noah  was  a  man,  as  well  as  a  saint, 
and  in  either  sense  had  a  generation :  to  both  of 
•which  grace  made  him  faithful ;  and  lie  that  shall 
not  serve  his  generation  as  a  man,  vrill  hardly  serve 
his  generation  as  a  Christian.  But  Noah  was 
perfect  in  both,  he  v."a3  *  perfect  i:i  his  generations.' 

'  And  Noah  Avalked  with  God.'  This  shews  he 
was  sincere  in  his  work ;  for  a  hypocrite  may,  as 
to  outward  shew,  do  as  the  saint  of  God :  but  he 
doth  it  with  respect  to  men,  not  God,  and  tlierefore 
he  is  a  hypocrite.  To  walk  with  God  then,  is  not 
only  to  do  the  duty  commanded,  but  to  do  it  as 
God  requireth  it ;  that  is,  to  do  it  with  faith,  and 
son-like  fear,  as  in  God's  sight,  *  with  singleness 
of  heart. ' 

Ver.  10.  'And  Noah  begat  three  sons,  Shcm, 
Ham,  and  Japheth.' 

These  are  the  offspring  of  Noah,  and  by  these 
was  the  earth  replenislied  after  the  Hood,  as  will 
be  further  seen  hereafter. 

Ver.  11.  'The  earth  also  was  corrupt  before 
God,  and  the  earth  was  filled  with  violence.' 

He  has  now  returned  to  the  matter  in  hand  be- 
fore ;  to  Avit,  the  causes  of  the  flood. 

'The  earth  also  v.'as  corrupt.'  By  earth,  he 
may  here  mean,  those  that  arc  without  the  church: 
and  if  so,  then  by  corrupt  here,  we  must  under- 
stand, wicked  after  a  most  high  manner;  for  albeit 
the  world  and  generation  of  Cain  be  always  sinners 
before  God,  yet  the  Lord  cutteth  not  off  the  world 
in  general,  nor  a  nation  in  particular,  but  because 
of  the  commission  of  eminent  outrage  and  wicked- 
ness. Thus  it  was  with  those  of  Sodom,  a  little 
before  the  Lord  with  fire  devoured  them.  '  The 
men  of  Sodom  (saith  the  text)  icere  v^'icked,  and 
sinners  before  the  Lord  exceedingly. '  Ge.  xiii.  13. 

Again:  As  by  corrupt,  we  may  understand, 
corrupt  by  way  of  eminency  ;  so  again,  they  were 
corrupt  incurably.  This  is  evident,  because  they 
were  not  brought  off  from  sin  by  the  ministry  of 
Noah,  the  only  appointed  means  of  their  conver- 
sion. 

Hence  note.  That  v.'heu  men  are  sinners  exceed- 
ingly, and  when  the  means  of  grace  appointed  of 
God  for  their  recovery,  prove  ineffectual,  then  they 
are  near  some  signal  judgment.  2  Ch.  isxri.  Thus 
back-sliding  Jerusalem,  because  she  was  wicked 
vrith  an  high  hand,  Eze.  xxiv.  13, 14.  and  could  not 
be  cured  by  the  ministry  of  the  prophets,  there- 
fore her  sons  must  go  forth  of  her  into  captivity, 
and  the  city  burned  to  the  ground  with  fire.  Jc.  xv. 

1-3. 

'  And  the  earth  was  filled  with  violence.'  First, 
they  had  A'iolated  the  law  of  God,  in  making  and 
maintaining  ungodly  and  wicked  communion ;  ac- 
cording to  that  of  the  prophet,  '  Her  priests  have 


violated  my  law,  and  have  profaned  mine  holy 
things.'  But  how?  'They  have  put  no  differ- 
ence between  the  holy  and  profane,  neither  have 
they  shewed  difference  between  the  unclean  and 

the  clean,'  Eze.  xxii.  2G. 

They  also  perverted  judgment  between  a  man 
and  his  neighbour :  adhering  to  their  o^\n  party, 
in  disaffection  to  the  religious.  This  is  supposed, 
because  of  the  exceeding  latitude  of  the  expression, 
'The  earth  was  filled  with  violence;'  that  is,  all 
manner  of  violence,  outrage  and  cruelty  was  com- 
mitted by  this  sort  of  people.  This  takes  in  that 
saying  of  Solomon,  the  oppression  of  the  poor, 
especially  God's  poor,  is  included,  in  a  '  violent 
perverting  of  judgment  and  justice.'  Ecv.  8. 

They  also  shewed  violence  to  the  lives  of  good 
men,  as  may  be  gathered  by  the  act  of  Lamech, 
one  of  the  sons  of  Cain.  In  a  word,  '  The  earth 
was  filled  with  violence ;'  violence  of  every  kind  ; 
lust  and  wickedness  was  outrageous,  there  was  a 
world  of  ungodliness  among  these  ungodly  men. 

Ver.  12.  'And  God  looked  upon  the  earth,  and, 
behold,  it  was  corrupt ;  for  all  flesh  had  corrupted 
his  way  upon  the  earth.' 

By  these  words  therefore  is  confirmed  the  sense 
of  the  former  verse,  '  The  earth  was  coi-rupt;'  for 
God  savv^  it  was  so :  '  The  earth  was  full  of  vio- 
lence,' for  they  had  corrupted  God's  way. 

'  And  God  looked  upon  the  earth.'  This  shews 
us.  That  the  Lord  doth  not  Avith  haste,  or  in  a  rash 
inconsiderate  Avay,  pour  his  judgments  upon  the 
Avorld ;  but  that  Avith  judgment  and  knoAAdedge, 
the  AA^ckeduess  first  being  certain,  and  of  merit 
deserving  the  same.  This  is  seen  in  his  Avay  of 
dealing  Avith  Sodom.  '  And  the  Lord  said.  Because 
the  cry  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  is  great,  and  be- 
cause their  sin  is  very  grievous,  I  will  go  down 
noAV,  and  see  whether  they  have  done  altogether 
according  to  the  cry  of  it,  Avliich  is  come  unto  me; 
and  if  not,  I  AviU  knoAV.'  Ge.  xviii.  21. 

'  And,  behold,  it  Avas  corrupt ;  for  all  flesh  had 
corrupted  his  Avay  upon  the  earth.'  It  proved,  as 
that  of  Sodom  did,  according  to  the  cry  thereof  ; 
for  '  all  flesh  had  corrupted  his  way. '  God's  way, 
by  violating  his  law,  and  perverting  of  judgment, 
as  Avas  hinted  before.  All  flesh  had  corrupted  it, 
therefore  the  evil  needed  not  to  be  long  in  searching 
out:  As  God  saith  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  'I 
have  not  found  it  by  diligent  search,  but  upon  all 
these.'  ii. 34.  Here  upon  the  whole  earth,  none 
exempted  but  righteous  Noah. 

Ver.  13.  'And  God  said  unto  Noah,  The  end  of 
all  flesh  is  come  before  nic ;  for  the  earth  is  filled 
Avith  violence  through  them ;  and,  behold,  I  Avill 
destroy  them  Avith  the  earth.' 

'  And  God  said  unto  Noah,'  or  told  Noah  his 
purpose :  The  same  Avay  he  Avcnt  with  Abraham  : 
'  Sluill  i  hide  from  Abraliam  that  thing  which  I 


464 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEX  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


do  ?'  Ge.  xviii.  17.  *  Surely  the  Lord  will  do  nothing, 
Lut  he  revealetli  his  secrets  unto  his  servants  the 
prophets.   Am.  iii.  7. 

'  The  end  of  all  flesh  is  come.'  The  time  or 
expiration  of  the  world  is  at  hand.  God  speaks 
before  he  smites.  Thus  he  did  also  by  the  pro- 
phet Ezekiel,  saying,  'An  end'  is  come,  'the  end 
is  come:'  And  again,  '  An  end  is  come,  the  end  is 
come :  it  watcheth  for  thee ;  hehold,  it  is  come. ' 

vii.  1—5. 

'  The  end  of  all  flesh  is  come  before  me.*  Sin 
and  wickedness  doth  not  put  an  end  to  the  ungodly 
before  their  own  face,  yet  it  brings  their  end  before 
the  face  of  God,  It  is  said  of  these  very  people, 
*  they  knew  not '  of  their  destruction,  '  until '  the 
day  'the  flood  came,  and  took  them  all  away.' 
Mat.  xxiv.  37—39.  Indeed,  the  nature  of  sin  is  to  blind 
the  mind,  that  the  person  concerned  may  neither 
see  mercy  nor  judgment ;  but  God  sees  their  end : 
'  The  end  of  all  flesh  is  come  before  me.' 

'  The  end  of  all  flesh. '  By  these  words,  the 
souls  are  left  to,  and  reserved  for  another  judg- 
ment :  Wherefore,  though  here  we  find  the  flesh 
consumed ;  yet  Peter  saith,  their  spirits  are  still 
in  prison,  even  the  souls  that  Christ  once  preached 
to  in  the  days,  and  by  the  ministry  of  Noah:  Even 
the  souls  '  which  sometime  were  disobedient  when 
once  the  long-sufi*ering  of  God  waited  in  the  days 
of  Noah,  while   the  ark  was   a  preparing,'  &c. 

1  Pe.  iii.  19,  20. 

Ver.  14.  '  H  Make  thee  an  ark  of  gopher  wood  ; 
rooms  shalt  thou  make  in  the  ark,  and  shalt  pitch 
it  within  and  without  with  pitch.' 

This  is  the  fruits  of  the  grace  of  God:  He  said 
before,  That  Noah  '  found  grace  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Lord  :'  Which  grace  appoints  to  him  the  means  of 
his  preservation, 

'  Make  tiiee  an  ark.'  He  saith  not,  Make  one; 
or.  Make  one  for  me :  But,  Make  one ;  make  one 
for  thee:   '  Make  tiiee  an  ark  of  gopher  wood.' 

Noah  therefore,  from  this  word  Tiiee,  did  gather, 
That  God  did  intend  to  preserve  him  from  the 
judgment  which  he  had  appointed  in  this  his  work: 
Therein  lay  his  own  prolit  and  comfort ;  not  a 
thought  which  he  had,  not  a  blow  that  he  struck, 
about  the  preparing  the  ark,  but  he  preached,  as 
to  others  their  ruin,  to  himself,  his  safeguard  and 
deliverance :  He  '  prepared  an  ark,  to  the  saving 
of  his  house.'  He.  xi.  7. 

This  therefore  must  needs  administer  much 
peace  and  content  to  his  mind,  while  he  preached 
to  others  their  overthrow.  As  the  prophet  saith, 
'  The  work  of  righteousness  shall  be  peace ;  and 
the  eflect  of  righteousness  quietness  and  assux-ance 
for  ever.  And  my  people  shall  dwell  in  a  j^eaceable 
habitation.' Is.  xxxii.  17,18.  Thus  did  Noah  when  he 
dwelt  in  the  ark,  and  in  sure  dwellings,  and  in 
cpiet  resting-places. 


'  Make  thee  an  ark.'  The  ark  was  a  figure 
of  several  things.  1.  Of  Christ,  in  whom  the 
church  is  preserved  from  the  wrath  of  God.  2. 
It  Avas  a  figure  of  the  works  of  the  faith  of  the 
godly :  '  By  faith  he  prepared  an  ark ;'  by  which 
the  followers  of  Christ  are  preserved  from  the  rage 
and  tyranny  of  the  world  (for  the  rage  of  the  water 
was  a  type  of  that,  as  I  shall  shew  you  hereafter.) 
So  then  Noah,  by  preparing  an  ark,  or  by  being 
bid  so  to  do  of  God,  was  thereby  admonished. 
First,  To  live  by  the  faith  of  Christ,  of  whom  the 
ark  Avas  a  type :  and.  hence  it  is  said,  that  in  pre- 
parlno;  the  ark,  he  *  became  heir  of  the  rlfjhteous- 
ness  which  is  by  faith  ;'  because  he  understood  the 
mind  of  God  therein,  and  throughout  his  figure 
acted  faith  upon  Christ.  But,  Secondly,  His  faith 
was  not  to  be  idle,  and  therefore  he  was  bid  to 
work.  This  begat  in  him  an  obediential  fear  of 
doing  ought  which  God  had  forbidden :  '  By  faith 
Noah,  being  warned  of  God  of  things  not  seen  as 
yet,  moved  with  fear,  prepared  an  ark,  to  the  saving 
of  his  house ;  by  the  which  he  condemned  the 
world,  and  became  heir  of  the  righteousness  which 
is  by  faith.'  lie.  xi.  7. 

'  Rooms  (nests)  shalt  thou  make  in  the  ark.' 
To  wit,  for  himself,  and  the  beasts,  and  birds  of 
the  field,  &c.  Implying,  that  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
there  is  room  for  Jews  and  Gentiles.  Yea,  foras- 
much as  these  rooms  were  prepared  for  beasts  of 
every  sort,  and  for  fowls  of  every  wing :  it  informs 
us,  that  for  all  sorts,  ranks  and  qualities  of  men, 
there  is  preservation  in  Jesus  Christ:  'Compel 
them  to  come  in ;'  drive  them  (In  a  gospel  sense) 
as  Noah  did  the  beasts  of  old  into  the  ark,  that  my 
house  may  be  full,  '  and  yet  there  is  room.'*  Lu. 
xiv.  22,  23. 

'  And  thou  shalt  pitch  it  within  and  without 
with  pitch.'  This  was  to  secure  aU  fi'om  the  flood, 
or  to  keep  them  that  wei"e  in  the  ark  from  perish- 
ing in  the  Avaters. 

Ver.  15.  'And  this  is  the  fashion  which  thou  shalt 
make  it  of :  the  length  of  the  ark  shall  he  three 
hundred  cubits,  the  breadth  of  it  fifty  cubits,  and 
the  height  of  it  thirty  cubits.' 

A  vessel  fit  to  swim  upon  the  waters, 

'And  this  is  the  fashion  '  he.  God's  ordinances 
must  be  according  to  God's  order  and  appointment, 
not  according  to  our  fancies,  'This  is  the  fashion,' 
to  Avit,  according  to  Avhat  is  after  expressed. 

By  these  w^ords  therefore  Noah  A^'as  limited  and 
bound  up,  as  to  a  direction  from  Avhich  he  must  not 


*  '  Aud  yut  there  is  room.'  As  ia  Christ,  the  ark  of  his 
chiu'ch,  so  it  was  iu  Noah's  ark.  The  hest  calculations,  alJow- 
iug  eighteen  inches  to  a  cubit,  shoAV  that  the  ark  Avas  capablo 
of  receiving  many  more  than  this  selection  from  all  the  ani- 
mals now  known,  together  with  their  requisite  proveudci*. 
Dr.  Hunter  estimated  the  tonnage  at  42.113  tons  measure- 
ment.— En. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTEilS  OF  GENESIS. 


465 


vary;  according  to  that  of  the  angel  to  the  pro- 
phet, '  Son  of  man  (saith  he)  behold  with  thine 
eyes,  and  hear  with  thine  ears,  and  set  thine  heart 
upon  all  that  I  shall  shew  thee :  for  to  the  intent 
that  I  might  shew  iliem  unto  thee,  art  thou  brought 
hither.'  Eze.  xl.  4.  As  the  Lord  said  also  to  his  ser- 
vant Moses,  *  In  all  things  that  I  have  said  unto 
you,  be  circumspect.'  Ex.  .xxUi.  1.3.  And  so  again, 
about  making  the  tabernacle  in  the  Avilderness, 
which  the  apostle  also  takes  special  notice  of,  say- 
ing, '  See,  saith  he,  tJial  thou  make  all  things 
according  to  the  pattern  shewed  to  thee  in  the 

mount.'  He.  viii.  5. 

Hence  note,  That  God's  command  must  be  the 
rule  whereby  we  order  all  our  actions,  especially 
when  we  pretend  to  worship  that  is  divine  and  re- 
ligious. If  our  works,  orders,  and  observances, 
have  not  this  inscription  upon  them,  *  This  is  the 
fashion,' or  'This  is  according  to  the  pattern,' 
such  works  and  ordei's  will  profit  us  nothing:  nei- 
ther have  we  any  promise  when  all  is  done,  it 
wanting  the  order  of  God,  that  we  should  escape 
those  judgments  which  those  shall  assuredly  escape, 
that  have  their  eye  in  their  work  to  the  '  pattern ' 
revealed  in  the  word.* 

Ver.  16.  'A  window  shalt  thou  make  to  the  ark, 
and  in  a  cubit  chalt  thou  finish  it  above ;  and  tlie 
door  of  the  ark  shalt  thou  set  in  the  side  thereof : 
with  lower,  second,  and  third  stories  shalt  thou 
make  it.' 

I  told  you  before.  That  the  ark  was  a  type  of 
Christ,  and  also  of  the  works  of  the  faith  of  the 
godly.  And  now  he'  seems  to  bring  in  more,  and 
to  make  it  a  type  of  the  church  of  Christ;  as  indeed 
the  prophet  also  does,  when  he  calls  the  church, 
one  afflicted,  and  tossed  with  tempests ;  and  com- 
pareth  her  troublers  to  the  waters  of  Noah,  saying, 
'  This  is  as  the  waters  of  Noah.'  is.  liv.o. 

Now  as  the  ark  was  a  type  of  the  church,  so 
according  to  the  description  of  this  verse  she  hath 
three  most  excellent  things  attending  her.  1. 
Light.  2.  A  door.  3.  Stories  of  a  lower  and 
higher  rank. 

1.  She  hath  a  window  for  light,  and  that  when 
she  was  to  be  tossed  upon  the  waters.  Hence 
note.  That  the  church  of  Christ  wanteth  not  light, 
no,  not  in  the  worst  of  times.  This  light  is  the 
Word  and  Spirit  of  God  which  Christ  hath  given 
to  them  that  obey  him.  Ju.  xvii. 

2.  She  hath  a  door.  This  door  was  a  type  of 
Christ ;  so  was  also  the  door  of  the  tabernacle. 
And  hence  it  is  that  you  read.  That  Moses,  when 

*  How  astonishing  is  the  fact,  that  man  dares  to  introduce 
Ms  miserable  inventions  to  deform  the  scriptural  simplicity  of 
divine  worship  ;  as  if  HE  who  makes  all  things  perfect,  had, 
ia  this  important  institution,  forgotten  to  direct  the  use  of 
liturgies— organs — vestments — pomps  and  ceremonies.  "When 
will  man,  with  child-like  simplicitY,  follow  gospel  rules  ? — Ed. 

VOL.  II. 


he  went  to  talk  with  God,  would  stand  to  talk  in 
the  door  of  the  tabernacle ;  also  that  the  cloudy 
pillar  stood  at  the  door.  Ex.  x.\xiii.  9, 10.  '  I  (saith 
Christ)  am  the  door:'  Again,  '  I  am  the  door  of 
the  sheep.'  Ju.  x.  By  this  door  then,  entered  all 
that  went  into  the  ark,  as  by  Christ  all  must 
enter  that  enter  aright  into  the  church. 

3.  She  had  stories  in  her,  of  first,  second,  and 
third  degree:  To  shew  that  also  in  the  church  of 
Christ  there  are  some  higher  than  some,  both  as 
to  persons  and  states:  I.  apostles;  2.  evangelists; 
3.  pastors  and  teachers.  And  again,  there  are  in 
the  church  degrees  of  states,  as  also  there  are  in 
heaven. 

Ver.  1 7.  '  And,  behold,  I,  even  I,  do  bring  a 
flood  of  waters  upon  the  earth,  to  destroy  all 
flesh,  wherein  is  the  breath  of  life  from  imder 
heaven  ;  and  every  thing  that  is  in  the  earth 
shall  die.' 

This  is  the  reason  of  the  former  commaTidment, 
of  making  an  ark :  But  some  time  was  yet  to  in- 
tervene: the  flood  was  hereafter  to  overflow  the 
world :  wherefore,  from  this  it  is  that  those  words 
are  inserted,  of  things  not  seen  as  yet :  And  that 
the  ark  was  a  work,  or  the  fruit  of  Noah's  faith : 
'  By  faith  Noah,  being  warned  of  God  of  things 
not  seen  as  yet,'  (kc.  He.  xi. 

*  And,  behold,  I,  even  I,'  o:c.  These  words 
excuse  Noah  of  treason  or  rebellion,  forasmuch  as 
his  preparation  for  himself,  and  his  warning  and 
threatening  the  whole  world  with  death  and  judg- 
ment for  their  transgression,  was  solely  grounded 
upon  the  word  of  God:  God  bid  him  prepare,  God 
said  he  would  punish  the  world  for  their  iniquity. 

Hence  note,  That  a  man  is  not  to  be  counted 
an  offender,  how  contrary  soever  he  lieth,  either  in 
doctrine  or  practice,  to  men,  &c,  if  both  have  the 
command  of  God,  and  are  surely  grounded  upon 
the  words  of  his  mouth.  This  made  Jeremiah, 
though  he  preached.  That  the  city  of  Jerusalem 
should  be  burnt  with  fire,  the  king  and  people 
should  go  into  captivity ;  yet  stand  upon  his  own 
vindication  before  his  enemies,  and  plead  his  inno- 
cency  against  them  that  persecuted  him.  Je.  xxvi.  10 
—15.  Daniel  also,  though  he  did  openly  break  the 
king's  decree,  and  refused  to  stoop  to  his  idolatrou: 
and  devilish  demand ;  yet  purged  himself  of  both 
treason  and  sedition,  and  justifies  his  act  as  inno- 
cent and  harmless,  even  in  the  sight  of  God.  'Mj 
God  (saith  he)  hath  sent  his  angel,  and  hath  shut 
the  lions'  mouths,  that  they  have  not  hurt  me:  for- 
asmuch as  before  him  innocency  was  found  in  me; 
and  also  before  thee,  0  king,  have  I  done  no  hurt.' 
Da.  vi.  22. 

Further,  Paul  also,  although  by  his  doctrine  he 

did  cry  down  the    ceremonies  of  the  Jews,  and 

the  idolatry  of  the  heathen  emperor,  yet  he  quits 

himself  of  blame  from  either  side:  'Neither  against 

3  N 


466 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  ClLiPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


tlie  law  of  the  Jcvs,  [saith  lie,]  neither  against 
the  temple,  nor  yet  against  Caiisar,  have  I  offended 
anything  at  all.'  Ac.  xxv.  8.  The  reason  is,  because 
the  words  of  God,  how  severely  soever  they  threaten 
sinners,  and  how  sharply  soever  (the  preacher 
keeping  within  the  hov/els  of  the  word)  this  doc- 
trine he  urged  on  the  world,  if  it  destroy,  it  de- 
stroyeth  hut  sin  and  impenitent  sinners,  even  as 
the  waters  of  Noah  must  do. 

This  then  affords  us  another  note  worth  re- 
marking, to  wit.  That  what  God  hath  said  in  his 
word,  how  offensive  soever  it  he  to  ungodly  men, 
That  we  that  are  Christians  ought  to  observe: 
whether  it  direct  us  to  declare  against  others'  enor- 
mities, or  to  provide  for  om*selves  against  the  judg- 
ment to  come. 

'  And,  behold,  I,  even  I,  do  bring  a  flood,'  etc. 
Hence  note  again.  Let  us  preach  and  practise  well, 
and  let  God  alone  to  execute  his  judgments.  It 
is  said  of  Samuel,  That  not  one  of  his  words  did 
fall  to  the  ground,  l  Sa.  iii.  19.  He  preaclied,  and 
God,  according  to  his  blessing  or  cursing,  did 
either  spare  and  forgive,  or  execute  his  judgments. 

'And,  behold,  I,  even  I.'  Note  again.  That 
when  sinners  have  with  the  utmost  contempt 
slighted  and  despised  the  judgment  threatened, 
yet  forasmuch  as  the  execution  thereof  is  in  the 
hand  cf  an  omnipotent  majesty,  it  must  fall  with 
violence  upon  the  head  of  the  wicked.  *  I,  even 
I,'  therefore,  were  words  of  a  strong  encourage- 
ment to  Noah,  and  the  godly  with  him;  but  black, 
and  like  claps  of  thunder  to  the  pestilent  unbe- 
lieving world :  as  the  prophet  says,  '  He  is  strong 
that  executes  his  word:'  And  again,  '  Not  one  of 
his  judgments  fail.' 

'And,  behold,  I,  even  I,  do  bring  a  flood.' 
The  flood  was  a  type  of  three  things. 

1.  A  type  of  the  enemies  of  the  church.,  is.  liv. 

0-11. 

2.  A  type  of  the  vratcr  baptism  under  the  ncvt- 
testament,  i  Pe.  iii.  20,  21. 

3.  A  type  of  the  last  and  general  overthrow  of 
the  world  by  fire  and  brimstone,  2  Pe.  iii.  c,  7. 

But  here,  as  it  simply  respeeteth  the  cause, 
which  (as  is  afore  related)  vras  the  sin  that  before 
you  read  of  ;  so  it  precisely  was  a  type  of  the  last 
of  these,  and  to  tliat  end  put  an  end  to  the  world 
that  then  was.  The  world  that  then  was,  being- 
overflowed  with  water,  perished,  to  signify.  That 
the  heavens  and  the  earth  which  a;-e  now,  are 
reserved  imto  fire,  against  the  day  cf  judgment, 
and  perdition  of  ungodly  men. 

'  I  bring  a  flood  of  waters  upon  the  earth,  to 
destroy  all  flesh,  wherein  is  the  breath  of  life  from 
under  heaven  ;  and  every  thing  that  is  in  the  earth 
fchall  die.'  By  these  latter  words,  as  the  cause, 
so  the  cxtention  of  this  curse  is  expressed;  and  that 
under  a  threefold  denotation. 


1.  Every  thing  that  is  in  the  earth. 

2.  All  flesh  wherein  is  the  breath  of  life. 

3.  Every  thing  that  is  vmder  heaven. 

So  then,  this  deluge  was  universal,  and  extended 
itself  not  only  to  those  parts  of  the  world  where 
Noah  and  that  generation  lived,  which  we  find 
repeated  before,  but  even  over  tlie  face  of  all  the 
earth ;  and  it  took  hold  of  the  life  of  every  living 
thing  that  was  either  on  all  the  earth,  or  in  the 
air,  excepting  only  those  in  the  ark,  as  will  the 
general  judgment  do:  'And  Noah  only  remained 
alive,  and  they  that  tvere  v/ith  him  in  the   ark.' 

Gc.  vii.  23. 

Yer.  18.  'But  with  thee  will  I  establish  my 
covenant;  and  thou  shalt  come  into  tlie  ark,  thou, 
and  thy  sons,  and  thy  wife,  and  thy  sons'  wive3 
with  thee.' 

'  But  Avith  thee,'  &c.  This  concerns  what  was 
said  before  concerning  the  universality  of  the  flood: 
As  he  also  said  above,  '  But  Noah  found  grace  iu 
the  eyes  of  the  Lord.'  This  Peter  also  notes,  He 
'  saved  Noah  the  eighth  loerson,  a  preacher  of  righ- 
teousness, brmging  in  the  flood  upon  the  Avorld  of 
the  ungodly.'  1  Pe.  ii.  5. 

'  With  thee  will  I  establish  my  covenant.'  J\Iy 
covenant  of  mercy,  or  my  promise  to  save  thee 
when  I  drown  the  whole  world  for  their  iniquity : 
And  therefore  he  adds,  '  And  thou  shalt  come  into 
the  ark.' 

'  I  will  establish.'  Making  and  establishing  of 
promises  are  not  always  the  same:  He  made  his 
promise  to  Abraham,  he  seconded  it  with  an  oath 
unto  Isaac,  and  he  confirmed,  or  established  it  to 
Jacob ;  for  by  him  he  multiplied  the  seed  of 
Abraham  as  the  stars  of  heaven  for  niultitudc. 
Vs.  cv.  8—10. 

'  With  thee  will  I  establish.'  Or,  imto  thee  will 
I  perform  my  promise,  '  Thou  shalt  come  into  tho 
ark.' 

Hence  note  again,  That  we  ought  to  loolc  upon 
signal  and  great  deliverances  from  sore  and  immi- 
nent dangers,  to  be  confirmations  of  the  promise 
or  covenant  of  God.  Or  thus,  When  God  finds 
means  of  deliverance,  and  instateth  our  souls  in  a 
special  share  of  that  means,  this  we  should  tako 
as  a  sign,  That  with  us  God  hath  confirmed,  or 
csiablishcd,  his  covenant.  Lu.  i.  cs— 73. 

'  Thou,  and  thy  sons,  and  thy  wife,  and  th}' 
sons'  wives  vrith  thee.'  Because  in  that  family 
did  now  reside  the  Avliole  of  the  visibility  of  the 
church  upon  the  earth ;  all  the  rest  were  lost,  as 
Peter  also  intimates,  when  ho  calleth  Noah  the 
eighth  person,  or  one,  and  the  chief  of  the  eight 
that  made  up  the  visible  church,  or  that  main- 
tained the  purity  of  the  worship  of  God  upon  tho 
face  of  the  whole  earth:  As  he  explains  it  a  little 
after :  '  For  thee  have  I  seen  rigliteous  before  me 
i  in  this  CGUcratlon.'  vii.  1. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


467 


Yer.  19.  'And  of  every  living  tiling  of  all  flesb, 
two  of  every  sort  shalt  thou  bring  into  the  ark,  to 
keep  thon  alive  with  thee ;  they  shall  be  male  and 
female. ' 

By  these  ■words,  Noah  should  seem  to  be,  in  this 
action,  a  iigure  or  semblance  of  Christ ;  who  be- 
fore the  Lord  shall  raia  fire  and  brimstone  from 
heaven,  shall  gather  into  his  ark,  the  church,  of 
all  kindi'eds,  and  tongues,  and  people^  and  nations. 
Lu.  siii.  29;xiv.2l.  Evcn  as  Xoah  Avas  to  gather  of 
all,  of  everything,  of  all  flesh,  of  every  sort,  with 
him  into  the  ark. 

'Two  of  every  sort.'  This  two,  in  special,  re- 
specteth  the  unclean,  vii.  2.  ■which  Avere  a  type  of 
the  Gentiles,  and  so  further  confirms  the  point. 

They  shall  be  male  and  female.  He  would  not 
make  a  full  end,  he  would  in  judgment  remember 
mercy.  Ac.  x.  ii,  13, 17,  28. 

Ver.  20.  *0f  fowls  after  their  kind,  and  of  cattle 
after  their  kind,  of  every  creeping  thing  of  the  earth 
after  his  kind:  two  of  every  sort  shall  come  uuto 
thee,  to  keep  them  alive.' 

'  Of  fowls  after  their  kind,  and  of  cattle  after 
their  kind.'  This,  still  respecting  the  antitype, 
may  shew  us  also,  how  that  God,  for  proof  of  the 
prophecy  of  the  spreading  of  the  gospel,  doth  not 
only  tell  us,  that  the  Gentiles  were  gathered  into 
his  ark,  but  as  here  the  beasts  and  birds,  according 
to  their  kind,  are  specified:  so  the  Gentiles  are 
also  denominated  according  to  their  several  coun- 
tries, Galatians,  Corinthians,  Ephesians,  Colos- 
sians,  Thessalouians,  Bereaus,  A:c.,  these,  after 
their  country  and  nation,  were  gathered  unto 
Jesus  to  be  preserved  from  the  flood  of  v/rath  that 
at  last  shall  fall  from  God  who  dwells  in  heaven, 
to  the  burning  up  of  the  sinner  and  imgodly. 

*  Two  of  every  sort  shall  come  unto  thee,  to  keep 
ihem  alive.'  if  the  emphasis  lieth  in  Come,  as  I 
am  apt  to  think,  and  as  the  eighth  verse  of  the  next 
chapter  fairly  allows  me  to  judge;  then  we  must 
observe  still,  That  Noah  was  not  only  first  in  the 
ark,  as  our  Lord  and  Christ  is  the  first  from  the 
dead ;  but  that  the  cattle,  the  fowls,  and  the  creep- 
ing things,  did  come  to  him  into  the  ark,  by  a  spe- 
cial instinct  from  heaven  of  the  fruits  of  a  divine 
election.*  Noah  therefore,  as  a  man,  did  not  make 
choice  which  of  every  kind  ;  but  he  went  fiz'st  into 
the  ark,  and  then  of  clean  beasts  by  sevens,  and  of 
unclean  beasts  by  twos,  Avent  in  unto  Noah  into  the 
ark,  as  the  Lord  commanded  Noah. 

*  How  mysterious  are  God's  ways :  some  animals  of  every 
kind  are  saved,  and  all  the  rest  destroyed.  So  throughout 
every  age  some  animals  have  been  treated  with  Id-adnesSj  and 
others  of  the  same  species  cruelly  maltreated.  Can  those  who 
stumble  at  the  doctrine  of  election,  account  for  this  difference. 
Reason  must  submit  with  reverence  to  the  voice  of  Christ ; 
'  What  I  do,  thou  knowcst  not  now  ;  but  thou  shalt  know 
hereafter.' — Ed. 


And  thus  it  is  in  the  antitA-pe:  'Unto  thee 
shall  all  flesh  come,'  saith  the  prophet.  Ps.  kv.  2. 
And  again,  '  To  him  shall  the  gatliering  of  the 
people  be. '  Ge.  xli.c.  10.  But  how  ?  Why,  by  an  in- 
stinct from  heaven,  the  fruit  of  a  divine  election : 
'  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me; 
but  no  man  can  come  to  me  (saith  Christ)  except 
the  Father  Avhich  hath  sent  me  dravr  him.'    Ju.  vi. 

37,  4i. 

The  beasts  therefore  which  came  into  the  ark, 
Averc  neither  chosen  by  mei',  neither  came  they  in 
by  any  instinct  of  nature  Avhich  Avas  common  to 
them  all,  but  as  being  by  a  divine  hand  singled  out 
and  guided  tliither,  so  they  entered  in :  the  rest 
Avere  left  to  the  furj^  of  the  flood.  Like  to  this 
also  is  the  antitype,  sinners  come  not  to  Jesus  by 
any  Avork  or  choice  of  flesh  and  blood,  nor  yet  by 
any  instinct  of  nature  that  is  common  to  all  the 
Avorld  ;  but  they  come,  as  being  by  a  divine  hand 
singled  out  from  others ;  and  as  guided  of  the 
Father,  so  they  come  to  Christ  into  the  ark :  The 
rest  are  left  to  the  fury  of  the  Avrath  of  God,  Avhicli, 
in  the  day  of  judgment,  shall  sAvallow  them  up  for 
ever. 

'  They  shall  come  unto  thee  to  keep  them  alive.' 
Luleed,  they  lived  not  for  their  0A\m  sakes,  they 
being  not  better  than  them  that  perished ;  but 
'  they  shall  come  unto  thee  to  save  them : '  for,  for 
the  sake  of  Noah  they  were  preser\'ed,  w-hen  many 
millions  Avere  droAvned  in  the  Avaters.  Bring  this 
also  to  the  antitype,  and  you  find  them  look  like 
one  another :  for  the  reason  why  some  are  saved 
from  the  Avrath  to  come,  it  is  not  for  that  they  are 
better  in  themselves,  for  both  Jews  and  Gentiles 
are  all  under  sin:  But  it  is  Christ  that  saveth  by 
his  rio-hteousness,  as  Noah  saved  the  beasts  and 
foAA'ls,  (fee.  Let  us  therefore,  as  the  beasts  did,  go 
to  Jesus  Christ,  that  he  may  keep  us  alive  from 
perishing  in  the  day  of  judgment. 

Ver.  21.  '  And  take  thou  unto  thee  of  all  food 
that  is  eaten,  and  thou  shalt  gather  it  to  thee,  and 
it  shall  be  for  food  for  thee,  and  for  them.' 

This  therefore  Avas  for  the  preservation  of  the 
life  of  those  that  Avere  in  the  ark ;  by  which  action 
there  is,  as  in  the  former,  inclosed  a  gospel-mys- 
tery. 

'  Take  thou  unto  thee  of  all  food.'  This  food 
Avas  not  to  be  at  the  A\"ill  and  dispose  of  unruly 
beasts ;  but  Noah  Avas,  as  the  lord  of  ail  that  was 
in  the  ark,  to  take  it  into  his  own  custody :  and 
therefore  he  doubleth  the  command,  *  Take  it  unto 
thee;'  Gather  it  unto  thee  ;  to  Avit,  to  dispose  of 
after  thy  discretion  and  faithfulness.  In  this  there- 
fore he  was  a  type  of  Christ,  Avhom  God  hath  set 
as  Lord  and  King  in  the  church,  and  '  to  feed  his 
flock  as  a  shepherd;'  for  the  'bread  of  God'  is  in 
the  hand  of  Christ,  for  him  to  communicate  unto 
his  spouses,   saints,  and  children ;  as  Joseph  did 


468 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


to  Egypt,  according  to  the  power  committed  to 
liim,  and  trust  reposed  in  him.  And  hence  it  is 
said,  as  concerning  the  hread  that  endureth  to 
everlasting  hfe,  '  the  Son  of  man  shall  give  it  you ; 
for  Him  hath  God  the  Father  sealed,'  or  appointed 
thereunto  :  Jn.  vi.  27.  and  therefore,  that  he  giveth, 
we  receive,  and  no  more  of  the  hread  of  God :  Tliat 
thou  givest  them,  they  gather :  thou  opcnest  thine 
hand,  they  are  filled  with  good.  Ps.  civ.  2S. 

*  Take  unto  thee  all  food. '  That  is,  to  he 
eaten  by  man  and  beast  ;  the  fowl  also,  and  the 
creeping  thing.  This  still  followed,  and  brought 
in  to  the  gospel,  it  shews  us,  that,  even  then,  when 
the  church  is  driven  up  into  a  hole,  and  tossed 
upon  the  waves  of  the  rage  and  fury  of  the  world, 
as  the  ark  was  upon  the  face  of  the  waters,  that 
even  then  her  Noah  hath  all  food  for  her,  or  food  of 
all  sorts  for  her  support  and  refreshment :  *  Bread 
shall  be  given  him ;  his  waters  shall  he  sure. '  is. 

xxxiii.  16. 

*  Take  unto  thee.'  How  blessedly  was  this  an- 
swered, when  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  took 
the  book  out  of  the  hand  of  him  that  sat  upon  the 
throne  ;  Re.  v.  7.  for  in  the  book  is  contained  the 
words  of  everlasting  life;  and  the  words  of  God 
are  the  food  of  his  church,  which  this  Noah  hath 
received  to  nourish  them  withal :  Man  '  liveth  not 
by  bread  only, '  but  by  every  word  that  proceedeth 
out  of   the  mouth  of  the  Lord,  doth  man   live. 

Mat.  iv.  4.  De.  viii.  3. 

'  And  it  shall  be  for  food  for  thee,  and  for  them.' 
That  is,  each  according  to  their  kind.  The  same  is 
true  also  under  our  present  consideration ;  Christ 
is  the  shepherd,  we  are  the  sheep,  yet  He  feedeth 
with  us  in  the  ark :  '  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will 
sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me.'  Re.  iii.  20.  Again, 
here  Christ  transcends  this  action  of  Noah ;  for 
lie  was  to  have  his  food  of  his  own,  but  Christ 
feedeth  on  the  same  with  us,  even  on  the  words 
of  God :  Yet  herein  again  we  differ ;  he  feedeth 
as  a  Lord,  we  as  servants ;  he  as  a  Saviour,  Ave  as 
tlie  saved;  but  in  general,  respecting  the  words 
of  God,  we  feed  all  but  of  one  dish,  but  at  one 
table ;  the  bref^d  therefore  that  he  hath  provided, 
gathered  and  taken  to  him,  it  was  food  for  him,  as 
well  as  for  us. 

Ver.  22.  '  Thus  did  Noah  ;  according  to  all  that 
God  commanded  him,  so  did  he.' 

These  words  tlierefore  present  us  with  a  de- 
scription of  the  sincerity  and  simplicity  of  the 
faith  of  Noah ;  who  received  the  word  at  the 
mouth  of  God ;  not  to  hear  only,  but  to  do  and 
live  in  the  same. 

'  Thus  did  Noah.'  As  it  is  also  said  of  his  ser- 
vant Moses,  '  As  the  Lord  commanded  Moses,  so 
did  he:'  As  the  Lord  commanded  Moses,  so  did 
he,  Yea,  to  shew  us  how  pleasant  a  thing  the  Holy 
Ghost  accounteth  this  holy  obedience  of  faith,  he 


is  not  weary  with  repeating,  and  repeating  again 
not  less  than  eight  times  in  one  chapter,  the  punc- 
tuality of  Moses's  conformity  with  the  word  of 
God,  in  this  manner,  *  Thus  did  Moses  ;'  •  accord- 
ing to  all  that  the  Lord  commanded  Moses,  so  did 

he.'  Kx.  xl.  16, 19,  21,  23,  25,  27,  29,  32. 

'  Thus  did  Noah,'  This  note  therefore  is,  as  it 
were,  a  character  or  mark  by  which  the  Lord's 
people  are  known  from  the  world :  They  have  special 
regard  to  the  word.  '  All  his  saints  are  in  thy  hand : 
they  sat  down  at  thy  feet ;  every  one  shall  receive  of 
thy  words,'  De.  xxxiii.  3.  As  Christ  said,  *I  have 
given  them  thy  words  and  they  have  received  them:'' 
Jn.  xvii.  5,  6.     Yea,  '  and  they  have  kept  thy  word.' 

'  Thus  did  Noah.'  Let  this  then  be  the  dis- 
criminating character  of  the  saints  from  the  men 
of  this  world.  It  was  so  in  the  days  of  Noah, 
when  all  the  world  went  a  whoring  from  their  God, 
and  said,  *  We  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy 
ways.'  Jobxxi.  14.  Then  Noah  kept  the  words  of 
God.  '  Thus  did  Noah  ;  according  to  all  that  God 
commanded  him,  so  did  he.' 

CHAP.  vn. 

Ver.  1.  '  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Noah,  Come 
thou  and  all  thy  house  into  the  ark  ;  for  thee  have 
I  seen  righteous  before  me  in  this  generation.' 

The  ark  being  now  prepared,  and  the  day  of 
God's  patience  come  to  an  end,  he  now  is  resolved 
to  execute  his  threatening  upon  the  Avorld  of  un- 
godly men ;  but  withal,  in  the  first  place,  to  secure 
his  saints,  and  them  that  have  feared  his  name. 
In  this  therefore  we  have  a  semblance  of  the  last 
judgment,  and  how  God  will  dispose  of  his  friends 
and  enemies. 

*  Come  thou  into  the  ark.'  God,  I  say,  will 
take  care  of,  and  safely  provide  for  us  that  have 
feared  him,  Avhen  he  most  eminently  entereth  into 
judgment  with  the  world:  As  he  also  saith  by 
Isaiah  the  prophet,  '  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  over-past. '  xxvi.  20.  He  shall  send 
forth  his  angels  with  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet, 
and  they  shall  gather  together  his  elect  from  the 
four  winds,  from  one  end  of  heaven  to  another. 

*  Come  thou  and  all  thy  house.'  Not  an  hoof 
must  be  left  behind  ;  God  will  not  lose  the  very 
dust  of  his  people :  Of  all  that  thou  hast  given 
me  have  I  lost  nothing,  but  will  raise  it  up  at  the 
last  day.  Jn.  vi.  39.  God  therefore  was  careful  not 
only  of  Noah,  but  of  all  that  were  in  his  house ; 
because  they  were  all  of  his  visible  church,  they 
must  tlierefore  be  preserved  from  the  rage  and 
fury  of  the  deluge.  *  Gather  my  saints  together 
imto  me ;  (saith  he)  those  that  have  made  a  cove- 
nant with  me  bj  sacrifice.'  Ps.  1.  5. 


AX  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  TIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


409 


'For  tliee  liavc  I  seen  rigliteous  "before  me.' 
This  is  not  to  be  understood  as  tlie  meritorious 
cause,  but  as  the  characteristical  note  that  distiu- 
guisheth  them  that  are  gods,  from  others  that  are 
subjects  of  his  -wrath  and  displeasure :  wherefore, 
those  that  at  this  time  perished,  bear  the  badge 
of  ungodhuess,  as  that  which  made  them  obnoxious 
to  this  overflowing  judgment:  As  also  we  have  it 
in  the  book  of  Job,  *  Hast  thou  (said  Eliphaz) 
marked  the  old  way  which  wicked  men  have  trod- 
den ?  Which  were  cut  down  out  of  time,  whose 
foundation  was  overflown  with  a  flood.'  Job  xxii.is,  ic. 

Righteousness  therefoi-e,  is  the  distinguishing 
character  whereby  the  good  are  known  from  the 
bad.  Thus  it  was  in  Ezekiel's  time :  '  Set  a  mark 
(saith  God)  upon  the  foreheads  of  the  men  that  sigh 
and  that  cry  for  all  the  abominations  that  be  done 
in  the  midst  of  the  city. '  Eze.  Lk.  4.  "Which  mark  was 
to  distinguish  them  from  those  that  were  profane, 
and  that  for  their  wickedness  were  to  be  destroyed 
by  the  ministers  of  God's  justice. 

'For  thee  have  I  seen  righteous  before  me.' 
These  words,  before  me,  are  inserted  on  purpose 
to  shew  us,  that  Noah  was  no  feigned  worshipper, 
but  one  who  did  all  things  in  the  sight  of  God. 
Indeed,  there  are  two  things  which  are  of  absolute 
necessity  for  the  obtaining  of  this  approbation  of 
God.  1.  All  things  must  be  done  as  to  manner 
according  to  the  word.  2.  All  things  must  be 
done  as  to  the  matter  of  them  also  according  to 
the  word.  Both  which  were  found  in  Noah's  per- 
formances ;  and  therefore  he  is  said  to  be  perfect 
in  his  generations,  and  that  he  walked  with  God. 
Thus  it  was  also  with  Zacharias  and  Elizabeth,  'they 
were  both  righteous  before  God;'  that  is,  sincere 
and  unfeigned  in  their  obedience.  Lu.  i.  6. 

'  Righteous  before  me  in  this  generation.'  By 
this  we  see,  righteousness,  or  the  truth  of  God's 
Avorship  in  the  world,  was  now  come  to  a  low  ebb  ; 
the  devil,  and  the  children  of  Cain,  had  bewitched 
the  church  of  God,  and  brought  the  professors 
thereof  so  off  from  the  truth  of  his  way,  that  had 
they  got  Noah  also,  the  church  had  been  quite  ex- 
tinct, and  gone :  wherefore,  it  now  was  time  for 
God  to  work,  and  to  cherish  what  was  left,  even 
by  sending  a  besom  of  destruction  upon  all  the 
face  of  the  earth,  to  sweep  away  all  the  workers 
of  iniquity. 

Ver.  2,  3.  *  Of  every  clean  beast  thou  shalt 
take  to  thee  by  sevens,  the  male  and  his  female: 
and  of  beasts  that  are  not  clean  by  two,  the  male 
and  his  female. — Of  fowls  also  of  the  air  by  sevens, 
the  male  and  his  female;  to  keep  seed  alive  upon 
the  face  of  all  the  earth.' 

Something  hath  been  said  to  this  already ;  only 
this  I  will  add  further.  That  by  this  commandment 
of  God,  both  Noah,  and  all  that  were  with  him, 
were  pre-admonished  to  look  to  their  hearts ;  that 


they  continued  unfeigned  before  liim.  For  if 
God  would  save  unclean  beasts,  and  fowls,  from 
the  present  and  terrible  destruction;  why  also 
might  not  some  of  them,  though  they  partook  of 
this  temporal  deliverance,  be  still  reputed  as  un- 
clean in  his  sight  ?  As  indeed  it  came  to  pass ; 
for  a  cursed  Ham  was  there.  "Wherefore,  read  not 
lightly  the  commands  of  God,  there  may  be  both 
doctrine  and  exhortation ;  both  item,*  as  well  as 
an  obligation  to  a  duty  contained  therein.  Cir- 
cumcision was  a  duty  incumbent  as  to  the  letter 
of  the  commandment ;  but  there  was  also  doctrine 
in  it,  as  to  a  more  high  and  spiritual  teaching  than 
the  letter  simply  imported. 

Note  then  from  hence,  That  when  you  read  that 
unclean  beasts,  and  unclean  birds,  may  be  in  the 
ark  of  Noah:  That  unclean  men,  and  unclean 
women,  may  be  in  the  church  of  God :  '  One  of 
you  is  a  devil,'  was  an  admonition  to  all  the  rest: 
Let  this  also  of  the  beasts  unclean  be  an  admoni- 
tion to  you. 

Yer.  4.  '  For  yet  seven  days,  and  I  will  cause 
it  to  rain  upon  the  earth  forty  days  and  forty  nights  ; 
and  every  living  substance  that  I  have  made,  will  1 
destroy,  (or,  blot  out)  from  off  the  face  of  the  earth.' 

Now  the  judgment  is  at  the  door;  it  is  time  to 
make  haste,  and  pack  into  the  ark.  God  doth  not 
love  to  have  his  people  have  much  vacancy  from 
employment  while  they  are  in  this  world.  Idle 
times  are  dangerous  ;  David  found  it  so  in  the 
business  of  Uriah's  wife.  Wherefore  Noah  having 
finished  the  ark,  he  hath  another  work  to  do,  even 
to  get  himself,  with  his  family  and  household,  fitly 
settled  in  the  vessel  that  was  to  save  him  from  the 
deluge,  and  that  at  his  peril  in  seven  days'  time. 

'  For  yet  seven  days,  and  I  will  bring  a  flood.' 
Note  again.  That  it  hath  been  the  way  of  God, 
even  when  he  doth  execute  the  severest  judg- 
ments, to  tell  it  in  the  ears  of  some  of  his  saints 
sometime  before  he  doth  execute  the  same :  Yea, 
it  seems  to  me,  that  it  will  be  so  even  in  the  great 
day  of  God  Almighty;  for  I  read,  that  before 
the  bridegroom  came,  there  was  a  cry  made, 
'  Behold  the  bridegroom  cometh ! '  Mat.  xxv.  6.  Which 
cry  doth  not  seem  to  me,  to  be  the  ordinary  cry 
of  the  ministers  of  the  gospel,  but  a  cry  that  was 
effected  by  some  sudden  and  marvellous  awakening, 
the  product  of  some  new  and  extraordinary  revela- 
tion. That  also  seems  to  look  like  some  fore-word 
to  the  church,  '  Then  shall  appear  the  sign  of  the 
Son  of  man  in  heaven  :'  Mat.  xxiv.  so.  Some  strange 
and  unusual  revelation  of  that  notable  day  to  be 
near,  which  in  other  ages  was  not  made  known  to 
the  world ;  upon  which  sign  he  presently  appears. 
Now  whether  this  sign  will  be  the  appearing  of 
the  angels  first;   or  whether  the  opening  of  the 


*  '  Item,'  a  new  article  added  j  a  caution  or  warning.— Ed. 


470 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  TIRST  TEN  CIIAPrERS  OF  GENESIS. 


heavens,  or  tlie  voice  of  the  arch-angel,  and  the 
trumi)  of  God,  or  what,  I  shall  not  here  presume 
to  determine  ;  hnt  a  fore-word  there  is  like  to  be, 
yet  so  immediately  followed  with  the  personal  pre- 
sence of  Christ,  that  they  who  had  not  grace  before, 
shall  not  have  time  nor  means  to  get  it  then :  And 
while  they  went  to  buy,  the  bridegroom  came  ;  and 
they  that  were  ready  went  in  with  him,  and  the 

door  was  shut.  Mat.  xxr. 

'  And  I  ATill  cause  it  to  rain  forty  days  and  forty 
nights.'  This  length  of  time  doth  fore-pronounce 
the  completing  of  the  judgment :  As  who  should 
say,  I  will  cause  it  to  rain  until  I  have  blotted  out 
all  tlie  creatures,  both  of  men,  beasts,  and  fowls : 
and  so  the  after-words  import;  '  And  every  living 
substance  that  I  have  made,  will  I  destroy  from 
oif  the  face  of  the  earth.' 

Ver.  5.  '  And  Noah  did  according  to  all  that 
the  Lord  commanded  him.' 

This  note,  as  already  I  have  said,  doth  denote 
him  to  be  a  righteous  man ;  one  that  might  with 
honour  to  his  God,  escape  the  judgment  now  to  be 
executed:  wherefore,  the  reiterating  of  this  cha- 
racter is  much  for  the  vindicating  of  God's  justice, 
and  for  the  justification  of  his  overthrowing  the 
woi'ld  of  ungodly  sinners. 

But  again,  these  words  seem  to  respect  in  spe- 
cial, what  Noah  did  in  the  last  seven  days,  in  order 
to  the  commandment  laid  before  him  in  the  three 
first  verses  of  this  chapter;  and  so  they  signify 
his  faithfulness  to  the  Avord,  and  his  observance  of 
the  law  of  his  God,  even  to  the  day  that  the  rain 
began  to  fall  upon  the  earth.  And  therefore  they 
preach  unto  us,  not  only  that  he  began  well,  but 
that  he  continued  in  godly  and  unfeigned  persever- 
ance ;  which  when  perfected,  is  the  most  efl'ectual 
proof,  that  what  before  he  did,  he  did  with  upright- 
ness of  heart,  and  therefore  now  must  escape  the 
judgment.  As  it  is  said  in  the  gospel  of  Matthew, 
*  He  that  shall  endure  unto  the  end,  the  same  shall 
be  saved. '  Mat.  xxiv.  13. 

Ver.  6.  '  And  Noah  was  six  hundred  years  old 
when  the  flood  of  waters  was  upon  the  earth.' 

Four  hundred  and  fourscore  of  vv^hich  the  world 
liad  leisure  to  study  the  prophecy  that  God  gave  of 
liim  by  the  mouth  of  his  father  Lamech ;  Gc.  v.  so. 
the  other  hundred  and  twenty  ho  spent  in  a  more 
open  testifying,  both  by  word,  and  his  preparing 
the  ark,  that  God  would  one  day  overtake  them 
with  judgment ;  yet  to  the  day  that  the  flood  came, 
the  world  was  ignorant  thereof.  Mat.  xxiv.  ss,  39.  {As- 
tonishing is  the  fruits  of  sin:)  So  it  came  to  pass, 
that  in  the  six  hundredth  year  of  Noah's  life,  which 
was  the  one  thousand  six  hundred  fifty  sixth  year 
of  the  world's  age,  the  flood  of  waters  were  upon 
the  earth,  to  the  utter  destruction  of  all  that  was 
found  upon  the  face  thereof,  Noah  only  being  left 
alive,  and  they  that  were  with  him  iu  the  ark. 


Ver.  7.  '  ^  And  Noah  went  in,  and  his  sons,* 
and  his  wife,  and  his  sons'  wives  with  him,  into  tho 
ark,  because  of  the  waters  of  the  flood.' 

They  had  hardly  done  their  work  in  the  world, 
by  that  it  began  to  rain,  by  that  the  first  drops  of 
the  judgment  appeared.  They  went  into  the  ark. 
Bays  the  text,  because  of  the  Avaters  of  the  flood. 
This  should  teach  Christians  diligence,  lest  the}^ 
be  called  for  by  God's  dispensations,  either  of 
death  or  judgment,  before  they  have  served  com- 
pletely their  generations,  by  the  will  of  God.  Noah 
had  done  it,  but  it  seems  he  had  but  done  it ;  his 
work  was  ended  just  as  the  judgment  came :  *  Be 
ye  also  ready ;  for  in  such  an  hour  as  ye  think  not 
the  Son  of  man  cometh. '  Mat.  xxiv.  44. 

Ver.  8,  9.  '  Of  clean  beasts,  and  of  beasts  that 
are  not  clean,  and  of  fowls,  and  of  everything  tliat 
creepeth  upon  the  earth,  there  went  in  two  and  two 
unto  Noah  into  the  ark,  the  male  and  the  female, 
as  God  had  commanded  Noah.' 

By  these  words  it  seems  (as  I  also  touched  before) 
that  the  beasts,  and  fowls,  both  clean  and  unclean, 
did  come  in  to  Noah  into  the  ark ;  not  by  Noah's 
choice,  nor  by  any  instinct  that  was  common  to  all, 
but  by  an  instinct  from  above,  which  so  had  de- 
termined the  life  and  death  of  these  creatures,  even 
to  a  very  sparrow ;  for  not  one  of  them  doth  fail 
to  the  ground  without  the  providence  of  our  hea- 
venly Father. 

*  They  went  in  unto  Noah.  And  let  no  man 
deride,  for  that  I  said.  By  an  instinct  from  above ; 
for  God  hath  not  only  wrought  Avouders  in  men, 
but  even  in  the  beasts,  and  fowls  of  the  air ;  to 
the  making  of  them  act  both  above  and  against 
their  own  nature.  How  did  Baalam's  ass  speak  I 
jS'u.  xxii.  28—30.  And  the  cows  that  drew  the  ark,  have 
it  right  to  the  place  which  God  had  appointed,  not 
regarding  their  suckhig  calves !  1  Sa.vi.  10— 14.  Yea, 
how  did  those  ravenous  creatures,  the  ravens,  bring 
the  prophet  bread  and  flesh  twice  a  day,  but  bv 
immediate  instinct  from  heaven  ?  1  ICi. xrii.  c.  Even 
by  the  same  did  the.<;e  go  in  to  Noah,  into  the  ark. 

Ver.  10.  '  ^  And  it  came  to  pass  after  seven 
days,  that  the  waters  of  the  flood  Avero  upon  tlie 
earth. ' 

Just  as  the  Lord  had  denounced  before  :  Look 
therefore,  Avhat  God  hath  said,  shall  assuredly 
come  to  pass,  whether  it  be  belicA'cd,  or  counted 
an  idle  tale.  The  confirmation  therefore  of  Avhat 
God  hath  spoken,  depended  not  upon  the  credence 
of  man,  because  it  came  not  by  the  Avill  of  man : 
'  He  hath  said  it,  and  shall  ho  not  make  it  good  ?' 
It  AA'ill  therefore  assuredly  come  to  pass,  Avhatever 
God  hath  spoken,  be  it  to  save  his  Noahs,  or  be  it 
to  drown  his  enemies;  and  the  reason  is.  Because 

*  Every  edition,  but  the  £rst,  hns  left  out  Noali's  sons !  I 
from  the  ark,  ^Yhile  they  all  put  iu  his  sons'  wives. — Ed. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  TIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


471 


to  do  otherwise,  is  inconsistent  vitli  liis  nature.  He 
is  faithful,  holy  and  true,  and  cannot  deny  him- 
lielf,  that  is,  the  word  which  he  hath  spoken. 

Ver.  11.  'In  the  six  hundredth  year  of  Noah's 
life,  in  the  second  month,  the  seventeenth  day  of 
the  month,  the  same  day  were  all  the  fountains  of 
the  groat  deep  hroken  up,  and  the  windows  (or 
flood-gates)  of  heaven  were  opened.' 

As  to  the  month,  and  the  da}'  of  the  month  I 
liave  hut  little  to  say :  though  doubtless,  had  not 
there  heen  something  worthy  of  knowing  therein, 
it  would  not  so  punctually  have  been  left  upon  re- 
cord ;  for  I  dare  not  say  this  scribe  wrote  this  in 
vain,  or  that  it  was  needless  thus  to  pimctilio  it ; 
a  mystery  is  in  it,  but  my  darkness  sees  it  not ; 
I  must  speak  according  to  the  proportion  of  faith. 

'  The  same  day  were  all  tlie  fountains  of  the 
great  deep  broken  up.'  By  those  words,  it  seems 
t'nat  it  did  not  only  raiu  from  heaven,  but  also  the 
springs  and  foimtains  were  opened ;  which  together 
with  the  great  rain  of  his  strength,  did  overflow 
the  world  the  sooner. 

This  groat  deep,  in  mine  opinion,  was  also  a 
type  of  the  bottomless  pit,  that  mouth  and  gulf  of 
hell,  which  at  the  day  of  judgment  shall  gape 
upon  the  world  of  ungodly  men,  to  swallow  them 
up  from  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  to  carry  them 
away  from  the  face  and  presence  of  God. 

'  And  the  windows  (or  flood-gates)  of  heaven 
were  opened.'  That  is,  that  the  water  might 
descend  without  measure  or  order,  even  in  its  own 
natural  force,  with  violence  upon  the  head  of  the 
wicked.  It  came  as  water  out  of  his  buckets  upon 
them,  judgment  witliout  mercy.  Xu.  xxiv.  7. 

This  opening  of  the  flood-gates  of  heaven, 
was  a  type  of  the  way  that  shall  be  made  for 
the  justice  of  God  upon  ungodly  men,  when  Christ 
liath  laid  aside  his  mediatorship  ;  for  he  indeed 
is  the  sluice  that  stoppeth  this  justice  of  God 
from  its  dealing  according  to  its  infinite  power 
and  severity  with  men.  He  stands,  like  Moses, 
and,  as  it  were,  holdeth  the  hands  of  God.  Oh ! 
but  when  he  shall  be  taken  awayl  When  he  shall 
have  finislied  his  mediatory  work:  then  will  the 
flood-gates  of  heaven  be  opened,  and  then  will  the 
justice  and  holiness  of  God  deal  Avith  men  without 
stint  or  diminution,  even  till  it  hath  filled  the  ves- 
sels of  wrath  with  vengeance  till  they  run  over. 
'  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
living  God.' 

Ver.  12.  'And  the  rain  was  upon  the  earth  foi-ty 
days  and  forty  nights.' 

That  is,  It  rained  so  Icuc^  without  stop  or  stint, 
ver.  4. 

Yqv.  13.  'In  the  self  same  day  entered  Isoah, 
and  Shem,  and  Ham,  and  Japheth,  the  sons  of 
Xcah,  and  Noah's  wife,  and  the  three  wives  of  his 
sons  with  them,  into  the  ark.' 


This  therefore  more  fully  approveth  of  what  I 
said  before ;  to  wit.  That  they  had  hardly  done 
their  work  in  the  world,  by  that  it  began  to  rain ; 
but  so  soon  as  they  had  done,  the  flood  was  upon 
the  earth.  Much  like  this  is  that  of  Lot ;  it  was 
not  to  rain  fire  and  brimstone  upon  Sodom,  till  ho 
vras  got  to  Zoar :  But  when  Lot  was  entered,  but 
just  entered,  '  Then  the  Lord  rained  upon  Sodom, 
and  iipon  Gomorrah,  brimstone  and  fire  from  tlie 
Loud  out  of  heaven.'  Gc.  xix.  21— 2i» 

Hence  note.  That  the  reason  why  God  doth  for- 
bear to  destroy  the  world  for  the  Avickedness  of 
them  that  dwell  therein,  it  is  for  the  sake  of  the 
elect ;  because  his  work  upon  them  is  not  fuUv 
perfected.  '  The  Lord  is  not  slack  concerning  his 
promise;'  2  Pe.  m.  9.  no,  nor  as  concerning  his  threat- 
ening neither, — but  is  long-sufteriug  to  us-ward 
who  are  the  elect ;  not  willing  that  any  of  us 
should  perish:  But  when  Christ,  head  and  members, 
are  complete  in  all  things,  let  the  world  look  for 
patience  and  forbearance  no  longer ;  for  in  that  self 
same  day  the  trump  of  God  vrill  sound,  and  the 
Lord  descend  v,"ith  a  shout  from  heaven,  to  execute 
his  anger  with  fury,  and  his  rebukes  with  flames 
of  fire.  Behold,  he  is  now  '  ready  to  judge  the 
quick  and  the  dead .' '  1 1'e.  iv.  5.  '  ready  to  be  revealed 
in  the  last  time ! '  1 1'c.  i.  5.  The  judge  also  stands 
at  the  door ;  Ja.  v.  9.  it  is  but  opening  therefore,  and 
liis  hand  is  upon  you,  which  most  assiu'edly  he  v.^ill 
do  when  his  body  is  fidl  and  complete. 

Observe  again,  that  providence  sometimes  so 
ordereth  it,  that  as  touching  the  command  of  the 
Lord,  necessity  is  as  it  were  the  great  wheel  that 
lirings  men  into  the  performances  of  them,  as 
here  the  flood  drove  them  into  the  ark;  as  he  said 
above,  they  went  in  because  of  the  waters  of  the 
flood:  So  concerning  the  ordinance  of  unleavened 
bread,  the  first  iustituticu  of  that  law,  was  as  it 
were  accompanied  with  an  unavoidable  necessity, 
it  was  unleavened,  saitli  the  text,  '  because  they 
v,'ere  thrust  out  of  Egypt,  and  could  not  tarry, 
neither  had  they  prepared  fcr  themselves  any 
victual. '  Ex.  xii.  so. 

It  will  be  thus  also  at  the  day  of  judgment: 
Israel  will  be  sufSciently  weary  of  this  world,  they 
will  even  as  it  were  unexpressibly  groan  to  be  taken 
up  from  hence  ;  wherefore  the  Lord  will  come,  as 
making  use  of  the  weariness  and  groaning  of  hi& 
people,  and  will  take  them  up  into  his  chambers 
of  rest,  and  will  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their 
eyes,  as  here  Noah  and  his  sons,  <kc.  did  enter 
into  the  ark, 

Ver,  14.  '  They,  and  every  beast  after  his  kind, 
and  all  the  cattle  after  their  kind,  and  every 
creeping  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth  after 
his  kind,  and  every  fowl  after  his  kind,  every  bird 
of  every  sort'  or  wing. 

Without  doubt  this  cra-eful  repetition  is  not  with- 


472 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  EIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


out  a  cause,  and  liave  also  in  the  bowels  of  it  some 
comfortable  doctrine  for  the  church  of  God ;  every 
beast,  all  cattle,  every  creeping  thing  that  creepeth; 
every  fowl  and  bird  of  every  wing. 

First  this  sheweth,  that  God  hath  respect  to  tlie 
fulfilling  of  his  word  in  the  midst  of  all  his  zeal 
and  anger  against  sin.  Ge.  xix.  He  doth  not  as  we, 
being  angry,  run  headlong  upon  the  offenders,  but 
if  there  be  but  three  in  a  kingdom,  or  one  in  four 
cities,  he  Avill  have  respect  to  them.  Eze.  xir.  19, 20. 

Secondly,  It  sheweth  that,  how  inconsiderable 
soever  the  persons  are,  that  are  within  the  compass, 
and  care  of  the  love  and  mercy  of  God,  that  incon- 
siderableness  shall  not  be  a  let  to  their  safety  and 
preservation :  Yea,  though  they  are  but  as  these 
creeping  things,  that  creep  upon  the  eartli,  or  as 
the  saying  is,  but  as  a  flea,  a  dead  dog,  or  a  grass- 
hopper, or  one  of  the  least  of  the  grains  of  wheat, 
not  one  of  them,  nay,  not  a  hair  of  the  head  of 
them  shall  fall  to  the  ground  and  perish. 

Ver.  15,  16.  'And  they  went  in  unto  Noah  into 
the  ark,  two  and  two  of  all  flesh,  wherein  is  the 
breath  of  life.  And  they  that  went  in,  went  in 
male  and  female  of  all  flesh,  as  God  had  com- 
manded him:   and  the  Lord  shut  him  in.' 

The  Holy  Ghost  in  this  relation  is  wonderfully 
punctual  and  exact :  every  beast,  aU  cattle,  every 
creeping  thing,  every  fowl,  and  every  bird,  after 
their  kind  went  in ;  and  saith  he  again,  they  that 
went  in,  went  in  two  and  tvi^o ;  as  if  there  had 
been  an  intelligence  among  these  irrational  crea- 
tures, that  the  flood  was  shortly  to  be  upon  the 
earth.  Indeed,  many  among  the  sensitives  have 
strange  instincts,  as  appendixes  to  their  nature, 
by  which  they  do,  and  leave  to  do,  to  the  astonish- 
ment of  them  that  have  reason :  But  that  any  in- 
stinct in  nature  should  put  thcra  upon  afore  provid- 
ing for  shelter  from  the  flood,  by  going  into  the 
ark,  (a  place  to  secure  them,  rather  than  to  save 
them,  had  not  the  occasion  and  command  of  God 
been  otherwise)  it  cannot  be  once  with  reason  ima- 
gined. Wherefore,  as  their  going  into  the  ark,  so 
their  going  in  two  by  two,  and  that  too  male  and 
female,  plainly  declares  that  their  motion  Avas 
ordered  and  governed  by  heaven,  themselves  being 
utterly  ignorant  thereof. 

'  And  they  that  went  in  went  in  male  and  female 
of  all  flesh,  (both  man  and  beast)  and  the  Lord 
shut  him  in,'  that  is  Noah;  and  those  that  were 
with  him. 

These  latter  words  arc  of  great  importance,  and 
do  shew  us  the  distinguishing  grace  of  God,  for 
by  his  thus  shutting  the  door  of  the  ark,  he  not 
only  confirmed  his  mercy  to  Noah,  but  also  dis- 
covered the  bounds  and  limits  thereof.  As  who 
should  say,  Now  Noah  you  have  your  full  tale,  just 
thus  many  I  will  save  from  the  flood:  and  with 
that  he  shut  the  door  leaving  all  other,  both  man 


and  beast,  &c.  to  the  fury  of  the  waters.  God 
therefore  by  this  act  hath  shewed  how  it  will  go 
in  the  day  of  judgment  with  men.  Those  that 
(like  those  beasts,  and  birds,  and  creeping  things) 
shall  come  to  Christ,  into  his  ark,  before  it  rain  fire 
and  brimstone  from  heaven,  those  will  God  shut 
up  in  the  ark,  and  they  shall  live  in  that  day;  but 
those  that  shall  then  be  found  in  the  world  strangers 
to  Jesus  Christ,  those  will  God  shut  out :  *  They 
that  were  ready  went  in  with  him  to  the  marriage : 
and  the  door  was  shut. '  Mat.  xxv.  10. 

And  observe,  it  is  not  said,  that  Noah  shut  the 
door,  but  the  Lord  shut  him  in :  If  God  shuts  in 
or  out,  who  can  alter  it?  I  shut,  and  no  man 
openeth.  Re.  iii.  7.  Doubtless  before  the  flood  had 
carried  off  the  ark,  others  besides  Avould  with  glad- 
ness have  had  there  a  lodging  room,  though  120 
better  than  a  dog-kennel ;  but  now  it  was  too  late, 
the  Lord  had  shut  the  door.  Besides,  had  there 
been  now  in  the  heart  of  Noah,  bowels  or  compas- 
sion to  those  without  the  ark,  or  had  he  had  desire 
to  have  received  them  to  him,  all  had  been  worth 
nothing,  the  Lord  had  shut  him  in.  This  signify- 
ing, that  at  the  day  of  judgment,  neither  the  bowels 
of  Jesus  Christ,  neither  the  misery  that  damned 
men  shall  be  in,  will  anything  at  all  avail  with 
God  to  save  one  sinner  more,  '  the  door  is  shut.' 

Where  you  read  therefore  both  in  Matthew  and 
Luke  of  the  shutting  of  the  door,  understand  that 
by  such  expressions  Christ  alludeth  to  the  door  in 
Noah's  ark,  which  door  was  open  while  Noah  and 
his  attendants  were  entering  into  the  ark,  but  they 
being  got  in,  the  Lord  shut  the  door.  Then  they 
that  stood  without  and  knocked,  did  weep,  and 
knock,  and  ask  too  late.  As  Christ  saith,  '  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  ye  are:  Then  shall  yc 
begin  to  say.  We  have  eaten  and  drunk  in  thy 
presence,  and  thou  hast  taught  in  our  streets,  (as 
Noah  did  of  old.)  But  he  shall  say,  I  tell  you, 
I  know  you  not  whence  ye  are ;  depart  from  me, 
all  ye  workers  of  iniquity.  There  shall  be  weeping 
and  gnashing  of  teeth,  when  ye  shall  see  Abra- 
ham, and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets, 
in  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  you  yourselves  thrust 

out. '  Lu.  xiii.  25—28. 

Ver.  17.  *  %  And  the  flood  was  forty  days  upon 
the  earth,  and  the  waters  increased,  and  bare  up 
the  ark,  and  it  was  lift  up  above  tlie  earth.' 

While  the  ark  rested,  and  abode  in  his  place,  no 
doubt  but  the  ears  of  Noah  were  filled  with  doleful 
cries  from  the  wretched  and  miserable  people, 
whom  God  had  shut  without  the  ark,  one  while 
crying,  another  while  knocking,  according  to  what 
but  now  was  related;  which  for  ought  I   know 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GE^'ESIS. 


473 


rniglit  Le  many  of  the  forty  days,  but  wlien  tlie 
v/citers  much  increased,  and  lift  up  the  ark  above 
the  earth,  this  miserable  company  -were  soon  shaken 
off.* 

It  will  be  thus  also  in  the  day  of  judgment ;  at 
the  beginning  of  that  day  the  ears  of  the  godly  ■will 
sumciently  be  filled  vrith  the  cries  and  tears  of  the 
damned  and  miserable  world ;  but  when  the  ark 
shall  be  taken  up,  that  is,  when  the  godly  shall 
ascend  into  the  clouds,  and  so  go  hence  with  Jesus, 
they  wiU  soon  lose  this  company,  and  be  out  of  the 
hearing  of  their  lamentable  dolours. 

'And  the  waters  increased.*  God's  judgments 
have  no  ears  to  receive  the  cries,  nor  heart  to  pity 
the  miseries  of  the  damned.  They  cry,  it  rains ; 
they  increase  their  cries,  and  the  Lord  does  increase 
his  judgment.  '  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  as  he 
cried,  and  they  would  not  hear;  so  they  cried,  and 
I  would  not  hear,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.'  Zcc. 

Tii.  13. 

Again,  As  the  waters  were  a  type  of  the  wrath 
of  God  that  in  the  day  of  judgment  shall  fall 
upon  ungodly  men :  So  they  were  also  a  type  of 
those  afilictions  and  persecutions  that  attend  the 
church  ;  for  that  very  water  that  did  drown  the 
ungodly,  that  did  also  toss  and  tumble  the  ark 
about ;  wherefore  by  the  increase  of  the  waters,  we 
may  also  understand,  how  mighty  and  numerous 
sometimes  the  afilictions  and  afilictors  of  the  godly 
be :  As  David  said,  *  Lord,  how  are  they  increased 
that  trouble  me?  many  are  they  that  rise  up  against 

me. '  Ts.  iii.  1. 

*  And  the  waters  increased,  and  bare  up  the  ark.' 
The  higher  the  rage  and  tyranny  of  this  world 
groweth  against  the  church  of  God,  the  higher  is 
the  ark  lifted  up  towards  heaven,  the  most  proud 
wave  lifts  it  highest :  The  chm-ch  is  also  by  perse- 
cution more  purged  and  purified  from  earthly  and 
carnal  delights ;  therefore  it  is  added,  *  the  waters 
bare  up  the  ark,  and  it  was  lift  up  above  the 
earth. ' 

Ver.  18.  'And  the  waters  prevailed,  and  were 
increased  greatly  upon  the  earth;  and  the  ark 
•went  upon  the  face  of  the  waters. 't 

These  vv-ords  are  still  to  be  considered  under  the 
former  dcuble  consideration,  to  wit,  both,  as  they 
present  us  v/ith  God's  wrath  at  the  last  judgment, 
and  as  they  present  us  with  a  sign  of  the  rage  and 
malice  of  ungodly  men. 

'And  the   waters  prevailed;'  that  is,  over  all 


*  They  perish  in  sight  of  a  place  of  security  which  they 
cauDot  reach;  they  perish  ■sWlh  the  hitter  remorse  of  having 
despised  and  rejected  the  means  of  escape,  like  the  rich  man 
in  hell,  whose  torment  was  grievously  augmented  by  the  sight 
of  Lazaras,  afar  olf,  in  the  hosom  of  Ahraliam. — Ed. 

t  Calmet  says,  '  Apres  que  I'Arche  cut  fait  le  tour  du  monde 
pendant  I'espacc  de  six  mois.' — Suj)plement  to  Dictionary . 
lie  gives  no  authority  for  this  improbable  notion. — El). 

VOL.  II. 


ungodly  sinners ;  though  they  were  mighty,  and 
stout,  and  cared  for  none,  yet  the  waters  prevailed 
against  them,  as  the  fire  and  brimstone  will  do 
over  all  the  world  at  the  day  and  coming  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Wherefore,  well  may  it  be 
said  to  all  impenitent  sinners,  *  Can  thy  heart  en- 
dure, or  can  thy  hands  be  strong,  in  the  days  that 
I  shall  deal  with  thee,'  Eze.  xxii.  i^.  saith  the  Lord 
God  ?  Oh  they  cannot,  the  waters  of  the  wrath  of 
God  will  prevail  against,  and  increase  upon  them, 
until  they  have  utterly  swallowed  them  up. 

'  And  the  waters  prevailed.'  Take  it  now  as  a 
type  of  the  natui-e  of  persecution,  and  then  it  shew- 
eth,  that  as  the  vraters  here  did  sv\'allow  up  aU  but 
the  ark,  so  when  persecution  is  mighty  in  the 
world,  it  prevaileth  to  swallow  up  all  but  the  church; 
for  none  else  can  aright  withstand  or  oppose  their 
wickedness.  It  is  said,  when  the  beast  had  power 
to  work,  '  the  whole  world  vrondered  after  the 
beast,'  Ee.  xiii.  3.  and  all  men  who  were  not  sealed, 
and  that  had  not  the  mark  of  God  in  their  fore- 
heads, fell  in  with  the  worship  of  the  beast ;  as  it 
is  said,  '  And  aU  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall 
worship  him,  whose  names  are  not  written  in  the 
book  of  life  of  the  Lamb,'  <tc.  ver.  8.  So  then  it 
might  well  be  said,  '  The  waters  prevailed  and 
increased.' 

'  And  the  ark  went  upon  the  face  of  the  waters. ' 
It  is  said  that  in  the  beginning  the  Spirit  of  God 
moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters,  and  here  that 
the  ark  went  upon  the  face  of  them.  Indeed  the 
Spirit  of  God  moveth,  and  the  church,  as  God, 
walketh  in  strange  and  xuithought  of  stations.  It 
is  said,  that  God  hath  '  a  way  in  the  whirlwind, 
and  in  the  storm. '  Ka.  i.  3.  So  he  hath  upon  the  very 
face  of  the  persecution  of  the  day,  but  none  but 
the  church  can  follow  him  here ;  it  is  the  ark  that 
can  follow  him  upon  the  face  of  the  waters.  Deep 
things  are  seen  by  them  that  are  upon  the  waters : 
*  They  that  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships,  that 
do  business  in  great  waters ;  They  see  the  works 
of  the  Lord,  and  his  wonders  in  the  deep.'  Ps.  cvii. 
23, 24.  Indeed  it  oft  falls  out,  that  the  church  seeth 
more  of  God  in  afiiiction,  than  when  she  is  at  rest 
and  ease ;  Avhen  she  is  tumbled  to  and  fro  in  the 
waters,  then  she  sees  the  works  of  God,  and  his 
wonders  in  the  deep. 

And  this  makes  persecution  so  pleasant  a  thing, 
this  makes  the  ark  go  upon  the  face  of  the  vraters, 
she  seeth  more  in  tliis  her  state,  than  in  all  the 
treasures  of  Egypt.  He.  si.  24, 25. 

Ver.  19.  '  And  the  waters  prevailed  exceedingly 
upon  the  earth ;  aud  all  the  high  hills,  tliat  were 
xmder  the  whole  heaven,  were  covered.' 

This  second  repetition  of  the  prevailing  of  the 
waters,  doth  also  call  for  a  second  consideration. 

1.   It  shews  us,  that  aU  hope  that  any  ungodly 
man  might  have  at  the  beginning  of  the  flood  to 
3  o 


474 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OP  GENESIS. 


escape  the  rage  thereof,  was  now  swallowed  up  in 
death.  Indeed  it  is  natural  to  the  creatures,  when 
floods  and  inundations  are  upon  the  earth,  to  re- 
pair to  the  high  places,  as  they  only  that  are  left 
for  preservation  of  life;  where  life  may  be  also 
continued  if  the  waters  do  not  overflow  them  :  but 
when  it  comes  to  pass  as  here  we  read,  that  all  the 
hills  under  the  heavens  are  covered :  then  life  takes 
its  farewell,  and  is  gone  from  the  world,  as  was  the 
effect  of  the  waters  of  Noah. 

The  hills  therefore  were  types  of  the  hope  of  the 
hypocrite,  upon  which  they  clamber  till  their  heads 
do  touch  the  clouds,  thinking  thereby  to  escape 
the  judgment  of  God ;  but  'though  they  hide  them- 
selves in  the  top  of  Carmel,  I  will  search  and  take 
them  out  thence,'  saith  God.  Am.ix.  3,3.  The  flood 
of  his  wrath  will  come  thither,  even  over  the  tops 
of  all  the  hills.  So  that  safety  is  only  in  the  ark 
with  Noah,  in  the  church  with  Christ,  all  other 
places  must  be  drowned  witli  the  flood. 

2.  We  may  also  understand  by  this  verse,  how 
God  in  a  time  of  persecution  will  cut  off  the  carnal 
confidence  of  his  people.^  We  are  apt  to  place  our 
hope  somewhere  else  than  in  God,  when  persecu- 
tion ariseth  because  of  the  word.  We  hope  that 
sucli  a  man,  or  that  such  outward  means  may  pre- 
vent our  being  swept  away  with  this  flood.  But 
because  this  confidence  is  not  after  God,  but  tendeth 
to  weaken  our  stedfast  dependence  on  him ;  there- 
fore this  flood  shall  cover  all  our  hills,  not  one  shall 
be  found  for  us  under  the  whole  heaven.  Je.  ii. 
36, 37.  When  the  king  of  Babylon  came  up  against 
■Jerusalem  to  Avar,  then  Israel,  instead  of  trusting 
in  God,  put  their  confidence  in  the  king  of  Egypt, 
but  he  also  was  swallowed  up  by  this  flood,  that 
Israel  might  be  ashamed  of  such  confidence  ;  and 
this  at  last  they  confessed.  'As  for  us,  [said 
they,]  our  eyes  as  yet  failed  for  our  vain  help:  in 
our  watching,  we  have  watched  for  a  nation  tliat 
could  not  save  us. '  La.  iv.  17. 

It  was  requisite  therefore  that  the  hills  should 
be  covered,  that  Noah  might  not  have  confidence 
in  them ;  but  surely  this  dispensation  of  God  was 
an  heart-shaking  providence  to  Noah,  and  they 
that  were  with  him ;  for  here  indeed  was  his  faith 
tried,  there  was  no  hiU  left  in  all  the  world ;  now 
were  his  carnal  helpers  gone,  there  was  none  shut 
up  or  left:  Now  therefore,  if  they  could  rejoice,  it 
must  be  only  in  the  power  of  God.  As  David 
said,  'Shall  I  lift  up  mine  eyes  to  the  hills? 
whence  should  my  help  come?'  So  the  maro-iu: 
'  My  help  ccnneth  from  the  Lord  that  made  heaven 
and  earth. '  Ps.  cxxi.  1, 2. 

Ver.  20.  *  Fifteen  cubits  upward  did  the  waters 
prevail ;  and  the  mountains  were  covered. '  The 
lieight  cf  Goliah  was  but  six  cubits  and  a  span, 
1  Sa.  xvii.4.  neither  was  Og's  bedstead  any  more  than 
nine.  De  iii.  11.     Wherefore  this  flood  prevailed  far 


the  highest  of  those  mighty  ones:  even  fifteen  cubits 
above  the  highest  mountains. 

Ver.  21,  22,  23.  '  %  And  all  flesh  died  that 
moved  upon  the  earth,  both  of  fowl,  and  of  cattle, 
and  of  beast,  and  of  every  creeping  thing  that 
creepeth  upon  the  earth,  and  every  man:  All  in 
whose  nostrils  was  the  breath  of  life,  of  all  that 
ivas  in  the  dry  land,  died.  And  every  living  sub- 
stance was  destroyed,  which  was  upon  the  face  of 
the  ground,  both  man,  and  cattle,  and  the  creeping 
things,  and  the  fowls  of  the  heaven ;  and  they  wero 
destroyed  from  the  earth,  and  Noah  only  remained 
alive,  and  they  that  ivere  with  him  in  tlie  ark.' 

In  these  words  you  have  the  effects  of  the  flood, 
which  was  punctually  according  to  the  judgmeni 
threatened.  But  observe,  I  pray  you,  how  tlio 
Holy  Ghost,  by  repeating,  doth  amplify  the  matter. 
'  All  flesh,'  '  All  in  whose  nostrils  loas  the  breath 
of  life;'  '  All  that  was  in  the  dvj  land,'  'every 
living  substance,'  'every  man;'  and  they  wero 
destroyed  from  off  the  earth :  By  which  maunci' 
of  language  doubtless  there  is  insinuated  a  threat- 
ening to  them  who  should  afterward  live  ungodly. 
And  indeed  the  Holy  Ghost  affirmeth,  that  theso 
judgments,  with  that  of  Sodom,  are  but  examples 
set  forth  before  our  eyes,  to  shew  us  that  such 
sins,  such  pimishment.  ' Making  them  an  ensample, 
saith  Peter,  unto  those  that  after  should  live  un- 
godly. '  2  Pe.  ii.  6.  Nay,  Jude  saith,  they  are  '  set 
forth'  in  their  overthrow,  for  that  very  purpose, 
ver.  7.  Wherefore  this  careful  repeating  of  this 
judgment  of  God,  doth  carry  threatening  in  it, 
assuredly  foreshewiug  the  doom  and  downfal  of 
those  that  shall  continue  to  tread  their  steps. 

Yea,  mind  how  Peter  hath  it:  For  if  God 
'  spared  not  the  old  world,'  &c.  2Pe.  ii.  5.  Secretly 
intimating,  that  those  that  then  lived,  being  the 
first  of  his  workmanship,  and  far  surpassing  in 
magnificence,  if  he  would  have  spared,  he  would 
have  spared  them ;  but  seeing  he  so  dreadfully 
swept  them  away,  let  no  man  be  so  bold  to  presume 
that  wickedness  shall  now  deliver  him  that  is  given 
to  it. 

'  And  Noah  only  remained  alive,  and  they  that 
were  with  him  in  the  ark.'  Noah  was  that  man 
of  God  that  had  set  himself  agaiast  a  world  of 
ungodly  men.  The  man  that  had  hazarded  life 
and  limb  for  the  word  of  God  committed  to  him ;  he 
'  only  remained  alive,'  (fee.  Hence  note.  That  he 
was  the  man  that  outlived  the  world,  that  would  for 
God  venture  life  against  all  the  world.  Wherefore 
the  saying  in  the  gospel  is  true,  He  that  wiU  lose 
his  life  for  my  sake,  shall  save  it  unto  life  eternal. 
Thus  did  Noah,  and  passed  the  end,  and  went  over 
the  bounds,  that  God  had  appointed  for  every  living 
thing.  Behold !  he  was  a  man  in  both  worlds, 
yea,  the  world  then  to  come  was  given  him  for  a 
possession. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTEES  OF  GENESIS. 


475 


*  ^  And  tlae  waters  prevailed  upon  the  earth  an 
hundred  and  fifty  days. '  About  the  same  time  the 
scorpions  mentioned  of  John,  had  power  to  hurt 
the  earth.  Ke.  ix.  lo.  Wherefore,  the  thus  prevaihng 
of  the  water,  might  be  a  type  of  our  persecution 
now  in  the  New  Testament  days.  All  which  time 
doubtless  Noah  was  sufficiently  tried,  while  the 
vraves  of  the  water  had  no  pity  for  him. 

CHAP.  VIII. 

Ver.  1.  '  And  God  remembered  Noah,  and  every 
living  thing,  and  all  the  cattle  that  v;as  with  him 
in  the  ark ;  and  God  made  a  wind  to  pass  over  the 
earth,  and  the  waters  asswaged.' 

Moses  having  thus  related  the  judgment  of  the 
waters,  as  they  respected  the  di'owning  of  the 
vrorld,  and  so  typed  forth  the  last  judgment:  he 
now  returneth  to  speak  of  them  more  largely,  as 
they  were  a  type  of  the  persecution  and  afflictions 
of  the  church,  and  so  sheweth  how  God  delivered 
Noah  from  the  merciless  violence  of  the  waves 
thereof. 

'  And  God  remembered  Noah. '  This  word  re- 
membered is  usual  in  scriptm-e ;  both  when  God  is 
about  to  deliver  his  people  out  of  affliction,  and  to 
grant  them  the  petition  which  they  ask  of  him. 
It  is  said,  '  God  remembered  Abraham ;  and  sent 
Lot  out  of  Sodom;'  Ce. xk. 29.  that  he  remembered 
Kachel,  and  hearkened  to  her ;  xxx.  23.  that  he  also 
remembered  his  covenant  with  Abraham,  when  he 
vrent  to  bring  Israel  out  of  their  bondage.  Ex.  ii.  24. 

Hence  note,  that  Noah  was  now  both  in  an 
afflicted  and  a  praying  condition ;  afflicted  with  the 
dread  of  the  waters,  and  prayed  for  their  asswaging. 
It  is  a  question  accompanied  with  astonisliment. 
How  the  ark  being  of  no  bigger  an  hull  or  bulk 
should  contain  so  many  creatures,  with  sustenance 
for  them  ?  And  verily,  I  think,  that  Noah  himself 
was  put  to  it,  to  believe  and  wait  for  so  long  a 
time.  But  God  remembered  him,  and  also  the 
beasts,  and  every  living  thing  that  was  with  him, 
and  began  to  put  an  end  to  these  mighty  afflictions, 
by  causing  the  waters  to  asswage.  < 

'  And  God  made  a  wind  to  pass  over  the  earth.' 
The  waters  being  here  a  type  of  persecutors  and 
persecution:  this  wind  was  a  type  of  the  breath  of 
the  Lord's  mouth,  by  which  he  is  said  to  slay  the 
wicked.  '  He  shall  smite  the  earth  with  the  rod  of 
his  mouth,  and  with  the  breath  of  his  lips  shaU  he 
slay  the  wicked. '  is.  xi.  4.  It  was  a  wind  also  that 
blew  away  the  locusts  of  Egypt,  Ex.  x.  19.  which 
locusts  were  a  type  of  our  graceless  clergy,  that 
have  covered  the  e-round  of  our  land.*     Ao-ain 


'•'  '  A  graceless  clergy '  1 !  So  numerous  as  to  cover  the 
ground  of  our  laud !  I  How  awful  a  fact — talcing  tlie  name  of 
God  on  polluted  lips,  and  professing  to  teach  what  they  do 
not  comprehend.     Men  in  a  state  of  rebellion  against  heaven, 


the  kingdom  of  Label  was  to  be  destroyed  by  a 
destroymg  wind,  which  the  Lord  would  send 
against  her,  Je.n.i,2.  which  Paul  expounds  to  be  by 
the  breath  of  tlie  Lord's  mouth,  and  by  the  bright- 
ness of  his  coming.  This  wind  therefore,  as  I  said, 
was  a  type  of  the  breathing  of  the  Sphit  of  the 
Lord,  by  which  means  these  tumultuous  waves 
shall  be  laid  lower,  and  God's  ark  in  a  while  made 
to  rest  upon  the  top  of  his  mountain.  2  Sa.  xxii.  19.  For 
by  the  breath  of  the  Lord  the  earth  is  hghtened, 
and  by  this  lightning  coals  are  kindled ;  '  yea,  he 
sent  out  his  arrows  and  scattered  them,  and  he  shot 
out  lightnings,  and  discomfited  them.  Then  the 
channels  of  waters  were  seen,  and  the  foundations 
of  the  world  were  discovered  at  thy  rebuke,  0  Lord, 
at  the  blast  of  the  breath  of  thy  nostrils.'  Ps.  xviii. 
14, 15.  *  And  God  made  a  wind  to  pass  over  the 
earth,  and  the  waters  asswaged.'  That  is,  in  New 
Testament  language,  the  afflictors  and  afflictions 
of  the  church  did  cease  and  decay,  and  came  to 
nought. 

'  And  the  waters  asswaged : '  To  wit,  by  the 
blowing  of  this  wind,  wherefore,  as  this  wind  did 
assaidt  the  waters,  so  it  did  refresh  the  spirit  of 
this  servant  of  God,  because  by  it  the  affliction 
Avas  driven  away.  Thus  then  by  the  wind  of  the 
Lord  were  these  dry  bones  refreshed,  and  made  to 
stand  upon  their  feet.  Eze.  xxxvii.  9, 10. 

'And  God  made  a  wind  to  pass  over.'  And 
God  made  it ;  when  God  blows,  the  enemies  of  his 
truth  shall  pass  away  like  waters  that  fail. 

Ver.  2.  '  The  fountains  also  of  the  deep  and  the 
windows  of  heaven  were  stopped,  and  the  rain  from 
heaven  was  restrained.' 

By  these  words  we  see,  that  Avhen  the  church  of 
God  is  afflicted,  both  heaven  and  hell  have  their 
hand  therein,  but  so  as  from  a  differing  considera- 
tion, and  to  a  diverse  end.  Prom  heaven  it  comes, 
that  we  may  remember  we  have  sinned,  and  that 
we  may  be  made  white,  and  tried ;  Da.  xi.  35.  but 
from  hell,  from  the  great  deep,  that  we  might  sin 
the  more,  and  that  we  might  despair,  and  be 
damned.  Job  i.  11 ;  ii.  5. 

'And  the  fountains  of  the  great  deep.'  When 
God  begins  to  slack  and  abate  the  afflictions  of  his 
church,  he  rebukes,  as  it  were  first,  the  powers  of 
heU ;  for  should  he  take  off  his  own  hand,  while 
they  have  leave  to  do  what  they  list,  the  church 
for  this  would  be  worse  not  better :  But  first  he 
rebuketh  them :  '  The  Lord  rebuke  thee,  0  Satan, ' 
that's  the  first ;  and  then  he  clothes  them  *  with 
change  of  raiment : '  Zec.  ill.  1—5.  The  fountains  of 
the  great  deep  were  stopped,  and  then  the  bottles 
of  heaven.  Ge.xv.14. 

'  And  the  rain  from  heaven  was  restrained,   or 


calling  upon  others  to  submit  to  God's  gospel.    Solemn  hypo- 
crites, fearful  will  be  yom'  end. — Ed. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  TIIB  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OP  GENESIS. 


held  bade,  or  made  to  cease.  Afflictions  are 
^•overned  by  God,  both  as  to  time,  number,  nature 
and  measure.  '  In  measure  when  it  shooteth  forth, 
thou  wilt  debate  with  it:  he  stayeth  his  rough 
wind  in  the  day  of  his  east  wind. '  Is.  xxvii.  8.  Our 
times  therefore,  and  our  conditions  in  those  times, 
are  in  the  hand  of  God ;  yea,  and  so  are  our 
soids  and  bodies,  to  be  kept  and  preserved  from 
the  cvii,  vrhiio  the  red  of  God  is  upon  us.  Je.  xv. 

i — 3. 

Vc;-.  3.  'And  the  waters  returned  from  off  the 
earth  continually :  and  after  the  end  of  the  hun- 
dred and  fifty  days  the  waters  v/ere  abated.' 

The  verse  before  doth  treat  of  the  original,  the 
fountains  of  the  deep,  and  the  windows  of  heaven, 
that  they  vrere  shut,  cr  stopped ;  which  being  done, 
the  effect  beginneth  to  cease.  Hence  note,  that 
ease  and  release  from  persecution  and  affliction 
cometh  not  by  chance,  or  by  the  good  moods,  or 
gentle  dispositions  of  men,  but  the  Lord  doth  hold 
them  back  from  sin,  the  Lord  restraineth  them. 
It  is  said  '  the  Lord  stirred  up  the  adversaries  of 
Solomon.' 1  Ki.xi.i-]-, 23.  Again,  when  the  Syrians 
fought  against  Jehoshaphat,  'the  Lord  helped  him, 
and  God  moved  them  to  depart  from  him.'  2  Ch. xviii. 
31.  The  Lord  sent  the  flood,  and  the  Lord  took  it 
away. 

'  And  the  waters  returned  from  ou  the  earth 
continually.'  When  God  ceaseth  to  be  angry,  the 
hearts  and  dispositions  of  the  adversaries  shall  be 
palliated,  and  made  more  flexible.  It  is  said, 
when  the  afflictions  of  Israel  were  ended  in  Egypt, 
the  hearts  of  the  people  were  turned  to  pity  them ; 
yea,  he  caused  them  *  to  be  pitied  of  all  those  that 
carried  them  captives.'  Ps. cvi. 46. 

When  you  see  therefore,  that  the  hearts  of  kings 
and  governors  begin  to  be  moderated  toward  the 
church  of  God,  then  acknowledge  that  this  is  the 
hand  of  God.  '  I,'  saith  he,  '  will  cause  the  enemy 
to  entreat  thee  lodl  in  the  time  of  evil,  and  in  the 
time  of  affliction.'  Je.  xr. ii.  Eor  by  waters  here  are 
typed  out  the  great  and  mighty  of  the  world,  by 
the  flowing  of  them,  their  rage ;  and  by  their 
ebbing  and  returning  their  stillness  and  modera- 
tion. 

'And  the  waters  returned.'  That  is,  to  the 
sea.  Ge.  i.  9, 10.  '  He  gathereth  the  waters  of  the  sea 
together  as  an  heaj) :  he  layeth  up  the  depth  in 
store  houses.'  Ps.  xxxiii.  7. 

By  'gathering  up,'  the  persecutors  may  be 
understood,  his  gathering  them  to  their  graves,  as 
he  did  Herod,  who  stood  in  the  way  of  Christ. 
Mat.  ii.  19, 20.  And  as  he  did  those  in  Ezekiel,  who 
liindered  the  promotion  of  truth,  and  the  exaltation 
of  the  gospel,  xxxi.  li. 

'And  after  the  end  of  the  hundred  and  fifty 
days  the  waters  were  abated.'  These  words  then 
imply,    that   f(;r   so   long   tune,    Noah,   and   the 


church  with  him,  were  to  exercise  patience.  They 
also  show  us.  That  when  the  waters  are  up,  tliey 
do  not  suddenly  fall :  They  were  up  four  hundred 
years,  from  Abraham  to  Moses.  Ge.  xv.  13.  They 
were  up  threescore  and  ten  years  in  the  days  of 
the  captivity  of  Babylon ;  Je.  xxv.  12.  and  Ze.  i.  13.  They 
were  up  ten  mystical  days  in  the  persecution  tliao 
was  in  the  days  of  Antipas.  Re.  ii.  lo.  And  are  to 
be  up  forty  and  two  months,  in  the  reign,  and 
under  the  tyranny  of  antichrist,  xiii.  5.  But  they 
vi^iU  abate ;  the  house  of  Saul  will  grow  weaker  ; 
yea,  they  shall  be  gathered  to  their  sea,  and  shall 
be  laid  in  the  pit ;  yea,  they  shall  not  be  on  tlie 
earth,  Vv-hen  God  shall  set  glory  in  the  land  of  the 

living.  Ezc.  xxvi.  10—21. 

Ver.  4.  IT  '  And  the  ark  rested  in  the  seventh 
month,  on  the  seventeenth  day  of  the  month,  upon 
the  mountains  of  Ararat. ' 

These  instances  therefore  were  a  type  of  Christ, 
the  munition  of  rocks,  is.  xxxiii.  ig.  who  is  elsev.dicro 
called,  the  mountain  of  the  Lord's  house ;  Mi.  iv.  i. 
the  lock  upon  which  he  will  build  his  church,  and 
the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it.  Matxvi. 
18.  For  after  the  ark  had  felt  the  ground,  or  had 
got  settlement  upon  the  tops  of  these  mountains ; 
hov/ever,  the  waters  that  came  from  the  great  deep, 
did  notwithstanding,  for  some  time,  shake,  and 
make  it  stir,  yet  off  from  these  mountains  they 
could  not  get  it  with  all  their  rage  and  fury.  It 
rested  there ;  these  gates  of  hell  could  not  prevail. 
But  mark,  it  did  rest  en  these  mountains  almost  a 
quarter  of  a  year,  before  any  ground  appeared  to 
jMoah.  A  right  figure  of  saving  faith ;  for  that 
maketh  not  outward  observation  a  ground  and 
foimdation  for  faith,  but  Christ  the  rock,  who  as 
to  sense  and  feeling  is  at  first  quite  out  of  sight. 
Hence  the  hope  of  the  godly  is  compared  to  the 
anchor  of  a  ship,  which  resteth  on,  or  taketh  hold 
of  the  rock  that  is  noAv  invisible  under  the  vrater, 
at  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  He.  \i,  19. 

This  then  should  learn  us  to  stay  on  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  there  to  rest  when  the  waters  have 
drowned  all  the  world,  and  when  all  the  mountains 
and  hills  for  help  are  as  if  they  were  cast  into  the 
midst  of  the  sea. 

That  is  an  excellent  saying  of  the  prophet,  'God 
is  our  refuge  and  strength,  a  very  present  help  in 
trouble.  Therefore  will  not  we  fear,  though  the 
earth  be  removed,  (as  now  it  seemed)  and  though 
the  mountains  be  carried  into  the  midst  of  the 
sea;  Tlwugh  the  waters  thereof  roar  and  be 
troubled;  though  the  mountains  shako  v/ith  the 
swelhug  thereof.     Selah.'  Ps.  .\hi.  i— 3. 

Ver.  5.  '  And  the  waters  decreased  continually 
until  the  tenth  month:  in  the  tenth  month,  on  the 
first  day  of  the  month,  were  the  tops  of  the  moun- 
tains seen.' 

In  the  third  verse  we  read,  that  after  an  huu- 


AN"  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


477 


Jred  and  fifty  days'  flood,  the  waters  returned;  that 
is,  began  to  return,  from  off  the  earth:  Which 
heginning  of  their  return,  '.vas,  because  that  God 
had  mercifully  remembered  the  prayer  and  afilic- 
tion  of  Noali.  Again,  in  this  verse  we  read,  tiiat 
from  the  day  that  the  ark  did  rest  upon  the  moun- 
tains of  Ararat,  the  waters  decreased  continually. 
ISTow  the  resting  of  the  ark  on  the  moimtain,  was 
a  figui-e  of  our  trusting  on  Christ.  Hence  it  fol- 
lows, that  the  tumults  and  raging  of  tho  mystical 
waters,  are  made  to  decrease  by  the  power  of  faith : 
*  This  is  the  victory,  even  our  faith. '  i  Ju.  v.  i.  As 
it  is  also  said  of  Moses,  *  By  faith  they  passed 
through  the  Red  sea. '  lie.  xi.  29.  But  above  all  take 
that  as  most  pertinent,  '  Through  faith  they  sub- 
dued kingdoms,  -  stopped  the  mouths  of  hons,  - 
and  turned  to  flight  the  armies  of  aliens.'  He.  xi.  33, 
3  k  Here  you  see  faith  made  the  waters  decrease ; 
it  took  away  the  heat  and  rage  of  tlio  adversary. 

'  And  the  waters  decreased  continually  until  the 
tenth  month,  (another  period  of  time,)  and  in  the 
first  day  of  the  tenth  month  were  the  tops  of  the 
mountains  seen.'  These  mountains  were  before 
the  flood,  a  type  of  the  hope  of  the  hypocrites,  and 
therefore  then  were  swallowed  up,  fifteen  cubits 
under  the  waters.  But  now,  methinks,  they  should 
be  a  figure  to  the  church  of  some  visible  ground  of 
deliverance  from  the  fl.ood ;  for  almost  three  months 
tho  ark  did  rest  on  the  invisible  mountains  of 
Ararat.  But  now  are  the  tops  of  the  mountains 
seen :  A  further  sign  that  the  waters  were  abated ; 
find  a  ground,  that  at  length  they  would  be  quite 
dried  up.  Let  these  mountains  then  be  types  of 
the  high  and  mighty,  which  God  is  used  to  stir  up 
to  deliver  his  church  from  the  heat  and  rage  of 
t}Tanny  and  persecution,  as  they  are  often  termed 
and  called  in  scripture,  the  mountains  of  Israel, 
for  this  very  end.  So  then,  from  our  thus  con- 
sidering the  mountains,  Two  things  wc  are  taught 
thereby. 

1.  That  T.'hcn  the  great  ones  of  this  world 
begin  to  discover  themselves  to  the  church,  by  way 
of  encouragement,  it  is  a  sign  that  the  waters  are 
now  decreasing.  Or  thus :  When  God  lets  us  see 
the  tops  of  the  mountains,  then  we  may  certainly 
conclude,  that  the  rage  of  the  waters  abate. 

Doubtless  when  God  made  promise  of  raising  up 
Josias  to  Israel,  in  Canaan;  1  Ki. xiii.  1— 3.  and  of 
raising  up  for  them  Cyrus,  in  Babylon,  is.  .\lv.  and 
Eze.  i.  1—3.  The  thus  appearing  of  the  tops  of  these 
mountains,  was  comfort  to  the  church  in  her  day 
of  affliction. 

2.  This  should  teach  us  while  we  are  in  afilic- 
tion,  to  look  this  way  and  that,  if  it  may  be  that 
the  tops  of  the  mountains  may  be  seen  by  us. 
1  ?a.  xi.  1—3.  For  though  it  be  too  much  belovf  a 
Christian  to  place  his  confidence  in  men,  yet  when 
God  shall  raise  up  Josias  ur  a  Cyrus,  we  may  take 


encouragement  at  this  working  of  God.  Therefore 
is  that  in  the  Psalms  read  both  Avays,  shall  I  look 
to  the  mountains  ?  '  I  will  lift  up  mine  eyes  unto 
tho  hills,  from  whence  cometh  my  help.  Yet  so, 
as  that  he  would  also  conclude  his  help  did  come 
from  the  Lord. '  Ps.  cxxi.  1, 2.  So  then,  we  must  take 
heed  that  we  look  not  to  the  mountains  [alone]. 
Again,  it  is  our  wisdom  *  to  look  to  the  mountains :' 
only  look  not  to  them  but  when  God  discovers  them. 
Look  unto  them  if  God  discovercth  them ;  yet  then 
but  so  as  means  of  God's  appointing.  But  again, 
God  doth  not  let  us  see  the  hills  for  our  help, 
before  Ave  have  first  of  all  seen  them  drov,-ned. 
Look  not  to  them  therefore  while  the  water  is  at 
the  rising ;  but  if  they  begin  to  cease  their  raging, 
if  they  begin  to  fall,  and  with  that  the  tops  of  the 
mountains  be  seen,  3'ou  may  look  upon  them  with 
comfort,  they  are  tokens  of  God's  deliverance. 

Ver.  6.  *  H  And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  end  of 
forty  days,  that  JSToah  opened  the  window  of  tho 
ark  which  he  had  made.' 

These  forty  days  seem  to  commence  from  the 
discovery  of  tlie  tops  of  the  mountains.  Where- 
fore he  did  not  presently  go  out  of  the  ark,  but 
staid  there  above  fourteen  days  still,  signifying 
unto  us,  that  we  must  not  be  therefore  delivered 
so  soon  as  the  tops  of  the  mountains  are  seen,  but 
may  yet  be  assaulted  with  the  waters  of  the  flood, 
days,  and  weeks,  and  months,  &,o. 

V/hen  Moses  was  sent  to  deliver  Israel,  they 
came  not  presently  out  of  Egypt ;  neither  seemed 
their  burthens  ever  the  lighter  to  sense  or  feeling, 
though  faith  indeed  did  see  the  end.  E.\-.  v.  ic— 23. 
Again,  When  he  had  brought  them  forth  of  Egypt, 
they  came  not  in  a  day,  or  a  month,  to  Canaan ; 
but,  saith  the  Holy  Ghost,  '  He  brought  them  out, 
(or,  forth  of  affliction)  after  that  he  had  showed 
wonders  and  signs  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  in 
the  Red  sea,  and  in  the  v.-ilderness  forty  years. 

Let  us  therefore  take  heed  of  a  feverish  spirit, 
v/hile  we  behold  'the  tops  of  the  mountains;'  pos- 
sibly, for  all  they  are  visible  tokens  to  us  of  deliver- 
ance, themselves  may  be  yet  much  imder  water. 
\Vc  see  what  work  iloses,  Gideon,  Jephthah  and 
Samson  had  to  deliver  Israel,  even  after  more  than 
their  tops  were  seen.  Be  content  to  stay  yet  forty 
days.  David  stayed,  after  he  was  anointed,  till 
years  and  times  went  over  him,  before  he  could 
deliver  Israel  from  the  tyranny  of  its  opposers. 

'At  the  end  of  forty  days  Noah  opened  the 
window  of  the  ark.'  This  opening  of  the  windo->v 
also,  was  a  type,  that  now  he  was  preparing 
to  take  possession  of  the  world.  It  also  might 
be  a  type  of  the  opening  the  lav/  and  testimony, 
that  light  might  by  that  come  into  the  church; 
for  we  find  not  that  this  window  had  any  other 
use,  but  to  be  a  conveyance  of  light  into  the  ark, 
and  as  a  passage  for  the  raven  and  the  dove,  as 


478 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


may  be  further  showed  after.  Now  much  like 
this,  is  that  of  John :  '  The  temple  of  God  was 
opened  in  heaven,  and  there  was  seen  in  his  temple 
the  ark  of  his  testament. '  Ke.  xi.  19.  And  again,  '  I 
looked,  and,  behold,  the  temple  of  the  tabernacle 
of  the  testimony  in  heaven  was  opened.'  And 
then,  as  the  raven,  and  the  dove  came  out  of  the 
window  of  the  ark;  so  'the  angels,'  that  is,  the 
Lord's  executioners,  'came  out  of  the  temple '  that 
was  opened  in  heaven.  Re.  .w.  5,  G. 

Hence  note,  That  though  men  may  be  borne 
with,  if  they  lie  in  their  holes  in  the  heighth  of  the 
tempest ;  but  to  do  it  when  the  tops  of  the  moun- 
tains were  seen,  if  they  then  shall  forbear  to  open 
their  window,  they  are  worthy  cf  blame  indeed. 
When  the  lepers  saw  the  Assyrians  were  fled,  and 
that  liberty  from  heaven  was  granted  to  Samaria, 
then  they  feared  to  conceal  the  thing  any  further ; 
They  feared,  I  say,  that  if  they  went  not  to  the 
city  to  declare  it,  some  judgment  of  God  would 
befal  them.  3  Ki.  vii.  o, 

Ver.  7,  8.  *  And  he  sent  forth  a  raven,  which 
went  forth  to  and  fro,  until  the  waters  were  dried 
up  from  off  the  earth.  Also  he  sent  forth  a  dove 
irom  him,  to  see  if  the  waters  were  abated  from 
off  the  face  of  the  ground, ' 

Behold,  the  raven  and  dove  are  now  sent  out  at 
the  window  of  the  ark,  as  the  angels  are  said  to 
come  out  of  the  temple,  when  it  was  opened  in 
heaven.  This  raven  therefore,  and  the  dove,  were 
figures  and  tj^pes  of  those  angels.  Re.xv.  5, 6. 

But  to  speak  to  them  both  apart.  The  raven 
Avent  forth,  but  returned  not  again  to  the  ark. 
This  is  intimated  by  these  words, '  She  went  to  and 
fro,  until  the  waters  were  abated,  and  dried  up.' 
This  is  further  evident  by  that  antithesis  that  the 
word  doth  put  between  the  practice  of  the  raven 
and  the  dove.  The  raven  went  forth,  and  went  to 
and  fro  till  the  waters  were  dried  up.  But  mark 
it,  '  But  the  dove  found  no  rest  for  the  sole  of  her 
foot,  and  she  returned  uato  him  into  the  ark.' 
ver.  9.  The  raven  then  did  find  rest  elsewhere,  the 
raven  then  returned  not  to  him  into  the  ark. 

But  what  did  the  raven  then  do  ?  Why,  cer- 
tainly she  made  a  banquet  of  the  carcases  of  the 
giants  that  were  drowned  by  the  flood ;  it  fed  upon 
the  flesh  of  the  men  that  had  sinned  against  the 
Lord. 

The  raven  therefore  was  a  type  of  those  mes- 
sengers that  God  sends  out  of  his  temple  against 
Antichrist ;  that  is,  for  '  eating  the  flesh  of  kino-s, 
and  the  flesh  of  captains,  and  the  flesh  of  mighty 
men,  and  the  flesh  of  horses.'  He  Avas,  I  say,  a 
type  of  those  professors  that  God  saith  he  hath  a 
great  sacrifice  to  sacrifice  unto,  a  sort  of  professors 
in  his  church ;  as  the  raven  was  one  that  had  his 
being  in  the  ark:  These  are  they  which  Ezekiel 
mentions,  that  were  to  eat  flesh,  and  drmk  blood ; 


to  eat  the  fat  till  they  be  filled,  and  to  drink  blood 
till  they  be  drunken,  xxxix.  17— 20.  These  also  are 
the  guests  that  Zephaniah  mentions,  and  saith, 
God  hath  bidden  to  the  same  feast  also.  i.  7—u. 

And  let  no  man  be  offended  that  I  say  these 
birds  are  in  the  church:  For  one  effect  of  the 
sixth  vial,  was  that  battle  of  the  great  day  of 
God  Almighty.  Re.  x-ti.  16.  Further,  The  angel  that' 
proclaims  this  feast,  calls  to  those  that  are  God's 
guests,  by  the  name  of,  '  the  fowls  that  fly  in  the 
midst  of  heaven : '  That  they  shoiild  '  come  and 
gather  together  to  the  supper  of  the  great  God : 
That  they  may  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  and  the  flesh 
of  captains,  and  the  flesh  of  mighty  men,'  &c. 
Re.  xiv.  17, 18.  Besides,  this  supper  is  the  effect  of  the 
going  forth  of  the  King  of  kings  against  the  Anti- 
ehristian  whore,  whose  going  forth  was  at  the 
opening  of  heaven,  as  the  going  forth  of  the  raven 
was  at  the  opening  of  the  window  of  the  ark.  ver. 

11—16. 

Note  therefore,  That  God,  in  the  overthrow  of 
the  kingdom  of  Antichrist,  and  at  the  asswaging  of 
the  rage  of  her  tumultuous  waves,  will  send  forth 
his  birds  amongst  her  fat  ones,  to  partake  of  the 
banquet  that  he  hath  appointed ;  who  when  they 
shall  be  tolerated  by  that  angel  that  standeth  in 
the  Sim,  will  come  down  to  their  feast  Beware  of 
Avith  such  greediness,  that  neither  king  Noah's  raven, 
nor  captain  shall  keep  them  from  their  prey :  They 
will  eat  flesh,  and  fat,  till  they  be  full,  and  drink 
the  blood  tiU  they  be  drunk. 

'  Also  he  sent  forth  a  dove  from  him,  to  see  if 
the  waters  were  abated.'  This  dove  was  a  type 
of  another  sort  of  professors  in  the  church,  that 
are  of  a  more  gentle  nature ;  Mat,  x.  16.  for  all  the 
saints  are  not  for  such  work  as  the  raven ;  they 
are  not  all  for  feeding  upon  the  carcases,  the  king- 
doms and  estates  of  the  Antichristian  jjarty,  but 
are  for  spending  their  time,  and  for  bending  their 
spirits  to  a  more  spiritual  and  retired  work ;  even 
as  the  dove  is  said  to  be  harmless,  and  to  mourn 
for  communion  with  her  companion,  is.  xxxviii.  14  and 
that  is  content  if  she  hath  her  nest  in  the  sides  of 
the  rock,  Christ.  Je.  xiviii.  28.    Wherefore  he  adds, 

Ver.  9.  '  But  the  dove  found  no  rest  for  the  sole 
of  her  foot,  and  she  returned  unto  him  into  the 
ark,  for  the  waters  were  on  the  face  of  the  whole 
earth.'  &c. 

The  dove  could  not  live  as  the  raven ;  the  raven 
being  content,  so  long  as  she  found  the  carcases ; 
but  the  dove  found  no  rest  till  she  returned  again 
to  Noah. 

The  raven  therefore,  though  he  Avas  in  the  ark, 
was  not  a  type  of  the  most  spiritual  Christian ;  nay 
rather,  I  think,  of  the  worldly  professor,  who  gets 
into  the  church  in  the  time  of  her  afiliction,  as  Ziba 
did  into  the  army  of  David,  in  the  day  of  hi.-> 
trouble ;  not  for  love  to  the  grace  of  David,  but 


AX  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


479 


that,  if  time  sliould  serve,  lie  miglit  te  made  the 
Lord  of  his  master's  inheritance.  2  Sa.  wi.  i— i.  But 
David  was  content  to  let  him  go  with  him,  and 
that  too  as  imder  such  a  consideration :  as  Christ 
also  lets  these  ravens  to  herd  with  his  innocent 
doves ;  hecause  he  hath  flesh  to  give  them,  which 
the  doves  care  not  for  eating.* 

'But  the  dove  fomid  no  rest.'  It  seems  the 
raven  did,  as  it  is  also  with  some  professors,  who 
when  they  by  their  profession  have  advanced  them- 
selves to  some  worldly  honour,  they  have  ease  and 
rest,  though,  like  the  raven,  they  have  it  by  going 
out  of  the  church. 

'But  the  dove  found  no  rest.'  Though  all  the 
enemies  of  God  lay  tumbling  in  the  sea,  this  could 
not  satisfy  a  gracious  soul :  divide  her  from  the 
ark,  and  she  finds  no  rest,  she  is  not  at  ease  till 
she  be  vrith  Xoah, 

'  And  she  returned  imto  him  into  the  ark ;  -  and 
he  put  forth  his  hand,  and  took  her,  and  pulled  her 
in  unto  him  into  the  ark.'  vcr.  9. 

Noah  here  was  a  type  of  Christ,  who  took  the 
dove  unto  him :  And  it  shows  us,  That  Christ  hath 
a  bosom  open  for  the  cries  and  complaints  of  his 
people ;  for  the  dove  returned  a-weary  with  the 
tidings  of  this,  that  the  waters  still  raged.  A  fit 
figure  of  those  of  the  saints  that  are  groaning  and 
weary  imder  the  oppression  and  cruelty  of  the 
enemy. 

Hence  note.  That  though  thou  hast  no  other 
tidings  to  Christ  but  sighs  and  groans,  and  weari- 
ness, because  of  the  rage  of  the  waters ;  yet  he 
will  not .  despise  thee ;  yea,  he  invites  thee,  as 
weary,  to  come.  Mat.  xi.  28— so. 

Ver.  10.  '  And  he  stayed  yet  other  seven  days  ; 
and  again  he  sent  forth  the  dove  out  of  the  ark. ' 
This  staying  shows  us,  That  he  exercised 
patience,  waiting  God's  leisure  till  the  flood  should 
be  taken  away.  This  grace  therefore  had  yet 
seven  day's  work  to  do,  before  he  obtained  any 
further  testimony  that  the  waters  were  decreasing. 
0  this  staying  work  is  hard  work !  Alas !  some- 
times patience  is  accompanied  with  so  much  heat 
and  feverishness,  that  every  hoiu-  seems  seven  until 
the  end  of  the  trial,  and  the  blessing  promised  be 
possessed  by  the  waiting  soul.  It  may  be  Noah 
might  not  be  altogether  herein  a  stranger:  I  am 
sure  the  Psalmist  was  not,  in  that  he  often  imder 
affliction,  cries.  But  how  long,  0  Lord  !  for  ever  ! 

Ps.  vi.  3;  kxk.  5;  xiii.  1;  kxiv.  1;  Ixxxix.  46.       Make    haste  ! 
0  Lord,  how  long  !  xc.  IS;  xciv.  3. 

'  And  again  he  sent  forth  the  dove. '  The  first 
time  he  sent  her,  she  brought  no  good  news,  but 

*  This  sliould  prompt  every  professuig  Christiaa  to  self- 
eiaminatiou — Am  I  of  the  raven  elass,  or  that  of  the  dove  ? 
jMay  my  heart,  while  trembling  at  the  thought  that  there  are 
ravens  in  the  church,  appeal  to  the  heai-t-scai-ching  God, '  Lord, 
is  it  1?' — Ed. 


came  panting  and  Aveary  home ;  yet  he  sends  her 
a  second  time. 

This  should  teach  us,  not  to  make  conclusions; 
too  suddenly  about  God's  dispensation,  saying  iti 
must  be  now  or  never ;  for  it  may  be  the  seven 
days  are  not  out.  The  men  of  David  said.  This 
is  the  day  that  the  Lord  will  give  thee  the  kins^^- 
dom  of  Israel :  But  DaA-id  perceived  otherwise,  and 
therefore  adds  yet  to  his  temperance,  patience. 
1  Sa.  xxiv.  1— 1;  xxvi.  &— 10.  Kot  sullenly  saying  like 
that  wicked  king,  Why  should  I  wait  on  the  Lord 
any  longer  ?  2  lii.  tL  G2.  But  comforts  himself  with 
the  truth  of  the  promise,  saying.  His  time  shall 
come  to  die,  ire.  He  that  believeth,  maketh  not 
haste,  but  waiteth  patiently,  for  the  perfecting 
God's  work  in  God's  time.  That  is  excellent  in 
the  song :  '  I  charge  you  (saith  the  church)  that 
ye  stir  not  up,  nor  awake  my  love,  until  he  please.' 
Ca.  viii.  4.  Noah  was  much  for  this,  wherefore  he 
stayed  yet  other  seven  days. 

'  And  again  he  sent  forth  the  dove.'  Elias  did 
much  like  this,  when  his  servant,  at  the  fii'st 
sending,  brought  him  no  tidings  of  rain,  he  gave 
him  his  errand  again,  saying,  Go  again:  go  seven 
times.  1  Ki.  xiriii.  43^5.  As  Noali  here  did  with  the 
dove,  and  again  he  sent  her.  Seeming  delays  are 
no  hindrance  to  faith ;  they  ought  to  try  it,  and 
put  it  into  exercise :  As  here  it  was  with  this  good 
man  about  the  waters  of  the  flood ;  he  fainted  not, 
but  beUeved  to  see  the  goodness  of  the  Lord.  That 
in  the  prophet  is  notable  as  to  this,  *  The  vision  is 
yet  for  an  appointed  time,  but  at  the  end  it  shall 
speak,  and  not  lie :  though  it  tarry,  wait  for  it ; 
because  it  will  surely  come,  it   wiU  not  tarry.' 

Hab.  ii.  3. 

Ver.  11.  '  And  the  dove  came  in  to  him  in  the 
evening ;  and  lo !  in  her  mouth  was  an  olive-leaf 
plucked  ofi" :  so  Noah  knew  that  the  waters  were 
abated  from  off  the  earth.' 

'  And  the  dove  came  in  to  him  in  the  evening,' 
Wherefore  his  patience  was  tried  this  day  also. 
All  the  day  he  heard  nothing  of  his  dove.  Surely 
she  could  not  keep  the  wing  all  the  day.  Is  she 
drowned  I  tro  ?  Is  she  lost  ?  0,  no  !  She  comes 
at  last,  though  she  stayed  long.  Samuel  also 
stayed  long  before  he  came  to  Saul;  but  Saul 
could  not  wait  as  Noah  did,  therefore  he  had  not 
the  benefit  of  the  mercy  promised. 

'  The  dove  came  in  to  him  in  the  evening,  aud 
lo,  in  her  mouth  Vi^as  an  oKve-leaf,'  &c.  Now  he 
is  recompensed  for  the  exercise  of  patience:  As 
also  was  Abraham  when  God  gave  him  Issac  ;  for 
after  he  had  patiently  endiu-ed,  he  obtained  the 
promise. 

'  And  lo,  an  olive-leaf.'  A  sign  that  God  Avas 
going  through  with  his  work  of  dimiuishing  the 
waters :  A  sign,  I  say,  and  a  good  experience  of 
the  continued  love  of  God  to  his  servant;  according 


ISO 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTEHS  OF  GENESIS. 


to  tliat  of  Paul,  'patience  "WorTietli  crperlence;' 
that  is,  it  at  last  obtainetla  tlie  blessing  promised, 
raid  so  settletli  the  soixl  in  a  fresli  espericuce  of  tlie 
love  and  faithfulness  of  God. 

And  lo  !  This  word  Lo,  it  is,  as  it  ■were  an 
appeal  to  all  readers  to  judge,  ■whether  God  to 
Noah  was  faithful  or  no.  So  then,  this  was  not 
written  for  his  sake  only,  hut  for  us  also  that  be- 
lieve in  God,  that  Ave  might  now  exercise  patience, 
as  Noah;  and  obtain  the  tokens  of  God's  good- 
ness, as  he ;  for  lo  the  dove,  at  last,  though  'twas 
night  first,  came  to  Noah  into  the  ark,  '  and  lo  in 
her  mouth  was  an  olive-leaf  plucked  off :  so  Noah 
knew  that  the  waters  were  abated.' 

'An  olive-leaf  plucked  off.'  These  w'ords,  an 
olive-leaf  plucked  off,  do  intimate,  that  Noah  was 
now  inquisitive  and  searching  how  the  dove  ob- 
tained the  leaf;  that  is,  whether  she  found  it  as 
dead,  and  upon  the  waters  ;  or  whether  she 
plucked  it  off  some  tree :  But  he  fomid  by  the  green- 
ness and  freshness  of  the  slip,  that  she  plucked 
it  off  from  the  olive.  Wherefore,  he  had  good 
ground  now  to  be  comforted ;  for  if  this  leaf  was 
plucked  off  from  a  tree,  then  the  waters  could 
not  be  deep ;  especially,  because  as  the  story  tells 
lis,  the  olive  used  also  to  stand  in  the  bottoms,  or 
valleys. 

This  should  teach  us,  That  not  over  highly  we 
conclude  messages  or  tokens,  to  be  signs  of  God's 
mercy.  There  are  lying  visions,  and  they  are 
causes  of  banishment ;  they  we  should  beware  of, 
or  else  we  are  not  only  at  present  deceived,  but 
our  faith  is  in  danger  of  the  rocks ;  for  not  a  few 
have  cast  up  all,  because  the  truth  of  some  seem- 
ing vision  hath  failed.  Mark  how  David  handleth 
the  messenger  that  brought  him  tidings  of  the 
death  of  Said :  says  he.  How  dost  thou  know  that 
Saul  is  dead  ?  What  proof  canst  thou  make  of  the 
truth  of  this  story  ?  i  Sa.  L  i— lo.  So  should  we  say 
of  all  those  visions  or  messengers  that  come  to 
persuade  us,  that  either  inward  or  outward  dehver- 
ance  is  for  us  at  the  door.  Prove  these  stories  ; 
look  if  they  be  not  dead  and  lifeless  fancies ;  see 
if  you  can  find  that  they  were  plucked  off  from  the 
tree  that  is  greeu. 

Ver.  12.  '  And  he  stayed  yet  other  seven  days ; 
and  sent  forth  the  dove ;  which  returned  not  again 
unto  him  any  more.' 

We  read  before  of  forty  days'  patience,  and  after 
that  of  seven  days'  patience ;  and  that  after  the 
v.aters  began  to  return  from  off  the  earth,  and  here 
again  of  seven  days  more.  Whence  note.  That 
the  best  of  God's  people,  in  the  times  of  trials, 
find  their  patience  too  short-winded  to  hold  out  the 
v.-hole  length  of  a  trial,  unless  the  time  be,  as  it 
were,  cut  in  pieces.  The  prophet  when  he  was  to 
by  siege  against  Jerusalem,  he  must  rest  the  one 
side,  by  turning  him  upon  the  other.  Eze.  iv.  2— c.   It 


was  with  holy  Job  exceeding  hard,  when  he  migiit 
not  have  time  to  swallow  his  spittle,  when  he  might, 
not  a  little  sit  down  and  rest  him.  And  if  you 
observe  him,  he  doth  not  desire  an  absolute  deli- 
verance as  yet,  but  only  time  to  take  vv'ind  and 
breathe  awhile ;  and  then,  if  God  will,  to  engage 
in  the  combat  again:*  '  How  long  (saith  he)  wilt 
thou  not  depart  fi'ora  me.'  Depart:  what  quite? 
0  !  No,  saith  he,  I  beg  not  that  absolutely,  but 
only  so  long  as  till  a  man  might  '  swallow  down 
his  spittle.' Job  vii.  10.  This  the  church  in  Ezra's 
time  took  as  an  exceeding  favour.  '  And  nov.' 
(say  they)  for  a  little  space,  grace  hath  been 
shewed  from  the  Lord  our  God,  to  leave  us  a  rem- 
nant to  escape,  and  to  give  us  a  nail  in  his  holy 
j^lace,  that  our  God  may  lighten  our  eyes,  and 
give  us  a  little  reviving  in  our  bondage.'  Ezr.  ix.  8. 

•  And  he  stayed  yet  other  seven  days.'  Note 
again.  That  it  is  not  God's  way  with  his  people 
to  shew  them  all  their  troubles  at  once;  but  first 
he  shews  them  a  part ;  first  forty  days,  after  that 
seven  other  days,  and  yet  again  seven  days  more ; 
that,  they  coming  upon  them  by  piecemeal,  they 
may  the  better  be  able  to  travel  through  them. 
While  Israel  was  in  affliction  in  Egypt,  they  knew 
not  the  trials  that  would  meet  them  at  the  Red 
Sea.  Again,  When  they  had  gone  through  that, 
they  little  thought  that  yet  '  for  forty  years  they 
must  be  tempted  and  proved  in  the  wilderness.' 

And  thus  it  was  with  this  blessed  Noah ;  he 
thought  that  by  the  first  seven  days  his  trials 
might  be  ended.  But  behold,  there  is  yet  seven 
days  more  behind :  '  and  he  stayed  yet  other  seven 
days.' 

Further :  There  may  also  be  by  these  words 
thus  much  insinuated,  That  these  periods  of  time 
might  be  also  of  Noah's  prefixing :  and  if  so,  then 
note,  That  the  people  of  God  in  these  days  are  not 
the  first  that  have  been  under  mistake,  as  to  the 
timing  of  their  afflictions.  Noah  counted  it  would 
end  many  days  before  it  ended  indeed,  even  seven 
days,  and  seven  days,  and  seven  days  to  that;  for 
he  sent  forth  his  dove  about  the  beginning  of  the 
first  month,  in  which  month  also  were  his  two 
seven  days'  trials.  Again,  after  that  he  had  staid 
two  seven  days  more,  to  wit,  to  the  end  of  that 
first  month.  Again,  he  staid  almost  four 
sevens  more ;  for  he  came  not  out  of  the 
ark  till  the  twenty-seventh  day  of  the  second 
month. 

Hence  therefore  let  Christians  beware  that  they 
set  not  times  for  God,  lest  all  men  see  their  folly . 


*  This  may  Lave  suggested  an  idea  to  Bunyan  in  writing 
tlie  second  part  of  Lis  Pilgrim.  In  the  hattle  betweeu  Great 
Heart  and  Giant  Maul  the  sophist,  after  an  hour's  hard  fight- 
iug,  '  they  sat  down  to  rest  them,  hut  Mr.  Great  Heart  betook 
Iiim  to  prayer.  When  they  had  I'ested  them,  and  taten 
breath,  they  both  fell  to  it  again.' — Ed. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


431 


A  caution. 


'It  is  uot  for  jou  to  know  tlie  times  or  the  seasons, 
which  the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own  power.' 
Ac.  i.  7.     Yea,  I  saj  again,  take  heed  lest 
that  for  thy  setting  of  God  a  seven  days' 
time,  he  set  not  thee  so  many  as  seven  times  seven. 
'  And  he  sent  forth  the  dove,  which  returned 
not  again  unto  him  anymore.'     This  is  the  third 
time  that  the  dove  was  sent  to  see  how  the  waters 
were  ahated  on  the  face  of  the  earth.     The  first 
time  she,  hy  her  restlessness,  hespake  the  waters 
to  he  high  and  mighty.     The  second  time,  by  her 
olive-leaf,  she  notifieth  that  the  waters  were  low 
and  ebbing.     But  this  tliird  time,  she  seems  to 
be  weary  of  her  service,  she  returned  not  again 
to  him  any  more ;  yet  in  her  so  absenting  herself, 
she  gives  confirmation  to  Noah,  that  the  waters 
were  even  in  a  manner  quite  gone.     If  he  will  take 
this  for  a  proof  let  him,  if  not,  let  him  hang  in 
suspense  with  himself.     Hence  note,  that  God  will 
not  be  always  testifying,  by  renewing  of  his  tokens, 
to  that  about  which  we  have  had  sufficient  convic- 
tion before ;  for  in  so  doing  he  should  gratify  and 
humour  our  imbelief.     Noah  had  received  already 
two  sufficient  testimonies  that   the  waters  were 
decreasing.     First  by  liis  seeing  the  tops  of  the 
mountains,  and  then  by  the  olive-leaf ;  but  not- 
withstanding these  two  testimonies,  his  imbelief  in 
part  remains ;  but  God  will  not  himiour  such  a 
groundless  mistrust,  by  giving  him   any  fm-ther 
token,  than  the  very  absenting  of  the  dove.   Much 
like  this  was  that  of  Samson's  father ;  the  angel 
once  had  told  his  wife,  that  she  should  have  a  son 
that  should  deliver  Israel ;  well,  Manoah  heard  of 
this,  he  also  desired  that  he  might  see  that  man 
that  had  told  his  wife  this  happy  news.     Now 
God  thus  far  condescends,  as  to  send  the  angel  a 
second  time ;  but  then,  this  being  now  a  sufficient 
antidote  against  their  unbelief,  the  angel  after  the 
next  departing,  was  not  seen  again  of  them  at  all. 
But  saith  the  word.  The  angel  of  the  Lord  did  no 
more  appear  to  Manoah,  and  to  his  wife :  So  that 
now  they  must  live  by  faith,  or  not  at  all.  Ju.  liii.  3, 

0,  21. 

God's  dealing  with  his  people  with  respect  to 
their  spiritual  condition,  is  much  like  this.  The 
Holy  Ghost  doth  not  use  to  confirm  us  by  new 
revelations  of  grace  and  justification,  so  often  as 
by  our  fond  doubts  or  mistrust  we  caU  for  and 
desire  the  same.  But  having  confirmed  in  us  the 
testimony  of  Christ,  it  may  be  twice  or  thrice, 
(for  the  testimony  of  two  men  are  true)  he  then 
expects  we  should  live  by  faith.  And  observe  it, 
if  we  have  after  such  testimony  joyful  communion 
with  God,  it  is  either  by  retreating  to  former  ex- 
perience, or  by  arguing  according  to  faith ;  that 
because  God  hath  done  thus  before,  he  therefore 
hath  given  me  interest  in  such  and  such  promises 
and  mercies  besides. 

VOL.  II. 


I  speak  now  of  the  first  seals  of  the  love  of  God 
to  the  soul,  after  we  have  been  sufficiently  tossed 
upon  the  waves  of  mibehef,  as  Noah  was  by  tlio 
waters  of  the  flood :  such  seals  are  few,  the  Lord 
gave  them  to  Solomon  twice,  i  kl  xi.  9.  And  also 
twice  to  his  servant  Paul.  Ac.  .xxU.  6, 18.  'Tis  enouo-h 
that  they  have  seen  '  the  tops  of  the  mountains, ' 
and  have  had  brought  to  them  the  ohve-leaf.  Let 
them  now  believe  this  confirmation  of  mercy  is 
sufficient,  and  if  they  will  not  believe  now,  they 
shall  uot  be  established. 

Ver.  13.  '  *][  And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  six 
hundredth  and  first  year,  in  the  first  niotith,  the 
first  day  of  the  month,  the  waters  were  dried  up 
from  off  the  earth :  and  Noah  removed  the  cover- 
ing of  the  ark,  and  looked,  and  behold,  the  face 
of  the  groimd  was  dry. ' 

'  And  it  came  to  pass. '  That  is,  by  the  working 
of  God,  that  the  waters  were  dried  up.  This  came 
to  pass  in  God's  time,  to  wit,  in  'the  six  hundredth 
and  first  year,  in  the  first  nionth,  the  first  day  of 
the  month;'  not  in  the  times  of  Noah's  prefixino-. 
God  s  time  is  the  time,  the  best  time,  because  it 
is  the  time  appointed  by  him  for  the  proof  and 
trial  of  om-  graces,  and  that  in  which  so  much,  and 
so  much  of  the  rage  of  the  enemy,  and  of  the 
power  of  God's  mercy,  may  the  better  be  disco- 
vered unto  us ;  •  I  the  Lord  will  hasten  it  in  His 
time,'  Is. k.  22.  not  before,  though  we  were  the  sig- 
net upon  his  right  hand.  Je.  xxii.  24. 

Noah  the  only  man  with  God  in  that  generation, 
could^not  be  restored  before  the  time;  no  more 
could  Israel  from  the  thraldom  of  Egypt.  Ex.  siiL  i. 
Yea,  the  Son  of  God  himself  must  here  give  place 
and  be  content.  And  when  Satan  had  ended  all 
the  temptation,  when  he  '  had  ended  all,  -  then  he 
departed  from  him  for  a  season.'  Lu. iv.  13. 

*  And  Noah  removed  the  covering  of  the  ark, 
and  looked. '  The  failing  again  of  his  expected 
comforter,  caused  him  to  be  up  and  doing ;  proba- 
bly he  had  not  as  yet  uncovered  the  ark,  that  is, 
to  look  round  about  him,  had  the  dove  by  returning 
pleased  his  humour ;  but  she  faihng  him,  he  stirs 
up  himself.  Thus  it  should  also  be  with  the  Chris- 
tian now :  doth  the  dovo  forbear  to  come  to  thee 
with  a  leaf  in  her  biU  as  before,  let  not  this  make 
thee  suUen  and  mistrustful,  but  uncover  the  ark, 
and  look,  and  by  lookmg  thou  shalt  see  a  further 
testimony  of  what  thou  receivedst  by  the  first  mani- 
festations :  '  He  looked,  and  behold  the  earth  was 
dry.'  Paul  tells  us,  that  by  looking  we  have  a 
testimony  like,  or  as  that,  which  at  first  was  given 
us  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  2  Co.  m.  is.  '  And  be- 
hold the  face  of  the  earth  was  di-y.' 

Ver.  14.  'And  in  the  second  month,  on  the 
seven  and  twentieth  day  of  the  month,  was  the 
earth  dried.' 

This  prospect  was  like  the  rain  that  we  read  of 
3  P 


4S3 


AX  EXPOSITION  OX  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


in  auotlicr  place,  that  confirmed  GoJ's  inlieritancc 
when  it  was  weary :  It  was  a  comfortable  sight  to 
I^oah  to  see  that  the  face  of  the  earth  was  dry;  and 
now  he  could  wait  upon  God  with  less  trial  and 
strain  to  his  patience  the  remaining  days,  which 
were  fifty  and  four,  to  wit,  from  the  first  of  the  first, 
to  the  twenty-seventh  of  the  second  month,  than  he 
could  one  of  the  sevens  that  he  met  with  before. 
Indeed  the  path  is  narrowest  just  at  entrance,  as 
also  our  nature  is  then  the  most  untoward;  but  after 
we  are  in,  the  walk  seems  to  be  wider  and  easy;  the 
flesh  is  also  then  more  mortified  and  conformable. 
The  walk  is  but  a  cubit  wide  at  the  door,  but  in- 
ward ten  times  as  broad.  Eze.  xiii.  4,  ii. 

'And  in  the  second  month,  on  the  seven  and 
twentieth  day  of  the  month,  Avas  the  earth  dried.' 
So  that  from  the  first  day  it  began  to  rain,  whicli 
was  the  seventeenth  day  of  the  second  montli 
in  the  year  before,  unto  this  day,  was  Noah  in  the 
ark ;  it  was  just  a  year  and  tea  days.  That  was 
the  time  then  that  God  had  appointed  to  try  his 
servant  Noah,  by  the  waters  of  the  flood :  in  whicli 
time  he  was  so  effectually  crucified  to  the  things 
of  this  world,  that  he  was  as  if  he  was  never  more 
to  enjoy  the  same.  Wherefore  Peter  making  men- 
tion of  this  estate  of  his,  he  tells  us,  it  was  even 
like  unto  our'  baptism ;  wherein  we  profess  our- 
selves dead  to  the  world,  and  alive  to  God  by  Jesus 

Christ.  IPc.iii.  21. 

In  the  first  verse  of  this  chapter,  we  read  that 
God  remembered  Noah  ;  but  till  now  we  read  not, 
that  the  face  of  the  earth  was  dried.  Hence  note 
that  our  being  under  the  rage  of  the  enemy,  doth 
not  argue  that  we  are  therefore  forgotten  of  God,  'he 
remembcreth  us  in  our  low  estate, 'even  when  tossed 
to  and  fro  by  the  waters  of  a  flood  of  temptations. 

Ver.  15,  16.  *  IT  And  God  spake  unto  Noah, 
saying.  Go  forth  of  the  ark,  thou,  and  thy  wife, 
and  thy  sons,  and  thy  sons'  wives  with  thee.' 

Now  Vi^e  are  come  to  the  end  of  the  trial,  and  so 
to  the  time  of  Noah's  deliverance,  and  behold  as 
he  went  in,  so  he  came  out :  He  went  into  the  ark 
at  the  commandment  of  the  Lord.  '  And  the 
Lord  said  unto  Noah,  Come  tliou  and  all  thy  house 
into  the  ark. '  Go.  vU.  i.  And  here  again,  '  And  God 
spake  unto  Noah,  saying.  Go  forth  of  the  ark.' 
Hence  note,  that  notwithstanding  the  earth  was 
dry  about  fifty-four  days  before,  yet  Noah  waited 
for  the  word  of  God  for  his  commission  to  bring 
him  forth  of  the  ark.  Providence  seemed  to  smile 
before,  in  that  the  earth  was  dry,  to  which  had 
but  Noah  added  reason,  he  must  have  concluded, 
the  time  is  come  for  me  to  go  forth  of  the  ark. 
But  Noah  knew,  that  as  well  the  providences  of 
God,  as  the  waters  of  the  flood  might  be  to  try  his 
dependance  on  the  word  of  the  Lord :  wherefore, 
though  he  saw  this,  yet  because  he  had  no  answer 
of  God,  he  will  not  take  the  opportunity. 


It  is  dangerous,  or  at  least  very  difiicult,  to  make 
the  most  smihng  providence  of  God  our  rule  to  act 
by :  Had  David  done  it,  he  had  killed  Saul  before 
the  time,  but  David  respected  the  word  of  God. 
2  Sa.  xxiv.  17— 20.  Elisha  also  would  not  suffer  the 
king  to  make  that  improvement  of  the  providence 
of  God,  which  reason  should  be  put  in  execution, 
when  he  rebuked  the  king's  desire  that  he  had  to 
have  killed  the  Syrians,  and  commanded  that 
bread  should  be  set  before  them,  that  they  might 
eat,  and  go  home  again  to  their  master.  2  Ki.  vi.  lo 
—23.  Hear  the  word  of  the  Lord,  ye  that  tremble 
at  his  word.  '  At  the  commandment  of  the  Lord 
the  children  of  Israel  journeyed,  and  at  the  com- 
mandment of  the  Lord  they  pitched.  -  -  At  the  com- 
mandment of  the  Lord  they  rested  in  their  tents, 
and  at  the  commandment  of  the  Lord  they  jour- 
nej'ed ;  they  kept  the  charge  of  the  Lord,  at  the 
commandment  of  the  Lord,  by  the  hand  of  Moses.' 

Ku.  ix.  18—23. 

'  Go  forth  of  the  ark,  thou,  and  thy  wife,  and 
thy  sons,  and  thy  sons'  wives  with  thee.' 

When  God  delivereth,  he  delivereth  completely'. 
Thus  Israel  also  Avent  out  of  Egypt,  they,  their 
v/ives,  their  children,  with  their  flocks  and  herds, 
not  an  hoof  was  left  behind.  Ex.  x.  2Jr- 26.      When 
David's  time  was  come  to  possess  the  kingdom,  he 
brought  along  with  liim  those  six  hundred  men 
that  had  been  his  companions  iu  his  suffering  state, 
every  man  with  his  household.     But  I   say,  he 
went  up  to  possess  it,  not  simply  by  the  voice  of 
providence,  though  Saul  was  dead,   but    '  David 
enquired  of  the  Lord,  saying.  Shall  I  go  uj)  into 
any  of  the  cities  of  Judah  ?'     Nay,  a  general  an- 
swer, even  from  God,  would  not  satisfy  this  holy 
man.     '  The  Lord  said,  -  Go,  but  David  replied, 
Whither  shall  I  go  ?  and  he  said  mito   Hebron. ' 
1  Sa.  ii.  1.     Oh  !  it  is  safe  to  regard  the  word  of  the 
Lord ;  this  makes  us  all  come  safe  to  land.  When 
men  wrest  themselves  from  under  the  hand  of  God, 
taking  such  opportunities    for   their  deliverance, 
which  are  laid  before  them  only  for  trial  of  obe- 
dience to  the  v/ord :  they  may,  it  is  probable,  have 
a  seeming  success ;  the  end  will  be  as  with  Zcde- 
kiah  king  of  Judah,  afiliction  vrith  addition.     The 
Jews  that  were  left  in  the  laud  of  Israel,  from  the 
hand  of  the  king  of  Babylon,  would  flee  to  the 
land  of  Egypt,  Je.  xli.  17.  that  they  might  have  quiet- 
ness there,  but  they  went  without  the  word  of  God, 
and  therefore  their  rest  brought  them  to  their  ruin. 

xlii.  xliii. 

Noah  therefore  chose  the  safest  way,  even  to 
stay  in  the  ark,  till  God's  word  came.  As  it  is 
also  said  of  Joseph,  '  The  word  of  the  Lord  tried 
him ;'  till  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  deliver  him, 
and  then  he  had  deliverance  indeed,  Ps.  cy.  19.  as 
Noah  also  and  David  had  safe  deliverance  for  him- 
self and  relations. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  TIEST  TEN  CHAPTEIIS  OF  GENESIS. 


4S3 


Ver.  17.  '  Bring  fortli  "witli  tliee  every  living 
tiling  that  is  ■\vitli  thee,  of  all  flesh,  boih  of  fowl, 
and  of  cattle,  and  of  every  creeping  thing  that 
creepeth  upon  the  earth ;  that  they  may  breed 
abundantly  in  the  earth,  and  be  fruitful,  and  niid- 
ti2)ly  upon  the  earth.' 

i^oah  was  not  only  to  have  In  this  deliverance, 
respect  to  himself  and  family,  but  to  the  good  of 
ail  the  world.  Men's  spirits  are  too  narrow  for 
the  mind  of  God,  when  their  chief  end,  or  their 
only  design  in  their  enjoying  this  or  the  other 
mercy,  is  for  the  sake  of  their  o-miselves  only.  It 
cannot  be  according  to  God,  that  such  desires 
should  be  encouraged :  '  none  of  us  liveth  unto 
himselfj,'  Vi'hy  then  should  we  desire  life  only  for 
ourselves. 

The  church  cries  thus,  '  God  be  merciful  unto 
us,  and  bless  us ;  and  cause  his  face  to  shine  upon 
us.'  Why  ?  '  Tliat  thy  way  may  be  known  upon 
earth,  thy  saving  health  among  all  nations.'  rs.ixvii. 

1,2. 

So  David,  '  Restore  imto  me  the  joy  of  thy  sal- 
vation ;  and  uphold  me  with  thy  free  spirit.  Tlien 
will  I  teach  transgressors  thy  ways ;  and  sinners 
shall  be  converted  unto  thee.'  Ps.  IL12,  is.  So  then, 
we  must  not  desire  to  come  out  of  trials  and  afflic- 
tions alone,  or  by  oui'selves,  but  that  in  om*  deli- 
verance the  salvation  of  many  may  be  concerned. 
It  is  said,  when  Israel  went  up  out  of  Egypt,  there 
Avent  up  with  them  '  a  mixed  multitude,'  to  wit,  of 
Egyptians,  and  other  nations :  This  going  out  of 
captivity  was  right,  they  carried  out  with  them  the 
fowls,  the  beasts,  and  the  creeping  things;  to  wit, 
the  heathens  of  other  lands,  and  so  added  increase 
to  the  church  of  God.  Ex.  xii.  37, 38.  In  Esther's 
tiaie  also,  when  the  Jews  came  from  under  the 
snare  of  Haman,  they  brought  with  them  to  God 
many  of  the  people  of  the  provinces.  '  Many  of 
tlie  people  of  the  land  became  Jews.'  Es.  viiLl?. 

These  words  therefore,  '  bring  forth  with  thee 
every  living  thmg,'  tfec.  are  not  hghtly  to  he  passed 
over ;  for  they  shew  us,  that  we  ought  in  our  deli- 
verance to  have  special  respect  to  the  deliverance 
of  others.  And  if  our  deliverance  be  with  the 
word  and  liking  of  God,  it  must  needs  have  this 
effect.  '  When  I  shall  bring  again  their  captivity, 
the  captivity  of  Sodom  and  her  daughters,  and  the 
captivity  of  Samaria,  and  her  daughters,  then  will 
I  bnng  again  the  captivity  of  thy  captives  in  the 
midst  of  them.'  Eze.  xvii.  53. 

And  indeed  there  is  reason  for  this,  for  in  every 
afiliction  and  persecution,  the  devil's  design  is  to 
impair  Christ's  kingdom:  wherefore  no  marvel, 
that  God  designeth  in  our  deliverance,  the  impair- 
ing and  lesscnmg  the  kingdom  of  sin  and  Satan. 
Wherefore,  0  thou  church  of  God  in  England, 
which  art  now  upon  the  waves  of  affliction,  and 
temptation,  when  thou  comest  out  of  the  furnace, 


if  thou  come  out  at  the  bidding  of  God,  tucro  shall 
come  out  with  thee  the  fowl,  the  beast,  and  abun- 
dance of  creeping  things.  '  0  Judah,  he  hath  set 
an  harvest  for  thee,  when  I  retm-ned  the  captivity 
of  my  people.'  Ho.  vi.  11. 

'  That  they  may  breed  abundantly  in  the  earth, 
and  be  fruitful,  and  midtiply  upon  the  earth.' 

This  was  God's  end  in  preserving  the  creatures 
from  the  flood,  that  again  the  earth  might  be  re- 
plenished therewith.  The  same  end  he  hath  in  his 
suffering  of  the  persecutors,  and  aU  manner  of 
adversity  to  take  away  but  '  a  part,'  some.  Aid.  tIL  4. 
Some  of  them  they  shall  kill  and  crucify,  leaving 
a  remnant  alive  in  the  world,  namely,  that  they 
might  breed  abundantly  in  the  earth,  and  be  fruit- 
ful, and  multiply  upon  the  earth.  As  he  saith  by 
the  prophet  Isaiah,  '  He  shall  cause  them  that 
come  of  Jacob  to  take  root :  Israel  shall  blossom 
and  bud,  and  fill  the  face  of  the  world  with  fruit.' 
Is.  xxvii.  c.  And  this  after  their  deliverance  from 
persecution :  According  as  he  saith  again,  '  The 
remnant  that  is  escaped  of  the  house  of  Judah, 
shall  again  take  root  doviTiward,  and  bear  fruit 
upward:  For  out  of  Jerusalem  shall  go  forth  a 
remnant  '  that  is  yet  to  replenish  the  earth  with 
converts,  xxxvii.  32.  As  Luke  observes,  that  when 
the  churches  in  Judea,  Galilee,  and  Samaria  had 
rest,  they  '  walking  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  in 
ihQ  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  were  multiplied.' 

Ac.  L'i.  31. 

Ver.  IS.  'And  Noah  went  forth,  and  his  sons, 
and  his  wife,  and  his  sous'  wives  with  him.' 
Obedience  is  better  than  sacrifice.  Xoah  is  at  the 
beck  of  God,  what  he  bid  him  do,  that  does  he ; 
and  indeed  this  is  in  truth  to  worship  God,  yea,' 
this  is  to  know  and  worship  God.  It  is  said  of 
Abraham,  when  he  went  at  Gcd's  command  to 
offer  up  Isaac,  that  he  coxmted  it  going  to  wor- 
ship the  Lord.  Ge.  xxii.  5.  And  God  saith  of  Heze- 
kiah,  that  he  did  'judgment  and  justice,' judging 
the  cause  of  the  poor  and  needy ;  and  then  adds. 
Is  not  this  '  to  know  me,  saith  the  Lord  ? '  Je.  .\.\ii. 
15, 16.  I  bring  these  to  shew,  that  obedience  to  tho 
word  of  God,  is  the  true  character  of  God's  people 
in  all  ages ;  and  this  very  text,  as  also  such  others 
before,  is  on  purpose  recorded  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
to  shew  you,  that  Noah  was  obedient  in  all  things ; 
yea,  I  may  add,  these  commands  were  to  discover 
the  proof  of  him,  whether  he  would  be  obedient  in 
all  things ;  and  this  was  also  his  way  with  New 
Testament  churches.  3  Co.  iL  9.  The  sincerity  of  love, 
and  of  the  uprightness  of  the  heart,  is  greatly  dis- 
covered by  the  commandments  of  God.  '  He  that 
hath  my  commandments,  and  kecpeth  them,'  saith 
Christ,  'he  it  is  that  loveth  me.'  <fcc.  Jn..xiv.  21. 

Ver.  19.  'Every  beast,  every  creeping  thing, 
and  every  fowl,  and  whatsoever  creepeth  upon  the 
earth  after  their  kinds,  Avent  forth  out  of  the  ark.' 


484 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


These  words  are  yet  a  further  expression  of  the 
sincerity  of  Noah's  obedience,  for  that  he  at  the 
command  of  God,  did  carefully  search  and  seek 
out  every  little  creeping  thing  that  God  had  brought 
to  him  into  the  ark.  Obedience  in  little  things  do 
ofttimes  prove  us  most ;  for  wo  through  the  pride 
of  our  hearts  are  apt  to  look  over  little  things, 
because  though  commanded,  they  are  but  little. 
Je.  xxiii.  38.  0,  but  Noah  was  of  another  spirit,  he 
carefully  looked  after  little  things,  even  after  every 
thing,  'whatsoever  creepeth  upon  the  earth;'  and 
not  only  so,  but  sought  diligently  that  they  might 
go  out  in  order,  to  wit,  male  and  female,  according 
to  their  kind.  Sometimes  God  woidd  have  men 
exact  to  a  word,  sometimes  exact  to  a  tache,  or 
pin,  or  loop  ;  Ex.  xxxvi.  12, 13.  sometimes  to  a  step  : 
Eze.  xi.  s,  4, 37.  Be  careful  then  in  little  things,  but 
yet  leave  not  the  other  undone.  Mat.  xxm.  23. 

Indeed  the  command  of  God  is  great ;  if  he 
therefore  commands  us  to  worship  him,  though  but 
with  a  bird,  we  must  not  count  such  ordinances 
insignificant,  or  below  a  human  creature.  Le.  xiv.  53. 

Ver.  20.  '  *![  And  Is  oah  builded  an  altar  unto  the 
Lord,  and  took  of  every  clean  beast,  and  of  every 
clean  fowl,  and  offered  burnt-offerings  on  the  altar.' 

This  is  the  first  v/ork  that  we  read  Noah  did, 
when  he  came  forth  of  the  ark  ;  and  it  shews  us, 
that  at  this  time  he  had  a  deep  sense  of  the  dis- 
tinguishing mercy  of  God.  And  indeed  he  had 
sufficient  cause  to  wonder,  for  the  whole  world  was 
drowned,  save  only  himself,  and  they  that  were 
with  him  in  the  ark. 

But  I  say,  this  was  the  first  work,  to  wit,  '  to 
worship  God.'  Hence  note.  That  a  sense  of 
mercy,  of  distinguishing  mercy,  naturally  engageth 
the  heart  to  worship.  It  is  said  of  Moses,  when 
the  name  of  the  Lord  was  proclaimed  before  him, 
as  'merciful  and  gracious,  -  and  abundant  in  good- 
ness and  truth,  -  and  that  he  pardoned  iniquity, 
transgression  and  sin;'  that  he  'made  haste,  and 
bowed  his  head  toward  the  earth,  and  worshipped.' 

lix.  xxxiv.  8. 

'And  Noah  builded  an  altar.'  Although  this 
altar  be  the  first  that  we  read  of,  yet  forasmuch 
as  there  was  before  a  blessed  church,  and  also  an 
open  profession  of  godliness,  together  with  offering 
sacrifice,  in  all  probability  this  was  not  the  first 
altar  that  was  builded  unto  the  Lord.  Besides, 
we  read  not  of  any  immediate  revelation,  from 
which  Noah  had  light  and  instruction  to  build  i*. 
The  text  only  saith,  he  built  an  altar  unto  the 
Lord ;  which  may  be  aptly  expounded,  according 
as  he  was  wont  in  the  other  world. 

This  altar  was  a  type  of  Christ,  as  capacitated 
to  bear  the  sin  of  the  world  (for  the  altar  was  it, 
upon  which  the  sacrifices  were  burnt ;)  wherefore 
it,  in  mine  opinion,  in  special  respected  his  God- 
head, by  the  power  of  which  he  ofi^^red  himself, 


that  is,  his  flesh.  Again  it  is  said,  '  The  altar 
sanctifieth  the  gift.'  Mat.  xxiii.  19.  So  did  the  God- 
head the  humanity  of  Christ,  through  which  '  eter- 
nal Spirit,  he  offered  himself  without  spot  to  God.' 
He.  ix.  14.  By  this  altar  then  this  blessed  man 
preached  to  his  family  the  Godhead  and  eternity 
of  Christ. 

'  And  took  of  every  clean  beast,  and  of  every 
clean  fowl.'  These  beasts  and  fowls  were  types 
of  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  Paul  in  the  ninth 
and  tenth  chapters  to  the  Hebrews  affirms ;  where- 
fore by  this  act  he  also  preached  to  his  family  the 
incarnation  of  the  Lord  Christ,  how  that  '  in  the 
fulness  of  time  '  he  should  in  our  flesh  offer  him- 
self a  sacrifice  for  us ;  for  as  all  the  ordinances  of 
the  New  Testament  ministration  preach  to  us. 
That  Christ  is  come ;  so  all  the  ordinances  of 
worship  under  the  Old  Testament  preached  to  them 
that  were  under  it,  Christ,  as  yet  to  come. 

'  Of  every  clean  beast  and  of  every  clean  fowl.' 
This  was  to  shew.  That  when  Christ  did  come,  he 
shoidd  not  take  hold  of  the  Jew,  and  exclude  the 
Gentile ;  but  that  in  his  flesh  he  should  present 
unto  God  EVERY  clean  beast,  and  every  clean 
fowl ;  that  is,  aU  the  elect,  both  of  Jew  and  Gen- 
tile. Ac.  X.  11— IS. 

And  it  was  requisite  that  this  by  Noah  should 
be  preached,  because  the  whole  world  was  yet  in 
his  family  ;  from  whence,  at  the  multiplication  of 
men,  if  through  their  rebellion  and  idolatry  they 
lost  not  this  doctrine,  they  might  to  all  their  ofi- 
spring  preach  the  Lord  Jesus. 

Wherefore,  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  had  the 
world  been  faithful,  might  have  been  to  this  day 
retained  amongst  them  that  now  are  the  most  bar- 
barous people.* 

Ver.  21.  'And  the  Lord  smelled  a  sweet  savour; 
(a  savour  of  rest ;)  and  the  Lord  said  in  his  heart, 
I  win  not  again  curse  the  ground  any  more  for 
man's  sake ;  for  the  imagination  of  man's  heart  is 
evil  from  his  youth  ;  neither  will  I  again  smite  any 
more  every  living  thing,  as  I  have  done.' 

These  words  more  fully  shew,  that  this  sacrifice 
of  Noah  was  a  type  of  the  offering  up  of  the  body 
of  Jesus  Christ,  he  being  said  to  be  that  blessed 
sacrifice  that  is  as  perfume  in  the  nostrils  of  God : 
'  He  gave  himself  for  us  an  offering  and  a  sacrifice 
to  God  for  a  sweet-smelling  savour.'  Ep.v. 2.  Be- 
sides, this  offering  of  Noah  was  a  burnt-offering  to 
God;  which  burning  signified,  the  curse  of  God, 
which  Christ  was  made  in  his  death  for  us.  Where- 
fore, the  burnt  offerings  were  all  along  a  type  of 

*  Instead  of  progressiug  to  the  mcridiaa  sunsliiae  of  Chris- 
tianity,  they  have  retrograded  to  a  darker  gloom  thaa  tlie 
twilight  of  Judaism.  Still,  some  vestiges  of  knowledge  remain 
— some  idea  of  a  future  state,  aud  of  sacrifice  for  sin.  Cliris- 
tian,  how  blessed  art  thou !  How  ought  your  light  to  shine 
among  men,  to  the  glory  of  your  heavenly  Father ! — Ed. 


A.N  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


433 


hiui ;  as  by  reading  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews 
you  may  see :  'It  is  the  burnt-offering,  [saith  God,] 
because  of  the  burning  upon  the  altar  all  night 
unto  the  morning,  and  the  fire  of  the  altar  shall 
be  burning  in  it.'  Le.  vi.  9.  Which  was  a  type  of  the 
fire  of  the  law,  and  the  guilt  of  sin,  that  Christ, 
when  he  ofi"ered  himself,  should  midergo  for  the 
sins  of  man. 

'  And  the  Lord  smelled  a  sweet  savour. '  This 
signifies  the  content  and  satisfaction  that  for  the 
sin  of  the  world,  God  should  have  by  the  ofi'ering 
up  of  his  Son  for  us  upon  the  cross :  Wherefore, 
he  is  said  to  be  now  '  in  Christ,  reconciling  the 
world  imto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses 
imto  them. '  2  Co.  v.  lo. 

Now  it  is  observable,  That  Koah  was  a  man  of 
faith  long  before  this.     Hence  note  two  things. 

1.  That  men,  even  of  eminent  faith,  have  yet 
need  of  a  continual  remembrance  of  the  death  and 
sufl:erings  of  Christ;  yea,  and  that  in  the  most 
plain  and  easiest  manner  to  understand. 

2.  They  have  need  also,  notwithstanding  they 
have  faith  before,  to  present  themselves  before  God, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord:  For  as  our  per- 
sons are  not  accepted,  but  in  and  through  him,  no 
more  are  our  performances ;  yea,  though  they  be 
spiritual  services  or  sacrifices  ;  it  is  the  blood  that 
maketh  the  atonement,  as  well  for  works  as  persons, 
ic.  xTii.  11.  He.  ix.  21.  as  he  saith  in  another  place,  I 
will  accept  you  with  your  sweet  savour,  but  not 
without  it.  1  Pe.  ii.  5.  Eze.  xx.  41.  As  he  also  said  to 
his  church  in  Egypt,  '  Wlien  I  see  the  blood,  I  will 
pass  over  you,  and  the  pliigue  shall  not  be  upon 
you  to  destroy  you,  when  I  smite  the  land  of  Egypt. ' 

Ex.  .xii.  13. 

'And  the  Lord  said  in  his  heart,  I  will  not  again 
curse, '  &c.  By  heart  here,  we  may  understand  two 
things. 

1.  That  God  was  altogether  unfeigned  in  this 
promise.  He  spake  it  from  his  very  heart :  which 
we  use  to  count  the  most  sincere  expressing  of  our 
mind  :  According  to  that  of  the  prophet,  '  Yea,  I 
vriU  rejoice  over  them  to  do  them  good,  and  I  will 
plant  them  in  this  land  assuredly  -  [in  truth,  in 
stability,]  with  my  whole  heart,  and  with  my  whole 
soul.'  Je. xxxii. 41.  Mark,  I  will  rejoice  to  do  it,  I 
will  do  it  assuredly,  I  will  do  it  in  ti'uth,  even  'with 
my  whole  heart,  and  with  my  whole  soul.' 

2.  By  his  saying,  '  In  his  heart,'  we  may  under- 
stand the  secrecy  of  his  purpose ;  for  this  doctrine. 
Of  not  cursing  again,  it  is  hid  from  all  but  those 
to  whom  it  is  revealed  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  For 
this  purpose,  in  the  heart  of  God,  is  one  of  the 
depths,  or  of  the  deep  things  of  God,  which  the 
spirit  of  a  man  cannot  understand.  '  Who  hath 
known  the  mind  of  the  Lord  V  None  of  all  the 
sons  of  men,  but  those  that  have  the  Holy  Ghost : 
Therefore  Paul  applieth  that  to  himself  and  fellows, 


as  that  which  is  peculiar  to  them  to  know,  *  We 
have  the  mind  of  Christ. '  i  Co.  ii.  16.  It  is  said,  that 
after  Christ  had  by  his  parables  preached  his  gos- 
pel to  the  world,  he  in  private  'expomided  all  things 
to  his  disciples.'  liar. iv. 34. 

Hence  note,  That  they  that  wiU  hear  God  speak 
this,  they  must  be  near  his  very  heart.  They  that 
are  in  liis  heart,  may  hear  it :  but  to  them  that  are 
without,  in  parables.  Tliis  secret,  in  revelation  of 
the  gospel,  is  also  expressed  in  other  terms :  as. 
That  the  Lord  spake  'in  mine  ears,'  is. v. 9.  and  'it 
was  revealed  in  mine  ears.' is. xxii.  14.  And  again, 
'  Hear  now  this  word  that  I  speak  in  thine  ears.' 

Je.  xxTiii.  7. 

'I  will  not  again  curse  the  ground  any  more.' 
These  words  are  also  under  Moses's  veil;  for  in 
them  is  contained  the  sin  of  the  world,  and  damna- 
tion thereof.  He  said,  when  he  v.-as  to  bring  the 
flood,  that  the  'earth  was  corrupt,'  and  that  he 
would  '  destroy  the  earth ; '  vi.  11, 13.  but  his  great 
meaning,  was,  of  the  sinners  that  dwelt  therein ; 
as  the  effect  of  that  flood  declared.  So  he 
saith  again,  he  will  not  bring  any  more  a  flood  to 
destroy  the  earth ;  and  that  the  bow  in  the  cloud 
should  be  a  sign  of  peace  between  him  and  the 
earth :  By  all  which  is  meant  m  special,  the  men 
that  dwell  on  the  earth;  Ps. cxiv. 7.  De. xxxii.  1.  Je. vi.  19; 
xxii.  29.  and  they  are  called,  the  Ground,  and  the 
Earth,  because  they  came  from  thence.  So  then, 
there  is,  as  it  were,  the  foundation  of  all  spiritual 
blessedness  couched  under  these  words,  '  I  will 
not  curse  the  ground,  I  will  not  destroy  man.' 
And  that  this  must  needs  be  the  meaning  thereof, 
consider,  that  this  promise  ariseth  from  the  sv/eet 
savour  that  he  smelt  before  in  the  burnt-offering ; 
which  was  a  figure  of  Christ,  who  was  '  made  a 
curse  for  us, '  Ga.  iii.  13.  to  deliver  us  from  the  curse 
of  the  law ;  that  we  might  through  him  obtain  the 
blessing  of  forgiveness  of  sins ;  to  which  the  curse 
stands  directly  opposite. 

'  I  will  not  again  curse  the  ground  for  man's 
sake ;  for  the  imagination  of  man's  heart  is  evil 
from  his  youth.'  The  imagination  of  man's 
heart  was  the  ground  of  this  dreadful  curse ;  and 
the  effect  of  this  curse,  was,  to  lay  them  up  iu 
chains  in  heU :  Wherefore  Peter  saith.  These  men 
are  'now  in  prison.'  The  cm'se  therefore,  in  its 
most  eminent  extension,  reached  the  souls  of  those 
ungodly  ones  that  were  swept  away  with  the  flood. 
But  it  seems  a  strange  argument,  or  reason  ren- 
dered of  God,  why  again  he  would  not  curse  the 
ground,  if  it  Avas  because  of  the  evil  imagination  of 
man's  heart,  this  being  the  only  argument  that 
prevailed  with  him  to  send  the  flood.  The  mean- 
ing therefore  is  rather  this,  That  because  of  the 
satisfaction  that  Christ  hath  given  to  God  for  sin, 
therefore  he  said  in  his  heart,  he  would  '  not  again 
curse  the  ground,'  for  the  evil  imagination  of  man ; 


4S6 


AX  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  ITIIST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


that  13,  lie  ^voul(.l  not  do  it,  for  want  of  n  sacrifice 
that  bad  in  it  a  suSicient  propitiation.  Ju.  iii.  is,  19. 

Hence  note,  That  the  great  cause  now  of  man's 
condemnation,  is  not  hecause  of  his  inherent  pol- 
lution, but  because  he  accepteth  not,  with  Noah, 
of  the  satisfaction  made  by  Christ ;  for  to  all  thcni 
that  have  so  accepted  thereof,  there  is  novv'  no 
curse  nor  condemnation,  [Eo.  \iii.  i.  though  still  the 
imagination  of  their  heart  be  evil.  '  If  any  man 
sin,  Ave  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus 
Christ  the  righteous.'  iJu. ii. i. 

'  For  the  imagination  of  man's  heart  is  evil 
from  his  youth.'  These  words  seem  to  insinuate 
the  cause  of  these  evil  imaginations ;  and  that 
is,  from  the  corruption  of  their  youth.  Now  how 
soon  their  youth  was  corrupted,  David  shows  by 
these  words,  '  I  was  shapen  in  iniquity ;  and  in  sin 
did  my  mother  conceive  me.'  Ps. ii.5.  Ezekiel  also 
shows,  we  were  polluted  in  the  day  that  we  were 
born.  Eze.  xvi.  1—8.  Further,  God  to  Moses  strongly 
affirms  it,  in  that  he  commands.  That  for  the  first- 
born, in  whom  the  rest  were  included,  an  offering 
should  be  offered,  by  that  they  were  a  month  old. 
Ex.xiii.  r3;  xxxiv.  20.  God  sccms  therefore,  by  this 
word,  to  look  back  to  the  transgression  of  our  first 
parents,  by  whom  sin  came  into  our  natures ;  and 
by  so  doing,  he  not  only  iutimateth,  yea,  promiscth 
a  pardon  to  personal  miscarriages ;  but  assureth 
us.  That  neither  them,  nor  yet  our  inward  pol- 
lutions, shall  destroy  us,  because  of  the  rest  that 
he  found  before  in  Christ.  Pto.  v 

'  Neither  will  I  again  smite  any  more  every  liv- 
ing thing,  as  I  have  done.'  The  creatures  there- 
fore also  have  some  kind  of  benefit  by  the  death 
and  blood  of  Christ;  that  is,  so  as  to  live,  and 
have  a  being;  for  infinite  justice  is  so  perfectly 
just,  as  that  without  a  sacrifice  it  could  not  have 
suffered  the  world  to  stand,  after  sin  was  in  the 
world ;  but  must  have  destroyed,  for  the  sake  of 
sin,  the  world  which  he  had  made. 

For  although  it  be  foully  absurd  to  say  that 
beasts  and  fowls  ai*e  defiled  with  sin,  as  man ;  yet 
doubtless  they  received  detriment  thereby.  '  The 
creature  was  made  subject  to  vanity,  by  reason  of 
him  who  hath  subjected  the  same,'  &c.  That  is, 
by  Adam's  sin.  Which  vanity  they  also  show  by 
divers  of  their  practices ;  as  both  in  their  enmity 
to  man,  and  one  to  another,  with  which  they  were 
not  created ;  this  came  by  the  sin  of  man.  Now 
that  man  lives,  yea,  that  beasts  live,  it  is  because 
of  the  offering  up  of  Christ :  Wherefore  it  is  said 
in  that  of  the  Colossians,  The  gospel  is  *  preached 
to  every  creature ;'  in  every  creature  under  heaven ; 
to  wit,  in  that  they  live  and  have  a  being,  i.  23. 

•  Neither  wiU  I  again  smite  any  more  every  living 
thing,  as  I  have  done.'  These  v^-ords,  as  I  have 
done,  doth  not  exempt  the  creatui-e  from  every 
judgment  of  G  od,  but  from  this,  or  such  as  this ; 


for  we  know,  that  other  judgments  do  befal  ungodly 
men  now ;  and  if  they  continue  in  final  impenitence, 
they  shall  partake  of  far  greater  judgments  than 
to  be  drowned  by  the  waters  of  a  flood.  '  The 
wicked  is  reserved  imto  judgment. '  Job  xxi.  so.  Yea, 
the  heavens  and  the  earth  that  now  arc,  are 
'  reserved  unto  fire,  -  and  perdition  of  ungodly 
men.'  3Pc.  iii.  7. 

Ver.  22.  '  While  the  earth  remaineth,  seed  time 
and  harvest,  and  cold  and  heat,  and  summer  and 
winter,  and  day  and  night,  shall  not  cease,' 

'While  the  earth  remaineth.'  These  vv'ords 
may  have  respect  both  to  the  words  before,  and 
to  them  that  follow  after.  If  they  respect  the 
v/ords  before,  then  they  are  as  limits  to  that  large 
promise,  of  not  destroying  the  world  again:  not 
but  that  the  day  will  come,  as  I  said,  in  which 
another  general  judgment,  and  that  too  far  more 
dreadful  than  this  of  water,  will  overflow  the  world, 
and  every  living  thing  shall  again  be  cut  off  from 
the  face  of  all  the  earth ;  as  noio  by  rain  of  water, 
then  by  rain  of  fire  and  brimstone :  Which  day  and 
sore  judgment,  God  showed  unto  men,  when  he 
burned  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  with  *  fire  and  brim- 
stone from  heaven.'     But, 

'  While  the  earth  remaineth,'  this  shall  not  be. 
But  in  the  end,  then  indeed  both  it  and  '  the  works 
that  are  therein,  shall  (as  Peter  saith)  be  burned 
up. '  3  Pe.  iii.  10.  But  SO  long  as  it  remaineth,  that  is, 
until  it  be  overtaken  with  this  second,  and  that 
too  the  beginning  of  eternal  judgment,  no  univer- 
sal judgment  shall  overrun  the  earth :  For  albeit 
that  since  that  flood,  the  earth  hath  been  smitten 
with  many  a  curse ;  yet  it  hath  been  but  here  and 
there,  not  in  every  place  at  once.  Famines,  and 
earthquakes,  and  pestilences,  have  been  in  divers 
places,  but  yet  at  the  same  time  hath  there  been 
seed  time  and  harvest  also.  Mar.  xiii.  8.  lu.  xxi.  11. 

*  Seed  time  and  harvest,  and  cold  and  heat,  and 
summer  and  winter,  and  day  and  night,  shall  not 
cease.'  These  words  were  some  of  the  first,  with 
that  of  'the  bow  in  the  cloud,'  that  prevailed  with 
me  to  believe  that  the  scriptures  were  the  word  of 
God. 

For  my  reason  teUs  mc,  they  are,  and  have  con- 
tinued a  true  prophecy,  from  the  day  that  they 
were  related ;  otherwise  the  world  could  not  have 
subsisted ;  for  take  away  seed  time  and  harvest, 
cold  and  heat,  &c.,  and  an  end  is  put  to  the*  begin- 
ning of  the  universe. 

Besides,  if  these  words  be  taken  in  a  spiritual 
sense,  they  have  also  stood  true  from  that  very 
day ;  otherwise  the  church  had  ceased  to  have  a 
being  long  before  this :  For  take  away  seed  time 


*  '  Tlio  bcgiuuiiig,'  tlic  foundation ;  that  wliicli  is  essential 
to  tlic  existence,  as,  '  The  fear  of  tlie  Lord  is  tlie  beginning  of 
wisdom.'  Take  away  tlie  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  tliis  heavenly 
wisdom  ceascth  to  exist. — En. 


AN  EXPOSITIOX  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAFIEES  OF  GLNESIS. 


487 


and  harvest  from  the  cliurcli,  with  cold  and  heat, 
and  day  and  night,  and  those  ordmances  of  heaven 
are  taken  from  her,  which  were  ordained  for  her 
begetting  and  continuation.  This  head  might  with 
much  largeness  be  insisted  on ;  but  to  pass  it,  and 
to  come  to  the  next  chapter. 

CHAP.  IX. 

Ycr.  1.  'And  God  blessed  Noah,  and  his  sons, 
and  said  unto  them.  Be  fruitful  and  multiply,  and 
replenish  the  earth.' 

Noah  ha^'ing  thus  waded  through  these  great 
temptations,  and  being  made  also  to  partake  of  the 
mercy  of  God,  in  preserving  and  saving  him  from 
the  evil  thereof,  and  being  brought  to  partake  of 
the  beginning  of  a  new  world,  while  the  ungodly 
that  were  before  the  flood  were  perished  for  their 
iniquity :  he  receiveth  now  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord,  before  whom  he  walked  before  the  flood,  laws 
and  ordinances,  as  rules  by  which  he  should  stiU 
govern  his  life  before  him.  But  mark.  Before  he 
rsceiveth  these  rules  and  commandments,  he  re- 
ceiveth blessing  from  God ;  blessing,  I  say,  as  that 
which  should  yet  fore-fit  him  to  do  his  will. 

*And  God  blessed  Noah.'  Blessed  him  with 
spiritual  and  special  grace ;  for  without  that,  no 
man  can  walk,  with  God's  acceptance  before  him. 
He  blessed  him  with  grace  suitable  to  the  work  he 
was  now  to  begin ;  to  wit,  for  the  replenishing  and 
governing  the  new  world  God  had  brought  him  to : 
so  that  Noah  did  not  without  precedent  qualifica- 
tions take  this  work  upon  him.  God  also  gave 
Caleb  and  Joshua  another  spu-it,  and  then  they 
followed  him  fully.  That  of  David  is  for  this 
remarkable,  '  Who  am  I,  [said  he]  and  what  is  my 
people,  that  we  should  be  able  to  ofi"er  so  willingly 
after  this  sort  ?  for  all  things  come  of  thee,  and  of 
thine  own  have  we  given  thee. '  '  0  Lord  our 
God,  saith  he,  all  this  store  that  we  have  prepared 
to  build  thee  an  house  for  thine  holy  name,  cometh 
of  thine  hand,  and  is  all  thine  own.'  l  cu. xxix. lo— le'. 
So  is  faith,  love,  strength,  wisdom,  sincerity,  and 
all  other  good  things  wherewith  and  by  which  we 
walk  wiih  God,  worship  him,  and  do  his  wiU:  all 
which  is  comprised  in  these  words,  '  I  ■wall  give 
them  aa  heart  to  Imow  me,  that  I  am  the  Lokd  : 
and  they  shall  be  my  people,  and  I  wiU  be  their 
God;  for  they  shall  return  imto  me  with  their 
whole  heart. '  Jc  xxiv.  7.  '  A  new  heart  also  wiU  1 
give  them. '  Eze.  xxivi.  25—29.  And  again,  '  I  will  put 
my  fear  in  theu'  hearts,  that  they  shall  not  depart 
from  me.'  Je.  xxxii.  S7— io. 

'  And  God  blessed  Noah  and  his  sons,  and  said 
unto  them.  Be  fruitful,  and  multiply,  and  replenish 
the  earth.'  After  he  had  blessed  him,  then  he 
tells  him  what  they  should  do ;  namely,  '  Be  fruit- 
ful, and  multiply.'     This  he  spake  with  respect  to 


the  seed  that  he  and  his  sons  should  beget,  there- 
with to  people  the  world;  which  was  now  the 
remaining  part  of  his  work,  and  he  had  three 
arguments  to  encourage  liim  thereto.  First,  He 
was  dehvered  from  the  wicked  and  sinners  of  the 
old  world:  IL  He  was  made  the  heir  of  a  new 
world ;  and  IIL  Was  to  leave  it  as  an  heritage  to 
his  children. 

This  therefore  should  teach  us,  who  are  brought 
into  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  that  new  world  that 
hath  taken  its  beginning  in  the  word  of  the  gospel, 
not  to  be  idle,  but  to  be  fruitful,  and  to  labour  to 
fill  the  world  with  a  spiritual  seed  to  God :  for  as 
Noah,  so  are  we  made  heirs  of  this  blessed  king- 
dom ;  and  shall  also,  as  that  good  man,  leave,  when 
we  sleep  in  Jesus,  this  spiritual  seed  to  possess  the 
kingdom  after  us. 

Ver.  2.  '  And  the  fear  of  you  and  the  dread  of  you 
shall  be  upon  every  beast  of  the  earth,  and  upon 
every  fowl  of  the  air,  upon  all  that  moveth  upon 
the  earth,  and  upon  all  the  fishes  of  the  sea ;  into 
your  hand  are  they  delivered. ' 

These  words  seem  to  be  a  promise  of  what  shall 
be  a  consequence  of  their  putting  into  practice 
what  was  commanded  in  the  verse  before ;  namely, 
of  their  being  fruitful,  and  of  their  *  multiplying  in 
the  earth.'  Hence  note,  That  the  faithful  obser- 
vation of  God's  word,  puts  majesty,  and  dread,  and 
terror  upon  them  that  do  it :  Therefore  it  is  said, 
that  when  the  church  is  'fair  as  the  moon,  and 
clear  as  the  sun,  she  is  terrible  as  an  army  with 
banners.'  Ca.  vi.  4,  lo.  The  presence  of  godly  Samuel 
made  the  elders  of  Bethlehem  tremble  ;  yea,  when 
Ehsha  was  sought  for  by  the  king  of  Syria,  he 
durst  not  engage  him,  but  with  chariots  and 
horses,  and  an  heavy  host.  2  Ki  vi.  13, 14.  Godliness 
is  a  wonderful  thing,  it  commandeth  reverence,  and 
the  stooping  of  the  spirits,  even  of  the  world  of 
imgodly  ones.  Ac.  v.  is. 

'  And  the  fear  of  you  and  the  dread  of  you  shall 
be  upon  every  beast.'  This  is  true  in  the  letter; 
for  because  there  is  upon  man,  as  man,  more  of 
the  image  and  similitude  of  God,  than  there  is  upon 
other  creatures ;  therefore  the  beasts,  and  all  the 
creatures,  are  made  to  stoop  and  fall  before  them; 
yea,  though  in  themselves  they  are  mighty  arid 
fierce.  Every  kind  (or,  nature)  of  birds,  and  of  ■ 
sei-pents,  and  things  in  the  sea,  is  tamed,  and  hath 
been  tamed  by  mankind.  Ja.  iu.  7. 

But  to  allegorize  the  word,  for  by  the  word, 
ungodly  men  are  beasts ;  then,  as  I  said  before, 
godUness  puts  such  a  majesty  and  dread  upon  the 
professors  of  it,  that  their  enemies  are  afraid  of 
them ;  yea,  even  then  when  they  rage  against  them, 
and  lay  heavy  afflictions  upon  them.  It  is  mar- 
vellous to  see  in  what  fear  the  ungodly  are,  even 
of  godly  men,  and  godhness ;  in  that  they  stir 
up  the  mighty,  make  edicts  against  them;  yea,  and 


4S8 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CH.iPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


raise  up  armies,  and  what  else  can  be  imagined, 
to  suppress  them ;  while  the  persons  thus  opposed, 
if  you  consider  them  as  to  their  state  and  capacity 
in  this  world ;  they  are  most  inconsiderable ;  but 
as  a  dead  dog,  or  a  flea,  i  Sa.  xxiv.  u.  0  but  they 
are  clothed  with  godliness  !  The  image  and  pre- 
sence of  God  is  upon  them  !  This  makes  the 
beasts  of  this  world  afraid.  One  of  you  shall  chase 
a  thousand. 

'  Into  your  hand  are  they  delivered.'  That  is, 
the  beasts,  birds,  and  fish  of  the  sea  (as  David 
saith)  to  be  for  the  service  of  man.  But  again, 
This  is  also  true  in  a  higher  nature ;  for  taking 
these  beasts,  <fec.  for  men,  even  they  are  delivered 
into  the  hand  of  the  church,  by  whose  doctrine, 
power  and  faith,  they  are  smitten  with  severest 
judgments.  2  Co.  ii.  15,  16.  Laying  all  that  reject 
them  even  in  the  depth  of  death,  and  smiting  them 
•  with  all  plagues  as  often  as  they  will.'  Re.  li.  c. 
The  world  is  therefore  in  our  hand,  and  disposed 
of  by  our  doctrine,  by  our  faith  and  prayers,  al- 
though they  think  far  otherwise,  and  shall  one  day 
feel  their  judgments  are  according. 

Ver.  3.  '  Every  moving  thing  that  liveth  shall 
be  meat  for  you ;  even  as  the  green  herb  have  I 
given  you  all  things.' 

From  these  words  some  would  insinuate,  that 
before  the  flood  men  lived  only  upon  herbs,  not 
eating  flesh ;  as  here  they  have  authority  granted 
to  do :  but,  in  mine  opinion,  such  should  be  mis- 
taken, for  this  reason,  if  there  were  no  other :  be- 
cause they  offered  sacrifice  before;  sacrifices,  I 
say,  as  types  and  representatives  to  the  church, 
of  the  death  and  suflerings  of  Christ.  Now,  of 
such  sacrifices  the  ofl'erers  used  to  eat,  as  is  clear 
by  the  lamb  of  the  passover,  and  many  other 
offerings :  so  that  these  words  seem  to  be  but  a 
renewing  of  their  former  privileges,  not  a  granting 
new  liberty  to  the  world. 

'  Every  moving  thing.'  This  must  be  taken 
v/ith  this  restriction.  That  is  wholesome  and  good 
for  food :  for  by  the  law  of  nature,  nothing  of  that 
is  forbidden  to  man,  though  for  some  significations 
many  such  creatures  were  forbidden  us  to  use  for 
a  time.  Dc.  xiv. 

•  Even  as  the  green  herb.'  For  which  they 
expressly  had  liberty  granted  them,  in  the  first 
chapter  of  this  book.  ver.  29.  And  this  liberty 
might  afresh  be  here  repeated,  from  some  scruple 
that  might  arise  in  Noah,  &c.  lie  remembering 
that  the  world  before  might,  for  the  abuse  of  the 
creatures  of  God,  as  well  as  for  the  abuse  of  his 
worship,  be  drowned  with  the  flood;  for  some- 
times the  abuse  of  that  which  is  lawful  to  one, 
may  be  a  snare,  abuse  and  stumbling  to  another. 

1  Co.  viL  Ij  \m. 

Ver.  4.  '  But  flesh  with  the  life  thereof,  whidi 
is  the  blcod  thereof,  shall  ye  not  eat.' 


This  law  seems  to  be  ceremonial,  although  given 
long  before  Moses  was ;  as  also  some  sacrifices  and 
circumcision  were.  Jn.  vu.  22.  Wherefore  we  must 
seek  for  the  reason  of  this  prohibition.  '  What- 
soever man  (saith  God)  there  be  of  the  house  of  Is- 
rael, -  that  eateth  any  manner  of  blood,  I  will  even 
set  my  face  against  that  soul  that  eateth  blood, 
and  will  cut  him  off  from  among  his  people.' 
Why  ?  '  For  the  life  of  the  flesh  is  in  the  blood : 
and  I  have  given  it  to  you  upon  the  altar  to  make 
an  atonement  for  your  souls :  for  it  is  the  blood 
thai  maketh  an  atonement  for  the  soul.  Therefore 
I  said  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  No  soul  of  you 
shaU  eat  blood.'  Le. xvii.  10—12.  Again,  As  here  the 
prohibition  is  only  concerning  blood ;  so  in  another 
place,  the  word  is  as  well  against  our  eating  the 
fat ;  '  It  sJiaU  be  a  perpetual  statute  for  your  gene- 
rations, throughout  all  your  dwellings,  that  ye 
neither  eat  fat  nor  blood.'  And  the  reason  ren- 
dered, is.  For  '  all  the  fat  is  the  Lord's.'  Le.iii.  16,17. 

So  then  the  meaning,  the  spiritual  meaning, 
seems  to  be  this.  That  forasmuch  as  the  blood  is 
the  hfe,  and  that  which  maketh  the  atonement; 
and  the  fat,  the  glory,  and  the  Lord's ;  therefore 
they  both  were  to  be  offered  to  the  Lord.  That 
is,  we  ought  always  to  offer  the  merit  of  our 
salvation  to  God,  by  a  continual  acknowledgment, 
that  it  was  through  the  blood  of  Christ;  and  we 
ought  always  to  give  him  the  glory  thereof,  and 
this  is  the  fat  of  all  our  performances,  is.  xxv.  e.  Now 
this  is  so  blessed  a  thing,  and  calleth  for  that 
grace,  that  every  professor  hath  not,  every  one 
cannot  ascribe  to  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  the  whole 
of  his  reconciliation  to  God ;  nor  offer  up  the  fat, 
the  glory,  which  is  God's,  to  the  Lord  for  so  great 
a  benefit :  this  is  the  benefit  of  a  peculiar  people, 
even  of  'the  priests  the  Levites,  the  sons  of  Zadok, 
[or  they  that  are  justified,  or  just  »  ror  so  Zadok 
thereby;*]  that  kept  the  charge  of  signifies, 
my  sanctuary,  when  the  children  of  Israel  went 
astray  fi'om  me ;  they  shall  come  near  to  me,  to 
minister  unto  me,  and  they  shaU  stand  before  me 
to  offer  unto  me  the  fat  and  the  blood,  saith  the 

Lord  God.'Eze.  xliv.15. 

Wherefore,  for  men  to  ascribe  to  their  own  works 
the  merit  of  their  salvation,  or  to  take  the  glory 
thereof  to  themselves ;  it  is  as  eating  the  blood 
and  the  fat  themselves,  and  they  shall  be  cut  off 
from  the  people  of  God. 

Ver.  5.  '  And  surely  your  blood  of  your  lives 
will  I  require ;  at  the  hand  of  every  beast  will  I 
require  it,  and  at  the  hand  of  man ;  at  the  hand 
of  every  man's  brother,  will  I  require  the  life  of 
man.' 

These  words  are  spoken  to  the  chm-ch,  which 
then  resided  in  this  family:  Not  but  tha*.  God 
will  avenge  the  blood  that  is  wrongfully  shed, 
though  the  person  murdered  be  most  carnal  and 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


4S9 


irreligious.  *A  man  that  doeth  violence  to  the 
blood  of  any  person,  shall  fiee  to  the  pit ;  let  no 
man  stay  him.'  Pr. xxnU.  17. 

But  I  say,  these  words  respect  the  church  in  a 
more  special  and  eminent  way.  *  Surely  (saith 
God)  your  blood  of  3'our  lives  will  I  require.'  Thus 
also  David  insinuates  the  thing :  *  when  he  maketh 
inquisition  for  blood,  he  remembereth  them :  [the 
saints  and  godly  in  special,]  he  forgetteth  not  the 
cry  of  the  humble, '  the  afflicted.  Ps.  ix.  \i. 

'  At  the  hand  of  every  beast  will  I  require  it.' 
The  beasts  are  here  also  to  be  taken  for  men,  to 
whom  they  are  frequently  likened  in  scripture;  and 
that  because  they  have  cast  off  human  affections ; 
and,  like  savage  creatm-es,  make  a  prey  of  those 
that  are  better  than  themselves.  Ignorance  there- 
fore or  brutishness,  0  thou  wicked  man  !  will  not 
excuse  thee  in  the  day  of  judgment;  all  the  inju- 
ries that  thou  doest  to  the  people  of  God,  shall  for 
certain  be  required  of  thee. 

At  the  hand  of  man  will  I  require  it.'  By  man 
here,  we  may  understand,  such  as  have  greater 
place  and  shew  of  reason  wherewith  they  manage 
their  cruelty,  than  those  that  are  as  the  natural 
beast :  for  aU  persecutors  are  not  brutish  alike ; 
some  are  in  words  as  smooth  as  oil;  others  can 
shew  a  semblance  of  reason  of  state,  why  they 
should  sell  '  the  righteous  for  silver,  and  the  poor 
for  a  pair  of  shoes. '  Am.  iL  6.  These  act,  to  carnal 
reason,  like  men,  as  Saul  against  David,  for  the 
safety  of  his  kingdom ;  but  these  must  give  an 
accoimt  of  their  cruelty,  for  blood  is  in  their  hands. 

'  At  the  hand  of  every  man's  brother  will  I  re- 
quire the  life  of  man.'  This  word  brotJier  may 
reach  to  all  the  apostatized  hypocrites  that  forsake 
or  betray  the  godly,  for  brother  shall  betray  the 
brother  to  death.  Mat.  x.  21.  Such  are  spoken  of  in 
Isaiah,  '  Your  brethren  that  hated  you,  [saith  God,] 
and  that  cast  you  out  for  my  name's  sake,  said. 
Let  the  Lord  be  glorified :  but  he  shall  appear  to 
your  joy,  and  they  shall  be  ashamed.'  is.  kv.  5.  So 
that  let  them  be  as  vile  as  the  brute,  or  as  reason- 
able in  appearance  as  men,  or  as  near  in  relation 
as  a  brother ;  neither  their  ignorance,  nor  their 
I'eason,  nor  their  relation  to  the  saints,  shaU  secure 
them  from  the  stroke  of  the  judgment  of  God. 

Yer.  6.  '  Whoso  sheddeth  man's  blood,  by  man 
shaU  his  blood  be  shed :  for  in  the  image  of  God 
made  he  man.' 

In  these  words  we  have  both  a  threatening  and 
a  command ;  and  the  same  words  carry  both :  •  By 
man  shall  his  blood  be  shed,'  there  is  the  threaten- 
ing; 'By  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed,'  there  is 
the  command.  For  as  they  threaten,  so  they  in- 
struct us,  that  he  is  worthy  of  the  loss  of  his  own 
blood,  that  doth  Avickedly  shed  the  blood  of  another. 
Mat.  xxvL  52.  Re.  xiii.  10.  Blood  for  blood,  equal  mea- 
sure :  As  he  also  saith  elsewhere,  An  eye  for  an 

VOL.  II. 


eye,  a  tooth  for  a  tooth,  Ex.  xxi.  24.  wound  for  wound, 
burning  for  burning.  Le.  xxiv.  20.  De.  xLx.  21. 

•  For  in  the  image  of  God  made  he  man.'  This 
seems  as  the  reason  of  this  equal  law ;  because  no 
man  can  slay  his  neighbour,  but  he  striketh  at  the 
image  of  God.  It  is  coimted  a  heinous  crime  for 
a  man  to  run  his  sword  at  the  picture  of  a  king, 
how  much  more  to  shed  the  blood  of  the  image  of 
God  ?  '  He  that  mocketh,  or  oppresseth,  the  poor 
reproacheth  his  Maker;  but  he  that  honoureth 
him,  hath  mercy  on  the  poor.'  Pr. siv.  sijxvii.  5.  And' 
if  so,  how  much  more  do  they  reproach,  yea,  de- 
spise and  abhor  their  Maker,  that  slay  and  murder 
his  image  !  But  most  of  all  those  do  prove  them- 
selves the  enemies  of  God,  that  make  the  holiness, 
the  goodness,  the  religion  and  sobriety  that  is  found 
in  the  people  of  God,  the  object  of  their  wrath  and 
hellish  cruelty.  Hence  murder  is,  in  the  Xew 
Testament,  imputed  to  that  man  that  hated  holy 
and  godly  man :  '  He  that  hateth  his  brother,  is  a 
murderer;  and  ye  know  that  no  murderer  hath 
eternal  life  abiding  in  him.'  Un.  iii.  15. 

Yer.  7.  '  And  you,  be  ye  fruitful,  and  multiply; 
bring  forth  abundantly  in  the  earth,  and  multiply 
therein.'  Thus  he  doubleth  the  blessing  and  com- 
mand, of  multiplying  and  increasing  the  church  in , 
the  earth,  for  that  is  the  delight  of  God,  and  of 
Christ. 

Ver.  8,  9.  '  %  And  God  spake  unto  Noah,  and 
to  his  sons  with  him,  saying,  And  I,  behold,  I 
establish  my  covenant  with  you,  and  with  your 
seed  after  you.' 

God  having  thus  blessed  them,  and  given  them 
laws  and  judgments  to  walk  by,  for  the  further 
confirmation  of  their  hope  in  God,  he  propoundeth. 
to  them  the  immutability  of  his  mind,  by  the  esta- 
blishing of  his  covenant  with  them  ;  for  a  covenant 
is  that,  which  not  only  concludeth  the  matter  con- 
cerned between  the  persons  themselves ;  but  it 
provideth  remedy  against  after  temptations,  and 
fears,  and  mistrusts,  as  to  the  faithful  perfoi-mance 
of  that  which  is  spoken  of.  As  Laban  said  to  Ja- 
cob, *  Now  therefore  (said  he)  come  thou,  let  us. 
make  a  covenant,  I  and  thou ;  and  let  it  be  for  a 
witness  between  me  and  thee.'  Ge.  xx.\i.  u.  Thus  also 
the  apostle  insinuates  ;  where  making  mention  of 
the  promise  and  oath  of  God,  he  saith,  this  pro- 
mise and  oath  are  both  immutable,  that '  we  might 
have  a  strong  consolation,  [or  always  ground  for 
great  rejoicing]  who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay 
hold  upon  the  hope  set  before  us.'  He.  vi.  is. 

This  covenant  therefore,  it  was  for  the  encom-age- 
ment  of  Noah  and  his  sons,  that  they  might  walk 
before  God  without  fear.  Yea,  it  was  to  maintain 
their  hope  in  his  promise  of  forgiveness,  though 
they  should  find  their  after-performances  mixed 
with  infirmities ;  for  so  he  had  told  them  before, 
namely,  '  That  he  would  not  again  destroy  tho 
3  a 


490 


AiSr  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  EIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


earth  for  man's  sake,  albeit  tlie  imagination  of 
man's  heart  he  evil  from  his  youth.  I  will  establish 
my  covenant  with  you,  and  ynth  your  seed  after 
you.' 

Ver.  10.  '  And  with  every  living  creature  that 
is  with  you :  of  the  fowl,  of  the  cattle,  and  of  every 
beast  of  the  earth  with  you ;  from  all  that  go  out 
of  the  ark,  to  every  beast  of  the  earth.'  These 
words  respect  the  whole  creation  ;*  for  all  the 
things  in  the  world,  devils  only  excepted,  have  a 
benefit  by  this  covenant  of  God.  And  hence  it  is, 
that  not  man  only,  but  '  every  thing  that  hath 
breath,'  is  commanded  to  '  praise  the  Lord : '  Ps.  ci.  c. 
But  observe  it ;  as  for  the  sin  of  man,  they  before 
were  destroyed  by  the  flood ;  so  now  by  reason  of 
the  mercy  of  God  to  man,  they  are  spared,  and 
partake  of  mercy  also.  This  is  intimated  by  these 
■words :  *  Every  creature  that  is  with  you ;  every 
beast  of  the  earth  with  you. ' 

Ver.  11.  'And  I  will  establish  my  covenant 
Avith  you,  neither  shall  all  flesh  be  cut  ofi"  any  more 
by  the  waters  of  a  flood ;  neither  shall  there  any 
more  be  a  flood  to  destroy  the  earth.' 

This  is  the  sum  of  the  covenant,  as  it  respeetcth 
the  letter,  and  the  type,  and  the  whole  creation  in 
general.  But  yet  as  to  the  spirit  and  gospel  of 
it,  the  Holy  Ghost  must  needs  have  a  further  reach, 
an  intention  of  more  glorious  things,  as  may  further 
be  shewed  anon. 

'  And  I  will  establish  my  covenant  with  you. ' 
For  you  that  are  men,  and  especially  the  mem- 
bers of  the  church,  have  the  most  peculiar  share 
therein. 

*  Neither  shall  all  flesh  be  cut  off  any  more  by 
the  waters  of  a  flood. '  For  because  of  my  cove- 
nant which  I  establish  with  you,  I  will  spare  them 
also,  and  give  them  the  taste  of  my  mercy  and 
goodness. 

'  Neither  shall  there  any  more  be  a  flood  to  de- 
stroy the  earth.'  This  covenant  therefore,  is  not 
of  that  nature  as  the  covenant  was  which  was  made 
with  Adam,  to  wit,  a  covenant  of  works,  as  the 
only  conditions  of  life ;  for  by  that  was  the  ground, 
for  man's  sin,  accursed,  accursed,  and  accursed 
again.  But  now  the  Lord  goeth  another  way,  the 
Avay  of  grace,  and  forgiveness  of  sins :  Wherefore 
now,  not  the  curse,  but  the  mercy  of  God,  comes 
in  on  the  back  and  neck  of  sin,  still  sparing  and 
forgiving  man,  the  great  transgressor,  and  the 
beast,  &c.  and  the  earth,  for  the  sake  of  him. 

Vers.  12,  13.  'And  God  said.  This  is  the  token 
of  the  covenant  which  I  make  between  me  and  you 
and  every  living  creature  that  is  with  you,  for  per- 
petual generations.  I  do  set  my  bow  in  the  cloud, 
and  it  shall  be  for  a  token  of  a  covenant  between 
me  and  the  earth.' 


See  chap.  viii. 


So  then,  the  Avay  to  find  out  the  covenant,  what 
that  is,  it  is  to  see  if  we  can  find  out  this  token 
of  it ;  to  wit,  the  bow,  of  which  the  rainbow  is 
but  a  type.  I  find  then  by  the  scriptures,  where 
this  BOW  is  mystically  spoken  of,  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  himself  is  encompassed  with  the  bow. 
The  first  is  this : 

'  And  above  the  firmament  that  zvas  over  their 
heads  was  the  likeness  of  a  throne,  as  the  appear- 
ance of  a  sapphire  stone:  and  upon  the  likeness 
of  the  throne  was  the  likeness,  as  the  appearance 
of  a  man  above  upon  it.  And  I  saw,  as  the  colour 
of  ambei',  as  the  appearance  of  fire  round  about 
within  it,  from  the  appearance  of  his  loins  even 
upward,  and  from  the  appearance  of  his  loins  even 
downward,  I  saw  as  it  were  the  appearance  of  fire, 
and  it  had  brightness  round  about.  As  the  appear- 
ance of  the  bow  that  is  in  the  cloud  in  the  day  of 
rain,  so  was  the  appearance  of  the  brightness  round 
about.  This  vxis  the  appearance  of  the  likeness 
of  the  glory  of  the  Lord.  '  Eze.  i.  26—28.  the  man,  the 
Lord's  Christ,  &c. 

The  second  scripture  is  this.  '  I  was  in  the 
Spirit :  and,  behold  a  throne  was  set  in  heaven, 
and  one  sat  on  the  throne.  And  he  that  sat  was 
to  look  upon  like  a  jasper  and  a  sardine  stone: 
and  there  was  a  rainbow  round  about  the  throne, 
in  sight  like  unto  an  emerald. '  Re.  iv.  2,  s.  In  these 
two  texts  there  is  mention  of  the  rainbow,  that  was, 
not  to  be  the  covenant,  but  the  token  or  sign  thereof. 
Now  then  the  covenant  itself  must  needs  be  the 
man  that  was  set  in  the  midst  of  the  bow  upon  the 
throne ;  for  so  he  saith  by  the  prophet,  '  I  the 
the  Lord  have  called  thee  in  rightousness,  and  will 
hold  thine  hand,  and  will  keep  thee,  and  give  thee 
for  a  covenant  of  the  people. '  is.  xlii.  e.  The  cove- 
nant therefore  is  Jesus  Christ  the  Saviour,  whom 
the  bow  in  the  clouds  was  a  sign  or  a  token  of. 
So  then  the  sum  of  the  text  is  this.  That  God,  for 
the  sake  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  will  not  again 
all  the  days  of  the  earth,  bring  an  imiversal  judg- 
ment upon  the  creature,  as  in  the  days  of  Noah, 
and  of  the  old  world  he  did ;  for  Christ  by  the 
worth  of  his  blood  and  righteousness  hath  pacified 
the  justice  of  the  law  for  sin.  So  then  the  whole 
universe  standeth  not  upon  a  bottom  of  its  own, 
but  by  the  word  and  power  of  Christ.  He.  i.  2, 3. 
'  The  earth  [said  he]  and  all  the  inhabitants 
thereof  are  dissolved:  I  bear  up  the  pillars  of  it.' 

Ps.  kxv.  3. 

Quest.  But  how  must  Christ  be  reckoned  of  God, 
when  he  maketh  him  the  poize  against  all  the  sin 
of  the  world. 

The  prophet  tells  us  thus :  He  shall  be  the  cove- 
nant of  the  people,  or  he  shall  be  accounted  the 
conditions  and  worth  of  the  world ;  He  shaU  be 
the  covenant,  or  works,  or  righteousness  of  the 
people;  for,  He  as  the  high-priest  under  the  laAV, 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OE  GENESIS. 


491 


is  set  for  the  people  to  Godward;  that  is,  he 
standeth  always  iu  the  presence  of  God,  as  the 
complete  obedience  of  the  people.  So  then,  so 
long  as  the  Lord  Christ  hears  up  his  mediatorship, 
God  in  justice  AviU.  neither  destroy  the  Avorld,  nor 
the  things  that  are  therein. 

In  this  covenant  therefore,  the  justice  as  well  as 
the  mercy  of  God  is  displayed  in  its  perfection, 
inasmuch  as  without  the  perfection  of  the  mediator 
Christ,  the  world  could  not  he  saved  from  judg- 
ment. 

Ver.  14,  *  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  when  I 
bring  a  cloud  over  the  earth,  that  the  bow  shall  be 
seen  in  the  cloud.' 

By  these  words  the  Lord  looks  back  to  the  flood 
that  before  had  drowned  the  earth ;  for  in  these 
clouds  there  was  no  bow,  no  token  of  Christ,  or  of 
the  mercy  of  God.  But  now,  saitli  God,  I  will  do 
far  otherwise ;  from  henceforth  when  I  bring  a 
cloud,  and  there  be  showers  of  rain  on  the  earth, 
these  clouds  shall  not  be  as  the  other.  But  '  my 
bow  shall  be  therein.' 

The  cloud  then  that  here  is  spoken  of,  must  be 
understood  of  the  judgment  of  God  for  sin,  like 
those  before,  and  at  the  overthrow  of  the  world ; 
only  with  this  diiference,  they  were  clouds,  judg- 
ments without  mercy,  but  these  judgments  mixed 
therewith;  and  often  the  clouds  are  thus  to  be 
understood.  Job  when  he  curseth  his  day,  saith, 
'  Let  a  cloud  dwell  upon  it.'  iii.  5.  So  the  judg- 
ments of  God  upon  Zion,  are  called  the  covering 
of  a  cloud.  La.  ii.  1.  So  in  Joel  also,  to  the  darkness 
of  clouds,  are  the  judgments  of  the  church  com- 
pared ;  ii.  2.  yea,  that  pillar  that  went  before  the 
children  of  Israel,  it  being  a  judgment  to  the  people 
of  Egypt,  goes  under  this  epithet,  as  a  term  most 
fit  to  express  this  judgment  by,  '  it  was  a  cloud 
and  darkness  to  them. '  Ex.  xiv.  20. 

And  now  to  the  cloud  iu  hand,  the  cloud  in  which 
is  the  bow,  the  cloud  of  rain,  although  by  the 
mercy  and  grace  of  God  it  is  so  great  a  blessing 
as  it  is,  yet  it  sometimes  becomes  a  judgment,  it 
comes  for  correction,  as  a  rod  to  afflict  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  world  withal.  Job  xxxvii.  13.  Thus  it  was 
in  the  days  of  Ezra,  and  very  often  both  before  and 
since,  x.  12— u. 

*  The  bow  shall  be  seen  in  the  cloud.'  This 
is  the  mercy  of  God  to  the  world,  and  that  by 
■which  it  hath  been  hitherto  preserved ;  '  The  bow 
shall  be  seen  in  the  cloud. '  You  know  I  told  you 
of  the  bow  before,  that  it  was  a  sign  or  token  of 
the  covenant  of  God  with  the  world,  and  that  the 
covenant  itself  was  Christ,  as  given  of  God  unto 
us,  with  aU  his  good  conditions,  merit,  and  worth. 
So  then,  in  that,  God  '  set  this  bow  in  the  cloud,' 
and  especially  in  the  clouds  that  he  sends  for  judg- 
ment, he  wovdd  have  the  world  remember,  that 
there  comes  no  judgment  as  yet  on  tlie  world,  but 


it  is  mixed  with,   or  poized  by  the  mercy  of  God 
in  Christ. 

*  The  bow  shall  be  seen  in  the  cloud. '  This  may 
respect  God,  or  the  world,  that  is,  the  seeing  of 
the  bow  in  the  cloud ;  if  it  respect  God,  then  it 
tells  us  he  in  judgment  will  remember  mercy;  if  it 
respect  the  world,  then  it  admonisheth  us  not  to 
despond,  or  sink  in  despair  imder  the  greatest 
judgment  of  God,  for  the  bow,  the  token  of  his 
covenant,  is  seen  in  the  judgments  that  he  ese- 
cuteth. 

When  the  vision  of  the  ruin  of  Jerusalem  was 
revealed  to  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  he  saw  that  yet 
Christ  sat  under  the  bow.  i.  28. 

When  Antichrist  was  to  come  against  the  saints 
of  God,  the  commission  came  from  Christ,  as  he 
sat  '  under  the  bow. '  Re.  iv.  3.  This  John  did  see 
and  relate,  of  which  we  should  take  special  notice : 
for  by  this  token  God  would  have  us  to  know  that 
these  clouds,  though  they  come  for  correction,  yet 
not  to  destroy  the  church. 

My  bow  shall  be  seen  in  the  cloud. 

Ver.  15.  '  And  I  will  remember  my  covenant, 
which  is  between  me  and  you,  and  every  living 
creature  of  all  flesh ;  and  the  waters  shall  no  more 
become  a  flood  to  destroy  aU  flesh.' 

•And  I  will  remember  my  covenant.'  Much 
like  this  is  that  of  the  Lord  to  Israel,  when  they 
are  under  all,  or  any  of  those  forty  judgments  men- 
tioned. Le.  xxvi.  If  they  shall  confess  their  iniquity, 
[saith  he,]  and  the  iniquity  of  their  fathers,  <tc., 
'  Then  will  I  remember  my  covenant  with  Jacob, 
and  also  my  covenant  with  Isaac,  and  also  my 
covenant  with  Abraham  will  I  remember ;  and  I. 
will  remember  the  land. '  Le.  xx\-i.  40—42.  His  usual 
way  in  other  sayings  is,  to  begin  with  Abraham, 
but  here  he  ends  Avith  him ;  and  the  reason  is, 
because  there,  as  it  were,  the  great  promise  of  the 
Messiah  to  that  people  began,  '  Saying,  in  thy 
seed  shall  aU  nations  be  blessed.' 

'  And  I  will  remember  my  covenant  which  is 
between  me  and  you. '  We  read  not  here  of  any 
compact  or  agreement  between  Noah  and  God- 
Almighty;  wherefore  such  conditions  and  compacts 
could  not  be  the  terms  between  him  and  us.  What 
then  ?  why  that  covenant  that  he  calls  his,  which 
is  his  gift  to  us,  '  I  will  give  thee  for  a  covenant,' 
this  is  the  covenant  which  is  between  God  and  us : 
'  There  is  one  God,  and  one  mediator  between  God 
and  man,  the  man  Christ  Jesus.'  This  then  is 
the  reason  why  all  the  waters,  why  all  the  judg- 
ments of  God,  and  why  all  the  sins  that  have  pro- 
voked those  judgments,  cannot  become  a  flood  to 
destroy  all  flesh. 

^^er.  16.  'And  the  bow  shall  be  in  the  cloudi 
and  I  will  look  upon  it,  that  I  may  remember  the 
everlasting  covenant  between  God  and  every  liv- 
ing creature  of  all  flesh  that  is  upon  the  earth.' 


4S2 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


*  And  the  bow  shall  be  in  the  cloud.'  This  is  a 
Idml  of  a  repetition ;  for  this  he  had  told  us  before, 
saying,  '  I  do  set  my  bow  in  the  cloud,'  and  '  the 
bow  shall  be  seen  in  tbe  cloud:'  which  repetition  is 
very  needful,  for  it  is  hard  for  us  to  believe  that 
Christ  and  grace  are  wrapped  up  in  the  judgments 
of  God.  1  re.  i.  13.  Wherefore  it  had  need  be  attested 
twice  and  thrice.  '  To  write  the  same  things  to 
you,'  saith  Paul,  'tome  indeed  is  not  grievous,  but 
for  you  it  is  safe.'  pmi.  iii.  i. 

'  And  I  will  look  upon.'  A  familiar  expression, 
and  suited  to  om*  capacity,  and  spoken  to  prevent 
a  further  ground  of  mistrust ;  much  like  to  that  of 
God,  when  he  was  to  send  the  plague  upon  Egypt: 

*  The  blood,  saith  God,  (of  the  Lamb,)  shall  be 
to  you  for  a  token  upon  the  houses  where  ye  are : 
and  when  I  see  the  blood  I  will  pass  over  j^ou,  and 
the  plague  shall  not  bs  upon  you,  to  destroy  you, 
when  I  smite  the  land  of  Egj^t.'  Ex.  xii.  13. 

*  And  I  will  look  upon  it  that  I  may  remember.' 
Not  that  God  is  forgetful,  '  He  is  ever  mindful  of 
his  covenant.'  But  such  expressions  are  used  to 
shew  and  persuade  us  that  the  whole  heart  and 
delight  of  God  is  in  it. 

'  That  I  may  remember  the  everlasting  cove- 
nant.' This  word  covenant  is  also  the  sixth  repe- 
tition thereof;  my  covenant,  the  covenant,  a  cove- 
nant, and  the  everlasting  covenant.  0  how  fain 
would  God  beat  it  into  the  heads  of  the  world,  that 
he  hath  for  men  a  covenant  of  grace. 

*  The  everlasting  covenant.'  Because  the  par- 
ties on  both  sides  are  faithful,  perfect,  and  true ; 
the  Father  being  the  one,  and  the  Son  of  his 
love  the  other;  for  this  covenant,  as  I  said  be- 
fore, is  not  a  compact  and  agreement  betwixt  God 
and  the  world,  but  his  Son,  as  his  gift  to  men,  is 
set  for  them  to  Godward.  Zec.  k.  ii.  So  that  what 
conditions  there  are,  they  are  perfectly  found  in 
Christ,  by  whose  blood  the  covenant  is  sealed  and 
established,  and  indeed  becomes  everlasting,  hence 
it  is  called  '  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant.' 
He.  xiii.  20.  And  again,  the  New  Testament  is  said 
to  be  in  this  blood.  Besides,  the  promises  are  all 
in  Christ,  I  mean  the  promises  of  this  covenant ; 
in  him  they  are  yea,  and  in  him  amen,  to  the  glory 
of  God  the  Father :  now  they  being  aU  in  him,  and 
yea  and  amen  no  where  else,  the  covenant  itself 
must  needs  be  of  pure  grace  and  mercy,  and  the 
bow  in  the  cloud,  not  qualifications  in  us,  [but]  the 
proper  token  of  this  covenant. 

Ver.  17.  'And  God  said  unto  Noah,  This  is  the 
token  of  the  covenant,  which  I  have  established 
between  me  and  all  flesh  that  is  upon  the  earth.' 

Behold  a  repetition  of  all  things  that  were  essen- 
tial either  to  the  covenant  itself,  or  to  our  faith 
therein,  the  making  of  the  covenant,  the  looking  on 
the  covenant,  and  the  token  of  the  covenant ;  how 
often  are  they  mentioned,  that  we  might  be  more 


fully  convinced  of  the  unchangeable  nature  of  it. 
As  Joseph  said  unto  Pharaoh,  '  For  that  the  dream 
was  doubled  unto  Pharaoh  twice,  it  is  because  the 
thing  is  established  by  God.'  Ge.  xii.  32. 

'  And  God  said  unto  Noah.'  Where  God  loveth, 
he  delighteth  to  apply  himself  to  such,  in  a  more 
than  general  way;  he  singleth  out  the  person,, 
Noah,  Abraham,  and  the  like.  '  I  know  thee  bj 
name,'  saith  he  to  Moses,  and  ♦  thou  hast  fomid 
grace  in  my  sight.* 

'  This  is  the  token  of  the  covenant.'  It  still 
wantsbeating  into  people's  heads,  where  they  should 
look  for  the  covenant  itself,  to  wit,  the  throne  whicli 
the  rainbow  compasseth  round  about ;  for  that  is 
the  token  of  the  presence  of  the  Messias,  and  thither 
we  are  to  look  for  salvation  from  all  plagues,  and 
from  aU  the  judgments  that  are  due  to  sin:  The 
Lord  for  Christ's  sake  forgave  you,  this  is  the  token 
of  the  covenant. 

'  Of  the  covenant  Avhich  I  have  established.' 

This  Avord  'I,'  as  also  hinted  before,  doth  inti- 
mate that  this  covenant  is  the  covenant  of  grace 
and  mercy,  for  a  covenant  of  works  cannot  be 
establiehed  ;  that  is,  settled  between  God  and  men, 
before  both  parties  have  either  by  sureties,  or  pei'- 
formance  ratified  and  confirmed  the  same.  Lideed 
it  may  be  so  established,  as  that  God  will  appoint 
no  other ;  but  to  be  so  established,  as  to  give  us 
the  fruits  thereof,  that  must  be  the  efi"ects  of  his 
being  well  pleased  with  the  conditions  of  those  con- 
cerned in  the  making  thereof.  But  that  is  not  the 
world,  but  the  Son  of  God,  and  therefore  it  is  called 
his  covenant,  and  he  '  as  given  to  us  of  God,'  is  so 
reckoned  our  condition  and  worth.  Zec.  ix.  ii. 

'  Which  I  have  established.'  To  wit,  upon  better 
promises  than  duties  purely  commanded,  or  than 
the  obedience  of  all  the  angels  in  heaven.  I  have 
established  it  in  the  truth  and  faithfulness,  in  the 
merit  and  worth  of  the  blood  of  my  Son,  of  whom 
the  rainbow  that  you  see  in  the  cloud  is  a  token. 

Ver.  18.  '  U  And  the  sons  of  Noah,  tbat  went 
forth  of  the  ark,  were  Shem,  and  Ham,  and  Japh- 
eth:  and  Ham  is  the  father  of  Canaan.* 

By  these  words  Moses  is  returned  again  to  the 
history  of  Noah.  '  And  the  sons  of  Noah  that 
went  forth  of  the  ark.'  If  these  words,  'that 
went  forth  of  the  ark,'  bear  the  emphasis  of  this 
part  of  the  verse,  then  it  may  seem  that  Noah  had 
more  children  than  these ;  but  they  were  not  ac- 
coimted  of;  for  they  being  ungodly,  as  the  rest  of 
the  world,  they  perished  with  them  in  their  ungod- 
liness. These  only  went  in,  and  came  out  of  the 
ark  with  him  ;*  to  Avit, 

*  Tliat  absurd  jumble,  called  'The  Koran,'  mentions  a 
foiu-th  son  of  Noah,  named  Kinan,  who  refused  to  cuter  the 
ark  with  his  family,  preferring  to  trust  them  on  the  top  of  a 
mountain,  where  they  all  perished.  See  the  chapter  entitled 
'Hod.'— Ed. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


493 


'  Shera,  and  Ham,  and  Japlietli.*  The  names 
tlms  placed  are  not  according  to  tlieir  birth ;  for 
Japheth  was  the  elder,  Ham  the  younger,  and 
Shem  the  middlemost  of  the  two. 

Shem  therefore  takes  the  place,  because  of  his 
eminency  in  godliness ;  h.  Zk  also,  because  from 
him  went  the  line  up  to  Christ,  x.3.  For  which 
cause  also  the  family  of  the  sons  of  Judah,  though 
he  was  but  the  fourth  son  of  Israel,  Avas  reckoned 
before  the  family  of  Reuben,  Jacob's  firstborn; 
or  before  the  rest  of  the  sons  of  his  brethren,  i  Ch. 
ii.  3.  Sometimes  persons  take  their  place  in  gene- 
alogy, from  the  fore-sight  of  the  mightiness  of  their 
offspring.  Thus  was  Ephraim  placed  before  Ma- 
nasseh  ;  for  *  truly  (said  Jacob)  his  younger  brother 
shall  be  greater  than  he,'  Ge.  xliu.  17—20.  And  he  set 
Ephraim  before  Manasseh. 

Ham  is  the  next  in  order ;  not  for  the  sake  of  his 
birthright,  or  because  he  was  much,  if  anything, 
now  for  godliness ;  but  for  that  he  was  the  next 
to  be  eminent  in  his  offspring,  for  opposing  and 
fighting  against  the  same. 

Shem  and  Ham  therefore  the  two  heads,  or  chief, 
from  whence  sprang  good  and  evil  men,  by  way  of 
eminency.  *  Ham  is  the  father  of  Canaan, '  or  of  the 
Canaanites,  the  people  of  God's  curse,  whom  the 
sons  of  Shem  who  afterwards  sprang  from  Abra- 
braham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  were  to  cut  off  from 
the  earth,  for  their  most  high  abominations. 

Japheth  comes  in,  in  the  first  place,  as  one  that 
at  present  was  least  concerned  either  in  the  mercy 
or  displeasure  of  God;  being  neither,  in  his  off- 
spring, to  be  devoutly  religious,  nor  yet  incorrigibly 
wicked,  though  afterwards  he  was  to  be  persuaded 
to  dwell  in  the  tents  of  Shem. 

Ver.  19.  'These  are  the  three  sons  of  Noah; 
and  of  them  was  the  whole  earth  overspread.' 

Thus  though  Noah's  beginning  was  small,  his 
latter  end  did  greatly  increase. 

Ver.  20,  21.  '  'H  And  Noah  began  to  be  an  hus- 
bandman, and  he  planted  a  vineyard: — And  he 
drank  of  the  wine,  and  was  drunken ;  and  he  was 
uncovered  within  his  tent.' 

This  is  the  blot  in  this  good  man's  scutcheon ; 
and  a  strange  blot  it  is,  that  such  an  one  as  Noah 
should  be  thus  overtaken  with  evil!  One  would 
have  thought  that  Moses  should  now  have  began 
with  a  relation  of  some  eminent  virtues,  and  honour- 
able actions  of  Noah,  since  now  he  was  saved  from 
the  death  that  overtook  the  whole  world,  and  was 
delivered,  both  he  and  his  children,  to  possess  the 
whole  earth  himself.  Indeed,  he  stepped  from  the 
earth  to  the  altar ;  as  Israel  of  old  did  sing  on  the 
shore  of  the  Red  Sea :  But,  as  they,  he  soon  for- 
gat ;  he  rendered  evil  to  God  for  good.* 

*  Failliful  is  the  record  of  Holy  "Writ,  No  excuse  is 
oiTered  for  the  sin  of  this  great  patriarch.     Grapes  eaten  from 


Neither  is  Noah  alone  in  this  matter :  Lot  also 
being  delivered  from  that  fire  from  heaven  that 
burnt  up  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  falls  soon  after 
into  lewdness  with  the  children  of  his  body,  and 
begetteth  his  own  two  daughters  with  chdd,  Ge.  xk. 

30— 3C. 

Gideon  also,  after  he  was  delivered  out  of  the 
hands  of  his  enemies,  took  that  very  gold  which 
God  had  given  him,  as  the  spoil  of  them  that  hated 
him,  and  made  himself  idols  therewith,  Ju.  vUi.  24—27. 
What  shall  I  say  of  David  ?  and  of  Solomon  also, 
who  after  he  had  been  twenty  years  at  work  for 
the  service  of  the  true  God,  both  in  building  and 
preparing  for  his  worship,  and  in  writing  of  Pro- 
verbs by  divine  inspiration ;  did,  after  this,  mako 
temples  for  idols ;  yea,  almost  for  the  gods  of  all 
countries  ?  Yea,  he  did  it  when  he  was  old,  Avhen 
he  should  have  been  preparing  for  his  grave,  and 
for  eternity.  '  It  came  to  pass,  when  Solomon 
was  old,  that  his  wives  turned  away  his  heart  after 
other  gods : — For  Solomon  went  after  Ashtoreth, 
the  goddess  of  the  Zidonians ;  and  after  Milcoin, 
the  abomination  of  the  Ammonites. — He  did  also 
build  an  high  place  for  Chemosh,  the  abomination 
of  Moab,  in  the  hill  that  is  before  Jerusalem ;  and 
for  Molech,  the  abomination  of  the  children  of 
Ammon,  And  likewise  did  he  for  aU  his  strange 
wives,  which  burnt  incense  and  sacrificed  unto  their 
gods,'l  lii.  xi.  •Ir-S, 

All  these  sins  were  sins  against  mercies ;  yea, 
and  doubtless  against  covenants,  and  the  most 
solemn  resolutions  to  the  contrary.  For  who  can 
imagine,  but  that  when  Noah  was  tossed  with  the 
flood,  and  Lot  within  the  scent  and  smell  of  the 
fire  and  brimstone  that  burnt  down  Sodom,  with 
his  sons,  and  his  daughters ;  and  Gideon,  when  so 
fiercely  engaged  with  so  great  an  enemy,  and 
delivered  by  so  strange  a  hand ;  should  in  the  most 
solemn  manner  both  promise  and  vow  to  God, 
But  behold !  novr  they  in  truth  are  delivered  and 
saved,  they  recompense  all  with  sin.  Lord,  what  is 
mani !  '  How  -  abominable  and  filthy  is  man,  which 
drinketh  iniquity  like  water, '  Job  xv.  16.  Let  these 
things  learn  us  to  cease  from  man,  '  whose  breath 
is  in  his  nostrils :  for  wherein  is  he  to  be  accounted 
of  ? '  Is.  ii.  23.  Indeed,  it  is  a  vain  thing  to  build  our 
faith  upon  the  most  godly  man  in  the  world,  be- 
cause he  is  subject  to  err ;  yea,  far  better  than  He, 
was  so. 

If  Noah,  and  Lot,  and  Gideon,  and  David,  and 
Solomon,  who  wanted  not  matter  from  arguments, 
and  that  of  the  strongest  kind  ;  as  arguments  that 


the  vine,  or  after  having  been  dried,  are  nutritious,  like  grain 
from  the  ear  of  corn ;  pressed  out  and  fermented,  they  los" 
that  nutriment— acquire  a  fiery  force— mount  to  the  brain — 
lead  reason  captive— and  triumphs  over  decency:  the  moi-t 
enlislitened  man  becomes  the  savngc. — ITo, 


iU 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


are  drawii  from  mercy  and  goodness  be,  to  engage 
to  holiness,  and  the  fear  of  God ;  yet  after  all,  did 
so  foully  fall,  as  we  see :  let  us  admire  grace,  that 
any  stand ;  let  the  strongest  fear,  lest  he  fearfully 
fall ;  and  let  no  man  but  Jesus  Christ  himself  be 
the  absolute  platform  and  pattern  of  faith  and  holi- 
ness. As  the  prophet  saith,  '  Let  us  cease  from 
man.'     But  to  retm-n: 

'  And  Noah  began  to  he  an  husbandman.'  This 
trade  he  took  up  for  want  of  better  employment ; 
or  rather,  in  mine  opinion,  from  some  liberty  he 
took  to  himself,  to  be  remiss  in  his  care  and  work, 
as  a  preacher.  For  seeing  the  church  was  now  at 
rest,  and  having  the  world  before  them,  they  still 
retaining  outward  sobriety,  poor  Noah,  good  man, 
now  might  think  with  himself,  '  I  need  not  now  be 
so  diligent,  watchful  and  painful  in  my  ministry 
as  formerly ;  the  church  is  but  small,  without 
opposition,  and  also  vrell  settled  in  the  truth ;  I 
may  now  take  to  myself  a  little  time  to  tamper 
with  worldly  things.'  So  he  makes  an  essay  upon 
husbandry.  *  lie  began  to  he  an  husbandman. ' 
Ha,  Noah !  it  was  better  with  thee  when  thou 
wast  better  employed  !  Yea,  it  was  better  with 
thee,  when  a  world  of  ungodly  men  set  themselves 
against  thee  !  Yea,  when  every  day  thy  life  Avas 
in  danger  to  be  destroyed  by  the  giants,  against 
whom  thou  wast  a  preacher  above  a  hundred  years ! 
For  then  thou  didst  walk  with  God ;  Then  thou 
wast  better  than  all  the  world ;  but  now  thou  art 
in  the  relapse ! 

Hence  note,  That  though  the  days  of  affliction, 
of  temptation  and  distress,  are  harsh  to  flesh  and 
blood ;  yet  they  are  not  half  so  dangerous  as  are 
the  days  of  peace  and  liberty.  Wherefore  Moses 
pre-admonished  Israel,  That  when  they  had  received 
the  land  of  Canaan,  and  had  herds,  and  silver  and 
gold  in  abundance,  that  then  their  heart  be  not 
lifted  up  to  forget  the  Lord  their  God.  Jesurun 
kicked  when  he  was  fat.  0  !  When  provender 
pricks*  us,  we  are  apt  to  be  as  the  horse  or  mule, 
that  is  without  understanding.  De.  viii.  lo— 15. 

'He  planted  a  vineyard:  and  he  drank  of  the 
wine,  and  was  drunken.'  Although  in  the  course 
of  godliness,  many  men  have  but  a  speculative 
knowledge  of  things ;  yet  it  is  not  so  in  the  ways 
of  this  world  and  sin,  the  practical  part  of  these 
things  are  lived  in  by  all  the  world.  They  are 
sinners  indeed,  *He  drank  of  the  wine.' 

*  He  drank  of  the  wine,  and  was  drunken. '  The 
Holy  Ghost,  when  it  hath  to  do  with  sin,  it  loveth 
to  give  it  its  own  name :  drunkenness  must  be 
drunkenness,  murder  must  be  murder,  and  adultery 
must  bear  its  own  name.     Nay,  it  is  neither  the 

*  To  prick — to  incite — to  spur — to  dress  one'self  for  show; 
thus  it  was  commonly  used  in  Banyan's  time,  but  in  tliis  sense 
has  become  obsolete. — Ed. 


goodness  of  the  man,  nor  his  being  in  favour  with 
God,  that  wiU  cause  him  to  lessen  or  mince  his 
sin,  Noah  was  drunken ;  Lot  lay  with  his  daugh- 
ters ;  David  killed  Uriah ;  Peter  cursed  and  swore 
in  the  garden,  and  also  dissembled  at  Antioch., 
But  this  is  not  recorded,  to  the  intent  that  tha 
name  of  these  godly  should  rot  or  stink:  but  to 
shev/,  that  the  best  men  are  nothing  without  grace ; 
and,  '  that  he  that  standeth,  should  not  be  high 
minded,  but  fear.'  Yea,  they  are  also  recorded, 
for  the  support  of  the  tempted,  who  when  they  aro 
fallen,  are  oft  raised  up  by  considering  the  infir- 
mities of  others.  '  Whatsoever  things  were  written 
aforetime  were  written  for  our  learning,  that  we 
through  patience,  and  comfort  of  the  scriptures 
might  have  hope.'  Eo. xv. 4. 

'  And  he  was  uncovered  within  his  tent.'  That 
is,  he  lay  like  a  drunken  man,  that  regarded  not 
who  saw  his  shame.  Hence  note,  how  beastly  a 
sin  drunkenness  is  ;  it  bereaveth  a  man  of  con- 
sideration, and  civil  behaviour;  it  makes  him  as 
brutish  and  shameless  as  a  beast;  yea,  it  dis- 
covereth  his  nakedness  to  all  that  behold. 

'And  he  Avas  uncovered.'  That  is,  lay  naked. 
Behold  ye  now,  that  a  little  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine, 
lays  gravity,  grey  hairs,  and  a  man  that  for  hun- 
dreds of  years  was  a  lover  of  faith,  holiness,  good- 
ness, sobriety,  and  all  righteousness  ;  shamelessly, 
as  the  object  to  the  eye  of  the  wicked,  Avith  his 
nakedness  in  his  tent. 

'  He  was  uncovered  within  his  tent.'  The  best 
place  of  retirement  he  had,  but  it  could  not  hide 
him  from  the  eye  of  the  ungodly ;  it  is  not  there- 
fore thy  secret  chamber,  nor  thy  lurking  in  holes, 
that  Avill  hide  thee  from  the  eye  of  the  reproacher : 
nothing  can  do  this  but  righteousness,  goodness, 
sobriety  and  faithfulness  to  God;  this  will  hide 
thee ;  these  are  the  garments,  Avhich,  if  they  be 
on  thee,  will  keep  thee,  that  the  shame  of  thy 
nakedness  do  not  appear.  Re.  wi.  15. 

Ver.  22.  *  And  Ham,  the  father  of  Canaan,  saw 
the  nakedness  of  his  father,  and  told  his  two  bre- 
thren Avithout.' 

Ham  Avas  the  unsanctlfied  one,  the  father  of  the 
children  of  the  curse  of  God.  He  saAV  the  naked- 
ness of  his  father,  and  he  blazed  abroad  the  matter. 
Hence  note.  That  the  wicked  and  ungodly  man,  is 
he  that  doth  watch  for  the  infirmities  of  the  godly : 
as  David  says.  They  watched  for  my  halting. 
Indeed,  they  knoAv  not  else  how  to  justify  their 
OAvn  ungodliness ;  but  this,  instead  of  excusing 
them  of  their  Avickedness,  doth  but  justify  the  word 
against  them  ;  for  by  this  they  prove  themselves 
graceless,  and  men  that  watch  for  iniquity.  *  Let 
them  not  say  in  their  hearts  (said  David)  Ah  !  so 
would  we  have  it. '  Ps.  xxxv.  25.  Ammon  said,  '  Aha  I 
against  the  sanctuary  when  it  Avas  profaned ;  and 
against  the  land  of  Israel  when  it  was  desolate. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


495 


and  against  the  house  of  Judah  when  it  went  into 
captivity. '  Eze.  xxv.  3.  The  enmity  that  is  ia  the 
hearts  of  ungodly  men,  will  not  suffer  them  to  do 
otherwise ;  when  they  see  evil  befal  the  saint,  they 
rejoice  and  skip  for  joy.  Eze.  xxvi.  2;  xxxvi.  2. 

•  He  saw  the  nakedness  of  his  father. '  Hence 
note,  That  saints  can  rarely  slip,  but  the  eyes  of 
the  Canaanites  will  see  them.  This  shoxdd  make 
us  walk  in  the  world  with  jealous  eyes,  with  eyes 
that  look  round  about,  not  only  to  what  we  are 
and  do,  but  also,  how  what  we  do  is  *resented  in 
the  world.  Ge.  xiii.  7.  Abraham  was  good  at  this, 
and  so  was  Isaac  and  Jacob ;  xxxiv.  so.  for  they 
tendered  more  the  honour  and  glory  of  God,  than 
they  minded  their  own  concerns. 

'  He  saw  the  nakedness  of  his  father. '  Who 
was  the  nearest  and  dearest  relation  he  had  in  the 
world;  yet  neither  relation  nor  kin,  nor  all  the 
good  that  his  father  had  done  him,  could  keep  his 
polluted  lips  from  declaring  his  father's  follies,  but 
out  they  must  go ;  the  sin  of  his  own  defiled  heart 
must  take  place  of  the  fifth  commandment,  and 
must  rather  solace  itself  in  rejoicing  in  his  father's 
iniquity,  than  in  covering  his  father's  nakedness. 
Wicked  men  regard  not  kindred ;  and  no  marvel, 
for  they  love  not  godliness.  He  that  loveth  not 
God,  loveth  not  his  brother,  or  father:  nay,  he 
'  wrongeth  his  own  soul.'  Pr.  viii.  36. 

'  And  told  his  two  brethren  without. '  He  told 
them,  that  is,  mockingly,  reflecting  not  only  upon 
Noah,  but  also  upon  his  brethren ;  to  all  of  whom 
himself  was  far  inferior,  both  as  to  grace  and 
humanity. 

Ver.  23.  *  And  Shem  and  Japheth  took  a  gar- 
ment, and  laid  it  upon  both  their  shoidders,  and 
went  backward,  and  covered  the  nakedness  of  their 
father ;  and  their  faces  were  backward,  and  tliey 
saw  not  their  father's  nakedness 

Shem  and  Japheth  did  it :  This  is  recorded  for 
the  renown  of  these,  as  the  action  of  Ham  is  for 
his  perpetual  infamy. 

They  '  took  a  garment,  and  went  backward,  and 
covered  their  father,  and  saw  not  his  nakedness.' 
Love  will  attempt  to  do  that  with  difficulty,  that  it 
cannot  accomplish  otherwise.  I  think  it  might  be 
from  this  action,  that  the  wise  man  gathereth  his 
proverb  from.  '  Hatred  stirreth  up  strifes ;  but 
love  covereth  all  sins. '  Pr.  x.  12.  Indeed,  Ham  would 
fain  have  made  variance  between  his  father  and 
his  brethren,  by  presenting  the  foUy  of  the  one,  to 
the  shame  and  provocation  of  the  other.  But 
Shem,  and  his  brother  Japheth,  they  took  the 
course  to  prevent  it ;  they  covered  their  father's 
nakedness. 

Ver.  24.    'And  Noah  awoke   from   his  wine. 


*  To  resent — to  consider  as  an  injury  or  affront — to  take 
ill.— Ed. 


and  knew  what  his  younger  son  had  done  unto 
him.' 

By  these  words  more  is  implied  than  expressed ; 
for  this  awaking  of  Noah,  not  only  informeth  us 
of  natural  awaking  from  sleep,  but  of  his  spiritual 
awaking  from  his  sin.  He  awoke  from  his  wine. 
As  '  Ely  said  to  Hannah,  How  long  wilt  thou  be 
drunken  ?  Put  away  i\\j  wine  from  thee. '  1  Sa.  i.  14. 
By  which  words  he  exhorteth  to  repentance.  It 
is  said  of  Nabal,  That  his  wine  went  from  him,  as 
many  men's  sins  forsake  them,  because  they  are 
decayed,  and  want  strength  and  opportunity  to 
perform  them.  Now  this  may  be  done,  where  the 
heart  remaineth  yet  unsanctified :  but  Noah  awoke 
from  his  wine,  put  it  away,  or,  repented  him  of 
the  evil  of  his  doing.  *  A  just  man  falleth  seven 
times,  and  riseth  up  again :  but  the  wicked  shall 
fall  into  mischief. '  Pr.  xxiv.  ic.  Wherefore  they  have 
cause  to  say  to  all  the  Hams  in  the  world,  'Rejoice 
not  against  me,  0  mine  enemy :  when  I  fall,  I  shall 
arise ;'  Mi.  vii.  s.  but  your  fall,  is  a  fall  into  mischief. 

•  He  knew  what  his  younger  son  had  done  unto 
him.*  Whether  this  was  by  revelation  from  hea- 
ven, or  through  the  information  of  Japheth  and 
Shem,  I  determine  not ;  but  so  it  was,  that  the- 
good  man  had  understanding  thereof:  which  might 
be  requisite  upon  a  double  account ;  not  only  that 
he  might  now  be  ashamed  thereof;  but  take  notice,' 
that  he  had  caused  the  enemies  of  God  to  reproach; 
for  this  sinks  deep  into  a  good  man's  heart,  and 
afflicteth  him  so  much  the  more. 

Ver.  25.  '  And  he  said,  Cursed  he  Canaan ;  a 
servant  of  servants  shall  he  be  unto  his  brethren.' 

By  these  words  one  would  think  that  Canaan, 
the  grand-child  of  Noah,  was  the  first  that  dis- 
covered his  nakedness  ;  but  of  this  I  am  imcertain : 
I  rather  think  that  Noah,  in  a  spirit  of  prophecy, 
determined  the  destruction  of  Ham's  posterity, 
from  the  prodigiousness  of  his  wicked  action,  and 
of  his  name,  which  signifieth  indignation,  or  heat; 
for  names  of  old  were  ofttimes  given  according  to 
the  nature  and  destiny  of  the  persons  concerned. 
'  Is  not  he  rightly  called  Jacob  ?  '  Ge.  xx\ii.  36.  And 
again,  'As  his  name  is,  so  is  he.'  iSa.xxv.  25.  Be- 
sides, by  this  act  did  Ham  declare  himself  void  of 
the  grace  of  God  ;  for  he  that  rejoiceth  in  iniquity, 
or  that  maketh  a  mock,  as  being  secretly  pleased 
with  or  at  the  infirmities  of  the  godly,  he  is  de- 
clared already,  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  be  nothuig. 

1  Co.  xiii. 

'  A  servant  of  servants  shall  he  be  unto  his 
brethren.'  This  was  accomphshed  when  Israel 
took  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  made  the  ofi'spring 
of  this  same  Ham,  even  so  many  as  escaped  the 
edge  of  the  sword,  to  be  captives  and  bondsmen, 
and  tributers  imto  them. 

Hence  note,  that  the  censures  of  good  men  are 
dreadful,  and  not  lightly  to  be  passed  over,  whether 


496 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


they  prophesy  of  evil  or  good ;  because  they  speak 
iu  judgment,  and  according  to  the  tenor  of  the 
■word  of  God. 

Ver.  2G.  •  And  ho  said,  Blessed  he  the  Lord 
God  of  Shem ;  and  Canaan  shall  be  his  servant.' 

Shem  seems  by  this  to  be  the  first  in  that  action 
of  love  to  his  father;  and  that  Japheth  did  help 
through  his  persuasion ;  for  Shem  is  blessed  in  a 
special  manner,  and  Canaan  is  made  his  servant. 

Hence  note,  That  forwardness  in  things  that 
are  good,  is  a  blessed  sign  that  the  Lord  is  our 
God :  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Shem.  It  is 
said  of  Hananiah,  That  '  he  was  a  faithful  man, 
and  feared  God  above  many. '  A'c.  yn.  2.  Now  such 
men  are  provocations  to  good,  as  I  doubt  not  but 
Shem's  was  to  Japheth:  As  Paul  saith  of  some, 
'  Your  zeal  hath  provoked  very  many.'  3  Co.  ix.  2. 

Ver.  27.  '  God  shall  enlarge  Japheth,  and  he 
shall  dwell  in  the  tents  of  Shem.' 

In  the  margin,  it  is  '  God  shall  persuade : '  And 
it  looks  like  a  confirmation  of  what  I  said  before, 
and  is  a  prophecy  of  that  requital  of  love  that  God 
should  one  day  give  his  posterity,  for  his  kindness 
to  Noah  his  father.  As  if  Noah  had  said,  *  Well, 
Japheth,  thou  wast  soon  persuaded  by  Shem  to 
shew  kindness  to  me  thy  father,  and  the  Lord  shall 
hereafter  persuade  thy  posterity  to  trust  in  the 
God  of  Shem.' 

*  God  shall  enlarge.'  This  may  respect  liberty 
of  soul,  or  how  great  the  church  of  the  Gentiles 
should  be ;  for  Japheth  was  the  father  of  the  Gen- 
tiles. Ge.  X.  5. 

If  it  respect  the  first,  then  it  shows  that  sin  is 
as  fetters  and  chains  that  holds  souls  in  captivity 
and  thraldom.  And  hence,  when  Christ  doth  come 
in  the  gospel,  it  is  '  to  preach  deliverance  to  the 
captives,  -  and  to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are 
bruised. '  Lu.  iv.  is. 

'  God  shall  persuade, '  That  is,  God  shall  enlarge 
lura  by  persuasion ;  for  the  gospel  knows  no  other 
compulsion,  but  to  force  by  argumentation.  Them 
therefore  that  God  brings  into  the  tents,  or  churches 
of  Christ,  they  by  the  gospel  are  enlarged  from  the 
bondage  and  thraldom  of  the  devil,  and  persuaded 
also  to  embrace  his  grace  to  salvation, 

Ver.  28.  ♦  H  And  Noah  lived  after  the  flood 
three  hundred  and  fifty  years.' 

He  lived  therefore  to  see  Abraham  fifty  and  eight 
years  old :  He  lived  also  to  see  the  foundation  of 
Babel  laid;  nay,  the  top  stone  thereof:  and  also 
the  confusion  of  tongues.  He  lived  to  see  of  the 
fruit  of  his  loins,  mighty  kings  and  princes.  But 
in  all  this  time  he  lived  not  to  do  one  work  that 
the  Holy  Ghost  thought  worthy  to  record  for  the 
savour  of  his  name,  or  the  edification  and  benefit 
of  his  church,  save  only,  That  he  died  at  nine  hun- 
dred and  fifty  years ;  so  great  a  breach  did  this 
drunkenness  make  upon  his  spirit. 


Ver,  29.  '  So  all  the  days  of  Noah  were  nine 
hundred  and  fifty  years :  and  he  died. ' 

CHAP.  X. 

Ver.  1 .  *  Now  these  are  the  generations  of  the 
sous  of  Noah,  Shem,  Ham,  and  Japheth :  and 
xmto  them  were  sons  born  after  the  flood.' 

Having  thus  passed  over  the  flood,  with  what 
Noah  and  his  sons  did  after ;  we  now  come  to  the 
second  plantation  of  the  world,  to  wit,  by  the  three 
sons  of  Noah ;  for  by  these  three  was  the  world 
replenished  after  the  flood.  Shem  was  the  father 
of  the  Jews  ;  Ham  the  father  of  the  Canaanites  ; 
and  Japheth,  the  father  of  the  Gentiles.  So  then, 
of  Shem  came  the  then  present  visible  church; 
of  Ham  the  opposers  and  enemies  of  it;  but  of 
Japheth  came  those  that  should  be  received  into 
the  church  afterwards ;  as  also  abxmdance  of  the 
haters  of  the  Lord. 

Ver.  2.  '  H  The  sons  of  Japheth';  Gomer,  and 
Magog,  and  Madai,  and  Javan,  and  Tubal,  and 
Meshech,  and  Tiras.' 

Gomer,  a  consumer ;  Magog,  covering,  or  melt- 
ing; Madai,  measuring,  or  judging;  Javan,  making 
sad ;  Tubal,  born,  brought,  or  worldly ;  Meshech, 
prolonging ;  Tiras,  a  destroyer ;  these  are  the 
English  of  their  names. 

Gomer,  and  Magog,  and  Meshech,  and  Tubal, 
are  the  great  persecutors  of  the  church  in  the  latter 
days,  Ese.  xxxviii.  2.  They  shall  be  persecuted  then  by 
consmners,  melters,  and  men  of  this  world.  Re.  xx.  8. 
Madai,  and  Javan,  (as  some  say,)  were  the  fathers 
of  the  Medes  and  Greeks.  These  therefore  did 
sometimes  help,  and  not  always  hinder  the  church. 
Ver.  3,  4.  *  And  the  sons  of  Gomer ;  Askenaz, 
and  Riphath,  and  Togannah.  And  the  sons 
of  Javan;  Elishah,  and  Tarshish,  Kittim,  and 
Dodanim.' 

Biphath,  medicine,  or  release ;  Elishah,  the 
Lamb  of  God;  Dodanim,  beloved.  Either  these 
names  were  given  them  by  way  of  prophecy; 
implying,  that  of  their  seed  should  arise  many 
Gentile  churches ;  or  to  show  us,  that  when  men, 
as  their  fathers,  have  left  or  lost  the  power  of 
godliness,  yet  something  of  the  notion  they  may 
yet  retain,  is.  k.  9. 

Ver.  5.  '  By  these  were  the  isles  of  the  Gentiles 
divided  in  their  lands,  every  one  after  his  tongue, 
after  their  families,  in  their  nations.' 

But  this  must  be  understood  to  be  after  the 
building  of,  and  confusion  at  Babel ;  for  before 
they  had  all  but  one  tongue;  and  besides,  they 
kept  all  together,  ch.  xi.  1, 2. 

Ver.  6.  'IF  And  the  sons  of  Ham ;  Cush,  and 
Mizraim,  and  Phut,  and  Canaan.' 

Cush,  black.  Of  Ham  and  Mizraim  came  the 
Ethiopians,  or  blackamoor:  Ps.  cv.  23.     The  laud  of 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIIIST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


497 


Ham  was  tlae  country  about  Egypt ;  wherefore 
Israel  was  first  afflicted  by  them. 

Ver.  7.  *  And  the  sons  of  Cush ;  Seba  and  Ha- 
vilah,  and  Sabtah,  and  Raamah,  and  Sabtechah: 
and  the  sons  of  Raamah;  Sheba  and  Dedan.' 

Seba  and  Sheba,  sometimes  look  well  upon  the 
church ;  but  when  they  did  not,  God  gave  them  for 
her  ransom.  Ps.  ixxii.  lo.  is.  xiiii.  3. 

Ver.  8.  'And  Cush  begat  Nimrod:  (or  the  rebel- 
lious one ;)  he  began  to  be  a  mighty  one  in  the 
earth.' 

The  begetting  of  Nimrod,  is  accounted  a  thing 
that  is  over  and  above,  and  is  laid  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  as  a  blot  upon  Cush  for  ever ;  for  when  men 
would  vilify,  they  used  to  say.  Thou  art  the  son  of 
the  rebellious,  the  son  of  a  murderer.  So  again. 
He  that  begetteth  Solomon's  fool,  (or,  wicked  one) 
he  begetteth  him  to  liis  own  shame.  Pr.  xyii.  21. 

*  Cush  begat  Nimrod.'  So  then,  the  curse  came 
betimes  upon  the  sons  of  Ham ;  for  he  was  the 
father  of  Cush.  For  the  curse,  as  it  were,  begins 
in  rebeUion,  and  a  rebellious  one  was  Nimrod,  both 
by  name  and  nature. 

'  He  began  to  be  a  mighty  one  in  the  earth.'  I 
am  apt  to  think  he  was  the  first  that  in  this  new 
world  sought  after  absolute  monarchy. 

*  He  began  to  be  a  mighty  one  in  the  earth,'  (or, 
among  the  children  of  men.)  I  suppose  him  to  be 
a  giant ;  not  only  in  person,  but  in  disposition ; 
and  so,  through  the  pride  of  his  countenance,  did 
scorn  that  others,  or  any,  should  be  his  equal ;  nay, 
could  not  be  content,  tiU  all  made  obeisance  to 
him.  He  therefore  would  needs  be  the  author  and 
master  of  what  religion  he  pleased;  and  would 
also  subject  the  rest  of  his  brethren  thereto,  by 
what  ways  his  lusts  thought  best.  Wherefore  here 
began  a  fresh  persecution.  That  sin  therefore 
which  the  other  Avoi'ld  was  di'owned  for  was  again 
revived  by  this  cursed  man,  even  to  lord  it  over  the 
sons  of  God,  and  to  enforce  idolatry  and  supersti- 
tion upon  them ;  and  hence  he  is  caUed  *  the  mighty 
hunter.' 

Ver.  9.  *  He  was  a  mighty  himter  before  the 
Lord:  wherefore  it  is  said,  even  as  Nimrod  the 
mighty  hunter  before  the  Lord.' 

He  was  a  mighty  himter.  That  is,  a  persecu- 
tor: Wherefore  Saul's  persecuting  of  David  is 
compared  to  hunting :  l  Sa.  xxvi.  20.  and  so  is  the  per- 
secution of  others.  La.  iv.  18.  They  hunt  every  man 
his  brother  with  a  net :  Mi.  vii.  2.  and  it  may  well  be 
compared  thereto ;  for  the  dog  or  Hon  that  hunteth, 
is  void  of  bowels  and  pity ;  and  if  they  can  but 
satisfy  their  doggish  and  lionish  nature,  they  care 
neither  for  innocence,  nor  goodness,  nor  life  of  that 
they  pursue.  1  Sa.  xxiv.  11.  The  life,  the  blood,  the 
extirpation  of  the  contraryparty,  is  the  end  of  their 
course  of  hunting.*  Eze.  xiii.  18, 22. 

*  How  dreadfully  was  this  eiciupliiied  in  the  cruelties  per- 
VOL.  II. 


'He  was  a  mighty  hunter.'  As  it  is  said  of 
Jabm,  '  He  mightily  oppressed  Israel  twenty  years ;' 
that  is,  he  did  it  exceedingly;  he  went  beyond 
others ;  he  was  more  cruel  and  barbarous ;  he  was 
a  mighty  hunter.  Wherefore  the  children  of  bles- 
sed Shem,  by  this  monster,  had  sore  afiliction.' 
Ju.  iv.  2, 3.  Noah  therefore  lived  to  see  Nimrod,  the 
mighty  one,  make  havock  of  the  children  of  his 
bowels,  to  his  no  little  grief  and  compunction  of 
spirit. 

'He  was  a  mighty  himter  before  the  Lord;' 
or,  in  the  presence  of  the  Lord;  or,  in  defiance 
to  him.  This  shows,  That  the  hand  of  God  was 
stretched  forth  against  his  work ;  as  also  it  was 
against  Jeroboam's,  by  that  man  of  God  that 
from  Judah  went  down  to  prophesy  against  him ; 
but  he  abode  obdurate  and  hard  ;  he  regarded 
not  the  Lord,  nor  the  operation  of  his  hands. 
1  Ki.  xiii.  1—3.  As  he  also  saith  in  another  place  of 
the  cursed  brood  of  Antichrist,  '  Wheii  they  fall 
upon  the  sword,  they  shall  not  be  wounded.' 
Joel  ii.  8.  Let  them  do  things  never  so  much  against 
the  plain  text,  they  feel  not  the  wounds  of  con- 
science ;  but  this  is  a  sore  judgment,  and  that 
under  which  this  hunter  was ;  and  therefore  the 
presence  and  hand  of  God  would  not  break  him 
ofi^,  nor  hinder  his  hunting  of  souls.  But  even 
before  the  face  of  the  keeper  of  the  godly,  would 
Nimrod,  the  rebel,  hunt  for  their  precious  life  to 
destroy  it. 

Wherefore  it  is  said,  even  as  Nimrod,  the  mighty 
hunter,  before  the  Lord.  These  words,  as  it  seems, 
was  the  proverb  that  went  of  him  among  the  godly 
in  after  generations ;  for  he  had  so  left  his  marks 
in  the  sides  of  the  church,  that  she  could  not 
quickly  forget  him.  Wherefore,  when  at  any  time 
there  arose  another  that  showed  cruelty  to  the 
ways  of  God,  he  was  presently  compared  to  Nimrod, 
that  '  hunted  before  the  Lord. '  Nimrod  therefore 
was  rebellious  to  a  proverb :  And  as  it  is  said  of 
Ahab,  so  might  it  be  said  of  him,  '  There  was 
none  like '  Nimrod,  '  which  did  sell  himself  to  work 
wickedness  in  the  sight  of,  [or,  before]  the  Lord.' 

1  Ki.  xxi.  25. i" 

Ver.  10.   '  And  the  beginning  of  his  kingdom 


petrated  on  the  dissenters  in  the  valleys  of  Piedmont,  and  ou 
the  English  dissenters  in  the  reign  of  Mary,  of  Elizabeth,  anj 
of  the  Stuarts. — Ed. 

f  '  The  hunting  tribes  of  air  and  eai-th. 

Respect  the  brethren  of  their  hirthj 

The  eagle  pounces  on  the  lamb; 

The  wolf  devours  the  fleecy  dam; 

Even  tiger  fell,  and  sullen  bear, 

Their  likeness  and  their  lineage  spare. 

JIan  only  mai's  this  household  plan. 

And  turns  the  fierce  pursuit  ou  man; 

Since  Nimrod,  Gush's  mighty  son. 

At  first  the  bloody  game  begun.' 

Scott's  Uokehy. 
3  Ii 


498 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OP  GENESIS. 


was  Babel,  and  Erccli,  and  Accad,  and  Calneb,  in 
tbe  land  of  Shinar.' 

By  these  words,  as  I  suppose,  are  iliose  in  the 
chapter  that  foUoweth  expounded :  Where  it  says, 
'Let  us  build  us  a  city,  and  a  tower;'  for  this 
work  was  chiefly  the  invention  of  Nimrod,  who, 
with  his  wicked  council,  contrived  this  work ;  and 
as  one  that  had  made  himself  head  of  the  people, 
he  enjoined  them  to  set  to  the  work. 

'  And  the  beginning  of  his  kingdom  was  Babel.' 
Babel  therefore  was  the  first  great  seat  of  oppres- 
sors after  the  flood;  whose  situation  was  in  the 
land  of  Shinar,  in  that  land  which  is  now  called 
Babylon.  By  this  we  may  also  gather,  by  whom 
our  mystical  Babel  was  builded ;  to  wit,  by  those 
that  rebelled  (as  Nimrod}  from  the  simplicity  of 
the  gospel  of  Christ ;  for  the  builders,  especially 
the  chief,  have  a  semblance  one  of  another.  It 
was  even  such  as  came  of  the  seed  of  the  godly,  as 
these  did  of  blessed  Noah ;  who,  in  time,  aposta- 
tizing from  the  word,  and  desiring  mastership  over 
their  brethren ;  they,  as  lords,  fomented  their  own 
conceptions,  and  then  enjoined  the  people  to  build. 
As  Rehoboam  forsook  the  counsel  of  the  ancients, 
that  stood  before  his  father  Solomon ;  so  these  have 
forsaken  the  counsel  of  the  old  men,  the  apostles 
that  stood  before  Jesus  Christ ;  and  hearkening  to 
the  counsel  of  a  yoimger  sort  of  wanters  of  their 
grace  and  wisdom,  they  imagine  and  build  a 
Babel.* 

Ver.  11,  12.  'Out  of  that  land  went  forth 
Asshur,  and  builded  Nineveh,  and  the  city  Rehoboth, 
and  Calah,  and  Resen,  between  Nineveh,  and 
Calah:  The  same  is  a  great  city.' 

Nimrod  having  began  to  exalt  himself  ;  others, 
that  were  big  with  desires  of  ostentation,  did  soon 
follow  his  example,  making  themselves  captains 
and  heads  of  the  people,  and  built  them  strong 
holds  for  the  supportation  of  their  glory.  But  they 
did  it,  as  I  said,  by  Nimrod's  example ;  wherefore 
it  is  said  they  went  *  out  of  that  land.'  Just  thus 
it  was  at  the  beginning  of  mystical  Babel:  First 
the  tyranny  began  at  Babel  itself,  where  the 
usurper  was  seen  to  sit  in  his  glory,  before  whose 
face  the  world  did  tremble.     Now  other  inferior 

*  Great  allowances  miglit  be  made  for  Bunyau's  severe  lan- 
guage with  respect  to  state  interference  in  matters  of  faith 
aud  worship,  because  he  so  cruelly  suffered  by  it  in  his  own 
person.  But  had  he  escaped  persecution,  the  same  awful 
reflections  are  just  and  true.  If  a  christian  monarchy  robs, 
imprisons,  and  murders  dissenters,  surely  a  Mohamedan  state 
may  do  the  same  to  all  those  who  refuse  to  curse  Christ  aud 
bless  Mahomet.  Bunyan  appears  to  consider  that  the  great 
wickedness  of  man  which  caused  the  flood  arose  from  the  state 
interfering  with  faith  and  worship.  This  is  certainly  a  fruitful 
source  of  those  dreadful  crimes,  hypocrisy  and  persecution, 
but  whether  it  was  the  cause  of  that  awfid  event,  the  flood, 
or  of  that  splendid  absurdity,  the  tower  of  Babel,  the  reader 
must  judge  for  himself. — Ed. 


persons,  inferior,  I  say,  in  power,  but  not  in  pride, 
having  desire  to  be  lords,  as  Nimrod  himself,  they 
will  also  go  build  them  cities ;  by  which  means 
Nimrod's  invention  could  not  be  kept  at  Rome,  but 
hath  spread  itself  in  many  and  mighty  kingdoms.! 
*  Out  of  that  land  went  forth  Asshur,  and 
builded  Nineveh,'  &c.  Asshur  seems  to  be  the 
second  son  of  Shem,  ver.  33.  A  fit  resemblance  of 
those  persons  that  have  come  from  mystical  Babel, 
to  build  their  Ninevehs,  and  Rehoboths,  and  Cal- 
nehs,  in  all  lands.  Still  they  have  pretended  re- 
ligion. That  they  had  their  orders  from  the  apos- 
tolical see.  That  they  were  the  true  sons  of  Shem, 
or  disciples  of  Christ.  But  the  seeing  Christian 
should  remember,  that  some  of  the  children  of 
Shem  were  in  Babel  Avith  rebellious  Nimrod.  That 
instead  of  learning  humility  of  their  father,  through 
the  pride  and  rebellion  of  their  own  vain-glorious 
fancies,  they  learned  wickedness  and  rebellion  of 
cursed  and  prodigious  Nimrod. 

Hence  note,  that  what  cities,  that  is,  churches 
soever  have  been  builded  by  persons  that  have 
come  from  Romish  Babel,  those  builders  and  cities 
are  to  be  suspected  for  such  as  had  their  founder 
and  foimdation  from  Babel  itself.  Wherefore  let, 
Israel  say,  *  Asshur  shall  not  save  us,'  Ho.  xlv.  3.  for 
he  shall  not  save  himself ;  Nu.  xxiv.  24.  but  as  the 
star  of  Jacob  ariseth,  he  shall  fade  and  perish  for 
ever.  So  perish  all  the  builders  and  building  that 
hath  had  its  pattern  from  mystical  Babel,  unless  a 
miracle  of  grace  prevents. 

It  was  Asshur  that  carried  away  the  ten  tribes; 
Ezr.  iv.  3.  it  is  Asshur  that  joineth  with  the  enemies 
of  the  church ;  Ps.  kxxiii.  8.  it  is  Asshur  that  with 
others  upholds  the  great  mart  of  the  nations.  Eie., 
xxvii.  23.  Wherefore  Asshur  and  all  his  company, 
must  at  last  go  down  into  their  pit.  Eze.  xxxii.  23. 

So  then,  let  Augustine  the  monk,  come  from 
Rome  into  England,  and  let  him  build  his  Nine- 
veh here ;  let  others  go  also  into  other  coimtries, 
and  build  their  Resens  and  Calahs  there ;  these 
are  all  but  brats  of  Babel,  and  their  end  shall  be. 
That  they  perish  for  ever.  John  saw  it,  and  the 
cities,  that  is,  the  churches  of  the  nations,  or  the 
national  churches,  fell ;  and  great  Babylon,  their 
inventor  and  founder,  '  came  into  remembrance 
before  God,  to  give  unto  her  the  cup  of  the  wine 
of  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath. '  Ke.  xvi.  19. 

Ver.  13,  14.  '  And  Mizraim  begat  Ludim,  and 
Anamim,  and  Lehabim,  and  Naphtuhim,  and  Pa- 
thrusim,  and  Casluhim,  (out  of  whom  came  Phihs- 
tim,)  and  Caphtorim.' 


t  First  Rome,  then  the  Greek  and  Russian  church;  then 
Heury  the  VIII.  and  the  church  over  which  that  lascivious 
monster  was  the  supreme  head ;  then  the  Lutheran  church  of 

Germany  and  Holland ;  aud  then How  admirably 

true  is  the  genealogy  of  Antichrist  as  drawn  out  by  Bunyan. 
—Ed. 


AX  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTEHS  OF  GENESIS. 


499 


Ludim,  as  I  suppose,  may  be  the  same  witli 
Lubim  that  came  up  witb  the  Egyptians  and  Ethio- 
pians against  Israel,  2  Ch.  xU.  3;  xvi.  8.  of  whose  cruelty 
Nahum  complains;  "where  he  saith,  They  also 
helped  Nineveh  against  the  children  of  God,  m.  9. 
The  rest  of  them  were  of  the  same  disposition, 
especially  the  Philistine  that  came  of  Casluhim ; 
for  they,  both  in  Saul  and  David's  days,  were  im- 
placable against  the  church  and  people  of  God; 
they  wei-e  a  giantish  people,  and  trusted  in  their 
strength,  and  seldom  overcome  but  when  Israel  went 
against  them  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  their  God, 

Ver.  15 — 18,  '  1[  And  Canaan  begat  Sidon  his 
first  born,  and  Heth,  and  the  Jebusite,  and  the 
Amorite,  and  the  Girgasite,  and  the  Hivite,  and 
the  Arkite,  and  the  Sinite,  and  the  Arvadite,  and 
the  Zemarite,  and  the  Hamathite :  And  afterward 
were  the  families  of  the  Canaanites  spread  abroad. ' 

These  are  the  childi'en  of  Canaan,  the  son  of 
Ham,  the  accursed  of  the  Lord.  These  did  chiefly 
possess  the  land  of  Canaan  before  Israel  went  out 
of  Egypt:  they  were  a  mighty  giantish  people, 
yet  Israel  must  fight  with  them,  notwithstanding 
they  were,  in  comparison  to  these,  but  as  the 
grasshopper. 

Ver.  19.  '  And  the  border  of  the  Canaanites  was 
from  Sidon,  as  thou  comest  to  Gerar,  unto  Gaza ;  as 
thou  goest,  unto  Sodom,  and  Gomorrah,  and  Admah, 
and  Zeboim,  even  \mto  Lasha.' 

They  bordered  therefore  upon  the  Philistiiies  on 
the  one  side ;  Ge.  xxvL  15,  is,  19.  for  Gerar  and  Gaza 
belonged  to  them,  and  they  touched  upon  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah,  &c.  on  the  other,  Ju.  xvL  i,  21.  They 
were  placed  therefore,  by  the  judgment  of  God, 
between  these  two  wicked  and  sinful  people,  that 
they  might,  as  a  pimishment  for  their  former  sins, 
be  infected  with  the  sight  and  infection  of  their 
ungodly  and  monstrous  abominations.  They  that 
*  tiu-n  aside  imto  their  crooked  waj-s,  the  Lord 
shall  lead  them  forth  with  the  workers  of  iniquity.' 

Ps.  cxxv.  5. 

Ver.  20.  *  These  are  the  sons  of  Ham,  after  their 
families,  after  their  tongues,  in  theh*  countries,  and 
in  their  nations.' 

Ham  had  a  mighty  offspring ;  but  the  judgment 
of  God  was.  That  they  should  be  wicked  men, 
idolaters,  persecutors,  sinners  with  a  high  hand ; 
such  as  God  was  resolved  to  nmnber  to  the  sword, 
both  in  tliis  world,  and  that  to  come ;  I  mean,  for 
the  generality  of  them. 

Ver.  21.  '  H  Unto  Shem  also,  the  father  of  all 
the  children  of  Eber,  the  brother  of  Japheth  the 
elder,  even  to  him  were  children  born. ' 

The  manner  of  style  which  the  Holy  Ghost  here 
useth  in  his  preamble  to  the  genealogy  of  Shem, 
is  worthy  to  be  taken  notice  of ;  as  that  he  is  called, 
'  the  father  of  all  the  children  of  Eber,'  and  '  the 
brother  of  Japheth.' 


By  his  being  called,  •  the  father  of  aU  the  cliil- 
dren  of  Eber,'  we  may  suppose,  that  from  Eber  to 
Abraham,  (by  whom  the  reckoning  of  the  genealogy 
was  cut  off  from  Eber,  and  intailed  to  the  name 
of  Abraham,)  all  the  children  of  Eber  were,  as  it 
were,  the  disciples  of  Shem,  for  he  lived  aAvhde 
after  Abraham.  His  doctrine  therefore  they  might 
profess,  though  possibly  with  some  mixture  of  those 
inventions  that  came  in  among  men  afterwards; 
which  I  think  were  at  the  greatest  about  Abra- 
ham's time.  Besides,  he  shews  by  this,  that  the 
other  children  of  Shem,  as  Elam,  Asshur,  Lud 
and  Aram,  with  Uz,  Hul,  Gether  and  Mash,  went 
away  with  Nimrod,  and  the  rest  of  that  company, 
into  idolatry,  tyranny  and  other  profaneness ;  so 
that  only  the  line  from  Shem  to  Eber,  and  from 
thence  to  Abraham,  »tc.  were  the  visible  church  in 
those  daj's. 

'  The  brother  of  Japheth.'  So  he  was  of  Ham, 
but  because  Ham  was  cut  off  for  his  wickedness  to 
his  father,  therefore  both  Shem  and  Japheth  did 
hold  him  in  abomination,  and  would  not  own  that 
relation  that  before  was  between  them,  especially 
in  things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
of  Christ:  Wherefore  the  Holy  Ghost  also,  in 
reckoning  up  the  kindred  of  Shem,  excludeth  Ham 
the  younger  brother,  and  stops  after  he  had  men- 
tioned Japheth :  '  The  bi-other  of  Japheth  the 
elder. ' 

'  Unto  him  were  children  bom,'  unto  Shem  also. 
Unto  him  were  childi'cn  born:  The  Holy  Ghost 
doth  secretly  here,  as  he  did  before  in  the  genera- 
tion of  Seth,  insinuate  a  wonder.  For  considering 
the  godliness  of  Shem,  and  the  ungodliness  of  Ham, 
and  the  multitude  of  his  tyrannical  brood,  it  is  a 
wonder  that  there  should  such  a  thing  as  the  off- 
spring of  Shem  be  found  upon  the  face  of  the  earth. 
For  I  am  apt  to  think,  that  Shem,  with  his  pos- 
terity, did  testify  against  the  actions  of  Mmrod ; 
as  also  against  the  childi-en  of  Ham,  in  their  wicked- 
ness and  rebelhon  against  the  way  of  God;  as  may 
be  hinted  after.  Wherefore  he,  with  his  seed, 
were  in  jeopardy,  among  that  tumultuous  genera- 
tion. Yet  God  preseiTed  him  and  his  seed  upon 
the  face  of  the  earth.  For  let  the  number  and 
Avickedness  of  men  be  never  so  great  in  the  world, 
there  must  be  also  a  church,  by  whose  actions  the 
ways  of  the  wicked  must  be  condemned. 

Ver,  22.  '  The  childi-en  of  Shem ;  Elam,  and 
Asshur,  and  Arphaxad,  and  Lud,  and  Aram. ' 

These  children  were  born  unto  Shem :  The  book 
of  Chronicles  mentions  four  more,  as  Uz,  and  Hul, 
and  Gether,  Meshech,  or  Mash;  but  these  were 
the  natural  sons  of  Aram,  Shem  being  only  their 
father's  father. 

Elam  and  Asshur,  as  also  Lud  and  Aram,  not- 
withstanding they  Avere  the  sons  of  Shem,  struck 
off,  as  I  think,  with  Nuurod,  and  left  their  father. 


500 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


for  the  glory  of  Babel ;  yea,  they  had  a  province 
there  in  the  days  of  Daniel,  viii.  2.  Wlierefore  great 
judgments  are  threatened  against  Elam  ;  as,  That 
Elam  shall  drink  the  cup  of  God's  fury:  That 
their  bow  shall  be  broken :  That  God  would  bring 
ixpon  him  the  four  winds.  Je.  xlix.  36.  And,  That 
there  should  be  no  nation  whither  the  captives  of 
Elam  should  not  come  :  Yet  God  would  save  them 
in  the  latter  days.  ver.  39. 

As  for  Lud  although  through  the  wickedness  of 
his  heart  he  forsook  his  father  Shem,  and  so  the 
true  religion ;  yet  a  promise  is  made  of  his  con- 
version, when  God  calls  home  the  children  of 
Japhcth,  and  persuadeth  them  to  dwell  in  the 
tents  of  Shem.  '  I  will  set  a  sign  among  them 
(saith  God,)  and  I  will  send  those  that  escape  of 
them,  unto  the  nations  to  Tarshish,  Pul  and  Lud, 
:-  to  Tubal  and  Javan,  to  the  isles  afar  off,  that 
have  not  heard  my  fame.  isa.  kri.  19.  Yea,  thus  it 
shall  be,  although  they  were  once  the  soldiers  of 
the  adversaries  of  the  church,  and  bare  the  shield 
and  helmet  against  her.  Eze.  xxvii.  10.  Of  Asshur  1 
have  spoken  before.  Aram  became  also  an  hea- 
then, and  dwelt  among  the  mountains  of  the  east : 
Out  of  him  came  Balaam  the  soothsayer  that 
Balak  sent  for,  to  curse  the  children  of  Israel. 

2\^u.  xxiii.  7. 

In  Arphaxad,  though  he  was  not  the  eldest, 
remained  the  line  that  went  from  Abraham  to 
David ;  and  from  him  to  Jesus  Christ.  Lu.  iii.  36. 

Ver.  23.  'And  the  children  of  Aram;  Uz,  and 
Hul,  and  Gether,  and  Mash.' 

Uz  went  also  off  from  Shem,  but  yet  good  men 
came  from  his  loins ;  for  Job  himself  was  of  that 
land.  Job  i.  1.  Yet  the  wrath  of  God  was  threatened 
to  go  forth  against  them,  because  they  had  a  hand 
in  the  persecution  of  the  children  of  Israel,  &c. 

Je.  XXV.  20;  La.  iv.  21. 

Ver.  24,  25.  '  And  Arphaxad  begat  Salah ;  and 
Salah  begat  Eber.  And  unto  Eber  were  born  two 
sons :  the  name  of  one  was  Peleg ;  for  in  his  days 
was  the  earth  divided ;  and  his  brother's  name  was 
Joktan.' 

This  Eber  was  a  very  godly  man,  the  next  after 
Shem  that  vigoi'ously  stood  up  to  maintain  reli- 
gion. Two  things  are  entailed  upon  him  to  his 
everlasting  honour:  First,  The  children  of  God, 
even  Abraham  himself,  was  not  ashamed  to  own 
liimself  one  of  this  man's  disciples,  or  followers ; 
and  hence  he  is  called  Abraham  the  Hebrew,  or 
!Ebrew.  Ge.  xiv.  is.  Joseph  also  Avill  have  it  go 
there :  I  was  stolen  (said  he)  out  of  the  land  of 
the  Hebrews.  Ge.  xLls.  Nay,  the  Lord  God  him- 
self, to  show  how  he  honoured  this  man's  faith 
and  life,  doth  style  himself  the  God  of  his  fathers, 
to  wit,  the  God  of  the  Hebrews,  the  Lord  God  of 
the  Hebrews.  Ex.  m.  18;  vii.  16;  ix.  1, 13.  Secondly,  This 
Tvas  the  man  that  kept  that  language  with  which 


Adam  was  created,  and  that  in  which  God  spako 
to  the  fathers  of  old,  from  being  corrupted  and 
confounded  by  the  confusion  of  Babel ;  and  there- 
fore it  is  for  ever  called  his,  the  Hebrew  tongue, 
Jn.  V.  2;  xix.  13,20.  the  tongue  in  which  Christ  spake 
from  heaven  to  and  by  Saul.  Ac.  xxi.  40;  xxii.  2;  xxvi.  14. 
This  man  therefore,  was  a  stiff  opposer  of  Nimrod ; 
neither  had  he  a  hand  in  the  building  of  Babel ; 
for  all  that  had,  had  their  language  confounded  by 
that  strange  judgment  of  God. 

'  And  unto  Eber  were  born  two  sons  :  the  name 
of  the  one  was  Peleg,  (or  Division,)  for  in  his  days 
was  the  earth  divided ;  and  his  bi'other's  name  was 
Joktan.'  This  division,  in  mine  opinion,  was  not 
only  that  division  that  was  made  by  the  confusion 
of  tongues,  but  a  division  also  that  was  made  among 
men  by  the  blessed  doctrine  of  God,  which  most 
eminently  rested  in  the  bosom  of  Shem  and  Eber, 
neither  of  Avhich  had  their  hands  in  that  monsti'ous 
work.*  Wherefore,  as  Eber  by  abstaining  kept 
entire  the  holy  language ;  so  Shem,  to  shew  that 
he  was  clear  from  this  sin  also,  is  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  called,  '  The  father  of  all  the  children  of 
Eber.'  Implying,  that  Eber  and  Shem  did  mightily 
labour  to  preserve  a  seed  from  the  tyranny  and 
pollution  of  Nimrod  and  Babel ;  and  by  that  means 
made  a  division  in  the  earth ;  unto  whom  because 
the  rebels  would  not  adhere,  therefore  did  God  the 
Lord  smite  them  with  confusion  of  tongues,  and 
scatter  them  abroad  upon  the  face  of  aU  the  earth. 

Ver.  26.  '  And  Joktan  begat  Almodad,  and 
Sheleph,  and  Hazarmaveth,  and  Jerah.' 

Here  again  he  hath  left  the  holy  line,  which  is 
from  Eber  to  Abraham,  and  makes  a  stop  upon 
Joktan's  genealogy,  and  so  comes  down  to  the 
building  of  Babel. 

Ver.  27 — 30.  '  These  therefore  begat  Joktau : 
He  also  begat  '  Hadoram,  and  Uzal,  and  Diklah, 
and  Obal,  and  Abimael,  and  Sheba ;  and  Ophir, 
and  Havilah,  and  Johab :  all  these  were  the  sons 
of  Joktan. — And  their  dwelling  was  from  Mesha, 
as  thou  goest,  unto  Sephar  a  mount  of  the  east.' 

Ver.  31.  '  These  are  the  sons  of  Shem,  after  their 
families,  after  their  tongues,  in  their  lands,  after 
their  nations.' 

Moses,  as  I  said,  by  this  relation,  respecteth, 
and  handleth  chiefly  those,  or  them  persons,  who 
vrerc  at  first  the  planters  of  the  world  after  the 
flood;  leaving  the  church,  or  a  relation  of  that, 
and  its  seed,  to  be  discoursed  after  the  building  of 
Babel,  unto  the  tenth  verse  of  the  next  chapter. 
Hence  methinks  one  might  gather,  that  these  above- 
mentioned,  whose  genealogies  are  handled  at  large, 
as  the  families  of  Japheth,  of  Ham,  and  Joktan 
are,  Avere  both,  in  their  persons  and  offsprings  en- 


*  '  That  monstrous  work,'  the  attempting  to  build  the  tower 
of  Bahel. — Ejj. 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


501 


gaged  (some  few  only  excepted,  who  might  adhere 
to  Noah,  Shem,  and  Eber)  in  that  foul  work,  the 
building  of  Babel.  Now  that  which  inclineth  me 
thus  to  think,  it  is  because  immediately  after  their 
thus  being  reckoned  by  Moses,  even  before  he 
taketh  up  the  genealogy  of  Shem,  he  bringeth  in  the 
building  thereof ;  the  which  he  not  only  mentioneth, 
but  also  enlargeth  upon ;  yea,  and  also  telleth  of 
the  cause  of  the  stopping  of  that  work,  before  he 
returneth  to  the  church,  and  the  line  that  Avent  from 
Shem  to  Abraham. 

Ver.  32.  '  Tliese  are  the  families  of  the  sons  of 
Noah  after  their  generations,  in  their  nations :  and 
by  these  were  the  nations  divided  in  the  earth  after 
the  flood.' 

CHAP.  XL 

Ver.  1.  '  And  the  whole  earth  was  of  one  lan- 
guage, and  of  one  speech.' 

Moses  having  thus  briefly  passed  through  the 
genealogies  of  Japheth,  Ham,  and  Joktan ;-  in  the 
next  place  he  cometh  to  shew  us  their  works  which 
they  had  by  this  time  engaged  to  do ;  and  that 
was,  to  build  a  Babel,  whose  tower  might  reach  to 
heaven.  Now,  in  order  to  this  their  work,  or 
rather  to  his  relation  thereof,  he  maketh  a  short 
fore-speech,  which  consisteth  of  two  branches. 
The  first  is,  That  now  they  had  all  one  language 
or  lip.*  The  other  was,  That  they  yet  had  kept 
themselves  together,  either  resting  or  walking,  as 
an  anny  compact.  An  excellent  resemblance  of 
the  state  of  the  chm'ch,  before  she  imagined  to 
build  her  a  Babel.  For  till  then,  however  one 
might  outstrip  another  in  knowledge  and  love ;  yet 
so  far  as  they  obtained,  their  language  or  lip  was 
but  one.  Having  but  one  heart,  and  one  soul,  they 
with  one  mouth  did  glorify  God,  even  the  Father. 

'  And  the  whole  earth  was  of  one  language.' 
By  these  words  therefore,  we  may  conceive  the 
reason  why  so  great  a  judgment  as  that  great 
wickedness,  Babel,  should  be  contrived,  and  endea- 
voured to  be  accomplished.  The  multitude  was  one. 
Not  but  that  it  is  a  blessed  thing  for  the  chm'ch  to 
be  one :  as  Christ  saith,  •  My  beloved  is  but  one.' 
Jn.  sYiLll.  But  here  was  an  oneness,  not  only  in 
the  chui'ch,  but  in  her  mixing  with  the  world.  The 
whole  earth,  among  which,  as  I  suppose,  is  included 
Noah,  Shem,  and  others ;  Avho  being  overtopt  by 
Nimrod,  the  mighty  hunter,  might  company  with 
him  until  he  began  to  build  Babel.  Therefore  it 
is  aaid  in  the  next  verse,  that  they  companied  to- 
gether from  the  east,  to  the  land  of  Shinar. 

Hence  note.  That  the  first  and  primitive  churches 


t  '  Language  or  Up.'  ritb,  a  lip,  is  also  used  for  speecli. 
la  tlie  figurative  language,  '  of  oue  lip,'  means  lliat  tliey  all 
fc-poke  oue  language ;  so  in  Job  xi.  2,  D'^rrj  rj''s,  KteraUj,  '  a 
man  of  lips,'  is  translated  '  a  man  full  of  tali.' — Ed. 


were  safe  and  secure,  so  long  as  they  kept  entire 
by  themselves ;  but  when  once  they  admitted  of  a 
mixture,  great  Babel,  as  a  judgment  of  God,  was 
admitted  to  come  into  their  mind. 

Ver.  2.  'And  it  came  to  pass,  as  they  journeyed 
from  the  east,  that  they  found  a  plain  in  the  land 
of  Shinar;  and  they  dwelt  there.' 

By  these  words,  we  gather,  that  the  first  rest  of 
Noah,  and  so  the  inhabiting  of  his  posterity,  was 
stiil  eastward  from  Babylon,  towards  the  sun 
rising. 

But  togospehse:  They  journeyed  from  the  east: 
and  so  consequently  they  turned  their  backs  upon 
the  rising  of  the  sun.  So  did  also  the  primitiva 
church,  in  the  day  when  she  began  to  decline  from 
her  first  and  purest  state.  Indeed,  so  long  as  she- 
kept  close  to  the  doctrine  and  discipline  of  the 
gospel,  according  to  the  word  and  commandment, 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  then  she  kept  her  face  still 
towards  the  sun  rising :  According  to  the  type  in 
Ezckiel,  who  saith  of  the  second  and  mystical 
temple,  Her  fore  front,  or  face,  did  stand  towards 
the  east,  xlvii.  i.  Also  he  saith,  when  he  saw  the 
glory  of  God,  how  it  came  imto  this  temple,  it 
came  from  the  way  of  the  east,  xiiii.  2.  Their 
journeying  therefore  from  the  east,  was,  their 
turning  their  backs  upon  the  sun.  And  to  us,  in 
gospel  times,  it  holdeth  forth  such  a  mystery  as 
this :  That  their  journey  was  thus  recorded,  to 
show  they  were  now  apostatized ;  for  assuredly' 
they  had  turned  their  back  upon  the  glorious  Sun 
of  Righteousness,  as  upon  that  which  shineth  in 
the  firmament  of  heaven. 

'They  found  a  plain  in  the  land  of  Shinar.^ 
Shinar  is  the  land  of  Babylon,  Da.  i.  2.  Zee.  v.  ii.  as 
those  scriptures  in  the  margin  declare. 

*  They  found  a  plaia.'  Or,  place  of  fatness  and 
plenty,  as  usually  the  plains  are;  and  are,  upon 
that  account,  great  content  to  our  flesh:  This 
made  Lot  separate  from  Abraham,  and  choose 
to  dwell  with  the  sinners  of  Sodom;  why,  the 
country  was  a  plain,  and  therefore  fat  and  plenti- 
fiil,  even  like  the  garden  of  the  Lord,  and  the  land 
of  Egypt.  Here  therefore  they  made  a  stop ;  here 
they  dwelt  and  continued  together.  A  right 
resemblance  of  the  degenerators'  course  in  the 
days  of  general  apostacy,  from  the  true  apostolical 
doctrine,  to  the  church  of  our  Romish  Babel.  So 
long  as  the  church  endured  hardship,  and  affliction, 
she  was  greatly  preserved  from  revolts  and  back- 
sHdings ;  but  after  she  had  turned  her  face  from 
the  sun,  and  had  found  the  plain  of  Shinar ;  that 
is,  the  fleshly  contents  that  the  pleasures,  and 
profits,  and  honours  of  this  world  aiford ;  she  for- 
getting the  word  and  order  of  God,  was  content, 
with  Lot,  to  pitch  towards  Sodom ;  or,  with  the 
travellers  in  the  text,  to  dwell  in  the  land  of 
Babel. 


502 


AN  EXPOSITION  ON  THE  FIRST  TEN  CHAPTERS  OF  GENESIS. 


Ver.  3.  *  *[[  And  they  said  one  to  another,  Go 
to,  let  us  make  brick,  and  burn  them  throughly, 
(and  burn  them  to  a  burning).  And  they  had 
brick  for  stone,  and  slime  had  they  for  mortar,' 

Now  they  being  filled  Avith  ease  and  plenty,  they 
begin  to  lift  up  the  horn,  and  to  consult  one  with 
another  what  they  were  best  to  do :  Whereupon, 
after  some  time  of  debate,  they  came  to  this  con- 
clusion. That  they  woidd  go  build  a  Babel. 

'  And  they  said  one  to  another,  Go  to. '  This 
manner  of  phrase  is  often  used  in  scripture ;  and 
is  some  times,  as  also  here,  used  to  show,  That 
the  thing  intended,  must  come  to  pass,  what 
opinion  or  contradiction  to  the  contrary  soever 
there  be.  It  argueth  that  a  judgment  is  made  in 
the  case,  and  proceedings  shall  be  accordingly. 
Thus  it  is  also  to  be  taken  in  Ju.  viL  3.  Ec.  ii.  i.  is.  v.  5. 
Ja.v.  1.  (fcc.     Wherefore  it  shows,  that  these  men 


had  cast  oil  the  fear  of  God,  and,  like  Israel  ia 
the  days  of  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  they  resolved  to 
follow  their  own  imagination,  let  God  or  his  judg- 
ments speak  never  so  loud  to  the  contrary.  And 
so  indeed  he  says  of  them  at  verse  the  sixth: 
'And  this  they  begin  to  do:  (saith  God)  and 
now  notliing  will  be  restrained  from  them. ' 

J^^  This  is  all  Mr.  Bunyan  hath  writ  of  this 
EXPOSITION,  as  we  perceive  by  the  blank  paper 
following  the  manuscript.* 

*  That  Bunyan  intended  to  have  continued  this  commen- 
tary there  can  he  uo  doubt,  not  only  from  the  ahrupt  termi- 
nation of  his  labours,  and  the  blank  paper  following  the  manu- 
script, but  from  an  observation  he  makes  on  the  sabbath — the 
sabbath  of  years,  the  jubilee,  &c.,  'of  all  which,  more  in  tJieir 
place,  IF  God  pekmit.'     See  Gen.  ii.  3. — Ed. 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY ; 


OR, 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  CHRISTIANS  TO  BE  HOLY. 


'Holiness  lecometh  thine  house,  0  Lord,  for  everJ — Psal.  xciii.  5. 


THE  EDITOR'S  ADVERTISEMENT. 


Tms  is  the  most  searclilng  treatise  tliat  has  ever 
fallen  under  oin-  notice.  It  is  an  invaluable  guide 
to  those  sincere  Christians,  who,  under  a  sense  of 
the  infinite  importance  of  the  salvation  of  an  im- 
mortal soul,  and  of  the  deceitfulness  of  their 
hearts,  sigh  and  cry,  '  0  Lord  of  hosts,  that 
judgest  righteously,  that  triest  the  reins  [most 
.secret  thoughts]  and  the  heart. '  *  Try  my  reins 
and  MY  heart,'  for  it  'is  deceitful  ahove  all  things, 
and  desperately  wicked :  who  can  know  it  ?  I 
the  Lord  search  the  heart,  I  try  the  reins,  even  to 
give  every  man  according  to  his  ways,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  fruit  of  his  doings.'  He,  in  whose  heart 
the  Holy  Spirit  has  raised  the  solemn  inquiry, 
'  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?'  flies  from  his  own 
estimate  of  himself,  with  distrust  and  fear,  and 
appeals  to  an  infallible  and  unerring  scrutiny. 
'  Search  me,  0  God,  and  know  my  heart :  try  me, 
and  know  my  thoughts:  And  see  if  there  he  any 
wicked  way  in  me,  and  lead  me  in  the  way  ever- 
lasting.'  Reader,  are  you  desirous  of  having  your 
hopes  of  pardon,  and  of  heaven,  weighed  in  the 
unerring  balances  of  the  sanctuary ;  while  you  are 
yet  in  a  state  of  probation?  Meditate  and  ponder 
over  this  faithful  little  work.  If  accompanied  by 
the  Divine  blessing,  it  will  test  your  faith  and 
practice  in  the  crucible  and  by  the  fire  of  God's 
word.  It  is  intended  to  turn  your  spirit  inside 
out — to  lay  bare  every  insidious  enemy  that  may 
have  crept  in  and  lie  lurking  in  the  walls  of  Man- 
soul.  It  exhibits  sin  in  all  its  hideous  deformity, 
stript  of  its  masquerade  and  disguises ;  so  that  it 
appears,  what  it  really  is,  the  great  enemy  to 
human  happiness.  It  is  calculated  to  stir  up  our 
pure  minds  to  incessant  vigilance,  lest  we  should 
wander  upon  tempting,  but  forbidden  paths ;  and 
be  caught  by  Giant  Despair,  to  become  the  objects 
of  his  cruelty  in  Doubting  Castle. 

This  work  was  first  published  in  1684,  in  a 
pocket  volume,  comprising  nine  sheets  duodecimo; 
but  became  so  rare,  as  to  have  escaped  the  re- 
searches of  Wilson,  Whitefield,  and  other  editors  of 
the  collected  works  of  Mr.  Bunyau, — until  about  the 
year  1780,  when  it  was  first  re-published  in  an  edi- 
tion of  his  works,  with  notes,  by  Mason  and  Ryland. 


The  evident  object  of  this  treatise  was  to  aid 
christian  efforts,  mider  the  Divine  blessing,  in 
stemming  the  torrent  of  iniquity,  which,  like  an 
awful  flood,  was  overspreading  this  country.  The 
moral  and  religious  restraints,  which  the  govern- 
ment under  the  Commonwealth  had  imposed,  were 
dissolved  by  the  accession  of  a  debauched  prince 
to  the  throne  of  England;  a  prince  who  was  bribed, 
to  injure  or  destroy  the  best  interests  of  the  coun- 
try, by  the  voluptuous  court  of  France.  He  had 
taken  refuge  there  from  the  storm ;  and  had  been 
defiled  and  corrupted  beyond  ordinary  conception. 
The  king  and  his  court  were  surrounded  by  pimps, 
panders,  courtesans,  and  flatterers.  The  example 
of  the  court  spread  throughout  the  country — reli- 
gion became  a  jest  and  laughing-stock;  and  those 
who  were  not  to  be  cajoled  out  of  their  soul's  eternal 
happiness — ^whose  vital  godliness  preserved  them 
in  the  midst  of  such  evil  examples  and  allurements, 
were  persecuted  with  unrelenting  rigour.  The 
virtuous  Lord  William  Russel,  and  the  illustrious 
Sydney,  fell  by  the  hands  of  the  executioner : 
John  Hampden  was  fined  forty  thousand  pounds. 
The  hand  of  God  was  stretched  out.  An  awful 
pestilence  carried  off  nearly  seventy  thousand  of 
the  inhabitants  of  London.  In  the  following  year, 
that  rich  and  glorious  city,  with  the  cathedral — 
the  churches — ^public  buildings — and  warehouses, 
replenished  with  merchandize — were  reduced  to 
ashes.  The  Dutch  fleet  sailed  up  the  Thames  and 
threatened  destruction  to  our  navy,  and  even  to 
the  government, — filling  the  court  and  country 
with  terror.  Still  profligacy  reigned  in  the  court 
and  coimtry — a  fearful  persecution  raged  against 
all  who  refused  to  attend  the  church  service. 
Thousands  perished  in  prison,  and  multitudes  were 
condemned  to  expatriate  themselves.  The  timid 
and  irresolute  abandoned  the  faith, — desolation 
spread  over  the  church  of  God.  At  this  time,  at 
imminent  risk,  John  Bunyan  not  only  fearlessly 
preached,  but  published  his  faithful  'Advice  to 
Sufferers;'  which  was  immediately  followed  by 
this  important  work,  calling  upon  every  one  'who 
named  the  name  of  Christ,'  at  all  hazards,  '  to 
depart  from  iniquity.'     They  were  'words  in  sea- 


504 


THE  EDITOR'S  ADVERTISEMENT. 


son,'  and  were  'good,'   'like  apples  of  gold  in 
pictures  of  silver. '  Pr.  xxv.  ii. 

The  contrast  in  public  manners  must  have  been 
painfully  felt  by  one,  who  had  seen  and  enjoyed 
the  general  appearances,  and  doubtless  many  real 
proofs  of  piety,  which  prevailed  under  the  protec- 
torate of  Cromwell.     He  was  now  called  to  witness 
the  effects  of  open  and  avowed  wickedness  among 
governors  and  nobles,  by  which  the  fountains   of 
iniquity  were  opened  up,  and  a  flood  of  immorality 
let  loose  upon  all  classes;  demoralizing  the  nation, 
and  distressing  the  church.     It  must  have  been 
difficult  to  form  any  thing  like  an  accurate  esti- 
mate of  the  number  of  those  who  abandoned  their 
christian  profession.     The  immoral  conduct  of  one 
bad  man  is  more  conspicuous  than  the  unobtrusive 
holiness  of  ninety-nine  good  men  ;  more  especially, 
when  a  professor  becomes  profane.     Thus  Bunyan 
argues,  '  One  black  sheep  is  quickly  espied  among 
five  hundred  white  ones,  and  one  mangey  one  will 
soon  infect  many.     One  also,  among  the  saints, 
that  is  not  clean,  is  a  blemish  to  the  rest,  and 
as  Solomon  says,   "  One  sinner  destroyeth  much 
good."  '  p.  527.     It  is  more  congenial  to  our  fallen 
nature  to  notice,  and  be  grieved  with,  evil  con- 
duct, than  it  is  to  rejoice   over  that  excellence 
which   may  cast   the    observer   into    the   shade; 
besides  the  jaundiced  fear  that  good  works  may 
arise   from   improper  motives.     These   principles 
equally  applied  to  the  state  of  society  under  the 
Presbyterian  government :    but  when  the  restora- 
tion to  the  old  system  took  place,  so  vast  a  change 
passed  over  society,  like  a  pestilence,  '  that  sin, 
through  custom,  became  no  sin.     The  superfluity 
of  naughtiness,'   says  Bunyan,    *  is  at  this   day 
become  no  sin  with  many.'  p.  509.     'There  are  a 
good  many  professors  now  in  England  that  have 
nothing  to  distinguish  them  from  the  worst  of  men, 
but  their  praying,  reading,  hearing   of  sermons, 
baptism,  church  fellowship,  and  breaking  of  bread. 
Separate  them  but  from  these,  and  every  where 
else  they  are  as  black  as  others,  even  in  their 
whole  Life  and  conversation.'  p.  508.     *  It  is  marvel- 
lous to  me  to  see  sin  so  high  amidst  the  swarms 
of  professors  that  are  found  in  every  corner  of  this 
land.'     If  the  conduct  of  many  professors  were 
so  vile,  as  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  it  was, 
how  gross  must  have  been  that  of  the  02')enly  pro- 
fane ?     It  accounts  for  the  wicked  wit  and  raiUery 
of  Hudibras,  when  so  many  professors  threw  oft" 
the  mask  and  gloried  in  their  hypocrisy — Butler 
shut  his  eyes  to  the  cruel  sutierings  of  thousands 
who  perished  in  jails,  the  martyrs  to  the  sincerity 
of  their  faith  and  conduct.     The  falling  away  was 
indeed  great ;  and  Bunyan,  with  all  earnestness, 
warns  his  readers  that,  '  To  depart  from  iniquity 
is  to  shun  those  examples,  those  beastly  examples 
to  drunkenness — to  whoredom — to  swearing — to 


lying — to  stealing — to  sabbath-breaking — to  pride 
— to  covetousness — to  deceit — to  hypocrisy,  tliat 
in  every  corner  of  the  country  present  themselves 
to  men.'  p.  517.  '  0  the  fruits  of  repentance  thick 
sown  by  preachers,  come  up  but  thinly  !  Where 
are  they  found?  Confession  of  sin,  shame  for  sin, 
amendment  of  life,  restitution  for  cozening,  cheat- 
ing, defrauding,  beguiling  thy  neighbour, — where 
shall  these  fruits  of  repentance  be  found  ?  Re- 
pentance is  the  bitter  pill,  without  the  sound 
working  of  which,  base  and  sinful  humours  rest 
unstirred,   mipurged,  undriven  out  of  the  soul.', 

p.  519. 

'  I  would  not  be  austere,'  said  Bunyan,  'but  were 
wearing  of  gold,  putting  on  of  apparel,  dressing  up 
houses,  decking  of  children,  learning  of  compliments, ' 
boldness  in  women,  lechery  in  men,  wanton  behavi- 
our, lascivious  words,  and  tempting  carriages,  signs 
of  repentance;  then  I  must  say,  the  fruits  of  repent- 
ance swarm  in  our  land. '     '  The  tables  of  God's 
book  are  turned  upside  down.     Love,  to  their  doc- 
trine, is  gone  out  of  the  country.'     '  Love  is  gone, 
and  now  coveting,  pinching,    griping,   and   such 
things,  are  in  fashion  ;  now  iniquity  abounds  instead 
of  grace,  in  many  that  name  the  name  of  Christ.' 
p.  519,  520.    '  Alas !  alas !  there  is  a  company  of  half- 
priests  in  the  world ;  they  dare  not  teach  the  peo- 
ple the  whole  counsel  of  God,  because  they  would 
condemn  themselves,  and  their  manner  of  living  in 
the  world :  where  is  that  minister  now  to  be  found, 
that  dare  say  to  his  people,  walk  as  you  have  me 
for  an  example,  or  that  dare  say,  what  you  see 
and  hear  to  be  in  me,  do,  and  the  God  of  peace 
shall  be  ■with  you. '  p.  520.     Such  was  the  general 
character  of  the  parish  priests,  after  the  black  Bar- 
tholomew Act  had  driven  the  pious  and   godly 
ministers  from  the  parish  churches.      It  is  almost 
a  miracle  that  Bunyan  escaped  persecution  for  his 
plain  dealing.    We  cannot  wonder,  that  under  such 
teachers,  'Christians  learned  to  be  proud  one  of 
another,  to  be  covetous,  to  be  treacherous,  and 
false,  to  be  cowardly  in  God's  matters,  to  be  remiss 
and  negligent  in  christian  duties,  one  of  another.' 
p.  525.    A  scandal  was  thus  brought  upon  religion. 
'  Upon  this  I  write  with  a  sigh ;  for  never  more 
than  now.     There  is  no  place  where  the  professors 
of  religion  are,  that  is  free  from  oftence  and  scan- 
dal.     Iniquity  is  so  entailed  to  religion,  and  base- 
ness of  life  to  the  naming  the  name  of  Christ,  that 
'AH  places  are  full  of  vomit  and  filthiness.'    'Ah ! 
Lord  God,  this  is  a  lamentation,  that  a  sore  disease 
is  got  into  the  church  of  God.'  p.  529.     It  was  a 
period  when  a  more  awful  plague  raged  as  to 
morals  and  religion,  than  that  which,  about  the 
same  time,  had  ravaged  London  Avith  temporal 
death — the  plague  of  hypocrisy — of  naming  the 
name  of  Christ,  and  still  living  in  sin.     '  Hypocri- 
sies arc  of  that  nature,  that  they  spread  themselves 


THE  EDITOR'S  ADVERTISEMENT. 


605 


over  tlie  mind  as  tlie  leprosy  does  over  the  bod}'. 
It  gets  in  the  pulpit,  in  conference,  in  closets,  in 
communion  of  saints,  in  faith,  in  love,  in  repent- 
ance, in  zeal,  in  humility,  in  alms,  in  the  prison, 
and  in  all  duties,  and  makes  the  whole  a  loath- 
some stink  in  the  nostrils  of  God.'  p.  538.  'These 
licentious  times,  in  "which  we  live,  are  fidl  of  ini- 
quity. '  p.  539.  *  They  change  one  bad  way  for 
another,  hopping,  as  the  squirrel,  from  bough  to 
bough,  but  not  willing  to  forsake  the  tree, — from 
drunkards  to  be  covetous,  and  from  that  to  pride 
and  lasciviousness — this  is  a  grand  deceit,  common, 
and  almost  a  disease  epidemical  among  professors.' 
p.  532.  '  The  sins  of  our  day  are  conspicuous  and 
open  as  Sodom's  were;  pride  and  covetousness, 
loathing  of  the  gospel,  and  contemning  holiness, 
have  covered  the  face  of  the  nation. '  p.  534.  The 
infection  had  spread  into  the  households  of  pro- 
fessors. '  Bless  me,  saitli  a  servant,  are  these  the 
religious  people !  Are  these  the  servants  of  God, 
where  iniquity  is  made  so  much  of,  and  is  so  highly 
entertained !  And  now  is  his  heart  filled  with 
prejudice  against  all  religion,  or  else  he  turns 
hypocrite  like  his  master  and  his  mistress,  wearing, 
as  they,  a  cloak  of  religion  to  cover  all  abroad, 
while  all  naked  and  shameful  at  home. '  p.  536.  '  He 
looked  for  a  house  full  of  virtue,  and  behold  nothing 
but  spider-webs ;  fair  and  plausible  abroad,  but 
like  the  sow  in  the  mire  at  home.'  The  immoral 
taint  mfected  the  young.  *  0 !  it  is  horrible  to 
behold  how  irreverently,  how  saucily,  and  mala- 
pertly,  children,  yea,  professing  children,  at  this 
day,  carry  it  to  their  parents ;  snapping  and 
checking,  curbing  and  rebuking  of  them,  as  if  they 
had  received  a  dispensation  from  God  to  dishonour 
and  disobey  parents. '  p.  535.  '  This  day,  a  sea  and 
deluge  of  iniquity  has  dro\vned  those  that  have  a 
form  of  godliness.  Now  immorality  shall,  with 
professors,  be  in  fashion,  be  pleaded  for,  be  loved 
and  more  esteemed  than  holiness ;  even  those  that 
have  a  form  of  godliness,  hate  the  life  and  power 
thereof,  yea,  they  despise  them  that  are  good.' 
p.  543. 

This  melancholy  picture  of  vice  and  profligacy 
was  drawn  by  one  whose  love  of  truth  rendered  him 
incapable  of  deceit  or  of  exaggeration.  It  was 
published  at  the  time,  and  was  unanswered,  because 
unanswerable.  It  was  not  painted  from  imagina- 
tion by  an  ascetic  ;  but  from  life  by  an  enlightened 
observer — not  by  the  poor  preaching  mechanic 
when  incarcerated  in  a  jail  for  his  godliness ;  but 
when  his  painful  suiFerings  were  past — when  his 
Pilgrim,  produced  by  the  foUy  of  persecutors,  had 
rendered  him  famous  through  Europe — when  his 
extraordinary  pulpit  talents  were  matured  and 
extensively  known,  so  that  thousands  crowded  to 
hear  him  preach — when  his  labours  were  sought 
in  London  and  in  the  country — when  his  opportu- 

VOL.  II. 


[  nities  of  observation  had  become  extended  far 
I  beyond  most  of  his  fellow-ministers.  The  tale  is 
as  true  as  it  is  full  of  painful  interest.  The  causes 
of  all  this  vice  are  perfectly  apparent.  Whenever 
a  government  abuses  its  powers  by  interfering  with 
divine  worship — by  preferring  one  sect  above  all 
others ;  whether  it  be  Presbyterian,  Independent, 
or  Episcopalian — such  a  requiring  the  things  that 
are  God's  to  be  rendered  unto  Caesar,  must  be  the 
prolific  source  of  persecution,  h^'pocrisy,  and  con- 
sequent immorality  and  profaneness.  The  impure 
process  of  immorality  is  checked  by  the  rival  labours 
of  all  the  sects  to  promote  vital  godliness.  Can  we 
wonder  that  such  a  state  of  society  was  not  long 
permitted  to  exist  ?  In  three  troublous  years  from 
the  publication  of  this  book,  the  licentious  monarch 
was  swept  away  by  death,  not  without  suspicion  of 
violence,  and  his  besotted  popish  successor  fled  to 
die  in  exile.  An  enlightened  monarch  was  placed 
upon  the  vacant  throne,  and  persecution  was  de- 
prived of  its  tiger  claws  and  teeth  by  the  act  of 
toleration. 

However  interesting  to  the  christian  historian, 
and  humbling  to  human  pride,  the  facts  may  be 
which  are  here  disclosed ;  it  was  not  the  author's 
intention  thus  to  entertain  his  readers.  No  ;  this 
invaluable  tract  has  an  object  in  view  of  far  greater 
importance.  It  is  an  earnest,  affectionate,  but 
pungent  appeal  to  all  professors  of  every  age,  and 
nation,  and  sect,  to  the  end  of  time.  The  admo- 
nition of  the  text  is  to  you,  my  reader,  and  to  me ; 
whether  we  be  rich  or  poor,  ministers  or  ministered 
unto,  it  comes  home  equally  to  every  heart,  from 
the  mightiest  potentate  through  every  grade  of 
society  to  the  poorest  peasant.  May  the  sound 
ever  reverberate  in  our  ears  and  be  engraven  upon 
our  hearts,  '  Let  every  one  that  nametli  the  name 
of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity. ' 

The  analysis  of  this  book  exhibits — How  solemn 
a  thing  it  is  to  name  the  name  of  Christ,  as  the 
author  and  finisher  of  our  faith — God  manifest  in 
the  flesh,  to  bear  the  curse  for  us,  and  to  work  out 
our  everlasting  salvation.  The  hosts  of  heaven 
rejoice  over  the  penitent  sinner  ransomed  from  the 
pit  of  wrath.  Is  it  possible  for  the  soul  that  has 
escaped  eternal  burnings — that  has  experienced 
the  bitterness  and  exceeding  sinfulness  of  sm — 
that  has  felt  the  misery  of  transgression — that  has 
been  brought  up  out  of  that  deep  and  horrible  pit 
— to  backslide  and  plunge  again  into  misery,  with 
his  eyes  open  to  see  the  smoke  of  their  torments 
ascending  up  before  him?  Is  it  possible  that  he 
should  heedlessly  enter  the  vortex,  and  be  again 
drawn  into  wretchedness  ?  Yes ;  it  is  alas  too 
true.  Well  may  the  Lord,  by  his  prophet,  use  these 
striking  words,  '  Be  astonished,  0  ye  heavens,  at 
this,  and  be  horribly  afraid,  be  ye  very  desolate, 
saith  the  Lord.     For  my  people  have  committed 


506 


THE  EDITOR'S  ADVERTISEMENT. 


two  evils ;  they  have  forsaken  me,  the  fountaiu  of 
living  waters,  and  hewed  out  broken  cisterns,  that 
can  hold  no  water.'  Je.  ii.  12, 13. 

The  extreme  folly  of  such  conduct  would  render 
the  fact  almost  incredible,  did  we  not  too  frequently 
witness  it  in  others,  and  feel  it  in  our  own  hearts. 
This  volume  places  these  facts  plainly  before  us, 
and  affectionately  exhorts  us  to  be  watchful,  and 
diligently  to  inquire  into  the  causes  of  such  evil, 
and  the  remedies  which  ought  to  be  apphed.  It 
shews  us  the  great  varieties  that  are  foimd  in  the 
tempers  and  qualities  of  God's  children,  in  words 
calculated  to  make  au  indelible  impression. 

'  But  in  this  great  house  of  God  there  will  not 
only  be  golden  and  silver  Christians,  but  wooden 
and  earthly  ones.  And  if  any  man  purge  himself 
from  these  [earthly  ones],  from  their  companies 
and  vices,  he  shall  be  a  vessel  to  honour,  sanctified, 
and  meet  for  the  master's  use,  and  prepared  for 
everv  good  work. '  p.  518.  Bunyan  earnestly  cautions 
his  readers  to  constant  watchfulness,  'for  sin  is  one 
of  the  most  quick  and  brisk  things  that  are.'  p.  515. 
And  jealousy  over  ourselves,  lest  our  hearts  should 
deceive  us.  '  The  young  man  in  the  gospel  that 
cried  to  Christ  to  shew  him  the  way  to  life,  had 
some  love  to  his  salvation ;  but  it  was  not  a  love 
that  was  strong  as  death,  cruel  as  the  grave,  and 
hotter  than  coals  of  juniper.'  Ca.  vm.  6.  It  cod 
nothing — no  self-denial,  no  sacrifice.  '  Such  will 
love  as  long  as  mouth  and  tongue  can  wag,'  will 
pray  and  hear  sermons,  but  will  not  cut  ofi"  a  dar- 
ling lust ;  such  deceive  their  own  souls.  Some  are 
aUured  but  not  changed :  '  There  is  some  kind  of 
rausicalness  in  the  word ;  when  well  handled  and 
fingered  by  a  skilful  preacher,'  it  has  a  momentary 
influence ;  '  they  hear  thy  words,  but  do  them  not. ' 
Eze.  zxsiii.  30.  Above  aU  things,  beware  of  hypocrisy, 
for  when  it  once  enters,  it  spreads  over  the  soul,  as 
the  leprosy  does  over  the  body.  p.  521.  *  He  is  the 
same  man,  though  he  has  got  a  new  mouth. '  p.  532. 
'  Many  that  shew  like  saints  abroad,  yet  act  the 
part  of  devils  when  they  are  at  home.'  Wicked 
professors  are  practical  atheists.  *  The  dirty  life 
of  a  professor  lays  stumbhug  blocks  in  the  way 
of  the  blind.'  p.  540.  *  A  professor  that  hath  not 
forsaken  his  iniquity,  is  like  one  that  comes  out  of 
the  pest-house,  among  the  whole,  with  his  plaguey 
sores  rmming  upon  him.  This  is  the  man  that 
hath  the  breath  of  a  dragon ;  he  poisons  the  air 
romid  about  him.  This  is  the  man  that  slays  his 
children,  his  kinsmen,  his  friend,  and  himself. 
They  are  the  devil's  most  stinking  tail,  with  which 
he  casts  many  a  professor  into  carnal  dehghts,  with 
their  filthy  conversations.' p.  530.  'Oh!  the  mill- 
stone that  Godwin  shortly  hang  about  your  necks, 
when  the  time  is  come  that  you  must  be  drowned  in 
the  sea  and  deluge  of  God's  wrath.'  p.  S30.    Rather 


than  thus  rush  upon  Jehovah's  fiercest  anger,  'Tell 
the  world,  if  you  will  not  depart  from  iniquity,  that 
Christ  and  you  are  parted,  and  that  you  have  left 
him  to  be  embraced  by  them  to  -whom  iniquity  is  an  j 
abomination.'  p.  530.  Thus  faithfully  and  afi'ection- 
atcly  did  Bunyan  deal  with  his  hearers  and  readers. 
And  he  takes  an  occasion,  now  in  his  maturer  years, 
to  confirm  the  sentiments  which  he  had  formerly 
published  in  his  '  Dijfferences  in  Judgment  about 
Water  Baptism  no  Bar  to  Communion.'  '  It  is 
strange  to  see  at  this  day  how,  notwithstanding- 
all  the  threatenings  of  God,  men  are  wedded  to  their 
own  opinions,  beyond  what  the  law  of  grace  and 
love  will  admit.  Here  is  a  Presbyterian,  here  an 
Independent,  here  a  Baptist,  so  joined  each  man  to 
his  own  opinion,  that  they  cannot  have  that  com- 
munion one  with  another,  as  by  the  testament  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  they  are  commanded  and  enjoined. ' 
'  To  help  thee  in  this,  keep  thine  eye  much  upon 
thine  own  base  self,  be  clothed  with  humility,  and 
prefer  thy  brother  before  thyself;  and  know  that 
Christianity  Hetli  not  in  small  matters,  neither 
before  God  nor  understanding  men.'  *  I  have  often 
said  in  my  heart,  what  is  the  reason  that  some  of 
the  brethren  shoiddbe  so  shy  of  holding  communion 
with  those,  every  whit  as  good,  if  not  better  than 
themselves  ?  Is  it  because  they  think  themselves 
unworthy  of  their  holy  fellowship  ?  No,  verily ;  it 
is  because  they  exalt  themselves.'  p.  538.  He  goes 
on  to  declare  that  the  difficulties  which  sin  and 
Satan  place  in  the  way  of  the  Christian  pilgrim 
ought  never  to  be  concealed.  Salvation  is  to  be 
worked  out  with  fear  and  trembling.  It  is  only 
by  divine  aid,  by  dependence  upon  our  heavenly 
Father,  that  it  can  be  accomplished.  *To  de- 
part from  iniquity  to  the  utmost  degree  of  require- 
ment, is  a  copy  too  fair  for  mortal  flesh  exactly 
to  imitate,  while  we  are  in  this  world.  But  with 
good  paper,  good  ink,  and  a  good  pen,  a  skilful 
and  willing  man  may  go  far. '  p.  546, 547.  Mr.  Ry- 
land's  note  on  the  Christian's  trials  is,  '  when  the 
love  of  sin  is  subdued  in  the  conscience,  then  peace 
will  flow  in  like  a  river,  God  will  be  glorified, 
Christ  exalted;  and  the  happy  soul,  under  th© 
teacMng  and  influence  of  the  all-wise,  omnipotent 
Spirit,  will  experience  sweet  peace  and  joy  in 
believing. '  Millions  of  pilgrims  have  entered  the 
celestial  city,  having  fought  their  Avay  to  glory ; 
and  then,  while  singing  the  conqueror's  song,  all 
their  troubles  by  the  way  must  have  appeared  as 
sufi"erings  but  for  a  moment,  which  worked  out 
for  them  an  eternal  and  exceeding  weight  of  glory. 
And  then  how  blessed  the  song  to  him  that  hath 
loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own 
blood,  and  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  our 
God.  To  him  be  glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and 
ever.     Amen. — Geo.  Offor. 


AN  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  FOLLOWING  DISCOURSE. 


507 


AN  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  FOLLOWINa  DISCOTIESE. 


Wheit  I  wnte  of  justification  before  God  from  tlie 
dreadful  curse  of  the  l&w ;  then  I  must  speak  of 
nothing  but  grace,  Christ,  the  promise,  and  faith. 
But  when  I  speak  of  our  justification  before  men, 
then  I  must  join  to  these  good  works.  For  grace, 
Christ,  and  faith,  are  things  invisible,  and  so  not 
to  be  seen  by  another,  otherwise  than  through  a 
hfe  that  becomes  so  blessed  a  gospel  as  has  declared 
unto  us  the  remission  of  our  sins  for  the  sake  of 
Jesus  Christ.  He  then  that  would  have  forgiveness 
of  sins,  and  so  be  dehvered  from  the  cui'se  ol  God, 
must  believe  in  the  righteousness  and  blood  of 
Christ :  but  he  that  would  shew  to  his  neighbours 
that  he  hath  truly  received  this  mercy  of  God,  must 
do  it  by  good  works  ;  for  all  things  else  to  them  is 
but  talk:  as  for  example,  a  tree  is  known  to  be 
what  it  is,  to  wit,  whether  of  this  or  that  kind,  by 
its  fruit.  A  tree  it  is,  without  fruit,  but  so  long  as 
it  so  abideth,  there  is  ministered  occasion  to  doubt 
what  manner  of  tree  it  is. 

A.  professor  is  a  professor,  though  he  hath  no 
good  works ;  but  that,  as  such,  he  is  truly  godlj'-, 
he  is  foolish  that  so  concludeth.  Mat.  vii.  17, 18.  Ja.  iiis. 
Not  that  works  make  a  man  good ;  for  the  fruit 
maketh  not  a  good  tree,  it  is  the  principle,  to  wit, 
Faith,  that  makes  a  man  good,  and  his  works  that 

shew  him  to  be  so.    Mat.  \ii.  16.  Lu.  vi.  4rk 

What  then?  why,  all  professors  that  have  not 
good  works  flowing  from  therr  faith  are  naught ;  are 
bramble  bushes ;  are  'nigh  unto  cursing,  whose  end 
is  to  be  burned. '  He.  vi.  8.  For  professors  by  their 
fruitlessness  declare  that  they  are  not  of  the  plant- 
ing of  God,  nor  the  wheat,  '  but  tares  and  children 
of  the  wicked  one.'  Mat.  xiiL  37, 38. 

Not  that  faith  needeth  good  works  as  an  help  to 
justification  before  God.  For  in  this  matter  faith 
will  be  ignorant  of  all  good  works,  except  those 
done  by  the  person  of  Christ.  Here,  then,  the  good 
man  '  worketh  not,  but  believe th.'  Ro.  iv.  5.  For  he 
is  not  now  to  carry  to  God,  but  to  receive  at  his 
hand  the  matter  of  his  justification  by  faith;  nor 
is  the  matter  of  his  justification  before  God  ought 
else  but  the  good  deeds  of  another  man,  to  wit, 
Christ  Jesus. 

But  is  there,  therefore,  no  need  at  all  of  good 
ATorks,  because  a  man  is  justified  before  God  with- 
out them  ?  or  can  that  be  called  a  justifying  faith, 
that  has  not  for  its  fruit  good  works  ?  Job  xxii.  3.  Ja. 
ii.  20,  26.  Verily  good  works  are  necessary,  though 
God  need  them  not ;  nor  is  that  faith,  as  to  justifi- 
cation with  God,  worth  a  rush,  that  abideth  alone, 
or  without  them. 

There  is,  therefore,  a  twofold  faith  of  Christ  in 
the  world,  and  as  to  the  notion  of  justifying  rigii- 


teousness,  they  both  concur  and  agree,  but  as  to  the 
manner  of  application,  there  they  vastly  differ. 
The  one,  to  wit,  the  non-saving  faith,  standeth  in 
speculation  and  naked  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  so 
abideth  idle :  but  the  other  truly  seeth  and  receives 
him,  and  so  becometh  fruitful.  Jn.  i.  12.  lie.  k.  13.  Eo.  vi. 
16.  And  hence  the  true  justifying  faith  is  said  to 
receive,  to  embrace,  to  obey  the  Sou  of  God,  as  ten- 
dered in  the  gospel :  by  which  expression  is  shewed 
both  the  nature  of  justifying  faith,  m  its  actings  in 
point  of  justification,  and  also  the  cause  of  its  being 
fuU  of  good  works  in  the  world.  A  gift  is  not  made 
mine  by  my  seeing  of  it,  or  because  I  know  the 
nature  of  the  thing  so  given ;  but  then  it  is  mine  if 
I  receive  and  embrace  it,  yea,  and  as  to  the  point 
in  hand,  if  I  yield  myself  up  to  stand  and  faU  by  it. 
Now,  he  that  shall  not  only  see,  but  receive,  not 
only  know,  but  embrace  the  Son  of  God,  to  be  jus- 
tified by  him,  cannot  but  bring  forth  good  works, 
because  Christ  who  is  now  received  and  embraced 
by  faith,  leavens  and  seasons  tlie  spirit  of  this 
sinner,  through  his  faith,  to  the  making  of  him 
capable  so  to  be  [justified].  Ac.  xv.  9.  Ge.  xtiii.  19.  He.  xi. 
11.  Faith  made  Sarah  receive  strength  to  conceive 
seed,  and  we  are  sanctified  through  faith,  which  is 
in  Christ.  For  faith  hath  joined  Christ  and  the 
soul  together,  and  being  so  joined,  the  soul  is  one 
spirit  with  him ;  not  essentially,  but  in  agreement 
and  oneness  of  design.  Besides,  when  Christ  is 
truly  received  and  embraced  to  the  justifying  of 
the  sinner,  in  that  man's  heart  he  dwells  by  his 
word  and  Spirit,  through  the  same  faith  also.  Now 
Chiist  by  his  Spirit  and  word  must  needs  season 
the  soul  he  thus  dwells  in :  so  then  the  soul  being- 
seasoned,  it  seasoneth  the  body ;  and  body  and  soul, 
the  life  and  conversation. 

We  know  it  is  not  the  seeing,  but  taking  of  a 
potion,  that  maketh  it  work  as  it  should,  nor  is  the 
blood  of  Chi'ist  a  purge  to  this  or  that  conscience, 
except  received  by  faith.  He.  ix.  u. 

Shall  that  then  be  counted  right  believing  in 
Christ  unto  justification,  that  amounts  to  no  more 
than  to  an  idle  speculation,  or  naked  knowledge  of 
him  ?  shall  that  knowledge  of  him,  I  say,  be  counted 
such,  as  only  causes  the  soul  to  behold,  but  moveth 
it  not  to  good  works  ?  No,  verily.  For  the  true 
beholding  of  J-esus  to  justification  and  hfe,  changes 
from  glory  to  glory.   2  Co.  liL  is. 

Nor  can  that  man  that  bath  so  beheved,  as  that 
by  his  faith  he  hath  received  and  embraced  Christ 
for  life  before  God,  be  destitute  of  good  works :  for, 
as  I  said,  the  word  and  Spirit  comes  also  by  this 
faith,  and  dwells  in  the  heart  and  conscience.  Now, 
shall  a  soul  where  the  Avord  and  Spirit  of  Christ 


508 


AN  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  FOLLOWING  DISCOURSE. 


dwells,  be  a  soul  without  good  works  ?  Yea,  shall 
a  soul  that  has  received  the  love,  the  mercy,  the 
kindness,  grace  and  salvation  of  God  through  the 
sorrows,  tears,  groans,  cross,  and  cruel  death  of 
Christ,  he  yet  a  fruitless  tree !  God  forbid.  The 
faith  is  as  the  salt  which  the  prophet  cast  into  the 
spring  of  bitter  water,  it  makes  the  soul  good  and 
serviceable  for  ever.  2  Ki.  u.  19—23. 

If  the  receiving  of  a  temporal  gift  naturally  tends 
to  the  making  of  us  to  move  our  cap  and  knee,  and 
binds  us  to  be  the  servant  of  the  giver,  shall  we 
think  that  faith  will  leave  him  who  by  it  has  received 
Christ,  to  be  as  imconcerned  as  a  stock  or  stone,  or 
that  its  utmost  excellency  is  to  provoke  the  soul  to 
a  lip-labour,  and  to  give  Christ  a  few  fair  words  for 
his  pains  and  grace,  and  so  wrap  up  the  business  ? 
No,  no;  'the  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us'  thus 
to  judge  that  it  is  but  reasonable,  since  he  gave 
his  all  for  us,  that  we  should  give  our  some  for 
him.  8  Co.  V.  14, 15, 

Let  no  man,  then,  deceive  himself,  as  he  may 
and  will  if  he  takes  not  heed  with  true  notions, 
but  examine  himself  concerning  his  faith,  to  wit ; 
Whether  he  hath  any  ?  and  if  some.  Whether  of 
that  kind  that  will  turn  to  account  in  the  day  when 
God  shall  judge  the  world. 

I  told  you  before  that  there  is  a  twofold  faith, 
and  now  I  wiU  tell  you  that  there  are  two  sorts  of 
good  works ;  and  a  man  may  be  shrewdly  guessed 
at  with  reference  to  his  faith,  even  by  the  Avorks 
that  he  chooseth  to  be  conversant  in. 

There  are  works  that  cost  nothing,  and  works 
that  are  chargeable.  And  observe  it,  the  unsound 
faith  will  choose  to  itself  the  most  easy  works  it 
can  find.  For  example,  there  is  reading,  praying, 
hearing  of  sermons,  baptism,  breaking  of  bread, 
church  fellowship,  preaching,  and  the  like;  and 
there  is  mortification  of  lusts,  charity,  simplicity, 
open-heartedness,  with  a  liberal  hand  to  the  poor, 
and  their  hke  also.  Now  the  unsound  faith  picks 
and  chooses,  and  takes  and  leaves,  but  the  true 
faith  does  not  so. 

There  are  a  great  many  professors  now  in  Eng- 
land that  have  nothing  to  distinguish  them  from 
the  worst  of  men,  but  their  praying,  reading,  hear- 
ing of  sermons,  baptism,  church-fellowship,  and 
breaking  of  bread.  Separate  them  but  from  these, 
and  everywhere  else  they  are  as  black  as  others, 
even  in  their  whole  life  and  conversation.  Thus 
they  have  chosen  to  them  the  most  easy  thino-s  to 
do  them,  but  love  not  to  be  conscionably  found  in 
the  practice  of  the  other ;  a  certain  sign  their  faith 
is  nought,  and  that  these  tilings,  even  the  thino-s 
they  are  conversant  in,  are  things  attended  to  of 
them,  not  for  the  ends  for  which  God  has  appointed 
them,  but  to  beguile  and  undo  themselves  withal. 

Praying,  hearing,  reading;  for  what  are  these 
things  ordained,  but  that  we  might  by  the  godly 


use  of  them  attain  to  more  of  the  knowledge  of 
God,  and  be  strengthened  by  his  grace  to  serve  him 
better  according  to  his  moral  law  ?  Baptism,  fel- 
lowship, and  the  Lord's  supper,  are  ordained  for 
these  ends  also.  But  there  is  a  vast  diff'erence 
between  using  of  these  things,  and  a  using  of  them 
for  these  ends.  A  man  may  pray,  yea  pray  for 
such  things,  had  he  them,  as  would  make  him 
better  in  morals,  without  desire  to  be  better  in 
morals,  or  love  to  the  things  he  prays  for.  A  man 
may  read  and  hear,  not  to  learn  to  do,  though  to 
know  ;  yea  he  may  be  dead  to  doing  moral  good- 
ness, and  yet  be  great  for  reading  and  hearing  all 
his  days.  The  people  then  among  all  professors 
that  are  zealous  of  good  works  are  the  peculiar 
ones  to  Christ.  Tit.  ii.  14.  What  has  a  man  done  that 
is  baptized,  if  he  pursues  not  the  ends  for  which 
that  appointment  was  ordained.  The  like  I  say  of 
fellowship,  of  breaking  of  bread,  &c.  For  all 
these  things  we  should  use  to  support  our  faith,  to 
mortify  the  flesh,  and  strengthen  us  to  Avalk  in 
newness  of  life  by  the  rule  of  the  moral  law.  Nor 
can  that  man  be  esteemed  holy  whose  life  is  tainted 
with  immoralities,  let  him  be  what  he  can  in  all 
things  else.  I  am  of  that  man's  mind  as  to  prac- 
tical righteousness,  who  said  to  Christ  upon  this 
very  question,  '  Well,  master,  thou  hast  said  the 
truth ;  -  for  to  love  the  Lord  om*  God  with  aU  the 
heart,  and  Avith  all  the  understanding,  and  with  aU 
the  soul,  and  with  all  the  strength,  and  to  love  his 
neighbour  as  himself,  is  more  than  all  whole  bui-nt- 
offerings  and  sacrifices.'  Mar. xii. 28— 33.  To  love  my 
neighbour  as  myself,  to  do  as  I  would  be  done  unto, 
this  is  the  law  and  the  prophets.  And  he  that  is 
altogether  a  stranger  to  these  things,  how  dwelleth 
the  love  of  God  in  him ;  or  how  Avill  he  manifest  to 
another  that  his  faith  wiU  save  him  ? 

Satan  is  afraid  that  men  should  hear  of  justifi- 
cation by  Christ,  lest  they  should  embrace  it.  But 
yet,  if  he  can  prevail  Avith  them  to  keep  fingers 
ofi",  though  they  do  hear  and  look  on,  and  practise 
lesser  things,  he  can  the  better  bear  it ;  yea,  he 
will  labour  to  make  such  professors  bold  to  conclude 
they  shall  by  that  kind  of  faith  enjoy  him,  though 
by  that  they  cannot  embrace  him,  nor  lay  hold  of 
him.  For  he  knoAvs  that  Iioav  far  soever  a  man 
engages  in  a  profession  of  Christ  Avith  a  faith  that 
looks  on,  but  cannot  receive  nor  embrace  him,  that 
faith  Avill  leave  him  to  nothing  but  mistakes  and 
disappointments  at  last. 

The  gospel  comes  to  some  in  Avord  only,  and 
the  faith  of  such  stands  but  in  a  verbal  sound  ;  but 
the  apostle  Avas  resolved  not  to  knoAV  or  take 
notice  of  such  a  faith.  iTh.i.  1,  5.  'For  the  king- 
dom of  God,'  saith  he,  'is  not  in  word,  but  in 
poAver. '  1  Co.  iv.  18—20.  He  whose  faith  stands  only 
in  a  saying,  I  believe,  has  his  Avorks  in  bare  Avords 
also,  and  as  virtual  is  the  one  as  the  other,  and 


AN  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  FOLLOWING  DISCOURSE. 


509 


both  inslgmficant  enough.  *  If  a  brother  or  sister 
be  naked,  and  destitute  of  daily  food,  and  one  of 
you  say  unto  them.  Depart  in  peace,  be  ye  warmed 
and  filled  ;  notwithstanding  ye  give  them  not  those 
things  which  are  needful  to  the  body ;  what  doth 
it  profit  ?  Even  so  faith,  if  it  hath  not  works  is 
dead,  being  alone.' Ja.ii.  15— 17.  This  faith,  there- 
fore, Satan  can  allow,  because  it  is  somewhat  of 
kin  to  his  o\vn.  ver.  19. 

Besides,  what  greater  contempt  can  be  cast 
upon  Christ  than  by  such  wordy  professors  is  cast 
upon  him  ?  These  are  the  men  that  by  practice 
say,  the  gospel  is  but  an  empty  sound.  Yea,  the 
more  they  profess,  the  louder  they  proclaim  it 
thus  to  be,  to  his  disgrace,  while  they,  notwith- 
standing their  profession  of  faith,  hold  and  main- 
tain their  league  with  the  devil  and  sin.  The  Son 
of  God  was  manifest  that  he  might  destroy  the 
works  of  the  devil,  but  these  men  profess  his  faith 
and  keep  these  works  alive  in  the  world.  iJn. m. 
Shall  these  pass  for  such  as  believe  to  the  saving 
of  the  soul  ?  For  a  man  to  be  content  with  this 
kind  of  faith,  and  to  look  to  go  to  salvation  by  it, 
what  to  God  is  a  greater  provocation  ? 

The  devil  laugheth  here,  for  he  knows  he  has 
not  lost  his  vassal  by  such  a  faith  as  this,  but  that 
rather  he  hath  made  use  of  the  gospel,  that  glo- 
rious word  of  life,  to  secure  his  captive,  through 
his  presumption  of  the  right  faith,  the  faster  in 
his  shackles. 

It  is  marvellous  to  me  to  see  sin  so  high  amidst 
the  swarms  of  professors  that  are  found  in  every 
corner  of  this  land.  Nor  can  any  other  reason  be 
given  for  it,  but  because  the  gospel  has  lost  its 
wonted  virtue,  or  because  professors  want  faith 
therein.  But  do  you  think  it  is  because  of  the 
first  ?  no,  the  word  of  our  God  shall  stand  in  its 
strength  for  ever  ;  the  faith  of  such  therefore  is 
not  right;  they  have  for  shields  of  gold,  made 
themselves  shields  of  brass  ;  or  instead  of  the  pri- 
mitive faith,  which  was  of  the  operation  of  God, 
they  have  got  to  themselves  a  faith  that  stands  by 
the  power,  and  in  the  wisdom  of  man.  2  Ch.  xii.  9, 10. 
Col.  ii.  12. 1  Co.  ii.  4, 5.  And,  to  say  no  more  to  this,  for 
what  is  God  so  angry  with  this  land,  but  for  the 
sin  of  the  professors  that  dwell  therein,  while  they 
have  polluted  his  name  with  their  gifts,  and  with 
their  idols  ?  God,  I  say,  has  been  provoked  most 
bitterly  by  us,  while  we  have  profaned  his  name, 
making  use  of  his  name,  his  word,  and  ordinances, 
to  serve  ourselves,  '  0  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  do  to 
this  land. '  "We  are  every  one  looking  for  some- 
thing ;  even  for  something  that  carrieth  terror  and 
dread  in  the  sound  of  its  wings  as  it  comes,  though 
we  know  not  the  form  nor  visage  thereof.*     One 


*  How  clearly  is  here  portrayed  the  wTetched  state  of  this 
couutry  towards  the  close  of  the  reign  of  Charles  II.     It  is 


cries  out,  another  has  his  hands  upon  his  loins, 
and  a  third  is  made  mad  with  the  sight  of  his  eyes, 
and  with  what  his  ears  do  hear?  and  as  their  faith 
hath  served  them  about  justification,  so  it  now 
serves  them  about  repentance  and  reformation :  it 
can  do  nothing  here  neither  ;  for  though,  as  was 
said,  men  cry  out,  and  are  with  their  hands  upon 
their  loins  for  fear ;  yet,  where  is  the  church,  the 
house,  the  man  that  stands  in  the  gap  for  the 
land,  to  turn  away  this  wrath  by  repentance,  and 
amendment  of  life  ?  Behold  the  Lord  cometh 
forth  out  of  his  place,  and  will  come  down  and 
tread  upon  the  places  of  the  earth,  and  the  moun- 
tains shall  be  molten  under  him,  and  the  valleys 
shall  be  cleft,  as  wax  before  the  fire,  and  as  the 
waters  that  are  poured  down  a  steep  place.  But 
what  is  the  cause  of  all  this  ? — For  the  transgres- 
sion of  Jacob  is  all  this,  and  for  the  sins  of  the 
house  of  Israel.  Mi.  i.  5. 

It  is  that  that  is  observed  by  them  that  can 
make  observation,  that  all  that  God  has  done  to 
us  already  has  been  inefiectual  as  to  cause  that 
humility  and  reformation,  by  which  his  judgments 
must  be  turned  away.  Repentance  is  rare  this 
day,  and  yet  without  doubt,  that  without  which, 
things  will  grow  worse  and  worse.  As  for  them 
that  hope  that  God  will  save  his  people,  though 
but  from  temporal  judgments,  whether  they  repent 
and  reform,  or  do  otherwise,  I  must  leave  them 
and  their  opinions  together :  this  I  have  found, 
that  sometimes  the  repentance,  even  of  the  godly, 
has  come  too  late  to  divert  such  judgments.  And, 
how  some  of  the  godly  should  be  so  indulged  as  to 
be  saved  from  punisiiment  without  repentance, 
when  the  true  and  unfeigned  repentance  of  others 
will  not  deliver  them,  leaves  me,  I  confess,  in  a 
wilderness  !  But  that  which  is  most  of  aU  to  be 
lamented  is,  that  sin,  through  custom,  is  become 
no  sin.  The  superfluity  of  naughtiness  is  at  this 
day  become  no  sin  with  many.  Sm'ely  this  was 
the  case  with  Israel,  else  how  could  they  say  when 
the  prophets  so  bitterly  denounced  God's  judgments 
against  them,  '  Because  we  are  innocent,  surely 
his  anger  shall  turn  from  us. '  Je.  ii.  35.  When  cus- 
tom or  bad  example  has  taken  away  the  conscience 
of  sin,  it  is  a  sign  that  [that]  soul  is  in  a  dangerous 
lethargy ;  and  yet  this  is  the  condition  of  the 
most  that  profess  amongst  us  this  day.  But  to  » 
leave  this  and  to  proceed. 

As  there  is  a  twofold  faith,  two  sorts  of  good 
works,  and  the  like,  so  there  is  also  a  twofold  love 
to  Christ ;  the  one  standing,  or  stopping,  in  some 
passions  of  the  mind  and  aifections  ;  the  other  is 


the  natural  eloquence  of  one  whose  very  thoughts  v.-ere  governed 
by  scriptural  expressions.  The  mai-tyrdoms  of  Essex,  of  Russel, 
and  of  Sydney — the  uncertainty  of  the  life  of  a  debauched 
monarch,  with  the  gloomy  prospect  of  a  popish  successor,  filled 
the  couutry  with  dismal  forebodings. — Ed. 


510 


AN  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  FOLLOWING  DISCOURSE. 


that  wliicli  breaks  through  all  difficulties  to  the 
liolj  commandment  to  do  it.  Of  both  these  there 
is  mention  made  in  the  scripture  ;  and  though  all 
true  love  begins  at  the  heart,  yet  that  love  is  but 
little  set  by  that  breaks  not  through  to  practice. 
How  many  are  there  in  the  world  that  seem  to 
have  the  first,  but  how  few  shew  the  second.  The 
young  man  in  the  gospel.  Mar.  x.  17.  did  by  his  run- 
ning, kneeling,  crying,  inqmring,  and  entreating 
of  Christ,  to  shew  him  the  way  to  life,  shew  that 
he  had  inward  love  to  Christ  and  his  own  salvation; 
but  yet  it  was  not  a  love  that  was  '  strong  as 
death,'  '  cruel  as  the  grave,'  and  hotter  than  the 
coals  of  juniper.  Ca.  viiL  c.  It  was  a  love  that  stopped 
in  mind  and  affection,  but  could  not  break  out 
into  practice.  This  kind  of  love,  if  it  be  let  alone, 
and  not  pressed  to  proceed  till  it  comes  into  a 
laboixring  practising  of  the  commandment,  will 
love  as  long  as  you  will,  to  wit,  as  long  as  mouth 
and  tongue  can  wag ;  but  yet  you  shall  not  by  all 
your  skill  drive  this  love  farther  than  the  mouth  ; 
'  for  with  their  mouth  they  shew  much  love,  hut 
their  heart  goeth  after  their  covetousness.'  'e.-lc 

xxxiii.  31. 

Nor  may  this  love  be  counted  for  that  of  the 
right  kind,  because  it  is  in  the  heart,  for  the  heart 
knows  how  to  dissemble  about  love,  as  much  as 
about  other  matters.  This  is  feigned  love,  or  love 
that  pretends  to  dear  affections  for  Christ,  but  can 
bestow  no  cost  upon  him.  Of  this  kind  of  love 
the  world  is  fuU  at  this  day,  especially  the  pro- 
fessors of  this  age ;  but  as  I  said,  of  this  the  Lord 
Jesus  makes  httle  or  no  account,  for  that  it  hath 
in  it  an  essential  defectiveness.  Thus,  therefore, 
Christ  and  his  servants  describe  the  love  that  is 
true  and  of  the  right  kind,  and  that  with  reference 
to  himself  and  church. 

First,  with  reference  to  himself.  *  If  a  man 
love  me,'  saith  he,  'he  will  keep  my  words.'  Jn. 
xiv.  23.  And  again,  '  He  that  hath  my  command- 
ments, and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  me. ' 
And,  '  He  that  loveth  me  not,  keepeth  not  my 
sayings.'  '  And  the  word  which  ye  hear  is  not 
mine,  but  the  Father's  which  sent  me.'  Behold 
you  now  "where  Christ  placeth  a  sign  of  love,  it  is 
not  in  word  nor  in  tongue,  not  in  great  and  seem- 
ingly affectionate  gestures,  but  in  a  practical  walk- 
ing in  the  law  of  the  Lord.  Hence  such,  and  such 
only,  are  called  the  undefiled  in  the  way.  You 
know  who  says,  *I  am  the  way.'  'Blessed,' 
saith  David,  '  are  the  undefiled  in  the  way,  who 
walk  in  the  law  of  the  Lord.'  P3.  wk.  1. 

But  here  again  the  hypocrite  will  give  us  the 
slip  by  betaldng  himself  to  exterior  matters,  as  to 
his  'mint  and  anise  and  cummin.'  Mat. xxiii. 23.  Still 
neglecting  the  more  weighty  matters  of  the  law, 
to  wit,  judgment,  mercy,  faith ;  or  else  to  the  sig- 
nificative ordinances,  still  neglecting  to  do  to  all 


men  as  he  would  they  should  do  to  him.  But  let 
such  know  that  God  never  ordained  significative 
ordinances,  such  as  baptism,  the  Lord's  supper,  or 
the  like,  for  the  sake  of  water,  or  of  bread  and 
wine ;  nor  yet  because  he  takes  any  delight  that 
we  are  dipped  in  water,  or  eat  that  bread ;  but 
they  were  ordained  to  minister  to  us  by  the  apt- 
ness of  the  elements,  through  our  sincere  partak- 
ing of  them,  further  knowledge  of  the  death, 
burial,  and  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  of  om-  death 
and  resurrection  by  him  to  newness  of  life.  Where- 
fore, he  that  eateth  and  believeth  not,  and  he  that 
is  baptized,  and  is  not  dead  to  sin,  and  walketh 
not  in  newness  of  life,  neither  keepeth  these  ordi- 
nances nor  pleaseth  God.  Now  to  be  dead  to  sin, 
is  to  be  dead  to  those  things  forbidden  in  the 
moral  law.  For  sin  is  the  transgression  of  that, 
and  it  availeth  not  to  vaunt  that  I  am  a  saint  and 
imder  this  or  that  significative  ordinance,  if  I  live 
in  'the  transgression  of  the  law,'  iJn. iii. 4.  For  I 
am  convicted  of  the  law  as  a  transgressor,  and  so 
concluded  to  be  one  that  loveth  not  Christ,  though 
I  make  a  noise  of  my  obedience  to  Christ,  and  of 
my  partaking  of  his  significative  ordinances.  The 
Jews  of  old  made  a  great  noise  with  their  signifi- 
cative ordinances,  while  they  Uved  in  the  breach 
of  the  moral  law,  but  their  practice  of  significative 
ordinances  could  not  save  them  from  the  judgment 
and  displeasure  of  their  God.  They  could  frequent 
the  temple,  keep  their  feasts,  slay  their  sacrifices, 
and  be  mighty  apt  about  all  their  significative 
things.  But  they  loved  idols,  and  lived  in  the 
breach  of  the  second  table  of  the  law:  wherefore 
God  cast  them  out  of  his  presence :  hark  what  the 
prophet  saith  of  them.  Am.  iv.  4, 5.  '  Come  to  Bethel, 
and  transgress ;  at  Gilgal  multiply  transgression ; 
and  bring  your  sacrifices  every  morning,  and  your 
tithes  after  three  years:  and  offer  a  sacrifice  of 
thanksgiving  with  leaven,  and  proclaim  and  pub- 
lish the  free  offerings :  for  this  liketh  you,  0  ye 
children  of  Israel,  saith  the  Lord  God.'  Thus,  as 
I  said,  the  hypocrite  gives  us  the  slip ;  for  when 
he  heareth  that  love  is  in  tho  keeping  of  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  then  he  betakes  him  to  the 
more  external  parts  of  worship,  and  neglecteth  the 
more  weighty  matters  to  the  provoking  of  the  God 
of  Israel. 

Second,  As  love  to  God  is  shewed  by  keeping 
of  his  commandments  ;  so  love  to  my  neighbour, 
is  the  keeping  of  the  commandments  of  God  like- 
wise. '  By  this  we  know  that  we  love  the  children 
of  God,  when  we  love  God,  and  keep  his  command- 
ments. For  this  is  the  love  of  God,'  -  in  us,  both 
to  God  and  man,  'that  we  keep  his  commandments: 
and  his  commandments  are  not  grievous.'  iJn.r.  2, 3. 
He  that  keepeth  not  God's  commandments,  loves 
neither  God  nor  men. 

Thus  then,  wQ  must  learn  to  love  one  another. 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


511 


He  that  keepeth  God's  conimandmeiit,  dotli  to  Ms 
brother  what  is  right,  for  that  is  God's  command- 
ment. He  that  keeps  God's  commandment,  doth 
to  his  brother  even  as  he  would  be  done  unto  him- 
self, for  that  is  God's  commandment.  He  that 
keeps  God's  commandment,  shutteth  not  up  his 
bowels  of  compassion  from  him,  for  the  contrary  is 
his  commandment.  Further,  he  that  keepeth 
God's  commandment  sheweth  his  brother  what  he 
must  do  to  honour  the  Christ  that  he  professeth, 
aright:  therefore,  he  that  keeps  the  command- 
ment, loves  his  brother.  Yea,  the  keeping  of  the 
commandment  is  loving  the  brethren. 

But  if  all  love,  which  we  pretend  to  have  one  to 
another,  were  tried  by  this  one  text,  how  much  of 
that  that  we  call  so,  woidd  be  foimd  to  be  nothing 
less  ?  Preposterous  are  our  spirits  in  all  things, 
nor  can  they  be  guided  right,  but  by  the  word  and 
Spirit  of  God;  the  which,  the  good  Lord  grant 
unto  us  plentifully,  that  we  may  do  that  which  is 
well  pleasing  in  his  sight,  through  Jesus  Chi'ist 


our  Lord,  Yea,  and  that  there  may,  by  them,  be 
wrought  sound  repentance  in  us  for  all  that  hath 
been  done  by  us  amiss,  lest  he  give  '  Jacob  to  the 
spoil,  and  Israel  to  the  robbers  ;'  for  that  they  have 
sinned  against  liim  by  not  walking  in  his  ways,  and 
by  not  being  obedient  to  his  law.  Is.  xlii.  34. 

Let  me  add,  lest  God  doth  not  only  punish  us 
in  the  sight,  and  by  the  hand  of  the  wicked ;  but 
embolden  them  to  say,  it  was  God  that  set  them 
on ;  yea,  lest  they  make  these  sins  of  ours,  which 
we  have  not  repented  of,  not  only  their  bye-word 
against  us  to  after  generations,  but  the  arg-ument, 
one  to  another,  of  their  justification  for  all  the  evil 
that  they  shall  be  suffered  to  do  xmto  us  :  saying, 
wheu  men  shall  ask  them,  *  Wherefore  hath  the 
Lord  done  thus  mito  this  land  ?  what  meaneth  the 
heat  of  this  great  anger  ?'  De.  sxix.  24.  l  Ki.  is.  8.  Je. 
xxii.  8.  '  Even  because  they  have  forsaken  the  cove- 
nant of  the  Lord  God  of  their  fathers,  and  walked 
not  in  his  ways.' 

John  Btjntan. 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


*  AND,  LET  EVERY  ONE  THAT   NAMETH   THE   KAME   OF 
CHKIST  DEPART  FROM  INIQUITY.' 2  TIM.  ii.   19. 

Timothy,  unto  whom  this  epistle  was  writ,  was  an 
evangelist,  that  is,  inferior  to  apostles  and  extra- 
ordinary prophets,  and  above  ordinary  pastors  and 
teachers.  2  Ti.  ir.  5.  Ep.  iv.  1.  And  he  with  the  rest  of 
those  under  his  circumstances  was  to  go  with  the 
apostles  hither  and  thither,  to  be  disposed  of  by 
them  as  they  saw  need,  for  the  further  edification 
of  those  who  by  the  apostolical  ministry  were  con- 
verted to  the  faith :  and  hence  it  is,  that  Titus  was 
left  at  Crete,  and  that  this  Timothy  was  left  at 
Ephesus.  1  Ti.  i.  3.  For  they  were  to  do  a  work  for 
Christ  in  the  world,  which  the  apostles  were  to 
begin,  and  leave  upon  their  hands  to  finish.  Now 
when  the  apostles  departed  from  places,  and  had 
left  these  evangelists  in  their  stead,  usually  there 
did  arise  some  bad  spirits  among  those  people, 
where  these  were  left  for  the  furtherance  of  the 
faith.  This  is  manifest  by  both  the  epistles  to 
Timothy,  and  also  by  that  to  Titus:  wherefore 
Paul,  upon  whom  these  two  evangelists  waited  for 
the  fulfilling  of  their  ministry,  writeth  unto  them 
while  they  abode  where  he  left  them,  concerning 
those  turbulent  spirits  which  they  met  Avith,  and 
to  teach  them  how  yet  further  they  ought  to  behave 
themselves  in  the  house  of  God,  which  is  the  church 
of  the  living  God,  the  pillar  and  ground  of  truth. 
And  to  this  purpose  he  gives  them,  severally,  divers 
instructions,  as  the  judicious  reader  may  easily 


understand,  by  which  he  encourageth  them  to  the 
prosecution  of  that  ser\dce  which  for  Christ  they 
had  to  do  for  those  people  where  he  had  left  them, 
and  also  instnicteth  them  how  to  carry  it  towards 
their  distui'bers,  which  last  he  doth,  not  only  doc- 
trinaUy,  but  also  by  shewing  them,  by  his  example 
and  practice,  what  he  would  have  them  do. 

This  done,  he  laboureth  to  comfort  Timothy 
with  the  remembrance  of  the  steadfastness  of  God's 
eternal  decree  of  election,  because  groimded  on  his 
foreknowledge;  saying,  though  Hymeneus  and 
Philetus  have  erred  from  the  faith,  and,  by  their 
fall,  have  overthrown  the  faith  of  some,  *  Yet  the 
foundation  of  God  standeth  sure,  having  this  seal, 
The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his.'  Now  lest 
this  last  hint  shotdd  still  encourage  some  tobe  remiss 
and  carnally  secure,  and  foolish,  as  I  suppose  this 
doctrine  abused,  had  encouraged  them  to  be  before ; 
therefore  the  apostle  immediately  conjoineth  to  it 
this  exhortation ;  *  And,  let  every  one  that  nameth 
the  name  of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity.'  Two 
truths  strangely,  but  necessarily  joined  together, 
because  so  apt  to  be  severed  by  the  children  of  men; 
for  many,  under  the  pretence  of  their  being  elected, 
neglect  to  pursue  holiness ;  and  many  of  them  again 
that  pretend  to  be  for  holmess,  quite  exclude  the 
doctrine  and  motives  that  election  gives  thereto. 
Wherefore  the  apostle,  that  he  might  set  men's 
notions  as  to  these  things  right,  he  joins  these  two 
together,  signifying  thereby,  that  as  electing  love 
doth  instate  a  man  in  the  blessing  of  eternal  life  ; 


512 


A  HOLY  LITE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


60  holiness  is  the  path  thereto ;  and,  that  he  that 
refuseth  to  depart  from  iniquity  shall  he  damned ; 
notwithstanding  he  may  think  himself  secured  from 
hell  by  the  act  of  God's  electing  love.  For  elec- 
tion designeth  men  not  only  to  eternal  glory,  but 
to  holiness  of  life,  a  means,  thereto.  Ep.  i.4, 5.  And 
the  manner  of  this  connection  of  truth  is  the  more 
to  he  noted  by  us,  because  the  apostle  seems  to 
conjoin*  them,  in  an  holy  heat  of  spirit,  saying, 
<  The  foundation  of  God  standeth  sure,  having  this 
seal,  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his.'  And, 
'  let  every  one  that  shall  but  so  much  as  name 
the  name  of  Christ,  depart  from  iniquity;'  or,  as 
who  would  say,  God  will  be  revenged  upon  them 
for  all,  or,  notwithstanding,  they  appropriate  unto 
themselves  the  benefits  of  election. 

In  the  text  we  have.  First,  An  exhortation. 
Second,  The  extension  of  that  exhortation.  The 
exhortation  is,  That  men  depart  from  iniquity. 
The  extension  of  it  is,  to  them,  all  of  them,  every 
one  of  them  that  name  the  name  of  Christ.  '  And 
let  every  one  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ, 
depart  from  iniquity.' 

[first,  the  exhortation THAT  MEN  DEPART 

FROM  INIQUITY.] 

In  the  exhortation  there  are  several  things  to  be 
taken  notice  of,  because  insinuated  by  the  apostle. 
The  first  is,  that  iniquity  is  a  very  dangerous  and 
liurtful  thing,  as  to  the  souls  of  sinners  in  general ; 
so  to  them  that  name  the  name  of  Christ. 

Mrst,  Iniquity  is  a  very  dangerous  and  hurtful 
thing  to  men  in  general ;  for  it  is  that  which  did 
captivate  the  world  at  the  beginning,  and  that 
made  it  a  bond-slave  to  the  devil.  It  has  also 
done  great  hurt  to  mankind  ever  since.  To  instance 
a  few  things: 

1.  It  is  that  which  hath  stupified  and  besotted 
the  powers  of  men's  souls,  and  made  them  even 
next  to  a  beast  or  brute  in  all  matters  supernatural 
and  heavenly.  2  Pe.  ii.  12.  For  as  the  beast  minds 
nothing  but  his  lusts  and  his  belly,  by  nature,  so 
man  minds  nothing  but  things  earthly,  sensual, 
and  devilish,  by  reason  of  iniquity. 

2.  It  has  blinded  and  darkened  the  powers  of 
the  soul,  so  that  it  can  neither  see  where  it  is,  nor 
which  is  the  way  out  of  this  besotted  condition. 

Kp.  iv.  18. 

3.  It  has  hardened  the  heart  against  God,  and 
against  all  admonition  and  counsel  in  the  things  of 
the  gospel  of  Christ.  Uo.  ii.  5. 

4.  It  has  alienated  the  will,  the  mind,  and  afiec- 
tions,  from  the  choice  of  the  things  that  should  save 

*  Tliis  is  a  solemn  truth,  wliich  ought  ever  to  be  recollected 
when  studying  the  mysteries  of  electing  love.  Election  is  as 
much  to  a  /lo'j/  life  as  it  is  to  eternal  glory. — Ed. 


it,  and  wrought  them  over  to  an  hearty  delight  in 
those  things  that  naturally  tend  to  drown  it  in  per- 
dition and  destruction.  Coi.  i.  21. 

5.  It  has  made  man  odious  in  God's  eyes,  it  has 
provoked  the  justice  of  God  against  him,  and  made 
him  obnoxious  to  hell-fire.  Eze.  xri.  5. 

6.  Yea,  it  so  holds  him,  so  binds  him,  so  re- 
serves him  to  this,  that  not  he  himself,  nor  yet  all 
the  angels  of  heaven,  can  deliver  him  from  this 
deplorable  condition.  Pr.  v.  22. 

7.  To  say  nothing  of  the  pleasure  and  delight 
that  it  makes  him  take  in  that  way  to  hell  in  which 
he  walketh.  Is.  kvi.  3;  Pr.  vii.  22,  23.  Never  went  fat  ox 
so  gamesomely  to  the  shambles,  nor  fool  so  merrily 
to  the  correction  of  the  stocks,  nor  silly  bird  so 
wantonly  to  the  hidden  net,  as  iniquity  makes  men 
go  down  her  steps  to  the  pit  of  hell  and  damnation. 

0  it  is  amazing,  it  is  astonishing  to  consider 
wliat  hurt  sin  hath  done  to  man,  and  into  how 
many  dangers  it  has  brought  him ;  but  let  thest 
few  hints  at  this  time  suffice  as  to  this.  I  will  nov» 
speak  a  word  to  the  other  particular,  namely. 

Second,  That  as  iniquity  is  dangerous  and  hurt- 
ful to  the  souls  of  men  in  general,  so  it  is  to  them 
that  name  the  name  of  Christ.  As  to  the  so  and 
so  naming  of  him,  to  that  I  shall  speak  by  and  by, 
but  at  this  time  take  it  thus:  That  religiously 
name  his  name.  And  I  say  iniquity  is  hurtful  to 
them. 

1.  It  plucks  many  a  one  of  them  from  Christ 
and  the  religious  profession  of  him.  I  have  even 
seen,  that  men  who  have  devoutly  and  religiously 
professed  Jesus  Christ,  have  been  prevailed  withal, 
by  iniquity,  to  cast  him  and  the  profession  of  his 
name  quite  off,  and  to  turn  their  backs  upon  him. 
'  Israel,'  saiththe  prophet,  *  hath  cast  oS  tJie  thing 
that  is  good. '  Ho.  viii.  3.  But  why  ?  '  Of  their  silver 
and  their  gold  have  they  made  them  idols.'  The 
sin  of  idolatry  drew  their  hearts  from  God ;  their 
love  to  that  iniquity  made  them  turn  their  backs 
upon  him.  Wherefore  God  complains,  that  of  for- 
wardness to  their  iniquity,  and  through  the  preva- 
lence thereof,  they  had  cast  him  behind  their  back. 

Eze.  xxiii.  35. 

2.  As  it  plucks  many  a  professor  from  Christ, 
so  it  keeps  many  a  one  from  an  effectual  closing 
with  him.  How  many  are  there  that  religiously 
profess  and  make  mention  of  the  name  of  Christ, 
that  yet  of  love  to,  and  by  the  interest  that  iniquity 
hath  in  their  affections,  never  close  with  him  unto 
salvation,  but  are  like  to  them,  of  whom  you  read 
in  Paul  to  Timothy,  that  they  are  ever  learning 
and  never  able  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth.  2  Ti.  iii.  1-7. 

3.  And  concerning  those  that  have  indeed  come 
to  him,  and  that  have  effectually  closed  with  him, 
and  that  name  his  name  to  good  purpose  ;  yet  how 
hath  iniquity  hurt  and  abused  many  of  them.      (1.) 


A  HOLY  LIEE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


513 


It  has  prevailed  with  God  to  hide  his  face  from 
them,  a  thing  more  hitter  than  death.  (2.)  It  has 
prevailed  with  God  to  chastise,  and  to  afflict  them 
sorely,  a  thing  in  which  he  taketh  no  pleasure. 
La.iii.  33.  (3.)  It  has  provoked  God  to  give  them 
over  to  the  hand  of  the  enemy,  and  to  deliver  them 
to  the  tormentors.  Je.  xii.  7.  Mat.  xviii.  oi.  (4.)  It  hath 
brought  them  to  question  their  interest  in  Christ, 
and  whether  they  ever  had  grace  in  their  souls. 
Ps.  xxxi.22.  (5.)  And  for  those  that  have  yet  believed 
tliey  were  in  his  favour,  this  iniquity  hath  driven 
them  to  fear  that  God  would  cast  them  away,  and 
take  all  his  good  things  from  them.  Ps.  li. 

Yea,  he  that  would  know  the  hurt  that  iniquity 
hath  done  to  them  that  name  the  name  of  Christ, 
let  him  consider  the  cries,  the  sighs,  the  tears,  the 
bcraoanings,  the  bewailings,  the  lamentations,  the 
sorrows,  the  confessions,  the  repentings  and  griefs 
wherewith  they  have  been  attended,  while  they 
have  complained  that  they  have  been  put  in  the 
stocks,  laid  in  the  dungeon,  had  their  bones  broken, 
suffered  the  terrors  of  God,  been  distressed  almost 
to  (Jestruction,  and  have  been  fed  with  gravel,  gall, 
wormwood,  and  with  the  wine  of  astonishment, 
for  days,  yea,  years  together.  Jobxm.27..  Ps.  vi.  6;  xxxi. 

9,  10;  xxxviii.  8;  Ix.  3;  IxxxTiii;  cxvi.  3.  Je.  viii.  14;  rxiiu  15;  xixL 
18.  La.  iii.  4,  16.  Eze.  iv.  16.  2  Co.  liu  21.       By    all    which, 

and  many  more  which  might  be  mentioned,  it 
appears  that  iniquity  is  a  dangerous  and  hurtful 
thing. 

[second,  the  extension  of  the  exhortation — TO 

EVERY  one  that  NAMETH  THE  NAME  OF  CHRIST.] 

But  I  proceed,  and  come  in  the  next  place  to 
the  extension  of  the  exhortation,  namely,  that  it 
rcacheth  to  all  those  that  name  the  name  of  Christ. 
*  And  let  every  one  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ 
depart  from  iniquity.' 

To  handle  thi?  a  little,  and  to  shew  you  what 
the  apostle  here  means  by  naming  of  the  name  of 
Christ :  he  meaneth  not  an  irrehgious  naming  of 
that  worthy  name,  nor  those  that  name  it  irreli- 
giously. This  is  evident,  because  he  passed  by  their 
manner  of  naming  of  it  without  the  least  reproof, 
the  which  he  would  not  have  done  had  the  fault 
been  in  their  manner  of  naming  of  the  name  of 
Christ.  Now  I  say,  if  he  inteudeth  not  those  that 
name  the  name  of  Christ  irreligiously,  then,  though 
the  exhortation,  '  let  every  one,'  seems  to  extend 
itself  to  all,  and  all  manner  of  persons,  that  any 
ways  name  the  name  of  Christ,  yet  it  is  limited  by 
this,  to  wit,  that  rightly,  religiously,  or  according 
to  the  way  of  the  professors  of  Christ,  name  his 
worthy  name.  And  it  must  needs  be  so  taken, 
and  that  for  these  reasons : 

First,  For  that,  as  I  said  before,  the  apostle 
taketh  no  notice  of  their  manner  of  naming  of  his 

VOL.  II. 


name,  so  as  to  reprove  any  undecency  or  unseemli- 
ness in  their  naming  of  him ;  wherefore  he  allow- 
eth  of  the  manner  of  their  naming  of  him. 

Second,  Because  the  apostle's  design  in  this 
exhortation  was,  and  is,  that  the  naming  of  the 
name  of  Christ  might  be  accompanied  with  such  a 
life  of  holiness  as  might  put  an  additional  lustre 
upon  that  name  whenever  named  in  a  rehgious 
way ;  but  this  cannot  be  applied  to  every  manner 
of  naming  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
For  if  a  man  shall  name  the  name  of  Christ  unduly, 
or  irreligiously,  though  he  shaU  never  so  much 
therewithal  depart  from  iniquity,  and  be  circum- 
spect to  the  utmost  in  all  civility  and  morality,  yet 
he  answers  not  the  apostle's  end,  which  he  seeks 
by  this  his  exhortation.     For, 

1.  Suppose  a  man  should  name  the  name  of 
Christ  vainly,  idly,  in  vain  mirth,  wantonness, 
false  or  vain  swearing,  or  the  Uke,  and  shall  back 
tliis,  his  manner  of  naming  the  name  of  Christ, 
with  all  manner  of  justness  and  uprightness  of  life, 
would  this  answer  the  apostle's  end  in  this  hia 
exhortation  ?  Verily  no ;  for  this  manner  of  nam- 
ing the  name  is  worthy  reprehension ;  *  Thou  shalt 
not  take  my  name  in  vain,'  or  vainly  make  use 
thereof:  and  moral  goodness  attending  the  so- 
naming  of  the  name  of  Christ  will  do  more  hurt 
than  good.  Ex.  xx. 

2.  There  is  a  reproachful  and  scandalous  nam- 
ing of  the  name  of  Christ,  such  as  the  Jews  and 
Pharisees  did  accustom  themselves  unto,  as  to  call 
him  Jesus,  the  deceiver ;  and  Christ,  in  a  way  of 
scorn  and  contempt.  Nor  were  these  men  quite 
destitute  of  that  which  put  a  lustre  upon  their  opi- 
nions ;  for,  said  the  Lord  Christ  himself  unto  them, 
*  Ye  indeed  appear  beautiful  outward.'  Mat. xxiii.  27. 

3.  There  is  such  a  naming  of  the  name  of  Christ 
as  to  make  it  a  cloak  for  false  and  dangerous 
errors :  that  men,  by  the  use  of  that  name,  and  the 
putting  of  it  upon  such  errors  and  delusions,  may  put 
off  their  errors  to  other  the  better.  *  Many  shall 
come  in  my  name,'  to  wit,  with  their  delusions, 
presenting  them,  in  my  name,  to  the  world,  and 
shall  put  them  off,  in  my  name,  to  the  destruction 
of  the  soul.  Mat.  xxiv.  5.  Now,  Can  any  imagine  that 
the  apostle  should  extend  his  exhortation  to  such, 
that  they,  thus  continuing  to  name  the  name  of 
Christ,  should  depart  from  iniquity.  To  what  end 
should  such  be  comprehended  in  this  exliortation 
of  his  ?  to  no  purpose  at  all :  for  the  more  an 
errroneous  person,  or  a  deceiver  of  souls,  shaU. 
back  his  errors  with  a  life  that  is  morally  good, 
the  more  mischievous,  dangerous,  and  damnable  is 
that  man  and  his  delusions ;  wherefore  such  a  one 
is  not  concerned  in  this  exhortation. 

4.  There  is  a  naming  of  the  name  of  Christ 
magically,  and  after  the  manner  of  exorcism,  or 
conjuration ;  as  we  read  in  the  Acts  of  the  apostles. 

3t 


514 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OP  CHRISTIANITY. 


The  vagabond  Jews,  the  exorcists,  there  say,  *  We 
adjure  you  by  Jesus,  -whom  Paul  preacheth.'  Ac  xix. 
13—15.  Thus  they  called  over  them  that  had  evil 
spirits,  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  But  -what  if 
these  should  clothe  this,  theu*  devilish  art,  and 
devilish  way,  of  using  or  naming  of  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  with  departing  from  iniquity,  so  as  to 
commend  their  whole  life  to  by-standers,  for  such 
as  is  morally  good :  what  advantage  woxdd  Christ, 
or  Paul,  or  the  gospel,  get  thereby  ?  verily  none 
at  all;  but  rather  damage  and  reproach,  as  will 
soon  appear  to  any  man's  reason,  if  it  be  considered 
that  goodness  of  life,  joined  to  badness  of  principles 
is  like  the  devil  clothed  in  white,  or  Satan  trans- 
formed into  an  angel  of  light.  And  Paul  was 
grieved  in  his  spirit,  when  the  wench  that  had  a 
spirit  of  divination  did  acknowledge  him  to  be  the 
servant  of  the  most  high  God,  for  he  knew  it  would 
nothing  further,  or  help  forward,  the  Lord's  design, 
but  be  rather  an  hinderance  thereto.  For  when 
witches  and  devils  come  once  to  commend,  or  make 
use  of  the  name  of  Christ,  Christ  and  Paul  like  it 
not ;  therefore  Paul's  exhortation,  which  here  we 
are  presented  with  by  the  text,  is  not  extended  to 
any  of  the  four  sorts  aforenamed,  but, 

Third,  To  those  upon  whom  his  name  is  called, 
they  should  depart  from  iniquity.  I  say  those 
whom  God  has  so  far  dignified,  as  to  put  the  name 
of  Christ  upon  them.  Ac.  xv.  17.  And  I  wiU  add,  that 
apply  that  name  to  themselves.  And  the  reason 
is,  because  God  is  now  concerned,  ch.  xi.  26.  God 
has  changed  thy  name  from  Pagan  to  Christian, 
and  thou  choosest  to  call  thyself  by  that  name, 
saying,  'I  belong  to  Christ.'  Now  thou  must 
depart  from  iniquity,  for  that  notice  is  taken  of 
thee,  both  by  heaven  and  earth,  that  thou  art 
become  a  disciple,  and  '  let  every  one  that'  so 
'nameth  the  name  of  Christ,'  or  that  nameth  it, 
being  himself  by  God  and  himself  put  imder  such 
circumstances  as  these,  'depart  from  iniquity.' 
1  Pe.  iT.  16. 

Fourth,  It  is  spoken  to  those  that  name  the  name 
of  Christ  either  in  the  public  or  private  worship  of 
God,  being  themselves  professed  worshippers  of 
him ;  and  the  reason  is,  for  that  the  ordinances, 
as  well  as  the  name  of  God,  is  holy,  and  '  he  will 
bo  .sanctified  in  them  that  come  nigh  him.'  Le.  x.  3. 
He  therefore  that  approacheth  the  presence  of 
Christ  in  prayer,  or  any  other  divine  appoint- 
ment, must  take  heed  of  regarding  'iniquity  in 
his  heart,'  Ps. ixvi.  18.  Else  the  Lord  will  stop  his 
ears  to  his  prayers,  and  will  shut  his  eyes,  and 
not  take  notice  of  such  kind  of  worship  or  wor- 
shippers. 

Fifth,  Those  that  the  apostle  in  this  place  exhorts 
to  depart  from  iniquity  are  such  as  have  taken  unto 
themselves  the  boldness  to  say,  that  they  are  in 
him,  abide  in  him,  and  consequently  are  made 


partakers  of  the  benefits  that  are  in  him.  '  He 
that  saith  he  abideth  in  him,  ought  himself  also 
to  walk,  even  as  he  walked. '  1  Jn.  u.  6.  And  the 
reason  is,  because  Christ  is  a  fruitful  root,  and  a 
free  conveyer  of  sap  into  the  branches ;  hence  it 
is  written,  that '  the  trees  of  the  Lord  are  full  of  sap. ' 
Ps.  civ.  16.  So  then,  he  that  nameth  the  name  of 
Christ  by  way  of  applying  to  himself  his  benefits, 
and  as  counting  that  he  is  found  of  God  in  him, 
and  so  abideth,  ought  himself  to  walk  even  as 
he  walked,  that  he  may  give  proof  of  what  he  saith 
to  be  true,  by  bearing  forth  before  men  that  simili- 
tude of  righteousness  that  is  in  his  root  and  stem : 
for  such  as  the  stock  or  tree  is,  such  let  the 
branches  be,  but  that  cannot  be  known  but  by  the 
fruit :  '  ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruit.  'Mat. vii.  16. 
So  then,  he  that  thus  shaU  name  the  name  of 
Christ,  let  him  depart  from  iniqmty :  yea,  let  every 
such  man  do  so. 

Sixth,  This  exhortation  is  spoken  to  them  that 
name  Christ  as  their  Sovereign  Lord  and  King: 
let  them  'depart  from  iniquity.'  'The  Lorjl  is 
our  judge,  the  Lord  is  our  Lawgiver,  the  Lord  i3 
our  King ;  he  will  save  us, '  Is.  xxxiii  22.  [These] 
are  great  words ;  and  as  they  cannot  be  spoken  by 
every  one,  so  they  ought  not  to  be  spoken  lightly 
by  them  that  can.  Nor  may  he  that  claims  so 
high  a  privilege  be  but  obedient,  submissive,  apt 
to  learn,  conscientiously  to  put  in  practice  what  he 
hath  learnt  of  his  Judge,  his  LaAvgiver,  and  his 
King.  Lest  when  some  shall  hear  him  say  that 
Christ,  by  name,  is  his  Lawgiver  and  his  King, 
and  shall  yet  observe  him  to  do  things  evil,  and 
to  walk  in  ways  that  are  not  good,  they  shall  think 
evil,  and  speak  so  of  his  King ;  saying,  Learnt  you 
this  of  Christ  your  King  ?  or  doth  your  King 
countenance  you  in  ways  that  are  so  bad  ?  or,  do 
you  by  thus  and  thus  doing  submit  to  the  laws  of 
your  king  ?  yea,  your  King,  his  name  and  gospel 
shall  bear  the  burden  of  the  evil,  together  with  the 
shame  thereof,  if  thou  that  namest  the  name  of 
Christ  shalt  not  depart  from  iniquity. 

Lastly,  Whatever  man  he  be  that  by  his  naming 
of  the  name  of  Christ  shall  intimate  that  he  hath 
any  reverence  of  love  to,  or  delight  in  that  Christ, 
whose  name  he  nameth,  that  man  should  depart 
from  iniquity,  not  only  for  the  reasons  that  are 
above  mentioned,  but  for  those  that  may  be  named 
afterwards. 

But  having  thus  far  opened  the  word,  and 
shewed  who  and  what  manner  of  man  the  apostle 
had  in  his  eye,  in  this  his  exhortation,  I  shall 
come,  in  the  next  place,  to  make  some  observa- 
tions upon  the  text.     As, 

[Observation  First.] 

That  it  is  incident  ia  men  to  name  (lie  name  of 
Christ  religiously,  tJiai  is,  rigJUly  as  to  words  anii 


A.  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIAJSTITY. 


515 


notions,  and  not  to  '  depart  from  iniquity.^  This 
was  the  occasion  of  this  exhortation,  for  Paul  saw 
that  there  were  some  that  did  so;  to  wit,  that 
named  the  name  of  Christ  well,  as  to  words,  but 
did  not  depart  from  iniquity.  Some  such  he  also 
found  among  them  at  Corinth,  which  made  him 
say,  '  Awake  to  righteousness,  and  sin  not.'  i  Co. 
XT.  S4.  He  found  such  at  Ephesus,  and  cries  out 
to  them  most  earnestly,  saying,  '  Awake  thou  that 
sleepest,  and  arise  from  the  dead.'  Ep. t.14  For 
albeit  they  were  professors  of  Christ,  yet  they 
lived  too  much  like  tliose  that  were  dead  in  tres- 
passes and  sins.  This  he  also  found  among  the 
Hebrews,  wherefore  he  saith  to  them,  '  Let  ns  lay 
aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which  doth  so  easily 
beset  us,  and  let  us  run  with  patience  the  race 
that  is  set  before  us.'  He.xii.i.  These  professors 
were  easily  beset  with  sin,  yea,  it  did  hang  upon 
them  as  weights  to  hinder  them  from  making  of 
that  profession  of  Christ,  whoso  name  they  named, 
so  beautiful  as  did  become  both  him  and  them. 

In  my  discourse  upon  this  subject,  I  must  endea- 
vour to  shew  you  two  things.  FIRST,  "\^^lat 
Paul  means  when  he  saith,  *  depart  from  iniquity.' 
SECONDLY,  Why  some,  that  as  to  words,  rightly 
name  the  name  of  Christ,  do  not  'depart  from  ini- 
quity.' 

The  first  of  those  doth  need  some  explanation, 
because  in  some  sense  even  the  best  of  saints  can- 
not depart  from  sin,  or  iniquity. 

1.  Because  as  to  the  being  of  it,  it  is  seated  and 
rooted  in  their  flesh,  and  hath  its  dwelling  there. 
Yea,  it  hath,  and  so  will  have  an  abiding  there,  so 
long  as  man  is  on  this  side  that  state  of  perfection, 
which  is  not  to  be  enjoyed  while  we  are  in  the 
■flesh:  '  for  in  me,  that  is,  in  my  flesh,'  sin  dwells, 
Ro.  vii.  18.  nor  doth  any  thing  else  but  sin  dwell 
there :  '  for  in  me,  that  is,  in  my  flesh,'  said  Paul, 
'  dweUeth  no  good  thing : '  therefore  the  apostle 
must  not  be  understood  as  if  he  intended  to  insinuate 
that  there  was  a  possibility  that  the  nature  and 
being  of  sin  could  be  plucked  up  by  the  roots,  and 
so  cast  clean  away  from  us,  as  to  the  very  nature 
thereof.  ISTo,  that  wiU  abide  with  us,  for  it  hath 
its  dwelling  in  us. 

2.  And  as  they  cannot  depart  from  the  nature 
of  it  as  such,  that  is,  as  they  cannot  be  rid  of  the 
being  of  sin,  so  neither  can  they  depart  from  the 
motions  and  stirrings  of  sin,  no  more  than  they  can 
stir  from  the  motions  or  stirrings  of  their  natural 
senses,  or  of  their  natural  reason;  the  motions  of 
sin,  which  Paul  also  calls  the  lusts  thereof,  will  be 
where  the  nature  and  being  of  sin  is,  because  it 
is  not  dead ;  for  that  which  liveth,  what  manner 
of  life  soever  it  hath,  will  have  motion  according 
to  the  manner  of  life  which  it  hath ;  and  sin  being 
one  of  the  most  quick  and  brisk  things  tliat  are, 
it  win  also  have  its  motions  and  lusts  accordingly. 


Hence  Paul  says,  it  lusts,  and  will  lust,  where  it 
is  and  dwells ;  though  the  very  Spirit  of  God  and 
the  utmost  dihgence  of  a  Christian  be  also  there  to 

oppose  it.  Ko.  \i.  12.  Ga.  v.  17. 

3.  Again,  as  the  being  and  motions  of  sin  wiU. 
be  with  us,  so  also  wiU  it  in  its  endeavours.  It 
wiU  endeavour  to  overcome  us,  and  to  make  us  cap- 
tives to  itsclt  and  to  Satan ;  and  these  endeavours 

will  be  with    us.    Ep.  ti.  ll,  12.  2  Co.  x.  5.  He.  xiL  4.       Nor 

can  we  so  depart  from  iniquity,  as  to  be  utterly  rid 
of  all  sense  and  feeling  of  what  endeavours  there 
are  in  sin  and  iniquity  to  be  master  and  lord,  and 
reign.  Sin  wiU  endeavour  to  defile  the  mind,  to 
defile  the  conscience,  to  defile  the  life  and  conver- 
sation ;  and  this  endeavoui',  as  endeavour,  we  can- 
not depart  from ;  that  is,  cause  that  it  should  not 
be  in  our  flesh ;  for  there  it  wiU  be,  since  sin  in 
its  being  is  there. 

4.  As  the  being,  motions,  and  endeavours  of  sin 
will  stm  abide  in  om*  flesh,  so  consequently  wiU  its 
polluting  times  be  upon  us ;  nor  doth  the  apostle 
mean,  when  he  bids  us  depart  from  iniquity,  that 
we  should  think  that  we  can  so  be,  or  so  do,  in 
this  life,  as  that  our  being  or  doing  should  not 
smell  of  the  strong  scent  of  sin.  'Who  can  bring 
a  clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean  ?  not  one. '  Job  xiv.  4. 
'  We  are  all  as  an  unclean  tiling,  and  '  therefore 
'  all  our  righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags.'  Is.  ixiv.  c. 
The  scent,  the  smeU,  the  rank  and  odious  stink  of 
sins  abide  upon,  yea,  and  will  abide  upon  us,  when 
most  spiritual  here,  and  upon  our  most  spiritual 
actions  too,  \mtil  they  be  taken  away  by  Christ. 
Thus  far,  therefore,  we  cannot  be  concerned  in  the 
exhortation.  For  should  Paul  exhort  us  to  depart 
from  the  being,  motion,  endeavour,  and  polluting 
fumes  and  scent  of  sin — I  mean  so  to  depart  from 
them,  as  that  there  shall  no  such  thing  have  place, 
or  motion,  or  striving,  or  scent  in,  or  upon  us — ^he 
woiJd  exhoi-t  us  to  that  which  is  altogether  impos- 
sible for  us  to  perform,  yea,  to  perform  through 
that  working  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  is  to  be 
with  us  and  in  us  here.  Yea,  he  must  exhort  us 
to  that  which  he  could  not  perform  himself.  But 
such  exhortations  did  not  stand  with  the  wisdom 
of  an  apostle.  Wherefore  there  is  a  certain 
meaning  in  this  exhortation,  from  the  which  if  we 
swerve,  we  shall  both  wrong  the  apostle  and  our- 
selves. 

FIRST — Let  ust  inquire  then  what  Paul  should 
mean  when  he  bids  them  '  dial  name  the  name  of 
Christ  depart  from  iniquity. '  And  for  our  better 
imderstauding  of  him,  we  must  consider  that  there 
is  an  iniquity  that  is  inherent  in  us,  and  an  iniquity 
that  is  apart,  and  at  a  distance  from  us.  Now  if 
he  means,  as  certamly  he  doth,  that  they  that 
name  the  name  of  Christ  should  depart  from  that 
sin  and  iniquity  that  is  in  themselves;  then, 
though  he  cannot  mean  that  we  should  separate 


516 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


that  from  our  persons,  for  that  is  impossible,  yet 
lie  would  liave  us. 

First,  Take  off  and  wUMraio  our  minds  and 
AFFECTIONS  therefrom.  And  he  tells  us  that  they 
that  are  Christ's  do  so.  '  And  they  that  are 
Christ's  have  crucified  the  flesh  with  the  affections 
and  lusts.'  Ga.  v.  24.  Sinful  lusts  and  sinfid  motions, 
our  minds  and  affections  shoidd  depart  from  them. 
There  are  the  affections  and  lusts  of  sin ;  and  there 
are  the  affections  and  lusts,  or  desires  of  the  soul; 
and  again,  there  are  the  affections  and  lusts  of  the 
new  man  in  saints.  Now  this  is  that  that  the  apostle 
would  have,  to  wit,  that  the  affections  and  passions 
of  our  souls  should  not  choose  hut  depart  from  the 
affections  and  lusts  of  our  old  man,  and  should  he 
renewed  and  made  willing  to  be  led  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  from  them.  '  This  I  say,'  says  he,  '  Walk 
in  the  Spirit,  and  ye  shall  not  fulfil  the  lust  of  the 

flesh.'  vcr.  16. 

Wherefore,  when  he  saith,  depart  from  iniquity, 
if  he  means  from  our  own  inherent  iniquity,  then 
he  must  mean  thus,  take  your  mind  and  your  affec- 
tions oft',  carry  your  minds  away  from  them,  set 
your  minds  and  affections  upon  other  objects,  and 
let  your  minds  and  affections  be  yielded  up  to  the 
conduct  of  the  word  and  Spirit  of  God,  '  Let  not 
sin  therefore  reign  in  your  mortal  body,  that  ye 
should  obey  it  in  the  lusts  thereof.'  Ro.vi.  12.  Now 
a  man,  in  mind  and  affections,  may  depart  from 
that  which  yet  will  not  depart  from  him  ;  yea,  a 
man  in  mind  may  depart  from  that  which  yet  wiU 
dwell  in  him  as  long  as  he  lives. 

For  instance,  there  are  many  diseases  that 
cleave  to  men,  from  which,  in  their  minds,  they 
willingly  depart.  Yea,  their  greatest  disquiet- 
ment  is,  that  so  bad  a  distemper  will  abide  by 
them,  and  might  they  but  have  their  desire  accom- 
plished, they  would  be  as  far  therefrom  as  the 
ends  of  the  earth  are  asunder,  and  while  they  are 
found  to  continue  together,  the  mind  departs 
therefrom,  and  is  gone  either  to  God  or  to  physi- 
cians for  help  and  deliverance  from  it. 

And  thus  it  is  with  the  saint,  and  should  be 
with  every  one  that  by  way  of  profession  nameth 
the  name  of  Christ,  he  should  depart  from  his 
indwelling  sin,  with  his  mind.  '  With  his  mind 
he  should  serve  the  law  of  God.'  Ro. vii. 25.  And 
this  is  an  excellent  thing  to  do,  and  can  be  done 
by  none  but  such  as  are  possessed  with  an  excel- 
lent spirit.  Ah !  to  find  a  man  that  really  departs 
from  himself,  and  that  draweth  the  affections  of 
the  soul,  from  the  affections  and  lusts  of  his  flesh, 
is  a  rare  thing.  Eze.  xi.  19— si.  The  heart  of  the 
most  of  professors  goeth  after  their  detestable 
lusts,  and  after  their  inward  abominations.  But 
such  shall  'of  the  flesh  reap  corruption,'  notwith- 
standing they  name  the  name  of  Christ.  Ga.  vi.  8. 

Sin  is  sweet  to  him  that  is  nothing  but  flesh,  or 


that  can  savour  nothing  but  what  is  of  the  flesh. 
Job  XX.  12.  Nor  can  it  be  that  he  that  is  such  should 
depart  from  himself,  his  sweet  self.  Ro.  viii.  5—8.  No, 
they  that  are  after  the  flesh  do  mind  the  things  of 
the  flesh ;  wherefore  they  that  are  in  the  flesh, 
though  they  profess  religion  and  name  the  name 
of  Christ,  cannot  please  God;  for  such,  instead 
of  walking  in  and  after  the  Spirit,  have  put  the 
stumbling-block  of  their  iniquity  before  their  faces, 
to  hinder  their  departing  therefrom.  Eze.  xiv.  7, 8.  nor 
will  all  their  inquiring  of  God,  nor  their  seeking 
and  praying  to  him,  keep  them  from  stumbling 
and  falling,  and  splitting  themselves  in  sunder  upon 
the  rocks  and  ruins  that  are  provided  for  them,  as 
a  reward  of  the  evil  of  their  doings.  Job  xiv.  16.  Yea, 
they  shall  suck  the  poison  of  asps,  and  the  viper's 
tongue  shall  slay  them,  notwithstanding  all  their 
profession. 

Quest.  But  some  may  say,  how  shall  I  know 
that  I  do  depart  from  the  iniquity  of  my  flesh, 
from  the  iniquity  that  is  in  me, 

Atisw.  I  shall  answer  this  question  briefly  thus : 

(1.)  How  is  iniquity  in  thine  eye,  when  severed 
from  the  guilt  and  punishment  that  attends  it  ? 
Is  it  AS  separate  from  these,  beauteous,  or  ill- 
favoured  ?  I  ask  thee  how  it  looks,  and  how  thou 
likest  it,  suppose  there  were  no  guilt  or  punish- 
ment to  attend  thy  love  to,  or  commission  of  it  ? 
For  if  in  its  own  nature  it  be  desirable  to  thy 
mind,  and  only  therefore  shunned  for  fear  of  the 
punishment  that  attends  the  commission  of  it, 
without  doubt  thou  art  none  of  them  that  do 
depart  from  it ;  all  that  thou  dost  is,  thou  shun- 
nest  the  sin,  not  of  abhorrence  of  the  sin,  but  for 
fear  of  the  punishment  that  attends  it.  Like  the 
thief  that  yet  refuseth  to  take  away  his  neigh- 
bour's horse,  not  of  hatred  of  theft,  but  for  fear  of 
the  gallows. 

(2.)  How  dost  thou  like  thyself,  as  considered 
possessed  with  a  body  of  sin,  and  as  feeling  and 
finding  that  sin  worketh  in  thy  members  ?  doth 
this  yield  thee  inward  pleasedness  of  mind,  and  a 
kind  of  secret  sweetness,  or  how  ?  for  to  be  sure, 
where  a  sanctified  mind  is,  there  is  nothing  more 
odious  in  itself,  nor  that  makes  a  man  so  in  his 
own  eyes,  as  doth  this  sight,  the  sight  of  sin  in 
him,  of  the  working  of  lust  in  him.  Job  .\iii.  6.  Eze.  xvi. 
c3.Ro.vi.  13.  It  is  this  that  makes  the  good  man 
ashamed,  that  makes  him  blush,  and  that  makes 
him  abhor  himself. 

(3.)  How  look  thy  duties  in  thine  eyes,  I  mean 
thy  duties  which  thou  doest  in  the  service  of  God  ? 
I  say,  how  look  the  best  of  these,  the  most  warm 
and  spiritual  of  these,  since  not  one  of  them  can 
be  performed,  but  they  do  catch  the  stain  of  sin, 
as  coming  from  thee  ?  or  art  thou  through  the 
ignorance  that  is  in  thee  as  [one]  unacquainted 
with  these  thin2;s  ? 


A  HOLY  LITE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


517 


(4.)  Why  wouldst  thou  go  to  heaven?  Is  it 
because  thou  wouldst  he  saved  from  hell,  or  he- 
cause  thou  wouldst  he  freed  from  sin  ?  I  say, 
wouldst  thou  go  to  heaven,  hecause  it  is  a  place 
that  is  holy,  or  hecause  it  is  a  place  remote  from 
the  pains  of  hell  ?  I  ask  again,  wherein  dost 
thou  think  the  blessedness  of  heaven  consists  ?  is 
it  in  the  holiness  that  is  there,  or  in  the  freedom 
that  is  there  from  hell  ?  Tliere  is  not  a  man 
alive  but  would  go  to  heaven,  that  he  may  be 
saved  from  hell :  but  how  many  would  go  thither 
that  they  might  be  saved  from  the  pleasures  of 
sin,  from  the  inward  pleasure  of  sin;  of  that  I 
will  be  silent,  though  surely  they  are  those  that 
are  out  of  love  with  sin,  and  that  do  depart  from 
iniquity. 

Verily,  my  brethren,  it  is  a  great  thing  to  de- 
part from  iniquity ;  it  is  a  great  thing  to  have  my 
wUl,  my  mind,  and  my  affections  departing  from 
it.     But, 

Second,  As  they  that  depart  from  iniquity  with- 
draw their  minds  and  affections  from  the  lusts  and 
motions  of  it,  so  iliey  depart  also  from  the  occasions 
of  it;  there  are  occasions  by  which  sin  worketh 
to  bring  forth  the  fruits  thereof,  and  some  seek 

those   occasions.    Ko.  xiv.  13.  l  Ti,  v.  4.  Ex.  xxiii.  7.  Pr.  v.  8. 

2  Ti.  ii.  16.  But  he  that  hath  set  himself  to  depart 
from  sin  in  himself,  will  not  seek  occasions  from 
abroad  to  do  it.  Such  a  man  as  will  keep  far  from 
an  evil  matter  will  not  company  with  a  person  that 
pollutes  and  defiles,  nor  will  he  come  near  the  door 
of  the  adulteress's  house ;  he  will  shun  profane 
and  vain  babbhng,  for  fear  of  the  ungodliness  that 
attends  it ;  he  will  walk  with  wise  men  that  he 
may  be  wise,  knowing  that  '  a  companion  of  fools 
shall  be  destroyed.'  Pr.  xiii.  ;o. 

Now  there  are  occasions  given  and  occasions 
taken  to  sin  against  the  Lord  Jesus ;  but  he  that 
departeth  from  iniquity  departeth  from  them  both. 
He  is  not  for  giving  any  occasion  to  others  to  sin; 
he  had  rather  wrong  himself  and  put  up  with 
injuries  done,  than  give  occasion  to  others  to  do 
iniquity ;  and  as  he  is  for  giving  none,  so  neither 
is  he  for  taking  any :  he  is  for  partaking  of  no 
man's  sins,  but  for  keeping  of  himself  pure,  l  Ti. 

V.  23. 

Third,  To  depart  from  iniquity,  is  to  depart 
from  it  in  those  examples  that  are  set  hefore  us 
thereto :  occasions  and  examples  are  sometimes  the 
same,  but  there  may  be  occasions  to  sin  where 
there  are  no  examples  thereto,  and  therefore  in  that 
they  diffei'.  And  to  depart  from  iniquity  is  to  shun 
and  depart  from  those  examples,  those  beastly 
examples,  that  in  every  corner  of  the  country  pre- 
sent themselves  to  men. 

Examples  to  drunkenness ;  examples  to  whore- 
dom ;  examples  to  swearing,  to  lying,  to  stealing, 
to  sabbath-breaking,  to  pride,  to  covetousness,  to 


deceit,  to  hypocrisy,  and  to  what  not,  are  now-a- 
days  common  among  men,  and  he  that  is  to  seek 
in  this  matter,  and  that  knows  not  how  to  be 
expertly  base,  may  have  patterns  and  examples 
thereto  in  every  hole.  But  to  depart  from  iniquity 
is  to  depart  from  sinful  examples,  to  shut  the  eyes 
at  them,  to  turn  the  back  upon  them,  and  to  cry 
out  to  heaven  for  grace  to  be  kept  in  the  path  of 
life.  And,  '  Let  every  one  that  nameth  the  name 
of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity.' 

Fourth,  To  depart  from  iniquity  is  to  depart 
from  the  enticixgs  to  iniquUy.  There  is  that  in 
iniquity  that  is  of  an  enticing  nature.  Its  plea- 
sures, profits,  honours,  delights,  and  sweetnesses 
are  enticing,  and  he  that  hankers  after  these  is 
nat  departed  nor  departing  from  iniquity.  A 
man  must  be  weaned  from  these  things,  and  must 
find  some  things  somewhere  else  that  are  better 
than  these,  else  he  cannot  depart  from  iniquity. 

Quest.  But  some  may  say,  I  go  from  it  and  it 
follows  me ;  I  reject  it  and  it  returns  upon  me  ;  I 
have  said  it  nay,  a  thousand  times,  and  yet  it 
otfereth  itself  and  its  deceits  to  me  again,  Avhat 
would  you  have  me  do  ? 

Answ.  I  would  answer  thus;  Departing  from 
iniquity  is  not  a,  work  of  an  hour,  or  a  day,  or  a 
week,  or  a  month,  or  a  year ;  but  it  is  a  work  that 
will  last  thee  thy  hfetime,  and  there  is  the  great- 
ness and  difficulty  of  it:  were  it  to  be  done  pre- 
sently, or  were  the  work  to  be  quicldy  over,  how 
many  are  there  that  would  be  found  to  have  de- 
parted from  iniquity ;  but  for  that  it  is  a  work  of 
continuance,  and  not  worth  anything,  unless  men 
hold  out  to  the  end,  therefore  it  is  that  so  few  are 
found  actors  or  overcomers  therein.  Departing 
from  iniquity,  with  many,  is  but  like  the  falling 
out  of  two  neighbours,  they  hate  one  another  for 
a  while,  and  then  renew  their  old  friendship  again. 

But  again,  since  to  depart  from  iniquity  is  a 
work  of  time — of  aU  thy  time,  no  wonder  if  it  dogs 
thee,  and  oftereth  to  return  upon  thee  again  and 
again ;  for  that  is  mischievous,  and  seeks  nothing 
less  than  thy  ruin:  wherefore  thou  must,  in  the 
first  place,  take  it  for  gi-anted  that  thus  it  will  be 
and  so  cry  the  harder  to  God  for  the  continuing 
of  his  presence  and  grace  upon  thee  in  this  blessed 
work,  that  as  thou  hast  begun  to  call  upon  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  begun  to  depart  from 
iniquity,  so  thou  mayest  have  strength  to  do  it  to 
the  last  gasp  of  thy  life. 

And  further,  for  that  departing  from  iniquity  is 
a  kind  of  a  warfare  with  it,  for  iniquity  wUl  hang 
in  thy  flesh  what  it  can,  and  will  not  be  easily 
kept  under ;  therefore  no  marvel  if  thou  find  it 
wearisome  work,  and  that  the  thing  that  thou 
wouldest  get  rid  of,  is  so  unwilling  to  let  thee 
depart  from  it. 

And  since  the  work  is  so  weight}^  and  that  it 


518 


A  HOLY  LIPE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


makes  thee  to  go  groaning  on,  I  -will  for  tliy  help 
give  tliee  here  a  few  things  to  consider  of:  and 
[remember], 

1.  Eemember  that  God  sees  thee,  and  has  his 
eyes  open  upon  thee,  even  then  when  sin  and 
temptation  is  lying  at  thee  to  give  it  some  enter- 
tainment. This  was  that  that  made  Joseph  depart 
from  it,  when  soUcited  to  embrace  it  by  a  very 
powerful  argument.  Ge.  xrxix.  6, 7. 

2.  Remember  that  God's  wrath  hm-ns  against  it, 
and  that  he  will  surely  be  revenged  on  it,  and  on 
all  that  give  it  entertainment.  This  made  Job 
afraid  to  coimtenance  it,  and  put  liim  upon  depart- 
ing from  it ;  '  For  destruction  from  God  %oas  a 
terror  to  me,  and  by  reason  of  his  highness  I  could 
not  endm'e.'  Jobxxxi.  23. 

3.  EemeiTfibeT  the  mischiefs  that  it  has  done  to 
those  that  have  embraced  it,  and  what  distress  it 
has  brought  upon  others.  This  made  the  whole 
congregation  of  Israel  tremble  to  think  that  any 
of  their  brethren  should  give  countenance  to  it. 

Jos.  xxii.  16—18. 

4.  Remember  what  Christ  hath  suffered  by  it, 
that  lie  might  deliver  us  from  the  power  of  it.  This 
made  Paul  so  heartily  to  depart  from  it,  and  wish 
all  Christians  to  do  so  as  well  as  he.  3  Co.  v.  14.. 

5.  Rememher  that  those  that  are  now  in  hell- 
fire  went  thither  for  that  they  loved  iniquity,  and 
would  not  depart  from  it.  Ps.  ix.  17;  xi.  c. 

6.  Remember  that  a  profession  is  not  worth  a 
pin,  if  they  that  make  it  do  not  depart  from  ini- 
quity. Ja.  ii.  16, 17. 

7.  Remember  that  thy  death-bed  will  be  very 
uneasy  to  thee,  if  thy  conscience  at  that  day 
shall  be  clogged  with  the  guilt  of  thy  iniquity. 

Ho.  vii.  13, 14. 

8.  Remember  that  at  the  judgment-day  Christ 
will  say  to  those,  Depart  from  me,  that  have  not 
here  departed  from  their  sin  and  iniquity.  Lu.  xiii.  27. 

Mat.  XXV.  41. 

Lastly,  Rememher  well,  and  think  much  upon 
what  a  blessed  reward  the  Son  of  God  will  give 
unto  them  at  that  day  that  have  joined  to  their 
profession  of  faith  in  him  a  holy  and  blessed  con- 
versation. 

Having  thus  briefly  showed  you  these  things,  I 
shall  come  in  the  next  place, 

SECOND,  To  show  you,  why  some,  that  as  to 
words  lightly  name  (lie  name  of  Christ,  do  not  depart 
from  iniquity.  That  it  is  incident  to  men  to  name 
the  name  of  Christ  religiously,  and  not  to  depart 
from  iniquity,  I  have  proved  already,  and  now  I 
must  show  you  why  it  is  so,  and  the  reasons  are 
of  three  sorts : 

First,  Some  profess  him,  yet  have  not  saving  faith 
in  him,  7ior  yet  received  grace  from  him.  That 
some  profess  him  that  have  not  faith  in  him,  nor 
received  grace  from  him,  I  will  make  appear  first ; 


and  then  that  they  do  not  depart  from  iniquity, 
shall  be  shown  afterwards. 

That  the  first  is  true  consider,  Christ  says  to 
his  disciples,  *  There  are  some  of  you  that  believe 
not.'  And  again,  'For  Jesus  knew  from  the 
beginning  who  they  were  that  beheved  not,  and 
who  should  betray  hkn.'  Jn.  vi.  C4.  Now  if  they 
beheve  not,  they  have  none  of  Ms  grace  in  them ; 
for  faith  is  the  first  and  head  grace,  the  beginning 
and  leading  grace ;  he,  therefore,  that  is  destitute 
of  that  is  empty  of  all  the  rest.  Besides,  other 
scriptures  also  confinn  this  truth.  James  calls 
some  of  the  professors  of  Christ  that  were  in  his 
day  vain  or  empty  men.  Ja.  ii.  20.  That  is,  men  void 
of  grace.  And  the  apostle  suggesteth  in  the  very 
words  below  the  text,  that  as  in  God's  house  there 
arc  golden  and  silver  saints,  so  there  are  also 
earthy  and  wooden  ones.  For  '  in  a  great  house' 
as  God's  is,  'are  not  only  vessels  of  gold  and  silver, 
but  also  of  wood  and  of  earth,  and  some  to  honour, 
and  some  to  dishonour.'  3  Ti.  ii.  20.  That  is,  some  for 
heaven  and  some  for  hell.  Eo.  is.  20—23. 

Now  they  are  these  wooden  and  earthy  profes- 
sors that  he  aimeth  at  in  the  text ;  to  wit,  that 
they  should  depart  from  hiiquity,  or  else  their  pro- 
fession would  do  them  no  good,  and  these  also  that 
he  despaireth  of  in  the  next  words,  saying,  But  in 
this  great  house  of  God  there  will  not  only  be 
golden  and  silver  Christians,  but  wooden  and 
earthly  ones :  And  if  any  man  purge  himself  from 
these,  from  these  men's  companies,  and  from  these 
men's  vices,  he  shall  be  a  vessel  to  honour,  sanc- 
tified, and  meet  for  the  master's  use,  and  prepared 
to  every  good  work.  From  all  which  it  is  gathered 
that  there  are  some  that  name  the  name  of  Christ 
in  a  way  of  profession,  that  have  neither  faith  nor 
grace  in  them,  and  so,  consequently,  that  do  not 
depart  from  iniquity.     For, 

These  want  that  principle,  that  holy  and  blessed 
principle,  that  should  induce  them  thereunto ;  to 
wit,  the  great  and  principal  graces  of  the  Spirit, 
and  they  are  four. 

1 .  As  I  have  said,  tliey  tvant  faith,  that  heart- 
purifying  grace,  for  the  heart  is  purified  by  faith. 
Ac.  XV.  9.  I  have  showed  you  already  that  departing 
from  iniquity  must  he  with  the  mind  and  affections, 
or  with  the  heart.  But  how  can  that  be,  where 
the  heart  is  not  sanctified  and  made  holy  ?  For 
an  unsanctified  mind  cannot  depart  from  iniquity, 
no  more  than  the  Ethiopian  can  change  his  skin. 
Je.  xiiL23.  But  nothing  can  purify  the  heart  but 
faith.  Therefoi-e  nothing  can  make  a  professor 
depart  from  iniquity  where  faith  is  wanting.  So 
then,  when  men  professedly  name  the  name  of 
Christ  without  having  holy  faith  in  him,  they  still 
abide  by  their  iniquity ;  they  depart  not  from  their 
iniquity,  but  rather  make  of  their  profession  a 
cloak  for  their  iniquity,  for  their  malice,  and  for 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


il9 


tlieir  covetousness,  and  tlae  like,  i  Th.  ii.  15. 1  Pe.  ii.  is. 
It  is  not  profession,  but  faitli,  that  bringeth  God 
and  tbe  soul  together ;  and  as  long  as  God  and  the 
soul  are  at  a  distance,  whatever  profession  is  made, 
there  is  not  a  departing,  not  an  heart-departing 
from  iniquity.  Wherefore  to  these  professors 
James  writeth  thus,  *  Draw  nigh  to  God,  and  he 
will  draw  nigh  to  you.  Cleanse  your  hands,  ye 
sinners :  and  purify  your  hearts,  ye  double-minded. ' 
Ja.  iv.  8.  Men,  far  from  God,  cannot  think  reverently 
of  him,  nor  so  speak  and  profess  him,  as  standeth 
with  the  nature  of  gospel  religion ;  wherefore  God 
saith,  *  draw  near  hither, '  that  is,  by  faith ;  and 
again,  'let  them  come  near,  then  let  them  speak,' 
then  let  them  profess,  is.  xii.  1.  Without  faith  a  man 
cannot  please  God,  because  he  cannot  without  it 
stand  before  hun  in  the  spotless  righteousness  of 
Christ,  nor  yet  depart  fi-om  iniquity,  and  live  a 
holy  life.  ne.  xi.  6. 

There  are  three  things  in  faith,  that  directly 
tend  to  make  a  man  depart  from  iniquity.  (1.)  It 
apprehendeth  the  truth  of  the  being  and  greatness 
of  God,  and  so  it  aweth  the  spirit  of  a  man.  (2.) 
It  apprehendeth  the  love  of  this  God  in  Christ,  and 
so  it  conquereth  and  overcometh  the  spirit  of  a 
man.  (3.)  It  apprehendeth  the  sweetness  and 
blessedness  of  the  nature  of  the  Godhead,  and 
thence  persuadeth  the  soul  to  desire  here,  com- 
munion with  him,  that  it  may  be  holy,  and  the 
enjoyment  of  him,  when  this  world  is  ended,  that 
it  may  be  happy  in,  and  by  him,  for  ever. 

But  without  faith  these  things  cannot  be  appre- 
hended, and  therefore  those  that  want  it,  whatever 
their  profession  is,  they  will  not  depart  from 
iniquity. 

2.  \^They  want  Repentance.]  Repentance  is 
another  of  the  great  and  principal  graces  which  the 
Holy  Ghost  worketh  in  the  heart.  Wherefore, 
without  this  also  there  can  be  no  departing  from 
iniquity.  It  is  in  vain  to  expect  it  of  any  man,  let 
his  profession  be  never  so  stately  and  great,  if  he 
is  a  stranger  to  sound  repentance.  How  many 
are  there  in  our  day,  since  the  gospel  is  grown  so 
common,  that  catch  up  a  notion  of  good  things, 
and  from  that  notion  make  a  profession  of  the 
name  of  Christ,  get  into  churches,  and  obtain  the 
title  of  a  brother,  a  saint,  a  member  of  a  gospel 
congregation,  that  have  clean  escaped  repentance. 
I  say,  they  have  catched  up  a  notion  of  good  things, 
and  have  through  that  adventured  to  name  the 
name  of  Christ,  quite  forgetting  to  take  repentance 
with  them.  Repentance  should  be,  and  is  one  of 
the  first  steps  into  the  true  gospel  profession. 
Mar. i.  15.  Pr.iii. 7;  xtL  6.  But  some  know  nothing  of  it, 
until  they  come  to  the  end  of  all,  and  their  repent- 
ance will  do  them  no  good.  Repentance  is  not 
but  where  the  true  fear  of  God  is ;  yea,  the  fear 
of  God  is  one  gi-ound  of  repentance.     Repentance 


is  the  scouring  grace,  it  is  that  which  purges. 
Repentance  is,  as  I  may  caU  it,  that  bitter  pill 
without  the  taking,  and  sound  working  of  which, 
base  and  sinful  humours  will  rest  unstirred,  un- 
purgcd,  undriven  out  of  the  soul.  Can  repentance 
be  where  godly  sorrow  is  not  ?  or  can  repentance^ 
be  where  the  fruits  of  repentance  are  not  ?  0  the 
fruits  of  repentance,  thick  sown  by  preachers,  but 

it  comes   up   but  thinly  !  Mar.  i.  4,  5.  Ko.  -d.  21.  Je.  vii.  3,  5. 

Where  shall  the  fruits  of  repentance  be  found? 
Confession  of  sin  is  one  fruit  of  repentance  ;  shame 
for  sin  is  another  fruit  of  repentance ;  amendment 
of  life  is  another  fruit  of  repentance ;  restitution 
for  couzening,  cheating,  defrauding,  beguiling  thy 
neighbour,  is  another  fruit  of  repentance.  Lu.  xix.  5— g ' 
Yea,  if  you  would  see  the  fruits  of  repentance  as 
described  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  put  together  for 
the  further  conviction  and  shame  of  the  impenitent 
professor,  look  into  the  second  epistle  to  the  Corin- 
thians, vii.  9—11. 

But  this  is  a  day  that  was  never  read  of,  a  day 
wherein  conversion  is  frequent  without  repentance ; 
such  a  conversion  as  it  is,  and  therefore  doth  the 
church  of  God  now  swarm  with  them  that  reli- 
giously name  the  name  of  Christ,  and  yet  depart 
not  from  iniquity.  Alas  !  aU  houses,  aU  tables,  aU 
shops,  have  hanging  up  in  them  the  sign  of  the 
want  of  repentance.  Ec  vii.  27, 28.  To  say  nothing  of 
the  talk,  of  the  beds  and  the  backs  of  most  that 
profess,  by  which  of  these  is  it  that  one  of  a  thou- 
sand for  men ;  and  for  women,  one  of  ten  thousand, 
do  show  that  they  have  repentance  ?  No  marvel 
then  that  the  name  of  Christ  is  so  frequently  men- 
tioned there,  where  iniquity  dwells,  yea,  reigns, 
and  that  with  the  consent  of  the  mind. 

I  would  not  be  austere,  but  were  wearing  of 
gold,  putting  on  of  apparel,  dressing  up  houses, 
decking  of  children,  learning  of  comphments,  bold- 
ness in  women,  lechery  in  men,  wanton  behaviour, 
lascivious  words,  and  tempting  carriages,  signs  of 
repentance ;  then  I  must  say,  the  fruits  of  repent- 
ance swarm  in  our  land ;  but  if  these  be  none  of 
the  fruits  of  repentance  then,  0,  the  multitude  of 
professors,  that  religiously  name  the  name  of 
Christ,  and  do  not  depart  from  iniquity.*     But, 

3.  [Theyioant  Love.]  Love  is  another  of  those 
great  and  principal  graces  which  the  Holy  Ghost 
worketh  in  the  heart ;  wherefore  let  profession  be 
never  so  high,  yet  if  love  be  wanting  there,  to  be 
sure  such  professors  'depart  from  iniquity, 'i Co. xiii. 
Hence  all  profession,  and  subjecting  to  profession, 
are  counted  nothing,  where  love  is  not.  Love  is 
counted  a  most  infallible  sign  that  a  man  is  in  a 


*  How  much  is  it  to  be  fenred  that  some  towering  pro- 
fessors, upon  impartial  self-examination,  will  find  upon  them- 
selves some  of  these  black  spots ;  all  of  which  are  utterly 
inconsistent  with  that  humility  which  is  the  proper  and  only 
becomintr  garb  of  a  Christian. — Byland. — Ed. 


530 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY 


state  of  salvation.  '  He  that  loveth  dwells  in  God, 
is  born  of  God,  and  knoweth  him. '  IJn.  iv.  7, 16, 21. 
Love  divideth  itself,  to  God,  and  to  my  neighbour. 
Love  to  God  is,  that  we  keep  his  sayings,  his  com- 
mandments, his  laws.  *If  a  man  love  me,'  saith 
Christ,  '  he  will  keep  my  words ;  -  and  he  that 
loveth  me  not,  keepeth  not  my  sayings,'  Jn.  xiv.23, 2i. 
For  this  is  the  love  of  God,  that  we  keep  his  com- 
mandments :  and  his  commandments  are  not  griev- 
ous. '  1  Jn.  V.  3.  So  then,  that  professor  that  hath  not 
love,  cannot  depart  from  iniquity.  (1.)  Where  no 
love  is,  men  cannot  be  tender  of  the  name  of  God, 
they  are  not  afflicted  because  men  keep  not  God's 
law.  Ps.  cxix.  136;  1  Co.  xiii.  5.  (2.)  Where  no  love  is, 
men  cannot  deny  themselves  of  that  which  other- 
wise they  might  lawiully  do,  lest  the  weak  should 
fall,  and  the  world  be  destroyed.  Ro.  xir.  15.  (3.) 
Where  love  to  God  is,  there  is  hatred  against  ini- 
quity; *  ye  that  love  the  Lord,  hate  evil.'  Ps.  xcvU.  lo. 

A  man  cannot  love  God  that  loves  not  holiness  ; 
he  loves  not  holiness  that  loves  not  God's  word ; 
he  loves  not  God's  word  that  doth  not  do  it.  It  is 
a  common  thing  to  find  men  partial  in  God's  law, 
setting  much  by  small  things,  and  neglecting  the 
weightier  matters,  paying  tithe  of  mint,  and  anise, 
and  cummin,  and  neglecting  the  weightier  matters. 
These  turn  the  tables  of  God's  book  upside  do^vn ; 
making  httle  laws  of  great  ones ;  and  great  ones 
of  little  ones ;  counting  half  an  hour's  bodily  ser- 
vice better  than  a  moral  life.  Love  !  love  is  gone 
out  of  the  country ;  love  to  the  doctrine  of  the  first 
table,  love  to  the  doctrine  of  the  second  table.  0 
liow  many  professors,  in  God's  eyes,  are  accounted 
of  no  more  than  sounding  brass,  for  want  of  this 
ornament,  love  !  i  Co.  xiii. 

To  speak  nothing  of  the  first  table,  where  is  he 
that  hath  his  love  manifested  by  the  second  ?  where 
lire  they  that  feed  the  himgry  and  clothe  the  naked, 
and  send  portions  to  them,  for  whom  nothing  is 
prepared  ?  AVhere  is  Paul  that  would  not  eat 
meat  while  the  world  standeth,  lest  he  made  his 
brother  ofi"end?  l  Co.  viii.  13.  Where  is  Dorcas,  with 
her  garments  she  used  to  make  for  the  widow,  and 
for  the  fatherless  ?  Ac.  ix.  36—39.  Yea,  where  is  that 
rich  man  that,  to  his  power,  durst  say  as  Job 
does  ?  as  recorded  in  Job  xxx.  25 ;  xxxi.  13, 32.  Love  ! 
love  is  gone,  and  now  coveting,  pinching,  griping, 
and  such  things  are  in  fashion:  now  iniquity 
abounds,  instead  of  grace,  in  many  that  name  the 
name  of  Christ.  They  Avant  love,  and  therefore 
cannot  depart  from  iniquity.* 

4.  [^T}iey  want  Hope.]    Hope  is  another  of  those 
great  and  principal  graces,  which  the  Holy  Ghost 


*  Selfishness  is  the  great  enemy  to  happiness.  A  heart 
steeled  against  all,  naturally  hrings  upon  itself  the  hostility 
of  all.  Love  to  the  Redeemer,  for  emancipation  from  that 
great  curse,  is  the  only  antidote  to  selfishness. — Ed. 


worketh  in  the  heart,  and  without  which,  let  a 
man  be  never  so  high  in  profession,  and  so  open  in 
naming  the  name  of  Christ,  he  cannot  depart  from 
iniquity.     As  was  said  before  of  faith,  so  we  say 
now  of  hope.    *  And  every  man  that  hath  this  hope 
in  him  purifieth  himself,  even  as  he  is  pure. '  1  Jn.  iii.  3. 
Here  is  that  excellent  office,  or  rather  effect  of 
hope  made  manifest,  it  purifieth,  it  cleanseth  a 
man ;   it  makes  him  make  the  Lord   Jesus   his 
example,  as  well  as  his  Saviour.      He  purifieth 
himself  even  as  he  is  pure ;  to  wit,  in  soul,  in  body, 
in  spirit,  in  life  and  conversation.     Hope  of  life, 
eternal  by  Christ,  makes  a  man  purify  himself  in 
obeying  the  truth  through  the  Spirit.     Hope  to  be 
with  Christ   hereafter,  will  make   me   strive   to 
believe  him  here.    Hope  of  being  with  angels  then, 
will  make  a  man  strive  to  live  hke  an  angel  here. 
Alas  !  alas  !  there  is  a  company  of  half-priests  in 
the  world,  and  they  cannot,  they  dare  not  teach 
the  people  the  whole  counsel  of  God,  because  in  so 
doing  they  will   condemn   themselves  and   their 
manner  of  living  in  the  world ;  where  is  that  min- 
ister now  to  be  foimd  that  dare  say  to  his  people, 
Look  on  me,  and  walk  as  you  have  me  for  an 
example  ?  or  that  dare  say,  What  you  see  and 
hear  to  be  in  me,  do,  '  and  the  God  of  peace  shall 
be  with  you  V  pw.  iii.i7;  iv.  9.   These  men  had  hope, 
and  hope  purified  them  to  an  example,  till  they 
became  patterns  to  others.    Is  not  this  now  far  off 
from  some  professors  in  the  world  ?    Are  they  puri- 
fied, are  they  clean  that  name  the  name  of  Christ? 
are  they  weaned  from  that  milk,  and  drawn  from 
the  breasts  ?      No,   nor  their  profession  is  not 
attended   with  grace ;   they  name  the  name  of 
Christ ;  well,  but  they  do  not  depart  from  iniquity. 
Let  a  man  believe  a  lie,  and  according  to  the 
reality  of  his  belief,  such  will  his  obedience  be ;  let 
a  man  hope  for  that  for  which  he  hath  no  ground 
to  hope,  yet  his  hope  will  work  with  him  according 
to  the  power  thereof;  and  yet  we  have  a  genera- 
tion of  men  that  profess  the  blessed  gospel,  which 
yieldeth  the  most  substantial  ground  for  faith  and 
hope ;  yea,  we  have  a  company  of  men  that  will 
be  naming  the  name  of  Christ,  which  is  the  sweet- 
est, the  most  taking,  and  desirable  name  that  is 
named  among  the  sons  of  men,  and  for  all  that, 
this  gospel,  this  worthy  name,  nor  yet  their  naming 
of  it,  doth  make  them  depart  from  iniquity.     But 
what's  the  reason  ?  why,  they  have  taken  up  a 
profession,  but  Avant  the  grace  of  Christ ;  the  faith, 
the  repentance,  the  love  and  hope  of  the  gospel. 
No  marvel  then,  if  they  abide  among  the  wooden 
sort  of  professors:   no  marvel  then,  though  the 
iniquity  of  their  heels  still  follows  them,  and  that 
it  droppeth  from  them  wherever  they  go.     But  so 
much  for  the  first  reason,  why  men  do  name  the 
name  of  Christ  and  yet  do  not  depart  from  iniquity. 
Secotid,  The  second  reason,  why  some  that  namo 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAL'TY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


521 


tiie  name  of  Christ,  depart  not  from  iniquity,  is,  for 
that,  though  they  rest  not  in  bare  notions,  as  those 
forementioned,  yet  they  take  up  as  they,  sJiort  of  the 
saving  grace  of  God.  There  are  bare  notions,  there 
are  common  workings,  and  there  is  a  work  that  is 
saving,  and  that  will  do  the  soul  good  to  eternity. 

1.  There  are  bare  notions,  and  they  that  have 
them  are  such  unto  whom  the  gospel  comes  in 

WORD  ONLY.  1  Th.  i.  5.  1  Co.  iv.  19,  20.  Such  whoSC  reli- 
gion stands  in  word  only,  and  is  not  attended  with 
a  power  suitable ;  that  is,  there  goeth  not  along 
with  the  word,  a  power  sufBcient  to  subdue,  and 
work  over  the  heart  to  a  cordial  and  gracious  close 
with  that  word  that  comes  to  them.  Yet  such  is 
the  noise  and  sound  of  the  word,  that  they  are 
willing  to  become  professors  thereof ;  there  is  some 
kind  of  musiadness  in  it,  especially  when  well 
handled  and  fingered  by  a  skilful  preacher.  And 
lo,  saith  God  unto  such  preachers,  when  their 
auditory  is  made  up  of  such  kind  of  hearers,  '  And 
lo,  thou  art  unto  them  as  a  very  lovely  song, '  or 
as  one  that  sings  a  song  cf  loves,  '  of  one  that  hath 
a  pleasant  voice,  and  can  play  well  on  an  instru- 
ment :  for  they  hear  thy  words  but  they  do  them 

not. '  Eze.  xxxiii.  30—32. 

2.  But  then,  besides  these,  there  is  another  sort, 
and  they  go  further  than  these.  For  to  them  the 
word  came,  not  in  word  only,  but  also  in  power: 
though  not  in  that  or  in  such  a  power  as  is  suffi- 
cient absolutely  against  all  attempts  whatsoever  to 
bring  the  soul  to  glory.  Of  these  we  read  in 
several  places ;  to  wit,  that  they  have  tasted  of 
the  powers  of  tlie  world  to  come ;  but  not  so  as  to 
bring  them  safe  to  glory.  Yet  thus  far  they 
go.  (1.)  They  attain  light  or  illumination,  to 
see  much  of  their  state  by  nature  with.  lie.  \i.  i. 
(2.)  This  light  standeth  not  in  bare  speculation, 
but  lets  fall  upon  the  conscience  convincing  argu- 
ments to  the  bowing  and  humbling  of  the  spirit. 
1  Ki.  xxi.  27—29.  (3.)  They  submit  to  these  convictions, 
and  reform,  and  may  for  a  time  not  only  come  out 
from  them  that  live  in  error,  but  escape  the  pollu- 
tions of  the  world,  by  tlie  knowledge  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  2Pe  ii.  18— 20.  Ga.  iii.  4;  iv.  20. 
(4.)  Y'^ea,  so  powerful  will  this  dispensation  be, 
that  it  will  prevail  with  them  to  do  and  suifer  many 
things  for  the  vindication  of  the  truth  of  that  gospel 
which  they  jjrofess.  For  the  word  will  be  sweet 
unto  them.  Christ,  the  gift  of  God,  will  be  relished 
by  them.  lie.  vi.  i,  5.  Tlie  powers  of  the  world  to 
come  will  be  in  tliem.  Some  workings  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  will  be  in  them.  And  joy,  which  is  as  oil 
to  the  wheels,  will  be  with  their  souls.  Lu.  viii.  13. 

Thus,  I  say,  it  is  with  some  professors,  who  yet 
cannot  be  said  to  depart  from  iniquity,  that  is,  for 
all  ado,  because  the  things  tliat  now  are  upon  them, 
abide  with  them  but  awliile.  *  For  awhile  they 
believe:   they  rejoice  in  the  light  for  a  season.' 

VOL.   II. 


Lu.  ^-iii.  13.  Ju.  V.  35.  2  Pe.  ii.  21.  So  they  clean  escape 
from  them,  who  live  in  error  for  a  little,  or  awliile ; 
and  after  that  return  to  their  old  course,  and  are 
again  entangled  with  their  iniquities  and  overcome. 
This  is  called,  '  A  turning  with  the  dog  to  his  own 
vomit  again,  and  with  the  sow  that  was  washed, 
to  her  wallowing  in  the  mire. '  And  some  of  these 
are  set  forth  by  this  and  such  like  sayings,  '  When 
the  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out  of  a  man,  he  walk- 
eth  through  dry  places,  seeking  rest,  and  finding 
none.  Then  he  saith,  I  will  return  into  my  house 
from  whence  I  came  out ;  and  when  he  is  come,  hie 
findeth  ii  empty,  swept,  and  garnished.  Then 
goeth  he,  and  taketh  with  himself  seven  other 
spirits  more  wicked  than  himself,  and  they  enter 
in  and  dwell  there :  and  the  last  state  of  that  man 
is  worse  than  the  first. '  Mat.  xii  44,  45. 

Now  the  causes  of  this  declension,  returning,  or 
falling  away  again  into  iniquity,  are  many. 

First  [Cause  of  falling  away.]  One  is  for  tliat 
this  work,  this  work  of  power  that  ihey  have  been 
made  partakers  of,  has  not  been  thorough  enough 
upon  all  the  powers  of  their  souls.  Their  under- 
standings, their  judgments  and  consciences  have 
been  dealt  with,  but  the  power  of  God  has  not 
been  upon  their  wills  and  minds,  and  afiiections, 
rightly  to  subdue  them  to  the  grace  of  the  gospel. 
Ps.  ex.  3.  Indeed  there  seems  to  be  a  subjection  of 
the  will,  and  an  overruling  of  the  mind,  and  alfec- 
tions  also,  else  they  could  not  for  a  time  lay  aside 
their  iniquity,  come  otf  from  the  pollutions  of  the 
world,  and  for  a  season  rejoice  in  the  word  and  be 
pleased  with  the  light  thereof.  But  we  may  con- 
sider, that  this  may  be,  not  for  that  a  sound  work 
of  God  hath  passed  upon  these  powers  of  the  soul, 
but  that  rather  this  was  by  reason  of  those  retiex 
acts,  that  the  understanding  now  enlightened,  the 
iudtrment  now  informed,  and  the  conscience  now 
convinced,  had  upon  these  other  powers  of  the 
soul.  And  I  the  rather  think  it  so,  because  wil- 
lingness, mindfulness  of,  and  aifection  for,  this 
gospel,  lasted  no  longer  than  the  light  shined  in 
their  understandings,  or  than  the  things  were 
relished  by  their  jutlgment  and  conscience.  So  that 
when  the  light  of  their  candle  went  out,  and  when 
the  taste  of  this  sugar-plum  was  out  of  their  mouth, 
their  wills  and  aft'eetions,  not  being  possessed  with 
the  fear  of  God,  they  returned  again  to  their  course, 
and  went  away  as  before  with  iniquity. 

Nor  do  I  by  anything  here  discoursed,  lay  blame 
or  fault  at  the  door  of  God.      For, 

1.  He  is  a  free  agent  to  do  what  he  pleaseth,  and 
may,  if  he  please,  refuse  to  give  anything,  or  if  he 
gives  something,  why  may  he  not  give  what  he 
pleases  also?  He  may  give  special  grace  to  one, 
and  tliat  which  is  not  so  to  another:  he  may  open 
Balaam's  eyes,  Nu.xxiv.3.  and  open  Lj-dia's  heart; 
.\r.  xvi.  14.  he  may  give  some  but  a  taste,  and  cau^e 
3  u 


52.2 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


some  to  eat  aLunJantly.  lie.  vi.  Ca.  v.  1.  He  may  suf- 
fer some  to  fall  away,  and  keep  others,  by  liis 
power,  tliroiigli  faith  unto  salvation. 

2.  Besides,  God's  withdrawing,  to  wit,  of  those 
common  workings,  if  they  were  withdrawn  without 
a  cause  given — which  yet  I  question — yet  why  may 
they  not  be  withdrawn  from  these,  as  well  as  from 
his  own  pecidiar  ones.  He  knows  but  little,  that 
doth  not  know  that  God  ofttimes  hides  his  face 
from  his  own,  and  also  withdraws  from  them  the 
light  and  great  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost:  and 
turns  them  over,  at  least  in  their  own  apprehensions, 
to  the  ungodly,  and  to  fallen  angels  for  their  chas- 
tisement, or  trial,  or  instruction,  (fee. 

3.  And  why  may  not  God,  since  these  rebels  had 
such  working  with  them,  as  that  their  minds,  by 
their  understandings,  their  Avill  and  afi^ections ;  by 
their  judgment  and  consciences  were  somewhat 
taken  and  allured,  cause  a  withdrawing  of  these 
for  trial,  and  to  see  if  they  would  cry  after  him  to 
return. 

But  Ave  will  let  these  things  pass,  and  call  you 
again  to  remembrance  of  what  is  in  hand :  we  are 
now  shewing  that  there  be  them  that  name  the 
name  of  Christ,  'that  yet  depart  not  from  iniquity,' 
and  in  shewing  the  cause  of  their  not  so  doing,  one 
was  for  that  the  gospel  came  to  them  in  word  only ; 
and  the  other  was,  for  that  though  it  came  to  others 
in  power,  yet  not  in  power,  or  in  that  power,  that 
effectually  keepeth  some  to  salvation.  Upon  this 
second  reason  I  now  am,  and  am  shewing  how  it 
comes  to  pass  that  they  that  are  under  the  power 
of  the  things  that  we  have  afore  discoursed,  should 
notwithstanding  that,  return  to  their  vomit  again. 
One  cause  of  this  declension,  or  going  back  to 
iniquity,  I  have  just  now  touched  upon,  and  we 
have  some  more  behind. 

Second  [^Cause  of  falling  away  J]  Therefore  such 
persons  upon  the  withdrawing  of  those  influences 
that  at  present  are  mighty  upon  them,  do  forthwith 
forget,  both  what  they  had,  and  what  work  it  made 
upon  them.  Straightway  tliey  forget  what  manner 
of  men  they  were.  It  is  said  of  Israel,  they  sang 
his  praises,  they  soon  forgot  his  word.  So  these 
they  forget. 

1.  They  forget  what  light  and  what  conviction 
they  had. 

2.  They  forget  what  sorrow  for  sin  they  had. 

3.  They  forget  what  tastes  of  Christ  and  his 
word  they  had. 

4.  They  forget  what  joy  and  comfort  they  had. 

5.  They  forget  how  fair  for  heaven  they  were. 

6.  And  they  forget  how  cleansed  once  they  were. 
'  They  have  forgotten  that  they  were  purged  from 

their  old  sins.' 2Pe.  i.  9.  Now  forgetfulness  makes 
things  that  are  past  as  nothing ;  and  if  so,  then  it 
can  lay  no  obligations  upon  the  mind,  to  engage  it 
to  the  delight  of  them,  and  to  the  enjoying  of  them, 


no  not  in  the  thoughts  of  them,  as  if  they  were 
remembered  by  us.  Forgetfulness  is  a  very  dan- 
gerous thing :  it  makes  preaching  vain,  profession 
vain,  faith  vain,  and  all  to  no  purpose,  l  Co.  xv.  i,  2. 
Such  profession  is  but  a  dream,  and  the  professors 
but  as  dreamers :  all  vanishes  in  the  morning.  This 
made  Paul  so  caution  the  Corinthians,  that  they 
forgot  not  the  preaching ;  and  the  author  to  the 
Hebrews,  so  earnestly  calls  them,  in  their  back- 
sliding, back  to  the  remembrance  of  former  days, 
and  to  the  recollecting  of  what  it  was  that  then 
had  made  them  so  willingly  endure  their  great  fight 
of  affliction.   He.  x.  33,  33. 

Forgetfulness,  I  say,  makes  things  nothing ;  it 
makes  us  as  if  things  had  never  been ;  and  so  takes 
away  from  the  soul  one  great  means  of  stay,  sup- 
port, and  encouragement ;  when  choice  David  was 
dejected,  the  remembrance  of  the  hill  Hermon  was 
his  stay ;  when  he  was  to  go  out  against  Goliah,  the 
remembrance  of  the  lion  and  the  bear  was  his  sup- 
port :  so  when  those  that  have  had  the  power  of  the 
things  of  God  upon  them,  can  think  of  this  ;  when 
they  are  withdrawn,  it  will,  even  the  thinking  of 
it,  have  some  kind  of  operation  upon  the  soul. 
And  therefore  you  shall  find,  that  the  recovering 
of  a  backslider  usually  begins  at  the  remembrance 
of  former  things.  '  Remember  therefore  from 
whence  thou  art  fallen,  and  repent,  and  do  the  first 

works.'  Re.ii.  5. 

It  is  marvellous  to  see  how  some  men  are  capti- 
vated with  this  forgetfulness.  Those  that  some- 
times have  prayed,  cried,  groaned,  and  sighed,  for 
eternal  life ;  those  that  sometimes  thought  no  pains 
too  much,  no  way  too  far,  no  hazards  too  great  to 
run,  for  eternal  life ;  those  who  sometimes .  were 
captivated  with  the  word,  and  with  the  comforts 
and  joy  thereof,  and  that,  had  it  been  possible, 
could  have  pulled  out  their  eyes,  and  have  given 
them  to  a  gospel  minister,  so  dear  and  sweet  were 
the  good  tidings  which  they  brought  to  such. 
Ga.  iv.  14, 15.  I  say  it  is  marvellous  to  see  how  such 
men  arc  captivated  with  the  forgetfulness  of  this. 
They  are  as  if  they  never  had  been  those  men; 
they  are  as  if  they  never  had  had  such  things  ;  or, 
as  if  they  never  had  thought  about  them.  Yea, 
they  are  strange,  and  carry  it  strangely  to  all  those 
that  still  are  under  the  power  of  that  word,  and  of 
that  mighty  hand  by  which  sometimes  themselves 
were  guided. 

Should  one  say  to  some.  Art  not  thou  the  man 
that  I  once  saw  crying  under  a  sermon,  that  I  once 
heard  cry  out,  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?  and, 
that  some  time  ago  I  heard  speak  well  of  the  holy 
word  of  God?  how  askew  will  they  look  upon 
one ;  or  if  they  will  acknowledge  that  such  things 
were  with  them  once,  they  do  it  more  like  images 
and  rejected  ghosts,  than  men.  They  look  as  if 
they  were  blasted,  withered,  cast  out,  and  dried  to 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


523 


powder,  ami  now  fit  for  uotliiug  but  to  he  cast  Into 
tlie  fire,  and  burned.  Jn.  xv.  6.  The  godliness  from 
wbich  they  are  departed,  and  the  iniquity  unto 
which  again  they  have  joined  themselves,  has  so 
altered,  so  metamorphosed  and  changed  their  heart, 
and  mind,  and  ways.  This  therefore  is  the  second 
thing  which  shews  why  some  that  have  been  under 
something  of  the  power  of  things,*  are  again  with 
iniquity  entangled  and  overcome. 

Third  [Cause  of  falling  atcay.]  Another  thing 
that  makes  these  enlightened  ones,  that  they  con- 
tinue not  to  depart  from  iniquit}--,  is  the  persecution 
that  always  attends  the  word:  for  persecution 
always  attends  the  word,  that  of  the  tongue,  or 
that  of  the  sword.  Now  these  men  that  were  once 
enlightened,  though  they  cannot  remember  Avhat 
they  were  themselves,  yet  Satan  helps  them  to 
think  that  their  neighbours  remember  what  they 
were :  and  having  now  lost  the  savour,  the  sense  of 
what  they  once  had,  and  sinned  away  that  Spirit 
that  brought  it  to  them,  they  grow  weak  ;  yea  ai-e 
above  all  men  the  most  unable  to  stand  up,  to  abide 
the  shock  and  trial,  that  for  their  profession  is 
coming  upon  them.  Wherefore,  by  and  by  they  are 
ofi^ended  ;  to  wit,  with  their  own  profession,  and 
call  themselves  an  hundred  fools,  for  being  so  heed- 
less, so  witless,  and  unwary,  to  mind  God's  holy 
things  in  such  a  time  and  day.  Mat.  iv.  16, 17.  Lu.  vm.  13. 
Then  they  bethink  with  themselves,  how  to  make 
an  honourable  retreat,  which  they  suppose  they 
usually  do,  by  finding  fault,  first  with  their  own 
unadvisedness,  and  of  the  over-persuasiveness  of 
others ;  they  also  now  begin  to  say  farewell  con- 
science, yea,  God  and  heaven  and  all,  and  join  in 
confederacy  with  the  world  again.  Thus  are  they 
in  fear,  where  no  fear  is  ;  and  the  sound  of  a  shaken 
leaf  doth  chase  them.  And  there  are  four  things 
that  are  the  cause  of  this. 

1.  For  that  notwithstanding  the  former  power 
that  attended  the  word  to  their  hearts,  their  hearts 
did  still  abide  as  hard  as  a  rock,  there  was  no  true 
and  sound  breaking,  nor  softening  in  that ;  where- 
fore there  the  word  wanted  depth  of  earth,  as  our 
Lord  is  pleased  to  call  it;  and  anon  when  the  sun  was 
up,  that  which  remained  was  presently  scorched, 
and  so  withered  away. 

2.  Notwithstanding  what  they  had  sometimes 
enjoyed,  yet  the  grace  of  the  fear  of  God  was  want- 
ing in  them.  Ec.  vii.  16—18.  So  wantins;  that,  what 
should  hinder  but  that  they  should  return  to  go  as 
they  came,  and  leave  Christ,  the  gospel,  and  the 
people  of  God  to  shift  as  well  as  they  can  for 
themselves. 

3.  All  that  they  enjoyed  did  not  estrange  their 
hearts  from  their  lusts,  though  when  thev  were  in 


*  '  Power  of  things ;'  the  influence  of  convictions  and  hopes 
named  in  the  six  divisions  on  the  preceding  page. — Ed. 


the  power  of  things,  they  were  deader  to  them 
than  formerly ;  I  say  than  formerly.  Ps.  ixxviii.  so,  36, 
37.  And  it  is  even  with  such,  as  with  them,  who 
are  for  a  time  taken  off  from  what  yet  they  love, 
by  some  new  employ  in  which  they  are  engaged. 
Saul  Avent  out  to  look  for  David  to  kill  him,  but 
when  he  came  at  Naiotli,  in  Tiamah,  the  Spirit  of 
God  came  upon  him,  and  he  prophesied,  l  Sa.xix.i8,2i. 
But  this  lasted  but  for  awhile.  Saul  soon  returned 
to  his  old  envy  against  the  holy  man  again. 

4.  It  comes  upon  them  even  of  judgment  and 
wrath,  for  since  they  so  soon  give  way  to  sin,  and 
forget,  God  suffereth  them  to  fall  into  the  fear  of 
men,  and  to  force  their  hearts  to  comply  with  bad 
things, — even  as  Judas  and  Demas  did, — till  they 
are  swallowed  up  of  that  gulph,  into  which  the 
ungodly  descend.  '  As  for  such  as  turn  aside  unto 
their  crooked  ways,  the  Lord  shall  lead  them  forth 
with  the  workers  of  iniquity.'  Ps.  cxxv.  5. 

When  once  God  Is  angry  Avith  a  people,  he  can 
deal  with  them,  he  can  give  them  up  to  those  lusts 
in  judgment,  that  they  avIU  not  be  separated  from 
by  mercy.  Yea,  he  can  make  a  Avay  for  his  anger 
to  overtake  them  that  have  made  a  way,  by  the 
deceits  of  their  hearts,  to  go  a-Avhoring  from  under 
him. 

And  these  are  the  causes  why  those  that  Avere 
once  enlightened,  and  have  tasted  the  good  Avord 
of  God,  and  the  poAvers  of  the  Avorld  to  come,  return 
with  the  dog  to  his  OAvn  vomit  again ;  and  so,  though 
they  have  or  do  name  the  name  of  Christ,  yet  depart 
not  from  iniquit3\ 

TJvircl,  A  third  reason,  Avliy  they  that  name  the 
name  of  Christ  do  not  depart  from  iniqult}^  may 
be,  because  grace  is  weak  and  corruption  strong, 
I  speak  noAv  of  them  that  are  truly  gracious  ;  for  as 
those  that  never  had  nothing  but  notion,  did  never 
at  all  depart  from  iniquity :  and  as  those  that  never 
had  savino-  o-race,  thouo-h  common  Avorklngs  Avere 
with  them,  do  but  a  little  depart  from  iniquity ;  so 
those  that  3'et  have  the  grace  of  God  in  them,  in 
truth,  do  not,  as  they  should,  depart  from  iniquity; 
Avherefore  the  exhortation  is  as  much  to  them  as  it 
is  to  any  bodj'-  else ;  '  and  let  them  that  name  the 
name  of  Christ,'  Avith  gracious  lips,  '  depart  from 
iniquity.'  For  though  there  is  a  great  difference 
betAA'i.xt  these  and  the  tAvo  sorts  that  I  mentioned 
before, — these  liaAdng  the  true  principles  of  holiness 
in  them,  but  the  other  nothing  thereof, — yet  they, 
even  they,  also  have  need  of  this  exhortation ;  for 
they  do  not,  as  they  should,  '  depart  from  iniquity, ' 
Their  graces,  as  I  said,  are  Aveak,  and  that  is  the 
reason  thereof. 

That  these  do  not  depart  from  iniquity,  as  they 
should,  is  clear. 

I.  For  that  their  highest  acts  of  holiness  are 
tainted  therewith,  and  made   imperfect   thereby. 

Is.  Ixiv.  6.  Ps.  cxliii.  2.  He.  xii.  15.  Mat.  vi.  33.     TllIs  Is  manifest, 


524 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


because  tlie\'  still  are  afiaid  to  shew  themselves 
before  God  in  their  own  works,  and  because  thcj^ 
betake  them  for  acceptation  with  God,  to  the 
priestly  office  of  Christ,  and  pray  by  him,  '  forgive 
us  our  trespasses.' 

2.  This  is  clear  also,  because  we  are,  while  in  this 
world,  nowhere  by  the  word  said  to  have  attained 
to  the  mark  and  point  of  absolute  perfection  ;  but 
are  bid  to  grow,  to  follow  on,  to  press  forward,  and 
to  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God.  2  Pe.  iii.  18.  lie. 
vi.  12.  Pii  iii.  12-14.  2  Co.  vii.  1.  Yea,  the  best  of  us  all, 
even  the  apostles  and  prophets,  have  not  only  made 
it  manifest  by  their  imperfections,  that  as  yet  they 
have  not  departed  from  iniquity  as  they  should ; 
but  they  have  confessed,  and  denied  not,  that  they 
were  yet  in  the  pursuit  of  righteousness,  and  had 
not  ah-eady  attained. 

3.  This  is  clear  also,  for  that  the  righteousness, 
by  the  which  the  best  of  saints  are  justified  in  the 
sight  of  God,  is  a  righteousness  of  another,  not 
their  own ;  the  righteousness  of  another  man,  for 
that  there  is  not  any  upon  earth  that  doth  good 
and  sins  not.  And  what  need  we  pray,  '  forgive 
us  our  trespasses,'  approach  God  in  the  perfections 
of  another,  and  be  bid  '  to  perfect  holiness,'  if  we 
had  ah-eady  attained,  or  were  already  perfect,  or 
were  so  departed  from  iniquity  as  Ave  should. 

4.  Alas,  the  complaints  of  God  concerning  this 
matter,  doth  sufficiently  testify  the  truth  of  what  I 
say.  When  God  came  to  his  people  in  Egypt,  and 
bid  them  forsake  the  idols  of  Egj-pt,  they  did  not. 
But  they  rebelled  against  me,  says  he,  and  would 
not  hearken  unto  me ;  they  did  not,  eveiy  man, 
cast  away  the  abominations  of  his  eyes,  neither  did 
they  forsake  the  idols  of  Egypt.  Well,  he  saved 
tliem  out  of  Egypt,  and  brought  them  into  the  wil- 
derness, and  said  to  them  there.  Obey  my  laws, 
ijul  my  commandments ;  but  the  house  of  Israel 
rebelled  against  me  in  the  wilderness,  they  walked 
not  in  my  statutes,  they  despised  my  judgments. 
Well,  then  he  had  them  from  the  wilderness  to 
Canaan,  and  then  said  to  them,  Keep  my  laws. 
Hze.  XX.  But  when  he  had  brought  them  into  the 
land,  then  they  also  polluted  themselves,  and  sinned 
against  him  as  before.  Again,  Avhen  God  brought 
them  out  of  captivity,  both  they,  and  every  thing 
that  they  did,  was  unclean.  Hag.  ii.  u. 

To  be  short,  what  says  Paul  in  the  seventh  to  the 
Romans?  what  says  James  in  the  third  chapter  of 
his  epistle?  ch.  iii.  2.  And  what  says  John  in  his 
first  epistle,  and  first  chapter?  Uu.  i.  9.  Do  they 
not  all  confess,  though  themselves  were  apostles, 
and  so  for  grace  and  gifts  beyond  any  that  breathe 
in  this  world,  that  sin  and  iniquity  was  yet  with 
them  ;  and  so  consequently,  that  there  was  not  as 
yet  that  departing  by  them  therefrom,  as  there 
should.  And  the  reason,  as  I  have  said,  is,  because 
grace  is  weak,  weak  in  the  best  and  most  strou"- 


of  the  saints  of  God.  Hence  the  greatest  saints  use 
to  complain,  Avhen  much  assaulted  with  corruptions, 
or  attended  with  very  hard  service  for  God,  of  their 
weakness  and  insufficiency,  as  to  a  completeness  of 
doing  the  will  of  God. 

(1.)  Moses,  when  God  did  hut  bid  him  nourish 
and  succour  Israel  in  the  wilderness,  and  carrj 
them  in  his  bosom,  as  the  nursing-father  beareth 
the  sucking  child,  was  stricken  with  such  fear  of 
miscarrying,  through  the  weakness  of  his  graces 
and  the  power  of  his  corruptions,  that  he  cried  to 
God,  saying,  '  I  am  not  able  to  bear  all  this  people 
alone,  because  it  is  too  heavy  for  me.  And  if  thou 
deal  thus  with  me,  kill  me,  I  pray  thee,  out  of 
hand,  -  and  let  me  not  see  my   wretchedness.' 

Ku.  xi.  U,  15. 

(2.)  Job,  when  he  was,  for  a  proof  of  his  integrity, 
to  be  exercised  a  while  with  some  of  the  judgments 
of  God,  cries  out,  in  a  sense  of  his  weakness  to  bear 
them,  and  to  go  through  as  he  should,  'Is  my 
strength  the  strength  of  stones  ?  or  is  my  flesh  of 
brass?'  And  again,  Mm  I  a  sea,  or  a  whale, 
that  thou  settest  a  watch  over  me?  Wilt  thou 
break  a  leaf  driven  to  and  fro  ?  And  wilt  thou  pur- 
sue the  dry  stubble?'  Job  vi.  12;  vii.  12 ;  xiii.  25. 

(3.)  So  Daniel,  when  he  was  but  to -stand  and 
talk  with  the  angel,  how  weak  did  he  find  himself; 
*  There  remained,'  saith  he,  '  no  strength  in  me;' 
and,  '  0  my  Lord,  by  the  vision  my  sorrows  are 
turned  upon  me,  and  I  have  retained  no  strength. 
For  how  can  the  servant  of  this  my  Lord  talk  with 
this  my  Lord?  for  as  for  me,  straightway  there 
remained  no  strength  in  me,  neither  is  there  breath 
left  in  me.'  Da.x.  Some  may  say,  but  this  is  natu- 
ral weakness.  But  I  ask,  how  came  nature  to  be 
so  weak,  but  through  sin?  the  remains  whereof 
abiding  still  upon  the  best  of  saints,  make  them, 
notwithstanding  their  graces,  uncapable  to  do  any- 
thing as  they  should. 

(4.)  Paul,  a  man  of  men,  who  had  so  much  grace, 
revelation  of  grace  and  communion  with  Christ, 
that  sometimes  he  knew  not  whether  he  was  in  or 
out  of  the  body,  and  yet  you  find  him  making  bitter 
complaint  of  the  weakness  of  his  grace,  and  of  the 
power  of  his  corruptions.  '  I  am  carnal,'  saith  he, 
and  what  I  hate  that  do  L  '  How  to  perform  that 
which  is  good  I  find  not ;'  '  when  I  would  do  good, 
evil  is  present  with  me.'  'But  I  see  another  law 
in  my  members,  warring  against  the  lav/  of  my 
mind,  and  bringing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of 
sin,  which  is  in  my  members.'  '  0  wretched  man 
that  I  am,'  &lc.  What  complaints,  what  confes- 
sions, what  bewailing  of  weakness  is  here?  And 
what  need  Avas  there  of  any  of  this,  if  Paul  could, 
as  he  Avould,  have  departed  from  iniquity?  Ro. vii. 

I  have  instanced  in  these  four  men,  because  as 
to  failings  and  miscarriages  they  are  as  free — bv 
Avhat  the  holy  record  saith — as  any  fom-  of  Avhose 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUIT  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


525 


lives  you  shall  read  in  all  the  Bible ;  but  you  see 
that  they  were  too  weak  to  do  good  and  depart 
from  iniquity  as  they  wo.ild. 

Grace  may  be  said  to  be  weak,  either  when  a 
lower  or  less  degree  thereof  is  compared  Avith  a 
higher  and  greater  degree  of  the  same ;  or  it  may 
be  said  to  be  weak  when,  in  what  degree  of  it  you 
will,  it  shall  be  engaged  by,  or  engage  itself 
against  sin,  kc. 

There  are  degrees  of  grace  in  the  world,  some 
have  less,  and  some  bigger  measures  thereof,  and 
according  to  the  measure  of  grace  received,  so  is 
a  Christian  capable  of  action.  He  that  has  little, 
acts  but  weakly;  he  that  has  much,  acts  more 
strongly ;  and  he  of  the  saints  that  has  most, 
acteth  best  of  all :  but  yet  none  of  these  three  can 
act  so  as  they  should  and  would,  and,  consequently, 
so  depart  from  iniquity  as  is  their  duty.  Witness 
those  four  that  I  mentioned  but  now,  for  they  are 
among  the  first-rate  of  saints,  yet  you  see  what 
they  did,  and  hear  what  they  said. 

Sin  is  a  mighty  tyi'ant ;  it  is  also  installed  in 
our  flesh,  and  has  moreover  that  in  it  -which 
suiteth  with  whatever  is  sensual  in  us.  The  flesh 
relisheth  it  well,  though  the  spirit  of  the  Christian 
is  against  it. 

Sin  is  an  active  beast,  and  Avill  not  admit  that 
the  sold  should  attempt  to  put  forth  itself  in  any 
good  thing,  without  opposition  and  contradiction. 
*  When  I  could  do  good  evil  is  present  with  me.'* 

Sin  is  of  a  polluting  and  defiling  nature,  and 
what  grace  soever  it  toucheth  it  staiueth,  and  in 
staining  makes  it  weaker,  than  were  it  not  so 
defiled  it  would  be.  Besides,  not  a  grace,  nor  an 
act  of  grace  in  the  soul  can  escape  untouched. 

Unbelief  stands  ready  to  annoy  faith  in  the  grace, 
as  well  as  in  the  act  of  faith. 

Hardness  of  heart  will  not  let  love  so  aftection- 
ately  and  sympathisingly  act  as  it  should. 

Sense  and  reason  being  polluted  will  not  let 
hope  be  so  stedfastly  fixed  upon  unseen  things  as 
it  should. 

Pride  will  not  let  us  be  so  hiunble  as  we  ought, 
nor  sell  so  self-denying.  Passion  often  interrupts 
our  patience,  and  angry  motions  our  meekness. 
By  these,  and  more  that  might  be  named,  it  appears 
that  sin  is  in  us,  opposeth  our  graces,  and  lettetht 
them  from  acting  as  they  should ;  and  because  this 
sin  has  part  of  ourself  in  its  possession,  therefore 
though  our  more  noble  part  be  utterly  against  it, 
yet  we  depart  not  from  it  as  we  should. 

God  charfreth  J\Ioses  v.ith  rash  and  unadvised 


*  Plato  says  that  some  men  are  impotent  by  reason  of  sia ; 
but  Christianity  alone  developes  the  awful  fact,  that  sin  has 
poisoned  our  nature,  and  that  its  eflects  are  felt  by  the  holiest 
of  saints.  The  reference  to  the  experience  of  Paul  in  Eom.vii. 
is  conclusive  of  the  fact. — Ed. 

t'Lettetli;'  hindereth  or  obstructcth :  now  obsolete. — Ed. 


words,  and  so  he  doth  Job  also:  Daniel  did  wear 
the  name  of  an  idol  god,  and  Paul  freely  confesseth 

himself   Unfirm.    Nu.  xx.  13.  Ps.  cvi.  33.  JobxxxTiii.  2;   xliL  6. 
Da.  iv.  8.  Ko.  vii.  24. 

Nor  may  what  hath  now  been  said  be  applied  to 
those  that  are  weak  in  faith,  and  so  in  every  other 
grace ;  for  the  strongest  grace  when  acted  as  well 
as  we  can,  cannot  cause  that  we  depart  from  ini- 
quity as  we  should.  (1.)  Because  the  strongest 
grace  cannot  act  without  opposition.  (2.)  Because 
Ave  that  are  the  actors  are  lame,  infirm,  and  made 
weak  by  sin  that  dwells  in  us,  (3.)  Because  grace 
and  a  state  of  grace  is  not  that  Avherein  the  per- 
fection de.?igned  for  us  doth  lie,  for  that  is  in 
another  world,  {a.)  This  is  a  place  to  act  faith  in. 
(&.)  This  is  a  place  to  labour  and  travel  in.  (c.) 
This  is  a  place  to  fight  and  wrestle  in.  {d.)  This 
is  a  place  to  be  tried  in. 

And  therefore  this  is  no  place  of  perfection,  and 
consequently  no  place  where  God's  people  can 
depart  from  iniquity  as  they  should. 

Now  there  is  a  twofold  way  of  departing  from 
iniquity,  I.  One  is  when  the  mind  is  set  against 
it,  and  withdrawn  from  the  love  and  liking  of  it. 
II.  The  other  is  when  the  practice  of  it  is  shunned 
by  the  whole  man. 

I.  The  first  of  these  ways,  the  saints,  though 
they  truly  do  depart  from  iniquity,  yet  depart  not 
from  it  as  they  should.  (1.)  Their  understanding 
sees  not  the  utmost  baseness  that  is  in  it.  (2.)  Their 
judgment  is  not  informed  about  the  vileness  of  it 
to  perfection.  (3.)  The  conscience  has  not  yet 
been  convinced  of  all  the  evil  that  is  in  it.  Then, 
(a.)  How  should  the  soul  abhor  it  as  it  should  ? 
(6.)  How  shoidd  the  desires  depart  from  it  with 
that  fervency  as  they  should  ?  (c.)  And  the  will 
and  affections  so  turn  away  from  it  as  they 
shoidd  ? 

II.  Second,  As  to  the  shunning  of  the  acts  of 
sin,  there  we  also  come  wonderful  short. 

We  shun  not  the  sins  of  others  as  we  should. 
This  is  made  appear,  (1.)  For  that  we  shun  not 
the  company  of  base  men  as  we  shoidd.  (2.)  Nor 
shun  or  refuse  to  imitate  them  in  their  evil,  as  we 
should.  How  easily  are  good  men  persuaded  to 
comply  with  bad  men's  ways.  Yea,  Jehoshaphat 
himself  said  to  Ahab,  that  base  one :  Behold,  '  I 
am  as  thou  art,  my  people  as  thy  people,  my  horses 
as  thy  horses.'  iKi. xxii. 4-.  Joseph,  could  learn  in 
Pharaoh's  court,  to  '  swear  by  Pharaoh's  life,' 
Ge.  xiii.  15,.  ic.  Peter  also,  when  dissembling,  Avas  in 
fashion  among  the  peoj^Ie,  could  learn  to  dissemble 
likewise.  Ga.ii.  11—14. 

We  shun  not  our  OAA-n  sins,  or  the  sins  of  our 
own  company  as  we  should.  Christians  learn  to 
be  proud  one  of  another,  to  be  covetous  one  of 
another,  to  be  treacherous  and  false  one  of  another, 
to  be  coAvardly  in  God's  matters  one  of  another. 


526 


A  HOLY  LliE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


to  be  remiss  and  negligent  in  christian  duties  one 
of  another. 

Besides,  if  I  should  go  about  to  sliew  here,  how 
Christians  will  hide  iniquity,  as  David.  3  Sa.  xii.  13. 
How  they  will  excuse  it,  as  did  Aaron.  Ex.  xxxii.  22— 
24.  How  they  will  plead  for  it,  as  did  the  men  of 
the  city  of  Joash  for  Baal.  Ju.  vi.  29—31.  and  the 
like,  I  might  soon  make  it  abundantly  appear, 
that  Christians  do  not  depart  from  iniquity  as  they 
should ;  and  therefore  the  exhortation  stands 
good,  and  of  use  to  the  best  of  saints  on  earth, 
tliat  they  and  every  of  them  '  should  depart  from 
iniquity. '  Yea,  the  observation  also  that  they  do 
not  do  it  as  they  should,  doth  still  stand  good 
against  us. 

Whei'efore,  as  it  is  true  in  those  that  have 
nothing  but  notion,  and  thai  it  is  true  in  those 
that  are  wrought  upon,  but  not  effectually,  so  it 
is  true  upon  those  that  are  truly  gracious ;  obser- 
vation proves  it,  fears  of  damnation  prove  it,  the 
outcry  of  the  world  proves  it,  aud  the  conlessiou 
of  the  best  men  proves  it. 

[Observation  Second.] 

I  come  now  to  another  observation  with  which 
I  will  present  you,  and  that  is  this,  namely,  that 
every  one  that  in  way  of  profession  and  religion 
names  tJie  name  of  Christ,  '  should  depart  from 
iniquity. '  I  say,  that  every  one  that  in  a  way  of 
profession  and  religion,  '  nameth  the  name  of 
Christ,  should  depart  from  iniquity.'  This  truth 
needs  more  practice  than  proof.  For  I  think 
there  are  none  that  have  either  scripture  or  reason 
by  them,  but  will  freely  consent  to  this. 

Nor  is  there  any  thing  ambiguous  in  the  obser- 
vation, that  we  need  now  to  stand  upon  the  ex- 
plaining of.     For, 

What  iniquity  is,  who  knows  not  ? 

That  it  cleaves  to  the  best,  who  knows  not  ? 

That  it  is  disgraceful  to  profession,  who  knows 
not  ?  and  therefore  that  it  ought  to  be  departed 
from,  who  knows  not  ? 

But  because  the  motives  in  particular  may  not 
be  so  much  considered  as  they  ought,  and  because 
it  is  Satan's  design  to  tempt  us  to  be  unholy,  and 
to  keep  iniquity  and  the  professing  man  together ; 
therefore  I  will  in  this  place  spend  some  argu- 
ments upon  you  that  profess,  and  in  a  way  of 
profession  do  name  the  name  of  Christ,  that  j-ou 
depart  from  iniquity ;  to  wit,  both  in  the  inward 
thought  and  in  the  outward  practice  of  it.  And 
those  arguments  shall  be  of  four  sorts,  some 
respecting  Christ,  some  his  Father,  some  our- 
selves, and  some  the  world. 

First,  [Arguments  that  reject  Christ.] 

First,  The  Christ,  whom  you  profess,  whose 
name  you  name,  and  whose  disciples  you  pretend 


to  be,  is  holy.  '  Be  ye  holy,  for  I  am  holy,' 
1  Pe.  i.  IG.  This  is  natural  to  our  discourse ;  for  if 
Christ  be  holy,  and  if  Ave  profess  him,  and  in 
professing  of  him,  declare  that  we  are  his  disci- 
ples, we  ought  therefore  to  depart  from  iniquity, 
that  we  may  shew  the  truth  of  our  profession  to 
the  world. 

Secoml,  They  that  thus  name  the  name  of 
Christ  should  depart  from  iniquity,  because  this 
Christ,  whose  name  we  name,  is  loving.  Those 
that  have  a  loving-  master,  a  master  that  is  con- 
tinually extending  his  love  unto  his  servants, 
should  be  forward  in  doing  of  his  will,  that  thereby 
they  may  shew  their  sense,  and  acceptation  of 
the  love  of  their  master.  Why,  this  is  his  will, 
'  that  we  depart  from  iniquity,  that  we  throw  siu 
away ;  that  we  fly  every  appearance  of  evil. '  i  Tii. 

V.  22. 

TJurd,  They  that  thus  name  the  name  of  Christ 
should  depart  from  iniquit}^  because  of  the  honour 
and  reputation  of  the  Lord.  It  is  a  disparage- 
ment to  Christ,  that  any  of  his  servants,  and  that 
any  that  name  his  name,  should  yet  abide  by,  and 
continue  with,  iniquity.  '  A  son  honoureth  his 
father,  aud  a  servant  his  master ;  if  then  I  &e  a 
Father,  where  is  mine  honour  ?  and  if  I  &(2  a  Mas- 
ter, where  is  my  fear  ?  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts, 
unto  you,  0  priests,  that  despise  my  name.  And 
ye   say.  Wherein   have  we  despised  thy  name  V 

Mai.  i.  6. 

Fouiih,  They  that  name  the  name  of  Christ 
should  depart  from  iniquity,  because  of  his  name, 
that  his  name  may  not  be  evil  spoken  of  by  men ; 
for  our  holiness  puts  a  lustre  and  a  beauty  upon 
the  name  of  Christ,  and  our  not  departing  from 
iniquity  draws  a  cloud  upon  it.  Wherefore  Ave 
ought  to  depart  from  iniquity,  that  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  may  be  glorified,  aud  not  reproached 
through  us. 

Fifth,  They  that  name  the  name  of  Christ 
should  depart  from  iniquity,  because  of  the  gospel 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  That  the  gospel  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  they  profess,  may  not 
be  evil  spoken  of  by  our  neighbours.  The  gospel 
is  called  holy,  therefore  let  them  be  holy  that 
profess  it.  2  Pe.  ii.  21.  The  which  they  can  by  no 
means  be,  if  they  depart  not  from  iniquity.  Men 
cannot  serve  the  designs  of  the  gospel,  and  their 
own  worldly  and  fleshly  designs.  But  they  that 
profess  the  name  of  Christ,  they  should  be  tender 
of  his  gospel,  that  they  keep  that  in  good  esteem 
and  reputation  in  the  world.  The  which  they  can 
by  no  means  do,  uuless  they  depart  from  iniquity. 

Sixth,  They  that  name  the  name  of  Christ 
should  depart  from  iniquity,  because  the  very  pro- 
fession of  that  name  is  holy.  The  profession  is 
an  holy  profession.  Be  ye  clean  that  benr  the 
vessels  of  the  Lord ;  the  vessels,  that  is,  the  pro- 


A  HOLY  Lira  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


527 


fession,  for  by  that  is  as  it  were  carried  about 
the  name  and  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  We  must 
therefore  lay  aside  all  iniquitj^  and  superfluity  of 
naughtiness,  and  do  as  persons  professing  godli- 
ness, as  professing  a  profession,  that  Christ  is  the 
priest  of,  yea  the  high-priest  of,  l  Ti.  ii.  lo.  He.  iii.  l. 
It  is  a  reproach  to  any  man  to  be  but  a  bungler 
at  his  profession,  to  be  but  a  sloven  in  his  profes- 
sion. And  it  is  the  honour  of  a  man  to  be  excel- 
lent in  the  managing  of  his  profession.  Christians 
should  be  excellent  in  the  management  of  their 
profession,  and  should  make  that  which  is  good  in 
itself,  good  to  the  church  and  to  the  -world,  by  a 
sweet  and  cleanly  managing  of  it. 

Seventh,  They  that  profess  the  name  of  Christ, 
or  that  name  it  religiously,  should  to  their  utmost 
depart  from  iniquity,  because  of  the  church  of 
Christ  which  is  holy.  He  that  religiously  pro- 
fesseth  the  name  of  Christ,  has  put  himself  into 
the  church  of  Christ,  though  not  into  a  particular 
one,  yet  into  the  universal  one.  Now  tliat  is  holy. 
What  agreement  then  hath  the  temple  of  God 
with  idols  ?  Ay,  or  any  pillar,  or  post,  or  pin,  or 
member  of  that  temple.  2  Co.  vi.  16.  One  black  sheep 
is  quickly  espied  among  five  hundred  white  ones, 
and  one  mangey  one  will  soon  afl'eet  many.  One 
also  among  the  saints,  that  is  not  clean,  is  a  blemish 
to  the  rest,  and,  as  Solomon  says,  •  one  sinner 
destroyeth  much  good.'  Ecix.  18. 

Eighth,  They  that  profess  the  name  of  Christ, 
or  that  name  that  name  rehgiously,  should  depart 
from  iniquity,  because  of  the  ordinances  of  Christ, 
for  they  are  holy,  Ex.  xxx.  17— 31.  IMen  of  old  before 
they  went  in  to  meddle  with  holy  things,  were  to 
wash  their  hands  and  their  feet  in  a  vessel  pre- 
pared for  that  purpose.  Now  since  they  that 
name  that  name  religiously  do  also  meddle  with 
Christ's  appointments,  they  must  also  wash  and 
be  clean ;  cleanse  your  hands  ye  sinner.?,  if  you 
mean  to  meddle  with  Christ  in  his  appointment ; 
wash  lest  God  cut  you  off  for  your  not  departing 
from  iniquity. 

Ninth,  They  that  name  the  name  of  Christ 
religiously  should  depart  from  iniquity,  because  of 
Christ's  observers.  There  are  many  that  keep 
their  eye  upon  Christ,  and  that  watch  for  an 
opportunity  to  speak  against  him,  even  through 
the  sides  of  those  that  profess  him,  'Behold, 
this  ddld  is  set  for  the  fall  and  rising  again  of 
many  in  Israel ;  and  for  a  sign  that  shall  be  spoken 
against,'  Lu. ii, 34  Some  take  occasion  to  speak 
against  him,  because  of  the  meanness  of  his  per- 
son :  here  some  again  speak  against  him,  because 
of  the  plainness  of  his  doctrine  ;  also  some  speak 
against  him,  because  of  the  meanness  of  his  fol- 
loM-ers ;  and  some  speak  against  him,  because  of 
the  evil  deeds  of  some  that  profess  him.  But  if 
he  that  gives  just  occasion  of  offence  to  the  least 


of  the  saints  had  better  be  drowned  in  the  sea  with 
a  mill-stone  about  his  neck ;  what  think  you  shall 
his  judgment  be,  who,  through  his  mingling  of 
his  profession  of  Christ's  name  with  a  wicked  life, 
shall  tempt  or  provoke  men  to  speak  against 
Christ  ? 

Second,  I  come  now  to  those  arguments  thai 
respect  God  the  Father, 

First,  Then,  they  that  profess  the  name  of 
Christ  should  depart  from  iniquity ;  because  of 
God  the  Father,  because  God  the  Father  has  made 
Christ  to  be  to  us  what  he  is ;  to  wit,  the  Apostle 
and  High-priest  of  our  profession.  •  He  that 
honoureth  not  the  Son,  lionoureth  not  the  Father 
which  hath  sent  him.'  1  Co.i.  30.  Jn.  v.  23;  xv. 8.  Nor 
can  the  Father  be  honoured  by  us,  but  by  our 
departing  from  iniquity.  AH  our  talk  and  pro- 
fession of  Christ,  adds  no  glory  to  his  Father,  who 
has  made  him  our  King,  and  Priest,  and  Prophet, 
if  it  be  not  joined  to  an  holy  conversation.  Where- 
fore, if  you  profess  the  name  of  Christ,  and  would 
hold  the  word  in  hand,  that  you  have  believed  in 
him,  depart  from  iniquity,  for  the  Father's  sake 
that  hath  sent  him. 

Seamd,  As  it  is  the  Father  which  hath  made 
Christ  to  us  what  he  is ;  so  it  is  the  Father  who 
hath  called  us  to  partake  of  Christ  and  all  his 
benefits,  '  Wherefore  we  must  depart  from  ini- 
quity that  profess  the  name  of  Christ,  that  we  may 
glorify  him  for  his  call,'  1  Co. i. 9. He. iii.  1.  He  has 
called  us  to  the  fellowship  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ; 
that  is,  to  partake  of  all  that  good  that  is  in  him, 
as  Mediator,  and  to  be  done  by  him  for  those  that 
trust  in  him.  Nor  had  we  ever  come  out  of  a 
cursed  and  condemned  condition,  to  Christ,  for 
life  and  blessedness,  but  by  the  call  of  the  Father; 
*  For  it  is  not  of  works,  but  of  him  that  calleth, ' 
Eo.  hi.  11.  Now  since  he  has  called  us  to  this  privi- 
lege— even  us  whom  he  has  called — and  left  others 
in  their  sins  to  perish  by  his  judgments,  it  is  meet 
we  shoidd  depart  from  iniquity.  He.  iii.  1.  2  Pe.  i.  2, 3. 
Especially  since  the  caU  by  which  he  called  us  is 
heavenly,  and  holy,  and  because  he  has  not  only 
called  us  to  glory,  but  to  virtue. 

Third,  We  that  religiously  name  the  name  of 
Christ,  should  depart  from  iniquity,  because  God 
the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  com- 
manded us  so  to  do.  Wherefore  gird  up  the  loins 
of  your  minds,  be  sober,  and  hope  to  the  end,  for 
the  grace  that  is  to  be  brought  unto  j'ou  at  the 
revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  As  obedient  children, 
not  fashioning  yourselves  according  to  your  former 
lusts  in  your  ignorance ;  but  as  he  that  has  called 
3'ou  is  holy,  so  he  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  con- 
versation :  because  it  is  written,  '  Be  ye  holy,  as 
I  am  holy.' 

Fourth,  They  that  religiously  name  the  name  of 
Christ  should  depart  from  iniquity,  that  they  may 


538 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OE  t'HRTSTIAMTY. 


answer  the  eutl  for  wliich  tliey  are  called  to  profess 
his  name.  The  Fatlier  has,  therefore,  called  them 
to  profess  his  name,  that  they  might  he  trees  of 
righteousness,  the  planting  of  the  Lord,  that  he 
might  be  glorified.  Dost  thou  then  profess  the 
name  of  Christ :  bring  forth  those  fruits  that  become 
tliat  holy  profession,  that  you  may  be  called  '  trees 
of  righteousness,'  and  that  God  may  be  gloritied 
for  and  by  your  professed  subjection  to  the  gospel 
of  his  Son.  Is.  Ixi.  3. 

Fifth,  They  that  name — as  afore — the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  should  depart  from  iniquity, 
that  they  may  shew  to  the  world  the  nature  and 
power  of  those  graces,  which  God  the  Father  has 
bestowed  upon  them  that  do  religiously  name  the 
name  of  Christ.  And  the  rather,  because  he  that 
i-eligiously  nameth  that  name,  declareth  even  by 
his  so  naming  of  him,  that  he  has  received  grace 
of  the  Father,  to  enable  him  so  to  do.  Now  he 
cannot  declare  this  by  deeds,  unless  he  depart  from 
iniquity ;  and  his  declaring  of  it  by  words  alone, 
signifies  little  to  God  or  man.  Ti.  i.  16. 

Sixth,  We  therefore  that  religiously  name  the 
name  of  Christ,  should  also  depart  from  iniquity, 
because  the  Spirit  of  the  Father  will  else  be 
grieved.  Ep.  iv.  so.  The  coimtenancing  of  iniquity, 
the  not  departing  thei'efrom,  will  grieve  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God,  by  which  you  '  are  sealed  to  the  day 
of  redemption  ;'  and  that  is  a  sin  of  a  higher  nature 
than  men  commonly  are  aware  of.  He  that  griev- 
eth  the  Spirit  of  God  shall  smart  for  it  here,  or  in 
Isell,  or  both.  And  that  Spirit  that  sometimes  did 
illuminate,  teach,  and  instruct  them,  can  keep 
silence,  can  cause  darkness,  can  withdraw  itself, 
and  sufier  the  soul  to  sin  more  and  more ;  and  this 
last  is  the  very  judgment  of  judgments.  He  that 
grieves  the  Spirit,  quenches  it  ;  and  he  that 
quenches  it,  vexes  it ;  and  he  that  vexes  it,  sets 
it  against  himself,  and  tempts  it  to  hasten  destruc- 
tion upon  himself,  i  fh.  v.  19.  Wlierefore  take  heed, 
])i-ofessors,  I  say  take  heed,  you  that  religiously 
name  the  name  of  Christ,  that  you  meddle  not  with 
iniquity,  that  you  tempt  not  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
to  do  such  things  against  you,  whose  beginnings 
are  dreadful,  and  whose  end  in  working  of  judg- 
ments is  unsearchable,  is.ixm.  lo.  Ac.  v.  y.  A  man  knows 
not  whither  he  is  going,  nor  where  he  shall  stop, 
that  is  but  entering  into  temptation  ;  nor  wliether 
he  shall  ever  turn  back,  or  go  out  at  the  gap  that 
is  i-ight  before  him.  He  that  has  begun  to  grieve 
tlie  Holy  Ghost,  may  be  suti'ered  to  go  on  until  he 
iias  sinned  that  sin  which  is  called  the  sin  against 
the  Holy  Ghost.  And  if  God  shall  once  give  thee 
up  to  that,  then  tliou  art  in  the  iron  cage,  out  of 
which  there  is  neither  deliverance  nor  I'edemption. 
Let  every  one,  therefore,  that  nameth  the  name  of 
Christ,  depart  from  iniquity,  upon  this  second  con- 
sideration. 


Third,  In  the  next  place,  I  come  now  to  those 
argmtients  Uuit  do  respect  thyself. 

First,  Those  that  religiously  name  the  name  of 
Christ  should,  must,  depart  from  iniquity,  because 
else  our  profession  of  him  is  but  a  lie.  '  If  we 
say  that  we  have  fellowship  with  him,  and  walk  in 
darkness,  we  lie. '  l  Jn.  i.  6.  *  And  walk  in  darkness ;' 
that  is,  and  walk  in  iniquity,  and  take  part  in  a 
life  that  is  according  to  the  course  of  this  world. 
'  He  that  saith,  I  know  him,  and  keepeth  not  his 
commandments,  is  a  liar,  and  the  truth  is  not  in 
him.'  ch.  ii. 4:.  The  truth  that  he  professes  to  know, 
and  that  he  saith  he  hath  experience  of,  is  not  in 
him.  Every  man  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ 
is  not  therefore  a  man  of  God,  nor  is  the  word  in 
every  man's  mouth,  truth,  though  he  makes  pro- 
fession of  that  worthy  name,  i  Ki.  xvii.  3i.  It  is  then 
truth  in  him,  and  to  others  with  reference  to  him, 
when  his  mouth  and  his  life  shall  agree.  Re.  ii.  2, 9; 
iii.  9.  Men  may  say  they  are  apostles,  and  be  liars : 
they  may  say  they  are  Jews,  that  is,  Christians, 
and  lie,  and  be  liars,  and  lie  in  so  saying.  Now 
this  is  the  highest  kind  of  lying,  and  certainly 
must  therefore  work  the  saddest  sort  of  eflfects. 
Thus  man's  best  things  are  lies.  His  very  saying, 
1  know  him,  1  have  fellowship  with  him,  I  am  a 
Jew,  a  Christian,  is  a  lie.  His  life  giveth  his 
mouth  the  lie :  and  all  knowing  men  are  sure  he 
lies.  1.  He  lies  unto  God:  he  speaks  lies  in  the 
presence,  and  to  the  very  face  of  God.  Now  this 
is  a  daring  thing :  I  know  their  lies,  saith  he ;  and 
shall  he  not  recompence  for  this  ?  See  Ac.  v.  i.  Re. 
xxi.  8,  27;  xxii.  1.5.  and  take  heed.  I  speak  to  you  that 
religiously  name  the  name  of  Christ,  and  yet  do 
not  depart  from  iniquity.  2.  He  lies  unto  men ; 
every  knowing  man ;  every  man  that  is  able  to 
j  udge  of  the  tree  by  the  fruit,  knows  that  that  man 
is  a  liar,  and  that  his  whole  profession  as  to  him- 
self is  a  lie,  if  he  doth  not  depart  from  iniquity. 
Thus  Paul  called  the  slow  bellies,*  the  unsound 
professors  among  the  Cretians,  liars.  They  were 
so  in  his  eyes,  for  that  their  profession  of  the 
name  of  Christ  was  not  seconded  with  such  a 
life  as  became  a  people  professing  godliness.  Tit. 
i.  12—16.  They  did  not  depart  from  iniquity.  But 
again,  3.  Such  a  man  is  a  liar  to  his  own  soul. 
Wluitever  such  an  one  jtromiseth  to  himself,  his 
soul  will  find  it  a  lie.  There  be  many  in  the 
world  that  profess  the  name  of  Christ,  and  con- 
sequently promise  their  soul  the  enjo^nnent  of  that 
good,  that  indeed  is  wrapt  up  in  him,  but  they  will 
certainly  be  mistaken  hereabout,  and  with  the 
greatest  terror  will  find  it  so,  when  they  shall  hear 
that  direful  sentence,  '  Depart  from  me,  all  ye 
workers  of  iniquity.'  Lu.  xiii.  27.     Christ  is  resolved 


*   '  Slow  bellies ; '  gluttons,  drunkards,  slothful,  idle,  eating 
the  bread  of  others  without  workiii"-. — MjD. 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


529 


that  the  loose-lived  professor  shall  not  stand  in  the 
judgment,  nor  any  such  sinners  in  the  congrega- 
tion of  the  righteous.  They  have  lied  to  God,  to 
men,  and  to  themselves ;  hut  Jesus  then  Avill  not 
lie  unto  them :  he  will  plainly  tell  them  that  he 
hath  not  known  them,  and  that  they  shall  not 
abide  in  his  presence.     But, 

Second,  Those  that  religiously  name  the  name 
of  Christ  should  depart  from  iniquity,  else,  as  they 
are  liars  in  their  profession,  so  they  are  self- 
deceivers.  I  told  you  but  now  such  lie  to  them- 
selves, and  so  consequently  they  deceive  themselves. 
'  But  be  ye  doers  of  the  word,  and  not  hearers 
only,  deceiving  your  ownselves. '  Ja.  i.  22.  It  is  a  sad 
thing  for  a  man,  in  and  abotit  eternal  things,  to 
prove  a  deceiver  of  others  ;  but  for  a  man  to  deceive 
himself,  his  ownself  of  eternal  life,  this  is  saddest 
of  all ;  yet  there  is  in  man  a  propenseness  so  to 
do.  Hence  the  apostle  says,  be  not  deceived,  and 
let  no  man  deceive  himself.  And  again,  ver.  26.  *  If 
any  man  among  you  seem  to  be  religious,  and 
bridletli  not  his  tongue,  but  deceiveth  his  own 
heart,  this  man's  religion  is  vain.'  These  words, 
'  hut  deceiveth  his  own  heart,'  1  have  much  mused 
about:  for  they  seem  to  rae  to  be  spoken  to  sliow 
how  bold  and  prodigiously  desperate  some  men  are, 
who  yet  religiously  name  the  name  of  Christ: 
desperate,  I  say,  at  self-deceiving.  He  deceiveth 
his  own  heart ;  he  otherwise  persuadeth  it,  than  of 
its  ownself  it  would  go :  ordinarily  men  are  said  to 
be  deceived  by  their  hearts,  but  here  is  a  man  that 
is  said  to  deceive  his  own  heart,  flattering  it  oif 
from  the  scent  and  dread  of  those  convictions,  that 
by  the  Word,  sometimes  it  hath  been  under:  per- 
suading of  it  that  there  needs  no  such  strictness  of 
life  be  added  to  a  profession  of  faith  in  Christ,  as 
b}^  the  gospel  is  called  for :  or  that  since  Christ  has 
died  for  us,  and  rose  again,  and  since  salvation  is 
alone  in  him,  we  need  not  be  so  concerned,  or  be 
so  strict  to  matter  how  we  live.  This  man  is  a 
self-deceiver ;  he  deceives  his  own  heart.  Self- 
deceiving,  and  that  about  spiritual  and  eternal 
things,  especially  when  men  do  it  willingly,  is  one 
of  the  most  unnatural,  uin-easonable,  and  unaccount- 
alde  actions  in  the  world.  1.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
unnatural  actions ;  for  here  a  man  seeks  his  ovm 
ruin,  and  privily  lurks  fot  his  own  life.  Pr.i.i8.  We 
all  cry  out  against  him  that  murders  his  children, 
his  Avife,  or  his  own  body,  and  condemn  him  to  be 
one  of  those  tliat  has  foi-got  the  rules  and  love  of 
nature.  But  behold  tlie  man  under  consideration 
is  engaged  in  such  designs  as  will  terminate  in  his 
own  destruction:  he  deceiA'eth  his  own  soul.  2. 
This  is  also  the  most  unreasonable  act ;  there  can 
no  cause,  nor  crum  of  cause  that  has  the  least 
spark  or  dram  of  reason,  or  of  anything  that  looks 
like  reason,  be  shown  why  a  inau  should  deceive 
himself,  and  bereave  his  soul  of  eternal  life.    Tlicre- 

VOL.  II. 


fore,  3.  Such  men  are  usually  passed  over  with 
astonishment  and  silence.  '  Be  astonished,  0  ye 
heavens,  at  this  !  and  be  horribly  afraid,  for  ray 
people  have  committed  two  evils ;  they  have  for- 
saken me  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  and  hewed 
them  out  cisterns,  broken  cisterns,  that  can  hold 
no  water. '  Je.  ii.  11—13. 

But,  above  all  this,  as  to  this  head,  is  tlie  most 
amazing  place,  where  it  is  said,  that  the  self- 
deceiver  makes  his  self-deceiving  his  sport:  '  Sport- 
ing themselves  with  their  own  deceivings.' 2re.ii.  13. 
These  are  a  people  far  gone,  to  be  sure,  that  are 
arrived  to  such  a  height  of  negligence,  careles.sness, 
wantonness,  and  desperateness  of  spirit,  as  to  take 
pleasure  in,  and  make  a  sport  of,  that  which  will 
assuredly  deceive  them  for  ever.  But  this  is  the 
fruit  of  professing  of  Christ,  and  of  not  departing 
from  iniquity.  The  wisdom  and  judgment  of  God 
is  such,  as  to  give  such  over  to  the  sporting  of 
themselves  in  their  own  deceivings. 

Fourth,    [^lliose    arguments   that    respect   tiii: 

WORLD.  ] 

First,  Those  that  religiously  name  the  name  of 
Christ  should  depart  from  iniquity,  because  of  the 
scandal  that  will  else  assuredly  come  upon  religion, 
and  the  things  of  religion,  through  them.  Upon 
this  head  I  may  begin  to  write  with  a  sigh,  for 
never  more  01  this  kind  than  now  !  There  is  no 
place,  Avhere  the  professors  of  religion  are,  that  is 
clean  and  free  from  offence  and  scandal.  Iniquity 
is  so  entailed  to  religion,  and  baseness  of  life  to 
the  naming  of  the  name  of  Christ,  that  one  may 
say  of  the  professors  of  this  age,  as  it  was  said  of 
them  of  old,  '  All  tables  are  full  of  vomit  and  filthi. 
ness,  SQ  tluU  there  'is  no  place  clean.'  is. xxviii. 8. 
Where  are  they  even  amongst  those  that  strive  for 
tlie  rule,  that  mind  it  at  all,  when  it  pinches  upon 
their  lusts,  their  pride,  avarice,  and  wantonness  ? 
Are  not,  now-a-days,  the  bulk  of  professors  like 
those  that  '  strain  at  a  gnat  and  swallow  a  camel  ? ' 
Mat.  xxiii.  24.  Yea,  do  not  professors  teach  the  wicked 
ones  to  be  wicked  ?  Je.  ii.  33.  Ah  !  Lord  God,  this 
is  a  lamentation,  and  will  be  for  a  lamentation. 
What  a  sore  disease  is  now  got  into  the  church  of 
God,  that  the  generality  of  j^rofessors  should  walk 
with  scandal ! 

No  fashion,  no  vanity,  no  profuseness,  and  yet 
no  niggardliness,  but  is  found  among  professors. 
They  pinch  the  poor,  and  nip  from  them  their  due, 
to  maintain  their  own  pride  and  vanity.  I  sliall 
not  need  to  instance  particulars ;  for  from  the  I'ich 
to  the  poor,  from  the  pastor  to  the  people,  from  the 
master  to  his  man,  and  from  tlie  mistress  to  her 
maiden,  all  are  guilty  of  scandal,  and  of  rej)roach- 
ing,  by  their  lives,  the  name  of  the  Lord ;  for  they 
profess,  and  name  that  worthy  name  of  Christ,  but 
are  not  as  they  should  be,  departed  from  iniquity. 

1 .  Hence  the  name  of  God  is  polluted  and 
3  X 


530 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


reproached,  even  till  God  is  weary  and  cries  out, 
'  Pollute  ye  my  name  no  more  with  your  gifts 
and  with  your  idols.'  Eze.  xx.  S9.  0  do  not  pollute 
ray  name,  says  God ;  rather  leave  off  profession, 
and  go  every  one  to  his  wickedness.  Tell  the 
world,  if  you  will  not  depart  from  iniquity,  that 
Christ  and  you  are  parted,  and  that  you  have  left 
him,  to  be  embraced  by  them  to  whom  iniquity  is 
an  abomination.  It  would  far  better  secure  the 
name  of  God  from  scandal  and  reproach,  than  for 
you  to  name  the  name  of  Christ,  and  yet  not  to 
depart  from  iniquity.  Then,  though  you  sin,  as 
now  you  do,  the  poor  world  would  not  cry  out.  Ay, 
this  is  your  religion  !  Then  they  would  not  have 
occasion  to  vilify  religion  because  of  you,  since  you 
tell  them  that  Christ  and  you  are  parted.     But, 

2.  If  you  will  not  leave  oS  to  name  the  name  of 
Christ,  nor  yet  depart  from  iniquity,  you  also  scan- 
dal the  sincere  professors  oi  rehgion,  and  that  is  a 
grievous  thing.  There  are  a  people  in  the  world 
that  have  made  it  their  business,  ever  since  they 
knew  Christ,  to  cleanse  themselves  from  all  filthi- 
ness  of  flesh  and  spirit,  and  that  desire  to  perfect 
holiness  in  the  fear  of  God ;  and  you  scandalous 
professors  mixing  yourselves  with  them,  '  make 
their  gold  look  dim. '  La.  iv.  i.  You  are  spots  and 
blemishes  to  them ;  Jude  1-3.  you  are  an  evil  mixing 
itself  with  their  good,  and  a  scandal  to  their  holy  pro- 
fession. 2  Pe.  ii.  13.  You  are  they  that  make  the  heart 
of  the  righteous  sad,  Avhom  God  would  not  have 
sad ;  you  are  they  that  offend  his  little  ones.  Oh  ! 
the  millstone  that  God  will  shortly  hang  about 
your  necks,  when  the  time  is  come  that  you  must 
be  drowned  in  the  sea  and  deluge  of  God's  wrath. 

3.  If  you  will  not  leave  off  to  name  the  name  of 
Christ,  nor  yet  depart  from  iniquity,  you  continue 
to  extend  your  scandal  also  to  the  word  and  doc- 
trine of  God.  They  that  name  the  name  of  Jesus 
religiously,  should  so  carry  it  in  the  world,  that 
they  might  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  their  Sa- 
viour ;  but  thou  that  professest  and  yet  departest 
not  from  iniquity,  thou  causest  the  name  and  doc- 
trine which  thou  professest  to  be  blasphemed  and 
reproached  by  the  men  of  this  world ;  and  that  is 
a  sad  thing,  a  thing  that  will  bring  so  heavy  a  load 
upon  thee,  when  God  shall  open  thine  eyes,  and  he 
will  open  them  either  here  or  in  hell-fire,  that  thou 
Avilt  repent  it  with  great  bitterness  of  soul,  i  tl  vL  i. 
Ti.  ii.  5, 10.  The  Lord  smite  thee  to  the  making  of 
thee  sensible  to  thy  shame  and  conversion,  if  it  be 
his  blessed  will.     Amen  !     But, 

4.  If  thou  wilt  not  leave  off  to  name  the  name 
of  Christ,  nor  yet  depart  from  iniquity,  thou  wilt 
bring  reproach,  scorn,  and  contempt  upon  thyself. 
For  '  sin  is  a  reproach  to  any  people.'  Pr.  xiv.  34.  (1.) 
These  are  they  that  God  will  hold  in  great  con- 
tempt and  scorn,  is.  i.  (2.)  These  are  they  that  his 
people  shall  have  in  great  contempt.     '  Therefore,' 


saith  he,  '  have  T  also  made  you  contemptible  and 
base  before  all  the  people,  according  as  ye  have 
not  kept  my  ways,'  but  have  lifted  up  the  face 
against  my  law,*  Mai.  ii.  9.  Je.  xxv.  9,  is.  3.  Such  shall 
also  be  contemned  and  had  in  derision  of  the  men 
of  this  Avorld.  They  shall  be  a  hissing,  a  bye- 
word,  a  taunt,  and  a  reproach  among  all  people. 
'  For  them  that  honour  me, '  saith  God,  '  I  will 
honour,  and  they  that  despise  me  shall  be  lightly 
esteemed.'  l  Sa.ii.  so.  I  remember  that  Philpot  used 
to  tell  the  Papists  that  they  danced  with  their 
buttocks  uncovered,  in  a  net,  because  of  the  evil 
of  their  ways ;  is.  xx.  4.  and  the  Lord  bids  profes- 
sors have  a  care,  '  that  the  shame  ot  thy  naked- 
ness do  not  appear,'  or  lest  they  walk  naked,  and 
their  shame  be  discovered ;  for  those  professors 
that  depart  not  from  iniquity,  however  they  think 
of  themselves,  their  nakedness  is  seen  of  others: 
and  if  it  be  a  shame  to  the  modest  to  have  their 
nakedness  seen  of  others,  what  bold  and  brazen 
brows  have  they  who  are  not  ashamed  to  show  their 
nakedness,  yea,  the  very  shame  of  it,  to  all  that 
dwell  about  them  ?  And  yet  thus  doth  every  one 
that  religiously  names  the  name  of  Christ,  and  yet 
doth  not  depart  from  iniquity. 

Second,  Those  that  religiously  name  the  name 
of  Christ,  and  do  not  depart  from  iniquity,  they 
are  the  cause  of  the  perishing  of  many.  '  Woe,' 
saith  Christ,  '  unto  the  world  because  of  offences,' 
Milt,  xviii.  7.  And  again,  '  Woe  to  that  man  by  whom 
the  offence  cometh!'  These  are  they  that  cause 
many  to  stumble  at  sin,  and  fall  into  hell.  Hark, 
you  that  are  such,  what  God  says  to  you :  '  Ye 
have  caused  many  to  stumble  at  the  law,'  and  at 
religion,  Mai.  iL  &.  Men  that  are  for  taking  ai  occa- 
sion, you  give  it  them  ;  men  that  would  enter  into 
the  kingdom,  you  puzzle  and  confound  them  with 
your  iniquity,  Avhile  you  name  the  name  oi  Christ, 
and  do  not  depart  therefrom.  One  sinner  destroyeth 
much  good ;  these  are  the  men  that  encourage  the 
vile  to  be  yet  more  vile ;  these  be  the  men  that 
quench  weak  desires  in  others ;  and  these  be  the 
men  that  tempt  the  ignorant  to  harden  themselves 
against  their  own  salvation.  A  professor  that 
hath  not  forsaken  his  iniquity,  is  like  one  that 
comes  out  of  the  pest-house,  among  the  whole,  with 
his  plaguey  sores  running  upon  him.  This  is  the 
man  that  hath  the  breath  of  a  dragon,  he  poisons 
the  air  round  about  him.  This  is  the  man  that 
slays  his  children,  his  kinsmen,  his  friends,  and 
himself.  What  shall  I  say  ?  A  man  that  nameth 
the  name  of  Christ,  and  that  departeth  not  from 
iniquity,  to  whom  may  he  be  compared  ?  The 
Pharisees,  for  that  they  professed  religion,  but 
walked  not  answerable  thereto,  unto  what  doth 
Christ  compare  them  but  to  serpents  and  vipers  ? 

*  Mardn, 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


531 


What  does  he  call  them  but  hypocrites,  whited 
walls,  painted  sepulchres,  fools,  and  blind  ?  and 
tells  them  that  they  made  men  more  the  children 
of  hell  than  they  were  before.  Mat.  xxiii.  Wherefore 
such  an  one  cannot  go  out  of  the  -world  by  him- 
self: for  as  he  gave  occasion  of  scandal  when  he 
was  in  the  world,  so  is  he  the  cause  of  the  damna- 
tion of  many.  '  The  fruit  of  the  righteous  is  a  tree 
of  life. '  Pr.  xL  30.  But  what  is  the  fruit  of  the  wicked, 
of  the  professors  that  are  wicked  ?  why,  not  to 
perish  alone  in  their  iniquity.  Job  xxiL  20.  These,  as 
the  dragon,  draw  many  of  the  stars  of  heaven,  and 
cast  them  to  the  earth  with  their  most  stinking  tail. 
Re.  xii.  4.  Cast  many  a  professor  into  earthly  and 
carnal  delights,  with  their  most  filthy  conversations. 

The  apostle  did  use  to  weep  when  he  spake  of 
these  professors,  such  oifence  he  knew  they  were 
and  woidd  be  in  the  world.  Ac.  xx.  so.  piiL  iii.  18,  19. 
These  are  the  chief  of  the  engines  of  Satan,  with 
these  he  worketh  wonders.  One  Baalam,  one 
Jeroboam,  one  Ahab.  0  how  many  fish  bring 
such  to  Satan's  net !  These  are  the  tares  that  he 
strives  to  sow  among  the  wheat,  for  he  knows  they 
are  mischief  to  it.  '  Wherefore,  let  every  one  that 
nameth  the  name  of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity. ' 

Fifth,  Those  that  religiously  name  the  name  of 
Christ,  and  do  not  depart  from  iniquity,  how  will 
they  die ;  and  how  will  they  look  that  man  in  the 
face,  unto  the  profession  of  whose  name  they  have 
entailed  an  unrighteous  conversation  ?  Or  do  they 
think  that  he  doth  not  know  what  they  have  done, 
or  that  they  may  take  him  off  with  a  few  cries  and 
wringing  of  hands,  when  he  is  on  the  throne  to  do 
judgment  against  transgressors  ?  Oh !  it  had  been 
better  they  had  not  known,  had  not  professed ; 
yea,  better  they  had  never  been  born  ;  for  as  Christ 
said  of  Judas,  so  may  it  be  said  of  these,  it  had 
been  good  for  that  man  if  he  had  never  been  born  ; 
and  as  Christ  says  it  had  been  good,  so  Peter  says 
it  had  been  better.  Mar.  xiv.  21. 2  Pe.  ii.  20, 21.  Good  they 
had  not  been  born,  and  better  they  had  not  known 
and  made  profession  of  the  name  of  Christ. 

But  perhaps  some  may  ask  me. 

What  iniquity  xicEr  must  depart  from  that 

RELIGIOUSLY  NAME  THE  NAME  OF  ChRIST  ? 

First,  I  answer  first,  in  general,  those  that  reli- 
giously profess  the  name  of  Christ,  mvM  depart 
from  ALL  iniquity.  They  should  lay  aside  every 
weight ;  they  should  fly  '  all  appearance  of  evil. ' 
He.  sii.  2. 1  Th.  v.  23.  Many  there  be  that  are  willing 
to  part  with  some  sins,  some  pleasures,  some  unjust 
profits,  if  they  may  be  saved ;  but  this  selling  of 
all,  parting  with  all,  forsaking  of  all,  is  a  very  hard 
chapter. 

And  yet  the  Lord  Jesus  laj-s  it  there,  saying  so 
likewise,  '  whosoever  he  be  of  you,''  of  any  of  you 
that  professeth  my  name,  '  that  forsaketh  not  all 
that  he  hath,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple.'  Lu.  xiv.  33. 


Christ  by  this  text  requireth  more  of  them  that  are 
his  than  to  forsake  all  iniquity.  Wherefore,  to  be 
sure,  every  sin  is  included.  No  less  than  univer- 
sal obedience  will  prove  a  man  sincere.  A  divided 
heart  is  a  faulty  one.  Ho.x.  2.  He  that  forsaketh 
not  every  sin  is  partial  in  the  law,  nor  can  he  have 
respect  to  all  God's  commandments.  Joii  xx.  is.  Jn.  xiv. 
21—24.  There  can  be  no  true  love  to  Christ  where 
there  are  reserves ;  he  that  will  hide  any  one  sin 
in  his  bosom,  or  that  will  keep  it,  as  the  phrase 
is,  under  his  tongue,  is  a  secret  enemy  to  Jesus 
Christ.  He  loveth  not  Christ  that  keepeth  not 
his  sayings.  To  halt  between  two  is  naught,  and 
no  man  can  serve  two  masters.  Christ  is  a  mas- 
ter, and  sin  is  a  master ;  yea,  and  masters  are 
they  so  opposite,  that  he  that  at  all  shall  cleave  to 
the  one  shall  by  the  other  be  counted  his  enemy. 
If  sin  at  all  be  countenanced,  Christ  counts  him- 
self despised.  W'hat  man  would  count  himself 
beloved  of  his  wife  that  knows  she  hath  a  bosom 
for  another  ?  '  Thou  shalt  not  be  for  anotJier  man, ' 
saith  he,  *  so  tvill  I  be  for  thee.'  Ho. iii.  3.  Would 
the  king  count  him  a  loyal  subject  who  would  hide 
in  his  house,  nourish  in  his  bed,  and  feed  at  his 
table,  one  that  implacably  hateth  and  seeketh  to 
murder  his  majesty  ?  Why,  sin  is  such  an  enemy 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  therefore,  as  kings  com- 
mand that  traitors  be  delivered  up  to  justice,  so 
Christ  commands  that  we  depart  from  iniquity. 
'  Take  away  all  iniquity,'  is  a  good  prayer,  and  to 
'  resist  mito  blood,  stri\ang  against  sin,'  is  a  good 
warfare,  and  he  that  brings  '  every  thought  to  the 
obedience  of  Christ'  gets  a  brave  victory.  Ho.  xiv.  2. 
He.  xii.  4.  2  Co.  X.  5.  Grace  leaveneth  the  whole  soid, 
and  so  consequently  all  the  parts  thereof.  Now 
where  the  whole  is  leavened,  the  taste  must  needs 
be  the  same  throughout.  Grace  leaves  no  power, 
faculty,  or  passion  of  the  soul  unsanctified,  where- 
fore there  is  no  corner  in  a  sanctified  soul  where 
sin  may  hide  his  head,  to  find  rest  and  abode  with- 
out control.  Consequently,  he  that  has  a  harbour 
for  this  or  that  sin,  and  that  can  find  a  hiding- 
place  and  an  abode  for  it  in  his  heart,  is  no  Chris- 
tian man.  Let  them  then  that  christianly  name 
the  name  of  Christ,  make  it  manifest  that  they  do 
not  do  it  feignedly,  by  departing  from  iniquity. 
But, 

Second,  And  more  particularly,  they  that  name 
the  name  of  Christ,  as  above,  let  tliem  depait  from 
their  constitution-sin,  or,  if  you  will,  the  sin  that 
their  temper  most  inclines  them  to.  Every  man 
is  not  alike  inclined  to  the  same  sin,  but  some  to 
one  and  some  to  another.  Now  let  the  man  that 
professes  the  name  of  Christ  religiously,  consider 
with  himself,  unto  what  sin  or  vanity  am  I  most 
inclined  ;  Is  it  pride  ?  Is  it  covetousness  ?  Is  it 
fleshly  lusts  ?  And  let  him  labour,  by  aU  means, 
to  leave  off  and  depart  from  that.     This  is  that 


532 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


which  David  called  his  own  iniquity,  and  saith,  '  I 
was  also  upright  before  him,  and  I  kept  myself 
from  mine  iniquity.' Ps.xvUi.  23.  Rightly  are  these 
two  put  together,  for  it  is  not  possible  that  he 
should  be  an  upright  man  that  indulgeth  or  coun- 
tenanceth  his  constitution-sin  ;  but  on  the  contrary, 
lie  that  keeps  himself  from  tliat  will  be  upright  as 
to  all  the  rest;  and  the  I'eason  is,  because  if  a 
man  has  that  grace,  as  to  trample  upon  and  mor- 
tify his  darling,  his  bosom,  his  only  sin,  he  will 
more  easily  and  more  heartily  abhor  and  fly  the 
rest. 

And,  indeed,  if  a  man  will  depart  from  iniquity, 
he  must  depart  from  his  darling  sin  first ;  for  as 
long  as  that  is  entertained,  the  others,  at  least 
those  that  are  most  suiting  with  that  darling,  will 
always  be  haunting  of  him.  There  is  a  man  that 
has  such  and  such  haunt  his  house,  and  spend  his 
substance,  and  would  be  rid  of  them,  but  cannot ; 
but  now,  let  him  rid  himself  of  that,  for  the  sake 
of  which  they  haunt  his  house,  and  then  he  shall 
with  ease  be  rid  of  them.  Thus  it  is  with  sin. 
There  is  a  man  that  is  plagued  with  many  sins, 
perhaps  because  he  embraceth  one :  well,  let  him 
turn  that  one  out  of  doors,  and  that  is  the  way  to 
be  rid  of  the  rest.  Keep  thee  from  thy  darling, 
thy  bosom,  thy  constitution-sin, 

JMotives  to  prevail  with  thee  to  fall  in  with  this 
exhortation,  are  several. 

1.  There  can  no  great  change  appear  in  thee, 
make  what  profession  of  Christ  thou  wilt,  unless 
thou  cast  away  thy  bosom  sin.  A  man's  constitu- 
tion-sin is,  as  I  may  call  it,  his  visible  sin ;  it  is 
that  by  which  his  neighbours  know  him  and  describe 
him,  whether  it  be  pride,  covetousness,  lightness, 
or  the  like.  Now  if  these  abide  with  thee,  though 
thou  shouldest  be  much  reformed  in  thy  notions, 
and  in  other  parts  of  thy  life,  yet  say  thy  neigh- 
bours, he  is  the  same  man  still ;  his  faith  has  not 
saved  him  from  his  darling ;  he  was  proud  afore, 
and  is  proud  still ;  was  covetous  afore,  and  is 
covetous  still ;  was  light  and  wanton  afore,  and  is 
so  still.  He  is  the  same  man,  though  he  has  got 
a  new  mouth.  But  now,  if  thy  constitution-sin  be 
parted  with,  if  thy  darling  be  cast  away,  thy  con- 
version is  apparent,  it  is  seen  of  all,  for  the  casting 
away  of  that  is  death  to  the  rest,  and  ordinarily 
makes  a  change  throughout. 

2.  So  long  as  thy  constitution-sin  remains,  as 
winked  at  by  thee,  so  long  thou  art  an  hypocrite 
before  God,  let  thy  profession  be  what  it  will ;  also, 
when  conscience  shall  awake  and  be  commanded 
to  speak  to  thee  plainly  what  thou  art,  it  will  tell 
thee  so,  to  thy  no  little  vexation  and  perplexity. 

3.  Besides,  do  what  thou  canst,  so  long  as  thou 
rcmainest  thus  thou  wilt  be  of  a  scandalous  life. 
]S'o  honour  is  brought  to  religion  by  such.     But, 

Again,  As  they  that  name  the  name  of  Christ 


should  depart  from  their  constitution- sin,  so  they 
should  depart  from  the  sins  of  other  men's  tempers 
also.  Much  harm  among  professors  is  done  by 
each  others'  sins.  There  is  a  man  that  has  clean 
escaped  from  those  who  live  in  error,  has  shaken 
oif  the  carnal  world  and  the  men  thereof,  and  is 
come  among  professors  ;  but,  behold,  there  also  he 
meeteth  with  wicked  men,  with  men  that  have  not 
departed  from  iniquity ;  and  there  he  is  entangled. 
This  is  a  sad  thing,  and  yet  so  it  is.  I  doubt  there 
are  some  in  the  world,  I  mean  professors,  that  will 
curse  the  day  that  ever  they  were  acquainted  with 
some  professors.  There  are  professors  that  are 
defilers,  professors  tliat  are  '  wicked  men,'  profes- 
sors of  whom  a  wicked  man  may  learn  to  sin.  Je.v. 
26 ;  ii.  S3.  Takelieed  of  these,  lest,  having  fled  from 
thine  own  sins,  thou  shouldest  be  taken  with  the 
sins  of  others.  '  Be  not  partakers  of  other  men's 
sins, '  is  the  counsel  and  cauiion  that  Paul  giveth  to 
Timothy,  if  he  would  keep  himself  pure,  l  Ti.  v.  22. 

4.  Dost  thou  profess  the  name  of  Christ,  and 
dost  thou  pretend  to  be  a  man  departing  from  ini- 
quity ?  Then  take  heed  thou  dost  not  deceive 
thyself,  by  changing  one  bad  Avay  of  sinning  for 
another  bad  way  of  sinning.  This  was  a  trick 
that  Israel  played  of  old ;  for  when  God's  prophets 
followed  them  hard  with  demands  of  repentance 
and  reformation,  then  they  would  '  gad  about  to 
change  their  ways,'  Jc.ii.  36.  But,  behold,  they 
would  not  change  a  bad  way  for  a  good,  but  one 
bad  way  for  another,  hopping,  as  the  squirrel,  from 
bough  to  bough,  but  not  willing  to- forsake  the  tree. 
Hence  they  were  said  to  return,  but  not  to  the 
Most  High.  Take  heed,  I  say,  of  this.  Many 
leave  ofi'  to  be  drunkards,  and  fall  in  with- covet- 
ousness. Many  fall  oft'  from  covetousness  to  pride 
and  laciviousness  :  take  heed  of  this.  Ho.  vii.  16.  This 
is  a  grand  deceit,  and  a  common  one  too,  a  deceit 
of  a  long  standing,  and  almost  a  disease  epidemi- 
cal among  professors. 

Many  times  men  change  their  darling  sins,  as 
some  change  their  wives  and  servants :  that  wdiich 
would  serve  for  such  an  one  this  year  may  not  serve 
to  be  so  for  the  year  ensuing.  Hypocrisy  would 
do  awhile  ago,  but  now  debauchery.  Profaneness 
would  do  when  profaneness  was  in  fashion,  but  now 
a  deceitful  profession.  Take  heed,  professor,  that 
thou  dost  not  throw  away  thy  old  darling  sin  for  a 
new  one.  Men's  tempers  alter.  Youth  is  for 
pride  and  wantonness ;  middle  age  for  cunning  and 
craft;  old  age  for  the  world  and  covetousness. 
Take  heed,  therefore,  of  deceit  in  this  thing. 

5.  Dost  thou  profess  the  name  of  Christ,  and 
dost  thou  pretend  to  be  a  man  departing  from  ini- 
quity ?  take  heed,  lest  thy  departing  from  iniquity 
should  be  but  for  a  time.  Some  do  depart  from 
iniquity,  as  persons  in  wrangling  fits  depart  from 
one  another ;    to  Avit,   for  a  time,  but  when  the 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTLVNITY 


533 


quarrel  is  over,  by  means  of  some  intercessor,  they 
are  reconciled  again.  0 !  Satan  is  the  intercessor 
between  the  soul  and  sin,  and  though  the  breach 
between  these  two  may  seem  to  be  irrecoucileable  ; 
yea,  though  the  soul  hath  sworn  it  will  never  give 
countenance  to  so  vile  a  thing  as  sin  is  more ;  yet 
he  can  tell  how  to  make  up  this  dift'erence,  and  to 
fetch  them  back  to  their  vomit  again,  who,  one 
would  have  thought,  had  qiiite  escaped  his  sins, 
and  been  gone.  2  Pe.  u.  18—23.  Take  heed,  therefore, 
0  prcfessor.  For  there  is  danger  of  this,  and  the 
height  of  danger  lies  in  it;  and  I  think,  that 
Satan,  to  do  this  thing,  makes  use  of  those  sins 
again,  to  begin  this  rejoinder,  Avhich  he  fiudeth 
most  suitable  to  the  temper  and  constitution  of  the 
sinner.  These  are,  as  I  may  call  them,  the  mas- 
ter sins ;  they  suit,  they  jump  with  the  temper  of 
the  sold.  These,  as  the  little  end  of  the  wedge, 
enter  with  ease,  and  so  make  way  for  those  that 
come  after,  with  which  Satan  knows  he  can  rend 
the  soul  in  pieces.     Wherefore, 

6.  To  help  this,  take  heed  of  parleying  with  thy 
sins  again,  when  once  thou  hast  departed  from 
them:  sin  has  a  smooth  tongue;  if  thou  hearken 
to  its  enchanting  language,  ten  thousand  to  one 
but  thou  art  entangled.  See  the  saying  of  the 
wise  man,  '  with  her  much  fair  speech  she  caused 
him  to  yield,  with  the  flattering  of  her  lips  she 
forced  him.  He  goeth  after  her  straightway,  as 
an  ox  goeth  to  the  slaughter,  or  as  a  fool  to  the 
correction  of  the  stocks. '  Pr.  \-ii.  21, 22.  He  heard  her 
charm,  and  by  hearing  is  noosed,  and  led  away  to 
her  house,  which  is  the  way  to  hell,  '  going  down  to 
the  chambers  of  death.'  Take  heed,  therefore,  ot 
listening  to  the  charms  wherewith  sin  enchanteth 
the  soul.  In  this,  be  like  the  deaf  adder,  stop 
thine  ear,  plug  it  up  to  sin,  and  let  it  only  be  open 
to  hear  the  words  of  God. 

Third,  Let  them  that  name  the  name  of  Christ 
depart  from  the  iniquity  of  tUY.  iu.iz^.  There  are 
sins  that  may  be  called  the  iniquity  of  the  day.  It 
was  thus  in  Noah's  day,  it  was  thus  in  Lot's  day, 
and  it  was  thus  in  Christ's  day — I  mean,  in  the 
days  of  his  flesh :  and  it  is  a  famous  thing  for  pro- 
fessors to  keep  themselves  from  the  iniquities  of 
the  times.  Here  lay  Noah's  excellency,  here  lay 
Lot's  excellency,  and  here  will  lie  thy  excelleney, 
if  thou  keep  thyself  fi'om  the  iniquity  of  this  day. 
Keep  or  *  save  yourselves  from  this  untoward  gene- 
ration,' is  seasonable  counsel,  Ac.  ii.  40,  but  taken  of 
but  few ;  the  sin  of  the  time,  or  day,  being  as  a 
strong  current  or  stream  that  drives  all  before  it. 
Hence  Noah  and  Lot  were  found,  as  it  were,  alone, 
in  the  practice  of  this  excellent  piece  of  righteous- 
ness in  their  generation.  Hence  it  is  said  of  Noah, 
that  he  '  was  a  just  man,  OJid  perfect  in  his  gene- 
rations. '  Ge.  vi.  9.  And  again,  the  Lord  said  unto 
Noah,  '  Come  thou  and  all  thy  house  into  the  ark. 


for  thee  have  I  seen  righteous  before  me,  in  this 
generation.'  The  meaning  is,  he  kept  himself  clear 
of  the  sin  of  his  day,  or  of  the  generation  among 
which  he  lived.  Ge.  vu.  i. 

The  same  I  say  of  Lot,  he  kept  himself  from 
the  sin  of  Sodom ;  and  hence  Peter  cries  him  up 
for  such  a  righteous  man.  '  Just  Lot,'  saith  he, 
'that  righteous  man,'  -whose  righteous  soul  was 
vexed  with  the  filthy  conversation  of  the  wicked. 
2  Pe.  ii.  7, 8.  Hark,  *  a  just  man, ' '  a  righteous  man, ' 
*  his  righteous  soul,'  kc.  But  how  obtained  he 
this  character  ?  Why,  he  abhorred  the  sin  of  his 
time,  he  fell  not  in  with  the  sin  of  the  people,  but 
was  afilicted  and  vexed  thereabout ;  yea,  it  was  to 
him  a  daily  burden.  '  For  that  righteous  man 
dwelling  among  them,  in  seeing  and  hearing,  vexed 
his  righteous  soul  from  day  to  day,  with  tJieir 
unlawful  deeds.'  So  David,  '  I  beheld,'  saith  he, 
'  the  transgressors,  and  was  grieved,  because  they 
kept  not  thy  word.' Ps.  cxk.  153.  The  sin  of  the 
times  is  to  God  the  worst  of  sins ;  and  to  fall  in 
with  the  sin  of  the  times  is  counted  as  the  highest 
of  transgressions.  Consequently,  to  keep  from 
them,  though  a  man  should,  through  infirmity,  be 
guilty  of  others,  yet  he  is  accounted  upright.  And 
hence  it  is,  I  think,  that  David  was  called  a  man 
after  God's  own  heart ;  to  v.-it,  because  he  served 
his  oyra.  generation  by  the  ■will  of  God ;  or,  as  in 
Ac.  xiii.  22,  after  he  had,  in  his  own  age,  served 
the  will  of  God.  By  the  sin  of  the  times  Satan, 
as  it  were,  set  up  his  standard  in  defiance  to  God ; 
seeking  then  to  cause  his  name,  in  a  signal  way,  to 
be  dishonoured,  and  that  by  the  professors  of  that 
age.  And  hence  it  is  that  the  Lord  doth  manifest 
such  wrath  against  his  people  that  are  guilty  of 
the  common  sin  of  their  day,  and  that  he  shews 
such  special  favour  to  them  that  abstain  therefrom. 
Was  there  no  more,  think  you,  but  Noah,  in  his 
generation,  that  feared  God  ?  Yes,  several,  no 
doubt ;  but  he  was  the  man  that  kept  clear  of  the 
sin  of  his  day,  therefore  he  and  his  family  must  be 
partakers  of  God's  deliverance;  the  other  must 
die  before,  and  not  be  permitted  to  the  mercy  of 
the  ark,  nor  to  see  the  new  world  with  Noah. 
Unbelief  was  the  sin  of  the  day  when  Israel  was 
going  from  Egypt  to  Canaan ;  therefore  all  that 
were  guilty  of  that  transgression  must  be  denied 
to  go  in  to  see  that  good  land,  yea,  though  it  Avere 
Moses  himself.  '  And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses 
and  Aaron,  Because  ye  believed  me  not,  to  sanc- 
tify me  in  the  eyes  of  the  children  of  Israel,  there- 
fore ye  shall  not  bring  this  congregation  into  the 
land  which  I  have  given  them.'  Nu. xx.  12.      , 

The  sin  of  the  day  is  an  high  transgression ; 
from  the  which,  because  Caleb  and  Joshua  kept 
themselves,  God  kept  them  from  all  the  blasting 
plagues  that  overtook  all  the  rest,  and  gave  them 
the  land  which  he  had  promised  to  their  fathers. 


534 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


•  But  my  servant  Caleb,  because  he  had  another 
spirit  with  him,  and  hath  followed  me  fully,  him 
will  I  bring  into  the  land  whereinto  he  went ;  and 
his  seed  shall  possess  it.' Nu.xiy.  24.  Idolatry  was 
the  sin  of  the  day  just  before  Israel  were  carried 
captive  into  Babylon.  Now  those  of  the  priests 
that  went  astray  then,  even  they  say,  God  shall 
bear  their  iniquity.  '  But  the  priests,  the  Levites, 
the  sons  of  Zadok,  that  kept  the  charge  of  my 
sanctuary  when  the  children  of  Israel  went  astray 
from  me,  they  shall  come  near  unto  me,  to  minis- 
ter imto  me ;  and  they  shall  stand  before  me,  to 
oifer  unto  me  the  fat  and  the  blood,  saith  the  Lord 
God.  They  shall  enter  into  my  sanctuary,  and 
tliey  shall  come  near  to  my  table,  to  minister  unto 
me,  and  they  shall  keep  my  charge. '  Eze.  xiiv.  15, 16. 

Great  complaints  have  we  now  among  profes- 
sors, of  deadness  in  duties,  barrenness  of  the 
ministry,  and  of  the  withdrawing  of  God  from  his 
people ;  but  I  can  tell  you  a  cause  of  all  this, 
namely,  the  sin  of  the  day  is  got  into  the  church 
of  God,  and  has  defiled  that  holy  place.  This  is 
the  ground  and  cause  of  all  these  things ;  nor  is  it 
like  to  be  othenvise,  till  the  cause  shall  be  removed. 
If  any  should  ask  me  what  are  the  sins  of  our 
day,  I  would  say  they  are  conspicuous,  they  are 
open,  they  are  declared  as  Sodom's  were.  is.  m.  9. 
They  that  have  embraced  them,  are  not  ashamed 
of  them ;  yea,  they  have  got  the  boldness  to  plead 
for  them,  and  to  count  them  their  enemies  that 
seek  to  reform  them.  All  tables  are  full  of  vomit 
and  filthiness.  And  for  pride  and  covetousness, 
for  loathing  of  the  gospel,  and  contemning  holi- 
ness, as  these  have  covered  the  face  of  the  nation, 
so  they  have  infected  most  of  them  that  now  name 
the  name  of  Christ. 

And  I  say  again,  when  you  find  out  a  professor 
that  is  not  horribly  tainted  with  some  of  these 
things,  I  exclude  not  the  ministers  nor  their 
families,  let  him  be  as  a  beacon  upon  a  hill,  or  as 
an  ensign  in  our  land.  But  says  one.  Would  you 
have  us  singular  ?  and  says  another.  Would  you 
have  us  make  ourselves  ridiculous  ?  and  says  a 
third.  Such  and  such,  more  godly-wise  than  we, 
do  so.  But  I  answer,  if  God  has  made  you  sin- 
gular, and  called  you  to  grace,  that  is  singular ; 
and  bid  you  walk  in  ways  that  are  singular,  and 
diverse  from  the  ways  of  all  others.  Yea,  if  to 
depart  from  iniquity  will  make  you  ridiculous,  if 
to  be  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation  will  make 
you  ridiculous,  then  be  contented  to  be  counted  so. 
As  for  the  godly-wise  you  speak  of,  let  them  mani- 
fest themselves  to  be  such  by  departing  from  ini- 
quity. I  am  sure  that  their  being  tainted  with 
sins  of  the  day,  will  not  prove  them  godly-wise. 
'Behold,  I  have  taught  you,'  said  Moses,  'statutes 
and  judgments,  even  as  the  Lord  my  God  com- 
manded me ;    that  ye  should   do  so  in  the  land 


whither  you  go  to  possess  it.  Keep  therefore,  and 
do  them,  for  this  is  your  Avisdom,  and  your  under- 
standing in  the  sight  of  the  nations,  which  shall 
hear  of  all  these  statutes,  and  say,  Surely  this 
great  nation  is  a  wise  and  understanding  people.' 
Here  then  is  wisdom,  and  this  is  that  that  mani- 
festeth  a  people  to  be  understanding,  and  godly- 
wise,  even  the  keeping  of  the  commandments  of 
God.  And  why  follow  the  apish  fashions  of  the 
world  ?  Hath  the  God  of  wisdom  set  them  on 
foot  among  us  ?  or  is  it  because  the  devil  and 
wicked  men,  the  inventors  of  these  vain  toys,  have 
outwitted  the  law  of  God  ?  '  what  nation  is  there 
so  great,  who  hcUh  God  so  nigh  unto  them '  as  his 
people  have,  and  as  he  '  is  in  all  things  that  we 
call  upon  him  for  ?  And  what  nation  is  tliere  so 
great,  that  hath  statutes  and  judgments  so  righte- 
ous, as  all  this  law,'  said  Moses,  '  which  I  set 
before  you  this  day?'  De. iv.  5—8.  This  then  is  that 
which  declareth  us  to  be  godly-wise,  when  we  keep 
our  soul  diligently  to  the  holy  words  of  God ;  and 
fit  not  only  our  tongues  and  lips,  but  also  our 
lives  thereto. 

Fourth,  But  again,  let  them  that  name  the 
name  of  Christ  dejoart  from  the  iniquity,  that  is,  as 
I  may  call  it,  from  family  iniquity.  There  is  a 
house  iniquity ;  an  iniquity  that  loves  not  to  wiilk 
abroad,  but  to  harbour  within  doors.  This  the 
holy  man  David  was  aware  of,  therefore  he  said 
that  he  would  behave  himself  'wisely,  in  a  perfect 
way;'  yea,  saith  he,  'I  will  walk  within  my  house 
with  a  perfect  heart.'  Ps.  ci.  i. 

Now  this  house  iniquity  standeth  in  these 
things.  (1.)  In  domestic  broils  and  quai-rels. 
(2.)  In  domestic  chamberings  and  wantonness. 
(3.)  In  domestic  misorders  of  children  and  ser- 
vants. 

1.  For  house  broils  and  quarrels,  it  is  an  ini- 
quity to  be  departed  from,  whether  it  be  betwixt 
husband  and  wife,  or  otherwise.  This,  as  I  said, 
is  an  iniquity  that  loves  not  to  walk  abroad,  but 
yet  it  is  an  horrible  plague  within  doors.  And 
many  that  shew  like  saints  abroad,  yet  act  the 
part  of  devils  Avhen  they  are  at  home,  by  giving 
way  to  this  house  iniquity ;  by  cherishing  of  this 
house  iniquity.  This  iniquity  meeteth  the  man 
and  his  wife  at  the  very  threshold  of  the  door,  and 
will  not  suffer  them  to  enter,  no  not  with  one  foot 
into  the  house  in  peace,  but  how  far  this  is  from 
walking  together  as  heirs  of  the  grace  of  life,  is 
easy  to  be  determined.  Men  should  carry  it  in 
love  to  their  wives,  as  Christ  doth  to  his  church ; 
and  wives  should  carry  it  to  their  husbands,  as 
the  church  ought  to  carry  it  to  her  Saviour.  Ep.  v. 
21—28.  1  Pe.  iii.  7-  And  until  each  relation  be  managed 
with  respect  to  these  things,  this  house  iniquity 
will  be  cherished  there.  0  !  God  sees  within 
doors  as  weU  as  without,  and  will  judge  too  foi 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


533 


the  iniquity  of  tlie  liouse  as  well  as  for  that  more 
open. 

2.  As  house  iniquity  standeth  in  domestic  broils 
and  contentions  ;  so  it  also  standeth  in  chamher- 
ings  and  wantonness.  Ro.  xiu.  13.  Wherefore  the 
apostle  putteth  them  both  together,  saying,  '  not 
in  chambering  and  wantonness,  not  in  strife  and 
envying.'  This  chambering  and  wantonness  is  of  a 
more  general  extent,  being  entertained  by  all,  inso- 
much, that  sometimes  from  the  head  to  the  foot  all 
are  horribly  guilty.  But,  '  it  is  a  shame  to  speak 
of  those  things  that  are  done  of  some  in  secret ;' 
for  '  through  the  lusts  of  their  own  hearts,  they 
dishonour  their  own  bodies  between  themselves, ' 
'working  that  which  is  unseemly,'  Ep.  v.  13.  Ro.  i. 
Zi,  27.  to  their  ignominy  and  contempt,  if  not  with 
their  fellows,  yet  with  God,  who  sees  them ;  for 
'  the  darkness  hideth  not  from  him. '  Ps.  cxxxLt.  12.  It 
was  for  this  kind  of  iniquity  with  other,  that  God 
told  Eli  that  he  would  'judge  his  house  for  ever.' 

1  Sa.  iii.  13.  also  the  words  that  follow  are  to  be 
trembled  at,  that  say,  'The  iniquity  of  Eli's  house 
shall  not  be  purged  with  sacrifice  nor  oftering  for 
ever. '  ver.  u.  Such  an  evil  thing  is  house  iniquity 
in  the  eyes  of  the  God  that  is  above. 

3.  As  domestic  iniquity  standeth  in  these,  so 
also  in  the  disorders  of  children  and  servants. 
Children's  unlawful  carriages  to  their  parents  is  a 
great  house  iniquity  ;  yea,  and  a  common  one  too. 

2  Ti.  iii.  2,  3.  Disobedience  to  parents  is  one  of  the 
sins  of  the  last  days.  0  !  it  is  horrible  to  behold 
how  irreverently,  how  irrespectively,  how  saucily 
and  malapertly,  children,  yea,  professing  children, 
at  this  day,  carry  it  to  their  parents ;  snapping, 
and  checking,  curbing  and  rebuking  of  them,  as 
if  they  liad  never  received  their  beings  by  them, 
or  had  never  been  beholden  to  them  for  bringing 
of  them  up  ;  yea,  as  if  the  relation  was  lost,  or  as 
if  they  had  received  a  dispensation  from  God  to 
dishonour  and  disobey  parents. 

I  will  add,  that  this  sin  reigns  in  little  and 
great,  for  not  only  the  small  and  young,  but  men, 
are  disobedient  to  their  parents ;  and  indeed,  this 
is  the  sin  with  a  shame,  that  men  shall  be  disobe- 
dient to  parents ;  the  sin  of  the  last  times,  that 
men  shall  be  '  disobedient  to  parents,'  and  '  with- 
out natural  aftection.'  Where  now-a-days  shall 
we  see  children  that  are  come  to  men  and  women's 
estate,  carry  it  as  by  the  word  they  are  bound,  to 
their  aged  and  Avorn-out  parents  ?  I  say,  where 
is  the  honour  they  should  put  upon  them  ?  who 
speaks  to  their  aged  jiarents  with  that  due  regard 
to  that  relation,  to  their  age,  to  their  Avorn-out 
condition,  as  becomes  them  ?  Is  it  not  common 
now-a-days,  for  parents  to  be  brought  into  bondage 
and  servitude  by  their  children  ?  For  parents  to 
be  under,  and  children  above;  for  parents  to  be 
debased,  and  children  to  lord  it  over  them.     Nor 


doth  this  sin  go  alone  in  the  families  where  it  is  ; 
no,  those  men  are  lovers  of  their  ownselves;  cove- 
tous, boasters,  proud,  blasphemous,  that  are  dis- 
obedient to  their  parents.  This  is  that  the  pro- 
phet means,  when  he  saith, '  The  child  shall  behave 
himself  proudly  against  the  ancient,  and  the  base 
against  the  honourable.'  is.  iii.  5.  This  is  a  common 
sin,  and  a  crying  sin,  and  to  their  shame  be  it 
spoken  that  are  guilty ;  a  sin  that  makes  men  vile 
to  a  high  degree,  and  yet  it  is  the  sin  of  profes- 
sors. But  behold  how  the  apostle  brands  them ; 
he  saith,  such  have  but  *  a  form  of  godliness,  but 
denying  the  power  thereof,'  and  bids  the  godly 
shut  them  out  of  their  fellowship.  2  Ti.  iii.  5.  This 
sin  also  is,  I  fear,  grown  to  such  a  height  in  some, 
as  to  make  them  weary  of  their  parents,  and  of 
doing  their  duty  to  them.  Yea,  I  wish  that  some 
are  not  'murderers  of  fathers  and  mothers,'  by 
their  thoughts,  while  they  secretly  long  after,  and 
desire  their  death,  that  the  inheritance  may  be 
theirs,  and  that  they  may  be  delivered  from  obe- 
dience to  their  parents.  1  Ti.  i.  9.  This  is  a  sin  in 
the  house,  in  the  family,  a  sin  that  is  kept  in 
hugger-mugger,  close ;  but  God  sees  it,  and  hath 
declared  his  dislike  against  it,  by  an  explicit 
threatening,  to  cut  them  oft"  that  are  guilty  of  it. 
Ep.  V.  1—5.  Let  them  then  that  name  the  name  of 
Christ,  depart  from  this  iniquity. 

Disorders  of  servants  is  also  an  house  iniquity, 
and  to  be  departed  from  by  the  godly.  '  He  that 
worketh  deceit  shall  not  dwell  within  my  house;' 
said  David  ;  and  '  he  that  telleth  lies  shall  not  tarry 
in  my  sight.'  Ts.  d.  7.  One  of  the  rarities  in  Solo- 
mon's house,  and  which  the  queen  of  Shcba  was  so 
taken  with,  was  the  goodly  order  of  his  servants. 

2  Cli.  ix.  4. 

Some  of  the  disordei-s  of  servants  are  to  be 
imputed  to  the  governors  of  families,  and  some  to 
the  servants  themselves.  Those  that  are  to  be 
imputed  to  the  governors  of  families,  are  such  as 
these:  (1.)  When  the  servant  learns  his  vileness 
of  his  master,  or  of  her  mistress.  (2.)  When 
servants  are  countenanced  by  the  master  against 
the  mistress ;  or  by  the  mistress  against  the  mas- 
ter ;  or  Avhen  in  opposition  to  either,  they  shall  be 
made  equals  in  things.  (3.)  When  the  extrava- 
gancies of  servants  are  not  discountenanced  and 
rebuked  by  their  superiors,  and  the  contrary  taught 
them  by  word  and  life. 

Those  to  be  imputed  to  the  servants  themselves 
are:  (1.)  Their  want  of  reverence  to  their  supe- 
riors. (2.)  Their  backbiting  and  slandering  of 
them.  (3.)  Their  unfaithfulness  in  serving  of 
them.  (4.)  Their  murmuring  at  their  lawtul 
commands,  ifec. 

From  all  these  domestic  iniquities.  let  every  one 
depart  that  religiously  nameth  the  name  of  Christ. 
And  before  I  leave  this  head,  let  me,  to  enforce 


536 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


my  exliortation,  iii-gc  upon  you  a  few  considera- 
tions to  work  with  you  yet  further  to  depart  from 
tliese  house  iniquities. 

Consider  1.  A  man's  liouse,  and  his  carriage 
thei'e,  doth  more  bespeak  the  nature  and  temper 
of  his  mind,  than  all  public  profession.  If  I  Avere 
to  judge  of  a  man  for  my  life,  1  would  not  judge 
of  him  by  his  open  profession,  but  by  his  domestic 
behaviours.  Open  profession  is  like  a  man's  best 
cloak,  the  which  is  worn  by  him  when  he  walketh 
abroad,  and  with  many  is  made  but  little  use  of 
at  home.  But  now  what  a  man  is  at  home,  that 
he  is  indeed.  There  is  abroad,  my  behaviour  to 
my  friends,  and  customers,  my  outward  honesty  in 
dealing  and  avoiding  gross  sins.  There  is  at 
home,  my  house,  my  closet,  my  heart ;  and  my 
house,  my  closet,  shew  most  what  I  am:  though 
not  to  the  world,  yet  to  ray  family,  and  to  angels. 
And  a  good  report  fi-om  those  most  near,  and  most 
capable  of  advantage  to  judge,  is  like  to  be  truer 
than  to  have  it  only  from  that  which  is  gotten  by 
my  observers  abroad.  The  outside  of  the  platter 
and  cup  may  look  well,  when  within  they  may  be 
full  of  excess.  Mat.  xxiii.  25— 2s.  The  outward  shew 
and  profession  may  i)e  tolerable,  when  within 
duors  may  be  bad  enough.  I  and  ray  house  '  will 
serve  the  Lord,'  is  the  character  of  a  godly  man. 

Jos.  xxiv.  14. 

Consider  2.  As  the  best  judgment  is  made  upon 
a  man  from  his  house,  so  that  man  is  like  to  have 
the  approbation  of  God  for  good,  that  is  faithful 
in  all  his  liouse.  'I  know  Abraham,'  says  God, 
'that  he  will  command  his  children,  and  his  house- 
hold after  him,  and  they  shall  keep  the  way  of  the 
Lord.'  Ge.  xviii.  19.  To  make  religion  and  the 
power  of  godliness  the  chief  of  my  designs  at 
home,  among  those  among  whom  God  by  a  special 
hand  has  placed  me,  is  that  which  is  pleasing  to 
God,  and  that  obtaineth  a  good  report  of  him. 
But  to  pass  these,  and  to  come  to  other  tilings. 

Consider  3.  A  master  of  a  family,  and  mistress 
of  the  same,  ai'e  those  that  are  entrusted  of  God 
with  those  under  their  tuition  and  care,  to  be 
brought  up  for  him,  be  they  children  or  servants. 
This  is  plain  from  the  text  last  mentioned;  where- 
iorc  here  is  a  charge  committed  to  thee  of  God. 
Look  to  it,  and  consider  with  thyself,  whether 
thou  hast  done  such  duty  and  service  for  God  ui 
this  matter,  as,  setting  coraraon  frailties  aside, 
thou  canst  with  good  conscience  lift  up  thy  face 
unto  God ;  the  which  to  be  sure  thou  canst  by  no 
means  do,  if  iniquity,  to  the  utmost,  bo  not  ban- 
ished out  of  thy  house. 

Consider  4.  And  will  it  not  be  a  sad  complaint 
that  thy  servant  shall  take  up  against  thee,  before 
the  Judge  at  the  last  day,  that  lie  learnt  the  way 
to  destruction  in  thy  house,  who  art  a  professor. 
Servants,   tliough  themselves   be  carnal,   expect, 


when  they  come  into  the  house  oi  professors,  that 
there  they  shall  see  religion  in  its  spangling 
colours ;  but  behold,  when  he  enters  thy  door,  he 
finds  sin  and  wickedness  there.  There  is  pride 
instead  of  humility,  and  heighth  and  *  raillery 
instead  of  meekness  and  holiness  of  mind.  He 
looked  for  a  house  full  of  virtue,  and  behold  no- 
thing but  spider-webs ;  fair  and  plausible  abroad, 
but  like  the  sow  in  the  mire  at  home.  Bless  me, 
saith  such  a  servant,  are  these  the  religious 
people !  Are  these  the  servants  of  God,  where 
iniquity  is  made  so  much  of,  and  is  so  highly 
entertained  !  And  now  is  his  heart  filled  vvith 
prejudice  against  all  religion,  or  else  he  turns 
hypocrite  like  his  master  and  his  mistress,  wearing, 
as  they,  a  cloak  of  religion  to  cover  all  abroad, 
while  all  naked  and  shameful  at  home.  But 
perhaps  thy  heart  is  so  hard,  and  thy  mind  so 
united  to  the  pleasing  of  thy  vile  affections,  that 
thou  wilt  say,  '  What  care  I  for  my  servant  ?  I 
took  him  to  do  my  work,  not  to  train  liim  up  in 
religion.'  Well,  suppose  the  soul  of  thy  servaiit 
be  tlius  little  worth  in  thine  eyes ;  yet  what  wilt 
thou  say  for  thy  children,  who  behold  all  thy  ways, 
and  are  as  capable  of  drinking  up  the  poison  of 
thy  footsteps,  as  the  swine  is  of  drinking  up  swill: 
I  say,  what  wilt  thou  do  for  thera  ?  Children 
will  learn  to  be  naught  of  jiarents.  of  professing 
parents  soonest  of  all.  They  will  be  tempted  to 
think  all  that  they  do  is  right.  I  say,  what  wilt 
thou  say  to  this  ?  Or  art  thou  like  the  ostrich 
whom  God  hath  deprived  of  wisdom,  and  has 
liai'dened  her  heart  against  her  young  ?  Job  xxxix. 
13—17.  Will  it  please  thee  Avlien  thou  slialt  see 
that  thou  hast  brought  forth  children  to  the  mur- 
derer? or  when  thou  shalt  hear  them  cry,  I  learnt 
to  go  on  in  the  paths  of  sin  by  the  carriages  of 
professing  parents.!  Ho.  ix.  13.  If  it  was  counted 
of  old  a  sad  thing  for  a  man  to  bring  forth  chil- 
dren to  the  sword,  as  Ephraim  did,  what  will  it  be 
for  a  man  to  bring  up  children  for  hell  and  damna- 
tion ?     But, 

Fifth,  Let  those  that  name  the  name  of  Christ 
depart  from  tlie  iniquity  of  their  closet.  This 
may  be  called  part  of  the  iniquity  of  the  house ; 
but  because  it  is  not  public,  but  as  a  retired  part, 
therefore  I  put  it  here  by  itself.  There  are  many 
closet  sins  that  professors  may  be  guilty  of,  and 
from  which  they  have  need  to  depart.     As, 

1.  There  is  the  pride  of  a  library,  that  is,  the 
study  or  closet,  and  I  doubt  this  sin  and  iniquity 
to  this  day  is  with  many  great  professors,  and  in 

*  '  Raillery ;'  jesting,  merriment. 

t  A  cliristian  parent  lias  peculiar  and  solemn  duties  to  per- 
foi-m,  in  addition  to  those  of  every  other  class  of  Christians. 
'J'his  ought  to  lead  him  perpetually  to  seek  wisdom  from  his 
heavenly  Father;  and  in  snch  close  communion  he  becomes 
as  pecviliarly  blessed  as  he  is  burthcucd. — Ed. 


A  HOLY  LIPE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


537 


my  judgment  It  is  thus  manifested.  (1.)  ^Vllen 
men  secretely  please  tliemselves  to  think  it  is 
known  what  a  stock  of  hooks  they  have,  or  when 
they  take  more  pleasure  in  the  number  cf,  than 
the  matter  contained  in,  their  books.  (2.)  When 
they  buy  books  rather  to  make  up  a  number  than 
to  learn  to  be  good  and  godly  men  thereby.  (3.) 
When,  though  they  own  their  books  to  be  good 
and  godly,  yet  they  will  not  conform  thereto. 

This  is  au  iniquity  now  on  foot  in  this  land,  and 
ought  to  be  departed  from.  It  is  better  to  have 
no  books,  and  depart  from  iniquity,  than  to  have  a 
thousand,  and  not  to  be  bettered  in  my  soul  thereby. 

2.  There  is  an  iniquity  that  attends  the  closet, 
which  I  may  call  by  the  name  of  vacancy.  When 
men  have  a  closet  to  talk  of,  not  to  pray  in ;  a 
closet  to  look  upon,  not  to  bow  before  God  in :  a 
closet  to  lay  up  gold  in,  but  not  to  mourn  in  for  the 
sins  of  my  life  ;  a  closet  that,  could  it  speak,  would 
say,  My  owner  is  seldom  here  upon  his  knees  before 
the  God  of  heaven  ;  seldom  here  humbling  himself 
for  the  iniquity  of  his  heart,  or  to  thank  God  for 
the  mercies  of  his  life. 

3.  Then  also  a  man  is  guilty  of  closet-iuiqulty, 
■when  though  he  doth  not  utterly  live  in  the  neglect 
of  duty,  he  formally,  carnally,  and  without  reve- 
rence, and  godly  fear,  performs  it.  Also,  when  he 
asketh  God  for  that  which  he  cannot  abide  should 
be  given  him,  or  when  he  prayeth  for  that  in  his 
closet,  that  he  cannot  abide  in  his  house,  nor  in 
his  life. 

4.  Then  also  a  man  is  guilty  of  closet-iniquity, 
when  he  desireth  that  the  sound  of  the  devotion  he 
doth  there,  may  be  heard  by  them  without  in  the 
house,  the  street,  or  of  those  that  dwell  by ;  for  a 
closet  is  only  for  the  man  and  God  to  do  things  in 
seci'etly.  Mat  n.  6. 

These  things  let  the  professor  beware  of,  lest  he 
add  to  his  iniquity,  sin,  until  he  and  it  comes  to  be 
loathsome.  The  closet  is  by  God  appointed  for 
men  to  wait  upon  him  in,  and  to  do  it  without 
hypocrisy ;  to  wait  there  for  his  mind  and  his  will, 
and  also  for  grace  to  perform  it.  And  how  can  a 
man  that  went  last  time  out  of  his  closet  to  be 
naught,  have  the  face  to  come  thither  again  ?  If  I 
regard  iniquity  in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will  not  hear 
my  prayer ;  and  if  so,  then  he  will  not  meet  me 
in  my  closet ;  and  if  so,  then  I  shall  quickly  be 
weary  thereof,  being  left  to  myself,  and  tlie  vanity 
of  my  mind. 

It  is  a  great  thing  to  be  a  closet  Christian,  and 
to  hold  it ;  he  must  be  a  close  Christian,  that  will 
be  a  closet  Christian.  When  I  say  a  close  Chris- 
tian, I  mean  one  that  is  so  in  the  hidden  ])art,  and 
that  also  walks  Avith  God.  Many  there  be  that 
profess  Christ,  who  do  oftener,  in  London,*  frequent 

*  Bunvciu  was  in  the  habit  of  visiting  Loudon,  the  seat  of 
VOL.  II. 


the  coffee-house  than  their  closet ;  and  that  sooner 
in  a  morning  run  to  make  bargains  than  to  pray 
unto  God,  and  begin  the  day  with  him.  But  for 
thee,  who  professest  the  name  of  Christ,  do  thou 
depart  from  all  these  things ;  do  thou  make  con- 
science of  reading  and  practising ;  do  thou  follow 
after  righteousness ;  do  thou  make  conscience  of 
beginning  the  day  with  God  ;  for  he  that  begins  it 
not  with  him  will  hardly  end  it  with  him ;  he  that 
runs  from  God  in  the  morning  will  hardl}-  find  him 
at  the  close  of  the  day ;  nor  will  he  tliat  begins 
with  the  world  and  the  vanities  thereof,  in  the  first 
place,  be  very  capable  of  walking  with  God  all  the 
day  after.  It  is  he  that  finds  God  in  his  closet 
that  will  carry  the  savour  of  him  into  his  house, 
his  shop,  and  his  more  open  conversation.  When 
Moses  had  been  with  God  in  the  mount  his  face 
shone,  he  brought  of  that  glory  into  the  camp, 

Ex.  xxxiv. 

iSicdh,  I  add  again,  let  those  that  name  the  name 
of  Christ  depart  from  the  iniquity  that  cleaveth 
TO  oriN'ioxs.  This  is  a  sad  age  for  that ;  let  opi- 
nions in  themselves  be  never  so  good,  never  so 
necessary,  never  so  innocent,  yet  there  are  spirits  in 
the  world  that  will  entail  iniquity  to  them,  land  will 
make  the  vanity  so  insejjarable  with  the  opinion, 
that  it  is  almost  impossible  with  some  to  take  in 
the  opinion  and  leave  out  the  iniquity,  that  by  the 
craft  and  subtilty  of  Satan  is  joined  thereto.  Nor 
is  this  a  thing  new,  and  of  yesterday ;  it  has  been 
thus  almost  in  all  ages  of  the  church  of  God,  and 
that  not  only  in  things  small  and  indiffei'ent,  but 
in  things  fundamental  and  most  substantial.  I 
need  instance  in  none  other  for  proof  hereof,  but 
the  doctrine  of  faith  and  holiness.  If  faith  be 
preached  as  that  which  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
justification,  tlien  faith  fantastical,  and  looseness 
and  remissness  in  life,  with  some,  are  joined  there- 
with. If  holiness  of  life  be  preached  as  necessary 
to  salvation,  then  [they  say  that]  faith  is  under- 
valued, and  set  below  its  place,  and  works  as  to 
justification,  with  God  set  up  and  made  co-partners 
with  Christ's  merits  in  the  remission  of  sins.  Thus 
iniquity  joineth  itself  with  the  great  and  most  sub- 
stantial truths  of  the  gospel,  and  it  is  hard  to 
receive  any  good  opinion  whatever,  but  iniquity  will 
join  itself  thereto.  Ep.  v.  12,  13.  Wicked  spirits  do 
not  only  temjit  men  to  transgress  the  moral  law, 
but  do  present  tliemselves  in  heavenly  things,  work- 
ing there,  and  labouring  in  them,  to  wrest  the 
judgment,  and  turn  the  understanding  and  con- 
science awry  in  those  high  and  most  important 
tilings.  Wherefore,  I  say,  we  must  be  the  more 
watchfid  and  careful  lest  we  be  abused  in  our  notions 


government,  and  doubtless  saw  a  sad  change  in  the  eondnct  of 
many  professors,  nnder  a  profligate  monarch,  to  what  it  had 
been  under  the  pious  protector. — Ed. 
3  Y 


538 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


and  best  principles,  by  the  iniquities  that  join  them- 
selves thereto. 

It  is  strange  to  see  at  this  clay  how,  notwith- 
standing all  the  threatenings  of  God,  men  are 
wedded  to  their  own  opinions,  beyond  what  the  law 
of  grace  and  love  will  admit.  Here  is  a  Presbyter, 
here  is  an  Independent,  and  a  Baptist,  so  joined 
each  man  to  his  own  opinion,  that  they  cannot  have 
that  communion  one  Avith  another,  as  by  the  testa- 
ment of  the  Lord  Jesus  they  are  commanded  and 
enjoined.  What  is  the  cause?  Is  the  truth?  No? 
God  is  the  author  of  no  confusion  in  the  church  of 
God.  iCo.  xiv.  33.  It  is,  then,  because  every  man 
makes  too  much  of  his  own  opinion,  abounds  too 
much  in  his  own  sense,  and  takes  not  care  to  sepa- 
rate his  opinion  from  the  iniquity  that  cleaveth 
thereto.  That  this  confusion  is  in  the  church  of 
Christ,  I  am  of  Paul,  I  of  Apollos,  I  of  Cephas, 
and  I  of  Christ,  is  too  manifest.  But  what  unbe- 
coming language  is  this  for  the  children  of  the 
same  father,  members  of  the  same  body,  and  heirs 
of  the  same  glory,  to  be  accustomed  to?  Whether 
it  is  pride,  or  hypocrisy,  or  ignorance,  or  self,  or 
the  devil,  or  the  Jesuit,  or  all  these  jointly  working 
with  the  church,  it  makes  and  maintains  these 
names  of  distinction.  This  distance  and  want  of 
love,  this  contempt  of  one  another,  these  base  and 
undervaluing  thoughts  of  brethren,  will  be  better 
seen,  to  the  shame  and  confusion  of  some,  in  the 
judgment. 

In  the  meantime,  I  advise  thee  with  whom  I  am 
at  this  time  concerned,  to  take  heed  of  this  mixture, 
this  sinful  mixture  of  truth  and  iniquity  together; 
and  to  help  thee  in  this  thing,  keep  thine  eye  much 
upon  thine  own  base  self,  labour  also  to  be  sensible 
of  the  imperfections  that  cleave  to  thy  best  perform- 
ances, be  clothed  Avith  humility,  and  prefer  thy 
brother  before  thyself;  and  know  that  Christianity 
lieth  not  in  small  matters,  neither  before  God,  nor 
understanding  men.  And  it  avouUI  be  Avell  if  those 
that  so  stickle  by  their  private  and  unscriptural 
notions,  which  only  is  iniquity  cleaving  to  truth, — 
I  say,  it  would  be  Avell  if  such  were  more  sound  in 
faith  and  morals,  and  if  by  their  lives  they  gave 
better  conviction  to  the  Avorld  that  the  truth  and 
grace  of  Christ  is  in  them. 

Sometimes  so  much  iniquity  is  mixed  with  good 
opinions,  that  it  prevails,  not  only  to  hurt  men  in 
this  world,  but  to  drown  them  in  misery  everlasting. 
It  Avas  good  that  the  Jcavs  did  OAvn  and  alloAv  the 
ceremonies  of  the  laAv,  but  since  the  iniquity  that 
joined  itself  thereto  did  prevail  with  them  to  make 
those  ceremonies  copartners  with  Christ  in  those 
matters  that  pertained  to  Christ  alojie,  therefore 
they  perished  in  them.  The  Galatians  also,  Avith 
many  of  the  Corinthians,  had  like  to  have  been 
overthrown  by  these  things.  Take  heed,  there- 
fore, of  that  iniquity  that  seekcth  to  steal  Avith 


the  truth  into  thy  heart,  thy  judgment,  and  under- 
standing. 

Nor  doth  one  iniquity  come  Avithout  another; 
they  are  linked  together,  and  come  by  companies, 
and  therefore  usually  they  that  are  superstitious  in 
one  thing,  are  corrupted  in  several  other.  The  more 
a  man  stands  upon  his  points*  to  justify  himself 
and  to  condemn  his  holy  brethren,  the  more  danger 
he  is  in  of  being  overcome  of  diverse  evils.  And 
it  is  the  Avisdom  of  God  to  let  it  be  so,  that  flesh 
might  not  glory  in  his  presence.  '  His  soul,  Avhich 
is  lifted  up,'  Hab.  ii.  4.  to  wit,  Avith  his  good  doings, 
Avith  his  order  and  methods  in  religion,  '  his  soul 
is  not  upright  in  him.'  I  have  often  said  in 
my  heart,  What  is  the  reason  that  some  of  the 
brethren  should  be  so  shy  of  holding  communion 
Avith  those  every  Avhit  as  good,  if  not  bettor  than 
themselves?  Is  it  because  they  think  themselves 
unAvorthy  of  their  holy  fellowship  ?  No,  verily ;  it 
is  because  they  exalt  themselves,  they  are  leavenetl 
Avith  some  iniquity  that  hath  mixed  itself  with 
some  good  opinions  that  they  hold,  and  therefore 
it  is  that  they  say  to  others,  '  Stand  by  thyself, 
come  not  near  to  me,  for  I  am  holier  than  thou.' 
Is.  ixv.  5.  But  AAdiat  is  the  sentence  of  God  concern- 
ing those?  Why,  these  are  a  smoke  in  my  nose, 
a  fire  that  burnetii  all  the  day.  Wherefore,  as  I 
said  before,  so  I  say  noAV  again,  take  heed  of  the 
iniquity  that  cleaveth  to  good  opinions ;  the  Avhich 
thou  Avilt  in  noAvise  be  able  to  shun  mdess  thou  be 
clothed  Avith  humility. t     But, 

Seventh,  Let  them  tliat  najue  the  name  of  Christ 
depart  from  inTOCRisiES.  This  exhortation  is  as 
the  first,  general ;  for  hypocrisies  are  ot-  that 
nature,  that  they  spread  themselves  as  the  leprosy 
of  the  body,  all  over ;  not  the  faculties  of  the  soul 
only,  but  all  the  duties  of  a  man.  So  that  here  is 
a  great  iniquity  to  be  parted  from,  an  over-spread- 
ing iniquity.  This  sin  Avill  get  into  all  thy  profes- 
sion, into  every  Avhit  of  it,  and  will  make  the  AA'hole 
of  it  a  loathsome  stink  in  the  nostrils  of  God. 
Hypocrisy  Avill  bo  in  the  pulpit,  in  conference,  in 
closets,  in  communion  of  saints,  in  faith,  in  love, 
in  repentance,  in  zeal,  in  humility,  in  alms,  in  the 
prison,  and  in  all  duties.  Eze.  viii.  12.  Mai.  ii.  is.  Mat.  vi.  2; 
vii.  so,  21;  xxiii.  15;  Lu.  xii.  1,  2 ;  xx.  19,  20.  1  Co.  xiii.  3.  2  Co.  \-i.  C. 

Col.  ii.  23.  2  Ti.  i.  5.  So  that  here  is,  for  the  keeping  of 
thy  soul  upright  and  sincere,  more  than  ordinary 

*  '  His  points ;'  an  heraldic  term,  expressive  of  the  exact 
position  of  the  various  bearings  on  the  shield — a  scrupulous 
or  sujierslitious  niceness  as  to  points  of  doctrine. — Ed. 

t  These  are  faithfid  words,  giving  offence  to  bigots  of  every 
sect.  The  church  of  England  excluded  all  from  her  commu- 
nion except  conformists  —  Independents  held  no  fellowship 
with  Baptists,  nor  Baptists  Avith  Independents.  Happily, 
Christians  are  coming  to  their  senses.  The  Test  Act  is 
repealed — nor  dare  we  now  call  that  unclean  which  God  has 
cleansed. — Ed. 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


539 


diligence  to  be  uscJ.  Hypocrisy  is  one  of  the  most 
aborainaWe  of  iniquities.  It  is  a  sin  that  dares  it 
Avith  God.  It  is  a  sin  that  saith  God  is  ignorant, 
or  that  he  delighteth  in  iniquity.  It  is  a  sin  that 
flattereth,  that  dissenibleth,  that  offereth  to  hold 
God,  as  it  -were,  fair  in  hand,  about  that  which  is 
neither  purposed  nor  intended.  It  is  also  a  sin 
that  puts  a  man  upon  studying  and  contriving  to 
beguile  and  deceive  his  neighbour  as  to  the  bent 
and  intent  of  the  heart,  and  also  as  to  the  cause 
and  end  of  actions.  It  is  a  sin  that  persuadeth  a 
man  to  make  a  show  of  civility,  morality,  or  Chris- 
tian religion,  as  a  cloak,  a  pretence,  a  guise  to 
deceive  withal.  It  M'ill  make  a  man  preach  for  a 
place  and  praise,  rather  than  to  glorify  God  and 
save  souls ;  it  will  put  a  man  upon  talking,  that  he 
may  be  commended  ;  it  will  make  a  man,  when  he 
is  at  pra3-er  in  his  closet,  strive  to  be  heard  without 
door ;  it  will  make  a  man  ask  for  that  he  desircth 
not,  and  show  zeal  in  duties,  when  his  heart  is  as 
cold,  as  senseless,  and  as  much  without  savour  as  a 
clod ;  it  will  make  a  man  pray  to  be  seen  and  heard 
of  men,  rather  than  to  be  heard  of  God ;  it  will 
make  a  man  strive  to  weep  when  he  repenteth  not, 
and  to  pretend  much  friendship  when  he  doth  not 
love ;  it  will  make  a  man  pretend  to  experience  and 
sanctification  when  he  has  none,  and  to  faith  and 
sincerity  when  he  knows  not  what  they  are.  There 
is  opposed  to  this  sin  simplicity,  innocence,  and 
godly  sincerity,  without  which  three  graces  thou 
wilt  be  a  hj'pocrite,  let  thy  notions,  thy  knowledge, 
thy  profession,  and  commendations  from  others,  be 
what  they  will. 

Helps  against  das  sin  there  are  many,  some  of 
which  I  shall  now  present  thee  with.  Pr.  wi.  2;  xxi.  2. 
Lu. x\l  15.  I.  Believe  that  God's  eye  is  always  upon 
thy  heart,  to  observe  all  the  ways,  all  the  turnings 
and  windings  of  it.  2.  Believe  that  he  observeth  all 
thy  ways  and  marks  thy  actions.  '  The  ways  of  man 
are  before  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  and  he  pondereth 
all  his  2;oinf]:s.'  Pr.  v.  21.  3.  Believe  tliat  tliere  is  a 
day  of  judgment  a-coming,  and  that  then  all  things 
shall  be  revealed  and  discoA'ered  as  they  are.  '  For 
there  is  nothing  covered  that  shall  not  be  revealed ; 
neither  hid  that  shall  not  be  known.  Therefore 
whatsoever  ye  have  spoken  in  darkness  shall  be 
heard  in  the  light,  and  that  which  j'e  have  spoken 
in  the  ear  in  closets  shall  be  proclaimed  upon  the 
liouse-tops.'  LiLxii.  2, 3.  4.  Believe  that  a  In^pocrite, 
with  the  cunning  and  shrouds  for  his  hypocrisy,  can 
go  unseen  no  further  than  the  grave,  nor  can  he 
longer  flatter  himself  with  thoughts  of  life.  For 
*  the  triumphing  of  the  wicked  is  short,  and  the 
joy  of  the  hypocrite  hut  for  a  moment.  Though 
his  excellency  mount  up  to  the  heavens,  and  his 
head  reach  unto  the  clouds ;  yet.  he  shall  perish  for 
ever,  like  his  own  dung :  they  which  have  seen  him 
fcliall  say,  Where  is  he  ?     He  shall  fly  away  as  a 


dream,  and  shall  not  be  found ;  yea,  he  shall  be 
chased  away  as  a  vision  of  the  night.'  Joi)  xx.  5  — s. 
5.  Believe  that  God  will  not  spare  a  hypocrite  in 
the  judgment,  no,  nor  punish  him  neither  with 
ordinary  damnation  ;  but  as  the}^  have  here  sinned 
in  a  way  by  themselves,  so  there  they  shall  receive 
greater  damnation.  Lu.  xx.  47. 

Of  all  sins,  the  sin  of  hypocrisy  bespeaks  a  man 
most  in  love  with  some  lust,  because  he  dissenibleth 
both  with  God  and  man  to  keep  it. 

For  a  conclusion  upon  this  sevenfold  answer  to 
the  question  above  propounded,  let  me  advise  those 
that  are  tender  of  the  name  of  Christ,  to  have 
regard  to  these  things. 

Adcice  First,  Be  well  acquainted  with  the  Word, 
and  with  the  general  rules  of  holiness ;  to  wit,  with 
the  moral  law ;  the  want  of  this  is  a  cause  of  mucli 
unholiness  of  conversation.  These  licentious  and 
evil  times  wherein  we  live  are  full  of  iniquity ;  nor 
can  we,  though  we  never  so  much  love  God,  do  our 
dut}'-,  as  we  are  enjoined,  if  we  do  not  know  it. 
The  law  is  cast  behind  the  back  of  many,  Avhen  it 
should  be  carried  in  the  hand  and  heart,  that  we 
might  do  it,  to  the  end  [that]  the  gospel  which  we 
profess  might  be  glorified  in  the  world.  Let  then 
the  law  be  with  thee  to  love  it,  and  do  it  in  the 
spirit  of  the  gospel,  that  thou  be  not  unfruitful  in 
thy  life.  Let  the  law,  I  say,  be  with  thee,  not  as 
it  comes  from  Moses,  but  from  Christ ;  for  though 
thou  art  set  free  from  the  law  as  a  covenant  of  life, 
yet  thou  still  art  under  the  law  to  Christ ;  and  it 
is  to  be  received  by  thee  as  out  of  his  hand,  to  be 
a  rule  for  thy  conversation  in  the  Avorld.  1  Co.  Lx.  8. 
What  then  thou  art  about  to  do,  do  it  or  leave  it 
undone,  as  thou  shalt  find  it  approved  or  forbidden 
by  the  law.  And  when  ought  shall  come  into  thy 
mind  to  be  done,  and  thou  art  at  a  stand,  and  at 
a  loss  about  the  lawfulness  or  unlawfulness  thereof, 
then  betake  thyself  to  the  law  of  thy  God,  which  is 
in  thy  hand,  and  ask  if  this  thing  be  good  or  to  be 
avoided.  If  this  were  practised  by  professors,  there 
would  not  be  so  much  iniquity  found  in  their  beds, 
their  houses,  their  shops,  and  their  conversations, 
as  there  is. 

Advice  Second,  As  thou  must  be  careful  to  find 
out  the  lawfulness  or  unlawfulness  of  a  thing  before 
thou  puttest  forth  thy  hand  thereto,  so  thou  must 
also  consider  again  whether  that  which  is  lawful  is 
expedient.  A  thing  may  be  lawful  in  itself,  and 
may  yet  be  unlawful  to  thee  ;  to  wit,  if  there  be  an 
inconveniency,  or  an  inexpediency  attending  the 
doing  of  it.  '  All  things  are  lawful  unto  me,'  says 
the  apostle,  '  but  all  things  are  not  expedient ;  all 
things  are  lawful  for  me,  but  all  things  edify  not.' 
ICo.  ri.  12;  X.  23.  This  then  thou  must  consider,  and 
this  also  thou  must  practise. 

But  this  is  a  hard  lesson,  and  impossible  to  be 
done,  except  thou  art  addicted  to  self-denial ;  for 


540 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTL\NITY. 


this  text,  and  so  the  practice  of  what  is  contained 
therein,  has  respect  chiefly  to  another,  to  wit,  to 
thj  neighbour,  and  liis  advantage  and  edification ; 
and  it  supposeth,  yea  enjoineth  thee,  if  thou  wilt 
depart  from  iniquity,  to  forbear  also  some  things 
that  are  lawful,  and  consequently  profitable  to  thee, 
for  the  sake  of,  and  of  love  to,  thy  neighbour.  But 
how  little  of  this  is  found  among  men  ?  Where  is 
the  man  that  will  forbear  some  lawful  things,  for 
fear  of  hurting  the  weak  thereby?  Alas!  how 
many  are  there  that  this  day  profess,  that  will  not 
forbear  palpable  wickedness ;  no,  though  the  sal- 
vation of  their  own  souls  are  endangered  thereby ; 
and  how  then  shoidd  these  forbear  things  that  are 
lawful,  even  of  godly  tenderness  to  the  weakness 
of  their  neighbour  ? 

Thus  much  have  I  thought  good  to  speak  in 
answer  to  this  question.  What  iniquity  should  we 
depai't  from  that  religiously  name  the  name  of 
Clirist  ?  And  now  we  will  make  some  use  of  what 
hath  been  spoken. 

USE  FIRST.  And  the  first  shall  be  a  use  of 
examination.  Art  thou  a  professor  ?  Dost  thou 
religiously  name  the  name  of  Christ  ?  If  so,  I 
ask,  dost  thou,  according  to  the  exhortation  here, 
•Depart  from  iniquity?'  I  say,  examine  thyself 
about  this  matter,  and  be  thou  faithful  in  this 
work,  for  the  deceit  in  this  Avill  fall  upon  thine 
own  pate.  Deceive  thyself  thou  mayvst,  but 
beguile  God  thou  shalt  not.  '  Be  not  deceived, 
God  is  not  mocked:  for  whatsoever  a  man  soweth, 
that  shall  he  also  reap.'  Ga.vi 7.  Wherefore  let  no 
man  deceive  himself,  either  in  professing  while  he 
lives  viciously,  or  in  examining  whether  his  pro- 
fession of  this  name,  and  his  life,  and  conversa- 
tion, do  answer  one  another.  What  departing  from 
iniquity  is,  I  have  already  showed  in  the  former 
part  of  this  book  ;  wherefore  I  shall  not  here  handle 
that  point  farther,  only  press  upon  thee  the  neces- 
sity of  this  exhortation,  and  the  danger  of  the  not 
doing  of  it  faithfully.    The  necessity  of  it  is  urged. 

First,  From  the  deceitfulness  of  man's  heart, 
which  will  flatter  him  with  promises  of  peace  and 
life,  both  now  and  hereafter,  though  he  live  in 
iniquity  while  he  profosseth  the  name  of  Christ. 
For  there  are  that  say  in  their  hearts,  or  that  have 
their  hearts  say  unto  them,  '  I  shall  have  peace, 
though  I  walk  in  the  imagination  of  mine  heart,  to 
add  drunkenness  to  thirst.' Dc.xxix.  19.  And  what 
will  become  of  them  that  so  do,  you  may  see  bv 
that  v.-liich  followeth  in  the  text.  The  heart  there- 
fore is  not  to  be  trusted,  for  it  will  promise  a  man 
peace  in  the  way  of  death  and  damnation.  I  doubt 
not  but  many  are  under  this  fearful  judgment  to 
this  d:ij.  Wliat  means  else  their  quietness  of 
mind,  their  peace  and  boasts  of  heaven  and  glory, 
though  every  step  they  take,  as  to  life  and  coiiver- 
sation,  is  an  apparent  step  to  hell  and  damnation. 


•The  heart  is  deceitful.'  Jc.  xvii.  9.  and,  'He  that 
trusteth  in  his  own  heart  is  a  fool. '  Pr.  xsviii.  26.  These 
sayings  were  not  written  Avithout  a  cause.  Let 
as  many,  therefore,  as  would  examine  themselves 
about  this  matter,  have  a  jealous  eye  over  their 
own  heart,  and  take  heed  of  being  beguiled  thereby; 
let  them  mix  hearty  prayer  with  this  matter  unto 
God,  that  he  will  help  them  to  be  faithful  to  them- 
selves in  this  so  great  a  matter ;  yea,  let  them 
compare  their  lives  with  the  holy  commandment, 
and  judge  by  that  rather  than  by  the  fleshly  fond- 
ness that  men  naturally  are  apt  to  have  for,  and 
of,  their  own  actions ;  for  by  the  verdict  of  the 
Word  thou  must  stand  and  fall,  both  now,  at  death, 
and  in  the  day  of  judgment.  Take  heed,  there- 
fore, of  thy  heart,  thy  carnal  heart,  when  thou 
goest  into  thy  life,  to  make  a  search  for  iniquity. 
Take  the  Word  with  thee,  and  by  the  Word  do 
thou  examine  thyself.  Jn.  xii.  43. 

Second,  It  is  urged  from  the  cunning  of  Satan. 
Wouldest  thou  examine  thyself  faithfully  as  to  this 
thing,  then  take  heed  of  the  flatteries  of  the  devil : 
can  he  help  it,  thou  shalt  never  find  out  the  iniquity 
of  thy  heels.  He  will  labour  to  blind  thy  mind,  to 
harden  thy  heart,  to  put  such  virtuous  names  upon 
thy  foulest  vices,  that  thou  shalt  never,  unless  thou 
stoppest  thine  ear  to  him,  after  a  godly  sort,  truly 
examine  and  try  thy  ways,  according  as  thou  art 
commanded.  La.  iii.  40.  2  Co.  xiU.  5.  Wherefore  take 
heed  of  him,  for  he  will  be  ready  at  thy  side  when 
thou  goest  about  this  work.  Now  for  thy  help  in 
this  matter,  set  God,  the  holy  God,  the  all-seeing 
God,  the  sin-revenging  God,  before  thine  eyes  ;  'for 
our  God  is  a  consuming  fire. '  He.  xii.  29.  And  believe 
that  he  hath  pitched  his  eyes  upon  thy  heart ; 
also  that  *  he  pondereth  all  thy  goings,'  and  that 
thy  judgment,  as  to  thy  faithfulness,  or  unfaith- 
fulness, in  this  work,  must  proceed  out  of  the 
mouth  of  God.  Pr.  v.  21 ;  xxi  2.  This  will  be  thy  help 
in  this  thing,  that  is,  if  thou  usest  it  faithfully ; 
also  this  will  be  thy  hindrance,  if  thou  shalt  neglect 
it,  and  suff"er  thyself  to  be  abused  by  the  devil. 

Tldrd,  It  is  urged  from  the  dangerousness  of 
the  latter  days.  Wouldst  thou  examine  thyself, 
then  make  not  the  lives  of  others  any  rule  to  thee 
in  this  matter.  It  is  prophesied  long  ago,  by 
Christ  and  by  Paul,  concerning  the  latter  times, 
'that  iniquity  shall  abound,  and  be  very  high  among 
professors .'  Mat.  xxiv.  12.  2  Ti.  iii.  1—8.  Therefore  it  will 
be  a  rare  thing  to  find  an  exemplary  life  among 
professors.  Wherefore  cease  fz'om  man,  and  learn 
of  the  Word,  try  thyself  by  the  Word,  receive  con- 
viction from  the  Word ;  and  to  take  off  thyself 
from  taking  of  encouragement  from  others,  set  the 
judgment  before  thine  eyes,  and  that  account  that 
God  will  demand  of  thee  then ;  and  know  that  it 
will  be  but  a  poor  excuse  of  thee  to  say.  Lord, 
such  a  one  doth  so,  did  so,  would  do  so :  and  they 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


541 


professed,  etc.  "Wlietlier  tliou  wilt  hear  me  or 
not,  I  know  not,  yet  this  I  know,  'If  thou  be  wise, 
thou  shalt  be  wise  for  thyself:  but  ?y*  thou  scornest, 
thou  alone  shalt  bear  it. '  Pr.  Lx.  13. 

Let  me  then,  to  press  this  use  further  upon  thee, 
show  thee  in  a  few  particulars  the  danger  of  not 
doing  of  it,  that  is,  of  not  departing  from  iniquity, 
since  thou  professest. 

Danger  1.  The  iniquity  that  cleaveth  to  men 
that  profess,  if  they  cast  it  not  away,  but  counte- 
nance it,  will  all  prove  nettles  and  briars  to  them ; 
and  I  will  assure  thee,  yea,  thou  knowest,  that 
nettles  and  thorns  will  sting  and  scratch  but  ill- 
favouredly.  *  I  went,'  saith  Solomon,  '  by  the  field 
of  the  slothful,  and  by  the  vineyard  of  the  man 
void  of  understanding.  And  lo,  it  was  all  grown 
over  with  thorns,  and  nettles  had  covered  the  face 
thereof,  and  the   stone  wall  thereof  was  broken 

down. '  Pr.  xxiv.  30,  SI. 

Suppose  a  man  were,  after  work  all  day,  to  be 
turned  into  a  bed  of  nettles  at  night :  or  after  a 
man  had  been  about  such  a  business,  should  be 
rewarded  with  chastisements  of  briars  and  thorns : 
this  would  for  work  be  but  little  help,  relief,  or 
comfort  to  him  ;  why  this  is  the  reward  of  a  wicked 
man,  of  a  wicked  professor  from  God ;  nettles  and 
thorns  are  to  cover  over  the  face  of  his  vineyard, 
his  field,  his  profession,  and  that  at  the  last  of  all ; 
for  this  covering  over  the  face  of  his  vineyard,  with 
nettles  and  thorns,  is  to  show  wliat  fruit  the 
slovenly,  slothful,  careless  professor,  will  reap  out 
of  his  profession,  when  reaping  time  shall  come. 

Kor  can  he  whose  vineyard,  whose  profession  is 
covered  over  with  these  nettles  and  thorns  of  ini- 
quity, escape  being  afflicted  v.ith  them  in  his 
conscience :  for  look  as  they  cover  the  face  of  his 
vineyard  through  his  sloth  now,  so  wLU  they  cover 
tlie  face  ot  his  conscience,  in  the  day  of  judgment. 
For  profession  and  conscience  cannot  be  separated 
long :  if  a  nmn  then  shall  make  profession  without 
conscience  of  God's  honour  in  his  conversation,  his 
profession  and  conscience  will  meet  in  the  day  of 
his  visitation.  Nor  will  he,  whose  condition  this 
shall  be,  be  able  to  ward  off  the  guilt  and  sting  of 
a  slothful  and  bad  conversation,  from  covering  the 
face  of  his  conscience,  by  retaining  in  his  profes- 
sion the  name  of  Jesus  Christ :  for  naming  and 
professing  of  the  name  of  Christ  will,  instead  of 
salving  such  a  conscience,  put  venom,  sting,  and 
keenness  into  those  nettles  and  thorns,  that  then 
shall  be  spread  over  the  face  of  such  consciences. 
This  will  be  worse  than  was  that  cold  wet  cloth 
that  Hazael  took  and  spread  over  the  face  of  Ben- 
hadad,  that  he  died.  2  Ki.  viii,  is.  This  will  sting- 
worse,  tear  worse,  torment  worse,  kill  worse. 
Therefore  look  to  it  I 

Danger  2.  Nor  may  men  shift  this  danger  by 
their  own  neglect  of  inquiring  into   the  truth  of 


their  separation  from  iniquity,  for  that  God  him- 
self will  search  them.  I  search  the  reins  and  the 
heart,  saith  he,  '  to  give  unto  every  one  of  you 
according  to  your  works.'  Re.  ii.  23. 

There  are  many  that  wear  the  name  of  Christ 
for  a  cloak,  and  so  make  their  advantages  by  their 
iniquity ;  but  Christ,  at  death  and  judgment,  will 
rend  this  cloak  from  off  such  shoulders,  then  shall 
they  walk  naked,  yea,  the  shame  of  their  naked- 
ness shall  then  appear.  Now  since  no  man  can 
escape  the  searcli  of  God,  and  so,  not  his  judgment; 
it  will  be  thy  wisdom  to  search  thine  ovni  ways, 
and  to  prevent  judgment  by  judging  of  thyself. 

Danger  3.  Christ  Avill  deny  those  to  be  his  that 
do  not  depart  from  iniquity,  though  they  shall 
name  his  name  among  the  rest  of  his  people. 
'  Depart  from  me,'  saith  he,  'all  you  that  departed 
not  from  iniquity.'  Lu. xiii. 25— 27.  Yea,  they  that 
shall  name  his  name  religiously,  and  not  depart 
from  iniquity,  are  denied  by  him  all  along.  ] .  He 
alloweth  them  not  now  to  call  him  Lord.  '  And 
why  call  ye  me  Lord,  Lord,'  saith  he,  'and  do  not, 
the  things  which  I  say  ?'  Lu.  vi.  46.  He  cannot  abide 
to  be  reputed  the  Lord  of  those  that  presume  to 
profess  his  name,  and  do  not  depart  from  iniquity. 
Eze.  xx.  39.  The  reasou  is,  for  that  such  do  but  pro- 
fane his  name,  and  stave  others  off  from  falling  in 
love  with  him  and  his  ways.  Hence  he  says  again, 
'  Behold,  I  have  sworn  by  my  great  name,  saith 
the  Lord,  that  my  name  shall  no  more  be  named 
in  the  mouth  of  any  man  of  Judah. '  Je.  .xliv.  26.  Ko.  ii.  24. 
2.  He  regardcth  not  their  prayers,  '  If  I  regard 
iniquity  in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will  not  hear'  my 
prayer.  Ps.  Lxvi.  is.  And  if  so,  then  whatever  thou 
hast  at  the  hand  of  God,  thou  hast  it,  not  in 
mercy,  but  m  judgment,  and  to  Avork  out  farther 
thine  everlasting  misery.  3.  He  will  not  regard 
their  soul,  but  at  the  last  day  will  cast  it  from  him, 
as  a  thing  abhorred  by  him.  As  is  evidently  seen 
by  that  thirteenth  of  Luke,  but  now  noted  above. 

Wherefore,  from  these  few  hints,  thou,  whoever 
thou  art,  mayest  well  perceive  what  a  horrible 
thing  it  is  to  make  a  profession  of  the  name  of 
Christ,  and  not  to  depart  from  iniquity.  Therefore 
let  me  exhort  thee  again  to  examine  thyself,  if  thou 
hast,  and  dost — since  thou  professest  that  name — 
depart  from  iniquity. 

And  here  I  would  distinguish,  for  there  is  two 
parts  in  iniquity,  to  Avit,  the  guilt  and  filth.  As 
for  the  guilt  that  is  contracted  by  iniquity,  I  per- 
suade myself,  no  man  who  knows  it,  needs  to  be 
bid  to  deshe  to  depart  from  that ;  nay,  I  do  believe 
that  the  worst  devil  in  holl  would  depart  from  his 
guilt,  if  he  could,  and  might :  but  this  is  it,  to  wit, 
to  depart  from  the  sweet,  the  pleasure,  and  profit 
of  iniquity.  There  are  that  call  evil  good,  iniquity 
good,  and  that  of  professors  too :  this  is  that  to  be 
departed  from,  and  these  are  they  that  are  exhorted 


542 


A  KOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHPJSTIANITY. 


to  forsake  it  upon  the  pains  and  penalties  Lefoi'e 
tlireatened.  Therefore,  as  I  said,  let  such  look  to 
it,  that  they  examine  themselves  if  they  depart 
from  iniquity. 

And  come,  now  thou  art  going  ahout  this  Avork, 
let  me  help  thee  in  this  matter.  I.  Ask  thy  heart, 
What  evil  dost  thou  see  in  sin  ?  II.  IIow  sick  art 
thou  of  sin  ?  III.  What  means  dost  thou  use  to 
mortify  thy  sins  ?  IV.  How  much  hast  thou  heen 
gi'ieved  to  see  others  hreak  God's  law,  and  to  find 
temptations  in  thyself  to  do  it  ? 

I.  For  the  first.  There  is  a  soul-polluting  evil  in 
iniquity.  There  is  a  God-provoking  evil  in  iniquity. 
There  is  a  soul-damning  evil  in  iniquity.  And 
imtil  thou  comest  experimentally  to  know  these 
things,  thou  wilt  have  neither  list,  uor  will,  to 
depart  from  iniquity. 

II.  For  the  second.  I  mean  not  sick  with  guilt, 
for  so  the  damned  in  hell  are  sick,  hut  I  mean  sick 
of  the  filth,  and  polluting  nature  of  it.  Thus  Avas 
Moses  sick  of  sin,  thus  Jabez  was  sick  of  sin,  and 
thus  was  Paul  sick  of  sin.  Nu.  xi.  ii,  15. 1  Ch.  iv.  9, 10.  Ro. 

vii.  14.  2  Co.  V.  1—3.  Phi.  iii.  10—14. 

III.  For  the  third.  You  know  that  those  that 
are  sensible  of  a  sickness,  will  look  out  after  the 
means  to  be  recovered ;  there  is  a  means  also  for 
this  disease,  and  dost  thou  know  what  that  means 
is,  and  hast  thou  indeed  a  desire  to  it  ?  3'ea,  could- 
est  thou  be  willing  even  now  to  partake  of  the 
means  that  would  help  thee  to  that  means,  that 
can  cure  thee  of  this  disease  ?  there  are  no  means 
can  cure  a  man  that  is  sick  of  sin,  but  glory ;  and 
the  means  to  come  by  that  is  Christ,  and  to  go 
out  of  this  world  by  the  faith  of  him.  There  is  no 
grace  can  cure  this  disease  ;  yea,  grace  doth  rather 
increase  it ;  for  the  more  gi'ace  any  man  has,  the 
more  is  he  sick  of  sin ;  the  greater  an  offence  is 
iniquity  to  him.  So  then,  there  is  nothing  can 
cure  this  disease,  but  glory :  but  innnortal  glory. 
And  dost  thou  desire  this  medicine  ?  and  doth  God 
testify  that  thy  desire  is  true,  not  feigned  ?  2  Co.  v.  4. 
I  know  that  there  are  many  things  that  do  make 
some  even  wish  to  die :  but  the  question  is  not 
whether  thou  dost  wish  to  die:  for  death  can  cure 
many  diseases :  but  is  this  that  that  moveth  thee 
to  desire  to  depart :  to  wit,  that  thou  mightest  be 
rid,  quite  rid,  and  stripped  of  a  body  of  death, 
because  nothing  on  this  side  the  grave  can  rid  thee 
and  strip  thee  of  it.  And  is  hope,  that  this  day  is 
approaching,  a  reviving  cordial  to  thee  ?  and  doth 
the  hope  of  this  strike  arrows  into  the  heart  of  thy 
lusts,  and  draw  off  thy  mind  and  affections  yet 
farther  from  iniquity.     . 

IV.  To  the  fourth.  How  much  hast  thou  been 
grieved  to  see  others  break  God's  law,  and  to  find 
temptations  in  thyself  to  do  it  ?  'I  beheld  the 
transgressors,  and  Avas  grieved,'  said  David,  'be- 
cause men  kept  not  thy  Avord.'  Ts.  cxLx.  158.     The 


same  also  had  Paul,  because  of  that  body  of  sin 
and  death  A\'hich  Avas  in  him.  Professor,  I  beseech 
thee  be  thou  serious  about  this  thing,  because  it 
Avill  be  found,  Avhen  God  comes  to  judge,  that  those 
that  profess  Christ,  and  yet  abide  Avith  their  ini- 
quity, are  but  wooden,  earthy  professors,  and  none 
of  the  silver  or  golden  ones :  and  so,  consequently, 
such  as  shall  be  vessels,  not  to  honour,  but  to  dis- 
honour ;  not  to  glory,  but  to  shame. 

USE  SECOND.  MynextshallbeaMseo/denw. 
Has  God  commanded  by  the  mouth  of  his  holy 
cipostles  and  prophets,  that  those  that  name  the 
name  of  Christ  should  depart  from  iniquity :  then 
Avhat  Avill  become  of  those  that  rebel  against  his 
Word.  Where  the  Avord  of  a  king  is,  there  is 
power ;  and  if  the  Avrath  of  a  king  be  as  the  roar- 
ing of  a  lion,  Avhat  is,  and  Avhat  Avill  be  the  Avrath 
of  God,  Aviien  Avitli  violence  it  falls  upon  the  head 
of  the  Avicked  ? 

Sirs,  I  beseech  you  consider  this,  namely,  that 
the  man  that  professeth  the  name  of  Christ,  and 
yet  liveth  a  Avicked  life,  is  the  greatest  enemy  that 
God  has  in  the  Avorld,  and,  consequently,  one  that 
God,  in  a  Avay  most  eminent,  Avill  set  his  face 
against.  Hence  he  threateneth  sucTi  so  hotly, 
saying,  '  And  the  destruction  of  the  transgressors 
and  of  the  sinner  shall  he  together,'  and  that  '  they 
that  forsake  the  Lord  shall  be  consumed.'  is.  i.  28; 
.xxxiii.  14.  But  AA'hat  sinners  are  these?  Avhj",  the 
sinners  in  Zion,  the  h^'pocrites  in  the  church.  So 
again  the  Lord  shall  '  purge  out  from  among  you 
the  rebels,  and  them  that  transgress  against  him.' 
Eze.  XX.  38.  '  All  the  sinners  of  my  people  shall  die 
hy  the  sword,  Avhich  say.  The  evil  shall  not  over- 
take nor  prevent  us.' Am.  ix.  10.  For  though  such 
do  think  that  by  professing  of  the  name  of  Christ, 
they  shall  prevent  their  going  doAvn  to  hell,  yet 
they  shall  go  down  thither,  Avith  those  that  have 
lived  openly  Avicked  and  profane:  Egypt,  and 
Judah,  the  circumcised  Avith  them  that  are  not,  for 
it  is  not  a  profession  of  faith  that  can  save  them. 
Jc.  IX.  26.  'Whom  dost  thou  pass  in  beauty,' saith 
God?  Avherein  art  thou  bettered  by  the  profession, 
than  the  Avicked  ?  '  go  down,  and  be  thou  laid  with 
the  uncircumcised.'  Eze.  xxxii.  19. 

This  in  general  ;  but  more  particularly,  the 
Avrath  of  God  manifcsteth  itself  against  such  kind 
of  professors. 

In  that  the  gospel  and  means  of  salvation  shall 
not  be  effectual  for  their  salvation,  but  that  it  shall 
Avork  rather  quite  contrary  effects.  It  shall  bring- 
forth,  as  I  said,  quite  contrary  effects.  2  Co.  ii.  15, 16. 
As, 

First,  The  preaching  of  the  Word  shall  be  to 
such  the  savour  of  death  unto  death,  and  that  is  a 
fearful  thing. 

Second,  Yea  Christ  Jesus  himself  shall  be  so  far 
off  from  being  a  savour  unto  them,  that  he  shall 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEALTY  OF  CHRISTL\NITY. 


543 


be  a  snare,  a  trap  and  a  gin  to  catch  them  hj  the 
heel  withal ;  that  they  may  go  and  fall  backward, 
'and  be  broken,  and  snared,  and  taken.'  la.  viii.  u,  15; 

xxnii.  13. 

Tliird,  The  Lord  also  will  choose  out  such  delu- 
sions, or  such  as  will  best  suit  with  tlie  workings 
of  their  flesh,  as  will  effectually  bring  them  down, 
with  the  bullocks  and  with  the  bulls  to  the  slaugh- 
ter: yea,  he  will  lead  such  forth  with  the  workers 

of  iniquity.  Is.  Ixvi.  3,  4.  Ps.  cxxv.  5. 

Fourth,  Such,  above  all,  lie  open  to  the  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost,  tliat  unpardonable  sin, 
that  must  never  be  forgiven.  For  alas,  it  is  not 
the  poor  ignorant  world,  but  the  enlightened  pro- 
fessor that  committeth  the  sin  that  shall  never  be 
forgiven. 

1  say,  it  is  one  enlightened,  one  that  has  tasted 
the  good  word  of  God,  and  something  of  the 
powers  of  tlae  world  to  come.  He.  tL  4.  Un.  v.  le.  It 
is  one  that  was  counted  a  brother,  that  was  with 
us  in  our  profession;  it  is  such  an  one  that  is  in 
danger  of  committing  of  that  most  black  and  bloody 
sin.  But  yet  all  and  every  one  of  those  that  are 
such  are  not  in  danger  of  this ;  but  those  among 
these  that  take  pleasure  in  unrighteou.sness,  and 
that  rather  than  they  will  lose  that  pleasure,  will 
commit  it  presumptuously.  Presumptuously,  that 
is,  against  light,  against  convictions,  against 
warnings,  against  mercies.  Or  thus,  a  presump- 
tuous sin  is  such  an  one  as  is  committed  in  the 
face  of  the  command,  in  a  desperate  venturing  to 
run  the  hazard,  or  in  a  presuming  upon  the  mercy 
of  God,  through  Christ,  to  be  saved  notwithstand- 
ing: this  is  a  leading  sin  to  that  which  is  unpar- 
donable, and  will  be  found  with  such  professors 
that  do  hanker  after  iniquity.  I  say,  it  is  designed 
by  the  devil,  and  suffered  by  the  just  judgment  of 
God,  to  catch  and  overthrow  the  loose  and  carnal 
gospellers.  And  hence  it  is  that  David  cries  unto 
God,  that  he  would  hold  him  back  from  these  sort 
of  sins.  '  Cleanse  thou  me  from  secret  faults,^ 
says  he.  And  then  adds,  '  Keep  back  thy  servant 
also  from  presumptuous  sins ;  let  them  not  have 
dominion  over  me :  then  shall  I  be  upright,  and 
I  shall  be  innocent  from  the  great  transgression.* 

Ps.  xix.  12,  IS. 

If  there  were  any  dread  of  God,  or  of  his  word, 
in  the  hearts  of  the  men  of  this  generation,  the 
consideration  of  this  one  text  is  enough  to  shake 
them  in  pieces:  I  speak  of  those  that  name  the 
name  of  Christ,  but  do  not  depart  from  iniquity. 
But  the  word  of  God  must  be  fulfilled  ;  in  the  last 
days  iniquity  must  abound  ;  wherefore  these  daN-s 
will  be  perilous  and  dangerous  to  professors.  'In 
the  last  days  perilous  times  shall  come,  for  men 
shall  be  lovers  of  their  ownselves,  covetous,  boasters, 
proud,  blasphemers,  disobedient  to  parents,  un- 
thankful,   unholy.'   2  Ti.  iiL  1,  2.  Mat.  xxiv,  13.      1   do   the 


oftener  harp  upon  this  text  at  tlils  time,  because 
it  is  a  prediction  of  what  shall  be  in  the  latter 
days,  to  wit,  what  a  sea  and  deluge  of  iniquity 
shall  in  the  latter  days  overspread  and  drown 
those  that  then  shall  have  a  form  of  godliness,  and 
of  religion.  So  that  this  day  is  more  dangerous 
than  were  the  days  that  have  been  before  us. 
Now  iniquity,  even  immorality,  shall  with  profes- 
sors be  in  fashion,  be  pleaded  for,  be  loved  and 
more  esteemed  than  holiness  itself.  Now  godli- 
ness and  self-denial  shall  be  little  set  by ;  even 
those  very  men  that  have  a  form  of  godliness  hate 
the  life  and  power  thereof;  yea,  they  shall  despise 
them  that  are  good.  Now  therefore  ministers 
must  not  think  that  what  they  say  of  the  doctrine 
of  self-denial  among  professors,  will  be  much,  if 
at  all  regarded.  I  say,  regarded,  so  as  to  be 
loved  and  put  in  practice  by  them  that  name  the 
name  of  Christ.  For  the  strong  hold  that  ini- 
quity shall  have  of  their  afiections  will  cause  that 
but  little  effectualness  to  this  end  will  be  found  to 
attend  tlie  preaching  of  the  "Word  unto  them. 

But  what  will  these  kind  of  men  do,  when  God 
that  is  just,  God  that  is  holy,  and  God  that  is 
strong  to  execute  his  word,  shall  call  them  to  an 
account  for  these  things  ? 

Now  some  may  say,  But  what  shall  Ave  do  to 
depart  from  iniquity  ?     I  answer, 

1.  Labour  to  see  the  odiousness  and  unprofi- 
tableness thereof,  which  thou  mayest  do  by  the 
true  knowledge  of  the  excellent  nature  of  the  holi- 
ness of  God.  For  imtil  thou  seest  a  beauty  in 
holiness,  thou  canst  not  see  odiousness  in  sin  and 
iniquity.  Danger  thou  mayest  see  in  sin  before, 
but  odiousness  thou  canst  not. 

2.  Be  much  in  the  consideration  of  the  power, 
justice,  and  faithfulness  of  God  to  revenge  himself 
on  the  workers  of  iniquity. 

3.  Be  much  in  the  consideration  of  the  great- 
ness and  worth  of  thy  soul. 

4.  Be  often  asking  of  thyself  what  true  profit 
did  I  ever  get  by  the  commission  of  any  sin. 

5.  Bring  thy  last  day  often  to  thy  bedside. 

6.  Be  often  thinking  of  the  cries  and  roarings 
of  the  damned  in  hell. 

7.  Be  often  considering  the  lastingTiess  of  the 
torments  of  hell. 

8.  Be  often  thinking  what  would  those  that  are 
now  in  hell  give  that  they  might  live  their  lives 
over  again. 

9.  Consider  often  of  the  frailty  of  thy  life,  and 
that  there  is  no  repentance  to  be  found  in  the  grave, 
whither  thou  goest. 

10.  Consider  that  hell  is  a  doleful  place,  and 
that  the  devils  are  but  uncomfortable  companions. 

11.  Again,  consider  together  with  those  how 
the  patience  of  God  has  been  abused  by  thee;  yea, 
how  all  his  attributes  have  been  despised  by  thee, 


544, 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


who.  art  a  professor,  that  does  not  depart  from 
iniquity. 

12.  Moreover,  I  would  ask  with  what  face  thou 
canst  look  the  Lord  Jesus  in  the  face,  whose  name 
thou  hast  profaned  by  thine  iniquity  ? 

13.  Also,  how  thou  wilt  look  on  those  that  are 
truly  godly,  whose  hearts  thou  has  grieved,  while 
they  have  beheld  the  dirt  and  dung  that  hath  cloven 
to  thee  and  to  thy  profession. 

14.  But  especially  consider  with  thyself  how 
thou  wilt  bear,  together  with  thine  own,  the  guilt 
of  the  damnation  of  others.  For  as  I  have  often 
said,  a  professor,  if  he  perishes,  seldom  perishes 
alone,  but  casteth  others  down  to  hell  with  him- 
self. The  reason  is,  because  others,  both  weak 
professors  and  carnal  men,  are  spectators  and 
observers  of  his  ways  ;  yea,  and  will  presume  also 
to  follow  him  especially  in  evil  courses,  concluding 
that  he  is  right.  We  read  that  the  tail  of  the 
dragon,  or  that  the  dragon  by  his  tail,  did  draw 
and  cast  down  abundance  of  the  stars  of  heaven  to 
the  earth.  Re.  sii.  4.  is.  k.  14,  15.  The  tail !  '  The 
prophet  that  teacheth  lies,  he  is  the  tail.'  The 
prophet  that  speaketh  lies,  either  by  opinion  or 
practice,  he  is  the  tail,  the  dragon's  tail,  the  ser- 
pentine tail  of  the  devil,  is.  ix.  14, 15.  And  so  in  his 
order,  eveiy  professor  that  by  his  iniquity  draweth 
both  himself  and  others  to  hell,  he  is  the  tail. 
The  tail,  says  the  Holy  Ghost,  draws  them  down; 
draws  down  even  the  stars  of  heaven;  but  whither 
doth  he  draw  them?  The  answer  is,  from  heaven, 
the  throne  of  God,  to  earth,  the  seat  of  the  dragon; 
for  he  is  the  god  of  this  world.  The  professor 
then  that  is  dishonourable  in  his  profession,  he  is 
the  tail.  '  The  ancient  and  honourable,  he  is  the 
head ;  and  the  prophet  that  teacheth  lies,  he  is  the 
tail.'  Nor  can  Satan  work  such  exploits  by  any, 
as  he  can  by  unrighteous  professors.  These  he 
useth  in  his  hand,  as  the  giant  useth  his  club;  he, 
as  it  were,  drives  all  before  him  with  it.  It  is 
said  of  Behemoth,  that  '  he  moveth  his  tail  like  a 
cedar.'  Job  .\i.  17.  Behemoth  is  a  type  of  the  devil, 
but  behold  how  he  handleth  his  tail,  even  as  if  a 
man  should  swing  about  a  cedar.  Re.  ix.  10, 19.  This 
is  spoken  to  shew  the  hurtfulness  of  the  tail,  as  it 
is  also  said  in  another  place.  Better  no  professor 
than  a  wicked  professor.  Better  open  profane 
than  a  hypocritical  namer  of  tlie  name  of  Christ ; 
and  less  hurt  shall  such  an  one  do  to  his  own  soul, 
to  the  poor  ignorant  Avorld,  to  the  name  of  Christ, 
and  to  the  church  of  God. 

Let  professors,  therefore,  take  heed  to  them- 
selves, that  they  join  to  their  naming  of  the  name 
of  Christ  an  holy  and  godly  conversation  ;  for  away 
they  must  go  else  with  the  workers  of  iniquity  to 
the  pit,  with  more  guilt,  and  bigger  load,  and  more 
torment  by  far  than  others.      But, 

USE  THIRD.  Mv  next  word  shall  be  to  those 


that  desire  to  be  true,  sincere  professors  of  the  name 
of  Christ. 

First,  Do  you  bless  God,  for  that  he  has  put 
not  only  his  name  into  your  lips,  but  grace  into 
your  hearts,  that  thereby  that  profession  which 
thou  makest  of  him  may  be  seasoned  with  that 
salt.  '  Every  sacrifice  shall  be  seasoned  Avith 
salt. '  Mar.  ix.  49.  Now  naming  of  the  name  of  Christ 
is  a  sacrifice,  and  a  sacrifice  acceptable,  when  the 
salt  of  the  covenant  of  thy  God  is  not  lacking,  but 
mixed  therewith.  He.  xiii.  15.  Le.  ii.  13.  Therefore  I 
say,  since  God  has  put  his  name  into  thy  mouth 
to  profess  the  same,  and  grace  into  thy  heart  to 
season  that  profession  with  such  carriage,  such 
behaviour,  such  life,  and  such  conversation  as  doth 
become  the  same,  thou  hast  great  cause  to  thank 
God.  A  man  into  whose  mouth  God  has  put  the 
name  of  Christ  to  profess  it,  is  as  a  man  that  is 
to  act  his  part  upon  a  stage  in  the  market  place; 
if  he  doth  it  well,  he  brings  praise  both  to  his 
master  and  himself;  but  if  he  doth  it  ill,  both  are 
brought  into  contempt.  No  greater  praise  can  by 
man  be  brought  to  God,  than  by  joining  to  the 
profession  of  the  name  of  Christ  a  fruitful  life  and 
conversation.  '  Hei'ein,'  saith  Christ,  'is  my 
Father  glorified,  that  ye  bear  much  fruit ;  so  shall 
ye  be  my  disciples.'  Jn.  xv.  8.  Fruitful  lives  God 
expecteth  of  all  that  profess  the  name  of  Christ. 
And  let  every  one  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ 
depart  from  iniquity.  Bless  God,  therefore,  if  he 
hath  kept  thee  from  blotting  and  blemishing  of  thy 
profession  ;  if  tliy  conversation  has  not  been  stained 
with  the  blots  and  evils  of  the  times.  What  thou 
feelest,  fightest  with,  and  groanest  under,  by 
reason  of  the  working  of  thine  inward  corruptions, 
with  that  I  meddle  not ;  nor  is  thy  conversation 
the  worse  for  that,  if  thou  keepest  them  from 
breaking  out.  Thou  also  shalt  be  counted  holy 
unto  God,  through  Christ,  if  thou  be  of  an  upright 
conversation  ;  thougli  plagued  every  day  with  the 
working  of  thine  own  corruption. 

As  God's  grace  is  the  salt  of  saints,  so  saints  are 
the  salt  of  God.  The  one  is  the  salt  of  God  in  the 
heart,  and  the  other  is  the  salt  of  God  in  the  world. 
'  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth:'  Mat.  v.  13.  that  is, 
the  salt  of  God  in  the  earth.  For  the  earth  would 
be  wholly  corrupt,  and  would  altogether  stink,  if 
professors  were  not  in  it.  But  now  if  the  profes- 
sor, which  is  the  salt,  shall  indeed  lose  his  savour, 
and  hath  nothing  in  his  conversation  to  season  that 
part  of  the  earth,  in  Avhich  God  has  placed  him, 
wherewith  shall  it  be  seasoned  ?  The  place  where 
he  dwells,  as  well  as  his  profession,  will  both  stink 
odiously  in  the  nostrils  of  the  Lord,  and  so  both 
come  to  ruin  and  desolation. 

Indeed,  as  I  have  shewed,  the  professor  will 
come  to  the  worst  of  it ;  for  that  God  doth  deny 
further  to  cfive  him  salt.     '  If  the  salt  have  lost 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


545 


his  savour,  wlierewitli  shall  it  he  seasoned  ?'  Lu. 
xiv.  34.  Wherewith  shall  the  salt  be  salted  ?  with 
nothing.  Therefore  it  is  thenceforth  good  for 
nothing.  No,  not  for  the  dunghill,  but  to  be  cast 
out,  and  trodden  under  foot  of  men.  '  He  that 
hath  ears  to  hear  let  him  hear.' 

How  much,  therefore,  is  the  tender-hearted,  and 
he  that  laboureth  to  beautify  his  profession  witli  a 
gospel  conversation,  bound  to  bless  God  for  the 
salt  of  his  grace,  by  the  which  his  heart  is  sea- 
soned, and  from  his  heart,  his  conversation. 

Seeoncl,  As  such  Christians  should  bless  God, 
so  let  them  watch,  let  them  still  watch,  let  them 
still  watch  and  pray,  watch  against  Satan,  and 
pray  yet  for  more  grace,  that  they  may  yet  more 
and  more  beautify  their  profession  of  the  worthy 
name  of  Christ  with  a  suitable  conversation. 
Blessed  is  he  that  wateheth  and  keepeth  his  gar- 
ment ;  that  is,  his  conversation  clean,  nor  is  there 
anything,  save  the  overthrowing  of  our  faith,  that 
Satan  seeketh  more  to  destroy.  He  knows  holi- 
ness in  them  that  rightly,  as  to  doctrine,  name  the 
name  of  Christ,  is  a  maul  and  destruction  to  his 
kingdom,  an  allurement  to  the  ignorant,  and  a 
cutting  off  those  occasions  to  stumble,  that  by  the 
dirty  life  of  a  professor  is  laid  in  the  way  of  the 
blind.  Le.  xLv.  14.  He  knows  that  holiness  of  lives, 
when  they  shine  in  those  that  profess  the  name  of 
Christ,  doth  cut  off  his  lies  that  he  seeketh  to  make 
the  world  believe,  and  slanders  that  he  seeketh  to 
fasten  upon  the  professors  of  the  gospel.  Where- 
fore, as  you  have  begun  to  glorify  God  in  your 
body  and  in  your  spirit,  which  are  God's ;  so  I 
beseech  you  do  it  more  and  more. 

TJiird,  To  this  end,  shun  those  professors  that 
are  loose  of  life  and  conversation :  '  From  such 
withdraw  thyself,'  saith  Paul,  and  follow  '  righte- 
ousness, faith,  charity,  peace,  with  them  that  call 
on  the  Lord  out  of  a  pure  heart. '  i  Ti.  vi.  5.  2  Ti,  ii.  23. 
If  a  man,  if  a  good  man  takes  not  good  heed  to 
himself,  he  shrJI  soon  bring  his  soul  into  a  snare. 
Loose  professors  are  defilers  and  corrupters ;  a 
man  shall  get  nothing  but  a  blot  by  having  com- 
pany with  them.  Is.  i.  4.  Besides,  as  a  man  shall 
get  a  blot  by  having  much  to  do  with  such ;  so  let 
him  beware  that  his  heart  learn  none  of  their  ways. 
Let  thy  company  be  the  excellent  in  the  earth  ; 
even  those  that  are  excellent  for  knowledge  and 
conversation.  '  He  that  walketh  witli  wise  men 
shall  be  wise ;  but  a  companion  of  fools  shall  be 
destroyed.' 

Be  content  to  be  counted  singular,  for  so  thou 
shalt,  if  thou  shalt  follow  after  righteousness,  &e., 
in  good  earnest ;  for  holiness  is  a  rare  thing  now  in 
the  world.  I  told  thee  before  that  it  is  foretold 
by  the  Word,  that  in  the  last  days  perilous  times 
shall  come,  and  that  men  shall  walk  after  their 
own  lusts;   yea,  professors,  to  their  destniction. 

VOL.  II. 


Nor  will  it  be  easy  to  keep  thyself  therefrom.  But 
even  as  Avhen  the  pestilence  is  come  into  a  place, 
it  infecteth  and  casteth  down  the  healthful ;  so  the 
iniquity  of  the  last  times  will  infect  and  pollute  the 
godly.  I  mean  the  generality  of  them.  Were  but 
our  times  duly  compared  with  those  that  went  before, 
we  should  see  that  which  now  we  are  ignorant  of. 
Did  we  but  look  back  to  the  Puritans,  but  especially 
to  those  that,  but  a  little  before  them,  suffered 
for  the  word  of  God,  in  the  Marian  days,  we  should 
see  another  life  than  is  now  among  men,  another 
manner  of  conversation  than  now  is  among  pro- 
fessors. But,  I  say,  predictions  and  prophecies 
must  be  fulfilled  ;  and  since  the  Word  says  plainly, 
that  '  in  the  last  days  there  shall  come  scoffers, 
walking  after  their  own  lusts,'  2  Pe.  iii.  3,17,  and  since 
the  Christians  shall  be  endangered  thereby,  let  us 
look  to  it.  that  we  acquit  ourselves  like  men,  see- 
ing we  know  these  things  before  ;  '  lest  we,  being 
led  away  with  the  error  of  the  wicked,  fall  from 
our  own  steadfastness.' 

Singularity  in  godliness,  if  it  be  in  godliness,  no 
man  should  be  ashamed  of.  For  that  is  no  more 
than  to  be  more  godl}^,  than  to  walk  more  humbly 
with  God  than  others ;  and,  for  my  part,  I  had 
rather  be  a  pattern  and  example  of  piety.  I  had 
rather  that  my  life  should  be  instructing  to  the 
saints,  and  condemning  to  the  world,  with  Noah 
and  Lot,  than  to  hazard  myself  among  the  multi- 
tude of  the  drossy. 

I  know  that  many  professors  will  fall  short  of 
eternal  life,  and  my  judgment  tells  me,  that  they 
will  be  of  the  slovenly  sort  of  professors  that  so  do. 
And  for  my  part,  I  had  rather  run  with  the  fore- 
most and  win  the  prize,  than  come  behind,  and 
lose  that,  and  my  labour,  and  all.  '  If  a  man  also 
strive  for  masteries,  yet  is  he  not  crowned,  except 
he  strive  lawfully.'  And  when  men  have  said  all 
they  can,  they  are  the  truly  redeemed  '  that  are 

zealous  of  good  works.'  1  Co.ix.  21.  2Ti.ii.4,  S.Tit.ii.  14. 

Not  that  works  do  save  us,  but  faith,  Avhich 
layeth  hold  on  Christ's  righteousness  for  justifica- 
tion, sanctifies  the  heart,  and  makes  men  desirous 
to  live  in  this  world,  to  the  glory  of  that  Christ 
who  died  in  this  world  to  save  us  from  death. 

For  my  part  I  doubt  of  the  faith  of  many,  and 
fear  that  it  will  prove  no  better  at  the  day  of  God 
than  V7\\\  the  faith  of  devils.  For  that  it  standeth 
in  bare  speculation,  and  is  without  life  and  soul  to 
that  which  is  good.  Where  is  the  man  that  walk- 
eth with  his  cross  upon  his  shoulder  ?  Where  is 
the  man  that  is  zealous  of  moral  holiness  ?  Indeed, 
for  those  things  that  have  nothing  of  the  cross  of 
the  purse,  or  of  the  cross  of  the  belly,  or  of  the 
cross  of  the  back,  or  of  tlie  cross  of  the  vanity  of 
household  affairs  ;  for  those  things,  I  find  Ave  have 
many,  and  those,  very  busy  sticklers;  but  other- 
wise, the  cross,  self  denial,  charity,  purity  in  life 
3z 


546 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


and  conversation,  is  almost  quite  out  of  doors  among 
professors.  But,  man  of  God,  do  thou  be  singular 
as  to  these  and  as  to  their  conversation.  '  Be  not 
ye  therefore  partakers  with  them,'  Ep.  v,  7,  in  any  of 
their  ways,  but  keep  thy  soul  diligently ;  for  if 
damage  happeneth  to  thee,  thou  alone  must  bear  it. 

But  he  that  will  depart  from  iniquity  must  be 
well  fortified  with  faith,  and  patience,  and  the  love 
of  God ;  for  iniquity  has  its  beauty  spots  and  its 
advantages  attending  on  it ;  hence  it  is  compared 
to  a  woman,  for  it  allureth  greatly.  Zee.  v.  7.  Where- 
fore, I  say,  he  that  will  depart  therefrom  had  need 
have  faith,  that  being  it  wliich  will  help  him  to  see 
beyond  it,  and  that  will  shew  him  more  in  things 
that  are  invisible,  that  can  be  found  in  sin,  were  it 
ten  thousand  times  more  entangling  than  it  is. 
2  Co.  iv.  18.  He  has  need  of  patience  also  to  hold  out 
in  this  work  of  departing  from  iniquity.  For, 
indeed,  to  depart  from  that,  is  to  draw  my  mind 
oif  from  that,  which  will  follow  me  with  continual 
solicitations.  Samson  withstood  his  Delilah  for  a 
while,  but  she  got  the  mastery  of  him  at  the  last ; 
why  so  ?  Because  he  wanted  patience,  he  grew 
angry  and  was  vexed,  and  could  withstand  her  soli- 
citation no  longer.  Ju.  xvi.  15—17.  Many  there  be 
also,  that  can  well  enough  be  contented  to  shut  sin 
out  of  doors  for  a  while  ;  but  because  sin  has  much 
fair  speech,  therefore  it  overcomes  at  last.  Pr.  vii.  21. 
For  sin  and  iniquity  will  not  be  easily  said  nay ;  it 
is  like  her  of  whom  you  read — she  has  a  whore's 
forehead,  and  refuses  to  be  ashamed.  Je.  iii.  3.  Where- 
fore, departing  from  iniquity  is  a  work  for  length, 
as  long  as  life  shall  last.  A  work  did  I  say  ?  It 
is  a  war ;  a  continual  combat ;  wherefore  he  that 
will  adventure  to  set  upon  this  work  must  needs 
be  armed  with  faith  and  patience,  a  daily  exercise 
he  will  find  himself  put  upon  by  the  continual 
attempts  of  miquity  to  be  putting  forth  itself. 
Mat.  xxiv.  13.  Re.  iii.  10.  Tliis  is  Called  an  enduring  to 
the  end,  a  continuing  in  the  word  of  Christ,  and 
also  a  keeping  of  the  word  of  his  patience.  But 
what  man  in  the  world  can  do  this  whose  heart 
is  not  seasoned  with  the  love  of  God  and  the 
love  of  Christ  ?  Therefore,  he  that  will  exercise 
himself  in  this  work  must  be  often  considering 
of  the  love  of  God  to  him  in  Christ;  for  the  more 
sense,  or  apprehension,  a  man  shall  have  of  that, 
the  more  easy  and  pleasant  will  this  work  be  to 
him :  yea,  though  the  doing  thereof  should  cost 
him  his  heart's  blood,  '  Thy  loving-kindness  is 
before  mine  eyes,'  says  David,  '  and  I  have  walked 
in  thy  truth. '  Ps.  xxvi.  3.  Nothing  like  the  sense, 
sight,  or  belief  of  that,  to  the  man  of  God,  to 
make  him  depart  from  iniquity. 

But  what  shall  1  do,  I  cannot  depart  therefrom 
as  I  should  ? 

Keep  tliiue  eye  upon  all  thy  shortnesses,  or 
upon  all  thy  failures,  for  that  that  is  profitable  for 


thee.  1,  The  sight  of  this  will  make  thee  base  in 
thine  own  eyes,  2.  It  will  give  thee  occasion  to 
see  the  need  and  excellency  of  repentance,  3.  It 
will  put  thee  upon  prayer  to  God  for  help  and  par- 
don, 4,  It  will  make  thee  weary  of  this  world. 
5.  It  will  make  grace  to  persevere  the  more  desir- 
able in  thine  eyes. 

Also,  it  will  help  thee  in  the  things  which  fol- 
low : — 1.  It  wiU  make  thee  see  the  need  of 
Christ's  righteousness.  2,  It  wiU  make  thee  see 
the  need  of  Chi'ist's  intercession.  3,  It  will  make 
thee  see  thy  need  of  Christ's  advocateship,  4.  It 
will  make  tiice  see  the  riches  of  God's  patience. 
5.  And  it  will  make  heaven  and  eternal  life  the 
sweeter  to  thee  when  thou  comest  there. 

But  to  the  question.  Get  mere  grace,  for  the 
more  grace  thou  hast  the  further  is  thine  heart  set 
ofi'  of  iniquity,  the  more,  also,  set  against  it,  and 
the  better  able  to  depart  from  it  when  it  cometli  to 
thee,  tempteth  thee,  and  entreats  thee  for  enter- 
tainment. Now  the  way  to  have  more  grace  is  to 
have  more  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  to  pray  more 
fervently  in  his  name  ;  also,  to  subject  thy  soul  and 
thy  lusts,  with  all  thy  power,  to  the  authority  of 
that  grace  thou  hast,  and  to  judge  and  condemn 
thyself  most  heartily  before  God,  for  every  secret 
inclination  that  thou  findest  in  thy  flesh  to  sin- 
ward. 

The  improvement  of  what  thou  hast  is  that,  as  I 
may  say,  by  which  God  judges  how  thou  wouldest 
use,  if  thou  hadst  it,  more  ;  and  according  to  that 
so  shalt  thou  have,  or  not  have,  a  farther  measure. 
He  that  is  faithful  in  that  which  is  least  is  faith- 
ful, and  will  be  so,  also  in  much  ;  and  he  that  is 
unjust  in  the  least,  is,  and  will  be,  unjust  also  in 
much,  I  know  Christ  speaks  here  about  the  unrigh- 
teous mammon,  but  the  same  may  be  applied  also 
unto  the  thing  in  hand,  Lu.  xvi.  lO— li3. 

And  if  ye  have  not  been  faithful  in  that  which 
is  another  man's,  who  will  commit  unto  you  that 
which  is  your  own  ?  That  is  a  remarkable  place 
to  this  purpose  in  the  Revelation — '  Behold,'  saith 
he,  'I  have  set  before  thee  an  open  door,'  that  thou 
mayest  have  what  thou  wilt,  as  was  also  said  to 
the  impi-oving  woman  of  Canaan,  '  and  no  man  can 
shut  it :  for  thou  hast  a  little  strength,  and  hast 
kept  my  word,  and  hast  not  denied  my  name.' 

Re.  iii.  8.  Mat.  xv.  23. 

A  good  improvement  of  what  we  have  of  the 
grace  of  God  at  present  pleases  God,  and  engages 
him  to  give  us  more ;  but  an  ill  improvement  of 
what  we  at  present  have  will  not  do  so.  '  To  him 
that  hath,'  that  hath  an  heart  to  improve  what  he 
hath,  '  to  him  shall  be  given  ;  but  to  him  that  hath 
not,  from  him  shall  be  taken  even  that  which  he 
hath,'  Mat. XXV. 21— 30.  Well,  weigh  the  place  and 
you  shall  find  it  so. 

I  know  that  to  depart  from  iniquity  so  as  is 


A  HOLY  LIFE  THE  BEAUTY  OF  CnRISTL\NITY. 


547 


required,  that  is,  to  the  utmost  degree  of  the 
requirement,  no  man  can,  for  it  is  a  copy  too  fair 
for  mortal  flesh  exactly  to  imitate  Avhile  we  are  in 
this  world.  But  with  good  paper,  good  ink,  and 
good  pen,  a  skilful  and  willing  man  may  go  far. 
And  it  is  well  for  thee  if  thy  complaint  he  sincere, 
to  wit,  that  thou  art  troubled  that  thou  canst  not 
forsake  iniquity  as  thou  shouldest ;  for  God  accept- 
eth  of  thy  design  and  desire,  and  it  is  counted  by 
him  as  thy  kindness.  Pr.  xix.  22.  But  if  thy  com- 
plaint in  this  matter  be  true,  thou  wilt  not  rest  nor 
content  thyself  in  thy  complaints,  but  wilt,  as  he 
that  is  tndy  hungry  or  greatly  burdened  useth  all 
lawful  means  to  satisfy  his  hunger  and  to  ease  him- 
self of  his  burden,  use  all  thy  skill  and  power  to 
mortify  and  keep  them  under,  by  the  word  of  God. 
Nor  can  it  otherwise  be  but  that  sueh  a  man  must 
be  a  growing  man.  '  Every  branch  that  beareth 
fruit,  he  purgeth  it,  that  it  may  bring  forth  more 
fruit.'  Jn. XT.  2.  Such  a  man  shall  not  be  stumbHng 
in  religion,  nor  a  scandal  to  it,  in  his  calling ;  but 
shall,  according  to  God's  ordinary  way  with  his 
people,  be  a  fruitful  and  flourishing  bough. 

And  I  woidd  to  God  this  were  the  sickness  of 
all  tliei)!  that  profess  in  this  nation  ;  for  then 
should  we  soon  have  a  new  leaf  turned  over  in 
most  corners  of  this  nation  ;  then  would  gracious- 
ness  of  heart,  and  life,  and  conversation  be  more 
prized,  more  sought  after,  and  better  improved  and 
practised  than  it  is ;  yea,  then  would  the  throats 
of  ungodly  men  be  better  stopt,  and  their  mouths 
faster  shut  up,  as  to  their  reproaching  of  reli- 
gion, than  they  are.  A  Christian  man  must  be 
the  object  of  the  envy  of  the  world ;  but  it  is 
better,  if  the  will  of  God  be  so,  that  we  be  re- 
proached for  well-doing  than  for  evil,  l  Pe.ii.;  iii.  If 
we  be  reproached  for  evil-doing,  it  is  our  shame ; 
hut  if  for  well-doing,  it  is  our  glory.  If  we  be 
reproached  for  our  sins,  God  cannot  vindicate  us ; 
but  if  we  be  reproached  for  a  virtuous  Ufe,  God 
himself  is  concerned,  will  espouse  our  quarrel,  and, 
in  his  good  time,  wiU  shew  our  foes  our  righteous- 
ness, and  put  them  to  shame  and  silence.  Briefly, 
a  godly  life  annexed  to  faith  in  Christ  is  so  neces- 
sary, that  a  man  that  professes  the  name  of  Christ 
is  worse  than  a  beast  without  it. 

But  thou  wilt  say  unto  me,  Why  do  men  profess 
the  name  of  Christ  that  love  not  to  depart  from 
iniquity  ? 

I  answer,  there  are  many  reasons  for  it. 

1 .  The  preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  so  the  pub- 
lication of  the  name  of  Christ,  is  musical  and  very 


taking  to  the  children  of  men.  A  Saviour  I  a 
Redeemer!  a  loving,  sin-pardoning  Jesus!  what 
better  words  can  come  from  man  ?  what  better 
melody  can  be  heard  ?  '  Son  of  man,'  said  God  to 
the  prophet,  '  Lo,  thou  aH  unto  them  as  a  very 
lovely  song;'  or,  as  a  song  of  loves,  '  of  one  that 
hath  a  pleasant  voice,  and  can  play  well  on  an 
instrument.'  Eze. xxxiii.  32.  The  gospel  is  a  most 
melodious  note  and  sweet  tune  to  any  that  are  not 
prepossessed  with  slander,  reproach,  and  enmity 
against  the  professors  of  it.  Now,  its  melodious 
notes  being  so  sweet,  no  marvel  if  it  entangle  some 
even  of  them  that  yet  will  not  depart  from  ini- 
quity to  take  up  and  profess  so  lovely  a  profession. 
But, 

2.  There  are  a  generation  of  men  that  are  and 
have  been  frightened  with  the  law,  and  terrified 
with  fears  of  perishing  for  their  sins,  but  yet  have 
not  jrrace  to  leave  them.  Now,  when  the  sound  of 
the  gospel  shall  reach  such  men's  ears,  because 
there  is  by  that  made  public  the  willingness  of 
Christ  to  die  for  sin,  and  of  God  to  forgive  them 
for  his  sake ;  therefore  they  presently  receive  and 
profess  those  notions  as  the  only  ones  that  can  rid 
them  from  their  frights  and  terrors,  falsely  resting 
themselves  content  with  that  faith  thereof  which 
standeth  in  naked  knowledge  ;  yea,  liking  of  that 
faith  best  that  will  stand  with  their  pride,  covet- 
ousness,  and  lechery,  never  desiring  to  hear  of 
practical  holiness,  because  it  AviU  disturb  them  ; 
wherefore  they  usually  cast  dirt  at  such,  calling 
them  legal  preachers. 

3.  Here  also  is  a  design  of  Satan  set  on  foot ; 
for  these  carnal  gospellers  are  his  tares,  the  chil- 
dren of  the  wicked  one ;  those  that  he  hath  sowed 
among  the  wheat  of  purpose,  if  possible,  that  that 
might  be  rooted  up  by  beholding  and  learning  to  be 
vile  and  filthy  of  them.  Mat.  xiiL  36—43. 

4.  Another  cause  hereof  is  this,  the  hypocrites 
that  begin  to  profess  find  as  bad  as  themselves 
already  in  a  profession  of  this  worthy  name  ;  and, 
think  they,  these  do  so  and  so,  and,  therefore,  so 
wiUI. 

5.  This  comes  to  pass,  also,  through  the  righ- 
teous judgment  of  God,  who,  through  the  anger 
that  he  has  conceived  against  some  men  for  their 
sins,  will  lift  them  up  to  heaven  before  he  casts  them 
down  to  hell,  that  their  fall  may  be  the  greater  and 
their  punishment  the  more  intolerable.  Mat.  xi.  20—24. 
I  have  now  done  when  I  have  read  to  you  my  text 
over  again — '  And,  let  every  one  that  nameth  the 
name  of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity.' 


CHRISTIAN    BEHAVIOUR; 

BEI>'G 

THE  FRUITS  OF  TRUE  CHRISTIANITY: 

TEACHIXG  HUSBANDS,  WIVES,  PARENTS,   CHILDREN,  MASTERS,   SERVANTS,  ETC.,  HOW  TO  WALK 

SO  AS  TO  PLEASE  GOD. 

WITH  A  WORD  OF  DIRECTION  TO  ALL  BACKSLIDERS. 


ADVERTISEMENT  BY  THE  EDITOR. 


This  valuable  practical  treatise,  was  first  published 
as  a  pocket  volume  about  the  year  1674,  soon  after 
the  author's  final  release  from  his  long  and  dan- 
gerous imprisonment.  It  is  evident  from  the  con- 
cluding paragraph  that  he  considered  his  liberty 
and  even  his  life  to  be  still  in  a  very  uncertain 
state ;  not  from  the  infirmities  of  age,  for  he  was 
then  in  the  prime  of  life ;  but  from  the  tyranny  of 
the  state  church,  and  probably  from  the  efi^cts  of 
lais  long  incarceration  in  a  damp,  unhealthy  gaol. 
It  is  the  best  and  most  scriptural  guide  that  has 
ever  appeared  to  aid  us  in  the  performance  of 
relative  duties :  written  with  originality  of  thought 
and  that  peculiar  and  pious  earnestness  which  so 
distinguishes  all  his  works. 

No  one  can  read  this  book,  without  finding  in  it 
his  own  portrait  truly  and  correctly  drawn  to  the 
life.  Many  have  been  the  hearers  of  the  word 
in  its  public  ministration,  who  have  been  astonished 
that  a  faithful  minister  has  not  only  opened  their 
outward  conduct,  but  the  inward  recesses  of  their 
hearts — and  have  inquired  with  wonder,  '  Where 
could  he  get  such  a  knowledge  of  my  heart?' 
The  usages  and  feelings  of  every  part  of  the  human 
family — the  rich  and  poor — outward  professors  or 
openly  profane— God  fearers  or  God  defiers— are 
displayed  in  the  following  pages  as  accurately  as 
if  the  author  had  been  present  in  every  family  upon 
earth,  and  had  not  only  witnessed  the  conduct  of 
the  happy  and  of  the  miserable  in  every  grade;  but 
he  goes  within  and  unvails  that  mystery  of  iniquity 
the  human  heart,  its  secret  springs,  feelings,  and 
machinations.  AVhat  mysterious  power  could  this 
uneducated  man  have  possessed,  thus  to  dive  into 
the  most  subtle  of  all  secret  repositories,  the  human 
heart  I  Could  he  have  left  his  body  at  times  and 
his  invisible  spirit  have  entered  all  chambers,  as 
was  said  of  an   ancient  philosopher,*  still   time 


*  Hermotimus  of  Lucian,  During  one  of  these  wanderings 
Lis  wife  tliought  him  dead,  and  his  body  was  burnt.  Whether 
the  poor  soul,  thus  suddenly  ejected,  obtained  another  habita- 
liou  is  not  uai-ratcd. 


would  have  been  too  short  even  to  have  transiently 
surveyed  outward  conduct ;  and  then  he  could  not 
have  entered  into  the  thoughts  of  others.  Reader, 
the  fountain  of  all  hidden  things  was  open  to  him. 
Shut  up  for  many  years  in  prison,  with  the  key  in 
his  possession  which  unlocks  all  the  mysteries  of 
earth,  and  heaven,  and  hell — he  diligently  used 
his  time  and  all  was  revealed  to  him.  He  makes 
the  source  of  his  knowledge  no  secret,  but  invites 
you  to  search,  as  he  did,  this  storehouse  of  things 
new  and  old.  It  was  the  Bible  which  unfolded  to 
him  all  the  great  events  of  time  and  of  eternity — 
all  the  secret  springs  of  states,  and  families,  and 
individuals — wonderous  book  !  It  made  an  un- 
educated artizan  wiser  than  all  the  philosophers 
who  have  been  contented  with  Plato,  Aristotle, 
Pliny,  Plutarch,  and  the  most  renowned  of  human 
writers.  Not  only  is  the  real  state  of  human 
nature  revealed  Avith  unerring  truth,  as  suff"ering 
under  a  cruel  malady,  strangely  diverse  in  its  ope- 
rations, but  all  tending  to  the  downward,  dark, 
dreary  road  to  misery  temporal  and  eternal :  but 
it  also  displays  the  antidote ;  an  infallible  remedy 
against  all  the  subtilties  of  this  tortuous  disease. 
Reader,  this  treasure  is  in  our  hands.  How  great 
is  the  responsibility.  How  blessed  are  those  who 
with  earnest  prayer  for  divine  illumination — read 
— ponder — and  relying  upon  the  aid  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  understand  and  instantly  obey  the  sacred 
precepts  which  its  pages  unfold.  Weigh  well  their 
nature  and  tendency,  as  Bunyan  opens  them  in 
this  invaluable  treatise.  They  lead  step  by  step 
from  darkness  to  light.  It  may  be  a  tempestuous 
passage  in  the  dim  twilight,  as  it  was  with  him — 
but  it  is  safe  and  leads  to  the  fountain  of  happiness 
— the  source  of  blessedness — the  presence  and 
smiles  of  God  and  the  being  conformed  to  his 
image.  In  proportion  as  we  are  thus  transformed 
in  our  minds,  we  shall  be  able  to  fulfil  all  our 
duties  and  behaviour  as  becometh  Christians.  We 
dare  not  seek  to  avoid  these  duties  because  they 
are  full  of  anxieties.  Blessed  are  those  who  know 
and  feel  the  ties  of  church  fellowship — or  the  nearer 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  KE.IDER. 


549 


union  of  husband  and  wife,  tliat  type  of  tlie  mysti- 
cal union  of  Christ  and  his  church.  Happy  are 
those  who  piously  discharge  parental  and  filial 
duties,  that  figure  of  the  relationship  Avhich  the 
Almighty,  in  infinite  condescension,  owns  between 
him  and  his  fallen  but  renewed  creatures.  Vows 
of  celibacy  disturb  all  the  order  and  harmonies  of 
creation,  and  are  fleshly,  sensual,  devilish.  The 
unmarried  are  strangers  to  those  delightful  or 
painful  sensibilities  which  drive  the  soul  to  con- 
tinual converse  with  God,  either  in  heart-felt 
praises  or  for  divine  assistance  to  glorify  him  in 
the  discharge  of  domestic  duties.  They  who  vow 
celibacy,  fly  in  the  face  of  the  infinitely  wise  eter- 
nal, who  said,  *  It  is  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone. ' 
He  sets  up  his  puny  antagonism  to  omnipotence. 
It  is  true,  that  in  the  prospect  of  the  desolations 
which  were  foretold  by  the  Saviour  and  were  about 
to  be  poured  out  upon  Jerusalem,  *  for  the  present 
distress, '  '  the  short  time  '  Paul  advised,  not  com- 
manded, a  temporary  deviation  from  the  order  of 
nature — like  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  or  moon — for  a 
•  short  time  '  which  no  one  could  wish  to  be  pro- 
longed.    We  are  bound,  in  the  expectation  of  the 


divine  approbation,  not  to  shrink  from  duties,  but 
to  seek  wisdom  to  fulfil  them ;  and  in  this  little 
work  we  have  a  scriptural  guide  to  which  we  shall 
do  well  to  take  heed.  It  is  a  peculiarly  solemn 
legacy  —  the  author's  ardent  desire  is  thus  ex- 
pressed ;  '  Before  I  die  [as  the  greatest  of  all  the 
duties  he  had  to  perform]  let  me  provoke  you  to 
faith  and  holiness. '  Be  it  our  duty  and  privilege 
to  examine  our  conduct  faithfully  by  those  portions 
of  holy  writ,  with  which  this  treatise  is  beautifully 
adorned.  It  was  written  in  the  prospect  of  suf- 
ferings and  death,  and  yet  how  serene  was  his 
soul.  No  cloud,  no  doubts  or  fears  are  seen  ;  his 
legacy  to  us  as  well  as  to  those  who  survived  him 
is,  'Love  one  another  when  I  am  deceased.'  My 
labours  of  love  to  you  are  limited  to  this  world. 
'  Though  there  I  shall  rest  from  my  labours,  and 
be  in  paradise,  as  through  grace,  I  comfortably 
believe  ;  yet  it  is  not  there  but  here  I  must  do 
you  good.'  Consider  what  he  has  advanced,  and 
the  scriptures  by  which  every  sentence  is  con- 
fii'med,  and  may  his  concluding  and  fervent  prayer 
be  answered  to  our  soids :  *  The  Lord  give  ua 
understanding  in  aU  things.     Farewell.' 

Geo.  Offor. 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EEADER. 


Courteous  Reader, 


Having  formerly  writ  some  small  matter  touch- 
ing the  doctrine  of  faith,  as  justification  by  grace 
through  the  faith  of  Christ's  blood,  ikc,  I  do  here, 
as  the  second  to  that  doctrine,  present  thee  with 
a  few  lines  touching  good  works,  that  I  might,  as 
at  first  I  shewed  thee  the  good  and  glory  of  the 
one,  so  now  shew  thee  the  beauty  and  excellency 
of  the  other:  for  though  we  are  justified  freely  by 
grace  through  Christ  before  God ;  Ro.  iii.  3i,  8m.  yet  we 
are  Justified  before  men  by  our  works :  Ja.  ii.  18.  nay, 
a  life  of  holiness  flowing  from  faith  in  us  that  are 
saved  by  grace,  it  doth  justify  that  grace  before 
the  world,  that  justifies  us  before  God.  3  Co.  ri.  i,  3; 

ix.  12. 13.  1  Pe.  iL  11, 12. 

I  have  not  here  only  in  general  treated  of  this 
doctrine  of  good  works,  but  particularly,  after  some 
discourse  about  Avorks  flowing  from  faith,  and  what 
makes  it  truly  and  gospelly  good,  I  discourse  of 
them  as  we  stand  mider  our  several  relations  in  this 
v.'orld  among  men. 

As,  The  duty  of  the  master  of  a  family:  Of 
the  husband  to  his  wife  ;  and  of  hers  to  him :  Of 
the  duty  of  parents  to  their  children ;  and  of  chil- 
dren to  their  parents :  Of  masters  also  to  their  ser- 
vants ;  and  of  the  servant  again  to  his  master :  with 
a  brief  touch  upon  good  neighbourhood;   and  a 


discovery  of  covetousness,  pride,  and  uncleanneas, 
which  are  great  obstructions  to  a  truly  gospel  con- 
versation. 

I  know  there  are  many  that  have  treated  of  good 
works  in  large  and  learned  discourses ;  but  I  doubt 
all  have  not  so  gospelized  their  discourses  as  be- 
comes them,  and  as  the  doctrine  ot  the  grace  of 
God  calleth  for.  However,  I  thought  it  my  duty 
to  add  this  discourse  to  all  that  are  past ;  and  that 
for  these  reasons. 

1.  To  take  away  those  aspersions  that  the  ad- 
versaries cast  upon  oiu'  doctrine — as  also  in  the 
days  of  Paul — that  because  we  preach  justification 
without  the  works  of  the  law ;  therefore  they  pre- 
tend we  plead  for  looseness  of  life :  '  whose  damna- 
tion is  just.'  Ro.  iii.  8. 

2.  Because,  though  there  be  much  discourse 
about  works  in  general,  yet  a  particular  discourse 
of  them,  as  before  is  touched,  is  too  much  neglected  ; 
and  by  this  means  every  one  too  much  left  at  uncer- 
tainties (as  from  them)  of  their  several  works  under 
their  particular  relations ;  which  I  think  is  one 
reason  of  that  disorder  in  families  and  places  where 
God's  people  live ;  to  their  shame,  and  the  dis- 
honour of  God. 

3.  Because  these  few  books  that  do  particularly 
treat  thus  of  good  w^orks,  are,  I  think,  now  so 
scarce,  or  so  big,  that  but  few  have  them,  and  few 


550 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


buy  tliem,  if  tliej  may  be  bad,  especially  our  new 
converts,  for  wbose  sakcs  principally  tbis  sbort  dis- 
course is  intended ;  and  indeed,  tbis  is  one  reason 
of  my  brevity,  tbat  tbe  price  migbt  neitber  be  bur- 
densome, nor  tbe  reading  long  and  tedious.  Multi- 
tude of  words  drown  tbe  memory ;  and  an  exborta- 
tion  in  few  words  may  yet  be  so  full,  tbat  tbe 
reader  may  find  thcd  in  one  side  of  a  sbeet,  wbicb 
some  are  forced  to  bunt  for  in  a  wbole  quire,  «fcc. 
Tbe  Lord  teacb  us  tbis  wisdom. 

4.  I  bave  Avritten  tbis  book,  to  sbew  tbat  I 
bear  a  fellow-testimony  and  witness,  witb  all  that 
know  God,  of  tbe  operation  tbat  grace  batb,  and 
will  bave,  in  tbe  beart  tbat  batb  savingly  received 
it. 

Lastly,  I  bave  tbus  written,  because  it  is  amiable 
and  pleasant  to  God,  when  Christians  keep  their 
rank,  relation,  and  station,  doing  all  as  becometh 
their  quality  and  calling.  When  Christians  stand 
every  one  in  their  places,  and  do  the  work  of  their 
relations,*  then  they  are  like  the  flowers  in  tbe 


*  '  Of  their  relations/  related  or  belouging  to  themselves. 
— Ei). 


garden ,  tbat  stand  and  ptqw  where  the  gardener 
hath  planted  them,  and  then  they  shall  both  honour 
tbe  garden  in  which  they  are  planted,  and  the  gar- 
dener that  bath  so  disposed  of  them.  From  tbe 
hyssop  in  the  wall,  to  the  cedar  in  Lebanon,  their 
fruit  is  their  glory. f  And  seeing  tbe  stock  into 
wbicb  we  are  planted,  is  tbe  fruitfullest  stock,  tbe 
sap  conveyed  thereout  tbe  fruitfullest  sap,  and  the 
dresser  of  our  souls  the  wisest  husbandman,  jn.  xv.  i. 
bow  contrary  to  nature,  to  example,  and  expecta- 
tion, should  we  be,  if  we  should  not  be  rich  in  good 
works ! 

Wherefore  take  heed  of  being  painted  fire, 
wherein  is  no  warmth  ;  and  painted  flowers,  which 
retain  no  smell  ;  and  of  being  painted  trees, 
whereon  is  no  fruit.  '  Whoso  boasteth  himself  of 
a  false  gift,  is  like  clouds  and  wind  without  rain.' 
Pr.  XXV.  14.     Farewell. 

The  Lord  be  with  thy  spirit,  tbat  thou  mayest 
profit  for  time  to  come.  j^  Bunyan. 

t  'Also,  where  the  gardener  hath  set  them,  there  they 
stand,  and  quarrel  not  one  with  another.' — Filgrim,  fart  2. 
Interpreter's  house. — Ed. 


CHUISTIAN   BEHAYIOUE. 


•  THAT  BEING  JUSTIFIED  BT  HIS  GRACE,  WE  SHOULD 
BE  MADE  HEIRS  ACCORDING  TO  THE  HOPE  OF  ETER- 
NAL LIFE.  THIS  IS  A  FAITHFUL  SATING,  AND  THESE 
THINGS  I  WILL  THAT  THOU  AFFIRM  CONSTANTLY, 
THAT  THEY  WHICH  HAVE  BELIEVED  IN  GOD  MIGHT 
BE    CAREFUL   TO   MAINTAIN    GOOD  WORKS.       THESE 

THINGS  ARE  GOOD  AND  PROFITABLE  UNTO  MEN.' 

TITUS  III.  7,  8. 

I  SHALL  not  at  this  time  discourse  of  every  parti- 
cular at  large  included  in  these  Avords ;  but  shall 
briefly  fall  upon  those  things  that  I  judge  most 
necessary  for  tbe  people  of  God.  Neither  shall  I 
need  to  make  any  great  preamble  to  tbe  words  for 
their  explication  ;  they  themselves  being  plain,  and 
without  that  ambiguity  tbat  calleth  for  'such  a 
thing;  tbe  general  scope  being  this,  That  they 

WHICH  have  BELIEVED  IN  GOD  SHOULD  BE  CAREFUL 
TO  MAINTAIN  GOOD  WORKS. 

But  yet,  to  prosecute  what  I  Intend,  with  what 
clearness  I  may,  I  shall  in  a  word  or  two  make 
way  for  what  is  to  be  the  main  of  tbis  book. 

'  This  is  a  faithful  saying. '  Tbis;  Which?  Why, 
tbat  which  goeth  before,  namely,  '  Tbat  being  justi- 
fied by  bis  grace,  we  shotdd  be  made  heirs  according 
to  the  hope  of  eternal  life.  This  is  a  faithful  say- 
ing, and  these  things  I  will  tbat  thou  affirm  con- 
stantly. ' 


Why  so? 

Why,  '  That  they  which  have  believed  in  God, 
might  be  careful  to  maintain  good  works.'  The 
meaning  is,  that  the  way  to  provoke  others  to  good 
works,  is  constantly — in  tbe  evidence  and  demon- 
stration of  tbe  spirit — to  shew  them  tbe  certainty  of 
their  [these  believers]  being  by  grace  made  heirs 
of  eternal  life. 

From  tbis  scripture,  therefore,  I  do  gather  these 
things  observable. 

First,  That  good  works  do  flow  from  faith.  Yea, 

Second,  That  every  one  tbat  believetb  should 
be  careful  that  their  works  be  good. 

Third,  That  every  believer  sboidd  not  only  be 
carefid  that  their  works  be  good,  and  for  tbe  pre- 
sent do  them,  but  should  also  be  careful  to  maintain 
them ;  tbat  is,  they  should  carefully  study  to  keep 
in  a  constant  course  of  good  works. 

Fourth,  and  lastly.  That  tbe  best  way  to  pro- 
voke both  ourselves  and  others  to  this  Avork,  it  is 
to  be  often  affirming  to  others  the  doctrine  of  justi- 
fication by  grace,  and  to  believe  it  ourselves :  '  TJiis 
is  a  faithful  sa^ang,  and  these  things  I  will,'  saith 
Paul,  '  that  thou  affirm  constantly,  that  they  wbicb 
have  believed  in  God  migbt  be  careful  to  maintain 
good  works.' 

FIRST. — I  begin  witb  tbe  first.  J7tcfi  good  worTc^ 
do  jlow  from  faith.     This  is  evident  divers  ways. 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


551 


Fird,  From  tlie  impossibility  of  their  flowing 
from  any  other  thing ;  they  must  either  flow  from 
faith,  or  not  at  all :  '  For  whatsoever  is  not  of 
faith,  is  sin.'  Ro.  xiv.  23.  And  again,  '  Without  faith 
it  is  impossible  to  please  him.'  He.  xi.  6.  Every  man 
by  nature,  before  faith,  is  an  evil  and  a  corrupt 
tree ;  and  a  corrupt  tree  cannot  bring  forth  good 
fruit :  '  Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of 
thistles?'  Mat. \-ii.  16, 17.  Now  a  man  is  made  good 
by  faith,  and  by  that  bringeth  forth  the  fruits  that 
are  acceptable  to  God.  He.  xi.  4.  Col.  i.  i—G. 

Wherefore  sinners,  before  faith,  are  compared  to 
the  wilderness,  whose  fruits  are  briars  and  thorns ; 
and  whose  hearts  are  the  habitation  of  dragons ; 
that  is,  of  devils.*  is.  xxxv.  6, 7.  He.  ri.  7,  8. 

And  hence  again  it  is,  that  they  are  said  to  be 
Godless,  Christless,  Spiritless,  faithless,  hopeless ; 
without  the  covenant  of  grace,  without  strength ; 
enemies  in  their  minds  by  wicked  works,  and  pos- 
sessed by  the  spirit  of  wickedness,  as  a  castle  by 

a  conqueror.  Ep.  ii.  12.  Jude  19.  2  Th.  iii.  2.  Col.  i.  21.  Lu.  xi.  21. 

Now,  these  things  being  thus,  it  is  impossible 
that  all  the  men  under  heaven,  that  are  miconverted, 
should  be  able  to  bring  forth  one  work  rightly 
good ;  even  as  impossible,  as  for  all  the  briars  and 
thorns  under  heaven  to  bring  forth  one  cluster  of 
grapes,  or  one  bunch  of  figs  ;  for  indeed  they  want 
the  qualification.  A  thorn  bringeth  not  forth  figs, 
because  it  wanteth  the  nature  of  the  fig-tree  ;  and 
so  doth  the  bramble  the  nature  of  the  vine.  Good 
works  must  come  from  a  good  heart. 

Now,  this  the  unbeliever  wanteth,  because  he 
wanteth  faith;  for  it  is  that  which  purifieth  the 
heart.  Lu.  \i.  45.  Ac.  XV.  9.  Good  works  must  come  from 
love  to  the  Lord  Jesus ;  but  this  the  unbeliever 
wanteth  also,  because  he  Avanteth  faith  :  For  faith 
'  worketh  by  love,'  and  by  that  moans  doth  good. 

Ga.  V.  6. 

And  hence  again  it  is,  that  though  the  carnal 
man  doth  never  so  much  which  he  calleth  good, 
yet  it  is  rejected,  slighted,  and  turned  as  dirt  in  his 
face  again ;  his  prayers  are  abominable,  Pr.  xv.  s.  his 
ploughing  is  sin,  x.\i.  4.  and  all  his  righteousness  as 
menstruous  rags.  Is.  ixiv.  6.  Thus  you  see  that  with- 
out faith  there  are  no  good  works. 

Now  then,  to  show  you  that  they  flow  from 
faith :  and  that. 

For  that  FAITH  is  a  principle  of  life,  by  which  a 
Christian  lives,  Ga.  ii.  19, 20.  a  principle  of  motion,  by 
which  it  walks  towards  heaven  in  the  way  of  holi- 
ness. Uo.  iv.  12.  2  Co.  V.  7.  It  is  also  a  principle  of 
strength,  by  which  the  soul  opposeth  its  lust,  the 
devil,  and  this  world,  and  overcomes  them.  '  This 
is  the  victory,  even  our  faith.'  l  Jn.  v.  4, 5.     Faith,  in 


thrown  into  the  corrupt  fountain,  that  made  the 
naughty  waters  good,  and  the  barren  land  fruitful. 
2  Ki.  ii.  19— 22.  Faith,  when  it  is  wrought  in  the 
heart,  is  like  leaven  hid  in  the  meal.  Mat.  xiii.  33.  or 
like  perfume  that  lighteth  upon  stinking  leather, 
turning  the  smell  of  the  leather  into  the  savour  of 
the  perfume  ;  faith  being  then  planted  in  the  heart, 
and  having  its  natural  inclination  to  holiness. 
Hence  it  is  that  there  followeth  an  alteration  of 
the  life  and  conversation,  and  so  bringeth  forth 
fruit  accordingly.  *  A  good  man  out  of  the  good 
treasure  of  his  heart  bringeth  forth  that  which  is 
good.'  Lu.  vi.  4.5.  Which  treasure,  I  say,  is  this  faith. 
Ja.  ii.  5. 1  Pe.  i.  7.  And  therefore  it  is  that  faith  is 
called  '  the  faith  according  to  godliness,'  Tit.  i.  l.  and 
the  '  most  holy  faith. '  Jude  20. 

Second,  Good  works  must  needs  flow  from  faith, 
or  no  way ;  because  that  alone  carrieth  in  it  an 
argument  sufficiently  prevalent  to  win  upon  our 
natures,  to  make  them  comply  with  holiness. 

Faith  shewetli  us  that  God  lovetli  us,  that  he 
forgiveth  us  our  sins,  that  he  accounteth  ns  for  his 
children,  having  freely  justified  us  through  the 
blood  of  his  Son.  Ro.  ui.  24,  25;  iv.  He.  xi.  13. 1  Pe.  i.  8. 

Faith  receiveth  the  promise,  embraceth  it,  and 
comforteth  the  soul  unspeakably  -with  it. 

Faith  is  so  great  an  artist  in  arguing  and  rea- 
soning with  the  soul,  that  it  will  bring  over  the 
hardest  heart  that  it  hath  to  deal  Avith.  It  will 
bring  to  my  remembrance  at  once,  both  my  vile- 
ness  against  God,  and  his  goodness  towards  me ; 
it  will  shew  me,  that  though  I  deserve  not  to 
breathe  in  the  air,  yet  that  God  will  have  me  an 
heir  of  glory. 

Now,  there  is  no  argument  greater  than  this. 
This  will  make  a  man  run  through  ten  thousand 
difficulties,  to  answer  God,  though  he  never  can, 
for  the  grace  he  hath  bestowed  on  him. 

Further,  faith  M-ill  shew  me  how  distinguish- 
ingly  this  love  of  God  hath  set  itself  upon  me;  it 
will  shew  me,  that  though  Esau  was  Jacob's  bro- 
ther, yet  he  loved  Jacob.  Mai.  i.  2.  That  though 
there  were  thousands  more  besides  me  that  were 
as  good  as  me,  yet  I  must  be  the  man  that  must 
be  chosen. 

Now  this,  I  say,  is  a  marvellous  argument,  and 
unspeakably  prevaileth  with  the  sinner,  as  saith 
the  apostle :  '  For  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,'  that  is,  by  faith,  'should  not 
henceforth  live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  him 
which  died  for  them,  and  rose  again.'  2  Co.  v.  14, 15. 

Love,'  saith  the  wise  man,  'is  strong  as  death; 


the  heart  of  a  Christian,  is  like  the  salt  that  was  \  Many  waters  cannot  quench  love,  neither  can  the 

floods  drown  it :  if  a  man  would  give  all  the  sub- 
stance of  his  house  for  love,  it  would  utterly  be 
contemned. '  Ca.  viii.  c,  7. 


♦  '"^"liere  the  great  red  dragon  Satan  had  his  seat.' — Dr. 
Gill's  Commentary.     See  also  Kev.  iii. — Ed. 


552 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


Oh  !  when  the  Lrolcen,  tlying,  condemned  soul, 
can  hut  see,  hy  faith,  the  love  of  a  tender-hearted 
Saviour,  and  also  see  what  he  underwent  to  deli- 
ver it  from  under  that  death,  guilt,  and  hell,  that 
now  it  feels  and  fears ;  which  also  it  knoweth  it 
hath  most  justly  and  highly  deserved;  'Then  hless 
the  Lord,  0  my  soul ;'  Ps.  ciu.  l,  2,  3.  and  '  What  shall 
I  render  unto  the  Lord /or  all  his  henefits  ?'  Ps.cxvi. 

1—14. 

Thus  is  faith  a  prevailing  argument  to  the  sin- 
ner, Avherehy  he  is  fetched  off  irom  what  he  was, 
and  constrained  to  bend  and  yield  to  what  before 
he  neither  would  nor  could.  1  Co.  ii.  14.  Ro.  viii.  7. 

And  hence  it  is,  that  gospel  obedience  is  called 
*  the  obedience  of  faith,'  as  well  as  obedience  to 
the  faith,  Ro.  xvi.  26,  For  it  must  be  by  the  faith  of 
Christ  m  my  heart,  that  I  submit  to  the  word  of 
faith  in  the  Bible,  otherwise  all  is  to  no  profit :  as 
saith  the  apostle,  '  The  word  preached  did  not 
profit  them,  not  being  mixed  with  faith  in  them 
that  heard  it. '  He.  iv.  2.  For  faith  alone  can  see  the 
reality  of  what  the  gospel  saith ;  and  so  I  say, 
argue  over  the  heart  to  the  embracing  of  it, 

T}iird,  Faith  is  such  a  grace,  as  will  represent 
to  the  soul  all  things  in  their  proper  colours.  It 
doth  not,  as  doth  unl)elief  and  ignorance,  shew  ns 
all  things  out  of  order ;  putting  dai'kness  for  light, 
and  bitter  for  sweet ;  but  will  set  every  thing  in 
its  proper  place  before  our  eyes ;  God  and  Christ 
shall  be  with  it,  the  chiefest  good,  the  most  lovely 
and  amiable ;  a  heavenly  life  shall  be  of  greater 
esteem,  and  more  desirable,  than  all  the  treasures 
of  Egypt !  Righteousness  and  sanctification  will 
be  the  thing  after  which  it  will  most  vehemently 
press  ;  because  it  seeth  not  only  death  and  damna- 
tion as  the  fruits  of  sin,  hut  sin  also  in  itself,  dis- 
tinct from  the  punishment  belonging  to  it,  a  detes- 
table, horrible,  and  odious  thing.  He.  .\i.  25—27.  Pbi.  iii. 
7—12.  Ro.  xii.  9. 

By  faith  we  see  that  this  world  hath  no  abiding 
in  it  for  us,  nor  no  satisfaction  if  it  were  otherwise, 

Pr.  iii.  35.  He.  xi,  15, 16;  xiii.  14. 1  Co.  vii.  29—31.     And  hence  it 

is,  that  the  people  of  God  have  groaned  to  be  gone 
from  hence,  into  a  state  tliat  is  both  sinless  and 
temptationless.  And  hence  it  is  again  that  they 
have  run  through  so  many  trials,  afflictions,  and 
adversities,  even  because  of  that  love  to  holiness 
of  life  that  faith  being  in  their  hearts  did  prompt 
them  to,  by  shewing  them  the  worth  and  durable- 
ness  of  that  which  was  good,  and  the  irksomeness 
and  evil  of  all  things  else.  2  Co.  v.  1—8.  He.  xi.  33—39. 

Fourth,  Faith  layeth  hold  of  that  which  is  able 
to  help  the  soul  to  bring  forth  good  works:  it 
layeth  hold  of,  and  engageth  the  strength  of  Christ, 
.and  by  that  overcometh  that  which  oppresBeth  ; 
'  I  can  do  all  things  throuo;h  Christ  which  strene-th- 
eneth  me, '  pm.  iy.  13. 

In  a  word,  a  life  of  holiness  and  godliness  in 


this  world,  doth  so  inseparably  foUow  a  principle 
of  faith,  that  it  is  both  monstrous  and  ridiculous 
to  suppose  the  contrary.  What,  shall  not  he  that 
hath  life  have  motion  !  Ga.  ii.  20. 

He  that  hath  by  faith  received  the  spirit  of  holi- 
ness, shall  not  he  be  holy  ?  Ga.  iii.  2.  and  he  that  is 
called  to  glory  and  virtue,  shall  not  he  add  to  his 
faith  virtue  ?  2  Pe.  i.  4,  5.  We  are  by  faith  made  good 
trees,  and  shall  not  we  bring  forth  good  fruit  ? 
Lu.  vi.  43.  They  that  believe  are  created  in  Christ 
Jesur  unto  good  works ;  and  God  hath,  befoi-e  the 
world  was,  ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them; 
and  shall  both  our  second  creation,  and  God's  fore- 
ordination  be  made  frustrate  ?  Ep.  i.  4;  ii.  10.  Be- 
sides, the  children  of  faith  are  the  children  of  light, 
and  of  the  day,  1  Tii.  v.  5.  Lights  upon  a  hill,  and 
candles  on  a  candlestick,  and  shall  not  they  shine  ? 
They  are  the  salt  of  the  earth,  shall  not  they  be 
seasoning  ?  Mat.  v.  13— la. 

The  believer  is  the  alone  man,  by  whom  God 
sheweth  to  the  world  the  power  of  his  grace,  the 
operation  of  his  people's  faith,  «fec.  The  unbe- 
lievers read  indeed  of  the  power  of  grace ;  of  the 
faith,  hope,  love,  joy,  peace,  and  sanctification  of 
the  heart  of  the  Christian  ;  but  they  feel  nothing  of 
that  sin-killing  operation  that  is  in  these  things ; 
these  are  to  them  as  a  story  of  Rome  or  Spain. 
W^herefore  to  shew  them  in  others,  what  they  find 
not  in  themselves,  God  worketh  faith,  hope,  love, 
he,  in  a  generation  that  shall  serve  him ;  and  by 
them  they  shall  see  what  they  cannot  find  in  them- 
selves ;  and  by  this  means  they  shall  be  convinced, 
that  though  sin,  and  the  pleasures  of  this  life,  be 
sweet  to  them,  yet  there  is  a  people  otherwise 
minded ;  even  such  a  people,  that  do  indeed  see 
the  glory  of  that  which  others  read  of,  and  from 
that  sight  take  pleasure  in  those  things  which  they 
are  most  averse  unto.  To  this,  I  say,  are  Chris- 
tians called;  herein  is  God  glorified;  hereby  are 
sinners  convinced ;  and  by  this  is  the  world  con- 
demned. 1  Til.  iv.  7.  1  Pe.  ii.  12  j  iii.  1.  He.  .xi.  7. 

Object.  But  if  faith  doth  so  natui-ally  cause  good 
works,  what  then  is  the  reason  that  God's  people 
find  it  so  hard  a  matter  to  be  faithful  in  good 
works  ? 

/  answer,  I.  God's  people  are  fruitful  in  good 
works  according  to  the  proportion  of  their  faith ; 
if  they  be  slender  in  good  woi'ks,  it  is  because 
they  are  weak  in  faith.  Little  faith  is  like  small 
candles,  or  weak  fire,  which  though  they  shine 
and  have  heat ;  yet  but  dim  shining  and  small  heat, 
when  compared  with  bigger  candles  and  greater 
fire.  The  reason  why  Sardis  had  some  in  it  whose 
works  were  not  perfect  before  God,  it  was,  because 
they  did  not  hold  fast  by  faith  the  word  that  they 
have  formerly  heard  and  received.  Re.  iii.  1—3. 

2.  There  maybe  a  great  mistake  in  our  judging 
of  our  own  fruitfulness.     The  soul  that  indeed  is 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUIL 


553 


candid  and  riglit  at  lieart,  is  tanglit  Ly  grace  to 
judge  itself,  tliougli  fruitful,  yet  barren  upon  two 
accounts.  (1.)  When  it  compareth  its  life  to  the 
tnercy  bestowed  upon  it :  for  Avhen  a  soul  doth 
indeed  consider  the  greatness  and  riches  of  the 
mercy  bestowed  upon  it,  then  it  must  needs  cry 
out,  '  0  wretched  man  that  I  am,'  Ro.  vii.  34.  for  it 
seeth  itself  wonderfully  to  fall  short  of  a  conversa- 
tion becoming  one  who  hath  received  so  great  a 
benefit.  (2.)  It  may  also  judge  itself  barren,  he- 
cause  it  falleth  so  far  short  of  that  it  would  attain 
unto,  '  it  cannot  do  the  thing  that  it  would. '  Ga. 
V.17. 

3.  The  heart  of  a  Christian  is  naturally  very 
barren ;  upon  Avhich,  though  the  seed  of  grace, 
that  is  the  fruitfullest  of  all  seeds,  be  sown,  yet 
the  heart  is  naturally  subject  to  bring  forth  weeds. 
Mat.  XV.  19.  Now,  to  have  a  good  crop  from  such 
ground,  doth  argue  the  fruitfulness  of  the  seed. 
Wherefore  I  conclude  upon  these  three  things,  (1.) 
That  the  seed  of  faith  is  a  very  fruitful  seed,  in 
that  it  will  be  fruitful  in  so  barren  a  soil.  (2.) 
That  faith  is  not  beholden  to  the  heart,  but  the 
heart  to  it,  for  all  its  fruitfulness.  (3.)  That  there- 
fore the  way  to  be  a  more  fruitful  Christian,  it  is 
to  be  stronger  in  believing. 

SECOND — Now  for  the  second  thing,  to  wit, 
Tliat  ev^ry  one  that  believeth  sitould  he  careful  that 
tJieir  works  he  good.  This  foUoweth  from  what 
went  just  before ;  to  wit,  That  the  heart  of  a 
Christian  is  a  heart  subject  to  bring  forth  weeds. 

There  is  flesh  as  well  as  spirit  iu  the  best  of 
saints :  and  as  the  spirit  of  grace  will  be  always 
putting  forth  something  that  is  good,  so  the  flesh 
will  be  putting  forth  continually  that  which  is  evil. 
'  For  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  and  the 
Spirit  against  the  flesh.'  Ga.  v.  17. 

Now  this  considered,  is  the  cause  why  you  find 
so  often  iu  the  Scriptures  so  many  items  and  cau- 
tions to  the  Christians  to  look  to  tlieir  lives  and 
conversations.  As,  '  Keep  thy  heart  with  all  dili- 
gence.' Pr. iv.23.  'Watch  ye,  stand  fast  in  the 
faith,  quit  you  like  men,  be  strong. '  1  Co.  xvi.  is.  '  Be 
not  deceived  ;  God  is  not  mocked :  for  whatsoever 
a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap.  For  he 
that  soweth  to  his  flesh  shall  of  the  flesh  reap  cor- 
ruption ;  but  he  that  soweth  to  the  Spirit  shall  of 
the  Spirit  reap  life  everlasting.'  Ga.  vi  7,8. 

All  works  are  not  good  that  seem  to  be  so.  It 
is  one  thing  for  a  man's  waj^s  to  be  right  in  his 
own  eye,  and  another  for  them  to  be  riglit  in 
God's.  Often  '  that  which  is  highly  esteemed 
among  men  is  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God.' 
Pr.  XXX.  12.  Lu.  xvi.  15. 

Seeing  corruption  is  not  yet  out  of  our  natures, 
there  is  a  proneness  in  us  to  build  [even]  upon  the 
right  foundation,  wood,  hay,  and  stubble,  instead 
of  gold  and  silver,  and  precious  stones.  1  Co.  iii.  11— 

VOL.  II. 


15.  How  was  both  David  the  king,  Nathan  the 
prophet,  and  Uzza  the  priest,  deceived,  touching 
good  works  !  1  Ch.  xni.  1— 4;  xiij.  9—11.  Peter  also,  in 
both  his  defending  his  Master  in  the  garden,  and 
in  dissuading  of  him  from  his  3uff"erings,  though 
both  out  of  love  and  aff"ection  to  his  Master,  was 
deceived  touching  good  works.  Mat.  xvi.  22,  23.  Jn.  xviii. 
10, 11.  Many  have  miscarried  both  as  to  doctrine, 
worshi]?,  and  the  prosecution  of  each. 

First,  For  doctrine.  Christ  tells  the  Jews,  that 
the}''  taught  for  the  doctrines  of  God  the  doctrines 
and  traditions  of  men.  Mat.  xv.  9.  Mar.  vii.  7-  As  also, 
saith  the  apostle,  They  teach  '  things  they  ought 
not,  for  filthy  lucre's  sake.'  Tit. i. ii. 

Second,  Also  touching  lOorsMp,  we  find  how  fre- 
quently men  have  mistaken,  both  for  time,  place, 
and  matter,  with  which  they  worshipped. 

1.  For  time.  It  hath  been  that  which  man 
hath  devised,  not  which  God  hath  commanded. 
1  Ki.  xii.  32.  They  'change  the  ordinance,'  saith 
Isaiah,  xxiv.  5.  They  change  God's  'judgments 
into  wickedness,'  saith  Ezekiel.  v.  6. 

2.  For  |:)fac(?.  When  they  should  have  wor- 
shipped at  Jerusalem,  they  Avorshipped  at  Bethel, 
at  Gilgal  and  Dan,  in  gardens,  under  poplars  and 

elms.  1  Ki.  xii.  26—30.  IIo.  iv.  13—15.  Is.  Ixy.  3—5. 

3.  For  the  matter  with  which  they  worshipped. 
Instead  of  bringing  according  to  the  command- 
ment, they  brought  the  lame,  the  torn,  and  the 
sick ;  they  would  sanctify  themselves  in  gardens, 
with  swine's  flesh  and  mice,  when  they  shoidd  have 
done  it  at  Jerusalem,  Avith  bullocks  and  lambs,  is. 
ixvi.  17. 

Tldrd,  Again,  touching  men's  2:)rosccuting  tlieir 
zeal  for  their  worship,  &;c.,  that  they  do  think 
right ;  how  hot  hath  it  been,  though  with  no  reason 
at  all  ?  Nebuchadnezzar  will  have  his  fiery  fur- 
nace, and  Darius  his  lions'  den  for  Nonconformists. 
Da.  iii.  6;  vi.  7,  &c.  Again,  they  have  persecuted  men 
even  to  strange  cities ;  have  laid  traps  and  snares 
in  every  corner,  to  entrap  and  to  entangle  their 
words  ;  and  if  they  could  at  any  time  but  kill  the 
persons  that  dissented  from  them,  they  would 
think  they  did  God  good  service.  Ac.  xvn.  ii.  Lu.  xi.  53, 
5i.  Jn.  xix.  1, 2.  But  what  need  we  look  so  far  from 
home,  were  it  not  that  1  would  seal  my  sayings 
with  truth.  We  need  look  no  farther  to  aflirm 
this  position,  than  to  the  Papists  and  their  com- 
panions. How  many  have  they  in  all  ages  hanged, 
burned,  starved,  drowned,  racked,  dismembered, 
and  murdered,  both  openly  and  in  secret  ?  and 
all  under  a  pretence  of  God,  his  worship,  and  good 
works.*     Thus  you  see  how  wise  men  and  fools, 


*  This  manly,  bold,  aud  upright  statement  of  truth,  was 
published  in  1674,  only  two  years  after  the  author's  deliver- 
ance from  twelve  years  aud  a  half's  incarceration  in  a  damp, 
miserable  jail,  for  nonconformity!  None  but  those,  whose 
close  communion  with  God  iuspircs  them  with  the  confessoi-'s 
4  h. 


554! 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


saints  ami  sinner?,  Christians  and  lieatliens,  Lave 
erred  in  the  business  of  good  works ;  wherefore 
every  one  should  be  careful  to  see  that  their  works 
BE  good, 

Now,  then,  to  prevent,  if  God  will,  miscarriage 
in  this  matter,  I  shall  propound  imto  you  what  it 
is  for  a  work  to  be  riglitly  good.  First,  A  good 
work  must  have  the  word  for  its  authority.  Sc- 
coiid,  It  must,  as  afore  was  said,  flow  from  faith. 
Tldrd,  It  must  be  both  rightly  timed  and  rightly 
placed.  Fomih,  It  must  be  done  willingly,  cheer- 
fully, tStc. 

First,  It  must  have  the  word  for  its  authority. 
Zeal  without  knowledge  is  like  a  mettled  horse 
without  eyes,  or  like  a  sword  in  a  madman's  hand; 
and  there  is  no  knowledge  where  there  is  not  the 
word :  for  if  they  reject  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and 
act  not  by  that,  '  what  wisdom  is  in  them  V  saith 
the  prophet.  Je.  viii.  9.  Ts.  viii.  20.  Wherefore  see  thou 
have  the  word  for  wliat  thou  dost. 

Second,  As  there  must  be  the  word  for  the 
authorising  of  what  thou  dost,  so  there  must  be 
faith,  from  which  it  must  flow,  as  I  shewed  you 
before :  *  for  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin;'  and 
•  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God. '  Now, 
I  say,  without  the  word  there  is  no  faith,  Eo.  x.  17- 
as  without  faith  there  is  no  good,  let  men's  pre- 
tences be  what  they  will. 

liiird.  As  it  must  have  these  two  aforenamed, 
so  also  it  must  have,  1.  Right  time;  and,  2.  Right 
place. 

1.  It  must  be  rigMly  timed.  Every  work  is  not 
to  be  done  at  the  same  time  ;  every  time  not  being 
convenient  for  such  a  work ;  There  is  a  time  for 
all  things,  and  everything  is  beautiful  in  its  time. 
Ec.  iii.  11,  There  is  a  time  to  pray,  a  time  to  hear, 
a  time  to  read,  a  time  to  confer,  a  time  to  medi- 
tate, a  time  to  do,  and  a  time  to  sufl"er.  Now,  to 
be  liearing  when  we  should  be  preaching  and 
doing,  that  is,  yielding  active  obedience  to  tliat 
under  which  we  ought  to  suff'ei-,  is  not  o-ood. 
Christ  was  very  wary,  that  both  his  doings  and 
suflerings  were  rightly  timed.  Jn.  ii.  3, 4;  xiii.  i,  2.  And 
herein  we  ought  to  follow  his  steps.  To  be  at 
plough  in  the  field,  when  I  should  be  hearing  the 
word,  is  not  good;  and  to  be  talking  abroad,  when 
I  should  be  instructing  my  family  at  home,  is  as 
bad:  'Whoso  keepeth  the  commandment,  shall 
feel  no  evil  thing:  and  a  wise  man's  heart  dis- 
cerneth  both  time  and  judgment.'  Ec.  viii.  .5.  Good 
things  mistimed,  are  fruitless,  unprofitable,  and 
vain. 

2.  As  things  must  have  their  right  time,  so  they 
must  be  rigMy  placed;  for  the  misplacing  of  any 

courage,  can  understand  the  spirit  wliicli  dictated  sucli  lan- 
guage. Had  all  dissenters  used  such  foithful  words,  the  church 
would  long  ago  have  been  emancipated  from  persecution  in 
this  couutrv. — Ed. 


work  is  as  bad  as  the  mistiming  of  it.  When  I 
say,  things,  if  good,  must  be  rightly  placed,  I 
mean,  we  should  not  give  to  any  work  more  than 
the  word  of  God  alloweth  it,  neither  should  we 
give  it  less.  Mint,  anise,  and  cummin, 'are  not  so 
weighty  matters  as  faith  and  the  love  of  God;  as 
in  Mat  .xxiii  2.3.  For  a  pastor  to  be  exercising  the 
office  of  a  deacon,  instead  of  the  office  of  a  pastor, 
it  is  misplacing  of  works.  Ac.  vi.  2.  For  Martha  to 
be  making  outward  provision  for  Christ,  when  she 
should  have  sat  at  his  feet  to  hear  his  word,  was 
the  misplacing  a  work ;  and  for  her  sister  to  have 
done  it  at  her  request — though  the  thing  in  itself 
was  good — had  been  her  sin  also.  Lu.  x.  39—42. 

Now,  to  prevent  the  misplacing  of  good  works, 

(1.)  They  misplace  them  that  set  them  in  the 
room  of  Christ.  Eo.  .x.  1—3. 

(2.)  They  also  misplace  them  that  make  them 
copartners  with  him,  Ko.  ix.  31. 32.  Ac.  xv.  i.  This  is 
setting  up  our  post  by  God's  posts,  and  man's 
righteousness  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  Eze. 
xiiii.  7,  8.  These  are  said  to  be  teachers  of  the  law, 
not  knowing  what  they  say,  nor  whereof  they  affirm. 
1  Ti.  i.  7. 

(•3.)  They  also  misplace  works,  who  ascribe  to  a 
work  of  less  moment  that  honour  that  belongeth  to 
a  work  more  noble.  And  such  are  (a)  Those  who 
count  the  ceremonial  part  of  an  ordinance  as  good 
as  the  doctrine  and  signification  of  it.*  (&)  Such 
who  account  the  dictates  and  impulses  of  a  mere 
natural  conscience,  as  good,  as  high,  and  divine,  as 
the  leadings  and  movings  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ. 
(c)  Those  also  who  count  it  enough  to  do  some- 
thing of  what  God  hath  commanded,  and  that  some- 
thing, possibly  the  least,  instead  of  all,  and  the 
things  more  necessary  and  weighty,  (d)  They  also 
much  misplace  them,  who  count  things  indiff'erent 
as  high  as  those  that  are  absolutely  necessary  in 
the  worshiji  of  God.  (e)  But  the  grosser,  who  place 
men's  traditions  above  them.  {/)  And  they  great- 
est of  all,  who  put  bitter  for  sweet,  and  darkness 
for  light.  All  these  things  Ave  must  shun  and  avoid, 
as  things  absolutely  obstructive  to  good  works. 

Wherefore  touching  good  works ;  obedience  is 
better  than  sacrifice ;  that  is,  to  do  things  accord- 
ing to  the  word  of  God,  is  better  than  to  do  them 
according  to  my  fancy  and  conceit,  l  Sa.  .\t.  22. 
'  Wherefore,  let  aU  things  be  done  decently  and  in 
order, '  1  Co.  xiv.  40. 

Fouith,  Again,  as  good  works  should  be  ordered 
and  qualified,  as  before  is  touched,  so  they  should 
be  done  from  the  heart,  willmgly,  cheerfully,  with 
sim^jlicity  and  charity,  according  to  what  a  man 


*  This  is  a  very  extensive  and  awful  delusion.  Baptismal 
regeneration,  as  believed  by  the  churches  of  Rome  and  of  Eng- 
land, and  the  viaticum,  or  fitting  tlie  soul  to  appear  before 
God  by  administering  the  Lord's  supper  to  a  dyiug  sinner, 
have  done  infinite  mischief  to  the  souls  of  men. — Ed, 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUIl. 


555 


hath.    1  Jn.  V.  3.  2  Co.  ix.  7.  T.o.  xii.  S.  CoL  iii.  12. 1  Co.  x.  24. 1  Co. 
viii.  13. 

Farther,  there  are  three  things  that  a  man  shoiild 
Iiave  in  his  eye  in  every  Avork  he  doth.  1.  The 
honour  of  God.  l  Co.  vi.  20.  2.  The  edification  of  his 
neighbour,  iCo.  xiv.  26.  3.  The  expediency  or  inex- 
pediency of  what  I  am  to  do.  1  Co.  vi.  12  And  al- 
ways observe  it,  that  the  honour  of  God  is  wrapped 
up  in  the  edification  of  thy  neighbour ;  and  the 
edification  of  thy  neighbour  in  the  expediency  of 
what  thou  dost. 

Again,  if  thou  wouldst  walk  to  the  edification 
of  thy  neighbour,  and  so  to  God's  honour,  in  the 
midst  of  thy  observers,  beware, 

1st.  That  thou  in  thy  words  and  carriages  dost 
so  demean  thyself,  that  Christ  in  his  precious  bene- 
fits may  be  with  clearness  spoken  forth  by  thee ; 
and  take  heed,  that  thou  dost  not  enter  into  doubt- 
ful points  with  them  that  are  weak.  Ro.  xv.  1.  But 
deal  chiefly,  lovingly,  and  wisely,  with  their  con- 
sciences about  those  matters  that  tend  to  their 
establishment  in  the  faith  of  their  justification,  and 
deliverance  from  death  and  hell.  *  Comfort  the 
feeble-minded, '  confirm  the  weak.  1  Th.  v.  u. 

2ndly.  If  thou  be  stronger  than  thy  brother, 
take  heed  that  thou  do  not  that  before  him,  that 
may  offend  his  weak  conscience ;  I  mean,  things 
that  in  themselves  may  be  lawful.  All  that  is 
lawful  is  not  expedient ;  all  that  is  lawful  edifieth 
not.  1  Co.  \i.  12.  Wherefore  here  is  thy  wisdom  and 
love,  that  thou  in  some  things  deny  thyself  for  thy 
brother's  sake.  '  I  will  eat  no  flesh  while  the 
world  standeth, '  saith  Paul,  '  lest  I  make  my 
brother  to  offend. '  1  Co.  viii.  is.  Wherefore  have  this 
faith  to  thyself  before  God.  Ro.  xiv.  22.  But  if  thou 
walk  otherwise,  know,  thou  walkest  not  charitably, 
and  so  not  to  edification,  and  so  not  to  Christ's 
honour,  but  dost  sin  against  Christ,  and  wound  thy 
weak  brother,  for  whom  Christ  died.  Ko.  xiv.  15. 1  Co. 

viii.  13. 

But  I  say,  all  this  while  keep  thy  eye  upon  the 
word ;  take  heed  of  going  contrary  to  that  under 
any  pretence  whatever ;  for  without  the  word,  there 
is  nothing  to  God's  glorj',  nor  thy  brother's  edifi- 
cation.    Wherefore,  walk  '  wisely  in  a  perfect  way. ' 

Ps.  cL  2,  3. 

Having  thus,  in  few  words,  shewed  you  what 
are  works  rightly  good,  I  beseech  you  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  you  put  yourselves 
into  a  conscientious  performance  of  them,  that  you 
may,  while  you  live  here,  be  vessels  of  honour,  and 
fit  for  the  master's  use,  and  prepared  to  every  good 
work.  1  Ti.  vi.  18.  Study  to  approve  things  that  are 
excellent,  '  that  you  may  be  sincere,  and  without 
oft'ence,  \mtil  the  day  of  Christ.' Phi. i.  10.  Covet 
communion  with  God :  '  covet  earnestly  the  best 
gifts. '  1  Co.  xiL  31.  Ah  !  we  that  are  redeemed  from 
among  men,  Ee.  xiy.  4,  and  that  rejoice  in  the  hope 


of  the  glory  of  God,  Ro.  v.  2,  we  that  look,  I  say, 
for  the  blessed  hope,  and  the  glorious  appearing 
of  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
Tit.  ii.  13,  '  what  manner  of  persoiis  ought  we  to  be 
in  all  holy  conversation  and  godliness.'  3Pe.  iii.  11. 

To  conclude,  for  your  farther  edification,  take  a 
plain  rehearsal  of  your  several  general  duties  and 
works,  to  which  God  engageth  you  in  his  word, 
according  to  your  places,  callings,  and  relations  in 
this  Avorld; 

DUTIES  OP  THE  MASTER  OF  A  FAMILY. 

If  thou  have  under  thee  a  family,  then  thou  art 
to  consider  the  several  relations  thou  standest 
under ;  and  art  to  know,  that  thou  in  each  of 
them  hast  a  work  to  do  for  God,  and  that  he  ex- 
pecteth  thy  faithful  deportment  under  every  one  of 
them.     As,  in  general ; 

DUTY  TO  THE  FAMILY  IN  GEXERAL. 

He  that  is  the  master  of  a  family,  he  hath,  as 
Tinder  that  relation,  a  work  to  do  for  God ;  to  wit, 
the  right  governing  of  his  own  family.  And  his 
work  is  twofold.  First,  Touching  the  spiritual 
state  thereof.  Second,  Touching  the  outward  state 
thereof. 

First,  As  touching  the  spiritual  state  of  his 
family;  he  ought  to  be  very  diligent  and  circum- 
spect, doing  his  utmost  endeavour  both  to  increase 
faith  where  it  is  begun,  and  to  begin  it  where  it  is 
not.  Wherefore,  to  this  end,  he  ought  diligently 
and  frequently  to  lay  before  his  household  such 
things  of  God,  out  of  his  word,  as  are  suitable  for 
each  particidar.  And  let  no  man  question  his 
rule  in  the  word  of  God  for  such  a  practice  ;  for  if 
the  thing  itself  were  but  of  good  report,  and  a  thing 
tending  to  civil  honesty,  it  is  within  the  compass 
and  bounds  even  of  nature  itself,  and  ought  to  be 
done  ;  much  more  things  of  a  higher  nature ;  be- 
sides, the  apostle  exhorts  us  to  '  Whatsoever  things 
are  honest,  whatsoever  things  are  just,  pure,  lovely, 
and  of  good  report,  to  think  of  them,'  that  is,  to  be 
mindful  to  do  them.  Pld.  iv.  8.  But  to  be  conversant 
in  this  godly  exercise  in  our  family,  is  very  worthy 
of  praise,  and  doth  much  become  all  Christians. 
This  is  one  of  the  things  for  which  God  so  highly 
commended  his  servant  Abraham,  and  that  with 
which  his  heart  was  so  much  affected.  I  know 
Abraham,  saith  God,  '  I  know  bun'  to  be  a  good 
man  in  very  deed,  for  '  he  Avill  command  his  chil- 
dren, and  his  household  after  him,  and  they  shall 
keep  the  way  of  the  Lord.'  Ge.xviii.i9.  This  was  a 
thing  also  Avhich  good  Joshua  designed  should  be 
his  practice  as  long  as  he  had  a  breathing  time  in 
this  world.  '  As  for  me,'  saith  he,  I  '  and  my 
household,  we  will  serve  the  Lord.'  Jos.xxiv.15. 


556 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAMOUR. 


Further,  we  find  also  in  the  New  Testament, 
that  they  are  looked  upon  as  Christians  of  an  in- 
ferior rank  that  have  not  a  due  regard  to  this  duty; 
yea,  so  inferior  as  not  fit  to  he  chosen  to  any  office 
in  the  church  of  God.  A  [hisliop  or]  pastor  must 
be  one  that  ruleth  well  his  own  house,  having  his 
children  in  subjection  with  all  gravity ;  For  if  a 
man  know  not  how  to  ride  his  own  house,  how 
shall  he  take  care  of  the  church  of  God  ?  *  The 
deacon'  also,  saith  he,  must  '  be  the  husband  of 
one  wife,  ruling  their  children,  and  their  own  house 
Avell. '  1  Ti.  iii.  Mark  a  little,  the  apostle  seems  to 
lay  down  thus  much,  that  a  man  that  governs  his 
family  well,  hath  one  qualification  belonging  to  a 
pastor  or  deacon  in  the  house  of  God,  for  he  that 
knoweth  not  how  to  rule  his  own  liouse,  how  shall 
he  take  care  of  the  church  of  God  ?  which  thing 
considered,  it  giveth  us  light  into  the  work  of  the 
master  of  a  family,  touching  the  governing  of  his 
house. 

1.  A  pastor  must  be  sound  and  uncorrupt  in 
his  doctrine ;  and  indeed  so  must  the  master  of  a 
family.  Tit.  i.  9.  Ep.  vi.  4. 

2.  A  pastor  should  be  apt  to  teach,  to  reprove, 
and  to  exhort ;  and  so   should  the  master  of  a 

family,  l  Ti.  iii.  3.  De.  vi.  7. 

3.  A  pastor  must  himself  be  exemplary  in  faith 
and  holiness ;  and  so  also  should  the  master  of  a 
family.  1  Ti.  iii.  2—4;  iv.  13.  'I,'  saith  David,  '  will 
behave  myself  in  a  perfect  way;  I  will  walk  in,' 
or  before,  '  my  house  with  a  perfect  heart.'  Ps.  d.  2. 

4.  The  pastor  is  for  getting  the  church  toge- 
ther ;  and  when  they  are  so  come  together,  then 
to  pray  among  them,  and  to  preach  unto  them. 
This  is  also  commendable  in  Christian  masters  of 
families. 

Object.    But  my  family  is  ungodly  and  i^nruly, 
touching  all  that  is  good.      What  shall  I  do  ? 
Answ.   I  answer, 

1 .  Though  this  be  true,  yet  thou  must  rule  them, 
and  not  they  thee!  Thou  art  set  over  them  of 
God,  and  thou  art  to  use  the  authority  which  God 
hath  given  thee,  both  to  rebuke  their  vice,  and  to 
shew  them  the  evil  of  their  rebelling  ao'ainst  the 
Lord.  This  did  Eli,  though  not  enough ;  and  thus  did 

David.  1  Sa.  ii.  24,  25. 1  Ch.  xxviii.  9.       Also,  thoU  mUSt  tell 

them  how  sad  thy  state  was  Avhen  thou  wast  in 
their  condition,  and  so  labour  to  recover  them  out 
of  the  snare  of  the  devil.  Mar.  v.  19. 

2.  Thou  oughtest  also  to  labour  to  draw  them 
forth  to  God's  public  worship,  if  peradventure  God 
may  convert  their  sovds.  Saith  Jacob  to  his 
household,  and  to  all  that  were  about  him,  '  Let 
us  arise  and  go  up  to  Bethel ;  and  I  will  make 
there  an  altar  unto  God,  who  answered  me  in  the 
day  of  my  distress.'  Ge.  xxxv.  3.  Hannah  would  carry 
Samuel  to  Shiloh,  that  he  might  abide  with  God 
for  ever,  i  Sa.  i.  22.     Indeed  a  soul  rightly  touched. 


will  labour  to  draw,  not  only  their  families,  but  a 
whole  city  after  Jesus  Christ.  Jn.  iv.  28—30. 

3.  If  they  are  obstinate,  and  will  not  go  forth 
with  thee,  then  do  thou  get  godly  and  sound  men 
to  thy  house,  and  there  let  the  word  of  God  be 
preached,  when  thou  hast,  as  Cornelius,  gathered 
thy  family  and  friends  together,  Ac.  x. 

You  know  that  the  jailor,  Lydia,  Crispus,  Gaius, 
Stephanus,  and  others,  had  not  only  themselves, 
but  their  families,  made  gracious  by  the  word 
preached,  and  that  some  of  them,  if  not  all,  by 
the  word  preached  in  their  houses.  Ac.  xvi.  14—34; 
xviii.  7, 8. 1  Co.  i.  16.  And  this,  for  ought  I  know,  might 
be  one  reason  among  many,  why  the  apostles  taught 
in  their  day,  not  only  publicly,  but  from  house  to 
house :  I  say,  that  they  might,  if  possible,  bring 
in  those  in  some  family,  which  yet  remained  un- 
converted, and  in  their  sins.  Ac.  x.  24;  xx.  20, 21.  For 
some,  you  know  how  usual  it  was  in  the  day  of 
Christ,  to  invite  him  to  their  houses,  if  they  had 
any  afflicted,  that  either  would  not  or  could  not 
come  unto  him.  Lu.  vii.  2, 3 ;  vili.  41.  If  this  be  the 
way  with  those  that  have  outward  diseases  in  their 
families,  how  much  more  then,  where  there  are 
souls  that  have  need  of  Christ,  to  save  them  from 
death  and  eternal  damnation ! 

4.  Take  heed  that  thou  do  not  neglect  family- 
duties  among  them  thyself  ;  as.  reading  the  word 
and  prayer  ;  if  thou  hast  one  in  thy  family  that  is 
gracious,  take  encouragement ;  nay,  if  thou  art 
alone,  yet  know  that  thou  hast  both  liberty  to  go 
to  God  through  Christ,  and  also  art  at  that  time 
in  a  capacity  of  having  the  universal  church  join 
with  thee  for  the  whole  number  of  those  that  shall 
be  saved. 

5.  Take  heed  that  thou  suffer  not  any  ungodly, 
profane,  or  heretical  books,  or  discourse  in  thy 
house.  '  Evil  communications  corrupt  good  man- 
ners,' iCo.  XV.  33.  I  mean  such  profane  or  heretical 
books,  (kc,  as  either  tend  to  provoke  to  looseness 
of  life,  or  such  as  do  oppose  the  fundamentals  of 
the  gospel.  I  know  that  Christians  must  be  al- 
lowed their  liberty  as  to  things  indifferent  ;  but  for 
those  things  that  strike  either  at  faith  or  holiness, 
they  ought  to  be  abandoned  by  all  Christians,  and 
especially  by  the  pastors  of  churches,  and  masters 
of  families  ;  which  practice  was  figured  out  by 
Jacob's  commanding  his  house,  and  all  that  was 
with  him,  to  put  away  the  strange  gods  from 
among  them,  and  to  change  their  ganuents.  Ge.  xxxv. 
2.  All  those  in  the  Acts  set  a  good  example  for 
this,  who  took  their  curious  books  and  burned  them 
before  all  men,  though  they  were  worth  fifty  thou- 
sand pieces  of  silver.  Ac.  xix.  is,  19.  The  neglect  of 
this  fourth  particular  hath  occasioned  ruin  in  many 
families,  both  among  children  and  servants.  It  is 
easier  tor  vain  talkers,  and  their  deceivable  works, 
to  subvert  whole  households,  than  many  are  aware 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


557 


of.  Tit.  i.  10,  n.     Thus  much  touching  the  spiritual 
state  of  thj  household.     And  now  to  its  outward. 
Second,  Touching  tJie  oiittoard  slate  of  thj family. 
thou  art  to  consider  these  three  thing.=5. 

I.  That  it  lieth  upon  thee  to  care  for  them  that 
they  have  a  convenient  livelihood.  '  If  any  man 
provide  not  for  his  own,  and  specially  for  those  of 
his  own  house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith,  and  i.' 
worse  than  an  infidel.*  i  Ti.  v.  s.  But  mark,  whei) 
the  Word  saith,  thou  art  to  provide  for  thy  house, 
it  giveth  thee  no  license  to  distracting  carefulness  : 
neither  doth  it  allow  thee  to  strive  to  grasp  the 
world  in  thy  heart,  or  coffers,  nor  to  take  care  foi 
years  or  days  to  come,  but  so  to  provide  for  them, 
that  they  may  have  food  and  raiment ;  and  if 
either  they  or  thou  be  not  content  with  that,  you 
launch  out  beyond  the  rule  of  God.  i  tl  vi.  8.  Mat.  vj. 
34.  This  is  to  labour,  that  you  may  have  where- 
with '  to  maintain  good  works  for  necessary  uses.' 
Tit.  iii.  u.  And  never  object,  that  unless  you  reach 
farther,  it  will  never  do ;  for  that  is  but  mibelief. 
The  word  saith,  '  That  God  feedeth  ravens,  careth 
for  sparrows,  and  clotheth  the  grass  ;'  in  which 
three,  to  feed,  clothe,  and  care  for,  is  as  much  as 
heart  can  wish.  Lu.  xii.  6—28. 

2.  Therefore  though  thou  shouldest  provide  for 
thy  family ;  yet  let  all  thy  labour  be  mixed  with 
moderation  ;  '  Let  your  moderation  be  known  unto 
all  men.'  Phi.  iv.  5.  Take  heed  of  driving  so  hard 
after  this  world,  as  to  hinder  thyself  and  famil}' 
from  those  duties  towards  God,  which  thou  art  by 
grace  obliged  to ;  as  private  prayer,  reading  the 
scriptures,  and  Christian  conference.  It  is  a  base 
thing  for  men  so  to  spend  themselves  and  families 
after  this  world,  as  that  they  disengage  their  heart 
to  God's  worship. 

Christians,  'The  time  is  short:  it  remaineth 
that  both  they  that  have  vt^ives  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  use  this  world,  as  not 
abusing  it;  for  the  fashion  of  this  world  passeth 
away.'  l  Co.  vli.  29—31.  Many  Christians  live  and  do 
in  this  world,  as  if  religion  were  but  a  by- business, 
and  this  world  the  one  thing  necessary ;  when  in- 
deed all  the  things  of  this  world  are  but  things  by 
the  by  ;  and  religion  only  the  one  thing  neediul. 

Lu.  X.  40—42. 

3.  If  thou  wouldst  be  such  a  master  of  a  family 
as  becomes  thee,  thou  must  see  that  there  be  that 
Christian  harmony  among  those  under  thee,  as  be- 
comes that  house  where  one  ruleth  that  feareth 
God. 

(1.)  Thou  must  look  that  thy  children  and  ser- 
vants be  imder  subjection  to  the  word  of  God ;  for 
though  it  is  of  God  only  to  rule  the  heart,  yet  he 
expecteth  that  thou  shouldest  rule  their  outward 
man ;  which  if  thou  dost  not,  he  may  in  a  short 


time  cut  off  all  thy  stock,  [even  every  male],  i  Sa.iii. 
11—14.  See  therefore  that  thou  keep  them  temperate 
in  all  things,  in  apparel,  in  language,  that  they 
he  not  gluttons,  nor  drunkards;  not  suffering  either 
thy  children  vainly  to  domineer  over  thy  servants, 
nor  they  again  to  carry  themselves  foolishly  towards 
each  other. 

(2.)  Learn  to  distinguish  between  that  injury 
that  in  thy  family  is  done  to  thee,  and  that  which 
is  done  to  God  ;  and  though  thou  oughtest  to  be 
very  zealous  for  the  Lord,  and  to  bear  nothing 
that  is  open  transgression  to  him  ;  yet  here  will  be 
thy  wisdom,  to  pass  by  personal  injuries,  and  to 
bury  them  in  oblivion :  '  Love  covereth  a  nudtitude 
of  sins.'  Be  not  then  like  those  that  will  rage  and 
stare  like  madmen,  when  they  are  injured ;  and 
yet  either  laugh,  or  at  least  not  soberly  rebuke, 
and  w^arn,  when  God  is  dishonoured. 

'  Rule  thy  own  house  well,  having  thy  children 
— with  others  in  thy  family — in  subjection,  witii 
all  gravity. '  1  Ti.  iiL  4.  Solomon  was  so  excellent 
sometimes  this  way,  that  he  made  the  eyes  of  his 
beholders  to  dazzle.  2  Ch.  k.  3, 4.  * 

But  to  break  off  from  this  general,  and  to  come 
to  particidars. 

[duty  in  RELATION  TO  THE  WIFE.] 

Hast  thou  a  wife  ?  Thou  must  consider  how 
thou  oughtest  to  behave  thyself  under  that  rela- 
tion :  and  to  do  this  aright,  thou  must  consider  the 
condition  of  thy  wife,  whether  she  be  one  that 
indeed  believeth  or  not. 

First,  If  she  believeth,  then, 

1.  Thou  art  engaged  to  bless  God  for 

her :  *  For  her  price  is  far  above  rubies,  husbands 
and  she  is  the  c-ift  of  God  unto  thee,  and     ^°  beUev. 

>?  _  '  ing  wives. 

is  for  thy  adorning  and  glory.'  Pr.  .\ii.  4; 
and   x.x.\i.  10.  1  Co. xi. 7.      'Favour   is   deceitful,    and 
beauty  is  vain :    hut  a  woman   that   feareth     the 
Lord,  she  shaU  be  praised.'  Pr. xxxi.  so. 

2.  Thou  oughtest  to  love  her,  under  a  double 
consideration:  (1.)  As  she  is  thy  flesh  and  thy 
bone  :  '  For  no  man  ever  yet  hated  his  own  flesh. ' 
Ep.  V.  29.  (2.)  As  she  is  together  with  thee  an  heir 
of  the  grace  of  life,  i  Pe.  ffi.  7.  This,  I  say,  should 
engage  thee  to  love  her  with  Christian  love ;  to 
love  her,  as  believing  you  both  are  dearly  beloved 
of  God  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  as  those 
that  must  be  together  with  him  in  eternal  happi- 
ness. 

3.  Thou  oughtest  so  to  carry  thyself  to  and  be- 
fore her,  as  doth  Christ  to  and  before  his  church ; 
as  saith  the  apostle :  So  ought  men  to  love  their 

*  The  queen  of  Sheba  was  as  much  or  more  delighted  with 
the  order,  harmony,  and  happiness  of  Solomon's  household 
than  she  was  with  all  his  splendour  and  magnificence.  It  la 
to  this  Bun}  an  refers  in  this  quotation. — Ed. 


558 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


Avives,  '  even  as  Christ  loved  the  church,  and  gave 
himself  for  it. '  Ep.  v.  25.  When  hushands  hehave 
themselves  like  hushands  indeed,  then  will  they  he 
not  only  hushands,  hut  such  an  ordinance  of  God 
to  the  wife,  as  will  preach  to  her  the  carriage  of 
Christ  to  his  spouse.  There  is  a  sweet  scent 
wrapped  up  in  the  relations  of  hushands  and  wives, 
that  helieve ;  Ep.  iv.  32.  the  wife,  I  say,  signifying 
the  church,  and  the  hushand  the  head  and  saviour 
thereof,  '  For  the  hushand  is  the  head  of  the  wife, 
even  as  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  church.'  Ep.  v.  23. 
and  he  is  the  Saviour  of  the  bod3^ 

This  is  one  of  God's  chief  ends  in  instituting 
marriage,  that  Christ  and  his  church,  under  a 
figure,  might  he  vvdierever  there  is  a  couple  that 
helieve  through  grace.  Wherefore  that  husband 
that  carrieth  it  undiscreetly  towards  his  wife,  he 
doth  not  only  hehave  himself  contrary  to  the  rule, 
but  also  maketh  his  wife  lose  the  benefit  of  such 
an  ordinance,  and  crosseth  the  mystery  of  his 
relation.  Therefore,  I  say,  *  So  ought  men  to  love 
their  wives  as  their  own  bodies.  He  that  loveth 
his  wife,  loveth  himself.  For  no  man  ever  yet 
hated  his  own  flesh ;  but  nourisheth  and  cherisheth 
it,  even  as  the  Lord  the  church : '  Ep.  v.  28,  29.  Christ 
laid  out  his  life  for  his  church,  covereth  her  infir- 
mities, communicates  to  her  his  wisdom,  protecteth 
her,  and  helpeth  her  in  her  employments  in  this 
world ;  and  so  ought  men  to  do  for  their  wives. 
Solomon  and  Pharaoh's  daughter  had  the  art  of 
thus  doing,  as  you  may  see  in  the  book  of  Canticles. 
Wherefore  bear  with  their  weaknesses,  help  their 
infirmities,  and  honour  them  as  the  weaker  vessels, 
and  as  being  of  a  frailer  constitution.  1  Pe.  iii.  7. 

In  a  word,  be  such  a  husband  to  thy  believing 

wife,  that  she  may  say,  God  hath  not  only  given 

me  a  husband,  but  such  a  husband  as  preaeheth  to 

me  every  day  the  carriage  of  Christ  to  his  church. 

Second,  If  thy  wife  be  unbelieving  or 

liusijaiidsto   carnal,  then  thou  hast  also  a  duty  lying 

unbeiiexaiig   -j^gf^.g  ^^^        ^-^^^^^  ^j^^^j  ^^^  engaged  to 

perform  under  a  double  engagement: 
1.  For  that  she  lieth  liable  every  moment  to  eter- 
nal damnation.  2.  That  she  is  thy  wife  that  is  in 
this  evil  case. 

Oh  !  how  little  sense  of  the  worth  of  souls  is 
there  in  the  heart  of  some  husbands ;  as  is  manifest 
by  their  xmchristian  carriage  to  and  before  their 
wives  !  Now,  to  qualify  thee  for  a  carriage  suit- 
able, 

1.  Labour  seriously  after  a  sense  of  her  miser- 
able state,  that  thy  bowels  may  yearn  towards  her 
soul. 

2.  Beware  that  she  take  no  occasion  from  any 
unseeml}^  carriage  of  thine,  to  proceed  in  evil.  And 
here  thou  hast  need  to  double  thy  diligence,  for  she 
lieth  in  thy  bosom,  and  therefore  is  capable  of 
espying  the  least  miscarriage  in  thee. 


3.  If  she  behave  herself  unseemly  and  unruly,  as 
she  is  sultject  to  do,  being  Christless  and  graceless, 
then  labour  thou  to  overcome  her  evil  Avith  thy 
goodness,  her  forwardness  with  thy  patience  and 
meekness.  It  is  a  shame  for  thee,  who  hast  another 
principle,  to  do  as  she. 

4.  Take  fit  opportunities  to  convince  her.  Ob- 
serve her  disposition,  and  when  she  is  most  likely 
to  bear,  then  speak  to  her  very  heart. 

5.  When  thou  speakest,  speak  to  purpose.  It 
is  no  matter  for  many  words,  provided  they  be 
pertinent.  Job  in  a  few  words  answers  his  wife, 
and  takes  her  ofi^  from  her  foolish  talking  :  '  Thou 
speakest,'  saith  he,  '  as  one  of  the  foolish  women  ; 
-  shall  we  receive  good  at  the  hand  of  God.  and 
shall  we  not  receive  evil  ? '  Job  ii.  10. 

6.  Let  all  be  done  without  rancour,  or  the  least 
appearance  of  anger :  '  In  meekness  instructing 
those  that  oppose  themselves,  if  -  peradventure 
they  may  recover  themselves  out  of  the  snare  of 
the  devil,  who  are  taken  captive  by  him  at  his 
will. '  2  Ti.  ii.  25, 26.  '  And  how  knowest  thou,  0  man, 
whether  thou  shalt  save  thy  wife.'  1  Co  vii.  16. 

DUTY  OF  PARENTS  TO  CHILDREN. 

If  thou  art  a  parent,  a  father,  or  a  mother,  then 
thou  art  to  consider  thy  calling  under  this  relation, 

Thy  children  have  souls,  and  they  must  be 
begotten  of  God  as  well  as  of  thee,  or  they  perish. 
And  know  also,  that  unless  thou  be  very  circum- 
spect in  thy  behaviour  to  and  before  them,  they 
may  perish  through  thee :  the  thoughts  of  which 
should  provoke  thee,  both  to  instinct,  and  also  to 
C(yrrect  them. 

First,  To  instruct  them  as  the  scripture  saith, 
and  to  '  bring  them  up  in  the  nurture  and  admoni- 
tion  of  the  Lord;'  and  to  do  this  diligently,  'when 
thou  sittest  in  thine  house,  -  when  thou  liest  down, 
and  when  thou  risest  up. '  Ep.  vi.  4.  De.  \i.  7. 

Now  to  do  this  to  purpose  : 

1.  Do  it  in  terms  and  Avords  easy  to  be  under- 
stood: afi'eet  not  high  expressions,  they  will  drown 
your  children.  Thus  God  spake  to  his  children, 
Ho.  xii.  10.  and  Paul  to  his.  1  Co.  iii.  2. 

2.  Take  heed  of  filling  their  heads  with  whimsies, 
and  unprofitable  notions,  for  this  will  sooner  learn 
them  to  be  malapert  and  proud,  than  sober  and 
humble.  Open  therefore  to  them  the  state  of  man 
by  nature;  discourse  with  them  of  sin,  of  death, 
and  hell ;  of  a  crucified  Saviour,  and  the  promise 
of  life  through  faith :  '  Train  up  a  child  in  the 
way  he  should  go :  and  when  he  is  old,  he  will  not 
depart  from  it. '  Pr.  xxii.  6. 

3.  There  must  be  much  gentleness  and  patience 
in  all  thy  instructions,  '  lest  they  be  discouraged. ' 
Col.  iii.  21.    And, 

4.  Labour  to  convince  them  by  a  conversation 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


559 


answerable,  that  the  things  of  which  thou  iustructest 
them  are  not  fables,  but  realities  ;  yea,  and  realities 
so  far  above  what  can  be  here  enjoyed,  that  all 
things,  were  they  a  thousand  times  better  than  they 
are,  are  not  worthy  to  be  compared  with  the  glory 
and  worthiness  of  these  things.* 

Isaac  was  so  holy  before  his  children,  that  when 
Jacob  remembered  God,  he  remembered  that  he 
was    the  Fear  of  his  father  Isaac'  Ge.  xxxi,  53. 

Ah  !  when  childi'en  can  think  of  their  parents, 
and  bless  God  for  that  instruction  and  good  they 
have  received  from  them,  this  is  not  only  profitable 
for  children,  but  honourable,  and  comfortable  to 
parents :  '  The  father  of  the  righteous  shall  greatly 
rejoice:  and  he  that  begetteth  a  wise  child  shall 
have  joy  of  him. '  Pr.  xxiii.  24, 25. 

Second,  The  duty  of  correction. 

1.  See  if  fair  words  will  win  them  from  evil. 
This  is  God's  way  with  his  children.  Je.  xxr.  4,  5. 

2.  Let  those  words  you  speak  to  them  in  your 
reproof,  be  both  sober,  few,  and  pertinent,  adding 
always  some  suitable  sentence  of  the  scripture  there- 
with ;  as,  if  they  lie,  then  such  as  He.  xxi.  8, 27.  If  they 
refuse  to  hear  the  word,  such  as  2  Ch.  xxv.  14— 16. 

3.  Look  to  them,  that  they  be  not  companions 
v.'ith  those  that  are  rude  and  ungodly ;  showing 
with  soberness  a  continual  dislike  of  their  naughti- 
ness ;  often  crying  out  to  them,  as  God  did  of  old 
unto  his,  '  Oil,  do  not  this  abomuaable  thing  that  I 
hate.'  Je. xliv. 4. 

4.  Let  all  this  be  mixed  with  such  love,  pity,  and 
compunction  of  spirit,  that  if  possible  they  may  be 
convinced  you  dislike  not  their  persons,  but  their 
sins.     This  is  God's  way.  Yi.  xcLx.  8. 

5.  Be  often  endeavouring  to  fasten  on  their  con- 
sciences the  day  of  their  death,  and  judgment  to 
come.      Thus  also  God  deals  with  his.  De.  xxxii.  29. 

6.  If  thou  art  driven  to  the  rod,  then  strike 
advisedly  in  cool  blood,  and  soberly  show  them, 
(I.)  their  fault;  (2.)  how  much  it  is  against  thy 
heart  thus  to  deal  with  them ;  (3.)  and  that  what 
thou  dost,  thou  dost  in  conscience  to  God,  and  love 
to  their  souls ;  (4.)  and  tell  them,  that  if  fair  means 
would  have  done,  none  of  this  severity  should  have 
been.  This,  I  have  proved  it,  will  be  a  means  to 
afflict  their  hearts  as  well  as  their  bodies ;  and  it 
being  the  way  that  God  deals  with  his,  it  is  the 
most  likely  to  accomplish  its  end. 

7.  Follow  all  this  with  prayer  to  God  for  them, 
and  leave  the  issue  to  him :  '  Foolishness  is  bound 
in  the  heart  of  a  child ;  hut  the  rod  of  correction 
shall  drive  it  far  from  him. '  Pr.  xxii.  15 

*  '  Thoua;li  the  words  of  the  ^vise  -  are  as  nails  fastened  by 
the  master  of  assemblies,  Eccl.  xii.  1,  yet  sm'e  their  examples 
are  the  hammer  to  drive  them  in  to  take  the  deeper  hold.  A 
father  that  whipt  liis  son  for  swearing,  and  swore  himself 
while  he  whipt  him,  did  more  harm  by  his  example  than  good 
by  his  correction.' — Fuller's  Roly  State,  p.  11. — Ed. 


Lastly,  Observe  these  ccadioiis, 

1.  Take  heed  that  the  misdeeds  for  which  thou 
correctest  thy  children  be  not  learned  them  by  thee. 
Many  children  learn  that  wickedness  of  their 
parents  for  which  they  beat  and  chastise  them. 

2.  Take  heed  thou  smile  not  upon  them,  to 
encourage  them  in  small  faults,  lest  that  thy  car- 
riage to  them  be  an  encouragement  to  them  to 
commit  greater. 

3.  Take  heed  thou  use  not  unsavoury  and 
unseemly  words  in  thy  chastising  of  them,  as  rail- 
ing, miscalling,  and  the  like :  this  is  devilish. 

4.  Take  heed  thou  do  not  use  them  to  many 
chiding  words  and  threatenings,  mixed  with  light- 
ness and  laughter ;  this  will  harden.  Speak  not 
much,  nor  often,  but  pertinent  to  them  with  all 
gravity.! 

DUTIES  OF  MASTERS  TO  SERVANTS. 

Masters  also  have  a  work  to  do  as  they  stand 
related  to  their  servants.     And, 

First,  If  possibly  they  can,  to  get  them  that  fear 
God :  '  He  that  worketh  deceit,'  saith  David,  '  shall 
not  dwell  within  my  house ;  he  that  telleth  lies, 
shall  not  tarry  in  my  sight. '  Ps.  ci.  7. 

Second,  But  if  none  at  the  present  but  unbelievers 
can  be  got  to  do  thy  labour,  then, 

1.  Know  that  it  is  thy  duty  so  to  behave  thyself 
to  thy  servant,  that  thy  service  may  not  only  be 
for  thy  good,  but  for  the  good  of  thy  servant,  and 
that  both  in  body  and  soul.  "Wherefore  deal  with 
him,  as  to  admonition,  as  with  thy  children  ;  give 
him  the  same  bread  of  God  thou  givest  to  them ; 
and  who  knows,  but  that  if  thou  Avith  spiritual 
delicates  bringest  up  thy  servant,  but  he  may  be- 
come thy  spiritual  son  in  the  end.  Pr.  xxLx.  21. 

2.  Take  heed  thou  do  not  turn  thy  servants  into 
slaves,  by  overcharging  them  in  thy  work,  through 
thy  greediness.  To  make  men  serve  with  rigour, 
is  more  like  to  Israel's  enemies  tlian  Christian 
masters.  Ex.  i.  14  ;{: 

3.  Take  heed  thou  carry  not  thyself  to  thy  ser- 
vant as  he  of  whom  it  is  said,  '  He  is  such  a  man 
of  Belial,  that  his  servants  could  not  speak  to  him. ' 

I  Sa.  XXV.  14^17. 

And  the  apostle  bids  you  forbear  to  threaten 
them,  because  you  also  have  a  Master  in  heaven. 
Ep.  vi.  9.  As  who  should  say.  Your  servants  cannot 
be  guilty  of  so  many  miscarriages  against  you,  as 
you  are  guilty  of  against  Christ.     Wherefore  do 


t  How  exceedingly  admirable  are  all  these  scriptural  dii-ec- 
tions,  wai-niugs,  and  cautious.  Happy  ai"e  those  parents  and 
their  cliildren  where  such  msdom  is  manifested  in  that  painfdi 
duty  of  administering  counsel  and  correction. — Ed. 

X  One  of  the  Saxon  laws  was,  that  if  a  serf  or  villain  work 
on  Sunday  by  his  lord's  command,  he  shall  be  a  free  man. — 
Sj)el?na/i's  Concilia,  An.  692. — Ed. 


560 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


with,  and  to  your  servants,  as  you  would  liave  your 
master  do  with  you. 

4.  Take  heed  that  thou  neither  circumvent  him 
at  his  coming  in  to  thy  service,  nor  at  his  going 
out. 

Servants,  at  their  going  into  service,  may  he 
heguiled  two  ways. 

(1.)  By  their  masters  lying  unto  them,  saying, 
their  work  is  so  small  and  so  easy,  when  it  is 
indeed,  if  not  too  burdensome,  yet  far  beyond  what 
at  first  was  said  of  it.      This  is  beguiling  of  them. 

(2.)  The  other  way  is,  when  masters  greedily 
seek  to  wire-draw  their  serviints  to  such  wages  as 
indeed  is  too  little  and  inconsiderable  for  such  work 
and  labour.  Both  these  the  apostle  opposeth, 
where  he  saith,  '  jMasters  give  unto  your  servants 
that  which  is  just,' jusc  labour,  and  just  wages, 
'knowing  that  ye  also  have  a  master  in  heaven.' 

Col.  iv.  1. 

As  servants  may  be  circumvented  at  their  com- 
ing into  their  labour,  so  also  they  may  be  at  their 
going  out:  which  is  done  by  masters  that  either 
change  their  wages,  like  heathenish  Laban,  Ge. 
xxxi.  7.  or  by  keeping  it  back,  like  those  against 
whom  God  will  be  a  swift  witness.  MaJ.  m.  5. 

5.  Take  heed  that  thou  make  not  a  gain  of  thy 
place,  because  thou  art  gracious,  or  livest  conve- 
niently for  the  means  of  grace.* 

Servants  that  are  truly  godly  they  care  not  how 
cheap  they  serve  their  masters,  provided  they  may 
get  into  godly  families,  or  where  they  may  be  con- 
venient for  the  word.  But  now,  if  a  master  or 
mistress  should  take  this  opportunity  to  make  a 
prey  of  their  servants,  this  is  abominable,  this  is 
making  a  gain  of  godliness,  and  merchandise  of 
the  things  of  God,  and  of  the  soul  of  thy  brother. 

1  11.  vi.  5. 

I  have  heard  some  poor  servants  say.  That  in 
some  carnal  families  they  have  had  more  liberty  to 
God's  things,  and  more  fairness  of  dealing,  than 
among  professors.  But  this  stinketh.  And  as 
Jacob  said  concerning  the  cruelty  of  his  two  sons, 
so  may  I  say  of  such  masters,  they  make  religion 
stink  before  the  inhabitants  of  the  land.  Ge.  xxxiv.  so. 

In  a  word,  learn  of  the  Lord  Jesus  to  carry 
yourselves  well  to  your  servants,  that  your  ser- 
vants also  may  learn  something  of  the  kindness  of 
Christ  by  your  deportment  to  them.  Servants  are 
goers  as  well  as  comers ;  take  heed  that  thou  give 
them  no  occasion  to  scandal  the  gospel  when  they 
are  gone,  for  what  they  observed  thee  unrighteously 
to  do  when  they  were  with  thee.  Then  masters 
carry  it  rightly  toward  their  servants,  when  they 
labour  both  in  word  and  life  to  convince  them  that 


*  The  rust  of  money  in  the  rich  man's  purse,  unjustly 
detained  from  the  lahourer,  will  poison  and  infect  his  whole 
estate. — Fullers  Holy  Slale,  p.  10. — Ed. 


the  things  of  God  are  the  one  thing  necessary. 
That  which  servants  are  commanded  to  do,  touch- 
ing their  fear,  their  singleness  of  heart,  their  doing 
Avhat  they  do  as  to  the  Lord,  and  not  to  men ;  the 
master  is  commanded  to  do  the  same  things  unto 
them.  £p.  vi.  G— 9. 

THE  DUTY  OF  WIVES. 

But  passing  the  master  of  the  family,  I  shall 
speak  a  word  or  two  to  those  that  are  under  him. 

And,  first,  to  the  Avife:  The  wife  is  bound  by 
the  law  to  her  husband,  so  long  as  her  husband 
liveth.  Ro.  vii.  2.  Wherefore  she  also  hath  her  work 
and  place  in  the  family,  as  well  as  the  rest. 

Now  there  are  these  things  considerable  in  the 
carriage  of  a  wife  toward  her  husband,  which  she 
ought  conscientiously  to  observe. 

First,  That  she  look  upon  him  as  her  head  and 
lord.  '  The  head  of  the  woman  is  the  man.'  iCo.xi. 
3.     And  so  Sarah  called  Abraham  lord,  l  Pe.  iii.  6. 

Second,  She  should  thei-efore  be  subject  to  him, 
as  is  fit  in  the  Lord.  The  apostle  saith,  '  That 
the  wife  should  submit  herself  to  her  husband,  as 

to  the  Lord,  'f  l  Pe.  iii.  l.  Col.  iii.  IS.  Ep.  v.  23.      I  told  yOU 

before,  that  if  the  husband  doth  walk  towards  his 
wife  as  becomes  him,  he  will  therein  be  such  an 
ordinance  of  God  to  her,  besides  the  relation  of  a 
husband,  that  shall  preach  to  her  the  carriage  of 
Christ  to  his  church.  And  now  I  say  also,  that 
the  wife,  if  she  walk  with  her  husband  as  becomes 
her,  she  shall  preach  the  obedience  of  the  churcli 
to  her  husband.  '  Therefore  as  the  church  is  sub- 
ject unto  Christ,  so  let  the  wives  he  to  their  own 
husbands  in  everything. '  Ep.  v.  u.  Now  for  thy  per- 
forming of  this  work,  thou  must  first  shun  these 
evils. 

1.  The  evil  of  a  wandering  and  a  gossiping 
spirit ;  this  is  evil  in  the  church,  and  is  evil  also  in 
a  wife,  who  is  the  figure  of  a  church.  Christ  loveth 
to  have  his  spouse  keep  at  home ;  that  is,  to  be 
with  him  in  the  faith  and  practice  of  his  things, 
not  ranging  and  meddling  with  the  things  of  Satan  ; 
no  more  should  wives  be  given  to  wander  and  gossip 
abroad.  You  know  that  Pr.  vii.  ii.  saith,  '  She  is 
loud  and  stubborn  ;  her  feet  abide  not  in  her  house. ' 
Wives  should  be  about  their  own  husbands'  busi- 
ness at  home ;  as  the  apostle  saith,  Let  them  '  he 
discreet,  chaste,  keepers  at  home,  good,  obedient 
to  their  own  husbands. '  And  why  ?  Because  other- 
wise '  the  word  of  God  will  be  blasphemed.'  Tit.  ii. 5. 

2.  Take  heed  of  an  idle,  talking,  or  brangling 

t  The  apostle  Peter,  in  his  solemn  injunctions  to  married 
persons,  commences  with  the  wife.  Fuller  observes  upon  this, 
'  And  sure  it  was  fitting  that  women  should  first  have  their 
lesson  giveu  them,  because  it  is  harder  to  be  learned, — and 
therefore  they  need  have  the  more  time  to  con  it.' — Holy 
State,  p.  1.— Kd. 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


561 


tongue.  This  also  is  odious,  either  in  maids  or 
Avives,  to  be  like  parrots,  not  bridling  their  tongue ; 
whereas  the  wife  should  know,  as  I  said  before, 
that  her  husband  is  her  lord,  and  is  over  her,  as 
Christ  is  over  the  church.  Do  you  think  it  is  seemly 
for  the  church  to  jMrrot  it  against  her  husband  ?  Is 
she  not  to  be  silent  before  him,  and  to  look  to  his 
laws,  rather  than  her  own  fictions  ?  Why  so,  saith 
the  apostle,  ought  the  wife  to  carry  it  towards  her 
husband  ?  '  Let  the  woman, '  saith  Paul,  '  learn  in 
silence  with  all  subjection.  But  I  suffer  not  a  woman 
to  teach,  nor  to  usurp  authority  over  the  man,  but 
to  be  in  silence. '  i  Ti.  ii.  ii,  13.  It  is  an  unseemly  thing 
to  see  a  woman  so  much  as  once  in  all  her  lifetime 
to  ofier  to  overtop  her  husband  ;  she  ought  in  every- 
thing to  be  in  subjection  to  him,  and  to  do  all  she 
doth,  as  having  her  warrant,  licence,  and  authority 
from  him.  And  indeed  here  is  her  glory,  even  to 
be  under  him,  as  the  church  is  under  Christ :  Now 
'  she  openeth  her  mouth  with  wisdom,  and  in  her 
tongue  is  the  law  of  kindness. '  Pr  xxxi.  2e. 

3.  Take  heed  of  aflecting  immodest  apparel,  or 
a  wanton  gait ;  this  will  be  evil  both  abroad  and  at 
home  ;  abroad,  it  will  not  only  give  iU  example,  but 
also  tend  to  tempt  to  lust  and  lasciviousness ;  and 
at  home  it  will  give  an  ofl'ence  to  a  godly  husband; 
and  be  cankering  to  ungodly  children,  <kc.  Where- 
fore, as  saith  the  apostle,  Let  women's  apparel  be 
modest,  as  becometh  women  professing  godliness, 
with  good  works,  '  not  with  broidered  hair,  or  gold, 
or  pearls,  or  costly  array.'  iTi.ii.9, lo.  And  as  it  is 
said  again,  '  Whose  adornino-  let  it  not  be  that  out- 
ward  adorning  of  plaiting  the  hair,  and  of  weai-ing 
of  gold,  or  of  putting  on  of  apparel :  But  let  it  be  the 
hidden  man  of  the  heart,  in  that  which  is  not  cor- 
ruptible, even  tlie  ornament  of  a  meek  and  quiet 
spirit,  which  is  in  the  sight  of  God  of  great  price. 
For  after  this  manner  in  the  old  time  the  holy 
women  also,  who  trusted  in  God,  adorned  them- 
selves, being  in  subjection  unto  their  own  husbands. ' 

1  Pe.  iii.  3 — 5. 

But  yet,  do  nut  think  that  by  the  subjection  I 
have  here  mentioned,  that  I  do  intend  women 
should  be  their  husbands'  slaves.  Women  are  their 
husbands'  yokefellows,  their  flesh  and  their  bones; 
and  he  is  not  a  man  that  hateth  his  own  flesh,  or 
that  is  bitter  against  it.  Ep.  v.  29.  Wherefore,  let 
every  man  '  love  his  wife  even  as  himself  ;  and  the 
wife  see  that  she  reverence  lier  husband. '  Ep.  v.  33. 
The  wife  is  master  next  her  husband,  and  is  to  I'ule 
all  in  his  absence  ;*  yea,  in  his  presence  she  is  to 
guide  the  house,  to  bring  up  the  children,  provided 
she  so  do  it,  as  the  adversary  have  no  occasion  to 
speak  reproachfully,   i  Ti.  v.  lo,  is.    '  Who  can  find  a 


*  '  lu  lier  husband's  absence  she  is  wife  and  deputy  husband, 
which  makes  her  double  the  files  of  her  diligence.  At  his  return 
he  finds  all  things  so  well,  that  he  wonders  to  see  himself  at 
home  when  he  was  abroad.' — Fullers  Holy  Slate,  p.  2. — Ed. 

VOL.  II. 


virtuous  woman  ?  for  her  price  is  far  above  rubies. 
A  gracious  woman  retaineth  honour : '  and  guideth 
her  afiairs  with  discretion.  Pr.  .-.xxi.  lO;  .\i.  16;  xu.  4 

Object.  But  my  husband  is  an  mibeliever ;  what 
shall  I  do? 

Ansio.  If  so,  then  what  I  have  said  before  lieth 
upon  thee  with  an  engagement  so  much  the  stronger. 
For,  1.  Thy  husband  being  in  this  condition,  he  will 
be  watchful  to  take  thy  slips  and  infirmities,  to 
throw  them  as  dirt  in  the  face  of  God  and  thy 
Saviour.  2.  lie  will  be  apt  to  make  the  worst  of 
every  one  of  thy  words,  carriages,  and  gestures.  3. 
And  aU  this  doth  tend  to  the  possessing  his  heart 
with  more  hardness,  prejudice,  and  opposition  to 
his  own  salvation ;  wherefore,  as  Peter  saith,  '  ye 
wives,  be  in  subjection  to  your  own  husbands  ;  that, 
if  any  obey  not  the  word,  they  may  also  without  the 
word  be  won  by  the  conversation  of  the  wives  ;  while 
they  behold  your  chaste  conversation,  coupled  with 
fear.'  IPe.  iii.  l,  2.  Thy  husband's  salvation  or  dam- 
nation lieth  much  in  thy  deportment  and  behaviour 
before  him  ;  wherefore,  if  there  be  in  thee  any  fear 
of  God,  or  love  to  thy  husband,  seek,  by  a  carriage 
fidl  of  meekness,  modesty,  and  holiness,  and  a 
humble  behaviour  before  him,  to  win  him  to  the 
love  of  his  own  salvation  ;  and  by  thus  doing,  how 
•  knowest  thou,  0  wife,  whether  thou  shalt  save  thy 
husband  ?  l  Co.  vii.  16. 

Object.  But  my  husband  is  not  only  an  unbeliever, 
but  one  very  froward,  peevish,  and  testy,  yea,  so 
froward,  &c.,  that  I  know  not  how  to  speak  to  him, 
or  behave  myself  before  him. 

Answ.  Indeed  there  are  some  wives  in  great 
slavery  by  reason  of  their  ungodly  husbands  ;  and 
as  such  should  be  pitied,  and  prayed  for ;  so  they 
should  be  so  much  the  more  watchful  and  circum- 
spect in  all  their  ways. 

1.  Therefore  be  thou  very  faithful  to  him  in  all 
the  things  of  this  life. 

2.  Bear  with  patience  his  unruly  and  unconverted 
behaviour ;  thou  art  alive,  he  is  dead ;  thou  art 
principled  with  grace,  he  with  sin.  Now,  then, 
seeing- grace  is  stronger  than  sin,  and  virtue  than 
vice ;  be  not  overcome  with  his  vileness,  but  over- 
come that  with  thy  virtues,  Ko.  xii.  21.  It  is  a  shame 
for  those  that  are  gracious  to  be  as  lavishing  in 
their  words,  &c.,  as  those  that  are  graceless :  They 
that  are  '  slow  to  wrath  are  of  great  understanding ; 
but  they  tlvat  are  hasty  of  spirit,  exalteth  foUy.' 

Pr.  xiv.  29. 

3.  Thy  wisdom,  therefore,  if  at  any  time  thou 
hast  a  desu'e  to  speak  to  thy  husband  for  his  con- 
viction, concerning  anything,  either  good  or  evil,  it 
is  to  observe  convenient  times  and  seasons :  There 
is  '  a  tkue  to  keep  silence,  and  a  time  to  speak.' 
Ec.  iii.  7.    Now  for  the  right  timing  thy  intentions, 

(1.)  Consider  his  disposition;  and  take  him  when 
he  is  farthest  oft'  of  those  filthy  passions  that  are 
4  B 


562 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


thy  afflictions.  Abigail  would  not  speak  a  word 
to  her  churlish  husband  till  his  wine  was  gone  from 
him,  and  he  in  a  sober  temper,  l  Sa.  xxv.  36, 37.  The 
want  of  this  observation  is  the  cause  why  so  much 
is  spoken,  and  so  little  eft'ected.* 

(2.)  Take  him  at  those  times  when  he  hath  his 
heart  taken  with  thee,  and  when  he  sheweth  tokens 
of  love  and  delight  in  thee.  Thus  did  Esther  with 
the  king  her  husband,  and  prevailed.  Es.v.3,  6.  vu.  1, 2. 

(3.).  Observe  Avhen  convictions  seize  his  con- 
science, and  then  follow  them  with  sound  and  grave 
sayings  of  the  Scriptures.  Somewhat  like  to  this 
dealt  Manoah's  wife  with  her  husband.  Ju.  xiii.  22, 23. 
Yet  then, 

(a)  Let  thy  words  be  few. 

{b)  And  none  of  them  savouring  of  a  lording  it 
over  him ;  but  speak  thou  still  as  to  thy  head  and 
lord,  by  way  of  entreaty  and  beseeching. 

(c.)  And  that  in  such  a  spirit  of  sympathy,  and 
bowels  of  afiection  after  his  good,  that  the  manner 
of  thy  speech  and  behaviour  in  speaking  may  be 
to  him  an  argument  that  thou  speakest  in  love,  as 
being  sensible  of  his  misery,  and  inflamed  in  thy 
soul  with  desire  after  his  conversion. 

{d)  And  follow  thy  words  and  behaviour  with 
pi'ayers  to  God  for  his  soul. 

(e)  Still  keeping  thyself  in  a  holy,  chaste,  and 
modest  behaviour  before  him. 

Object.  But  my  husband  is  a  sot,  a  fool,  and 
one  that  hath  not  wit  enough  to  follow  his  outward 
employment  in  the  world. 

Answ.  1 .  Though  all  this  be  true,  yet  thou  must 
know  he  is  thy  head,  thy  lord,  and  thy  husband. 

2.  Therefore  thou  must  take  heed  of  desiring  to 
usurp  authority  over  him.  He  was  not  made  for 
thee ;  that  is,  for  thee  to  have  dominion  over  him, 
but  to  be  thy  husband,  and  to  rule  over  thee.  1  Ti. 

iL  12. 1  Co.  xi.  3,  8. 

3.  Wherefore,  though  in  truth  thou  mayest  have 
more  discretion  than  he,  yet  thou  oughtest  to  know 
that  thou,  with  all  that  is  thine,  is  to  be  used  as 
under  thy  husband;  even  '  every  thing.'  Ep.  v.  24. 

Take  heed  therefore,  that  what  thou  dost  goes 
not  in  thy  name,  but  his  ;  not  to  thy  exaltation,  but 
his ;  carrying  all  things  so,  by  thy  dexterity  and 
prudence,  that  not  one  of  thy  husband's  weaknesses 
]>e  discovered  to  others  by  thee :  '  A  virtuous  woman 
is  a  crown  to  her  husband :  but  she  that  maketh 
ashamed,  is  as  rottenness  in  his  bones.'  For  then, 
as  the  wise  man  sayeth,  *  .she  will  do  him  good  and 
not  evil,  all  the  days  of  her  life.'  Pr.  xii.  4;  xxxi. ii 

4.  Therefore  act,  and  do  still,  as  being  under  the 
power  and  authority  of  thy  husband. 

Now  touching  thy  carriage  to  thy  children  and 


*  '  She  never  crossetli  her  husband  in  the  spring-tide  of  his 
anger,  but  stays  till  it  be  ebbing  water.' — FuUei's  Ma.rims. 
—Ed. 


servants.  Thou  art  a  parent,  and  a  mistress,  and 
so  thou  oughtest  to  demean  thyself.  And  besides, 
seeing  the  believing  woman  is  a  figure  of  the  church, 
she  ought,  as  the  church,  to  nourish  and  instruct 
her  children,  and  servants,  as  the  church,  that  she 
may  answer  in  that  particular  also ;  and  truly,  the 
wife  being  always  at  home,  she  hath  great  advan- 
tage that  way;  wherefore  do  it,  and  the  Lord 
prosper  your  proceeding, 

DUTIES  OF  CHILDREN  TO  PARENT.S. 

There  lieth  also  a  duty  upon  children  to  their 
parents,  which  they  are  bound  both  by  the  law  of 
God  and  nature  conscientiously  to  observe :  '  Chil- 
dren, obey  your  parents  in  the  Lord :  for  this  is 
right. '  And  again,  '  Children,  obey  your  parents 
in  all  things;  for  this  is  well  pleasing  unto  the 
Lord. '  Ep.  vi.  1.  Col.  iii.  20. 

There  are  these  genei-al  things  in  which  children 
should  shew  forth  that  honour  that  is  due  to  their 
parents  fi-om  them. 

First,  They  should  always  count  them  better 
than  themselves.  I  observe  a  vile  spirit  among 
some  children,  and  that  is,  they  are  apt  to  look 
over  their  parents,  and  to  have  slighting  and  scorn- 
ful thoughts  of  them.  This  is  worse  than  heathen- 
ish ;  such  an  one  hath  got  just  the  heart  of  a  dog 
or  a  beast,  that  will  bite  those  that  begot  them,  and 
her  that  brought  them  forth. 

Object.  But  my  father,  &c.,  is  now  poor,  and  I 
am  rich,  and  it  will  be  a  disparagement,  or  at  least 
a  hinderance  to  me,  to  shew  that  respect  to  him  as 
otherwise  I  might. 

A71SW.  I  tell  thee  thou  arguest  like  an  atheist 
and  a  beast,  and  standest  in  this  full  flat  against  the 
Son  of  God.  Mar.  vii.  9-13.  Must  a  gift,  and  a  little 
of  the  glory  of  the  butterfly,  make  thee  that  thou 
shalt  not  do  for,  and  honour  to,  thy  father  and 
mother  ?  '  A  wise  son  maketh  a  glad  father :  but 
a  foolish  man  dcspiseth  his  mother. '  Pr.  xv.20.  Though 
thy  parents  be  never  so  low,  and  thou  thsyelf  never 
so  high,  yet  he  is  thy  father,  and  she  thy  mother, 
and  they  must  be  in  thy  eye  in  great  esteem :  '  The 
eye  that  mocketh  at  his  father,  and  despiseth  to  obey 
his  mother,  the  ravens  of  the  valley  shall  pick  it 
out,  and  the  young  eagles  shall  eat  it.'  Pr. xx.x.  17. 

Second,  Thou  oughtest  to  shew  thy  honour  to  thy 
parents,  by  a  willingness  to  help  them  with  sucli 
necessaries  and  accommodations  which  they  need. 
'  If  any  -  have  children  or  nephews,  let  them  learn 
to  shew  pietyt  at  home,  and  to  requite  their  pa- 
rents:'  saith  Paul,  'for  that  is  good  and  acceptable 
before  God. '  1  Ti.  v.  4.    And  this  rule  Joseph  observed 


t  Bunyan's  words  are  '  to  show  ])ity,'  probably  taken  from 
the  word 'goodness'  in  the  margin  of  the  Bible;  but  lest  it 
might  be  a  typographical  error,  the  usual  rendering  is  given  in 
this  quotation. —  Ep.. 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


563 


to  his  poor  father,  tliough  he  himself  was  next  the 

king  in  Egypt.  Ge.  xlvii.  12;  xli.  39— i4. 

But  mark,  let  them  '  requite  their  parents.' 
There  are  three  things  for  ^yhich,  as  long  as  thou 
livest,  thou  wilt  be  a  debtor  to  thy  parents. 

1.  For  thy  being  in  this  world.  They  are  they 
from  whom,  immediately  under  God,  thou  didst 
receive  it. 

2.  For  their  care  to  preserve  thee  when  thou 
wast  helpless,  and  couldst  neither  care  for,  nor 
regard  thyself. 

3.  For  the  pains  they  have  taken  with  thee  to 
bring  thee  up.  Until  thou  hast  children  of  thy  own, 
thou  wilt  not  be  sensible  of  the  pains,  watchings, 
fears,  sorrow,  and  affliction,  that  they  have  gone 
under  to  bring  thee  up ;  and  when  thou  knowest 
it,  thou  wilt  not  easily  yield  that  thou  hast  recom- 
pensed them  for  thy  favour  to  thee.  How  often 
have  they  sustained  [thee  in]  thy  hunger,  clothed 
thy  nakedness  ?  What  care  have  they  taken  that 
thou  mightest  have  wherewith  to  live  and  do  well 
when  they  were  dead  and  gone  ?  They  possib'y 
have  spared  it  from  their  own  belly  and  back  for 
thee,  and  have  also  impoverished  themselves,  that 
thou  mightst  live  like  a  man.*  All  these  things 
ought  duly,  and  like  a  man,  to  be  considered  by 
thee ;  and  care  ought  to  be  taken  on  thy  part  to 
requite  them.  The  Scripture  saith  so,  reason  saith 
so,  and  there  be  none  but  dogs  and  beasts  that  den}* 
it.  It  is  the  duty  of  parents  to  lay  up  for  their 
children  ;  and  the  duty  of  children  to  requite  their 
parents. 

llurd.  Therefore  shew,  by  all  humble  and  son- 
like carriage,  that  thou  dost  to  this  day,  with  thy 
heart,  remember  the  love  of  thy  parents.  Thus 
much  for  obedience  to  parents  in  general. 

Again,  if  thy  parents  be  godly,  and  thou  wicked, 
as  thou  art,  if  thou  hast  not  a  second  work  or  birth 
from  God  upon  thee,  then  thou  art  to  consider,  that 
thou  art  more  strongly  engaged  to  respect  and 
honour  thy  parents,  not  now  only  as  a  father  in 
the  flesh,  but  as  godly  parents ;  thy  father  and 
mother  are  now  made  of  God  thy  teachers  and  in- 
structors in  the  way  of  righteousness.  Wherefore, 
to  allude  to  that  of  Solomon,  '  M}^  son,  keep  thy 
father's  commandment,  and  forsake  not  the  law 
of  thy  mother ;  bind  them  continually  upon  thine 
heart,  and  tie  them  about  thy  neck.'  Pr. vi.  20,  21. 
Kow,  to  provoke  thee  hereto,  consider. 


*  '  "What  is  tlie  child  but  a  piece  of  tlie  parents  wrapped  up 
in  another  skin.' — Flavel. 

On  see'mg  a  Mother  icith  her  Infant  asleep  in  her  Arms. 

'  Thine  is  the  mom  of  life, 
All  laiigliing,  unconscious  of  the  eveuing  witli  her  anxious  cares, 
Tliy  motlier  filled  with  the  purest  happiness  and  bliss 
A\nu(h  an  indulgent  Heaven  bestows  upon  a  lower  world. 
Watches  and  protects  her  dearest  life,  now  sleeping  in  her  arras.' 

German  Poem. — Ed. 


1.  That  this  hath  been  the  practice  always  of 
those  that  are  and  have  been  obedient  children ; 
yea,  of  Christ  himself  to  Joseph  and  Mary,  though 
he  himself  was  God  blessed  for  ever.  Lu.ii.  51. 

2.  Thou  hast  also  the  severe  judgments  of  God 
upon  those  that  have  been  disobedient,  to  awe  thee. 
As,  (1.)  Ishmael,  for  but  mocking  at  one  good  car- 
riage of  his  father  and  mother,  was  both  thrust 
out  of  his  father's  inheritance  and  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  and  that  with  God's  approbation.  Ge.  xxl.  9— 
14.  Ga.  iv.  30.  (2.)  Hophni  and  Phinehas,  for  refusing 
the  good  counsel  of  their  father,  provoked  the  great 
God  to  be  their  enemy :  '  They  hearkened  not  unto 
the  voice  of  their  father,  because  the  Lord  would 
slay  them.'  1  Sa.  ii.  23—25.  (3.)  Absalom  was  hanged, 
as  I  may  say,  by  God  himself,  for  rebelling  against 

his  father.  2  Sa.  xviii.  9. 

Besides,  little  dost  thou  know  how  heart-aching 
a  consideration  it  is  to  thy  parents,  when  they  do 
but  sujjpose  thou  mayest  be  damned !  How  many 
prayers,  sighs,  and  tears,  are  there  wrung  from 
their  hearts  upon  this  account  ?  Every  miscarriage 
of  thine  goeth  to  their  heart,  for  fear  God  should 
take  an  occasion  thereat  to  shut  thee  up  in  hardness 
for  ever.  How  did  Abraham  groan  for  Ishmael  ? 
'  0,'  saith  he,  to  God,  '  that  Ishmael  might  live 
before  thee!'  Ge. xvii.  18.  How  was  Isaac  and  Re- 
becca grieved  for  the  miscarriage  of  Esau?  Ge.  jccvi. 
34, 35.  And  how  bitterly  did  David  mourn  for  his 
son,  who  died  in  his  wickedness?  2  Sa.  x™. 32, 33. 

Lastly,  And  can  any  imagine,  but  that  aU  these 
carriages  of  thy  godly  parents,  will  be  to  thee  the 
increase  of  thy  torments  in  hell,  if  thou  die  in  thy 
sins  notwithstanding? 

Again,  if  thy  parents,  and  thou  also,  be  godly, 
how  happy  a  thing  is  this  ?  How  shouldest  thou 
rejoice,  that  the  same  faith  should  dwell  both  in  thy 
parents  and  thee  ?  Thy  conversion,  possibly,  is  the 
fruits  of  thy  parents'  groans  and  prayers  for  thy 
soul;  and  they  cannot  choose  but  rejoice;  do  thou 
rejoice  with  them.  It  is  true,  in  the  salvation  of  a 
natural  son,  which  is  mentioned  in  the  parable: 
'  This  my  son  was  dead,  and  is  alive  again  ;  he  was 
lost,  and  is  found.  And  they  began  to  be  merry.' 
Lu.  .\v.  24.  Let  therefore  the  consideration  of  this, 
that  thy  parents  have  grace,  as  well  as  thee,  engage 
thy  heart  so  much  the  more  to  honour,  reverence, 
and  obey  them. 

Thou  art  better  able  now  to  consider  the  pains 
and  care  that  thy  friends  have  been  at,  both  for 
thy  body  and  soul ;  wherefore  strive  to  requite 
them.  Thou  hast  strength  to  answer  in  some 
measure  the  command :  wherefore  do  not  neglect 
it.  It  is  a  double  sin  in  a  gracious  son  not  to 
remember  the  commandment,  yea,  the  first  com- 
mandment with  promise.  Ep.  vi.  i,  2.  Take  heed  of 
giving  thy  sweet  parents  one  snappish  word,  or 
one  imseemly  carriage.     Love  them  because  they 


564 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


are   tliy  parents,   because   tliey   are    godly,   and 
because  thou  must  be  iu  glory  with  them. 

Again,  if  thou  be  godly,  and  thy  parents  wicked, 
as  often  it  sadly  falls  out ;  then, 

1.  Let  thy  bowels  yearn  towards  them;  it  is 
thy  parents  that  are  going  to  hell ! 

2.  As  1  said  before  to  the  wife,  touching  her 
unbelieving  husband,  so  now  I  say  to  thee.  Take 
heed  of  a  parroting  tongue :  speak  to  them  wisely, 
meekly,  and  humbly ;  do  for  them  faithfully  with- 
out repining ;  and  bear,  with  all  child-like  modesty, 
their  reproaches,  their  railing,  and  evil  speaking. 
Watch  tit  opportunities  to  lay  their  condition  be- 
fore them.  0  !  how  happy  a  thing  would  it  be, 
if  God  should  use  a  child  to  beget  his  father  to  the 
faith !  Then  indeed  might  the  father  say,  With 
the  fruit  of  my  own  bowels  hath  God  converted 
my  soul.  The  Lord,  if  it  be  his  will,  convert  our 
poor  parents,  that  they,  with  us,  may  be  the 
children  of  God.* 

CONCERNING  SERVANTS. 

Servants  also,  they  have  a  work  to  do  for  God, 
in  their  place  and  station  among  men. 

The  apostles  assert  masters  under  a  threefold 
consideration.  First,  The  believing  master.  Second, 
The  unbelieving  master.  Tldrd,  The  froward 
master. 

For  all  which,  servants  are  furnished  with  coun- 
sel and  advice  in  the  woi-d,  for  the  demeaning  of 
themselves,  under  each  of  them. 

But  before  I  speak  in  particular  to  any  of  these, 
/  loill  in  general  shew  you  the  didy  of  servants. 

1.  Thou  art  to  look  upon  thyself  as  thou  art  ; 
that  is,  as  a  servant,  not  a  child,  nor  a  wife ;  thou 
art  inferior  to  these  ;  wherefore  count  thyself  under 
them,  and  be  content  with  that  station.  '  For  three 
things  the  earth  is  disquieted,  and  for  four  ivhich  it 
cannot  bear.'  One  is  'a  servant  when  he  reigneth.' 
Pr.  XXX.  21,  23.  It  is  out  of  thy  place,  either  to  talk  or 
do,  as  one  that  reigneth. 

2.  Consider,  that  thou  being  a  servant,  what  is 
under  thy  hand  is  not  thy  own  but  tliy  master's. 
Now,  because  it  is  not  thy  own  thou  oughtest  not 
to  dispose  of  it;  but  because  it  is  thy  master's, 
thou  oughtest  to  be  faithful.  Thus  it  was  with 
Joseph.  Ge.  xxxix.  8, 9.  But  if  thou  do  otherwise, 
know  that  thou  shalt  receive  of  God  for  the  wrong 
that  thou  dost  ;  and  there  is  with  God  '  no  respect 
of  persons. '  Col  iii.  25.   Wherefore, 

*  Buiiyau's  silence,  in  all  his  writings,  concerning  tlie  state 
of  liis  parents  as  to  godliness,  may  lead  us  to  fear  that  this 
fervent  ejaculation  had  often  been  poured  forth  hy  his  own  soul 
on  behalf  of  his  father  and  mother.  All  that  we  know  of  them 
is,  that  they  were  poor,  but  gave  their  children  the  best  edu- 
eation  their  means  all'orded ;  as  to  their  piety  he  is  silent. — 
Ed. 


3.  Touching  thy  work  and  employment,  thoit 
art  to  do  it  as  unto  the  Lord,  and  not  for  man ; 
and,  indeed,  then  servants  do  their  business  as 
becomes  them,  when  they  do  all  in  obedience  to 
the  Lord,  as  knowing  that  the  place  in  which  they 
now  are,  it  is  the  place  where  Christ  hath  put  them, 
and  in  which  he  expecteth  they  should  be  faithful. 
'  Servants,'  saith  Paul,  'be  obedient  to  them  that 
are  yoiLr  master's,  -  with  fear  and  trembling,  in 
singleness  of  your  heart  as  unto  Christ  ;  not  with 
eye-service,  as  men-pleasers  ;  but  as  the  servants 
of  Christ,  doing  the  will  of  God  from  the  heart.' 

Ep.  vi.  5,  6. 

Observe  a  little  the  word  of  God  to  servant.^. 
1.  Servants  must  be  obedient;  yet,  2.  Not  with 
that  obedience  that  will  serve  man  only.  Ser- 
vants must  have  their  eye  on  the  Lord,  in  the 
work  they  do  for  their  masters.  3.  That  their 
work  in  this  service  is  the  Avill  and  ordinance  of 
God.  From  which  I  conclude,  that  thy  work  in 
thy  place  and  station,  as  thou  art  a  servant,  is  as 
really  God's  ordinance,  and  as  acceptable  to  him, 
in  its  kind,  as  is  preaching,  or  any  other  work, 
for  God;  and  that  thou  art  as  sure  to  receive  a 
reward  for  thy  labour,  as  he  that  hangs  or  is  burnt 
for  the  gospel.  Wherefore,  saith  the  apostle  to 
servants,  '  Whatsoever  j'e  do,  do  it  heartily,  as  to 
the  Lord,  and  not  unto  men,  knowing  that  of  the 
Lord  ye  shall  receive  the  reward  of  the  inhei'itance  ; 
for  ye  serve  the  Lord  Christ.'  Coi.  m.  23, 24 

And  now  touching  the  three  sorts  of  masters 
mentioned  before. 

First,  For  the  believing  master;  saith  Paul, 
'  They  that  have  believing  masters,  let  them  not 
despise  them,  because  they  are  brethren  ;  but 
rather  do  them  service,  because  they  are  faithful 
and  beloved,  and  partakers,  with  the  servants,  *of 
the'  heavenly  '  benefit. '  1  Ti.  vi.  2.  Servants,  if  they 
have  not  a  care  of  their  hearts,  will  be  so  much  in 
the  consideration  of  the  relation  that  is  betwixt 
their  masters  and  they,  as  brethren,  that  they  will 
forget  the  relation  that  is  between  them  as  mas- 
ters and  servants.  Now,  though  they  ought  to 
remember  the  one,  yet  let  them  take  heed  of  for- 
getting the  other.  Know  thy  place,  as  a  servant, 
while  thou  considerest  that  thy  master  and  thee 
are  brethren,  and  do  thy  work  for  him  faithfully, 
humbly,  and  with  meekness,  because  he  is  a  mas- 
ter faithfid  and  beloved,  and  partaker  of  the 
heavenly  benefit.  *  If  any  man  teach  otherwise,' 
saith  the  apostle  Paul,  '  and  consent  not  to  whole- 
some words,  even  the  words  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  to  the  doctrine  which  is  according  to 
godliness  ;  he  is  proud,  knowing  nothing,  but 
doting  about  questions,  and  strifes  of  words  ; 
whereof  conieth  envy,  strife,  railiiigs,  evil  sur- 
misings,  perverse  disputings  of  men  of  corrupt 
minds,  and   destitute  of  the  ti'uth,  supposing  that 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


56? 


gain   is  godliness  :  from  sucli  withdraw  thyself.' 

1  Ti.  vi.  3—5. 

Second,  For  the  unhellevhig  masters,  for  of  them 
Paul  speaks  in  the  first  verse  of  the  6th  of  Timothy, 
'Let  as  many  servants,'  saith  he,  *  as  are  under 
the  3'oke  count  their  own  masters  Avorthy  of  all 
honour,  that  the  name  of  God  and  Ms  doctrine  be 
not  blasphemed. '  Servants  living  with  unbelieving 
masters,  are  greatly  engaged  to  be  both  watchful, 
faithful,  and  trusty.  Engaged,  I  say,  1.  From 
the  consideration  of  the  condition  of  their  master ; 
for  he  being  unbelieving,  Avill  have  an  evil  eye 
upon  thee,  and  upon  thy  doings,  and  so  much  the 
more  because  thou  professest.  As  in  the  case  of 
Saul  and  David,  l  Sa.  xviii.  8,  9,  &c.  2.  Thou  art 
engaged  because  of  the  profession  thou  makest  of 
the  word  of  God ;  for  b}^  thy  profession  thou  dost 
lay  both  God  and  his  word  before  thy  master, 
and  he  hath  no  other  wit  but  to  blaspheme  them, 
if  thou  behave  thyself  unworthilj'.  Wherefore 
Paul  bids  Titus  '  exliort  servants  to  be  obedient  to 
their  own  masters,  and  to  please  tliem  well  in  all 
things,  not  answering  again;'  not  giving  parroting 
answers,  or  such  as  are  cross  or  provoking,  '  not 
purloining,  but  shewing  all  good  fidelity,  that 
they  may  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour 
in  all  things. '  Tit.  u.  9,  lo.  That  servant,  who  in  an 
unbeliever's  family  doth  his  work  before  God,  as 
God's  ordinance,  he  shall  adorn  the  doctrine  of 
God,  if  not  save  his  master  by  so  doing  ;  but  if  he 
doth  otherwise,  he  shall  both  stumble  the  unbe- 
liever, dishonour  God,  offend  the  faithful,  and 
bring  guilt  upon  his  own  soul. 

Third,  For  the  froward  master,  though  I  dis- 
tinguish him  from  the  unbeliever,  yet  it  is  not 
because  he  may  not  be  such,  but  because  every 
unbeliever  doth  not  properly  go  under  that  name. 
Now  with  this  froward  and  peevish  fellow,  thou 
art  to  serve  as  faithfully  for  the  time  thou  standest 
bound,  as  with  the  most  pleasant  and  rational  mas- 
ter in  the  world:  'Servants,'  saith  Peter,  '  &e 
subject  to  your  masters  with  all  fear  ;  not  only  to 
the  good  and  gentle,  but  also  to  the  froward.' 
1  Pe.  ii.  18.  And  if  thy  peevish  master  will  still  be 
froward,  either  out  of  spite  to  thy  religion,  or 
because  he  is  without  reason  concerning  thy  la- 
bour— thou  to  the  utmost  of  thy  power  labouring 
faithfully — God  then  reckoneth  thee  a  sufferer  for 
well-doing,  as  truly  as  if  thou  wert  called  upon  the 
stage  of  this  world  before  men,  for  the  matters  of 
thy  faith.  Wherefore  Peter  adds  this  encourage- 
ment to  servants,  to  the  exhortation  he  gave  them 
before:  'This  is  thank  worthy,'  saith  he,  'if  a 
man  for  conscience  toward  God  endure  grief,  suf- 
fering wrongfully.  For  what  glory  is  it,  if  when 
ye  be  buffeted  for  your  faults,  ye  shall  take  it 
patiently  ?  But  if  when  ye  do  well,  and  suffer /or" 
it,  yo  take  it  patiently,  this  is  acceptable  w^th  God.' 


1  Pe.  ii.  19,  20.  Wherefore  be  comforted  concerning 
thy  condition,  with  considering  that  God  looks  upon 
thee,  as  on  Jacob  in  the  family  of  Laban ;  and 
will  right  all  thy  wrongs,  and  recompense  thee  for 
thy  faithful,  wise,  and  godly  behaviour,  before, 
and  in  the  service  of  thy  froward  master.  Where- 
fore, be  patient,  I  say,  and  abound  in  faithfulness 
in  thy  place  and  calling,  till  God  make  a  Avay  for 
thy  escape  from  this  place  ;  and  when  thou  mayest 
be  made  free,  use  it  rather,  i  Co.  vii.  21. 

DUTIES  OF  NEIGHBOURS  EACH  TO  OTHER. 

Having  thus  in  few  words  shewed  jow  what  is 
duty  under  your  several  relations,  I  shall  now  at 
last  speak,  in  a  word  or  two,  touching  good  neigh- 
bourhood, and  then  draw  towards  a  conclusion. 
Touching  neighbourhood,  there  are  these  things 
to  be  considered  and  practised,  if  thou  wilt  be 
found  in  the  practical  part  of  good  neighbour- 
hood. 

First,  Thou  must  be  of  a  good  and  soimd  con- 
versation in  thy  own  family,  place,  and  station, 
shewing  to  all,  the  power  that  the  gospel  and  the 
things  of  another  world  hath  in  thy  heart,  '  That 
ye  may  be  blameless,  and  harmless,  the  sons  of 
God,  without  rebuke,  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked 
and  perverse  nation,  among  whom  ye  shine  as 
lights  in  the  world.'  Phi. ii.  15, 16. 

Second,  As  persons  must  be  of  good  behaviour 
at  home,  that  will  be  good  neighbours,  so  they 
must  be  full  of  courtesy  and  charity  to  them  that 
have  need  about  them.  Lu.  x.  36,  sy.  Right  good 
neighbourhood  is  for  men  readily  to  communicate, 
as  of  their  spirituals,  so  of  their  temporalities,  as 
food,  raiment,  and  help  to  those  that  have  need ; 
to  be  giving  to  the  poor  as  thou  seest  them  go  by 
thee,  or  to  inquire  after  their  condition,  and  ac- 
cording to  thy  capacity  to  send  unto  them.  Job 
xxxL  15 — 17,  &(^. 

Third,  Thou  must  be  always  humble  and  meek 
among  them,  as  also  grave  and  gracious  ;  not  light 
and  frothy,  but  by  thy  words  and  carriage  mini- 
sterins: '  o-race  to  the  hearers.'  Ep.  iv.  29.  Thus  also 
Job   honoured   God    among    his    neighbours.    Job 

xxis.  6—13. 

Fourth,  Thy  wisdom  will  be,  rightly  to  discoun- 
tenance sin,  and  to  reprove  thy  neighbour  for  the 
same,  Le.  xix.  17.  denying  thyself  in  some  things,  for 
the  preventing  an  injury  to  thy  neighbour,  that 
thou  mayest  please  him  for  his  edification.  Ro.  xv.  3. 

Fifth,  If  thou  wonkiest  be  a  good  neighbour, 
take  heed  of  thy  tongue  upon  two  accounts. 

1.  That  thou  with  it  give  no  offensive  language 
to  thy  neighbour,  to  the  provoking  of  him  to 
anger.  Bear  much,  put  up  wrongs,  and  say  little: 
'  It  is  an  honour  for  a  man  to  cease  from  strife : 
but  every  fool  will  be  meddling.'  Pr.  xx.  3.     And 


566 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


again,  '  He  lovetli  transgression  that  loveth  strife.' 

Pr.  xvii.  19. 

2.  And  as  thou  shouldest  take  heed  tliat  thou 
be  not  the  original  of  contention  and  anger,  so  also 
take  heed  that  thou  be  not  an  instrument  to  beget 
it  between  parties,  by  tale-bearing  and  a  gossiping 
spirit :  '  He  that  passeth  by,  and  meddleth  with 
strife  belonging  not  to  him,  is  like  one  that  taketh 
a  dog  by  the  ears.  As  coals  are  to  burning  coals, 
and  wood  to  fire;  s,ois  a  contentious  man  to  kindle 
.strife.'  Pr.  .xxvi.  17— 21.  I  do  observe  two  things  very 
odious  in  many  professors ;  the  one  is  a  head- 
strong and  stiff-necked  spirit,  that  wiU  have  its 
own  way ;  and  the  other  is,  a  great  deal  of  tat- 
tling and  talk  about  religion,  and  but  a  very  little, 
if  anything,  of  those  Christian  deeds  that  carry  in 
them  the  cross  of  a  Christian  in  the  doing  thereof, 
and  profit  to  my  neighbour. 

(1.)  When  1  say  a  head-strong  and  stiff-necked 
spirit,  1  mean,  they  are  for  pleasing  themselves 
and  their  own  fancies,  in  things  of  no  weight, 
though  their  so  doing  be  as  the  very  slaughter-knife 
to  the  weak  conscience  of  a  brother  or  neighbour. 
Now  this  is  base.  A  Christian,  in  all  such  things 
as  intrench  not  the  matters  of  faith  and  worship, 
should  be  full  of  self-denial,  and  seek  to  please 
others  rather  than  themselves  ;  '  Give  none  off'ence 
-  to  the  Jews,  nor  to  the  *  Greeks,  nor  to  the 
church  of  God:  -  not  seeking  mine  own  profit,  but 
the  profit  of  many,  that  they  may  be  saved.'  i  Co.  x. 

32,  33. 

(2.)  And  the  second  is  as  bad,  to  wit,  when 
professors  are  great  prattlers  and  talkers,  and  dis- 
puters,  but  do  little  of  anything  that  bespeaketh 
love  to  the  poor,  or  self-denial  in  outward  things. 
Some  people  think  religion  is  made  up  of  words ; 
a  very  wide  mistake !  Words  without  deeds  is 
but  a  half-faced  religion  :  '  Pure  religion,  and  im- 
defiled  before  God  and  the  Father  is  this,  To  visit 
the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their  affliction,  and 
to  keep  himself  unspotted  from  the  world.'  Ja.  i.  27. 
Again,  '  If  a  brother  or  sister  be  naked,  and  desti- 
tute of  daily  food,  and  one  of  you  say  unto  them. 
Depart  in  peace,  be  warmed  and  filled,'  v/hich  are 
very  fine  words,  yet  if  you  '  give  them  not  those 
things  that  ai-e  needful  to  the  body,  what  doth  it 

profit  ?'  Ja.  ii.  15,  16. 

\_Slns  loldeli  irderfere  with  tlie  duties  of  Qiristian 
Brotherliood  and  Civil  A'eighboarhood.] 

Now  then,  before  I  go  any  farther,  I  will  here 
take  an  occasion  to  touch  a  little  upon  those  sins 
that  are  so  rife  in  many  professors  in  this  day :  and 


*  '  To  the  Greclcs.'  Bunyan  in  this  follows  the  Puritan 
translation.  The  word  '  Greeks'  is  in  the  margin  of  the 
authorized  Bible. — Ed. 


they  are,  covetousness,  pride,  and  uncleanness.  I 
would  speak  a  word  to  them  in  this  place,  the  rather 
because  they  are  they  which  spoil  both  Christian 
brotherhood,  and  civil  neighbourhood,  in  too  great 
a  measui'e. 

OF  COVETOUSNESS. 

First,  For  Covetousness. 

1.  Covetousness;  it  is  all  one  Avith  desire;  he 
that  desires,  covets.  Avhether  the  thing  he  desires 
be  evil  or  good.  Wherefore  that  which  is  called 
coveting,  in  Exod.  xx.  17,  is  called  desire,  in  Deut. 
V.  21.  As  the  apostle  also  saith,  'I  had  not 
known  lust,  except  the  law  had  said,  Thou  shalt 
not  covet. '  Ro.  vii.  7-  That  is,  I  had  not  known  lust 
to  be  a  sin,  unless  the  law  had  forbid  it.  Where- 
fore, though  lawful  desires  are  good,  1  Co.  xii.  31,  and 
to  be  commended,  yet  covetousness,  as  commonly 
understood,  is  to  be  fled  from,  and  abhorred,  as  of 
the  devil. 

2.  Covetousness,  or  evil  desire,  it  is  the  first 
mover,  and  giveth  to  every  sin  its  call,  as  I  may 
say,  both  to  move  and  act  ;  as  was  said  before, 
the  apostle  had  not  known  sin,  except  the  law  had 
said,  Thou  shalt  not  desire  or  covet :  for  where 
there  is  no  desire  to  sin,  there  appears  no  sin, 

3.  Therefore  covetousness  carrieth  in  it  every 
sin — we  speak  of  sins  against  the  second  table — 
even  as  a  serpent  carrieth  her  young  ones  in  her 
belly.  This  the  scripture  affirms,  where  it  saith, 
'  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  wife,  nor 
his  man-servant,  nor  his  maid-servant,  nor  his  ox, 
nor  his  ass,  nor  anything  that  25  thy  neighbour's.' 
Ex.  XX.  17.    Covetousness  will  meddle  with  anything. 

Now,  there  are  in  my  mind  at  present  these 
eight  notes  of  covetousness,  which  hinder  good 
works,  and  a  Christian  conversation  among  men, 
wherever  they  are  harboured. 

(1.)  When  men,  to  whom  God  hath  given  a  com- 
fortable livelihood,  are  yet  not  content  therewith. 
This  is  against  the  apostle,  where  he  saith,  '  Let 
your  conversation  be  without  covetousness ;  and  be 
content  with  such  things  as  ye  have :  for  he  hath 
said,  I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee.' 

He.  xiii.  5. 

(2.)  It  is  covetousness  in  the  seller,  that  puts 
him  to  say  of  liis  traffic,  it  is  better  than  it  is, 
that  he  may  heighten  the  price  of  it ;  and  covetous- 
ness in  the  buyer,  that  prompts  him  to  say  worse 
of  a  thing  than  he  thinks  in  his  conscience  it  is, 
and  that  for  an  abatement  of  a  reasonable  price. 
This  is  that  which  the  apostle  forbids  under  the 
name  of  defraud,  l  Co.  vi.  8,  and  that  which  Solomon 
condemns.  Pr.  xx.  14. 

(3.)  It  is  through  covetousness  that  men  think 
much  of  that  which  goeth  beside  their  own  mouth, 
though  possibly  it  goeth  to  those  that  have  more 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


567 


jieed  than  themselves,  and  also  that  better  deserve 
it  than  they. 

(4.)  It  argueth  covetonsness,  ^yhen  men  will 
deprive  themselves,  and  those  under  them,  of  the 
privileges  of  the  gospel,  for  more  of  this  world  ;  and 
is  condemned  by  Christ.  Lu.  xiv.  is— 20. 

(5.)  It  argueth  covetonsness,  when  men  that 
Iiave  it,  can  go  by,  or  hear  of  the  poor,  and  shut 
up  their  bowels  and  compassions  from  them.  1  Ju.  iii. 
17. 

(6.)  Also  when  men  are  convinced  It  is  their 
duty  to  communicate  to  such  and  such  that  have 
need,  yet  they  defer  it,  and  if  not  quite  forget  it, 
vet  linger  away  the  time,  as  being  loth  to  distri- 
bute to  the  necessities  of  those  in  want.  This  is 
forbidden  by  the  Holy  Ghost :  '  Withhold  not  good 
from  them  to  whom  it  is  due,  when  it  is  in  the 
power  of  thine  hand  to  do  it. '  Now,  it  is  due 
from  thee  to  the  poor,  by  the  commandment  of 
God,  if  they  want,  and  thou  hast  it ;  '  Say  not 
unto  thy  neighbour.  Go,  and  come  again,  and  to- 
morrow I  will  give;  when  thou  hast  it  by  thee.' 

Pr.  iii.  27,  23. 

(7.)  It  argueth  a  greedy  mind  also,  when,  after 
men  have  cast  in  their  minds  what  to  give,  they 
then  from  that  will  be  pinching  and  clipping,  and 
taking  away ;  whereas  the  Holy  Ghost  saith, 
'  Everyman  according  as  he  purposeth  in  his  heart, 
.so  let  Mm  give,  not  grudgingly,  or  of  necessity  :  for 
God  loveth  a  cheerful  giver. '  2  Co.  k.  7. 

(8.)  And  lastly.  It  argueth  a  filthy  greedy  heart 
also,  when  a  man,  after  he  hath  done  any  good, 
then  in  his  heart  to  repent,  and  secretly  wish  that 
lie  had  not  so  done,  or  at  least,  that  he  had  not 
done  so  much :  this  is  to  be  weary  of  well-doing ; 
(I  speak  now  of  communicating,)  and  carrieth  in 
it  two  evils.  First,  It  spoileth  the  work  done. 
And,  secondly.  It,  if  entertained,  spoileth  the  heart 
for  doing  any  more  so.  '  The  vile  person  shall  be 
no  more  called  liberal,  nor  the  churl  said  to  he 
})ountiful,'  for  '  the  liberal  devlseth  liberal  things; 
and  by  liberal  things  shall  he  stand,'  is. xxxii.  5,  8. 

Now  then,  to  dissuade  all  from  this  poisonous 
sin,  observe,  that  above  all  sins  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, this  is  called  idolatry.  Ep.  v.  5.  Col.  iii.  5  And 
therefore  God's  people  should  be  so  far  from  being 
taken  with  it,  that  they  should  be  much  afraid  of 
the  naming  of  it  one  among  another,  lest  it  should, 
as  adulterous  thoughts,  infect  the  heart,  by  the 
talking  of  it.  Ep.  v.  3. 

Quest.  But  why  is  covetonsness  called  idolatry  ? 
Ansvj.  1.  Because  it  engageth  the  very  heart  of 
man  in  it,  to  mind  earthly  things  ;  it  gets  our  love, 
which  should  be  set  on  God ;  and  sets  it  upon  poor 
empty  creatures ;  it  puts  our  affections  out  of 
heaven,  where  they  should  be,  and  sets  them  on 
earth,  where  they  should  not  be.  Eze.  xxxiii.  31.  Phi.  iii.  18, 
19  Col.  iii.  1—3.     Thus  it  change th  the  object  on  which 


the  heart  should  be  set,  and  setteth  it  on  that  on 
which  it  should  not.  It  makes  a  man  forsake 
God,  '  the  fountain  of  living  waters,'  and  causeth 
him  to  hew  to  himself  '  cisterns,  broken  cisterns, 
that  can  hold  no  water.'  Je. ii.  11— 13.     For, 

2.  It  rejecteth  the  care,  government,  and  pro- 
vidence of  God  towards  us,  and  causeth  us  to  make 
of  our  care  and  industry  a  god,  to  whom,  instead 
of  God,  we  fly  continually,  both  for  the  keeping 
what  we  have  and  for  getting  more.  This  was 
Israel's  idolatry  of  old,  and  the  original  of  all 
her  idolatrous  practices.  '  For  their  mother  hath 
played  the  harlot,'  that  is,  committed  idolatry: 
'  she  that  conceived  them  hath  done  shamefully : 
for  she  said,  I  will  go  after  my  lovers,  that  gave 
me  my  bread  and  my  water,  my  wool  and  my  flax, 
mine  oil  and  my  drink.'  Ho.  ii.  5. 

3.  It  disaEoweth  of  God's  way  of  disposing  Ids 
creatures,  and  would  have  them  ordered  and  dis- 
posed of  otherwise  than  his  heavenly  wisdom  seem- 
eth  meet ;  and  hence  ariseth  all  discontents  about 
God's  dealing  with  us,  Covetonsness  never  yet 
said.  It  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do  what  he  pleaseth  ; 
but  is  ever  objecting,  like  a  god,  against  every- 
thing that  goeth  against  it ;  and  it  is  that  which, 
like  a  god,  draweth  away  the  heart  and  soid  from 
the  true  God,  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ :  '  And  he 
went  away  sorrowful ;  for  he  had  great  possessions.' 
Mat.  xLx.  16-23.  Now  then,  that  which  engageth  the 
heart,  that  rejecteth  the  providence  of  God,  and 
that  is  for  ordering  and  disposing  of  things  con- 
trary to  God,  and  for  breaking  with  God  upon 
these  terms,  is  idolatry ;  and  all  these  do  covetons- 
ness. '  The  wicked  boasteth  of  his  heart's  desire, 
and  blesseth  the  covetous,  whom  the  Lord  abhor- 
reth.'  Ps.  X.3.  Now  the  way  to  remedy  this  disease 
is,  to  learn  the  lesson  which  Paid  had  got  by  heart; 
to  wit,  '  In  whatsoever  state  you  are,  therewith  to 
be  content.'  PLi.  iv.  11. 

OF  PRIDE. 

Second,  1  come,  in  the  second  place,  to  speak  a 
word  of  pride,  and  loftiness  of  heart  and  life. 

1.  Pride,  in  general,  it  is  that  Avhich  causeth  a 
man  to  think  of  man  and  his  things,  above  what  is 
written.  iCo.  iv.  6. 

2,  It  hath  its  seat  in  the  heart  among  these 
enormities,  fornications,  adulteries,  lasciviousness, 
murders,  deceit,  kc.  Mar.  vii.  21-23.  and  sheweth 
itself  in  these  following  particulars. 

(1 .)  When  you  shght  this  or  that  person,  though 
gracious ;  that  is,  look  over  them,  and  shun  them 
for  their  poverty  in  this  world,  and  choose  rather 
to  have  converse  with  others,  that  possibly  are  less 
gracious,  because  of  their  greatness  in  this  world. 
This  the  apostle  James  writes  against,  Ja.  ii.  1-3, 
under  the  name  of  partiality ;   '  for  indeed  the  fruits 


568 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


of  a  puffed-iip  heart  is  to  deal  in  this  manner  with 
Christians.'  l  Co.  iv.  6,7.  Now  this  bi-anch  of  pride 
floweth  from  ignorance  of  the  vanity  of  the  crea- 
ture, and  of  the  worth  of  a  gracious  heart ;  where- 
fore get  more  of  the  knowledge  of  these  two, 
and  this  sprig  Avill  be  nipped  in  the  head,  and  you 
will  learn  to   condescend  to  men  of  low  degree. 

Ko.  xii.  16. 

(2.)  It  argues  pride  of  heart,  when  men  will  not 
deny  themselves  in  things  that  they  may,  for  the 
good  and  profit  of  their  neighbours.  And  it  argueth 
now,  that  pride  has  got  so  much  up  into  self-love 
and  self-pleasing,  that  they  little  care  who  they 
grieve  or  offend,  so  they  may  have  their  way.  Ob. 

13—15. 

(3.)  It  argueth  pride  of  heart,  when  sober  re- 
proofs for  sin,  and  unbeseeming  carriages,  will  not 
down  with  thee,  but  that  rather  thou  snuffest,  and 
givest  way  to  thy  spirit  to  be  peevish,  and  to  re- 
tain prejudice  against  those  that  thus  reprove  thee. 
Saith  the  prophet,  '  Hear  ye,  and  give  ear ;  be 
not  proud  :  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken.'  That  is, 
hear  the  reproofs  of  God  for  your  sins,  and  break 
them  off  by  repentance ;  '  but  if  ye  will  not  hear 
it,  my  soul  shall  weep  in  secret  for  your  pride,' 
&c.  Je.  xiii.  15—17.  So  also  in  Hosea,  '  Tliey  will  not 
frame  their  doings  to  turn  imto  their  God  :  for  the 
spirit  of  whoredoms  is  in  the  midst  of  them,  and 
they  have  not  known  the  Lord.  And  the  pride  of 
Israel  doth  testify  to  his  face  :'  kc.  Ho.  v.  4, 5.  This 
argueth  great  senselessness  of  God,  and  a  heart 
greatly  out  of  frame. 

(4.)  It  argueth  pride  also,  Avhen  a  reproof  or 
admonition  will  not  down  as  well  from  the  poorest 
saint,  as  from  the  greatest  doctor ;  and  it  argueth 
a  glory  in  men,  iCo.  iii.  21,  and  that  they  would, 
that  their  faith  should  stand  in  their  wisdom,  and 
not  '  in  the  power  of  God  ;'  that  is,  of  naked  truth. 
1  Co.  ii.  5. 

(5.)  It  argueth  pride  of  heart,  when  a  man  that 
hath  this  or  that  in  his  heart  to  do,  in  reference  to 
God,  but  yet  will  slight  a  sober  asking  counsel 
and  direction  of  God  in  this  matter:  '  The  Avicked, 
through  the  pride  of  his  countenance,  will  not  seek 
after  God,'  saith  David.  Ps  x. 4. 

(6.)  It  argueth  pride  of  heart,  when  persons  are 
tickled  with  thoughts  of  their  own  praise,  that 
secretly  lust  after  it ;  that  think  of  themselves  and 
others  above  what  is  Avritten ;  which  those  do  who 
do  not  acknowledge  that  man  in  his  best  estate  is 
altogether  vanity  :  but  such  kind  of  people  have 
forgot  the  exhortation,  '  Be  not  high-minded,  but 
fear : '  Ro.  xi.  20.  And  also.  That  there  is  a  know- 
ledge that  puffeth  up,  and  edifieth  neither  them- 
selves nor  others.  1  Co.  vm.  1, 2.  Wherefore,  to  such 
the  apostle  saith.  Be  '  not  desirous  of  vain-glory,' 
but  in  loAvliness  of  niintl  '  let  each  esteem  others 
better  than  themselves.'  Phi.  ii.  3.  Ga.  v.  26. 


Pride  also  there  is  in  outward  carriage,  beha- 
viour, and  gesture,  which  is  odious  for  Christians  to 
be  tainted  with ;  and  this  pride  is  discovered  by 
mincing  Avords,  a  made  carriage,  and  an  affecting 
the  toys  and  baubles  that  Satan,  and  every  light- 
headed fool   bringeth  into  the  Avorld.       As  God 
speaketh  of  the  daughters  of  Zion,  '  they  walk  with 
stretched  forth  necks,  and  Avanton   eyes,  mincing 
as  they  go,  and  making  a  tinkling  Avith  their  feet. 
Is.  iii.  16.      A  very  rmhandsome  carriage  for  a  people 
that  profess  godliness,  and  that  use  to  come  before 
God  to  confess  their  sins,  and  to  bemoan  themselves 
for  Avhat  they  have  done.     How  can  a  sense  of  thy 
OAvn  baseness,  of  the  vileness  of  thy  heart,  and  of 
the  holiness  of  God,  stand  with  such  a  carriage  ? 
Dost  thou  see  the  vileness  of  thy  heart,  the  fruit 
of  sin  ?     And  art  tliou  afflicted  with  that  disagree- 
ment that  is  between  God  and  tlay  heart,  that  lay- 
est  the  reins  on  the  neck  of  thy  lusts,  and  lettest 
them  run  Avhither  they  Avill  ?     Be  not  deceived, 
pride  ariseth  from  ignorance  of  these  things.  1  Ti.  vi. 
3, 4.      A  sense  of  my  vileness,  of  Avhat  I  have  de- 
served,  and  of  what  continually  in  my  heart  op- 
poseth  God,  cannot  stand  Avith  a  foolish,  light,  and 
Avanton  carriage:   thou  Avilt  then  see  there  is  other 
things  to  mind  than  to  imitate  the  butterfly.    Alas, 
all   these  kind  of  things  are  but  a  painting  the 
devil,  and  a  setting  a  carnal  gloss  upon  a  castle  of 
his;  thou  art  but  making  gay  the  spider:   is  thy 
heart  ever  the  sounder  for  thy  fine  gait,  thy  minc- 
ing Avords,  and  thy  lofty  looks  ?     Na}^  doth  not 
this  argue,  that  thy  heart  is   a   rotten,  cankered, 
and  besotted  heart  ?     Oh !  that  God  would  but  let 
thee  see  a  little  of  thy  own  inside,  as  thou,  hast 
others  to  behold  thy  outside :   thou  painted  sepul- 
chre, thou  AA'hited  wall,  Avill  these  things  be  found 
virtues  in  the  day  of  God  ?     Or,  is  this  the  way 
that  thou  takest  to  mortify  sin  ?      '  An  high  look, 
and  a  proud  heart,  aiid  tlie  plowing  of  the  wicked, 
is  sin.'  Pr. xxi. 4.     Pride  is  the  ringleader  of  the 
seven   abominations   that  the  Avise  man   narneth, 
Pr.  vi.  16,  17,  and  is   that  above  all  that  causeth  to 
fall  into  the  condemnation  of  the  devil.  1  Ti.  iii.  6. 

OF  ADULTERY  OR  UNCLEANNESS. 

Now  I  come  in  the  last  place  to  touch  a  Avord 
or  tAvo  of  adultery,  and  then  to  draAV  tOAvards  a 
conclusion.  Adultery,  it  hath  its  place  in  the 
heart,  among  the  rest  of  those  filthinesses  I  men- 
tioned before.  Mm-,  vii.21,  22,  of  AA-hich  sin  I  observe 
tAvo  things. 

1.  That  almost  in  every  place  Avhere  the  apostle 
layeth  do^Ani  a  catalogue  of  wickednesses,  he  lay- 
eth  down  adultery,  fornication,  and  uncleanness  in 
the  front ;  as  that  in  Mar.  vii.  21.  Bo.  i.  29. 1  Co.  vi.  9.  Ga.  V. 
19.  Fp.  V.  3. 1  111.  iv.  3—5.  He.  xii.  16.  Ja.  ii.  11.  1  Pe.  ii.  11.  2  Pe.ii.  10. 

From  this  I  rather  that  the  sin  of  uncleanness  is 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


569 


a  xerj  predominant  and  master  sin,  easy  to  over- 
take the  sinner,  as  being  one  of  the  first  that  is 
ready  to  oifer  itself  on  all  occasions  to  break  the 
law  of  God. 

2.  I  observe  that  this  sin  is  committed  unawares 
to  many,  even  so  soon  as  a  man  hath  but  looked 
upon  a  woman:  'I  say  unto  j^ou,' saith  Christ, 
'that  whosoever  looketh  on  a  woman  to  lust,'  or 
desire,  'after  her,  he  hath  committed  adultery  with 
her  already  in  his  heart.'  Mat.  v.  28.  This  sin  of  un- 
cleanness,  I  say,  is  a  very  taking  sin;  it  is  natural 
above  all  sins  to  mankind ;  as  it  is  most  natural, 
so  it  wants  not  tempting  occasions,  having  objects 
for  to  look  on  in  every  corner :  wherefore  there  is 
need  of  a  double  and  treble  watchfulness  in  the  soul 
against  it.  It  is  better  here  to  make  a  covenant 
with  our  eyes,  like  Job,  Job  xxxi.  i,  than  to  let  them 
wander  to  God's  dishonour,  and  our  own  discom- 
fort. 

There  are  these  three  things  which  discover  a 
man  or  woman  too  much  inclining  to  the  unclean- 
ness  of  their  own  hearts. 

(1.)  The  first  is  a  Avanton  eye,  or  an  eye  that 
doth  secretly  affect  itself  with  such  objects  as  are 
tickling  of  the  heart  with  the  thoughts  of  immodesty 
and  uncleanness.  Isaiah  calls  this  a  wanton  eye : 
and  Peter  an  eye  full  of  adultery,  that  cannot  cease 
from  sin.  2  Pe.  ii.  14.  Is.  iii.  16.  This  is  that  also  which 
Christ  calleth  an  evil  eye,  and  John  the  lust  of  the 
flesh,  and  of  the  eyes,  and  doth  defile  those  who 
are  not  very  watchful  over  their  own  hearts.  Mar.vii. 
22.  1  Jn.  ii.  16.  This  wanton  eye  ■  is  that  which  the 
most  holy  saints  should  take  heed  of,  because  it 
is  .ipt  to  seize  upon  them  also.  When  Paul  bids 
Timothy  beseech  the  young  women  to  walk  as 
becomes  the  gospel,  he  bids  him  do  it  with  all 
purity.  1  Ti.  V.  1,  2.  As,  Avho  should  say.  Take  heed 
that  while  thou  instructest  them  to  holiness,  thou 
thyself  be  not  corrupted  with  the  lust  of  thy  eye. 
0  how  many  souls,  in  the  day  of  God,  will  curse 
the  day  that  ever  they  gave  way  to  a  wanton  e3'e  I 

(2.)  The  second  thing  that  discovereth  one  much 
inclining  to  the  lusts  of  uncleanness,  it  is  wanton 
and  immodest  talk  ;  such  as  that  brazen-faced 
whore  in  the  7th  of  the  Proverbs  had,  or  such  as 
they  in  Peter,  who  allured  '  through  the  lusts  of 
the  flesh,  through  much  wantonness,  those  that 
were  clean  escaped  from  them  who  live  in  error.' 
2  Pe.  ii.  18.  '  Out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the 
mouth  speaketh,'  wherefore  if  we  be  saints,  let  us 
take  heed,  as  of  our  eye,  so  of  our  tongue,  and  let 
not  the  lust  of  uncleanness,  or  of  adultery,  be  once 
named  among  us,  '  named  among  us  as  becometh 
saints. '  Ep.  v.  3.  Mark,  '  Let  it  not  be  once  named. ' 
This  implies,  that  the  lusts  of  uncleanness  are 
devilishly  taking,  they  will  both  take  the  heart 
with  eyes  and  tongue :  *  Let  it  not  be  once  named 
among  you,'  ic. 

VOL.  II. 


(3.)  Another  thing  that  bespeaks  a  man  or 
woman  inclining  to  wantonness  and  uncleanness,  it 
is  an  adorning  themselves  in  light  and  wanton 
apparel.  The  attire  of  an  harlot  is  too  frequently 
in  our  day  the  attire  of  professors ;  a  vile  thing, 
and  argueth  much  wantonness  and  vileness  of 
afl'ections.  If  those  that  give  way  to  a  wanton 
ej^e,  wanton  words,  and  immodest  apparel,  be  not 
whores,  k,c.,  in  their  hearts,  I  know  not  what  to 
say.  Doth  a  wanton  eye  argue  shamefacedness  ? 
Doth  wanton  talk  argue  chastity?  And  doth  im- 
modest apparel,  with  stretched-out  necks,  naked 
breasts,  a  made  speech,  and  mincing  gaits,  iSsc, 
argue  mortification  of  lusts  ?  If  any  say,  that  these 
things  may  argue  pride  as  well  as  carnal  lusts ; 
well,  but  why  are  they  proud  ?  Is  it  not  to  trick 
up  the  body  1  And  why  do  they  with  pride  trick 
up  the  body,  if  it  be  not  to  provoke  both  themselves 
and  others  to  lusts  ?  God  knoweth  their  hearts 
without  their  outsides :  and  we  know  their  hearts 
by  their  outsides. 

My  friends,  I  am  here  treating  of  good  works, 
and  persuading  you  to  fly  those  things  that  are 
hindrances  to  them :  wherefore  bear  with  my  plain- 
ness when  I  speak  against  sin.  I  would  strike  it 
through  with  every  word,  because  else  it  will  strike 
us  through  with  many  sorrows.  1  Ti.  vi.  9, 10.  I  do 
not  treat  of  good  works  as  if  the  doing  of  them 
would  save  us,  for  we  are  justified  by  his  grace, 
according  to  the  hope  of  eternal  life  ;  yet  our  sins 
and  evil  works  will  lay  us  obnoxious  to  the  judg- 
ments both  of  God  and  man.  He  that  walketh 
not  uprightly,  according  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel, 
is  like  to  have  his  peace  assaulted  often,  both  by 
the  devil,  the  law,  death,  and  hell ;  yea,  and  is  like 
to  have  God  hide  his  face  from  him  also,  for  the 
iniquity  of  his  covetousness.  Is.  ivii.  17. 

How  can  he  that  carrieth  himself  basely  in  the 
sight  of  men,  think  he  yet  well  behaveth  himself 
in  the  sight  of  God  ?  And  if  so  dim  a  light  as  is 
in  man  can  justly  count  thee  as  a  transgressor, 
how  shall  thy  sins  be  hid  from  him  whose  '  eye-hds 
try  the  children  of  men  ?'  Ps.  xi.  4. 

It  is  true,  faiih  without  works  justifies  us  before 
God:  Ro.  iii.  28;  iv.  5.  yet  that  faith  that  is  alone,  will 
be  found  to  leave  us  sinners  in  the  sight  both  of 
God  and  man.  Ja.  ii.  18.  And  though  thou  addest 
nothing  to  that  which  saveth  thee  by  what  thou 
canst  do,  yet  thy  righteousness  may  profit  the  son 
of  man ;  as  also  saith  the  text :  but  if  thou  shalt 
be  so  careless  as  to  say.  What  care  I  for  being 
righteous  to  profit  others  ?  I  tell  thee,  that  the 
love  of  God  is  not  in  thee.  Job  xxxv.  8.  1  Jn.  iii.  17.  1  Co 
xiii.i— 3.  W^alk  therefore  in  God's  ways,  and  do 
them,  for  this  is  your  wisdom  and  your  understand- 
ing in  the  sight  of  the  nations,  Avhich  shall  hear  of 
all  these  statutes,  and  say,  'This  great  nation  is  a 
wise  and  understanding  people.'  De.iv.6. 
4  c 


570 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


THIRD.  Observe.  Every  believer  should  not  only 
take  heed  that  his  works  be  good,  and  so  for  the  pre- 
sent do  them,  hut  should  carefully  study  to  maintain 
them ;  thai  is,  to  keep  in  a  continual  exercise  of  them. 

It  is  an  easier  matter  to  begin  to  do  good,  than 
it  is  to  continue  therein ;  and  the  reason  is,  there 
is  not  so  much  of  a  Christian's  cross  in  the  begin- 
ning of  a  M'ork,  as  there  is  in  a  continual,  hearty, 
conscientious  practice  thereof.  Therefore  Chris- 
tians have  need,  as  to  be  pressed  to  do  good,  so  to 
continue  the  work.  Man,  by  nature,  is  rather  a 
hearer  than  a  doer,  Athenian  like,  continually 
listening  after  some  new  thing  ;  seeing  many  things, 
but  observing  nothing.  Ac.  xvii.  20.  is.  xlii.  20.  It  is  ob- 
servable, that  after  Christ  had  divided  his  hearers 
into  four  parts,  he  condemned  three  of  them  for 
fruitless  hearers.  Lu.  viii.  5—8.  0  it  is  hard  continu- 
ing believing,  continuing  loving,  continuing  resist- 
ing all  that  opposeth ;  we  are  subject  to  be  weary 
of  well-doing.  Ga,  vi.  9.  To  pluck  out  right  eyes,  to 
cut  oif  right  hands  and  feet,  is  no  pleasant  thing 
to  flesh  and  blood ;  and  yet  none  but  these  shall 
have  the  promise  of  life ;  because  none  but  these 
will  be  found  to  have  the  effectual  work  of  God's 
grace  in  their  souls  :  Mat.  xviu.  8,  9.  '  If  ye  continue 
in  my  word,  then  are  you  my  disciples  '  indeed. 
Mat.  xxiv.  13.  Jn.  viii.  31.  And  hencc  it  is,  that  you  find 
so  many  IFS  in  the  Scripture  about  men's  happi- 
ness ;  as,  '  if  children,  then  heirs ;'  and  '  if  ye  con- 
tinue in  the  faith;'  and  'if  we  hold  the  beginning 
of  our  confidence  steadfast  unto  the  end. '  Uo.  viii.  17. 
Col.  i.  23.  He.  iii.  14.  Not  that  their  continuing  in  the 
way  of  God  is  the  cause  of  the  work  being  right ; 
but  the  work  being  right  causeth  the  continuance 
therein.  As  John  saith  in  another  place,  '  They 
went  out  from  us,  but  they  were  not  of  us ;  for  if 
they  had  been  of  us,  [saith  he]  they  would,  no 
doubt,  have  continued  with  us.'l  Jn.  ii.  19.  But  I  say, 
where  the  work  of  God  indeed  is  savingly  begun, 
even  there  is  flesh,  corruption,  and  the  body  of 
death  to  oppose  it.  Therefore  should  Christians 
take  heed,  and  look  that  against  these  opposites 
they  maintain  a  continual  course  of  good  works 
among  men. 

Besides,  as  there  is  that  in  our  own  bowels  that 
opposeth  goodness,  so  there  is  the  tempter,  the 
wicked  one,  both  to  animate  these  lusts,  and  to 
join  with  them  in  every  assault  against  every  ap- 
pearance of  God  in  our  souls.  And  hence  it  is, 
that  he  is  called  the  devil,  the  enemy,  the  destroyer, 
and  him  that  seeks  continually  to  devour  us, 
1  Pe.  T.  8.  I  need  say  no  more  but  this.  He  that 
will  walk  like  a  Christian  indeed,  as  he  shall  find 
it  is  requisite  that  he  continue  in  good  works,  so 
his  continuing  therein  will  be  opposed ;  if  therefore 
he  will  continue  therein,  he  must  make  it  his 
business  to  study  how  to  oppose  those  that  oppose 
buch  a  life,  that  he  may  continue  therein. 


FOURTH.  Now  then  to  help  in  this,  here  fitly 
comes  in  the  last  observation,  to  wit.  That  the  best 
way  both  to  pi'ovoke  ourselves  and  others  to  good 
works,  it  is  to  be  often  offmning  to  others  the  doctrine 
of  justification  by  grctce,  and  to  believe  it  ourselves. 
'  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  these  things  I  will 
that  thou  affirm  constantly,  that  they  which  have 
believed  in  God,  might  be  careful  to  maintain  good 
works. '  Tit.  iii.  8. 

I  told  you  before,  that  good  works  must  flow 
from  faith :  and  now  I  tell  you,  that  the  best  way 
to  be  fruitful  in  them,  is  to  be  much  in  the  exercise 
of  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  grace  ;  and  they 
both  agree  ;  for  as  faith  animates  to  good  works,  so 
the  doctrine  of  grace  animates  faith.  Wherefore, 
the  way  to  be  rich  in  good  works,  it  is  to  be  rich 
in  faith ;  and  the  way  to  be  rich  in  faith  is  to  be 
conscientiously  affirming  the  doctrine  of  grace  to 
others,  and  believing  it  ourselves. 

Mrst,  To  be  constantly  affirming  it  to  others. 
Thus  Paul  tells  Timothy,  that  if  he  put  the  bre- 
thren in  mind  of  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  he  him- 
self should  not  only  be  a  good  minister  of  Christ, 
but  should  be  nourished  up  in  the  words  of  faith 
and  of  good  doctrine.  1  Ti.  iv.  6.  It  is  the  ordinance 
of  God,  that  Christians  should  be  often  asserting 
the  things  of  God  each  to  others ;  and  that  by 
their  so  doing  they  should  edify  one  another.  He.  x. 

24,  25.  1  Th.  V.  11. 

The  doctrine  of  the  gospel  is  like  the  dew  and 
the  small  rain  that  distilleth  upon  the  tender  grass, 
wherewith  it  doth  fiourish,  and  is  kept  green.  De. 
xxxii.  2.  Christians  are  like  the  several  flowers  in  a 
garden,  that  have  upon  each  of  them  the  dew  of 
heaven,  which  being  shaken  with  the  wind,  they 
let  fall  their  dew  at  each  other's  roots,  whereby 
they  are  jointly  nourished,  and  become  nourishers 
of  one  another.  For  Christians  to  commune 
savourly  of  God's  matters  one  with  another,  it  is 
as  if  they  opened  to  each  other's  nostrils  boxes  of 
perfume*.  Saith  Paul  to  the  church  at  Rome, 
'  I  long  to  see  you,  that  I  may  impart  unto  you 
some  spiritual  gift,  to  the  end  ye  may  be  esta- 
blished ;  that  is,  that  I  may  be  comforted  together 
with  you,  by  the  mutual  faith  both  of  you  and  me.' 
Ro.  i.  11,  13.  Christians  should  be  often  affirming' 
the  doctrine  of  grace,  and  justification  by  it,  cue 
to  another. 

Second,  As  they  should  be  thus  doing,  so  they 
should  live  in  the  power  of  it  themselves ;  they 
should  by  faith  suck  and  drink  in  this  doctrine,  as 
the  good  ground  receiveth  the  rain ;  which  being 

*  This  is  a  most  beautiful  passage,  unequalled  by  any  ancient 
or  modern  author.  Such  a  view  of  chui-ch  fellowship  does 
honour  to  the  head  and  heart  of  the  prince  of  allegorists.  It 
is  worthy  to  be  printed  in  letters  of  gold,  and  presented  to 
everj"^  candidate  for  church  fellowship  among  all  christian  socie- 
ties of  everv  denomination. — Ed. 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


571 


done,  forthwith  there  is  proclaimed  good  vrorks. 
Paul  to  the  Colossians  saith  thus,  'We  give  thanks 
to  God  and  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
praying  always  for  you,  since  we  heard  of  your 
faith  iu  Christ  Jesus,  and  love  to  all  the  saints;  for 
the  hope  which  is  laid  up  for  you  in  heaven,  whereof 
ye  heard  before  in  the  word  of  the  truth  of  the 
gospel,  which  is  come  unto  you,  as  it  is  in  all  the 
world,  and  bringeth  forth  fruit,  as  it  doth  also  in 
you, '  But  how  long  ago  ?  Why,  '  since  the  day 
ye  heard  it,  [saith  he,]  and  knew  the  grace  of  God 
in  truth.'  Col.  i.  3—6. 

Apples  and  flowers  are  not  made  by  the  gar- 
dener ;  but  are  an  effect  of  the  planting  and  water- 
ing. Plant  in  the  sinner  good  doctrine,  and  let  it 
be  watered  with  the  word  of  grace ;  and  as  the 
eff"ect  of  that,  there  is  the  fruits  of  holiness,  and 
the  end  everlasting  life.  Ro.  vi.  22.  Good  doctrine  is 
the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  which  sheweth  to  men, 
that  God  clotheth  them  with  the  righteousness  of 
his  Son  freely,  and  maketh  him  with  all  his  bene- 
fits over  to  them ;  by  which  free  gift  the  sinner  is 
made  righteous  before  God;  and  because  he  is  so, 
therefore  there  is  infused  a  principle  of  grace  into 
the  heart,  whereby  it  is  both  quickened,  and 
bringing  forth  fruit.  Ro.  iii.  21—26.  1  Co.  i.  so.  2  Co.  V.  21. 

Jn.  i.  16. 

Now  then,  seeing  good  works  do  flow  from  faith, 
and  seeing  faith  is  nourished  by  an  aflirming  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  gospel,  (fee,  take  here  these  few 
considerations  from  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  for 
the  support  of  thy  faith,  that  thou  mayest  be  in- 
deed fruitful  and  rich  in  good  works. 

Consider  1.  The  whole  Bible  was  given  for  this 
very  end,  that  thou  shouldest  both  believe  this  doc- 
trine, and  live  in  the  comfort  and  sweetness  of  it : 
*  For  whatsoever  things  were  written  aforetime 
were  written  for  our  learning,  that  we  through 
patience  and  comfort  of  the  Scriptures  might  have 

hope. '  Ro.  XV.  4.  Jn.  XX.  31. 

Consider  2.  That  therefore  every  promise  in  the 
Bible  is  thine,  to  strengthen,  quicken,  alid  encour- 
age thy  heart  in  believing. 

Consider  3.  That  there  is  nothing  that  thou 
dost,  can  so  please  God  as  believing;  '  The  Lord 
taketh  pleasure  in  them  that  fear  him,  in  those 
that  hope  in  his  mercy.'  Ps.cxlvii.ll-  They  please 
him,  because  they  embrace  his  righteousness,  «fec. 

Consider  4.  That  all  the  withdrawings  of  God 
from  thee,  are  not  for  the  weakening,  but  for  the 
trial  of  thy  faith;  and  also,  that  whatever  he  sufters 
Satan,  or  thy  own  heart  to  do,  it  is  not  to  weaken 

faith.  Job  xxiii.  8—10.  1  ?e.  i.  7- 

Consider  5.  That  believing  is  that  which  will 
keep  in  thy  view  the  things  of  heaven  and  glory ; 
and  that  at  which  the  devil  will  be  discouraged,  sin 
weakened,  and  thy  heart  quickened  and  sweetened. 

He.  xi.  27.  Ja.  iv.  7.  1  Pe.  v.  9.  Ep.  vi.  16.  Ro.  xv.  13. 


Consider  lastly,  By  believing,  the  love  of  God 
is  kept  with  warmth  upon  the  heart,  and  that  this 
will  provoke  thee  continually  to  bless  God  for 
Christ,  for  grace,  for  faith,  hope,  and  all  these 
things,  either  in  God,  or  thee,  that  doth  accom- 
pany salvation.  2  Co.  ii.  U.  Ps.  ciii.  1—3. 

lliird,  The  doctrine  of  tlie  forgiveness  of  sins 
received  by  faith,  will  make  notable  work  in  the 
heart  of  a  sinner,  to  bring  forth  good  works. 

But,  Forasmuch  as  there  is  a  body  of  death  and 
sin  in  every  one  that  hath  the  grace  of  God  in  tins 
world  ;  and  because  this  body  of  death  will  be  ever 
opposing  that  which  is  good,  as  the  apostle  saith, 
Ro.  vii.  21.  therefore  take  these  few  pai-ticulars  fur- 
ther, for  the  suppressing  that  which  will  hinder  a 
fruitful  life. 

1.  Keep  a  continual  watch  over  the  wretched- 
ness of  thy  own  heart,  not  to  be  discouraged  at  the 
sight  of  thy  vileness,  but  to  prevent  its  wicked- 
ness ;  for  that  will  labour  either  to  hinder  thee 
from  doing  good  works,  or  else  will  hinder  thee  in 
the  doing  thereof;  for  evil  is  present  with  thee  for 
both  these  purposes.  Take  heed  then,  that  thou 
do  not  listen  to  that  at  any  time,  but  deny,  though 
with  much  struggling,  the  workings  of  sin  to  the 
contrary. 

2.  Let  this  be  continually  before  thy  heart,  that 
God's  eye  is  upon  thee,  and  seeth  every  secret 
turning  of  thy  heart,  either  to  or  from  him  :  '  All 
things  are  naked  and  opened  unto  the  eyes  of  him 
with  whom  we  have  to  do.'  He.  iv.  13. 

3.  If  thou  deny  to  do  that  good  which  thou 
oughtest,  with  what  thy  God  hath  given  thee; 
then  consider,  that  though  he  love  thy  soul,  yet 
he  can  chastise  ;  First,  Thy  Inward  man  with  such 
troubles,  that  thy  life  shall  be  restless  and  com- 
fortless. Secondly,  And  can  also  so  blow  upon 
thy  outward  man,  that  all  thou  gettest  shall  be 
put  in  a  bag  with  holes.  Ps.  bcx.xix.  31—33.  Hag.  i.  6.  And 
set  the  case  he  shoidd  licence  but  one  thief  among 
thy  substance,  or  one  spark  of  fire  among  thy 
barns,  how  quickly  might  that  be  spent  ill,  and 
against  thy  wiU,  which  thou  shouldest  have  spent 
to  God's  glory,  and  with  thy  will ;  and  I  tell  thee 
further,  that  if  thou  want  a  heart  to  do  good  when 
thou  hast  about  thee,  thou  mayest  want  comfort  in 
such  things  thyself  from  others,  when  thine  is 
taken  from  thee.  See  Ju.  i.  6, 7. 

4.  Consider,  that  a  Hfe  full  of  good  works  is  the 
only  way,  on  thy  part,  to  answer  the  mercy  of  God 
extended  to  thee ;  God  hath  had  mercy  on  thee, 
and  hath  saved  thee  from  all  thy  distresses ;  God 
hath  not  stuck  to  give  thee  his  Son,  his  Spirit,  and 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Saith  Paul,  '  I  beseech 
you  therefore  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  pre- 
sent your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable 
unto  God,  v:hich  is  yom-  reasonable  service.'  Ro.  xii. 

1.  Mat.  xviii.  32,  33. 


573 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUE. 


5.  Consider,  that  this  is  the  way  to  convince  all 
men,  that  the  power  of  God's  things  hath  taken 
hold  of  thy  lieart — I  speak  to  them  that  hold  the 
head*—  and  say  what  thou  wilt,  if  thy  faith  he  not 
accompanied  with  a  holy  life,  thou  shalt  be  judged 
a  withered  branch,  a  wording  professor,  salt  with- 
out' savour,  and  as  lifeless  as  a  sounding  brass, 
and  a  tinkling  cymbal.  *Jn.  xv.  Miit.  xiii.  l  Co.  xiii.  l,  2. 
For,  say  they,  shew  us  your  faith  by  your  works, 
for  we  cannot  see  your  hearts.  Ja.  ii.  18.  But  I  say 
on  the  contrary,  if  thou  walk  as  becomes  thee  who 
art  saved  by  grace,  then  thou  wilt  witness  in  every 
man's  conscience,  that  thou  art  a  good  tree ;  novr 
thou  leavest  guilt  on  the  heart  of  the  wicked,  l 
Sa.  xMiv.  iG,  17.  now  thou  takest  oif  occasion  from  them 
that  desire  occasion;  and  now  thou  art  clear  from 
the  blood  of  all  men.  2  Co.  xL  12.  Ac.  xx.  26, 31—35.  This 
is  the  man  also  that  provoketh  others  to  good 
works.  The  ear  that  hearetli  such  a  man  shall 
bless  him ;  and  the  eye  that  seeth  him  shall  bear 
witness  to  liim.  'Surely,'  saith  David,  'he  shall 
not  bo  moved  for  ever:  The  righteous  shall  be  in 
everlasting  remembrance. '  lie  x.  24.  Jobxxix.  11.  Ps.  cxii.  6. 

6.  Again,  The  heart  that  is  fullest  of  good 
works,  hath  in  it  at  least  room  for  Satan's  temp- 
tations. And  this  is  the  meaning  of  Peter,  where 
he  saith,  '  Be  sober,  be  vigilant;'  that  is,  be  busy- 
ing thyself  in  faith  and  holiness,  '  because,  your 
adversary  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh 
about,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour. '  1  Pe.  v.  8.  '  He 
that  walketh  uprightly,  walketh  safely ;  and  they 
that  add  to  faith,  virtue;  to  virtue,  knowledge;  to 
knowledge,  temperance ;  to  temperance,  brotherly 
kindness;  and  to  these  charitj';  and  that  abounds 
therein,  he  shall  neither  be  barren  nor  unfruitful ; 
he  shall  never  fall ;  but  so  an  entrance  shall  be 
ministered  to  him  abundantly,  into  the  everlasting- 
kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.' 

2  Pe.  i.  5—10.  Pr.  x.  9. 

7.  The  man  who  is  fullest  of  good  works,  he  is 
fittest  to  live  and  fittest  to  die:  'I  am  now,'  at  any 
time,  'ready  to  be  oft'ered,'  saith  fruitful  Paul. 
2  Ti.  iv.  6.  Whereas  he  that  is  barren,  he  is  neither 
fit  to  live,  nor  fit  to  die :  to  die,  he  himself  is  con- 
vinced he  is  not  fit,  and  to  live  God  himself  saith 
he  is  not  fit ;  '  cut  him  down,  why  doth  he  cumber 
the  ground  ? '  Lu  xiii.  7. 

Lastly,  Consider,  to  provoke  thee  to  good  works, 
thou  shalt  have  of  God  when  thou  comest  to  glory, 
a  reward  for  everything  thou  dost  for  him  on  earth. 
Little  do  the  people  of  God  consider,  how  richly 
God  will  reward,  what  from  a  right  principle  and 
to  a  right  end,  is  done  for  him  here ;  not  a  bit  of 
bread  to  the  poor,  not  a  draught  of  water  to  the 
meanest  of  them  that  belong  to  Christ,  or  the  loss 

*  To  'liolJ  tlie  bead'  is  to  make  a  very  prominent  profes- 
sion of  religion. — Ed. 


of  a  hair  of  your  head,  shall  in  that  day  go  with- 
out its  reward.  Lu.  xiv.  13, 14.  Mat.  x.  42. 

'  For  our  light  affliction,'  and  so  all  other  pieces 
of  self-denial,  '  which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh 
for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of 
glory.'  sco.iv.  17.  I  tell  thee.  Christian,  be  but 
rich  in  good  works,  and  thou  shalt  have  more  than 
salvation ;  thy  salvation  thou  hast  freely  by  grace 
through  Christ,  Avithout  works,  Ep.  ii.  8—10.  but  now 
being  justified  and  saved,  and  as  the  fruits  hereof, 
renewed  by  the  Holy  Ghost;  after  this,  I  say, 
thou  shalt  be  rewarded  for  every  work  that  proves 
good  ;  '  For  God  is  not  unrighteous  to  forget  your 
work  and  labour  of  love,  which  ye  have  shewed 
toward  his  name,  in  that  ye  have  ministered  to  the 
saints,  and  do  minister. '  lie.  vi.  10.  1  Co.  iii.  14.  Moses 
counted  the  reward  that  he  was  to  have,  for  a  short 
suff"ering  Avith  the  people  of  God,  of  greater  worth 
than  the  treasures  of  Egypt,  the  smiles  of  the  king, 
or  the  honour  of  his  kingdom.  lie.  xi.  25—27.  In  a 
word,  let  the  disappointments  that  do,  and  shall 
most  surely  befall  the  fruitless  professors,  provoke 
thee  to  look  with  all  diligence  to  thy  standing.  For, 

1.  Such  a  one  is  but  deceived  and  „,       ,  .,, 

,.  .         ,  in.    The       fruitless 

clisappomted    touchmg    the   work  01      professor  must 

h,  1    .     1       •      1  •     1  ,         meet  with  di.— 

e  supposeth  to  be  m  his  heart;     appoimments,. 

he  thinks  he  is  a  Christian,  and  hath 

grace,  as  faith,  hope,  and  the  like,  in  his  soul,  3'et 

no  fruits  of  these  things  manifest  themselves  in 

him ;  indeed  his  tongue  is  ti])t  with  a  talk  and 

tattle  of  religion.      Poor  man,  poor  empty  man  ! 

Faith  without  works  is  dead ;  thy  hope  shall  bo 

as  the  giving  up  of  the  ghost ;  thy  gifts  with  which 

thy  soul  is  possessed,  are  but  such  as  are  common 

to  reprobates ;    thou  art  therefore  disappointed ; 

God   reputes  thee  still  but  wicked,  though  thou 

comest  and  goest  to  the  place  of  the  Holy.    Ja.  ii. 

19,  20.  Job  xi.  20.  1  Co.  xiii.  1—3. 

2.  Therefore  all  thy  joy  and  comfort  must  needs 
falF  short  of  saving  comfort,  and  so  leave  thee  in 
the  suds  notwithstanding;  thy  joy  is  the  joy  of 
the  Pharisees,  Jn.  v.  35.  and  thy  gladness  as  that 
of  Herod,  Mar.  vi.  20.  and  the  longest  time  it  can 
last,  it  is  but  a  Scripture-moment.  Job  xx.  5.  Alas  ! 
in  all  thy  gladness  and  content  with  thy  religion, 
thou  art  but  like  the  boy  that  plays  with  brass 
instead  of  gold  ;  and  with  counters  instead  of  that 
MJiich  will  go  for  current  coin.  Thus,  '  if  a  man 
think  himself  to  be  something  when  he  is  nothing, 
he  deceiveth  [or  disappoints]  himself.'  Ga.  vi.  3. 

3.  This  is  not  all,  but  look  thou  certainly  for 
an  eternal  disappointment  in  the  day  of  God ;  for 
it  must  be ;  thy  lamp  Avill  out  at  the  first  sound 
the  trump  of  God  shall  make  in  thine  cars ;  thou 
canst  not  hold  up  at  the  appearance  of  the  Son  of 
God  in  his  glory ;  his  very  looks  will  be  to  thy 
profession  as  a  strong  wind  is  to  a  blinking  candle, 
and  thou  shalt  be  left  only  to  smoke. 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


573 


Oh  the  alteration  that  \yill  befal  a  foolish  virgin! 
She  thought  slie  was  happy,  and  that  she  should 
have  received  happiness  with  those  that  were  right 
at  the  heart ;  but  behold  the  contrary,  her  lamp 
is  going  out,  she  is  now  to  seek  for  saving  grace, 
when  the  time  of  grace  is  over  ?  Her  heaven  she 
thought  of,  is  proved  a  hell,  and  her  god  is  proved 
a  devil.  God  hath  cast  her  out  of  his  presence, 
and  claps  the  door  upon  her.  She  pleads  her  pro- 
fession, and  the  like,  and  she  hath  for  her  answer 
repulses  from  heaven.  '  So  are  the  paths  of  all 
that  forget  God ;  and  the  hypocrite's  hope  shall 
perish ;  whose  hope  shall  be  cut  oif,  and  whose 
trust  sJicdl  be  a  spider's  web.  He  shall  lean  upon 
his  house  but  it  shall  not  stand ;  he  shall  hold  it 
fast,  but  it  shall  not  endure.'  Mat.  x.w.  i— lo.  Lu.  xiii. 

25,  26.  Job  viii.  13—15. 

Take  heed  therefore;  thy  soul,  heaven,  and 
eternity,  lies  at  stake ;  yea,  they  turn  either  to 
thee  or  from  thee  upon  the  hinge  of  thy  faith ;  if 
it  be  right,  all  is  thine :  if  wrong,  then  all  is  lost, 
however  thy  hopes  and  expectations  are  to  the  con- 
trary: *  For  in  Jesus  Christ  neither  circumcision 
availeth  any  thing,  nor  uncircumcision ;  but  faith 
which  worketh  by  love.  Let  no  man  deceive  you 
"with  vain  words  :  for  because  of  these  things 
Cometh  the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  children  of  un- 
belief.* For  the  earth  which  drinketh  in  the  rain 
that  Cometh  oft  upon  it,  and  bringeth  forth  herbs 
meet  for  them  by  whom  it  is  dressed,  receiveth 
blessing  from  God :  but  that  which  beareth  thorns 
and  briars  is  rejected,  and  is  nigh  unto  cursing, 
whose  end  is  to  be  burned.'  Ga.  v.  6.  Ep.  v. 3— 6.  He. 
vi.  7.  8. 

Object.  But  what  shall  I  do,  who  am  so  cold, 
slothfal,  and  heartless,  that  I  cannot  find  any  heart 
to  do  any  work  for  God  in  this  world  ?  Indeed 
time  was  when  his  dew  rested  all  night  upon  my 
branches,  and  when  I  could  with  desire,  with  ear- 
nest desire,  be  doing  and  working  for  God ;  but, 
alas !  now  it  is  otherwise. 

Answ.  If  this  be  true,  th}^  case  Is  sad,  thou  art 
to  be  pitied ;  the  Lord  pity  thee.  And  for  thy 
recovery  out  of  this  condition,  I  woidd  give  thee 
no  other  counsel  than  was  given  to  Ephesus  when 
she  had  lost  her  first  love. 

1 .  '  Remember, '  saith  Christ,  '  from  whence 
thou  art  fallen,  and  repent,  and  do  the  first  works,' 
flic.  Re.  ii.  5. 

Mark :  Thy  first  work  is  to  enter  into  a  serious 
considering,  and  remembrance  from  whence  thou 
art  fallen.  Remember  that  thou  hast  left  thy  God, 
the  stay  of  thy  soul,  and  him  without  whom  there 
is  no  stay,  comfort,  or  strength,  for  thee  either  to 
do  or  suffer  anything  in  this  world  :  '  Without  me,' 
saith  he,  '  ye  can  do  nothing. '  Jn.  xv.  5.      A  sad  con- 

*  'Of  imbelief;'  see  margin  of  the  Bible. — Ed. 


dition  ;  the  remembrance  of  this,  for  certain,  is  the 
first  step  to  the  recovering  a  backsliding  heart ;  for 
the  right  remembrance  of  this  doth  bring  to  mind 
what  loss  that  soul  hath  sustained  that  is  in  this 
condition,  how  it  hath  lost  its  former  visits,  smiles, 
and  consolations  of  God.  When  thy  conscience 
was  suppled  with  the  blood  of  thy  Saviour  ;  when 
every  step  thou  tookest  was,  as  it  were,  in  honey 
and  butter ;  and  when  thy  heart  could  meditate 
teri'or  with  comfort.  Job  wix.  2—6.  is.  xxxiii.  u— 19.  In- 
stead of  which,  thou  feelest  darkness,  hardness  of 
heart,  and  the  thoughts  of  God  are  terrible  to  thee. 
Ps. lxxvii.3.  Now  God  never  visits  thee;  or  if  he 
doth,  it  is  but  as  a  wayfaring^  man,  that  tarrieth 
but  for  a  night.  Je.  xiv.  8,  9. 

This  also  brings  to  mind  how  the  case  is  altered 
with  thee,  touching  thy  confidence  in  God  for  thy 
future  happiness,  how  uncertain  thou  now  art  of  thy 
hopes  for  heaven,  how  much  this  life  doth  hang  in 
doubt  before  thee.  De.  xx^m.  65,  66. 

2.  '  Remember  therefore  from  whence  thou  art 
fallen,  and  repent.'  These  are  words  well  put 
together  ;  for  a  solid  considering  of  what  I  have 
lost  in  my  declining,  will  provoke  in  my  heart  a 
sorrow,  and  godly  heaviness,  whereby  I  shall  be 
forced  to  bemoan  my  condition,  and  say,  '  I  will  go 
and  return  to  my  first  husband,  for  then  was  it 
better  with  me  than  now.'  Ilo.ii. 7- 

And  believe  it,  the  reason  of  God's  standing  off 
from  giving  the  comfortable  communion  with  him- 
self, it  is  that  thou  mightest  first  see  the  ditference 
between  sticking  close  to  God,  and  forsaking  of 
him ;  and  next,  that  thou  mightest  indeed  acknow- 
ledge thy  off"ence,  and  seek  his  face.  Ho.  v.  15.  He 
taketh  no  pleasure  in  thy  forlorn  condition ;  he 
had  rather  thou  shouldest  have  him  in  thy  bosom, 
oidy  he  will  have  it  in  his  own  way.  '  He  looketh 
upon  men,  and  if  any  say,  I  have  sinned,  and  per- 
verted thaJt  which  was  right,  and  it  profited  me 
not;  [then]  he  will  deliver  his  soul  from  going 
into  the  pit,  and  his  life  shall  see  the  light.'  Job 

xx.\ii!.  27,  28. 

3.  'Remember  from  whence  thou  art  fallen,  and 
repent,  and  do  the  first  works.' 

As  there  should  be  a  remembering  and  a  repent- 
ing so  there  should  be  a  hearty  doing  our  first 
works ;  a  believing  as  before,  a  laying  hold  of  the 
things  of  heaven  and  glory,  as  at  the  first ;  for 
now  is  God  returned  to  thee,  as  before.  Zee.  i.  16.  And 
though  thou  mayest,  through  the  loss  of  thy  locks, 

j  with  Samson,  be  weak  at  the  first,  yet,  in  short 
time,  thy  hair  will  grow  again ;  that  is,  thy  former 
experience  will  in  short  space  be  as  long,  large, 

'  and  strong,  as  in  the  fonner  times.  Indeed  at  the 
first  thou  wilt  find  all  the  wheels  of  thy  soul  rusty, 
and  all  the  strings  of  thine  heart  out  of  tune ;  as 
also  when  thou  first  beginnest  to  stir,  the  dust  and 
filth  of  thy  heart  will,   like   smoke,   trouble  thee 


574 


CHRISTIAN  BEHAVIOUR. 


from  that  clear  beholding  the  grace  of  thy  God,  ' 
and  his  love  to  thy  soul ;  bnt  yet  wait,  and  go  on, 
and  though  thou  findest  thyself  as  unable  to  do 
anything  as  thou  formerly  couldest ;  yet  I  say,  up, 
and  be  doing,  and  the  Lord  will  be  with  thee ;  for 
he  hath  not  despised  the  day  of  thy  small  things. 

1  Cli.xxii.  IC.  Zeciv.  10. 

I  know  thou  wilt  be  afflicted  with  a  thousand 
temptations  to  drive  thee  to  despair,  that  thy  faith 
may  be  faint,  &,c.  But  against  all  them  set  thou 
the  word  of  God,  the  promise  of  grace,  the  blood 
of  Christ,  and  the  examples  of  God's  goodness  to 
the  great  backsliders  that  are  for  thy  encourage- 
ment recorded  in  the  scriptures  of  truth ;  and  re- 
member, that  turning  to  God  after  backsliding,  is 
the  greatest  piece  of  service  thou  canst  do  for  him, 
and  the  greatest  honour  thou  canst  bring  to  the 
blood  of  Christ ;  and  know  farther,  that  God,  to 
shew  his  willing  reception  of  so  unworthy  a  crea- 
ture, saith,  there  shall  be  joy  in  heaven  at  thy 
conversion  to  him  again.  Lu.  xv.  7,  lo. 

TO  CONCLUDE. 

If  thou  yet,  notwithstanding  what  hath  been 
said,  dost  remain  a  backslider : 

1.  Then  remember  that  thou  must  die;  and 
remember  also,  that  when  the  terrors  of  God,  of 
death,  and  a  backslidden  heart,  meet  together, 
there  will  be  sad  work  in  that  soul;  this  is  the 


man  that  hangeth  tilting  over  the  mouth  of  hell, 
while  death  is  cutting  the  thread  of  his  life. 

2.  Remember,  that  tho  igh  God  doth  sometimes, 
yea,  often,  receive  1  acksliders,  yet  it  is  not  always 
so.  Some  draw  back  into  perdition ;  for,  because 
they  have  flung  up  God,  and  would  none  of  him, 
he  in  justice  flings  up  them  and  their  souls  for 
ever.  Pr.  i.  24—28. 

I  have  observed,  that  sometimes  God,  as  it  were  in 
revenge  for  injury  done  him,  doth  snatch  away  souls 
in  the  very  nick  of  their  backsliding,  as  he  served 
Lot's  wife,  when  he  turned  her  into  a  pillar  of  salt, 
even  while  she  was  looking  over  her  shoulder  to 
Sodom.  Ge.  xix.  26.  An  example  that  every  backslider 
should  remember  with  astonishment.  Lu.  xvii.  S2. 

Thus  have  I,  in  few  words,  written  to  you,  be- 
fore I  die,  a  word  to  provoke  you  to  faith  and 
holiness,  because  I  desire  that  you  may  have  the 
life  that  is  laid  up  for  all  them  that  believe  in  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  love  one  another,  when  I  am  de- 
ceased. Though  there  I  shall  rest  from  my  labours, 
and  be  in  paradise,  as  through  grace  I  comfortably 
believe,  yet  it  is  not  there,  but  here,  I  must  do  you 
good.  Wherefore,  I  not  knowing  the  shortness 
of  my  life,  nor  the  hinderance  that  hereafter  I  may 
have  of  serving  my  God  and  you,  I  have  taken  this 
opportunity  to  present  these  few  lines  unto  you  for 
your  edification. 

Consider  what  hath  been  said ;  and  the  Lord 
give  you  understanding  in  all  things.     Farewell. 


A  CAUTION 


TO   STIR   UP 


TO  WATCH   AGAINST   SIN. 

By    J.    B  U  N  Y  A  N. 


ADVEETISEME^'T  BY  TEE  EDITOE. 


This  faithful  and  affectionate  appeal  to  conscience, 
was  originally  published  on  a  half-sheet  of  copy 
paper,  and  heing  only  printed  on  one  side  of  the 
leaf  was  called  a  broadside ;  probably  intended  to 
hang  up  in  the  house,  or  to  be  pasted  inside  the 
cover  of  the  family  bible. 

Charles  Doe  gives  the  date  1685;  but  a  copy 
of  this  rare  sheet,  clean  and  perfect  as  when  first 
printed,  was  lately  discovered  in  the  Stowe  Library, 
among  a  great  number  of  single-sheet  poems,  songs, 
and  proclamations ;  a  memorandum  on  it,  in  the 
writing  of  Narcissus  Luttrel,  shews  that  he  bought 
it  for  one  penny,  on  the  8th  of  April,  1684.     By 


the  liberal  permission  of  Mr.  Pickering,  of  Picca- 
dilly, the  present  owner  of  that  extraordinary  col- 
lection, I  have  been  able  accurately  to  correct  the 
very  numerous  alterations  and  errors  which  abound 
in  aU  the  later  editions. 

Reader,  whoever  thou  art,  but  especially  the 
young,  this  unassuming  poem  is  most  worthy  of 
being  committed  to  memory.  It  is  a  striking 
detection  of  the  devil's  sophistry.  Strive,  as  you 
value  your  peace  and  happiness,  to  escape  the  depths 
of  moral  degradation  and  misery,  by  avoiding  the 
FIRST  overtures  of  sin. — Geo.  Offor. 


CAUTION  TO  STIR  UP  TO  WATCH  AGAINST  SIN. 


Th^  first  eipht  lines  one  did  commend  to  me, 
TJie  rest  I  thought  g^i  to  commend  to  thee: 
Reader,  in  reading  be  thou  ruVd  by  me. 
With  rhimes  nor  lines,  but  truths,  affected  be* 

8.  Aprill.  1684. 

Sin  will  at  first,  just  like  a  beggar,  crave 
One  penny  or  one  half-penny  to  have; 
And  if  you  grant  its  first  suit,  'twill  aspire, 
From  pence  to  pounds,  and  so  will  still  mount  higher 
To  the  whole  soul:  but  if  it  makes  its  moan. 
Then  say,  here  is  not  for  you,  get  you  gone. 
^or  if  you  give  it  entrance  at  the  door. 
It  will  come  in,  and  may  go  out  no  more. 

II. 

Sin,  rather  than  'twill  out  of  action  be, 
■Will  pray  to  stay,  though  but  a  while  with  thee; 
One  night,  one  hour,  one  moment,  will  it  cry, 
Embrace  me  in  thy  bosom,  else  I  die: 
Time  to  repent  [saith  it]  I  will  allow, 
And  help,  if  to  repent  thou  know'st  not  how. 
But  if  you  give  it  entrance  at  the  door, 
It  will  come  in,  and  may  go  out  no  more. 


*  Tliis  same  sentiment  is  well  expressed  in  Banyan's  verses  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  Pilgrim,  part  First. 

'  Nor  let  my  iigure  or  simDitude 
Put  thee  into  a  laughter  or  a  feud ; 
Leave  this  to  hoys  and  tools,  hut  as  for  thee, 
Do  thou  the  suhstance  of  my  matter  see.' 


III. 

If  begging  doth  not  do,  sin  promise  will 
Rewards  to  those  that  shall  its  lusts  fulfill: 
Penny  in  hand,  yea  pounds  'twiU  ofi^er  thee. 
If  at  its  beck  and  motion  thou  wilt  be. 
'Twill  seem  heaven  to  out-bid,  and  all  to  gain 
Thy  love,  and  win  thee  it  to  entertain. 

But  give  it  not  admittance  at  thy  door. 
Lest  it  comes  in,  and  so  goes  out  no  more, 

IV. 

If  begging  and  promising  will  not  do, 
'Twill  by  its  wiles  attempt  to  flatter  you. 
I'm  harmless,  mean  no  Ol,  be  not  so  shy 
Will  ev'ry  soul-destroying  motion  cry. 
'Twill  hide  its  sting,  'twill  change  its  native  hce. 
Vile  'twin  not,  but  a  beauty  seem  to  you. 
But  if  you  give  it  entrance  at  the  door. 
Its  sting  will  in,  and  may  come  out  no  more. 


Rather  than  fail,  sin  w  ill  itself  divide, 
Bid  thee  do  this,  and  lay  the  rest  aside. 
Take  little  ones  ('twill  say)  throw  great  ones  by, 
(As  if  for  little  sins  men  should  not  die.) 
Yea  SIN  with  sin  a  quarrel  will  maintain, 
On  purpose  that  thou  by  it  might'st  be  slain. 
Beware  the  cheat  then,  keep  it  out  of  door. 
It  would  come  in,  and  would  go  out  no  more. 


B76 


A  CAUTION  TO  STIR  UP  TO  WATCH  AGAINST  SIN, 


VI. 

Sin,  if  yon  will  befieve  it,  will  accuse, 
Wliat  is  not  hurtful  and  itself  excuse : 
'Tw'ill  make  a  vice  of  virtue,  and  'twill  say 
Good  is  destructive,  doth  men's  souls  betray; 
'Twill  make  a  law,  whei'e  God  has  made  man  free. 
And  break  those  laws  by  which  men  bounded  be. 
Look  io  iliyseJf  theiu  keep  it  out  of  door. 
Thee  'twould  entangle,  and  enlarge  thj  score. 

VII. 

Sin  is  that  beastly  thing  that  will  defile 
Sold,  body,  name,  and  fame  in  little  while ; 
'Twill  make  him,  who  some  time  God's  image  was, 
Look  like  the  devil,  love,  and  plead  his  cause ; 
Like  to  the  plague,  poison,  or  leprosy 
Defile  'twill,  and  infect  contagiously. 

Vlieri-fore  beware,  against  it  shut  the  door; 

If  not,  it  will  defde  thee  wore  and  more. 

VIII. 

Sin,  once  possessed  of  the  heart,  will  play 

The  tyrant,  force  its  vassal  to  obey ; 

'Twill  make  thee  thine  own  happiness  oppose 

And  offer  open  violence  to  those 

That  love  thee  best ;  yea  make  thee  to  defy 

The  law  and  counsel  of  the  deity. 

Beware  then,  keep  this  tgrant  oid  of  door. 
Lest  thou,  be  his,  and  so  thy  ami  no  more. 

IX. 

Sin  harden  can  the  heart  against  its  God, 
Wake  it  abuse  his  grace,  despise  his  rod; 
'Twill  make  one  run  upon  tlie  very  pikes. 
Judgments  foreseen  bring  such  to  no  dislikes 
Of  sinful  hazards;  no,  they  venture  shall 
For  one  base  lust,  their  soul,  and  heav'n  and  all. 
Take  heed  then,  hold  it,  crush  it  at  the  door. 
It  comes  to  rob  thee,  and  to  make  thee  jpoor. 

X. 

Sin  is  a  prison,  hath  its  bolts  and  chains, 

Brings  into  boudag'!  who  it  entertains; 

Hangs  shackles  en  them,  bends  them  to  its  will, 

Holds  Ihem,  as  Samson  grinded  at  the  mill, 

'Twill  blind  them,  make  them  deaf;  yea,  'twill  them  gag, 

And  ride  them  as  the  devil  rides  his  hag. 

Wherefore  look  to  if,  keep  it  out  of  door. 
If  once  its  slave,  thou  may'st  be  free  no  more. 

XI. 

Though  STN  at  first  its  rage  dissemble  may, 

'Twill  soon  upon  thee  as  a  lion  prey  ; 

'Twill  roar,  'twill  rend,  'twill  tear,  'twill  kill  out-right. 

Its  living  death  will  gnaw  thee  day  and  night : 


Thy  pleasm-es  now  to  paws  and  teeth  it  turns, 
In  thee  its  tickling  lusts,  like  brimstone  burns. 
Wherefore  beware,  and  keep  it  out  of  door, 
Lest  it  should  on  thee  as  a  lion  roar. 

XII 

Sin  will  accuse,  will  stare  thee  in  the  face, 
"NYill  for  its  witnesses  quote  time  and  place 
Where  thou  committcdst  it ;  and  so  appeal 
To  conscience,  who  thy  facts  will  not  conceal; 
Eut  on  thee  as  a  judge  such  sentence  pass. 
As  will  to  thy  sweet  bits  prove  bitter  sauce. 

Wherefore  beware,  against  it  shut  thy  door, 
Hejient  what's  past,  believe  and  sin  no  more. 

XIII. 

Sin  is  the  worm  of  hell,  the  lasting  fire, 
Hell  would  soon  lose  its  heat,  could  sin  expire  j 
Better  sinless,  in  hell,  than  to  be  where 
Heav'n  is,  and  to  be  found  a  sinner  there. 
One  sinless,  with  infernals  might  do  well. 
But  sin  would  make  a  very  heav'n  a  hell. 

Look  to  thyself  then,  to  keep  it  out  of  door, 
Lest  it  gets  in,  and  never  leaves  thee  more. 

XIV. 
No  match  has  sin  save  God  in  all  the  world. 
Men,  angels  it  has  from  their  stations  hurl'd : 
Holds  them  in  chains,  as  captives,  in  despite 
Of  all  that  here  below  is  cnlled  Might. 
Release,  help,  freedom  from  it  none  can  give, 
Jjut  he  by  whom  we  also  breathe  and  live. 

Watch  therefore,  keep  this  giant  out  of  door. 
Lest  if  once  in,  thou  get  him  out  no  more. 

XV. 

Fools  make  a  mock  at  sin,  will  not  believe. 
It  carries  such  a  dagger  in  its  sleeve ; 
How  can  it  be  (say  they)  that  such  a  thing, 
So  full  of  sweet,  should  ever  wear  a  sting : 
They  know  not  that  it  is  the  very  spell 
Of  SIN,  to  make  men  laugh  themselves  to  hell. 
Look  to  thyself  then,  deal  tciih  SIN  no  more. 
Lest  he  that  saves,  against  thee  shuts  the  door. 

XVL 

Now  let  the  God  that  is  above. 

That  hath  for  sinners  so  much  love; 

Thise  lines  so  help  thee  to  improve, 

That  towards  him  thy  heart  may  move. 
Keep  thee  from  enemies  external. 
Help  thee  to  fight  with  those  internal : 
Deliver  thee  from  them  infernal. 
And  bring  thee  safe  to  life  eternal. — AMEN. 

London :  Printed  for  N.  Ponder  at  tlie  Peacock  in  the  Foultrey, 


A   DISCOURSE 

OF  THE 


BUILDING,  NATURE,  EXCELLENCY,  AND  GOVERNMENT 


THE    HOUSE    OF    GOD; 


COUNSELS  AND  DIRECTIONS  TO  THE  INHABITANTS  THEREOF. 
By  JOHN   BUNYAN,  of  Bedford. 


'Lord,  I  have  loved  the  habitaiion  ofthj  house,  and  the  place  where  thine  honour  dweUeth'—V&Vi\.  xxvi.  8. 


ADVERTISEMENT  BY  THE  EDITOE. 


Beautiful  in  its  simplicity  is  tliis  treatise  on  the 
Churcli  of  Christ,  by  John  Bunyan.  He  opens, 
with  profound  knowledge  and  eminent  skill,  all 
those  portions  of  sacred  writ  which  illustrate  the 
nature,  excellency,  and  government  of  the  house  of 
God,  with  the  personal  and  relative  duties  of  its 
inhabitants.  It  was  originally  published  in  a 
pocket  volume  of  sixty-three  pages,  by  G.  Larkin, 
1688,  and  is  now  for  the  first  time  reprinted.  We 
are  deeply  indebted  to  the  unknown  owner  of  this 
rare  volume,  and  to  Mr.  Creasy,  bookseller,  Slea- 
ford,  through  whom  the  copy  was  borrowed  to 
enrich  this  edition. 

What  is  the  church  ?  is  a  question  upon  which 
all  the  subtilty  of  Jesuitic  schoolmen  and  casuists 
has  been  exliausted,  to  mystify  and  mislead  the 
honest  inquirer  in  every  age.  The  Jews,  Papists, 
Greeks,  English,  have  each  claimed  the  divine 
favour  as  being  exclusively  limited  to  their  respec- 
tive sects.  Apostolic  descent  has  been  considered 
to  depend  upon  human  ceremonies,  instead  of  its 
consisting  in  a  similarity  of  mind  and  conduct  to 
that  of  the  apostles,  through  the  powerful  influ- 
ences of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  the  heart.  Judging 
from  this  latter  mode,  we  conclude  that  Bunyan 
the  brazier  was  very  nearly  related  to,  and  des- 
cended from,  Paul  the  tentmaker,  and  the  other 
apostles.  But  we  form  a  very  diflerent  judgment 
as  to  the  descent  of  Bonner  and  other  persecuting 
bishops. 

A  visible  church  of  Christ  is  a  congregation  of 
the  faithful,  who  having  personally  and  individually 
given  themselves  to  the  Saviour,  unite  together  to 
promote  each  other's  spiritual  happiness.  Such 
were  the  churches  to  whom  the  epistles  in  the 
New  Testament  were  addressed.  The  instructions 
VOL.  II. 


given  to  this  spiritual  community,  in  the  following 
treatise,  are  drawn  solely  from  the  sacred  volume, 
and  are  full  of  peace  and  righteousness — tending 
purely  to  its  happiness  and  prosperity.  If  these 
directions  were  strictly  and  constantly  followed, 
our  churches,  notwithstanding  the  liability  of  the 
members  to  err,  would  each  present '  a  little  heaven 
below. ' 

The  officers  in  these  communities  are_I.  Bishops, 
or  preaching  elders,  to  dispense  the  word  and  ordi- 
nances ;  a  plurality  in  every  church,  to  supply  the 
services  of  such  as  suffered  under  affliction  of  body, 
or  were  imprisoned  for  conscience-sake.  II.  Ruling 
elders,  to  assist  the  preachers — to  admit  the  serious 
inquirer,  or  shut  out  the  profane  backslider,  and  to 
re-admit  the  penitent — to  watch  over  the  members, 
that  they  be  diligent  in  their  worldly  callings,  that 
there  be  no  drones  or  idlers — to  heal  offences — to 
feed  the  church  with  admonitions,  and  to  visit  and 
comfort  the  sick.  III.  Deacons,  to  manage  the 
temporal  affairs — provide  for  the  Lord's  table  and 
for  that  of  the  bishops  and  elders_and  to  distribute 
the  alms  to  the  infirm  and  needy.  IV.  Female 
deacons,  to  nurse  the  sick,  and  direct  their  attention 
to  that  home  where  there  shall  be  no  more  sorrow ; 
and  generally  to  aid  the  deacons  and  elders. 

The  duty  of  the  private  members  is  to  walk 
humbly  with  God,  and  to  be  devoted  to  each  other's 
happiness.  In  all  these  particulars  Dr.  John  Cot- 
ton of  New  England,  in  his  '  True  Constitution  of 
a  Visible  Church,'*  fuUy  conciu-swith  Bunyan,  as 
does  also  Dr.  John  Owen,  in  his  '  Nature  of  a 
Gospel  Church,'  excepting  that  he  is  sUent  as  to 
female  deacons.     Let  every  church  be  thus  affec- 


*  4to,  London,  1643.     In  the  editor's  library. 
4  D 


578 


A  DISCOURSE  OF  THE  BUILDING,  &c.,  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD. 


tionately  and  scripturally  governed,  and  in  their 

works  of  faith  and  lahours  of  love  they  will  hecome 

terrible  to  the  enemy  '  as  an  army  with  banners.  '* 

At  the  present  day,  great  laxity  of  discipline 

*  Cant.  vi.  4. 


has  crept  in.  Some  offices  have  been  discontinued, 
others  altered,  and  it  becomes  us  most  solemnly  to 
judge  ourselves  by  the  imerring  word  of  the  living 
God,  whether  we  have  deviated  from  the  order 
recorded  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  if  so,  to  repent 
and  return  to  the  scriptural  model. — Geo.  Offor. 


A  DISCOURSE  OF  THE  BUILDING,  &c.,  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD 

With  carved-work  of  lily,  and  palm-tree, 
With  cheruhims  and  chains  adorned  be 
The  doors,  the  walls,  and  pillars  of  this  place ; "" 
Forbidden  beasts  here  must  not  show  their  face. 
With  grace  like  gold,  as  with  fine  painting,  he 
Will  have  this  house  within  enriched  be; 
Fig-leaves  nor  rags,  must  here  keep  out  no  cold, 
This  builder  covers  all  with  cloth  of  gold, 
Of  needle-work,  prick'd  more  than  once  or  twice 
(The  oft'ner  prick'd,  still  of  the  higher  price)  " 
Wrought  by  his  Son,  put  on  her  by  his  merit. 
Applied  by  faith,  revealed  by  the  Spirit." 


BY  WHOM  THIS  HOUSE  IS  BUILT. 

The  builder's  God, "  materials  his  Elect ; 

His  Son's  the  rock*  on  which  it  is  erect ; 

The  Scriptm-e  is  his  rule,  plummet,  or  line,  * 

Which  gives  proportion  to  this  house  divine, 

His  working-tools  his  ordinances  are,  "^ 

By  them  he  doth  his  stones  and  timber  square. 

Affections  knit  in  love,  the  couplings  are  ;  " 

Good  doctrine  like  to  mortar  doth  cement 

The  whole  together,  schism  to  prevent:-^ 

His  compass,  his  decree  ;  ^  his  hand's  the  Spiiit 

By  which  he  frames,  what  he  means  to  inherit, 

A  holy  temple,*  which  shall  far  excel 

That  very  place,  where  now  the  angels  dwell. 

Call  this  a  temple  or  a  house  of  prayer,* 

A  palace,  oracle,  or  spouse  most  fair ; 

Or  what  you  will :   God's  love  is  here  displayed. 

And  here  his  treasm-e  safely  up  is  laid ;  ^ 

For  his  own  dai-ling  none  can  find  a  place. 

Where  he,  as  here,  is  wont  to  show  his  face. 

What  though  some  slight  it,  it  a  cottage  call, 
Give't  the  reproachful  name  of  beggar's  hall ; 
Yea,  what  though  to  some  it  an  eyesore  is. 
What  though  they  count  it  base,  and  at  it  hiss, 
CaU  it  an  alms-house,  huilcledfor  the  'poor; 
Jet  kings  of  old  have  begged  at  thf,  door. 


11. 

OP  THE  BEAUTY  OF  THE  CHUECH. 

Lo  her  foundations  laid  with  sapphires  are; 
Her  goodly  vdndows  made  of  agates  fair. 
Her  gates  are  carbuncles,  or  pearls ;  nor  one 
Of  all  her  borders  hut's  a  precious  stone;* 
None  common,  nor  o'  th'  baser  sort  are  here. 
Nor  rough,  but  squar'd  and  polish'd  everywhere; 
Her  beams  are  cedars,  fix  her  rafters  be. 
Her  terraces  are  of  the  algum-tree ; ' 
The  thorn  or  crab-tree  here  are  not  of  use ; 
Who  thinks  them  here  utensils,  puts  abuse 
Upon  the  place,  yea,  on  the  builder  too ; 
Would  they  be  thus  controU'd  in  what  they  do? 


o  1  Co.  iii.  9.  e  Col.  ii.  2, 19. 

&  Is.  viii.  U.  f  Le.  xiv.  43. 

c  Ro.  xvi.  25.  g  Ac.  xiii.  4,  48. 

^  Kp.  iv.  11, 12, 16.  h  Ep.  ii.  19—22. 


*  Mat.  x-xi.  13. 
i  I's.  xx\ii.  4. 

*  Is.  Uv.  II,  13. 
i  2  Ch.  k.  11, 


III. 

OF  THE  CONVENIENCES  OF  THIS  HOUSE. 

Within  these  walls  the  builder  did  devise 
That  there  the  householders  might  sacrificc;- 
Here  is  an  altar,P  and  a  laver  too,' 
And  priests  abundance,''  temple  work  to  do; 
Nor  want  they  living  ofi'erings,  nor  yet  fire. 
Nor  holy  garments ;  what  divine  desire 
Commands,  it  has  bestowed  on  this  place  ; 
Here  be  the  censors,  here's  the  throne  of  grace ;' 
None  of  the  householders  need  go  elsewhere. 
To  offer  incense,  or  good  news  to  hear. 

A  throne  for  judgment  he  did  here  erect,  * 

Virtue  to  cherish,  folly  to  detect; ' 

Statutes  and  laws,  unto  this  house  he  gave, 

To  teach  who  to  condemn,  and  who  to  save : 

By  things  thus  wholesome  taught  is  every  brother 

To  feai'  his  God,  and  to  love  one  another. 

And  now  for  pleasure,  solace,  recreation. 
Here's  such  as  helpeth  forward  man's  salvation. 
Equal  to  these  none  can  be  foimd  elsewhere. 
All  else  tmn  to  profuseness,  sin,  and  care. 
So  situate  it  is,  so  roomy,  fair. 
So  warm,  so  blessed,  with  such  wholesome  air. 
That  'tis  enticing  :  whoso  wishes  well 
To  his  soul's  health,  should  covet  here  to  dweU. 
Here's  necessaries,  and  what  will  delight 
The  godly  ear,  the  palate,  with  the  sight 
Of  each  degree  and  sex ;  here's  everything 
To  please  a  beggar,  and  delight  a  king. 


™  1  Ki.  vi.  35. 
«  Ps.  xlv.  13, 14. 
o  lio.  i.  17. 


P  He.  xiii.  10, 15. 
Q  Tit.  iii.  5. 
r  1  Pe.  ii.  9. 


«  Re.  xvi.  17. 
I  1  Co.  vi.  3,  4. 


A  DISCOURSE  OF  THE  BUILDING,  &c.,  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD. 


579 


Chamters  "  and  galleries,"  lie  did  invent. 

Both  for  a  prospect  and  a  retirement. 

For  such  as  unto  music  do  incline. 

Here  ai'e  both  harps  and  psalteries  divine ;  "^ 

Her  cellars  and  bauqueting-house*  have  been. 

In  former  days,  a  palace  for  a  queen. 

0  house!  what  title  to  thee  can  be  given. 

So  fit  as  that  which  men  do  ffive  to  heaven  I 


IV. 


OF  THE  STRENGTH  AND  DEFENCE  OF  THIS  HOUSE. 

This  house,  you  may  be  sure,  will  always  stand ; 
She's  builded  on  a  rock, 2' not  on  the  sand; 
Storms,  rain,  yea  floods  have  oft  upon  her  beat, 
Yet  stands  she,^  here's  a  proof  she  is  no  cheat; 
Fear  not  therefore  in  her  for  to  abide. 
She  keeps  her  ground,  come  weather,  wind  or  tide. 
Her  corner-stone  has  many  times  been  try'd. 
But  never  coidd  the  scorn,  or  rage,  or  pride. 
Of  all  her  foes,  by  what  force  they  could  make, 
Destroy  her  battlements,  or  ground-work  shake." 
Here's  God  the  Lord  encamping  round  about 
His  dwelling  plnce;  *  nor  ought  we  once  to  doubt 
But  that  he  as  a  watchman  succour  will 
Those  that  do  dwcU  upon  his  holy  hiU." 
A  wall  of  fire  about  her  I  villi  he, 
And  glory  in  the  midst  of  her,  and  she 
Shall  be  the  place  where  I  my  name  record; 
Here  I  will  come  and  bless  you,  saith  the  Lord. 

The  holy  watchers  at  her  gates  do  stand, 
"With  their  destroying  weapons  in  their  hand, 
Those  to  defend,  that  in  this  house  do  dwell, 
From  aU  her  enemies  in  earth  and  heU ;  ** 
Safety !  where  is  it,  if  it  is  not  here  ? 
God  dwell eth  in  her,*  doth  for  her  appear. 
To  help  her  early,  ■''  and  her  foes  confound, 
And  unto  her  wUl  make  his  grace  abound ; 
Safely  is  here,  and  also  that  advance^ 
Will  make  a  beggar  sing,  a  cripple  dance. 


THE  DELICATENESS  OF  THE  SITUATION  OF  THIS  HOUSE. 

As  her  foundation  and  her  beauty's  much ; 
Couvenieuces,  and  her  defences  such 
As  none  can  parallel,  so  doth  the  field 
About  her,  richest,  rarest  dainties  yield. 
Jloriah,  where  Isaac  was  offered, 
Where  Darid  from  his  sin  was  ransomed ; 
Where  Solomon  the  temple  did  erect, 
Compar'd  with  this  is  worthy  no  respect. 
Under  the  very  threshold  of  this  place 
Arise  those  goodly  springs  of  lasting  grace. 


*  '  That  advance,'  preferment,  or  progress  towards  perfection. — Ed. 

«  Ca.  i.  4.  z  Lu.  vi.  4S.  ^  Be.  xxL  12. 

»  Ca.  vii.  5.  a  Is.  xxviii.  16.  «  Ps  xhiii.  3. 

«■  2  Ch.  be  11.  6  Zee.  ii.  5.  Lx.  8.  /  Ps.  xM.  1,  5. 

«■  Ca.  ii.  4.  c  E.i:.  xx.  24.  a  Ps.  cxiiL  7. 
V  JIat.  xn.  18. 


"Whose  ciTstal  streams  minister  life  to  those 
That  here  of  love  to  her,  make  their  repose.'' 

Sweet  is  her  air,  (as  one  may  well  infer) 
'Cause  'tis  the  breathings  of  the  comforter.* 

The  pomegranates  at  aU  her  gates  do  grow, 
jMandrakes  and  vines,  with  other  dainties  mo;f 
Her  gardens  yield  the  chief,  the  richest  spicn, 
Suri)assing  them  of  Adam's  paradise :  ^ 
Here  be  sweet  ointments,  and  the  best  of  gums ; 
Here  runs  the  milk,  here  drops  the  honey-combs. 
Here  are  perfumes  most  pleasant  to  the  sense, 
Here  grows  the  goodly  trees  of  frankincense ; 
Her  arbours,  walks,  fountains,  and  pleasant  springs. 
Delightful  formerly  have  been  to  kings. 

Such  mountains  round  about  this  house  do  stand 
As  one  fi-om  thence  may  see  the  holy  land.* 

Her  fields  are  fertOe,  do  abound  with  corn ; 
The  lilies  fair,  her  vaUies  do  adorn.' 

The  birds  that  do  come  hither  every  spring. 
For  birds,  they  are  the  very  best  that  sing."" 

Her  friends,  her  neighbours  too,  do  call  her  blest ; 
Angels  do  here  go  by,  turn  in  and  rest." 

The  road  to  paradise  lies  by  her  gate,  ^ 
Here  pilgrims  do  themselves  accommodate 
"'rt'ith  bed  and  board,  and  do  such  stories  tell 
As  do  for  truth  and  profit  all  excel. 

Nor  doth  the  porter  here  say  any  nay. 
That  hither  would  turn  in,  that  here  would  stay. 
This  house  is  rent  free  ;  here  the  man  may  dwell 
That  loves  his  landlord,  rules  his  passions  well. 


VI. 


THE  WAY  OF  KECEITING  THOSE  THAT  WOULD  HERE  INHABIT. 

And  wouldst  thou  know  the  customs  of  this  place. 
How  men  are  here  admitted  to  this  grace; 
And  consequently  whether  thou  mayst  be 
Made  one  of  this  most  blest  fraternity  ? 
Come  hither  then,  unto  me  lend  an  ear ; 
And  what  is  doubt  fid  to  thee,  I  will  clear. 

1.  This  place,  as  mercy's  arms,  stands  ope  to  those 
That  their  own  happiness  us'd  to  oppose ; 

Those  under  hedges,  high-way  men, «  or  they 
That  would  not  God,  nor  yet  good  men  obey ;  •" 

Those  that  among  the  bushes  us'd  to  browse, 
Or  under  hedges  us'd  themselves  to  louze. 

The  vilest  men,  of  sinners  who  are  chief, 
A  fornicator,  liar,  or  a  thief. 
May  turn  in  hither,  here  take  up  and  dwell 
"U'ith  those  who  ransom'd  are  fi-om  death  and  helL ' 

2.  This  place,  as  hospitals,  vr^  entertain, 
Those  which  the  lofty  of  this  world  disdain : ' 
The  poor,  the  lame,  the  maimed,  halt  and  blind," 
The  leprous,  and  possessed  "  too,  may  find 

Free  welcome  here,  as  also  such  relief 

As  ease  them  will  of  trouble,  pain  and  gi-ief. 


+  '  Mo,'  a  usual  contraction  for  more  in  former  times,  now  olisolete.— Ed. 
»  Eze.  xl™.  1.  m  Ca.  ii.  11, 12.  r  2  Ti.  i.  15. 

»  Ca.  i.  7,  12, 13.  n  Ps.  xlviiL  2.  »  1  Co.  vi.  9—11. 

i  Ca.  iv.  12—16.  o  He.  xiii.  2.  '  Kze.  xxxiv.  16. 

*  Ps.  cxxv.  2.  V  Ge.  xxviii.  17.  "  Lu.  xiv.  21. 

J  Ca.  ii.  1.  «  Lu.  xiv.  23.  »  Mar.  xvi.  9. 


580 


A  DISCOURSE  OP  THE  BUILDING,  &c.,  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD. 


S.  Ttis  place,  as  David's  heart,  with  free  consent 
Opens  to  th'  distressed,  and  the  discontent ; '" 
Who  is  in  debt,  that  has  not  wherewithal 
To  quit  his  scores,  may  here  he  free  from  thrall:  * 
That  man  that  fears  the  bailiff,  or  the  jail. 
May  find  one  here  that  wiU  become  his  hail, 

4.  Art  thou  bound  over  to  the  great  assize, 
For  heark'niug  to  the  devil  and  his  lies ; 
Art  thou  afraid  thereat  to  shew  thy  head, 
For  fear  thou  then  be  sent  unto  the  dead  ? 
Thou  may'st  come  hither,  here  is  room  and  place. 
For  such  as  willingly  woidd  live  by  grace.  ^ 

5.  This  place,  as  father's  house  in  former  days. 
Is  a  receptacle  for  runaways;* 

He  that,  like  to  the  ox,t  backslidden  is. 
Forfeited  hath  for  sin  his  share  of  bliss  ; 
May  yet  come  hither,  here  is  room  and  rest ; 
Of  old  such  have  come  hither  and  been  blest. 

Had  this  been  false,  0  woe  had  been  to  David ! 
Nor  Peter  *  had,  nor  Magdalen,  been  saved. 
Nor  Jonah,"  nor  Manasseh,  *  nor  the  rest; 
No  runaway  from  God  could  been  blest 
AYith  land  reception  at  his  hands ;  return 
Woidd  here  come  too  late,  if  nought  but  bn:  ii 
Had  been  the  lot  of  the  backsliding  man  : 
But  we  are  told  there's  no  rebeUiou  can 
Prevent,  or  hinder  him  fi'om  being  saved, 
That  mercy  heartily  of  God  hath  crav'd. " 
She  that  went  from  her  God  to  play  the  whore, '' 
Keturning  may  be  as  she  was  before : 
He  that  refuses  to  his  God  to  turn. 
That  is  resolved  in  hell  fire  to  burn; 
If  he  bethinks  himself,  and  turns  again, 
May  find  them  here  that  will  hun  entertain.  * 

6.  But  bring  thou  with  thee  a  certificate. 
To  show  thou  seest  thyself  most  desolate ; 
Writ  by  the  master,  with  repentance  seal'd,-' 
To  shew  also  that  here  thou  woidd'st  be  heal'd, 
By  those  fair  leaves  of  that  most  blessed  tree, 
By  which  alone  poor  sinners  healed  be ;  * 

And  that  thou  dost  abhor  thee  for  thy  ways. 
And  wouldst  in  hohness  spend  all  thy  days ;  * 
And  here  be  etitertained ;  or  thou  wilt  find 
To  entertain  thee  here  are  none  inclin'd.i 


*  Probably  referring  to  the  parable  of  the  prodigal  son,  Lu.  xv.— Ed. 

t  This  may  refer  to  the  Levitical  law,  Ex.  xxi.  28—36.  The  ox  that 
had  gored  any  one  to  death, '  shall  be  siirely  stoned'  \vithout  possibility 
of  escape,  but  the  backslider  or  manslayer,  although  he  lie  equally  under 
the  sentence  of  death,  yet  may  escape  to  tlie  city  of  refuge.— Ed. 

X  These  stanzas  afford  an  excellent  illustration  to  the  meaning  of 
Bunyan  in  his  Pilgrim's  Progress,  where  Christian,  before  the  cross, 
receives  the  roll  or  certificate— loses  it  for  a  season  in  the  arbour  on  the 
liill  Difficulty,  when  loitering  and  sleeping  on  his  way  to  the  Interpreter's 
house,  but  regains  it  by  repentance  and  prayer,  and  eventually,  having 
crossed  the  river,  gives  it  in  at  the  gate  of  the  Celestial  City,  and  is 
admitted. — Ed. 


'"  1  Sa.  xxii.  2. 
••t  Lu.  vii.  41,  42. 
V  ke.  xvi.  30—32 
-  Lu.  xxii.  61. 


a  Jonah  i. 
*  2  Ch.  xxxiii. 
e  Lu.  XV.  1  Sa  xii. 
^  Je.  iii.  1—6. 


e  Ro.  X.  21. 
/  Ac.  ix.  26,  27. 
9  Re.  xxi.  27. 
*  Re.  xxii.  2,  14,15. 


VII. 

OF  THE  GOVERNORS  OF  THIS  HOUSE, 

The  governors  that  here  in  oflice  are, 

Such  be  as  service  do  with  love  and  care ; 

Not  swerving  fi'om  the  rule,  nor  yet  intrude 

Upon  each  other's  work,  nor  are  they  rude 

In  managing  then-  own :  but  to  their  trust 

They  labour  to  be  honest,  faithful,  just. 

1 .  The  chief  is  he  who  is  the  Lord  of  all. 

The  Saviour;*  some  him  physician  call. 

He's  cloth'd  in  shining  raiment  to  the  ground, 

A  golden  girdle  doth  begirt  him  round ; 

His  head  and  hairs  are  white  as  any  snow, 

His  eyes  are  like  a  flame  of  fire  also ; 

His  feet  are  like  fine  brass,  as  if  they  hm-n'd 

Within  a  fm'nace,  or  to  fire  were  tm-n'd; 

His  voice  doth  hke  to  many  waters  sound  ; 

In  his  right  hand,  seven  glittering  stars  are  I'ouikI. 

Out  of  his  mouth  goes  a  two-edged  sword, 

Sharper  than  any  ('tis  his  holy  word) 

And  for  his  countenance,  'tis  as  the  sun 

Which  shineth  in  its  strength,  till  day  is  done.  ^ 

His  name  is  call'd  holy.  The  Word  of  God  ;  * 

The  wine-press  of  his  father's  wrath  he  trod ; 

At  all  the  power  of  sin  he  doth  deride. 

The  keys  of  hell  and  death  hang  at  his  side. ' 

This  is  our  governor,  this  is  the  chief. 
From  this  physician  comes  om*  soul's  relief. 
He  is  the  tree  of  life  and  hidden  manna ; 
'Tis  he  to  whom  the  children  sing  hosanna. 
The  white  stone  he  doth  give  with  a  new  name ; 
In  heaven  and  earth  he  is  of  worthy  fame. 
This  man  hath  death  destroy'd  and  slain  the  devil, 
And  doth  secure  all  his  from  damning  evil. 
He  is  the  prince  of  life,  the  prince  of  peace ; 
He  doth  lis  from  the  bonds  of  death  release. 
His  work  is  properly  his  own ;  nor  may. 
In  what  he  doth,  another  say  him  nay. 

'Tis  he  who  pays  our  hospitalian  scores. 

He's  here  to  search,  supple,  and  bind  up  sores ; 

He  is  our  plaster-maker,  he  applies 

Them  to  om:  wounds,  "*  he  wipes  our  wetted  eyes. " 

'Tis  he  that  gives  us  cups  of  consolation, 
'Tis  he  renews  the  hopes  of  our  salvation." 

He'll  take  our  parts,  oft  times  to  us  unknown, 
And  make  as  if  om-  failings  were  his  own ; 

He'll  plead  with  God  his  name  and  doings  too, 
And  save  us  wUl,  fi-om  those  would  us  undo. 

His  name  is  as  an  ointment  pom'ed  forth; 
"lis  sweet  from  east  to  west,  from  south  to  north. 

He's  white  and  ruddy;  yea  of  all  the  chief; 
His  golden  head  is  rich  beyond  belief. 

His  eyes  are  like  the  doves  which  waters  wet. 
Well  wash'd  with  milk,  and  also  fitly  set. 

His  cheeks  as  beds  of  spices,  and  sweet  flowers. 
He  us'd  to  water  with  those  crystal  showers. 

Which  often  flowed  from  his  cloudy  eyes ; 
Better  by  far  than  what  comes  from  the  skies. 


»  He,  iii.  6. 
i  Re.  i.  12—17. 
*  lie.  xix.  13. 


I   Re.i.  18. 

«<■  Lu.  X.  33—35. 


«  Mat.  viii.  17. 
0  Lu.  xxii.  31,  32. 


A  DISCOURSE  OF  THE  BUILDING,  &c.,  OF  THE  HOUSE  OP  GOD. 


581 


His  lips  like  lilies,  drop  sweet-smelliug  myrrh. 
Scenting  as  do  tliose  of  the  comforter. 

His  hands  are  as  gold  rings  set  with  the  beryls; 
By  them  we  are  delivered  out  of  perils ; 

His  legs  like  marble,  stand  in  boots  of  gold. 
His  countenance  is  ex'lent  to  behold. 

His  mouth,  it  is  of  all  a  moiith  most  sweeet," 
0  kiss  me  then.  Lord,  every  time  we  meet  1 ' 
Thy  sugar' d  lips.  Lord,  let  them  sweeten  mine, 
With  the  most  blessed  scent  of  things  divine. 

2.  This  is  one  Governor ;  and  next  in  place, 
One  call'd  the  Ghost,  in  Honour  and  in  Grace 
No  whit  inferior  to  him;  and  He 
"Will  also  in  this  house  oui-  helper  be. 
He  'twas  who  did  at  first  brood  the  creation ; '' 
And  he's  the  cause  of  man's  regeneration. 
'Tis  he  by  whom  the  heavens  were  garnished, 
"With  all  their  host  they  then  abroad  did  spread 
(Like  spangles,  pearls,  diamonds  or  richest  gems) 
Far  richer  than  the  faii-est  diadems.  * 
'Twas  he  who  mth  his  cloven  tongues  of  fire 
Made  all  those  wise  ones  of  the  world  admire, 
"Who  heai'd  his  breathing  in  unleanied  men. ' 
0  blessed  ruler !  now  the  same  as  then  1 
His  work  our  mind  is  to  illuminate 
"With  things  divine,  and  to  accommodate 
Us  with  those  graces,  which  ^^tU  us  adorn, 
And  make  us  look  like  men  indeed  new-boru. " 
For  om"  inheritance  he  makes  us  meet ; 
He  makes  its  also  in  this  world  discreet. 
Prudent  and  wise  in  what  we  take  in  hand, 
To  do  and  suffer  at  our  Lord's  command.  * 

'Tis  he  that  leads  us  to  the  tomb  and  cross, 
"Where  Jesus  crucified  and  buried  was ; 
He  shews  us  also,  that  he  did  revive, 
And  doth  assure  us  that  he  is  alive; 
And  doth  improve  the  merit  of  his  blood, 
At  grace's  throne  for  our  eternal  good. 

Dark  riddles  he  doth  here  to  us  unfold. 
Yea,  makes  us  things  invisible  behold.  ™ 

He  sheds  abroad  God's  love  in  every  heart, 
"Where  he  doth  dwell,  yea  to  them  doth  impart. 
Such  tokens  of  a  future  happiness. 
That's  past  the  tongue  of  angels  to  express. ' 

'Tis  he  which  helpeth  us,  that  to  perfo)  ^, 
"Whether  becalm'd,  or  whether  in  a  storm. 
Which  God  commands :  !>    without  him  we  do  nought 
That's  good,  either  in  deed,  or  word,  or  thought. ' 

'Tis  he  that  doth  with  jewels  us  bedeck, 
"I'is  he  puts  chains  of  gold  about  our  neck ; 
'Tis  he  that  doth  us  with  fine  Hnen  gird,  " 
That  maketh  us  ofttimes  live  as  a  bird. 
That  cureth  us  of  all  our  doubts  and  fears,  * 
Puts  bracelets  on  om-  hands,  rings  on  our  ears ; 

He  sanctifies  our  persons, "  he  perfumes 
Om-  spirits  also ;  he  our  lust  consumes ;  "* 


P  Ca.  V.  10—16.  «  Ep.  i.  18—20.  »  3  Co.  iii.  4. 

9  Ca.  i.  3,  3.  B  Mar.  .\iii.ll.  Jn.  xvi.13.  «  Eze.  xvi.  10—14 

r  Ge.  i.  1,  3.  w  1  Co.  xiv.  2.  »  Ro.  xv.  13. 

«  Joh  xxvi.  13.  a:  Ro.  V.  5.  "'I  Co.  vi.  11. 

t  4.C.  ii.  1—4.  y  Ro.  viii.  26,  27.  "^  Is.  iv.  4. 


Our  stinking  breath  he  sweetens,  so  that  we 
To  God  and  all  good  men  sweet-scented  be ;  -^ 
He  sets  God's  mark  upon  us,  and  doth  seal 
Us  unto  life,  aud  life  to  us  reveal. 


vm. 

UNDER  OFFICERS. 

3.  Another  sort  of  officers  here  are. 
But  such  as  must  not  with  these  first  compai'e ; 
They're  under-officers,  but  sei-viceable. 
Not  only  here  to  rule,  but  wait  at  table. 
Those  clothed  are  with  linen,  fine  and  white, 
They  glitter  as  the  stars  of  darksome  night.-'' 
They  have  Saint  Peter's  keys,^  and  Aaron's  rod ; 
They  ope  and  shut,  they  bind  and  loose  for  God. 

The  chief  of  these  are  watchmen,  they  have  power 
To  mount  on  high  and  to  ascend  the  tower 
Of  this  brave  fabric,  and  fi-om  thence  to  see 
Who  keeps  their  ground,  and  who  the  stragglers  be. 
These  have  their  trmnpet,  when  they  do  it  sound 
The  mountains  echo,  yea  it  shakes  the  ground. 

With  it  they  also  sound  out  an  alarm,  * 
When  they  perceive  the  least  mischief  or  harm 
Is  coming,  so  they  do  this  house  secure 
There  from,  or  else  prepare  it  to  endure 
Most  manfuUy  the  cross,  aud  so  attain 
The  crown  which  for  the  victor  doth  remain. 

This  officer  is  call'd  a  steward  too,* 
'Cause  with  his  master's  cash  he  has  to  do, 
And  has  authority  it  to  disbui-se 
To  those  that  want,  or  for  that  treasure  tliirst.-' 

The  distributor  of  the  word  of  grace 
He  is,  and  at  his  mouth,  when  he's  in  place. 
They  seek  the  law,  he  also  bids  them  do  it; 
He  shews  them  sin,  and  learns  them  to  eschew  it.* 
By  this  example  too  he  shews  them  how 
To  keep  their  garments  clean,  their  knees  to  bow 
Before  the  king,  when  he  comes  into  place ; 
And  when  they  do  him  supplicate  for  grace. '^ 

Another  badge  this  officer  doth  wear, 
Is  that  of  overseer ;  because  the  care 
Of  the  whole  house  is  with  him,  he's  to  see 
They  nothing  want,  nor  yet  abused  be 
By  false  intruders,  doctrines,  or  (perchance) 
By  the  misplacing  of  an  ordinance.* 
These  also  are  to  see  they  wander  not 
From  place  or  duty,  lest  they  get  a  blot 
To  their  profession,  or  bring  some  disease 
Upon  the  whole,  or  get  a  trick  to  lease. 
Or  lie  unto  their  God,"*  by  doing  what 
By  sacred  statutes  he  commanded  not. 


•  Bunyan  considered  that  baptism  is  to  follow  belief,  and  that  chns- 
teiiing  a  child  was  a  misplacing  the  ordinauce.  So  also  with  the  Lord  s 
Supper-that  it  was  to  be  a  public  showing  forth  the  death  of  the  Saviour, 
and  if  administered  in  private,  or  with  any  other  view,  it  was  misplaced. 
—Ed. 

«  Col.  iv.  6.  »  Eze.  xxxiii.  3— G.         *  Lu.  xii.  42. 

/  Re.  i.  20.  •■  1  Co.  iv.  1. 

s  Mat.  xyi.  19.  ^  1  Pe.  iv.  10. 


I  Tit.  i.  7. 
Hi  Acts  XX.  28. 


583 


A.  DISCOURSE  OF  THE  BUILDING,  &c.,  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD. 


Call  them  your  cooks,  they're  skill'd  ia  di'essing  food 
To  nourish  weak,  and  strong,  and  cleanse  the  blood : 
They've  milk  for  babes,  strong  meat  for  men  of  age; 
Food  fit  for  who  are  simple,  who  are  sage, " 
When  the  great  pot  goes  on,  as  oft  it  doth, 
They  put  not  coloquintida  *  in  broth, " 
As  do  those  younglings,  fondlings  of  their  skill. 
Who  make  not  what's  so  apt  to  cure  as  kill, 

They  are  your  sub-physicians,  and  know 

What  siclcness  you  are  incident  unto;^ 

Let  them  but  feel  your  pulse,  and  they  will  teH 

You  quickly  whether  you  are  sick  or  well. 

Have  you  the  staggers  ?     They  can  help  you  there ; 

Or  if  the  falling-sickness,  or  do  fear 

A  lethargy,  a  fever,  or  tlie  gout, 

God  l)lessing  of  their  skill,  you  need  not  doubt 

A  cure,  for  long  experience  has  made 

These  officers  the  masters  of  their  trade. f 

Their  physic  works  by  pm-ge'  and  vomit  too,' 

Fear  not,  nor  fuU  nor  fastiug  but  'twiU  do. 

Have  but  a  care,  and  see  you  catch  no  cold. 

And  with  their  physic  then  you  may  be  bold. 

You  may  them  Prophets  call,  for  they  can  tell 
Of  things  to  come,  yea,  here  they  do  excel.  * 
They  prophesy  of  maa's  future  event, 
Whether  to  weal  or  woe  his  mind  is  bent, 
Yea,  so  expert  are  they  in  their  predictions. 
Their  arguments  so  full  are  of  convictions, 
That  none  who  hear  them,  but  are  forced  to  say, 
Woe  unto  them  who  wander  from  the  way. ' 
Art  bound  for  hell  against  all  wind  and  weather  ? 
Or  art  thou  one  a  going  backward  thither? 
Or  dost  thou  wink,  because  thou  would'st  not  see  ? 
Or  dost  thou  sideling  go,  and  would'st  not  be 
Suspected  ?     Yet  tliese  prophets  can  thee  tell, 
Which  way  thou  art  a  going  down  to  hell. " 
For  him  that  would  eternal  life  attain. 
Yet  will  not  part  with  all,  that  life  to  gain. 
But  keepeth  some  thing  close,  he  shoidd  forsake. 
Or  slips  the  time,  in  which  he  should  awake ; 
Or  saith  he  lets  go  all,  yet  keepeth  some 
Of  what  will  make  him  lose  the  world  to  come.  * 
These  prophets  can  tell  such  a  man  his  state. 
And  vihat  at  last  xoill  surely  be  his  fate. 

If  thou  art  one  who  tradeth  in  both  ways, 
God's  now,  the  devil's  then;  or  if  delays 
Thou  mak'st  of  coming  to  thy  God  for  life ; 
Or  if  thy  light,  and  lusts  are  at  a  strife 

*  It  is  a  rare  thing  for  Bunyan  to  use  a  foreign  word ;  but  all  pious 
persons  in  In's  time  were  fumiliar  witli,  and  generally  used,  tlie  Puritan 
or  Genevan  Bible,  TOlgavly  caUed  tlie  Breeches  Bible,  an  extremely  valu- 
able book ;  in  the  marginal  notes  of  which,  on  this  passage,  is  the  follow- 
ing explanation,  '"wilde  gourdes,"  which  tlie  apoticaries  call  coUoquin- 
tida,  and  is  most  vehement  and  dangerous  in  purging.' Kd. 

t  The  university  or  college  in  which  Bunyan  s'o  highly  graduated,  is 
the  only  one  where  ministers  can  be  instructed  in  this  spiritual  physic. 
It  is  Christ's  college  or  school,  neither  at  Oxford  or  Cambridge,  but  in" 
the  Bible.  There,  and  there  m})),  under  the  teaching  of  the  ifoly  Spirit, 
can  the  Christian  bishop  or  under  shepherd  receive  instruction  in  the 
precious  remedies  against  Satan's  devices,  or  in  specihcs  to  cure  spiri- 
tual  maladies.— Ed. 


About  who  should  be  master  of  thy  soul. 

And  lovest  one,  the  other  dost  control ; "" 

These  prophets  tell  thee  can,  which  way  thou  hendest. 

On  which  thou  frown'st,  to  which  a  hand  thou  lendest. 

Art  one  of  those  whose  fears  do  go  beyond 

Their  faith?  when  thou  should'st  hope,  dost  thou  despond ! 

Dost  keep  thine  eye  upon  what  thou  hast  done, 

And  yet  hast  licence  to  look  on  the  sun  ?  * 

Dost  thou  so  covet  more,  as  not  to  be 

Afl:'ected  with  the  grace  bestowed  on  thee  ? 

Art  like  to  him,  that  needs  must  step  a  mile 

At  every  stride,  2'  or  think  it  not  worth  while 

To  follow  Christ  ?     These  prophets  they  can  tell 

To  cure  this  thy  disease,  and  make  thee  well. 

This  officer  is  also  call'd  a  guide. 
Nor  should  the  people  but  keep  by  his  side ; 
Or  tread  his  steps  in  all  the  paths  they  walk, 
By  his  example  they  should  do  and  talk. 

He  is  to  be  to  them  instead  of  eyes, 
He  must  before  them  go  in  any  wise ; 
And  he  must  lead  them  by  the  water  side. 
This  is  the  work  of  this  our  Faithful  Guide. 

Since  snares,  and  traps,  and  gins  are  for  us  sit. 
Since  here's  a  hole,  and  there  is  spread  a  net, 
0  let  no  hochj  at  my  muse  deride. 
No  man  can  travel  here  without  a  guide.^ 

Here's  tempting  apples,  here  are  baited  hooks. 
With  turning,  twisting,  cramping,  tangling  crooks 
Close  by  the  way;  woe  then  to  them  betide. 
That  dare  to  venture  here  without  a  guideJ^ 

Here  haunt  the  fairies  with  their  chanting  voices; 
Fiends  like  to  angels,  to  bewitch  our  choices; 
Baits  for  the  flesh  lie  here  on  every  side : 
Who  dares  set  here  one  foot  without  a  guide  ? 

Master  delusion  dvvelleth  by  om  walks. 
Who  with  confusion,  sings  and  prays  and  talks ; 
He  says  the  straight  path's  his,  and  ours  the  wide:*       j 
What  then  can  we  do  here  without  a  guide  ? 

Let  God  then  give  our  leaders  always  eyes; 
Yea,  let  liim  make  them  holy,  bold,  and  wise ; 
And  help  us  fast  by  them  for  to  abide. 
And  suffer  not  the  Hind  to  be  our  guide.\ 

4.  Here  are  of  rulers,  yet  another  sort, 
Such  as  direct  om-  manners  to  comport 
With  our  professed  faith,  that  we  to  view. 
May  let  beholders  know  that  we  are  new.' 
These  are  om*  conversations  to  inspect, 
And  us  in  our  employments  to  direct, 
That  we  in  faith  and  love  do  every  thing, 
That  reacheth  from  the  peasant  to  the  king.  ^ 


n  Lu.  xii.  42. 

"  2  Ki.  iv.  38-— iO. 

P  M;it.  X.  8. 


9  Tie.  ix.  14. 
r  2  Pe.  ii.  22. 
«  Ac.  XV.  33. 


<  1  Co.  xiv.  31. 
«  Ac.  viii.  20—22. 
«  2  Ti.  iii.  6. 


t  '  He  liad  in  his  pocl;et  a  map  of  all  ways  leading  to  or  from  the 
celestial  city;  wherefore  he  struck  a  light,  for  lie  never  went  without 
his  tinder  box,  and  took  a  view  of  his  book  or  map ;  whicli  bid  him  be 
cai'eful,  in  that  place,  to  turn  to  the  right  hand  way.  And  had  he  not 
here  been  careful  to  look  in  liis  map,  they  had,  in  all  probability,  been 
smothered  in  the  mud;  for  just  before  tlicm,  and  that  in  the  cleanest 
way,  was  a  pit,  and  none  knows  how  deep,  full  of  nothing  but  mudi 
there  made  on  purpose  to  destroy  pilgrims  in.  Tlien  thought  I  with 
myself,  who  that  goetli  on  pilgrimage,  but  would  have  one  of  these  maps 
about  him,  that  he  may  look  when  he  is  at  a  stand  whicli  is  the  way  he 
must  take.' — Pilgrim's  -Progress,  Part  Second. 

w  Tit.  i.  16.  2  Lu.  i.  79  «  Ro.  xii.  8. 

X  Lu.  xxii.  32.  «  Ps.  Ixxviii  72.  d  1  Co.  xii.  28. 

y  Ca.  i.  4.  *  .Mat.  xxiii.  IG,  24. 


A  DISCOURSE  OF  THE  BUILDING,  &c.,  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD, 


583 


That  there  may  be  no  scandal  in  our  ways, 

Nor  yet  in  our  profession  all  our  days.  * 

These  should  after  our  busy-bodies  look, 

Tale-beai-ers  also,  they  liave  undertook 

To  keep  in  order,  also  they  must  see 

None  that  can  work  among  us  idle  be ; 

Jars,  discords,  frauds,  with  grievances  and  wrongs, 

These  they're  to  regulate ;  to  them  belongs 

The  judgment  of  all  matters  of  this  land,-'' 

And  happy  is  the  house  thus  disciphued.  ^ 

5.  Another  sort  of  ofilcers  we  have. 

Deacons  we  call  them  'cause  their*  work's  to  save 

And  distribute  those  crumbs  of  charity 

Unto  the  poor,  for  their  subsisteucy, 

That  contributed  is  for  their  relief, 

Which  of  their  bus'uess  is  indeed  the  chief. '' 

These  must  be  grave,  not  of  a  double  tongue. 

Not  given  to  wine,  not  apt  to  do  a  'vvTong 

Unto  the  poor,  through  love  to  lucre.     (Just 

In  this  their  office,  faithful  to  their  trust)  * 

The  wife  nmst  answer  here  as  face  doth  face ; 

The  husband's  fitness  to  his  work  and  place. 

That  ground  of  scandal  or  of  jealousy 

Obstructs  not  proof  that  he  most  zealously 

Performs  his  office  well,  for  then  sliaU  he 

Be  bold  in  faith,  and  get  a  good  degree 

Of  credit  with  the  chm-ch ;  yea  what  is  more. 

He  shall  possess  the  blessings  of  the  poor. 

His  wisdom  teach  him  wil],  to  find  out  who 
Is  poor  of  idleness,  and  who  comes  to 
A  low  estate  by  sickness,  age,  or  'cause 
The  want  of  limbs,  or  sight,  or  work  it  was 
That  brought  them  to  it;  or  such  destiny 
As  sometimes  maketh  low,  who  once  were  high. 

They  must  remember  too,  that  some  there  are 
Who  halt  before  they're  lame,  while  others  care 
Not  to  make  known  their  wants,  they'll  rather  die, 
TJian  charge  the  churches  with  their  poverty. 
This  done,  they  must  bestow  as  they  see  cause ; 
jMaking  the  word  the  rule,  and  want  the  laws 
By  which  they  act,  and  then  they  need  not  pause.-' 

The  table  of  the  Lord,  he  also  must 
Provide  for,  'tis  his  duty  and  his  trust.  * 
The  teacher  too  should  have  his  table  spread 
By  him;  thus  should  his  house  be  clad  and  fed; 
Thus  he  serves  tables  mth'the  church's  stock, 
And  so  becomes  a  blessing  to  the  flock.* 

I  read  of  widows  also  that  should  be 
Employed  here  for  further  decency; 
I  dare  not  say  they  are  in  office,  though 
A  service  here  they  are  appointed  to : 


*  These  hints  to  deacons  are  invaluahle.  They  must  have  heen  the 
resvdt  of  long  intimacy  and  enliglitened  watclifulness  over  tlie  conduct 
of  the  poor.  To  distinguish  between  the  noisy  beggar  and  the  unobtru- 
sive sufferer — to  administer  relief  in  just  proportions,  '  the  word  the  rule, 
and  want  the  law,'  in  spite  of  all  that  influence  which  is  constantly 
brought  to  bear  upon  those  who  distribute  any  common  chanty  fund. 
It  requires  much  of  the  fear  of  God  in  the  heart,  and  a  solemn  sense  of 
responsibility  at  the  great  day.  The  terms,  '  crumbs  of  charity,'  are 
beautifully  expressive  of  the  general  poverty  of  Christian  churches. — Eu. 

e  1  Th.  v.  13— U.  h  Ac.  vi.  1—6.  i  Ac.  vi.  1. 

/  1  Co.  vi.  4.  *  1  Ti.  iii.  8.  *  Ac.  vi.  2. 

9  1  Ti.  V.  17. 


They  must  be  very  aged, '  trusty,  meek. 

Such  who  have  done  much  good,  that  do  not  seek 

Themselves ;  they  must  be  humble,  pitiful, 

Or  they  wiU  make  then-  ser\-ice  void  and  null. 

These  are  to  teach  the  younger  women  what 

Is  proper  to  then-  sex  and  state,  what  not : 

To  be  discreet,  keepers  at  home,  and  chaste ; 

To  love  their  husbands,  to  be  good;  shamefac'd : '" 

Children  to  bear,  to  iove  them,  and  to  fly 

What  to  the  gospel  would  be  infamy. 

I  think  these  to  the  sick  should  look  also, 

A  work  imfit  for  younger  ones  to  do. 

Wherefore  he  saith.  The  younger  ones  refuse  ; 

Perhaps  because  their  weakness  would  abuse 

Them,  and  subject  them  unto  great  disgrace," 

W^hen  such  a  one  as  Amnon  is  in  place. " 

And  since  the  good  old  woman  this  must  do 

'Tis  fit  she  shoidd  be  fed  and  clothed  too, 

Out  of  the  deacon's  purse,  let  it  so  be; 

And  let  this  be  her  service  constantly.^  f 


IX. 

THE  OKDER  AND  MANNEK  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT  HERE. 

As  I  have  shew'd  you  who  in  office  are. 
So  I  ^vill  tell  you  how,  and  with  what  care 
Those  here  intrusted  with  the  government. 
Keep  to  the  statutes  made  to  that  intent. 
By  rules  divine  this  house  is  governed ;  * 
Not  sanguinary  ones,  nor  taught  nor  fed 
By  human  precepts :  *■  for  the  scripture  saith. 
The  word's  our  ghostly  food ;  food  for  our  faith. 
Nor  are  all  forced  to  the  same  degree 
In  things  divine,  tho'  all  exhorted  be 
To  the  most  absolute  proficiency 
That  law  or  duty  can  to  them  descry.  * 

Alas  !  here's  children,  here  are  great  with  young; 
Here  are  the  sick  and  weak,  as  well  as  strong. 
Here  are  the  cedar,  slirub,  and  bruised  reed ; " 
Yea,  here  are  such  who  wounded  are,  and  bleed. 
As  here  are  some  who  in  their  grammar  be, " 
So  here  are  others  in  their  A,  B,  C. 
Some  apt  to  teach,  and  others  hard  to  learn ; 
Some  see  far  off,  others  can  scarce  discern 
That  which  is  set  before  them  in  the  glass ; 
Others  forgetful  are,  and  so  let  pass. 
Or  slip  out  of  their  mind  what  they  did  hcai'  "* 
But  now ;  so  great  our  differences  appear 


+  Bunyan's  idea  of  this  scriptural  order  of  female  deacons  is  very 
striking,  and  worthy  the  solemn  consideration  of  all  Christian  churches. 
They  ai-e  to  be  chosen  from  such  as  are  'widows  indeed,  who  trust  ia 
God,  and  continue  in  supplications  and  pi-?yers  night  and  day,'  1  Ti. 
V.  5.  They  are  to  devote  tbemselves  to  the  sick— to  be  patterns  of  good 
works— and,  if  needful,  to  be  fed  and  clothed  at  the  e.'cpense  of  the 
church,  ver.  16.  If  to  this  were  added  to  examine  and  educate  the  chil- 
dren, they  might  be  most  eminently  useful. — Ed. 

I  1  Ti.  V.  9.  Pi  Ti.  V.  16.  «  Phi.  iil.  17. 

■m  Tit.  ii.  3—5.  9  Mat.  x.wiii.  18—20.  "  1  Jn.  ii.  1—6. 

«  1  Ti.  V.  11.  r  Lu.  \x.  54—56.  "  Ep.  iii.  18, 19. 

0  2  Sa.  xiii.  6— 14.  *  Col.  ii.  20—22.  "  He.  v.  13, 13. 


584. 


A  DISCOURSE  OF  THE  BUILDING,  &c.,  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD. 


Wherefore  oiir  Jacob's  must  have  special  care 

They  di-ive  their  flocks,  but  as  their  flocks  can  bear^ 

For  if  they  be  o'erdriven,  presently 

They  will  be  sick,  or  cast  their  young,  or  die.  ^ 

The  laws  therefore  are  more  aud  less  of  force. 

According  as  they  bring  us  to  the  source, 

Or  head,  or  fountain,  or  are  more  remote 

To  what  at  first  we  should  ourselves  devote. 

Be  we  then  wise  in  handling  of  the  laws, 

Not  making  a  confused  noise  like  daws 

In  chambers,  yea  let  us  seek  to  excel, ' 

To  each  man's  profit;  this  is  ruling  well." 

With  fundamentals  then  let  us  begin. 

For  they  strike  at  the  very  root  of  sin. 

So  the  foundation  being  strongly  laid. 

Let  us  go  on,  as  the  wise  builder  said,  * 

For  I  don't  mean,  we  should  at  all  disdain 

Those  that  are  less,  we  always  should  maintaia 

That  due  respect  to  either  which  is  meet ; 

This  is  the  way  to  sit  at  Jesus'  feet, " 

Eepent  I  must,  or  I  am  cast  away ;  "* 
BeKeve  I  must,  or  nothing  I  obey : « 
Love  God  I  must,  or  nothing  I  can  do. 
That's  worth  so  much  as  loosing  of  my  shoe. 
If  I  do  not,  bear  after  Christ,  my  cross/ 
If  love  to  holiness  is  at  a  loss ; 
If  I  my  lusts  seek  not  to  mortify ;  s 
If  to  myself,  my  flesh,  I  do  not  die ; 
AVhat  law,  should  I  observe't,  can  do  me  good  ? 
In  little  duties  life  hath  never  stood. 

One  reads,  he  prays,  he  catechises  too  ; 
But  doth  he  nothing  else,  what  doth  he  do  ? 
I  read  to  biow  my  duty,  *  I  do  pray 
To  God  to  help  me  do  it  day  by  day; ' 
If  this  be  not  my  end  in  what  I  do, 
I  am  a  sot,  an  hypocrite  also.''" 
I  am  baptiz'd,  what  then  ?*  unless  I  die 
To  sin,  I  cover  folly  with  a  lie. 
At  the  Lord's  table,  I  do  eat;  what  though  ? 
There  some  have  eat  their  own  damnation  too.  • 

I  will  suppose,  I  hear,  I  sing,  I  pray, 
And  that  I  am  baptiz'd  without  delay, 
I  will  suppose  I  do  much  knowledge  get, 
And  will  also  suppose  that  I  am  fit 
To  be  a  preacher,  yet  nought  profits  me 
If  to  the  first,  poor  I  a  stranger  be:"* 
They  are  more  weighty  therefore;  in  compare 
These  unto  them,  but  mint  and  anise  ai-e." 

Not  that  I  would  the  least  of  duty  slight. 
Because  the  least  conmiand,  of  divine  right, 
Requires  that  I  myself  subject  thereto; 
Wilful  resisters  do  themselves  undo. 
But  let's  keep  order,  let  the  first  be  fii'st; 
Repent,  believe,  and  love;  aud  then  I  trust 


a  Is.  xl.  11. 
y  Ge.  x.xxiii.  13. 
«  1  Co.  xiv.  12. 
«  1  Co.  xiv.  26. 
*  He.  vi.  1—8. 
c  Mat.  xxviii.  19,  2(:. 


<i  Lu.  xiii.  1 — ; 
«■  Mar.  xvi.  IC. 
/  Lu.  xiv.  .^7. 
3  lie.  xii.  14. 
''  Jn.  V.  39. 
»'  Lu.  XX.  47. 


i  Mat.  vi.  5. 
*  Ac.  viii.  13,  23. 
I  1  Co.  xi.  29. 
'«  1  Co.  xiii.  1 — 4. 
n  Mat.  xxiii.  23. 


I  have  that  right,  which  is  divine,  to  all 

That  is  enjoined;  be  they  great  or  small. 

Only  I  must  as  cautionary  speak. 

In  one  word  more,  a  little  to  the  weak  ; 

Thou  must  not  suffer  men  so  to  enclose 

Thee  in  their  judgments,  as  to  discompose 

Thee  in  that  faith  and  peace  thou  hast  with  him ; 

This  would  be  hke  the  losing  of  a  limb; 

Or  like  to  him  who  thinks  he  doth  not  well. 

Unless  he  lose  the  kernel  for  the  shell. 

Thou  art  no  captive,  but  a  child  and  free; 

Thou  wast  not  made  for  laws,  but  laws  for  thee ; 

And  thou  must  use  them  as  thy  light  will  bear  it; 

They  that  say  otherwise,  do  rend  and  tear  it. 

More  like  to  wicked  tyrants,  who  are  cruel. 

And  add  unto  a  little  fire,  more  fuel. 

But  those  who  arc  true  shepherds  of  the  sheep. 

To  quench  such  burnings  would  most  gladly  weep. 

But  I  am  yet  but  upon  generals ; 
Particulars  our  legislator  calls 
For  at  om-  hands,  and  that  in  order  to 
Consummate  what  we  have  begun  to  do. 

1.  My  brother  I  must  love,  in  very  deed." 

I'm  taught  of  God  to  do  it:?  let  me  heed 

This  divine  duty,  and  perform  it  well. 

Who  loves  his  brother,  God  in  him  doth  dwell; « 

T/ie  argumetit  which  on,  me  tliis  imposes, 

Smells  like  to  ointment,  or  the  sweetest  roses. ' 

Shall  God  love,  shall  he  keep  his  faith  to  me  ? 

And  shall  not  I  ?  shall  I  unfaithfd  be  ? 

Shall  God  love  me  a  sinner  ?  and  shall  I 

Not  love  a  saint  ? »     Yea,  shall  my  Jesus  die 

To  reconcile  me  to  my  God  ?  and  shall 

I  hate  his  child,  nor  hear  his  wants  that  call 

For  my  little  assisting  of  him  ?  *  fie 

On  such  a  spirit,  on  such  cruelty; " 

Tie  on  the  thought  that  would  me  alienate. 

Or  temjit  me  my  worst  enemy  to  hate. "  * 

2.  He  that  dwells  here,  must  also  be  a  sharer 

In  others'  griefs;'*  must  be  a  burden-bearer 

Among  his  brethi-en,  or  he  cannot  do 

That  which  the  blessed  gospel  calls  Mm  to.  * 

In  order  hereunto,  humility 

Must  be  put  on,  it  is  om*  livery. 

We  must  be  clothed  with'  it,  if  we  will 

The  law  obey,  om:  master's  mind  fulfil.  '■> 

If  this  be  so,  then  what  should  they  do  here, 

W^ho  in  their  antic  pranks  of  pride  appear  ? 

Let  lofty  men  among  you  bear  no  sway. 

The  Lord  beholds  the  proud  man  far  away. ' 

It  is  not  fit  that  he  inhabit  there 

Where  humbleness  of  mind  should  have  the  chair. 

Can  pride  be  where  a  soul  for  mercy  craves  ?  " 

Shall  pride  be  found  among  redeemed  slaves  ?  * 


*  Tliese  instructions  are  like  'apples  of  gold  in  pictures  of  silver.' 
Thrice  happy  are  those  churches  whose  members  act  iu  conformity  with 
these  scriptural  rules.  But  is  there  a  member  who  thires  to  violate  them? 
Poor  wretched  creature,  the  Lord  have  mercy  on  thee. — ^Ed. 

0  Jn.  XV.  17.  t  1  Th.  iv.  9.  1  Jn.  iv.    x  Qa.  W.  3. 

V  1  Th.  iv.  9.  IG.  Ps.  cxxxiii.  y  1  Pe.  v.  5. 

«  1  Jn.  iv.  16.  «  1  Jn.  iv.  20,  21.  2  Ps.  cxxxviii.  6. 

»•  Ps.  cxxxiii.  V  Mat.  v.  43 — 18.  «  Lu.  xviii.  13. 

«  Jn.  XV.  17.  «"  Ro.  xii.  15.  *  Is.  xiv.  14. 


A  DISCOURSE  OF  THE  BUILDING,  &c.,  OP  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD. 


585 


SliaU  lie  who  mercy  from  tlie  gallows  brought. 
Look  high,  or  strut,  or  entertain  a  thought 
That  tends  to  tempt  him  to  forget  that  fate. 
To  which  for  sin  he  destin'd  was  of  late, 
A>td  could  not  then  at  all  delivered  he. 
But  by  another's  death  and  misery  ?  " 
Pride  is  the  imhecoming'st  thing  of  all: 
Besides,  'tis  the  forenmner  of  a  fall. 
He  that  is  proud,  soon  in  the  dirt  will  lie,^ 
But  honour  folio  wcth  humility. 
Let  each  then  count  his  brother  as  his  better. 
Let  each  esteem  himself  another's  debtor. 
Christ  bids  iis  learn  of  him,  humble  to  be, 
Profession's  beauty  is  humility.  ® 

3.  Forgive,  is  here  another  statute  law;-' 
To  be  revenged  is  not  worth  a  straw  i 
He  that  forgives  shall  also  be  forgiven, 

'V\Tio  doth  not  so,  ?nust  lose  his  part  in  heaven  ;^ 
Nor  must  thou  weary  of  this  duty  be 
'Cause  God's  not  weary  of  forgiving  thee.^ 

Thou  livcst  by  forgiveness ;  *    should  a  stop 
Be  put  thereto  one  moment,  thou  wouldst  drop 
Into  the  mouth  of  heU.     Then  let  this  move 
Thcc  thy  dear  brother  to  forgive  iu  love.-* 

And  we  are  bid  in  our  forgivenesses 
To  do  as  God  doth  in  forgiving  his.  * 

If  any  have  a  quaiTel  against  any. 
(As  quarrels  we  have  oft  against  a  many) 
Why  then,  as  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  pardons  yon. 
For  Christ's  sake,  pardon  thou  thy  brother  too. ' 
We  say,  What  freely  comes,  doth  freely  go; 
Then  let  all  our  forgivenesses  be  so. 
I'm  siu:e  God  heartily  forgiveth  thee,™ 
My  loving  brother,  prithee  forgive  me; 

But  then  in  thy  forgiveness  be  upright ; 
Bo't  icith  thine  heart,  or  thov'rt  an  Jiypocrite." 

4.  As  we  forgive,  so  we  must  watch  and  pray;» 
For  enemies  we  have,  that  night  and  day. 
Should  we  not  watch,  would  soon  our  graces  spoil. 
Should  we  not  pray,  would  our  poor  souls  defile. 

Without  a  watch,  resist  a  foe  who  can  ? 
Who  prays  not,  is  not  like  to  play  the  man?'' 
Complain  that  he  is  overcome,  he  may; 
But  who  would  win  the  field,  must  watch  and  pray. 
Who  watches,  should  know  who  and  who's  together : 
Know  we  not  friends  from  foes,  how  know  we  whether 
Of  them  to  fight,  or  which  to  entertain  ?? 
Some  have  instead  of foes,'^  familiars  slain. 
Sometimes  a  lust  will  get  iuto  the  ])lace. 
Or  work,  or  ofiice,  of  some  wortliy  grace; 
TUl  it  has  brought  our  souls  to  great  decav. ' 
Unless  we  diligently  watch  and  pray. 
Our  pride  \^^ll  our  humility  precede : 
By  th'  nose,  our  unbelief  our  faith  will  lead. ' 


e  Is  liii.  5. 

<«  Pr.  xn.  18. 

«  Mat.  xi.  29. 

/  Ep.  iv.  30. 

a  Mat.  xviii.  34,  So ; 

vi.  15, 
*  Mat.  xviii.  23. 

VOL.  ir. 


i  Ep.  iv.  32. 
J  Mat.  xviii.  34,  3."; ; 
vi.  15 ;  xviii.  22. 
*  ilat.  xviii.  32,  33. 
'  2  Co.  ii.  10. 
"» Je.  x.\xii.  41. 
"  Mat.  xviii.  35. 


0  Mat.  xxvi.  41. 
/'  1  Co.  xvi.  13. 

1  Ep.  \i.  13—18. 
'•  1  Pe.  V.  8,  9. 

*  He.  .\ii.  15. 
<  Lu.  xxi.  34,  33. 
iii.  12,  13. 


He. 


Self-love  will  be  where  self-denial  should; 
And  passion  heat,  what  patience  sometime  cool'cL 
And  thus  it  loill  be  with  us  night  and  day,  '* 
Unless  we  diligently  loatch  and  pray. » 

Besides  what  these  domestics  do,  there  are 

Abroad  such  foes  as  wait  us  to  ensnare ; 

Yea,  they  against  us  stand  in  battle-'ray. 

And  will  us  spoU,  unless  we  watch  and  pray. 

There  is  the  world  \vitli  all  its  vanities, " 

There  is  the  devil  with  a  thousand  lies;* 

There  are  false  brethren  viith  their  fair  collusions,^ 

Also  false  doctrines  with  their  strong  delusion? ; 

These  will  us  take,  yea  carry  us  away 

From  what  is  good,  unless  wc  watch  and  pray. 

Long  life  to  manj',  is  a  fearful  snare ; 

Of  sudden  death  we  also  need  beware ; 

The  smiles  and  frowns  of  men,  temptations  be; 

And  there's  a  bait  in  all  we  hear  and  see. 

Let  them  icho  can,  to  any  shew  a  way. 

How  they  should  live,  that  cannot  loatch  and  pray ^ 

Nor  is't  enough  to  keep  all  well  \vithin, 

Nor  yet  to  keep  all  out  that  would  be  sin. 

If  entertained;  I  must  myself  concern 

With  my  dear  brother,  as  I  do  discern 

Him  tempted,  or  a  wand'ring  from  the  way;  ^ 

Else  as  I  should,  I  do  not  watch  and  pray. 

Pray  then,  and  watch,  be  thou  no  drowsy  sleeper,- 

Grudge,  nor  refuse,  to  be  thy  brother's  keeper,  ■* 

Seest  thou  thy  brother's  graces  at  an  ebb  ? 

Is  his  heel  taken  iu  the  spider's  web  ? 

Pray  for  thy  brother ;  *   if  that  will  not  do. 

To  him,  and  warn  hiiu  of  the  present  woe 

That  is  upon  him;  if  he  shall  thee  hear 

Thou  wilt  a  saviour  unto  him  appear. "  * 

5.  Sincerity,  to  that  we  are  enjoined, 
For  I  do  in  our  blessed  law-book  find,  ** 
That  duties,  how  well  done  soe'er  they  seem. 
With  our  great  God,  are  but  of  small  esteem 
If  not  sincerely  done ;  then  have  a  cai'e 
For  hyjDocrites  ai-e  hateful  everywhere.  ® 

Things  we  may  do,  yea,  and  may  let  men  see 
Us  do  them  too,  design  but  honestly ; 
Vain -gloriously  let  us  not  seek  for  praise, 
Vain-gloiy's  nothing  worth  in  gospel  days.-' 

Sincerity  seeks  not  an  open  place. 
To  do,  tho'  it  does  all  with  open  face ; 
It  loves  no  guises,  nor  disfigurations, 
'Tis  plain,  'tis  simple,  hates  equivocations. ' 

Sincerity's  that  grace  by  which  we  poise. 
And  keep  our  duties  even :  nor  but  toys 
Are  all  we  do,  if  no  sincerity  * 
Attend  our  works,  lift  it  up  ne'er  so  high. 

*  Happy  is  that  Cliristian,  who,  in  obedience  to  Jiis  Lord's  conimamj, 
is  so  hiunble  as  to  ssek  out  the  brother  wlio  )ias  oiTendid  iiim;  'Go  aud 
tell  him  his  fault  hetween  thee  and  him  alone'  is  the  divine  coniinaiKL 
Is  it  not  at  the  peril  of  our  souls  wilfully  to  violate  this  sclf-hunuliaiiii"; 
but  imperative  law  ? — Ed. 

"  Ac.  XX.  30,  31.  z  He.  xii.  15.  «  Mat.  xxiii. 

"  1  Th.  v.  6.  2  Ti,  iv.     a  Ge.  iv.  9.  /  2  Co.  i.  12. 

5.  1  Pe.  iv.  7  4  1  Th.  v.  14.  a  2  Co.  ii.  17. 

'0  Lu.  viii.  14.  c  Ja.  v.  20.  Mat.  XTiil    '»  2  Co.  viii.  8.  1  J'e  ii 

^  1  Pe.  v.  8.  15.  1,  2.  Phi.  i.  lu. 

y  Ac.  XX.  30.  31.  d  Jos.  xxiv.  14. 

4   T5 


586 


A  DISCOURSE  OF  THE  BUILDING,  &c.,  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD. 


Sincerity  malces  lieav'n  upon  m  smile, 
Lo,  here's  a  man  in  whom  there  is  no  guile  I 
Nathaniel,  an  Israelite  indeed  ! ' 
With  duties  he  sincerely  doth  proceed  ; 
Under  the  fig-tree  heav'n  saw  him  at  prayer. 
There  is  but  few  do  their  devotions  there. 
Sincerity  !     Grace  is  thereto  entailed,'' 
The  man  that  was  sincere,  God  never  fail'd. 
One  tear  that  fall eth  from,  sincerity. 
Is  worth  ten  thousand  from  hyiwcrisy. 

6.  Meekness  is  also  here  imposed  hy  law, 
A  froward  spirit  is  not  worth  a  straw.* 
A  froward  spirit  is  a  bane  to  rest. 
They  find  it  so,  who  lodge  it  in  their  breast. ' 

A  froward  spii'it  suits  with  self-denial, 
"With  taldng  up  the  cross,  and  ev'ry  trial. 
As  cats  and  dogs,  together  by  the  ears ; 
As  scornful  men  do  suit  with  *fruinps  and  jeers."* 

Meek  as  a  lamb,  mute  as  a  fish,  is  brave, 
"When  anger  boils,  and  passions  vent  do  crave. 

The  meek,  God  wiU  in  paths  of  judgment  guide 
Good  shall  the  meek  eat,  and  be  satisfied  ;"• 
The  Lord  wiU  lift  the  meek  to  highest  station ;  -" 
Will  beautify  the  meek  with  his  salvation. ' 
The  meek  are  blest,  the  earth  they  shall  inlierit :  *■ 
The  meek  is  better  than  the  proud  in  spirit.  * 

Meekness  will  make  you  quiet,  hardy,  strong, 
To  bear  a  burden,  and  to  put  up  wrong. 

Meelaiess,  though  divers  troubles  you  are  in. 
Will  bridle  passion,  be  a  curb  to  sin. 
Thus  God  sets  forth  the  meek  before  our  eyes ; 
A  meek  and  quiet  spuit  God  doth  prize. ' 

7.  Temp'rance  also,  is  on  this  house  imposed," 
And  whoso  has  it  not,  is  greatly  nosedf 
By  standers  by,  for  greedy,  lustful  men : 
Nor  can  all  we  can  say,  excuse  us,  when 
Intemp'rance  any  where  to  them  shall  be 
Apparent ;  though  we  other  vices  flee. " 

Temperance,  the  mother  is  of  moderation, 
The  beauty  also  of  our  conversation. " 

Temperance  will  our  affections  moderate. 
And  keep  us  from  being  inordinate 
In  our  embraces,  or  in  our  salutes 
Of  what  we  have,  also  in  our  pursuits 
Of  more,  and  in  a  sedate  settlement 
Of  mind,  will  make's  in  all  states  be  content.  * 
Nor  want  we  here  an  argument  to  prove 
That  who,  inordinate  is,  in  his  love 
Of  worldly  things,  doth  better  things  defy, 
And  slight  salvation  for  the  butterfly.  2' 

What  argument  can  any  man  produce. 
Why  we  should  be  intemperate  in  the  use 


*  To  '  frump,'  to  mock  or  browbeat. — Ed. 
t  '  Greatly  nosed,'  taken  by  the  nose,  ridiculed. — Ed. 


i  .7n.  i.  47—49. 

j  Ep.  vi.  2i. 

*  Job  V.  13. 

I  Pr.  ii.  12;  xvi.  28; 

.wii.  20. 
•«  Pr.  xxii.  3. 


«  Col.  iii.  12.  Pa.  xxv. 

9.  Ep.  iv.  2. 
o  Ps.  xxii.  26. 
p  1  Ti  vi.  11.  Ps. 

cxlvii.  6. 
9  P.a.  cxUx.  4. 
r  Ps.  xxxvii.  11. 


*  Is.xxix.l9.Tit.iii.2, 

t  1  Pe.  iii.  4. 

»  2  Pc.  i.  6. 

e  Plii.  iii.  18,  19. 

wl  Co.  ix.  25. 

«  Phi.  ir.  11—13. 

y  Pr.  xxiii.  5. 


Of  any  worldly  good  ?     Do  we  not  see 
That  all  these  things  from  us  a  fleeting  be  ? ' 
What  can  we  hold  ?     What  can  we  keep  from  flying 
From  us  ?     Is  not  each  thing  we  have  a  dying  ?  " 

My  house,  my  mfe,  my  child,  they  all  grow  old. 
Nor  am  I  e'er  the  younger  for  my  gold ; 
Here's  none  abiding,  all  things  fade  away,  * 
Foor  I  at  lest  am  hut  a  clod  of  clay. " 

If  that  be  time,  man  doth  not  live  by  bread. 
He  that  has  notlung  else,  must  needs  be  dead ;  * 
Take  bread  for  what  can  in  this  world  be  found. 
Yet  all  that  therein  is,  is  but  a  sound. 
An  empty  soiind,  there  is  no  life  at  all, 
It  cannot  save  a  sparrow  from  her  fall. 
Let  us  then  use  this  world  as  we  are  bid. 
And  as  in  olden  times,  the  godly  did. 

Who  buy,  should  be  as  if  they  did  possess 
None  of  their  purchase,  or  themselves  did  bless 
In  what  they  have  ;  and  he  that  doth  rejoice 
In  what  he  hath,  should  rather  out  of  choice. 
Withdraw  his  mind  from  what  he  hath  belov.-, 
And  set  his  heart  on  whither  he  must  go.  * 

For  those  that  weep  under  their  heavy  crosses, 
Or  that  are  broken  with  the  sense  of  losses. 
Let  them  remember,  all  things  here  are  fading. 
And  as  to  nature,  of  a  self-degrading 
And  wasting  temper ;  yea,  both  we  and  they 
Shall  waste,  and  waste,  until  we  waste  away.-** 
Let  temperance  then,  with  moderation  be 
As  bounds  to  our  affections,  when  we  see. 
Or  feel,  or  taste,  or  any  ways  enjoy 
Things  pleasing  to  the  flesh,  lest  we  destroy 
Ourselves  therewith,  or  bring  om-selves  thereby 
To  surfeits,  guilt,  or  Satan's  slavery.  ^ 

8.  Patience,  another  duty,  as  we  find 

In  holy  writ,  is  on  this  house  enjoined;  * 

Her  state,  while  here,  is  such,  that  she  must  have 

This  grace  abounding  in  her,  or  a  slave 

She'U  quicldy  be  unto  their  lusts  and  will, 

That  seek  the  mind  of  Satan  to  fulfil. 

He  who  must  bear  all  wrongs  without  resistance. 
And  that  with  gladness  too,  must  have  assistance 
Continually  from  patience,  thereunto, 
Or  he  will  find  such  work  too  hard  to  do.'  [squibs, 

Who  meets  with  taunts,  with  mocks,  with  flouts  and 
With  raileries,  reproaches,  checks,  and  snibs;  ■' 
Yea,  he  who  for  well-doing  is  abused, 
Robb'd,  spoiled,  and  goal'd,  and  ev'ry  way  misused ; 
Has  he  not  patience  soon  will  be  offended, 
Yea  his  profession  too  wiU  soon  be  ended.* 

A  Christian  for  religion  must  not  fight. 
But  put  up  wrongs,  though  he  be  in  the  right;  ' 
He  must  be  mercifid,  loving,  and  meek,™ 
When  they  smite  one,  must  turn  the  other  cheek." 
He  must  not  render  railing  for  reviling 
Nor  murmur  when  he  sees  himself  a  spoiling," 


«  Is.  xxviii.  1,  4. 
a  Ja.  i.  11. 
i  1  Jn.  ii.  17. 
e  Ge.  xviii.  27. 
^  De.  viii.  3. 
«  1  Co.  vii.  29—31. 
Col.  iii.  1,  2. 


/  Ge.  iii.  19. 
3  Lu.  xxi.  34. 
h  Ja.  V.  7,  8. 
•"  Ro.  xti,  12.. 
3  He.  vi.  15. 
ft  Re.  xiii.  10;  xiv.  12. 
Mat.  xiii.  21. 


I   2Co.vi.4— 8. 
m  1  Co.  iv.  12, 13. 
n  Mat.  V.  38—41. 
o  1  Pe.  iii.  8,  9.  Jn. 
rviii.  10, 11. 


A  DISCOURSE  OF  THE  BUILDING,  &c.,  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD. 


587 


Vi'hcn  they  shall  curse,  he  must  be  sure  to  bless. 
And  thus  with  patience  must  his  soul  possess. 

I  doubt  om-  frampered*  Christians  will  not  down 
"With  what  I  say,  yet  I  dare  pawn  my  gown, 
Do  but  compare  my  notes  with  sacred  story. 
And  you  vnR  find  patience  the  way  to  glory,  p 

Patience  under  the  cross,  a  duty  is, ' 
"Whoso  possesses  it,  belongs  to  bliss ; '' 
If  it  its  present  work  accomplisheth ; 
If  it  holds  out,  and  still  abideth  with 
The  Truth ;  then  may  we  look  for  that  reward,  * 
Promised  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord. 

9.  To  entertain  good  men  let's  not  forget 

Some  by  so  doing  have  had  benefit ; 

Yea  for  to  recompense  this  act  of  theirs. 

Angels  liave  lodged  toith  them  unawares.  * 

Yea  to  encourage  such  a  work  as  this. 

The  Lord  himself  malces  it  a  note  of  his, 

AYhen  hungry  or  when  thirsty  I  hare  been. 

Or  when  a  stranger,  you  did  take  me  in. " 

Strangers  should  not  to  strangers  but  be  kind 

Specially  if  confen-ing  notes,  they  find 

Themselves,  though  strangers  here,  one  brotherhood. 

And  heirs,  joint  heirs,  of  everlasting  good ; 

These  should  as  mother's  sons,  when  they  do  meet 

In  a  strange  country,  one  another  greet 

"With  welcome ;  come  in,  brother,  how  dost  do  ? 

AYhither  art  wand'riug?     Prithee  let  me  know 

Thy  state  ?     Dost  want  or  meat,  or  diink,  or  cloth  ? 

Art  weary  ?     Let  me  wash  thy  feet,  I'm  loth 

Thou  shouldst  depart,  abide  with  me  all  night ; 

Pui'sue  thy  journey  with  the  morning  light.  • 

X. 

rHE   WAT   01'   KEDUCING   WHAT'S   A3IISS,    INTO   OEDEE 
HERE. 

Although  this  house  thus  honourable  is. 
Yet  'tis  not  sinless,  many  things  amiss 
Do  happen  here,  wherefore  them  to  redress, 
"\Ye  must  keep  to  our  rules  of  righteousness ; 
Nor  must  we  think  it  strange,  if  sin  shall  be 
"Where  miue  is  ;  don't  all  men  plainly  see 
That  in  the  holy  temple  there  was  dust,  *" 
That  to  our  very  gold,  there  cleaveth  rust  ? 
In  Abraham's  family  was  a  derider  * 
I'  th'  palace  of  a  king  wiU  be  the  spider.  '^ 
"W'ho  saith,  we  have  no  sin,  doth  also  say 
\vQ  have  no  need  at  all  to  watch  and  pray ; 
To  live  by  faith,  the  flesh  to  mortify, 
Or  of  more  of  the  spirit  to  sanctify 
Our  nature.     AU  this  wholly  needless  is 
"With  him,  who  as  to  this,  has  nought  amiss. 

But  we  confess,  'cause  we  would  not  be  liars,  * 
That  we  stUl  feel  the  motions  and  desires 
Of  sin  within  us,  and  should  fall  away,  " 
Did  not  Christ  intercede  and  f-or  us  pray.  ^ 


*  TrampeTed'  or  frampoW,  peevish,  crossgramed,  mgged;  now  obso- 
■lete.— Ed. 

P  He.  \-i.  15.  «  "Mat.  xxv.  35 — 10.  'J  Pr.  sxx.  28. 

9  Lu.  xxi.  19.  "  Ju.  xbc.  16—21.  z  1  Ju.  i.  8, 10. 

r  Ja.  i.  3,  4.  -■  2  Cli.  xxLx.  16, 17.  «  Lu.  xxi.  34r— 36. 

s  Ja.  v.  7—9.  *  Ge.  xxi.  9.  '  lie.  vii.  25. 
t  He.  xiiL  1,  2. 


We  therefore  do  conclude  that  sin  is  here, 
But  that  it  may  not  to  our  shame  appear. 
We  have  our  rules,  thereby  with  it  to  deal. 
And  plaisters  too,  om-  deadly  wounds  to  heal. 
And  seeing  idleness  gives  gi-eat  occasions 
To  th'  flesh,  to  make  its  rude  and  bold  invasions 
Upon  good  orders,  'tis  ordained  we  see. 
That  none  dweU  here,  but  such  as  workers  be : 
So  plain's  the  law  for  this,  and  so  complete. 
It  bids  who  T\-iU  not  work,  forbear  to  eat ; " 
Let  then  each  one  be  diligent  to  do 
What  grace  or  nature  doth  oblige  them  to. 

W  ho  have  no  need  to  work  for  meat  or  clothes. 
Should  work  for  those  that  want.     Not  that  the  sloth 
Of  idleness  should  be  encouraged, 
But  that  those,  poor  indeed,  be  clad  and  fed. 
Dorcas  did  thus,  and  'tis  to  sacred  story  '^ 
Committed  for  her  praise  and  lasting  glorv. 

This  house  then  is  no  nurse  to  idleness ; 
Fig-trees  are  here  to  keep, «  and  vines  to  dress ; 
Here's  work  for  all ;  yea,  work  that  must  be  done ;  f 
Yet  work,  like  that,  to  playing  in  the  sun ; 
The  toil's  a  pleasure,  and  the  labour  sweet, «' 
Like  that  of  David's  dancing  in  the  street ;  * 
The  work  is  short,  the  wages  are  for  ever. 
The  work  like  me,  the  wages  hke  the  giver 

No  di'one  must  hide  himself  under  those  eaves ; 
"Who  sows  not,  will  in  harvest  reap  no  sheaves. 
The  slothful  man  himself,  may  plainly  see. 
That  honey's  gotten  by  the  working  bee. 

But  here's  no  work  for  life,  that's  freely  given ; 
Heat,  diink,  and  cloths,  and  life,  we  have  from  heav'n ; 
"Work's  here  enjoined,  'cause  it  is  a  pleasure. 
Vice  to  suppress,  and  augment  heavenly  treasure  • 
Moreover,  'tis  to  shew,  if  men  profess 
The  faith,  and  yet  abide  in  idleness. 
Their  faith  is  vain, '  no  man  can  ever  prove 
He's  right,  but  by  the  faith  that  works  by  love.^' 

If  this  good  counsel  is  by  thee  rejected ; 

If  work  and  labour  is  by  thee  neglected'; 

If  thou,  like  David,  lollest  on  thy  bed ;  * 

Or  art  hke  to  a  horse,  pamper'd  and  fed 

"VV'ith  what  wiU  fire  thy  lusts,  ^  and  so  lay  snares 

For  thine  own  soul,  when  thou  shalt  be  i'  th'  wars : 

Then  take  what  follows,  sin  viust  be  detected. 

And  thou  vAtkout  repentance  quite  rejected.  "* 

This  is  the  house  of  God, "  his  dwelling-place, 
'Tis  here  that  we  behold  his  lovely  face ; 
But  if  it  should  polluted  be  with  sin, 
And  so  abide,  he  quickly  will  begin 
To  leave  it  desolate,  and  then  woe  to  it. 
Sin  and  his  absence  quickly  vnll  u?ido  if. " 

And  since  sin  is,  of  things  the  worst  of  all. 
And  watcheth  like  a  serpent  on  a  wall. 


c  2  Th.  iii.  10. 
d  Ac.  ix.  36—39. 
e  Pr.  X-Tvii.  18. 
/  Mar.  xiii.  34. 
a  1  Jn.  V.  3. 


ft  2  Sa.  vi.  14. 
•"  Ja.  11.  20. 
.;■  Ga.  V.  6. 
*  2  Sa.  si.  1—5. 


I  Je,  T.  8;  xiii.  27. 
m  Lu.  xiii.  1—3. 
"  1  Co.  iii.  16, 17. 
0  Je.  vii.  II — 15. 


588 


A  DISCOURSE  OF  THE  BUILDING,  &c.,  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD. 


Or  flyetli  like  an  eagle  iu  the  air. 

Or  ruus  as  desperate  sliips,  void  of  all  care, 

Or,  (as  great  Solomon  hatli  wisely  said) 

Is  as  the  way  of  wantons  with  a  maid, 

Who  tick,  and  toy,  and  with  a  tempting  gig'^le 

Provoke  to  lust,  and  by  degrees,  so  wriggle 

Tliera  into  their  affections,  that  they  go 

The  way  to  death,  so  do  themselves  undo : 

As  it  is  said,  this  mischief  to  prevent. 
Let  all  men  watch,  yea,  and  be  diligent 
Observers  of  its  motions,  and  then  fly, 
This  is  the  way  to  live,  and  not  to  die. 

'!f^~  He  that  would  never  fall,  must  never  slip, 
"VVho  would  obey  the  call,  must  fear  the  whip. 

God  would  also  that  every  stander  by 
That  iu  the  grass  doth  see  the  adder  lie, 
Should  ciy  as  he  did,  death  is  iu  the  pot. 
That  many  by  its  poison  perish  not. 

Dut  if  that  beastly  thing  shall  hold  its  liold. 
And  make  the  man  possessed  basely  bold 
In  pleading  for  it,  or  shaU  it  deny, 
Or  it  shall  seek  to  cover  with  a  lie ; 
Then  take  more  aid,  and  make  a  fresh  assault 
At  it  again,  diminish  not  the  fault. 
But  charge  it  home.     If  yet  he  will  not  fear. 
But  still  unto  his  wickedness  adhere, 
Then  tell  the  house  thereof.     But  if  he  still 
Persist  in  his  abomination  will. 
Then  fly  him,  'cause  he  is  a  leprous  man, 
Count  him  with  heathens  and  the  publican.  ^ 
But  if  he  falls  before  thee  at  the  first, 
'J'hen  be  thou  to  him  faithful,  loving,  just. 
Forgive  his  sin,  tell  it  not  to  a  brother,  ^ 
Lest  thou  thyself  he  served  so  by  another.  ^ 

If  he  falls  not,  but  in  the  second  charge. 
Spread  not  his  wickedness  abroad  at  large.* 
But,  if  thou  think  his  sorrow  to  be  sound. 
Forgive  his  sin,  and  hide  it  under  ground. ' 
If  he  shall  stand  the  first  and  second  shot; 
If  he  before  the  church,  repentetli  not. 
Deal  with  him  as  the  matter  shall  require. 
Let  not  the  house  for  him  be  set  on  fii-e. 
If  after  all,  he  shall  repent  and  turn 
To  God,  and  you,  you  must  not  let  him  biu-n 
For  ever  under  sense  of  sin  and  shame. 
You  must  his  sin  forgive  hi  Christ  his  name. " 

Confirm  your  love  to  him  in  Clirist,  you  must. 
By  aU  such  ways  as  honest  are,  and  just. 
Shy  be  not  of  him,  carry't  not  aloof. 
But  rather  give  him  of  yom-  love  such  proof. 
That  he  may  gather  thence,  ye  do  believe 
To  mercy  Christ  again  doth  Iiim  receive. " 

Two  things,  monish  you,  as  to  this,  I  would  ; 
The  first,  to  shew  the  church  wherein  she  should 
In  all  her  actions  so  herself  behave, 
As  to  convince  the  faulty,  she  would  save 


His  soul;  and  that  'tis  for  this  very  tiuDg, 
She  doth  him  unto  open  judgment  bring. 
Then  woidd  I  shew  the  person  they  reject, 
What  win,  without  repentance,  be  th'  effect 
Of  this  tremendous  censure,  so  conclude ; 
Leaving  my  judgment  to  the  miJtitude 
Of  those  who  sober  and  judicious  be. 
Begging  of  each  of  them  a  prayer  for  me. 

1.  This  house,  in  order  to  this  work,  must  be 
Affected  with  the  sin  and  misery,  "•" 
Of  this  poor  creature,  yea,  must  mom-n  and  weep, 
To  think  such  tares,  in  your  neglect,  or  sleep, 
Should  spring  up  here,  nor  must  they  once  invei;t 
To  think,  till  he's  cast  out,  you're  innocent.* 

3.  Thus  leaven,  the  whole  lump  has  leavened ; 
Israel  v.'as  guilty  of  what  Achan  did ; 

And  so  must  stand,  until  they  purged  are, 
Till  Achan  doth,  for  sin,  his  burden  bear.^ 
The  reason  is,  Achan  a  member  was 
Of  that  great  body,  and  by  nature's  laws. 
The  hand,  foot,  eye,  tongue,  ear,  or  one  of  these, 
Jilay  taint  the  whole  with  Aehan's  foul  disease. 
The  chm'ch  must  too  be  sensible  of  this. 
Some  lep'rous  stones  make  all  the  house  amiss: 
And  as  the  stones  must  thence  removed  be. 
In  order  to  the  house's  sanctity, 
So  it  must  purged  be  (in  any  v^ise) 
Before  'tis  counted  clean  (by  sacrifice.)  • 

8.  Next  have  a  care,  lest  sin,  which  you  should  purge 
Becomes  not  uuto  you  a  farther  scourge. 
The  which  it  will,  if  such  shall  judges  be. 
Which  from  its  spots  and  freckles  are  not  free; 
Pluck  thou  the  beam  first  out  of  thine  own  eye. 
Else  the  condemned  will  thee  vilify" 
And  say,  let  not  the  pot  the  kettle  judge; ' 
If  otherwise,  it  will  beget  a  grudge, 
A  great  one  'twixt  the  church  and  him  that  sinned. 
Nor  by  such  means,  can  ever  such  be  winued 
To  a  renew'd  embrace  of  holiness; 
Jlore  like  be  tempted  further  to  transgress. 

4.  Again,  let  those  that  loud  against  u  Cry, 
See  they  don't  entertain  it  inwardly ; 

Sin,  like  to  pitch,  will  to  the  fingers  cleave. 
Look  to  it  then,  let  none  himself  deceive ; " 
'Tis  catching ;  make  resistances  afresh. 
Abhor  the  garment  spotted  by  the  flesh.  ^ 

^/ST"  Sotne  at  the  dimness  of  the  candle  puff, 
VriLO  yet  can  daub  their  fingers  with  the  smijf. 

5.  Bewai'c,  likewise,  lest  rancour  should  appear 
Against  the  person,  do  in  aU  things  fear : 
Bewail  the  man,  while  you  abhor  his  sin ; 

Pity  his  soul ;  ®  the  flesh  you  still  are  in  ; 
Thyself  consider  thou  may'st  tempted  be/ 
Hast  thou  no  pity,  who  will  pity  thee  ?  ^ 


?  Mat.  xviii.  13 — 17. 
o  Pr.  XXV.  9. 
r  Mar.  iv.  24. 


»  ,Ia.  V.  20. 
<  1  Pe.  iy.  8. 


2  Co.  ii.  6. 

3  Co.  ii.  8—10. 


'0  1  Co.  V.  3. 
!c  1  Co.  V.  6,  7. 
y  Jos.  vii.  10—13. 
xxii.  20. 


t  Le.  xiv.  33—57. 
«  Mat.  vii.  3,  4. 
*  Jn.  viii.  7. 
c  Jos.  xxii.  17. 


d  Judo  23. 
«  Judc  20,  23. 
/  Ga.  s\.  1. 
a  Ja.  ii.  13. 


A  BISCOURSE  OF  THE  BUILDING,  &c.,  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD. 


689 


C.  Sec  tliat  the  ground  be  good  on  wliicli  you  go : 
Sin,  but  not  virtue  show  dislike  unto. 
Take  heed  of  hypocritical  iutentions. 
And  quarrel  not  at  vai-ious  apprehensions 
About  some  smaller  matter,  lest  it  breed 
Needless  debates,  and  lest  that  filthy  seed 
Contention, ''  should  o'eiTun  yoiu'  holy  ground, ' 
And  lest  not  love,  but  nettles  there  arefoundJ 

7.  You  must  likemse  allow  each  man  his  grams. 
For  that  none  perfect  are,  sin  yet  remains. 
And  human  frailties  do  attend  the  best ; 

To  bear  and  forbear  here,  vvill  tend  to  rest. 

Vain  jnnglings,  jars,  and  strifes  ^viU  there  abound, 

"Where  moles  are  mountains  made,  or  fault  is  found, 

"With  everv  little,  trivial,  petty  thing ;  ^ 

This  spirit  suib,  or  'twill  much  mischief  bring ' 

Into  this  house,  and  'tis  for  want  of  love, '" 

Tis  entertain'd :  it  is  not  of  the  dove. " 

8.  Fur  those  that  have  private  opinions  too 

We  must  make  room,  or  shall  the  church  undo : " 
Provided  they  be  such  as  don't  impair 
Faith,  holiness,  nor  with  good  conscience  jp.r :  p 
Provided  also  those  that  hold  them  shall 
Such  faith  hold  to  themselves,  *  and  not  let  fall 
Their  fruitless  notions  in  their  brother's  way, '' 
Do  this,  and  faith  and  love  will  not  decay. 

9.  "We  must  also  in  these  our  dealings  shew 
"We  put  a  difference  'twixt  those  sins  that  do 
Clash  with  the  light  of  nature,  and  what  we 
Perceive  against  the  faith  of  Christ  to  be. 
Those  against  natiu-e,  nature  will  detect ;  * 
Those  against  faith,  faith  from  them  must  direct 
The  judgment,  conscience,  understanding  too. 
Or  there  will  be  no  cure,  whate'er  you  do. 
"\A'hen  men  are  caught  in  immoralities. 
Nature  \riU  start,  the  conscience  wiU  arise 
To  judgment ;  *■  and  if  impudence  doth  recoil. 
Tot  guilt,  and  self-condemuiugs  will  embroil 
The  ■(\Tetch  concerned, "  in  such  imquietness 
Or  shame,  as  wiU  induce  him  to  confess 
His  fault,  and  pardon  crave  of  God  and  man. 
Such  men  with  ease  therefore  wc  conquer  caD. 

But  'tis  not  thus  with  such  as  swerve  in  faith 
"With  them,  who,  as  our  wise  Apostle  saith. 
Entangled  are  at  unawares,  with  those 
Cunning  to  trap,  to  snare,  and  to  impose 
Py  falsifyings,  their  prevarications  :  ^ 
No,  these  are  slyly  taken  from  their  stations, 
UnlcnowTi  to  nature;  yea,  in  judgment  they 
Think  they  have  well  done  to  forsake  the  way. 
Their  understanding,  and  theii"  judgment  too 
Doth  hke,  or  well  approve  of  what  they  do. 
These  are,  poor  souls,  beyond  their  art  and  skill, 
Ta'en  captive  by  the  devil,  at  his  will, " 


ft  1  Co.  i.  11. 

•  Tit.  iii.  9.  1  Co.  xi. 

16. 
i  1  Ti.  vi.  3,  6. 

*  1  Ti.  i.  6,  20. 
I  3  Ti.  ii.  IG. 


m  Tit.  i.  10. 

n  Ep.  iv.  3.  Col.  iii.  13 

o  Ro.  juv.lS. 

?'  Ko.  xiv.  IG. 

o  Ro.  xiv.  22. 

T  1  Co.  viii.O— 13. 


«  Ex.  xxxii.  22— 2k 
3  Sa.  xii.  7—13. 
t  Ju.  viii.  9. 
"  Ac.  V.  1—5. 
"  Ep.  iv.  14.. 
w  2  Ti.  ii.  23—20. 


Here  therefore  you  must  patience  exercise. 
And  sufler  long,  yc  must  not  tyrannize 
It  over  such,  but  must  all  meekness  shew ; 
Still  dropping  of  good  doctrine  as  the  dew,  = 
Against  their  en'or ;  so  its  churlishness 
You  conquer  will,  and  may  theu'  fault  redress.  ^ 

The  reason  why  we  must  not  exercise 
That  roughness  here,  as  where  conviction  lies 
In  nature,  is  because  those  thus  ensnared 
"Want  natm-e's  light  and  help  to  be  repaix-'d. 
A  spirit  hath  them  taken,  they  are  gone, 
Delusions  supernat'ral  they're  on 
The  wing  of;  They  are  out  o'  th'  reach  of  man 
Nothing  but  God,  and  gospel  reach  them  can.^ 
Now  since  we  cannot  give  these  people  eye.s. 
Nor  regulate  their  judgment,  wherein  lies, 
Om"  work  with  them,  if  not,  as  has  been  said. 
In  exercising  patience.     "While  display'd 
The  holy  word  before  their  faces  is. 
By  which  alone  they  must  see  what's  amiss 
"With  their  poor  souls,  and  so  convert  again, 
To  him  with  v,hom  salvation  doth  remam. 

Olj.  But  they  are  tui'hulent,  thev  would  confound 
The  truth,  and  all  in  their  perdition  di'own'd. 

Ans.  If  turbulent  and  mischievous  they  arc, 
Imposing  their  opinions  without  care 
"Who  they  offend,  or  do  destroy  thereby. " 
Then  must  the  chm-ch  deal  with  them  preseully. 
Lest  tainted  be  the  whole  with  their  delusion, 
.\ud  brought  into  disorder  and  confusion. 


XL 

THE  PRESENT  CONDITION    OF   THOSE   THUS   DEALT   ViITlI. 

The  man  that  worthily  rejected  is. 
And  cast  out  of  this  house,  his  part  in  bliss 
Is  lost  for  ever,  tm-ns  he  not  again. 
True  faith  and  holiness  to  entertain. 

Nor  is  it  boot,  for  who  are  thus  cast  out. 
Themselves  to  flatter,  or  to  go  about 
To  shift  the  censm-e ;  nothing  here  will  do, 
Except  a  new  conversion  thou  come  to. 

He  that  is  bound  on  earth,  is  bound  in  heaven. 
Nor  is  his  loosing,  but  the  sin  forgiven  ; 
Bepentance  too,  forgiveness  must  precede, 
Or  thou  must  stUl  abide  among  the  dead.  ^ 


XIT. 

AN   EXPOSTULATION   WITH    SUCH    TO    KETi'KN 

32^-  0  shame !  Is't  not  a  shame  for  men  to  be 
For  sin,  spu'd  out  fi-om  good  society ! 
For  man  enlightened  to  be  so  base  ! 
To  tui-u  his  back  upon  the  God  of  grace ! 
For  one  who  for  his  sins  has  mouru'd  and  cry'd, 
To  slight  him,  who  for  sin  hath  bled  and  died ! 
What  fool  would  sell  his  part  in  paradise. 
That  has  a  soul,  and  that  of  such  a  price  ? 


X  2  Ti.  iv.  2. 
V  Tit.  i.  13. 


z  1  Ti.  i.  19,  20. 
a  3  Ti.  ii.  16—18. 


6  M;it.  xviii.  15—20, 
28—35. 


590 


c\  DISCOURSE  OF  THE  BUILDING,  &l.,  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD, 


AYLat  parallel  can  suit  with  such  so  well. 

As  those,  for  sin  cast  down  from  heaven  to  heU ! 

But  let  me  tell  thee,  here  is  aggravation ; 
The  angels,  though  they  did  fall  from  their  station 
Had  not  the  caution  thou  hast  had ;  they  fell ; " 
This  thou  hast  seen,  and  seeing,  didst  rehel. 

One  would  a  thought,  the  noise  of  this  their  fall, 
A  warning ;  yea,  a  warning,  and  a  call, 
Should  unto  thee  have  heen,  to  have  a  care 
Of  fiJling  too :  ^  0  how  then  didst  thou  dare. 
Since  God  did  not  spare  them,  thus  to  presume 
To  tempt  him  in  his  wrath,  thee  to  consume. 

Nor  did  the  angels  from  a  Jesus  fall, 
Eedeemed  they  were  not,  from  a  state  of  thrall ; 
But  thou !  as  one  redeem' d,  and  that  hy  blood, 
Redemption  hast  despised;  and  the  mud 
Or  mire  of  thine  own  filth  again  embracest : 
A  dying  bleeding  Jesus  thou  disgracest  I 
"What  wSi  thou  do  ?  see'st  not  how  thou  hast  trod 
Under  thy  foot,  the  very  Son  of  God?'' 
O  fearful  hand  of  God  1     And  fearful  will 
Thy  doom  be,  when  his  wrath  thy  soul  shall  Idll.-^ 

Yea,  with  a  signal  these  must  hear  their  sin, 
^^  This  dirty  sow  from  mire  has  washed  been. 
Yet  there  did  wallow,  after  wash'd  she  was ; 
So  to  procm'e  a  lust,  obtain'd  this  loss. 

0  shame  1  is't  not  a  shame  for  man  to  be. 
So  much  averse  to  his  felicity. 
That  none  can  make  him  leave  to  play  the  fool. 
Till  to  the  devil  he  be  put  to  school,  ^ 
To  leai'n  his  own  salvation  to  prize  ? 
0  fool !  must  now  the  devil  make  thee  wise  ? 
0  sot !  that  will  in  wickedness  remain. 
Unless  the  devil  drives  thee  back  again.  ^ 

Hast  quite  forgot  how  thou  wast  wont  to  pray, 
And  cry  out  for  forgiveness  night  and  day  ? 
Or  dost  thou  count  they  were  but  painted  fears 
Yv  hich  from  thine  eyes  did  squeeze  so  many  tears  ? 
Eemember  man,  thy  prayers  and  tears  wiLl  cry 
Thee  down  to  hell,  for  thine  apostacy. 
"Who  will  not  have  what  he  has  prayed  for. 
Must  die  the  death,  his  prayers  shall  him  abhor. 

Hast  thou  forgotten  that  most  solenm  vow 
Thou  mad'st  to  God,  when  thou  didst  crave  he  bow 
His  ear  unto  thee  would,  and  give  thee  grace. 
And  would  thee  also  in  his  arms  embrace  ? 
That  vow,  I  say,  whereby  thou  then  didst  bind 
Thyself  to  him,  that  now  thy  roving  mind 
Recoil  against  him  should,  and  fling  away 
From  him,  and  his  commandments  disobey.  * 

What  has  he  done  ?  wherein  has  he  oflended  ? 
Thou  actest  now,  as  if  thou  wast  intended 
To  prove  him  guilty  of  xmrighteousness. 
Of  breach  of  promise,  or  that  from  distress 
He  could,  or  would  not  save  thee,  or  that  thou 
Hast  found  a  better  good  than  he ;  but  how 


c  2  Pe.  ii.  4. 

*!■  JuJe  6. 

e  He.  X.  29—31, 


/  2  Pe.  ii.  20—2; 
a  Mat,  xviii.  34 


ft  1  Ti.  i.  20. 
i  Job  XV.  6, 


Thou  wilt  come  off,  or  how  thou  wilt  excuse 
Thyself,  'cause  thou  art  gone,  and  did  refuse 
To  wait  upon  him,  that  consider  well; 
Thou  art  as  yet  alive,  on  this  side  hell, 

Is't  not  a  shame,  a  stinking  shame  to  be 
Cast  forth  God's  vineyard  as  a  barren  tree  P-' 
To  be  thrown  o'er  the  pales,  and  there  to  lie. 
Or  be  pick'd  up  by  th'  next  that  passeth  by  ? 

Well,  thou  hast  turn'd  away,  return  again ; 
Bethink  thyself,  thy  foot  fi-om  sin  refrain ; 
Haik !  thou  art  call'd  upon,  stop  not  thine  ear : 
Eetm-n,  backsliding  children,  come,  draw  near 
Unto  your  God ;  *  repent,  and  he  will  heal 
Your  base  backslidings,  to  you  will  reveal 
That  grace  and  peace  which  with  him  doth  remain. 
For  them  that  tmn  away,  and  turn  again.  ^ 

Take  with  thee  words,  come  to  the  throne  of  grace 
There  supplicate  thy  God,  and  seek  his  face  ; 
Like  to  the  prodigal,  confess  thy  sin. 
Tell  him  where,  and  how  vicious  thou  hast  been. 

5^~  Sujipose  he  shall  against  thee  shut  the  door. 
Knock  thou  the  louder,  and  cry  out  the  more ; 
What  if  he  makes  thee  there  to  stand  a  while? 
Or  makes  as  if  he  would  not  reconcile 
To  thee  again  ?     Yet  take  thee  no  denial, 
Count  all  such  carnages  but  as  a  trial 
Whether  thou  art  in  earnest  in  thy  suit. 
As  one  truly  forlorn  and  destitute  ; 
But  hide  thou  nought  of  all  that  thou  hast  done. 
Open  thy  bosom,  make  confession 
Of  aU  thy  wickedness,  tell  every  whit ;  '"■ 
Hast  thou  a  secret  sin  ?  don't  cover  it ; " 
Confess,  thyself  judge,  if  thou  wouldst  not  die; 
Who  doth  himself  judge,  God  doth  justify. " 

To  sin,  and  stand  in't,  is  the  highest  evil ; 
This  makes  a  man  most  like  unto  the  devil ; 
This  bids  defiance  unto  God  and  grace ; 
This  man  resists  him  spitteth  in  his  face, 
Scorns  at  his  justice,  mocketh  at  his  power. 
Tempts  him,  provokes  him,  grieves  him  every  hour: 

When  he  ariseth,  he  vriU  recompense 
This  sturdy  rebel  for  his  impenitence : 
Be  not  incorrigible  then,  come  back  again. 
There's  hope,  beg  mercy  while  life  doth  remain. 

Ohj.  But  I  fear  I  am  lost  and  cast  away. 
Sentence  is  past,  and  who  reverse  it  may  ? 

Aiis.  The  sentence  past,  admitteth  of  reprieve ; 
Yea,  of  a  pardon,  canst  thou  but  believe. '' 
Turn  again  sinner,  never  make  a  doubt, 
CoiiE,  THE  Lord  Jesus  will  not  cast  thee  out. 


/  Lu.  xiii.  7. 

fcJer.  iii.  13—14,  23. 

i  IIo,  xiv.  1 — 4. 


m  Jar.  iii.  13,  23—25,     "  1  Co.  xi.  31,  S3, 
»   Ps.  xxxii.  5.  V  Jn.  vi.  37. 


JOHN  BUNYAN  ON  THE  TEEMS 


OF 


COMMUNION  AND  FELLOWSHIP  OF  CHRISTIANS 

AT  THE  TABLE  OF  THE  LOKD ; 


COilPEISING 


T.  HIS  CONFESSION  OF  FAITH,  AND  REASON  OF  HIS  PRACTICE  ; 
II.  DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION ;  AND 
III.  PEACEABLE  PRINCIPLES  AND  TRUE.* 


ADYEETISEMENT  BY  THE  EDITOR. 


Reader,  these  are  extraordinary  productions  that 
will  "well  repay  an  attentive  perusal.  It  is  the 
confession  of  faith  of  a  Christian  who  had  suffered 
nearly  twelve  years'  imprisonment,  under  per- 
secution for  conscience  sake.  Shut  up  with  his 
Bible,  you  have  here  the  result  of  a  prayerful  study 
of  those  holy  oracles.  It  produced  a  difference  in 
practice  from  his  fellow  Christians  of  all  denomi- 
nations, the  reasons  for  which  are  added  to  this 
confession;  with  a  defence  of  his  principles  and 
practice,  proving  them  to  he  peaceable  and  true. 
In  all  this  an  unlettered  man  displays  the  acumen 
of  a  thoroughly  educated  polemical  theologian. 
The  author  was  driven  to  these  publications  to 
defend  himself  from  the  slanders  which  were 
showered  down  upon  him,  by  all  parties,  for  nearly 
eighteen  years,  and  by  the  attempts  which  were 
made  to  take  away  his  members,  injure  the  peace 
of  his  congregation,  and  alienate  him  from  the 
church  to  which  he  was  tenderly  attached.  His 
first  inquiry  is.  Who  are  to  be  admitted  to  the 
Lord's  table ;  and  his  reply  is.  Those  whom  God 
has  received :  they  have  become  his  children,  and 
are  entitled  to  sit  at  their  Father's  table :  such 
only  as  have  examined  themselves,  and  by  their 
conduct  lead  the  church  to  hope  that  they  have 
passed  from  death  unto  life.  The  practice  of  those 
who  admit  ungodly  persons  because  they  have  sub- 
mitted to  some  outward  ceremonies,  he  severely 
condemns.  The  mixture  of  the  church  and  the 
world  he  deems  to  be  spiritual  adultery,  the  pro- 
lific som'ce  of  sin,  and  one  of  the  causes  of  the 
deluge.     The   Lord's  table  is  scripturally  fenced 

*  It  is  much  to  be  regretted  ttat  these  books,  in  common 
with  all  Mr.  Banyan's  Works,  were  grossly  corrupted  in  the  text 
in  all  the  editions  published  since  1737, — 'poor  peace  indeed,' 
was  changed  to  '  pure  peace  indeed ;'  '  here  is  Rome  enough,' 
meaning  popery  enough,  was  altered  to  '  here  is  room  enough ;' 
'  Baptist,'  was  printed  '  Papist,'  &c.,  &c. :  aU  the  typographi- 
cal errors  have  now  been  carefully  connected  by  Bunyan's 
editions. 


aroimd:  *Be  ye  not  imequally  yoked  together  with 
unbelievers ;'' what  communion  hath  light  with 
darkness;  Christ  with  Belial;  the  temple  of  God  with 
idols  ?  be  ye  separate,  touch  not  the  imclean  thing, 
and  I  will  receive  you.'  '  Receive  ye  one  another, 
as  Christ  also  received  us  to  the  glory  of  God,  not 
to  doubtful  disputations.'  '  Withdraw  from  them 
that  walk  disorderly,  working  not;  but  busy 
bodies ;  unless  with  quietness  they  work  and  eat 
their  own  bread.  If  any  are  proud,  doting  about 
questions  and  strifes  of  words,  evil  surmisings, 
perverse  disputings,  supposing  that  gain  is  godli- 
ness; from  such  withdraw.'  Bunyan  rests  all 
upon  the  word, — the  characters  are  described  who 
are  to  be  excluded  from  the  Lord's  table  ;  but  in  no 
instance  is  it  upon  record  that  any  one  was  excluded 
because  he  had  not  been  baptized  in  water.  And 
who  will  dare  to  make  any  addition  to  holy  writ  ? 
The  practice  of  making  the  mode  in  which  water 
baptism  was  administered  a  term  of  communion, 
existed  among  the  Independents  long  before  Bun- 
yan's time.  Crosby,  in  his  History  of  the  Baptists, 
makes  some  long  extracts  from  a  book  entitled, 
'  The  sm  and  danger  of  admitting  Anabaptists  to 
contmue  in  the  congregational  churches,  and  the 
inconsistency  of  such  a  practice  with  the  principles 
of  both.'  In  America,  Cotton  and  the  Indepen- 
dents severely  persecuted  their  Baptist  brethren, 
even  to  deportation.  As  the  Baptists  increased  in 
numbers,  they  refused  to  admit  any  to  the  Lord's 
table,  even  to  occasional  communion,  who  had  not 
been  baptized  in  water  upon  a  profession  of  faith : 
in  fact,  the  difference  between  those  who  consider 
baptism  to  be  a  relative  duty  to  be  performed  by 
parents  m  having  their  infants  sprinkled,  and  those 
who  deem  it  a  personal  duty  to  be  immersed  in 
water,  as  apubhc  puttmg  on  of  Christ,  is  so  great, 
as  to  require  the  utmost  powers  of  charity  to  pre- 
serve  peace.  Thus  it  was  in  the  primitive  churches, 
where  great  differences  prevailed  even  as  to  the 
duty  of  preaching  the  gospel  to  the  Gentiles ;  the 


592 


ADVERTISEMENT  BY  THE  EDITOR. 


keeping  of  days  probably  extending  to  the  Jewish 
sabbath,  and  to  the  abstaining  from  certain  meats, 
vi'ith  other  ordinances  of  the  Jewish  law. 

Bunyan  saw  all  the  difficulties  of  this  question: 
he  was  satisfied  that  baptism  is  a  personal  duty, 
in  respect  to  which  every  individual  must  be  satis- 
fied in  his  own  mind,  and  over  which  no  church 
had  any  control ;  and  that  the  only  inquiry  as  to 
the  fitness  of  a  candidate  for  church  fellovrship 
shoidd  be,  whether  the  regenerating  powers  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  had  baptized  the  spirit  of  the  proposed 
member  into  newness  of  life.  This  is  the  only 
livery  by  which  a  Christian  can  be  known.  Bun- 
yau  very  justly  condemns  the  idea  of  water  baptism 
being  either  the  Christian's  livery  or  his  marriage 
to  the  Saviour. 

We  do  well,  in  our  examinations  into  this  sub- 
ject, to  note  carefully  the  various  applications  of 
the  word  baptize,  and  not  always  attach  the  use 
of  water  to  the  term.  There  is  a  being  baptized 
in  a  cloud,  and  in  the  sea,  to  protect  God's  Israel 
from  their  deadly  foes ;  a  baptism  in  sufferings ;  a 
baptism  in  water  unto  repentance  ;  a  baptism  in  fire, 
or  the  Holy  Ghost ;  a  baptism  into  the  doctrine  of 
the  Trinity.  Mat.  xxviii.  19.  Bunyan  had  no  doubt  upon 
this  subject;  he  deemed  water  baptism  an  Important 
personal  duty ;  and  that  a  death  to  sin,  and  resur- 
rection to  newness  of  life — a  difi'erent  tint,  or 
dye,  given  to  the  character — was  best  figured  by 
immersion  in  water :  still  he  left  it  to  every  Indi- 
vidual to  be  satisfied  In  his  own  mind  as  to  this 
outward  sign  of  the  invisible  grace.  '  Strange,' 
he  says,  '  take  two  Christians  equal  on  all  points 
but  this ;  nay,  let  one  go  far  beyond  the  other  for 
grace  and  holiness ;  yet  this  circumstance  of  Avater 
shall  drown  and  sweep  away  all  his  excellencies ; 
not  counting  him  worthy  of  that  reception  that 
with  hand  and  heart  shall  be  given  to  a  novice  in 
religion,  because  he  consents  to  water. 

For  these  catholic  principles  he  was  most  roughly 
handled.  Deune,  in  a  pamphlet  in  the  Editor's 
possession,  called  him  a  devil ;  and  likened  liira  to 
Timri,  who  slew  his  master.  The  most  learned 
of  the  Baptist  ministers  entered  upon  the  contro- 
versy. They  Invited  him  to  a  grand  religious 
tournament,  where  he  would  have  stood  one  against 
a  legion.  A  great  meeting  was  appointed,  in 
London,  for  a  public  disputation — as  was  common 
among  the  puritans — and  in  which  the  poor  country 
mechanic  was  to  be  overwhelmed  with  scholastic 
learning  and  violence ;  but  Bunyan  wisely  avoided 
a  collision  which  could  have  answered  no  valuable 
purpose,  and  which  bid  fair  to  excite  angry  feel- 
ings. He  had  appealed  to  the  press  as  the  calmest 
and  best  mode  of  controversy ;  and  to  that  mode 
of  appeal  he  adhered.  Three  learned  men  under- 
took the  cause  against  Bunyan:  these  were, 
D'Anvers,  W.  Kiffin,  and  T.  Paul.     When  these 


lettered,  able,  and  distinguished  disputants  pub- 
lished their  joint  answer,  it  contained  much  scur- 
rilous abuse.  Their  brother,  Bunyan,  was  In 
prison,  and  they  visited  him  Avith  gall  and  worm- 
wood. He  closes  his  reply  with  these  remarkable 
words,  '  Thine  to  serve  thee.  Christians,  so  long  as 
I  can  look  out  at  those  eyes  that  have  had  so  much 
dirt  thrown  at  them  by  many.' 

The  late  Mr.  Robert  Hall,  in  his  controversy 
upon  this  subject  with  Mr.  KInghorn,  in  which — 
having  demolished  Kinghorn's  castle  In  a  few  pages 
— he,  in  order  to  make  a  book,  amused  the  public 
by  kicking  the  ruins  about,  thus  adverts  to  these 
treatises :  '  The  most  virulent  reproaches  were  cast 
upon  the  admirable  Bunyan,  during  his  own 
time,  for  presuming  to  break  the  yoke  ;  and  who- 
ever impartially  examines  the  spirit  of  Mr.  Booth's 
Apology,  will  perceive  that  its  venerable  author 
regards  him,  together  with  his  successors,  much 
in  the  light  of  rebels  and  insurgents,  or,  to  use 
the  mildest  terms,  as  contumacious  despisers  of 
legitimate  authority.'* 

We  cannot  have  a  more  decided  proof  of  Bun- 
yan's  great  powers,  and  of  his  being  much  in 
advance  of  his  times,  than  by  the  opinions  of  which 
he  was  the  Christiau  pioneer  having  spread  so 
extensively  through  the  Baptist  denomination.  In 
this  his  predictions  were  fully  verified.  It  is  sur- 
prising that  pious  dissenters  should  ever  have 
made  uniformity  in  outward  ceremonies  of  more 
importance  than  inward  holiness,  as  a  term  of 
communion.  Such  sentiments  naturally  attach  to 
state_  churches ;  and  ought  to  be  found  only  with 
those  bodies  which  exist  merely  for  political  pur- 
poses, and  for  it  are  rewarded  with  earthly  power, 
pomp,  and  wealth.  I  close  these  observations  by 
quoting  the  words  of  Bunyan 's  learned  antagonists, 
published  within  a  few  years  of  this  controversy,  and 
during  his  lifetime.  His  sentiments  appear  to  have 
had  a  hallowed  effect  even  upon  their  minds,  and 
produced  an  apology  for  their  conduct.  It  is  in  the 
appendix  to  the  Baptist  confession  of  faith,  repub- 
lished in  1G77:  '  We  would  not  be  misconstrued, 
as  if  the  discharge  of  our  consciences  did  any  Avay 
disoblige  or  alienate  our  aftections  or  conversations 
from  any  others  that  fear  the  Lord  :  earnestly 
desiring  to  approve  ourselves  to  be  such  as  follow 
after  peace  Avitli  holiness.  Wc  continue  our  prac- 
tice, not  out  of  obstinacy,  but  we  do  therein  accord- 
ing to  the  best  of  our  understandings,  in  that  method 
which  we  take  to  be  most  agreeable  to  the  scrip- 
tures. The  christening  of  infants,  we  find  by 
church  history,  to  have  been  a  very  ancient  prac- 
tice ;  still  we  leave  every  one  to  give  an  account 
of  himself  to  God.  And  if  in  any  case  debates 
between  Christians  are  not  plainly  determinable  by 

*  Reply  to  Kiiigliorn.     1818,  p.  sii. 


TO  THE  KE.\DEK. 


593 


the  scriptures,  we  leave  it  to  the  second  coming 
of  Christ.'  In  1689,  the  year  after  Bimyan's 
death,  this  appendix  "vvas  omitted  from  the  Baptist 
confession  of  faith. 


May  the  time  soon  arrive  when  water  shall  not 
quench  love,  hut  when  all  the  churches  militant 
shall  foi-m  one  army,  with  one  ohject, — that  of 
extending  the  Redeemer's  kiuo-dom.-GEO.  Offor. 


A  CONFESSION  OF  MY  FAITH,  AND  A  REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE: 

OE, 
WITH    WHO,    AND    WHO    KOT,   I    CAN    HOLD    CHURCH   FELLOWSHIP,    OR    THE    COMMUNION    OF    SAINTS. 

SHEWING,  BY  DIVERSE  AEGmiENTS,  THAT  THOUGH  I  DAKE  XOT  COMlinMICATE  'WITH  THE  OPENLY  PROPANE,  YET  I  CAN  WITH  THOSK 
VISIBLE  SAINT§  THAT  DIFFER  ABOUT  WATEE-EAPIISII.  WHEEEXN  IS  ALSO  DISCOURSED,  WnETHP-E  THAT  BE  THE  ENTERING  ORDI- 
NANCE LNTO  FELLOWSHIP,   OB  NO. 

'  I  believed,  therefore  have  I  spoken.^ — Psal.  csvi.  10. 


TO   TEE   READER. 


Sni, 


I  MARVEL  not  that  hoth  you  and  others  do  think  my 
long  imprisonment  strange,  (or  rather  strangely  of 
me  for  the  sake  of  that)  for  verily  I  should  also  have 
done  it  myself,  had  not  the  Holy  Ghost  long  since 
forbidden  me.  l  Pe.  iv.  12. 1  Jn.  iii.  13.  Nay,  verily,  that 
notwithstanding,  had  the  adversary  hut  fastened 
the  supposition  of  guilt  upon  me,  my  long  trials 
might  by  this  time  have  put  it  beyond  dispute  ;  for 
I  have  not  hitherto  been  so  sordid,  as  to  stand  to  a 
doctrine  right  or  wrong ;  much  less  when  so  weighty 
an  argument  as  above  eleven  years'  imprisonment, 
is  continually  dogging  of  me  to  weigh  and  pause, 
and  pause  again,  the  grovmds  and  foundation  of 
those  principles,  for  which  I  thus -have  suffered;* 

*  lung  Charles  the  2nd,  ahout  a  year  after  this  time,  pai"- 
doned  near  five  hundred  Quakers,  who  had  been  languishing  in 
prison  for  not  attending  the  church  service.  Upon  this  ilr. 
Bunyan,  and  his  fellow  prisoners  at  Bedford,  petitioned  for 
liberty,  and  at  a  court  of  privy  council  at  "U'hitehall,  the  17th 
!May,  1G72,  present,  the  King  and  twenty-four  of  his  couu- 
cillors,  the  following  minute  was  made : — '  "Whereas,  by  order  of 
the  Board  of  the  8th  instant,  the  humble  petition  of  John  Penn, 
John  Bunyan,  John  Dunn,  Thomas  Haynes,  Simon  Haynes,  and 
George  Parr,  prisoners  in  the  goale  of  Bedford,  comicted  upon 
several  statutes  for  not  conforming  to  the  rights  and  ceremonyes 
of  the  church  of  England,  and  for  being  at  unla\rful  meetings, 
was  refen-ed  to  the  Sheriff  of  the  county  of  Bedford,  who  was 
required  to  certify  this  Board  whether  the  said  persons  were 
committed  for  the  crimes  in  the  said  petition  mentioned,  and 
roE  NO  OTHER ;  which  he  having  accordingly  done,  by  his  cer- 
tificate dated  the  11th  instant.  It  was  thereupon,  this  day, 
ordered  by  his  Ma"*  in  council.  That  the  said  petition  and 
certificate  be  (and  are  herewith)  sent  to  his  Ma*'''"'  Attorney- 
General,  who  is  authorized,  and  required,  to  insert  them  into 
the  general  pardon  to  be  passed  for  the  Quakers.'  This  fully 
contLrms  what  Bunyan  says  as  to  the  cause  of  his  long  and 
dangerous  imprisonment.  It  was  for  being  absent  from  the  state 
church  and  worshipping  God  according  to  His  wOl,  as  expressed 
in  the  Bible.  See  Intrcdaction  to  Pilgrim's  Progress,  Hansard 
Kuollys  edition. 
VOL.  II. 


but  having  not  only  at  my  trial  asserted  tliem,  but 
also  since,  even  all  this  tedious  tract  of  time,  in 
cool  blood,  a  thousand  times,  by  the  word  of  God, 
examined  them,  and  found  them  good ;  I  cannot,  I 
dare  not  now  revolt  or  deny  the  same,  on  pain  of 
eternal  damnation. 

And  that  my  principles  and  practice  may  he 
open  to  the  view  and  judgment  of  all  men,  though 
they  stand  and  fall  to  none  but  the  word  of  God 
alone,  I  have  in  this  small  treatise  presented  to  thi;^ 
generation,  'A  Confession  of  my  Faith,  and  a  Reason 
of  my  Practice  in  the  Worship  of  God  ;'  by  which, 
although  it  be  brief,  candid  Christians  may,  I  hope, 
without  a  violation  to  faith  or  love,  judge  [that]  I 
may  have  the  root  of  the  matter  found  in  me. 

Neither  have  I  in  this  relation  abusively  presented 
my  reader,  with  other  doctrines  or  practices,  than 
what  I  held,  professed,  and  preached  when  appre- 
hended, and  cast  in  prison.  Nor  did  I  then  or  now 
retain  a  doctrine  besides,  or  which  is  not  thereon 
grounded.  The  subject  I  should  have  preached 
upon,  even  then  when  the  constable  came,  was, 
'  Dost  thou  believe  on  the  Son  of  God  ?  '  From 
whence  I  intended  to  shew,  the  absolute  need  of 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ ;  and  that  it  was  also  a  thing 
of  the  highest  concern  for  men  to  inquire  into,  and 
to  ask  their  own  hearts  whether  they  had  it  or  no. 

Faith  and  holiness  are  my  professed  principles, 
with  an  endeavour,  so  far  as  in  me  lieth,  to  be  at 
peace  with  all  men.  What  shall  I  say,  let  mine 
enemies  themselves  be  judges,  if  anything  in  these 
following  doctrines,  or  if  ought  that  any  man  hath 
heard  me  preach,  doth  [savour],  or  hath  according 
to  the  true  intent  of  my  words,  savoured  either  of 
heresy  or  rebelUon.  I  say  again,  let  they  themselves 
be  judges,  if  ought  they  find  in  my  writmg  or  preach- 
ing, doth  render  me  worthy  of  ahuost  twelve  3'ears' 
unprisonment,  or  one  that  deserveth  to  be  hanged, 
or  banished  for  ever,  according  to  their  tremendous 
•i  F 


594 


A  CONFESSION  OF  MY  FAITH. 


sentence ,  Indeed  my  principles  are  sucli,  as  lead 
me  to  a  denial  to  communicate  in  the  things  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ,  with  the  ungodly  and  openly  pro- 
fane ;  neither  can  I  in  or  by  the  superstitious  inven- 
tions of  this  world,  consent  that  my  soul  shoidd  he 
governed  in  any  of  my  approaches  to  God,  because 
commanded  to  the  contrary,  and  commended  for  so 
refusing.  Wherefore  excepting  thip,  one  thing,  for 
which  I  ought  not  to  be  rebuked ;  I  shall,  I  trust,  in 
despite  of  slander  and  falsehood,  discover  myself  at 
all  times  a  peaceable  and  an  obedient  subject.  But 
if  nothing  will  do,  imless  I  make  of  my  conscience 
a  continual  butchery,  and  slaughter-shop,  unless 
putting  out  my  own  eyes,  I  commit  me  to  the  blind 
to  lead  me,  as  I  doubt  is  desired  by  some,  I  have 
determined,  the  Almightj^  God  being  my  help  and 
shield,  yet  to  suffer,  if  frail  life  might  continue  so 


long,  even  till  the  moss  shall  grow  on  mme  eye- 
brows, rather  than  thus  to  violate  my  faith  and  prin- 
ciples, *  WiU  aman  leave  the  snow  of  Lebanon,  whicli 
Cometh  from  the  rock  of  the  field  ?  or  shall  the  cold 
flowing  waters  that  come  from  another  place  be 
forsaken?'  Je.  xviii.  14.  '  Hath  a  nation  changed 
their  gods,  which  are  yet  no  gods?'  Je.  ii.  ii.  '  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  ever,'  Mi. iv.  5. 

Touching  my  practice  as  to  communion  with  visi- 
ble saints,  although  not  baptized  with  water  ;  I  say 
it  is  my  present  judgment  so  to  do,  and  am  wilKng 
to  render  a  farther  reason  thereof,  shall  I  see  the 
leading  hand  of  God  thereto. 

Thine  in  bonds  for  the  gospel, 

John  Bunyan. 


A  CONFESSION  OF  MY  FAITH,  AND  A  REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE,  ETC. 

'^  Be  readi/  always  to  give  an  ansioer  to  every  man  that  aslceth  you  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you  with  meehness  and 
fear:  having  a  good  conscience;  that  whereas  they  speaJc  evil  of  you,  as  of  evil-doers,  they  may  be  ashamed  that  falsely 
accuse  your  good  conversation  in  Christ.''] — 1  Pet,  iii.  15,  16. 


1.  I  BELIEVE,  that  there  is  but  one  only  true  God, 
and  there  is  none  other  but  he,  *  To  us  there  is 
hut  one  God,  the  Father,  of  whom  are  all  things. ' 
1  Co.  \iii.  6.  '  And  this  is  life  eternal,  that  they  might 
know  thee  the  only  true  God.'  &c,  Jn.xvii.3.  [see 

also]  Mar.  xii.  33.  aud  Ac.  xvii.  2i. 

2.  T  believe,  that  this  God  is  almighty,  eternal, 
invisible^  incomprehensible,  &;c.  '  I  am  the  Al- 
mighty God ;  walk  before  me,  and  be  thou  perfect. ' 
Ge.xvii.i.  '  The  eternal  God  ?s /%  refuge.'  De.  xxxiii. 
27.  '  Now  unto  the  King  eternal,  immortal,  invisi- 
ble, the  only  wise  God,  he  honom-  and  glory  for  ever 
and  ever,  i  iM.  i.  17.  [see  also]  Jobxi.  7.  and  Ro.  xi.sa. 

3.  I  believe,  that  this  God  is  unspeakably  per- 
fect in  all  his  attributes  of  power,  wisdom,  justice, 
truth,  holiness,  mercy,  love,  &c.  his  power  is  said 
to  be  eternal,  Ro.  i.  20.  his  understanding  and  wisdom 
infinite ;  Ps.  cxi™.  5.  he  is  called  the  just  Lord  in 
opposition  to  all  things.  Zep.  iu.  5.  He  is  said  to 
be  truth  itself  and  the  God  thereof.  2  Th.  ii.  10.  De. 
xxxii.  4.  There  is  none  holy  as  the  Lord.  *  God 
is  love.'  '  Canst  thou  by  searching  find  out  God? 
canst  thou  find  out  the  Almighty  unto  perfection?' 
Job  xi.  7. 

4.  I  believe,  that  in  the  Godliead,  there  are 
three  persons  or  subsistances.  *  There  are  three  that 
bear  record  in  heaven :  the  Father,  the  Word,  and 

the  Holy  Ghost. '  lJn.v,7.  [seealso]  Ge.i.26.  eh.  iiL22.  eh. 
xi.  7.  and  Is.  Ti.  8. 

5.  I  believe,  that  these  three  are  in  nature, 
essence,  and  eternity,  equally  one.  '  These  three 
are  one.'  iJn.v. 7, 


6,  I  believe,  [that]  there  is  '  a  world  to  come.' 

He.  ii.  5.  ch.  vi.  5. 

7,  I  believe,  that  there  shall  be  '  a  resurrection 
of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and  unjust,'  Ac.  xxiv.  15. 
'  ]\Iany  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth 
shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to 
shame  and  everlasting  contempt, '  Da.  xii.  3.  '  Marvel 
not  at  this :  for  the  hour  is  coming,  in  the  which 
all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and 
shall  come  forth ;  they  that  have  done  good,  imto 
the  resurrection  of  life ;  and  they  that  have  done 
evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  damnation,'  Jn.  v.  28. 

8,  I  believe,  that  they  that  '  shall  be  accounted 
worthy  to  obtain  that  world,  and  the  resurrection 
from  the  dead,  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in  mar- 
riage :  neither  can  they  die  any  more :  for  they  are 
equal  unto  the  angels  ;  and  are  the  children  of  God, 
being  the  children  of  the  resurrection. '  Lh.  xx.  34— 3G. 

[see  also]  Jn.  x.  27—29.  Re.  \ii.  IG.  cb.  xx.  6. 

9,  I  believe,  that  those  that  die  impenitent,  shall 
be  tormented  with  the  devil  and  his  angels,  and 
shall  be  cast  with  them  into  '  the  lake  that  burnetii 
with  fire  and  brimstone, '  Re.  x.\i.  a.  *  Where  their 
worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched. '  Mar. 

i.v.  43,  48.  [see  also]  Mat.  xxv.  41,  46.  Jn.  v.  29. 

10,  I  believe,  that  because  God  is  naturally  holy 
and  just,  even,  as  he  is  good  and  merciful ;  there- 
fore, all  having  sinned,  none  can  be  saved,  without 
the  means  of  a  redeemer.  '  Then  he  is  gracious 
unto  him,  and  saith,  Dehver  him  from  going  dowu 
to  the  pit :  I  have  foimd  a  ransom, '  Job  xxxiii.  24, 
'  We  have  redemption  through  his  blood,  even  the 


A  CONFESSION  OF  MY  PAITH. 


595 


forgiveness   of  sins.' Col. i.u.    For  wliich  '  witliout 
shedding  of  blood,  is  no  remission.'  He.  k.  23. 

11.  I  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  himself 
is  the  redeemer.  '  They  remembered  that  God  was 
their  rock,  and  the  high  God  their  redeemer.'  Ps. 
LvxTiii.  35.  '  Forasmuch  as  ye  know  that  ye  were  not 
redeemed  with  corruptible  things,  as  silver  and  gold, 
from  your  vain  conversation  received  by  tradition 
from  yom-  fathers  ;  but  with  the  precious  blood  of 
Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  without  blemish,  and  without 

spot.'    lPe.L18,19. 

12.  1  beheve,  that  the  great  reason  why  the 
Lord,  the  second  person  m  the  Godhead,  did  clothe 
himself  with  om- flesh  and  blood,  was  that  he  might 
be  capable  of  obtaining  the  redemption,  that  before 
•the  world,  was  mtended  for  us.     *  Forasmuch  then 

as  the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he 
also  himself  hkewise  took  part  of  the  same  ;  (mark) 
tliat  through  death  he  might  destroy  him  that  had 
the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil ;  and  deliver 
them  who  through  fear  of  death,  were  aU  their 
•  hfetime  subject  to  bondage.'  He.ii.i4,i5.  'When 
the  fulness  of  time  was  come,  God  sent  forth  his 
Son,  made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law,  to 
redeem  them  that  were  under  the  law.'  Ga.  iv.4,  5. 
'  Wherefore  it  behoved  him  in  all  things  to  be 
made  like  unto  his  brethren,  and  that  he  might 
be  a  merciful  and  faithful  high  priest  in  things  per- 
taining  to  God,  to  make  reconciliation  for  the  sins 
of  the  people.  For  in  that  he  hunself  hath  suf- 
fered being  tempted,  he  is  able  to  succour  them  that 
are  tempted. '  He.  ii.  17, 18.  '  Christ  hath  redeemed  us 
from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for 
us:  for  it  is  written,  Cm-sed  is  every  one  that 
hangeth  on  a  tree :  That  the  blessing  of  Abraham 
might  come  on  the  Gentiles  through  [faith  m] 
Jesus  Christ. '  "Ga.  iii.  13, 14. 

13.  I  believe,  that  the  time  when  he  clothed 

himself  with  our  flesh,  was  in  the  days  of  the  reign 

of  Ccesar  Augustus;  then,  I  say,  and  not  tiU  then, 

Avas  the  Word  '  made  flesh,'  or  clothed  with  oui- 

nature.  Jn.  i.  14.  i  Ti.  m.  16.     '  And  it  came  to  pass  in 

those  days,   that  there  went  out  a  decree  from 

C^sar  Augustus,  that  all  the  world  should  be  taxed. 

And  Joseph  also  went  up  from  Galilee,  out  of  the 

city  of  Nazareth,  into  Judea,  unto  the  city  of  David, 

■which  is  called  Bethlehem ;  (because  he  was  of  the 

house  and  lineage  of  David:)  To  be  taxed  with 

Mary  his   espoused  wife,  being  great  with  child. 

And  so  it  was,  that,  while  they  were  there,  the  days 

were  accomplished  that  she  should  be  delivered.' 

Lu.ii.i,4.-6.      This   child  was  he  of  whom  godly 

Suneon  was  told  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  when  he  said, 

That  he  should  not  see  death  until  he  had  seen  the 

Lord's  Christ,  ver.as— 27. 

;  14.  I  believe,  therefore,  that  this  very  child,  as 
afore  is  testified,  is  both  God  and  man ;  the  Christ 
of  the  livmg  God.     *  And  she  brought  forth  her 


firstborn  son,  and  wrapped  him  in  swaddlmg  clothes, 
and  laid  him  in  a  manger ;  because  there  was  no 
room  for  them  in  the  inn.  And  there  were  in  the 
same  country  shepherds  -  keeping  watch  over  their 
flock  by  night.  And,  lo,  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
came  upon  them,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shone 
round  about  them:  and  they  were  sore  afraid. 
And  the  angel  said  unto  them.  Fear  not:  for, 
behold,  1  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy, 
which  shall  be  to  all  people.  For  unto  you  is  born 
this  day  in  the  city  of  David  a  Saviom-,  which  is 
Christ  the  Lord.  And  this  sludl  he  a  sign  unto 
you ;  ye  shall  find  the  babe  wrapped  m  swaddling 
clothes  lying  in  a  manger.'  Lu.  ii.  7—12.  Again, 
'  But  wloile  he  thought  on  these  things,  behold,  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  imto  him ;  -  saying, 
Joseph,  thou  son  of  David,  fear  not  to  take  unto 
thee  Mary  thy  wife :  for  that  which  is  conceived  in 
her  is  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  she  shall  bring 
forth  a  son,  and  thou  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus: 
for  he  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins.  Now 
all  this  was  done,  that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which 
was  spoken  of  the  Lord  by  the  prophet,  saying, 
Behold,  a  virgin  shall  be  with  child,  and  shall 
brino-  forth  a  son,  and  they  shall  call  his  name 
Emmanuel,  which  being  interpreted  is,  God  with 

us.'  Mat.  i.  21,23. 

15.  1  believe,  therefore,  that  the  righteousness, 
and  redemption,  by  which  we  that  believe,  stand 
just  before  God,  as  saved  from  the  cm-se  of  the 
law,  is  the  righteousness,  and  redemption,  that  con- 
sists in  the  personal  acts  and  performances  of  this 
child  Jesus ;  this  God-man  the  Lord's  Christ :  it 
consisteth,  I  say,  in  his  personal  fulfilling  the  law 
for  us,  to  the  utmost  requirement  of  the  justice  of 
God.  '  Think  not  (saith  he)  that  I  am  come  to 
destroy  the  law,  or  the  prophets :  I  am  not  come  to 
destroy,  but  to  fulfill.'  Mat.  v.  17.  By  which  means 
he  became  '  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness 
to  every  one  that  believeth.'  Bx,.x.4.  'For  Avhat 
the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it  was  weak  through 
the  flesh,  God  sending  his  own  Son  in  the  hkeness 
of  sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the 
flesh.'  Ko.  viii.  3.  So  finishing  transgressions,  and 
making  an  end  of  sins,  and  making  reconciliation 
for  iniquity.  He  brought  in  everlasting  righteous- 
ness.   1  Jn.  iii.  8.  3  Ti.  i.  9.  He.  x.  5-10.  Da.  ix.  34. 

16.  1  believe,  that  for  the  completmg  of  this 
work,  he  was  always  sinless;  He.iv.i5.  did  always 
the  things  that  pleased  God's  justice,  Jn.  viii.  29.  that 
every  one  of  his  acts,  both  of  doing  and  suffcrmg 
and  rising  again  from  the  dead,  was  realy  and 
infinitely  perfect,  being  done  by  him  as  God-man: 
He.  viL  26-28.  wherefore  his  acts  before  he  died,  are 
caUed,  '  the  righteousness  of  God,'  Ko.iiL  21  23.  his 
blood,  'the  blood  of  God,'  AC. ...38.  and  'hereby 
perceive  we  the  love  of  God,  because  he  laid  down 
hisUfe  for  us,'i  Jn.i:i.io.     The  Godhead  which  gave 


i9G 


CONCESSION  OF  MY  FAITH. 


virtue  to  all  the  acts  of  the  human  nature,  was  then 
in  perfect  union  -with  it,  when  he  hanged  upon  the 
cross  for  our  sins.  Ac.  x.  S6.  Jn.  xx.  28.  Ro.  i.  4. 

17.  I  believe  then,  that  the  righteousness  that 
saveth  the  sinner  from  the  wrath  to  come,  is  pro- 
perly and  personally  Christ's,  and  ours  but  as  we 
have  union  with  him ;  God  by  grace  imputing  it  to 
us.  *  Yea  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  hut 
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  hut  dung  that  I 
may  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him,  not  having 
mine  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but 
that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the 
righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith.'  Phi.  iii.  8,  9. 
'  But  of  him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  of  God 
is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and 
sanctification,  and  redemption.'  iCo.  i.  so.  'For  he 
hath  made  him  to  he  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin ; 
that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in 
him.'  3Co.  V.  21.  ['In  the  Lord  have  1  righteous- 
ness and  strength.'  is.  xlv.  24.] 

18.  I  believe,  that  God,  as  the  reward  of  Christ's 
imdertakings  for  us,  hath  exalted  him  to  his  own 
right-hand,  as  our  mediator,  and  given  him  a  name 
above  every  name ;  and  hath  made  him  Lord  of  all, 
and  judge  of  quick  and  dead :  and  all  this  that  we 
who  believe  might  take  courage  to  believe,  and 
hope  in  God.  Ep.  i.  17—23.  '  And  being  found  in 
fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself  -  unto  death, 
even  the  death  of  the  cross,  (where  he  died  for  our 
sins.)  Wherefore  God  also  hath  highly  exalted 
him ;  and  given  him  a  name  -  above  every  name : 
That  at  the  name  of  Jesus  everj'  knee  should  bow, 
of  things  in  heaven,  and  things  in  earth,  and  things 
under  the  earth ;  And  that  every  tongue  should 
confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of 
God  the  Father.'  Plii.  ii.  8—11.  '  And  he  commanded 
us  to  preach  imto  the  people,  and  to  testify  that  it 
is  he  which  was  ordained  of  God  to  he  the  Judge  of 
quick  and  dead.'  Ac.  x. 42;  and  xvii.  si.  '  Who  verily 
was  foreordained  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
but  was  manifest  in  these  last  times  for  you,  who 
by  him  do  believe  in  God  that  raised  him  up  from 
the  dead,  and  gave  him  glory ;  that  your  faith  and 
hope  might  be  in  God.'  1  Pe. i.  19—21. 

19.  I  believe,  that  being  at  the  right  hand  of 
God  in  heaven,  he  doth  there  effectually  exercise 
the  offices  of  his  excellent  priesthood,  and  medi- 
atorship,  presenting  himself  continually  before  God, 
in  the  righteousness  which  is  accomplished  for  us, 
when  he  was  in  the  world.  For  by  the  efficacy  of 
his  blood,  he  not  only  went  into  the  holy  place,  but 
being  there,  and  having  by  it  obtained  eternal 
redemption  for  us ;  now,  as  receiving  the  worth 
and  merit  thereof  from  the  Father ;  doth  bestow 
upon  us  grace,  repentance,  faith,  and  the  remission 
of  sins :  yea  he  also  received  for  us,  the  Holy  Ghost 


to  be  sent  unto  us,  to  ascertain*  u?j  of  our  adoption 
and  glory :  '  For  if  he  were  on  earth,  he  should  not 
be  a  priest.'  lie.  vUi.  4.  '  Seeing  then  that  we  have  a 
great  high  priest,  that  is  passed  into  the  heavens, 
Jesus  the  Son  of  God,  let  us  hold  fast  our  profes- 
sion.' He. iv.  14.  'For  there  is  one  God,  and  one 
mediator  between  God  and  men,  the  man  Christ 
Jesus. '  I  Ti.  ii.  5.  For  '  by  his  own  blood  he  entered 
in  once  into  the  holy  place,  having  obtained  eternal 
redemption  ybr  MS.  -  For  Christ  is  not  entered  into 
the  holy  places  made  with  hands,  lohich  are  the 
figures  of  the  true ;  but  into  heaven  itself,  now  to 
appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us.'  He. ix.  12, 21. 
'  Therefore  being  by  the  right  hand  of  God  exalted, 
and  having  received  of  the  Father  the  promise  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  he  hath  shed  forth  this,  which  yo 
now  see  and  hcar.'t  Ac.  ii.  23;  v.  31. 

20.  I  believe,  that  being  there,  he  shall  so  con- 
tinue tiU  the  restitution  of  all  things,  and  then  he 
shall  come  again  in  glory,  and  shall  sit  in  judg- 
ment upon  all  flesh.  And  I  believe,  that  accord- 
ing to  his  sentence  so  shall  their  judgment  be. 
'  Repent  ye  therefore  and  be  converted,  that  your 
sins  may  be  blotted  out,  when  the  times  of  refresh- 
ing shall  come  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord ;  and 
he  shall  send  Jesus  Christ,  which  before  was 
preached  unto  you :  whom  the  heaven  must  receive 
until  the  times  of  restitution  of  all  things,  -  spoken 
by  the  mouth  of  all  his  holy  prophets  since  the 
world  began.'  Ac.iii.  19— 21.  For  'this  same  Jesus, 
which  is  taken  up  from  you  into  heaven,  shall  so 
come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into 
heaven.'  Ac.  i.  11.  '  For  the  Lord  himself  shall^des •• 
cend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of 
the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of  God;'  &c. 
1  Th.  iv.  16.  '  When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  iu 
his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with  him,  then 
shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory :  And 
before  him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations :  and  he 
shall  separate  them  one  from  another,  as  a  shep- 
herd divideth  his  sheep  from  the  goats.  And  he 
shall  set  the  sheep  on  his  right  hand,  but  the  goats 
on  the  left.  Then  shall  the  king  say  unto  them 
on  his  right  hand.  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father, 
inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the 
foundation  of  the  Avorld.  Then  shall  he  say  also 
unto  them  on  the  left  hand.  Depart  from  me,  ye 
cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil 
and  his  angels  :  And  these  shall  go  away  into 
everlasting   punishment :   but  the  righteous   into 

*  '  To  ascertain  us,'  ia  tlic  17tli  century,  meant  '  to  make 
us  confident,'  '  to  assure  us.'  '  It  ascertaining  me  tliat  I  am 
one  of  God's  cMldren.' — Hammond.  Ed. 

t  Eternal  blessings  on  our  Emmanuel,  wlio  faithfully  per- 
formed His  promise  of  sending  the  Comforter  to  uulock  the 
mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  grace,  and  guide  us  into  all  truth : 
without  His  powerful  aid  we  can  neither  know  or  perform  any 
thing  to  a  good  or  saving  purpose. — 3Iason. 


A  CONFESSION  OF  MY  FAITII. 


597 


life  eternal.'  Mat.  xxv.  31—33, 41, 40.  For  '  the  day  of  the 
Lord  will  come  as  a  thief  in  the  night,  in  the  Avhicli 
the  heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a  great  noise, 
and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat,  the 
earth  also  and  the  works  that  are  therein  shall  he 
burned  up.  Seeing  then  that  all  these  things  shall 
he  dissolved,  what  manner  of  2Jersons  ought  ye  to 
he  in  all  holy  conversation  and  godliness,  looking- 
for  and  hasting  xiuto  the  coming  of  the  day  of 
God,  wherein  the  heavens  being  on  fire  shall  be 
dissolved,  and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent 

heat. '  3  Pe.  iii.  10—13. 

21,  I  believe  that  when  he  conies,  his  saints 
shall  have  a  reward  of  grace,  for  all  their  work 
and  labour  of  love  which  they  showed  to  his  name 
in  the  world.  '  And  every  man  shall  receive  his 
own  reward,  according  to  his  own  labour,'  i  Co.  iii.  8. 
'  And  then  shall  every  man  have  praise  of  God, ' 
17. 5.  '  And  behold,  I  come  quickly ;  and  my  reward 
is  with  me,  to  give  every  man  according  as  his 
work  shaU  be,'  Re.  xxii.  12.  '  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, '  1  Co.  XV.  58.  '  Knowing  that  of  the  Lord  ye 
shall  receive  the  reward  of  the  inheritance  :  for  ye 
serve  the  Lord  Christ.'  Coi.iii.  st. 

Uoiv  CJirist  is  made  ours ;  or  by  ivhat  means  this  or 
that  man,  hath  that  benefit  by  him,  as  to  stand 
just  be/ore  God  now,  and  in  the  day  of  judgment. 

Of  Justification. 

1.  I  believe,  we  being  sinful  creatures  in  our- 
selves, that  no  good  thing  done  by  us,  can  procure 
of  God  the  imputation  of  the  righteousness  of 
Jesus  Christ,  But  that  the  imputation  thereof  is 
an  act  of  grace,  a  free  gift  without  our  deserving. 
'  Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace  through  the 
redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,'  Ro. iii. 24.  and 
V.  17.  '  Who  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with  an 
holy  calling,  not  according  to  our  works,  but  accord- 
ing to  his  o\ra  purpose  and  grace,  which  was  given 
us  in  Christ  Jesus.'  2Ti.  i.  9. 

2,  I  believe  also.  That  the  power  of  imputing 
righteousness  resideth  only  in  God  by  Christ:  1, 
Sin  being  the  transgression  of  the  law,  2.  The 
soul  that  hath  sinned  being  his  creature,  and  the 
righteousness  also  his,  and  his  only.  *  Even  as 
David  also  describeth  the  blessedness  of  the  man, 
unto  whom  God  imputeth  righteousness  without 
works,  saying,  Blessed  are  they  whose  iniquities 
are  forgiven,  and  whose  sins  are  covered.  Blessed 
is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  will  not  impute  sin, ' 
Ro.  iv.  6—8.  Hence  therefore  it  is  said  again.  That 
men  '  shall  abimdantly  utter  the  memory  of  thy 
great  goodness,  and  shall  sing  of  thy  righteous- 
ness. '  Ps.  cxiv.  7.    *  For  he  saith  to  Moses,  I  will  have 


mercy  on  whom  I  will  have  mercy,  and  I  will  have 
compassion  on  whom  I  will  have  compassion.  So 
then  it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that 
runneth,  but  of  God  that  showeth  mercy,  Ro.ix.l5,ic. 

3,  I  believe,  that  the  offer  of  this  righteousness, 
as  tendered  in  the  gospel,  is  to  be  received  by  faith ; 
we  still  in  the  very  act  of  receiving  it,  judging  our- 
selves sinners  in  ourselves,  '  Oh  wretched  man 
that  I  am  !  Avho  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of 
this  death?  I  thank  God  through  Jesus  Christ.' 
Ro.  vii.  24, 23.  *  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
thou  shalt  be  saved.'  Ac. xyi. 31.  The  gospel  is 
preached  in  all  nations  for  the  obedience  of  faith, 
'  Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace  through  the 
redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus ;  whom  God 
hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation,  (a  sacrifice  to 
appease  the  displeasure  of  God)  through  faith  in 
his  blood.  To  declare  his  righteousness  for  the 
remission  of  sins  that  are  past  through  the  forbear- 
ance of  God ;  to  declare  I  say,  at  this  time  his 
righteousness:  that  he  might  be  just,  and  the 
justifier  of  him  which  believeth  on  Jesus.'  Ro.  iii. 24— 
26.  '  Be  it  knoivn  unto  you  therefore,  men  and 
brethren,  that  through  this  man  is  preached  unto 
you  the  forgiveness  of  sins :  And  by  him  all  that 
believe  are  justified  from  all  things,  from  which 
ye  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses.' 

Ac.  xiii.  38,  39. 

4,  I  believe,  that  this  faith,  as  it  respccteth  the 
imputation  of  this  righteousness,  for  justification 
before  God,  doth  put  forth  itself  in  such  acts,  as 
purely  respect  the  ofier  of  a  gift.  It  receiveth, 
accepteth  of,  embraceth,  or  trusteth  to  it.  '  As 
many  as  received  him  to  them  gave  he  power  to 
become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe 
on  his  name, '  Jn.  i.  13.  '  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,'  iTi. i.  15;  and  He.xi.  13.  'In  whom  ye  also 
trusted,  after  that  ye  heard  the  word  of  truth,  the 
gospel  of  your  salvation :  In  whom  also  after  that 
ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed  with  that  holy  spirit  of 
promise.'  Ep.  i.  13.  I  believe  therefore,  that  as  to  my 
justification  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  I  am,  as  I 
stand  in  myself,  ungodly,  to  receive,  accept  of, 
embrace,  and  trust  to  the  righteousness,  that  is 
already  provided  by,  and  wrapt  up  in  the  personal 
doings  and  sufi'erings  of  Christ ;  it  being  faith  in 
that,  and  that  only,  that  can  justify  a  sinner  in 
the  sight  of  God.* 

5,  I  believe,  that  the  faith  that  so  doth,  is  not 
to  be  found  with  any  but  those,  in  whom  the  Spirit 
of  God  by  mighty  power  doth  work  it :  all  others 
beina:  fearful  and  incredulous,  dare  not  venture 


*  The  gracious  soul  Lclicves  iu  Christ  for  justification, 
from  a  sense  of  utter  inauility  to  obtain  justification  by  works. 
Tliis  is  effected  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  glorifier 
of  Jesus, — Mason. 


59S 


A  CONFESSION  01-'  MY  FAITH. 


tlieir  souls  and  eternity  upon  it.  And  hence  it  is 
called  the  faith  that  is  wrought  by  the  exceeding 
great  and  mighty  power  of  God ;  the  faith  of  the 
operation  of  God.  And  hence  it  is  that  others  are 
said  to  he  fearful,  and  so  unbelieving.  These  with 
other  ungodly  sinners  must  have  their  part  in  the 

lake  of  fire,  Ep.  i.  18, 19.  Col  ii.  12.  Ep.  ii.  8.  PM.  i.  19.  Re.  xxi.  8. 

6.  I  believe,  that  this  faith  is  eftectuall}'- wrought 
in  none,  but  those  which  before  the  world  were 
appointed  imto  glory.  '  And  as  many  as  were 
ordained  unto  eternal  life  believed. '  Ac.  xiii.  48.  *  That 
he  might  make  known  the  riches  of  his  glory  on 
the  vessels  of  mercy,  which  he  had  afore  prepared 
unto  glory. '  Ko.  u.  23.  *  We  give  thanks  to  God 
always  for  you  all,  making  mention  of  you  in  our 
prayers  ;  remembering  without  ceasing  your  work 
of  faith,  and  labour  of  love,  and  patience  of  hope 
in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  sight  of  God  ;  - 
knowing,  brethren  beloved,  your  election  of  God. ' 

1  Til.  i.  2—4.  But  of  the  rest  he  saith,  *  ye  believe 
not  because  ye  are  not  of  my  sheep,  as  I  said,' 
Jn.  X.  2G.  which  latter  words  relate  to  the  16th  verse, 
which  respecteth  the  election  of  God. 

'  Therefore  they  could  not  believe,  because  that 
Esaias  said  again.  He  hath  blinded  their  eyes,  and 
hardened  their  heart;  that  they  should  not  see 
with  their  eyes,  nor  understand  with  tJieir  heart, 
and  I  shoidd  heal  them.'  Jn. xii.  39, 40. 

0/  Election. 

1.  I  believe  that  election  is  free  and  permanent, 
being  foimded  in  grace,  and  the  unchangeable  will 
of  God.  *  Even  so  then  at  this  present  time  also 
there  is  a  remnant  according  to  the  election  of 
grace.  And  if  by  grace,  then  it  is  no  more  of 
works  :  othei'wise  grace  is  no  more  grace.  But  if 
it  be  of  works,  then  is  it  no  more  of  grace  :  other- 
wise work  is  no  more  work.'  Eo.  xi.  5,  6.  '  Neverthe- 
less the  foundation  of  God  standeth  sure,  havine: 
this  seal,  the  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his.' 

2  Ti.  ii.  19.  '  In  whom  also  we  have  obtained  an 
inheritance,  being  predestinated  according  to  the 
purpose  of  him  who  worketh  all  things  after  the 
counsel  of  his  own  will. '  Ep.  i.  ii. 

2.  I  believe,  that  this  decree,  choice  or  election, 
was  before  the  foundation  of  the  world ;  and  so 
before  the  elect  themselves,  had  being  in  them- 
selves :  For  *  God  who  quickeneth  the  dead,  and 
calleth  those  things  which  be  not  as  though  they 
were,'  Ro.  17.17.  stays  not  for  the  being  of  things,  to 
detei-mine  his  eternal  purpose  by ;  but  having  all 
things  present  to  him,  in  his  wisdom,  he  made  his 
choice  before  the  world  was.  Ep.  i.  4.  2  Ti.  i.  9. 

3.  I  believe,  that  the  decree  of  election  is  so  far 
off  from  making  works  in  us  foreseen,  the  ground 
or  cause  of  the  choice :  that  it  containeth  in  the 
bowels  of  it,  not  only  the  persons,  but  the  graces 
that  accompany  their  salvation.     And  hence  it  is. 


that  it  is  said;  we  ai'e  predestinated  'to  he  conformed 
to  the  image  of  his  Son  ;'  Ro.  viii.  29.  not  because  we 
are,  but  'that  we  should  be  holy  and  Avithout  blame 
before  him  in  love.'  Ep.  i.4.  *  For  we  are  his  work- 
manship, created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works, 
which  God  hath  before  ordained  that  we  should 
walk  in  them.'  Ep. ii.  10.  He  blessed  us  according 
as  he  chose  us  in  Christ.  And  hence  it  is  again 
that  the  salvation  and  calling  of  which  we  are  now. 
made  partakers,  is  no  other  than  what  was  given 
us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  began ;  accord- 
ing to  his  eternal  purpose  which  he  purposed  in 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.  Ep.  iu.  8—11.  2  Ti.  i.  9.  Ro.  ■viii.  29. 

4.  I  believe  that  Christ  Jesus  is  he  in  whom  the 
elect  are  always  considered,  and  that  without  him 
there  is  neither  election,  grace,  nor  salvation. 
'  Having  predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption  of 
children,  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself,  according  to 
the  good  pleasure  of  his  wHl,  to  the  praise  of  the: 
glory  of  his  grace:  wherein  he  hath  made  us, 
accepted  in  the  beloved.  In  whom  we  have 
redemption  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of 
sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace.  -  That" 
in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  times,  he  might 
gather  together  in  one  aU  things  in  Christ,  both 
which  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  in  earth,  even 
in  him. '  Ep.  i.  5—7, 10.  '  Neither  is  there  salvation  in 
any  other:  for  there  is  none  other  name  under 
heaven  given  among  men,  whereby  we  must  be 
saved. '  Ac.  iv.  12. 

5.  I  believe,  that  there  is  not  any  impediment 
attending  the  election  of  God,  that  can  hinder  their 
conversion,  and  eternal  salvation.  '  Moreover 
whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called: 
and  whom  he  called,  them  he  also  justified  :  and 
whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified.  What 
shall  we  then  say  to  these  things  ?  If  God  be  for 
us,  who  ca7i  be  against  us  ?  -  Who  shall  lay  any 
thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect  ?  It  is  God 
that  justifieth.  Who  is  he  that  condemneth?' 
&c.  Ro.  viii.  30—35.  '  What  then  ?  Israel  hath  not 
obtained  that  which  he  seeketh  for ;  but  the  elec- 
tion hath  obtained  it,  and  the  rest  were  blinded.' 
Ro.  xi.  7.  '  For  Israel  hath  not  been  forsaken,  nor 
Judah  of  his  God,  of  the  Lord  of  hosts :  though 
their  land  was  filled  with  sin,  against  the  holy  one 
of  Israel, '  Je.  li.  5.  When  Ananias  made  intercession 
against  Saul,  saying,  '  Lord,  I  have  heard  by  many 
of  this  man,  how  much  evil  he  hath  done  to  thy 
saints  at  Jerusalem:  and  here  he  hath  authority 
from  the  chief  priests  to  bind  aU  that  call  on  thy 
name.'  What  said  God  unto  him?  'Go  thy 
way,  for  he  is  a  chosen  vessel  unto  me,  to  bear  my 
name  before  the  Gentiles,  and  kings,  and  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel. '  Ac.  k.  12—15. 

6.  I  believe  that  no  man  can  know  his  election, 
but  by  his  calling.  The  vessels  of  mercy,  which 
God  afore  prepared  unto  glory,  do  thus  claim  v 


A  CONFESSION  OF  MY  FAITH. 


599 


sliare  therein :  'Even  us,  [say  they,]  whom  he  hath 
called,  not  of  the  Jews  only,  but  also  of  the  Gen- 
tiles ?  As  he  saith  also  in  Hosea ;  I  Avill  call  them 
my  people,  which  were  not  my  people,  and  her 
beloved,  which  was  not  beloved.  Ro.  ix.  34, 35. 

7.  I  beUeve  therefore,  that  election  doth  not 
forestal  or  prevent  the  means  which  are  of  God 
appointed  to  bring  us  to  Christ,  to  grace  and 
glory ;  but  rather  putteth  a  necessity  upon  the  use 
and  effect  thereof ;  because  they  are  chosen  to  be 
brought  to  heaven  that  way :  that  is,  by  the  faith 
of  Jesus  Christ,  which  is  the  end  of  effectual  calling. 
*  AVherefore  the  rather,  brethren,  give  dihgence  to 
■make  your  calling  and  election  sure.'  3Pe.  i.  lo.  3Th. 

ii.  13.  1  Pe.  i.  13. 

Of  CaUing. 

I  believe,  that  to  effectual  calling,  the  Holy 
Ghost  must  accompany  the  word  of  the  gospel,  and 
that  with  mighty  power:  I  mean  that  calling, 
which  of  God  is  made  to  be  the  fruit  of  electing 
love.  'Knowing,'  saith  Paul  to  the  Thessalonians, 
'  brethren  beloved,  your  election  of  God.  For  om- 
gospel  came  not  unto  you  in  word  only,  but  also  in 
power,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  in  much  assur- 
ance,' he.  iTh.i.  4, 5.  Otherwise  men  wUl  not,  can- 
not, hear  and  turn.  Samuel  was  called  four  times, 
before  he  knew  the  voice  of  him  that  spake  from 
heaven,  l  Sa.  iii.  6— lo.  It  is  said  of  them  in  Hosea, 
That  as  the  prophets  called  them  so  they  went 
from  them  ;  and  instead  of  tm-ning  to  them,  '  sacri- 
ficed to  Baalim,  and  burned  incense  to  graven 
images. '  Ho.  xL  3.  The  reason  is,  because  men  by 
nature  are  not  only  dead  in  sins,  but  enemies  in 
their  minds  by  reason  of  wicked  works :  the  call 
then  is,  'Awake  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from 
the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light.'  Ep.  v.  14. 
Understand,  therefore,  that  effectual  caUing  is  like 
that  word  of  Christ  that  raised  Lazarus  from  the 
dead;  a  word  attended  with  an  arm  that  was 
omnipotent.  'Lazarus,  come  forth.'  Jn. xi. 43.  It 
was  a  word  to  the  dead ;  but  not  only  so :  it  was 
a  word  for  the  dead ;  a  word  that  raised  him  from 
the  dead ;  a  word  that  outwent  all  opposition ;  and 
that  brought  him  forth  of  the  grave,  though  bound 
hand  and  foot  therein.  Ga.i.  15.  And  hence  it  is, 
that  calling  is  sometimes  expressed  by  quickening, 
Ep.  ii.  1, 3.  awakening,  iUumiriating,  or  bringing  them 
forth  of  darkness  to  light,  that  amazeth  and  asto- 
nisheth  them.  He.  s.  33.  Ac.  Ik.  6.  For  as  it  is  a  strange 
thing  for  a  man  that  lay  long  dead,  or  never  saw 
the  light  with  his  eyes,  to  be  raised  out  of  the 
grave,  or  to  be  made  to  see  that  which  he  could 
not  so  much  as  once  think  of  before,  so  it  is  with 
effectual  calhng.  Hence  it  is  that  Paul,  when 
called,  stood  'trembling  and  was  astonished:'  and 
that  Peter  saith,  '  he  hath  called  us  out  of  dark- 
ness into  his  marvellous  light. '  i  Pe.  ii.  9.  Ep.  iy.  34.  Ac.  ix.  6. 


In  effectual  caUing  the  voice  of  God  is  heard,  and 
the  gates  of  heaven  are  opened :  *  when  God  called 
Abraham,  he  appeared  to  him  in  glory.  That  of 
Ananias  to  Saul  is  experienced  but  by  few.  '  The 
God  of  our  fathers  hath  chosen  thee,  [saith  he,] 
that  thou  shouldest  know  his  will,  and  see  that 
just  one,  and  shouldest  hear  the  voice  of  his  mouth. ' 
Ac.  xxii.  14.  True,  Saul's  call  was  out  of  the  ordinary 
way,  but  yet  as  to  the  matter,  and  truth  of  the 
work,  it  was  no  other  than  all  the  chosen  have,  viz. 

(1.)  An  effectual  awakening  about  the  evil  of 
sin ;  and  especially  of  unbeHef.  Jn.  xvi.  9.  And  there- 
fore when  the  Lord  God  called  Adam,  he  also 
made  unto  him  an  effectual  discovery  of  sin ;  inso- 
much that  he  stript  him  of  all  his  righteousness, 
Ge.  iii.  Thus  he  also  served  the  gaoler.  Ac.  xvi.  39,  so. 
Yea  it  is  such  an  awakening,  as  by  it,  he  sees  he 
was  without  Christ,  without  hope,  and  a  stranger 
to  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  '  and  without  God 
in  the  world. '  Ep.  ii.  12.  Oh  the  dread  and  amaze- 
ment that  the  guilt  of  sin  brings  with  it,  when  it 
is  revealed  by  the  God  of  heaven ;  and  like  to  it  is 
the  sight  of  mercy,  when  it  pleaseth  God,  who 
calleth  us  by  his  grace,  to  reveal  his  Son  in  us. 

(2.)  In  effectual  caUing  there  is  great  awaken- 
ings about  the  world  to  come,  and  the  glory  of 
imseen  things ;  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and 
eternal  judgment;  the  salvation  that  God  hath 
prepared  for  them  that  love  him ;  with  the  blessed- 
ness that  wiU  attend  us,  and  be  upon  us,  at  the 
coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  are  great  things 
in  the  soul  that  is  under  the  awakening  caUs  of 
God.  And  hence  we  are  said  to  be  caUed  to  glory. 
1  Th.  ii.  13.  '  To  the  obtaining  of  the  glory  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  3 Tii.  ii.  14. 

(3.)  In  effectual  caUing  there  is  also  a  sanctify- 
ing virtue ;  and  hence  we  are  said  to  be  caUed 
with  an  holy  caUing,  i  Th.  iv.  7.  with  an  '  heavenly 
caUing. '  He.  iii.  1.  Called  to  glory  and  virtue.  '  But 
ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  an 
holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people;  that  ye  should 
show  forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath  caUed  you 
out  of  darkness  into  his  marveUous  light. '  i  Pe.  ii.  9. 
Yea,  effectual  calling  hath  annexed  to  it,  as  its 
inseparable  companion,  the  promise  of  thorough 
sanctifieation.  '  Faithful  is  he  that  calleth  you, 
Avho  also  wiU  do  i^. '  i  Th.  v.  24. 

Of  Faith. 

I  beUeve,  that  effectual  caUing  doth  therefore 
produce,  1.  Faith;  and  therefore  it  is  said,  that 
'  faith  cWMth  by  hearing;'  Ko.x.17.  by  hearing  the 


*  Effectual  caUing  is  evidenced  by  the  soul's  love  to  God, 
in  his  deal-  Son ;  a  superior  delight  in  Him,  as  a  reconciled 
Father,  cleaving  to  Him,  His  ways,  and  people ;  and  longing 
for  the  full  fruition  and  final  enjoj-mcnt  of  Him  in  glory.— 
Mason. 


600 


A  CONFESSION  OF  SIY  FATTII. 


TTOrd  that  calletli  us  'iinto  the  grace  of  Christ.' 
Ga.  i.  6.  For  by  the  word  that  calleth  us,  is  Jesus 
Christ  held  forth  to  us;  and  offered  to  be  our 
righteousness;  and  therefore  the  apostle  saith 
again,  that  God  hath  called  us  '  unto  the  fellow- 
ship of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ ;'  i  Co.  i.  9.  that  is,  to  be 
made  partakers  of  the  riches  of  grace,  and  the 
righteousness  that  is  in  him.  2.  It  produceth 
hope.  It  giveth  a  ground  to  hope ;  and  therefore 
hope  is  said  to  he  the  hope  of  our  calling,  Ep.  i.  18. 
And  again,  '  Even  as  ye  are  called  in  one  hope  of 
your  calling. '  Ep.  iv.  4.  Now  the  godly  wise  know, 
whoso  misseth  of  effectual  calling,  misseth  of 
eternal  life ;  because  God  justifieth  none  but  them 
whom  he  calleth ;  and  gloi-ifies  none  but  those 
whom  he  justifies :  and  therefore  it  is  that  Peter 
said  before,  '  Make  your  calling,  and  [so]  your 
election  sure:'  make  it  sure,  that  is,  prove  your 
calling  right,  by  the  word  of  God.  For  wlaoso 
staggereth  at  the  certainty  of  his  calling,  cannot 
comfortably  hope  for  a  share  in  eternal  life. 
'  Remember  the  word  imto  thy  servant,  upon 
which  thou  hast  caused  me  to  hope.  My  soul 
fainteth  for  thy  salvation,  but  I  hope  in  thy  word.' 
Ps. cxix.49, 81.  3,  It  produceth  repentance;  for  when 
a  man  hath  heaven,  and  heU  before  his  eyes  (as  he 
wiU  have  if  he  be  imder  the  power  of  effectual 
calling)  or  when  a  man  hath  a  revelation  of  the 
mercy  and  justice  of  God,  with  an  heart-drawing 
invitation  to  lay  hold  on  the  tender  forgiveness  of 
sins ;  and  being  made  also  to  behold  the  goodly 
beauty  of  holiness  ;  it  must  needs  be,  that  repent- 
ance appears,  and  puts  forth  itself,  unto  self- 
revenging  acts,  for  all  its  wickedness  which  in  the 
days  of  ignorance  it  delighted  in.  And  hence  is 
that  saying,  '  I  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but 
sinners  to  repentance.'  Mar. ii.  17.  For  the  effecting 
of  which,  the  preaching  of  the  word  of  the  king- 
dom, is  most  proper :  '  Repent :  for  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  at  hand. '  Mat.  iv.  17. 

0/  Repeiitance. 

Repentance  is  a  turning  the  heart  to  God  in 
Christ:  a  turning  of  it  from  sin,  and  the  devil, 
and  darkness;  to  the  goodness,  and  grace,  and 
holiness  that  is  m  him.  Wherefore,  they  that  of 
old  are  said  to  repent,  are  said  to  loath  and  abhor 
themselves,  for  all  their  abominations.  '  I  abhor 
myself,'  [said  Job,]  'and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes.' 

Job  xlii.  C.    See  also  Eze.  vi.  9;  xi.  43;  xxxvi.  31;  xlii.  6;  xvi.  C3. 

Godly  repentance  doth  not  only  affect  the  soul 
with  the  loathsome  nature  of  sin  that  is  past ;  but 
fiUeth  the  heart  with  godly  hatred  of  sms  that 
yet  may  come.  Vfhen  Moses  feared  that  through 
his  being  overburthened  with  the  care  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  some  unruly  or  sinful  passions 
might  show  themselves  in  him,  what  saith  he  ? 


*  Kill  me,  I  pray  thee,  out  of  hand,  if  I  have  found 
favour  in  thy  sight,  and  let  me  not  see  my  wretched- 
ness. '  Nu.  xi.  15.  See  also  how  that  which  Paul 
calleth  godly  repentance,  wrought  in  the  upright 
Corinthians,  'Behold,'  [saith  he,]  this  self  same 
thing,  that  ye  sorrowed  after  a  godly  sort,  Avhat 
carefulness  it  wrought  in  you,  yea,  tohat  clearing 
of  yourselves,  yea,  what  indignation,  yea,  what 
fear,  yea,  whol  vehement  desire,  yea,  whcd  zeal, 
yea,  wliat  revenge  !  In  all  things  ye  have  approved 
yourselves  to  be  clear  in  this  matter.  3  Co.  vii.  11. 

Of  Love. 

It  [effectual  calling]  produceth  also  love:  where- 
fore Paul,  when  he  had  put  the  church  in  remem- 
brance that  they  were  called  of  God,  adds.  That 
concerning  brotherly  love,  they  had  no  need  that  he 
should  write  unto  them.  1  Th.  iv.  9.  As  who  should 
say.  If  God  be  so  kind  to  us,  to  forgive  us  our 
sins,  to  save  our  souls,  and  to  give  us  the  kingdom 
of  heaven ;  let  these  be  motives  beyond  all  other 
to  provoke  us  to  love  again.  Farther,  if  we  that 
are  thus  beloved  of  God,  are  made  members  of  one 
man's  body,  all  partakers  of  his  grace,  clothed  all, 
with  his  glorious  righteousness,  and  are  together 
appointed  to  be  the  children  of  the  next  world ; 
why  should  we  not  love  one  another  ?  '  Beloved,  if 
God  so  loved  us,  we  ought  also  to  love  one  another. ' 
1  Jn.  iv.  11.  And  tridy  so  we  shall,  if  the  true  grace 
of  God  be  upon  us ;  because  we  also  see  them  to 
be  the  called  of  Jesus.  Travellers,  that  are  of  the 
same  country,  love  and  take  pleasure  one  in  another, 
when  they  meet  in  a  strange  land.*  Why,  we 
sojourn  here  in  a  strange  country,  with  them  that 
are  heirs  together  with  us  of  the  promised  king- 
dom and  glory.  He.  xi.  9.;  Now,  as  I  said,  this  holy 
love  worketh  oy  love:  mark,  love  in  God  and 
Christ  when  discovered,  constraineth  us  to  love 
[one  another.]  2 Co.  v.  14. 

The  name,  therefore,  and  word,  and  truth  of 
God  in  Christ,  together  with  the  sincerity  of  grace, 
of  faith,   and  holiness  in  us,  are  the  delightful 

objects  of  this  love.  Ps.  cxix.  47, 127, 132, 159;  v.  11;  Ixix.  3G. 

and  ci.  G.  For  it  embraceth  with  delight  and  com- 
placency, but  as  it  discerneth  the  image  of  God, 
and  of  Christ  in  the  soul,  his  presence  in  the 
ministry,  and  a  suitableness  in  our  worship  to  the 
word  and  mind  of  Christ.  Ps.  xsvi.  Sjxxra.  4;k.xxiv.  1— 1. 

1  Til.  v.  13.  Phil.  i.  3—7.  Ep.  iv.  32. 

Love  also  hath  a  blessed  faculty,  and  heavenly, 


*  How  great  is  tlie  deliglit  of  meeting  in  a  foreign  country, 
after  a  long  absence  from  Lome,  with  one  wlio  speaks  your 
own  language  and  sympatliizes  with  yova-  national  feelings. 
How  much  more  strong  are  those  enjoyments  arising  from  the 
communion  of  saints,  while  travelling  tlirough  an  enemy's 
country,  with  difficult  duties  to  perform, — animated  by  a  Inn- 
dred  spirit,  and  seeking  the  same  eternal  home. — Ed, 


A  COXrESSION  OF  ilY  FAITH. 


601 


in  bearing  and  suffering  afflictions,  putting  up 
■wrongs,  overlooking  the  infirmities  of  the  brethren, 
and  in  serving  in  all  Christian  offices  the  necessities 
of  the  saints.  *  Charity  sufferetli  long  and  is  kind ; 
charity  envieth  not;  charity  vannteth  not  itself, 
is  not  puffed  up,  doth  not  behave  itself  imseemly, 
seekcth  not  her  own,  is  not  easily  provoked,  think- 
eth  no  evil;  rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity,  but  rejoiceth 
in  the  truth ;  beareth  all  things,  believeth  all 
things,  hopeth  all  things,  endureth  all  things. 
Charity  never  faileth.'  l  Co.  xiu.  4r-8.  [also,]  iPe.  iv.  8. 
and  Ga.  V.  13.  In  a  word,  it  designeth  a  holy  con- 
versation in  this  world ;  that  God,  and  Christ,  and 
the  word  of  Christ,   'may  be  glorified  thereby.' 

S  Co.  xi.  10—13. 1  Pe.  i.  12;  iii.  IG. 

Of  the  Scriptures. 

Touching  which  word  of  God  1  thus  believe  and 
confess,  1.  That  all  the  holy  scriptures  are  the 
words  of  God.  '  All  scripture  is  given  by  inspira- 
tion of  God.'  2Ti.  iii.  16.  For  the  prophecy  [of  the 
scriptm-e]  came  not  in  old  time  by  the  will  of  man  : 
but  holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  ivere  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost.  2Pe.i.  21.  2.  I  believe  that  the  holy 
scriptures,  of  themselves,  without  the  addition  of 
human  inventions,  are  able  to  make  the  man  of  God 
perfect  in  all  things ;  and  '  thoroughly  to  furnish 
him  unto  all  good  works. '  They  are  able  '  to  make 
thee  wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus.'  2Ti. iii.  15.  And  to  instruct  thee  in 
all  other  things,  that  either  respect  the  worship  of 
God,  or  thy  Avalking  before  all  men.  3  Ti.  iii.  17. 3  Pe. 
i.  19—21.  3.  I  believe  the  great  end  why  God  com- 
mitted the  scriptures  to  writing  was;  that  we 
might  be  instructed  to  Christ,  taught  how  to 
believe,  iJu.  v.  13,  [and  be]  encouraged  to  patience 
and  hope,  for  the  grace  that  is  to  be  brought  unto 
us  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ.  Jn.  xx.  31.  Ro. 
XV.  4.  Also  that  we  might  understand  Avhat  is  sin, 
and  how  to  avoid  the  commission  thereof.  *  Con- 
cerning the  works  of  men  (said  David)  by  the  word 
of  thy  lips,  I  have  kept  me  from  the  paths  of  the 
destroyer.'  Ps. xra. 4.  'Through  thy  precepts  I  get 
understanding :  therefore  I  hate  every  false  way. ' 
Ps.  cxix.  104.  '  Thy  word  have  I  hid  in  mme  heart, 
that  I  might  not  sin  against  thee.'  Ps.  cxk.  ll.  4.  I 
believe  that  they  cannot  be  broken,  but  Avill  cer- 
tainly be  fulfilled  in  all  the  prophecies,  threaten- 
ings,  and  promises,  either  to  the  salvation  or  dam- 
nation of  men.  They  are  like  that  flying  roll, 
that  will  go  over  all  the  earth  to  cut  off  and  curse. 
Ze.  V.  3—4.  In  them  is  contained  also  the  blessing, 
they  preach,  to  us  also  the  way  of  salvation.  Ga. 
iii.  8.  '  Beware,  therefore,  lest  that  come  upon  you, 
which  is  spoken  of  in  the  prophets  ;  Behold,  ye 
despisers,  and  wonder,  and  perish:*  for  I  work  a 


work  in  your  days,  a  work  which  ye  shall  in  no 
wise  believe,  though  a  man  declare  it  unto  you,' 

Ac.  xiii.  40,  41.     [sec    also]     Jn.  .x.  35;  xii.  37-^1;  iii.  17—19. 

5.  I  believe  that  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  word  of  the 
scriptures,  will  judge  all  men  at  the  day  of  doom; 
for  that  is  the  book  of  the  law  of  the  Lord,  accord- 
ing   to    Paul's    gospel.    Jn.  .\u.  44-50.  Ro.ii.  ig.       G.     I 

believe,  that  this  God  '  made  the  world  and  all 
things  [that  are]  therein,'  Ac.  xvii,  24,  for  'in  six 
days  the  Lord  made  heaven  and  earth,  the  sea, 
and  all  that  in  them  is.'  Ex.  xx.  11.  Also,  that  after 
the  time  of  the  making  thereof,  he  disposed  of  it 
to  the  children  of  men,  with  a  reserve  thereof  for 
the  children  of  God,  that  should  in  all  ages  be 
born  thereunto.  '  When  the  Most  High  divided 
to  the  nations  their  inheritance,  when  he  separated 
the  sons  of  Adam,  he  set  the  bounds  of  the  people 
according  to  the  number  of  the  children  of  Israel, 
Dc.xxxii. 8.  for  as  he  'made  of  one  blood  all  nations 
of  men  for  to  dwell  on  all  the  face  of  the  earth, 
[so  he]  hath  determined  the  times  before  appointed, 
and  the  bounds  of  their  habitation.'  Ac.  xvii.  26. 

Of  Magistracy. 

I  believe,  that  magistracy  is  God's  ordinance, 
which  he  hath  appointed  for  the  government  of 
the  whole  world  ;  and  that  it  is  a  judgment  of 
God,  to  be  without  those  ministers  of  God,  which 
he  hath  ordained  to  put  wickedness  to  shame.  Ju. 
.xviii.  7.  '  Whosoever  therefore  resisteth  the  power, 
resisteth  the  ordinance  of  God:  and  they  that 
resist  shall  receive  to  themselves  damnation.  For 
rulers  are  not  a  terror  to  good  works,  but  to  the 
evil.  Wilt  thou  not  then  be  afraid  of  the  power  ? 
do  that  which  is  good,  and  thou  shalt  have  praise 
of  the  same :  for  he  is  the  minister  of  God  to  thee 
for  good.  But  if  thou  do  that  which  is  evil,  be 
afraid ;  for  he  beareth  not  the  sword  in  vain :  for 
he  is  the  minister  of  God,  a  revenger  to  execute 
wrath  upon  him  that  doeth  evil.  Wherefore  ye 
must  needs  be  subject,  not  only  for  wrath,  but  also 
for  conscience  sake.  For  this  cause  pay  ye  tribute 
also :  for  they  are  God's  ministers,  attending  con- 
tinually upon  this  very  thing. '  Ro.  xiii.  2— G.  Many 
are  the  mercies  we  receive,  by  a  well  qualified 
magistrate,  and  if  any  shall  at  any  time  be  other- 
wise inclined,  let  us  shew  our  Christianity  in  a 
patient  suSer'ing,  for  well  doing,  what  it  shall  please 
God  to  inflict  by  them.f 


*  The  despising  and  disregarding  tlie  Holy  Scriptures,  re- 
VOL.  II. 


jecting  Jesus  and  the  way  of  salvation  by  Him,  especidly  alV.T 
having  attained  to  the  knowledge  and  conviction  of  the  truth 
of  it  by  the  gospel,  is  the  unpardonable  sin,  and  renders  men 
obdurate  and  impenitent. — Mason. 

J  How  strongly  must  have  been  the  principle  of  humble 
submission  to  the  will  of  God  implanted  and  rooted  in  Eua- 
yan's  mind.  He  TOtes  this  peaceful  advice  from  his  dungeon, 
after  twelve  years'  cruel  imprisonment  for  his  love  and  obc- 
dieace  to  the  Saviour.  It  requires  a  holy  flame  of  Divine  love 
to  enable  us  to  take  the  spoiling  of  our  goods  joyfully ;  but 
4  G 


CO  5 


A  REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE  IN  WORSHIP. 


A  REASON  OF  MY   PllACTICE   IN  \YORSHIP. 


Having  thus  made  confession  of  my  faitli,  I  now 
come  to  shew  you  my  practice  in  worship,  with  the 
reasons  thereof.  The  which  I  shall  have  occasion 
to  touch,  under  two  distinct  heads. 

I,  With  whom  I  dare  not  hold  communion. 

II.  With  whom  I  dare. 

Only,  first,  note,  that  hy  the  word  communion, 
I  mean  fellowship  in  the  things  of  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,  or  that  Avhich  is  commonly  called  church 
communion,  the  communion  of  saints.  For  in  civil 
affairs,  and  in  things  of  this  world  that  are  honest, 
I  am  not  altogether  tied  up  from  the  fornicators 
thereof ;  1  Co.  v.  9,  lo,  wherefore  in  my  following  dis- 
course understand  me  in  the  first  sense: — Now, then. 

First,  I  dare  not  have  communion  with  them 
that  profess  not  faith  and  hohness ;  or  that  are 
not  visible  saints  hy  calling:  hut  note,  that  by 
this  assertion,  I  meddle  not  with  the  elect ;  but 
as  he  is  a  visible  saint  by  calling ;  neither  do  I 
exclude  the  secret  hypocrite,  if  he  be  hid  from  me 
by  visible  saintship.  Wherefore  I  dare  not  have 
communion  with  men  from  a  single  supposition, 
that  they  may  be  elect,  neither  dare  I  exclude  the 
other  from  a  single  supposing  that  he  may  be  a 
secret  hypocrite.  I  meddle  not  here  with  these 
things ;  I  only  exclude  him  that  is  not  a  visible 
saint.  Now  he  that  is  visibly  or  openly  profane, 
cannot  be  then  a  visible  saint ;  for  he  that  is  a 
visible  saint  must  profess  faith,  and  repentance, 
and  consequently  holiness  of  life :  and  with  none 
else  dare  I  communicate. 

First,  Because  God  himself  hath  so  strictly  put 
the  difference,  both  by  word  and  deed ;  for  from 
the  beginning,  he  did  not  only  put  a  difix3rence 
between  the  seed  of  the  woman  and  the  children 
of  the  wicked,  Ge.  iii.  15,  only  the  instinct  of  grace 
and  change  of  the  mind  is  his  own,  but  did  cast 
out  from  his  presence  the  father  of  all  the  ungodly, 
even  cursed  Cain,  when  he  shewed  himself  openly 
profane,  and  banished  him  to  go  into  the  land  of 
the  i-unnagate,  or  vagabond,  where  from  God's  face, 
and  so  the  privileges  of  the  communion  of  saints, 
he  was  ever  after  hid.  Ge.  iv.  8—16. 

Besides,  when  after  this,  through  the  policy  of 
Satan,  the  children  of  Cain,  and  the  seed  of  Seth, 
did  commix  themselves  in  worship,  and  by  that 
means  had  corrupted  the  way  of  God :  what  fol- 
lowed, but  first,  God  judged  it  Avickedness,  raised 

how  mncli  more  strongly  must  this  principle  pervade  the  heart 
to  enable  us  to  suffer  the  loss  of  liberty,  deprived  of  the  society 
of  a  much  loved  wife  and  family,  and  in  daily  fear  of  an  igno- 
minious death !  We  cannot  sufficiently  admire  the  grace  of 
God  in  the  sufferer,  nor  abhor  the  tyranny  under  wliich  he 
sullcred. — Ed. 


up  Noah  to  preach  against  it,  ana  after  that, 
because  they  would  not  be  reclaimed,  he  brought 
the  flood  upon  the  whole  world  of  these  imgodly ; 
and  saved  only  Noah  alive  and  his,  because  he  had 
kept  himself  righteous.  Ge.  vi.  i— is.*  Here  I  could 
enlarge  abundantly,  and  add  many  more  instances 
of  a  like  nature,  but  I  am  here  only  for  a  touch 
upon  things. 

Secoiul,  Because  it  is  so  often  commanded  in 
the  scriptures,  That  all  the  congregation  should 
be  holy.  '  I  am  the  Lord  your  God :  ye  shall 
therefore  sanctify  yourselves,  and  ye  shall  be  holy ; 
for  I  am  holy.'  Le. xi.  44.  '  Ye  shall  be  holy,  for  I 
the  Lord  your  God  am  holy.'  xbc.3.  'Sanctify 
yourselves  therefore,  and  be  ye  holy :  for  I  am  the 
Lord  your  God.'  xx. 7.  i  Pe.  i.  15, 16.  Besides,  1.  The 
gates  of  the  temple  were  to  be  shut  against  all 
other.  '  Open  ye  the  gates,  that  the  righteous 
nation  which  keepeth  the  ti'uth  may  enter  in.'  is. 
xxvi.  2.  '  This  gate  of  the  Lord,  Into  which  the 
righteous  shall  enter.'  Ps.  cxviii.  20.  '  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  God :  No  stranger,  uncircumclsed  in  heart, 
uor  uncircumclsed  in  flesh,  shaU  enter  into  my 
sanctuary,  of  any  stranger  that  is  among  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel.'  Eze.xiiv.  9.  2.  Because  the  things 
of  worship  are  holy ;  '  Be  ye  clean  that  bear 
the  vessels  of  the  Lord.'  is.  lu.  11.  3.  Because  all 
the  limits  and  bounds  of  communion  are  holy. 
'  Tliis  is  the  law  of  the  house ;  Upon  the  top  of 
the  mountain,  the  whole  limit  thereof  -  shall  be 
most  holy.     Behold,  this  is  the  law  of  the  house. ' 

Eze.xliii.l2.t 

Third,  I  dare  not  have  commmalon  with  them; 
because  the  example  of  New  Testament  churches 
before  us,  have  been  a  community  of  visible  saints. 
Paul,  to  the  Romans,  Avrites  thus :  '  To  all  that 
be  in  Rome,  beloved  of  God,  called  to  be  saints. ' 
i.  7.  And  to  the  rest  of  the  churches  thus :  '  Unto 
the  church  of  God  Avhich  is  at  Corinth,  to  them 
that  are  sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus ;  called  to  be 
saints.'  iCo.  i.  2.  'To  the  saints  which  are  at 
Ephesus,  and  to  the  faithfvd  in  Christ  Jesus.'  Ep.i.i. 
'  To  all  the  saints  which  are  at  Phlllppi,  Avith 
the  bishops  and  deacons.'  PM.  i.  1.  '  To  the  saints 
and    faithful   brethren    In    Christ   which   are    at 


*  This  idea  is  found  in  other  of  Bunyan's  Works.  Certainly 
the  luixtiu-e  of  saints  and  sinners  in  a  national  church  estab- 
lished for  worldly  pui-poses,  must  engender  hypocrisy  and  pride, 
intolerance  and  persecution.  Such  leaders  in  Satan's  army 
were  calcdated  mightily  to  assist,  if  they  were  not  the  original 
cause,  of  the  overspreading  of  sin  which  called  forth  the  flood 
to  wash  away. — Ed. 

t  Bishop  Hall  describes  a  Christian  indeed  as '  having  white 
hands  and  a  clean  soul,  fit  to  lodge  God  in ;  aU  the  rooms 
whereof  arc  set  apart  for  his  holiness.' — Ed. 


A  REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE  TN  WORSHIP, 


603 


Colosse.'  Col.  i.  2.  '  To  tlie  church  of  the  Thes- 
salouians,  which  is  in  God  the  Father,  and  m 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,'  &c.  lTh.i.1.  Thus  you 
see  under  Avhat  denomination  those  persons  went 
of  old,  who  were  counted  worthy  to  be  members 
of  a  visible  church  of  Christ.  Besides,  the  mem- 
bers of  such  churches  go  under  such  characters  as 
these. 

(1.)  'The  called  of  Christ  Jesus.' Bo. i. 6.  (2.) 
Men  that  have  drank  into  the  Spirit  of  Jesus 
Christ.  lCo.xii.l3.  (3.)  Persons  in  whom  was  God 
the  Father.  Ep.  iv.  6.  (4.)  They  were  all  made  par- 
takers of  the  joy  of  the  gospel.  Phil.  i.  7.  (5.)  Per- 
sons that  were  circumcised  mwardly.  Coi.  ii.  li.  (6.) 
Persons  that  turned  from  idols  to  serve  the  living 
and  true  God.  iTh.i.  9.  (7.)  Those  that  were  the 
body  of  Christ,  and  members  in  particular,  that 
is,  those  that  were  visibly  such;  because  they 
made  profession  of  faith,  of  holiness,  of  repentance, 
of  love  to  Christ,  and  of  self-denial,  at  their  receiv- 
ing into  fellowship. 

Fourth,  I  dare  not  hold  communion  with  the 
open  profane. 

(1.)  Because  it  is  promised  to  the  church,  that 
she  shall  dwell  by  herself ;  that  is,  as  she  is  a 
church,  and  spiritual ;  Lo,  the  people  shall  dwell 
alone,  and  shall  not  be  reckoned  among  the  nations. 
Nn.xxiii.  9.      (2.)    Because  this  is   their    privilege. 

*  But  ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priest- 
hood, an  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people ;  that  ye 
should  shev.^  forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath 
called  you  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous 
lio-ht. '  1  Pe.  ii.  9, 10.  (3.)  Because  this  is  the  fruit  of 
the  death  of  Christ, '  who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he 
might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  pvu'ify  unto 
himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works. ' 
Tit.ii.li.     (4.)  Because  this  is  the  commandment: 

*  Save  yourselves  from  this  untoward  generation.' 
Ac.ii.  40.  (5.)  Because  with  such  it  is  not  possible 
we  should  have  true  and  spiritual  communion.  Be 
ye  not  unequally  yoked  together  with  unbelievers : 
for  what  fellowship  hath  righteousness  with  unrigh- 
teousness ?  and  what  communion  hath  light  with 
darkness  ?  And  what  concord  hath  Christ  with 
Belial  ?  or  what  part  hath  he  that  believeth  with 
an  infidel  ?  And  what  agreement  hath  the  temple 
of  God  with  idols  ?  for  ye  are  the  temple  of  the 
living  God,  as  God  hath  said,  I  Avill  dwell  in  them 
and  walk  in  them ;  and  I  will  be  their  God,  and 
they  shall  be  my  people.  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,  -  saith 
the  Lord  Almighty.  2  Co.  v-i.  14:-18. 

Fifth,  I  dare  not  hold  communion  Avith  the  open 
profane.     Because 

(1.)  This  would  be  ploughing  with  an  ox,  and  an 
ass  together:  De.  xxii.  lo.  heavenly  persons  suit  best  for 


communion  in  heavenly  matters.  (2.)  It  subject- 
eth  not  the  nature  of  our  discipline,  which  is  not 
forced,  but  freC;*  in  a  professed  subjection  to  the 
will  and  commandment  of  Christ:  others  being 
excluded  by  God's  o^vn  prohibition.  Le.  i.  3.  Ho.  vi.  17. 
2Co.viu.i2;ix.7,l3;viii.5.  Paul  also,  when  he  exhorteth 
Timothy  to  follow  after  righteousness,  faith,  cha- 
rity, peace,  &c.,  (which  are  the  bowels  of  church 
communion,)  he  saith,  do  it  '  with  them  that  call 
on  the  Lord,  out  of  a  pure  heart, '  2  Ti.  ii.  22. 

Sixth,  In  a  word,  to  hold  communion  with  the 
open  profane,  is  most  pernicious  and  destructive. 
(1.)  'Twas  the  wicked  midtitude  that  fell  a  lusting, 
and  that  tempted  Christ  in  the  desert.  Nu.  xi.  4.  (2.) 
It  was  the  profane  heathen,  of  whom  Israel  learned 
to  worship  idols.  They  '  were  mingled  among  the 
heathen,  and  learned  their  works.  And  served 
their  idols  ;  which  v.-ere  a  snare  unto  them. '  Ps.  cvi. 
35,  SG.  (3.)  It  is  the  mingled  people  that  God  hath 
threatened  to  plague  with  those  deadly  pimish- 
ments  of  his,  with  which  he  hath  threatened  to 
punish  Babylon  itself;  saying.  When  a  sword  is  upon 
her  liars,  her  mighty,  her  chariots,  and  treasures ; 
a  sword  also  shall  be  upon  the  mingled  people  that 
are  in  the  midst  of  her. 

And  no  marvel:  for,  (1.)  Mixed  commmiion  pol- 
luteth  the  ordinances  of  God.  Say  to  the  rebels, 
saith  the  Lord  God,  '  Let  it  suffice  you  of  aU  your 
abominations,  in  that  ye  have  brought  i^Uo  my 
sanctuary  strangers,  uncircumcised  in  heart,  and 
uncircumcised  in  flesh,  to  be  in  my  sanctuary,  to 
pollute  it,  even  my  house,  when  ye  offer  my  bread, 
the  fat  and  the  blood,  and  they  have  broken  my  cove- 
nant, because  of  all  your  abominations.'  Eze.  xiiv.  6, 7. 
(2.)  It  violateth  the  law.  '  Her  priests  have  vio- 
lated my  law,  and  have  profaned  mine  holy  things : 
(how)  They  have  put  no  diff"erence  between  the 
holy  and  profane,  neither  have  they  shewed  diffef)'- 
ence  between  the  unclean  and  the  clean. '  Eze.  xx.  26, 
(3,)  It  profaneth  the  holiness  of  God,  '  Judah  hath 
dealt  treacherously,  and  an  abomination  is  commit- 
ted in  Israel  and  in  Jerusalem;  for  Judah  hath  pro- 
faned the  holiness  of  the  Lord  which  he  loved,  and 
hath  married  the  daughter  of  a  strange  god,  Mai.  ii. 
11.  (4,)  It  defileth  the  truly  gracious.  '  Know  ye 
not  that  a  little  leaven  leaveneth  the  whole  lump  ?' 
1  Co.  V.  6.  Look  diligently  therefore,  *  lest  any  root 
of  bitterness  springing  up  trouble  yoic,  and  thereby 
many  be  defiled.'  He. xii.  15. 

Lastly,  To  conclude,  it  provoketh  God  to  punish 
with  severe  judgments:  And  therefore  heed  well,  (1,) 
As  I  said  before.  The  drowning  of  the  whole  world 
was  occasioned  by  the  sons  of  God  commixing  them- 
selves with  the  daughters  of  men ;  and  the  corrup- 


*  Submission  to  tlie  discipline  of  a  Christian  cliurcli  must 
be  voluntaiy,  and  not  by  the  constraint  of  force  or  hyiiocrisy. 
In  Clirist's  church  all  must  be  free,  and  not  a  mixture  of  free- 
men and  the  slaves  of  sin. — Ed. 


G04 


A  REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE  IN  AVORSIITP 


tion  of  worship  that  followed  thereupon.  Ge.  vi.;  vii. 
(2.)  He  sent  a  plague  upon  the  children  of  Israel,  for 
joining  themselves  unto  the  people  of  Moah;  and  for 
following  their  abominations  in  worship :  Nu.  xxv.  1—5. 
Jos.  .vxii.  17.  and  let  no  man  think,  that  now  I  have 
altered  the  state  of  the  question:  for  it  is  all  one 
with  the  church  to  communicate  with  the  profane ; 
and  to  sacrifice  and  offer  their  gifts  to  the  devil : 
De.  xx.\ii.  16—19.*  Ps.  cvi.  36^^o.  the  reason  is,  because  such 
have  by  their  sin  forsaken  the  protection  of  heaven, 
and  are  given  up  to  their  own  heart-lusts ;  and 
left  to  be  overcome  of  the  Avicked,  to  whom  they 
have  joined  themselves.  De.  xii;  vii.  i— c.  Join  not 
yourselves,  said  God,  to  the  wicked,  neither  in 
religion  nor  mairiages  ;  '  For  they  will  turn  away 
thy  son  from  following  me,  that  they  may  serve 
other  gods :  so  will  the  anger  of  the  Lord  be  kin- 
dled against  you,  and  destroy  thee  suddenly.'  De. 
vii.  5.  '  Did  not  Solomon  king  of  Israel  sin  by 
these  things  ?  yet  among  many  nations  was  there 
no  king  like  him  who  was  beloved  of  his  God.'  Ne.  xiil. 
26.  Hear  how  Paul  handleth  the  point;  'But  I 
say,  that  the  things  which  the  Gentiles  [or  openly 
profane]  sacrifice,  they  sacrifice  to  devils,  and  not 
to  God ;  and  I  would  not  that  ye  should  have  fel- 
low.ship  with  devils.  Ye  cannot  drink  the  cup  of 
the  Lord,  and  the  cup  of  devils:  Ye  cannot  be  par- 
takers of  the  table  of  the  Lord,  and  of  the  table 
of  devils.  Do  we  provoke  the  Lord  to  jealousy  ? 
Are  we  stronger  than  he  ?'  i  Co.  x.  20—23.  I  conclude, 
that  therefore  it  is  an  evil,  and  a  dangerous  thing 
to  hold  church  communion  with  the  openly  profane 
and  ungodly.  It  polluteth  his  ordinances :  it  vio- 
lateth  his  law :  it  profaneth  his  holiness:  it  defil- 
etli  his  people ;  and  provoketh  the  Lord  to  severe 
and  terrible  judgments. 

Object.  But  we  can  prove  in  all  ages  [that] 
there  have  been  the  open  profane  in  the  church  of 
God. 

Ansio.  In  many  ages  indeed  it  hath  been  so :  but 
mark,  they  appeared  not  such,  when  first  they 
Avere  received  unto  communion,  Ex.  xii.  48.  neither 
were  they  Avith  God's  liking,  as  such,  to  be  retained 
among  them,  but  in  order  to  their  admonition, 
repentance  and  amendment  of  life:  of  Avhich,  if 
they  failed,  God  presently  threatened  the  church  ; 
and  either  cut  them  off  from  the  church,  as  he  did 
the  idolaters,  fornicators,  murmurers,  tempters, 
sabbath  breakers ;  Avith  Korah,  Dathan,  Achan, 

and  others  :  3  Co.  vi.  l  Co.  v.  Ex.  .\xxii.  25.  Ku.  xxy.  1—9;  xxi.  5, 
C;  xiv.  37;  xvi;  xv.  32—36.  Jos.  vii.  3  ffi.  xvii.  Eze.  xxii.  andxxiii.  or 

else  cut  off  them  Avith  the  church  and  all,  as  he 
served  the  ten  tribes  at  one  time,  and  the  two 
tribes  at  another.      '  My  God  will  cast  them  aAvav^ 


*  "VYliat  faithfulness  and  plain  dealing  is  here.  If  any- 
church  communicates  with  the  profane  it  is  olFcnug  sacrifice  to 
the  devil. — Ed. 


because  they  did  not  hearken  unto  him :  and  they 
shall  be  wanderers  among  the  nations.'  Ho.  ix.  17.  I 
might  here  greatly  enlarge,  but  I  intend  brevity ; 
yet  let  me  tell  you,  that  Aviien  Nehemiah  under- 
stood by  the  book  of  the  law  of  the  Lord,  that  the 
Ammonite  and  the  ]\Ioabite  should  not  come  into 
the  congregation  of  God ;  '  they  separated  from 
Israel  all  the  mixed  multitude.'  No. xiii.  1— 3.  Many 
have  pleaded  for  the  profane,  that  they  should 
abide  in  the  church  of  God ;  but  such  hath  not 
considered,  that  God's  Avrath  at  all  times  hath  Avith 
great  indignation  been  sheAved  against  such  oftcnd- 
ers  and  their  conceits.  Indeed  they  like  not  for 
to  plead  for  them  under  that  notion,  but  rather  as 
Korah,  and  his  company :  '  All  the  congregation 
are  holy  every  one  of  them. '  Ku.  xvi.  3.  But  it  maketh 
no  matter  by  Avhat  name  they  are  called;  if  by 
their  deeds  they  shcAv  themselves  openly  Avicked: 
for  names  and  notions  sanctify  not  the  heart  and 
nature ;  they  make  not  virtues  of  vice,  neither  can 
it  save  such  advocates  from  the  heavy  curse  both 
of  God  and  men.  Vr.  xvii.  15 ;  xxiv.  24.  '  The  righteous 
men,  they  shall  judge  them  after  the  manner  of 
adulteresses,  and  after  the  manner  of  women  that 
shed  blood ;  because  they  ai-e  adulteresses,  and 
blood  is  in  their  hands.'  Eze.  xxiii.  15. 

Second,  Thus  have  I  shcAved  you  Avith  Avhom  I 
dare  not  haA^e  communion :  and  noAv  to  shcAv  you 
Avith  Avhom  I  dare.  But  in  order  thereto,  I  desire  you 

First,  To  take  notice ;  That  touching  shadowish, 
or  figurative  ordinances  ;  I  believe  that  Christ  hath 
ordained  but  two  in  his  church,  viz.,  Water  baptism 
and  the  supper  of  the  Lord :  both  Avhich  are  of  excel- 
lent use  to  the  church  in  this  world ;  they  being  to 
us  representations  of  the  death  and  resurrection  of 
Christ ;  and  are,  as  God  shall  make  them,  helps 
to  our  faith  therein.  But  I  count  them  not  the 
fundamentals  of  our  Christianity,  nor  grounds  or 
rule  to  communion  Avith  saints:  servants  they  are, 
and  our  mystical  ministers,  to  teach  and  instruct 
us  in  the  most  Aveighty  matters  of  the  kingdom  of 
God :  I  therefore  here  declare  my  reverent  esteem 
of  them ;  yet  dare  not  remove  them,  as  some  do, 
from  the  place  and  end,  Avhere  by  God  they  arc 
set  and  appointed ;  nor  ascribe  unto  them  more 
than  they  Avere  ordered  to  have  in  their  first  and 
primitive  institution.  It  is  possible  to  commit 
idolatry  CA'en  Avith  God's  oaa^u  appointments:  but 
I  pass  this,  and  come  to  the  thhig  propounded. 

Second,  then,  I  dare  have  communion,  church 
communion,  Avith  those  that  are  visible  saints  by 
calling :  Avith  those  that,  by  the  Avord  of  the  gos- 
pel, have  been  brought  over  to  faith  and  holiness: 
and  it  maketh  no  matter  to  me,  Avhat  their  life  Avas 
heretofore,  if  they  noAV  be  'washed,'  if  they  be 
'  sanctified,'  if  they  be  'justified  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God.' 
1  Co.  vi.  11.     NoAT  in  order  to  the  discovery  of  this 


A.  REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE  IN  ^VORSHIP. 


605 


faith  and  liollness,  and  so  to  fellowsliip  in  cluircli 
communion:  I  hold  it  requisite  that  a  faithful 
relation  be  made  thereof  by  the  party  thus  to  he 
received;,  yea,  if  need  be,  by  witnesses  also,  for 
the  satisfaction  of  the  church,  that  she  may  receive 
in  faith  and  judgment,  such  as  best  shall  suit  her 

holy    profession.    Ac.  ix.  26—28.  l  Co.  xvi.  10.  3  Co.  viii.  23. 

Observe  it ;  these  texts  do  respect  extraordinary 
officers ;  and  yet  see,  that  in  order  to  their  recep- 
tion by  the  church,  there  was  made  to  them  a 
faithful  relation  of  the  faith  and  hohness  of  these 
very  persons ;  for  no  man  may  intrude  himself 
upon,  or  thrust  himself  upon,  or  thrust  himself 
into  a  church  of  Christ ;  -without  the  church  have 
first  the  knowledge  and  liking  of  the  person  to  he 
received:  if  otherwise,  there  is  a  door  opened  for 
all  the  heretics  in  the  world ;  yea,  for  devils  also 
if  they  appear  hi  human  shapes.  But  Paul  shows 
you  the  manner  of  receiving,  by  pleading  (after 
some  disgrace  thrown  upon  him  by  the  false  apos- 
tles) for  his  own  admission  of  his  companions: 
'  Receive  us,  [saith  he,]  we  have  wronged  no  man, 
TVS  have  corrupted  no  man ;  we  have  defrauded  no 
man.'  2Co.Yii.  2.''  And  so  concerning  Timothy: 
'  If  Timotheus  come,  (saith  he,)  see  that  he  may 
be  with  you  without  fear:  for  he  worketh  the 
work  of  the  Lord,  as  I  also  do.'  iCo.xvi.io.  Also, 
when  Paul  supposed  that  Titus  might  be  suspected 
by  some ;  see  how  he  pleads  for  him  :  If  '  any  do 
enquire  of  Titus,  he  is  my  partner  and  fellow-helper 
concerning  you :  or  our  brethren  he  enquired  of, 
they  are  the  messengers  of  the  churches,  and  the 
glory  of  Christ.'  2  Co.  viii.  23.  Phebe  also,  when  she 
was  to  be  received  by  the  church  at  Rome ;  see 
how  he  speaketh  iu  her  behalf:  '  I  commend  unto 
you  Phebe  our  sister,  which  is  a  servant  of  the 
church  which  is  at  Cenchrea:  that  ye  receive 
her  in  the  Lord,  as  becometh  saints,  and  that  ye 
assist  her  in  whatsoever  business  she  hath  need  of 
you ;  for  she  hath  been  a  succourer  of  many,  and 
of  myself  also.'  Ro.  xvi.  1,2-  Yea,  when  the  apostles 
SniU  ^vas  in  An-  and  brethren  sent  their  epistles  from 
tioch  before,      Jerusalem  to   Antioch;    under  what 

but  beins  , 

brought  into  characters  do  those  go,  that  Avere  the 
MseTpTstiis,  messengers  to  them  ?  '  It  seemed 
«nef,om?"^  good  unto  [the  Holy  Ghost  and  to] 
mendaiion.  yg^  .  to  send  choscn  men  imto  you 
with  our  beloved  Barnabas  and  Paul,  men  that 
have  hazarded  their  lives  for  the  name  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,'  &c.  Ac.  xv.  25-27.  Now  though  the 
occasions  upon  which  these  commendations  were 
Avritten  were  not  simply,  or  only,  in  order  to  church 
relation,  but  also  for  other  causes ;  yet  because 
the  persons  concerned  were  of  the  churches  to  be 
received  as  faithful,  and  such  who  would  partake 
of  church  privileges  with  them,  they  have,  there- 
fore, their  faith  and  faithfidness  related  to  the 
churches,  as  those  thatv/cre  particularly  embodied 


there.  Besides  Timothy  and  Titus  being  extra- 
ordinary officers,  stood  as  members  and  officers  in 
every  church  where  they  were  received.  Likewise 
Barnabas  and  Saul,  Judas  and  Silas,  abode  as 
members  and  officers  where  they  vrcre  sent.  It 
was  requisite,  therefore,  that  the  letters  of  recom- 
mendation should  be  in  substance  the  same  with 
that  relation  that  ought  to  be  made  to  the  church, 
by  or  for  the  person  that  is  to  be  embodied  there. 
But  to  return,  I  dare  have  communion,  church 

COMMUNIOX,  WITH  THOSE  THAT  ARE  VISIBLE  SAIN'JS 
BY  CALLING. 

Quest.  But  by  what  rule  woxdd  you  receive  them 
into  fellowship  with  yourselves  ? 

Ansic.  Even  by  a  discovery  of  their  faith  and 
holiness,  and  their  declaration  of  willingness  to 
subject  themselves  to  the  laws  and  govcrr.ment  of 
Christ  in  his  church. 

Quest.  But  do  you  not  count  that  by  Avater  bap- 
tism, and  not  otherwise,  that  being  the  initiating 
and  entering  ordinance  ;  they  ought  to  be  received 
into  fellowship  ? 

An^tO.  No ;  But  tarry,  and  take  my  sense  v/Itli 
my  word.  For  herein  lies  the  mistake.  To  think 
that  because  in  time  past  baptism  was  administered 
upon  conversion,  that  therefore  it  is  the  initiating- 
and  entering  ordinance  into  church  communion: 
when  by  the  word  no  such  thmg  is  testified  of  it. 
Besides,  that  it  is  not  so  will  be  manifest,  if  we 
consider  the  nature  and  power  of  such  an  ordinance. 

That  ordmance  then,  that  is,  the  initiating  or 
entering  ordinance  [as  before]  doth  give  to  them 
that  partake  thereof  a  right  to,  and  a  being  of, 
membership  with  that  particidar  church  by  which 
it  is  administered.  I  say,  a  right  to,  and  a  being 
of,  membership,  without  the  addition  of  another 
church  act.  This  is  evident  by  the  law  of  circum- 
cision, wliich  Avas  the  initiating  laAV  of  old;  for 
by  the  admmistration  of  that  very  ordinance,  tho 
partaker  thereof  was  forthAvith  a  member  of  that 
congregation,  without  the  addition  of  another 
church  act.  Ge.xvii.  This  is  declared  in  its  first 
institution,  and  therefore  it  is  called  the  token  of 
the  covenant.  The  token  or  sign  of  righteousness, 
of  Abraham's  faith,  and  of  the  visible  membership 
of  those  that  joined  themselves  to  the  church  with 
him ;  the  very  inlet  into  church  commimion  that 
gave  a  being  of  membership  among  them.  And 
thus  Moses  himself  expoimds  it ;  '  CA-ery  man's  ser- 
vant, that  is  bought  for  money,  when  thou  hasfc 
circumcised  him,  then  shall  eat'  of  the  passover, 
Ex.xii.44,  without  the  addition  of  another  church 
act,  to  empower  him  thereunto ;  his  circumcision 
hath  already  given  him  a  being  there,  and  so  a 
right  to,  and  privilege  in  church  relation:  'A 
foreigner  and  an  hired  servant  shall  not  eat  thereof, 
(because  not  circumcised).  And  when  a  stranger 
shall  sojourn  with  thee,  and  will  keep  the  passover 


GOG 


A  EEASON  or  MY  PRACTICE  IN  WORSHIP. 


to  tlie  Lord,  let  all  his  males  be  circumcised,  and 
tlien  let  him  come  near  and  keep  it ;  (For  then  he 
is  one  of  the  church)  and  he  shall  he  as  one  horn 
in  the  land :  for  no  uncircumcised  person  shall  eat 
thereof. '  Ex.  xU.  48.  Neither  could  any  other  thing, 
according  to  the  law  of  circumcision,  give  the 
devoutest  person  that  breathed  a  being  of  member- 
ship with  them.  '  He  that  is  born  in  thy  house, 
and  he  that  is  bought  Avith  thy  money,  must  needs 
be  circumcised:  -  and  the  uncircumcised  man 
child,  whose  flesh  of  his  foreskin  is  not  circum- 
cised, that  soul  shall  be  cut  oif  from  his  people,' 
Ge.  xvii.  13, 14  Note  then,  that  that  which  is  the 
initiating  ordinance  admitteth  none  into  church- 
commuuion  but  these  that  first  partake  thei-eof. 
The  angel  sought  to  kill  Moses  himself,  for  attempt- 
ing to  make  his  child  a  member  without  it.  Ex.  iv. 
24—26.  Note  again,  that  as  it  admitteth  of  none 
to  membership  without  it ;  so  as  I  said,  the  very  act 
of  circumcising  them,  without  the  addition  of 
another  church  act,  gave  them  a  being  of  mem- 
bership with  that  very  church,  by  whom  they  were 
circumcised.  But  none  of  this  can  be  said  of 
baptism.  First,  there  is  none  debarred  or  threat- 
ened to  be  cut  off  from  the  church,  if  they  be  not 
first  baptized.  Secondly,  Neither  doth  it  give  to 
the  person  baptized  a  being  of  membership  with 
this  or  tliat  church,  by  whose  members  he  hath 
been  baptized.  John  gathered  no  particular 
church,  yet  was  he  the  first  and  great  baptizer 
with  water ;  he  preached  Christ  to  come,  and  bap- 
tized with  the  baptism  of  i-epentance,  and  left  his 
disciples  to  be  gathered  by  him.  Ac.  xLx.  3—5.  '  And 
unto  him  shaU  the  gathering  of  the  people  be.' 
Ge.  xiix.  10.  Besides,  after  Christ's  ascension,  Philip 
baptized  the  eunuch,  but  made  him  by  that  no 
member  of  any  particular  church.  We  only  read, 
that  Philip  was  caught  away  from  him,  and  that 
the  eimuch  saw  him  no  more,  but  went  on  his  way 
rejoicing  to  his  master  and  country  of  Ethiopia. 
Ac.  viii.  35—40.  Neither  Avas  Cornelius  made  a  mem- 
ber of  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  by  his  being  bap- 
tized at  Peter's  command  at  Cesarea.  Ac.  x.  and  xi. 
Neither  were  they  that  were  converted  at  Antioch, 
by  them  that  were  scattered  from  the  church  at 
Jerusalem,  by  their  baptism,  if  they  Avere  baptized 
[in  Avater]  at  all,  joined  to  the  church  at  Jerusa- 
lem. Ac.  xi.  19.  No,  they  were  after  gathered  and 
embodied  among  themselves  by  other  church  acts. 
Ac.  xvi.  What  shall  I  say  ?  into  Avhat  particular 
church  was  Lydia  baptized  by  Paul,  or  those  first 
converts  at  Philippi  ?  Yea  even  in  the  second  of 
the  Acts,  baptizing  and  adding  to  the  church 
appear  to  be  acts  distmct :  but  if  baptism  were 
the  initiating  ordinance,  then  Avas  he  that  was 
baptized  made  a  member;  made  a  member  of  a 
particular  church,  by  the  very  act  of  Avatcr  bap- 
tism.   Neither  ought  any  by  God's  ordinance  to 


have  baptized  any,  but  with  respect  to  the  admit- 
ting them  by  that  act  to  a  being  of  membership 
in  this  particular  church.  For  if  it  be  the  ini- 
tiating ordinance,  it  entereth  them  into  the  church : 
What  church  ?  Into  a  visible  church.  Now  there 
is  no  church  visible  but  that  which  is  particular ; 
the  imiversal  being  utterly  invisible,  and  knoAvn  to 
none  but  God.  The  person  then  that  is  baptized 
stands  by  that  a  member  of  no  church  at  all, 
neither  of  the  visible,  nor  yet  of  the  invisible.  A 
visible  saint  he  is,  but  not  made  so  by  baptism ; 
for  he  must  be  a  visible  saint  before,  else  he  ought 
not  to  be  baptized.  Ac.  vm.  S7;  ix.  17;  xvi.  33. 

Take  it  again ;  Baptism  [in  water]  makes  thee 
no  member  of  the  church,  neither  particular  nor 
universal :  neither  doth  it  make  thee  a  visible  saint: 
It  therefore  gives  thee  neither  right  to  nor  being 
of  membership  at  all. 

Quest.  But  why  then  were  they  baptized? 

Ans.  That  their  own  faith  by  that  figure  might 
be  strengthened  in  the  death  and  resurrection  of 
Christ.  And  that  themselves  might  see,  that  they 
have  professed  themselves  dead,  and  buried,  and 
risen  with  him  to  newness  of  life.  Col.  ii.  12.  Ro.  vi.  4. 
It  did  not  seal  to  the  church  that  they  were  so 
(their  satisfaction  as  to  that  arose  from  better  argu- 
ments) but  taught  the  party  himself  that  he  ought 
so  to  be.  Farther,  it  confirmed  to  his  OAvn  con- 
science the  forgiveness  of  sins,  if  by  unfeigned 
faith  he  laid   hold  upon  Jesus    Christ.   Ga.  iii.  26. 

1  Co.  XV.  29.  Ac.  ii.  38;  xxii.  16.  1  Pe.  iii.  21.      Now  then,  if 

baptism  be  not  the  initiating  ordinance,  Ave  must 
seek  for  entering  some  other  way,  by  some  other 
appointment  of  Christ,  imless  we  will  say  that  Avith- 
out  rule,  Avithout  order,  and  without  an  appoint- 
ment of  Christ,  we  may  enter  into  his  visible  king- 
dom. The  church  under  the  laAV  had  its  initiating 
and  entering  ordinance :  it  must  not  therefore  be, 
unless  Ave  should  think  that  Moses  was  more  punc- 
tual and  exact  than  Christ,  but  that  also  our  Lord 
hath  his  entering  appointment.  Noav  that  Avhich 
by  Christ  is  made  the  door  of  entrance  into  the 
chm-ch,  by  that  Ave  may  doubtless  enter ;  and  seeing 
baptism  is  not  that  ordinance,  we  ought  not  to  seek 
to  enter  thereby,  but  may  Avith  good  conscience 
enter  Avithout  it. 

Quest.  But  by  what  rule  then  would  you  gather 
persons  into  church-communion? 

Ans.  Even  by  that  rule  by  Avhich  they  are  dis- 
covered to  the  church  to  be  visible  saints ;  and 
willing  to  be  gathered  into  their  body  and  fellow- 
ship. By  that  word  of  God  therefore,  by  Avhich 
their  faith,  experience  and  conversation,  being  exa- 
mined, is  found  good ;  by  that  the  church  should 
receive  them  into  felloAVship  with  them.  Mark  ;  not 
as  they  practise  things  that  are  circumstantial,  but 
as  their  faith  is  commended  by  a  word  of  faith,  and 
their  comxrsation  by  a  moral  precept.     Wherefore 


A  REASON  OF  ilY  PRACTICE  IN  \\'ORSHIP. 


607 


that  is  observable,  that  after  Paxil  had  declared 
himself  sound  of  faith,  he  falls  dovrn  to  the  body  of 
the  law:  '  Receive  us,  [saith  he,]  we  have  wronged 
no  man,  we  have  corrupted  no  man,  we  have  de- 
frauded no  man.'  He  saith  not,  I  am  baptized, 
but  I  have  wronged  no  man,  &c.  3  Co.  ™.  2.  [see  also] 
V.  18—21.  And  if  churches  after  the  confession  of 
faith  made  more  use  of  the  ten  commandments,  to 
judge  of  the  fitness  of  persons  by ;  they  might  not 
exceed  by  this  seeming  strictness,  Christian  tender- 
ness towards  them  they  receive  to  communion. 

I  wiU  say  therefore,  that  by  the  word  of  faith, 
and  of  good  works,  moral  duties  gospelized,  we 
ought  to  judge  of  the  fitness  of  members  by,  by 
which  we  ought  also  to  receive  them  to  fellowship : 
For  he  that  in  these  things  proveth  sound,  he  hath 
the  antitype  of  circumcision,  which  was  before  the 
entering  ordinance.    *  For  he  is  not  a  Jew,  which 
is  one  outwardly;    neither  is  that   circumcision, 
which  is  outward  in  the  flesh.     But  he  is  a  Jew, 
which  is  one  inwardly;  and  circumcision  is  tlial 
of  the  heart,  in  the  spirit,  -  whose  praise  is  not  of 
men,  but  of  God. '  Uo.  li.  28, 29.  piiL  m.  i— i.      Xov>'  a 
confession  of  this  by  word  and  life,  makes  this 
inward  circumcision  visible ;  when  you  know  him 
therefore  to  be  thus  circxuncised,  you  ought  to  admit 
him  to  the  Lord's  passover:  he,  if  any,  hath  a 
share  not  only  in  church-communion,  but  a  visible 
right  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven.     Again,  *  For  the 
kingdom  of  God,  [or  our  service  to  Christ]  is  not 
meat  and  drink,  but  righteousness,  peace  and  joy  in 
the   Holy   Ghost.      For  he  that  in  these  things 
serveth  Christ,  is  acceptable  to  God,  and  apjjroved 
of  men.'  Ro.  xiy.  17,  is.  De. xxviii . 47.     By  wluch  word 
Righteousness,  he  meaneth  as  James  doth,  the  royal 
law,  the  perfect  law,  which  is  the  moral  precept 
evangelized,  or  delivered  to  us  by  the  hand  of  Christ. 
Ja.  ii.  8, 9.     The  law  was  given  twice  on  Sinai:  the  last 
time  it  was  given  with  a  proclamation  of  grace  and 
mercy  of  God,  and  of  the  pardon  of  sins  going 
before,  t.k.  xis.;  and  xxsiv.  1—10.    The  second  giving  is 
here  intended ;  for  so  it  cometh  after  faith,  which 
first  receiveth  the   proclamation    of  forgiveness ; 
hence  we  are  said  to  do  this  righteousness  in  the 
joy  and  peace  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Now  he  that  in 
these  things  serveth  Christ,  is  accepted  of  God, 
and  approved  of  men.     For  who  is  he  that  can 
justly  find  fault  with  him,  that  fulfilleth  the  royal 
law  from  a  principle  of  faith  and  love.     '  If  ye 
fulfil  the  royal  law  according  to  the  scripture,  TIiou 
shall  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself,  ye  do  ivell;'  ye 
are  approved  of  men.     Again,  he  that  hath  loved 
another  hath  fulfilled  the  law,  for  love  is  the  ful- 
filling of  the  law.     He  then  that  serveth  Chi-ist 
according  to  the  royal  law,  from  faith  and  love 
going  before,  he  is  a  fit  person  for  church-com- 
munion; God  accepteth  him,  men  approve  him.  Now 
that  the  royal  law  is  the  moral  precept,  read  the 


place.  Ja.  ii.  8—12.  It  is  also  called  the  law  of  liberty, 
because  the  bondage  is  taken  away  by  forgiveness 
going  before  ;  and  tliis  is  it  by  which  we  are  judged, 
as  is  said,  meet  or  unmeet  for  church-commimion, 
tc. 

Therefore  I  say,  the  rule  by  which  we  receive 
church-members,  it  is  the  word  of  the  faith  of  Christ, 
and  of  the  moral  precept  evangelized,  as  I  said 
before,  I  am  '  under  the  law  to  Christ,'  saith  Paid. 
1  Co.  Lt.  21.     So  when  he  forbiddeth  us  communion 
with  men,  they  be  such  as  are  destitute  of  the  faith 
of  Christ,  and  live  in  the  transgression  of  a  moral 
precept:  '  I  have  written  unto  you,  [saith  he,]  not 
to  keep   company,   if  any  man  that  is  called  a 
brother  be  a  fornicator,  or  covetous,  or  an  idolater, 
or  a  railer,  or  a  drunkard,  or  an  extortioner,  with 
such  an  one  no  not  to  eat.'  i  Co.  v.  11.    He  saith  not, 
if  any  man  be  not  baptized  [in  water],  have  not 
hands  laid  on  him,  or  join  with  the  unbaptized, 
these  are  fictions,  scriptureless  notions.    *  For  this, 
Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery.  Thou  shalt  not 
kill,  Thou  shalt  not  steal,  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false 
witness,  Thou  shalt  not  covet ;  And  if  theix  be  any 
other  commandment,  it  is  briefly  comprehended  in 
this  saying,  namely.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour 
as  thyself.     Love  worketh  no  iU  to  his  neighbour : 
therefore  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law. '  Ro.  xiii.  9, 10. 
The  word  of  faith,  and  the  moral  precept,  is  that 
which  Paul  enjoins  the  Galatians  and  Philippians, 
still  avoiding  outward  circmnstances :  hence  there- 
fore when  he  had  to  the  Galatians  treated  of  faith, 
he  falls  point  blank  upon  moral  duties.     '  For  in 
Christ  Jesus  neither  circumcision  availeth  anything, 
nor  uncircumcision,  but  a  new  creature.     And  as 
many  as  walk  according  to  this  rule,  peace  be  on 
them,  and  mercy,  and  upon  the  Israel  of  God.'  .Ga.  vL 
15,16.     As  many  as  walk  according  to  tliis  rule: 
What  rule  ?   The  rule  by  which  men  are  proved  new 
creatures :  The  word  of  faith,  and  the  moral  precept. 
Wherefore  Paul  exhorteth  the  Ephesians  not  to 
walk,  '  as  other  Gentiles,  in  the  vanity  of  their  mind ; 
seeing  they  had  received  Christ,  and  had  '  heard 
him,  and  had  been  taught  by  him  as  the  truth  is  in 
Jesus. '  That  they  would  put  off  the  old  man ;  what 
is  that  ?    Why,  '  the  former  conversation, '  which  is 
'  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitfid  lusts;'  lying, 
anger,  sin,  givmg  place  to  the  devil,  corrupt  commu- 
nication, all  bitterness,  wrath,  clamom*,  evil-speak- 
ing, with  all  maUce.    And  that  they  would  '  put  on 
the  new  man. '  What  is  that  ?  That  which  is  '  created 
in  righteousness  and  trueholiness  ;'  a  being 'renewed 
in  the  spirit'  of  their  mind,  and  a  putting  away  all 
these  things.  Ep.iv.     '  For  in  Christ  Jesus;'  these 
words  are  put  in,  on  purpose  to  shew  us  the  nature 
of  New  Testament  administrations,  and  how  they 
differ  from  the  old.     In  Moses  an  outward  confor- 
mity to  an  outward  and  carnal  ordinance,  was  suf- 
ficient to  give  (they  subjecting  themselves  thereto) 


COS 


A  llEASON  OF  MY  TEACTICE  IN  WORSHIP. 


n  Lelu"'  of  inciii'oersliip  Avita  the  Jews ;  but  in 
Christ  Jesus  it  is  not  so ;  of  Abraham's  flesh  was 
the  national  Jewish  congregation ;  but  it  is  Abra- 
ham's faith  that  makes  New  Testament  churches : 
They  that  arc  of  faith,  are  the  children  of  faithful 
xibraham.  They  that  are  of  faith,  the  same  are 
the  children  of  Abraham.  Ga.  iii.  7—9.  So  then  the 
seed  being  now  spiritual,  the  rule  must  needs  be 
spiritual  also,  viz.  The  word  of  faith  and  holiness. 
This  is  the  gospel  concision  knife,  sharper  than  any 
two-edged  sword ;  and  that  by  which  New  Testa- 
ment saints  are  circumcised  in  heart,  ears,  and 
lips.  ^  For  in  Clirist  Jesus,''  [is]  no  outward  and 
circumstantial  thing,  but  the  new  creature ;  none 
are  subjects  of  the  visible  kingdom  of  Christ  but 
visible  saints  by  calling :  now  that  which  mani- 
festeth  a  person  to  be  a  visible  saint,  must  be  con- 
formity to  the  word  of  faith  and  holiness.  '  And 
they  that  are  Christ's,  have  crucified  the  flesh  with 
the  afl'ections  and  lusts.'  Ga. v.21.  Hearken  how 
delightfidly  Paul  handleth  the  point:  The  new 
creatures  are  the  Israel  of  God.  The  new  creature 
hath  a  rule  by  himself  to  Avalk  by ;  and  as  many  as 
walk  according  to  this  rule,  peace  be  on  them,  and 
mercy,  and  upon  the  Israel  of  God.  Paul  to  the 
Philippians  coramandeth  as  much ;  where  treating 
of  his  own  practice  in  the  doctrine  of  faith  and 
holiness,  requireth  them  to  walk  by  the  same  rule, 
to  mind  the  same  thing.  I  desire  to  be  found  in 
Christ,  saith  he,  I  reach  forward  toward  the  things 
that  are  before  ;  my  conversation  is  in  heaven,  and 
flatly  opposite  to  them  whose  God  is  their  belly,  who 
glory  in  their  shame,  and  who  mind  earthly  things. 
Brethren,  saith  he,  'be  followers  together  of  me,  and 
mark  them  which  walk  so.'  rii. iii.  17.  Mark  them ; 
for  what?  For  persons  that  are  to  be  received 
into  fellowship,  and  the  choicest  communion  of 
saints.  And  indeed  this  is  the  safest  way  to  judge 
of  the  meetuess  of  persons  by :  for  take  away  the 
confession  of  faith  and  holiness ;  and  what  can 
distinguish  a  Christian  from  a  Turk?  He  that 
indeed  receiveth  faith,  and  that  squareth  his  life 
by  the  royal,  perfect,  moral  precept^;  and  that 
walketh  therein,  in  the  joy  and  peace  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  no  man  can  reject  him ;  he  cannot  be  a 
man  if  he  object  against  him  ;  not  a  man  in  Christ ; 
not  a  man  in  understanding.  '  The  law  is  not 
made  for  a  righteous  man;'  neither  to  debar  him 
the  communion  of  saints  if  he  desire  it,  nor  to  cast 
him  out  if  he  were  in.  *  But  for  the  lawless  and 
disobedient,  for  the  ungodly  and  for  sinners,  for 
unholy  and  profane,  for  murderers  of  fathers  and 
murderers  of  mothers,  for  manslayers,  for  whore- 
mongers, for  them  that  defile  themselves  with 
mankind,  for  men-stealers,  for  liars,  for  perjured 
persons,  and  if  there  be  any  other  thing  that  is 
contrary  to  sound  doctrine;  according  to  the  glori- 
ous gospel  of  the  blessed  God,  which  was  committed 


to  my  trust.'  1  Ti.  i.  9—11.  Paul  also,  when  he  v.'ould 
leave  an  everlasting  conviction  upon  the  Ephesians, 
concerning  his  faith  and  holiness,  treating  first  of 
the  sufiiciency  of  Christ's  blood,  and  the  grace  of 
God  to  save  us ;  he  adds,  •  I  have  coveted  no  man's 
silver,  or  gold,  or  apparel,'  he  bringeth  them  to  the 
the  moral  precept,  to  prove  the  sincerity  of  his  good 
conversation  by.  Ac.  xx.  33.  And  when  men  have 
juggled  what  they  can,  and  made  never  such  a 
prattle  about  religion ;  yet  if  their  greatest  excel- 
lency, as  to  the  visibility  of  their  saintship,  lieth 
in  an  outward  conformity  to  an  outward  circum- 
stance in  religion,  their  profession  is  not  worth  two 
mites.  *  Let  us  walk  honestly,  as  in  the  day ;  not 
in  rioting  and  drunkenness,  not  in  chambering  and 
wantonness,  not  in  strife  and  envying.  But  jiut  ye 
on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  make  not  provision 
for  the  flesh,  to  fuljil  the  lusts  thereof. '  Ro.  xiii.  13,  u. 
And  it  is  observable,  that  after  the  apostle  had  in 
the  9th  and  10th  verses  of  this  chapter  told  us, 
that  the  moral  precept  is  the  rule  of  a  good  con- 
versation, and  exhorted  us  to  make  no  provision 
for  the  flesh ;  he  adds,  these  things  provided,  we 
may  receive  any  that  believe  in  Christ  Jesus  unto 
communion  with  us;  how  weak  soever  and  dark 
in  circumstantials ;  and  chiefly  designs  the  proof 
thereof  in  the  remaining  part  of  his  epistle.  Por  he 
that  is  of  sound  faith,  and  of  conversation  honest 
in  the  world ;  no  man,  however  he  may  fail  in  cir- 
cumstantials, may  lightly  reproach  or  vilify  him. 
And  indeed  such  persons  are  the  honour  of  Chris- 
tian congregations.  Indeed  he  is  prejudiced,  for 
want  of  light  in  these  things  about  which  he  is 
dark,  as  of  baptism,  or  the  like ;  but  seeing  that 
is  not  the  initiating  ordinance,  or  the  visible  cha- 
racter of  a  saint ;  yea,  seeing  it  maketh  no  breach 
in  a  good  and  holy  life :  nor  intrencheth  upon  any 
man's  right  but  his  own ;  and  seeing  his  faith  may 
be  eifectual  without  it,  and  his  life  approved  by  the 
worst  of  his  enemies ;  why  should  his  friends,  while 
he  keeps  the  law,  dishonour  God  by  brealiing  of  the 
same  ?  '  Speak  not  evil  one  of  another,  brethren. 
He  that  speaketh  evil  of  his  brother,  and  judgeth 
his  brother,  speaketh  evil  of  the  laAv,  and  judgeth 
the  law:  But  if  thou  judge  the  law,  thou  art  not 
a  doer  of  the  law,  but  a  judge.'  Ja.  iv.  11.  He  that 
is  judged,  must  needs  fail  somewhere  in  the  appre- 
hension of  him  that  judgetli  him,  else  why  is  he 
judged.  But  he  must  fail  in  substance,  for  then 
he  is  worthy  to  be  judged.  1  Co.  v.  13.  His  failure 
is  then  in  a  circumstance,  for  which  he  ought  not 
to  be  judged. 

Gbjed.  But  notwithstanding  all  that  you  have 
said,  Avater  baptism  ought  to  go  before  church- 
membership  ;  shev/  me  one  in  all  the  New  Testa- 
ment, that  was  received  into  fellowship  without  it. 

Answ.  1.  That  water  baptism  hath  formerly 
gone  first  is  granted ;  but  that  it  ought  of  ncces- 


A  REASON  OF  :.IY  PRACTICE  IN  '^'ORSHIP. 


COS 


sity  so  to  do,  I  never  saw  proof.  2.  None  ever 
received  it  Avitliout  liglit  going  before,  unless  tliey 
did  play  the  lij^pocrite:  and  besides  no  marvel 
though  in  the  primitive  times  it  Avas  so  generally 
practised  first,  for  the  unconverted  themselves 
know,  it  belonged  to  the  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Jn.  i.24— 27.  Yet  that  all  that  Avere  received  into 
fellowship  were  even  then  baptized  first,  would 
strain  a  weak  man's  wit  to  prove  it,  if  argmuents 
were  closely  made  upon  these  three  texts  of  holy 

scripture,    l  Co.  i.  14— 16.  Ga.  iii.  27.  Ro.  vi.  3.      But    I    pasS 

them,  and  say,  If  you  can  shew  me  the  Christian, 
that  in  the  primitive  times  remained  dark  about  it, 
I  will  shew  you  the  Christian  that  was  received 
without  it.  But  should  I  grant  more  than  can  be 
proved,  viz.  That  baptism  was  the  initiating  ordi- 
nance ;  and  that  it  once  did,  as  circumcision  of  old, 
give  a  being  of  membership  to  the  partakers  ;  yea 
set  the  case  that  men  were  forbidden  then  to  enter 
into  fellowship  without  it :  yet  the  case  may  so  be, 
that  these  things  notwithstanding,  men  might  be 
received  into  fellowship  without  it.  All  these  things 
intailed  to  circumcision ;  that  was  the  initiating 
ordinance ;  that  gave  being  of  membership ;  that 
was  it  without  which  it  was  positively  commanded 
none  should  be  received  into  fellowship.  Jos.  v.  Yet 
for  all  this  more  than  six  himdred  thousand  were 
received  into  the  church  without  it,  yea  received, 
and  also  retained  there,  and  that  by  Moses  and 
Joshua,  even  those  to  whom  the  land  was  promised, 
when  the  uncircumcised  were  cut  off.  But  why 
then  were  they  not  circumcised  ?  Doubtless  there 
was  a  reason ;  either  they  wanted  time,  or  oppor- 
tunity, or  instruments,  or  something.  But  they 
could  not  render  a  bigger  reason  than  this,  I  have 
no  light  therein :  Avhich  is  the  cause  at  this  day 
that  many  a  faithful  man  denieth  to  take  up  the 
ordinance  of  baptism:  but  I  say  whatever  the 
hindrance  was,  it  mattcreth  not ;  our  brethren  have 
a  manifest  one,  an  invincible  one,  one  that  all  the 
men  on  earth,  nor  angels  in  heaven  can  remove : 
For  it  is  God  that  creatcth  light ;  and  for  them  to 
do  it  Avithout  light  would  but  prove  them  unfaithfid 
to  themselves,  and  make  them  sinners  against  God ; 
'  For  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin.'  Ro.xiv. 23. 
If  therefore  Moses  and  Joshua  thought  fit  to  com- 
municate Avith  six  hundred  thousand  imcircumcised 
persons  ;  AA'lien  by  the  law  not  one  such  ought  to 
have  been  received  among  them ;  why  may  not  I 
have  communion,  the  closest  communion  AvithA'isible 
saints  as  afore  described,  although  they  Avant  light 
in,  and  "so  cannot  submit  to  that,  AA'hich  of  God 
Avas  never  made  the  AViiU  of  division  betwixt  us.  I 
shall  therefore  hold  communion  with  such. 

First,  Because  the  true  visible  saint  hath  already 
[been]  subjected  to  that  Avhich  is  better ;  CA'en  to 
the  righteousness  of  God,  which  is  by  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ;  byAA-hich  he  stands  just  before  God;  he  also 

VOL.   11. 


hath  made  the  most  exact  and  strict  i-ule  under 
heaven,  that  whereby  he  squares  his  life  before 
men.  He  hath  like  precious  faith  with  the  best 
of  saints,  and  a  conversation  according  to  light 
received,  becoming  the  gospel  of  Christ.  He  is 
therefore  to  be  received,  receiA'ed  I  say,  not  by 
THY  light,  not  for  that  in  circumstances  he  jumpeth 
with  thy  opinion ;  but  according  to  his  own  faith 
Avhich  he  ought  to  keep  to  himself  before  God. 
'  Conscience,  I  say,  not  thine  own,  but  of  the 
other;  for  why  is  my  liberty  judged  of  another 
viaris  conscience. '  l  Co.  .\.  20.  Some  indeed  do  object, 
that  Avhat  the  apostles  Avrote,  they  wrote  to  gathered 
chm-ches,  and  so  to  such  as  Avere  baptized.  And 
therefore  the  arguments  that  are  in  the  epistles 
about  things  circumstantial,  respect  not  the  case 
in  hand.  But  I  Avill  tell  such,  that  as  to  the  first 
part  of  their  objection,  they  are  utterly  under  a 
mistake.  The  first  to  the  Corinthians,  the  epistle 
of  James,  both  them  of  Peter,  and  the  first  epistle 
of  John,  Avere  expressly  Avritten  to  all  the  godly, 
as  Avell  as  2)articular  churches.  Again ;  if  Avater 
baptism,  as  the  circumstances  with  which  the 
churches  Avere  pestered  of  old,  trouble  their  peace, 
Avouud  the  consciences  of  the  godly,  dismember  and 
break  their  felloAvships ;  it  is,  although  an  ordi- 
nance, for  the  present  to  be  prudently  shunned ; 
for  the  edification  of  the  church,  as  I  shall  shew 
anon,  is  to  be  preferred  before  it. 

Second,  and  observe  it ;  '  One  Spirit,  -  one 
hope,  -  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism  (not  of 
Avater,  for  by  one  Spirit  are  Ave  all  baptized  into 
one  body)  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  AA'ho  is  above 
all,  and  through  all,  and  in  you  all. '  Ep.  iv.  1—6.  This 
i-3  a  sufficient  rule  for  us  to  hold  communion  by, 
and  also  to  endeavour  the  maintaining  that  com- 
munion, and  to  keep  it  in  imity,  Avithin  the  bond 
of  peace  against  all  attempts  AvhatsocA-er.  iCo.  xii.ic. 

Tliird,  I  am  bold  therefore  to  have  communion 
with  such.  ne.  vi.  1,  2.  Because  they  also  haA^e  the 
doctrine  of  baptisms :  I  say  the  doctrine  of  them. 
For  here  you  must  note,  I  distinguish  betAveen  the 
doctrine  and  practice  of  water  baptism ;  The  doc- 
trine being  that  Avhich  by  the  outward  sign  is  pre- 
sented to  us,  or  which  by  the  outward  circumstance 
of  the  act  is  preached  to  the  believer:  viz.  The 
DEATH  OF  Chkist  ;  Mt  DEATH  "WITH  Christ  ;  also 
his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and  mine  with 
him  to  ncAvness  of  life.  This  is  the  doctrine 
which  baptism  preacheth,  or  that  AA'hich  by  the 
outward  action  is  signified  to  the  behcA-ing  receiver. 
Now  I  say,  he  that  beheveth  in  Jesus  Christ  hath 
richer  and  better  than  that  [of  baptism  in  water], 
viz.  is  dead  to  sin,  and  that  liA'CS  to  God  by  him,  he 
hath  the  heart,  power  and  doctrine  of  baptism : 
all  then  that  he  Avanteth,  is  but  the  sign,  the 
shadoAv,  or  the  outward  circumstance  thereof.  Nor 
yet  is  THAT  despised  but  forborne  for  Avant  of  hght. 


GIO 


A  REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE  IN  WORSHIP. 


The  Lest  of  baptisms  lie  liatli ;  lie  is  baptized  by 
tbat  one  Spirit ;  lie  hath  the  heart  of  water  baptism, 
he  wanteth  only  the  outward  shew,  which  if  he  had 
would  not  prove  him  a  truly  visible  saint ;  it  would 
not  tell  me  he  had  grace  iu  his  heart.  It  is  no 
characteristical  note  to  another,  of  my  sonship  with 
God,  Indeed  it  is  a  sign  to  the  person  baptized, 
and  an  help  to  his  own  faith.  He  should  know  by 
that  circumstance,  that  he  hath  received  remission 
of  sins ;  if  his  faith  be  as  true,  as  his  being  bap- 
tized is  felt  by  him.  But  if  for  want  of  light,  he 
partake  not  of  that  sign,  his  faith  can  see  it  in 
other  things,  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises. 
Yea,  as  I  also  have  hinted  already,  if  he  appear 
not  a  brother  before,  he  appeareth  not  a  bi'other 
by  that :  And  those  that  shall  content  themselves 
to  make  that  the  note  of  visible  church-member- 
ship ;  I  doubt  make  things  not  much  better,  the 
note  of  their  sonship  with  God, 

Fourth,  I  am  bold  to  hold  communion  with 
visible  saints  as  afore  [described];  because  God 
hath  communion  with  them ;  whose  example  in  the 
case,  we  are  sti'aitly  commanded  to  follow.  '  Re- 
ceive ye  one  another  as  Christ  also  received  us 
(saith  Paul,)  to  the  glory  of  God.'  Ko. xv.  1—7.  Yea, 
though  they  be  saints  of  opinions  contrary  to  you ; 
though  it  goeth  against  the  mind  of  them  that  are 
strong.  '  We  then  that  are  strong  ought  to  bear 
the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  and  not  to  please 
ourselves.'  Ko.xv.  1.  What  infirmities? 
.   Those  that  are  natural  are  incident  to 


Tlie  strongest 
may  some 
times  be  ou 
cjf  tlie  way.* 


times  be  out   q\\^  ^^^j  j^^.g  infirmities  then  that  are 


sinful,  that  cause  a  man,  for  want  of 
light,  to  err  in  circumstantials ;  And  the  reason 
upon  which  he  grounds  this  admonition  is,  that 
'  Christ  pleased  not  himself;  but,  as  it  is  written, 
The  reproaches  of  them  that  reproached  thee,  fell  on 
me.'  You  say,  to  have  communion  with  such  weak 
brethren,  reproacheth  your  opinions,  and  practice. 
Grant  it,  your  dulness  and  deadness,  and  imperfec- 
tions also  reproach  the  hohness  of  God ;  if  you  say 
no,  for  Christ  hath  borne  our  sins;  the  answer  is  still 
the  same,  Their  sins  also  are  fallen  upon  Christ ;  he 
then  that  hath  taken  away  thy  sins  from  before  the 
throne  of  God ;  hath  taken  away  their  shortness  in 
conformity  to  an  outward  circumstance  in  religion. 
Both  your  infirmities  are  fallen  upon  Christ ;  yea, 
if  notAvithstanding  thy  great  sins,  thou  standest  by 
Christ  complete  before  the  throne  of  God ;  why  may 
not  thy  brother,  notwithstanding  his  little  ones, 
stand  complete  before  thee  in  the  church. 

Vain  man  !   think  not  by  the  straituess  of  thine 


*  One  of  the  most  touching  scenes  in  the  Pilgrim's  Progress 
heautifully  illustrates  this  fact.  When  Chi-istian  led  Hopeful 
into  Bye-path  Meadow,  so  that  they  fell  into  the  hands  of 
Giant  Despair,  Hopeful  says,  '  I  would  have  spoke  plainer,  but 
that  you  are  older  than  I.'  That  whole  scene  manifests  the 
most  delicate  sensibility  and  christian  feeling. — Ed, 


order,  in  outward  and  bodily  conformity,  to  out- 
ward and  shadowish  circumstances,  that  thy  peace 
is  maintained  with  God,  for  peace  with  God  is  by 
faith  in  the  blood  of  his  cross  ;  who  hath  borne  the 
reproaches  of  you  both.  "V\Tierefore  he  that  hath 
communion  with  God  for  Christ's  sake,  is  as  good 
and  as  worthy  of  the  communion  of  saints  as  thy- 
self. He  erreth  in  A  circumstance,  thou  errest  in 
A  SUBSTANCE  ;  who  must  bear  these  eiTors  ?  Upon 
whom  must  these  reproaches  fall  ?  pw.  i.  10.  Some 
of  the  things  of  God  that  are  excellent,  have  not 
been  approved  by  some  of  the  saints :  What  then  ? 
must  these  for  this  be  cast  out  of  the  church  ?  No, 
these  reproaches  by  which  the  wisdom  of  heaven 
is  reproached  have  fallen  upon  me,  saith  Christ. 
But  to  return;  God  hath  received  him,  Christ 
hath  received  him,  therefore  do  you  receive  him. 
There  is  more  solidity  in  this  argument,  than  if 
all  the  churches  of  God  had  received  him.  This 
receiving  then,  because  it  is  set  as  an  example  to 
the  church,  is  such  as  must  needs  be  visible  to 
them ;  and  is  best  described  by  that  word  which 
discovereth  the  visible  saint.  Whoso,  therefore, 
you  can  by  the  word,  judge  a  visible  saint,  one 
that  walketh  with  God;  you  may  judge  by  the 
selfsame  word  that  God  hath  received  him.  Now 
liim  that  God  receiveth  and  holdeth  communion 
with,  him  you  should  receive  and  hold  communion 
with.  WiU  any  say  we  cannot  believe  that  God 
hath  received  any  but  such  as  are  baptized  [in 
water]  ?  I  will  not  suppose  a  brother  so  stupified ; 
and  therefore  to  that  I  will  not  answer. 

Receive  him  '  to  the  glory  of  God.  '  To  the 
glory  of  God,  is  put  in  on  purpose,  to  show  what 
dishonour  they  bring  to  God,  who  despise  to  have 
communion  with  them ;  who  yet  they  know  have 
communion  with  God.  For  how  doth  this  man,  or 
that  chui'ch,  glorify  God,  or  count  the  wisdom  and 
holiness  of  heaven  beyond  them,  when  they  refuse 
communion  with  them,  concerning  whom,  they  are 
by  the  word  convinced,  that  they  have  communion 
with  God.  '  Now  the  God  of  patience  and  conso- 
lation grant  you  to  be  hke  minded  one  towards 
another  according  to  Christ  Jesus,'  Ro.  xv.  5.  By 
this  word  patience,  Paul  insinuateth  how  many 
imperfections,  the  choicest  Christians  do  mingle 
their  best  performances  with.  And  by  this  of 
consolation,  how  readily  God  overlooks,  passeth  by 
them,  and  comforteth  you  notwithstanding.  Now 
that  this  mind  should  be  in  Christians  one  to 
another,  is  manifest;  because  Paul  prays  that  it 
might  be  so.  But  this  is  an  heavenly  gift,  and 
therefore  must  be  fetched  from  thence.  But  let 
the  patience  of  God,  and  the  willingness  of  Christ, 
to  bear  the  reproaches  of  the  weak ;  and  the  con- 
solations that  they  have  in  God,  notwithstanding, 
moderate  your  passions,  and  put  you  upon  prayer, 
to  be  minded  like  Jesus  Cluist. 


A  REASON  OF  ilY  PRACTICE  IX  WORSHIP. 


611 


Fifth,  Because  a  failure  in  sucli  a  circumstance 
as  A\rater,  doth  not  xmcliristian  us.  Tliis  must 
needs  be  granted,  not  only  from  ■what  was  said 
before ;  but  for  that  thousands  of  thousands  that 
could  not  consent  thereto  as  we  have,  more  glori- 
ously than  we  are  like  to  do,  acquitted  themselves 
and  their  Christianity  before  men,  and  are  now 
with  the  innumerable  company  of  angels  and  the 
spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect.  What  is  said  of 
eating,  or  the  contrary,  may  as  to  this  be  said  of 
water  baptism.  Neither  if  I  be  baptized,  am  I 
the  better,  neither  if  I  be  not,  am  I  the  worse :  not 
the  better  before  God :  not  the  worse  before  men : 
still  meaning  as  Paul  doth,  provided  I  walk  accord- 
ing to  my  light  with  God :  otherwise  it  is  false ; 
for  if  a  man  that  seeth  it  to  be  his  duty  shall 
despisingly  neglect  it ;  or  if  he  that  hath  no  faith 
therein  shall  fooHshly  take  it  up ;  both  these  are 
for  this  the  worse,  being  convicted  in  themselves 
for  transgressors.  He  therefore  that  doth  it 
according  to  his  light,  doth  well,  and  he  that  doth 
it  not,  or  dare  not  do  it  for  want  of  light,  doth  not 
ill ;  for  he  approveth  his  heart  to  be  sincere  with 
God ;  he  dare  not  do  any  thing  but  by  light  in  the 
word.  If  therefore  he  be  not  by  grace  a  partaker 
of  light,  in  that  circumstance  which  thouprofessest; 
yet  he  is  a  partaker  of  that  liberty  and  mercy  by 
which  thou  standest.  He  hath  liberty  to  call  God 
father,  as  thou:  and  to  believe  he  shall  be  saved 
by  Jesus:  his  faith,  as  thine,  hath  purified  his 
heart:  he  is  tender  of  the  glory  of  God  as  thou 
art :  and  can  claim  by  grace  an  interest  in  heaven ; 
which  thou  must  not  do  because  of  water:  ye  are 
both  then  Christians  before  God  and  men  without 
it :  he  that  can,  let  him  preach  to  himself  by  that : 
he  that  cannot,  let  him  preach  to  himself  by  the 
promises  ;  but  yet  let  us  rejoice  in  God  together: 
let  us  exalt  his  name  together.  Indeed  the  bap- 
tized can  thank  God  for  that,  for  which  another 
cannot ;  but  may  not  he  that  is  imbaptized  thank 
God  for  that  which  the  baptized  cannot  ?  Wouldest 
thou  be  content  that  I  shoidd  judge  thee,  because 
thou  canst  not  for  my  light  give  thanks  with  me  ? 
why  then  should  he  judge  me,  for  that  I  cannot 
give  thanks  with  him  for  his  ?  '  Let  us  not  there- 
fore judge  one  another  any  more :  but  judge  this 
rather,  that  no  man  put  a  stumbling-block  or  an 
occasion  to  fall  in  his  brother's  way. '  Eo.  xiv.  13.  And 
seeing  the  things  wherein  we  exceed  each  other, 
are  such  as  neither  make  nor  mar  Christianity ; 
let  us  love  one  another  and  walk  together  by  that 
glorious  rule  above  specified,  leaving  each  other  in 
all  such  circumstances  to  oiir  own  master,  to  our 
own  faith.  '  Who  art  thou  that  judgest  another 
man's  servant  ?  to  his  own  master  he  standeth  or 
falleth.  Yea,  he  shall  be  holden  up :  for  God  is 
able  to  make  him  stand.'  Ko. xiv. 4. 

Sb:Oi,   I   am  therefore  for  holding  communion 


thus,  because  the  edification  of  souls  in  the  faith 
and  holiness  of  the  gospel,  is  of  greater  concern- 
ment than  an  agreement  in  outward  things;*  I 
say,  it  is  of  greater  concernment  with  us,  and  of 
far  more  profit  to  our  brother ;  than  our  agreeing 
in,  or  contesting  for  the  business  of  water  baptism. 

Jn.  xvi.  13.  1  Co.  HT.  26.  2  Co.  x.  8;  xii.  19.  Ep.  iv.  12.  2  Ti.  iii.  17. 

1  Co.  vji.  1;  siiL  1—1  That  the  edification  of  the  soul, 
is  of  the  greatest  concern,  is  out  of  measure  evident 
I  because  heaven  and  eternal  happiness  are  so  inome- 
diately  concerned  therein.  Besides,  this  is  that 
for  which  Christ  died,  for  which  the  Holy  Ghost 
was  given,  yea  for  which  the  scriptures  and  the 
gifts  of  all  the  godly  are  given  to  the  church ;  yea, 
and  if  gifts  are  not  bent  to  this  very  work,  the 
persons  are  said  to  be  proud  or  uncharitable  that 
have  them ;  and  stand  but  for  cyphers  or  worse 
among  the  churches  of  God.  Farther,  edification 
is  that  that  cherisheth  all  grace,  and  maketh  the 
Christians  quick  and  lively,  and  maketh  sin  lean 
and  dwindling,  and  filleth  the  mouth  with  thanks- 
giving to  God.  But  to  contest  with  gracious  men, 
with  men  that  walk  with  God ;  to  shut  such  out 
of  the  churches ;  because  they  will  not  sin  against 
their  souls,  rendereth  thee  imcharitable.  lio.xiT.i5,20. 
Thou  seekest  to  destroy  the  word  of  God ;  thou 
begettest  contentions,  janglings,  murmurings,  and 
evil  surmisings,  thou  ministerest  occasion  for  wliis- 
peiings,  backbitings,  slanders  and  the  like,  rather 
than  godly  edifying ;  contrary  to  the  whole  current 
of  the  scriptures  and  peace  of  all  communities. 
Let  us  therefore  leave  off  these  contentions,  '  and 
follow  after  the  things  that  make  for  peace,  and 
things  wherewith  one  may  edify  another. '  Eo.  xiv.  19. 
And  know  that  the  edification  of  the  church  of 
God  dependeth  not  upon,  neither  is  tied  to  this  or 
that  circumstance.  Especially  when  there  are  in 
the  hearts  of  the  godly,  different  persuasions  about 
it ;  then  it  becometh  them  in  the  wisdom  of  God, 
to  take  more  care  for  their  peace  and  unity ;  than, 
to  widen  or  make  large  their  imcomfortable  dif- 
ferences. 

Although  Aaron  transgressed  the  law,  because 
he  ate  not  the  sin-offering  of  the  people ;  yet  seemg 
he  could  not  do  it  with  satisfaction  to  his  own  con- 
science, Moses  was  content  that  he  left  it  undone. 
Le.  x.  16—20.  Joshua  was  so  zealous  against  Eldad 
and  Medad,  for  prophesying  in  the  camp,  without 
first  going  to  the  Lord  to  the  door  of  the  taber-. 
nacle,  as  they  were  commanded,  that  he  desired 


*  How  strange  that  pious  men  stould  have  been  prone  to 
punisli  their  fellows  for  non-conforniitv  in  an  outward  sign. 
Thev  themselves  were  suffering  inconceivable  miseries  imder 
acts  of  uniformity  in  rites  and  ceremonies.  How  applicable 
to  the  framers  of  such  acts  of  parliament  are  our  Lord's  words, 
'  Woe  imto  yon,  pharisees,  who  whiten  and  garnish  the  outside 
of  a  sepulchre,  while  within  it  is  fuU  of  uncleanness,  hypocrisy, 
and  iniquity,'  31at.  xxiii. — Ed. 


G12 


A  REASON  OF  5IY  PRACTICE  IN  WORSHIP. 


Moses  to  forbid  tliem.  Nu.  xi.  27, 28.  But  Moses  calls 
his  zeal  envy,  and  prays  to  God  for  more  such 
prophets ;  knowing  that  although  they  failed  in  a 
circumstance,  they  were  right  in  that  which  was 
better.  The  edification  of  the  people  in  the  camp 
was  that  which  pleased  Moses. 

In  Hezekiah's  time,  though  the  people  came  to 
the  passovcr  in  an  imdue  manner,  and  '  did  eat  it 
otherwise  than  it  was  written ; '  yet  the  wise  king- 
would  not  forbid  them,  but  rather  admitted  it, 
knowing  that  their  edification  was  of  greater  con- 
cern, than  to  hold  them  to  a  circumstance  or  two. 
2  Ch.  XXX.  13—37.  Yea,  God  himself  did  like  the  wis- 
dom of  the  king,  and  healed,  that  is,  forgave,  the 
people  at  the  prayer  of  Hezekiah.  And  observe 
it,  notwithstanding  this  disorder,  as  to  circum- 
stances, the  feast  was  kept  with  great  gladness ; 
and  the  Levites  and  the  priests  praised  the  Lord 
day  by  day,  singing  with  loud  instruments  unto 
the  Lord ;  yea,  there  was  not  the  like  joy  in  Jeru- 
salem from  the  time  of  Solomon  unto  that  same 
time.  What  shall  we  say,  all  things  must  give 
place  to  the  profit  of  the  people  of  God.  Yea, 
sometimes  laws  themselves,  for  their  outward  pre- 
servation, much  more  for  godly  edifying.  When 
Christ's  disciples  plucked  the  ears  of  corn  on  the 
sabbath,  no  doubt  for  very  hunger,  and  were 
rebuked  by  the  Pharisees  for  it,  as  for  that  which 
was  unlawful ;  how  did  their  Lord  succour  them  ? 
By  excusing  them,  and  rebuking  their  adversaries. 
'Have  jG  not  read,'  said  he,  '  Avhat  David  did 
when  he  was  an  hungred,  and  they  that  were  with 
him ;  how  he  entered  into  the  house  of  God,  and 
did  eat  the  shew  bread,  which  was  not  lawful  for 
him  to  eat,  neither  for  them  which  were  with  him, 
but  only  for  the  priests  ?  Or  have  ye  not  read  in 
the  law,  how  that  on  the  sabbath  days  the  priests 
in  the  temple  profaned  the  sabbath,  and  are  blame- 
less ?'  Jiat,  xii.  1—5.  Why  blameless  ?  because  they 
did  it  in  order  to  the  edification  of  the  people.  If 
laws  and  ordinances  of  old  have  been  broken,  and 
the  breach  of  them  borne  with,  when  yet  the  observ- 
ance of  outward  things  was  more  strictly  com- 
manded than  now,  when  the  profit  and  edification 
of  the  people  came  in  competition,  hovr  much  more 
may  not  v/e  have  communion,  church  communion, 
where  no  law  is  transgressed  thereby.  '- 

Seventh,  Therefore  I  am  for  holding  commu- 
nion thus,  because  love,  which  above  all  thino-g 
we  are  commanded  to  put  on,  is  of  much  more 
worth  than  to  break  about  baptism ;  Love  is  also 
more  discovered  when  it  rcceivcth  for  the  sake  of 
Christ  and  grace,  than  when  it  refuscth  for  want 
of  water:  and  observe  it,  as  I  have  also  said 
before,  this  exhortation  to  love  is  grounded  upon 
the  putting  on  of  the  new  creature ;  which  new 
creature  hath  swallowed  up  all  distinctions,  that 
have  before  been  common  araojig  the  churches. 


As  I  am  a  Jew,  you  are  a  Greek;  I  am  circum- 
cised, you  are  not:  I  am  free,  you  are  bound. 
Because  Christ  was  all  in  all  these,  '  Put  on  there- 
fore,' saith  he,  *  as  the  elect  of  God,  holy  and 
beloved,  bowels  of  mercies,  kindness,  humbleness 
of  mind,  meekness,  long-sufi'ering, '  that  is,  with 
reference  to  the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  '  forbear- 
ing one  another,  and  forgiving  one  another,  if  any 
man  have  a  quarrel  against  any:  even  as  Christ 
forgave  you,  so  also  do  ye :  and  above  all  these 
things  put  on  charity,  which  is  the  bond  of  perfect- 
ness. '  Col.  iii.  12— 11.  Which  forbearing  and  forgiving 
respecteth  not  only  private  and  personal  injuries, 
but  also  errors  in  judgment  about  inclinations  and 
distinctions  tending  to  divisions,  and  separating 
upon  the  grounds  laid  down  in  ver.  11.  which  ho^iV 
little  soever  they  nov,'  seem  to  us,  who  are  beyond 
them,  were  strong,  and  of  weight  to  them  Avho  in 
that  day  were  entangled  with  them.  Some  saints, 
then  were  not  free  to  preach  to  any  but  the  Jews : 
denying  the  word  of  life  to  the  Gentiles,  and  con- 
tending vt'ith  them  who  pi-efcrred  it  to  them :  which 
was  a  greater  error  than  this  of  baptism.  Ac.  xi.  1— 
ly.  But  v/hat  should  we  do  v/ith  such  kind  of 
saints  ?  Why  love  them  still,  forgive  them,  bear 
with  them,  and  maintain  church  communion  with 
them.  Why  ?  because  they  are  new  creatures, 
because  they  are  Christ's :  for  this  swallows  up  all 
distinctions.  Farther,  because  they  are  elect  and 
beloved  of  God.  Divisions  and  distinctions  are  of 
shorter  date  than  election ;  let  not  them  thei'eforc 
that  are  but  momentary,  and  hatched  in  darkness, 
break  that  bond  that  is  from  everlasting.  It  is 
love,  not  baptism,  that  discovereth  us  to  the  world 
to  be  Christ's  disciples.  It  is  love,  that-  is  the 
undoubted  character  of  our  interest  in,  and  son- 
ship  with  God:  I  mean  when  we  love  as  saints, 
and  desire  communion  with  others,  because  they 
have  fellowship  one  with  another,  in  their  fellow- 
ship with  God  the  Father,  and  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ.  1  Jn.  i.  3.  And  now  though  the  truth  and 
sincerity  of  our  love  to  God,  be  then  discovered 
when  we  keep  his  commandments,  in  love  to  his 
name ;  yet  we  should  remember  again,  that  the 
two  head  and  chief  commandments,  are  faith  in 
Jesus,  and  love  to  the  brethren.  1  Jn.  iii.  23.  So  then 
he  that  pretendeth  to  love,  and  yet  seeks  not  the 
profit  of  his  brother  in  chief;  he  loveth,  but  they 
are  his  own  opinions  and  froward  notions.  Ja.  iv.  11. 
Uo.  xiv.  21.  '  Love  w  the  fulfilling  of  the  law;'  but 
he  fulfils  it  not  who  judgeth  and  setteth  at  nought 
his  brother ;  that  stumbleth,  ofl^endeth,  and  maketh 
■weak  his  brother ;  and  all  for  the  sake  of  a  circum- 
stance, that  to  which  he  cannot  consent,  except  he 
sin  against  his  own  soul,  or  Papist  like,  live  by  an 
implicit  faith.*     Love  therefore  is  sometimes  more 


'•'  '  Au  implicit  faith ;'  foith  iu  tilings  without  inquiry,  or  in 
tilings  not  expressed. — En. 


A  REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE  IN  WORSHIP. 


G13 


seen  and  showed,  in  forbearing  to  urge  and  press 
"U'liat  \xe  know,  than  in  publishing  and  imposing. 
*  I  could  not,'  (saith  Paid,  love  woidd  not  let  me) 
'  speak  unto  you  as  unto  spiritual,  but  as  unto 
carnal,  even  as  unto  babes  in  Christ.  1  have  fed 
you  with  milk,  and  not  with  meat :  for  hitherto  ye 
were  not  able  to  bear  it,  neither  yet  now  are  ye 
able. '  1  Co.  iii.  1,  3.  The  apostle  considered  not  only 
tlie  knowledge  that  he  had  in  the  mysteries  of 
Christ ;  but  the  temper,  the  growth,  and  strength 
of  the  churches,  and  accordingly  kept  back,  or 
commimicated  to  them,  what  might  be  for  their 
profit.  Ac.  XX.  18—20.  So  Christ,  '  I  have  yet  many 
things  to  say  unto  you,  but  ye  cannot  bear  them 
now. '  Ju.  x^-i.  12.  It  may  be  some  will  count  these 
old  and  threadbare  texts ;  but  such  must  know, 
that  the  word  of  the  Lord  must  stand  for  ever. 
Is.  xl.  8.  And  I  shoidd  dare  to  say  to  such,  if  the 
best  of  thy  new  shifts,  be  to  slight,  and  abuse  old 
scriptures;  it  shews  thou  art  more  fond  of  thy 
imwarrantable  opinion,  than  swift  to  hear,  and 
ready  to  yield  to  the  authority  that  is  infallible. 

But  to  conclude  this,  when  we  attempt  to  force 
our  brother  beyond  his  light,  or  to  break  his  heart 
with  grief;  to  thrust  him  beyond  his  faith,  or  to 
bar  him  from  his  privilege :  how  can  we  say,  I 
love  ?  What  shall  I  say  ?  To  have  fellowship 
one  with  another  for  the  sake  of  an  outward  cir- 
cumstance, or  to  make  that  the  door  to  fellowship 
v/hich  God  hath  not ;  yea  to  make  that  the  includ- 
ing, excluding  charter ;  the  bounds,  bar,  and  rule 
of  communion ;  when  by  the  word  of  the  everlast- 
ing testament  there  is  no  warrant  for  it ;  to  speak 
charitably,  if  it  be  not  for  want  of  love,  it  is  for 
want  of  knoMdedge  in  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom 
of  Christ.  Strange !  take  two  Christians  equal 
in  all  points  but  this,  nay,  let  one  go  beyond  the 
other  far,  for  grace  and  holiness ;  yet  this  circum- 
stance of  water  shall  drown  and  sweep  away  all 
his  excellencies,  not  counting  him  worthy  of  that 
reception,  that  with  hand  and  heart  shall  be  given 
to  a  novice  in  religion,  because  he  consents  to 
water. 

Eighth,  But  for  God's  people  to  divide  into 
parties,  or  to  shut  each  other  from  church  com- 
munion ;  though  from  greater  points,  and  upon 
higher  pretences,  than  this  of  water  baptism ;  hath 
heretofore  been  counted  carnal,  and  the  actors 
herein  babyish  Christians.  Paul  and  Apollos, 
Cephas  and  Christ,  were  doubtless  higher  things 
than  those  about  vrhich  Ave  contend :  yet  when 
they  made  divisions  for  them ;  how  sharply  are 
they  rebuked  ?  Are  ye  not  carnal,  carnal, 
CARXAL  ?  For  whereas  there  are  among  you, 
envyings,  strife,  divisions,  or  factions :  '  are  ye  not 
carnal.'  iCo. i. ii, i2;  iii.i— 4.  While  one  saith,  I  am 
of  Paul,  and  another  I  am  of  Apollos,  arc  ye  not 
carnal  ?     See  therefore  from  vrhenee  arise  all  thy 


endeavours,  zeal,  and  labour,  to  accomplish  divi- 
sions among  the  godly:  let  Paul  or  Cephas,  or 
Christ  himself,  be  the  burthen  of  thy  song,  yet  tho 
heart  from  whence  tliey  flow  is  carnal ;  and  thy 
actions,  discoveries  of  childishness.  But,  doubt- 
less when  these  contentions  were  among  the  Corin- 
thians, and  one  man  Avas  \-ilified,  that  another 
might  be  promoted ;  a  lift  with  a  carnal  brother, 
was  thought  great  Avisdom  to  Aviden  the  breach. 
But  Avhy  should  he  be  rebuked,  that  said  he  was 
for  Christ  ?  Because  he  was  for  him  in  opposi- 
tion to  his  holy  apostles.  Hence  he  saith,  '  Is 
Christ  divided, '  or  separate  from  his  servants  ? 
Note  therefore  that  these  divisions  are  deserted  by 
the  persons  the  divisions  were  made  about ;  neither 
Paul,  nor  Apollos,  nor  Cephas,  nor  Christ  is  here. 
Let  the  cry  be  never  so  loud,  Christ,  order,  the 
ride,  the  command,  or  the  like ;  carnality  is  but 
the  bottom,  and  they  are  but  babes  that  do  it; 
their  zeal  is  but  a  puff,  i  Co.  iv.  6.  And  observe  it, 
the  great  division  at  Corinth,  was  helped  forward 
by  water  baptism :  this  the  apostle  intimates  by, 
'  Were  ye  baptized  in  the  name  of  Paul  ? '  Ah, 
brethren  !  Carnal  Christians  with  outAvard  circum- 
stances, Avill,  if  they  be  let  alone,  make  sad  work 
in  the  churches  of  Christ,  against  the  spiritual 
growth  of  the  same.  But  '/  thavJc  God,'  saith 
Paul,  Hhat  I  baptized  none  of  yoii,'  &c.  Not  but 
that  it  was  then  an  ordinance  of  God,  but  they 
abused  it,  in  making  parties  thereby.  '  I  baptized 
none  of  you,  but  Crispus  and  Gains,  -  and  the 
household  of  Stephanus : '  men  of  note  among  the 
brethren,  men  of  good  judgment,  and  reverenced 
by  the  rest ;  they  can  tell  you  I  intended  not  to 
make  a  party  to  myself  thereby.  '  Besides,  I 
knoAV  not  AA-hether  I  baptized  any  other.'  By  this 
negligent  relating,  Avho  were  baptized  by  him ;  he 
shoAveth  that  he  made  no  such  matter  of  baptism, 
as  some  in  these  days  do ;  nay,  that  he  made  no 
matter  at  all  thereof,  Avith  respect  to  church  com- 
munion ;  for  if  he  did  not  heed  Avho  himself  had 
baptized ;  he  much  less  heeded,  Avho  were  baptized 
by  others  ;  but  if  baptism  had  been  the  initiating, 
or  entering  ordinance,  and  so  appointed  of  God ; 
no  doubt  he  had  made  more  conscience  thereof, 
than  so  lightly  to  pass  it  over.  '  For  Christ  sent 
me  not  to  baptize,  but  to  preach  the  gospel.'  The 
gospel  then  may  be  effectually  preached,  and  yet 
baptism  neither  administered  nor  mentioned.  The 
gospel  being  good  tidings  to  sinners,  upon  the 
account  of  free  grace  through  Christ ;  but  baptism 
Avith  things  of  like  nature,  are  duties  enjoined  such 
a  people  Avho  received  the  gospel  before.  I  speak 
not  this,  because  I  would  teach  men  to  break  the 
least  of  the  commandments  of  God ;  but  to  persuade 
my  brethren  of  the  baptized  way,  not  to  hold  too 
much  thereupon,  not  to  make  it  an  essential  of  the 
gospel  of  Clirist,  nor  yet  of  commimion  of  saints. 


614 


A  REASON  OF  MY  PRACTICE  IN  WORSHIP. 


'He  sent  me  not  to  baptize:'  these  words  are 
spoken  with  holy  indignation  against  them  that 
abuse  this  ordinance  of  Christ.  So  when  he 
speaketh  of  the  ministers  themselves,  which  also 
they  had  abused ;  in  his  speaking,  he  as  it  were 
trampleth  upon  them,  as  if  they  were  nothing  at 
all.  '  Who  then  is  Paul,  and  who  is  Apollos  ? ' 
'  He  that  planteth  is  not  any  thing,  neither  is  he 
that  watereth,  but  God  that  giveth  the  increase.' 
1  Co.  iii.  5, 7.  Yet  for  all  this,  the  ministers  and  their 
ministry  are  a  glorious  appointment  of  God  in  the 
world.  Baptism  also  is  a  holy  ordinance,  but 
when  Satan  abuseth  it,  and  wrencheth  it  out  of  its 
place ;  making  that  which  was  ordained  of  God  for 
the  edification  of  believers,  the  only  weapon  to 
break  in  pieces  the  love,  the  unity,  the  concord  of 
saints ;  then  What  is  baptism  ?  then  neither  is 
baptism  anything.  And  this  is  no  new  doctrine  ; 
for  God  by  the  mouth  of  his  prophets  of  old,  cried 
out  against  his  own  institutions,  when  abused  by 
his  people :  '  To  what  purpose  is  the  multitude  of 
your  sacrifices  unto  me, '  saith  the  Lord  :  '  I  am  full 
of  the  burnt-ofterings  of  rams,  and  the  fat  of  fed 
beasts ;  and  I  delight  not  in  the  blood  of  bullocks, 
or  of  lambs,  or  of  he  goats.  When  ye  come  to 
appear  before  me,  who  hath  required  this  at  your 
hands,  to  tread  my  courts  ?  Bring  no  more  vain 
oblations,  incense  is  an  abomination  to  me;  the 
new  moons  and  sabbaths,  the  calliug  of  assembhes, 
I  cannot  away  with ;  it  is  iniquity,  even  the  solemn 
meeting.  Your  new  moons  and  your  appointed 
feasts  my  soul  hateth :  they  are  a  trouble  unto  me, 
I  am  weary  to  bear  tliem.'  is.i.  11—14.  And  yet  aU 
these  were  his  own  appointments.  But  why  then 
did  he  thus  abhor  them  ?  Because  they  retained 
the  evil  of  their  doings,  and  used  them  as  they  did 
other  of  his  appointments,  viz.,  'For  strife  and 
debate,  and  to  strike  with  the  fist  of  wickedness : ' 
cii.  hdii.  4.  Wherefore  when  that  of  God  that  is  great, 
is  overweighed  by  that  which  is  small ;  it  is  the 
wisdom  of  them  that  see  it,  to  put  load  to  the 
other  end  of  the  scale  ;  until  the  things  thus  abused, 
poise  in  their  own  place.  But  to  pass  this  and 
proceed. 

Ninth,  If  we  shall  reject  visible  saints  by  call- 
ing saints  that  have  communion  with  God,  that 
have  received  the  law  at  the  hand  of  Christ,  that 
are  of  an  holy  conversation  among  men;  they 
desiring  to  have  communion  Avith  us,  as  much  as 
in  us  lieth,  we  take  from  them  their  very  privileges, 
and  the  blessings  to  which  they  were  born  of  God. 
For  Paul  saith  not  only  to  the  gathered  church  at 
Corinth,  but  to  all  scattered  saints  that  in  every 
place  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord ;  That  Jesus 
Christ  is  theirs,  That  Paul,  and  Apollos,  and  the 
world,  and  life,  and  death,  and  all  things  are  theirs, 
because  they  are  Christ's,  and  Clirist  is  God's. 
But  saith  he,  let  no  man  glory  in  men,  such  as 


Paul  and  Cephas,  though  these  were  excellent : 
because  this  privilege  comes  to  you  upon  another 
bottom,  even  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  '  Drink  you 
all  of  this,'  is  entailed  to  faith,  not  baptism:  nay, 
baptized  persons  may  yet  be  excluded  this  ;  when 
he  that  discerneth  the  Lord's  body  hath  right 
and  privilege  to  it.  1  Co.  xi.  28, 29.  But  to  exclude 
Christians  from  church  communion  and  to  debar 
them  their  heaven-born  privileges,  for  the  want  of 
that  which  yet  God  never  made  a  wall  of  division 
between  us. 

(1.)  This  looks  too  like  a  spirit  of  persecution, 
Job.xix.  28.  (2.)  It  respecteth  more  a  form,  than  the 
spirit  and  power  of  godliness.  3Ti.  iii.  5.  (3.)  This 
is  to  make  laws,  where  God  hath  made  none,  and 
to  be  wise  above  what  is  written,  contrary  to  God's 
word,  and  om-  own  principles.  (4.)  It  is  a  direct- 
ing of  the  Spirit  of  God.  (5.)  It  bindeth  all  men's 
faith  and  light  to  mine  opinion,  (6.)  It  taketli 
away  the  children's  bread,  (7.)  It  withholdeth 
from  them  the  increase  of  faith.  (8,)  It  tendeth 
to  harden  the  hearts  of  the  wicked,  (9.)  It  tend- 
eth to  make  wicked  the  hearts  of  weak  Christians. 
(10.)  It  setteth  open  a  door  to  all  temptations. 
(11.)  It  tempteth  the  devil  to  fall  upon  those  that 
are  alone,  and  have  none  to  help  them.  (12.)  It 
is  the  nursery  of  all  vain  janglings,  back-bitings, 
and  strangeness  among  the  Christians.  (13.)  It 
occasioneth  the  world  to  reproach  us.  (14.)  It 
holdeth  staggering  consciences,  in  doubt  of  the 
right  way  of  the  Lord.  (15.)  It  giveth  occasion 
to  many  to  turn  aside  to  most  dangerous  heresies. 
(16.)  It  abuseth  the  holy  scriptures ;  It  wresteth 
God's  ordinances  out  of  their  place.  (17.)  It  is  a 
prop  to  antichrist.  (18.)  Shall  I  add.  Is  it  not 
that  which  greatly  prevailed  to  bring  down  these 
judgments,  which  at  present  we  feel  and  groan 
under;*  I  wiU  dare  to  say,  it  was  f  a  cause 
thereof. 

Tenth,  and  lastly,  Bear  with  one  word  farther. 
What  greater  contempt  can  be  thrown  upon  the 
saints  than  for  their  brethren  to  cast  them  off,  or 
to  debar  them  church-communion  ?  Think  you 
not  that  the  world  may  groundly  say,  Some  great 
iniquity  lies  hid  in  the  skirts  of  your  brethren ; 
when  in  truth  the  transgression  is  yet  your  own  ? 


*  '  These  judgments  we  feel  and  groan  under.'  So  frightful 
were  the  persecutions  of  the  dissenters  by  the  church  in  1670, 
that  the  narrative  says,  '  The  town  [of  Bedford]  was  so  thin 
of  people,  and  the  shops  shut  down,  that  it  seemed  like  a  place 
visited  with  the  pest,  where  usually  is  written  upon  the  door, 
"Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us."'  Had  the  dissenters  been 
united,  the  church  would  not  have  dared  to  exercise  such  bar- 
barities— men  and  women  in  jails — some  hanged  for  not  going 
to  church — all  their  goods  swept  away,  and  their  childi-en 
perishing. — Ed. 

t  The  printer  had  inserted  'the  cause;'  Bunyan's  manu- 
script was  '  a  cause.'  See  marginal  note,  in  his  Diffei"ences  iu 
Judgment,  p.  G19. — Ed, 


A  REASON  OF  JIY  PRACTICE  IN  TVORSHIP. 


015 


Eut  I  say,  what  can  the  church  do  more  to  the 
sinners  or  open  profane  ?  Civil  commerce  you 
will  have  with  the  worst,  and  what  more  have 
you  with  these  ?  Perhaps  you  will  say  we  can 
pray  and  preach  with  these ;  and  hold  them  Chris- 
tians, saints,  and  godly.  Well,  but  let  me  ask 
you  one  word  farther:  Do  you  believe,  that  of 
very  conscience  they  cannot  consent,  as  you,  to 
that  of  water  baptism  ?  And  that  if  they  had 
light  therein,  they  woidd  as  willingly  do  it  as  you  ? 
Why  then,  as  I  have  shewed  you,  our  refusal  to 
hold  commimion  with  them  is  without  a  ground 
from  the  word  of  God,  But  can  you  commit  yom' 
soul  to  their  ministry,  and  join  with  them  in 
prayer ;  and  yet  not  count  them  meet  for  other 
gospel  privileges  ?  I  would  know  by  what  scrip- 
ture you  do  it  ?  Perhaps  you  will  say,  I  commit 
not  my  soul  to  their  ministry,  only  hear  them 
occasionally  for  trial.  If  this  be  all  the  respect 
thou  hast  for  them  and  their  ministry,  thou  may- 
est  have  as  much  for  the  worst  that  pisseth  against 
the  wall.  But  if  thou  canst  hear  them  as  God's 
ministers,  and  sit  imder  their  ministry  as  God's 
ordinance  ;  then  shew  me  where  God  hath  such  a 
gospel  ministry,  as  that  the  persons  ministering 
may  not,  though  desiring  it,  be  admitted  with  you 
to  the  closest  commimion  of  saints.  But  if  thou 
sittest  mider  their  ministry  for  fleshly  politic  ends, 
thou  hearest  the  word  like  an  atheist,  and  art  thy- 
self, while  thou  judgest  thy  brother,  in  the  prac- 
tice of  the  worst  of  men.  But  I  say,  where  do 
you  find  this  piece-meal  commimion  with  men  that 
profess  faith  and  holiness  as  joii,  and  separation 
from  the  world.  If  you  object,  that  my  principles 
lead  me  to  have  communion  with  aU ;  I  answer 
with  all  as  afore  described ;  if  they  will  have  com- 
munion with  me. 

Object.  Then  you  may  have  communion  with  the 
members  of  antichrist. 

Answ.  If  there  be  a  visible  saint  yet  remaining 
in  that  church ;  let  him  come  to  us,  and  we  will 
have  commimion  with  him. 

Quest.  What,  though  he  yet  stand  a  member 
of  that  sinful  number,  and  profess  himself  one  of 
them. 

A71SVJ.  You  suppose  an  impossibility ;  for  it  can- 
not be  that,  at  the  same  time,  a  man  should  visibly 
stand  a  member  of  two  bodies  diametrically  oppo- 
site one  to  another.  AVherefore  it  must  be  sup- 
posed, that  he  who  professeth  hhnself  a  member 
of  a  church  of  Christ,  must  fox'thwith,  nay  before, 
forsake  the  antichristian  one.  The  which  if  he 
refuseth  to  do,  it  is  evident  he  doth  not  sincerely 
desire  to  have  fellowship  with  the  saints. 

[Quest.]  But  he  saith  he  cannot  see  that  that 
company  to  which  you  stand  opposite,  and  conclude 
antichristian,  is  indeed  the  antichristian  church. 

[Aivsw.]  If  so,  he  cannot  desire  to  join  with 


another,  if  he  know  them  to  be  professedly  and 
directly  opposite.  I  hold  therefore  to  what  I  said 
at  first ;  That  if  there  be  any  saints  in  the  anti- 
chi'istian  church,  my  heart,  and  the  door  of  our 
congregation  is  open  to  receive  them,  into  closest 
fellowship  with  us. 

Object.  But  how  if  they  yet  retain  some  anti- 
christian princijjles. 

Ansiu.  If  they  be  such  as  eat  out  the  bowels 
of  a  church,  so  soon  as  they  are  detected  he  must 
either  be  kept  out,  while  out,  or  cast  out,  if  in: 
for  it  must  be  the  prudence  of  every  community 
to  presex-ve  its  own  unity  with  peace  and  truth : 
the  which  the  churches  of  Christ  may  do ;  and 
yet  as  I  have  shewed  ah-eady,  receive  such  per- 
sons as  differ  upon  the  point  of  water  baptism. 
For  the  doing  or  not  doing  of  that  neither  maketh 
nor  marreth  the  bowels  or  foundation  of  church- 
communion. 

Object.  But  this  is  receiving  for  opinion  sake ; 
as  before  you  said  of  us. 

A'iisiv.  jS"©;  we  i-eceive  him  for  the  sake  of 
Chi'ist,  and  grace,  and  for  our  mutual  edification 
in  the  faith ;  and  that  we  respect  not  opinions,  I 
mean  in  lesser  matters,  'tis  evident ;  for  things 
wherein  we  differ  are  no  bx-each  of  communion 
among  us  ;  we  let  eveiy  man  have  his  own  faith  in 
such  things  to  himself  before  God. 

I  XOW  COME  TO  A  SHORT  APPLICATION. 

I.  Keep  a  strict  separation,  I  px'ay  you,  from 
communion  with  the  open  profane ;  and  let  no 
man  use  his  liberty  in  church  relation  as  an  occa- 
sion to  the  flesh ;  but  in  love  serve  one  another. 
'  Looking  diligently  -  lest  any  root  of  bitterness  - 
(any  poisonful  herb,  De.  xxix.  is.)  springing  up  trouble 
you,  and  thereby  many  be  defiled.'  He.  xii.  13.  And 
let  those  that  befoi'e  wex'e  reasons  for  my  sepai-a- 
tion,  be  motives  to  you  to  maintain  the  like :  and 
remember  that  when  men  have  said  what  they  can 
for  a  sinful  mixtui-e  in  the  worship  of  God;  the 
ax-m  of  the  Lord  is  made  bare  against  it. 

II.  In  the  midst  of  your  zeal  for  the  Lord, 
remember  that  the  visible  saint  is  his ;  and  is  pri- 
vileged In  all  those  spiritual  things  that  you  have 
in  the  word  and  live  in  the  practice  of,  and  that 
he  Is  to  partake  thereof,  according  to  his  light 
therein.  Quarrel  not  with  him  about  things  that 
are  circumstantial ;  but  receive  him  in  the  Lord, 
as  becometh  saints :  if  he  will  not  have  communion 
with  you,  the  neglect  is  his,  not  yours.  But  saith 
the  open  profane,  why  cannot  we  be  reckoned 
saints  also  ?  We  have  been  christened,  we  go  to 
church,  we  take  the  communion.*     Poor  people! 


*  This  is  a  much  more  exteasive  e\Tl  than  many  would 
credit.  I  have  met  with  these  very  expressions  not  only 
among  the  poor  but  the  rich.     It  is  an  awM  delusion. —Ei>. 


6K> 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  KO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


This  will  not  do ;  for  so  long  as  in  life  and  con- 
versation you  appear  to  be  open  profane,  we  cannot, 
unless  we  sin,  receive  you  into  our  fellowship :  for 
by  your  ungodly  lives  you  shew  that  you  luiow  not 
Christ ;  and  while  you  are  such  by  the  word,  you 
arc  reputed  but  beasts :  now  then  judge  yourselves, 
if  it  be  not  a  strange  community  that  consisteth 
of  men  and  beasts :  let  beasts  be  with  the  beasts, 
you  know  yourselves  do  so ;  you  receive  not  your 
Iiorse  nor  your  hog  to  your  table,  you  put  them  in 
a  room  by  themselves.  Besides  I  have  shewed 
you  before,  that  for  many  reasons  we  cannot  have 
communion  with  you. 

(1.)  The  church  of  God  must  be  holy.  Le.  xi.  44; 

xix.  2;  .XX.  7. 1  Pe.  i.  15, 10.  Is.  xxvi.  3.  Ps.  cxviii.  20.  Eze.  xliii.  13;  xliv. 
;).  Is.  lii.  11. 

(2.)    The  example  of   the  churches  of   Christ 
before,  hath  been  a  community  of  visible  saints. 

Ro.  i.  7. 1  Co.  i.  3.  Ep.  i.  1.  Col.  i.  2. 1  Tli.  i.  1.  3  Th.  i.  1—3.       Poor 

earnal  man,  there  are  many  other  reasons  urged 
in  this  little  book,  that  shew  why  we  cannot  have 
communion  with  thee:  not  that  we  refuse  of  pride 
.&r  stoutness,  or  because  we  scorn  you  as  men. 
jSFo,  we  pity  you,  and  pray  to  God  for  you;  and 
could,  if  you  Avere  converted,  Avith  joy  receive  you 
to  fellowship  vath  us:  Did  you  never  read  in  Daniel, 
That  iron  is  not  mixed  with  miry  clay  ?  ii.  43.  No 
more  can  the  saints  with  you,  in  the  worship  of 
God,  and  fellowship  of  the  gospel.  When  those 
you  read  of  in  the  fourth  of  Ezra,  attempted  to 
join  in  temple  work  with  the  children  of  the  cap- 
tivity ;  what  said  the  children  of  Judah  ?  '  Ye 
have  nothing  to  do  with  xis  to  build  an  house  unto 
our  God ;  but  we  ourselves  together  will  build  mito 
the  Lord  God  of  Israel,'  &c.  Eze.  iv.  3. 

I  return  now  to  those  that  are  visible  saints  by 


calling,  that  stand  at  a  distance  one  from  another, 
upon  the  accounts  before  specified:  Brethren; 
CLOSE ;  CLOSE ;  be  one,  as  the  Father  in  Christ  is 
one. 

1.  This  is  the  way  to  convince  the  world  that 
you  are  Christ's,  and  the  subjects  of  one  Lord; 
whereas  the  contrary  makes  them  doubt  it.  Jn.  xiii. 
31, 35;  xvii. 33.  2.  This  IS  the  way  to  increase  love; 
that  grace  so  much  desired  by  some,  and  so  little 
enjoyed  by  others.  2  Co.  vii.  15.  3.  This  is  the  Ava}'' 
to  savour  and  taste  the  Spirit  of  God  in  each  other's 
experience ;  for  which  if  you  find  it  in  truth  you 
caimot  but  bless,  if  you  be  saints,  the  name  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  1  Tli.  i.  2— i.  4.  This  is  the  way 
to  increase  knowledge,  or  to  see  more  in  the  word 
of  God  :  for  that  may  be  known  by  two  ;  that  is 
not  seen  by  one.  is.  Hi.  s.  5.  This  is  the  way  to 
remove  secret  jealousies  and  murmurings  one 
against  the  other :  yea  this  is  the  way  to  prevent 
much  sin,  and  greatly  to  frustrate  that  design  of 
hell.  Pr.  vi.  10—19.  G.  This  is  the  way  to  bring  them 
out  of  the  world  into  fellowship  that  now  stand  ofl.* 
from  our  gospel  privileges,  for  the  sake  of  our 
vain  janglings.  7.  This  is  the  Avay  to  make  anti- 
christ shake,  totter,  and  tremble,  is.  xi.  13, 11.  8. 
This  is  the  Avay  to  leave  Babylon  as  an  habitation 
for  devils  only ;  and  to  make  it  a  hold  for  foul 
spirits,  and  a  cage  only  for  every  unclean  and 
hateful  bird.  9.  This  is  the  v-^ay  to  hasten  the 
work  of  Christ's  kingdom  in  the  Avorld ;  and  to 
forward  his  coming  to  the  eternal  judgment.  10. 
And  this  is  the  way  to  obtain  much  of  that,  well 

DONE,  GOOD  AND  FAITHFUL  SERVANT,  when  yOU  Staud 

before  his  face.  [In  the  words  of  Paul]  '  I  beseech 
you,  brethren,  suffer  the  word  of  exhortation :  for  I 
have  written  a  letter  unto  vou  in  few  Vv'ords. '  lie.  xiii.  33. 


DIFFERENCES  IN  JUDGMENT  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION: 

OE, 
TO  COMMUNICATE  WITH  SAINTS,  AS  SAINTS,  PROVED  LAWFUL. 

ir;  ANSWER  TO  A  T.OOK  -WEITTKN  BY  THE  BAPTISTS,  AND  PUBLISHED  BY  MB.  T.  P^AHI,]  AND  MK.  Vi^.  K[irFIN],  EKTITULED,  'SOME  SEEIOUS 
HMXECTIONS  ON  THAT  PART  01'  JIE.  BUNYAN's  CONrESSlOU  01'  rAITII,  TOUCHING   CllUEClI  C0J1LIU:VI0I>'  WITH  UNBAPTIZED  BELLEVElia.' 

WilKI'inN  THEIR  0B.TECTI0NS  AND  ARGUMENTS  ARE  ANSTVEKED,  AND  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  COMMUNION  STILL  ASSERTED  AND  VINDICATED. 
ilKEE   IS   ALSO   MK.   IIENEY   JESSE's   JUDGMENT   IN   THE    CASE,   I'ULLY   DECLAttING   THE   DOCTRINE   I   HAVE   ASSEilTED. 

By   JOHN    BUNYAN, 


'  Shoidd  vot  the  wullUude  of  vjords  he  ansivcrecl  ?  and  should  a  man  full  of  talk  he  just/fed  ?     Should  Ihy  lies  malce  men 

hold  their  peace  !"  and  when  thou  mockest,  shall  no  man  make  thee  an  a)iswer  [asha?ncd  .'^l^  ' — Job  xi.  2,  3. 
'/am  ioT  peace ;  hut  token  I  speak,  they  are  for  war! — Psal.  cx2.  7. 

London :  Printed  for  John  "Willcins,  and  are  to  be  sold  at  his  shop  in  Exchange  Alley,  nest  door  to  the  Exchange 
CofTec  House,  over  against  the  Koyal  Exchange,  1G73. 


Courteous  Header, 
Be  intreated  to  believe  me,  I  had  not  set  pen  to 
paper  about  this  controversy,  had  we  been  let  alone 


at  quiet  in  our  Christian  communion.  But  being 
assaulted  for  more  than  sixteen  years,  wherein  the 
brethren  of  the  baptized  way,  as  they  had  their 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


Gi7 


opportunity,  have  sought  to  break  us  in  pieces, 
merely  because  we  are  not,  in  tbeir  way,  all  bap- 
tized first :  I  could  not,  I  durst  not,  forbear  to  do 
a  little,  if  it  might  be,  to  settle  the  brethren,  and 
to  arm  them  against  the  attempts,  ■which  also  of 
late  they  begin  to  revive  upon  us.  That  I  deny  the 
ordinance  of  baptism,  or  that  I  have  placed  one  piece 
of  an  argument  against  it,  though  they  feign  it,  is 
quite  without  colour  of  truth.  All  I  say  is.  That 
the  church  of  Christ  hath  not  warrant  to  keep  out 
of  their  communion  the  Christian  that  is  discovered 
to  be  a  visible  saint  by  the  word,  the  Christian 
that  walketh  accordina;  to  his  light  with  God.  I 
will  not  make  reflections  upon  those  unliandsome 
brands  that  my  brethren  have  laid  upon  me  for 
this,  as  that  I  am  a  machivilian,  a  man  devilish, 
proud,  insolent,  presumptuous,  and  the  like,  neither 
will  I  say  as  they,  The  Lord  rebuke  thee  ;  Words 


fitter  to  be  spoken  to  the  devil  than  a  brother. 
But  reader,  read  and  compare ;  lay  aside  prejudice 
and  judge.  What  Mr.  Kiffin  hath  done  in  the 
matter  I  forgive,  and  love  him  never  the  worse, 
but  must  stand  by  my  principles  because  they  are 
peaceable,  godly,  profitable,  and  such  as  tend  to 
the  edification  of  my  brother,  and  as  I  believe 
will  be  justified  in  the  day  of  judgment. 

I  have  also  here  presented  thee  with  the  opinion 
of  ]\Ir.  Henry  Jesse,  in  the  case,  which  providen- 
tially I  met  with  as  I  was  coming  to  London  to  put 
my  papers  to  the  press ;  and  that  it  was  his  judgment 
is  asserted  to  me,  known  many  years  since  to  some 
of  the  Baptists,  to  whom  it  was  sent,  but  never 
yet  answered ;  and  will  yet  be  attested  if  need 
shall  require.     Farewell. 

Thine  in  all  Christian  service,  according  to  my 
light  and  power,  Joux  Buxyan. 


DIFFERENCES  IN  JUDGMENT  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


Sir, 

Yom*  seemingly  serious  reflections  upon  that 
part  of  my  plain-hearted  confession  of  faith,  which 
rendereth  a  reason  of  my  freedom  to  communicate 
with  those  of  the  saints  and  faithfid  who  differ 
from  me  about  water  baptism ;  I  have  read  and 
considered,  and  have  weighed  them  so  well  as  my 
rank  and  abilities  will  admit  me  to  do.  But  find- 
ing yours,  if  I  mistake  not,  far  short  of  a  candid 
replication,  I  thought  [it]  convenient,  not  only  to 
tell  you  of  those  impertinencies  everywhere  scat- 
tered up  and  down  in  your  book  ;  but  also,  that  in 
my  simple  opinion,  your  rigid  and  church-disquiet- 
ing principles  are  not  fit  for  any  age  and  state  of 
the  church. 

But  before  I  enter  the  body  of  yoiu'  book,  give 
inc  leave  a  little  to  discourse  you  about  your  pre- 
amble to  the  same,  wherein  are  two  miscarriages 
xmworthy  your  pretended  seriousness,  because  void 
of  love  and  himiility.  The  first  is.  In  that  you 
closely  disdain  my  person  because  of  my  low 
descent  among  men,  stigmatising  me  for  a  person 
of  THAT  rank,  that  need  not  to  be  heeded  or  attended 
unto,  p.i.* 


*  Wlio  is  there  that  reads  these  rerilings  of  Bunyan  for  his 
poverty  aud  mean  descent,  but  must  be  struck  with  the 
unsearchable  wisdom  of  the  Almighty.  The  salvation  of  the 
church  requires  that  '  GoD  should  be  manifest  in  the  flesh.' 
Does  he  appear  in  his  glory  ?  Does  he  honour  riches,  and 
power,  and  ^visdom,  by  descending  in  one  of  these  classes? 
ZSFo ;  the  poor,  the  despised  in  this  world,  claim  kindred  with 
him — 'Is  not  this  the  carpenter's  son?'  'Have  any  of  the 
rulers  or  pharisees  beheved  on  him?'  Even  with  these  exam- 
ples before  them,  his  Baptist  ministerial  brethren,  who  sat  at 
VOL.  II. 


Ansiv.  What  it  is  that  gives  a  man  reverence 
with  you,  I  know  not ;  but  for  certain,  He  that 
despiseth  the  poor  reproacheth  his  jMaker ;  yet,  *  a 
poor  man  abetter  than  a  liar.'  To  have  gay 
clothing,  or  gold  rings,  or  the  persons  that  wear 
them  in  admiration ;  or  to  be  partial  in  your  judg- 
ment, or  respects,  for  the  sake,  or  upon  the  account 
of,  flesh  and  blood,  doubtless  couvicteth  you  to  be 
of  the  law  a  transgressor,  and  not  without  partial- 
ity, &c.,  in  the  midst  of  your  seeming  sanctity. 

Again,  you  say,  '  I  had  not  meddled  with  the 
controversy  at  all,  had  I  found  any  of  parts  that 
would  divert  themselves  to  take  notice  of  YOO.' 

p.  3. 

Answ,  What  need  you,  before  you  have  shewed 
one  syllable  of  a  reasonable  argument  in  opposition 
to   M'hat   I   assert,   thus  trample  my  person,  my 
Read  Ps.  L    gi^s,  and  grace,  have  I  any,  so  disdain- 
1, 2.t  j\^ij  ^inrJei.  your  feet  ?     What  kind  of  a 

Tou  am  I?  And  why  is  my  rank  so  mean,  that 
the  most  gracious  and  godly  among  you,  may  not 
duly  and  soberly  consider  of  what  I  have  said  ? 
Was  it  not  the  art  of  the  false  apostles  of  old  to 


his  feet  when  he  came  to  London,  and  listened  to  his  cloqucucc, 
now,  in  their  hot  dispute,  revile  and  taunt  him  with  his  impri- 
sonment— his  poverty — his  want  of  book  learniug.  Refused 
the  communion  of  some  eminent  earthly  saints,  it  drove  him 
to  closer  communion  with  his  God,  and  the  prison  became  a 
Bethel — none  other  than  the  house  of  God,  aud  the  very  gate 
of  heaven ;  and  in  a  holy,  happy  frame  of  soul,  he  breathes 
forgiveness :  '  What  3Ir.  Kiffin  hath  done  in  the  matter  I  for- 
give, and  love  him  never  the  worse '  I ! — Ed. 

t  How  do  these  verses  cut  down  all  the  cara:J  pride  of  man. 
"Who  is  THE  Blessed  ?  not  the  rich,  or  powerful,  or  v.orldly 
wise,  but  those  that  delight  in  the  word  of  God.— Ed. 


61S 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


say  tlius  ?  To  bespatter  a  man,  that  his  doctrine 
might  be  disregarded.  '  Is  not  tliis  the  carpenter  ? ' 
And,  *  His  bodily  presence  is  weak  and  his  speech 
contemptible,' 1  Co. X.  10,  did  not  use  to  be  in  the 
mouths  of  the  saints  ;  for  they  knew  that '  the  wind 
bloweth  where  it  listeth.'  Jn.iii.  8.  Neither  is  it 
high  birth,  worldly  breeding,  or  wealth ;  biit  elect- 
ing love,  grace,  and  the  wisdom  that  comes  from 
heaven,  that  those  who  strive  for  strictness  of 
order  in  the  things  and  kingdom  of  Christ,  should 
have  in  regard  and  esteem.  Ja.  ui.  17.  Need  I  read 
you  a  lecture  ?  '  Ilath  not  God  chosen  the  fool- 
ish, -  the  weak,  -  the  base,  yea,  and  things  which 
are  not,  to  bring  to  nought  things  that  are  ?'  1  Co.  i. 
27,28.  Why  then  do  you  despise  my  rank,  my 
state,  and  quality  in  the  world  ? 

As  for  my  confession  of  faith,  which  you  also 
secretly  despise,  p.i.  If  it  be  good  and  godly,  why 
may  it  not  be  accepted  ?  If  I  have  spoken  evil, 
bear  witness  of  the  evil ;  but  if  well,  why  smitest 
thou  me  ?  If  you,  and  the  brethren  of  your  way, 
did  think  it  convenient  to  shew  to  the  world  what 
you  held ;  if  perhaps  by  that  means  you  might 
escape  the  prison :  why  might  not  I,  after  above 
eleven  years'  endurance  there,  give  the  Avorld  a 
view  of  ray  faith  and  practice ;  if  peradventure, 
wrong  thoughts,  and  false  judgments  of  me,  might 
by  that  means  be  abated,  and  removed.  But  you 
suggest ;  I  did  it,  because  I  was  so  willing  to  be 
known  in  the  world  by  my  singular  faith  and 
practice.*  How  singular  my  faith  and  practice 
is,  may  be  better  known  to  you  hereafter:  but 
that  I  did  it  for  a  popular  applause  and  fame,  as 
your  words  seem  to  bear,  for  they  proceed  from  a 
taunting  spirit,  that  will  be  known  to  you  better 
in  the  day  of  God,  when  your  evil  surmises  of 
your  brother,  and  my  designs  in  writing  my  book, 
will  be  published  upon  the  house-tops.  Lu.  xii.  1—4. 

And  even  now,  before  I  go  any  further,  I  will 
give  you  a  touch  of  the  reason  of  my  publishing 
that  part  thereof  which  you  so  hotly  oppose.  It 
vv'as  because  of  those  contmual  assaults  that  the 
rigid  brethren  of  your  way,  made,  not  only  upon 
this  congregation,  to  rend  it ;  but  also  upon  many 
others  about  us.  If  peradventure  they  might  break 
us  in  pieces,  and  draw  from  us  disciples  after  them. 
Assaults,  I  say,  upon  this  congregation  by  times,  for 
no  less  than  these  sixteen  or  eighteen  years.  Yea, 
myself  they  have  sent  for,  and  endeavoured  to  per- 
siiade  me  to  break  communion  with  mj  brethren ; 
also  v/ith  many  others  they  have  often  tampered,  if 
haply  their  seeds  of  division  might  take.  Neither 
did  they  altogether  fail  of  their  purpose,  for  some 


*  Neai'ly  aU  the  Baptist  churches  of  tliat  day  limited  com- 
munion to  them  who  had  heea  haptizcd  ia  water  on  a  pro- 
I'essiou  of  theii'  faith.  It  is  very  diffcreat  iiow;  Bunyau's 
prinniples  have  spread,  are  spreadiugj  and  must  soon  become 
universal. — Ed. 


they  did  rend  and  dismember  from  us  ;  but  none  but 
those,  of  Avhom  now  they  begin  to  be  ashamed. 
The  judgment  of  God  so  following  their  design, 
that  the  persons  which  then  they  prevailed  upon, 
are  now  a  stink,  and  reproach  to  religion.  Nei- 
ther were  these  spirits  content  with  that  discord 
they  did  sow  among  \is,  but  they  proceeded  to 
seize  upon  others.  Bui  to  pass  these.  The  wild, 
and  unsound  positions  they  have  urged  to  maintain 
their  practice,  would  be  too  large  here  to  insert. 
Now,  Sir,  to  settle  the  brethren,  the  brethren  of 
our  community,  and  to  prevent  such  disorders 
among  others,  was  the  cause  of  my  publishing  my 
papers :  and  considering  my  concern  in  the  house 
of  God,  I  could  do  no  less  than  to  give  them 
warning,  *  That  every  man  might  deliver  his  soul. ' 

You  proceed,  saying,  '  It  is  my  liberty,  as  well 
as  others  into  whose  hands  it  falls,  to  weigh  what 
you  have  said  in  truth's  balance,  and  if  it  be  foimd 
too  light,  to  reject  it  whether  you  wiU  or  no.' 

Ansio.  Do  but  grant  me,  without  mocking  of 
me,  the  liberty  you  desire  to  take,  and  God  help- 
ing me,  I  desire  no  more  [than]  to  shift  for  myself 
among  you.  As  to  your  saying,  that  I  proudly 
and  imperiously  insult,  because  I  say  they  are 
'  babes  and  carnal,  that  attempt  to  break  the  peace 
and  communion  of  churches,  though  upon  better 
pretences  than  water. '  You  must  know  I  am  still 
of  that  mind,  and  shall  be,  so  long  as  I  see  the 
eifects  that  foUow,  viz.  The  breach  of  love,  taking 
off  Christians  from  the  more  weighty  things  of 
God;  and  to  make  them  quarrel  and  have  heart- 
burnings one  against  another. 

Where  you  are  pleased  to  charge  me  with  raging, 
for  laying  those  eighteen  particular  crimes  to 
the  charge  of  such  who  exclude  Christians  from 
church  commimion,  and  debar  them  their  heaven- 
born  privileges,  for  the  want  of  that,  which  yet 
God  never  made  the  wall  of  division  between  u; . 
p.  11c.  I  say,  when  you  can  prove.  That  God  hat; 
made  water  baptism  that  wall,  and  that  the  stress 
of  the  after  eighteen  charges  lie  wholly  and  only 
in  that ;  then  you  may,  time  enough,  call  my  lan- 
guage such  as  wantcth  charity :  but  I  question 
though  that  was  granted,  whether  your  saying,  I 
RAGE,  AviU  be  justified  in  the  day  of  judgment. 

My  great  noise,  as  you  caU.  it,  about  an  initiating 
ordinance,  you  sa}'-,  you  shall  take  no  notice  of. 

p.  3. 

Answ.  I.  Although  you  do  not,  I  must:  For 
if  baptism  be  not  that,  but  another ;  and  if  visible 
saints  may  enter  into  fellowship  by  that  other,  and 
arc  nowhere  forbidden  so  to  do,  because  they  have 
not  light  into  water  baptism :  it  is  of  weight  to 
be  considered  by  me ;  yea,  and  of  others  too  who 
are  unprejudiced.  2.  How  ignorant  you  are  of 
such  as  hold  it  the  initiating  ordinance  I  know  not: 
nor  how  long  you  have  been  of  that  persuasit)n  I 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISil,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


619 


know  not.  Tliis  I  kuow,  tliat  men  cf  your  o\7n 
party,  as  serious,  godly,  aud  it  may  be,  more 
learned  than  yoiu-self,  have  within  less  than  this 
twelve-month  urged  it.  Mr.  D.  in  my  hearing, 
did  fj-om  Eo.  vL  1,  2.  in  the  meeting  in  Lotlihury  affirm 
it:  also  my  much  esteemed  Mr.  D.  A.*  did  twice 
in  a  conference  with  me  assert  it.  3.  But  what- 
ever you  say,  whether  for,  or  against,  'tis  no  mat- 
ter ;  for  Avhile  you  deny  it  be  the  entering  ordin- 
ance, you  account  it  the  wall,  bar,  bolt,  aud  door; 
even  that  which  must  separate  between  the  righteous 
and  the  righteous ;  nay,  you  make  want  of  light 
therein,  a  ground  to  exclude  the  most  godly  your 
communion,  when  every  novice  in  religion  shall  be 
received  into  your  bosom,  and  be  of  esteem  with 
3'ou  because  he  hath,  and  from  what  ground  God 
knows,  submitted  to  water  baptism. 

I  am  glad  that  in  p.  4.  you  conclude  with  me  what 
is  the  initiating  ordinance:  but  withal,  give  me  leave 
to  correct,  as  I  think,  one  extravagant  expression  of 
jours.  You  say,  '  It  is  coxsext  on  all  hands  and 
>'OTiiiNG  else,  that  makes  them  members  of  parti- 
cular chm-ches,  and  not  faith  and  baptism.' p.  i. 
You  might  have  stopped  at,  and  nothing  else,  you 
need  not  in  particular  have  rejected  faith :  your 
first  error  Avas  bad  enough :  what,  kothixg  else 
but  consent  ?  What,  not  so  much  as  a  respect  to 
the  matter  or  end  ?  A^Tiy  then  are  not  all  the 
communities  of  all  the  highwaymen  in  the  land, 
truly  constituted  churches  of  Christ ;  unless  you 
can  prove  that  they  hold  together,  but  not  by  con- 
sent ?  What?  consent  and  nothing  else?  But 
why  do  YOU  throw  out  faith  ?  why,  /  throw  out 
baptism ;  which  because  you  cannot  as  to  the  case 
in  hand  fetch  in  again,  therefore  out  must  faith  go 
too.  Your  action  is  much  like  that  harlot's,  that 
stood  to  be  judged  by  Solomon,  who  because  her 
ov,Ti  chUd  was  dead,  would  have  her  neighbour's 
killed  also,  l  Ki.  iii.  £o.  Faith,  Sir,  both  in  the  pro- 
fession and  confession  of  it,  is  of  immediate  and 
also  absolute  concern,  even  in  the  very  act  of  the 
church's  reception,  of  this  or  another  member. 
Throw  out  faith,  and  there  is  no  such  thing  as  a 
Christian,  neither  visible  nor  invisible.  You  ought 
to  receive  no  man,  but  upon  a  comfortable  satis- 
faction to  the  church,  that  you  are  now  receiving 
a  behever.  Faith,  whether  it  be  savmgly  there 
or  no,  is  the  great  argiunent  with  the  church  in 
receiving  any:  we  receive  not  men  as  men,  but 
the  man  immediately  under  that  supposition ;  He 
hath  faith,  lie,  is  a  Christian,  Sir,  consent  simply. 
Without  faith,  makes  no  man   a  member  of  the 


*  Mr.  li.D'Anvers :  'A  seventli  eud  of  baptism  is,  that  tJie 
baptized  person  may  orderly  thereby  have  an  entrance  into  the 
v-.sible  church.  None  were  esteemed  members,  or  did  partake 
of  its  ordinances,  before  they  were  baptized,  being  so  God's 
hedge  or  boimdary.'— T/ea^w^  of  Bajjtum,  p.  20,  ed.  1674. 
— Ed. 


church  of  God :  because  then  would  a  church  not 
cease  to  be  a  church,  whoever  they  received  among 
them.  Yea,  by  this  assertion  you  have  justified 
the  church  of  Rome  itself,  to  be  to  this  day  both 
good,  and  godly,  unless  you  can  prove  that  they 
did  at  first,  and  do  now  receive  their  unbelieving 
members,  without  their  own  consent.  The  church 
hath  no  such  hberty  to  receive  men  without  respect 
to  faith ;  yea,  faith  and  holiness  must  be  the  essen- 
tials, or  basis,  upon,  and  for  the  sake  of  which 
you  receive  them :  holiness,  I  say,  yet  not  such  as 
is  circumstantial,  but  that  which  is  such  in  the 
very  heart  of  it:  pray  you  in  your  next  therefore 
word  it  better,  lest  Avhile  you  slight  and  trample  upon 
me,  you  stand  before  all,  blame-Avorthy  yourself. 

The  scriptures  you  speak  of,  I  did  not  in  my 
first  (p.  68.)  produce  to  shew  persons  xmbaptized  [in 
water]  might  hold  communion  with  the  church, 
though  I  am  fully  convinced  they  may,  but  to  shcAv, 
that  knowledge  of  those  persons,  of  their  faith  and 
holiness  in  general,  ought  first  to  be  shewed  to  the 
church,  before  she  can  lawfully  receiA'e  them. 
Ac.  ix.  26—31. 1  Co.  xvi.  10.  3  Co.  viii.  23.  As  to  my  answer 
to  a  question  (p.  70.)  which  you  have  at  p.  5.  of  your's 
corrupted,  and  then  abused :  I  tell  you  again, 
That  a  discovery  of  the  faith  and  hoUuess,  and  a 
declaration  of  the  willingness  of  a  person  to  sub- 
ject liimself  to  the  laws  aud  goA-ernment  of  Christ 
in  his  church,  is  a  ground  sufficient  to  receive  such 
a  member. 

But  you  descant ;  Is  baptism  one  of  the  laAvs  of 
Christ  ? 

Ansio.  It  is  none  of  those  laws,  neither  any  part 
of  them,  that  the  church,  as  a  church,  should  shew 
her  obedience  by.  For  albeit  that  baptism  be 
given  by  Christ  om*  Lord  to  the  church,  yet  not 
for  them  to  worship  him  by  as  a  church.  Shew 
me  what  church-ordinance  it  is ;  and  when,  or 
Avhere  the  church,  as  a  church,  is  to  practise  it,  as 
one  of  those  laAVS  and  appointments  that  he  hath 
commanded  his  chm'ch  to  sIicav  to  him  her  obe- 
dience by.  Again,  That  submitting  to  water  bap- 
tism, is  a  sign  or  note,  that  was  ever  required  by 
any  of  the  primitive  churches,  of  him  that  would 
hold  fellowship  with  them  ;  or  that  it  infuseth  such 
grace  and  holiness  into  those  that  submit  thereto, 
as  to  capacitate  them  for  such  a  privilege  ;  or  that 
they  did  acknowledge  it  a  sign  thereof,  I  find  not 
in  all  the  Bible. 

I  find  not,  as  I  told  you  in  my  first,  that  bap- 
tism is  a  sign  to  any,  but  the  person  that  is  bap- 
tized.   Col.  ii.  12.  Ko.  vL  1—1. 1  Co.  xv.  29.  Ac.  ii.  38 ;  xxii.  16.    The 

church  hath  her  satisfaction  of  the  person,  from 
better  proof,  i  Pe.  m.  21. 

I  told  you  also,  That  baptism  makes  thee  no 
member  of  the  church,  neither  doth  it  make  thee 
a  visible  saint:  It  giveth  thee  therefore,  neither 
right  to,  nor  being  of  membership  at  all.     Why, 


620 


DirFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM.  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


Sir,  did  you  not  answer  these  things  ?  hut  slip 
them  with  others,  as  if  you  were  imconcerned ; 
trouhlino-  your  reader  with  such  kind  of  insinua- 
tions, as  must  needs  he  imsavoury  to  godly  ears. 
You  make  the  moral  law  none  of  Christ's  hut 
Moses' ;  not  the  son's  hut  the  servant's  ;  and  tell 
me,  hecause  I  plead  for  faith  and  holiness,  accord- 
ing to  moral  duties  gospelized,  (they  are  my  words, 
p.  79.)  wherehy  we  ought  to  judge  of  the  fitness  of 
members ;  that  therefore  Moses  is  more  beholden 
to  me  than  Christ,  p.  6. 

Sir,  know  you  not  yet,  that  a  difference  is  to  be  put 
betwixt  those  rules  that  discover  the  essentials  of 
holiness,  and  those  that  in  themselves  are  not  such; 
and  that  that  of  faith  and  the  moral  law  is  the  one, 
and  baptism,  &c.  the  other.  Is  not  love  to  God, 
abhorrence  of  idols,  to  forbear  blaspheming,  to 
honour  our  parents,  to  do  no  murder,  to  forbear 
theft,  not  to  bear  false  witness,  nor  covet,  &c.  are 
not  (I  say)  these  the  precepts  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
because  delivered  by  Moses  ?  Or,  are  these  such 
as  may  better  be  broken,  than  for  want  of  light  to 
forbear  baptism  with  water  ?  Or,  doth  a  man 
while  he  liveth  in  the  neglect  of  these,  and  in  the 
mean  time  bustle  about  those  you  call  gospel  com- 
mands, most  honour  Christ,  or  best  fit  himself  for 
fellowship  with  the  saints  ?  Need  I  tell  you,  That 
the  faith  of  Christ,  with  the  ten  commandments, 
are  as  much  now  gospel  commands  as  baptism;  and 
ought  to  be  in  as  much,  and  far  more  respect  with 
the  holy  ones  than  that,  or  other  the  like.* 

Yea,  shall  I  tell  you,  That  baptism  will  neither 
admit  a  man  into  fellowship,  nor  keep  him  there, 
if  he  be  a  transgressor  of  a  moral  precept ;  and 
that  a  man  who  believeth  in  Jesus,  and  fulfilleth 
the  royal  law,  doth  more  glorify  God,  and  honour 
religion  in  the  world,  than  he  that  keepeth,  if 
there  were  so  many,  ten  thousand  figurative  laws. 
As  to  those  commands  that  respect  God's  insti- 
tuted worship  in  a  church,  as  a  church,  I  have 
told  you  that  baptism  is  none  of  them,  and  you 
have  been  driven  to  confess  it  [p.  40.  of  your  book]. 
The  church  then  must  first  look  to  faith,  then  to 
good  living  according  to  the  ten  commandments ; 
after  that  she  must  respect  those  appointments  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  that  respects  her  outward  order 
and  discipline,  and  then  she  walks  as  becomes 
her,  sinning  if  she  neglecteth  cither ;  sinning  if 
she  overvalueth  either.  But  why  did  you  not 
answer  those  texts  I  produced  for  the  strengthening 
of  my  argument,  viz.  Ro.  xiv.  17,  is.  De.  xxvu.  47.  Ja.  ii. 

8—12.  1  Co.  Lx.  21 ;  V.  9—11.  Ga.  vi.  15,  IG.  Plii.  iii.  1  Ti,  i.  9—11. 
Ac.  XX.  2S— S3.  Ro.  xiii.  13.  Ja.  iv.  11.  1  Co.  v.  13.      Deal    fairly  ; 

Answer  those  texts,  with  the  argument  made  upon 


them ;  and  when  you  have  after  a  godly  manner 
done  that,  you  may  the  more  boldly  condemn. 

You  tell  me,  that  in  p.  93.  of  mine,  I  say,  *  None 
ever  received  baptism  without  light  therein.' 

What  if  I  did  ?  (as  I  did  not)  but  you  grant 
it :  and  now  I  will  ask  you,  and  pray  deal  fairly  in 
your  answer.  May  a  man  be  a  visible  saint  without 
light  therein  ?  May  he  have  a  good  conscience 
without  light  therein  ?  And  seeing  that  baptism 
is  none  of  the  worship  that  Christ  instituted  in  his 
church  for  them  to  practice  as  a  church,  must  he 
be  kept  dark  about  all  other  things  concerning  the 
worship  of  God  in  his  church,  mitil  he  receive  light 
therein  ? 

You  have  answered  already,  p.  7.  '  That  they 
ought  to  be  ashamed,  and  to  repent  of  that  abo- 
mination (their  sprinkling)  before  they  come  to 
have  a  sight  of  the  pattern  of  the  house  of  God, 
the  goings  in  and  the  comings  out  thereof.'  Eze. 
xiiii.  10, 11.  But,  Sir,  where  do  you  find  that  want 
of  light  in  water  baptism,  or  because  a  man  hath 
been  sprinkled,  that  he  is  to  be  kept  dark  in  all 
other  temple-institutions,  till  he  he  ashamed  and 
repent  of  that  ?  Pray  produce  the  texts,  for  Eze- 
kiel  helps  you  nothing  :  he  speaks  only  of  the 
pattern  of  the  house,  the  goings  out,  and  comings 
in  thereof.  As  for  the  coming  in,  you  have  already 
confessed.  That  baptism  is  not  the  entering  ordi- 
nance. And  as  for  the  worship  that  Christ  hath 
instituted  in  his  church,  as  a  church,  I  say,  (and 
you  also  have  said  it,  p.  lo.)  baptism  is  none  of  the 
forms  thereof,  none  of  the  ordinances  thereof,  none 
of  the  laws  thereof ;  for  baptism  is,  as  to  the  prac- 
tice of  it,  that  Avhich  is  without  the  church,  with- 
out the  house  of  God.f  Then  by  your  own  text, 
if  a  man  do  repent  him  of  his  christening  in  his 
childhood,  he  may  be  received  into  fellowship 
Avithout  submitting  to  baptism :  but  I  will  not 
strain  you  too  far. 

You  add,  '  Is  it  u  person's  light  that  giveth 
being  to  a  precept  ? ' 

Atisw.  Who  said  it?  Yet  it  is  his  light  and 
faith  about  it,  that  can  make  him  to  do  it  accept- 
ably. 

You  ask  again,  'Suppose  men  plead  want  of 
light  in  other  commands  ? ' 

Answ.  If  they  be  not  such,  the  forbearance  of 
which,  dlscapacitates  him  of  membership,  he  may 
yet  be  received  to  feUoAvship. 

'  But  what  if  a  man  want  light  in  the  supper  ?'  p.  7. 

Aiisw.  There  is  more  to  be  said  in  that  case 
than  in  the  other :  for  that  is  a  part  of  that  wor- 
ship which  Christ  hath  instituted  for  his  churcli, 


t  '  Without  the  chui'ch,'  previous  to  having  eutcred  into 

^  *  A  modern  WTitcr,  in  a  critique  on  Bunyau,  says  that  he  I  the  church,  a  personal  obedience  to  the  divine  command ; 

did  as  much  justice  to  grace  as  his  Caloinism  would  allow  |  having  rcpeutcd,  then  he  baptized :  neither  of  tliese  are  duties 

him  ! !     ]May  all  the  world  be  such  Calviuists.— Ed.  |  to  be  performed  by  the  chuixh,  as  such,  but  individualli/.—l^M. 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMJIUNION. 


621 


to  be  conversant  in  as  a  cnurcli ;  presenting  tliem 
as  such,  with  their  communion  with  their  Head, 
and  with  one  another  as  members  of  him.  *  The 
cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  com- 
munion of  the  blood  of  Christ  ?  The  bread  which 
we  break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  body  of 
Christ  ?  For  we  being  many  are  one  bread,  and 
one  body ;  for  we  are  all  partakers  of  that  one 
bread.'  i  Co.  x.  IG,  17.  Wherefore  this  being  a  duty 
incumbent  on  the  church,  as  a  church;  and  on 
every  member  of  that  body  as  such,  they  are 
obliged  in  that  case  more  closely  to  deal  with  the 
members,  than  in  that  Avherein  they  are  not  so 
concerned;  and  Avith  which  as  such,  they  have 
nothing  to  do.  No  man  baptizeth  by  virtue  of  his 
office  in  the  church  ;  no  man  is  baptized  by  virtue 
of  his  membership  there. 

'  But  what  if  a  man  want  light  in  his  duty  to 
the  poor  ? '  p.  8. 

Answ.  If  he  doth,  God  must  give  it  him;  I  mean 
to  know  his  duty  as  a  church  member.  Now  I 
will  add,  but  what  if  he  that  can  give  a  shilling, 
giveth  nothing  ?  I  suppose  all  that  the  church 
can  do  in  that  case,  is  but  to  warn,  to  exhort,  and 
charge  him,  and  to  shew  him  his  duty :  and  if  he 
neglect,  to  shew  him,  that  '  He  which  soweth 
sparingly,  shall  reap  also  sparingly. '  2  Co.  ix.  6.  But 
to  cut  a  man  off  for  this,  as  you  forwardly  urge, 
p. 8.  would  argue  that  church,  at  least  I  think  so, 
a  little  too  bold  with  so  high  and  weighty  a  cen- 
siu-e.  I  plead  not  here  for  the  churl,  but  seek  to 
allay  your  heat:  and  should  it  be  granted  that 
such  deserve  as  you  would  have  it,  this  makes  no 
matter  to  the  case  in  hand.  Now  Avhereas  you 
suggest,  '  That  moral  evils  are  but  sins  against 
men,'  p. 8.  you  are  too  much  miadvised:  the  moral 
evil,  as  you  call  it,  whether  you  respect  the  breach 
of  the  first  or  second  table,  is  first  and  immediately 
a  sin  against  God ;  and  more  insufferable,  yea  and 
damnable,  than  for  a  man  for  waut  of  light  to  for- 
bear either  baptism  or  the  Lord's  Supper. 

But  say  you,  '  We  have  now  fomid  an  advocate 
for  sin  against  God,  in  the  breach  of  one  of  his 
holy  commands  ?' 

A)isw.  As  if  none  of  the  moral  precepts  were 
HIS.  But,  Sir,  who  have  I  pleaded  for,  in  the 
denial  of  any  one  ordinance  of  God  ?  Yea,  or  for 
their  neglect  of  it  either  ?  What  I  say,  is  but 
that  men  must  have  light,  that  they  may  not  do  in 
darkness,  or  Papist-like,  live  by  an  impUcit  faith. 
But  I  see  you  put  no  difference  between  an 
open  breach  of  the  law,  and  a  forbearing  that  which 
to  him  is  doubtful.  But  I  will  suppose  a  case : 
There  is  a  man  wants  light  in  baptism,  yet  by  his 
neighbour  is  pressed  to  it :  he  saith  he  seeth  it 
not  to  be  his  duty;  the  other  saith,  he  sins  if 
he  doth  it  not :  now  seeing  '  whatsoever  is  not  of 
faith  is  sin ;'  Ro.  xiv.  23.  what  should  this  man  do  ? 


If  you  say,  let  him  use  the  means :  I  say  so  too. 
But  what,  if  when  he  hath  used  it,  he  stiU  con- 
tinueth  dark  about  it ;  what  will  you  advise  him 
now  ?  If  you  bid  him  wait,  do  you  not  encourage 
him  to  live  in  sin,  as  much  as  I  do  ?  Nay,  and 
seeing  you  will  not  let  him  for  want  of  light  in  that, 
obey  God  in  other  his  institutions ;  what  is  it  but 
to  say.  Seeing  you  live  for  want  of  light  in  the 
neglect  of  baptism,  we  wiU  make  you,  while  you 
continue  so,  live,  though  quite  against  your  light, 
in  the  breach  of  all  the  rest.  And  where  you  arc 
commanded  thus,  you  may  shew  the  place  when 
you  find  it. 

Now  where  you  urge,  that  you  are  one  of  them 
that  say,  '  The  epistles  were  writ  to  particular 
churches,  and  so  serve  nothing  at  aU  for  our  kind 
of  communion.'  Urging  further,  *  That  it  will  be 
difficult  for  me  to  prove,  that  they  were  also  directed 
to  particidar  saints.'  p.  9. 

Ansio.  I  wish  there  were  nothing  harder,  that 
were  good  for  me  to  do.  But  what  shoidd  be  the 
reason  that  our  author,  with  others  of  his  opinion, 
should  stickle  so  hard  to  prove  [that]  all  the  epis- 
tles were  wrote  to  particular  churches  ?  Why, 
because  those  members  were,  as  they  think,  every 
one  baptized ;  and  so  the  epistles  from  which  we 
fetch  our  arguments  for  the  love  and  concord  of 
saints,  to  be  only  proper  to  themselves.*  But  if 
this  be  true,  there  is  virtue  indeed,  and  more  than 
ever  I  dreamed  of,  in  partaking  of  water  baptism: 
for  if  that  shall  take  away  the  epistles,  and  conse- 
quently the  whole  Bible,  from  aU  that  are  not  bap- 
tized ;  then  are  the  other  churches,  and  also  par- 
ticular saints,  in  a  very  deplorable  condition.  For 
he  asketh  me  very  devoutly,  '  Whether  any  unbap- 
tized  persons  were  concerned  in  these  epistles?'- 
p.  9.  But  why  would  they  take  from  us  the  Holy 
Scriptures  ?  Verily,  that  we  might  have  naught 
to  justify  our  practice  withal :  for  if  the  Scriptures 
belong  only  to  baptized  believers,  they  then  belong 
not  to  the  rest ;  and  in  truth,  if  they  could  per- 
suade us  to  yield  them  this  grant,  we  should  but 
sorrily  justify  our  practice.  But  I  would  ask  these 
men,  '  If  the  word  of  God  came  out  from  them  ? 
Or  if  it  came  to  them  only  ?'  1  Co.  xiv.  36.  Or,  whe- 
ther Christ  hath  not  given  his  whole  word  to  every 
one  that  believeth,  whether  they  be  baptized,  or 
in,  or  out  of  church  fellowship.  Jn.  xvU.  14.  Or, 
whether  every  saint  in  some  sort,  hath  not  the 
keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  which  are  the 
Scriptures  and  their  power  ?  Would  to  God  they 
had  learned  more  modesty,  than  thus  to  take  from 
all  others,  and  appropriate  to  themselves,  and  that 


*  '  To  themselves,'  to  the  iMi-ticulai-  cliurclies  only  to  which 
they  were  written.  Contrary  to  the  word,  'All  scripture  is 
given  -  to  be  profitable  to  the  man  of  God'  in  every  church, 
2  Tim.  iii.  16.— Ed. 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  YvATEIl  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNIONS 


for  the  salie  of  their  ohservmg  a  circumstance  in 
religion,  so  high,  and  glorious  a  privilege. 

But  we  will  come  a  little  to  proof:  -what  church 
T,-iIl  this  author  find  in  Rome,  that  time  the  epistle 
was  sent  to  the  hrethren  there,  besides  that  church 
tliat  was  in  Aquila's  house,  although  many  more 
saints  were  then  in  the  city  ?  Ro,  xvi.  5.  Yea,  the  apos- 
tle in  his  salutation  at  the  beginning,  emhraceth 
them  only  as  brethren,  without  the  least  intimation 
of  their  being  gathered  into  fellowship :  '  To  all  that 
bo  in  Rome,  beloved  of  God,  called  to  be  saints  : 
Grace  to  you,'  &c.  cii.  i. 7.  To  all  there,  to  all  in 
that  city,  beloved  of  God,  and  that  are  converted 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  A  church  there  was  in 
Aquila's  house,  and  that  there  were  many  more 
saints  besides,  is,  and  that  by  the  text,  as  manifest. 
Besides,  considering  the  rules  that  are  given  them  in 
the  14th  and  15th  chapters  about  their  receiving- 
one  another,  doth  yet  strongly  suggest  to  me,  that 
they  were  not  yet  in  fellowship,  but  as  it  were  now 
about  it,  when  Paul  wrote  liis  epistle  to  them. 

The  first  epistle  Avritten  to  Corinth,  was  also 
wrote  to  all  them  '  that  in  every  place  call  wpon  tlie 
name  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. '  ch.  i.  3.  But  it  will 
be  hard  work  for  our  author  to  make  it  manifest, 
that  none  in  those  days  did  call  on  the  name  of  our 
Lord,  but  those  that  were  first  baptized.  The 
second  epistle  also,  was  not  only  written  to  the 
church  at  Corinth,  but  also  to  'all  the  saints  which 
were  in  all  Achaia.'  2Co.  i.  1.  To  the  Galatians  and 
Thessalonians  indeed,  his  salutation  was  only  to 
the  churches  there:  But  the  three  epistles  before 
were  as  well  to  all  other  [saints] :  As  also  that  to 
•the  Ephesians,  Philippians,  and  Colossians,  in 
vrhich  the  faithful  and  saints  in  Christ  Jesus  were 
also  every  one  comprehended.  Besides,  to  what 
particular  church  was  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews 
wrote  ?  Or  the  epistle  of  James  ?  Both  those  of 
Peter,  and  the  first  of  John  ?  Nay,  that  of  John 
vras  wrote  to  some  at  that  time  out  of  fellowship, 
'that  also  may  have  fellowship  with  [us]'  the 
church,  ch.  i.  1—1.  So  that  these  brethren  must  not 
have  all  the  scriptures.  We  have  then  a  like 
]!rivilege  with  all  saints,  to  use  the  scriptures  for 
our  godly  edifying,  and  to  defend  ourselves  thereby, 
from  the  assaults  of  those  that  would  make  spoil 
of  us.     But  to  pass  this,  and  come  to  the  next. 

You  object  for  that  I  said,  '  If  water  baptism 
(as  the  cu'cumstances  with  wliich  the  church  was 
pestered  of  old)  trouble  the  peace,  and  wound  the 
consciences  of  the  godly,  dismember  and  break 
their  fellowships  ;  it  is,  although  an  ordinance,  for 
the  present  prudently  to  be  shunned. '  p.  8g.  At  this 
(as  I  said)  you  object,  p.  10, 11.  and  say,  '  Did  I  ever 
find  baptism  a  pest  or  plague  to  churches  ?  And 
(lid  ever  God  send  an  ordinance  to  be  a  pest  and 
plague  to  his  people  ?  ' 

1  answer:  I  said  not.  that  God  did  send  it  for 


any  such  end  at  all ;  God's  ordinances  are  none  of 
this  in  themselves :  nor  if  used  as,  and  for  the  end 
for  which  God  sent  them.  But  yet  both  baptism, 
and  the  supper  of  the  Lord,  have,  by  being  wrested 
out  of  their  place,  been  a  great  affliction  to  the 
godly  both  in  this  and  other  ages.  Vv'hat  say  you 
to  breaking  of  bread,  which  the  devil,  by  abusing^ 
made  an  engine  in  the  hand  of  Papists,  to  burn, 
starve,  hang  and  draw  thousands  ?  What  say  you 
to  John  of  Leyden  ?  What  work  did  he  make  by 
the  abuse  of  the  ordinance  of  water  baptism  ?  And 
I  Vv'ish  this  age  had  not  given  cause,  through  the 
church-rending  spirits  that  some  are  possessed 
M'ith,  to  make  complaint  of  this  matter ;  who  have 
also  had  for  their  engine  the  baptism  with  water. 
Yea,  yourself,  Sir,  so  far  as  I  can  perceive,  could 
you  get  but  the  opportunity ;  yourself  (I  say)  under 
pretence  of  this  innocent  ordinance,  as  you  term 
it,  would  not  stick  to  make  inroads,  and  outroads 
too,  in  all  the  churches,  that  suit  not  your  fancy, 
in  tho  land.  For  you  have  already  been  bold  to 
affirm,  '  That  all  those  that  have  baptized  infants, 
ought  to  be  ashamed  and  repent,  before  they  be 
showed  the  pattern  of  the  house.'  And  what  is 
this  but  to  threaten,  that  could  you  have  youi"  wiU 
of  them,  you  would  quickly  take  from  them  their 
present  church  privileges,  and  let  them  see  nothing 
thereof,  till  those  qualifications,  especially  sub- 
jection to  water  baptism,  Avas  found  to  attend 
each  of  them. 

As  to  the  persons  you  speak  of,  '  Who  have 
rent  churches  in  pieces,  by  making  preaching  by 
method,  doctrine,  reason  and  use,  to  be  anti-chris- 
tian:'  Or,  because  they  could  not  have  other 
ministrations  performed  after  their  fancies  (p.  li,  12.) 
'  the  imprudence  of  such  with  yourselves,  hath 
been  heart-breaking  to  many  a  gracious  soul ;  an 
high  occasion  of  stiunbling  to  the  weak,  and  a 
reproach  to  tho  ways  of  the  Lord. '  That  it  may 
be  prudently  shimned,  I  referred  you  then  for 
proof,  to  what  should  be  oftered  after :  but  at  this 
you  cry  out,  and  so  pass  it. 

Aiid  now,  reader,  although  this  author  hath 
thus  objected  against  some  passages  in  this  my 
first  argument  for  communion  with  persons  unbap- 
tized ;  yet  the  body  of  my  argument  he  missetli 
and  passeth  over,  as  a  thing  not  worth  the  answer- 
ing ;  whether  because  he  forgot,  or  because  he  Avas 
conscious  to  himself,  that  he  knew  not  what  to  do 
therewith,  I  Avill  not  noAV  determine.  1.  I  effec- 
tually prove,  '  That  baptism  is  not  the  initiating 
ordinance. '  p.  71— 75.  2.  I  prove,  '  That  though  it 
was,  yet  the  case  may  so  fall  out,  that  members 
might  be  received  Avithout  it.'  p.  83, 83.  3.  I  prove, 
'  That  baptism  makes  no  man  a  visible  saint,  nor 
giveth  any  right  to  church  fellowship. '  p.  70.  4.  I 
prove,  '  That  faith,  and  a  life  becoming  the  law  of 
the  ten  commandments,  should  be  the  chief  and 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTIS:M,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


6:?3 


most  solid  argument  Avith  tnie  churclies  to  receive 
saints  to  fellowship.'*"  5.  I  prove,  '  That  circum- 
cision in  the  flesh,  which  -was  the  entering  ordi- 
nance of  old,  was  a  type  of  circumcision  in  the 
heart,'  «fcc.  p.  79,  so.  These  things,  with  others,  our 
author  letteth  pass ;  although  in  the  proof  of  them 
abideth  the  strength  of  this  fii-st  argument ;  to 
which  I  must  entreat  him  in  his  next,  to  cast  his 
eye,  and  give  fair  answer;  as  also  to  the  scrip- 
tures on  which  each  are  built,  or  he  must  suffer 
me  to  say,  I  am  abused.  Further,  I  make  a 
question  upon  three  scriptures,  Whether  all  the 
saints,  even  in  the  primitive  times,  were  baptized 
with  water  ?  to  which  also  he  answereth  nothing ; 
whereas  he  ought  to  have  done  it,  if  he  will  take 
in  hand  to  confute.  The  scriptures  are,  l  Co.  i. 
It— 16.  Eo.  Ti  3.  Ga.  iii.  27.  Yet  were  they  eflfectually 
answered,  my  argmnent  is  nothing  weakened. 

You  come  to  my  second  argument,  drawn  from 
Ep.  iv.  4—6.  Upon  wliich  a  little  more  now  to  enlarge, 
and  then  to  take  notice  of  your  objection.  The 
apostle  then  in  that  fourth  of  the  Ephesians, 
exhorteth  the  church  there  '  with  all  lowliness  and 
meekness,  with  long  suffering,  forbearing  one 
another  in  love ;  endeavouring  to  keep  the  unity 
of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace.'  ver.  2, 3.  This 
done,  he  presents  them  with  such  arguments,  as 
might  fasten  liis  exhortation  to  purpose  upon  them. 

1.  The  first  is,  because  the  body  is  one;  There 
is  '  one  body ;'  therefore  they  should  not  divide. 
For  if  the  church  of  Christ  be  a  body,  there  ought 
not  to  be  a  rent  or  schism  among  them,  i  Co.  xU. 

2,  His  second  argument  is,  There  is  *  one 
spirit,'  or  one  quickening  principle  by  which  the 
body  is  made  to  live ;  for  having  asserted  before 
that  Christ  hath  indeed  a  body,  it  was  meet  that 
be  showed  also,  that  this  body  hath  life,  and 
motion.  Now  that  life,  being  none  other,  than 
that  nourishment,  or  spirit  of  life,  from  which  '  the 
whole  body  fitly  joined  together  and  compacted 
by  that  which  every  joint  supplieth,  according  to 
the  effectual  working  of  the  measure  in  every  part, 
maketh  increase  of  the  body  unto  the  edifying  of 
itself  in  love. '  Ep.  iv.  16.  Nov/  this  spirit,  being  first, 
and  chiefly,  in  the  head,  therefore  none  other  but 
those  that  hold  the  head  can  have  this  nourish- 
ment  niinistered    to  them:    besides,   this  is  the 


*  To  tliese  ten  commandments  must  be  added  tliat  new 
command  ^ven  by  the  Saviour,  '  That  ye  love  one  another/ 
.Tohn  xii.  34  ;  or  rather  the  evangelical  sum  of  the  whole  law, 
'  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  thy 
neighbour  as  thyself.'  This  happy  state  of  mind  can  only  be 
attained  by  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  How  awful  the 
thought  that  multitudes  of  professing  Christians  rely  upon 
outward  ceremonies,  a  fleshly  carnal  confidence  in  ordinances, 
while  they  are  dead  as  ■'.o  union  with  God  and  to  spiritual  com- 
munion with  his  sai'rts.  Read  jr.  how  is  it  with  ycur  own 
soul. — Ei). 


spirit  that  knits  the  body  together,  and  makes  it 
increase  with  the  increase  of  God.  Co'.,  ii.  19.  This  is 
'  the  unity  of  the  spirit '  which  he  before  exhorts 
them  to  keep. 

3.  The  third  argmnent  is,  Because  their  hope 
is  also  but  one.  '  Even  as  ye  are  called  [saith 
he]  in  one  hope  of  your  calling:'  as  who  should 
say,  My  brethren,  if  you  are  called  with  one 
calling,  if  your  hope,  both  as  to  the  grace  of 
hope,  and  also  the  object,  be  but  one :  if  you  hope 
for  one  heaven,  and  for  one  eternal  life:  then 
maintain  that  unity  of  the  spirit,  and  hope,  while 
here,  in  love,  'and  the  bond  of  peace.'  Ep.  iv. 3. 

4.  The  fourth  argument  is,  There  is  '  one  Lord,' 
or  husband,  or  prince,  to  whom  this  church  belongs: 
therefore  if  we  have  husbands,  but  one.  Lord  and 
prince  but  one,  let  us  not  rend  into  many  parties, 
as  if  we  had  many  husbands,  lords,  and  princes, 
to  govern  us,  as  his  wife,  his  house,  and  kingdom. 
'  Is  Clirist  divided  ?'  l  Co. i.  13. 

0.  The  fifth  argument  is,  There  is  'one  faith,' 
by  which  we  all  stand  justified  by  one  Lord  Jesus 
Chiist;  'one  faith'  by  which  we  escape  the  wrath 
of  God ;  'one  faith.'  by  which  only  they  that  have 
it  are  blessed;  yea,  seeing  there  is  but  'one  faith,' 
by  which  we  are  all  put  into  one  way  of  salvation, 
let  us  hold  together  as  such. 

6.  The  sixth  argument  is.  There  is  '  one  bap- 
tism. '  Now  we  are  come  to  the  pinch,  A-iz. ,  Whether 
it  be  that  of  water,  or  no  ?  which  I  must  positively 
deny.  (L)  Because  water  baptism  hath  nothing 
to  do  in  a  church,  as  a  church ;  it  neither  bringeth 
us  into  the  church,  nor  is  any  part  of  our  worship 
when  we  come  there ;  how  then  can  the  peace  and 
unity  of  the  church  depend  upon  water  baptism  ? 
Besides,  he  saith  expressly.  It  is  the  '  imity  of  the 
spirit,'  not  water,  that  is  here  intended:  and  the 
argmnents  brought  to  enforce  it,  are  such  as  wholly 
and  immediately  relate  to  the  duty  of  the  church, 
as  a  church.  (2.)  Further,  That  other  text,  that 
treateth  of  our  being  baptized  into  a  body,  saith 
expressly  it  is  done  by  the  spirit :  '  For  by  one 
spirit  are  we  all  baptized  into  one  body.'  iCo.xii.i.'5. 
Here  is  the  church  presented  as  under  the  notion 
of  '  one  body ; '  here  is  a  baptism  mentioned,  by 
which  they  are  brought,  or  initiated  Into  this  body : 
Now  that  this  is  the  baptism  of  water,  is  utterly 
against  the  words  of  the  text ;  '  For  by  one  spirit 
are  we  all  baptized  into  one  body.'  Besides,  if 
the  baptism  here  be  of  water,  then  is  it  the  iutia 
ting  ordinance ;  but  the  contrary  I  have  proved, 
and  this  author  stands  by  my  doctrine.  So  then^ 
the  baptism  here  respecting  the  church  as  one 
body,  and  water,  having  nothing  to  do  to  enter 
men  into  the  church,  nor  to  command  them  to 
practise  it  as  a  church,  in  order  to  their  peace  or 
commtmlon,  or  respecting  the  worship  of  God  as 
such :  and  (I  say  again)  the  baptism  in  the  sixtb 


624 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  "WATER  BxYPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


argument,  being  urged  precisely  for  no  otiier  pur- 
pose., but  T\nth  i-espect  to  the  churcli's  peace  as  a 
body ;  it  must  needs  be  that  baptism,  by  virtue  of 
which,  they  were  initiated,  and  joined  together  in 
one ;  and  that  baptism  being  only  that  which  the 
Spirit  executeth  ;  this  therefore  is  that  one  baptism. 

7.  The  other  argument  is  also  effectual;  there 
is  '  One  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all, 
and  through  all,  and  in  you  all. '  Ep.  iv.  6.  If  we  are 
'one  body;'  if  to  it  there  be  but  'one  spirit;'  if 
we  have  but  '  one  hope,  one  faith, '  and  be  all  bap- 
tized by  *  one  spirit '  into  that  '  one  '  body ;  and  if 
we  have  but  '  one  Lord,  one  God,'  and  he  in  every 
one  of  us  ;  let  us  be  also  '  one : '  and  let  them  that 
are  thus  qualified,  both  join  together,  and  hold  in 
one. 

But  our  author  against  this,  objecteth,  That, 
'  now  I  employ  my  pen  against  every  man ;  and 
give  the  lie  to  all  expositors,  for  they  hold  this  one 
baptism,  to  be  none  other  than  that  of  water.  '* 

p.  13. 

Answ.  What  if  I  should  also  send  you  to  answer 
those  expositors  that  expoimd  certain  scriptures  for 
infant  baptism,  and  that  by  them  brand  us  for 
anabaptists ;  must  this  drive  you  from  your  belief 
of  the  truth  ?  EsrosiTORS  I  reverence,  but  must 
live  by  mine  own  faith.  liab.  ii,  4.  God  hath  no  where 
bound  himself  to  them  more  than  to  others,  with 
respect  to  the  revelation  of  his  mind  in  his  word. 
But  it  becomes  not  you  to  run  thus  to  exposi- 
tors, who  are,  as  to  your  notions  in  many  things, 
but  of  yesterday:  'to  the  law,  and  to  the  testi- 
mony:' Is.  viii.  20.  for  '  Out  of  the  mouth  of  babes  ' 
the  Lord  hath  *  ordained  strength.'  Ps.  vm.  2. 

But  you  bid  me  tell  you, '  What  I  mean  by  spirit 
baptism  ?' 

Answ.  Sir,  you  mistake  me,  I  treat  not  here  of 
our  being  baptized  with  the  Spirit,  with  respect  to 
its  coming  from  heaven  into  us ;  but  of  that  act  of 
the  spirit,  when  come,  v/hich  baptizeth  us  into  a 
body  or  church.  It  is  one  thing  to  be  baptized 
with  the  Spirit  in  the  first  sense :  and  another  to 
be  baptized  by  it  in  the  sense  I  treat  of:  for  the 
Spirit  to  come  upon  me,  is  one  thing ;  and  for  that 
when  come,  to  implant,  embody,  or  baptize  me  into 
the  body  of  Christ,  is  another.  Your  question 
therefore  is  grounded  on  a  mistake,  both  of  my 


*  Buiiyan's  adversaries  were  wrong  in  stating  that  tc/l  the 
expositors  agreed  iu  referring  this  '  one  baptism'  to  be  that  iu 
or  with  water.  John  Caime,  1GG2,  refers  to  1  Cor.  sii.  13, 
as  an  illustration  of  Eph.  iv.  5,  'one  baptism,'  'by  one  Spirit 
are  we  all  baptized.'  The  Assembly's  Annotations,  1657, 
iufcra  that  '  one'  means  '  once,'  and  refers  to  the  Nieenc  creed, 
which  says, '  one  baptism  for  the  remission  of  sins ;'  this  sm-ely 
(•nnuot  mean  that  the  application  of  water  remits  sins.  Dio- 
dati,  1C48,  is  silent  on  this  subject.  Dr.  Hammond,  1653, 
says,  '  the  same  roio  to  be  administered  to  all.'  Very  similar 
to  this  is  the  Dutch  annotations  of  Theodore  Ilaak.— Ed. 


judgment,  and  the  words  of  the  apostle.  Where- 
fore thus  I  soon  put  an  end  to  your  objections, 
(p.  14.)  For  the  Spirit  to  come  down  upon  me,  is 
one  thing ;  and  for  the  Spirit  to  baptize,  or  implant 
me  into  the  church,  is  another :  for  to  be  jjossessed 
with  the  spirit,  is  one  thing ;  and  to  be  led  by  that 
spirit,  is  another.  I  conclude  then ;  seeing  the 
argument  taken  from  that  one  baptism,  respecteth 
church  fellowship  properly;  and  seeing  water  bap- 
tism meddleth  not  with  it  as  such ;  it  is  the  other, 
even  that  in  iCo.xii.  16.  that  is  here  intended,  and  no 
other. 

But  3'ou  add,  '  If  nothing  but  extraordinary  gifts 
are  called  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit  in  a  strict 
sense ;  then  that  baptism,  l  Co.  xii.  must  be  water 
baptism,  as  well  as  that  in  the  Ephesians.' 

Hold:  you  make  j^our  conclusions  before  you 
have  cause ;  first,  prove  that  in  the  Ephesians  to 
be  meant  of  water  baptism,  and  that  the  baptism 
in  1  Co.  xii.  16  is  the  baptism  you  woidd  have  it ;  and 
then  conclude  my  argument  void.  That  it  is  the 
baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost  according  to  the  com- 
mon notion,  I  say  not ;  for  you  to  assert  it  is  the 
baptism  of  water,  gives  the  lie  to  the  text:  but 
that  it  is  an  act  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  baptizing  the 
saints  into  a  body,  or  church,  ^'ou  will  hardly  be 
able  to  make  the  contrary  appear  to  be  truth. 
'  But  behold,  while  here  you  would  have  this  to 
be  baptism  with  water,  how  you  contradict  and 
condemn  your  own  notion:  you  say  water  baptism 
is  not  the  entering  ordinance ;  yet  the  baptism 
here  is  such  as  baptizeth  us  into  a  body :  where- 
fore before  you  say  next  time  that  this  in  1  Co.  xii.  16. 
is  meant  of  water  baptism  ;  aiSrm  that  water  bap- 
tism is  the  initiating  or  entering  ordinance,  that 
yovu"  opinion  and  doctrine  may  hang  better  togethei'.' 

We  come  to  my  third  argument ;  Avhich  is  to 
prove,  that  it  is  lawful  to  hold  church  communion 
with  the  godl}"-  sincere  believer,  though  he  hath 
not  been  baptized  with  water,  because  he  hath  the 
DOCTRINE  of  baptisms.  He.  vi.  2.  Which  doctrine  I 
distinguish  from  the  practice  of  it ;  the  doctrine 
being  that  which  by  the  outAvard  sign  is  presented 
to  us ;  or  Avhich  by  the  outward  circumstance  of 
the  act  is  preached  to  the  believer,  viz.,  the  death 
of  Christ,  my  death  Avith  Christ;  also  his  resur- 
rection from  the  dead,  and  mine  with  him  to  new- 
ness of  life.  'This  our  author  calleth  one  of  the 
strangest  paradoxes  that  he  hath  lightly  observed.' 

Ansvx  How  light  he  is  in  his  observation  of 
things,  I  know  not ;  this  I  am  sure,  the  apostle 
makes  mention  of  the  doctrine  of  baptisms ;  noAV 
that  the  doctrine  of  a  man,  or  ordinance,  is  the 
signification  of  what  is  preached,  is  apparent  to  very 
sense.  What  is  Christ's  doctrine,  Paul's  doctrine, 
scripture  doctrine,  but  the  truth  couched  under  the 
v.'ords  that  are  spoken  ?  so  the  doctrine  of  baptism, 
yea  and  the  doctrine  of  the  Lord's   supper,  are 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISir,  NO  BAR  TO  CO^ilJIUNION. 


625 


tliose  truths  or  mysteries  that  such  ordinances 
preach  unto  us.  And  that  the  doctrine  of  baptism, 
in  this  sense,  is  the  great  end  for  which  that,  and 
the  Lord's  supper,  was  instituted,  is  apparent  from 
all  the  scriptures:  it  is  that  which  the  apostle 
seeketh  for  in  that  eminent  sixth  of  the  Romans, 
*  Know  ye  not  that  so  many  of  us  as  were  baptized 
into  Jesus  Christ,  were  baptized  into  his  death  ? 
Therefore  we  arc  buried  with  him  by  baptism  into 
death :  that  like  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the 
dead  by  the  glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also 
should  walk  in  newness  of  life.  For  if  we  have 
been  planted  togethe^  in  the  likeness  of  his  death, 
we  shall  be  also  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection. ' 
3—5.  What  is  here  discoursed,  but  the  doctrine  of 
or  that  which  baptism  tcacheth ;  with  an  intima- 
tion; that  that  was  the  chief,  for  the  sake  of 
which  that  shadow  was  instituted;  as  also  that 
they  that  have  the  doctrine,  or  that  which  is  sig- 
nified thereby,  they  only  must  reign  with  Christ. 

Again,  This  is  that  which  he  seeketh  for  among 
the  Corinthians;  *If  the  dead  rise  not  at  all,' 
[saith  he],  'why  then  Avere  you  baptized  for  the 
dead  ?  '  l  Co.  xv.  29.  Why  then  were  you  baptized  ? 
What  did  baptism  teach  you  ?  What  doctrine  did 
it  preach  to  you  ?  further,  '  Buried  with  him  in 
baptism,  wherein  also  ye  are  risen  with  him  through 
the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God,  who  hath  raised 
him  from  the  dead. '  Coi.  ii.  12.  What  is  here  in  chief 
asserted,  but  the  doctrine  only  which  water  bap- 
tism preacheth  ?  with  an  intimation,  that  they, 
and  they  only,  are  the  saved  of  the  Lord,  that 
have  heard,  received,  and  that  live  in  this  doctrine. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  the  Lord's  supper,  it 
also  hath  its  doctrine.  But  against  this  our  author 
objcctcth,  sa^dug,  '  That  this  is  called  the  doctrine 
of  baptism,  I  am  yet  to  learn. ' 

A:isiD.  Your  ignorance  of  the  truth  makes  it  not 
an  error :  but  I  pray  you,  what  is  the  doctrine  of 
baptism,  if  not  that  which  baptism  teacheth,  even 
that  which  is  signified  thereby?  As  that  is  the 
doctrine  of  Christ,  and  the  scriptures ;  which  he 
Jiud  they  teach  as  the  mind  of  God. 

But  you  say,  '  I  took  the  doctrine  of  baptism  to 
be  the  command  that  a  behever  should  be  baptized, 
fcr  such  ends  as  the  gospel  expresscth. ' 

Ansio.  To  assert  that  a  figurative  ordinance  is 
of  God,  is  cue  thing ;  but  the  doctrinal  significa- 
tion of  that  ordinance  is  another.  A  man  may 
p-each  the  command,  yet  none  of  the  doctrine 
■which  baptism  preacheth.  The  doctrine  lieth  not 
in  the  command,  but  the  mystery  discovered  to 
faith,  by  the  act. 

You  object,  'If  the  resurrection  be  the  doctrine 
of  baptism,  v.'hy  doth  the  apostle  make  that,  and 
the  doctrine  of  baptism,  things  distinct,  in  He.  vi.' 

Answ.  The  resurrection  simply  considered,  is 
not  the  doctrine  of  baptism,  but  Christ'.':-,  and  mine 

VOL.  II. 


by  him.  Besides,  there  is  more  in  it  than  the 
mystery  of  this  resurrection ;  there  is  my  death 
first,  and  then  my  rising  with  him. 

But  you  add,  '  Under  the  law,  all  the  sacrifices 
of  that  dispensation,  with  their  sabbaths,  were  types 
of  that  Christ,  who  was  the  substance  of  all  those 
cerenionies.  If  any  of  them  then  that  professed 
faith  in  the  Slessias  to  come,  should  upon  scruples, 
or  want  of  pretended  light,  neglect  the  whole,  or 
part  of  that  typical  worship ;  why  may  not  a  man 
say  of  them,  as  this  advocate  of  the  practice  under 
debate,  they  had  the  richer  and  better  sacrifice.' 

Ansiv.  First,  that  the  brethren  which  refuse  to 
be  baptized,  as  you  and  I  would  have  them,  refuse 
it  for  want  of  pretended  light,  becomes  you  not  to 
imagine,  unless  your  boldness  will  lead  you  to 
judge,  that  all  men  want  sincerity,  that  come  not 
up  to  our  judgment.  Their  conscience  may  be 
better  than  either  yours  or  mine;  yet  God,  for 
purposes  best  known  to  himself,  may  forbear  to 
giA'c  them  conviction  of  their  duty  in  this  particular. 
But  Avhat,  because  they  are  not  baptized,  have 
they  not  Jesus  Christ?  Or,  must  we  now  be 
afraid  to  say  that  Christ  is  better  than  water  bap- 
tism ?  *  Yea,  God  himself  for  the  sake  of  this 
better  thing,  hath  suffered  in  his  church  a  suspen- 
sion of  some  of  his  ordinances,  yet  owned  them  for 
his  truly  constituted  congregation.  What  say  you 
to  the  church  in  the  wilderness  ?  I  touched  you 
with  it  in  my  first,  but  perceive  you  listed  not  to 
meddle  therewith.  That  church  received  members, 
the  way  which  was  not  prescribed  by,  but  directly 
against  the  revealed  mind  of  God  ;  yet  stood  a  true 
church,  their  members  true  members ;  also  that 
church  in  that  state,  was  such  before  whom,  among 
vrhom,  and  to  whom  God  continually  made  known 
himself  to  be  their  God,  and  owned  them  for  his 
pecidiar  treasm'e. 

And  now  I  am  fallen  upon  it,  let  me  a  little 
enlarge :  this  church,  according  to  the  then  insti- 
tuted worship  of  God,  had  circumcision  for  their 
entering  ordinance,  Ge.  xvii.  13, 14.  without  which  it 
was  unlawful  to  receive  any  into  fellowship  with 
them :  yea,  he  that  without  it  was  received,  was 
to  be  cut  ofi',  and  cast  out  again.  Further,  as  to 
the  passover,  the  uncircumcised  were  utterly  for- 
bidden to  eat  it.  E.':.  xii.  IS.  Now  if  our  brethren  had 
as  express  prohibition  to  justify  their  groundless 
opinion,  as  here  is  to  exclude  the  uncircumcised 
from  the  communion  of  the  church  and  the  pass- 
over:  I  say,  if  they  coidd  find  it  written,  '  Xo 
unbaptized  person  shall  enter,  no  unbaptized  per- 


*  Heaven  forbid  that  we  sliould  he  afraid  or  ashamed  of 
saying  that  Chiist  is  hctter  thaa  water  baptism.  Christ  is 
the  heavenly  manna,  the  sweet,  pleasant,  uomishing  food  o£ 
the  soul.  Baptism  is  only  once  for  life,  but  Clu'ist  is  our 
essential  food  all  through  the  wilderness — every  hour  of  life 
until  we  enter  the  gates  of  the  celestial  and  eternal  city. — Ei>. 


626 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


son  shall  eat  of  the  supper;'  what  a  noise  would 
they  make  about  it  ?  But  yet  let  the  reader 
observe,  that  although  circumcision  was  the  enter- 
ing ordinance,  and  our  author  saith  baptism  is 
not ;  yea,  though  this  church  was  expressly  for- 
bidden to  receive  the  uncircumcised,  and  Ave  have 
not  a  syllable  now  to  forbid  the  unbaptized,  yet 
this  church  received  members  without,  and  other- 
wise than  by  this  entering  ordinance.  They  also 
admitted  them  to  "the  passover;  yea,  entertained, 
retained,  and  held  communion  with  them  so  long 
as  forty  years  without  it.  I  say  again.  That  the 
number  of  this  sort  of  communicants  was  not  so 
few  as  six  hundred  thousand.  Moreover,  to  these 
imcircumcised  was  the  land  of  Canaan  given,  yea, 
a  possession  of  part  thereof  before  they  were  cir- 
cumcised ;  but  the  old  circumcised  ones  might  not 
enter  therein.  I  am  the  larger  in  this,  because 
our  author  hath  overloohed  my  first  mention 
thereof.  And  now  I  ask.  What  was  the  reason 
that  God  continued  his  presence  with  this  church 
notwithstanding  this  transgression  ?  Was  it  not 
Decause  they  had  that  richer  and  better  thing,  *  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?  '  For  they  did  all  eat  of  that 
spiritual  bread,  and  drink  of  that  '  spiritual  rock 
that  followed  them:  and  that  rock  was  Christ.' 
1  Co.  X.  3, 4.  I  confess  I  find  them  under  rebukes 
and  judgments  in  the  wilderness,  and  that  they 
were  many  times  threatened  to  be  destroyed ;  but 
yet  I  find  not  so  much  as  one  check  for  their 
receiving  of  members  uncircumcised.  Further,  in 
the  New  Testament,  where  we  have  a  catalogue  of 
their  sins,  and  also  of  their  punishment  for  them ; 
we  find  not  a  word  about  circumcision,  nor  the 
smallest  intimation  of  the  least  rebuke  for  neglect- 
ing the  entering  ordinance,  i  Co.  x.  5— lo.  I  will 
therefore  say  of  them,  as  I  have  also  said  of  my 
brethren,  'They  had  the  richer  and  better  thing.' 

But  you  object,  '  That  this  putteth  the  vt'hole  of 
God's  instituted  worship  both  under  the  law  and 
gospel,  to  the  highest  imcertainties.'  p.  17. 

Answ.  This  putteth  our  opposers  out  of  their 
road,  and  quencheth  the  fiame  of  their  unwarrant- 
able zeal.  For  if  the  entering  ordinance,  if  the 
ordinance  without  which  no  man  might  be  added 
to  the  church,  was  laid  aside  for  forty  years ;  yea, 
if  more  than  six  hundred  thousand  did  commimicate 
with  them  without  it:  I  say  again.  If  they  did  it, 
and  held  communion  with  God,  that  notwithstand- 
ing ;  yea,  and  had  not,  that  we  read  of,  all  that 
time  one  small  check  for  so  doing ;  why  may  not 
we  now  enter  communion,  hold  comnmnion,  main- 
tain commimion,  chm-ch  communion,  without  being 
judged,  and  condemned  by  you?  because  we  can- 
not for  Avant  of  light  be  all  baptized  before ;  espe- 
cially considering  baptism  makes  no  man  a  saint, 
is  not  the  entering  ordinance,  is  no  part  of  the 
worship  of  God  enjoined  the  church  as  a  church. 


To  conclude,  although  we  receive  members  unbap- 
tized [in  water],  we  leave  not  God's  instituted 
worship  at  uncertainties,  especially  what  he  hath 
conmianded  us  as  his  church ;  we  only  profess  our 
want  of  light  in  some  things ;  but  see  no  word  to 
warrant  the  forbearance  of  our  duty  in  all,  for 
want  of  persuasion  in  one. 

You  object,  *  I  call  baptism  a  circumstance,  an 
outward-shew  I  nickna]vie  it.' 

Answ.  Deep  reproof!  but  why  did  you  not  shew 
me  my  evil  in  thus  calling  it,  when  opposed  to  the 
substance,  and  the  thing  signified?  Is  it  the  sub- 
stance, is  it  the  thing  signified  ?  And  why  may 
not  I  give  it  the  name  of  a  shew ;  when  you  call  it 
a  symbol,  and  compare  it  to  a  gentleman's  livery? 

p.  53. 

But  you  say,  I  call  It  mi  outward  sJieio. 

Atisw.  Is  It  an  inward  one  ?     What  is  it  ? 

'  It  is  a  command. ' 

Answ.  But  doth  that  install  it  in  that  place  and 
dignity,  that  was  never  Intended  for  it  ? 

You  object  fm'ther,  '  They  caimot  have  the  doc- 
trine of  baptism  that  imderstand  not  our  way  of 
administering  It.'  p.  18. 

This  is  your  mistake,  both  of  the  doctrine  and 
thing  itself.  But  if  you  wiU  not  scorn  to  take 
notice  of  me,  I  advise  you  again  to  consider.  That 
a  man  may  find  baptism  to  be  commanded,  may 
be  informed  who  ought  to  administer  It;  may 
also  know  the  proper  subject ;  and  that  the  man- 
ner of  baptizing  is  dipping;  and  may  desire  to 
practise  it  because  It  Is  commanded,  and  yet  know 
nothing  of  what  water  baptism  preacheth ;  or  of 
the  mystery  baptism  sheweth  to  faith.  But  that 
the  doctrine  of  baptism  Is  not  the  practice  of  it, 
not  the  outward  act,  but  the  thing  signified ;  and 
that  every  believer  hath  that,  must  argue  you  more 
than  too  bold  to  deny  it. 

But  say  you,  *  Who  taught  you  to  divide  betwixt 
Christ  and  his  precepts,  that  you' word  It  at  such 
a  rate  ?     That  he  that  hath  the  one,'  &c. 

Answ.  To  say  nothing  of  faith,  and  the  word ; 
verily  reason  itself  teacheth  it.  For  If  Christ  be 
my  righteousness,  and  not  water ;  if  Christ  be  my 
advocate,  and  not  water ;  If  there  be  that  good 
and  blessedness  In  Christ,  that  is  not  in  water; 
then  Is  Jesus  Christ  better  than  water ;  and  also 
in  these  to  be  eternally  divided  from  water ;  unless 
we  will  make  them  co-saviours,  co-advocatcs,  and 
such  as  are  equally  good  and  profitable  to  men. 

But  say  you,  '  I  thought  that  he  that  hatii 
Christ,  had  an  orderly  right  to  all  Christ's  promises 
and  precepts  ;  and  that  the  precepts  of  Christ,  are 
part  of  the  riches  that  a  believer  hath  in  and  by 
Christ.' 

A^nsw.  A  believer  hath  more  in  Christ  than 
either  promise  or  precept ;  but  all  believers  know 
not  all  things,  that  of  God  are  given  to  them  by 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


627 


Christ.  But  must  not  tliey  use,  and  enjoy  wliat 
they  know,  hecause  they  know  not  all.  Or  must 
they  neglect  the  weightier  matters,  because  they 
"want  mint,  and  anise,  and  cummin  ?  Yom*  pre- 
tended orderly  right  is  your  fancy ;  there  is  not  a 
syllable  in  the  whole  bible,  that  bids  a  Christian 
to  forbear  his  duty  in  other  things,  because  he 
wanteth,  as  you  term  it,  the  symbol,  or  water  bap- 
tism. 

But  say  you,  '  He  that  desplseth  his  birth- 
right of  ordinances,  our  church  privileges,  will  be 
found  to  be  a  profane  person,  as  Esau  in  God's 
account.' 

Baptism  is  not  the  privilege  of  a  church  as  such. 
But  what  ?  are  they  all  Esau's  indeed  ?  Must  we  go 
to  hell,  and  be  damned,  for  want  of  faith  in  water 
baptism?  And  take  notice,  I  do  not  plead  for  a  des- 
pising of  baptism,  but  a  bearing  with  our  brother, 
that  cannot  do  it  for  want  of  hght.  The  best  of 
baptism  he  hath,  viz.  the  signification  thereof :  he 
wanteth  only  the  outward  shew,  which  if  he  had, 
would  not  prove  him  a  truly  visible  saint ;  it  would 
not  teU  me  he  had  the  grace  of  God  in  his  heart ; 
it  is  no  characteristical  note  to  another  of  my  Son- 
ship  with  God.  But  why  did  you  not  answer  these 
parts  of  my  ai'gument?  Wh}^  did  you  only  cavil 
at  words?  which  if  they  had  been  left  out,  the 
argument  yet  stands  good.  '  lie  that  is  not  bap- 
tized [in  water],  if  yet  a  true  believer,  hath  the 
DOCTRINE  of  baptism ;  yea,  he  ought  to  have  it 
before  he  be  convicted,  it  is  his  duty  to  be  baptized, 
or  else  he  playeth  the  hypocrite.  There  is  there- 
fore no  difference  between  that  believer  that  is,  and 
he  that  is  not  yet  baptized  with  water ;  but  only 
his  going  down  into  the  water,  there  to  perform  an 
outward  ceremony,  the  substance  of  which  he  hath 
already ;  which  yet  he  is  not  commanded  to  do 
with  respect  to  membership  Avith  the  church ;  but 
to  obtain  by  that,  further  imderstanding  of  his 
privilege  by  Christ,  which  before  he  made  profes- 
sion of,  and  that  as  a  visible  believer.'* 

But  to  come  to  my  fourth  argument,  which  you 
so  tenderly  touch  as  if  it  bm-ut  your  fingers :  '  I 
am  bold  (say  I)  to  have  communion  with  visible 
saints  as  before,  because  God  hath  communion  with 
them,  whose  example  in  the  case  we  are  strictly 
commanded  to  foUow.'  '  Receive  ye  one  another, 
as  Chi-ist  also  received  us  to  the  glory  of  God.' 
iio.xv.  7.  Yea,  though  they  be  saints,  in  opinion 
contrary  to  you,  or  I.    '  We  that  are  strong  ought 

*  T\'lii]e  we  acknowledge  the  importance  of  water  baptism, 
to  wHcli  Christ  submitted,  yet  we  do  well  to  consider  that  it 
was  not  intended  as  a  means  of  purifying  his  infinite  purity; 
no  more  does  it  purify  the  believer  who  follows  his  Redeemer 
in  this  ordinance.  He  was  as  much  a  behc\er  before  as  he 
is  after  the  ceremony.  He  submits  to  it  as  an  act  of  obedience 
to  the  divine  command,  in  the  humble  hope  that  his  faith  may 
be  strengthened  and  his  soul  rcfi'eshed. — Ed. 


to  bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  and  not  to 
please  ourselves. '  Eo.  xv.  i.  Infirmities  that  aro 
sinful :  for  they  that  are  natural  are  incident  to 
all.  Infirmities  therefore  they  are,  that  for  want 
of  light,  cause  a  man  to  err  in  circumstantials: 
and  the  reason  upon  which  Paul  groundeth  this 
admonition  is  ;  '  For  even  Christ  pleased  not  him- 
self, but,  as  it  is  Avritten,  The  reproaches  of  them 
that  reproached  thee  fell  on  me.'  Ko. xv. 3. 

You  say  to  this,  p.  20.  '  That  it  is  Paul's  direc- 
tion to  the  church  at  Home  how  to  receive  their 
brethren  church  members.'  p.  20. 

I  answer,  1,  \Vhat?  are  not  the  poor  saints  now 
in  this  city?  are  not  they  concerned  in  these  instruc- 
tions ?  or  is  not  the  church  by  these  words  at  aU 
directed  how  to  carry  it  to  those  that  were  not  yet 
in  fellowship?  A  bold  assertion  !  but  grounded 
upon  nothing,  but  that  you  would  have  it  so.  2. 
But  how  win  you  prove  that  there  was  a  church,  a 
rightly  constituted  church,  at  Rome,  besides  that 
in  Aquila's  house?  ch.  x\L  Neither  doth  this  epistle, 
nor  any  other  in  the  whole  book  of  God  affirm  it. 
Besides,  since  Paul  in  this  last  chapter  saluteth 
the  church,  as  in  this  man's  house,  but  the  other, 
only  as  particular  saints,  it  giveth  fm-ther  ground 
of  conviction  to  you,  that  those  others  were  not  as 
yet  imbodied  in  such  a  fellowship.  3.  But  suppose 
there  was  another  chm-ch  besides  ;  it  doth  not  there- 
fore follow,  that  the  apostle  exhorteth  them  only  to 
receive  persons  already  in  fellowship;  but  '  Him,' 
even  every  '  Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive 
ye,  but  not  to  doubtful  disputations. '  .\iv.  i.  4.  Sup- 
pose again,  the  receiving  here  exhorted  to,  be  such 
as  you  would  have  it,  yet  the  rule  by  which  they  are 
directed  to  do  it,  is  that  by  which  we  perceive  that 
Christ  hath  received  them.  But  Christ  did  not  re- 
ceive them  by  [water]  baptism,  but  as  given  to  him 
by  the  Father.  Him,  therefore,  concerning  whom 
we  are  convinced,  that  he  by  the  Father  is  given  to 
Chi-ist, '  Him  should  we  receive.'  5.  But  what  need 
I  grant  you,  that  which  cannot  be  proved'2  yet 
if  you  could  prove  it,  it  availeth  nothing  at  all ; 
because  you  may  not,  cannot,  ought  not  to  dare  to 
limit  the  exhortation  to  receiving  of  one  another 
into  each  other's  aflections  only;  and  not  also 
receiving  saints  into  communion. 

But  you  object :  '  To  make  God's  receiving  the 
rule  of  our  receiving,  in  all  cases  will  not  hold. '  p.  21. 

Ansio.  Keep  to  the  thing,  man:  if  it  hold  in 
the  case  in  hand,  it  is  enough,  the  which  you  have 
not  denied.  And  that  it  holds  thus,  is  plain, 
because  commanded.  But  let  the  reader  know, 
that  youi-  putting  in  that  way  of  his  receiving 
which  is  invisible  to  us ;  is  but  an  unhandsome 
straddling  over  my  argument,  which  treateth  only 
of  a  visible  receiving ;  such  as  is  manifest  to  the 
chm-ch.  This  you  knew,  but  sought  by  evadmg 
to  turn  the  reader  from  considermg  the  strength 


628 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


of  this  my  argument.  *  The  receiving  then  (said  I, 
p.  29.)  because  it  is  set  as  an  example  to  the  church, 
is  such  as  must  needs  be  visible  unto  them ;  and 
is  best  discovered  by  that  word  that  describeth  the 
visible  saint.  Whoso  then  you  can  judge  a  visible 
saint,  one  that  walketh  -with  God,  you  may,  nay 
ought  to  judge  by  the  same  word,  that  God  hath 
received  him.  Now  him  that  God  receiveth,  him 
shoidd  you  receive.'  But  Avill  any  object;  they 
cannot  believe  that  God  receiveth  the  unbaptized 
saints ;  I  will  not  suppose  you  so  much  stupified, 
and  therefore  shall  make  no  ansv/er. 

But  you  seem  to  be  much  ofiended,  because  I  said, 
'  Vain  man !  Think  not  by  the  straightness  of  thine 
order  in  outward,  and  bodily  conformity  to  outward 
and  shadowish  circumstances,  that  thy  peace  is 
maintained  with  God?'  But  why  so  much  offended 
at  this?  [It  is  say  you]  *  Because  you  intend  by 
this  the  brethren  of  the  baptized  way.' 

A71SW.  If  they  be  vain  men,  and  set  up  their 
OWN  order,  how  straight  soever  they  make  it,  they 
are  worthy  to  be  reproved  ;  if  *  they  have  rejected 
the  word  of  the  Lord;  what  wisdom  is  in  them?' 
Je.  viii.  9.  And  as  you  suggest  the  first,  I  affirm  the 
second.  But  if  you  would  be  justified  in  exclud- 
ing those,  with  whom  yet  you  see  God  hath  com- 
munion, because  they  yet  see  not  a  shadow  with 
you ;  produce  the  scripture  for  such  order,  that  we 
may  believe  it  is  the  order  of  God.  But  deal  fairly, 
lest  we  shew  your  nakedness,  and  others  see  your 
shame.  You  tell  me  of  the  order  of  the  Colos- 
sians.  cii.  ii.  5.  But  if  you  can  prove  that  that 
church  refused  to  hold  communion  with  that  saint 
whom  they  knew  to  be  received  by  Christ,  and 
held  communion  with  him  [Christ],  or  that  none  but 
those  that  are  baptized  [in  water]  are  received  by 
and  hold  commmiion  with  him,  then  you  justify 
your  order.  In  the  mean  while  the  whole  of  mine 
argument  stands  firm  against  you;  '  You  must 
have  communion  with  visible  saints,  because  God 
hath  commmiion  with  them,  whose  example  iu  the 
case  we  are  strictly  commanded  to  follow.' 

But  you  ask  me,  '  If  outward  and  bodily  con- 
formity be  become  a  crime?'  p.  23. 

A71SW.  I  nowhere  said  it ;  but  know  that  to 
glorify  God  with  our  bodies,  respecteth  chiefly  far 
higher  and  more  weighty  tilings,  than  that  of  water 
baptism ; '  Whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin ; '  Eo.  xiv.  23. 
and  to  set  up  an  ordinance,  though  an  ordinance 
of  God,  that  by  it  the  church  may  be  pulled  in 
pieces,  or  the  truly  visible  saints  excluded  com- 
munion with  their  brethren ;  I  say  again,  to  make 
water  baptism  a  bar  and  division  between  saint  and 
saint,  every  Avhit  otherwise  gracious  and  holy  alike : 
This  is  like  fasting  '  for  strife  and  debate,  and  to 
smite  with  the  fist  of  wickedness;'  is. iviii. 4.  and  is 
not  to  be  found  within  the  whole  bible,  but  is  wholly 
an  order  of  yom*  own  devising.    As  to  the  peace  you 


make  an  objection  about  (p.  23.)  you  have  granted  me 
what  I  intended ;  and  now  I  add  further,  that  for 
church  peace  to  be  founded  in  water  baptism,  or 
any  other  external  rite,  not  having  to-tlo  Avith  the 
church,  as  a  church,  is  poor  peace  indeed:  Church 
peace  is  founded  in  blood ;  and  love  to  each  other 
for  Jesus'  sake.  Phi.  ii.  1—4.  Bearing  with,  and  for- 
bearing one  another,  in  all  things  circmnstantial, 
that  concern  not  church  worship  as  such.  Ep.iv.  si,  32. 
And  in  my  other  [treatise]  I  have  proved  that  bap- 
tism is  not  such,  and  therefore  ought  not  to  be 
urged  to  make  rents  and  divisions  among  brethren. 

But  you  ask,  '  Is  my  peace  maintained  in  a  way 
of  disobedience?  and  conclude  if  it  be,  you  fear  it 
is  false. '  p.  24. 

Answ.  If  the  first  were  true ;  you  need  not  to 
doubt  of  the  second ;  but  it  may  be  thought  ho 
hath  little  to  say  in  the  controversy,  who  is  forced 
to  stuff  out  his  papers,  with  such  needless  prattles 
as  these. 

J\Iy  fifth  argument  is,  '  That  a  failure  in  such  a 
circumstance  as  water  baptism,  doth  not  unchris- 
tian us;'  this  you  arc  compelled  to  grant,  p.  25. 
And  I  conclude  with  your  words,  persons  ought  to 
be  Christians  before  visible  Christians ;  such  as 
any  congregation  in  the  land  may  receive  to  com- 
munion with  themselves,  because  God  hatli  shewed 
us  that  he  has  received  them.  *  Receive  him  to 
the  glory  of  God.'  To  the  glory  of  God,  is  put  iu 
on  purpose,  to  shew  what  dishonour  they  bring  to 
him,  who  despise  to  have  communion  with  such, 
whom  they  know  do  maintain  commmiion  with 
God.  I  say  again,  How  dotli  this  man,  or  that 
church,  glorify  God,  or  count  the  wisdom  and 
holiness  of  heaven  beyond  them,  when  they  refuse 
communion  with  them,  concerning  whom  yet  they 
are  convinced,  that  they  have  communion  with 
God?  But  my  argument  you  have  not  denied ;  nor 
meddled  with  the  conclusion  at  all;  which  is, 
'  That  therefore,  even  because  a  failure  here,  doth 
not  unchristian  us,  doth  not  make  us  insincere;' 
and  I  add,  doth  not  lay  us  open  to  any  revealed 
judgment  or  displeasure  of  God  (if  it  doth,  shew 
v/here)  therefore  it  should  not,  it  ought  not  to  make 
us  obnoxious  to  the  displeasure  of  the  church  of 
God. 

But  you  say,  *  I  rank  gospel  precepts,  with  Old 
Testament  abrogated  ceremonies. '  p.  25. 

A71SIV.  You  should  have  given  your  reader  my 
words,  that  he  might  have  judged  from  my  own 
mouth:  I  said  then,  speaking  before  of  Chris- 
tianity itself,  p.  94.  •  that  thousands  of  thousands 
that  could  not  consent  to  water,  as  we,  are  now 
with  the  innumerable  company  of  angels,  and  the 
spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect.'  What  was  said 
of  eating,  or  the  contrary,  may  as  to  this  be  said 
of  water  baptism :  neither  if  I  be  baptized,  am  I 
the  better  i  neither  if  I  be  not,  am  I  the  worse  ? 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


629 


not  the  better  before  God,  not  the  worse  before  men: 
still  meaning  as  Paul,  provided  I  walk  according 
to  my  liglit  with  God ;  otherwise  it  is  false.  For 
if  a  man  that  seeth  it  to  be  his  duty,  shall  despis- 
ingly  neglect  it ;  or  if  he  that  hath  not  faith  about 
it,  shall  foolishly  take  it  up :  both  these  are  for 
this  the  worse  ;  I  mean,  as  to  their  own  sense, 
being  convicted  in  themselves,  as  transgressors. 
He  therefore  that  doth  it  according  to  his  light, 
doth  well ;  and  he  that  doth  it  not,  for  want  of 
liglit,  doth  not  ill ;  for  he  approveth  his  heart  to 
be  sincere  with  God,  even  by  that  his  forbearance. 
And  I  tell  you  again,  It  is  nowhere  recorded,  that 
this  man  is  under  any  revealed  threatening  of  God, 
for  his  not  being  baptized  with  water,  he  not  having 
light  therein,  but  is  admitted  through  his  grace  to 
as  many  pi-omises  as  you.  If  therefore  he  be  not 
a  partaker  of  that  circumstance,  yet  he  is  of  that 
liberty,  and  mercy,  by  which  you  stand  Avith  God. 

But  that  I  practise  instituted  worship,  upon  the 
same  account  as  Paul  did  circimicision,  and  shav- 
ing, is  too  bold  for  you  to  presume  to  imagine. 
What  ?  because  I  will  not  suffer  water  to  carry 
away  the  epistles  from  the  Christians  ;  and  because 
I  will  not  let  water  baptism  be  the  rule,  the  door, 
the  bolt,  the  bar,  the  wall  of  division  between  the 
righteous,  and  the  righteous ;  must  I  therefore  be 
judged  to  be  a  man  without  conscience  to  the  wor- 
ship of  Jesus  Christ  ?  The  Lord  dehver  me  from 
superstitious  and  idolatrous  thoughts  about  any  of 
the  ordinances  of  Christ  and  of  God.  But  my 
fifth  argument  standeth  against  you  untouched ; 
you  have  not  denied,  much  less  confuted  the  least 
S3'llable  thereof. 

You  tell  me  my  sixth  argument  is.  Edification. 

Answ.  If  it  be,  why  is  it  not  embraced  ?  But 
my  own  words  are  these :  *  I  am  for  holding  com- 
munion thus.  Because  the  edification  of  souls  in 
the  faith  and  holiness  of  the  gospel,  is  of  greater 
concern  than  an  agreement  in  outward  things ;  I 
say,  it  is  of  greater  concern  with  us,  and  of  far 
more  profit  to  our  brother,  than  our  agreeing  in, 
or   contesting   for,  water  baptism. '  Ju.  xvi.  13.  i  Co. 

xLv.  12.  2  Co.  X.  8;  sii.  19.  Ep.  iv.  12.  1  Co.  xiii.  1,  2;  viii.  1.      Now 

why  did  j^ou  not  take  this  argument  in  pieces,  and 
answer  those  scriptures,  on  which  the  strength 
thereof  depends;  but  if  to  contest,  and  fall  out  about 
water  baptism,  be  better  than  to  edify  the  house  of 
God,  produce  the  texts,  that  we  may  be  informed. 

You  say,  '  Edification  is  the  end  of  aU  com- 
munion, but  all  things  must  be  done  in  order, 
orderly.'  p. 26. 

Answ.  When  you  have  proved  that  there  is  no 
such  thing  as  an  orderly  edifying  of  the  church, 
without  water  baptism  precede,  then  it  will  be  time 
enough  to  think  you  have  said  something. 

You  add,  '  Edification  as  to  church  fellowship 
being  a  building  up,  doth  suppose  the  being  of  a 


church ;  but  pray  you  shew  us  a  church  without 
baptism. '  p.  20. 

Ansio.  See  here  the  spirit  of  these  men,  who  for 
the  want  of  water  baptism,  have  at  once  imchurched 
all  such  congregations  of  God  in  the  world ;  but 
against  this  I  have,  and  do  urge,  That  water 
baptism  giveth  neither  being,  nor  wcU-being  to  a 
church,  neither  is  any  part  of  that  instituted  wor- 
ship of  God,  that  the  church,  as  such,  shoidd  be 
found  in  the  practice  of.  Therefore  her  edifica- 
tion as  a  church  may,  yea  and  ought  to  be  attained 
imto  without  it. 

But  you  say,  '  Shew  us  a  New  Testament  church 
without  baptism.'  p.  26. 

Answ.  What  say  you  to  the  church  all  along 
the  Revelation  quite  through  the  reign  of  Anti- 
christ ?  Was  that  a  New  Testament  church,  or  no? 
Again,  If  baptism  be  without  the  church,  as  a 
church,  if  it  hath  nothing  to  do  in  the  constituting 
of  a  church  ;  if  it  be  not  the  door  of  entrance  into 
the  church,  if  it  be  no  part  of  church-worship  as 
such ;  then,  although  all  the  members  of  that 
church  were  baptized,  yet  the  church  is  a  church 
without  Avater  baptism.  But  aU  the  churches  in 
the  New  Testament  were  such:  therefore,  he. 
Again,  If  baptism  respect  believers,  as  particular 
persons  only ;  if  it  respects  their  own  conscience 
only ;  if  it  make  a  man  no  visible  believer  to  me, 
then  it  hath  nothing  to  do  with  church-membership. 
Because,  that  which  respects  my  own  person  only, 
my  own  conscience  only :  that  which  is  no  character 
of  my  visible  saintship  to  the  church,  cannot  be  an 
argument  unto  them  to  receive  me  into  fellowship 
with  themselves.    But  this  is  true.    Therefore,  «kc. 

You  proceed,  '  If  by  edification,  be  meant  the 
private  increase  of  grace,  in  one  another,  in  the 
use  of  private  means,  as  private  Christians  in  meet- 
ing together ;  how  doth  the  principle  you  oppose 
hinder  that?  Endeavour  to  make  men  as  holy  as 
you  can,  that  they  may  be  fitted  for  church-fellow- 
ship, when  God  shall  shew  them  the  orderly  way 
to  it.'  p. 26. 

Answ.  Wliat  a  many  private  things  have  we  now 
brought  out  to  public  view  ?  Private  Christians, 
private  means,  and  a  private  increase  of  grace. 
But,  Sir,  Are  none  but  those  of  your  way  the 
public  Christians  ?  Or,  ought  none  but  them  that 
are  baptized  to  have  the  public  means  of  grace  ? 
Or,  must  their  graces  be  increased  by  none  but 
private  means  ?  Was  you  awake  now  ?  Or,  are 
you  become  so  high  in  yom-  own  phantasies,  that 
none  have,  or  are  to  have  but  private  means  of 
grace  ?  And,  are  there  no  public  Christians,  or 
public  christian  meetings,  but  them  of  your  way  ? 
I  did  not  think  that  all  but  baptists,  should  only 
abide  in  holes. 

But  3^oufind  fault  because  I  said,  'Edification  is 
greater  than  contesting  about  water  baptism.'  p.  27. 


C30 


DII'TERENCES  ABOUT  "WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMJITJNION. 


A'lisw.  If  it  he  not,  confute  me ;  if  it  he,  forbear 
to  cavil:  water  baptism,  and  all  God's  ordinances, 
are  to  be  used  to  edification ;  not  to  beget  beats 
and  contentions  among  tlie  godly,  wherefore  edifi- 
cation is  best. 

Object.  '  I  bad  thought  that  the  preaching,  and 
opening  baptism,  might  have  been  reckoned  a  part 
of  our  edification. 

AiisiD.  The  act  of  water  baptism  bath  not  place 
in  church  \y0r3hip,  neither  in  whole  nor  in  part  ; 
wherefore  pressing  it  upon  the  church  is  to  no  pur- 
pose at  all.' 

Object.  *  Wliy  may  you  not  as  well  say,  that  edi- 
fication is  greater  than  breaking  of  bread.'  p.  27. 

Aiisio.  So  it  is,  else  that  should  never  have  been 
instituted  to  edify  withal ;  that  which  serveth,  is 
not  greater  than  he  that  is  served  thereby.  Bap- 
tism and  the  Lord's  supper  both,  were  made  for 
us,  not  we  for  them ;  wherefore  both  were  made 
for  our  edification,  but  no  one  for  our  destruction. 
But  again,  The  Lord's  supper,  not  baptism,  is  for 
the  church,  as  a  church ;  therefore  as  we  will  main- 
tain the  church's  edifying,  that  must  be  maintained 
in  it ;  yea,  used  oft,  to  shew  the  Lord's  death  till 
he  come.  1  Co.  xi.  23—26.  Besides,  because  it  is  a 
great  part  of  church  worship,  as  such,  therefore  it 
is  pronounced  blessed,  the  Lord  did  openly  bless  it 
before  he  gave  it ;  yea  and  we  ought  to  bless  it 
also;  'The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,'  not 
to  say  more.  Therefore  your  reasoning  from  the 
one  to  the  other  will  not  hold. 

Object.  '  How  comes  contesting  for  water  bap- 
tism to  be  so  much  against  you  V 

Answ.  First,  Because  weak  brethren  cannot  bear 
it ;  whom  yet  we  are  commanded  to  receive,  but 
not  to  doubtful  disputation ;  doubtful  to  them, 
therefore  for  their  sakes,  I  must  forbear  it.  Ro.  .\iv. 
1.  Secondly,  Because  I  have  not  seen  any  good 
eifect,  but  the  contrary,  wherever  such  hot  spirits 
have  gone  before  me :  *  For  where  envying  and 
strife  is,  there  is  confusion,'  or  tumults,  'and  every 
evil  work.'  Ja.  iii.  16.*  Thirdly,  Because  by  the 
example  of  the  Lord,  and  Paul,  we  must  consider 
the  present  state  of  the  church,  and  not  trouble 
them  with  what  they  cannot  bear.  Jn.  xvi.  13.  1  Co.  m. 
1—3.  I  conclude  then,  edification  in  the  church  is 
to  be  preferred  above  what  the  church,  as  a  church, 
hath  nothing  to  do  Avithal.  *  All  things,  dearly 
beloved,  are  for  our  edifying.'  1  Co.xiv.  5;  xii.  26.  2  Co. 

xii.  19.  Ep.  iv.  IG.  Ro.  xv.  2. 1  Co.  xiv.  3.  2  Co.  x.  S ;  xiii.  10.  Eo.  xiv. 

19.  Before  I  v.'ind  up  this  argument,  I  present  you 
with  several  instances,  sheAving  that  the  breach  of 
[some  of]  God's  precepts  have  been  borne  with, 
when  they  come  in  competition  with  edification. 

*  'The  wrath  of  man  worketh  not  the  righteousness  of 
God,'  Ja.  i.  20.  The  angry  passions  of  man  work  evil.  Such 
liery  zeal  is  contrai-y  to  the  spirit  of  Christ.  The  ignorant 
must  Le  won  Ly  meekness  to  emhrace  the  truth. — Ed. 


As  first,  That  of  Aaron,  who  let  the  offering  for 
sin  be  burnt,  that  should  have  indeed  been  eaten, 
Lc.  X.  10—20.  Yet  because  he  could  not  do  it  to  his 
edification,  Moses  was  content.  But  the  law  was 
thereby  transgressed,  '  The  priest  that  oS'ereth  it 
for  sin,  shall  eat  it,'  ^120. 

To  this  you  reply,  '  That  was  not  a  constant, 
continued  forbearing  of  God's  Avorship,  but  a  sus- 
pending of  it  for  a  season.' 

Answ.  We  also  suspend  it  but  for  a  season ; 
when  persons  can  be  baptized  to  their  edification, 
they  have  the  liberty.  But,  This  was  not  a  bare 
suspension,  but  a  flat  transgression  of  the  law. 
'Ye  should  indeed  have  eaten  it.'  Yet  Moses  was 
content.  Le.  x.  ic— 20. 

But  say  you,  'Perhaps  it  was  suspended  upon 
just  and  legal  grounds,  though  not  expressed.' 

Answ.  The  express  rule  was  against  it ;  *  Ye 
should  indeed  (said  Moses)  have  eaten  it  in  the 
holy  ^^ace;  as  I  commanded.' ver.  18.  But  good 
Sir,  are  you  now  for  unwritten  verities  ?  for  legal 
grounds,  though  not  expressed  ?  I  will  not  drive 
you  further,  here  is  Rome  enough.  As  for  Eldad 
and  Medad,  it  cannot  be  denied,  but  that  their 
edifying  of  the  people,  was  prefei'red  before  their 
conforming  to  every  circumstance.  Ku.  xi.  16— 20. 

You  add,  '  That  Paiil  for  a  seeming  low  thing 
did  withstand  Peter.' 

Sir,  If  you  make  but  a  seeming  low  thing  of 
dissembling,  and  teaching  others  so  to  do,  espe^ 
cially  where  the  doctrine  of  justification  is  endan- 
gered, I  cannot  expect  much  good  conscience  from 

you.  Ga.  ii.  11—13. 

As  for  your  answer  to  the  case  of  Hezekiah,  it 
is  faulty  in  two  respects:  1,  For  that  you  make 
the  passover  a  type  of  the  Lord's  supper,  when  it 
was  only  a  type  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord : 
'  For  even  Christ  our  passover  is  sacrificed  for  us.' 
1  Co.  V.  7.  2.  In  that  you  make  it  an  example  to 
you  to  admit  persons  unprepared  to  the  Lord's 
supper,  p.  29. 

Answ.  May  you  indeed  receive  persons  into  the 
church  unprepared  for  the  Lord's  supper ;  yea, 
miprepared  for  that,  with  other  solemn  appoint- 
ments ?  For  so  you  word  it,  p.  29.  0  Avhat  an 
engine  have  you  made  of  water  baptism.  Thus, 
gentle  reader,  while  this  author  teareth  us  in  pieces 
for  not  making  [water]  baptism  the  orderly  rule 
for  receiving  the  godly  and  conscientious  into  com- 
mmiion ;  he  can  receive  persons  if  baptized,  though 
unprepared  for  the  supper,  and  other  solemn  ap- 
pointments ?  I  would  have  thee  consult  the  place, 
and  sec  if  it  countenanceth  such  an  act.  That  a 
man  who  pleadeth  for  water  baptism  above  the 
peace  and  edification  of  the  church,  ought  to  be 
received,  although  unprepared,  into  the  cliurch  to 
the  Lord's  supper,  and  other  solemn  appointments; 
especially  considering  the  nature  of  right  chm'ch 


DIPFERENCES  ABOUT  AVATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMjNIUNION. 


631 


constitution,  and  the  severity  of  God  towards  those 
that  came  unprepared  to  his  tahle  of  old.  l  Co.  xi. 
28—30.  A  riddle  indeed.  That  the  Lord  should, 
without  a  word,  so  severely  command,  that  all 
which  want  light  in  haptism,  he  excluded  church 
privileges ;  and  yet  against  his  word,  admit  of 
persons  imprepared,  to  the  Lord's  tahle,  and  other 
solemn  appointments. 

But  good  Sir,  why  so  short-winded  ?  why  could 
not  you  make  the  same  work  with  the  other  scrip- 
tm'es,  as  you  did  with  these  ?  I  must  leave  them 
upon  you  imanswered ;  and  standing  hy  my  argu- 
ment conclude.  That  if  laws  and  ordinances  of  old 
have  heen  broken,  and  the  hreach  of  them  horn 
with,  when  yet  the  observation  of  outward  things 
was  more  strictly  commanded  than  now,  if  the 
profit  and  edification  of  the  church  come  in  com- 
petition ;  how  much  more,  may  not  we  have  com- 
munion, church  communion,  when  no  law  of  God 
is  transgressed  thereby.  And  note.  That  all  this 
•while  I  plead  not,  as  you,  for  persons  unprepared, 
but  godly,  and  such  as  walk  with  God. 

We  come  now  to  my  seventh  argument,  for 
communion  with  the  godly,  though  imbaptized  per- 
sons ;  which  you  say  is  lote,  p.  39.  My  argument 
is  this  ;  '  Therefore  I  am  for  communion  thus ; 
because  love,  which  above  all  things  we  are  com- 
manded to  put  on,  is  of  much  more  worth  than  to 
break  about  baptism.'  And  let  the  reader  note, 
That  of  this  argument  you  deny  not  so  much  as 
one  syllable,  but  run  to  another  story ;  but  I  will 
follow  you.  I  add  further,  That  love  is  more  dis- 
covered when  we  receive  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  • 
than  when  we  refuse  his  childi-en  for  want  of  water : 
And  tell  you  again.  That  this  exhortation  to  love 
is  grounded  not  upon  [water]  baptism,  but  the 
putting  on  of  the  new  creature,  which  hath  swal- 
lowed up  aU  distinctions.  Col.  iii.  9—14.  Yea,  there 
are  ten  arguments  in  this  one,  Avhich  you  have  not 
so  much  as  touched ;  but  thus  object, 

'  That  man  that  makes  affection  the  ride  of  his 
walking,  rather  than  judgment,  it  is  no  wonder  if 
he  go  out  of  the  way. ' 

Answ.  Love  to  them,  we  are  persuaded  that  God 
hath  received,  is  love  that  is  guided  by  judgment ; 
and  to  receive  them  that  arc  such,  because  God 
hath  bidden  us,  Eo.  xiv.  is  judgment  guided  by  rule. 
]?ily  argument  therefore  hath  forestalled  all  your 
noise,  and  standeth  still  on  its  legs  against  you. 
As  to  the  duties  of  piety  and  charity,  you  boast 
of,  p.  30.  sound  not  a  trmnpet,  tell  not  your  left  hand 
of  it ;  we  are  talking  now  of  commimion  of  saints, 
church  communion,  and  I  plead,  that  to  love,  and 
hold  together  as  such,  is  better  than  to  break  in 
pieces  for  want  of  water  baptism.  My  reason  is, 
becraise  we  are  exhorted  in  all  things  to  put  on 
love ;  the  love  of  church  communion :  contrariwise 
you  oppose,  Above  all  things  put  on  water.     For 


the  best  saint  irnder  heaven  that  hath  not  that, 
with  him  you  refuse  communion.  Thus  you  make 
baptism,  though  no  church  ordinance,  a  bar  to  shut 
out  the  godly,  and  a  trap-door  to  let  the  unpre- 
pared into  chiu-ches,  to  the  Lord's  supper,  and 
other  solemn  appointments,  p.  29. 

But  you  object,  'Must  our  love  to  the  unbaptized 
indulge  them  in  an  act  of  disobedience  ?  Cannot 
we  love  their  persons,  parts,  graces,  but  we  must 
love  their  sins  ?'  p.  so. 

Answ.  We  plead  not  for  indulging.  '  But  are 
there  not  with  you,  even  with  you,  sins  against  the 
Lord  your  God?'  2 Ch. xxviu. lo.  But  why  can  you 
indulge  the  baptists  in  many  acts  of  disobedience? 
For  to  come  unprepared  into  the  church,  is  an  act 
of  disobedience :  To  come  imprepared  to  the  supper 
is  an  act  of  disobedience ;  and  to  come  so  also 
to  other  solemn  appointments,  are  acts  of  disobe- 
dience. 

'But  for  these  things,'  you  say,  'you  do  not 
east,  nor  keep  any  out  of  the  church.' 

Answ.  But  what  acts  of  disobedience  do  wa 
indulge  them  in  ? 

*  In  the  sin  of  infant  baptism. ' 

Answ.  We  indulge  them  not ;  but  being  com- 
manded to  bear  with  the  infirmities  of  each  othe:% 
suffer  it ;  it  being  indeed  in  our  eyes  such  ;  but  in 
theirs  they  say  a  duty,  till  God  shall  otherwise 
persuade  them.  If  you  be  without  infii-mity,  do 
you  first  throw  a  stone  at  them :  They  keep  their 
faith  in  that  to  themselves,  and  trouble  not  their 
brethren  therewith :  we  believe  that  God  hath 
received  them ;  they  do  not  want  to  us  a  proof  of 
their  sonship  with  God;  neither  hath  he  made 
water  a  wall  of  division  between  us,  and  therefore 
we  do  receive  them. 

Object.  'I  take  it  to  be  the  highest  act  of  friend- 
ship to  be  faithful  to  these  professors,  and  to  tell 
them  they  want  this  one  thing  in  gospel  order, 
which  ought  not  to  be  left  undone.'  p.  30. 

Answ.  If  it  be  the  highest  piece  of  friendship, 
to  preach  water  baptism  to  imbaptized  believers, 
the  lowest  act  thereof  must  needs  be  very  low. 
But  contrariwise,  I  count  it  so  far  off  from  being 
any  act  of  friendship,  to  press  baptism  in  our 
notion  on  those  that  cannot  bear  it ;  that  it  is  a 
great  abuse  of  the  peace  of  my  brother,  the  law  of 
love,  the  law  of  Christ,  or  the  society  of  the  faith- 
ful. Love  suffereth  long,  and  is  kind,  is  not  easily 
provoked :  let  us  therefore  follow  after  the  things 
that  make  for  peace,  and  things  wherewith  one 
may  edify  another :  let  every  one  of  us  please  his 
neighbour,  for  his  good  to  edification :  Bear  you 
one  another's  burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law  of 

Christ.  1  Co.  xiii.  Ko.  xiv.  19;  xv.  2.  Ga.  vi.  2. 

But  say  you,  '  I  doubt  when  this  comes  to  bo 
weighed  in  God's  balance,  it  will  be  found  no  less 
than  flattery,  for  which  you  will  be  reproved.'  p.  31. 


632 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BxiPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


Answ.  It  seems  you  do  but  doubt  it,  -wlicrefore 
the  principles  from  Avhich  you  doubt  it,  of  that 
methinks  you  should  not  be  certain ;  but  this  is  of 
little  weight  to  me ;  for  he  that  will  presume  to 
appropriate  the  epistles  to  himself  and  fellows,  for 
the  sake  of  baptism,  and  that  will  condemn  all  the 
churches  of  Christ  in  the  land  for  want  of  bap- 
tism, and  that  will  account  his  brother  as  profane 
Esau  (p.  20.)  and  rejected,  as  idolatrous  Ephraim 
(p.  32.)  because  he  wanteth  his  way  of  water  bap- 
tism ;  he  acts  out  of  his  wonted  way,  of  rigidness, 
when  he  doth  but  doubt,  and  not  affirm  his  brother 
to  be  a  flatterer.  I  leave  therefore  this  your  doubt 
to  be  resolved  at  the  day  of  judgment,  and  in  the 
mean  time  trample  upon  your  harsh  and  unchris- 
tian surmises.  As  to  our  love  to  Christians  in 
other  cases,  I  hope  we  shall  also  endeavour  to 
follow  the  law  of  the  Lord ;  but  because  it  respects 
not  the  matter  in  hand,  it  concerns  us  not  now  to 
treat  thereof. 

My  argument  treateth  of  church  communion ; 
in  the  prosecution  of  which  I  prove.  1.  That  love 
is  grounded  upon  the  new  ci'eature.  Coi.  iii.  10—15. 
2.  Upon  our  fellowship  with  the  Father  and  Son. 
1  Jn.  i.  2, 3.  3.  That  with  respect  to  this,  it  is  the 
fulfilling  of  the  royal  law.  Ja.  iv.  11.  Ko.  xiv.  21.  4,  That 
it  shews  itself  in  acts  of  forbearing,  rather  than  in 
publishing  some  truths :  communicating  only  what 
is  profitable,  forbearing  to  jiublish  what  cannot  be 
born.  1  Co.  iii.  1, 3.  Ac.  XX.  18—20.  Jn.  iii.  16, 17.  5.1  shew  fur- 
ther. That  to  have  fellowship  for,  to  make  that  the 
ground  of,  or  to  receive  one  another  chiefly  upon 
the  account  of  an  outward  circumstance ;  to  make 
baptism  the  including  and  excluding  charter :  the 
bounds,  bar,  and  rule  of  communion,  when  by  the 
word  of  the  everlasting  testament,  there  is  no  word 
for  it,  to  speak  charitably,  if  it  be  not  for  want  of 
love,  it  is  for  want  of  light  in  the  mysteries  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ.  Strange !  Take  two  Christians 
equal  in  all  points  but  this;  nay,  let  one  go  beyond 
the  other  in  grace  and  goodness,  as  far  as  a  man  is 
beyond  a  babe,  yet  water  shall  turn  the  scale,  shall 
open  the  door  of  communion  to  the  less ;  and  com- 
mand the  other  to  stand  back :  yet  is  no  proof  to 
the  church  of  this  babe's  faith  and  hope,  hath 
nothing  to  do  with  his  entering  into  fellowship,  is 
no  part  of  the  worship  of  tlie  church.*  These 
things  should  have  been  answered,  seeing  you  will 
take  upon  you  so  roundly  to  condemn  our  practice. 


*  It  becomes  all  prayerfully  to  follow  cliviue  commancis  in 
ALL  THINGS.  Nothing  is  indifferent  or  non-essential  that  God 
hath  ordained  for  the  believer.  But  if  disciples  differ  about 
days,  or  meats,  or  water,  ought  such  differences  to  prevent 
their  communion  and  fellowship  more  than  differences  in  per- 
sonal stature,  or  beauty,  or  iu  mental  powers.  Uniformity  in 
anything  but  love  to  God  and  to  each  other  is  a  fool's  pai-a- 
dise,  contrary  to  the  experience  of  the  apostolic  and  all  ages, 
and  opposed  to  every  law  of  nature.— E:>, 


You  come  now  to  my  eighth  argument ;  which 
you  do  not  only  render  falsely,  but  by  so  doing 
abuse  your  reader.  I  said  not  that  the  church  at 
Corinth  did  shut  each  other  out  of  communion ; 
but,  for  God's  people  to  divide  into  parties,  or  to 
shut  each  other  from  church  communion,  though 
for  greater  points,  and  upon  higher  pretences,  than 
that  of  water  baptism,  hath  heretofore  been  counted 
carnal,  and  the  actors  therein  babyish  Christians : 
and  then  bring  in  the  factions,  that  was  in  the 
church  at  Corinth.  But  what !  May  not  the 
evil  of  denying  church  communion  now,  if  proved 
naught  by  a  less  crime  in  the  church  at  Corinth, 
be  counted  carnal  and  babyish;  but  the  breach  of  com- 
munion must  be  charged  upon  them  at  Corinth  also  ? 

That  my  argument  is  good  you  grant,  p.  33. 
saying,  *  The  divisions  of  the  church  at  Corinth 
were  about  the  highest  fundamental  principles,  for 
which  they  are  often  called  carnal ; '  yet  you  cavil 
at  it.  But  if  they  were  to  be  blamed  for  dividing, 
though  for  the  highest  points ;  are  not  you  much 
more  for  condemning  your  brethren  to  perpetual 
banishment  from  church  communion,  though  sound 
in  all  the  great  points  of  the  gospel,  and  right  in 
all  church  ordinances  also,  because  for  want  of 
light  they  fail  only  in  the  point  of  baptism  ? 

As  to  your  quibble  about  Paul  and  Apollos, 
whether  they,  or  others,  were  the  persons,  though 
I  am  satisfied  you  are  out,  yet  it  weakeneth  not 
my  argument ;  for  if  they  Avere  blame  worthy  for 
dividing,  though  about  the  highest  fundamental 
principles,  as  you  say,  how  ought  you  to  blush  for 
carrying  it  as  you  do  to  persons,  perhaps,  more 
godly  than  ourselves,  because  they  jump  not  with 
you  in  a  circumstance  ?  That  the  divisions  at 
Corinth  were  helped  on  by  the  abuse  of  baptism, 
to  me  is  evident,  from  Paul's  so  oft  suggesting  it: 
'  Were  ye  baptized  in  the  name  of  Paid  ?  I  thank 
God  that  I  baptized  none  of  you,  -  lest  any  should 
say,  I  had  baptized  in  mine  own  name.'  i.  13— 15. 

I  do  not  say,  that  they  who  baptized  them 
designed  this,  or  that  baptism  in  itself  effected  it ; 
nor  yet,  though  our  author  feigns  it,  '  that  they 
were  most  of  them  baptized  by  their  factious 
leaders.' p.  55.  But  that  they  had  their  factious 
leaders,  is  evident ;  and  that  these  leaders  made 
use  of  the  names  of  Paul,  Apollos,  and  Christ,  is  as 
evident;  for  by  thesenames  they  were  beguiled  by  the 
help  of  ABUSED  baptism. 

But  say  you,'  Wherein  lies  the  force  of  this  man's 
argument  against  baptism  as  to  its  place,  worth, 
and  contiuup.nce  ?' 

I  answer :  I  have  no  argument  against  its  place, 
worth  or  continuance,  although  thus  you  seek  to 
scandalize  mc.  But  this  kind  of  sincerity  of  yours, 
will  never  make  me  one  of  your  disciples.  Have 
not  I  told  you  even  in  this  argument,  '  That  I  speak 
not  as  I  do,  to  persuade  or  teach  men  to  break  t!io 


DIFFEKENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTIS:M,  NO  BAR  TO  COMjMUNION. 


633 


least  of  God's  commandments ;  but  that  my  bre- 
thren of  the  baptized  way  may  not  hold  too  much 
thereupon,  may  not  make  it  an  essential  of  the 
gospel,  nor  yet  of  the  communion  of  saints.'  Yet 
he  feigns  that  I  urge  two  arguments  against  it. 
p.  36.  and  3S.  But  reader,  thou  mayest  know  I  have 
no  such  reason  in  my  book.  Besides,  I  should  be 
a  fool  indeed,  Avere  I  against  it,  should  I  make  use 
of  such  weak  arguments.  My  words  then  are 
these:  'I  thank  God,'  said  Paul,  'that  I  baptized 
none  of  you  but  Crispus,'  Sic.  *Not  but  that  then 
it  was  an  ordinance,  but  they  abused  it  in  making 
parties  thereby,  as  they  abused  also  Paul,  and 
Cej)has.  Besides,  said  he,  I  know  not  whether  I 
baptized  any  other.  By  this  negligent  relating 
who  were  baptized  by  him,  he  sheweth  that  he 
made  no  such  matter  thereof,  as  some  in  these 
days  do.  Nay,  that  he  made  no  matter  at  all 
thereof  with  respect  to  a  church  commimiou.  For 
if  he  did  not  heed  Avho  himself  had  baptized,  much 
less  did  he  heed  who  were  baptized  by  others  ? 
But  if  baptism  had  been  the  initiating  ordinance, 
and  1  now  add,  essential  to  church  communion ; 
then  no  doubt  he  had  made  more  conscience  of  it, 
than  thus  lightly  to  pass  it  by.' 

I  add  farther,  where  he  saith.  He  *  was  not  sent 
to  baptize  ;'  that  he  spake  with  an  holy  indignation 
against  those  that  had  abused  that  ordinance. 
'  Baptism  is  an  holy  ordinance,  but  when  Satan 
abuseth  it,  and  wrenchetli  it  out  of  its  place, 
making  that  which  is  ordained  of  God,  for  the 
edification  of  believers,  the  only  weapon  to  break 
in  pieces  the  love,  unity,  and  concord  of  the  saints; 
than  as  Paul  said  of  himself  and  fellows,  i  Co.  m.  5—7. 
What  is  baptism?  Neither  is  baptism  any  thing? 
This  is  no  new  doctrine,  for  God  by  the  mouth  of 
the  prophet  of  old,  cried  out  against  his  own 
appointments,  when  abused  by  his  own  people ; 
Is.  i.  11—15.  because  they  used  them  "  for  strife,  and 
debate,  and  to  smite  with  the  fist  of  wickedness."  ' 
iviii.  i.  But  to  forbear,  to  take  notice  thus  of  these 
things,  my  argument  stands  firm  against  you  : 
'  For  if  they  at  Corinth  were  blame  worthy  for 
dividing,  though  their  divisions  were,  if  you  say 
true,  about  the  highest  fundamentals,  you  ought 
to  be  ashamed,  thus  to  banish  your  brethren  from 
the  privileges  of  church  communion  for  ever,  for 
the  want  of  so  low  a  thing  as  water  baptism.'  I 
call  it  not  low,  with  respect  to  God's  appointment, 
though  so,  it  is  far  from  the  highest  place,  but  in 
comparison  of  those  fundamentals,  about  which 
you  say,  'the  Corinthians  made  their  divisions.' 

You  come  next  to  my  ninth  argument,  and  serve 
it  as  Ilanun  served  David's  servants,  3  Sa.  x.  4.  you 
have  cut  off  one  half  of  its  beard,  and  its  garments 
to  its  buttocks,  thinking  to  send  it  home  with 
shame.  You  state  it  thus:  'That  by  denying 
communion  with  mibaptized  believers,  you  take 

VOL.  II. 


from  them  their  privileges  to  which  they  are  born.' 

p.  40. 

Answ.  Have  I  such  an  argument,  in  all  my  little 
book  ?  Are  not  my  words  verbatim  these  ?  '  If 
we  shall  reject  visible  saints  by  calling,  saints  that 
have  communion  with  God;  that  have  received 
the  law  at  the  hand  of  Christ ;  that  are  of  an  holy 
conversation  among  men,  they  desiring  to  have 
communion  with  us ;  as  much  as  in  us  lieth,  we 
take  from  them  their  very  privileges,  and  the 
blessings  to  which  they  were  born  of  God.'  This 
is  mine  argument :  now  confute  it. 

Paul  saith,  not  only  to  the  gathered  church  at 
Corinth,  but  to  all  scattered  saints,  that  in  every 
place  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  i  Co.  i.  2.  That  ♦ 
if  Jesus  Christ  is  theirs ;  that  Paul  and  Apollos, 
and  Cephas,  and  the  world,  and  all  things  else. 
Avas  theirs,  iii.  2i2. 

But  you  answer,  '  We  take  from  them  nothing,, 
but  we  keep  them  from  a  disorderly  practice  of 
gospel  ordinances,  we  ofi'er  them  their  privileges, 
in  the  way  of  gospel  order.' 

Answ.  Where  have  you  one  word  of  God,  that 
forbiddeth  a  person,  so  qualified,  as  is  signified  in 
mine  argument,  the  best  communion  of  saints  for 
want  of  water  ?  There  is  not  a  syllable  for  this  in 
all  the  book  of  God.  So  then,  you  in  this  your 
plausible  defence,  do  make  your  scriptureless  light,, 
which  in  very  deed  is  darkness,  is.  viii.  20.  the  rule 
of  your  brother's  faith;  and  how  well  you  will 
come  off  ^  for  this  in  the  day  of  God,  you  might, 
were  you  not  wedded  to  yoiu-  wordless  opinion, 
soon  begin  to  conceive. 

I  know  your  reply,  'New  Testament  saints  are 
all  baptized  first. ' 

Ansio.  Suppose  it  granted :  Were  they  baptized, 
that  thereby  they  might  be  qualified  for  their  right 
to  commimion  of  saints,  so  that,  without  their  sub- 
mitting to  water,  they  Avere  to  be  denied  the  other  ? 
Further,  suppose  I  should  grant  this  groundless 
notion.  Were  not  the  Jews  in  Old  Testament  times 
to  enter  the  church  by  circumcision  ?  Ge.  xvii.  Ex.  xii. 
For  that,  though  water  is  not,  was  the  very  enter- 
ing ordinance.  Besides,  as  I  said  before,  there 
was  a  full  forbidding  of  all  that  were  not  circum- 
cised from  entering  into  fellowship,  Avith  a  threat- 
ening to  cut  them  off  from  the  church  if  they 
entered  in  Avithout  it :  yet  more  than  six  hundred 
thousand  entered  that  church  without  it.  But 
how  now,  if  such  an  one  as  you  had  then  stood  up 
and  objected,  Sir  Moses,  What  is  the  reason  that 
you  transgress  the  order  of  God,  to  receive  mem- 
bers without  circumcision  ?  Is  not  that  the  very 
entering  ordinance  ?  Are  not  you  commanded  to 
keep  out  of  the  clmrch  all  that  are  not  circumcised  ? 
Yea,  and  for  all  those  that  you  thus  received,  are 
you  not  commanded  to  cast  them  out  again,  to  cut 
them  off  from  among  this  people.  Ge.  xvii.  is.  u.  Ex.  xii. 
4  L 


C3-i 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  KO  BAR  TO  COM.MUNION. 


44—46.  I  say,  Would  not  this  man  have  had  a  far 
better  argument  to  have  resisted  Moses,  than  you, 
in  your  wordless  notion,  have  to  shut  out  men 
from  the  church,  more  holy  than  many  of  ourselves  ? 
But  do  you  think  that  Moses  and  Joshua,  and  all 
the  elders  of  Israel,  would  have  thanked  this  fel- 
low, or  have  concluded  that  he  spake  on  God's 
behalf?  Or,  that  they  should  then,  for  the  sake 
of  a  better  than  what  you  call  order,  have  set  to 
the  work  that  you  would  be  doing,  even  to  break 
the  church  in  pieces  for  this  ? 

But  say  you,  '  If  any  will  find  or  force  another 
way  into  the  sheep  fold  than  by  the  footsteps  of 
the  flock,  we  have  no  such  custom  nor  the  churches 
of  God.' p.  41. 

Answ.  What  was  done  of  old  I  have  shewed 
you,  that  Christ,  not  baptism,  is  the  way  to  the 
sheep  fold,  is  apparent :  and  that  the  person  [who 
thus  enters],  in  mine  argument,  is  entituled  to  all 
these,  to  wit,  Christ,  grace,  and  all  the  things  of 
the  kino-dom  of  Christ  in  the  church,  is,  upon  the 
scriptures  urged,  as  evident. 

But  you  add,  '  That  according  to  mine  old  con- 
fidence, I  affirm.  That  drink  ye  all  of  this  is  entailed 
to  faith,  not  baptism:  a  thing,'  say  you,  'soon 
said,  but  yet  never  proved. ' 

Ansio.  1.  That  it  is  entailed  to  faith,  must  be 
confessed  of  aU  hands.  2.  That  it  is  the  privilege 
of  him  that  discernetli  the  Lord's  body,  and  that 
no  man  is  to  deny  him  it,  is  also  by  the  text  as 
evident,  '  and  so  let  him  eat,'  because  he  is  worthy. 
Wherefore  he,  and  he  only,  that  discerneth  the 
Lord's  body,  he  is  the  worthy  receiver,  the  worthy 
receiver  in  God's  estimation ;  but  that  none  dis- 
cern the  Lord's  body  but  the  baptized  [in  water], 
is  both  fond  and  ridicidous  once  to  surmise. 

Wherefore  to  exclude  Christians,  and  to  debar 
them  their  heaven-born  privileges,  for  want  of  that 
which  yet  God  never  made  the  wall  of  division 
betwixt  us :  This  looks  too  hke  a  spirit  of  persecu- 
tion. Job  xLx.  28,  and  carrieth  in  it  those  eighteen 
absurdities  which  you  have  so  hotly  cried    out 
against.     And  I  do  still  add,  '  Is  it  not  that  which 
greatly  prevailed  with  God  to  bring  down  those 
judgments  which  at  present  we   (the  people   of 
God)  groan  under,  I  will  dare  to  say  it  was,  *a 
cause  thereof.'     Yea,  I  will  yet  pro- 
:u  my  first'    cccd ;  I  fear,  I  strongly  fear,  that  the 
i?u;e'5n.'   I'ot^  of  G^od  is  not  yet  to  be  taken  from 
terputin      ^g ;    for  what   [is  a]  moi'e  provokino- 

THE.t  .  ,-,1      •       •  1 

sua  among  Christians  than  to  deny  one 
another  their  a'ights  and  privileges,  to  which  they 
are  born  of  God  ?  And  then  to  father  these  their 
doings  upon  God,  when  yet  he  hath  not  commanded 
it,  neither  in  the  New  Testament  nor  the  Old. 
But  I  may  not  lightly  pass  this  by,  for  because 


i  This  typographical  error  in  '  The  Reasons  of  my  Practice' 
is  corrected  m  this  editiou  for  the  fii'st  time.— Ed. 


I  have  gathered  eighteen  absurdities  from  this 
abuse  of  God's  ordinances,  or  from  the  sin  of  bind- 
ing the  brethren  to  observe  order,  not  founded  on 
the  command  of  God  ;  and  I  am  sure  you  have 
none  to  shut  out  men  as  good,  as  holy,  and  as 
sound  hi  faith  as  ourselves,  from  commmilon. 
Therefore  you  call  my  conclusion  devilish,  p.  43,  top- 
full of  ignorance  and  prejudice,  p.  41,  and  me,  one 
of  Machiavel's  scholars,  p.  43,  also  proud,  presump- 
tuous, impeaching  the  judgment  of  God. 

Answ.  But  what  is  there  in  my  proposition, 
that  men,  considerate,  can  be  offended  at  ?  These 
are  my  words :  '  But  to  exclude  Christians  from 
church  communion,  and  to  debar  them  their  hea- 
ven-born privileges,  for  the  want  of  that  which  yet 
God  never  made  a  wall  of  division  between  us : 
this  looks  too  like  a  spirit  of  persecution:  this 
respecteth  more  the  form  than  the  spirit  and  power 
of  godliness,  &;c.  Shall  I  add.  Is  it  not  that  which 
greatly  prevailed  to  bring  down  those  judgments 
which  at  present  we  feel  and  groan  under  ?  I  will 
dare  to  say,  it  was  a  cause  thereof, '  p.  lie,  117.  A 
was  in  my  copy,  instead  whereof  the  printer  put 
in  the ;  for  this,  although  I  speak  only  the  truth, 
I  will  not  beg  of  you  belief;  besides,  the  bookseller 
desired  me,  because  of  the  printer's  haste,  to  leave 
the  last  sheet  to  be  overlooked  by  him,  which  was 
the  cause  it  was  not  among  the  erratas.  But,  I 
say,  wherein  is  the  proposition  ofi'ensivc  ?  Is  it 
not  a  wicked  thing  to  make  bars  to  communion, 
where  God  hath  made  none  ?  Is  it  not  a  wicked- 
ness to  make  that  a  Avail  of  division  betwixt  us 
which  God  never  commanded  to  be  so  ?  If  it  be 
not,  justify  your  practice ;  if  it  be,  take  shame. 
Besides,  the  proposition  is  universal,  why  then 
should  you  be  the  chief  intended  ?  But  you  have 
in  this  done  like  to  the  lawyers  of  old,  who, 
when  Christ  reproved  the  pharisees  of  wickedness 
before  them,  said,  '  Master,  thus  saying  thou 
reproachest  us  also.'  Lu. xi,45. 

But  you  feign,  and  would  also  that  the  world 
should  believe,  that  the  eighteen  absurdities  which 
naturally  flow  from  the  proposition  I  make,  to  be 
the  efi"ects  of  baptism,  saying  to  me,  '  None  but 
yourself  could  find  an  innocent  truth  big  with  so 
many  monstrous  absurdities.'  p. 42. 

I  answer:  This  is  but  speaking  wickedly  for 
God,  or  rather  to  justify  your  wordless  practice. 
I  say  not  that  baptism  hath  any  absurdity  in  it, 
though  your  abusing  it,  hath  them  all,  and  many 
more,  while  you  make  it,  without  warrant  from 
the  word,  as  the  flaming  sword,  to  keep  the  brother- 
hood out  of  communion,  because  they,  after  your 
manner,  cannot  consent  thereto.  And  let  no  man 
be  ofi'ended,  for  that  I  suggest  that  baptism  may 
be  abused  to  the  breeding  such  monstrous  absur- 
dities, for  greater  truths  than  that  have  been  as 
much  abused.     What  say  you  to,  'This  is  my 


DirrERENCES  ABOUT  STATER  BAPTIS:\I,  XO  BAR  TO  COIDIUXION. 


635 


body  ?  '  To  instance  no  more,  althougli  I  could 
instance  many,  are  not  tliey  the  words  of  our 
Lord  ?  Are  not  they  part  of  the  scriptures  of 
truth  ?  and  yet  hehold,  even  with  those  -words, 
the  devil,  hy  ahusing  them,  made  an  engine  to  let 
out  the  heart-hlood  of  thousands.*  Baptism  also 
may  he  ahused,  and  is,  Avhen  more  is  laid  upon  it 
hy  us  than  is  commanded  by  God.  And  that  you 
do  so,  is  manifest  hy  what  I  have  said  already,  and 
shall  yet  say  to  your  fourteen  arguments. 

My  last  argument,  you  say,  is  this:  '  The  world 
may  wonder  at  your  carriage  to  these  xmhaptized 
persons,  in  keeping  them  out  of  communion  ?' 

Ansio.  You  will  set  up  your  own  words,  and  then 
fight  against  them  ;  hut  my  words  are  these : 
*  What  greater  contempt  can  he  thrown  upon  the 
Baints,  than  for  their  brethren  to  cut  them  off  from, 
or  to  debar  them  chin-ch  communion.'  And  now 
I  add,  Is  not  this  to  deliver  them  to  the  devil, 
1  Co.  V.  or  to  put  them  to  shame  before  all  that  see 
your  acts  ?  There  is  hut  one  thing  can  hinder 
this,  and  that  is,  hy-standers  see  that  these,  your 
brethren,  that  you  thus  abuse,  are  as  holy  men  as 
ourselves.  Do  you  more  to  the  openly  prophane, 
yea,  to  all  wizards  and  witches  in  the  land  ?t  For 
all  you  can  do  to  them,  I  speak  now  as  to  church 
acts,  is  no  other  than  to  debar  them  the  commimion 
of  saints. 

And  now  I  say  again,  the  world  may  well  won- 
der, when  they  see  you  deny  holy  men  of  God  that 
liberty  of  the  communion  of  saints  which  you 
monopolise  to  yourselves :  and  though  they  do  not 
•understand  the  gromids  of  profession,  or  com- 
munion, yet  they  can  both  see  and  say,  these  holy 
men  of  God,  in  all  visible  acts  of  holiness,  are 
not  one  inch  behind  you.  Yea,  I  will  put  it  to 
yom'selves.  If  those  many,  yea,  very  many,  who 
thus  severely,  hut  with  how  little  gromid,  is  seen 
by  men  of  God,  you  deny  communion  with ;  are 
not  of  as  good,  as  holy,  as  imblameable  in  life, 
and  as  sound,  if  not  sounder  in  the  faith  than 
many  among  om-selves :  Here  only  they  make  the 
stop,  they  cannot,  without  light,  be  driven  into 
water  baptism,  I  mean  after  our  notion  of  it:  hut 
what  if  they  were,  it  would  be  little  sign  to  me, 
that  they  were  sincere  vrith  God. 


*  The  doctrine  of  the  real  presence,  called  transuhstantiation, 
was  the  test  of  adherence  to  the  Romish  church,  wliich  imless 
a'l  persons  pretended  to  helieve  they  were  sacrificed  with 
brutal  ferocity. — Ed. 

t  In  Bunyan's  days,  both  the  laws  of  the  land,  the  judges, 
and  the  commonalty,  gave  credence  to  the  wicked  gambols  of 
wi2ards  and  witches.  !Many  a  poor  iniquitous  old  woman, 
from  some  mysterious  hints  of  her  power  to  tell  fortunes,  or 
to  gratify  the  revengeful  feelings  of  her  neighbom-s,  was  put 
to  a  cruel  death.  More  enlightened  times  have  dissipated  this 
illusion,  and  di-iven  these  imaginary  imps  of  darkness  into 
lenighted  countries. — Ed. 


To  conclude  this  ;  when  you  have  proved  that 
water  baptism,  Avhich  you  yourself  have  said  is  not 
a  church  ordinance,  p.  40,  is  essential  to  church 
communion,  and  that  the  church  may,  by  the  Avord 
of  God,  bolt,  bar,  and  for  ever  shut  out  those,  far 
better  than  ourselves,  that  have  not,  according  to 
our  notion,  been  baptized  M-ith  water ;  then  it  Avill 
be  time  enougli  to  talk  of  ground  for  so  doing. 
In  the  mean  time  I  must  take  leave  to  tell  you, 
'  There  is  not  in  all  the  Bible  one  syllable  for  such 
a  practice,  wherefore  your  great  cry  about  your 
order  is  wordless,  and  therefore  faithless,  and  is  a 
mere  human  invention.' 

1  CO:.IE  NOW  TO  YOUK  FOURTEEN  AKGUilENTS,  AND 
SHALL  IMPARTULLT  CONSIDER  THEM. 

loH?'  Jirst  argument  to  prove  it  lawfid  to  reject 
the  unbaptized  saint,  is,  'Because  the  great  commis- 
sion of  Christ,  Mat.  xxviii.  from  which  all  persons  have 
their  authority  for  their  ministry,  if  any  authority  at 
all,  doth  clearly  direct  the  contrary.  By  that  com- 
mission ministers  are  first  to  disciple,  and  then  to 
baptize  them  so  made  disciples,  and  afterwards  to 
teach  them  to  observe  all  that  Christ  commanded 
them,  as  to  other  ordinances  of  worship.  If  minis- 
ters have  no  other  authority  to  teach  them  other 
parts  of  gospel  worship,  before  they  believe  and 
are  baptized,  it  may  he  strongly  supposed  they 
are  not  to  admit  them  to  other  ordinances  before 
they  have  passed  this  first  enjoined  in  the  com- 
mission. ' 

Ansiv.  1.  That  the  ministers  are  to  disciple  and 
baptize,  is  granted.  But  that  they  are  prohibited, 
by  the  commission,  Mat.  xxviii.  to  teach  the  disciples 
other  parts  .of  gospel  worship  that  have  not  light 
in  baptism,  remains  for  you  to  prove.  Shall  I 
add,  this  position  is  so  absurd  and  void  of  truth, 
that  none  that  have  ever  read  the  love  of  Christ, 
the  nature  of  faith,  the  end  of  the  gospel,  or  of 
the  reason  of  instituted  worship  (which  is  edifica- 
tion) Avith  imderstandiug,  should  so  much  as  once 
imagine. 

But  where  are  they  here  forbidden  to  teach 
them  other  truths  before  they  be  baptized  ?  This 
text  as  fairly  denieth  to  the  unbaptized  believer 
heaven  and  glory.  Nay,  our  author,  in  the  midst 
of  all  his  flutter  about  this  xxviii.  of  Matthew, 
dare  venture  to  gather  no  more  therefrom,  but 
that  it  may  be  strongly'-  supposed.  Behold  there- 
fore, gentle  reader,  the  ground  on  which  these 
brethren  lay  the  stress  of  their  separation  from 
their  fellows,  is  nothing  else  but  a  supposition, 
without  warrant,  screwed  out  of  this  blessed  word 
of  God.  Strongly  supposed !  but  may  it  not  be 
as  strongly  supposed  that  the  presence  and  bless- 
ing of  the  Lord  Jesus,  with  his  mmisters,  is  laid 
upon  the  same  ground  also  ?  for  thus  he  concludes 
the  text,  'And   io,  I  am  with  you  alway    even 


636 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


unto  the  end  of  tlie  world.'  But  would,  I  say, 
any  man  from  these  words  conclude,  that  Christ 
Jesus  hath  here  promised  his  presence  only  to 
them  that,  after  discipling,  baptize  those  that  are 
so  made ;  and  that  they  that  do  not  haptize  shall 
neither  have  his  presence  nor  his  blessing  ?  I  say 
again,  should  any  so  conclude  hence,  would  not 
all  experience  prove  him  void  of  truth  ?  The 
words  therefore  must  be  left,  by  you,  as  you  found 
them,  they  favour  not  at  all  your  groimdless  sup- 
position. 

To  conclude,  these  words  hiive  not  laid  baptism 
in  the  way  to  debar  the  saint  from  fellowship  of 
his  brethren,  no  more  than  to  hinder  his  inheritance 
in  life  and  glory.  Mark  reads  it  thus :  •  He  that 
believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved;  but  he 
that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned. '  Mar.  xvi.  le.  Let- 
ting baptism,  Avhich  he  mentioned  in  the  promise, 
fall,  when  he  came  at  the  threatening.  God  also 
doth  thus  with  respect  to  his  worship  in  the  church, 
he  commands  all  and  every  whit  of  his  will  to  be 
done,  but  beareth  with  our  coming  short  in  this, 
and  that,  and  another  duty.     But  let's  go  on. 

Your  second  argument  is,  '  That  the  order  of 
Christ's  commission,  as  well  as  the  matter  therein 
contained  to  be  observed,  may  easily  be  concluded, 
from  God's  severity  towards  them  that  sought  him 
not  accorcUng  to  due  order,  i  Ch.  xv.  13.  Was  God 
so  exact  with  his  people  then,  that  all  things  to  a 
pin  must  be  according  to  the  pattei'n  in  the  mount. 
He.  viii.  5 ;  ix.  11,  whose  woi'sliip  then  comparatively, 
to  the  gospel,  was  but  after  the  law  of  a  carnal 
commandment ;  and  can  it  be  supposed  he  should 
be  so  indifierent  now  to  leave  men  to  their  own 
liberty,  to  time  and  place  his  appointments,  con- 
trary to  what  he  had  given  an  express  rule  for  in 
his  word  as  before  ?  Eze.  xiiv.  7,  9,  lo.  It  was  the 
priest's  sin,  formerly  to  bring  the  uncircumcised 
in  heart  and  flesh  into  his  house.' 

Answ.  That  there  is  no  such  order  in  that  com- 
mission as  you  feign,  I  have  proved.  As  for  your 
far-fetch 'd  instance,  l  Ch.  xv.  it  is  quite  beside  your 
purpose.  The  express  word  was,  That  the  priest, 
not  a  cart,  should  bear  the  ark  of  God.  Also  they 
were  not  to  touch  it,  and  yet  Uzza  did,  Ex.  xxv.  1 1. 
1  Ch.  XV.  12—16.  Nu.  iv.  15. 1  Ch.  xiii.  Now,  if  you  can  make 
that  xxviii.  of  Matthew  say.  Receive  none  that  are 
not  baptized  first ;  or  that  Christ  would  have  them 
of  his,  that  are  not  yet  baptized,  kept  ignorant  of 
all  other  truths  that  respect  church  communion ; 
then  you  say  something,  else  you  do  but  raise  a 
mist  before  the  simple  reader  :  but  whoso  listeth 
may  hang  on  your  sleeve.  As  for  the  pins  and 
tacks  of  the  tabernacle,  they  were  expressly  com- 
manded ;  and  when  you  have  proved  by  the  word 
of  God,  That  you  ought  to  shut  saints  out  of  your 
communion  for  want  of  baptism,  then  you  may 
begin  more  justly  to  make  your  parallel.     How 


fitly  you  have  urged  Eze.  xiiv.  to  insinuate  that  unbap- 
tized  believers  are  like  the  uncirciuncised  in  heart 
and  flesh,  I  leave  it  to  all  gospel-novices  to  con- 
sider. 

Your  third  argument  is,  *  The  practice  of  the 
first  gospel-ministers,  with  them  that  first  trusted 
in  Christ,  discovers  the  truth  of  what  I  assert. 
Certainly  they  that  lived  at  the  spring-head,  or 
fountain  of  truth,  and  had  the  law  from  Christ's 
own  mouth,  knew  the  meaning  of  his  commission 
better  than  we :  but  their  constant  practice  in  con- 
formity to  that  commission,  all  along  the  Acts  of 
the  Apostles,  discovers  that  they  never  arrived  to 
such  a  latitude  as  men  plead  fornow-a-days.  They 
that  gladly  received  the  word  were  baptized,  and 
they,  yea  they  only,  were  received  into  the  church. ' 

Answ.  How  well  you  have  proved  what  you 
have  asserted,  is  manifest  by  my  answer  to  the 
two  former  arguments.  I  add,  That  the  ministers 
and  servants  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  first  churches, 
for  that  you  are  to  prove,  were  commanded  to  for- 
bear to  preach  other  truths  to  the  unbaptized 
believers ;  or  that  they  were  to  keep  them  out  of 
the  church  ;  or  that  the  apostles,  and  first  fathers, 
have  given  you  to  understand  by  their  example, 
that  you  ought  to  keep  as  good  out  of  churches 
as  yourselves,  hath  not  yet  been  shcAved  by  the 
authority  of  the  word.  The  second  of  the  Acts 
proveth  not,  That  the  three  thousand  were  neces- 
sitated to  be  baptized  in  order  to  their  fellowship 
with  the  church,  neither  doth  it  say  they,  yea  they 
only,  were  received  into  the  church.  But  suppose 
all  this,  as  much  was  done  at  the  first  institution 
of  circumcision,  (fee,  yet  afterwards  thousands  were 
received  without  it. 

Your  fourth  argument  is,  '  None  of  the  scrip- 
ture saints  ever  attempted  this  church  privilege 
without  baptism,  if  they  did,  let  it  be  shewn. 
The  eunuch  first  desired  baptism  before  anything 
else ;  Paul  was  first  baptized  before  he  did  essay 
to  join  with  the  church.  Our  Lord  Christ,  the 
great  example  of  the  New  Testament,  entered  not 
upon  his  public  ministry,  much  less  any  other 
gospel  ordinance  of  worship,  till  he  was  baptized. ' 

Answ.  That  none  of  the  scripture  saints,  if  there 
be  any  unscripture  ones,  so  much  as  attempted 
this  church-privilege  first,  remains  for  you  to  prove. 
But  suppose  they  were  all  baptized,  because  they 
had  light  therein,  what  then  ?  Doth  this  prove 
that  baptism  is  essential  to  church  communion  ? 
Or,  that  Christ  commanded  in  the  xxviii.  of  Mat- 
thew, or  gave  his  ministers  by  that,  authority,  not 
to  make  known  to  believers  other  parts  of  gospel- 
worship,  if  they  shall  want  light  in  baptism  ? 
The  eunuch,  Paul,  and  our  blessed  Lord  Jesus, 
did  none  of  them,  by  their  baptism,  set  themselves 
to  us  examples  how  to  enter  into  church  commu- 
nion ;  what  church  was  the  eunuch  baptized  into. 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISE,  NO  BAR  TO  COMJITINION. 


637 


or  made  a  member  of;  but  where  is  it  said,  that 
the  iinbaptized  believer,  how  excellent  soever  in 
faith  and  hohness,  must,  for  want  of  water  bap- 
tism, be  shut  out  from  the  communion  of  saints, 
or  be  debarred  the  privilege  of  his  Father's  house  ? 
This  you  are  to  prove. 

Your  ffth  argument  is,  '  If  Christ  himself  was 
made  manifest  to  be  the  sent  of  God  by  baptism, 
as  appears,  Mar.  i.  9,  lo.  then  why  may  not  bap- 
tism, as  the  first  fruits  of  faith,  and  the  first  step 
of  gospel- obedience,  as  to  instituted  worship,  be  a 
manifesting  discovering  ordinance  upon  others  who 
thus  follow  Christ's  steps.' 

Answ.  That  Jesus  Christ  was  manifested  as 
the  SENT  of  God  by  baptism,  or  that  baptism  is 
the  first  fruit  of  faith  and  the  first  step  to  gospel- 
obedience,  as  to  instituted  worship,  is  both  without 
proof  and  truth ;  the  text  saith  not,  he  was  mani- 
fest to  be  the  *  sent'  of  God  by  baptism ;  nay  it 
saith  not,  that  by  that  he  was  manifest  to  others 
to  be  anything  thereby :  you  have  therefore  but 
wronged  the  text  to  prove  your  Avordless  practice 
b3^  Yea,  John  himself,  though  he  knew  him 
before  he  was  baptized,  to  be  a  man  of  God,  for, 
saith  he,  '  I  have  need  to  be  baptized  of  thee,  and 
comest  thou  to  me. '  Mat.  m.  14,  and  knew  him  after 
to  be  the  *  sent'  of  God ;  yet  not  in,  or  by,  but 
after  he  was  baptized,  to  wit,  by  the  descending 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  after  he  was  come  out  of  the 
water,  as  he  was  in  prayer,  for  the  heavens  were 
opened  to  John,  Jn.  i.  so— 34,  and  he  saw,  and  bare 
record,  because  he  saw  the  Spirit  descend  from 
heaven,  and  abide  upon  Jesus,  after  his  baptism, 
as  he  was  in  prayer.  Mat.  iii.  13—17.  Lu.  iii.  21, 22.  Thus 
we  find  him  made  known  before  and  after,  but  not 
at  all  by  baptism,  to  be  the  '  sent'  of  God. 

And  that  baptism  is  the  fruit  of  faith,  or  that 
faith  ought  to  be  tied  to  take  its  first  step  in  water 
baptism,  in  the  instituted  worship  of  God;  this 
you  must  prove,  it  is  not  found  expressed  within 
the  w^hole  Bible.  Faith  acts  according  to  its 
strength  and  as  it  sees,  it  is  not  tied  or  bound  to 
any  outward  circumstance ;  one  believeth  he  may, 
and  another  believeth  he  may  not,  either  do  this 
or  that. 

Your  sixth  argument  is,  '  If  baptism  be  in  any 
sense  any  part  of  the  foundation  of  a  church,  as  to 
order.  He.  si.  1, 2,  it  must  have  place  here  or  no  where : 
why  are  those  things  called  first  principles,  if  not 
first  to  be  believed  and  practised  ?  Why  are  they 
rendered  by  the  learned  the  A,  B,  C,  of  a  Christian, 
and  the  beginning  of  Christianity,  milk  for  babes, 
if  it  be  no  matter  whether  baptism  be  practised  or 
no  ?  If  it  be  said  water  baptism  is  not  there 
intended,  let  them  shew  me  how  many  baptisms 
there  are  besides  water  baptism  ?  Can  you  build 
and  leave  out  a  stone  in  the  foundation  ?  I  intend 
not  baptism  a  foundation  any  other  v/ays  but  in 


respect  of  order,  and  it  is  either  intended  for  that 
or  nothing.' 

Aiisio.  Baptism  is  in  no  sense  the  foundation  of 
a  church.  I  find  no  foundation  of  a  church  but 
Jesus  Christ  himself.  Mat.  xvi.  I8. 1  Co.  iii.  11.  Yea,  the 
foundation  mentioned,  He.  vi.  1,  2,  is  nothing  else  but 
this  very  Christ.  For  he  is  the  foundation,  not 
only  of  the  church,  but  of  all  that  good  that  at 
any  time  is  found  in  her.  He  is  the  foundation 
OF  our  repentance,  and  of  our  faith  towards  God. 
vers.  1, 2.  Further,  baptisms  are  not  here  mentioned 
with  respect  to  the  act  in  water,  but  of  the  doc- 
trine ;  that  is,  the  signification  thereof.  '  The 
doctrine  of  baptisms.'  And  observe,  neither  faith, 
nor  repentance,  nor  baptisms,  are  called  here  foun- 
dations :  Another  thing,  for  a  foundation,  is  here 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  intended,  even  a  foundation  for 
them  all:  a  foundation  of  faith,  of  repentance,  of 
the  doctrine  of  baptisms,  of  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead,  and  of  eternal  judgment.  And  this 
foundation  is  Jesus  Christ  himself,  and  these  are 
the  first  principles,  the  milk,  the  A,  B,  C,  and  the 
beginning  of  Christian  religion  in  the  world.  I 
dare  not  say.  No  matter  whether  water  baptism 
be  practised  or  no.  But  it  is  not  a  stone  in  the 
foundation  of  a  church,  no  not  respecting  order; 
it  is  not,  to  another,  a  sign  of  my  sonship  with 
God ;  it  is  not  the  door  into  fellowship  with  the 
saints,  it  is  no  church  ordinance,  as  you,  yourself, 
have  testified,  p.  40.  So  then  as  to  church  work, 
it  hath  no  place  at  all  therein. 

Your  seventh  argument  is,  '  If  Paul  knew  the 
Galatians  only  upon  the  account  of  charity.  No 
other  ways  to  be  the  sons  of  God  by  faith ;  but  by 
this  part  of  their  obedience,  as  he  seems  to  import, 
then  the  same  way  we  judge  of  the  truth  of  men's 
profession  of  faith,  when  it  shows  itself  by  this 
selfsame  obedience.  Baptism  being  an  obhgation 
to  all  following  duties.'  Ga.  iii.  26, 27. 

Answ.  This  your  argument,  being  builded  upon 
no  more  than  a  seeming  import,  and  having  been 
above  ten  times  overthrown  already  ;  I  might 
leave  still  with  you,  till  your  seemmg  import  is 
come  to  a  real  one,  and  both  to  a  greater  persua- 
sion upon  your  own  conscience.  But  verily  Sir, 
you  grossly  abuse  your  reader ;  must  imports,  yea, 
must  seeming  imports  now  stand  for  arguments, 
thereby  to  maintain  your  confident  separation  from 
your  brethren?  Yea,  must  such  things  as  these, 
be  the  basis  on  which  you  build  those  heavy  cen- 
sures and  condemnations  you  raise  against  your 
brethren,  that  cannot  comply  with  you,  because 
you  want  the  word?  A  seeming  import.  But 
are  these  words  of  faith?  or  do  the  scriptures  only 
help  you  to  seeming  imports,  and  me-hajJ-socs^  for 
your  practice  ?     No,  nor  yet  to  them  neither,  for 


'  Me-hap-soes,'  a  contraction  of '  it  may  so  happen.' — Ed. 


Go  8 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


I  dare  Loldly  affirm  it,  and  demand,  if  you  can, 
to  prove,  tliat  there  is  so  mucli  as  a  seeming  im- 
port in  all  tlie  word  of  God,  that  countenanceth 
your  shutting  men,  better  than  ourselves,  from  the 
things  and  privileges  of  our  Father's  house.  That 
to  the  Galatians,  saith  not,  that  Paul  knew  them 
to  he  the  sons  of  God  by  faith,  no  other  way,  hut 
by  THIS  part  of  their  obedience ;  but  puts  them 
upon  concluding  themselves  the  sons  of  God,  if 
they  were  baptized  into  the  Lord  Jesus,  which 
could  not,  ordinarily,  be  known  but  \mto  themselves 
alone ;  because,  being  thus  baptized,  respecteth  a 
special  act  of  faith,  which  only  God  and  him  that 
hath,  and  actetli  it,  can  be  privy  to.  It  is  one 
thing  for  him  that  administereth,  to  baptize  in  the 
name  of  Jesus,  and  another  thing  for  him  that  is 
the  subject,  by  that  to  be  baptized  into  Jesus 
Christ:  Baptizing  into  Clmst,  is  rather  the  act  of 
the  faith  of  him  that  is  baptized,  than  his  going 
into  water  and  coming  out  again.  But  that  Paul 
knew  this  to  be  the  state  of  the  Galatians  no  other 
way,  but  by  their  external  act  of  being  baptized 
with  water,  is  both  wild  and  unsound,  and  a 
miserable  import  indeed. 

Your  eighth  argument  is,  *  If  being  baptized 
into  Christ,  be  a  putting  on  of  Christ,  as  Paul 
expresses,  then  they  have  not  put  on  Christ,  in 
that  sense  he  means,  that  are  not  baptized;  if 
this  putting  on  of  Christ,  doth  not  respect  the 
visibility  of  Christianity ;  assign  something  else  as 
its  signification ;  great  men's  servants  are  known 
by  their  master's  liveries,  so  are  gospel  believers 
by  this  livery  of  water  baptism,  that  all  that  first 
trusted  in  Christ  submitted  unto ;  which  is  in  itself 
as  much  an  obligation  to  all  gospel  obedience,  as 
circumcision  was  to  keep  the  whole  law.' 

Answ.  For  a  reply  to  the  first  part  of  this  argu- 
ment, go  back  to  the  answer  to  the  seventh.  Now 
that  none  have  put  on  Christ  in  Paul's  sense  ;  yea, 
in  a  saving,  in  the  best  sense  ;  but  them  that  have, 
as  you  Avould  have  them,  gone  into  water,  will  be 
hard  for  you  to  prove,  yea,  is  ungodly  for  you  to 
assert.  Your  comparing  water  baptism  to  a  gen- 
tleman's livery,  by  which  his  name  is  known  to  be 
his,  is  fantastical.  Go  you  but  ten  doors  from 
where  men  have  knowledge  of  you,  and  see  how 
many  of  the  world,  or  Christians,  will  know  you 
by  this  goodly  livery,  to  be  one  that  hath  put  on 
Christ.  What !  known  by  water  baptism  to  be 
one  that  hath  put  on  Christ,  as  a  gentleman's 
man  is  known  to  be  his  master's  servant,  by  the 
gay  garment  his  master  gave  him.  A^vay  fond 
man,  you  do  quite  forget  the  text.  *  By  this  shall 
all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye  have 
love  one  to  another. '  Ju.  xUi.  35.  That  baptism  is  in 
itself  obliging,  to  speak  properly,  it  is  false,  for 
set  it  by  itself,  and  it  stands  without  the  stamp  of 
heaven  upon  it,  and  without  its  signification  also : 


and  how,  as  such,  it  should  be  obliging,  I  see  not. 
Where  you  insinuate,  it  comes  in  the  room  of,  and 
obhgeth  as  circumcision :  you  say,  you  know  not 
Avhat.  Ac.  x\'.l,  2.  Circumcision  was  the  initiating 
ordinance,  but  this  you  have  denied  to  baptism. 
Further,  circumcision  theji  bound  men  to  the  whole 
obedience  of  the  law,  when  urged  by  the  false 
apostles,  and  received  by  an  erroneous  conscience. 
Ga.  V.  1— i.  Would  you  thus  urge  water  baptism ! 
would  you  have  men  to  receive  it  with  such  con- 
sciences? Circumcision  in  the  flesh,  was  a  type 
of  circumcision  in  the  heart,  and  not  of  water 

baptism.  Ho.  ii.  28,  29.  Phi.  iii.  3. 

Your  ninth  argument  is, '  If  it  were  commendable 
in  the  Thessalonians,  that  they  followed  the  foot- 
steps of  the  church  of  Judea,  l  Thes.  ii.  14.  who  it 
appears  followed  this  order  of  adding  baptized 
believers  unto  the  church;  then  they  that  have 
found  out  another  way  of  making  cluu'ch  members, 
are  not  by  that  rule  praiseworthy,  but  rather  to 
be  blamed ;  it  was  not  what  was  sinde  in  corrupted 
times,  but  that  which  was  from  the  beginning : 
the  first  churches  were  the  purest  pattern.' 

Ansio.  That  the  text  saith  there  was  a  chm'ch 
of  Judea,  I  find  not  in  1  Th.  ii.  11.  And  that  the 
Thessalonians  are  commended  for  refusing  to  have 
communion  with  the  unbaptizcd  believers,  for  that 
is  our  question,  prove  it  by  the  word,  and  then 
you  do  something.  Again,  that  the  commenda- 
tions, 1  Th.  ii.  14.  do  chiefly,  or  at  aU,  respect  their 
being  baptized:  or,  because  they  followed  the 
churches  of  God,  which  in  Judea  were  in  Christ 
Jesus,  in  the  example  of  water  baptism  is  quite 
beside  the  word.  The  verse  runs  thus :  '  For  ye, 
brethren,  became  followers  of  the  churches  of  God 
which  in  Judea  are  in  Christ  Jesus :  for  ye  also 
have  suftered  like  things  of  your  own  countrymen, 
even  as  they  Jiave  of  the  Jews.'  This  text  then 
commends  them,  not  for  that  they  were  baptized 
with  water,  but,  for  that  they  stood  their  ground, 
although  baptized  with  sufi"ering,  like  them  in 
Judea,  for  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  For  suf- 
fei'ing  like  things  of  their  own  countrymen,  as  they 
did  of  the  Jews.  Will  you  not  yet  leave  off  to 
abuse  the  word  of  God,  and  forbear  turning  it  out 
of  its  place,  to  maintain  your  unchristian  practice 
of  rejecting  the  people  of  God,  and  excluding  them 
their  blessed  privileges.  The  xmba23tized  believer, 
instead  of  taking  shame  for  entering  into  feUoAV- 
ship  without  it,  will  be  ready,  I  doubt,  to  put  you 
to  shame  for  bringing  scriptures  so  much  beside 
the  purpose,  and  for  stretching  them  so  miserably 
to  uphold  you  in  your  fancies. 

Your  tenth  argument  is,  '  If  so  be,  that  any  of 
the  members  at  Corinth,  Galatia,  Colosse,  Rome,  or 
them  that  Peter  wrote  to,  were  not  baptized,  then 
Paul's  arguments  for  the  resurrection  to  them,  or 
to  press  them  to  holiness  from  that  ground  (Ro.  vi.; 


DIFPEEENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  XO  BAR  TO  COMjMXJXiON. 


f?S9 


Col.  ii.;  1  Co.  XV.}  was  out  of  doors,  and  altof^'ether 
needless,  yea,  it  bespeaks  his  ignorance,  and 
tliroweth  contempt  upon  the  Spirit's  wisdom.  (He. 
vi.  iPe. iii.  21.)  by  which  he  wrote;  if  that  must  he 
asserted  as  a  ground  to  provoke  them  to  such  an 
end,  which  had  no  being :  and  if  all  the  members 
of  aU  those  churches  were  baptized,  why  should 
any  plead  for  an  exemption  from  baptism,  for  any 
church  member  now?' 

Answ.  Suppose  all,  if  all  these  churches  were 
baptized,  what  then  ?  that  answereth  not  our 
question.  "We  ask  where  you  find  it  written,  that 
those  that  are  baptized,  should  keep  men  as  holy, 
and  as  much  beloved  of  the  Lord  Jesus  as  them- 
selves, out  of  church  communion,  for  want  of  light 
in  water  baptism.  Why  we  plead  for  their  admis- 
sion, though  they  see  not  yet.  that  that  is  their 
duty,  is  because  we  are  not  forbidden,  but  com- 
manded to  receive  them,  because  God  and  Christ 
hath  done  it.  Ko.  xiv.  and  -w. 

Your  eleventh  argument  is,  '  If  imbaptized  per- 
sons must  be  received  into  chiirches,  only  because 
they  are  believers,  though  they  deny  baptism ; 
then  why  may  not  others  plead  for  the  like  privi- 
lege, that  are  negligent  in  any  other  gospel  ordi- 
nance of  worship,  from  the  same  groimd  of  want 
of  light,  let  it  be  what  it  wUl.  So  then  as  the 
consequence  of  this  principle,  churches  may  be 
made  up  of  visible  sinners,  instead  of  visible  saints.' 

Answ.  1.  I  plead  not  for  believers  simply  because 
they  are  believers,  but  for  such  behever.s  of  whom 
we  are  persuaded  by  the  word,  that  God  hath 
received  them.  2.  There  are  some  of  the  ordi- 
nances, that  be  they  neglected,  the  being  of  a 
church,  as  to  her  visible  gospel  constitution,  is 
taken  quite  away ;  but  baptism  is  none  of  them,  it 
being  no  church  ordinance  as  such,  nor  any  part 
of  faith,  nor  of  that  holiness  of  heart,  or  life,  that 
sheweth  me  to  the  church  to  be  indeed  a  visible 
saint.  The  saint  is  a  saiat  before,  and  may  walk 
with  God,  and  be  faithfid  with  the  saints,  and  to 
his  own  light  also  though  he  never  be  baptized. 
Therefore  to  plead  for  his  admission,  makes  no 
way  at  all  for  the  admission  of  the  open  prophane, 
or  to  receive,  as  you  profess  you  do,  persons 
unprepai-ed  to  the  Lord's  table,  and  other  solemn 
appointments,  p.  £9. 

Your  twelfth  argument  is,  'Why  should  pro- 
fessors have  more  light  in  breakiug  of  bread,  than 
baptism?  That  this  must  be  so  urged  for  their 
excuse :  Hath  God  been  more  sparing  in  making 
out  his  mind  in  the  one,  rather  than  the  other  ?  Is 
there  more  precepts  or  precedents  for  the  supper, 
than  baptism?  Hath  God  been  so  boimtifid  in 
making  out  himself  about  the  supper,  that  few  or 
none  that  own  ordinances  scruple  it?  And  must 
baptism  be  such  a  rock  of  ofi'ence  to  professors, 
that  very  few  will  enqiui-e  after  it,  or  submit  to  it  ? 


Hath  not  man's  wisdom  intei-jiosed  to  darken  this 
part  of  God's  counsel?  By  which  professors  seem 
willingly  led,  though  against  so  many  plain  com- 
mands and  examples,  written  as  with  a  sun  beam, 
that  he  that  rims  may  read  ?  And  must  an  advo- 
cate be  entertamed  to  plead  for  so  gToss  a  piece 
of  ignorance,  that  the  meanest  babes  of  the  first 
gospel  times  were  never  guilty  of  ? ' 

Answ.  Many  words  to  little  purpose.  1.  Must 
God  be  called  to  an  account  by  you,  why  he  givctli 
more  light  about  the  supper  than  baptism  ?  May 
he  not  shew  to,  or  conceal  from  this,  or  another 
of  his  servants,  which  of  his  truths  he  pleaseth. 
Some  of  the  members  of  the  church  at  Jerusalem 
had  a  greater  truth  than  this  kept  from  them,  for 
ought  I  know,  as  long  as  they  lived,  Ac.  xi.  19.  yet 
God  was  not  called  in  question  about  it.  2. 
Breaking  of  bread,  not  baptism,  being  a  church 
ordinance,  and  that  such  also  as  must  be  often 
reiterated ;  yea,  it  being  an  ordinance  so  full  of 
blessedness,  as  lively  to  present  union  and  com- 
munion with  Christ  to  all  the  members  that  wor- 
thily eat  thereof:  I  say,  the  Lord's  supper  being 
such,  that  vrhile  the  members  sit  at  that  feast, 
they  shew  to  each  other  tlie  death  and  blood  of  the 
Lord,  as  they  ought  to  do,  tiU  he  comes,  l  Co.  x.  15— 
17.  and  xi.  25,  26.  The  church  as  a  chiu-ch,  is  much 
more  concerned  in  that,  than  in  Avater  baptism, 
both  as  to  her  faith  and  comfort ;  both  as  to  her 
union  and  commimion.  3.  Your  supposition,  that 
very  few  pi-ofessors  will  seriously  inquire  after 
water  baptism,  is  too  rude.  What,  must  all  the 
children  of  God,  that  are  not  baptized  for  want  of 
light,  be  stiU  stigmatised  with  vrant  of  serious 
inquiry  after  God's  mind  ia  it.  4.  That  I  am  an 
advocate,  entertained  to  plead  for  so  gross  a  piece 
of  ignorance,  as  want  of  hght  in  baptism,  is  but 
like  the  rest  of  your  jumbling.  I  plead  for  com- 
mimion with  men,  godly  and  faithful,  I  plead  that 
they  may  be  received,  that  God  hath  shewed  us 
he  hath  received,  and  commanded  we  should  receive 
them. 

Your  thirteenth  argument  is,  '  If  obedience  must 
discover  the  truth  of  a  man's  faith  to  others,  why 
must  baptism  be  shut  out,  as  if  it  was  no  part  of 
gospel  obedience  ?  Is  there  no  precept  for  this 
practice,  that  it  must  be  thus  despised,  as  a  matter 
of  little  use?  Or  shall  one  of  Christ's  precious 
conmiands  be  blotted  out  of  a  Christian's  obedience, 
to  make  way  for  a  church  fellowship  of  man's 
devising. ' 

Ansvx  1.  This  is  but  round,  round,  the  same 
thing  over  and  over.  That  my  obedience  to  water, 
is  not  a  discovery  of  my  faith  to  others,  is  evident, 
from  the  body  of  the  Bible,  we  find  nothing  that 
affinns  it.  And  I  wiU  now  add,  That  if  a  man 
cannot  shew  himself  a  Chi'istian  without  water 
baptism ;  he  shall  never  shew  either  samt  or  sinner, 


640 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


(hat  lie  13  a  Christian  by  it.  2.  Who  [soever] 
they  are  that  despise  it,  I  know  not  hut  that  church 
membership  may  be  without  it,  (seeing  even  you 
yourself  have  concluded  it  is  no  church  ordinance, 
p.  40.  nor  the  entering  ordinance,  p.  3,  4.)  standeth 
both  with  scripture  and  reason,  as  mine  arguments 
make  manifest.  So  that  all  your  arguments  prove 
no  more  but  this,  '  That  you  are  so  wedded  to 
your  wordless  notions,  that  charity  can  have  no 
place  with  you. '  Have  you  all  this  while  so  much 
as  given  me  one  small  piece  of  a  text  to  prove  it 
unlawful  for  the  church,  to  receive  those  whom  she, 
by  the  word,  perceiveth  the  Lord  God  and  her  Christ 
hath  received  ?  No :  and  therefore  you  have  said 
so  much  as  amounts  to  nothing. 

Your  last  argument  is,  '  If  the  baptism  of  John 
was  so  far  honoured  and  dignified,  that  they  that 
did  submit  to  it,  are  said  to  justify  God ;  and  those 
that  did  it  not,  are  said  to  reject  his  counsel  against 
themselves:  so  that  their  receiving,  or  rejecting 
the  whole  doctrine  of  God,  hath  its  denomination 
from  this  single  practice.  And  is  there  not  as 
much  to  bo  said  of  the  baptism  of  Christ,  unless 
you  will  say  it  is  inferior  to  John's  in  worth  and  use. ' 

A-Jisw,  1.  That  our  denomination  of  believers, 
and  of  our  receiving  the  doctrine  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
is  not  to  be  reckoned  from  our  baptism,  is  evident ; 
because  according  to  our  notion  of  it,  they  only 
that  have  before  received  the  doctrine  of  the  gos- 
pel, and  so  shew  it  us  by  their  confession  of  faith, 
they  only  ought  to  be  baptized.  This  might  serve 
for  an  answer  for  all:  but,  2.  The  baptism  of  John 
was  'the  baptism  of  repentance,  for  the  remission 

of  sins,'  Mar.  i.  4.  Mat.  iii.  6.  Lu.  iii.  3.  of  which  Water  V/aS 

but  an  outward  signification.  Now  what  is  the 
baptism  of  repentance,  but  an  unfeigned  acknow- 
ledgment that  they  were  sinners,  and  so  stood  in 
need  of  a  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ.  This  baptism, 
or  baptism  under  this  notion,  the  Pharisees  would 
not  receive,  Lu.  vii.  29, 30.  For  they  '  trusted  in  them- 
selves that  they  were  righteous,'  that  they  were 
'not  as  other  men,'  that  they  had  need  of  no 
repentance.  Lu.  xvUi.  9;  x.  20 ;  xv.  7.  Not  but  that  they 
would  have  been  baptized  with  Avater,  might  that 
have  been  without  an  acknowledgment  that  they 
were  sinners  ;  Mat.  iii.  7.  wherefore  seeing  the  counsel 
of  God  respected  rather  the  remission  of  sins  by 
Jesus  Christ,  than  the  outward  act  of  water  bap- 
tism, ye  ought  not,  as  you  do,  by  this  your  reason- 
ing, to  make  it  rather,  at  least  in  the  revelation  of 
it,  to  terminate  in  the  outward  act  of  being  bap- 
tized, but  in  unfeigned  and  sound  repentance,  and 
the  receiving  of  Jesus  Christ  by  faith.  Ep.  i.  7, 8, 11. 

Further,  A  desire  to  submit  to  John's  water 
baptism,  or  of  being  baptized  by  him  in  water,  did 
not  demonstrate  by  that  single  act,  the  receiving 
of  the  whole  doctrine  of  God  as  you  suggest. 
*  Why  did  John  reject  the  Pharisees  that  would 


have  been  baptized.  Mat.  iii.  7.  and  Paul  examine 
them  that  were?'  Ac. xix. 2, 3.  If  your  doctrine  be 
true,  why  did  they  not  rather  say,  Oh !  seeing 
you  desire  to  be  baptized,  seeing  you  have  been 
baptized,  you  need  not  to  be  questioned  any  fur- 
ther ;  your  submitting  to  John's  water,  to  us  is  a 
sufiicient  testimony,  even  that  single  act,  that  you 
have  received  the  whole  doctrine  of  God.  But  I 
say,  why  did  John  call  them  vipers  ?  And  Paul 
asked  them.  Whether  they  had  yet  '  received  the 
Holy  Ghost  ?'  Yea,  it  is  evident,  that  a  man  may 
be  desirous  of  water,  that  a  man  may  be  baptized, 
and  neither  own  the  doctrine  of  repentance,  nor 
know  on  whom  he  should  believe ;  evident,  I  say, 
and  that  by  the  same  texts.  Mat.  iii.  7.  Ac.  xix.  2—4. 

You  have  grounded  therefore  this  your  last 
argument,  as  also  the  rest,  upon  an  utter  mistake 
of  things. 

I  COME  NOW  TO  YOUR  Questions ;  which  although 

THEY  BE  MIXED  "WITH  GALL,  I  WILL  WITH  PATIENCE 
SEE  IF  I  CAN  TURN  THEM  INTO  FOOD. 

\^Quest.  1.]  Your  first  question  is,  *  I  ask  your 
own  heart,  Avhether  popularity  and  applause  of 
variety  of  professors,  be  not  in  the  bottom  of  what 
you  have  said ;  that  hath  been  your  snare  to  pervert 
the  right  ways  of  the  Lord,  and  to  lead  others  into 
a  path  wherein  we  can  find  none  of  the  footsteps  of 
the  flock  in  the  first  ages  ? ' 

Answ.  Setting  aside  a  retaliation,  like  your 
question,  I  say,  and  God  knows  I  speak  the  truth, 
I  have  been  tempted  to  do  what  I  have  done,  by  a 
provocation  of  sixteen  years  long ;  tempted,  I  say, 
by  the  brethren  of  your  way :  who,  whenever  they 
saw  their  opportunity,  have  made  it  their  business 
to  seek  to  rend  us  in  pieces ;  mine  ownself  they 
have  endeavoured  to  persuade  to  forsake  the 
church ;  some  they  have  rent  quite  off  from  us, 
others  they  have  attempted  and  attempted  to  divide 
and  break  off"  from  us,  but  by  the  mercy  of  God, 
have  been  hitherto  prevented.  A  more  large 
account  you  may  have  in  my  next,  if  you  think 
good  to  demand  it ;  but  I  thank  God  that  I  have 
Avritten  what  I  have  written. 

Quest.  2.  'Have  you  dealt  brotherly,  or  like  a 
Christian,  to  throw  so  much  dirt  upon  your  brethren, 
in  print,  in  the  face  of  the  world,  when  you  had  an 
opportunity  to  converse  with  them  of  reputation 
amongst  us,  before  printing,  being  allowed  the 
liberty  by  them,  at  the  same  time  for  you  to  speak 
among  them?' 

Answ.  I  have  thrown  no  dirt  upon  them,  nor 
laid  any  thing  to  their  charge,  if  their  practice  be 
warrantable  by  the  word ;  but  you  have  not  been 
ofiended  at  the  dirt  yourselves  have  thrown  at  all 
the  godly  in  the  land  that  are  not  of  our  persuasion, 
in  counting  them  unfit  to  be  communicated  with, 


DrFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  KO  BAR  TO  COJBITINION. 


64=1 


or  to  he  accompanied  witli  in  tlie  house  of  God. 
This  dirt  jou  never  complained  of,  nor  would,  I 
douht,  to  this  day,  might  you  he  still  let  alone  to 
throw  it.  As  to  my  hook,  it  was  printed  before  I 
spake  with  any  of  you,  or  knew  whether  I  might 
he  accepted  of  you.  As  to  them  of  reputation 
among  you,  I  know  others  not  one  tittle  inferior 
to  them,  and  have  my  liherty  to  consult  with  who 
I  like  hest. 

Quest.  3.  *  Doth  your  carriage  answer  the  law 
of  love  or  civility,  when  the  hrethren  used  means 
to  send  for  you  for  a  conference,  and  their  letter 
was  received  hy  you,  that  you  should  go  out  again 
from  the  city  after  knowledge  of  their  desires,  and 
not  vouchsafe  a  meeting  with  them,  when  the 
glory  of  God,  and  the  vindication  of  so  many 
churches  is  concerned.' 

Ansiv.  The  reason  why  I  came  not  amongst  you, 
was  partly  because  I  consulted  mine  own  weakness, 
and  counted  not  myself,  being  a  dull  headed  man, 
able  to  engage  so  many  of  the  chief  of  you,  as  I 
was  then  informed  intended  to  meet  me.  I  also 
feared,  in  personal  disputes,  heats  and  bitter  con- 
tentions might  arise,  a  thing  my  spirit  hath  not 
pleasure  in :  I  feared  also,  that  both  myself  and 
words  would  be  misrepresented ;  and  that  not  with- 
out cause,  for  if  they  that  answer  a  book  will  alter, 
and  screw  arguments  out  of  their  place,  and  make 
my  sentences  stand  in  their  own  words,  not  mine, 
when  (I  say)  my  words  ai'e  in  a  book  to  be  seen, 
what  would  you  have  done,  had  I  in  the  least, 
either  in  matter  or  manner,  though  but  seemingly 
miscarried  among  you.  As  for  the  many  churches 
which  you  say  are  concerned,  as  also  the  glory  of 
God,  I  doubt  not  to  say  they  are  only  your  word- 
less opinions  that  are  concerned ;  the  glory  of 
God  is  vindicated:  We  receive  him  that  God  hath 
received,  and  that  'to  the  glory  of  God.'  Ro. xv. 7. 

Quest.  4.  '  Is  it  not  the  spirit  of  Diotrephes  of 
old,  in  you,  who  loved  to  have  the  pre-eminence, 
that  you  are  so  bold  to  keep  out  all  the  brethren, 
that  are  not  of  your  mind  in  this  matter,  from 
having  any  entertainment  in  the  churches  or  meet- 
ings to  which  you  belong,  though  you  yourself 
have  not  been  denied  the  like  liberty,  among  them 
that  are  contrary  minded  to  you?  Is  this  the  way 
of  your  retaliation?  Or  are  you  afraid  lest  the 
truth  should  invade  your  quarters?' 

Answ.  1  can  say,  I  would  not  have  the  spirit 
you  talk  of ;  what  I  have  of  it,  God  take  it  from 
me.  But  what  was  the  spirit  of  Diotrephes  ? 
"Why,  not  to  receive  the  brethi-en  into  the  church, 
and  to  forbid  them  that  would.  3  jn.  9,  lo.  This  do 
not  I ;  I  am  for  communion  with  saints,  because 
they  are  saints :  I  shut  none  of  the  brethren  out 
of  the  churches,  nor  forbid  them  that  would  receive 
them.  I  say  again,  shew  me  the  man  that  is  a 
visible  believer,  and  that  walketh  with  God ;  and 

VOL.  II. 


though  he  differ  with  me  about  baptism,  the  doors 
of  the  church  stand  open  for  him,  and  all  our 
heaven-horn  privileges  he  shall  be  admitted  to 
them.  But  how  came  Diotrephes  so  lately  into 
our  parts  ?  Where  was  he  in  those  days  that  our 
brethren  of  the  baptized  way,  would  neither  receive 
into  the  church,  nor  pray  with  men  as  good  as 
themselves,  because  they  were  not  baptized ;  but 
would  either,  like  Quakers,  stand  with  their  hats 
on  their  heads,  or  else  withdraw  till  we  had 
done. 

As  to  our  not  suffering  those  you  plead  for  to 
preach  in  our  assemblies,  the  reason  is,  because 
we  cannot  yet  prevail  with  them,  to  repent  of  their 
church-rending  principles.  As  to  the  retaliation, 
mind  the  hand  of  God,  and  remember  Adonibezek. 
Ju.  i.  7.  Let  the  truth  come  into  our  quarters  and 
welcome,  but  sowers  of  discord,  because  the  Lord 
hates  it,  Pr.  vL  19.  Ave  also  ourselves  wiU  avoid  them. 

Eo.  xTi.  17, 18. 

Quest.  5.  '  Is  there  no  contempt  cast  upon  the 
brethren,  who  desired  your  satisfaction,  that  at  the 
same  time,  when  you  had  opportunity  to  speak  to 
them,  instead  of  that,  you  committed  the  letters 
to  others,  by  way  of  reflection  upon  them  ?' 

Answ.  It  is  no  contempt  at  aU  to  consult  men 
more  wise  and  judicious  than  him  that  wrote,  or 
myself  either.  But  why  not  consult  with  others, 
Is  wisdom  to  die  with  you  ?  Or  do  you  count  all 
that  yourselves  have  no  hand  in,  done  to  your  dis- 
paragement ? 

Quest.  6.  *  Did  not  your  presmnption  prompt 
you  to  provoke  them  to  printing,  in  your  letter  to 
them,  when  they  desired  to  he  foimd  in  no  such 
practice,  lest  the  enemies  of  truth  should  take 
advantage  by  it  ? ' 

Answ.  What  provoked  you  to  print,  will  be  best 
known  at  the  day  of  judgment,  whether  your  fear 
of  losing  your  wordless  opinion,  or  my  plain 
answer  to  your  letter :  The  words  in  my  letter  are, 
'  As  for  my  book,  never  defer  its  answer  till  you 
speak  with  me,  for  I  strive  not  for  mastery  but 
truth. '  Though  you  did  not  desire  to  write,  yet 
with  us  there  was  continual  labour  to  rend  us  to 
pieces,  and  to  prevent  that,  was  my  first  book 
written.  And  let  who  wiU  take  advantage,  so  the 
truth  of  God,  and  the  edification  of  my  brother  be 
promoted. 

Quest.  7.  Whether  your  principle  and  practice 
is  not  equally  against  others  as  well  as  us,  viz. 
Episcopal,  Presbyterians,  and  Independents,  who 
are  also  of  our  side,  for  our  practice,  though  they 
differ  with  us  about  the  subject  of  baptism.  Do 
you  delight  to  have  your  hand  against  every  man?' 

Answ.  I  own  water  baptism  to  be  God's  ordi- 
nance, but  I  make  no  idol  of  it.  Where  you  call 
now  the  Episcopal  to  side  with  you,  and  also  the 
Presbyterian,  «tc.  you  will  not  find  them  easily 
4  M 


C43 


DIITEKENCES  AEOUT  WATER  EAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


porsuaded  to  conclude  with  you  against  me.  They 
arc  ao'ainst  your  manner  of  dipping,  as  well  as  the 
subject  of  water  baptism ;  neither  do  you,  for  all 
you  flatter  them,  agree  together  in  all  hut  the 
subject.  Do  you  allow  their  sprinkling  ?  Do 
you  allow  their  signing  with  the  cross  ?  Why 
then  have  you  so  stoutly,  an  hundred  times  over, 
condemned  these  things  as  antichristian.  I  am 
not  against  every  man,  though  by  your  abusive 
language  you  would  set  every  one  against  me ; 
but  am  for  union,  concord,  and  communion  with 
saints,  as  saints,  and  for  that  cause  I  wrote  my 
book. 

To  conclude, — 1 .  In  all  I  have  said,  I  put  a 
diflerence  between  my  brethren  of  the  baptized 
way ;  I  Icnow  some  are  more  moderate  than  some. 

2.  When  I  plead  for  the  unbaptized,  I  chiefly 
intend  those  that  are  not  so  baptized  as  my  bre- 
thren judge  right,  according  to  the  first  pattern. 

3.  If  any  shall  count  my  papers  worth  the  scrib- 
bling against,  let  him  deal  with  my  arguments, 
and  things  immediately  depending  upon  them,  and 
not  conclude  that  he  hath  confuted  a  book,  when 
he  hath  only  quarrelled  at  words.  4.  I  have  done 
when  I  have  told  you,  that  I  strive  not  for  mastery, 
nor  to  shew  myself  singular ;  but,  if  it  might  be, 
for  union  and  commimion  among  the  godly.  And 
count  me  not  as  an  enemy,  because  I  tell  you  the 
truth.  5.  And  now,  dissenting  brethren,  I  com- 
mend you  to  God,  who  can  pardon  your  sin,  and 
give  you  more  grace,  and  an  inheritance  among 
them  that  are  sanctified  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 


Here  followeth  Mr.  Henry  Jessey's  Judgment 
upon  the  same  argument. 

*  Him  that  is  loeah  in  the  faith  receive  ye,'  &c. — 
Rom.  xiv.  1. 

Whereas  some  suppose  the  receiving  there  men- 
tioned, was  but  receiving  into  brotherly  affection, 
such  as  were  in  church  fellowship ;  but  not  a 
receiving  of  such  as  were  weak  into  the  church. 
ITor  answer  unto  which  consider. 

That  in  the  texts  are  two  things  to  be  inquired 
into.  First,  What  wealcness  of  faith  this  is,  that 
must  not  hinder  receiving.  Secondly,  By  whom, 
and  to  what,  he  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  is  to  be 
received  ? 

First,  To  the  first.  What  weakness  of  faith  this 
is  that  must  not  hinder  receiving,  whether  was  it 
vreakness  in  the  graces  of  faith,  or  in  the  docti'ine 
of  faith  ?  It  is  conceived  that  the  first  is  included, 
but  the  second  principally  intended. 

1.  That  some  of  the  Lord's  people  are  weak  in 
the  graces  of  faith,  will  be  confessed  by  all ;  Mw.  k. 
21.  and  Lu.  xxiv.  25.  and  that  the  Lord  would  have 


his  lambs  fed  as  well  as  his  sheep,  and  his  chil- 
dren as  AveU  as  grown  men,  and  that  he  hath  given 
the  right  to  gospel  privileges,  not  to  degrees  of 
grace,  but  to  the  truth;  ' him  that  is  luealc  in  the 
faith  receive  ye : '  or  mito  you,  as  some  good  trans- 
lations read  it.*  Eo.  xiv.  i. 

2.  It  is  supposed,  that  this  command  of  recelvin"" 
him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith,  doth  principally  in- 
tend, that  is  weak  in  the  doctrine  of  faith,  and  that 
not  so  much  in  the  doctrine  of  justification,  as  in 
gospel  institutions,  as  doth  appear  by  the  second 
and  sixth  verses :  which  shew,  that  it  was  in  mat- 
ters of  practice,  wherein  some  were  weak,  and  at 
which  others  were  offended ;  notwithstanding  the 
glorious  Lord  who  bears  aU  his  Israel  upon  his 
heart  receives  them  (yer.  3.)  and  commandeth,  '  him 
that  is  Aveak  in  the  faith  receive  ye, '  or  unto  you. 

Second,  Therefore,  here  we  are  to  inquire  of  the 
receiving  in  the  text.  By  whom,  and  to  Avhat  he 
that  is  weak  in  the  faith,  should  be  received.  In 
which  inquiry  there  are  two  parts.  1.  By  whom. 
2.  To  what. 

1.  To  the  first.  The  text  makes  answer,  '  Him 
that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  ye,'  or  imto  you ; 
which  must  be  the  church  at  Rome,  to  whom  the 
epistle  was  writ ;  as  also  to  aU  '  beloved  of  God, 
called  to  he  saints. '  Ro.  i.  7.  And  as  to  them,  so 
unto  all  churches  and  saints.  Beloved  and  called 
throughout  the  world. 

Note,  That  epistles  are  as  well  to  direct  how 
churches  are  to  carry  things  towards  saints  with- 
out, as  to  saints  within ;  and  also  toward  all  men 
so  as  to  give  no  offence  to  Jew  or  Gentile,  nor  to 
the  church  of  God.  1  Co.  x.  32. 

2.  The  second  part  of  the  inquiry  is,  to  what  he 
that  is  weak  in  the  faith  is  to  be  received  ?  whe- 
ther only  unto  mutual  affection,  as  some  affirm, 
as  if  he  were  in  church  fellowship  before,  that 
Avere  weak  in  the  faith?  Or  whether  the  text 
doth  as  well,  if  not  rather  intend,  the  receiving 
such  as  were,  and  are  weak  in  the  faith,  Not  only 
unto  mutual  affection  if  in  the  church,  but  unto 
church  fellowship  also,  if  they  were  out.  For 
clearing  of  which  consider,  to  whom  the  epistle 
was  written.  Ro.  i.  7.  Not  only  to  the  church  there, 
but  unto  all  that  were  beloved  of  God,  and  called 
to  be  saints  in  all  ages.  And  as  at  Rome  it  is  like 
there  then  were,  and  in  other  places  no'iV  are, 
saints  weak  in  the  faith,  both  in  and  out  of  church 
fellowship  ;  and  it  is  probable  there  then  were,  and 
elsewhere  now  are,  those  that  will  cast  such  out  of 


*  Tyndale,  and  all  tie  early  English  translations,  render  it 
'unto  you,'  until  tlie  Elisabetlian  State  Bible,  called  the 
Bishop's,  in  15G8.  Do  not  the  words  lucau  that  Christiana 
are  to  receive  such  as  are  weak  in  the  faith  into  their  hearts 
by  love,  -nithout  troubling  theii"  heads  with  perplexing  dis- 
putes?—Ed. 


DIFFERENCES  ABOL'T  WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


643 


their  mutual  affection.  And  if  tliey  Avill  cast  sucli 
out  of  tlieir  mutual  affection  that  are  within,  no 
douht  they  will  keep  out  of  their  church  fellowship 
those  that  are  without. 

Arg.  1.  Whereas  the  Lord's  care  extends  to  all 
his,  and  if  it  were  a  good  argument  in  the  third 
verse,  for  them  to  receive  those  within,  hecause 
God  hath  received  them,  it  would  he  as  good  an 
argument  to  receive  in  those  without,  for  God  hath 
received  them  also :  unless  it  could  be  proved,  that 
all  that  were  and  are  weak  in  the  faith,  were  and 
are  in  church  fellowship,  which  is  not  likely :  for 
if  they  would  cast  such  out  of  their  affection  that 
are  within,  they  would  upon  the  same  account 
keep  them  out  of  church  fellowship  that  were 
without :  therefore  as  it  is  a  duty  to  receive  those 
within  unto  mutual  affection,  so  it  is  no  less  a 
duty,  by  the  text,  to  receive  such  weak  ones  as 
are  without,  into  church  fellowship. 

Arg.  2.  Is  in-ged  from  the  words  themselves, 
which  are,  '  Receive  him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith;' 
wherein  the  Lord  puts  no  limitation  in  this  text  or 
in  any  other ;  and  who  is  he  then  that  can  restrain 
it,  miless  he  Avdl  limit  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  ? 
And  how  would  such  an  interpretation  foolishly 
charge  the  Lord,  as  if  he  took  care  oxly  of  those 
within,  hut  not  like  care  of  those  without;  Avhereas 
he  commandeth  them  to  receive  them,  and  useth 
this  motive,  he  had  received  them,  and  he  receiveth 
those  that  are  weak  in  the  faith,  if  without,  as  well 
as  those  within. 

From  the  example,  to  wit,  That  God  had  re- 
ceived them ;  whereas  had  he  been  of  the  chm-ch, 
they  would  have  been  persuaded  of  that  before  the 
motive  was  urged :  for  no  true  church  of  Christ's 
■would  take  in,  or  keep  in  any,  whom  they  judged 
the  Lord  had  not  received ;  but  those  weak  ones 
were  such  as  they  questioned  whether  the  Lord 
had  received  them,  else  the  text  had  not  been  an 
answer  sufficient  for  their  receiving  them :  There 
might  have  been  objected,  they  hold  up  Jewish 
observations  of  meats  and  days,  which  by  the 
death  of  Christ  were  abolished,  and  so  did  deny 
some  of  the  effects  of  his  death  ;  yet  the  Lord  who 
was  principally  wronged  could  pass  this  by,  and 
commandeth  others  to  receive  them  also.  And  if 
it  be  a  good  argument  to  receive  such  as  are  weak 
in  any  thing,  whom  the  Lord  hath  received,  then 
there  can  be  no  good  argument  to  reject  for  any 
thing  for  which  the  Lord  wiU  not  reject  them: 
for  else  the  command  in  the  first  verse,  and  his 
example  in  the  third  verse  were  insufficient,  with- 
out some  other  arguments  unto  the  church,  besides 
his  command  and  example. 

Some  object,  'Receive  ye  one  another,  as 
Christ  also  received  us  to  the  glory  of  God.' 
Ko.  XV.  7.  And  from  thence  supposing  tliey  Avere  all 
in  church  fellowship  before,  whereas  the  text  saith 


f^ 


not  so :  for  if  you  consider  the  eighth  and  ninth 
verses,  you  may  see  he  speaks  unto  Jews  and 
Gentiles  in  general,  that  if  the  Jews  had  the 
receiving,  they  should  receive  Gentiles ;  and  if  the 
Gentiles  had  the  receiving,  they  should  receive  JeVs, 
for  had  they  not  been  on  both  sides  commanded: 
the  Jews  might  have  said  to  the  Gentiles,  you  are 
commanded  to  receive  us,  but  we  are  not  com- 
manded to  receive  you ;  and  if  the  Aveak  had  the 
receiving,  they  should  receive  the  strong;  and  if 
the  strong  had  the  receiving,  they  should  not  keep 
out  the  Aveak ;  and  the  text  is  reinforced  v.'ith  the 
example  of  the  Son's  receiving  us  unto  the  glory 
of  God,  that  as  he  receiveth  JeAvs  and  poor  Gen- 
tiles, weak  and  strong,  in  church  fellowship,  or 
out  of  church  fellowship ;  so  shoidd  they  to  the 
glory  of  God.  And  as  the  Lord  Jesus  received 
some,  though  they  held  some  things  more  than 
were  commanded,  and  some  things  less  than  were 
commanded,  and  as  those  that  Avere  weak  and  in 
church  fellowship,  so  those  that  Avere  Aveak  and 
out  of  church  feUoAvsliip ;  and  that  not  only  into 
mutual  affection,  but  unto  felloAvship  with  himself; 
and  so  should  they,  not  only  receive  such  as  Avere 
weak  Avithin  into  mutual  affection,  hut  such  as 
Avere  without,  both  to  mutual  affection  and  to 
church  fellowship:  or  else  such  weak  ones  as 
Avere  Avithout,  had  been  excluded  by  the  text.  Oh ! 
hoAv  is  the  heart  of  God  the  Father  and  the  Son 
set  upon  this,  to  have  his  children  in  his  house, 
and  in  one  another's  hearts  as  they  are  in  his,  and 
are  borne  upon  the  shoulders  and  breasts  of  his 
Son  their  high  priest  ?  and  as  if  all  this  Avill  not 
do  it,  but  the  devil  Avill  diA'ide  them  still,  whose 
work  it  properly  is ;  But  '  the  God  of  peace  '  Avill 
come  in  shortly,  '  and  bruise  Satan  under  their 
feet,'  as  in  Ko.  xvi.  so.  And  they  will  agree  to  be 
in  one  house,  Avhen  they  ai'e  more  of  one  heart ; 
in  the  mean  time  pray,  as  in  ch.  sv.  5.  '  Noav  the 
God  of  patience  and  consolation  grant  you  to  be 
like-minded  one  toward  another  according  to  Christ 
Jesus.' 

I  shall  endeavour  the  answering  of  some  objec- 
tions, and  leave  it  unto  consideration. 

Objed.  Some  say  this  bearing  or  rcceiA'Ing,  were 
hut  in  things  indifferent. 

Answ.  That  eating,  or  forbearing  upon  a  civil 
account,  are  things  indifferent,  is  true:  but  not 
when  done  upon  the  account  of  Avorslwp,  as  keeping 
of  days,  and  estabUshmg  Jewish  observations  about 
meats,  which  by  the  death  of  Christ  are  taken 
away ;  and  it  is  not  fairly  to  be  imagined  the  same 
church  at  Rome  looked  so  upon  them  as  indifferent; 
nor  that  the  Lord  doth ;  that  it  Avcre  aU  alike  to 
him  to  hold  up  Jewish  observations,  or  to  keep 
days  or  no  days,  right  days  or  Avrong  days,  as 
indifferent  things,  which  is  a  great  mistake,  and 
no  less  than  to  make  God's  grace  little  in  receiving 


GU 


DIMERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


such.  For  if  it  were  but  in  tilings  wherein  they 
had  not  sinned,  it  were  no  great  matter  for  the 
Lord  to  receive,  and  it  would  have  been  as  good 
an  argument  or  motive  to  the  church,  to  say  the 
things  were  indiiferent,  as  to  say  the  Lord  had 
received  them.  Whereas  the  text  is  to  set  out 
the  riches  of  grace  to  the  vessels  of  mercy,  as 
Ro.  ix.  15.  That  as  at  first  he  did  freely  choose  and 
accept  them ;  so  when  they  fail  and  miscarry  in 
many  things,  yea  about  his  worship  also,  although 
he  be  most  injured  thereby,  yet  he  is  fii-st  in  passing 
it  by,  and  persuading  others  to  do  the  like.  That 
as  the  good  Samaritan  did  in  the  Old  Testament,* 
so  our  good  Samaritan  doth  in  the  New,  when 
priest  and  Levite  passed  by,  pastor  and  people 
pass  by,  yet  he  will  not,  but  pours  in  oil,  and 
carries  them  to  his  inn,  and  calls  for  receiving, 
and  setting  it  upon  his  account. 

Object.  That  this  bearing  with,  and  receiving 
such  as  are  weak  in  the  faith,  must  be  limited  to 
meats  and  days,  and  such  like  things  that  had  been 
old  Jewish  observations,  but  not  unto  the  being 
ignorant  in,  or  doubting  of  any  New  Testament 
institution. 

Answ.  Where  the  Lord  puts  no  limitation,  men 
should  be  wary  how  they  do  it,  for  they  must  have 
a  command  or  example,  before  they  can  limit  this 
connnand ;  for  although  the  Lord  took  this  occa- 
sion from  their  difference  about  meats  and  days  to 
give  this  command,  yet  the  command  is  not  limited 
there,  no  more  than  Mat.  xii.  1—8.  That  when  they 
made  use  of  his  good  law  rigorously  in  the  letter, 
he  presently  published  an  act  of  grace  in  the  7th 
verse,  and  tells  them.  Had  they  known  what  this 
meaneth,  '  I  will  have  mercy  and  not  sacrifice, ' 
they  would  not  have  condemned  the  guiltless  ;  as 
also  Mat.  k  13.  •  Go  ye  and  learn  what  that  meaneth, 
I  will  have  mercy  and  not  sacrifice,'  which  is  not 
to  be  limited  unto  what  was  the  present  occasion 
of  publishing  the  command,  but  observed  as  a 
general  rule  upon  all  occasions,  wherein  mercy 
and  sacrifice  comes  in  competition,  to  shew  the 
Lord  Avill  rather  have  a  duty  omitted  that  is  due 
to  him,  than  mercy  to  his  creatures  omitted  by 
them.  So  in  the  text,  when  some  would  not 
receive  such  as  were  weak  in  the  faith,  as  to 
matters  of  practice,  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  pub- 
lish this  act  of  grace :  *  Him  that  is  Aveak  in  the 
faith  receive  ye,  but  not  to  doubtful  disputations. ' 
Now  unless  it  be  proved,  that  no  saint  can  be  weak 
in  the  faith  in  any  thing  but  meats  and  days,  or 
iu  some  Old  Testament  observations,  and  that  he 
ought  not  to  be  judged  a  saint  that  is  weak  in  the 
faith  as  it  relates  to  gospel  institutions,  in  matters 
of  practice ;    you  cannot  limit  the  text,  and  you 

Under  the  Old  Testament  dispensation ;  tlie  parable  or 
history  is  recorded  in  Luke  s.— Ed. 


m^ 


must  also  prove  his  weakness  sucir,  as  that  the 
Lord  will  not  receive  him ;  else  the  command  in 
the  first  verse,  and  the  reason  'or  motive  in  the 
third  verse,  will  both  be  in  force  upon  you ;  to  wit, 
'  Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  ye,'  or 
unto  you,  -  '  for  God  hath  received  him.' 

Object.  But  some  may  object  from  i Co. xii.  13.  'For 
by  one  spirit  are  we  all  baptized  into  one  body, 
whether  we  be  Jews  or  Gentiles.  Some  there  are 
that  aftirm  this  to  be  meant  of  water  baptism,  and 
that  particular  churches  are  formed  thereby,  and 
all  persons  are  to  be  admitted  and  joined  unto 
such  churches  by  water  baptism. 

Answ.  That  the  baptism  intended  in  the  text  is 
the  Spirit's  baptism,  and  not  water  baptism ;  and 
that  the  body  the  text  intends,  is  not  principally 
the  church  of  Corinth,  but  all  believers,  both  Jews 
and  Gentiles,  being  baptized  into  one  mystical 
body,  as  Ep.  iv.  4.  '  There  is  one  body  and  one 
Spirit,'  wherein  there  is  set  out  the  uniter  and  the 
united ;  therefore  in  the  third  verse  they  are  ex- 
horted to  keep  the  imity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond 
of  peace.  The  united  are  all  the  faithful  in  one 
body ;  into  whom  ?  in  the  fifth  verse,  in  one  Lord 
Jesus  Christ :  by  what  ?  one  faith,  one 
baptism,  which  CANNOT  be  meant  of  water 
baptism  ;  for  Avater  baptism  doth  not  unite  all  this 
body,  for  some  of  them  never  had  water  baptism, 
and  are  yet  of  this  body,  and  by  the  Spirit  gathered 
into  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  Ep. l.  lo.  'both  which 
are  in  heaven  and  in  earth,'  JeAV  and  Gentile, 
Ep.  ii.  16.  '  that  he  might  reconcile  both  unto  God 
in  one  body  by  the  cross. '  The  instrument  you 
have  in  ver.  18.  'by  one  spirit.'  Ep.  iil.  6.  'That  the 
Gentiles  should  be  fellow-heirs,  and  of  the  same 
body.'  Ycr.  15.  '  Of  Avhom  the  whole  family  in  hea- 
ven and  earth  is  named.'  And  the  reasons  of 
their  keeping  'the  unity  of  the  Spirit,'  in  Ep.  iv.  3.  is 
laid  down  in  ver. 4, 5.  being  'one  body,'  'one  Spirit,' 
having  'one  hope,*  'one  Lord,'  '  one  faith,'  'one 
baptism,'  whether  they  were  Jews  or  Gentiles, 
such  as  were  in  heaven  or  in  earth,  which 
CANNOT  be  meant  of  water  baptism,  for  in 
that  sense  they  had  not  all  one  baptism,  nor 
admitted  and  united  thereby.  So  in  l  Co.  xii.  13. '  For 
by  one  Spirit  wc  are  all  baptized  into  one  body, 
whether  we  be  Jews  or  Gentiles,  whether  we  be 
^^^.^  bond  or  free ;  and  have  been  all  made  to 
drink  into  one  Spirit;'  which  cannot  be 
meant  of  Avater  baptism,  in  regard  all  the  body  of 
Christ,  JeAvs  and  Gentiles,,  bond  and  free,  partook 
not  thereof. 

Object.  But  Ep.  iv.  5.  saith,  there  is  but  '  one  bap- 
ti.sm;'  and  by  what  hath  been  said,  if  granted, 
Avater  baptism  will  be  excluded,  or  else  there  is 
more  baptisms  than  one. 

Answ.  It  foUoAveth  not  that  because  the  Spirit 
will  have  no  corrival,  that  therefore  other  thinga 


j/Kr" 


DIFFERENCES  AEOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


643 


may  not  be  in  their  places.  Tliat  iDecanse  the 
Spirit  of  God  taketh  the  pre-eminence,  therefore 
other  things  may  not  be  subservient,  l  Jn.  ii.  27.  The 
■apostle  tells  them,  That  the  anointing  which  they 
have  received  of  him,  abideth  in  them ;  and  j-'ou 
need  not,  saith  he,  '  that  any  man  teach  you,  but 
as  the  same  anointing  teacheth  you  of  all  things.' 
By  this  some  may  think  John  excludes  the  minis- 
try ;  no  such  matter,  though  the  Holy  Ghost  had 
confirmed  and  instructed  them  so  in  the  truth  of 
the  gospel,  as  that  they  were  furnished  against 
seducers  in  ver.  26.  yet  you  see  John  goes  on  still 
teaching  them  in  many  things :  as  also  in  Ep.  iv.  11 
—13.  '  He  gave  some,  apostles ;  -  some  evangelists, 
and  some  pastors,  and  teachers ;  for  the  perfecting 
of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the 
edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ :  Till  we  all  come  in 
the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure 
of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ.'  So  in 
the  Spirit's  baptism,  though  it  have  the  pre-emi- 
nence, and  appropriateth  some  things,  as  peculiar 
to  itself,  it  doth  not  thereby  destroy  the  use  and 
end  of  water  baptism,  or  any  other  ordinance  in 
its  place :  for  water  baptism  is  a  means  to  increase 
grace,  and  in  it,  and  by  it  sanctification  is  for- 
warded, and  remission  of  sins  more  cleared  and 
witnessed ;  yet  the  giving  grace,  and  regenerating 
and  renewing,  is  the  Holy  Spirit's  peculiar.  Con- 
sider Tit  iii.  5.  '  By  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and 
renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost;'  Baptism  being  the 
outward  sign  of  the  inward  graces  wrought  by  the 
Spirit,  a  representation  or  figure,  as  in  1  Pe.  iii.  21. 
*  The  like  figure  whereunto  even  baptism  doth  also 
now  save  us  [not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of 
the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience 
toward  God,]  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ;' 
not  excluding  water  baptism ;  but  shewing,  That 
the  spiritual  part  is  chiefly  to  be  looked  at :  though 
such  as  shght  water  baptism,  as  the  Pharisees  and 
lavt'yers  did,  Lu.  m  30.  reject  the  counsel  of  God 
against  themselves,  not  being  baptized.  And 
such  as  would  set  water  baptism  in  the  Spirit's 
place,  exalt  a  duty  against  the  deity  and  dignity 
of  the  Spirit,  and  do  give  the  glory  due  unto  him, 
as  God  blessed  for  ever,  imto  a  duty. 

By  which  mistake  of  setting  up  water  baptism 
in  the  Spirit's  place,  and  assigning  it  a  work,  Avhich 
was  never  appointed  unto  it ;  of  forming  the  body 
of  Christ,  either  in  general,  as  in  1  Co.  xiu  13.  Ep.  iv.  5. 
or  as  to  particular  churches  of  Christ,  we  may  see 
the  fruit ;  that  instead  of  being  the  means  of  unit- 
ing as  the  Spirit  doth  ;  that  it  hath  not  only  rent' 
his  seamless  coat,  but  divided  his  body  which  he 
hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood,  and  opposed 
that  great  design  of  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  in 
uniting  poor  saints,  thereby  pulling  in  pieces  what 
the  Spirit  hath  put  together.     '  Him  that  is  weak 


in  the  faith  receive  ye,  -  for  God  hath  received 
him;'  being  such  as  the  Spirit  had  baptized  and 
admitted  of  the  body  of  Christ,  he  would  have  his 
churches  receive  them  also  :  Avhose  baptism  is  the 
^^^^^  OKLY  baptism,  and  so  is  called  the  OXB  bap- 
-^  ^  tism.  Therefore  consider,  whether  such  a 
practice,  hath  a  command  or  an  example,  that  per- 
sons must  be  joined  into  church  fellowship  by  water 
baptism ;  for  John  baptized  many,  yet  he  did  not 
baptize  some  into  one  church,  and  some  into  an- 
other, nor  all  into  one  church,  as  the  church  of  Rome 
doth.  And  into  what  church  did  Philip  baptize  the 
eunuch,  or  the  apostle  the  jailor  and  his  house  ? 
And  all  the  rest  they  baptized,  were  they  not  left 
free  to  join  themselves  for  their  convenience  and 
edification  ?  AU  which  I  leave  to  consideration. 
I  might  have  named  some  inconveniences,  if  not 
absurdities  that  would  follow  the  assertion :  as  to 
father  the  mistakes  of  the  baptizers  on  the  Spirit's 
act,  who  is  not  mistaken  in  any  HE  baptizeth ;  no 
false  brethren  creep  in  unawares  into  the  mystical 
body  by  him ;  and  also,  how  this  manner  of  form- 
ing churches  would  suit  a  country,  where  many 
are  converted,  and  willing  to  be  baptized ;  but 
there  being  no  church  to  be  baptized  into,  how 
shall  such  a  church  state  begin?  The  first  must 
be  baptized  into  no  church,  and  the  rest  into  him 
as  the  church,  or  the  work  stand  still  for  want  of 
a  church. 

Object.  *  But  God  is  a  God  of  order,  and  hath 
ordained  order  in  all  the  chm'ches  of  Christ ;  and 
for  to  receive  one  that  holds  the  baptism  he  had 
in  his  infancy,  there  is  no  command  nor  example 
for,  and  by  the  same  rule  children  will  be  brought 
in  to  be  church  members.' 

A')isw.  That  God  is  a  God  of  order,  and  hath 
ordained  orders  in  aU  the  churches  of  Christ  is 
true ;  and  that  tliis  is  one  of  the  orders  to  receive 
him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith,  is  as  true.  And 
though  there  be  no  example  or  command,  in  so 
many  words,  receive  such  an  one  that  holds  the 
baptism  he  had  in  his  infancy,  nor  to  reject  such 
a  one :  but  there  is  a  command  to  receive  him  that 
is  weak  in  the  faith,  without  limitation,  and  it  i.s 
like  this  might  not  be  a  doubt  in  those  days,  and 
so  not  spoken  of  in  particular. 

But  the  Lord  provides  a  remedy  for  all  times  in 
the  text,  '  Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive 
ye;'  for  else  receiving  would  not  be  upon  the  ac- 
count of  saintship ;  but  upon  knowing,  and  domg 
all  things  according  to  ride  and  order,  and  that 
must  be  perfectly,  else  for  to  deny  any  thing, 
or  to  afiirm  too  much  is  disorderly,  and  would 
hinder  receiving :  but  the  Lord  deals  not  so  with 
his  people,  but  accounts  '  love  the  iidfilling  of  the 
law,'  though  they  be  ignorant  in  many  things 
both  as  to  knowing  and  doing ;  and  receives  them 
into  communion  and  felluwsLip  with  himself,  and 


G'16 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  WATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 


x\^oiJ(l  have  others  do  the  same  also.  And  if  he 
v/oiild  have  so  much  hearing  in  the  apostle's  days, 
when  they  had  infallible  helps  to  expomid  truths 
tmto  them,  much  more  now,  the  church  hath  been 
so  long  in  the  wilderness  and  in  captivity,  and  not 
that  his  people  should  he  driven  away  in  the  dark 
day,  though  they  are  sick  and  weak.  Eze.  xxxiv.  le,  21. 
And  that  it  should  he  supposed  such  tenderness 
would  bring  in  children  in  age  1 1  he  church  mem- 
bers, yea  and  welcome,  if  any  body  could  prove 
them  in  the  faith,  though  never  so  weak ;  for  the 
text  is,  '  Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith,  receive  ye : ' 
It  is  not  He,  and  his  wife  and  children,  unless  it 
can  be  proved  they  are  in  the  faith. 

Object.  '  By  this,  some  ordinances  may  he  lost 
or  omitted,  and  is  it  to  be  supposed  the  Lord  would 
suffer  any  of  his  ordinances  to  be  lost  or  omitted 
in  the  Old  or  'New  Testament,  or  the  right  use  of 
them,  and  yet  own  such  for  true  churches,  and 
what  reason  can  there  be  for  it  ?' 

Answ.  The  Lord  hatk  suffered  some  ordinances 
to  be  omitted  and  lost  in  the  Old  Testament,  and 
yet  owned  the  church.  Though  circumcision  Avere 
omitted  in  the  wilderness,  yet  he  owned  them  to 
be  his  church ;  Ac.  vii.  38.  and  many  of  the  ordinances 
were  lost  in  the  captivity:  see  Ainsworth.  upon 
Ex.  xxviii.;  X.XX.  &LC.  which  shewcd  what  the  high- 
priest  was  to  put  on,  and  were  not  to  be  omitted 
upon  pain  of  death,  as  the  Urim  and  Thummim, 
yet  being  lost,  and  several  other  ordinances,  the 
ark,  with  the  mercy-seat  and  cherubims,  the  fire 
from  heaven,  the  majesty  and  divine  presence,  &,c. 
yet,  he  owns  the  second  temple,  though,  short  of 
the  first,  and  filled  it  with  his  glory,  and  honoured 
it  with  his  Son,  being  a  member  and  a  minister 
therein,  Mai.  iii.  1.  '  The  Lord  whom  ye  seek  shall 
suddenly  come  to  his  temple : '  So  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament, since  their  wilderness  condition,  and  great 
and  long  captivity,  there  is  some  darkness  and 
doubts,  and  want  of  light  in  the  best  of  the  Lord's 
people,  in  many  of  his  ordinances,  and  that  for 
several  ages,  and  yet  how  hath  the  Lord  owned 
them  for  his  churches,  wherein  he  is  to  have  glory 
and  praise  '  throughout  all  ages. '  Ep.  iii.  21.  And  so 
should  we  own  them,  unless  we  will  condemn  the 
generation  of  the  just.  It  must  be  confessed, 
That  if  exact  practice  be  required,  and  clearness 
in  gospel  institutions  before  communion;  who  dare 
be  so  bold  as  to  say  his  hands  are  clean,  and 
that  he  hath  done  all  the  Lord's  commands,  as  to 
institutions  in  his  worship  ?  and  must  not  confess 
the  change  of  times  doth  necessitate  some  variation, 
if  not  alteration,  either  in  the  matter  or  manner  of 
things  according  to  primitive  practice ;  yet  owned 
for  true  churches,  and  received  as  visible  saints, 
though  ignorant  cither  wholly,  or  in  great  measure, 
in  laying  on  of  hands,  singing,  washing  of  feet, 
and  anointing  with  oil,  in  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit, 


which  is  the  Urim  and  Thummim  of  the  gospel. 
And  it  cannot  be  proved,  that  the  churches  were 
so  ignorant  in  the  primitive  times,  nor  yet  that 
such  were  received  into  fellowship  ;  yet  now  herein 
it  is  thought  meet  their  should  be  bearing,  and 
why  not  in  baptism,  especially  in  such  as  own  it 
for  an  ordinance,  though  in  some  things  miss  it, 
and  do  yet  shew  their  love  unto  it,  and  unto  the 
Lord,  and  unto  his  law  therein,  that  they  could  be 
willing  to  die  for  it  rather  than  to  deny  it ;  and  to 
be  baptized  in  their  blood ;  which  sheweth,  they 
hold  it  in  conscience  their  diity,  while  they  have 
further  light  from  above,  and  are  Avilliug  to  hear 
and  obey  as  far  as  they  know,  thougli  weak  in  the 
faith,  as  to  clearness  in  gospel  institutions :  surely 
the  text  is  on  their  side,  or  else  it  will  exclude  all 
the  former,  •  Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive 
ye,  -  but  not  to  doubtful  disputations. '  Uo.  xiv.  5.  Let 
every  man  be  fully  persuaded  in  his  own  mind,  and 
such  the  Lord  hath  received. 

As  to  the  query.  What  reason  is  there,  why  the 
Lord  should  sufler  any  of  his  ordinances  to  be  lost  ? 

Aiisio.  If  there  were  no  reason  to  be  shewn,  it 
should  teach  us  silence,  for  he  doth  nothing  without 
the  highest  reason  ;  and  there  doth  appear  some 
reasons  in  the  Old  Testament,  why  those  ordinances 
of  Urim  and  Thummim,  &,c.  were  suffered  to  be 
lost  in  the  captivity,  that  they  might  long  and 
look  for  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  priest,  that  Avas  to 
stand  up  Avith  Urim  and  Thummim,  Ezr.  ii.  63.  Ke.  rii. 
65.  Avhich  the  Lord  by  this  puts  them  upon  the 
hoping  for,  and  to  be  in  the  expectation  of  so  great 
a  mercy,  Avhich.  was  the  promise  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  all  the  churches  losses  in  the  New 
Testament.  By  all  the  dark  night  of  ignorance 
she  hath  been  in,  and  long  captivity  she  hath  been 
under,  and  in  her  Avandering  wilderness  state, 
wherein  she  hath  rather  been  fed  Avith  manna  from 
heaven,  than  by  men  upon  earth  ;  and  after  all 
her  crosses  and  losses,  the  Lord  lets  light  break 
in  by  degrees,  and  deliverance  by  little  and  little ; 
and  she  is  '  coming  out  of  the  wilderness  leaning 
upon  her  beloA'cd;'  and  the  Lord  hath  giA'cn  the 
valley  of  Achor  for  a  door  of  hope,  that  ere  long- 
she  may  receive  the  promise  of  the  gospel  richl}'-, 
by  the  Spirit,  to  be  poured  upon  us  from  on  high, 
Is.  xxxii.  15.  and  the  Avilderness  be  a  fruitfid  field, 
and  the  fruitful  field  become  a  forest,  and  then  the 
Lord  will  take  away  the  coA'^ering  cast  over  all 
people.  Is.  XXV.  7.  and  the  vail  that  is  spread  over  all 
nations;  Is  .xi. 9.  'For  the  earth,  shall  be  full  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the 
sea. '  ver.  13.  Then  '  Ephraim  shall  not  envy  Judah, 
and  Judah  shall  not  vex  Ephraim.'  Thus  will  the 
God  of  peace  bruise  Satan  imder  foot  shortly ;  and 
one  reason  why  the  Lord  may  suffer  all  this  dark- 
ness and  differences  that  have  been,  and  yet  are, 
is,  that  Ave  might  long  and  look  for  this  blessed 


DIFFERENCES  ABOUT  TTATER  BAPTISM,  NO  BAR  TO  COMJIUNION. 


Ci7 


promise  of  tlie  gospel,  tlie  poimngs  out  of  tlie 
Spirit. 

Ohied.  But  many  authors  do  judge,  that  the 
Aveak  and  sttong  were  all  in  church  fellowship 
before,  and  that  the  receiving,  Ko.  xiv.  i.  was  but 
into  mutual  affection. 

Answ.  It  ought  to  be  seriously  weighed  how 
any  differ  from  so  many  worthy  authors,  is  con- 
fessed ;  to  whom  the  world  is  so  much  beholden 
for  their  help  in  many  things ;  but  it  would  be  of 
dangerous  consequence  to  take  all  for  granted 
they  say,  and  unlike  the  noble  Bereans.  Ac.  xvii.  ii. 
Though  they  had  some  infalhble  teachers,  yet 
they  took  not  their  words  or  doctrine  upon  trust ; 
and  there  may  be  more  ground  to  question  exposi- 
tors on  this  text,  in  regard  their  principles  neces- 
sitate them  to  judge  that  the  sense ;  for  if  it  be 
in  their  judgments  a  duty  to  compel  all  to  come 
in,  and  to  receive  all,  and  their  children,  they  must 
needs  judge  by  that  text,  they  were  all  of  the 
chm-ch,  and  in  fellowship,  before  their  scrupling 
meats  and  days,  because  that  is  an  act  of  grown 
persons  at  years  of  discretion ;  and  therefore  the 
receiving  is  judged  by  them  to  be  only  into  mutual 
affection,  for  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  hold  their 
opinion,  and  judge  otherwise  of  the  text;  for  in 
baptism,  they  judge  infants  should  be  received  mto 
chm-ch  fellowship  ;  and  then  scrupling  meats  and 
days  must  needs  be  after  joining.  Their  judgments 
might  as  well  be  taken,  that  it  is  a  duty  to  baptize 
infants,  as  that  they  can  judge  of  this  text  rightly, 
and  hold  their  practice. 

Object.  But  no  uncircumcised  person  was  to  eat 
the  passover.  Ex.  xii.  And  doth  not  the  Lord  as  well 
require  the  sign  of  baptism  now,  as  of  circumcision 
then  ?  and  is  there  not  like  reason  for  it? 

A)isw.  The  Lord,  in  the  Old  Testament,  expressly 
commanded  no  uncircumcised  person  should  eat 
the  passover,  Ex.  xii.  48.  and  in  Eze.xiiv.  9.  that  no 
stranger,  uncircumcised  in  heart,  or  uncircumcised 
in  flesh,  should  enter  into  his  sanctuary.*     And 

*  "We  cannot  offer  to  God  any  acceptable  sacrifice  until 
spiritually  baptizetl.  First  joined  to  God  by  a  living  faith  in 
tbe  atoning  sacrifice  of  Christ,  and  then  biinging  forth  the 
t'uits  of  this  internal  and  xnurifying  baptism,  we  must  give 
Gur.selves  to  his  church  in  the  bonds  of  the  gospel. — ^Ed. 


had  the  Lord  commanded,  that  no  unbaptlzed 
person  should  enter  into  his  churches,  it  had  been 
clear.  And  no  doubt,  Christ  was  as  faithful  as  a 
son  in  all  his  house,  as  Moses  was  as  a  servant ; 
and  although  there  had  been  little  reason,  if  the 
Lord  had  commanded  it  so  to  be,  yet  in  God's 
worship  we  must  not  make  the  likeness  of  any 
thing  in  our  reason,  but  the  will  of  God,  the  ground 
of  duty ;  for  upon  such  a  foundation  some  would 
build  the  baptizing  of  infants,  because  it  would  be 
like  unto  circumcision,  and  so  break  the  second 
commandment,  in  making  the  likeness  of  things 
of  their  own  contrivance,  of  force  with  institutions 
in  the  worship  of  God. 

The  most  that  I  think  can  be  said  is,  That  we 
have   no   gospel   example   for   receiving   without 
baptism,  or  rejecting  any  for  want  of  it.     There- 
fore it  is  desired,  what  hath  been  said,  may  be 
considered  ;  lest  while  we  look  for  an  example,  we 
do  not  overlook  a  command  upon  a  mistake,  sup- 
posing that  they  were  all  in  church  fellowship 
before ;  whereas  the  text  saith  not  so,  but,  '  Him 
that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  ye,'  or  unto  you. 
We  may  see  also  how  the  Lord  proceeds  under 
the  law,  though  he  accounts  those  things  that  were 
done    contrary  to   his   law,  smfid,   though    done 
ignorantly ;  yet  never  required  the  offender  to  offer 
sacrifice  till  he  knew  thereof.  Le.  v.  5.  comp.  with 
vcr.  15,  IG.   And  that  miay  be  a  man's  own  sin  through 
his  ignorance ;  that  though  it  may  be  another's 
duty  to  endeavour  to  inform  him  m,  yet  not  tliere- 
upon  to  keep  hun  out  of  his  Father's  house ;  for 
surely  the  Lord  would  not  have  any  of  his  children 
kept  out,  without  we  have  a  word  for  it.     And 
though  they  scruple  some  meats  in  their  Father's 
house,  yet  it  may  be  dangerous  for  the  stronger 
children  to  deny  them  all  the  rest  of  the  dainties 
therein,  tiU  the  weak  and  sick  can  eat  strong  meat; 
whereas  Peter  had  meat  for  one,   and  milk  for 
another ;  and  Peter  must  feed  the  poor  lambs  as 
well  as  the  sheep ;  and  if  others  will  not  do  it,  the 
great  shepherd  will  come  ere  long  and  look  up 
what  hath  been  driven  away.  Eze.  xxxiv.  4,  ll.  is.  xi.  n. 
He  Avill  feed  his  flock  Hke  a  shepherd ;  he  shall 
gather  the  lambs  into  his  bosom,  and  gently  lead 
those  that  are  with  young. 


C48 


PEACEABLE  PRINCIPLES  AND  TRUE. 


TEACEABLE  PRINCIPLES  AND   TEUE: 

OR, 

A  BRIEF  ANSWER  TO  MR.  D'A^^VER's  AND  MR.  PADL's  BOOKS  AGAINST  MY  CONFESSION  OF  FAITH,   AND 
DIFFERENCES  IN  JUDGMENT  ABOUT  BAPTISM  NO  BAR  TO  COMMUNION. 

WHEEEIN  THEIE  SCKIPTUKELESS  NOTIONS   A.EE   OVEETIIEOWN,  AND   Mt  PEACEABLE  PEINCIPLES  STILL  JttAINTAINED. 

'Bo  ye  indeed  speak  rigJiteousness,  0  congrerjation  ?  do  ye  judge  vprigJdJy,  0  ye  sons  of  men  j'  — Psal.  Iviii.  1. 


Sir, 

I  HATE  received  and  considered  your  short  reply  to 
my  differences  in  judgment  about  water  baptism 
no  bar  to  communion  ;  and  observe,  that  you  touch 
not  the  argiunent  at  all :  but  rather  labour  what 
you  can,  and  beyond  what  you  ought,  to  throw 
odiums  upon  your  brother  for  reproving  you  for 
your  error,  viz.  '  That  those  believers  that  have 
been  baptized  after  confession  of  faith  made  by 
themselves,  ought  and  are  in  duty  bound  to  exclude 
from  their  church  fellowship,  and  communion  at 
the  table  of  the  Lord,  those  of  their  holy  brethren 
that  have  not  been  so  baptized.'  This  is  your 
error.  Error,  I  call  it,  because  it  is  not  founded 
upon  the  word,  but  a  mere  human  device ;  for 
although  I  do  not  deny,  but  acknowledge,  that 
baptism  is  God's  ordinance ;  yet  I  have  denied, 
that  baptism  was  ever  ordained  of  God  to  be  a 
wall  of  division  between  the  holy  and  the  holy ; 
the  holy  that  are,  and  the  holy  that  are  not,  so 
baptized  with  water  as  we.  You,  on  the 
^tions7p.T.  contrary,  both  by  doctrine  and  practice, 
assert  that  it  is ;  and  therefore  do  sepa- 
rate yourselves  from  all  your  brethren  that  in  that 
matter  differ  from  you ;  accounting  them,  notwith- 
standing their  saving  faith  and  holy  lives,  not  fitly 
qualified  for  church  communion,  and  all  because 
they  have  not  been,  as  you,  baptized.  Further, 
you  count  their  communion  among  themselves 
unlawful,  and  therefore  unwarrantable ;  and 
have  concluded,  'they  are  joined  to  idols,  and 
that  they  ought  not  to  be  shewed  the  pattern  of 
the  house  of  God,  until  they  be  ashamed  of  their 
sprinkling  in  their  infancy,  and  accept  of  and 
receive  baptism  as  you.'  Yea,  you  count  them  as 
they  stand,  not  the  churches  of  God;  saying,  'We 
have  no  such  custom,  nor  the  churches  of 
God.'  At  this  I  have  called  for  your  proofs, 
the  which  you  have  attempted  to  produce  ;  but  in 
conclusion  have  shewed  none  other,  but,  '  That  the 
primitive  churches  had  those  they  received, 
baptized  before  so  received.' 
I  have  told  you,  that  this,  though  it  were 
granted,  cometh  not  up  to  the  question ;  for  we 
ask  not,  'whether  they  were  so  baptized?     But 


p.  33. 


whether  you  find  a  word  in  the  Bible  that  justifieth 
your  concluding  that  it  is  your  duty  to  exclude 
those  of  your  holy  brethren  that  have  not  been  so 
baptized  ? '  From  this  you  cry  out,  that  I  take 
up  the  argiunents  of  them  that  plead  ior  infant 
baptism :  I  answer,  I  take  up  no  other  argument 
but  your  own,  viz.  '  That  there  being  no  precept, 
precedent,  nor  example  in  aU  the  scripture,  for  our 
excluding  our  holy  brethren  that  differ  in  this  point 
from  us,  therefore  we  ought  not  to  dare  to  do  it,' 
but  contrariwise  to  receive  them  ;*  because  God 
hath  given  us  sufficient  proof  that  himself  hatli 
received  them,  whose  example  in  this  case  he  hath 
commanded  us  to  follow.  Ro.  xiv.  3, 15.  This  might 
serve  for  an  answer  to  your  reply.  But  because, 
perhaps,  should  I  thus  conclude,  some  might  make 
an  ill  use  of  my  brevity ;  I  shall  therefore  briefly 
step  after  you,  and  examine  your  short  reply;  at 
least,  where  shew  of  argument  is. 

Your  first  five  pages  are  spent  to  prove  me  either 
proud  or  a  liar ;  for  inserting  in  the  title-page  of 
my  '  Dift'erences,'  <fec.  that  your  book  was  written 
by  the  Baptist,  or  brethren  of  your  way. 

In  answer  to  which;  Avhoso*  readeth 
your  second,  your  fifth  and  sixth  ques- 
tions to  me,  may  not  perhaps  be  easily  persuaded 
to  the  contrary ;  but  the  two  last  in  your  reply, 
are  omitted  by  you ;  Avhether  for  brevity's  sake, 
or  because  you  were  conscious  to  yourself,  that  the 
sight  of  them  would  overthrow  your  insinuations, 
I  leave  to  the  sober  to  judge.  But  put  the  case  I 
had  failed  herein.  Doth  this  warrant  your  unlawful 
practice  ? 

You  ask  me  next,  '  How  long  is  it  since  I       ^ 
was  a  Baptist  ?'  and  then  add,  '  It  is  an  ill 
bird  that  bewrays  his  own  nest.' 

Ansio.   I  must  tell  you,  avoiding  your  slovenly 
language,  I  know  none  to  whom  that  title  is  so 
proper  as  to  the  disciples  of  John.  And  since 
you  woidd  know  by  what  name  I  would  be 
distinguished  from  others ;  I  tell  you,  I  would  be, 


'  If  unbiassed. 


*  A  teuder  conscience,  jealous  of  grieving  or  offending  the 
Holy  Spii'it,  is  of  an  inestimable  value.  If  in  our  conscien- 
tious conclusions  we  offend  others,  we  must  leave  to  them  aa 
equal  right  to  their  own  conclusions  without  harsh  judgment. 
—Ed. 


PEACEABLE  PRINCIPLES  AND  TRUE. 


649 


and  liope  I  am,  A  Christian  ;  and  choose,  if  God 
should  count  me  worthy,  to  be  called  a  Christian, 
a  Believer,  or  other  such  name  which  is  approved 
by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Ac.  xi.  26.  And  as  for  those  fac- 
tious titles  of  Anabaptists,  Independents,  Presby- 
terians, or  the  like,  I  conclude,  that  they  came 
neither  from  Jerusalem,  nor  Antioch,  but  rather 
from  hell  and  Babylon ;  for  they  naturally  tend  to 
divisions,  '  you  may  know  them  by  their  fruits. ' 

Next,  you  tell  us  of  your  goodly  harmony   ^  „ 
in  London ;    or  of  the  *  amicable    christian 
correspondency  betwixt  those  of  divers  persuasions 
there,  until  my  turbulent  and  mutineering   spirit 
got  up.'  _ 

Ansio.  The  cause  of  my  writing,  I  told  you, 
which  you  have  neither  disapproved  in  whole,  nor 
in  part.  And  now  I  ask  what  Icind  of  christian 
correspondency  you  have  with  them  ?  Is  it  such 
as  relateth  to  church  communion  ;  or  such  only  as 
you  are  commanded  to  have  with  every  brother 
that  walketh  disorderly,  that  they  may  be  ashamed 
of  their  church  communion,  which  you  condemn  ? 
if  so,  your  great  flourish  will  add  no  praise  to  them; 
and  why  they  shoidd  glory  in  a  correspondency 
with  them  as  Christians,  who  yet  count  them  under 
such  deadly  sin,  which  will  not  by  any  means,  as 
they  now  stand,  suffer  you  to  admit  them  to  their 
Father's  table,  to  me  is  not  easy  to  believe. 

Farther,  Your  christian  correspondency,  as  you 
call  it,  will  not  keep  you  now  and  then,  from  fin- 
gering some  of  their  members  from  them;  nor  from 
teaching  them  that  you  so  take  away,  to  judge 
and  condemn  them  that  are  left  behind :  Now  who 
boasteth  in  this  besides  yourself,  I  know  not. 

Touching  Mr.  Jesse's  judgment  in  the  case  in 
hand,  you  know  it  condemneth  your  practice;  and 
since  in  your  first,  you  have  called  for  an  author's 
testimony,  I  have  presented  you  with  one,  whose 
arguments  you  have  not  condemned. 

For  your  insinuating  my  abusive  and  unworthy 
behaviour,  as  the  cause  of  the  brethren's  attempt- 
ing to  break  our  Christian  communion ;  it  is  not 
only  false  but  ridiculous.  False;  for  they  have 
•This  attempt  attempted  to  make  me  also  one  of  their 
sfxTeeuyeai^  disciplcs,  and  Sent  to*  me,  and  for  me  for 
ago-  that  purpose.     Besides,  it  is  ridiculous ; 

siu-ely  their  pretended  order,  and  as  they  call  it, 
our  disorder,  was  the  cause ;  or  they  must  render 
themselves  very  malicious,  to  seek  the  overthrow 
of  a  whole  congregation,  for,  if  it  had  been  so,  the 
unworthy  behaviour  of  one. 

Now,  since  vou  tell  me,  p.  9,  '  That  Mr.  Kiffin 
hath  no  need  of  my  forgiveness  for  the  wrong  he 
hath  done  me  in  his  epistle.' 

I  ask,  did  he  tell  you  so  ?  But  let  it  lie  as  it 
doth  ;  I  will  at  this  time  turn  his  argoiment  upon 
him,  and  desire  his  direct  answer:  There  being  no 
precept,  precedent  or  example  for  Mr.  Kiffin  to 

VOLo  II. 


exclude  his  holy  brethren  from  Christian  commu- 
nion that  differ  with  him  about  baptism,  he  ought 
not  to  do  it ;  but  there  is  neither  precept,  precedent, 
nor  example  ;  therefore,  &c. 

You  blame  me  for  writing  his  name  at  length : 
but  I  know  he  is  not  ashamed  of  his  name :  and 
for  you,  though  at  the  remotest  rate,  to  insinuate 
it,  must  needs  be  damage  to  him. 

Your  artificial  squibbling*  suggestions  to  the 
Avorld  about  myself,  imprisonment,  and  the  like, 
I  freely  bind  unto  me  as  an  ornament  among  the 
rest  of  my  reproaches,  till  the  Lord  shall  wipe 
them  off  at  his  coming.  But  they  are  no  argument 
that  you  have  a  word  that  binds  you  to  exclude 
the  holy  brethren  communion. 

Now  what  if,  as  you  suggest,  the   sober  Dr. 
Owen,  though  he  told  me  and  others  at  first  he 
would  write  an  epistle  to  my  book,  yet  waved  it 
afterwards ;  this  is  also  to  my  advantage  ;  because 
it  was  through  the  earnest  solicitations  of  several 
of  you  that  at  that  time   stopped  his  hand ;  And 
perhaps  it  was  more  for  the  glory  of  God  that 
truth  should  go  naked  into    the  world,   than  as 
seconded  by  so  mighty  an  armour-bearer  as  he. 
You  tell  me  also,  that  some  of  the  sober  Inde- 
pendents have   shewed  dishke  to  my  writing 
on  this  subject :  What  then  ?     If  I   should 
also  say,  as  I  can  without  lying,  that  several  of  the 
Baptists  have  wished  yours  burnt  before  It  had  como 
to  light ;  is  your  book  ever  the  worse  for  that  ? 

In  p.  13,  You  tell  us,  you  meddle  not  with  Pres- 
byterians, Independents,  mixed  Communionists  (a 
new  name),  but  are  for  liberty  for  all  according  to 
their  light. 

Answ.  I  ask  then,  suppose  an  holy  man  of  God, 
that  dlffereth  from  you,  as  those  above-named  do, 
in  the  manner  of  water  baptism ;  I  say,  suppose 
such  an  one  should  desire  communion  Avith  you, 
yet  abiding  by  his  own  light,  as  to  the  thing  in 
question,  Would  you  receive  him  to  fellowship  ? 
If  no,  do  you  not  dissemble  ? 

But  you  add,  '  If  unbaptized  believers  do  not 
walk  with  us,  they  may  walk  with  them  with  whom 
they  are  better  agreed.' 

Ansiu.  Then  It  seems  you  do  but  flatter  them. 
You  are  not,  for  all  you  pretend  to  give  them  their 
liberty,  agreed  they  should  have  it  with  you.  Thus, 
do  the  Papists  give  the  Protestants  their  liberty, 
because  they  can  neither  will  nor  choose. 

Again,  But  do  you  not  follow  them  with  clamours 
and  out-cries,  that  their  communion,  even  amongst 
themselves,  is  unwarrantable  ?  Now,  how  then  de 
you  give  them  their  liberty  ?  Nay,  do  not  even 
these  things  declare  that  you  would  take  it  away 
if  you  could  ? 

'  For  the  time  that  I  have  been  a  Baptist  (say 


*  '  Squibbling,'  feeble,  ill-natured  ridicule ;  now  obsolete.— Li>. 

4  N 


G50 


PEACEABLE  PllINCIPLES  AND  TRUE. 


you)  I  do  not  rememLer  that  ever  I  knew  tliat  one 
viuLaptized  person  did  so  much  as  offer  themselves 
to  us  for  church  fello^vship. ' 

Answ.  This  is  no  proof  of  your  love  to  your 
brethren ;  but  rather  an  argument  that  your  rigid- 
ness  "was  from  that  day  to  this  so  apparent,  that 
•those  good  soids  despaired  to  make  such  attempts  ; 
we  know  they  have  done  it  elsewhere,  where  they 
hoped  to  meet  with,  encouragement. 

In  p.  14,  You  seem  to  retract  your  denial  of  bap- 
tism to  be  the  initiating  ordinance.  And  indeed 
Mr.  D' An  vers  told  me,  that  you  must  retract  that 
opinion,  and  that  he  had,  or  would  speak  to  you 
to  do  it ;  yet  by  some  it  is  stiU  so  acknowledged 
Denne's  to  be  ;  and  in  particular,  by  your  great 
wd^Mng,'  helper,  Mr.  Denne,who  strives  to  maintain 
&c.,  p.  46.  \i  i^y  several  arguments ;  but  yom*  denial 
may  be  a  sufficient  confutation  to  him;  so  I  leave  you 
together  to  agree  about  it,  and  conclude  you  have 
overthrown  him. 

But  it  seems  though  you  do  not  now  own  it  to 
be  the  inlet  into  a  particular  church ;  yet,  as  you 
tell  us  in  p.  14  of  your  last,  '  you  never  denied  that 
baptism  doth  not  make  a  believer  a  member  of 
Treatise  of  the  Universal,  orderly,  church  visible. 
Eaptism.  ^jj(j  jj^  ^ijjg  j-[p_  J) ' Auvers  and  you  agree. * 
'Persons  enter  into  the  visible  church  thereby,' 
saith  he. 

Answ.  Universal,  that  is,  the  whole  church: 
This  word  now  comprehendeth  all  the  parts  of  it, 
even  from  Adam  to  the  very  world's  end,  whether 
in  heaven  or  earth,  &c.  Now  that  [water]  bap- 
tism makes  a  man  a  member  of  this  church,  I  do 
not  yet  believe,  nor  can  you  shew  me  why  I  should. 
2.  The  miiversal,  orderly  church.  What  church 
this  should  be,  if  by  orderly  you  mean  harmony 
or  agreement  in  the  outward  parts  of  worship,  I 
do  not  understand  neither. 

And  yet  thus  you  should  mean,  because  you  add 
the  word  visible  to  all  at  the  last ;  '  The  universal, 
orderly,  visible  church.'  Now  I  would  yet  learn 
of  this  brother  where  this  church  is ;  for  if  it  be 
visible,  he  can  tell  and  also  shew  it.  But,  to  be 
short,  there  is  no  such  church :  the  universal  church 
cannot  be  visible ;  a  great  part  of  that  vast  body 
being  already  in  heaven,  and  a  great  part  as  yet, 
perhaps,  unborn. 

But  if  he  should  mean  by  universal,  the  whole 
of  that  part  of  this  church  that  is  on  earth,  then 
neither  is  it  'visible'  nor  '  orderly.'  1.  Not  visi- 
ble ;  for  the  part  remains  always  to  the  best  man's 
eye  utterly  invisible.  2.  This  church  is  not 
orderly ;  that  is,  hath  not  harmony  in  its  outward 
and  visible  parts  of  worship  ;  some  parts  opposing 
and  contradicting  the  other  most  severely.  Yea, 
would  it  be  imcharitable  to  believe  that  some  of 
the  members  of  this  body  could  wilhngly  die  in 
opposing  that  which  others  of  the  members  hold  to 


be  a  truth  of  Christ  ?  As  for  instance  at  home ; 
could  not  some  of  those  called  Baptists  die  in 
opposing  infant  baptism  ?  And  again,  some  of 
them  that  are  for  infant  baptism  die  for  that  as  a 
truth  ?  Here  therefore  is  no  order,  but  an  evi- 
dent contradiction  :  and  that  too  in  such  parts  of 
worship,  as  both  count  visible  parts  of  worship 
indeed. 

So  then  by  *  universal,  orderly,  visible  church,' 
this  brother  must  mean  those  of  the  saints  only 
that  have  been,  or  are  baptized  as  we;  this  is 
clear,  because  baptism,  saitli  he,  maketh  a  believer 
a  member  of  this  church  ;  his  meaning  then  is, 
that  there  is  an  universal,  orderly,  visible  church, 
and  they  alone  are  the  Baptists ;  and  that  every 
one  that  is  baptized  is  by  that  made  a  member  of 
the  imiversal,  orderly,  visible  church  of  Baptists, 
and  that  the  whole  nmnber  of  the  rest  of  saints 
are  utterly  excluded. 

But  now  if  other  men  should  do  as  this  man, 
how  many  universal  churches  should  we  have  ? 
An  '  universal,  orderly,  visible  church  of  Indepen- 
dents ;'  an  '  imiversal,  orderly,  visible  church  of 
Presbyterians,'  and  the  like.  And  who  of  them, 
if  as  much  confused  in  their  notions  as  this  brother, 
might  not,  they  judging  by  their  ovv^n  light,  con- 
tend for  their  universal  chm'ch,  as  he  for  his  ?  But 
they  have  more  wit. 

But  suppose  that  this  unheard  of  fictitious  church 
were  the  only  true  universal  church ;  yet  whoever 
they  baptize  must  be  a  visible  saint  first,  and  if 
a  visible  saint,  then  a  visible  member  of  Christ ; 
and  if  so,  then  a  visible  member  of  his  body,  which 
is  the  church,  before  they  be  baptized;  now  he 
v/hich  is  a  visible  member  of  the  church  already, 
that  which  hath  so  made  him,  hath  prevented  all 
those  claims  that  by  any  may  be  made  or  imputed 
to  this  or  that  ordinance  to  make  him  so.  Ac.  viiL  S7; 
xk.  17,  and  xvi.  S3.  His  visibility  is  already ;  he  is 
already  a  visible  member  of  the  body  of  Christ, 
and  after  that  baptized.  His  baptism  then  neither 
makes  him  a  member  nor  a  visible  member  of  the 
body  of  Jesus  Christ. 

You  go  on,  '  That  I  said  it  was  consent  that 
makes  persons  members  of  particular  p.  4  of  your 
churches  is  true.'  ^'*''- 

Answ,  But  that  it  is  consent  and  nothing  else, 
consent  without  faith,  ikc,  is  false.  Your  after- 
endeavour  to  heal  your  imsound  saying  will  do 
you  no  good :  '  Faith  gives  being  to,  as  well  as 
probation  for  membership.' 

What  you  say  now  of  the  epistles,  that  they 
were  written  to  particular  saints,  and  those  too 
out  of  churches  as  weU  as  in,  I  always  believed : 
but  in  your  first  you  were  pleased  to  say,  '  You 
were  one  of  them  that  objected  against  om*  proofs 
out  of  the  epistles,  because  they  were  written  to 
particular  churches,  (intending  these  baptized)  and 


PEACEABLE  PRINCIPLES  AND  TRUE. 


651 


that  tliey  ■were  -Rrltten  to  other  saints,  y-uncflec- 
"woiild  he  hard  for  me  to  prove : '  hut  you  *^''"^'  P-  ^• 
do  well  to  give  -way  to  the  truth. 

What  I  said  about  haptism's  being  a  pest,  take 
my  words  as  they  he,  and  I  stand  still  thereto  : 
*  Knowing  that  Satan  can  make  any  of  God's  ordi- 
nances a  FEST  and  plague  to  his  people,  even  bap- 
tism, the  Lord's  table,  and  the  holy  scriptures  ; 
yea,  the  ministers  also  of  Jesus  Christ  may  he 
suffered  to  abuse  them,  and  wrench  them  out 
of  their  place.'  ^Vlierefore  I  pray,  if  you  write 
again,  either  consent  to,  or  deny  this  position, 
before  you  proceed  in  your  outcry. 

But  I  must  still  continue  to  tell  you,  though 
you  love  not  to  hear  thereof,  That  supposing  your 
opinion  hath  hold  of  your  conscience,  if  you  might 
have  your  will,  you  would  make  inroads  and  out- 
roads  too  in  all  the  churches  that  are  not  as  you 
in  the  land.  You  reckon  that  church  privileges 
belong  not  to  them  who  are  not  baptized  as  Ave, 
saying,  *  How  can  we  take  these  privileges  from 
p.  37  of  your  them'  before  they  have  them,  we  keep 
reply-  them  from  a  disorderly  practice  of  ordi- 

nances, especially  among  ourselves  ;'  intimating 
you  do  what  you  can  also  among  others :  and  he 
that  shall  judge  those  he  walketh  not  with,  or  say, 
as  you,  that  they,  like  Ephraim,  are  'joined  to  an 
YoTir  rcflce-  ^^o^j  ^^^  ought  to  repent  and  be  ashamed 
tions,  p.  33.  (jf  ^i^j^t  [^q[  'before  they  be  shewed  the 
pattern  of  the  house  ; '  and  then  shall  back  all  with 
P.  26.  the  citation  of  a  text ;  doth  it  either  in  jest 
P.  30.  or  in  earnest ;  if  in  jest  it  is  abominable ;  if 
P. 7.  in  earnest  his  conscience  is  engaged;  and 
heing  engaged,  it  putteth  him  upon  doing  what 
he  can  to  extirpate  the  thing  he  counteth  idola- 
trous and  abominable,  out  of  the  churches  abroad, 
as  well  as  that  he  stands  in  relation  unto.  This 
being  thus,  it  is  reasonable  to  conclude,  you  want 
not  an  heart,  hut  opportunity  for  your  inroads  and 
outroads  among  them. 

Touching  those  five  things  I  mentioned  in  my 
second ;  you  should  not  have  counted  they  were 
found  no  where,  because  not  found  imder  that 
head  Avhich  I  mention :  and  now  lest  you  should 
naiss  them  again,  I  will  present  you  with  them 
here. 

1.  'Baptism  is  not  the  initiating  ordinance. 
2.  That  though  it  was,  the  case  may  so  lall  out, 
that  members  might  be  received  without  it.  3. 
That  baptism  makes  no  man  a  visible  saint.  4. 
That  faith,  and  a  life  becoming  the  ten  command- 
ments, should  be  the  chief  and  most  solid  argu- 
ment with  churches  to  receive  to  fellowship.  5. 
That  circumcision  in  the  flesh  was  a  type  of  cir- 
cumcision in  the  heart,  and  not  of  water  baptism. ' 
To  these  you  should  have  given  fair  answers,  then 
you  had  done  hke  a  workman. 

Now  we  are  come  to  page  22  and  23  of  yours ; 


where  you  labour  to  insinuate,  'that  a  trans- 
gression against  a  positive  precept,  respecting 
instituted  worship,  hath  been  punished  with  the 
utmost  severity  that  God  hath  executed  against 
men,  on  record,  on  this  side  hell.' 

Ansio.  Mr.  D'Anvers  says,  *  That  to  Treat  of 
transgress  a  positive  precept  respecting  •'^'Ptism. 
worship,  is  a  breach  of  the  first  and  second  com- 
mandments.' If  so,  then  it  is  for  the  breach  of 
them,  that  these  severe  rebukes  befal  the  sons  of 
men.  2.  But  you  instance  the  case  of  Adam  his 
eating  the  forbidden  fruit ;  yet  to  no  great  purpose. 
Adam's  first  transgression  was,  that  he  violated 
the  law  that  was  written  in  his  heart ;  in  that  he 
hearkened  to  the  tempting  voice  of  his  wife ;  and 
after,  because  he  did  eat  of  the  tree :  he  was  bad 
then  before  he  did  eat  of  the  tree  ;  v/hich  badness 
Avas  infused  over  his  whole  nature ;  and  then  he 
bare  this  evil  fruit  of  eating  things  that  God  hath 
forbidden.  Ge.  m.  Either  make  the  tree  good,  and 
his  fruit  good ;  or  the  tree  bad,  and  his  fruit  bad. 
Mat.  vii.  17.  Lu.  vi.  43, «.  Men  must  he  bad,  ere  they 
do  evil;  and  good,  ere  they  do  good.  Again, 
which  was  the  greatest  judgment,  to  be  defiled  and 
depraved,  or  to  be  put  out  of  paradise,  do  you  in 
your  next  determine. 

But  as  to  the  matter  in  hand,  What  positive 
precept  do  they  transgress  that  will  not  reject  him 
that  God  bids  us  receive,  if  he  want  light  in 
baptism  ? 

As  for  my  calling  for  scripture  to  prove  it  law- 
ful thus  to  exclude  them;  blame  me  for  it  no 
more ;  verily  I  still  must  do  it ;  and  had  you  but 
one  to  give,  I  had  had  it  long  before  this.  But 
you  wonder  I  shoidd  ask  for  a  scripture  to  prove 
a  negative,  p.  23. 

Aiisw.  1 .  Are  you  at  that  door,  my  brother  ?  If 
a  drunkard,  a  swearer,  or  whoremonger  should 
desire  communion  with  you,  and  upon  your  refusal, 
demand  your  grounds ;  woidd  you  think  his  demands 
such  you  ought  not  to  ansAver?  would  you  not 
readily  give  him  by  scores  ?  So,  doubtless  would 
you  deal  with  us,  but  that  in  this  you  are  without 
the  lids*  of  the  Bible.  2.  But  again,  you  have 
acted  as  those  that  must  produce  a  positive  rule. 
'  You  count  it  your  duty,  a  part  of  your  obedience 
to  God,  to  keep  those  out  of  church  fellowship  that 
are  not  baptized  as  you.'  I  then  demand  what 
precept  bids  you  do  this?  where  are  you  com- 
manded to  do  it  ? 

You  object,  p.  24.  That  in  Ep.  iv.  5.  and  i  Co.  jdi.  13.  is 
not  meant  of  Spirit  baptism :  but  Mr.  Jesse  says 
it  is  not,  cannot  be  the  baptism  Avith  water :  and 
you  have  not  at  all  refuted  him.  And  ^^^  ^^^ 
now  for  the  church  in  the  wilderness  ;  '  You 


*  '  T^'itllout  the  lids  of  tlic  Bible/  not  witMn  it ;  a  popular 
Pui-itan  saying. — En. 


G52 


PEACEABLE  PRINCIPLES  AND  TRUE. 


thought,  as  you  say,  I  would  have  answered  myself 
in  the  thing ; '  but  as  yet  I  have  not,  neither  have 
you.     But  let  us  see  what  jon  urge  for  an  answer. 

I.  Say  you,  '  Though  God  dispensed  with  their 
obedience  to  circumcision  in  that  time,  Ge.  xvii.  Ex.xii. 
it  follows  not  that  you  or  I  should  dispense  Avith 
the  ordinance  of  water  baptism  now. ' 

Answ.  God  commanded  it,  and  made  it  the 
initiating  ordinance  to  church  communion.  But 
Moses,  and  Aaron,  and  Joshua,  and  the  elders  of 
Israel,  dispensed  with  it  for  forty  years ;  therefore 
the  dispensing  with  it  was  ministerial,  and  that 
with  God's  allowance,  as  you  affirm.  Now  if  they 
might  dispense  with  circumcision,  though  the 
initiating  ordinance;  why  may  not  we  receive 
God's  holy  ones  into  fellowship,  since  we  are  not 
forbidden  it,  but  commanded ;  yea,  why  should  we 
jnake  water  baptism,  which  God  never  ordained  to 
that  end,  a  bar  to  shut  out  and  let  in  to  church 
communion  ? 

II.  You  ask,  '  Was  circumcision  dispensed  with 
for  want  of  light,  it  being  plainly  commanded  ?  ' 

Ansiv,  Whatever  was  the  cause,  Avant  of  light  is 
as  great  a  cause:  and  that  it  must  necessarily 
follow,  they  must  needs  see  it,  because  commanded, 
favours  too  much  of  a  tang  of  free  will,  or  of  the 
sufficiency  of  our  understanding,  and  intrencheth 
too  hard  on  the  glory  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  whose 
work  it  is  '  to  bring  aU  things  to  our  remembrance, 
whatsoever  ^Christ  hath  said  to  us. '  Ju.  xiv.  26. 

III.  You  ask,  *  Cannot  you  give  yourself  a 
reason,  that  their  moving,  travelling  state  made 
them  incapable,  and  that  God  was  merciful?  Can 
the  same  reason,  or  anything  like  it,  for  refusing- 
baptism,  be  given  now  ?  ' 

Answ.  I  cannot  give  myself  this  reason,  nor 
can  you  by  it  give  me  any  satisfaction.  Because 
their  travelling  state  could  not  hinder ;  if  you  con- 
sider that  they  might,  and  doubtless  did  lie  still  in 
one  place  years  together.  I.  They  were  forty 
years  going  from  Egypt  to  Canaan:  and  they  had 
but  forty-two  journies  thither.  2.  They  at  times 
went  several  of  these  journies  in  one  and  the  same 
year.  They  went,  as  I  take  it,  eleven  of  them  by 
the  end  of  the  third  month  after  they  came  out  of 
the  land  of  Egypt.  Compare  Ex.  xLx.  i.  with  Ku. 
ixxiii.  15.  3.  Again,  in  the  fortieth  year,  we  find 
them  in  Mount  Hor,  where  Aaron  died,  and  was 
buried.  Now  that  was  the  year  they  went  into 
Canaan;  and  in  that  year  they  had  nine  journies 
more,  or  ten,  by  that  they  got  over  Jordan,  Nu. 
xxxiii.  38,  &c.  Here  then  were  twenty  journies  in 
less  than  one  year  and  an  half.  Divide  then  the 
rest  of  the  time  to  the  rest  of  the  journies,  and 
they  had  above  thirty-eight  years  to  go  their  two 
and  twenty  journies  in.  And  how  this  should  be 
such  a  travelling  moving  state,  as  that  it  should 
hinder  their  keeping  this  ordinance  in  its  season, 


to  wit,  to  circumcise  their  children  the  eighth  day ; 
especially  considering  to  circumcise  them  in  their 
childhood,  as  they  were  born,  might  be  with  more 
security,  than  to  let  them  live  while  they  were 
men,  I  see  not. 

If  you  should  think  that  their  wars  in  the  wil- 
derness might  hinder  them ;  I  answer,  They  had, 
for  ought  I  can  discern,  ten  times  as  much  fighting 
in  the  land  of  Canaan,  where  they  were  circum- 
cised, as  in  the  wilderness  where  th^y  Avere  not. 
And  if  carnal  or  outward  safety  had  been  the 
argument,  doubtless  they  Avould  not  have  circum- 
cised themselves  in  the  sight,  as  it  were,  of  one 
and  thirty  kings.  Jos.  v.  .\ii.  I  say,  they  would  not 
have  circumcised  their  six  hundred  thousand  Avar- 
riors,  and  have  laid  them  open  to  the  attempts  and 
dangers  of  their  enemies.  No  such  thing,  there- 
fore, as  you  are  pleased  to  suggest,  Avas  the  cause 
of  their  not  being  as  yet  circumcised. 

IV.  '  An  extraordinary  instance  to  be  brought 
into  a  standing  rule,  are  no  parallels : '  That  is  the 
sum  of  your  fourth. 

Ansio.  The  rule  Avas  ordinary;  Avhich  Avas  cir- 
cumcision ;  the  laying  aside  of  this  rule  became  as 
ordinary,  so  long  a  time  as  forty  years,  and  in  the 
Avhole  church  also.  But  this  is  a  poor  shift,  to 
have  nothing  to  say,  but  that  the  case  Avas  extra- 
ordinary, Avhen  it  Avas  not. 

But  you  ask,  '  Might  they  do  so  when  they  came 
into  Canaan  ? ' 

Atisw.  No,  no.  No  more  shall  we  do  as  Ave  do 
noAv  '  Avhen  that  Avhich  is  perfect  is  come.' 

You  add,  '  Because  the  church  in  the  Avilder- 
ness,  Ke.  xii.  could  not  come  by  ordinances,  &c. 
therefore  Avhen  they  may  be  come  at,  Ave  need  not 
practise  them.' 

Ansio.  No  body  told  you  so.  But  are  you  out 
of  that  Avilderness  mentioned  ?  Ke.  xii.  Is  Antichrist 
doAvn  and  dead  to  ought  but  your  faith  ?  Or  are 
Ave  only  out  of  that  Egyptian  darkness,  that  in 
baptism  have  got  the  start  of  our  brethren  ?  For 
shame  be  silent :  yourselves  are  yet  under  so  great 
a  cloud,  as  to  imagine  to  yourselves  a  Rule  of 
Practice  not  found  in  the  Bible  ;  that  is,  to  count 
it  a  sin  to  receive  your  holy  brethren,  though  not 
forbidden  but  commanded  to  do  it.  Ro.  xiv.,xv. 

Your  great  flourish  against  my  fourth  argument, 

1  leave  to  them  that  can  judge  of  the  Aveight  of  yoiu* 
Avords ;  as  also  AA'hat  you  say  of  the  fitth  or  sixth. 

For  the  instance  I  give  you  of  Aaron,  David, 
and  Hezekiah,  Avho  did  things  not  commanded, 
and  that  about  holy  matters,  and  yet  were  held 
excusable;  you,  nor  yet  your  abettors  for  you, 
can  by  any  means  overthroAV.  Aaron  transgressed 
the  commandment ;  Le.  vi.  26;  x.  18.  David  did  Avhat 
Avas  not  laAvful;  and  they  in  Hezekiah 's  time,  'did 
eat  the  passovcr  otherwise  than  it  Avas  Avritten,' 

2  Ch.  XXX.  18.     But  here  I  perceive  the  shoe  pincheth ; 


PEACEABLE  PRINCIPLES  AND  TRUE. 


653 


wliicli  makes  you  glad  of  Mr.  Denne's  evasion  for 

help.     At  this  also  J\Ir.  D ' Anvers  cries  out,  but  yet 

to  no  purpose,  charging  me  with  asserting,  that 

ignorance  absolves  from  sin  of  omission  and 

L\  29.  .      . 

commission.  But,  Sirs,  fairly  take  from  me  the 
texts,  with  others  that  I  can  urge ;  and  then  begin 
to  accuse.  You  have  healed  your  suggestion  of 
unwritten  verities  poorly.  But  any  shift  to  shift 
off  the  force  of  truth.  After  the  same  manner 
also  you  have  helped  your  asserting,  '  that  you 
neither  keep  out,  nor  cast  out  from  the  church,  if 
baptized,  such  as  come  unprepared  to  the  supper, 
and  other  solemn  appointments.'  Let  us  leave 
yours  and  mine  to  the  pondering  of  wiser  men. 

My  seventh  argument,  as  I  said,  you  have 

not  so  much  as  touched ;  nor  the  ten  in  that 
one,  but  only  derided  at  the  ten.  But  we  will  show 
them  to  the  reader.  1 .  Love,  which  above  all  other 
things  we  are  commanded  to  put  on,  is  much  more 
worth,  than  to  break  about  baptism,  Coi.  m.  u.  2. 
Love  is  more  discovered,  when  we  receive  for  the 
sake  of  Christ  and  grace,  than  when  we  refuse  for 
want  of  water.  3.  The  church  at  Colosse  was 
charged  to  receive  and  forbear  the  saints,  because 
they  were  new  creatures.  4.  Some  saints  were  in 
the  church  at  Jerusalem,  that  opposed  the  preach- 
ing of  salvation  to  the  Gentiles ;  and  yet  retained 
their  membership.  5,  Divisions  and  distinctions 
amonof  saints  are  of  later  date  than  election,  and 
the  signs  of  that ;  and  therefore  shoidd  give  place. 
6.  It  is  love,  not  baptism,  that  discovereth  us  to 
the  world  to  be  Christ's  tlisciples.  Jn.  xiii.  35.  7.  It 
is  love  that  is  the  undoubted  character  of  our 
interest  in,  and  fellowship  Avith,  Christ.  Ro.  xii.  lO; 
xvi.  10.  8.  Fellowship  with  Christ  is  sufficient  to 
invite  to,  and  the  new  creature  the  great  rule  of 
our  fellowship  with,  Christ,  l  Jn.  i.  2.  9.  Love  is  the 
fulfilling  of  the  law,  wherefore  he  that  hath  it  is 
accepted  with  God,  and  ought  to  be  approved  of 
men ;  but  he  fulfils  it  not,  who  judgeth  and  setteth 

at  nought  his   brother,  Ga.  vi.  16.  Phi.  iii.ie.  Ho.xiv.  Ja.iv.  ll. 

10.  Love  is  sometimes  more  seen,  and  showed  in 
forbearing  to  urge  and  press  what  we  know,  than 
in  publishing  and  imposing,  Jn.  .wi.  12.  l  Co.  iii.  i,  2.  11. 
When  we  attempt  to  force  our  brother  beyond  his 
light,  or  to  break  his  heart  with  grief,  to  trust  him 
beyond  his  faith,  or  bar  him  from  his  privileges, 
how  can  we  say  I  love  ?  12,  To  make  that  the 
door  to  communion  which  God  hath  not ;  to  make 
that  the  including,  excluding  charter,  the  bar, 
bounds,  and  rule  of  communion,  is  for  want  of  love. 
Here  are  two  into  the  bargain. 

If  any  of  these.  Sir,  please  you  not  in  this  dress ; 
give  me  a  word ;  and  I  shall,  as  well  as  my  wit 
will  serve,  give  you  them  in  a  syllogistical  mode. 

Now  that  you  say  (practically)  for  some  speak 
with  their  feet  (their  walking,  Pr.  vi.  13.)  that  water 
is  above  love ;  and  aU  other  things  are  evident ; 


because  have  they  all  but  water,  you  refuse  them 
for  Avant  of  that ;  yea,  and  will  be  so  hardy,  though 
without  God's  word,  to  refuse  commimion  with 
them.  p.  32. 

In  our  discourse  about  the  carnality  that  was  the 
cause  of  the  divisions  that  were  at  Corinth,  you  ask, 
Who  must  the  charge  of  carnality  fall  upon,  them 
that  defend,  or  them  that  oppose  the  truth  ?  p.  33. 

Answ.  Perhaps  on  both ;  but  besure  upon  them 
that  oppose,  wherefore  look  you  to  yourselves, 
'  who  without  any  command  of  God  to  warrant 
you,  exclude  your  brother  from  communion ;  your 
brother  whom  God  hath  commanded  you  to  receive. ' 

My  ninth  argument,  you  make  yourself  merry 
with  in  the  beginning :  but  why  do  you  by  and  by 
so  cut  and  hack,  and  cast  it  as  it  were  in  the  fire. 
Those  seventeen  absurdities  you  can  by  no  means 
avoid.  For  if  you  have  not,  as  indeed  you  have 
not,  though  you  mock  me  for  speaking  a  word  in 
Latin,  one  word  of  God  that  commands  you  to  shut 
out  your  brethren  for  want  of  water  baptism,  from 
your  communion ;  I  say,  if  you  have  not  one  word 
of  God  to  make  this  a  duty  to  you,  then  unavoid- 
ably, 1,  You  do  it  by  a  spirit  of  persecution, 
2.  With  more  respect  to  a  form,  than  the  spirit  and 
power  of  godliness.  3.  This  also,  makes  laws, 
where  God  makes  none ;  and  is  to  be  wise  above 
what  is  written.  4.  It  is  a  directing  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord.  5.  And  bindeth  all  men's  consciences 
to  our  light  and  opinion.  6.  It  taketh  away  the 
children's  bread.  7.  And  withholdeth  from  them 
the  increase  of  faith.  8.  It  tendeth  to  make 
wicked  the  hearts  of  weak  Christians.  9.  It 
tendeth  to  harden  the  hearts  of  the  wicked.  10. 
It  setteth  open  a  door  to  all  temptations.  11.  It 
tempteth  the  devil  to  fall  upon  them  that  are  alone. 
12.  It  is  the  nursery  of  all  vain  janglings.  13.  It 
occasioneth  the  world  to  reproach  us.  14,  It 
holdeth  staggering  consciences  in  doubt,  of  the 
right  Avays  of  the  Lord,  15.  It  abuseth  the  holy 
scriptures.  16.  It  is  a  prop  to  Antichrist.  17. 
And  giveth  occasion  to  many  to  turn  aside  to  most 
dangerous  errors. 

And  though  the  last  is  so  abhorred  by  you,  that 
you  cannot  contain  yourselves  Avhen  you  read  it ; 
yet  do  I  affirm,  as  I  did  in  my  first  (p.  lie.)  '  That 
to  exclude  Christians  from  church  communion,  and 
to  debar  them  their  heaven-born  privileges,  for  the 
want  of  that  which  God  never  yet  made  a  wall  of 
division  between  us  ;  did,  and  doth,  and  wiU  pre- 
vail with  God  to  send  those  judgments  we  have,  or 
may  hereafter  feel.'     Like  me  yet  as  you  wiU. 

I  come  next  to  Avhat  you  have  said  in  justifica- 
tion of  your  fourteen  arguments.  '  Such  as  they 
were,'  say  you,  *  I  am  willing  to  stand  by  them: 
What  I  have  offered,  I  have  offered  modestly: 
according  to  the  utmost  light  I  had  into  those 
scriptures  upon  which  they  are  bottomed ;  having 


654 


PEACEABLE  PRINCIPLES  AND  TRUE. 


not  arrived  unto  sueli  a  peremptory  way  of  dlcta- 
torsliip,  as  what  I  render  must  be  taken  for  laws 
biudino*  to  others  in  faith  and  practice;  and  there- 
fore express  myself  by  suppositions,  strong  pre- 
Rcflections,   sumptions,  and  fair  seeming  conclusions 

p.  51.       fi-om  the  premises, 

Answ.  Your  arguments,  as  you  truly  say,  are 
builded  upon,  or  drawn  from  suppositions  and  pre- 
sumptions ;  and  all  because  you  want  for  your  help 
the  words  of  the  holy  scripture.  And  let  the 
reader  note.  For  as  I  have  often  called  for  the 
word,  but  as  yet  could  never  get  it,  because  you 
have  it  not,  neither  in  precept,  precedent,  nor 
example,  therefore  come  you  forth  withyom-  seem- 
ing imports  and  presumptions. 

The  judicious  reader  will  see  in  this  last,  that 
not  only  here,  but  in  other  places,  what  poor  shifts 
you  are  driven  to,  to  keep  your  pen  going.  But,  Sir, 
since  you  are  not  peremptory  in  your  proof ;  how 
came  you  to  be  so  absolute  in  your  practice  ?  For 
notwithstanding  all  your  seeming  modesty,  you 
wUl  neither  grant  these  communion  with  you ;  nor 
allow  their  communion  among  themselves,  that 
turn  aside  from  your  '  seeming  imports  ;'  and  that 
go  not  with  you  in  your  strong  presumptions.  You 
must  not ;  you  dare  not ;  lest  you  coun- 
of  your  Re-  tcnauce  their  idolatry ;  and  nourish  them 
ec  ions,  ^^p  ^^  gj^ .  they  live  in  the  breach  of 
gospel-order ;  and  Ephraiin-like  are  joined  to  an 
idol.  And  as  for  your  love,  it  amounts  to  this, 
you  thus  deal  with  them,  and  withdraw  from  them, 
and  all  because  of  some  strong  presumptions  and 
suppositions. 

But  you  tell  me,  *  I  use  the  arguments  of  the 
ppedo-baptist,  to  wit.  But  where  are  infants  for- 
bidden to  be  baptized?' 

But  I  ingenuously  tell  you,  I  know  not  what 
pajdo  means:  and  how  then  should  I  know  his 
arguments.  1.  I  take  no  man's  argument  but  Mr. 
K.'s,  I  must  not  name  him  farther,  I  say  I  take 
no  man's  argument  but  his  now,  viz.  '  That  there 
being  no  precept,  precedent  or  example,  for  you 
to  shut  your  holy  brethren  out  of  church  commu- 
nion; therefore  you  should  not  do  it.'  That  you 
have  no  command  to  do  it,  is  clear,  and  you  must 
of  necessity  grant  it.  Now  where  there  is  no  pre- 
cept for  a  foundation  ;  it  is  not  what  you  by  all 
your  reasonings  can  suggest ;  can  deliver  you  from 
the  guilt  of  adding  to  his  word.  Are  you  com- 
manded to  reject  them;  If  yea,  where  is  it?  If 
nay,  for  shame  be  silent. 

'  Let  us  say  what  we  will,'  say  you,  '  for  our 
own  practice ;  unless  we  bring  positive  scriptures 
that  yours  is  forbidden,  though  nowhere  written ; 
you  Avill  be  as  a  man  in  a  rage  without  it ;  and 
would  have  it  thought  you  go  away  with  the 
garland. ' 

Ansio.  1.  I  am  not  in  a  rage,  but  contend  with 


you  earnestly  for  the  truth.  And  say  what  you 
will  or  can,  though  with  much  more  squibbing 
frumps*  and  taunts  than  hitherto  you  have  mixed 
your  writing  with.  Scripture,  scripture,  we  cry  still. 
And  it  is  a  bad  sign  that  your  cause  is  naught ; 
when  you  snap  and  snarl  because  I  call  for  scrip- 
ture. 2.  Had  you  a  scripture  for  this  practice, 
that  you  ought  to  shut  your  brethren  out  of  com- 
mxmion  for  want  of  water  baptism  I  had  done ;  but 
you  are  left  of  the  word  of  God,  and  confess  it ! 
3.  Aiid  as  you  have  not  a  text  that  justifies  your 
own  ;  so  neither  that  condemns  our  holy  and  Chris- 
tian communion.  We  are  commanded  also  to  re- 
ceive him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith,  for  God  hath 
received  him.  I  read  not  of  garlands,  but  those 
in  the  Acts  ;  take  you  them.  And  I  say  moreover, 
that  honest  and  holy  Mr.  Jesse  hath  justified  our 
practice,  and  you  have  not  condemned  his  argu- 
ments. They  therefore  stand  all  upon  their  feet 
against  you. 

I  leave  your  2,  3,  4,  5  and  6  arguments  under 
my  answers  where  they  are  suppressed.  In  your 
seventh  you  again  complain,  for  that  I  touch  your 
*  seeming  imports;'  saying,  *  I  do  not  use  to  sa^'' 
as  John  Bunyan,  this  I  say,  and  I  dare  to  say.  I 
please  myself  by  commending  my  apprehensions 
soberly,  and  submissively  to  others  much,  above 
me.' 

Aiisv).  1.  Seeming  imports  are  a  base  and  un- 
worthy foundation  for  a  practice  in  religion ;  and 
therefore  I  speak  against  them.  2.  Where  you 
say,  you  submit  your  apprehensions  soberly  to 
those  much  above  you;  it  is  false;  unless  you 
conclude  none  are  above  you,  but  those  of  your 
own  opinion.  Have  you  soberlj^  and  submissively 
commended  your  apprehensions  to  those  congrega- 
tions in  London,  that  are  not  of  your  persuasion 
in  the  case  in  hand?  and  have  you  consented  to 
stand  by  their  opinion  ?  Have  you  commended  your 
apprehensions  soberly  and  submissively  to  those 
you  call  Independents  and  Presbyters?  And  are 
you  willing  to  stand  by  their  judgment  in  the  case? 
Do  you  not  reserve  to  yourself  the  liberty  of  judging 
what  they  say?  and  of  choosing  what  you  judge 
is  right,  whether  they  conclude  with  you  or  no  ?  If 
so ;  why  do  you  so  much  dissemble  with  all  the 
world,  in  print ;  to  pretend  you  submit  to  others' 
judgment,  and  yet  abide  to  condemn  their  judg- 
ments ?  you  have  but  one  help :  perhaps  you  think 
they  are  not  above  you  ;  and  by  that  proviso  secure 
yourself;  but  it  will  not  do. 

For  the  offence  you  take  at  my  comment  upon 
your  calling  baptism,  'a  livery:'  and  for  Reflections, 
your  calling  it  '  the  Spirit's  metai^horical     P-^a.-iG. 


*  '  Frump,'  to  mock,  flout,  scofF.  '  You  must  learn  to  mocl: ; 
to  frump  your  own  father  oa  occasion.'  Ironically  iiscd  ia 
Ru.c;i2:le's  In;noramus. — Ed. 


PEACEABLE  PEIJiCIPLES  AXD  TRUE. 


635 


tlescriptiou  of  baptism :'  both  purases  are  boldness, 
without  the  word.  Neither  do  I  find  it  called  a 
listing  ordinance,  nor  the  solemnization  of  the 
marriage  betwixt  Christ  and  a  behever.  But  per- 
haps you  had  this  from  Mr.  D'Anvers,  who  pleaseth 
himself  with  this  kind  of  wording  it :  and  says 
moreover  in  justification  of  you,  '  That  persons 
entered  into  the  visible  chui-ch  thereby  (by  baptism, 
Avhich  is  untrue,  though  Mr.  Baxter  also  saith  it) 
are  by  consent  admitted  into  particular  congrega- 
tions, where  they  may  claim  their  privileges  due 
to  baptized  behevers,  being  orderly  put  into  the 
body,  and  put  on  Christ  by  their  baptismal  vow 
and  covenant :  for  by  that  pubhc  declaration  of 
consent,  is  the  marriage  and  solemn  contract  made 
betwixt  Christ  and  a  believer  in  bap- 
ti'ree'Lst°pases  tism.  And,  saith  he,  if  it  be  prepos- 
"f,  ,\^'^  Treatise   terous    and  wicked   for  a  man  and 

01  ijaptistti.  . 

woman  to  cohabit  together,  and  to 
enjoy  the  privileges  of  a  married  state  without  the 
passing  of  that  public  solemnity :  So  it  is  NO  less 
disorderly  upon  a  spiritual  account,  for  any  to 
claim  the  privileges  of  a  church,  or  be  admitted  to 
the  same,  till  the  passing  of  this  solemnity  by  them.' 

Ansio.  But  these  words  are  very  black.  Pirst, 
Here  lie  hath  not  only  impHcitly  forbidden  Jesus 
Christ  to  hold  communion  with  the  saints  that  are 
not  yet  his  by  [water]  baptism ;  but  is  bold  to 
charge  him  with  being  as  preposterous  and  wicked 
if  he  do,  as  a  man  that  liveth  with  a  woman  in  the 
privileges  of  a  married  state,  without  passing  that 
pubhc  solemnity.  Secondly,  He  here  also  chargeth 
him  as  guilty  of  the  same  wickedness,  that  shall 
but  dare  to  claim  chui-ch  communion  without  it ; 
yea,  and  the  whole  church  too,  if  they  shall  admit 
such  members  to  their  fellowship. 

And  now  since  cleaving  to  Christ  by  vow  and 
covenant,  will  not  do  without  baptism,  after  per- 
sonal confession  of  faith ;  what  a  state  are  all  those 
poor  saints  of  Jesus  in,  that  have  avowed  them- 
selves to  be  his  a  thousand  times  without  this 
baptism  ?  Yea,  and  what  a  case  is  Jesus  Chi-ist 
in  too,  by  yom-  argument,  to  hold  that  communion 
with  them,  that  belongeth  only  unto  them  that  are 
niaiTied  to  him  by  this  solemnity !  Brother,  God 
give  him  repentance.  I  wot  that  through  ignorance 
and  a  preposterous  zeal  he  said  it :  imsay  it  again 
with  teai'S,  and  by  a  public  renunciation  of  so  wicked 
and  horrible  words;  but  I  thus  sparingly  pass 
you  by.* 


I  shall  not  trouble  the  world  any  farther  with  an 
answer  to  the  rest  of  your  books :  The  books  are 
public  to  the  world  :  let  men  read  and  judge.  And 
had  it  not  been  for  your  endeavouring  to  stigmatize 
me  with  reproach  and  scandal,  a  thing  that  doth 
not  become  you,  I  needed  not  have  given  you  two 
Hues  in  answer. 

And  now,  my  angry  brother,  if  you  shall  write 
agam,  pray  keep  to  the  question,  namely,  *  What 
precept,  precedent,  or  example  have  you  in  God's 
word  to  exclude  your  holy  brethren  from  church 
communion  for  want  of  water  baptism.'  Mr.Denne's 
great  measm'c,  please  j'ourself  with  it,  and  when 
you  shall  make  his  arguments  yom-  oviii,  and  tell 
me  so,  you  perhaps  may  have  an  answer,  but  con- 
sidering him,  and  comparing  his  notions  with,  his 
conversation,  I  count  it  will  be  better  for  him  to  be 
better  in  morals,  before  he  be  worthy  of  an  answer. 

THE  CONCLUSIOX. 

E,eader,  when  Moses  sought  to  set  the  brethren 
that  strove  against  each  other,  at  one,  he  that  did 
the  wrong  thrust  him  away,  as  unwilling  to  be 
hhidered  in  his  imgodly  attempts  ;  but  Moses  con- 
tiuumg  to  make  peace  betwixt  them,  the  same  per- 
son attempted  to  charge  him  with  a  murderous 
and  bloody  design,  saying,  '  Wilt  thou  kill  me  as 
thou  didst  the  Egyptian  yesterday  ? '  Ex.  ii.  14.  a 
thing  too  commonly  thi'own  upon  those  that  seek 
peace,  and  ensue  it.  Ac.  vii.  24—29.  '  My  soul, '  saith 
David,  '  hath  long  dwelt  with  him  that  hateth 
peace.  I  <2??i/oy' peace,  [said  he]  but  when  I  speak, 
they  are  for  war. '  Ps.  cxx.  6, 7.  One  would  think  that 
even  natm-e  itself  should  count  peace  and  concord 
a  thing  of  greatest  worth  among  saints,  especially 
since  they,  above  all  men,  know  themselves  ;  for 
he  that  best  knoweth  himself  is  best  able  to  pity 
and  bear  with  another  ;  He.  v.  2.  yet  even  amongst 
these,  such  will  arise,  as  will  make  divisions  among 
their  brethi-en,  and  seek  '  to  draw  away  disciples 
after  them, '  Ac.  xx.  so.  crying  still  that  they,  even 
they  are  in  the  right,  and  all  that  hold  not  with 
them  in  the  wrong,  and  to  be  withdrawn  from. 
Eo.  xvL  17.    But  when  every  ke,  hath  said  aU  that  he 


*  j\Ir.  D'Anvers,  in  a  postscript  to  liis  History  of  Baptism, 
tlie  first  edition,  1673,  thus  violently  attaclcs  Lis  Lrotlicr 
Bunyan  : — '  Having  read  Lis  Look,  I  took  myself  concerned  to 
give  some  sLort  return  to  it,  leaving  Lis  "  manifold  aLsurdi- 
ties,"  "contradictions,"  "imbrotLeiiy  tauntings  and  reflec- 
tions," "  contemptions,"  "traducings  tLc  wisdom  of  CLrist, 
and  Lis  Loly  appointments,"  to  be  called  to  account  Ly  tLat 
Land  tLat  Lath  so  well  begun  to  reckon  witL  lum.'     He  was 


in  prison,  and  Lis  brotLer  thus  visits  Lim  witL  gall  and  worm- 
wood instead  of  consoling  cordials.  He  goes  on  to  confound 
water  baptism  witL  tLat  of  tLe  Spirit,  and  cLarges  Banyan 
Tk-ith  '  ignorance  and  folly — dangerous  and  destructive  to  reli- 
gion itself,'  '  contradicting  tLe  autLority  of  CLrist,'  calls  Lim 
'  egregiously  ignorant,' '  self-condemning.'  All  this  uncLaritable 
vituperation  was  because  Mr.  Bunyan  would  bold  communion 
witL  all  tLose  wLo  Lad  been  baptized  into,  and  put  on,  CLrist. 
TLe  passage  quoted  is  correct,  except  tLat '  mai-ritd  estate'  sLould 
be  '  marriage  state.'  So  satisfied  was  D'Anvers  witL  tLe  just 
and  CLristian  correction  given  Lim  for  so  egregious  a  blunder, 
tLat  if  Le  did  not  repent  witL  teai's,  Le  took  special  care  to 
leave  out  all  tLis  absm-d  reference  to  tLe  marriage  ceremony 
jier/ormed  in  water  fi'cm  Lis  second  edition.— En. 


656 


PEACEABLE  PRINCIPLES  AND  TRUE. 


can   it  is  one  of  the  things  which  the  Lord  hatcth, 
to  sow  *  discord  among  hreihren.'  Pr.  vi.  19  * 

Yet  many  years'  experience  we  have  had  of  these 
mischievous  attempts,  as  also  have  others  in  other 
places,  as  may  he  instanced  if  occasion  requireth 
it,  and  that  especially  hy  those  of  the  rigid  way 
of  our  hrethren,  the  Baptists  so  called,  whose  prin- 
ciples Avill  neither  allow  them  to  admit  to  commu- 
nion, the  saint  that  differeth  from  them  ahout 
baptism,  nor  consent  they  should  communicate  in 
a  church-state  among  themselves  :  hut  take  occa- 
sion still  ever  as  they  can,  both  to  reproach  their 
church-state,  and  to  finger  from  amongst  them  who 
they  can  to  themselves.  These  things  being  griev- 
ous to  those  concerned,  as  we  are,  though  perhaps 
those  at  quiet  are  too  little  concerned  in  the  matter, 
therefore  when  I  could  no  longer  forbear,  I  thought 
good  to  present  to  public  view  the  warrantableness 
of  our  holy  communion,  and  the  unreasonableness 
of  their  seeking  to  break  us  to  pieces.  At  this 
Mr.  William  Iv[iffin],  Mr.  Thomas  Paid,  and  Mr. 
Henry  D'Anvers,  and  Mr.  Denne,  fell  with  might 
and  main  upon  me  ;  some  comparing  me  to  the  devil, 
others  to  a  bedlam,  others  to  a  sot,  and  the  Hke,  for 
my  seeking  peace  and  truth  among  the  godly. 
Nay,  further,  they  began  to  cry  out  murder,  as  if  I 
intended  nothing  less  than  to  accuse  them  to  the 
magistrate,  and  to  render  them  incapable  of  a  share 
in  the  commonwealth,  when  I  only  struck  at  their 
heart-breaking,  church-rending  principles  and  prac- 
tice ;  in  their  excluding  their  holy  brethren's  com- 
munion from  them,  and  their  condemning  of  it 
[even]  among  themselves.  They  also  follow  me 
with  slanders  and  reproaches,  counting,  it  seems, 
such  thino;s  arguments  to  defend  themselves. 

But  1  in  the  meantime  call  for  proof,  scripture 
My  2nd  took,  p.  P^"^^^'  ^^  convincc  me  it  is  a  duty  to 
34, 78.  His  re-  refuse  communion  with  those  of  the 
'  "'  saints  that  differ  from  them  about 
baptism  ;  at  this  Mr.  P[aul]  takes  oflfence,  calling 
my  demanding  of  proof  for  their  rejecting  the 
unbaptized  believer,  how  excellent  soever  in  faith 
and  holiness,  a  clamorous  calling  for  proof,  with 
high  and  sv/elling  words,  which  he  counteth  not 
Avorthy  of  answer ;  but  I  know  the  reason,  he  by 
this  demand  is  shut  out  of  the  Bible,  as  himself 
also  suggesteth :  wherefore  when  coming  to  assault 
me  with  arguments,  he  can  do  it  but  by  seeming 
imports,  suppositions,  and  strong  presumptions, 
and  tells  you  farther  in  his  reply,  '  That  this  is  the 


*  Strife  and  contention — evil  speaking  or  surmisings  among 
professors,  are  tokens  of  a  cai'nal  mind,  injurious  to  spiritual 
peace,  and  abominable  to  God.  The  envious,  discontented,  and 
malicious,  are  tbe  devil's  working  tools.  If  such  die  unsub- 
dued by  divine  grace,  they  plunge  themselves  into  the  bottom- 
less pit.  True  wisdom  avoids  strife  and  contention,  is  mode- 
rite  in  doubtful  opinions,  patient  and  cautious  in  judging 
others. — Ed. 


utmost  of  his  light  in  the  scriptures  urged  for  his 
practice;'  p. 41.  of  which  light  thou  mayest  easily 
judge,  good  reader,  that  hast  but  the  common 
understanding  of  the  mind  of  God,  concerning 
brotherly  love.  Strange  !  that  the  scripture  that 
everywhere  commandeth  and  presseth  to  love,  to 
forbearance,  and  bearing  the  burden  of  our  bro- 
ther ;  should  yet  imply,  or  implicitly  import  that 
we  should  shut  them  out  of  our  Father's  house ; 
or  that  those  scriptures  that  command  us  to  receive 
the  weak,  should  yet  command  us  to  shut  out  the 
strong  !  Thinkest  thou,  reader,  that  the  scripture 
hath  two  faces,  and  speaketh  with  two  mouths  ? 
yet  it  must  do  so,  by  these  men's  doctrine.  It 
saith  expressly,  '  Receive  one  another,  as  Christ 
also  received  us  to  the  glory  of  God.'  Ro.  xv.  7.  But 
these  men  say,  it  is  not  duty,  it  is  pre- 
posterous, and  idolatrous ;  concluding  that  flections, 
to  receive  this  brother,  is  not  a  custom  ^' 
of  them,  not  yet  of  the  churches  of  God :  conse- 
quently telling  thee,  that  those  that  receive  such 
a  brother  are  not  (let  them  talk  wdiile  they  will) 
any  of  the  churches  of  God :  see  their  charity, 
their  candour  and  love,  in  the  midst  of  their  great 
pretensions  of  love. 

But  be  thou  assured,  christian  reader,  that  for 
these  their  uncharitable  words  and  actions,  they 
have  not  footing  in  the  word  of  God,  neither  can 
they  heal  themselves  with  suggesting  their  amicable 
correspondence  to  the  world.  Church  communion 
I  plead  for,  church  communion  they  deny  them, 
yet  church  communion  is  scripture  communion, 
and  we  read  of  none  other  among  the  saints.  True, 
we  are  commanded  to  withdraw  '  from  every  bro- 
ther that  walketh  disorderly,  -  that  he  may  he 
ashamed,  yet  not  to  count  him  as  an  enemy,  hut 
to  admonish  Jdm  as  a  brother. '  2  Th.  lii.  c,  14, 15.  If 
this  be  that  they  intend,  for  I  know  not  of  another 
comimmion,  that  we  ought  to  have  with  those,  to 
whom  we  deny  church  communion ;  then  what 
ground  of  rejoicing  those  have  that  are  thus 
respected  by  their  brethren,  1  leave  it  to  themselves 
to  consider  of. 

In  the  meanwhile,  I  affirm,  '  that  baptism  with 
water,  is  neither  a  bar  nor  bolt  to  communion  of 
saints,  nor  a  door  nor  inlet  to  commimion  of 
saints.'  The  same  which  is  the  argument  of  my 
books ;  and  as  some  of  the  moderate  among  them- 
selves have  affii'med,  that  neither  Mr.  K,  ]\Ir.  P. 
nor  Mr.  D'Anvers,  have  made  invahd,  though 
sufficiently  they  have  made  their  assault. 

For  Mr.  Denne,  I  suppose  they  count  him  none 
of  themselves,  though  both  he,  and  Mr.  Lamb, 
like  to  like,  are  brought  for  authors  and  abetters 
of  their  practice,  and  to  refel  my  peaceable  prin- 
ciple. For  Mr.  Denne,  if  either  of  the  three  will 
make  his  arguments  their  own,  they  may  see  what 
their  servant  can  do :  but  I  shall  not  bestow  paper 


OF  THE  LOVE  OF  CHRIST. 


637 


and  ink  upon  him,  nor  yet  upon  Mr.  Lamb ;  the 
one  already,  having  given  his  profession  the  lie,  and 
for  the  other  perhaps  they  that  know  his  hfe,  will 
see  little  of  conscience  in  the  Avhole  of  his  religion, 
and  conclude  him  not  worth  the  taking  notice  of. 
Besides  Mr.  P.  hath  also  concluded  against  Mr. 
Deuue,  That  baptism  is  not  the  initiating  ordinance, 
and  that  his  utmost  strength  for  the  justification 
of  his  own  practice  is,  '  suppositions,  imports,  and 
strong  presumptions,'  things  that  they  laugh  at, 
despise  and  deride,  when  brought  by  their  brethren 
to  prove  infant  baptism. 

Railing  for  railing,  I  will  not  render,  though  one 
of  these  opposers,  Mr.  Dan.  by  name,  did  tell  me, 
that  Mr.  Paul's  reply  when  it  came  out,  would 
sufficiently  provoke  me  to  so  beastly  a  work :  but 
what  is  the  reason  of  his  so  writing,  if  not  the 
peevishness  of  his  own  spirit,  or  the  want  of  better 
matter. 

This  1  thank  God  for,  that  some  of  the  brethren 
of  this  way,  are  of  late  more  moderate  than  for- 
merly, and  that  those  that  retain  their  former 
sourness  still,  are  left  by  their  brethren,  to  the 
vinegar  of  their  own  spirits,  their  brethren  ingeni- 
ously confessing,  that  could  these  of  their  company 
bear  it,  they  have  liberty  in  theu*  own  souls  to 


commmiicate  with  saints  as  saints,  though  they 
difi'er  about  water  baptism. 

Well,  God  banish  bitterness  out  of  the  churches, 
and  pardon  them  that  are  the  maintainers  of 
schisms  and  divisions  among  the  godly.  '  Behold, 
how  good  and  how  pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to 
dwell  together  in  unity !  It  is  like  the  precious 
ointment  upon  the  head,  that  ran  down  upon  the 
beard,  even  Aaron's  beard:  that  went  down  to  the 
skirts  of  his  garments ;  (farther  it  is)  As  the  dew 
of  Hermon,  that  descended  upon  the  mountains  of 
Zion :  (Mark)  for  there  the  Lord  commanded  the 
blessing,  even  life  for  evermore. '  Ps.  cxxxiu. 

I  was  advised  by  some,  Avho  considered  the  wise 
man's  proverb,  not  to  let  Mr.  Paul  pass  with  all 
his  bitter  invectives,  but  I  consider  that  the  wrath 
of  man  worketh  not  the  righteousness  of  God: 
therefore  I  shall  leave  him  to  the  censure  and 
rebuke  of  the  sober,  where  I  doubt  not  but  his  un- 
savoury ways  with  me  will  be  seasonably  brought 
to  his  remembrance.     Farewell. 

I  am  thine  to  serve  thee,  Christian,  so  long  as 
I  can  look  out  at  those  eyes,  that  have  had  so 
much  dirt  throv.n  at  them  by  many, 

J.  BUXYAN. 


OF   THE   LOVE    OF   CHEIST. 


The  love  of  Clirist,  poor  I  may  touch  upon : 
But  'tis  uusearcliable.     Oli !  there  is  none 
Its  large  dimensions  can  comprehend, 
Should  they  dilate  thereon,  world  without  end. 

"When  we  had  sinned,  in  his  zeal  he  sware. 
That  he  upon  his  back  our  sins  would  bear. 
And  since  unto  sin  is  entailed  death. 
He  vowed,  for  our  sins  he'd  lose  his  breath. 

He  did  not  only  say,  vow,  or  resolve, 
But  to  astonishment  did  so  involve 
Himself  in  man's  distress  and  misery. 
As  for,  and  with  him,  both  to  live  and  die. 
To  his  eternal  fame  in  sacred  story, 
"We  find  that  he  did  lay  aside  his  glory, 
Stept  from  the  thi-one  of  highest  dignity; 
Became  poor  man,  did  in  a  manger  lie ;  \ 

Yea  was  beholden  upon  his,  for  bread ; 
Had  of  his  own  not  where  to  lay  his  head : 
Though  rich,  he  did,  fcr  us,  become  thus  poor, 
That  he  might  make  us  rich  for  evermore. 

Nor  was  this  but  the  least  of  what  he  did ; 
But  the  outside  of  ^Yhat  he  suffered. 
;l.  II. 


God  made  his  blessed  Son  under  the  law ; 
Under  the  curse,  which,  like  the  lion's  paw. 
Did  rend  and  tear  his  soul,  for  mankind's  sin, 
More  than  if  we  for  it  in  hell  had  been. 
His  cries,  his  tears,  and  bloody  agony, 
The  natm-e  of  his  death  doth  testify. 

Nor  did  he  of  constraint  himself  thus  give 
For  sin,  to  death,  that  man  might  with  him  live. 
He  did  do  what  he  did  most  willingly, 
He  sung,  and  gave  God  thanks,  that  he  must  die, 

But  do  kings  use  to  die  for  captive  slaves  ? 
Yet  we  were  such,  when  Jesus  died  to  save  us. 

Yea,  when  he  made  himself  a  sacrifice, 
It  was  that  he  might  save  his  enemies. 
And,  though  he  was  provoked  to  retract 
His  blest  resolves,  for  such,  so  good  an  act. 
By  the  abusive  cai'riages  of  those, 
That  did  both  him,  his  love,  and  grace  oppose : 
Yet  he,  as  unconcerned  with  such  things 
Goes  on,  determines  to  make  captives  kings 
Yea,  many  of  his  murderers  lie  takes 
Into  his  favour,  and  them  priaces  makes. 
4  o 


A  CASE  OF  CONSCIENCE  EESOLVED; 

TIZ., 

V/HETHEU,  WHEIiE  A  CHURCn  OF  CHRIST  IS  SITUATE,  IT  IS  THE  DUTY  OF  THE  WOMEN  OF  THAT  CONGREGATION, 

ORDINARILY,  AND  BY  APrOINTilENT,  TO  SEPARATE  THEMSELVES  FROM  THEIR  BRETHREN,  AND 

SO  TO  ASSEMBLE  TOGETHER,  TO  PERFORM  SOME  PARTS  OF  DIVINE  WORSHIP, 

AS  PRAYER,  ETC.,  WITHOUT  THBIR  MEN  ? 

AKD  TGE  ARGUITENTS  MADE  USE  OF  POU  THAT  PRACTICE,  ESAMINEP. 

By   JOHN    BUNYAN. 


Loadon :  Printed  for  Benj.  Alsop,  at  tlie  Angel  and  Bible  in  the  Poultry,  1GS3. 


EDITOE'S  ADYEETISEMENT. 


This  exceedingly  rare  tract  was  first  publislied  in 
a  small  4to  of  thirty-nine  pages,  in  1683,  and  was 
not  reprinted,  either  separately,  or  in  any  edition  of 
Bunyan's  works.  The  public  are  indebted  to  the 
owner  of  a  copy  in  perfect  preservation,  who  kindly 
lent  it,  with  a  painful  prohibition  that  he  is  to 
remain  unknown ;  but  with  full  allowance  to  any 
one  who  wishes  to  collate  it  with  this  new  edition, 
by  applying  to  the  editor. 

At  the  tune  this  case  was  drawn  and  submitted 
to  Mr.  Bunyan  for  his  opinion,  he  was  one  of  the 
most  popular  preachers  in  the  kingdom,  and  uni- 
versally esteemed  in  all  the  churches  of  Christ,  for 
his  profound  knowledge  of  the  sacred  Scriptures. 
This  may  account  for  such  a  case  being  sent  to  him, 
in  preference  to  those  illustrious  divines,  who  for 
learning  and  talent  have  been  unrivalled  in  any  age. 

The  Reformation  had  progressed  through  state 
impediments  so  slowly,  that  the  masses  of  the 
people  were  mvolved  in  the  grossest  darkness.  So 
Mr.  Keach  complained — '  The  church  is  but  newly 
come  out  of  the  wilderness  of  popish  darkness ;  and 
not  so  fully  neither  as  to  be  as  clear  as  the  sun ;  as 
in  due  time  she  shall.'*  The  era  of  the  common- 
wealth let  loose  a  flood  of  religious  light  and  hberty : 
those  who  had  just  emerged  from  the  darkness 
of  Popery,  and  those  who  had  received,  implicitly, 
and  without  investigation,  their  religion  from  the 
formal  services  of  the  Liturgy,  were  now  alarmed 
with  the  thunder  of  faithful  exhortations,  23erson- 
ally  and  prayerfully  to  examine  the  sacred  Scrip- 
tures, upon  pain  of  everlastmg  death.  A  light  so 
new,  and  so  marvellous,  dazzled  and  perplexed  those 
who  rushed  into  it,  without  earnest  prayer  for 
divine  guidance.  They  were  like  men  who  had 
been  born  and  brought  up  in  a  dark,  a  deep,  a 
noisome  mine,  when,  suddenly  emerging  into  %ht, 
are  overpowered   by  its    splendour.      Long    and 


*  '  Breacli  Eepaired/  a  defence  of  singing  in  pnbUc  worship, 
then  newly  and  partially  introduced.     1700,  p.  2. 


sharp  was  the  controversy  whether  singing  ought 
to  be  used  in  public  vforship  ;  whether  the  seventh 
day  of  the  week  or  the  first  was  to  be  consecrated; 
whether  ministers  were  to  be  paid  for  their  services; 
and  in  this  case,  to  define  the  privileges  and  duties 
of  women  as  helpers  in  the  gospel ;  and  it  is  sur- 
prising that  this  question  is  almost  as  new  now  as 
it  was  then.  It  is  thus  stated — 'Whether  it  is  the 
duty  of  the  women  of  the  churches  of  Christ  to 
separate  themselves  from  their  brethren,  and,  as  so 
separate,  to  perform  divine  worship  by  themselves.' 

It  appears  that  some  females  in  Bedford  were 
in  the  habit  of  thus  meeting,  under  the  advice  of  a 
Mr.  K.  They  held  prayer  meetings  for  special 
purposes,  at  the  imminent  risk  of  imprisonment ; 
but  whether,  in  these  meetings,  they  exhorted,  or 
preached .  to  each  other,  does  not  appear.  John 
Bunyan  was  applied  to  for  advice,  which  he  plainly 
gives.  He  was  a  stern  advocate  for  scriptural  i 
authority  in  all  things  pertaining  to  divine  wor- 
ship ;  and  one  who,  in  regarding  the  invaluable  ■ 
virtues  of  women,  most  admired  retiring  modesty 
as  the  loveliest  adornment  of  the  female  character. 
The  terms  he  uses,  and  the  spirit  in  which  he  writes, 
intimate  plainly  that  his  own  wife,  who  was  re- 
markable for  her  devotion  to  God  and  her  aifec- 
tionate  attachment  to  her  husband,  was  also  the  ■ 
most  obedient  of  her  sex. 

In  this  tract  we  find  no  unmeaning  gallant  frib- 
bling, but  the  solemn  language  of  one  who  had 
death  and  judgment  before  his  face.  He  conducts 
the  inquiry  with  great  care,  as  becomes  a  subject 
of  such  universal  interest :  and  the  great  majority 
of  Christians  remain  to  this  day  his  disciples.  The 
Society  of  Friends  is  an  exception,  as  to  females 
being  admitted  to  the  ministry;  while  the  Wesleyaa 
Methodists  have  gained  a  most  beneficial  influence, 
by  embracing,  to  the  full  extent,  Bunyan's  notions 
of  rendering  available  the  tender  zeal,  in  compara- 
tively private  labours,  of  their  pious  femdles,  in 
spreading  the  hallovred  influences  of  Christianity. 


THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATOilY. 


659 


The  Scciety  of  friends  stands  upon  high  gronnd 
in  justifying  its  practice  in  allowing  females  to 
minister  in  holy  things.  J.  J,  Giirney  says — 
'  Friends  believe  it  right,  freely  and  eqitally  to  allow 
the  ministry  of  both  sexes.  His  reason  is— 'That 
all  true  ministry  is  xmder  the  immediate  spirit  of 
the  influence  of  Christ :  therefore  we  are  bound  to 
make  way  for  the  exercise  of  the  gift  of  all  per- 
sons that  the  Spirit  may  direct  into  this  service. 
We  dare  not  say  to  the  modest  and  pious  female, 
"Thou  shalt  not  declare  the  word  of  the  Lord," 
when  we  believe  that  an  infinitely  higher  authority 
has  issued  a  directly  opposite  injunction.'* 

The  difference  arises  as  to  the  more  public  work 
of  the  ministry  in  proclaiming  or  preaching  the 
kingdom  of  Cnrist  to  the  world.  In  the  ordinary 
ministry,  by  teaching  the  young — by  a  godly  con- 
versation— by  visiting  and  praying  with  the  sick 
and  afflicted — by  encouraging  the  inquii-ers  and 
dh-ectmg  their  way  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven, — in 
these  important  duties  there  appears  to  be  neither 
male  nor  female  in  Christ  Jesus — all  are  equal. 

John  Bunyan  would  have  united  to  a  great 
degree  with  John  Gurney  in  these  sentiments. 
But  as  our  Lord  appointed  no  female  evangelists, 


*  Distiuguishing  Practices  of  Friends,  p.  280-1. 


or  apostles,  or  missionaries  ;  and  as  the  Holy 
Ghost  has  directed,  that  all  bishops  or  elders 
should  be  man-ied  mex,  it  would  appear  a  strange 
innovation  to  place  a  female  in  the  pastoral  office. 
Bunyan  believed  that  God  usually  commissions  men 
and  not  women  to  this  important  Avork.  J.J.  Gurney 
fully  admits  that  women  «  are  forbidden  to  usui-p 
authority  over  the  man,'  and  therefore  no  active 
part  is  assigned  to  them  in  public  assemblies  for 
the  settlement  of  the  affairs  of  the  church,  t  The 
women's  meetings  were  established  for  the  purpose 
of  exercising  a  wholesome  care  over  their  ovra.  sex.j 
'  That  faithful  women  should  be  helps  to  the  men 
in  the  scrrice  of  truth,  as  they  are  outvrardly  in 
civil  and  temporal  things.'^  And  to  this  who  can 
refuse  his  hearty  Aitex. 

There  is  too  much  sectarian  spirit  in  all  our 
conti-oversies.  Reader,  in  considering  this  sub- 
ject, endeavour  to  forget  for  the  time  those 
opinions  in  which  you  have  been  trained.  Examine 
the  question  by  the  Word  alone,  and  may  the 
Holy  Spirit  inscribe  upon  your  hearts  that  divine 
record,  Avhich  is  to  be  found  only  in  the  christian 
system :  '  There  is  neither  male  nor  female :  for 
ye  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus.'  Ga.  iii.28.-G.OFFOU. 


P.  495.      %  P.  509.      §  Sketch  of  Friends'  Discipline,  p.  35. 


THE   EPISTLE    DEDICATORY 

TO  THOSE  GODLY  WOMEN  CONCEHNED  IN  Till:  FOLLOWING  TnEATISE. 


Honoured  Sistehs, 

'Tis  far  from  me  to  despise  you,  or  to  do  anything 
to  your  reproach.  I  know  you  are  beloved  of  God 
for  the  sake  of  Christ,  and  that  you  stand  fixed  for 
ever  by  faith  upon  the  same  foundation  with  rs. 
I  also  know  that  the  Lord  doth  put  no  difference 
betwixt  male  and  female,  as  to  the  communications 
of  his  saving  graces,  but  hath  often  made  many  of 
your  sex  eminent  for  piety ;  yea,  there  hath  been 
of  you,  I  speak  now  of  ordinary  Christians,  that 
for  holiness  of  life  have  outgone  many  of  the  bre- 
thren :  Nor  can  their  virtuous  lives  but  be  renown 
and  gloiy  to  TOU,  and  conriction  to  those  of  us 
that  have  come  behind  you  in  faith  and  holiness. 
The  love  of  women  in  spirituals,  as  well  as  natu- 
rals, ofttimes  outgoes  that  of  men. 

When  Christ  was  upon  earth,  we  read  not  that 
any  man  did  to,  and  for  him,  as  did  the  woman 
that  was  a  sinner,  Joanna,  Susanna,  and  many 
others,  lu.  tu.  sg— S8;  viii.  1—3.  And  as  they  have 
j  shewed  themselves  eminent  for  piety,  so  for  chris- 
'tian  valour  and  fortitude  of  mind,  when  called  of 
God  to  bear  witness  to,  and  for  his  name  in  the 
world :  as  all  histories  of  that  nature  doth  suffl- 


ciently  testify.  They  were  women,  as  I  take  it 
as  well  as  men,  that  were  tortured,  and  that  would 
not  accept  of  deliverance,  that  they  might  obtain 
a  better  resurrection.  He.  xi.  35.  Wherefore  I  honour 
and  praise  your  eminency  in  virtue ;  and  desire  to 
be  provoked  by  the  exceeding  piety  of  any  of  you, 
in  all  holy  conversation  and  godliness. 

And  although,  as  you  wiU  find,  I  have  not  with- 
out a  cause,  made  a  question  of  the  lawfulness  of 
your  assembling  together,  by  yourselves,  to  per- 
form, without  your  men,  solemn  worship  to  God:  yet 
I  dare  not  make  you  yourselves  the  authors  of  your 
ownmiscan-iage  in  this.  I  do  therefore  rather  impute 
it  to  your  leaders,  who  whether  of  a  fond  respect 
to  some  seeming  abilities  they  think  is  in  you  for 
this,  or  from  a  persuasion  that  you  have  been 
better  than  themselves  in  other  things ;  or  whether 
from  a  preposterous  zeal,  they  have  put  you  upon 
a  work  so  much  too  heavy  for  you :  I  shall  not  at 
this  time  concern  myself  to  inquire  into.  But  this 
is  certam,  at  least  it  is  so  in  my  apprehension,  that 
in  this  matter  you  are  tempted  by  them  to  take  too 
much  upon  you. 

I  am  not  insensible  but  that  for  my  thus  writing, 
thoufvh  I  tliercby  have  designed  your  honour  and 


GCO 


A  CASE  OP  CONSCIENCE  RESOLVED. 


good  order ;  I  am  like  eno«gli  to  run  tlie  gauntlet 
among  you,  and  to  partake  most  smartly  of  tlie 
scourge  of  the  tongues  of  some,  and  to  be  soundly 
brow-beaten  for  it  by  others:  specially  by  our 
author,  who  will  find  himself  immediately  con- 
cerned, for  that  I  have  blamed  him  for  what  he 
hath  irregularly  done,  both  with  the  Word,  to  you, 
and  me.  I  look  also  to  be  sufficiently  scandalized, 
and  counted  a  man  not  for  prayer,  and  meetings 
for  prayer,  and  the  like  ;  but  I  will  labour  to  bear 
them  with  patience,  and  seek  their  good  that  shall 
be  tempted  to  abuse  me. 

I  had  not,  indeed  I  had  not,  spoke  a  word  to 
this  question  in  this  manner,  had  not  Mr.  K.  sent 
his  paper  abroad,  and  amongst  us,  for  the  encou- 
raging this  practice  with  us,  in  opposition  to  our 
peace.  I  do  not  say  he  designed  our  breach,  but 
his  arguments  tended  thereto ;    and  had  not  our 


people  been  of  a  wise  and  quiet  temper,  his  paper 
mi^ht  have  set  us  into  a  flame.  But  thanks  be  to 
God,  we  are  at  quiet,  and  walk  in  love,  notwith- 
standing the  LIFTS  that  have  been  to  make  us  do 
otherwise.  There  are  also  the  mouths  of  some 
opened  against  me  for  this,  who  lie  at  wait  for 
occasions,  and  shew  that  they  are  glad  to  take 
them  before  they  are  given  by  me :  to  whom  I  now 
shew  by  this  ensuing  discourse,  that  I  had  a  rea- 
son to  do  what  I  did. 

I  commend  you  to  God,  and  to  the  word  of  hia 
grace,  which  is  able  to  build  you  up,  and  to  give 
you  an  inheritance  among  them  that  are  sanctified 
by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ :  to  whom  be  honour  and 
o-'lory  for  ever.  And  remain,  your  faithful  friend 
and  brother  to  pray  for  you,  to  love  you  in  the 
gospel,  and  to  do  you  what  christian  service  I  can, 

John  Bunyan. 


A  CASE  OF  CONSCIENCE  RESOLYED,  &c. 


Tub  occasion  of  my  meddling  in  this  manner  with 
this  controversy,  is  this.  After  I  had,  for  reasons 
best  known  to  myself,  by  searching  found,  that 
those  called  the  women's  meetings  wanted  for  their 
support,  a  bottom  in  the  word :  I  called  them  in 
our  fellowship  into  question.  Now  having  so  done, 
my  reasons  for  so  doing,  as  was  but  reason,  were 
demanded;  and  I  gave  them,  to  the  causing  of 
that  practice  with  us  to  cease.  So  subject  to  the 
word  were  our  women,  and  so  willing  to  let  go 
what  by  that  could  not  be  proved  a  duty  for  them 
to  be  found  in  the  practice  of.  But  when  I  had 
so  done,  by  what  means  I  know  not,  Mr.  K., 
hearing  of  my  proceeding  in  this  matter,  though 
I  think  he  knew  little  of  question  or  answer,  sets 
pen  to  paper,  and  draws  up  four  arguments  for 
the  justification  of  these  meetings.  The  which, 
when  done,  were  sent  down  into  our  parts ;  not  to 
me,  but  to  some  of  his  own  persuasion,  who  kept 
them,  or  sent  them,  or  lent  them  whither  they 
thought  good :  And  so  about  two  years  after,  with 
this  note  immediately  following,  they  were  con- 
veyed to  my  hand. 

Bro:  Bunyan,  This  enclosed,  was  sent  to  me 
from  godly  Vi-oraen,  whose  custom  for  a  long  time 
hath  been  to  meet  together  to  pray :  who  hearing 
of  your  contrary  opinion,  sent  this.  It  came  from 
Mr.  K.,  Avho  would  desire  to  know  what  objections 
you  have  against  it :  and  he  is  ready  to  give  his 
further  advice.  Pray  be  pleased  to  give  your 
answer  ia  writing,  for  Mr.  K.  expects  it. 

Your  friends  in  the  Lord, 
S.  B.     S.  F. 


Pray  be  pleased  to  leave  your  answer  with 
S.  F.*  in  Bedford. 

Now  having  received  the  papers,  and  considering 
the  contents  thereof:  I  was  at  first  at  a  question 
with  myself,  whether  the  thing  was  feigned,  or 
true ;  and  to  that  purpose,  writ  to  these  women 
again:  but  calling  to  mind,  that  I  had  heard 
something  of  this  before,  1  concluded  there  was 
ground  to  believe,  as  I  do,  [that  it  was  true,  and 
not  feigned:]  And  so  resolved  to  answer  his  demand 
and  expectation.  But  to  say  nothing  more  as  to 
this,  I  will  next  present  you  with  the  arguments 
he  sent,  and  then  with  my  manner  of  handling  of 
them. 

[Mr.  A'.'s  Arguments  for  Female  Prayer  Meetings.] 

He  begins  with  this  question.  Whether  women 
fearing  God  may  meet  to  pray  together,  and 
whether  it  be  lawful  for  them  so  to  do  ?  Which 
done,  he  falls  to  a  wonderment,  saying.  It  seems 
very  strange  to  me,  that  any  who  profess  the  fear 
of  God,  can  make  any  question  touching  the  law- 
fulness thereof:  The  rule  for  praying  being  so 


*  Proljably  a  fumale  braucli  of  the  family  of  Joliu  or  Samuel 
Fenn,  hatters  at  Bedford,  who,  ia  1670,  were  cruelly  perse- 
cuted for  suffering  a  meeting  for  religious  worship  to  take 
place  in  the  house  of  Johu  Feun.  Not  only  all  their  stock  ot 
hats,  materials,  and  tools,  hut  the  whole  of  their  household 
furniture  was  seized  and  carried  off  to  satisfy  ruinous  fines. 
One  John  Bardolf  was  also  cruelly  persecuted  for  Christ's 
sake  at  the  same  time. — Vide  Narrative  of  Arbitrary  Proceed- 
ings at  Bedford,  4to,  1670,  in  the  editoi'"s  possession. 


A  CASE  OF  CONSCIENCE  RESOLVED. 


GCl 


general  to  all,  and  tliere  being  so  many  insianees 
for  the  practice  thereof,  upon  several  occasions  in 
the  word  of  God,  for  their  encouragement  therein. 

He  next  presents  us  with  his  arguments,  which 
are  in  numberyawr,  but  in  verity  not  one,  to  prove 
that  thing  for  the  which  he  urgeth  the:ii:  as  I 
hope  to  make  appear  by  that  I  have  done. 

First,  saith  he.  If  women  may  praise  God  together 
for  mercies  received  for  the  church  of  God,  or  for 
tjiemselves  ?  then  they  may  pray  togetlier  :  The 
proof  whereof  is  plain.  Ex.  xv.  ?o,  21.  If  it  be  objected 
the  case  was  extraordinary,  and  that  Miriam  was  a 
prophetess ;  To  which  I  answer.  That  the  danger 
of  ruin  and  destruction,  and  our  deliverance  from 
it,  if  the  Lord  grant  it,  cannot  be  looked  at  but  as 
extraordinary.  The  designs  of  ruin  to  the  church, 
and  servants  of  God,  being  as  great  as  at  that 
time  when  God  delivered  his  people  from  the  hand 
of  Pharaoh.*  And  wiU  call  for  praises,  if  the  Lord 
please  to  send  it,  as  then.  And  whereas  it  is 
further  objected,  that  Miriam  was  an  extraordinary 
person.  To  which  I  answer.  That  the  duty  itself 
of  praising  God  for  the  mercy,  was  incumbent  upon 
Jill,  in  as  much  as  they  were  partakers  of  the  mercy. 
And  the  same  spirit  of  Christ  that  was  in  her,  is 
also  in  all  his  servants:  given  for  the  same  end, 
both  to  pray  for  mercies  we  stand  in  need  of,  and 
to  praise  God  for  [them]. 

Second,  If  women  have  in  imminent  danger  to 
themselves  and  the  church  of  God,  pi-ayed  jointly 
logether  for  deliverance,  and  God  hath  answered 
and  approved  of  the  same :  then  may  women  jointly 
pray  together.  The  instance  we  have  is  famous. 
Es.  iv.  16.  We  there  see  she  and  her  maidens  did 
pray  and  fast  together,  and  the  Lord  gave  a  gra- 
cious answer  and  deliverance. 

Third)  If  God  hath  in  gospel  times  promised 
the  pouring  out  of  his  Spirit  to  women,  to  that 
very  end  that  they  may  pray  together  apart  from 
men ;  then  it  is  not  only  their  liberty,  but  duty  to 
meet  and  pray  together.  But  God  hath  promised 
his  Spirit  to  that  end.  Zec.  xii.  lo— 13.  Which  scrip- 
ture it  is  plain  is  a  promise  of  gospel  times.     And 


*  In  times  of  such  severe  trial  and  suffering  to  our  pilgrim 
forcfatliers,  they  knew  the  value  of  prayer ;  and  at  the  risk  of 
property,  liberty,  and  even  life,  held  frequent  meetings  to 
implore  theii*  God  and  Father  to  mitigate  their  sufferings,  and 
to  have  mercy  upon  theii'  cruel  persecutors.  Not  only  working 
tools  and  stock,  but  commonly  all  the  furniture,  was  taken 
fi'om  the  Christians,  wliile  their  ministers  and  members,  both 
men  and  women,  were  imprisoned  in  miserable  jails.  One  of 
these,  Mr.  Robert  Kalder,  dying,  was  buried  in  tlie  church- 
yard ;  but  those  furious  bigots  dug  up  his  naked  body,  and 
dragged  it  to  the  gates  of  his  former  residence,  leaving  it 
there,  a  frightful  spectacle  to  his  widow  and  family.  They 
had  meetings  for  prayer;  and  how  does  it  become  their 
descendants  in  the  faith  to  have  days  of  thanksgiving  and 
nights  of  praise? — See  Broadmead  Records  and  Crosby's 
History  of  Baptists,  vol.  ii.,  p.  240. — Ed. 


it  is  to  be  noted  that  the  text  doth  not  in  the  sin- 
gular number,  say,  He  shall  pray  apart,  and  his 
wife  apart ;  but  tiiet  shall  pray  apart,  and  theiu 
wives  apart.  And  Mai.  m.  ic.  God  takes  notice  of 
all  them  that  speak  often  togetlier,  and  call  upon 
his  name. 

Fourth,  If  God  hath  so  approved  of  women's 
meeting  together  to  pray  in  gospel  times,  as  then, 
and  at  that  time  to  take  an  advantage  to  make 
known  to  them  his  mind  and  will  concerning  Jesus 
Christ:  then  it  is  lawful  for  women  to  pray  too-ether. 
But  God  hath  so  approved  of  their  meeting  to  pray 
together.  Ac.  xvi.  is.  By  which  text  it  appeareth  it 
was  a  frequent  practice  for  women  to  meet  and 
pray  together. 

These  are  Mr.  K.'s  arguments;  the  conclusion 
of  his  paper  follows.  And  besides  all  these  par- 
ticular instances,  says  he,  what  means  those  general 
rules  to  build  up  one  another  in  our  most  holy  faith, 
and  pray  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  Jude  20.  But  it  extends 
to  aU  that  believe,  both  men  and  women  ;  unless 
any  will  say  women  are  not  to  be  built  up  in  their 
most  holy  faith.  Therefore  let  not  any  hinder  you 
from  a  duty  so  incumbent  upon  you  in  a  special 
manner,  in  such  a  day  as  this  is.  Cannot  many 
women  that  have  used  this  practice,  by  experience, 
say,  they  have  met  with  the  Lord  in  it,  and  have 
found  many  blessed  returns  of  prayer  from  God, 
both  to  themselves  and  the  church,  wherein  God 
hath  owned  them  ?  Therefore  what  God  hath  borne 
witness  to,  and  approved  of,  let  no  man  deter  you 
from.  Pray  turn  to  the  scriptures  quoted,  which 
I  hope  will  give  you  full  satisfaction. 

[J/r.  Bunyans  Ansii:er.'\ 

These  are  his  arguments,  and  this  his  conclu- 
sion, in  which  I  cannot  but  say,  there  is  not  only 
boldness,  but  flattery.  Boldness,  in  fathering  of 
his  misunderstanding  upon  the  authority  of  the 
word  of  God :  and  flattery,  in  soothing  up  persons  in 
a  way  of  their  own,  by  making  of  them  the  judges 
in  their  own  cause :  the  which  I  hope  to  make 
farther  appear  anon. 

For  since  his  women  in  their  letter  told  me  that 
Mr.  K.  expects  my  answer,  I  count  myself  called 
to  shew  the  unsoundness  of  his  opinion.  Indeed 
he  would,  as  they  insinuate,  confine  me  to  answer 
by  writing.  But  his  papers  have  been  I  know  not 
where,  and  how  to  put  check  to  his  extravagancies, 
that  also,  I  know  not,  but  by  scattering  mine 
[answer]  abroad.  And  as  I  wiU  not  be  confined 
to  an  answer  in  writing :  so  neither  to  his  methods 
of  argumentation.  AVhat  scholar  he  is,  I  know 
not ;  for  my  part,  I  am  not  ashamed  to  confess,  that 
I  neither  know  the  mode  nor  figm-e  of  a  syllogism, 
nor  scarce  which  is  major  or  minor.  Methinks  I 
perceive  but  little  sense,  and  far  less  truth  in  liis 


GG3 


A  CASE  OF  CONSCIENCE  RESOLVED. 


aro-uments :  also  I  hold  that  he  has  stretched  and 
strained  the  holy  Word  out  of  place,  to  make  it, 
if  it  might  haveheen,  to  shore  up  his  fond  conceits. 
I  shall  therefore,  first  take  these  texts  from  the 
errors  to  which  he  hath  joined  them,  and  then  fall 
to  picking  the  bones  of  his  sjdlogisms.* 

But  as  I  shall  not  confine  myself  to  his  mode  and 
way  of  arguing,  so  neither  shall  I  take  notice  of 
his  question  upon  which  he  stateth  the  matter  in 
controversy.  But  shall  propound  the  same  question 
here,  which,  for  the  substance  of  it,  was  handled 
among  us,  when  the  thing  itself  was  in  doubt 
among  us,  namely, 

Whether,  where  a  church  of  Christ  is  situate, 
it  is  the  duty  of  the  women  of  that  congregation, 
ordinarily,  and  by  appointment,  to  separate  them- 
selves from  their  brethren,  and  so  to  assemble 
together,  to  perform  some  parts  of  divine  worship, 
as  prayer,  &c.  without  their  men  ? 

This  was  our  question,  this  we  debated,  and  this 
Mr.  K.  might  have  sent  for,  and  have  spoken  to, 
since  he  Vv'ill  needs  be  a  eonfuter.  And,  courteous 
reader,  since  I  have  here  presented  thee  with 
the  question,  I  will  also  present  thee  with  the 
method  which  I  took  v/hen  1  handled  it  among  my 
brethren. 

First,  I  opened  the  terms  of  the  question.  Second, 
Then  shewed  what  assemblies  they  were  that  used 
to  perform  divine  worship  to  God.  Tldrd,  And  so 
shewed  Avhose  prayers  in  such  worship  Avas  used, 
or  by  Paid  and  others  desired. 

First,  By  church  of  Christ,  I  mean,  one  gathered 
or  constituted  by,  and  walking  after  the  rule  of 
the  Word  of  God.  By  situate,  I  mean,  where  such 
church  shall  happen  to  be,  in  whole,  or  in  the 
parts  thereof.  By  separating,  I  mean,  their  meet- 
ings together  by  appointment  of  their  ovm,  and  as 
so  met,  to  attempt  to  perform  divine  worship  [by] 
prayer  without  their  men.  Having  thus  explained 
the  question;  I,  as  a  preparatory  to  a  solution 
thereof,  come. 

Second,  To  shew  what  manner  of  assemblies  they 
were  that  used  to  perform  divine  worship  to  God 
of  old.  Now  I  find  that  there  have  been  three 
sorts  of  assemblies,  in  which  divine  Avorship  has 
been  performed.  1.  It  has  been  performed  in 
mixed  assemblies  ;  in  assemblies  made  up  of  saints 
and  sinners.  I  say  divine  worship  has  been  per- 
formed i  •.  such  assemblies,  for,  that  there,  the  saints 
have  been  edified,  sinners  convinced  and  converted, 
and  made  to  confess  their  sins,  to  the  glorv  of  God. 


*  '  Syllogism/  a  form  of  reasoning,  consisting  of  three  pro- 
positions, liaviug  this  property;  that  the  conclusion  necessiu-ily 
follows  from  the  two  premises :  so  that  if  the  first  and  second 
he  granted,  the  conclusion  must  he  granted  in  like  manner. 
No  wonder  that  Bunyan  neither  miderstood  nor  was  awed  by 
this  hard  word.  Armed  with  holy  ^Vrit,  he  goes  to  work  '  to 
pick  the  bones  of  the  syllogism.' — Ed. 


Of  these  assemblies  we  read,   Matv.  i;  xiii.  l ;  xxiii.  l. 

Mar.  iv.  1 ;  ii.  1;  vi.  2;  x.  1.  Lu.  v.  1;  viii. ;  xii.  1;  xiii.  1 ;  ST.  1;  xx.  1. 

1  Co.  xiv.  23.  And  in  many  other  scriptures.  2.  I 
also  find  that  the  church,  by  herself,  or  as  dis- 
tinct from  the  world,  have  met  together  to  per- 
form it   by  themselves.  Mar.  iv.  34.  Ac.  ii.  1—4;  xiii.  1,  2 ;  xv. 

4;  XX.  7;  Jn.  sx.  19—26.  3.  I  find  also  that  assemblies 
for  divine  worship  have  been  made  up  of  the  elders, 
and  principal  brethren  of  the  church,  none  of  the 
rest  of  the  congregation  being  present.  Mat.  x.  l.  Lu. 
k.i.  Ae.i.  3;ii.  17, 18.  Ga.  ii.  1, 2.  with  Several  other  scrip- 
tures beside.  But  in  all  the  Seriptni-e,  I  find  not 
that  the  women  of  the  churches  of  Christ,  did  use 
to  separate  themselves  from  their  brethren,  and 
as  so  separate,  perform  worship  together  among 
themselves,  or  in  that  tlidr  congregation  :  or  that 
they  made,  by  allowance  of  the  Word,  appoint- 
ment so  to  do.  Thus  far  therefore  this  must  stand 
for  a  human  invention,  and  Mr.  K.  for  the  promoter 
thereof. 

Third,  This  done,  in  the  third  place,  I  come  to 
shew  you  whose  prayers,  or  by  Avhose  mouth  prayer 
in  such  assemblies,  as  are  above  proved  lawfid, 
used  to  be  made,  or  by  Paul  or  others  were  desired. 
1.  Whose  prayers  were  used,  or  who  was  the 
mouth?  and  I  find  them  called  the  prayers  of  the 
church  in  general,  or  of  the  principal  men  thereof 

in   particular.    Ju.  ii  4,  5;  xx.  8,  26;  Joel  i.  14;  ii.  15—17.  Ac. 

xii.  5 ;  xiii.  1—3.  2.  Also  when  Paul,  or  others,  desired 
that  prayers  should  be  made  of  others  for  them. 
They  either  desired  the  prayers  of  the  church  in 
general,  or  of  the  brethren  in  particular  (but  never 
desireth,  or  biddeth  a  woman's  meeting,  that 
prayers  might  there  be  made  for  them.)  (1.)  He 
desireth  the  prayers  of   the  church   in  general. 

Col.iv.2.  Phi.  i.  19 ;  iv.  6.  1  Tli.  v.  17.  He.  xiii.  18.       (2.)     Or    if 

he  desireth  prayers  of  certain  persons,  he  only 
calls  upon  the  men  and  brethren  in  particular ;  but 
never  upon  a  woman  by  name  nor  sex  to  do  it. 

1  Th.  V.  25.  2  Th.  iii.  1.  Ro.  xv.  30.  1  Ti.  ii.  8  .     Nor  was,    aS    I 

said,  the  apostle  alone  in  this  thing.  Christ  speaks 
a  parable  to  this  end,  that  men  ought  always  to 
pray.  Lu.  xviiL  1.  James  saith,  the  effectual  fervent 
prayer  of  a  righteous  man.  v.  16.  Moses  sent  the 
young  men  to  sacrifice.  Ex.  .xxiv.  5.  And  the  people 
in  the  time  of  Zacharias,  sent  their  men  to 
pray  before  the  Lord.  Zcc.  vii.  2.  I  do  not  believe 
that  by  any  of  these  the  prayers  of  women  are 
despised,  but  by  these  Ave  are  taught,  who,  as 
the  mouth  in  assemblies  to  pray,  is  commended 
unto  us. 

One  word  more.  The  women  in  the  time  of 
Jeremiah  the  prophet,  when  they  had  made  their 
cakes  to  the  queen  of  heaven,  (though  the  thing 
which  they  did  Avas  as  right  in  their  oaa'u  eyes,  as 
if  they  had  done  true  Avorship  indeed)  and  was 
questioned  by  the  prophet  for  Avhat  they  had  done, 
could  not  justify  Avhat  they  had  done,  as  to  the 


A  CASE  OF  CONSCIENCE  EESOLVED. 


663 


act,  but  by  pleading.  They  did  it  not  'witliout 
tlieir  men. '  Je.  xliv.  17— 13. 

Thus  having  premised  these  few  things,  I  shall 
now  come  more  directly  to  discourse  of  the  ques- 
tion itself,  TO  WIT,  Whether,  where  a  church  of 
Christ  is  situate,  it  is  the  duty  of  the  women  of 
that  congregation,  ordinarily,  and  by  appointment, 
to  separate  themselves  from  their  brethren,  and  as 
so  separate,  to  assemble  together  to  perform  divine 
Avorship,  [by]  prayer,  without  their  men  ? 

This  was  our  question,  and  this  I  will  now  give 
a  negative  answer  unto.  For  I  find  not  in  Christ's 
testament  any  command  so  to  do ;  no  nor  yet 
example :  and  where  there  is  none  of  these,  it  can- 
not be  a  duty  upon  them ;  no,  nor  yet  liberty,  but 
presumption  to  attempt  it. 

The  command,  says  Mr.  K.,  is  general  to  all. 
But  I  answer,  yet  limited,  and  confined  to  order 
and  manner  of  performance.  Women  may,  yea 
ought  to  pray;  what  then?  Is  it  their  duty  to 
help  to  carry  on  prayer  in  public  assembhes  with 
men,  as  they?  Arc  they  to  be  the  audible  mouth 
there,  before  all,  to  God  ?  No  verily,  and  yet  the 
command  is  general  to  all  to  pray.  Women  of  the 
respective  churches  of  Christ,  have  no  command 
to  separate  themselves  from  the  men  of  their  con- 
gregations, to  perform  prayer  in  their  own  com- 
pany without  them,  and  yet  the  command  is  general 
to  all  to  pray.  We  must  therefore  disthiguish  of 
[between]  persons  and  performances,  though  we 
may  not  exclude  either.  The  manner  also,  and 
order  in  which  such  and  such  duties  must  be  done, 
Mr.  K,  knows  is  as  essential,  in  some  cases,  as 
the  very  matter  of  worship.  But  we  will  come 
to  my  reasons  for  my  dissenting  from  l\li\  K.  in 
this.  After  which  I  will  consider  his  arguments, 
and  the  scriptures  that  he  would  under-prop  them 
with.  As  for  my  reasons  for  my  dissenting  from 
him,  they  are  these : — 

First,  To  appoint  meetings  for  divine  worship, 
either  in  the  whole  chm-ch  or  in  the  parts  of  it,  is 
an  act  of  power:  which  power,  resideth  in  the 
elders  in  particidar,  or  in  the  church  in  general. 
But  never  in  the  women  as  considered  by  them- 
selves. Mr.  K.  indeed  doth  insinuate  that  this 
power  also  resided  in  them;  forhesaith,  God  hath 
in  gospel  times  promised  the  Spirit  to  women  to 
that  very  end,  that  they  may  pray  together,  apart 
'  from  men.  Now  if  the  Spirit  is  given  them  to 
THIS  very  end,  that  they  may  do  it  apart  from  men, 
then  they  have  a  power  residing  in  themselves  to 
call  their  own  sex  together  to  do  it.  And  what 
brave  doings  will  such  a  conclusion  make,  even  the 
blind  himself  will  perceive.  But  further  of  this 
anon ;  meanwhUe  we  will  attend  [to]  our  own  asser- 
tion. Namely,  '  That  to  call  the  church,  or  parts 
thereof  together,  to  perfomi  divine  worship  to  God, 
is  an  ACT  of  POWER,  which  power  resideth  in  the 


church  in  general,  or  in  the  eiders  in  particular." 
We  will  treat  of  the  last  first. 

1.  For  the  eldership,  I\Ioses  and  Aaron  of 
old  were  they,  with  the  priests,  that  v.'ere  to  call 
the  church  together  to  perform  divine  worship  to 
God,  and  that  both  as  to  the  whole,  or  as  to  the 

parts  of  it.  Ku.  x.  7,  8.  De.  iT.  14;  xxxi.  11, 12.  Ex.  iv.  29;  xiL  21; 

x^-ii.  5.  Also,  in  after  times,  they  were  the  elders 
and  chief  of  the  church,  that  did  it.  Jos.  xxiv.  1.  Ezr.  x. 
5—9.  Ac.  xiv.  27;  xv.  3.  Or,  2,  if  their  calling  together 
to  perform  divine  worship,  was  not  by  the  elders 
alone :  yet  it  was  by  the  power  that  resided  in  the 
church  for  that  thing,   who  jointly  ordered  tho 

same.  Ju.  xx.  8,  is.  Ezr.  iiL  1.  Zep.  iL  1—2.  Ac.  xii.  13.  1  Co.  v.  4; 

xi.  20.  All  these  are  plain  cases.  But  never,  as  I 
ever  did  read  of  in  the  Bible,  did  women,  ordinary 
believing  ones,  assume  this  power  of  the  elders,  or 
of  the  church,  to  themselves. 

If  it  be  asked,  Who  did  appoint  that  meeting 
made  mention  of  in  Ac.  iii.  13  ? 

I  answer,  It  was  appointed  by  the  pov/er  of  the 
church,  who,  for  her  own  conveniency,  if  she  can- 
not come  all  into  one  place  at  once  to  perform  the 
duty,  as  it  is  not  likely  four  or  five  thousand 
should,  in  times  of  persecution,  which  was  their  case, 
[they]  may  meet  some  here,  some  there,  for  their 
edification  and  comfort.  Compare  ver.  5  with  13  and 
17.  Nor  do  1  question  the  lawfulness  of  this  or  that 
part  of  the  chm'ch's  assembling  together  for  prayer : 
though  the  eldei'S,  and  greatest  pai't  of  the  brethren, 
be  absent.  If,  first,  such  iiEK  that  caU  such  assem- 
bhes are  countenanced  by  the  elders,  or  church,  to 
do  it.  1  Ti.  ii.  8.  2  Ti.  ii.  22.  But  that  the  sisters  of  this 
or  that  church,  may  call  their  own  sex  together  to 
perform  such  worship  by  themselves  to  God  (for 
this  is  the  thing  in  debate)  I  find  no  warrant  for. 

Second,  Because  this  kind  of  worship,  when 
done  in  and  by  a  company,  is  ministekial  to  that 
company,  as  well  as  petitionary  to  God.  That  is, 
they  that,  as  the  mouth  in  assembhes  pray  to  God, 
teach  that  assembly,  as  well  as  beg  mercies  of  him. 
And  I  find  not  that  women  may  assemble  to  do  thus. 
That  such  prayer  is  a  kind  of  ministermg  in  the  word 
to  standers  by,  consider  weU  i  Co.  xiv.  15—19.  Where- 
fore let  them  keep  silence  m  the  chm-ch,  and  in  the 
parts  thereof,  when  assembled  to  worship  God. 

In  aU  public  worship  by  prayer,  teaching  is  set  on 
foot,  two  ways:  1.  By  propounding  to  that  assem- 
bly the  things  that  must,  by  agreement,  be  prayed 
for.  2.  And  by  proving  them  to  suit  with  the  will 
of  God,  that  prayer  may  be  made  m  faith.  1  Jn.  v.  u. 

1.  For  all  such  prayer  must  be  made  for  the  things 
agreed  upon  first;  and  consequently  for  thmgs 
that  by  the  word  are  proved  good,  and  suitable  for 
the  seasons,  persons,  or  thmgs,  for  or  about  wliich 
such  prayers  are  made.  For  they  that  have  meet- 
mgs  for  prayer,  without  this,  pray  at  random,  and 
not  by  rule. 


SG4 


A  CASE  OF  CONSCIENCE  RESOLVED. 


*  If  two  of  you  shall  agree  on  earth,  as  touching 
anythino-  that  they  shall  ask  (according  to  God's 
will)  it  shall  he  done  for  them,'  saith  Christ,  'of 
my  Father  which  is  in  heaven, '  Mat.  xviii.  19.  Now, 
I  aaj,  if  things  prayed  for  in  assemhlies  must  first 
he  jointly  agreed  upon,  then  must  such  things,  hy 
some  one,  or  more  of  that  assemhly,  he  first  pro- 
poimded,  expounded,  and  proved  to  be  good  by  the 
word.  Good  for  such  persons,  seasons,  or  things, 
for  which  such  prayer  is  made.  And,  besides,  the 
gifts  required  to  do  this,  if  this  is  not  teaching  I 
am  out.  And  yet  this  must  first  be  done  to 
instruct  all  present,  to  help  their  faith,  and  to 
quicken  their  spirits  to,  and  in  that  worship.  That 
they  may  as  one  man  have  their  eyes  unto  the 
Lord.  Zee.  i.v.  1.  But  that  this  power  is  given  to 
women,  to  ordinary  believing  ones  that  are  in  the 
highest  account  in  churches,  I  do  not  beheve.  I 
do  not  believe  they  should  minister  to  God  in 
prayer  before  the  whole  church,  for  then  I  should 
be  a  Ranter  or  a  Quaker ;  nor  do  I  believe  they 
should  do  it  in  their  own  womanish  assembly,  for 
the  reason  urged  before.  And  I  will  add,  if 
brethren  not  heretofore  called  by  the  church  to 
open  scriptures,  or  to  speak  in  the  church  to  God 
in  prayer,*  are  not  at  first  to  be  admitted  to  do 
this,  but  before  the  elders  or  principal  brethren, 
that  they  may  hear  and  judge.  1  Co.  xiv.  26—29.  How 
can  it  be  thought  to  be  meet  or  lawful  for  women, 
of  whom  it  must  be  supposed,  that  they  have 
received  no  such  gifts,  that  they  should  use  this 
power  ?  I  say,  how  can  it  be  imagined  that  the 
women  shoidd  be  bound  of  God  to  do  this  in  such 
sort  as  doth  utterly  exclude  the  elders  and  all  the 
men  in  the  congregation  from  a  possibility  of 
understanding  and  of  judging  of  what  they  do  ? 
And  yet  this  is  the  doctrine  of  Mr.  K. ;  for  he 
saith,  '  That  the  Spirit  of  God  is  promised  to 
women  to  this  very  end,  that  they  may  pray 
together,  apart  from  men.'  But  God  is  not  the 
author  of  this  confusion  in  the  churches. 

2.  But  secondly,  As  teaching  by  prayer  in 
assemblies,  is  thus  set  on  foot;  so  every  one 
also  that  shall  in  such  meetings  be  the  mouth  of 
the  whole,  to  God,  ministereth  so,  doctrine  to  that 


*  Mucli  stress  was,  and  is  now,  laid  in  many  cliui'ches  upon 
tliG  necessity  of  all  persons,  Lefore  praying  or  prcacliing  in 
public,  being  guided  by  tiie  opinion  of  the  churcli.  The  taking 
advice  in  so  important  a  step  must  be  proper;  but  any jjled^e 
I0  abide  by  it,  contrary  to  the  conscientious  conviction  of  the 
individual,  would  be  a  violation  of  the  duty  of  private  judg- 
mcut.  If  in  their  ministrations  they  were  false  or  foolish,  the 
church  must  exercise  discipline ;  but  if  they  became  useful, 
surely  no  objection  could  be  urged  as  to  the  validity  of  their 
call  to  the  ministry,  because  the  chui-ch  bad  not  been  first 
cousidtcd  or  had  advised  them  not  to  proceed.  The  desire— 
the  ability,  by  sound  views  of  divine  truth,  and  a  hai>py  way 
(d  illustrating  and  enforcing  them— with  the  opportunity  of  so 
doing,  is  the  divine  call  to  this  holy  work.— Ed. 


assembly,  as  well  as  presenteth  petitions  to  God. 
Else  how  can  that  assembly  say  amen  at  their 
prayer  or  giving  of  thdnks  ?  For  to  say  amen  is 
an  eilect  of  conviction,  or  of  edification  received  of 
the  stander  by,  from  him  that  now  is  so  minister- 
ing in  that  assembly  before  God.  1  Co.  xiv.  15-17.  Yea, 
I  believe  that  they  that  pray  in  assemblies,  or  that 
shall  give  thanks  for  mercies  received  there,  ought 
to  labour  to  speak,  not  only  with  fervency  of  words, 
but  with  such  soundness  of  doctrine  while  they 
mention,  urge,  or  plead  the  promise  with  God,  that 
that  Avhole  assembly  may  be  enlightened,  taught, 
taken,  and  carried  away  in  their  spirits,  on  the 
wing  of  that  prayer,  and  of  faith,  to  God,  whose 
face  they  are  come  to  seek,  and  whose  grace  they 
are  gathered  together  to  beg.  Now  this  is  called 
praying  and  praising,  to  the  teaching  and  edifying 
of  others,  as  by  the  scripture  afore  named  is  made 
appear.  1  Co.  xiv.  14-19.  But  by  what  word  of  God 
the  sisters  of  the  respective  churches  may  set  up 
this  way  of  teaching  of  one  another  in  their  assem- 
blies, I  am  ignorant  of.      For, 

Third,  The  Holy  Ghost  doth  particularly  insist 
upon  the   inability  of  women,    as  to   their   well 
managing  of  the  worship  now  under  consideration, 
and  therefore  it  ought  not  to  be  presumed  upon  by 
them.     They  are  forbidden  to  teach,  yea  to  speak 
in  the  church  of  God.     And  wliy  forbidden,  but 
because  of  their  inability.     They  cannot  orderly 
manage  that  worship  to  God,  that  in  assemblies  is 
to  be  performed  before  him;  I  speak  now  of  our 
ordinary  believing  ones,  and  I  know  none  extra- 
ordinary  among  the   chm-ches.      They   are   not 
builded  to  manage  such  worship,  '  they  are.not  the 
image  and  glory  of  God,  as  the  men  are.'  iCo.xi.  7. 
They  are  placed  beneath,  and  are  called  the  glory 
of  the  man.     Wherefore  they  are  weak,  and  not 
permitted  to  perform  public  worship  to  God.  When 
our  first  mother,  who  Avas  not  attended  with  those 
Aveaknesses,  either  sinful  or  natural,  as  our  women 
now  are,  stept  out  of  her  place  but  to  speak  a  good 
Avord  for  Avorship,  you  see  how  she  Avas  bafiled,  and 
befooled  therein ;  she  utterly  failed  in  the  perform- 
ance,  though  she   briskly  attempted   the   thing. 
Yea  she  so  failed  thereabout,  that  at  one  clap  she 
overthreAv,  not  only,  as  to  that,  the  reputation  of 
women  for  ever,  but  her  soul,  her  husband,  and  the 
Avhole  world  besides.  Ge.  iii.  i— 7.    The  fallen  angel 
kncAV  Avhat  he  did  Avhen  he  made  his  assaidt  upon* 
the  Avoman.     His  subtilty  told  him  that  the  Avomau 
was  the  weaker  vessel.     He  kncAV  also  that  the 
man  Avas  made  the  head  in  Avorship,  and  the  keeper 
of  the  garden  of  God.     The   Lord  God  took  the 
man,  said  unto  the  man,  commanded  the  man,  and 
made  him  keeper  of  the  garden.  Gc.  ii.  15—17.     Where- 
fore the  management  of  worship  belonged  to  him. 
This,  the  serpent,  as  I  said,  Avas  aAvare  of.     And 
therefore  he  comes  to  the  Avoman,  says  to  tho 


A  CASE  OF  CONSCIEx\CE  RESOLVED. 


66! 


woman,  and  deals  with  the  woman  about  it,  and  so 
overcomes  the  world.  Wherefore  it  is  from  this 
consideration  that  Paul  tells  Timothy  that  he  per- 
mitted not  a  woman  to  teach,  nor  to  usurp  authority 
over  the  man,  but  to  be  in  silence.  But  to  call 
the  church  or  parts  thereof  together,  to  perform 
solemn  worship,  and  in  such  a  call  to  exclude  or 
shut  out  the  men,  is  an  usurping  of  that  authority 
over  them  to  a  high  degree.  And  he  renders  the 
reason  of  this  his  prohibition  thus,  '  For  Adam  was 
first  formed,  then  Eve,  (and  therefore  had  the 
headship  in  worship.)  And  Adam  was  not  deceived, 
but  the  woman  being  deceived,  was  in  the  trans- 
gression.' 1  Ti.  ii.  13, 14.  But  again,  it  should  seem, 
methinks,  if  women  must  needs  be  managers  of  wor- 
ship in  assemblies,  they  should  do  it,  as  Eve,  before 
Adam,  in  presence  of  the  men:  But  that  I  think  none 
will  allow,  though  that  would  be  the  way  best  to 
correct  miscarriages  ;  how  then  should  it  be  thought 
convenient  for  them  to  do  it  alone.  If  children  are 
not  thought  fit  to  help  to  guide  the  ship  with  the 
mariners,  shall  they  be  trusted  so  much  as  with  a 
boat  at  sea  alone.  The  thing  in  hand  is  a  parallel 
case.     For, 

Fourth,  If  the  weightiuess  of  this  worship  be, 
as  indeed  it  is,  so  great,  that  the  strongest  and  best 
able  to  perform  it  do  usually  come  oif  with  blush- 
ing, and  with  repentance  for  their  shortness,  as  to 
the  well  performance  thereof;  though  they  engage 
therein  by  good  and  lawful  authority ;  what  will 
they  do  who  are  much  weaker  here,  and  when,  as 
Eve,  they  set  to  it  in  a  way  of  usurping  of  authority, 
and  of  their  owa  head  and  will.  To  ofi"er  strange 
fire  with  incense,  which  was  a  type  of  prayer,  you 
know  what  it  cost  Nadab  and  Abihu,  though  men, 
and  the  sons  of  Aaron.  [Yet]  Mr.  K.  cries  the 
sisters,  the  women,  the  women's  meetings,  and  the 
like,  and  how  they  have  prevailed  with  heaven. 
Poor  man,  I  am  sorry  for  his  weakness,  and  that 
he  should  show  that  himself  is  so  nunnish*  in  such 
a  day  as  this. 

But  to  return,  as  all  worship  in  assemblies  ought 
to  be  performed  with  the  most  exact  order  and 
solemnity ;  so  this  of  prayer  with  that,  if  possible, 
that  is  more  than  all  the  rest ;  and  therefore  this 
makes  it  more  heavy  still.  When  men  preach 
they  have  to  do  with  men,  but  Avhen  they  pray  in 
assemblies  they  have  to  do  both  with  men  and  with 
God  at  once.  And  I  say,  if  it  be  so  great  a  matter 
to  speak  to  men  be/ore  God ;  how  great  a  matter 
is  it  to  speak  to  men  and  God  at  once ;  to  God  by 
way  of  petition,  and  to  men  by  way  of  instruction. 
But  I  am  persuaded  if  those  most  fond  of  the 

*  '  So  nunnish,'  a  singular  mode  of  expression,  alluding  to 
tlie  nuns  being  sepai-ated  from  the  world,  and  sLut  up  by  tliem- 
selves.  They  were  not  permitted  to  exercise  the  priestly  office, 
lather  confessors  and  chaplains  were  appointed  for  these  duties. 
—En. 
VOL.  II. 


women's  meetings  for  prayer  were  to  petition  the 
king  for  their  lives,  they  would  not  set  women  to 
be  their  advocates  to  him ;  specially  if  the  king 
should  declare  beforehand  by  law,  that  he  permitted 
not  a  woman  in  an  open  auditory  to  speak  before 
him. 

There  are  also  many  temptations  that  attend 
the  duty  of  praying  in  assemblies,  especially  those 
that  are  immediately  employed  therein.  These 
temptations,  they  awake,  are  aware  of,  are  forced 
to  wrestle  with,  and  greatly  to  groan  under. 
Wherefore  we  put  not  the  weak  upon  this  service ; 
not  the  weak,  though  they  be  men ;  not  they  in 
the  presence  of  the  strong.  IIow  then  should  the 
Aveakest  of  all  be  put  upon  it,  and  that  when 
together  by  themselves.  Men,  though  strong,  and 
though  acting  by  lawful  authority  in  this,  are  not 
able,  but  with  unutterable  groans,  to  do  it :  how 
then  shall  all  those  that  attempt  it  without  that 
authority,  perform  it  as  acceptable  worship  to  God? 
This  work,  therefore,  is  as  much  too  heavy  for  our 
women  now,  as  that  about  which  Eve  engaged  in 
at  first,  was  too  heavy  for  her.     But, 

Fifth,  If  this  worship  may  be  managed  by  the 
sisterhood  of  the  churches,  being  congregated 
together  in  the  absence  of  their  men :  of  what 
signification  is  it  that  man  is  made  head  of  the 
woman  as  well  in  worship  as  in  nature  ?  1  Co.  xi.  3, 7. 
Yea  more,  why  are  the  elders  of  the  churches 
called  watchmen,  overseers,  guides,  teachers, 
rulers,  and  the  like  ?  If  this  kind  of  worship  may 
be  performed,  Avithout  their  conduct  and  govern- 
ment 'i  Eze.  iii.  17;  xx.\iii.  7.  Ac.  sx.  28.  Ep.  iv.  11.  Ps.  xxriii.  72. 
lie.  xiii.  17. 

1.  Why  is  man  made  the  head  of  the  woman 
in  worship,  in  the  worship  now  under  debate,  in 
that  worship  that  is  to  be  performed  in  assemblies  ? 
And  why  are  the  women  commanded  silence  there, 
if  they  may  congregate  by  themselves,  and  set  up 
and  manage  worship  there  ?  Worship  was  ordained 
before  the  woman  was  made,  wherefore  the  word 
of  God  at  the  first  did  not  immediately  come  to 
her,  but  to  him  that  was  first  formed,  and  made 
the  head  in  worship.  Ge.  ii.  16— 18.  l  Co.  .\iv.  35,  so.  And 
hence  it  is  that  women  are  so  strictly  tied  up  to 
tiiis  headship ;  that  if  they  will  learn,  they  must 
ask  their  husbands  at  home,  ver.  35.  not  appoint 
meetings  of  their  own  sex  to  teach  one  another. 
'  But  what  must  they  do  that  have  mibelieving 
ones?  and  what  must  they  do  that  have  none  ?' 
Answer,  Let  them  attend  upon  those  ordinances 
that  God  has  appointed  tor  the  building  up  and 
perfecting  of  the  body  of  Christ,  Ep.  iv.  11—13.  and 
learn  as  the  angels  do.  Ep.  iii.  10. 1  re.  i.  is 

2.  But  I  say,  if  they  must  do  as  Mr.  K. 
says,  they  are  in  duty  bound,  to  wit,  meet  by 
themselves  apart  from  their  men,  and  as  so  met, 
perform  this  most  solemn  wor.ship  to  God:  how 

4  p 


666 


A  CASE  OF  CONSCIENCE  RESOLVED. 


shall  the  elders  and  overseers,  the  watchmen,  I 
rulers,  and  guides  in  worship,  perform  their  duty 
to  God,  and  to  the  church  of  God,  in  this,  since 
from  this  kind  of  worship  they  are  quite  excluded, 
and  utterly  shut  out  of  doors:  unless  it  be  said, 
that  to  watch,  to  oversee,  and  to  guide,  in  the 
matter  and  manner  of  performance  of  this  worship 
in  assemblies,  is  no  part  of  the  w^atchman  or  over- 
seer's work ;  or  in  their  lawful  absence,  the  work 
of  the  principal  men  of  the  church.  Nor  will  the 
faithful  and  dutiful  overseer  leave  worship,  no,  not 
in  the  best  part  of  the  congregation  assembled  to 
worship,  to  be  performed  by  every  weak  brother, 
though  I  believe  it  might  with  more  warrant  be 
left  to  them,  than  to  the  strongest  among  our 
ordinary  ones  of  the  other  sex. 

Also  our  elders  and  watchmen  covet,  if  we  have 
unbelievers  to  behold,  that  our  Avorship  be  per- 
formed by  the  most  able.  How  then  shall  it  be 
thought  that  they  should  be  so  silly,  to  turn  a  com- 
pany of  weak  women  loose  to  be  abused  by  the 
fallen  angels  ?  Can  it  be  thought  that  their  con- 
gregation, since  they  have  it  without  a  command, 
shall  fare  better  among  those  envious  spirits  than 
those  that  are  lawfully  called  shall  fare  before  the 
world  ?  Watchman,  watchman,  see  to  thy  duty, 
look  well  to  the  manner  of  worship  that  is  to  be 
performed  according  to  thy  commission.  Trust  not 
Eve,  as  Adam  did,  with  worship,  and  with  its 
defence.  Look  that  all  things  be  done  in  worship 
as  becomes  thee — a  head,  both  in  nature  and  by 
office — and  leave  not  so  solemn  a  part  of  worship  as 
prayer,  in  company,  is,  and  ought  to  be  accounted 
to  b(;  done ;  thou  canst  by  no  means  tell  how. 
Watch  in  and  over  all  such  worship  thyself.  Be 
diligent  to  know  the  state  of  thy  flocks,  whether 
they  be  flocks  of  men,  or  women ;  and  look  well 
to  thy  herds,  and  thou  shalt  have  milk  enough,  not 
only  for  men  and  babes,  but  also  for  the  mainte- 
nance and  life  of  thy  maidens.  So  that  they  need 
not  go  with  their  pitchers  to  seek  water  there  where 
their  God  has  not  sent  them.  Pr.  xxvii.  23— 27.  Besides 
the  shepherds'  tents  is  provision  sufficient  for  them. 
Ca.  i.  8.  But,  for  a  conclusion  of  this,  I  will  ask  this 
man,  If  he  doth  not,  by  pleading  for  these  women's 
meetings,  declare,  that  the  women,  without  their 
men,  are  better  able  by  themselves  to  maintain 
divine  worship,  than  the  men  are  without  their 
elders  ?  forasmuch  as  he  himself  will  not  allow  that 
the  men  should  always  perform  worship  without  his 
oversight  and  inspection,  and  yet  will  plead  for 
the  women  to  have  such  worship  in  their  congre- 
gation, among  themselves,  excluding  for  ever  the 
men  therefrom.  For,  saith  he,  the  Spirit  is  pro- 
mised to  be  given  to  them  to  that  very  end,  that 
they  may  meet  together  to  pray  apart  without  their 
men.  And  now  for  Mr.  K's  arguments,  which, 
as  1  said,  are  in  number  four.      1.  We  will  take 


the  scriptures  from  them ;  and,  2.   Then  pick  the 
bones  of  their  carcasses. 

Yet  in  my  taking  of  the  scriptures  from  his 
arguments,  1  will  do  it  in  a  way  that  is  most  to 
his  advantage,  making  of  each  of  them  as  formi- 
dable an  objection  as  I  can  against  myself. 

1.  Object.  Miriam  took  a  timbrel  in  her  hand, 
and  Avent  out,  and  all  the  women  Avent  out  after 
her,  praising  God  with  timbrels  and  dances  for 
their  deliverances.  Therefore  the  women  of  the 
churches  of  Christ  may  appoint  meetings  of  their 
own,  as  separate  from  their  brethren,  and  then  and 
there  perform  divine  worship,  [by]  prayer,  in  that, 
their  congregation,  without  their  men.  Ex.  w.  20, 21. 

Answ,  1.  Miriam  was  a  prophetess  :  and,  I  sup- 
pose, that  none  of  our  Avomen  will  pretend  to  be 
such.  And  though  Mr.  K.  labours  to  get  over 
this,  by  saying  that  the  work  of  praising  Avas 
incumbent  upon  all:  yet  by  his  leave,  judgment, 
and  discretion,  and  a  spirit  of  conduct  suitable  to 
the  duty,  as  we  read  of,  Avas  found  among  the 
women  in  none  but  she.  Why  is  it  else  said, 
Miriam  led  them  forth  ;  Miriam  the  prophetess  did 
it.  Another,  by  Mr.  K.  's  argument,  might  have 
done  it  as  Avell.  Thus  degrades  he  the  prophetess, 
that  he  may  get  favour  with  the  ordinary  Avomen, 
and  prompt  them  on  to  a  work  that  he  has  a  super- 
stitious afi"ection  for. 

2.  But  his  assertion  is  of  no  Avelght.  The  Avoraen 
were  not  left  in  that  extraordinary  service  to  the 
spirit  of  ordinary  believers.  Nor  can  I  count  it 
but  crooked  dealing  to  bring  in  extraordinary  per- 
sons, in  their  extraordinary  acts,  to  prove  it  lawful 
for  ordinary  persons  to  do  that  Avhich  is  not  com- 
manded them, 

3.  But  though  Miriam  did  go  forth,  or  come 
out  Avith  the  women,  yet  not  from  the  men,  into 
some  remote  place  in  the  wilderness  to  worship  by 
themselves.  She  I'ather  Avent  or  came  out,  and  the 
Avomen  folloAved  her  from  the  place  by  the  sea, 
where  now  they  Avere,  after  Moses,  to  sing  as  her 
sex  became  her ;  for  she,  though  an  extraordinary 
Avoman,  might  not  make  herself  an  equal  with  Moses 
and  Aaron,  therefore  she  came  behind  in  Avorship, 
yet  Avith  the  body  of  the  people,  as  it  is  said,  '  So 
Moses  brought  Israel  from  the  Red  Sea.'  Ex.  xv.  22. 
Women,  though  prophetesses,  must  Avear  some 
badge  or  other  of  inferiority  to  those  that  are  pro- 
pliets  indeed.  1  Co.  xi.  3—9.  And  I  choose  to  under- 
stand that  Miriam  did  this.  (1.)  Because  the  text 
last  mentioned  says  so.  (2.)  Because  Miriam, 
and  all  the  women,  did  sing  with  the  Avords  of  the 
men,  ver.i  compared  Avith  21.  (3.)  For  that  they 
did  sing  them  after  the  men,  as  taking  them 
from  their  mouth.  For,  saith  the  text,  Miriam 
ansAvered  them,  and  so  handed  it  doAvn  to  tliem  of 
her  sex,  saying,  '  Sing  ye  to  the  Lord,  for  he  hath 
triumphed  gloriously.'  vers.  1  and  21.    (4.)   For  that 


A  CASE  OF  CONSCIENCE  RESOLVED. 


6fi7 


she  commanded  the  women  that  they  should  sing 
the  same  sono-:  hence  it  is  called  the  song  of 
Moses,  not  of  Miriam.  Re.  xv.  3.  (o.)  From  all  which 
I  conclude,  that  Miriam  did  not  draw  the  women 
away  into  some  such  place  where  neither  Moses, 
nor  Aaron,  nor  the  elders  of  Israel  could  see, 
behold,  and  observe  their  manner  of  worship.  But 
that  she,  as  her  modesty  became  her,  did  lead 
them  out  from  that  place  where  they  were,  to  sing, 
and  to  dance,  and  to  praise  God,  after  the  men. 
(6.)  This  scripture  therefore  favoureth  not  this 
man's  opinion,  to  wit,  '  That  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
women  of  the  churches  of  Christ  to  separate  them- 
selves from  their  brethren,  and  as  so  separate,  to 
perform  divine  worship  by  themselves.' 

II.  Object.  Esther,  tlie  queen,  performed,  with 
her  maidens,  this  duty  of  prayer,  without  their  men : 
therefore  the  women  of  gospel  churches  ma}^  sepa- 
rate themselves  from  their  brethren,  and  perform 
it  among  themselves.  Es.  iv.  ic. 

A71SIV.  I.  Esther  was  in  the  house  of  the  king's 
chamberlain,  and  could  not  at  this  time  come  to 
her  brethren ;  No,  not  to  her  uncle,  Mordecai,  to 
consult  how  to  prevent  an  approaching  judgment. 
Yea,  Jlordecai  and  she  were  fain  to  speak  one  to 
another  by  Hatach,  whom  the  king  had  appointed 
to  attend  upon  the  queen,  ver.  5—9.  So  she  could  by 
no  means,  at  that  time,  have  communion  with  the 
church.  No  marvel,  therefore,  if  she  fasted  with 
her  maidens  alone:  for  so  she  must  now  do,  or  not 
Jo  it  at  all.  But  I  will  here  ask  this,  our  argu- 
mentator,  whether  Esther  did  count  it  a  burden 
or  a  privilege  thus  now  to  be  separated  from  her 
brethren,  and  so  forced  to  perform  this  work  as 
she  did  ?  If  a  privilege,  let  him  prove  it.  If  a 
burden,  he  has  little  cause  to  make  use  of  it  to 
urge  that,  her  practice  then,  for  a  ground  to  women 
that  are  at  liberty,  to  separate  from  their  brethren 
to  perform  such  worship  by  themselves  in  t/ieir 
company,  without  their  men.  2.  We  do  not 
read  that  she  desired  that  any  of  the  women  that 
were  at  liberty  should  come  from  the  men  to  be 
with  her ;  whence  we  may  gather,  that  she  pre- 
ferred their  liberty  to  worship  with  men,  far  beyond 
a  woman's  meeting.  She  counted  that  too  many, 
by  herself  and  her  maidens,  were  in  such  bondage 
already.  3.  Neither  did  she  attempt  to  take  that 
unavoidable  work  upon  herself,  but  as  begging  of 
the  men  that  she  might,  by  their  faith  and  prayers, 
be  borne  up  therein;  clearly  concluding  tbat  she  did 
count  such  work  too  hard  for  women  to  perform 
by  themselves,  without  the  help  of  their  men.  vers. 
15, 16.  4.  Besides  this  woman's  meeting,  as  Mr.  K. 
would  have  it,  was  made  up  of  none  but  the  queen 
and  her  household  maids,  and  with  but  few  of  them ; 
nor  will  we  complain  of  our  honest  women  when 
the  case  is  so  that  they  cannot  go  out  to  the 
church  to  do  this,  if  they  pray  with  their  maids 


at  home.  5.  But  what  if  Esther  did  pray  with 
her  maids  in  her  closet,  because  she  could  not 
come  out  to  her  brethren.  Is  it  fair  to  make  the 
necessity  of  a  woman  in  bondage  a  law  to  women 
at  liberty  ?  This  argument,  therefore,  is  errone- 
ous, and  must  not  have  this  text  to  show  it  up ; 
we  therefore  take  it  away  from  his  words  and 
proceed  to  a  sight  of  his  next. 

III.  Object.  But  it  is  said  by  the  prophet  Zecha- 
rias,  that  the  Spirit  is  promised  to  be  given,  in 
New  Testament  times,  to  women,  that  they  may 
pray  together  apart  from  men.  Zec.  xii.  ii— is. 

Atisio.  The  text  says  nothing  so,  but  is  greatly 
abused  by  this  man.  Indeed,  it  says  their  wives 
shall  mourn  apart,  but  it  saith  not,  they  shall  do 
so  together.  Yea,  that  they  shall  separate  them- 
selves by  the  dictate  of  God,  from  their  brethren, 
to  do  so,  is  that  which  this  text  knows  nothing  of. 
Sometimes  many  may  be  together,  apart  from 
others;  but  why  Mr.  K.,  to  serve  his  purpose, 
should  rack  and  strain  this  text  to  justify  his 
woman's  meeting,  I  see  no  reason  at  all.  My  rea- 
son against  him  is,  for  that  the  look  here  upon  him 
whom  we  have  pierced,  which  is  to  be  the  cause 
of  this  mourning,  is  to  be  by  an  immediate  revelation 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  doth  not  use  to  tell  before 
hand  when  he  will  so  come  down  upon  us.  But 
such  a  meeting  as  Mr.  K.  intends  must  be  the  pro- 
duct of  consultation  and  time.  '  I  will  pour,'  saith 
God,  *  upon  the  house  of  David  -  the  spirit  of  grace 
and  of  supplications:  and  then  they  shall  look;'  that 
is,  when  that  spirit  so  worketh  with  them  as  to 
enable  them  so  to  do.  Now,  I  say,  I  would  know, 
since  this  mourning  is  to  be  the  effect  of  this  look, 
and  so  before  one  is  aware,  Ca.  vi.  12,  whether  Mi-. 
K.  can  prove  that  these  women  were  to  have  an 
item  beforehand,  when  they  should  have  this  look. 
But  as  it  would  be  ridiculous  thus  to  conclude,  so 
as  ridiculous  is  it  to  think  to  prove  his  women's 
meetings  from  hence.  • 

Nor  doth  the  conclusion  that  he  hath  made  here- 
upon prove  more  but  that  he  is  ignorant  of  the 
work  of  the  Spirit  in  this  matter,  or  that  his  fond- 
ness for  the  women's  meetings  hath  made  him  for- 
get his  own  experience.  For  how  can  one  that 
never  had  but  one  such  look  upon  Jesus  Christ, 
draw  such  a  conclusion  from  hence.  And  that  all 
those  women  should  have  this  look  at  the  same 
time,  even  all  the  women  of  the  house  of  David 
and  of  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  that  they 
might,  all  of  them,  by  the  direction  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  separate  themselves  from  their  men  to  hold 
a  woman's  meeting  or  meetings  by  themselves  for 
this,  is  more  fictitious  than  one  would  imagine  a 
man  should  dream.  If  he  says  that  the  women 
have  a  promise  to  have  this  look  when  they  please, 
or  that  they  are  sure  to  have  it  because  it  is 
entailed  to  theiu  meeting,  for  this  seems  to  come 


G68 


A  CASE  OF  CONSCIENCE  RESOLVED. 


nearest  lils  conclusion:  yet  what  unavoidable 
inconveniences  will  flow  therefrom,  I  leave  to  any 
to  judge.  But  I  take  this  mourning  to  be  accord- 
in  «•  as  another  of  the  prophets  says,  '  They  shall 
be  on  the  mountains  like  doves  of  the  valleys,  all 
of  them  mourning,  every  one  for  his  iniquity.'  Eze. 
Tii.  16.  All  those  souls,  therefore,  that  shall  be 
counted  Avorthy  to  have  this  look  shall  mourn 
apart,  or  by  themselves,  when  they  have  it.  For 
tliough  a  man  cannot  appoint  to  himself  when  he 
will  repent  of  his  sins,  or  when  the  Holy  Ghost 
will  work,  yet  he  shall  repent  indeed ;  he  shall  do 
it,  I  say,  when  he  doth  so  work,  not  staying  till 
another  can  do  so  too.  And  since  our  own  iniquity 
will  then  make  us  best  consider  our  own  case, 
mourning  apart,  or  every  one  for  their  own  iniquity, 
is  mest  naturally  proper  thereto.  And  this  is  the 
mourning  that  shall  be  in  the  house  of  David, 
Jerusalem,  the  church,  both  with  men  and  women, 
at  all  times  when  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  help  us  to 
look  upon  him  Avhom  we  have  pierced.  Pray  God 
give  Mr.  K.  and  myself  more  of  these  looks  upon 
a  crucified  Christ,  for  then  we  shall  understand 
this  and  otlier  such  like  scriptures  otherwise  than 
to  draw  such  incoherent  inferences  from  them  as 
I-e  doth. 

IV.  Object.  '  Women  were  wont  in  gospel  times 
to  meet  together  to  pray.  Therefore  the  women 
in  gospel  churches  may  sepai'ate  themselves  from 
their  brethren  to  perform  divine  worship  by  them- 
selves without  their  men.'  Ac.  xvi.  13.  This  is  another 
of  his  scriptures,  brought  to  uphold  this  fancy : 
But, 

Answ.  1.  It  is  not  said  that  the  women  of 
churches  met  together  alone  to  pray.  But  that 
Paul  went  down  to  a  river-side  where  prayer  was 
wont  to  bo  made,  and  spake  unto  the  women  that 
resorted  thither.  It  looks  therefore  most  agree- 
able to  the  word,  to  think  that  there  the  law  was 
read  by  the  Jewish  priests  to  the  proselyted  women 
(if  that  city,  and  that  prayer,  as  was  their  custom 
in  all  such  service,  was  intermixed  therewith.  But 
this  is  but  conjectural.  And  yet,  for  all  that,  it 
is  better  grounded,  and  hath  more  reason  on  its 
aide,  than  hatli  any  of  this  man's  arguments  for 
the  opinion  of  his  women's  meetings,     But, 

2.  There  was  there  at  that  time  no  gospel  church 
of  Christ,  nor  before  that  any  gospel  ministry, 
consequently  no  church  obedience.  Should  it  then 
be  granted,  that  there  were  none  but  women  at 
that  meeting,  and  that  their  custom  was  to  meet 
at  that  river-side  to  pray,  it  doth  not  therefore 
follow,  that  their  pi'actice  was  to  be  a  pattern,  a 
rule,  a  law  to  women  in  churches,  to  separate  from 
their  brethren,  to  perform  divine  worship,  in  their 
own  woman's  congregation  without  their  men. 

3.  There  was  there  no  gospel  believer.  Lydia  her- 
self, before  Paul  came  thither,  had  her  heart  shut 


up  against  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ;  and  how  a 
company  of  strangers  to  gospel  faith,  should  in  that 
their  doing,  be  a  pattern  to  the  women  in  churches, 
a  pattern  of  christian  worship,  I  do  not  understand. 

4.  If  Paul's  call  to  Philippi  had  been  by  the 
vision  of  a  woman,  or  woman's  meeting  ;  what  an 
argument  would  this  man  have  drawn  from  thence 
to  have  justified  his  women's  meetings  ?  But  since 
it  was  by  a  man,  he  hath  lost  an  argument  thereby. 
Though  he,  notwithstanding,  doth  adventure  to  say, 
that  God  so  approved  of  that  meeting,  as  then,  and 
at  that  time,  to  take  advantage  to  make  known 
his  mind  and  will  to  them  concerning  Jesus  Christ. 

5.  And  now  I  am  in,  since  Mr.  K.  will  needs 
have  this  scripture  to  justify  such  a  practice,  I 
wonder  that  he  so  lightly  overlooked  Paul's  going 
to  that  meeting,  for  thither  he  went  to  be  sure. 
Ac.  xvi.  13— IG.  Yea  how  fairly,  to  his  thinking,  might 
he  have  pleaded,  that  Paul  by  this  act  of  his,  was 
a  great  lover,  countenancer  and  commender  of 
those  he  calls  the  women's  meetings.  Paul  went 
to  the  women's  meeting  at  Pliilippi,  therefore  it  is 
lawful  for  the  women  of  gospel  churches  to  sepa- 
rate from  their  brethren,  and  to  congregate  by 
themselves  for  the  performance  of  some  parts  of 
divine  worship.  I  say  how  easily  might  he  have 
said  this,  aiid  then  have  popt  in  those  two  verses 
above  quoted,  and  so  have  killed  the  old  one  ?* 
For  the  word  lies  liable  to  be  abused  by  the  igno- 
rance of  men,  and  it  had  been  better  than  it  is,  if 
this  had  been  the  first  time  that  this  man  had 
served  it  so,  for  the  justification  of  his  i-igid  prin- 
ciples ;  but  when  men,  out  of  a  fond  conceit  of  their 
own  abilities,  or  of  prejudice  to  them  that  contra- 
dict their  errors,  are  tempted  to  shew  their  folly, 
they  will  not  want  an  opportunity  from  false  glosses 
put  upon  the  text,  to  do  it. 

6.  But  Paul  went  to  that  company  to  preach 
Christ's  'gospel  to  them,  not  for  that  they  merited 
his  coming,  but  of  the  grace  of  God,  as  also  did 
Peter  and  John,  when  at  the  hour  of  prayer  they 
went  up  into  the  temple,  and  Paul  into  the  syna- 
gogue   at    Antioch.    Ac.  iii.  1— 3;  xiii.  14— 16.       But    aS 

fairly  might  this  man  have  urged,  that  the  healing 
of  the  lame  man  that  lay  at  that  time  at  the  gate 
of  the  temple,  and  the  conversion  of  them  by  Paul 
at  Antioch,  was  by  the  procurement  of  the  prayers 
of  the  sisters  and  by  their  reading  of  the  law  in 
that  synagogue  at  Antioch,  as  to  argue  as  he  has 
done,  that  God  was  so  well  pleased,  or  so  well 
approved  of  that  woman's  meeting  as  he  feigns  it 
at  Philippi,  as  to  send,  <fcc.  to  them  his  minister. 

7.  But  again,  that  this  woman's  meeting  should 

*  To  have  said  that  the  spirit  of  divination,  which  was  cast 
cut,  was  so  far  killed  by  virtue  of  a  female  prayer  meeting, 
would  have  been  as  true  as  to  have  saidj  that  these  meetings 
were  limited  to  femoJes  only. — Ed. 


A  CASE  OF  CONSCIENCE  RESOLVED. 


669 


be  so  deserving,  and  that  while  they  were  without 
the  faith  of  Clirist,  as  to  procure  a  gospel  minister 
to  be  sent  unto  them,  that  Christ  might  to  them 
be  made  known,  and  yet  that  so  few  of  them 
should  be  converted  to  the  faith,  seems  a  greater 
paradox  to  me.  For  we  read  not  that  one  of  the 
women  then,  or  of  them  of  the  town,  that  did  use 
to  go  to  that  nieeting,  (for  Lydia  was  of  Thyatira, 
was  ever  converted  to  Christ;  brethren  we  read  of 
several,  but  we  hear  not  of  any  one  more  of  those 
women.  \er.  4o.  But  Lydia  worshipped  God,  there- 
fore her  practice  might  prevail.  Although  it  is 
said  she  worshipped  God,  yet  she  was  but  a  pro- 
selyte, as  those  Ac.  xiii.  were,  and  knew  no  more  of 
Christ  than  the  eunuch  did.  Ac  viii.  But  hold,'she 
had  faith,  will  that  make  all  practice  acceptable ; 
yea,  law  and  commandment  to  others,  and  the 
work  of  those  that  have  none,  meritorious  ?  But 
we  must  touch  upon  these  things  anon. 

V.  Object.  'But  (saith  Mr.  K.)  Mai.  m. le.  doth 
countenance  these  meetings.' 

Answ.  Not  at  all ;  though  Llr.  K.  has  pleased 
to  change  a  term  in  the  text,  to  make  it  speak  his 
mind ;  for  he  has  put  out  thougJU,  and  put  in  ccdl; 
but  all  will  not  do  his  work;  for  when  he  has  done 
M'hat  he  can,  it  will  be  difficult  to  make  that  scrip- 
ture say.  It  is  the  duty  of  women  in  gospel  churches 
to  separate  from  their  brethren,  to  perform  divine 
worship  among  themselves. 

VI.  Object.  'But  Judeso.  doth  justify  these  meet- 
ings, except,'  saith  he,  'any  will  say,  women  are 
not  to  be  built  up  in  their  most  holy  faith.' 

Answ.  How  fain  would  the  man  lay  hold  on 
something,  only  he  wants  divine  help,  that  is,  the 
word  of  God,  to  bottom  his  things  upon.  But 
doth  the  apostle  here  at  all  treat  of  the  women 
and  their  meetings,  or  are  they  only  the  beloved ; 
and  to  be  built  up,  &c.  speaks  he  not  there  to 
the  church,  which  consisteth  of  men  and  women  ? 
and  are  not  men  the  more  noble  part  in  all  the 
churches  of  Christ  ?  But  can  women  no  other 
way  be  built  up  in  their  most  holy  faith,  but  by 
meetings  of  their  own  without  their  men?  But, 
Building  up  yourselves,  I  suppose  is  the  thing- 
he  holds  by.  But  cannot  the  church,  and  every 
woman  in  it,  build  up  themselves  without  their 
woman's  meetings?  wherefore  have  they  the  word, 
their  closet,  and  the  grace  of  meditation,  but  to 
build  up  themselves  withal  ?  He  saith  not,  'Build 
up  one  another, '  but  if  he  had,  it  might  well  have 
been  done  without  a  woman's  meeting.  But  any- 
thing to  save  a  drowning  man.  This  text  then  is 
written  to  the  church  of  Christ,  by  which  it  is 
exhorted  to  faith  and  prayer ;  but  it  speaks  not  a 
word  of  a  woman's  meeting,  and  therefore  it  is 
fooling  with  the  word  to  suggest  it.  I  cannot 
therefore,  while  I  see  this  impertinent  dealing,  but 
think  our  argumentator  dotes,  or  takes  upon  him 


to  be  a  head  of  those  he  thinks  to  rule  over.  Tho 
woman's  letter  to  me  also  seems  to  import  the 
same,  Avhen  they  say,  '  Mr.  K.  Avould  desire  to 
know  what  objections  you  have  against  it  (his 
arguments),  and  he  is  ready  to  give  his  farther 
advice.' 

Thus  having  taken  from  his  arguments  those 
holy  words  of  God  which  he  has  abused,  to  make 
them  stand ;  I  come  next  to  the  arguments  them- 
selves, and  intend  to  pick  their  bones  for  the 
crows. 

Istly,  He  saith,  '  That  the  same  spirit  that  was 
in  Miriam,  is  also  in  all  God's  sei'vants  for  the 
same  end,  both  to  pray  for  mercies  we  stand  in 
need  of,  and  to  praise  God  for  mercies  received.' 

Answ.  1.  But  the  question  is,  wliether  Miriam 
did,  as  she  led  out  the  women  to  dance,  act  only 
as  an  ordinary  saint.  And  if  you  evade  this,  you 
choose  the  tongue  of  the  crafty,  and  use  the  words 
of  deceit ;  for  she  managed  that  work  as  she  was 
'  Miriam  the  prophetess;'  and  in  your  next,  pray 
tell  your  women  so.  2.  But  as  Miriam  the  pro- 
phetess, she  did  not  lead  the  women  from  their 
men,  to  worship  in  some  place  remote  by  them- 
selves, as  we  have  shewed  before. 

2dly,  He  saith,  '  That  God  hath  promised  to 
pour  out  his  Spirit  in  gospel  times  to  that  very 
end,  that  women  might  pray  together  apart  from 
men.' 

xinsio.  1.  Not  mentioning  again  what  was  said 
before:  I  add,  if  by  men,  he  means  the  brethren, 
the  prophet  will  not  be  his  voucher,  for  he  neither 
saith  nor  intimates  such  a  thing.  2.  And  how 
far  short  this  saying  is,  of  making  of  God  and  his 
holy  prophet,  the  author  of  schism  in  worship,  and 
an  encouragement  unto  schism  therein,  it  is  best 
in  time  that  he  looks  to  it.  For  if  they  may  Avith- 
draw  to  do  thus  at  one  time,  they  may  withdraw 
to  do  thus  at  another.  And  if  the  Spirit  is  given 
to  them  to  this  very  end,  that  they  may  go  by 
themselves  from  the  church,  to  perform  this  divine 
worship  at  one  time,  they  may,  for  what  bounds 
this  man  has  set  them,  go  by  themselves  to  do 
thus  always.  But,  as  I  said,  the  whole  of  this 
proposition  being  false,  the  error  is  still  the  greater. 

3dly,  'God,'  saith  he,  'hath  so  well  approved 
of  women  meeting  together  to  pray  in  gospel  times, 
as  then,  and  at  that  time,  to  take  occasion  to  make 
known  his  mind  and  will  to  them  concerning  Jesus 
Christ. '  Ac.  xvi.  13. 

Answ.  Let  the  reader  consider  what  was  said 
before,  and  now  it  follows;  if  this  assertion  be  true, 
then  the  popish  doctrine  of  merit  is  good,  yea  the 
worst  sort  of  it,  which  is,  works  done  before  faith. 
For  that  we  read  of  none  of  these  women  save 
Lydia  feared  or  worshipped  God ;  and  yet  saith 
he,  God  so  approved  of  that  meeting  as  then,  and 
at  that  time,  to  send  them  his  gospel,  which  is  ouo 


670 


A   CASE  OF  CONSCIENCE  RESOLVED. 


of  tlie  richest  blessings ;  nor  will  it  help  to  lay 
Cornelius,  now  in  my  way,  for  the  deservings  here 
were,  for  ought  we  read,  of  women  that  feared  not 
God,  Here  Lydia  only  bare  that  character ;  it  is 
said  SHE  worshipped  God,  but  she  was  not  all  the 
women.  But  Mr.  K.  saith  thus  of  them  all.  I  know 
also  there  was  faith  in  some  in  Messias  to  come, 
though  when  he  came,  they  knew  not  his  person ; 
but  this  is  not  the  case  neither ;  these  Avomen, 
who  held  up  as  he  feigned,  this  meeting,  were  not 
as  we  read  of,  of  this  people. 

4thly,  He  said,  '  That  Esther  and  her  maids 
fasted  and  prayed,  and  the  Lord  gave  a  gracious 
return,  or  answer  and  deliverance.'  That  is,  to 
the  church,  that  then  was  under  the  rage  of  Ha- 
man. 

Answ.  Let  the  reader  remember  what  was  said 
before,  and  now  I  ask  this  man,  1.  Whether  Mor- 
decai  and  the  good  men  then  did  not  pray  and  fast 
as  well  as  she  ?  And  if  so.  Whether  they  might 
not  obtain  at  least,  some  little  of  the  mercy,  as 
well  as  those  women  ?  It  so,  2.  Whether  Mr. 
K.,  in  applying  the  deliverance  of  this  people  to 
the  prayer  of  the  queen  and  lier  maids,  for  he  lays 
it  only  there,  be  not  deceitfully  arguing,  and  do 
not  tend  to  puiF  up  that  sex,  to  their  hurt  and 
damage  !  Yea  whether  it  doth  not  tend  to  make 
them  unruly  and  headstrong?  But  if  they  be  more 
gently  inclined  to  obedience,  no  thanks  to  Mr.  K. 
'6.  And  if  I  should  ask  Mr.  K.  who  gave  him 
authority  to  attribute  thus  the  deliverance  of  this 
people,  to  who  and  what  prayers  he  please,  I  sup- 
pose it  would  not  be  easy  for  him  to  answer.  The 
text  saith  not  that  the  prayers  of  these  women 
procured  the  blessing.  But  Mr,  K.  hath  here  a 
woman's  meeting  to  vindicate,  and  therefore  it  is 
that  he  is  thus  out  in  his  mind.  Prayers  were 
heard  and  the  church  was  delivered.  And  I  doubt 
not  but  that  these  good  women  had  hand  and  heart 
in  the  work.  But  should  all  be  admitted  that  Mr. 
K.  hath  said  as  to  this  also,  yet  this  scripture, 
as  hath  already  been  proved,  will  not  justify  his 
woman's  meeting. 

5thly,  '  He  makes  his  appeal  to  the  women,  if 
they  have  not  obtained,  by  their  prayers  in  these 
their  meetings,  many  blessed  returns  of  prayer 
from  God,  both  to  themselves  and  the  church  of 
God.' 

Answ.  I  count  this  no  whit  better  than  the  very 
worst  of  his  paper,  for  besides  the  silliness  of  his 
appeal,  by  which  he  makes  these  good  women  to 
be  judges  in  their  own  cause,  his  words  have  a 
direct  tendency  in  them  to  puff  them  up  to  their 
destruction.  I  have  wondered  sometimes,  to  see 
when  something  extraordinary  hath  happened  to 
the  church  of  God  for  good,  that  a  few  women 
meeting  together  to  pray,  should  be  possessed  with 
a  conceit,  that  they  fetched  the  benefit  down  from 


heaven,  when  perhaps  iQw  thousand  men  in  the  land 
prayed  for  the  mercy  as  hard  as  they.  Yea  I  have 
observed,  that  though  the  things  bestowed,  were 
not  so  much  as  thought  of  by  them,  yet  they  have 
been  apt  to  conclude  that  their  meeting  together 
has  done  it.  But  poor  women,  you  are  to  be  pitied; 
your  tempter  is  to  bear  the  blame,  to  wit,  this  man 
and  his  fellows. 

I  come  now  to  some  objections  that  may  yet  be 
thought  on :   and  will  speak  a  word  to  them. 

Object.  1,  It  is  said,  '  Where  two  or  three  are 
gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the 

midst  of  them,'  Mat.  xviii.  20. 

Answ.  To  gather  together  in  Christ's  name,  is 
to  gather  together  by  his  authority ;  That  is,  by  his 
law  and  commandment.  Ac.  iv.  17,  I8, 30;  t.  28, 40.  Coi.iii.  17. 
But  we  have  no  law  of  Christ,  nor  commandment, 
that  the  women  of  this  or  tliat  church,  should  sepa- 
rate themselves  from  their  brethren,  to  maintain 
meetings  among  themselves,  for  the  performing  of 
divine  worship  :  and  therefore  such  meetings  cannot 
be  in  his  name;  that  is,  by  his  authority,  law,  and 
commandment ;  and  so  ought  not  to  be  at  all. 

Object.  2.  '  But  women  may,  if  sent  for  by  them 
of  their  own  sex,  come  to  see  them  when  they  are 
sick,  and  when  so  come  together,  pray  in  that 
assembly  before  they  part.' 

Answ.  The  law  of  Christ  is,  'Is  any  sick  among 
you  ?  let  him  (and  the  woman  is  included  in  the 
man)  call  for  the  elders  of  the  church;  and  let 
them  pray  over  him,'  «fec.  And  to  tliis  injunction 
there  is  a  threefold  promise  made.  (1.)  'And  the 
prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick.'  (2.)  'And 
the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up.'  (3.)  '  And  if  he 
have  committed  sins,  they  shall  be  forgiven  him.' 
Ja.  V.  14, 15.  And  considering,  that  this  advice  is 
seconded  with  so  much  grace:  I  think  it  best  in 
all  such  cases,  as  in  all  other,  to  make  the  word 
of  God  our  rule. 

Object.  3.  '  But  women  have  sometimes  cases, 
which  modesty  will  not  admit  should  be  made 
known  to  men,  what  must  they  do  then  ? ' 

Answ.  Their  husbands  and  they  are  one  flesh, 
and  are  no  more  to  be  accounted  two.  Let  them 
tell  their  grief  to  them.  Thus  Rachel  asked  chil- 
dren of  her  liusband,  and  went  not  to  a  nest  ot 
women  to  make  her  complaint  to  them.  Ge.  xxx.  1, 
Or  let  them  betake  themselves  to  their  closets, 
with  Rebecca.  Ge.  xxv.  20—23.  Or  if  they  be  in  the 
assembly  of  the  saints,  let  them  pray  in  their 
hearts,  with  Hannah,  And  if  their  petition  be 
lawful,  I  doubt  not  but  they  may  be  heard,  1  Sa. 
i.  13. 

Our  author,  perhaps,  will  say,  I  have  not  spoken 
to  his  question;  which  was,  '  Whether  women, 
fearing  God,  may  meet  to  pray  together  ?  And 
whether  it  be  lawful  for  them  so  to  do  ? ' 

But  I  answer,  I  have :  M'ith  respect  to  all  such 


A.  CASE  OF  CONSCIENCE  RESOLVED. 


Ki71 


godly  women  as  are  iu  tlie  cliurehes  of  tlie  saints. 
I  Co.  xiv.  33— S5.  compared  with  ver.  15—17.  And  when 
he  has  told  us,  that  his  question  respected  only 
those  out  of  churches,  then  will  I  confess  that  I 
did  mistake  bim.  Yet  he  will  get  nothing  thereby, 
forasmuch  as  his  question, to  be  sure, intends  those 
in  special.  Also  his  arguments  are  for  the  justi- 
fying of  that  their  practice.  Now  the  reason  why 
1  waved  the  form  of  his  question,  was,  because  it 
was  both  scanty  and  lean  of  words,  as  to  the 
matter  of  the  controversy  in  hand :  Also  I  thought 
it  best  to  make  it  more  ample,  and  distinct,  for 
the  edification  of  our  reader.  And  if  after  all, 
Mr.  K.  is  not  pleased  at  what  I  have  done,  let  him 
take  up  the  question,  and  answer  it  better.  The 
man  perhaps  may  fly  to  the  case  of  utter  necessity, 
and  so  bring  forth  another  question,  to  wit,  whe- 
ther, if  the  men  of  a  church  should  all  die,  be 
murdered,  or  cast  into  prison :  the  women  of  that 
church  may  not  meet  together  to  pray?  And 
whether  it  be  not  lawful  for  them  so  to  do  ?  But 
when  he  produceth  a  necessity  for  the  putting  of 
such  a  question,  and  then  shall  put  it  to  me  ;  I  will, 
as  God  shall  help  me,  give  hmi  an  answer  thereto. 
But,  may  some  say.  Our  women  in  this  do  not 
what  they  do  of  their  own  heads,  they  are  allowed 
to  do  what  they  do  by  the  church. 

I  answer.  No  church  allowance  is  a  foundation 
sufficient  to  justify  that  which  is  neither  com- 
manded nor  allowed  by  the  word.  Besides,  who 
knows  not,  that  have  their  eyes  in  their  heads, 
what  already  has,  and  what  further  may,  come  into 
the  churches,  at  such  a  gap  as  this.^  And  now  to 
give  the  reader  a  cautionary  conclusion. 

Caidion  1.  Take  heed  of  letting  the  name,  or 
good  show  of  a  thing,  beget  in  thy  heart  a  religious 
reverence  of  that  thing;  but  look  to  the  word  for 
thy*  bottom,  for  it  is  the  word  that  authorizeth, 
whatever  may  be  done  with  warrant  in  worship  to 
God  ;  without  the  word  things  are  of  human  inven- 
tion, of  what  splendour  or  beauty  soever  they  may 
appear  to  be.    Vf  ithout  doubt  the  Friars  and  Nuns, 
and  their  religious  orders,  were  of  a  good  intent  at 
first,  as  also  compulsive  vows  of  chastity,  single  life, 
and  the  like.      But  they  were  all  without  the  word, 
and   therefore,    as    their    bottom   wanted   divine 
authority,  so  the  practice  wanted  sanctity  by  the 
Holy  Ghost.      The  word  prayer  is,  of  itself,  in 
appearance  so  holy,  that  he  forthwith  seems  to  be 
a  devil  that  forbids  it.      And  yet  we  find  that 
prayers  have  been  out  of  joint,   and  disorderly 
used ;  and  therefore  may  by  one,  without  incurring 
the  danger  of  damnation,  be  called  into  question ; 
and  if  fo°und  without  order  by  hhn,  he  may  labour  to 
Bet  them  in  joint  again.  Mat.  ^■i.  5-8 ;  xxiii.  u.  Ja.  iv.  3. 
I  am  not  of  the  number  of  them  that  say,  '  What 


profit  should  Ave  have  if  we  pray  unto  God?' 
Job  xjci.  15'.  But  finding  no  good  footing  in  the  word 
for  that  kind  of  service  we  have  treated  about 
above,  and  knowing  that  error  and  human  inven- 
tions in  religion  will  not  offer  themselves,  but  with 
wiped  lips,  and  a  countenance  as  demure  as  may 
be,  and  also  being  persuaded  that  this  opinion  of 
Mr.  K.  is  vagrant,  yea  a  mere  alien  as  to  the  scrip- 
tures, 1  being  an  officer,  have  apprehended  it,  and 
put  it  in  the  stocks,  and  there  will  keep  it,  till  I 
see  by  what  authority  it  has  leave  to  pass  and 
repass  as  it  lists,  among  the  godly  in  this  land. 

Caution  2.  Yet  by  all  that  I  have  said,  I  never 
meant  to  intimate  in  the  least,  but  that  believing 
women  are  saints  as  well  as  men :  and  members  of 
the  body  of  Christ.  And  I  will  add,  that  as  thejj, 
and  loe,  are  united  to  Christ,  and  made  members 
of  his  mystical  body,  the  fulness  of  him  that  fills 
all  in  all,  so  there  is  no  superiority,  as  I  know 
of,  but  we  are  all  one  in  Christ.  For,  the  man  is 
not  without  the  woman,  nor  '  the  woman  without 
the  man,  in  the  Lord,'  i  Co.  xi  n.  nor  are  we  counted 
'  as  male  or  female  '  in  hiin.  Ga.  iii.  28.  Ep.  i.  23.  Only 
we  must  observe  that  this  is  spoken  of  that 
church  which  is  his  true  mystical  body,  and  not  of 
every  particular  congregation  of  professing  Chris- 
tians. The  churches  of  Christ  Iiere  and  there  are 
also  called  his  body.  But  no  church  here,  though 
never  so  famous,  must  be  taken  for  that  of  which 
mention  was  made  afore. t 

As  Christ  then  has  a  body  mystical,  which  is 
called  his  members,  his  flesh,  and  his  bones, 
Ep.  V.  30.  so  he  has  a  body  pohtic,  congregations 
modelled  by  the  skill  that  his  ministers  have  in  his 
word,  for  the  bearing  xip  of  his  name,  and  the 
preserving  of  his  glory  in  the  world  against  Anti- 
christ. In  this  church,  order  and  discipline,  for 
the  nourishinir  up  of  the  true  mystical  body  of 
Christ,  has  been  placed  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world  '  Wherefore  in  this,  laws,  and  statutes,  and 
rrovernment,  is  to  be  looked  after,  and  given  heed 
mito,  for  the  edification  of  tlml  which  is  to  arrive 
at  last  to  a  perfect  man:  to  the  measure  of  the 
stature  of  the  fidness  of  Christ,  i  Co.  xu.  27-30.  Ep. 

iv.  11—13. 


'  Bottom,'  or  foundation. 


t  '\.  dan-prous  error,  originating  in  the  sectarian  pride  of 
\ntichrist,  "prevails  to  a  veiy  great  extent.  It  is  that  some 
one  visible  church,  or  set  of  united  churches,  is  the  mystical 
body  of  Christ,  and  entitled  to  be  called  The  Chukcu.  Every 
con-n-e^ation  of  pious  men  and  women,  united  together  m  the 
faith,  is  A  church  of  Chiist.  But  the  chmch  comprises  all 
the  saints  of  God  Avho  ever  lived-live  now  or  will  hye  on  the 
eai-th  •  until  their  number  is  completed,  and  this  creation  shall 
crive  place  to  the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth.  Eveiy 
church  is  as  distinct  as  it  is  equal ;  whether  it  meet  at  Conn th, 
Rome,  or  Ephesus,  at  London  or  Edinburgh  Be  it  Episco- 
paliau  Indeiendeut,  Presbyterian.  Baptist,  or  a  church  of  the 
Society  of  Friends;  each  is  entitled,  according  to  the  New 
Testament,  to  equal  honour  ar.d  privilege.-LD. 


672 


A  CASE  01*^  CONSCIENCE  RESOLVED. 


Now,  Avlicre  there  is  order  and  government  by 
laws  and  statutes,  there  must,  of  necessity,  be  also 
a  distinction  of  sex,  degrees,  and  age.  Yea, 
offices  and  officers  must  also  be  there,  for  our 
furtherance  and  joy  of  faith.  From  which  govern- 
ment and  rule  our  ordinary  women  are  excluded 
by  Paul ;  nor  should  it,  since  it  is  done  by  the 
wisdom  of  God,  be  any  offence  unto  them. 

In  this  church  there  are  ofttimes  many  hypo- 
crites, and  formal  professors,  and  heresies,  *  That 
they  which  are  approved  may  be  made  manifest.' 
1  Co.  xi.  19.  These  therefore  being  there,  and  being 
suffered  to  act  as  they  many  times  do,  provoke  the 
truly  godly  to  contend  with  them  by  the  word  ;  for 
that  these  hypocrites,  and  formal  professors, 
naturally  incline  to  a  denial  of  the  power  of  godli- 
ness, and  to  set  up  forms  of  their  own  in  the  stead 

thereof.  Mar.  vu  6—9.  2  Ti.  iii.  5. 

And  this  is  done  for  the  sake  and  for  the  good 
of  those  that  are  the  true  members  of  the  body  of 
Christ,  and  that  are  to  arrive  at  his  haven  of  rest : 
from  whom  those  others  at  last  shall  be  purged, 
and  with  them,  all  their  things  that  oflend.  *  Then 
shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in  the 
kingdom  of  their  Father.  Who  hath  ears  to  hear 
let  him  hear. '  Mat.  xiii.  43. 

This  church,  that  thus  consisteth  of  all  righte- 
ous, that  are  so  in  God's  account:  they  are  to 
have  a  house  in  heaven,  and  to  be  for  God's  habi- 
tation there.  Who,  then,  shall  be  governed  by 
their  head  without  those  officers  and  laws  that  are 
necessary  here.  And  both  at  last  sliall  be  subject 
to  him,  that  sometime  did  put  all  things  under 
Christ,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all.  Jn.xiv.i— 3.  Ep.  u. 
21. 1  Co.  XV.  2.3—27.  Wlierefore,  my  beloved  sisters,  this 
inferiority  of  yours  will  last  but  a  little  while. 
When  the  day  of  God's  salvation  is  come,  to  wit, 
when  our  Lord  shall  descend  from  heaven,  with  a 
shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  the 
trump  of  God,  these  distinctions  of  sexes  shall  be 
laid  aside,  and  every  pot  shall  be  filled  to  the 
brim.  For  with  a  7iotwit]istanding  you  shall  be 
saved,  and  be  gathered  up  to  that  state  of  felicity 
if  you  continue  in  faith,  and  charity,  and  holiness, 
with  sobriety,  i  Ti.  ii.  is. 

Caution  3.  I  doubt  not  at  all  of  the  lawfulness  of 
women's  praying,  and  that,  both  in  private  and 
public :  only  when  they  pray  publicly,  they  should 
not  separate  from,  but  join  with  the  church  in  that 
Avork.  They  should  also  not  be  the  mouth  of  the 
assembly,  but  in  heart,  desires,  groans,  and  tears, 
they  should  go  along  with  the  men.  In  their 
closets  they  are  at  liberty  to  sj>ecik  unto  their  God, 
who  can  bear  with,  and  pity  them  with  us  ;  and  par- 
don all  our  weakness  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ. 

And  here  I  will  take  an  occasion  to  say,  there 
may  be  a  twofold  miscarriage  in  prayer,  one  in  doc- 
trine, the  other  in  the  frame  of  the  heart.    All  are 


too  much  subject  to  the  last,  women  [more  easily] 
to  the  first.  And  for  this  cause  it  is,  at  least  so 
I  think,  that  women  are  not  permitted  to  teach, 
nor  speak  in  assemblies,  for  divine  worship,  but  to 
he  and  to  learn  in  silence,  l  Co.  xiv.  33—35;  xy.  33.  For 
he  that  faileth  as  to  the  frame  of  his  spirit,  hurteth 
only  himself:  but  he  that  faileth  in  doctrine  cor- 
rupteth  them  that  stand  by.  Let  the  women  be 
alone  with  Rebecca  in  the  closet ;  or,  if  in  com- 
pany, let  her,  with  Hannah,  speak  to  herself  and 
to  God ;  and  not  doubt,  but  if  she  be  humble,  and 
keep  within  compass,  she  shall  be  a  sharer  with 
her  brethren  in  the  mercy. 

Caution  4,  Nor  are  women,  by  what  I  have  said, 
debarred  from  any  work  or  employ,  unto  which 
they  are  enjoined  by  the  word.  They  have  often 
been  called  forth  to  be  God's  witnesses,  and  have 
borne  famous  testimony  for  him  against  the  sons 
of  the  sorceress  and  the  whore.*  I  remember 
many  of  them  with  comfort,  even  of  these  eminent 
daughters  of  Sarah,  whose  daughters  you  also  are, 
so  long  as  you  do  well,  and  are  not  afraid  with  any 
amazement,  i  Pe.iii.  1—6.  W^hat  by  the  word  of  God, 
you  are  called  unto,  what  by  the  word  is  enjoined 
you  do ;  and  the  Lord  be  with  you. 

But  this  of  the  women's  meetings  ;  since,  indeed, 
there  is  nothing  for  its  countenance  in  the  word, 
and  since  the  calling  together  of  assemblies  fur 
worship  is  an  act  of  power,  and  belongeth  to 
the  church,  elders,  or  chief  men  of  the  same :  let 
me  intreat  you  to  be  content,  to  be  under  subjec- 
tion and  obedience,  as  also  saith  the  law.  We 
hold  that  it  is  God's  word  that  we  are  to  look  to, 
as  to  all  things  pertaining  to  worship,  because  it 
is  the  word  that  authorizeth  and  sanctifieth  what 
we  do. 

Caution.  5.  Women  !  They  are  an  ornament  in  the 
church  of  God  on  earth,  as  the  Angels  are  in  the 
church  in  heaven.  Betwixt  whom  also  there  is 
some  comparison,  for  they  cover  their  faces  in  acts 
of  worship,  is.  vi.  2.  i  Co.  xi.  10.  But  as  the  angels  in 
heaven  are  not  Christ,  and  so  not  admitted  to  the 
mercy-seat  to  speak  to  God,  so  neither  are  women 
on  earth,  [but]  the  man;  who  is  to  worship  with 
open  face  before  him,  and  to  be  the  mouth  in 
prayer  for  the  rest.  As  the  angels  then  cry.  Holy, 
Holy,  Holy,  with  faces  covered  in  heaven :  So  let 
the  women  cry.  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  with  their  faces 
covered  on  earth :  Yea,  thus  they  shoidd  do,  because 
of  the  angels.  *  For  this  cause  ought  the  woman 
to  have  power,'  that  is  a  covering,  '  on  her  head, 
because  of  the  angels.'  l  Co.  xi.  lo.  Not  only  because 
the  angels  are  present,  but  because  women  and 
angels,  as  to  their  worship,  in  their  respective 
places,  have  a  semblance.  For  the  angels  are 
inferior  to  the  great  man  Christ,  who  is  in  heaven  ; 

*  Tke  usual  appellations  of  Popery. — Ed. 


A  CASE  OF  CONSCIENCE  RESOLVED. 


673 


and  the  woman  is  inferior  to  the  man,  that  truly 
worships  Grod  in  the  church  on  earth. 

Methinks,  holy  and  heloved  sisters,  you  should 
be  content  to  wear  this  power,  or  hadge  of  your 
inferiority,  since  the  cause  thereof  arose  at  first 
from  yourselves.  It  was  the  woman  that  at  first  the 
serpent  made  use  of,  and  by  whom  he  then  over- 
threw the  world:  wherefore  the  woman,  to  the 
world's  end,  must  wear  tokens  of  her  underling- 
ship  in  all  matters  of  worship.  To  say  nothing 
of  that  which  she  cannot  shake  off,  to  wit,  her 
pains  and  sorrows  in  child-bearing,  which  God  has 
rivetted  to  her  nature,  there  is  her  silence,  and 
shame,  and  a  covering  for  her  face,  in  token  of 
it,  which  she  ought  to  be  exercised  with,  when- 
ever the  church  comes  together  to  worship.  Ge.iii.i6. 

ITi.  ii.  15.  ICo.xi.  13.  1  Ti.  ii.  9. 

Do  you  think  that  God  gave  the  woman  her  hair, 
that  she  might  deck  herself,  and  set  off  her  fleshly 
beauty  therewith  ?  It  Avas  given  her  to  cover  her 
face  with,  in  token  of  shame  and  silence,  for  that 
by  the  woman  sin  came  into  the  world,  l  Ti.  ii.  9. 
And  perhaps  the  reason  why  the  angels  cover  their 
faces  when  they  cry,  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  in  heaven, 
is  to  shew  that  they  still  bear  in  mind,  with  a  kind 
of  abhorrence,  the  remembrance  of  their  fellows 
falling  from  thence.  Modesty,  and  shame-faced- 
ness,  becomes  women  at  all  times,  especially  in 
times  of  public  worship,  and  the  more  of  this  is 
mixed  with  their  grace  and  personage,  the  more 
beautiful  they  are  both  to  God  and  men.  But 
why  must  the  women  have  shame-facedness,  since 
they  live  honestly  as  the  men?  I  answer,  In 
remembrance  of  the  fall  of  Eve,  and  to  that  the 
apostle  applies  it.  For  a  woman,  necessity  has  no 
law,  to  shave  her  head,  and  to  look  with  open  face 
in  worship,  as  if  she  could  be  a  leader  there,  is  so 
far  from  doing  that  which  becomes  her,  that  it 
declares  her  to  have  forgot  v/hat  God  would  have 
her  for  ever  with  shame  remember. 

CaiUion  6.  In  what  I  have  said  about  the  women's 
meetings,  I  have  not  at  all  concerned  myself  about 
those  women,  that  have  been  extraordinary  ones, 
such  as  Miriam,  Deborah,  Huldah,  Anna,  or  the 
rest,  as  the  daughters  of  Philip  the  evangelist, 
Priscilla,  the  women  that  Paul  said  laboured  with 
him  in  the  gospel,  or  such  hke ;  for  they  might 
teach,  prophecy,  and  had  power  to  call  the  people 
together  so  to  do.  Though  this  I  must  say  con- 
cerning them,  they  ought  to,  and  did,  notwithstand- 
ing so  high  a  calling,  stiU  bear  about  with  them 
the  badge  of  their  inferiority  to  them  that  were 
prophets  indeed.  And  hence  it  is  said,  under 
pain  of  being  guilty  of  disorder,  that  if  they  prayed 
in  the  church,  or  prophesied  there,  with  their  head 
uncovered,  they  then  dishonoured  their  head,  i  Co.  xi.  5. 

The  prophetesses  were  below  the  prophets,  and 
their  covering  for  their  head  was  to  be  worn  in 

VOL.  II. 


token  thereof,  and  perhaps  it  was  for  want  of 
regard  to  this  order,  that  when  Miriam  began  to  perk 
it*  before  Moses,  that  God  covered  her  face  with 
a  leprous-scab.  Nu.  xii.  10.  Hence  these  women, 
when  prophets  were  present,  did  use  to  lie  still  as 
to  acts  of  power,  and  leave  that  to  be  put  forth  by 
them  that  were  higher  than  they.  And  even 
Miriam  herself,  though  she  was  one  indeed,  yet  she 
came  always  behind,  not  only  in  name  but  worship, 
unless  when  she  Avas  in  her  OAvn  disorders.  Nu.  xii.  1. 

And  it  is  worth  your  farther  noting,  that  when 
God  tells  Israel  that  they  should  take  heed  in  the 
plague  of  leprosy,  that  they  diligently  observed  to 
do  what  the  priest  and  Levites  taught  them,  that 
he  conjoins  with  that  exhortation,  that  they  should 
*  remember  what  God  did  unto  Miriam  by  the  way.' 
De.  xxiv.  8, 9.  Intimating  surely  that  they  should  not 
give  heed  to  women,  that  would  be  perking  up  in 
matters  of  worshipping  God.  Much  less  should  we 
invest  them  with  power  to  call  congregations  of  their 
OAvn,  there  to  perform  worship  Avithout  their  men. 

Yet,  will  I  say,  notwithstanding  all  tbis,  that  if 
any  of  these  high  Avomen  had,  but  we  never  read 
that  they  did,  separate  themselves,  and  others  of 
their  own  sex  with  them,  apart  to  Avorship  by  them- 
selves :  or  if  they  had  given  out  commandment  so 
to  do,  and  had  joined  God's  name  to  that  com- 
mandment, I  should  have  freely  consented  that 
our  Avomen  should  do  so  too,  when  led  out,  and 
conducted  in  Avorship,  by  so  extraordinary  a  one. 
Yea  more,  If  any  of  these  high  women  had  given 
it  out  for  laAV,  that  the  women  of  the  churches  in 
New  Testament  times,  ought  to  separate  themselves 
from  their  men,  and  as  so  separate,  perform  divine 
worship  among  themselves :  I  should  have  sub- 
scribed thereto.  But  finding  nothing  like  this  in 
the  word  of  God,  for  the  sanctifying  of  such  a 
practice:  and  seeing  so  many  scriptures  wrested 
out  of  their  place  to  justify  so  fond  a  conceit :  and 
all  this  done  by  a  man  of  conceit,  and  of  one  that, 
as  his  sisters  say,  expects  my  answer :  I  found 
myself  engaged  to  say  something  for  the  suppres- 
sing of  this  his  opinion. 

But  to  return  to  the  good  AA^omen  in  the  churches, 
and  to  make  up  my  discourse  with  them. 

First,  These  meetings  of  yours,  honourable 
AVomen,  wherein  you  attempt  to  perform  divine 
worship  by  yourselves,  without  your  men,  not  hav- 
ing the  authority  of  the  Avord  to  sanctify  them, 
wiU  be  foimd  will-worship,  in  the  day  when  you, 
as  to  that,  shall  be  measured  with  that  golden  reed, 
the  laAV  of  God.  And  •  who  hath  required  this  at 
your  hand?'  may  put  you  to  your  shifts  for  an 
answer,  notwithstanding  all  Mr.    K.  has   said  to 

uphold  you.    Is.  I  U.  He.  xi.  1. 

Secondly,  These  meetings  of  yours  need  not  be  ; 

*  '  To  perk  it,'  to  liold  up  her  liead  with  affected  snnerioiity 
or  spiritual  pride. — Ed. 

i,  a 


674 


A  CASE  OF  CONSCIENCE  RESOLVED. 


there  are  elders  or  brethren  iu  all  churches,  to  call 
to,  and  manage  this  worship  of  God,  in  the  world : 
if  you  abide  in  your  subjection  and  worship  as  you 
are  commanded. 

Tliirdly,  These  meetings  of  yours,  instead  of 
being  an  ornament  to  the  church  in  which  you  are, 
are  a  shame  and  blemish  to  those  churches.  For 
they  manifest  the  unruliness  of  such  women,  or 
that  the  church  wants  skill  to  govern  them,  l  Co.  xiv. 
23.    Have  you  not  '  in  your  flock  a  male  V  Mai.  i.  14.. 

Fourthly,  Suppose  your  meetings  in  some  cases 
were  lawful,  yet  since  by  the  brethren  they  may 
be  managed  better,  you  and  your  meetings  ought 
to  give  place.  That  the  church  together,  and 
the  brethren,  as  the  mouth  to  God,  are  capable 
of  managing  this  solemn  worship  best  :  consider 
— 1.  The  gifts  for  all  such  service  are  most  to 
be  found  in  the  elders  and  leading  men  in  the 
church:  and  not  in  the  women  thereof.  2.  The 
spirit  for  conduct  and  government  in  that  worship, 
is  not  in  the  women,  but  in  the  men.  3.  The  men 
are  admitted  in  such  worship,  to  stand  with  open  face 
before  God,  a  token  of  much  admittance  to  liberty 
and  boldness  with  God,  a  thing  denied  to  the  women. 
iCo.  xi.  4, 5.  4.  For  that  when  meetings  for  prayers 
are  commanded,  the  men,  to  be  the  mouth  to  God, 
are  mentioned,  but  not  in  ordinary  women,  in  all 
the  Scriptures.  Where  the  women  and  children, 
and  them  that  suck  the  breasts  are  called,  with  I 
the  bride  and  bridegroom,  and  the  whole  land,  to  | 
mourn :  yet  the  ministers,  and  elders,  and  chiefest  J 
of  the  brethren,  are  they,  and  they  only,  that  are 
bid  to  say,  '  Spare  thy  people,  0  Lord !  and  give 
not  thine  heritage  to  reproach.'  Joeii.  13,  U;  ii.  15— 17. 
5.  The  word  for  encouragement  to  pray  believ- 
ingly  in  assemblies  is  given  to  men.  And  it  is  the 
word  that  makes,  and  that  sanctifies  an  ordinance 
of  God :  men,  therefore,  in  all  assemblies  for  wor- 
ship, should  be  they  that  should  manage  it,  and 
let  others  join  in  their  places. 

Object.  But  the  woman  is  included  in  the  man, 
for  the  same  word  signifies  both. 

Answ.  1.  If  the  woman  is  included  here,  let  her 
not  exclude  the  man.  But  tlie  man  is  [by  them] 
excluded:  The  man  is  excluded  by  this  woman's 
meeting  from  worship ;  from  worship,  though  he 
be  the  head  in  worship  over  the  woman,  and  by 
Gods  ordinance  appointed  to  manage  it,  and  this 
is  an  excluding  of  the  worst  complexion.  1  Co.  xi.  3. 
2.  Though  the  woman  is  included,  when  the  man 
sometimes  is  named,  yet  the  man  is  not  excluded, 
when  himself  as  chief  is  named.  But  to  cut  him 
off  from  being  the  chief  in  all  assemblies  for  Avor- 
ship,  is  to  exclude  him,  and  that  when  he  for  that 
in  chief  is  named.  3.  The  woman  is  included 
when  the  man  is  named,  yet  but  in  her  place,  and 
if  she  worships  in  assemblies,  her  part  is  to  hold 
her  tongue,  to  learn  in  silence ;  and  if  she  speaks, 


she  must  do  it,  I  mean  as  to  worship,  in  her  heart 
to  God.  4,  Nor,  do  I  think,  that  any  woman 
that  is  holy  and  humble,  will  take  ofi"ence  at  what 
I  have  said ;  for  I  have  not  in  anything  sought  to 
degrade  them,  or  to  take  from  tliem  what  either 
nature  or  grace,  or  an  appointment  of  God  hath 
invested  them  with:  but  have  laboured  to  keep 
them  in  their  place.  And  doubtless  to  abide  where 
God  has  put  us,  is  that  which  not  only  highly 
concerns  us,  but  that,  which  becomes  us  best. 
Sisters,  I  have  said  what  I  have  said  to  set  you 
right,  and  to  prevent  your  attempting  to  do  things 
in  such  sort  unto  which  you  are  not  appointed. 
Remember  what  God  did  to  Miriam,  and  be  afraid. 

Be  as  often  in  your  closets  as  you  will ;  the 
oftener  there  the  better.  This  is  your  duty,  this 
is  your  privilege:  this  place  is  sanctified  to  you 
for  service  by  the  holy  Word  of  God.  Here  you 
may  be,  and  not  make  ordinances  interfere,  and 
not  presume  upon  the  power  of  your  superiors,  and 
not  thrust  out  your  brethren,  nor  put  them  behind 
your  backs  in  worship. 

Be  also  as  often  as  possibly  you  can,  in  worship, 
when  the  church,  or  parts  thereof,  are  assembled 
for  that  end,  according  to  God's  appointment.  And 
when  you  are  there,  join  with  heart  and  soul  with 
your  brethren  in  all  holy  petitions  to  God.  Let 
the  men  in  prayer  be  the  mouth  to  God,  and  the 
women  list  after  with  groans  and  desires.  Let  the 
men  stand  with  open  face  in  this  worship,  for  that 
they  are  the  image  and  glory  of  God,  and  let  the 
women  be  clothed  in  modest  apparel,  with  shame- 
facedness,  iu  token  of  the  remembrance  of  what 
has  been  touched  afore. 

When  women  keep  their  places,  and  men  manage 
their  worshipping  of  God  as  they  should,  we  shall 
have  better  days  for  the  church  of  God,  in  the 
world.  Je.  xxLx.  10—14.  Women  are  not  to  be  blamed 
for  that  they  are  forward  to  pray  to  God,  only  let 
them  know  their  bounds ;  and  I  wish  that  idleness 
in  men  be  not  the  cause  of  their  putting  their  good 
women  upon  this  work.  Surely  they  that  can 
scarce  tie  their  shoes,  and  their  garters,  before 
they  arrive  at  the  tavern,  or  get  to  the  cofiee-house 
door  in  a  morning,  can  scarce  spare  time  to  be  a 
while  in  their  closets  with  God.  Morning  closet- 
prayers  are  now,  by  most  London  professors, 
thrown  away ;  and  what  kind  of  ones  they  make  at 
night,  God  doth  know,  and  their  conscience,  when 
awake,  will  know ;  however  I  have  cause,  as  to  this, 
to  look  at  home :  And  God  mend  me  and  all  his 
servants  about  it,  and  wherein  we  else  are  out. 

I  have  done,  after  I  have  said,  that  there  are 
some  other  things,  concerning  women,  touching 
which,  when  I  have  an  opportunity,  I  may  also 
give  my  judgment.  But  at  present,  I  intreat  that 
these  lines  be  taken  in  good  part,  for  I  seek  edifi- 
cation, not  contention. 


INSTRUCTION   FOR  THE   IGNORANT: 


A  SALVE  TO  CURE  THAT  GREAT  WANT  OF  KNOWLEDGE,  WHICH  SO  MUCH  REIGNS 

BOTH  IN  YOUNG  AND  OLD. 

PREPARED  AND  PRESENTED  TO  THEM  IN  A  PLAIN  AND  EAST  DIALOGUE,  FITTED  TO  THE  CAPACITY  OF  THE  WEAKEST. 


*  M^  people  are  destroyed  for  lack  of  knowledge^ — Hos.  iv.  G. 


ADVERTISEMENT  BY  THE  EDITOR. 


This  little  catechism  is  upon  a  plan  perfectly  new 
and  unique.  It  was  first  published  as  a  pocket 
volume  in  1675,  and  has  been  republished  in  ever}' 
collection  of  the  author's  works  ;  and  recently  in 
a  separate  tract.  The  earliest  edition  that  has 
been  discovered  bears  the  date  of  1691  ;  from 
which  our  copy  has  been  prepared  for  the  press. 
This  is  the  first  book  of  this  class  that  was  com- 
posed upon  the  broad  basis  of  Christianity,  per- 
fectly free  from  sectarian  bias  or  peculiarity.  It 
is  an  exhibition  of  scriptural  truths,  before  which 
error  falls  without  the  trouble  of  pulling  it  down. 
It  is  in  the  world,  like  the  ark  of  God  in  the  tem- 
ple of  Dagon.  It  is  alike  admirably  calculated  to 
convey  the  most  important  truths  to  the  inmates  of 
a  palace  or  of  a  workhouse, — to  the  young  or  to 
the  aged, — to  the  ignorant  Roman  Catholic,  or  to 
the  equally  ignorant  Protestant.  Its  broad  catho- 
licity is  its  distinguishing  excellence.  In  the 
separate  communions  included  within  the  general 
church  of  Christ  are  various,  and  in  many  respects, 
inestimable  compendiums  of  Christian  truth,  ar- 
ranged for  the  catechetical  instruction  of  the  young 
and  ignorant  ;  but  it  cannot  be  denied  that  these, 
one  and  all,  exhibit  some  marks  of  sectarian  feel- 


ino;  and  dogmatic  teaching  in  the  details  that  re- 
late  to  the  special  views  which  each  communion 
takes  of  certain  scriptural  doctrines.  The  reason 
why  this  should  be  the  case  is  very  obvious  :  there 
would  be  no  differences  of  opinion  amongst  Chris- 
tians except  from  conviction  that  these  diiferences 
are  essential,  and  such  conviction  naturally  leads 
to  these  points  of  disagreement  being  (may  we  not 
say?)  rather  too  obtrusively  enforced  as  part  and 
portion  of  a  saving  belief.  All  Banyan's  efibrts 
were  to  awaken  sinners  to  a  sense  of  their  de- 
gradation, misery,  and  danger,  and  to  direct  them 
to  the  only  refuge  from  the  wrath  to  come — the 
hope  set  before  them  in  the  gospel  ;  and  then 
leaving  the  pious  convert  to  the  guidance  of  his 
Bible  in  forming  his  connections  in  the  pilgrimage 
of  life.  Banyan  is  solemnly  in  earnest  ;  his  desire 
is,  that  poor  sinners  should  be  relieved  from  igno- 
rance, darkness,  and  destruction,  and  be  introduced 
into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God.  May 
his  impressive  injunction  be  indelibly  fixed  upon 
our  souls,  '  To  read,  ponder  over,  and  receive  the 
wholesome  medicine  as  we  shall  answer  in  the  day 
of  the  terrible  judgment.' — Geo.  Offok. 


TO  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST  IN  AXD  ABOUT  BEDFORD,  WALKING  IN  THE  FAITH  AND  FELLOWSHIP  OF  THS 
GOSPEL,  YOUR  AFFECTIONATE  BROTHER  AND  COMPANION  IN  THE  KINGDOM  AND  PATIENCE  OF  JESUS  CHRIST, 
WISHETII  ALL  GRACE  AND  MERCY  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.       AMEN. 


Holy  and  beloved, 

Although  I  have  designed  this  little  treatise  for 
public- and  common  benefit,  yet  considering  that  I 
am  to  you  a  debtor  not  only  in  common  charity; 
but  by  reason  of  special  bonds  which  the  Lord 
liath  laid  upon  me  to  you-ward,  I  could  do  no  less, 
being  driven  from  you  in  presence,  not  affection, 
but  first  present  you  with  this  little  book ;  not  for 
that  you  are  wanting  in  the  things  contained 
herein,  but  to  put  you  again  in  remembrance  of 


first  things,  and  to  give  you  occasion  to  present 
something  to  your  carnal  relations,  that  may  be, 
if  God  will,  for  their  awakening  and  conversion : 
accept  it  therefore  as  a  token  of  my  christian 
remembrance  of  you. 

Next  I  present  it  to  all  those  unconverted,  old 
and  young,  who  have  been  at  any  time  under  my 
preaching,  and  yet  remain  in  their  sins :  *  and  I 


*  How  awM  the  tliought  tliat  persons  should  sit  under  so 
faithful  and  searching  a  ministry,  and  stiU  remain  in  their 


676 


INSTRUCTION  TOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


entreat  tliem  also  tliat  tliey  receive  it  as  a  token 
of  my  love  to  their  immortal  souls ;  yea,  I  charge 
them  as  they  will  answer  it  in  the  day  of  terrible 
judgment,  that  they  read,  ponder  over,  and  receive 
this  wholesome  medicine  prepared  for  them.  Now 
the  God  of  blessing  bless  it  to  the  awakening  of 
many  sinners,  and  the  salvation  of  their  souls  by 
faith  in  .Tesus  Christ.     Amen. 


sins.     Is  it  so  to  the  present  day  under  a  faitliM  ministry  ? 
then,  Oh  m^  soul,  how  is  it  with  thee? — Ed. 


Yours,  to  serve  you  by  my  ministry,  when  I  can,* 
to  your  edification  and  consolation, 

John  Bunyak. 


*  A  painful  recollection  of  his  long  and  cruel  imprisonment 
for  conscience  sake  led  Bunyau  to  feel  the  value  of  liberty. 
Still  he  forcibly  appeals  to  his  reader  on  the  necessittj  of  pri- 
vate judgment  in  divine  things.  His  twelve  years'  converse 
with  God  and  his  word  in  prison  had  confirmed  his  principles ; 
while  divine  love  had  swallowed  up  the  fear  of  man. — Ed. 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


Quest.  How  many  gods  are  there  ? — Answ.  To 
the  Christians  there  is  but  one  God,  the  Father, 
of  whom  are  all  things,  and  we  of  him.  l  Co.  vui.  6. 

Q.  Why  is  not  the  God  of  the  Christians  the  God 
of  them  that  are  no  Christians  ? — A.  He  is  their 
maker  and  preserver ;  but  they  have  not  chosen 
him  to  be  their  God.  Ac.  xvii.  21.  Ps.  xxxvi.  6.  Ju.  x.  14. 

Q.  Are  there  then  other  gods  besides  the  God  of 
the  Christians  ? — A.  There  is  none  other  true  God 
but  HE  ;  but  because  they  want  the  grace  of  Chris- 
tians, therefore  they  choose  not  him,  but  such  gods 
as  will  suit  with  and  countenance  their  lusts.  Jn. 

viii.  44. 

Q.  What  gods  are  they  that  countenance  the  lusts 
of  wicked  men  ? — A.  The  devil,  who  is  the  god  of 
this  world ;  the  belly,  that  god  of  gluttons,  drunk- 
ards, and  riotous  persons  ;  and  idle  pleasures  and 
vanities,  which  are,  for  the  most  part,  the  gods  of 

the  youth.  Job  vili.  4.  3  Co.  iv.  4.  Pliil.  iii,  19.  Ex.  xxxii.  6. 1  Co.  x. 
7.  2  Ti.  ii.  22.  1  Jn.  v.  21. 

Q.  Who  is  a  Christian  ? — A.  One  that  is  born 
again,  a  new  creature  ;  one  that  sits  at  Jesus'  feet  to 
hear  his  word  ;  one  that  hath  his  heart  purified  and 
sanctified  by  faith,*  which  is  in  Christ.  Jn.  iii.  3, 5, 7. 

Ac.  xi.  24 ;  XV.  9 ;  xxvi.  18.  2  Co.  v.  17. 

Q.  How  do  you  distinguish  the  God  of  the  Chris- 
tians from  the  gods  of  other  people  ? — A.  He  is  a 
Spirit.  Jn.  iv.  24. 

Q.  Is  there  uo  other  spirit  but  the  true  God  ? — 
A.  Yes,  there  are  many  spirits,  l  Jn. iv. i. 

Q.  What  spirits  are  they  ? — A.  The  good  angels 
are  spirits ;  the  bad  angels  are  spirits  ;  and  the  souls 
of  men  are  spirits.  He.  i.  7, 14. 1  la  xxii.  21,  22.  Re.  xvi.  13, 14. 

Ac.  vii.  59.  He.  xii.  23. 

Q.  How  then  is  the  true  God  distinguished  from 
other  spirits  ? — A.  Thus :  No  Spirit  is  eternal  but 
HE,  no  Spirit  is  almighty  but  he,  no  Spirit  is  incom- 
prehensible and  unsearchable  but  he  :  he  is  also 

*  Faith  is  the  only  principle  that,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  can  purify  the  heart.  It  leads  the  soul  into  holy  com- 
munion with  a  pure  and  holy  God,  and  thus  cleanses  the 
heart. — Ed. 


most  merciful,  most  just,  most  holy.  De.  xxxiii.  27.  Ga. 

xvii.  1.  Pa.  cxlv.  3.  Mi.  vii.  18.  Job  xxxiv.  17. 1  Sa.  ii.  2. 

Q.  Is  this  God,  being  a  Spirit,  to  be  known  ? — 
A.  Yes,  and  that  by  his  works  of  creation,  by  his 
providences,  by  the  judgments  that  he  executeth, 
and  by  his  word. 

Q.  Do  you  understand  him  by  the  Avorks  of  crea- 
tion ? — A.  '  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God  ; 
and  the  firmament  sheweth  his  handy  work.'  Ps. 
xix.  1.  '  For  the  invisible  things  of  him  from  the 
creation  of  the  world  are  clearly  seen,  being  under- 
stood by  the  things  that  are  made,  even  his  eternal 
power  and  Godhead.'  Ro.  i.  20. 

Q.  Do  his  works  of  providence  alsc  declare  him  ? 
— A.  They  must  needs  do  it,  since  through  his  pro- 
vidence the  whole  creation  is  kept  in  such  harmony 
as  it  is,  and  that  in  despite  of  sin  and  devils  ;  also, 
if  you  consider  that  from  an  angel  to  a  sparrow, 
nothing  falls  to  the  ground  without  the  providence 
of  our  heavenly  Father.  Mat.  x.  29. 

Q.  Is  he  known  by  his  judgments  ? — A.  '  The 
Lord  is  known  hy  the  judgments  which  he  execut- 
eth ;  the  wicked  is  snared  in  the  work  of  his  owii 
hands.'  Ps.  ix.  16. 

Q.  Is  he  known  by  his  word  ? — A.  Yes,  most 
clearly :  for  by  that  he  revealeth  his  attributes,  his 
decrees,  his  promises,  his  way  of  worship,  and  how 
he  is  to  be  pleased  by  us. 

Q.  Of  what  did  God  make  the  world  ? — A. 
'  Things  which  are  seen  were  not  made  of  things 
which  do  appear.'  He.  xi.  3. 

Q.  How  long  was  he  in  making  the  v^orld  ? — A. 
'  In  six  days  the  Lord  made  heaven  and  earth,  the 
sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is'  Ex.  xx.  11.  '  And  on  the 
seventh  day  God  ended  his  work  which  he  had 
made.'  Ge. ii. 2. 

Q.  Of  what  did  God  make  man  ?— A.  « The 
Lord  God  formed  man  of  the  dust  of  the  ground, 
and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life ;  and 
man  became  a  living  soul.'  Ge.  ii.  7. 

Q.  Why  doth  it  say,  God  bi'cathed  into  him  the 
breath  of  life  ;  is  man's  soul  of  the  very  nature  of 
the  Godhead  ? — A.  This  doth  not  teach  that  the  soul 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


677 


is  of  the  nature  of  the  Godhead,  but  sheweth  that 
it  is  not  of  the  same  matter  as  his  body,  which  is 

dust.  Ge.  niiL  27. 

Q.  Is  not  the  soul  then  of  the  nature  of  the  God- 
head ? — A.  iSo,  for  God  cannot  sin,  but  tlie  soul 
doth ;  God  cannot  be  destroyed  in  hell,  but  the  souls 
of  the  impenitent  shall.  Eze.  xviiL  4.  Mat.  x.  28. 

Q.  How  did  God  make  man  in  the  day  of  his  first 
creation  ? — A.  God  made  man  upright.  Ec.  v-ii.  29. 
'  In  the  image  of  God  created  he  him.'  Ge.  L  27. 

Q.  Did  God,  when  he  made  man,  leave  him  with- 
out a  rule  to  walk  by? — A.  No :  he  gave  him  a  law 
in  his  nature,  and  imposed  upon  him  a  positive  pre- 
cept, but  he  ofiered  -vaolence  to  them,  and  brake 
them  both.  Ge.  iiL  3,  6. 

Q.  What  was  the  due  desert  of  that  transgres- 
sion ? — A.  Spiritual  death  in  the  day  he  did  it, 
temporal  death  afterwards,  and  everlasting  death 

last  of  all.  Ge.  ii.  17;  iii.  19.  Mat.  xxv.  46. 

Q.  What  is  it  to  be  spiritually  dead  ? — A.  To 
be  alienate  from  God,  and  to  live  without  him  in  the 
world,  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in  man,  and 
through  the  power  of  their  sins.  Ep.  iv.  18, 19. 

Q.  Wherein  doth  this  alienation  from  God 
appear  ? — A.  In  the  love  they  have  to  their  sins, 
in  their  being  loth  to  come  to  him,  in  their  pleading 
idle  excuses  for  their  sins,  and  in  their  ignorance  of 
the  excellent  mysteries  of  his  blessed  gospel.  Ep.  ii. 

2,3,11,12;  iv.  18, 19.  Ro.  L  28. 

Q.  What  is  temporal  death  ? — A. To  have  body 
and  soul  separated  asunder,  the  body  returning  to 
the  dust  as  it  was,  and  the  spirit  to  God  that  gave 

it.   Ge.  iii.  19.  Ec.  xii.  7. 

Q.  "What  is  everlasting  death  ? — A.  For  body 
and  soul  to  ba  separate  for  ever  from  God,  and  to 

be  cast  into  heil  fire.  Lu.  xiii.  27.  Mar.  k.  4-3. 

Q.  Do  men  go  body  and  soul  to  hell  so  soon  as 
they  die  ? — A.  The  body  abideth  in  the  grave  till 
the  sound  of  the  last  trump ;  but  the  soul,  if  the 
man  dies  wicked,  goes  presently  from  the  face  of 
God  into  hell,  as  into  a  prison,  there  to  be  kept  till 
the  day  of  judgment.  1  Co.  xv.  52.  Is.  xxiv.  23.  Lu.  xii.  20. 

Q.  Do  we  come  into  the  world  as  upright  as  did 
our  first  parent  ? — A.  No:  he  came  into  the  world 
sinless,  being  made  so  of  God  Almighty,  but  we 
came  into  the  world  sinners,  being  made  so  by  his 
pollution,* 

Q.  How  doth  it  appear  that  we  came  into  the 
world  polluted  ? — A.  We  are  the  fruit  of  an  unclean 
thing,  are  defiled  in  our  very  conception,  and  are 
by  nature  the   chddren  of  wrath.  Job  siv.  4.  Ps.  li.  5. 

£p.  ii.  3. 


*  All  maukind,  as  born  into  the  world,  show,  as  soon  as  tlie 
mental  powers  open,  aversion  to  God,  to  his  purity,  his  law, 
liis  gospel ;  the  doctrines  of  grace  and  the  work  of  the  Spirit 
upon  the  heart.  A  solemn  proof  of  the  universal  taint  given 
by  orisinal  sin. — Ed. 


Q.  Can  you  make  further  proof  of  this  ? — A. 
Yes,  it  is  said,  That  by  one  man  came  sin,  death, 
judgment,  and  condemnation  upon  all  men.  Ru.  v. 

12—19. 

Q.  Do  we  then  come  sinners  into  the  world  ? — 
A.  Yes,  we  are  transgressors  from  the  womb,  and 
go  astray  as  soon  as  we  are  born,  speaking  lies. 

Is.  xlviii.  8.  Ps.  Iviii.  3. 

Q.  But  as  Adam  fell  with  us  in  him,  so  did  he 
not  by  faith  rise  with  us  in  him  ?  for  he  had  no 
seed  until  he  had  the  promise. — A.  He  fell  as  a 
public  person,!  but  believed  the  promise  as  a  sino-le 
person.  Adam's  faith  saved  not  the  world,  though 
Adam's  sin  overthrew  it. 

Q.  But  do  not  some  hold  that  we  are  sinners  only 
by  imitation  ? — A,  Yes,  being  themselves  deceived. 
But  God's  word  saith,  we  are  children  of  wrath  by 
nature,  that  is,  by  birth  and  generation. 

Q.  Can  you  bring  further  proof  of  this  ? — A. 
Yes :  in  that  day  that  v^-e  were  born,  we  were  pol- 
luted in  our  own  blood,  and  cast  out  to  the  loath- 
ing of  our  persons.  Again,  the  children  of  old 
that  were  dedicated  unto  the  Lord,  a  sacrifice  was 
offered  for  them  at  a  month  old,  which  was  before 
they  were  sinners  by  imitation.  Eze.  xvi.  4—9.  Nu.  .wiiL 

14—16. 

Q.  Can  you  make  this  appear  by  experience  ? 
— Yes :  the  first  things  that  bloom  and  put  forth 
themselves  in  children,  shew  their  ignorance  of 
God,  their  disobedience  to  parents,  and  their  innate 
enmity  to  hoHness  of  life  ;  their  inclinations  natur- 
ally run  to  vanity.  Besides  little  children  die, 
but  that  they  could  not,  were  they  not  of  God 
counted  sinners ;  for  death  is  the  wages  of  sin. 

Kg.  vi.  23. 

Q.  What  is  sin  ? — A.  It  is  a  transgression  of 
the  law.  1  Jn.  iii.  4. 

Q.  A  transgression  of  what  law  ? — A.  Of  the 
law  of  our  nature,  and  of  the  law  of  the  ten  com- 
mandments as  written  in  the  holy  scriptures.  Ro.  ii. 

12—15.  Ex.  XX. 

Q.  When  doth  one  sin  against  the  law  of  nature  ? 
— A.  When  you  do  anything  that  your  conscience 
tells  you  is  a  transgression  against  God  or  man. 

Ro.  ii.  14,  15. 

Q.  When  do  we  sin  against  the  law  as  written 
in  the  ten  commandments  ? — A.  When  you  do  any- 
thing that  they  forbid,  although  you  be  ignorant 
of  it.  Ps.  xix.  12. 

Q.  How  many  ways  are  tliere  to  sin  against  this 
law  ? — A.  Three :  by  sinful  thoughts,  by  sinful 
words,  and  also  by  sinful  actions.  Ro.^-ii.  Tjii.  6.  Mat.  v. 

28;  xii.  37. 

Q.  What  if  we  sin  but  against  one  of  the  ten  coni- 

t  By  the  word  'puhhc'  is  to  be  understood  a  federal  head, 

or  the  representative  of  all  his  posterity.     Adam's  fsith  can 
only  save  his  own  soul ;  his  sin  taints  all  his  seed. — Ed. 


)78 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


mandnicnts  ? — A.  Whosoever  shall  keep  the  -whole 
law,  and  yet  offend  in  one  point,  he  is  guilty  of 
all ;  '  For  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  trans- 
gressor of  the  law.'  Ja.ii.  10,11. 

Q.  Where  Avill  God  punish  sinners  for  their  snis  ? 
— A.  Both  in  this  world  and  in  that  which  is  to 
come.  Ge.  iii.  2-t;  iv.  10—12.  Job  xxi.  30. 

Q.  How  are  men  punished  in  this  world  for  sin? 
■ — A.  Many  ways,  as  with  sickness,  losses,  crosses, 
disappointments  and  the  like:  sometimes  also  God 
giveth  them  up  to  their  own  heart's  lusts,  to  blind- 
ness of  mind  also,  and  hardness  of  heart ;  yea,  and 
sometimes  to  strong  delusions  that  they  might 
believe  lies,  and  be  damned.  Le.  xxvi.  15, 16.  Am.  iv.  7, 10. 

Ro.  i.  24,  28.  Ex.  iv.  21 ;  ix.  12—14.  Zep.  i.  17.  Ro.  xi.  7,  8.  2  Th.  ii.  11, 12. 

Q.  How  are  sinners  punished  in  the  world  to 
come  ? — A.  With  a  worm  that  never  dies,  and  with 
a  fire  that  never  shall  be  quenched.  Mar.  ix.  44. 

Q.  Whither  do  sinners  go  to  receive  this  punish- 
ment?— A.  '  The  wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell, 
and  all  the  nations  that  forget  God.'  Ps.  ix.  17. 

Q.  What  is  hell  ? — A.  It  is  a  place  and  a  state 

most  fearful.    Lu.  xlii.  28;  x\-i.  28.  Ac.  i.  25. 

Q.  Why  do  you  call  it  a  place  ? — A.  Because  in 
liell  shall  all  the  damned  be  confined  as  in  a  prison, 
in  their  chains  of  darkness  for  ever.  Lu.  xii.  5, 58;  \vi.  26. 

Jude  6. 

Q.  What  [kind  of]  a  place  is  hell  ? — A.  It  is  a 
dark  bottomless  burning  lake  of  fire,  large  enough  to 
hold  all  that  perish,  Wat.  xxii.  13.  Re  xx.  1, 15.  is.  xx\-.  35. 

Pr.  xxvii.  20. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  when  you  say  it  is  a  fearful 
state  ? — A.  I  mean,  that  it  is  the  lot  of  those  that 
are  cast  in  thither  to  be  tormented  in  most  fearful 
manner,  to  wit,  with  wrath  and  fiery  indignation. 

Ro.  ii.  9.  lie.  X.  20,  27. 

Q.  In  what  parts  shall  they  be  thus  fearfully  tor- 
mented ? — A.  In  body  and  soul :  for  hell-fire  shall 
kindle  upon  both  beyond  what  now  can  be  thought.* 

Mat.  X.  28.  Lu.  xvi.  24.  Ja.  v.  3. 

Q.  How  long  shall  they  be  in  this  condition  ? — 
A.  •  These  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punish- 
ment, '  Mat.  XXV.  i&.  '  And  the  smoke  of  their  torment 
aacendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever,  and  they  have  no 
rest  day  nor  night,'  Re.xiv.ii.  For  they  '  shall  be 
punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his 
power, '  2  Til.  i.  9. 

Q.  But  why  might  not  the  ungodly  be  punished 
with  this  punishment  in  this  world,  that  we  mio-ht 
have  seen  it  and  believe  ? — A,  If  the  ungodly  should 


with  punishment  have  been  rewarded  in  this  world, it 
Avould  in  all  probability  have  overthrown  the  whole 
order  that  God  hath  settled  here  among  men.  For 
who  could  have  endured  here  to  have  seen  the 
flames  of  fire,  to  have  heard  the  groans,  and  to 
have  seen  the  tears,  perhaps,  of  damned  relations, 
as  parents  or  children  ?  Therefore  as  Tophet  of 
old  was  without  the  city,  and  as  the  gallows  and 
gibbets  are  built  without  the  towns ;  f  so  Christ 
hath  ordered  that  they  who  are  to  be  punished  with 
this  kind  of  torment,  shall  be  taken  away :  '  Take 
him  away,'  saith  he  (out  of  this  world)  '  and  cast 
Mm  into  outer  darkness,'  and  let  him  have  his 
punishment  there  '  there  shall  be  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth. '  Mat.  xxii.  13.  Besides,  faith  is  not 
to  be  wrought  by  looking  into  hell,  and  seeing  the 
damned  tormented  before  our  eyes,  but  by  *  hearing 
the  word  of  God.'  Ro.  x,  17.  For  he  that  shall  not 
believe  Moses  and  the  prophets,  will  not  be  per- 
suaded should  one  ccme  from  the  dead,  yea  should 
one   come  to  them   in  flames  to  persuade  them, 

Lu.  xvi.  27—31. 

Q,  Are  there  degrees  of  torments  in  hell  ? — A. 
Yes,  for  God  will  reward  every  one  according  to  their 
works.  '  Wo  unto  the  wicked,  'it  shall  be  ill  with 
him,  for  the  reward  of  his  hands  shall  be  giveu 
him.'  Is.  iii.  11. 

Q,  Who  are  like  to  be  most  punished  there,  men 
or  children  ? — A.  The  punishment  in  hell  comes  not 
upon  sinners  according  to  age,  but  sin ;  so  that 
whether  they  be  men  or  children,  the  greater  sin, 
the  greater  punishment ;  '  For  there  is  no  respect 
of  persons  with  God.'  Ro.  ii.  11.  | 

Q.  How  do  you  distinguish  between  great  sins  and 
little  ones  ? — A.  By  their  nature,  and  by  the  cir- 
cumstances that  attend  them. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  their  nature  ? — A,  I 
mean  when  they  are  very  gross  in  themselves. 

2  Ch.  xxxiii.  2.  Kze.  xvi.  42. 

Q,  What  kind  of  sins  are  the  greatest  ? — A. 
Adultery,  fornication,  murder,  theft,  swearing,  ly- 
ing, covetousness,  witchcraft,  sedition,  heresies,  or 

any  the  like,  l  Co.vi.  9,  lO.  Ep.  v.  3—6.  Col.  iii.  5,  6.  Ga.  V.19— 21. 
Re.  xxi.  8. 

Q.  W^hat  do  you  mean  by  circumstances  that 
attend  sin  ? — I  mean  light,  knowledge,  the  preach- 
ing of  the  Word,  godly  acquaintance,  timely  cau- 
tion, &,c. 


•  A  state  of  hostility  to  God  plunges  the  soul  iuto  mental 
darkness,  rage,  horror,  anguish,  despair,  and  endless  and  un- 
ntterable  iniseiy  and  woe.  How  ought  we  to  love  the  Lord 
Jesus  for  his  gkeat  salvation!— Ed. 


f  It  is  a  very  modern  custom  to  have  the  phice  of  execu- 
tion within  a  city — formerly  they  were  always  without — their 
position  being  still  noted  by  the  name  '  Gallow  Knowe,'  the 
knoll  or  mound  of  the  gallows;  '  Gallowgate,'  the  gate  or  way 
leading  to  the  gallows ;  and  so  on.  Happily  for  the  well-being 
of  society,  these  exhibitions  are  less  frequent  than  they  for- 
merly were. 

\  '  That  servant  which  knew  his  lord's  will,  and  prepared 
not  himself,  neither  did  according  to  his  will,  shall  be  beaten 
with  piany  stripes,'  Luke  xii.  47. — Ed, 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE   IGNORANT. 


679 


Q.  Will  these  make  an  alteration  in  the  sin  ? — 
A.  These  things  attending  sinners,  will  make  little 
sins  great,  yea  greater  than  greater  sins  that  are 
committed  in  grossest  ignorance. 

Q.  How  do  you  prove  that? — A.  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah  wallowed  in  all  or  most  of  those  gross 
transgressions  above  mentioned:  yea,  they  Avere 
said  to  be  sinners  exceedingly,  they  lived  in  such 
sins  as  may  not  be  spoken  of  without  blushing,  and 
yet  God  swears  that  Israel,  his  church,  had  done 
worse  than  they,  Eze.xvi  48.  and  the  Lord  Jesus  also 
seconds  it  in  that  threatening  of  his,  '  I  say  imto 
you.  That  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  the  land  of 
Sodom  in  the  day  of  judgment  than  for  thee.'  Mat. 

xi.  2i.  Lu.  X.  12. 

Q.  And  was  this  the  reason,  namely,  because 
they  had  such  circumstances  attending  them  as 
Sodom  had  not  ? — A.  Yes,  as  will  plainly  appear, 
if  you  read  the  three  chapters  above  mentioned. 

Q.  When  do  I  sin  against  light  and  knowledge? 
— A.  When  you  sin  against  convictions  of  con- 
science, when  you  sin  against  a  known  law  of  God, 
when  you  sin  against  coimsels,  and  dissuasion  of 
friends,  then  you  sin  against  light  and  knowledge. 

Ro.i.  32. 

Q.  WTien  do  I  sin  against  preaching  of  the  word  ? 
— A.  When  you  refuse  to  hear  God's  ministers,  or 
hearing  them,   refuse  to  follow  their  wholesome 

doctrine.    2  Ch.  xxxvi.  16.  Je.  XXV.  4r— 7;  xsxv.  15. 

Q.  When  else  do  I  sin  against  preaching  of  the 
Word  ? — A.  When  you  mock,  or  despise,  or  re- 
proach the  ministers ;  also  when  you  raise  lies  and 
scandals  of  them,  or  receive  such  lies  or  scandals 
raised ;  *  you  then  also  sin  against  the  preaching 
of  the  Word,  when  you  persecute  them  that  preach 
it,  or  are  secretly  glad  to  see  them  so  used.  2  cu. 

XXX.  1, 10.  Ro.  iii.  8.  Je.  xx.  10.  1  Th.  iL  15, 16. 

Q.  How  wiU  godly  acquaintance  greaten  my  sin  ? 
— A.  When  you  sin  against  their  counsels,  warn- 
ings, or  persuasions  to  the  contrary ;  also  when 
their  Uves  and  conversations  are  a  reproof  to  you, 
and  yet  against  aU  you  will  sin.  Thus  sinned 
Ishmael,  Esau,  EU's  sons,  Absalom  and  Judas, 
they  had  good  company,  good  counsels,  and  a  good 
life  set  before  them  by  their  godly  acquaintance, 
but  they  sinned  against  all,  and  their  judgment 
was  the  greater.  Ishmael  was  cast  away,  Ge.  xxi. 
10.  Esau  hated,  Ga.i7.  so.  Eli's  sons  died  suddenly, 
Mai.  i.  2. 1  Sa.  ii.  25,  34;  iv.  11.  Absalom  and  Judas  were 
both  strangely  hanged.  2  Sa.  x\TiL  Mat.  xxviL 

Q.  Are  sins  thus  heightened,  distinguished  from 
others  by  any  special  name  ? — A.  Yes  ;  they  are 
called  rebellion,  and  are  compared  to  the  sin  of 
witchcraft,  i  Sa.  xv.  23.  they  are  called  wilful  sins. 


*  AYhich  is  the  greatest  sinner ;  he  who  invents  scandal,  or 
he  who  encourages  the  inventor  to  retail  it  ?  If  there  were 
no  receivers,  there  would  he  no  thieves. — Ed. 


lie.  X.  26.  they  are  called  briars  and  thorns,  and 
they  that  bring  them  forth  are  '  nigh  unto  cursing, 
whose  end  is  to  be  burned. '  vi.  7, 8. 

Q.  Are  there  any  other  things  that  can  make 
little  sins  great  ones  ? — A.  Yes  ;  as  when  you  sin 
against  the  judgments  of  God.  As  for  example, 
you  see  the  judgments  of  God  come  upon  some  for 
their  transgressions,  and  you  go  on  in  their  ini- 
quities ;  as  also  when  you  sin  against  the  patience, 
long-suiFering,  and  forbearance  of  God,  this  will 
make  little  sins  great  ones.  Da.  v.  21— 24.  Ro.  ii.  4, 5. 

Q.  Did  ever  God  punish  little  children  for  sin 
against  him  ? — A.  Yes ;  when  the  flood  came,  he 
drowned  all  the  little  children  that  were  in  the  old 
world:  he  also  burned  up  all  the  little  children 
which  were  in  Sodom ;  and  because  upon  a  time 
the  little  children  at  Bethel  mocked  the  prophet 
as  he  was  a  going  to  worship  God,  God  let  loose 
two  she-bears  upon  them,  which  tore  forty  and  two 
of  them  to  pieces.  2  ivi.  ii.  23, 24. 

Q.  Alas !  what  shall  we  little  children  do  ?  t — 
A.  Either  go  on  in  your  sins,  or  remember  now 
your  Creator  in  the  days  of  your  youth,  before  the 
evil  days  come.  Ec.  xii.  1. 

Q.  Why  do  you  mock  us,  to  bid  us  go  on  in  our 
sins  ?  you  had  need  pray  for  us  that  God  would 
save  us. — A.  I  do  not  mock  you,  but  as  the  wise 
man  doth ;  and  besides,  I  pray  for  you  and  wish 
your  salvation. 

Q.  How  doth  the  Avise  man  mock  us  ? — A.  Thus ; 
'  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  thine  heart,  and  in  the  sight  of 
thine  eyes :  but  know  thou,  that  for  all  these  tilings 
God  will  bring  thee  into  judgment.'  Zc.  xi.  9. 

Q.  What  a  kind  of  mocking  is  this  ? — A.  Such 
an  one  as  is  mixed  with  the  greatest  seriousness ; 
as  if  he  should  say.  Ay,  do,  sinners,  go  on  in  your 
sins  if  you  dare ;  do,  live  in  your  vanities,  but  God 
will  have  a  time  to  judge  you  for  them. 

Q.  Is  not  this  just  as  when  my  father  bids  me 
be  naught  if  I  will :  but  if  I  be  naught  he  will  beat 
me  for  it  ? — A.  Yes ;  or  like  that  saying  of  Joshua, 
'If  it  seem  evil  unto  you  to  serve  the  Lord,  choose 
you  this  day  whom  ye  will  serve;'  serve  your 
sins  at  your  peril.  Jos.  xxiv.  15. 

Q,  Is  it  not  best  then  for  me  to  serve  God? — 
A.  Yes;  for  they  that  serve  the  devil  must  be 
where  he  is,  and  they  that  serve  God  and  Christ, 
must  be  where  they  are.  Jn.  xU.  26.  Mat.  .xw.  41. 


t  The  terms  in  which  this  question  is  put,  shows  that  tiie 
little  childi-en  here  intended  were  capable  of  repentance  and 
faith.  That  Bunyan  beheved,  as  Toplady  did,  the  salvation 
of  all  that  die  in  infancy  by  the  atonement  of  Clirist,  there  cau 
be  no  doubt.  '  In  my  remarks  on  Dr.  Rowell,  I  testified  my 
firm  belief  that  the  souls  of  aU  departed  infants  are  with  God 
in  glory.'  See  the  Introduction  to  Toplady's  Historic  Proofs 
— £d.' 


6S0 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


Q.  But  when  had  I  best  begin  to  serve  God  ? — 
A.  Just  now:  '  Remember  now  thy  Creator,'  now 
thou  hast  the  gospel  before  thee,  now  thy  heart  is 
tender  and  will  be  soonest  broken. 

Q.  But  if  I  follow  my  play  and  sports  a  little 
lono-er,  may  I  not  come  time  enough  ? — A.  I  cannot 
promise  thee  that,  for  there  be  little  graves  in  the 
churchyard  ;  and  who  can  tell  but  that  thy  young 
life  is  short ;  or  if  thou  dost  live,  perhaps  thy  day 
of  grace  may  be  as  short  as  was  Ishmael's  of  old : 
read  also  Pr.  i.  2-1—26. 

Q.  But  if  I  stay  a  little  longer  before  I  turn,  I 
may  have  more  wit  to  serve  God  than  now  I  have, 
may  I  not  ? — A.  If  thou  stayest  longer,  thou  wilt 
have  more  sin,  and  perhaps  less  wit:  for  the 
bigger  sinner,  the  bigger  fool.  Pr.  i.  23. 

Q.  If  I  serve  God  sometimes,  and  my  sin  some- 
times, how  then  ? — A.  '  No  man  can  serve  two  mas- 
ters.' Thou  canst  not  serve  God  and  thy  sins. 
Mat.  vi.  24.  God  saith,  *  My  Son,  give  me  thine 
heart.'  Pr.  xxiii.  26.  Also  thy  soul  and  body  are  his  ; 
but  the  double-minded  man  is  forbidden  to  think 
that  he  shall  receive  any  thing  of  the  Lord,  i  Co.  vi. 

20.  Ja.  i.  7,  8. 

Q.  Do  you  find  many  such  little  children  as  I  am, 
serve  God  ? — A.  Not  many ;  yet  some  I  do,  Samuel 
served  him  being  a  child,  i  Sa.  iii.  i.  When  Josiah 
was  young  he  began  to  seek  after  the  God  of  his 
father  David.  2  Ch.  xx.xiv.  3.  And  how  kindly  did  our 
Lord  Jesus  take  it,  to  see  the  little  children  run 
tripping  before  him,  and  crying,  Hosannah  to  the 

Son  of  David  ?  Matxxi.  15,  16. 

Q.  Then  I  am  not  like  to  have  many  companions 
if  I  thus  young  begin  to  serve  God,  am  I  ? — A. 
'  Strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way,  which 
leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it.' 
Mat.  vii.  u.  Yet  some  companions  thou  wilt  have. 
David  counted  himself  a  companion  of  all  them 
that  love  God's  testimonies.  Ps.  cxLv.  63.  All  the 
godly,  though  grey-headed,  will  be  thy  companions; 
yea,  and  thou  shalt  have  either  one  or  more  of  the 
angels  of  God  in  heaven  to  attend  on,  and  minister 
for  thee.  Mat.  xviii  lo. 

Q.  But  I  am  like  to  be  slighted,  and  despised  by 
other  little  children,  if  I  begin  already  to  serve 
God,  am  I  not  ? — A.  If  children  be  so  rude  as  to 
mock  the  prophets  and  ministers  of  God,  no  marvel 
if  they  also  mock  thee ;  but  it  is  a  poor  heaven 
that  is  not  worth  enduring  worse  things  than  to 
be  mocked  for  the  seeking  and  obtaining  of.   2  Ki. 

ii.  23,  24. 

Q.  But  how  should  I  serve  God  ?  I  do  not  know 
how  to  worship  him. — A.  The  true  worshippers, 
worship  God  in  spirit  and  truth.  Jn.  iv.  24.  Phi.iii.3. 

Q.  What  is  meant  by  worshipping  him  in  the 
spirit  ? — A.  To  worship  him  in  God's  Spirit  and  in 
mme  own ;  that  is,  to  worship  him,  being  wrought 
over  iu  my  very  heart  by  the  good  Spirit  of  God, 


to  an  hearty  compliance  with  his  will.  Ro.  i.  9;  vi.  17. 
Ps.  ci.  1—3. 

Q.  What  is  it  to  worship  him  in  truth  ? — A.  To 
do  all  that  we  do  in  his  worship  according  to  his 
word,  for  his  word  is  truth,  and  to  do  it  without  dis- 
simulation. He.  viii.  5.  Jn.  xvii.  17.  Pa.  xxvi.  6 ;  mii.  19,  20.  Yon 
may  take  the  whole  thus,  Then  do  you  worship 
God  aright,  when  in  heart  and  life  you  walk 
according  to  his  word. 

Q.  How  must  I  do  to  worship  him  with  my  spirit 
and  heart. — A.  Thou  must  first  get  the  good  know- 
ledge of  him.  '  And  thou,  Solomon  my  son,'  said 
David,  '  know  thou  the  God  of  thy  father,  and 
serve  him  with  a  perfect  heart.'  1  Ch.  xxriii.  9.  Mind 
you,  he  first  bids  know  him,  and  then  serve  him 
with  a  perfect  heart. 

Q.  Is  it  easy  to  get  a  true  knowledge  of  God  ? — 
A.  No ;  Thou  must  cry  after  knowledge,  and  lift  up 
thy  voice  for  understanding.  '  If  thou  seekest 
her  as  silver,  and  searchest  for  her  as  for  hid 
treasures  ;  then  shalt  thou  understand  the  fear 
of  the   Lord,  and  find  the  knowledge   of  God.' 

Pr.  ii.  4,  5. 

Q.  How  comes  it  to  be  so  difficult  a  thing  to  attain 
the  true  knowledge  of  God  ? — A.  By  reason  of  the 
pride  and  ignorance  that  is  in  us,  as  also  by  reason 
of  our  wicked  ways.  Ps.  x.  4.  Ep.  iv.  I8, 19.  Tit.  i.  16. 

Q.  But  do  not  every  one  profess  that  they  know 
God  ? — A.  Yes  ;  but  their  supposed  knowledge  of 
him  varieth  as  much  as  do  their  faces  or  com- 
plexions, some  thinking  he  is  this,  and  some  that. 

Q.  Will  you  shew  me  a  little  how  they  vary  in 
their  thoughts  about  him. — A.  Yes ;  Some  count 
him  a  kind  of  an  heartless  God,  that  will  neither  do 
evil  nor  good.  Zep.  i.  13.  Some  count  him  a  kind  of 
an  ignorant  and  blind  God,  that  can  neither  know 
nor  see  through  the  clouds.  Job  xxjL  13.  Some  again 
count  him  an  inconsiderable  God,  not  worth  the 
enjoying,  if  it  must  not  be  but  with  the  loss  of 
this  world,  and  their  lusts.  Job  xxi.  9—15.  Moreover, 
some  think  him  to  be  altogether  such  an  one  as 
themselves,  one  that  hath  as  little  hatred  to  sin  as 
themselves,  and  as  little  love  to  holiness  as  them- 
selves. Ps.  1. 21. 

Q.  Are  there  any  more  false  opinions  of  God  ? 
— A.  Yes ;  There  are  three  other  false  opinions 
of  God.  1.  Some  think  he  is  all  mercy  and  no 
justice,  and  that  therefore  they  may  live  as  they 
list.  Ro.  iii.  8.  2.  Others  think  he  is  all  ju.stice  and 
no  mercy,  and  that  therefore  they  had  as  good  go 
on  in  their  sins  and  be  damned,  as  turn  and  be 
never  the  better.  Je.  ii.  25.  3.  Others  think  he  is 
both  justice  and  mercy,  but  yet  think  also,  that 
his  justice  is  such  as  they  can  pacify  with  their 
own  good  works,  and  save  themselves  Avith  their 
own  right  hand  ;  Job.  xi.  14.  contrary  to  these  scrip- 
tures. Ha.  i.  13.  Is.  xlv.  21. 

Q.  How  then  shall  I  know  when  I  have  the  true 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


681 


knowledge  of  God  ? — A.  When  thy  knowledge  of 
him  and  the  holy  Scriptures  agree. 

Q.  The  Scriptures!  Do  not  all  false  opinions 
of  him  flow  from  the  Scriptures  ? — A.  No,  in  no 
wise  ;  it  is  true,  men  father  their  errors  upon  the 
Scriptures,  when  indeed  they  flow  from  the  igno- 
rance of  their  hearts.  Ep.  iv.  18. 

Q.  But  how  if  I  do  not  understand  the  holy 
Bible,  must  I  then  go  without  the  true  knowledge 
of  God  ? — A.  His  name  is  manifested  hy  his  Word: 
the  Scriptures  are  they  that  testify  of  him.  Jn.  xyii. 
6—8 ;  V.  39.  And  they  are  able  to  make  the  man  of 
God  perfect  in  all  things,  and  wise  unto  salvation 
through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  2  Ti.  m.  15, 16. 

Q.  But  what  must  one  that  knoweth  not  God 
do,  to  get  the  knowledge  of  God  ? — A.  Let  him 
apply  his  heart  unto  the  Scriptures.  Pr.  xxU.  17;  xxiiL 
12.  '  As  unto  a  light  that  shineth  in  a  dark  place,' 
even  this  world,  '  until  the  day  dawn,  and  the  day 
star  arise  in  his  heart. '  2  Pe.  L 19, 20. 

Q.  But  how  shall  I  know  when  I  have  found  by 
the  Scriptures  the  true  knowledge  of  God  ? — A. 
When  thou  hast  also  found  the  true  knowledge  of 

thyself.  Is.  vi.  5.  Job  xlii.  5. 

Q.  What  is  it  for  me  to  know  myself? — A. 
Then  thou  knowest  thyself,  when  thou  art  in  thine 
own  eyes,  a  loathsome,  polluted,  wretched,  mise- 
rable sinner ;  and  that  not  anything  done  by  thee, 
can  pacify  God  unto  thee.*  Job  xiii.  5.  Eze.  xx.  43, 41.  Ro. 

Vii.  24. 

Of  Confession  of  Sin. 

Q.  You  have  shewed  me,  if  I  will  indeed  wor- 
ship God,  I  must  first  know  him  aright,  now  then 
to  the  question  in  hand,  pray  how  must  I  worship 
him  ? — A.  In  confessing  unto  him.  Ne.  ix.  1—3. 

Q.  What  must  I  confess  ? — A.  Thou  must  con- 
fess thy  transgressions  unto  the  Lord.  Ps.  xxxii.  5. 

Q.  Was  this  the  way  of  the  godly  of  old  ? — A. 
Yes  ;  Nehemiah  confessed  his  sins.  Ne.  i.  6.  David 
confessed  his  sins.  Ps.  xxxii.  5.  Daniel  confessed  his 
sins.  Da.  ix.  4.  And  they  that  were  baptized  by 
John  in  Jordan  confessed  their  sins.  Mat.  iii  6. 

Q.  What  sins  must  I  confess  to  God  ? — A.  All 
sins  whatsoever  :  for  '  He  that  covereth  his  sins 
shall  not  prosper,  but  whoso  confesseth  and  for- 
saketh  them  shall  have  mercy. '  Pr.  xxviii.  13. 1  jn.  i.  9. 

Q.  But  how  if  I  do  neither  know  nor  remember 
all  my  sins  ? — A.  Thou  must  then  search  and  try 
thy  ways  by  tlie  holy  Word  of  God.  La.  iii.  40.  Ps.  ixxvii.  6. 

Q.  But  how  if  I  do  not  make  this  search  after 
my  sins  ? — A.  If  thou  dost  not,  God  will ;  if  thou 
dost  not  search  them  out  and  confess  them,  God 

*  The  knowledge  of  ourselves  as  vile  and  abominable,  hope- 
less and  helpless,  is  an  essential  step  towards  our  recovery. 
The  next  step  that  leads  to  heaven,  and  lands  us  there,  is  to 
'  knew  the  only  true  God,  and  Jcsiis  Christ  whom  he  has  sent,' 
as  revealed  in  the  word  of  truth.  '  This  is  eternal  life.' — Eu. 
VOL.   II. 


will  search  them  out  and  charge  them  upon  thee, 
and  tear  thee  in  pieces  for  them.  Ps.  \.  21, 22. 

Q.  Where  must  I  begin  to  confess  my  sins  ? — 
A.  Where  God  beginneth  to  shew  thee  them. 
Observe,  then,  where  God  beginneth  with  convic- 
tion for  sin,  and  there  begin  thou  with  confession 
of  it.  Thus  David  began  to  confess,  thus  Daniel 
began  to  confess.  2  Sa.  xii.  7—14.  Da.  ix.  3—9. 

Q.  What  must  I  do  when  God  hath  shewed  me 
any  sin,  to  make  right  confession  thereof? — A. 
Thou  must  follow  that  conviction  until  it  shall 
bring  thee  to  the  original  and  fountain  of  that  sin, 
which  is  thine  own  heart.  1  Ki.  viii.  38.  Ps.  iv.  5. 

Q.  Is  my  heart  then  the  fountain  and  original 
of  sin  ? — A.  Yes ;  *  For  from  within,  out  of  the 
heart  of  men,  proceed  evil  thoughts,  adulteries, 
fornications,  murders,  thefts,  covetousness,  wicked- 
ness, deceit,  lasciviousness,  an  evil  eye,  blasphemy, 
pride,  foolishness.  All  these  evil  things  come 
from  within,  and  defile  the  man. '  Mar.  vii.  21, 23. 

Q.  When  a  man  sees  this,  what  wiU  he  think 
of  himself  ? — A.  Then  he  wiU  not  only  think  but 
conclude,  that  he  is  an  unclean  thing,  that  his 
heart  has  deceived  him,  that  it  is  most  desperate 
and  wicked,  that  it  may  not  be  trusted  by  any 
means,  that  every  imagination  and  thought  of  his 
heart,  naturally,  is  only  evil,  and  that  continually. 

Is.  Ixiv.  6.  Pr.  xxviii.  26.  Is.  xliv.  20.  Ge.  vi.  5. 

Q.  You  have  given  me  a  very  bad  character  of 
the  heart,  but  how  shall  I  know  that  it  is  so  bad 
as  you  count  it  ? — A.  Both  by  the  text  and  by 
experience. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  experience  ? — A. 
Keep  thine  eyes  upon  thy  heart,  and  also  upon 
God's  word,  and  thou  shalt  see  with  thine  own 
eyes,  the  desperate  wickedness  that  is  in  thine 
heart,  for  thou  must  know  sin  by  the  law,  that 
bidding  thee  do  one  thing,  and  thy  heart  inclining 
to  another.  Ro.  vii.  7— lo. 

Q.  May  I  thus  then  know  my  heart  ? — A.  Yes, 
that  is  something  of  it,  especially  the  carnality  of 
thy  mind,  'Because  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity 
against  God ;  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of 
God,  neither  indeed  can  be.'  Ro.  viii.  7. 

Q.  Can  you  particularize  some  few  things 
wherein  the  wickedness  of  the  heart  of  man  shews  ; 
itself  ? — A.  Yes  ;  by  its  secret  hankering  after 
sin,  although  the  Word  forbids  it ;  by  its  deferring 
of  repentance  ;  by  its  being  weary  of  holy  duties  ; 
by  its  aptness  to  forget  God,  by  its  studying  to 
lessen  and  hide  sin  ;  by  its  feigning  itself  to  be 
better  than  it  is ;  by  being  glad  when  it  can  sin 
without  being  seen  of  men ;  by  its  hardening 
itself  against  the  threatenings  and  judgments  of 
God;  by  its  desperate  inclinings  to  unbelief, 
atheism,  and  the  Uke.f  Pr- «-  "1^26-  i^.  xiiii.  22.  Mai.  i.  13, 


f  The  unrenewed  heart  is  the  si:ik  of  sLu,  the  fountain  of 
4  ft 


6S2 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT, 


13.  Ju.  iii.  7.  Jf-   ii-  32.  Vs.  cvi.  21.  IIo.  ii.  13.  Pr.  xxx.  20.  Je.  ii.  25. 
Ro.  i.  32 ;  ii.  5.  Zep.  i.  11—13. 

Q.  Is  there  any  thing  else  to  be  done  in  order  to 
a  rig-ht  confession  of  sin  ? — A.  Yes :  Let  this  convic- 
tion sink  down  into  thy  heart,  that  God  sees  much 
more  wickedness  in  thee  than  thou  canst  see  in 
thyself.  '  If  our  heart  condemn  us,  God  is  greater 
than  our  heart,  and  knoweth  all  things  ; '  Un.  iii.  20. 
besides,  he  hath  set  thy  secret  sins  in  the  light  of 
his  countenance.  Ps.  xc.  8. 

Q,  Is  there  any  thing  else  that  must  go  to  a  right 
confession  of  sin? — A.  Yes;  In  thy  confessions 
thou  must  greaten  and  aggravate  thy  sin  by  all  just 
circumstances. 

Q.  How  must  I  do  that  ? — A.  By  considering 
against  how  much  liglit  and  mercy  thou  hast  sinned, 
against  how  much  patience  and  forbearance  thou 
hast  sinned  ;  also  against  what  warnings  and  judg- 
ments thou  hast  sinned ;  and  against  how  many  of 
thine  own  vows,  promises  and  engagements,  thou 
hast  sinned :  these  things  heighten  and  aggravate 

sin.  Ezr.  ix.  10— 1-t. 

Q.  But  what  need  I  confess  my  sins  to  God,  see- 
ing he  knows  them  already  ? — A.  Confession  of  sin 
is  necessary,  for  many  reasons, 

Q.  Will  you  show  me  some  of  those  reasons  ? — 
A.  Yes ;  One  is,  by  a  sincere  and  hearty  confession 
of  sin  thou  acknowledgest  God  to  be  thy  Sovereign 
Lord,  and  that  he  hath  right  to  impose  his  law 
upon  thee.  Ex.  xx. 

Q.  Can  you  show  me  another  reason  ? — A.  Yes  ; 
By  confessing  thy  sin,  thou  subscribest  to  his  righte- 
ous judgments  that  are   pronounced  against  it. 

Fs.  Ii.  3,  4. 

Q.  Can  you  show  me  another  reason  ? — A.  Yes  ; 
By  confessing  of  sin,  thou  showest  how  little  thou 
deservest  the  least  mercy  from  God. 

Q.  Have  you  yet  another  reason  why  I  should 
confess  my  sins  ? — A.  Yes ;  By  so  doing  thou  show- 
est whether  thy  heart  loves  it,  or  hates  it.  He  that 
heartily  confesseth  his  sin,  is  like  him  who  having 
a  thief  or  a  traitor  in  his  house,  brings  him  out  to 
condign  punishment ;  but  he  that  forbears  to  con- 
fess, is  like  him  who  hideth  a  thief  or  traitor 
against  the  laws  and  peace  of  our  Lord  the  King. 

Q.  Give  me  one  more  reason  why  I  should  confess 
my  sins  to  God?— A.  He  that  confesseth  his  sin, 
casteth  himself  at  the  feet  of  God's  mercy,  utterly 
condemns  and  casts  away  his  own  righteousness, 
concludetli  there  is  no  way  to  stand  just  and  acquit 
before  God,  but  by  and  through  the  righteousness 
of  another ;  whether  God  is  resolved  to  brino-  thee, 
if  ever  he  saves  thy  soul,  Ps.ii.i— 3. 1  jn.  i.  9.  pui.  m.  e—s. 

Q.  What  frame  of  heart  should  I  be  in  when  I 


pollution.  •  Out  of  the  hcui-t  proceeds  evil  thoughts,  murders, 
adulteries,  fornications,  thefts,  false  witness,  hlasphcmies ;  these 
defde  a  man.'     Create  in  ns  s  clean  heart,  0  God !— Ed. 


confess  my  sins  ? — A.  Do  it  heartily,  and  to  tho 
best  of  thy  power  thoroughly.  For  to  feign,  in  this 
work,  is  abominable;  to  do  it  by  the  halves,  is 
wickedness  ;  to  do  it  without  sense  of  sin  cannot  be 
acceptable.  And  to  confess  it  with  the  mouth, 
and  to  love  it  with  the  heart,  is  a  lying  unto  God, 
and  a  provocation  of  the  eyes  of  his  glory. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  feigning  and  dissem- 
bling in  this  work  ? — A.  When  men  confess  it,  yet 
know  not  what  it  is  ;  or  if  they  think  they  know  it, 
do  not  conclude  it  so  bad  as  it  is ;  or  when  men  ask 
pardon  of  God,  but  do  not  see  their  need  of  pardon ; 
this  man  must  needs  dissemble, 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  doing  it  by  the  halves  ? 
— A.  When  men  confess  some,  but  not  all  that  they 
are  convinced  of ;  or  if  they  confess  all,  yet  labour  in 
their  confession  to  lessen  it,  Pr.  xxviii.  13.  Job  xxxi.  33.  Or 
when  in  their  confession  they  turn  not  from  all  sin 
to  God,  but  from  one  sin  to  another.  Ja.  iii.  12.  They 
turned,  'but  not  to  the  most  High,'  none  of  them 
did  exalt  him.  lio.  vii.  16. 

Q,  What  is  it  to  confess  sin  without  the  sense  of 
sin  ? — A,  To  do  it  through  custom,  or  tradition, 
when  there  is  no  guilt  upon  the  conscience,  now  this 
cannot  be  acceptable. 

Q.  What  is  it  to  confess  it  with  the  mouth  and  to 
love  it  with  the  heart  ? — A.  When  men  condemn  it 
with  their  mouth,  but  refuse  to  let  it  go ;  Job  xx.  12, 
13.  Je.  Tiii.  5.  when  '  with  their  mouth  they  show 
much  love,  but  their  heart  goeth  after  their  covet- 

OUSneSS,'  Eze.  xxxiii.  31. 

Q.  But  I  asked  you  what  frame  of  heart  I  should 
be  in,  in  my  confessions  ? — A,  I  have  showed  you 
how  you  should  not  be.  Well,  I  will  show  you  now 
what  tiame  of  heart  becomes  you  in  your  confes- 
sions of  sin.  Labour  by  all  means  for  a  ^ense  of 
the  evil  that  is  in  sin. 

Q,  What  evil  is  there  In  sin? — A.  No  man  with 
tongue  can  express  what  may  by  the  heart  be  felt 
of  the  evil  of  sin;*  but  this  know,  it  dishonoureth 
God,  Kg.  ii.  23.  It  provoketh  him  to  wrath,  Ep.  v.  5,  g. 
It  damneth  the  soul,  2  Th.  ii.  12. 

Q,  What  else  would  you  advise  me  to  in  this  great 
work  ? — A.  When  we  confess  sin,  tears,  shame,  and 
brokenness  of  heart  becomes  us,  Je.  1. 4.  is.  x.\ii.  12.  Ps. 

li.  17.  Je.  xxxi.  19. 

Q.  What  else  becomes  me  in  my  confessions  of 
sin  ? — A.  Great  detestation  of  sin,  with  unfeigned 
sighs  and  groans,  that  express  thou  dost  it  heartily. 

Job  xlii.  6.  Eze.  Lx.  4.  Jc.  xxxi.  9. 

Q.  Is  here  all  ? — A.  No ;  Tremble  at  the  word  of 
God ;  tremble  at  every  judgment,  lest  it  overtake 


*  No  poor  soul  was  more  severely  visited  with  these  feelings 
than  Bunyan.  '  Now  I  beheld  the  condition  of  the  dog  and 
toad ;  and  counted  the  state  of  every  thing  that  God  had  made 
far  better  than  this  state  of  mine.' — Grace  Ahoundhig,  No, 
104.— Ed. 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


6S3 


thee  ;  tremble  at  every  promise,  lest  thou  shouldest 
miss  thereof:  for,  saith  God,  *  To  this  man  wUl  I 
look,  even  to  him  that  is  poor  and  of  a  contrite  spirit, 
and  trembleth  at  my  word.'  is.  kw.  2.  He.  iv.  i,  2. 

Q.  What  if  I  cannot  thus  confess  my  sins  ? — 
A.  Bewail  the  hardness  of  thy  heart,  keep  close  to 
the  best  preachers,  remember  that  thou  hangest 
over  hell,  by  the  weak  thread  of  an  uncertain  life. 
And  know,  God  counts  it  a  great  evil,  not  to  be 
ashamed  of,  not  to  blush  at  sin.  is.  Uiii.  17.  Je.  vi.  15 ; 

rtii.  12. 

Q.  Are  there  no  thanks  to  be  rendered  to  God 
in  confessions  ? — A.  0  Yes.  Thank  him  that  he 
hath  let  thee  see  thy  sins,  thank  him  that  he  hath 
given  thee  time  to  acknowledge  thy  sins ;  thou 
mightest  now  have  been  confessins:  in  hell :  thank 
him  also  that  he  hath  so  far  condescended  as  to 
hear  the  self-bemoaning  sinner,  and  that  he  hath 
promised,  soeely  to  have  mercy  upon  such.  Je. 

KxxL  18—20. 

OfFaiUiin  Christ. 

Q.  I  am  glad  that  you  have  instructed  me  into 
this  part  of  the  worship  of  God,  I  pray  tell  me  also 
how  else  I  should  wor.ship  him  ? — A.  Thou  must 
believe  his  word. 

Q.  Is  that  worshipping  of  God  ? — A,  Yes  ;  *  After 
the  way  which  they  call  heresy,  so  worship  I  the 
God  of  my  fathers,  believing  all  things  which  are 
written  in  the  law  and  in  the  prophets,'  &c.  Ac. 

xxir.  11. 

Q,  ^Vhy  should  believing  be  counted  a  part  of 
God's  worship  ? — A.  Because  without  faith  it  is 
impossible  to  please  him.  He.  iL  6. 

Q.  Why  not  possible  to  please  him  without 
believing  ? — A.  Because  in  all  true  worship,  a  man 
'  must  believe  that  God  is,  and  tluit  he  is  a  rewarder 
of  them  that  diligently  seek  him.'  Besides,  he  that 
worships  God,  must  also  of  necessity  believe  his 
word,  else  he  cannot  worship  with  that  reverence 
and  fear  that  becomes  him,  but  Avill  do  it  in  a 
superstitious  profane  manner :  '  For  whatsoever  is 
not  of  faith  is  sin.'  Ro.  xiv.  23. 

Q.  But  do  not  all  believe  as  you  have  said  ? — 
A.  '  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh :  and 
that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  Spirit. '  Jn.  iii.  6. 
And  again  '  the  children  of  the  flesh,  these  are  not 
the  children  of  God:  but  the  children  of  the  pro- 
mise are  counted  for  the  seed,'  Ro.  ix.  8. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ? — A.  Thou  must 
be  born  twice  before  thou  canst  truly  believe  once. 

Jn.  iii.  3,  5. 

Q.  How  do  you  prove  that  ?  —  A.  Because 
beheving  is  a  christian  act,  and  none  are  true 
Christians  but  those  that  are  born  again.  But  I 
mean  by  believing,  believing  unto  salvation. 

Q.  Can  you  prove  this  ? — A.  Yes.  They  that 
believe  in  the  name  of  Christ  are  such  which  are 


born  '  not  of  blood,  nor  of  tlie  will  of  the  flesh,  nor 
of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God.'  Jn. i.  13. 

Q.  What  is  believing? — A.  It  is  such  an  act  of 
a  gracious  soul,  as  layeth  hold  on  God's  mercy 
through  Christ.  Ac.  xv.  11 

Q.  Why  do  you  call  it  an  act  of  a  gracious  soul  ? 
— A,  Because  their  minds  are  disposed  that  way, 
by  '  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. '  Ro.  xv.  13. 

Q.  If  such  a  poor  sinner  as  I  am  would  be  saved 
from  the  wrath  to  come,  how  must  I  believe  ? — A. 
Thy  first  question  should  be  on  whom  must  I 
believe  ?  Jn.  ix.  35, 36. 

Q.  On  whom  then  must  I  believe  ? — A.  On  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Ac.  xvi.  31. 

Q.  Who  is  Jesus  Christ  that  I  might  believe  in 
him  ? — A.  He  is  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God. 

Ju.  iii.  16. 

Q.  Why  must  I  believe  on  him  ? — A.  Because 
he  is  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  2  Pe.  f.  1.  1  Jn.  iv.  14. 

Q.  How  is  he  the  Saviour  of  the  world  ? — A. 
By  the  Father's  designation  and  sending :  '  For 
God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the  world  to  condemn 
the  world,  but  that  the  world  through  him  might 
be  saved.'  Ju.  iii.  17. 

Q.  How  did  he  come  into  the  world  ? — A.  In 
man's  flesh,  in  which  flesh  he  fulfilled  the  law, 
died  for  our  sins,  conquered  the  devil  and  death, 
and  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us.  Ga.  iv.  4.  iio. 

s.  4;  viiL  3.  He.  ii.  14, 15 :  vL  20. 

Q.  But  is  there  no  other  way  to  be  saved  but  by 
believing  in  Jesus  Christ? — A.  'There  is  none 
other  name  under  heaven,  given  among  men, 
whereby  we  must  be  saved;'  Ac  iv.  u.  and  therefore 
'  he  that  believeth  not,  shall  be  damned.'  Mar. xvi. I6. 

Jn.  iii.  18,  86. 

Q.  What  is  believing  on  Jesus  Christ? — A.  It 
is  a  receiving  of  him  with  what  is  in  him,  as  the 
gift  of  God  to  thee  a  sinner.  Jn.  i.  12. 

Q.  What  is  in  Jesus  Christ  to  encourage  me  to 
receive  him  ? — A.  Infinite  righteousness  to  justify 
thee,  and  the  Spirit  without  measure  to  sanctify 

thee.  Is.  xlv.  24,  25.  Da.  ix.  24.  Phi.  iiL  7—9.  Jn.  iii.  34. 

Q.  Is  this  made  mine  if  I  receive  Christ  ? — A. 
Yes ;  If  thou  receive  him  as  God  oflereth  him  to 
thee.  Jn.  iii.  16. 

Q.  How  doth  God  ofi'er  him  to  me  ? — A.  Even 
as  a  rich  man  freely  oftereth  an  alms  to  a  beggar, 
and  so  must  thou  receive  him.  Jn  vi.  32—35. 

Q.  Hath  he  indeed  made  amends  for  sin  ?  and 
would  he  indeed  have  me  accept  of  what  he  hath 
done  ? — A.  That  he  hath  made  amends  for  sin  it 
is  evident,  because  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  forgiveth 
thee.  And  it  is  as  evident  that  he  would  have 
thee  accept  thereof,  because  he  oftereth  it  to  thee, 
and  hath  sworn  to  give  thee  the  utmost  benefit,  to 
wit,  eternal  life,  if  thou  dost  receive  it ;  yea,  and 
hath  threatened  thee  with  eternal  damnation,  if, 
after  all  this,  thou  shalt  neglect  so  great  salvation. 


684 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


Ep.  iv.  32.  Ro.  iii.  21.  Mat.  x.vviii.  13—20.  Ac.  xiii.  32—39.  He.  \i.  17, 
18;  ii.  3.  Mar.  xvi.  16. 

Q.  But  how  must  I  be  qualified  before  I  shall 
dare  to  believe  in  Christ  ? — A.  Come  sensible  of 
thy  sins,  and  of  the  wrath  of  God  due  unto  them, 
for  thus  thou  art  bid  to  come.  Mat.  xi.  28. 

Q.  Did  ever  any  come  thus  to  Christ  ? — A. 
David  came  thus ;  Ps.  li.  1-3.  Paul  and  the  jailor 
came  thus;  Ac. ix.  6;  xvi. so.  also  Christ's  murderers 
came  thus.  Ac.  ii.  37. 

Q.  But  doth  it  not  seem  most  reasonable  that 
we  should  first  mend  and  be  good  ? — A.  The 
'  whole  have  no  need  of  the  physician,  but  they 
that  are  sick ;'  Christ  came  '  not  to  call  the  righte- 
ous, but  sinners  to  repentance.'  Mar. ii.  17. 

Q.  But  is  it  not  the  best  way,  if  one  can,  to 
mend  first  ? — A.  This  is  just  as  if  a  sick  man  should 
say,  Is  it  not  best  for  me  to  be  well  before  I  go  to 
the  physician  ;  or  as  if  a  wounded  man  should  say, 
When  I  am  cured  I  will  lay  on  the  plaster.* 

Q.  But  when  a  poor  creature  sees  its  vileness, 
it  is  afraid  to  come  to  Christ,  is  it  not  ? — A.  Yes ; 
but  without  ground,  for  he  hath  said,  '  Say  to 
them  that  are  of  a  fearful  heart,  Be  strong,  fear 
not:'  and  'to  this  man  will  I  look,  even  to  him 
that  is  poor  and  of  a  contrite  spirit,  and  trembleth 
at  my  word. '  is.  x.vxv.  4;  Uvi.  2. 

Q.  What  encouragement  can  be  given  us  thus  to 
come  ? — A.  The  prodigal  came  thus,  and  his  father 
received  him,  and  fell  upon  his  neck  and  kissed 
him.  Lu.  XV.  Thus  he  received  the  Colossians,  and 
consequently  all  that  are  saved.  Col.  ii.  13. 

Q.  Will  you  give  me  one  more  encouragement  ? 
• — A.  The  promises  are  so  worded,  that  they  that 
are  scarlet  sinners,  crimson  sinners,  blasphemous 
sinners,  have  encouragement  to  come  to  him  with 

hopes    of    life.    is.  1. 18.  Mar.  iii.  28.  Jn.  vi.  37.  Lu.  xxiv.  42,  43. 
Ac.  xiii.  26. 

Q.  Shall  every  one  that  believeth  be  saved  ? — 
A.  If  they  believe  as  the  Scriptures  have  said,  if 
the  Scriptures  be  fulfilled  in  their  believing,  Jn.  vii. 

38.  Ja.  ii.  23. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  that? — A.  When 
faith,  which  a  man  saith  he  hath,  proveth  itself  to 
be  of  the  right  kind  by  its  acts  and  operations  in 
the  mind  of  a  poor  sinner.  Ja.  ii.  19—23. 
^  Q.  Why,  are  there  many  kinds  of  faith  ?— A. 
Yes.  There  is  a  faith  that  will  stand  with  a  heart 
as  hard  as  a  rock;  a  short-winded  faith,  which 
dureth  for  a  while,  and  in  time  of  temptation  such 
fall  away.  Lu.viii.  is. 

Q.  Is  there  any  other  kind  of  faith  ? — A.  Yes. 
There  is  a  faith  that  hath  no  more  life  in  it  than 
hath  the  body  of  a  dead  man.  Ja.  ii.  26. 


*  How  pointed  and  forcible  is  this  illustration  of  the  absur- 
djty  of  neglecting  the  Physician  of  souls,  when  the  malady  of 
sin  IS  felt.  The  more  desperate  our  disease,  the  faster  we 
should  fly  to  Christ  for  cure.— Ed. 


Q.  Is  there  yet  another  of  these  unprofitable 
faiths  ? — A.  Yes.  There  is  a  faith  that  is  of  our- 
selves, and  not  of  the  special  grace  of  God.  Ep.ii.8. 

Q.  Tell  me  if  there  be  yet  another  ? — A.  There 
is  a  faith  that  standeth  'in  the  wisdom  of  men,' 
and  not  '  in  the  power  of  God.'  i  Co.  ii.  5. 

Q.  Is  here  all  ? — A.  No.  There  is  a  faith  that 
seems  to  be  holy,  but  it  will  not  do,  because  it  is 
not  the  most  holy  faith,  2  Pe.  ii.  9.  Jude  20. 

Q.  Alas  !  if  there  be  so  many  kinds  of  faith 
that  will  not  profit  to  salvation,  how  easy  is  it  for 
me  to  be  deceived  ? — A.  It  is  easy  indeed,  and 
therefore  the  Holy  Ghost  doth  in  this  thing  so 
often  caution  us,  '  Be  not  deceived.'  1  Co.  vi.  9.  'Let 
no  man  deceive  you,'  Ep.v.e.  and  '  If  a  man  think 
himself  to  be  something  when  he  is  nothing,  he 
deceiveth  himself, '  Ga.  vi.  3. 

Q.  But  is  there  no  way  to  distinguish  the  right 
faith  from  that  which  is  wrong? — A.  Yes;  and 
that  by  the  manner  of  its  coming  and  operation. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  manner  of  its 
coming? — A.  Nay,  you  must  make  two  questions 
of  this  one ;  that  is,  what  is  it  for  faith  to  come, 
and  in  what  manner  doth  it  come  ? 

Q.  Well  then,  what  is  it  for  faith  to  come  ? — A. 
This  word,  faith  comes,  supposeth  thou  wert  once 
without  it ;  it  also  supposeth  that  thou  didst  not 
fetch  it  whence  it  was ;  it  also  supposeth  it  hath  a 
way  of  coming,  Ga.  iii.  23—25. 

Q.  That  I  was  once  without  it,  you  intimated 
before,  but  must  I  take  it  without  proof  for 
granted  ? — A,  I  will  give  you  a  proof  or  two : 
'  God  hath  concluded  them  all  in  unbelief.'  Ro.  xi.  32. 
And  again  it  is  said,  'faith  cometh,'  Ro. x.  17.  And 
again,  the  Holy  Ghost  insinuateth  our  estate  to  be 
dreadful  '  before  faith  came. '  Ga.  iii.  23. 

Q.  Why,  how  is  it  with  men,  before  faith 
comes  ? — A.  Without  faith,  or  before  faith  comes, 
it  is  impossible  to  please  God,  for  whether  their 
actions  be  civil  or  religious,  they  sin  in  all  they  do. 
The  sacrifice  of  the  wicked  is  an  abomination,  and 
the  ploughing  of  the  wicked  is  sin.  Pr.  xxi.  4, 27. 

Q,  Is  not  this  a  very  sad  condition  ? — A.  Yes ; 
but  this  is  not  all,  for  their  present  unbelief  bindeth 
them  over  to  wrath,  b}'  shutting  them  up  to  the 
law ;  it  also  draweth  them  away  from  God,  and 
will  drown  them  in  everlasting  damnation,  if  the 
grace  of  God  prevent  not,  Ga.  iii.  23.  He.  iii.  17,  is.  Jn.  iii.  36. 

Q.  What  if  a  man  saw  himself  in  this  condition  ? 
— A,  There  are  many  see  themselves  in  this  con- 
dition. 

Q.  How  came  they  to  see  it  ? — A,  By  the 
preaching  and  hearing  the  Word  of  God.  Ju.  xvi.  8,9. 

Q.  And  what  do  such  think  of  themselves  ? — A. 
They  do  not  only  think,  but  know  that  in  this  con- 
dition they  are  '  without  Christ,  without  hope,  and 
without  God  in  the  world, '  Ep.  ii.  12. 

Q.  Are  not  they  happy  that  see  not  theraselvea 


TNSTKUCTION  TOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


685 


5n  tills  condition  ? — A.  Yes.  If  they  have  seen 
themselves  delivered  therefrom  by  a  work  of  faith 
in  their  souls,  else  not. 

Q.  How  do  you  mean  ? — A.  I  mean  if  they  have 
seen  themselves  delivered  from  this  state,  by  being 
by  the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God  implanted  into  the 
faith  of  Christ,  Ro.  xi.  17—19. 

Q.  Are  not  they  happy  that  are  never  troubled 
with  this  sad  sight  of  their  condition  ? — A.  They 
are  just  so  happy  as  is  that  man  who  lieth  fast 
asleep  in  his  house  while  it  is  on  fire  about  his 
ears.  Can  a  man  be  happy,  that  is  ignorant  that 
he  is  without  God  and  Christ,  and  hope  ?  Can  a 
man  be  happy  that  is  ignorant  that  he  is  hanging 
over  hell  by  the  poor  weak  thread  of  an  uncertain 
life  ?     For  this  is  the  state  of  such  an  one.* 

Q.  But  may  not  faith  come  to  a  raan  without  he 
see  himself  to  be  first  in  this  condition  ? — A.  It  is 
God's  ordinary  way  to  convince  men  of  this  their 
sad  condition  before  he  revealeth  to  them  the 
righteousness  of  faith,  or  work  faith  in  them  to 
lay  hold  of  that  righteousness.  Jn.  xvi.  9— ii.  Ga.iii.  23—25. 

Q.  How  then  do  you  conclude  of  them  that 
never  saw  themselves  shut  up  by  unbelief  under  sin 
and  the  curse  of  God  ? — A.  I  will  not  judge  them 
for  the  future,  God  may  convert  them  before  they 
die ;  but  at  present  their  state  is  miserable :  for 
because  they  are  shut  up  and  held  prisoners  by  the 
law,  by  their  lusts,  and  by  the  devil,  and  unbelief; 
therefore  they  cannot  so  much  as  with  their  hearts 
desire  that  God  would  have  mercy  upon  them,  and 
bring  them  out  of  their  snares  and  chains. 

Q.  Then  do  you  count  it  better  for  a  man  to  see 
his  condition  by  nature  than  to  be  ignorant  thereof  ? 
— A.  Better  a  thousand  times  to  see  it  in  this 
world  than  to  see  it  in  hell  fire,  for  he  must  see  it 
there  or  here :  now  if  he  sees  it  here,  this  is  the 
place  of  prayer ;  here  is  the  preaching  of  the  word, 
which  is  God's  ordinance,  to  beget  faith.  Besides, 
here  God  applieth  promises  of  mercy  to  the  deso- 
late, and  Christ  also  hath  protested  that  he  that 
Cometh  to  him  he  '  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.'  Ju.  vi.  37. 

Q.  I  am  convinced  that  I  was  once  without 
faith,  and  also  that  I  cannot  fetch  it,  but  pray  tell 
me  the  way  of  its  coming  ? — A.  '  Faith  comdh  by 
hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  Word  of  God.'  Ro.  x.  17. 
Q.  How  by  hearing  ? — A.  God  mixeth  it  with 
the  Word  when  he  absolutely  intendeth  the  sal- 
vation of  the  sinner.  He.  iv.  2.  Ac.  xiii.  48. 

Q.  And  how  do  men  hear  when  faith  is  mixed 
with  the  Word  ? — A.  They  hear  the  Word,  '  not 
as  the  word  of  men,  but,  as  it  is  in  truth,  the 


*  The  awful  condition  of  the  unconverted  consists  in  their 
being  in  a  state  of  separation  from  God,  insensible  of  that 
dismal  state,  utterly  unable  to  extricate  themselves  out  of  it, 
and  loathsome  to  God  while  they  continue  in  it.  Reader,  do 
you  recollect  when  this  was  ^our  state ;  if  not,  what  hope  is 
there  that  you  have  passed  from  death  unto  life  ? — Ed. 


Word  of  God,  which  effectually  worketh  also  in  you 
that  believe.'  iTU.  fi.  13. 

Q.  Pray  tell  me  now  the  manner  of  its  coming  ? 
— A.  It  comes  through  difficulty,  it  comes  gra- 
dually. 

Q.  What  are  the  difficulties  which  oppose  it  at 
its  coming  ? — A.  Sense  of  unworthiness,  guilt  of 
conscience,  natural  reason,  unbelief,  and  arguments 
forged  in  hell,  and  thence  suggested  by  the  devil 
into  the  heart  against  it.  Lu.  v.  8.  Mar.  ix.  24.  is.  vL  5.  Ro. 

iv.  IS— 21. 

Q.  How  doth  faith  come  gradually  ? — A.  Per- 
haps at  first  it  is  but  like  a  grain  of  mustard-seed, 
small,  and  weak.  Mat.  xvii.  20. 

Q,  Will  you  explain  it  further  ? — A,  Faith,  at 
first,  perhaps  may  have  its  excellency  lie  in  view 
only,  that  is,  in  seeing  where  justification  and  sal- 
vation is  ;  after  that  it  may  step  a  degree  higher, 
and  be  able  to  say,  it  may  be,  or  who  can  tell 
but  I  may  obtain  this  salvation  ?  again,  it  may 
perhaps  go  yet  a  step  higher  and  arrive  to  some 
short  and  transient  assurance.!  He.  xi.  13.  Joel  ii.  13, 14. 

Zep.  ii.  3.  Ps.  xxx.  7. 

Q.  But  doth  faith  come  only  by  hearing  ? — A. 
It  is  usually  begotten  by  the  word  preached,  but 
after  it  is  begotten,  it  is  increased  several  ways. 
It  is  increased  by  prayer.  Lu.  xvii.  5.  Mar.  k.  24.  It  is 
increased  by  christian  conference,  Ro.  i.  12.  It  is 
increased  by  reading,  Ro.  xvi.  25, 26.  It  is  increased  by 
meditation.  1  Ti.  iv.  12— 16.  It  is  increased  by  the 
remembrance  of  former  experiences.  Mat  xvi.  8,  9. 

Q.  What  do  these  things  teach  us  ? — A.  They 
teach  us,  that  the  men  of  this  world  are  very  igno- 
rant of,  and  as  much  without  desire  after  faith  : 
they  neither  hear,  nor  pray,  confer,  nor  read,  nor 
meditate  for  the  sake  of  faith. 

Q.  But  you  said  even  now,  that  this  faith  was 
distinguished  from  that  which  profiteth  not  to 
salvation,  as  by  the  manner  of  its  coming,  so  by 
its  operation:  pray  what  is  its  operation  ? — A,  It 
causeth  the  soul  to  see  in  the  light  thereof,  that 
there  is  no  righteousness  in  this  world  that  can 
save  the  sinner,  is.  ixiv.  6. 

Q,  How  doth  it  give  the  soul  this  sight  ? — A. 
Bv  oivinjr  him  to  understand  the  law,  and  his  own 
inabihty  to  fulfil  it.  Ga.  ii.  16. 

Q.  And  doth  it  always  shew  the  soul  where  jus- 
tifying righteousness  is  ? — A.  Yes,  It  shews  that 
justifying  righteousness  is  only  to  be  found  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  what  he  hath  done  and  suf- 
fered in  the  flesh,  is.  xiv.  24,  25.  Phi.  iii-  8-9. 

Q.  How  doth  faith  find  this  righteousness  in 
Christ  ? A,    By    the    word,    which   is   therefore 


t  The  operation  of  faith  is  by  steps.  '  To  open  their  eyes,' 
•to  turn  them  from  darkness  to  light,'  'from  power  of  Satan 
to  God,'  'forgiveness  of  sins,'  'the  heavenly  inheritance.'  Acts 
xxvi.  18.— Ed. 


GS6 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


called  the  word  of  faith,  because  faith,  by  that, 
tindeth  sufficient  righteousness  in  him.  Eo.  x.  6— 9. 

Q.  How  else  doth  it  operate  in  the  soul  ? — A. 
It  applieth  this  righteousness  to  the  sinner,  and 
also  helps  him  to  embrace  it.  Ro.  iii.  21,  23.  1  Co.  i.  30. 

Ga.  ii.  20. 

Q.  How  else  doth  it  operate  ? — A.  By  this 
apphcation  of  Christ,  the  soul  is  quickened  to  life, 
spiritualized  and  made  heavenly.  For  right  faith 
quickeneth  to  spiritual  life,  purifies  and  sanctifies 
the  heart ;  and  worketh  up  the  man  that  hath  it, 
into  the  image  of  Jesus  Christ.  Col.  ii.  12, 13.  Ac.  xv.  9. 

xxvi.  18.  2  Co.  iii.  18. 

Q.  How  else  doth  it  operate  ? — A.  It  giveth  the 
soul  peace  with  God  through  Jesus  Christ.  Ro.  v.  i. 

Q.  Surely  Christ  is  of  great  esteem  with  them 
that  have  this  faith  in  him,  is  he  not  ? — A.  Yes, 
Yes.  Unto  them  therefore  which  believe  he  is 
precious,  precious  in  his  person,  precious  in  his 
undertakings,  precious  in  his  Word,  l  Pe.  ii.7;  i.  is,  19. 
2  Pe.  i.  3,  4. 

Q.  Can  these  people  then,  that  have  this  faith, 
endure  to  have  this  Christ  spoken  against  ? — A. 
0  !  No  !  This  is  a  sword  in  their  bones,  and  a 
burden  that  they  cannot  bear.*  Ps.  xiii.  lo.  Zep.  iii.  19. 

Q.  Doth  it  not  go  near  them  when  they  see  his 
ways  and  people  discountenanced  ? — A.  Yes ;  and 
they  also  choose  rather  to  be  despised  and  perse- 
cuted with  them,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of 
sin  for  a  season.  He.  xi.  24, 23. 

Q.  Do  they  not  pray  much  for  his  second  com- 
ing ? — A.  Yes,  yes ;  they  would  fain  see  him  on 
this  side  the  clouds  of  heaven,  their  '  conversation 
is  in  heaven,  from  whence  also  they  look  for  the 
Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  Piii.  iii.  20. 

Q.  And  do  they  live  in  this  world  as  if  he  were 
to  come  presently  ? — A.  Yes ;  for  his  coming  will 
be  glorious  and  dreadful,  full  of  mercy  and  judg- 
ment. '  The  day  of  tlie  Lord  will  come  as  a  thief 
in  the  night ;  in  the  which  the  heavens  shall  pass 
away  with  a  great  noise,  and  the  elements  shall 
melt  with  fervent  heat,  the  earth  also  and  the 
works  that  are  therein  shall  be  burned  up.  Seeing 
then  iliat  all  these  things  shall  be  dissolved,  what 
manner  of  i^ersons  ought  we  to  be  in  all  holy  con- 
versation and  godliness.'  2  Pe.  iii  lu,  11. 

Of  Prayer. 

Q.  Well,  I  am  glad  that  you  have  shewed  me 
that   I   must  worship  God  by  confession  of  sin, 


*  Uuder  a  fc;ir  lest  lie  had  spoken  against  Cb-ist,  Buiiyan 
tlins  expresses  his  misery ;  '  I  fell  into  a  very  deep  pause  about 
the  most  fearful  state  mv  sin  had  brought  me  to ;  and,  lifting 
up  my  head,  1  8a«v  as  if  the  sun  did  grudge  to  give  me  light^ 
and  as  if  the  very  stones  in  the  street,  and  tiles  upon  the 
Louses,  did  beud  themselves  against  m^.'— Grace  Ahoundinu 
No.  186.— Ed. 


and  faith  in  Jesus  Christ:  Is  there  any  other 
thing  a  part  of  the  true  worship  of  God? — A. 
Yes,  several ;  I  will  mention  only  two  more  at  this 
time. 

Q.  What  are  they? — A.  Prayer  and  self-denial. 

Q.  Is  prayer  then  a  part  of  the  worship  of  God? 
— A.  Yes  ;  a  great  part  of  it. 

Q.  How  do  you  prove  that  ? — A.  '  0  come  let 
us  worship  and  bow  down :  let  us  kneel  before  the 
Lord  our  maker. '  Ps.  xcv.  6. 

Q.  Is  there  another  scripture  proves  it  ? — A. 
Yes ;  '  Then  came  she  and  worshipped  him,  saying, 
Lord,  help  me.'  Mat.  xv.  25. 

Q.  What  is  prayer  ? — A.  A  sincere,  sensible, 
affectionate  pouring  out  of  the  soul  to  God  in  the 
name   of   Christ  for  what  God    hath   promised. 

Pr.  XV.  8.  Je.  xxxi.  18,  19.  Ps.  xlii.  2—5.  Jn.  xiv.  13,  14.  1  Jn.  v.  14. 

Q.  Doth  not  every  body  pray  ? — A.  No  ;  '  The 
wicked,  through  the  pride  of  his  countenance, 
will  not  seek  after  God :  God  is  not  in  all  his 
thoughts.'  Ps.  .\.  4. 

Q.  What  will  become  of  them  that  do  not  pray  ? 
— A.  They  do  not  worship  God,  and  he  will 
destroy  them ;  '  Pour  out  thy  fury  (said  the  pro- 
phet) upon  the  heathen,  -  and  upon  the  families 
that  call  not  on  thy  name.'  Je.  x.  25.  Ps.  kxk.  6. 

Q.  But  seeing  God  knoweth  what  we  want,  why 
doth  he  not  give  us  what  we  need,  without  pray- 
ing ? — A.  His  counsel  and  wisdom  leadeth  him 
otherwise.  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  will  yet 
for  this  be  enquired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel,  to 
do  ii  for  them.'  Eze. xxxvi. 37. 

Q.  Why  will  God  have  us  pray  ? — A.  Because 
he  would  be  acknowledged  by  thee,  that  he  is 
above  thee,  and  therefore  would  have  thee  como 
to  him  as  the  mean  come  to  the  mighty.  Thus 
Abraham  came  unto  him.  Ge.  xviii.  27, 30. 

Q.  Is  there  another  reason  why  I  should  pray  ? 
— A.  Yes.  For  by  prayer  thou  acknowledgest, 
that  help  is  not  in  thine  own  power.  2  Ch.  .xx.  6, 12. 

Q.  What  reason  else  have  you  why  I  should 
pray  ? — A.  By  prayer  thou  confessest  that  help  is 
only  in  him.  Ps.  ixii.  l. 

Q.  What  other  reason  have  you? — A.  By  prayer 
thou  confessest  thou  canst  not  live  witJiout  his 
grace  and  mercy.  Mat.  xiv.  so.  He.  iv.  ig. 

Q.  Are  all  that  pray  heard  of  the  Lord  ? — A. 
No ;  '  They  looked, '  that  is  prayed,  '  but  Uiere  %ca^ 
none  to  save  ;  &om  unto  the  Lord,  but  he  answered 
them  not. '  2  Sa.  xxii.  42. 

Q.  To  what  doth  God  compare  the  prayers 
which  he  refuseth  to  answer  ? — A.  He  compareth 
them  to  tlae  howlino-  of  a  dog.  Ho.  vii.  14. 

Q.  Who  be  they  whose  prayers  God  will  not 
answer  ? — A.  Theirs,  who  think  to  be  heard  for 
their  much  speaking,  and  vain  repetition.  Mat.  vi.  7. 

Q.  Is  there  any  other  whose  prayer  God  re- 
fuseth ? — A.  Yes;  There  are  that  ask  and  have 


INSTRUCTION  TOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


687 


not,  because  what  they  ask,  they  would  spend  upon 
their  lusts.  Ja.  iv.  3. 

Q.  Is  there  any  other  whose  prayer  God  re- 
fuseth  ? — A.  Yes ;  *  If  I  regard  iniquity  in  my 
heart,  the  Lord  will  not  hear  me.''*  I's.  ixvi.  is. 

Q.  Is  the  regarding  of  sin  in  our  heart  such  a 
deadly  hinderance  to  prayer  ? — A.  '  Son  of  man,' 
saith  God,  '  these  men  have  set  up  their  idols  in 
their  heart,  and  have  put  the  stumhlingblock  of 
their  iniquity  before  their  face ;  should  I  be  en- 
quired of  at  all  by  them  ?  I  will  set  my  face 
against  that  man,  and  will  make  him  a  sign  and 
a  proverb*  And  I  will  cut  him  off  from  the  midst 
of  my  people.'  Ezc.  xiv.  3, 8. 

Q.  Whose  prayers  be  they  that  God  wiU  hear  ? — 
A.  The  prayers  of  the  poor  and  needy.  Ps.xxxiv.6.  I8.xli.i7. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  poor  ? — A.  Such 
as  have  poverty  in  spirit.  Mat.  v.  3. 

Q.  Who  are  they  that  are  poor  in  spirit  ? — A. 
They  that  are  sensible  of  the  want  and  necessity 
of  all  those  things  of  God,  that  prepare  a  man  to 
the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Q.  What  things  are  they  ? — A.  Faith,  hope, 
love,  joy,  peace,  a  new  heart,  the  Holy  Ghost, 
sanctification.     See  Ja.  ii.  5.  2  Th.  u.  16.  Eze.  xxxv-i.  26,  27. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  needy  ? — A.  Those 
whose  souls  long  and  cannot  be  satisfied  without  the 
enjoyment  of  these  blessed  things.  Ps.  ixiii.  l;  cxix.  20. 

Q,  Will  God  hear  the  prayers  of  such  ? — A. 
Yes ;  '  For  he  satisfieth  the  longing  soul,  and 
filleth  the  hungry  soid  with  goodness.'  Ps.  o-ii.  9. 

Q.  How  shall  I  know  that  I  am  one  of  those  to 
whom  God  will  give  these  things  ? — A.  If  thou 
seest  a  beauty  in  them  beyond  the  beauty  of  all 
other  things.  Ps.  ex.  3. 

Q.  How  else  shall  I  know  [that]  he  heareth  me? 
— A.  If  thou  desirest  them  for  their  beauty's  sake. 
Ps.  xc.  14, 17. 

Q.  How  else  should  I  know  I  shall  have  them  ? 
■ — A.  Wlien  thy  groanmgs  after  them  are  beyond 
expression.  Ro.  \iii.  26.  t 

Q.  How  else  should  I  know,  and  so  be  encour- 
aged to  pray  ? — A.  When  thou  foUowest  hard 
after  God  in  all  his  ordinances  for  the  obtaining 
of  them.  Is.  IT.  1,  3 ;  L\iv.  5. 

Q.  How  else  should  I  know? A. When  thou  mak- 

est  good  use  of  that  little  thou  hast  already.  Re.  ui.  8. 

Q.  Are  here  all  the  good  signs  that  my  prayers 
shall  be  heard  ? — A.  No ;  there  is  one  more  with- 
out which  thou  shalt  never  obtain. 


*  'The  sacrifice  of  the  wicked  is  an  abomination  to  the 
Lord ;  hut  the  prayer  of  the  upright  is  his  delight.  He  loveth 
him  that  followeth  after  righteousness,'  Prov.  xv.  8,  9.  That 
our  prayers  may  be  heard,  the  heart  should  be  right  with  God, 
and  o\u-  soids  at  peace  with  him  through  the  Son  of  his  love. 
■ — Mason . — Ed  . 

t  These  are  parts  of  a  Christian's  experience,  admirably 
illustrated  in  that  extraordinary  book  by  Bunyan,  '  Grace 
Abounding  to  the  Chief  of  Sinners.' — Ed. 


Q.  Pray  Avhat  is  that? — A.  Thou  must  plead 
with  God,  the  name  and  merits  of  Jesus  Christ, 
for  whose  sake  only  God  giveth  thee  these  things. 
If  we  ask  any  thing  in  his  name,  he  heareth  us, 
and  whatsoever  you  ask  the  Father  in  my  name, 
saith  Christ  I  will  do  it.  Jn.  xiv.  is,  1.1. 

Q.  Doth  God  always  answer  presently?  —  A. 
Sometimes  he  doth,  and  sometimes  he  doth  not. 

Is.  XXX.  19.  Da.  X.  12. 

Q.  Is  not  God's  deferring,  a  sign  of  his  anger  ? 
— A.  Sometimes  it  is  not,  and  sometimes  it  is, 

Q.  When  is  it  no  sign  of  his  anger  ? — A.  When 
we  have  not  wickedly  departed  from  him  by  our 

sins.  Ln.  xviii.  7. 

Q.  When  is  it  a  sign  of  his  anger  ? — A.  When 
we  have  backslidden,  when  we  have  not  repented 
some  former  miscarriages.  Ho.  v.  i-i,  15. 

Q.  Why  doth  God  defer  to  hear  their  prayers 
that  hath  not  wickedly  departed  from  hiui  ? — A. 
He  loves  to  hear  their  voice,  to  try  their  faith,  to 
see  their  importunity,  and  to  observe  how  they 
can  wrestle  with  him  for  a  blessing.  Ca.  ii.  14  Mat.  xv 

22—28.  Lu.  xi.  5—8.  Ge.  xxxii.  25—28. 

Q.  But  is  not  deferring  to  answer  prayer  a  great 
discouragement  to  praying  ? — A.  Though  it  is, 
because  of  our  unbelief,  yet  it  ought  not,  because 
God  is  faithful.  Therefore  '  men  ought  always  to 
pray,  and  not  to  faint. '|  Lu.  xviii.  i— 8. 

Of  Self-Denial 

Q.  I  am  glad  you  have  thus  far  granted  my 
request :  but  you  told  me  that  there  was  another 
part  of  God's  worship ;  pray  repeat  that  again  ? — 
A.  It  is  self-denial. 

Q.  Now  I  remember  it  well ;  pray  how  do  you 
prove  that  self-denial  is  called  a  part  of  God's  wor- 
ship ? — A.  It  is  said  of  Abraham,  that  when  he 
went  to  offer  up  his  son  Isaac  upon  the  altar  for 
a  burnt-oft'ering,  which  was  to  him  a  very  great 
part  of  self-denial,  that  he  counted  that  act  of  his 
worshipping  God. 

Q.  Will  you  be  pleased  to  read  the  text  ? — A. 
Yes;  'And  i^braham  said  unto  his  young  men. 
Abide  ye  here  with  the  ass ;  and  I  and  the  lad 
will  go  yonder  and  worship,'  kc.  This  now  was 
when  he  was  a-going  to  slay  Isaac.  He.  xxii.  5. 

Q.  What  is  self-denial  ? — A.  It  is  for  a  man  to 
forsake  his  all,  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Q.  Will  you  prove  this  by  a  scripture  or  two? — ■ 
A.  Yes ;  '  Whosoever  he  be  of  you  that  forsaketh  not 
all  that  he  hath,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple.'  Lu.  xiv.s3. 


+  All-prevailing  prayers  must  be  offered  up  through  the 
mediation  of  Christ,  in  obedience  to  God's  command,  with  an 
eye  to  his  glory,  and  for  what  is  agreeable  to  his  will  and  hea- 
venly wisdom  to  grant.  'Lifting  up  holy  hands,  without 
wrath  and  doubting,'  1  Tim.  ii.  8.  God's  service  must  be  in 
faith,  love,  and  piu-ity  of  heart. — Bi/Jand.—T.D. 


688 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT 


Q.  ludeed  this  is  a  full  place,  can  you  give  me 
one  more  ? — A.  Yes  ;  '  What  things  were  gain  to 
me,  those  I  counted  loss  for  Christ.  Yea,  doubt- 
less, and  I  count  all  things  hid  loss  for  the  excel- 
lency 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,' 

«fec.  Phi.  iii.  7,  8. 

Q.  These  two  are  indeed  a  sufficient  answer  to 
my  question ;  but  pray  will  you  now  give  me  some 
particular  instances  of  the  self-denial  of  them  that 
have  heretofore  been  the  followers  of  Christ? — A. 
Yes ;  Abel  denied  himself  to  the  losing  of  his 
blood.  Ge.  iv.  8.  Abraham  denied  himself  to  the 
losing  of  his  country  and  his  father's  house.  Ge.  xii. 
1—4.  Moses  denied  himself  of  a  crown  and  a  king- 
dom, and  of  ease  and  tranquillity,  lie.  xi.  24—27. 
Joseph  denied  himself  of  fleshly  lusts.  Ge.  xxxix.  7—9. 

Q.  But  these  men  each  of  them  denied  them- 
selves but  of  some  things,  did  they? — A.  You  see 
Abel  lost  all,  his  blood  and  all ;  Abraham  lost  his 
country  to  the  hazard  of  his  life.  Ge.  xii.  13.  So  did 
Moses  in  leaving  the  crown  and  kingdom.  He.  xi.  27. 
And  Joseph  in  denying  his  mistress.  Ge.  x.\xix.  10—15. 

Q.  Will  you  discourse  a  little  particularly  of 
self-denial  ? — A.  With  all  my  heart. 

Q.  First  then,  pray  in  what  spirit  must  this 
self-denial  be  performed  ? — A.  It  must  be  done  in 
the  spirit  of  faith,  of  love,  and  of  a  sound  mind. 
Otherwise,  if  a  man  should  sell  all  that  he  hath 
and  give  to  the  poor,  and  his  body  to  be  burnt 
besides,  it  would  profit  him  nothing.  1  Co.  xiiL  l— 3. 

Q.  Who  are  like  to  miscarry  here  ? — A.  They 
whose  ends  in  self-denial  are  not  according  to  the 
proposals  of  the  gospel. 

Q.  Who  are  they  ?— A.  They  that  suffer  through 
strife  and  vain-glory ;  or  thus,  they  who  seek  in 
their  sufferings  the  praise  of  men  more  than  the 
glory  of  Christ,  and  profit  of  their  neighbour. 

Q.  Who  else  are  like  to  miscarry  here  ? — A. 
They  that  have  designs  like  Ziba  to  ingratiate 
themselves  by  their  pretended  self-denial  into  the 
affections  of  the  godly,  and  to  enrich  themselves 
by  this  means.  2  Sa.  xvi.  1^. 

Q.  Are  there  any  other  like  to  miscarry  here  ? 

-A.  Yes.  They  that  by  denying  themselves 
think  with  the  Pharisee,  to  make  themselves  stand 
more  righteous   in   God's    eyes   than    others.  Lu. 

xviii.  11.  12. 

Q.  Who  else  are  in  danger  of  miscarrying-  here? 
— A.  They  who  have  fainted  in  their  works,  they 
whose  self-denial  hath  at  last  been  overcome  by 
self-love.  Ga.  iii.  4 ;  vi.  9. 

Q.  Shall  1  propound  a  few  more  questions? 

A.  If  you  please. 

Q.  What  then  if  a  man  promiseth  to  deny  him- 
self hereafter  and  not  now,  is  not  this  one  step  to 
this  kind  of  worship  ?~A.  No,  by  no  means ;  for 


the  reason  why  this  man  refuseth  to  deny  himself 
now,  is  because  his  heart  at  present  sticks  closer 
to  his  lusts  and  the  world,  than  to  God  and  Christ.* 
Q.  Can  you  give  me  a  Scripture  instance  to  make 
this  out? — A.  Yes;  Esau  never  intended  for  ever 
to  part  with  the  blessing,  he  intended  to  have  it 
hereafter ;  but  God  counted  his  not  choosing  of  it 
at  present,  a  despising  of  it,  and  a  preferring  of  his 
lusts  before  it :  and  therefore  when  he  would,  God 
would  not,  but  reject  both  him  and  his  tears.  Ge, 

XXV.  30—34.  He.  xii.  14^16. 

Q.  How  and  if  a  man  shall  say  thus,  I  am 
willing  to  deny  myself  in  many  things,  though  he 
cannot  deny  himself  in  all,  is  not  this  one  step  in 
this  part  of  this  worship  of  God  ? — A.  No,  in  no 
wise ;  for  this  man  doth,  just  like  Saul,  he  will 
slay  a  part,  and  will  keep  a  part  alive ;  the  king- 
dom must  be  taken  from  him  also.  1  Sa.  xv. 

Q.  How  if  a  man  he  willing  to  lose  all  but  his 
life? — A.  He  that  *  will  save  his  life  shall  lose  it,* 
but  he  that  '  will  lose  his  life  for  my  sake,'  saith 
Christ,  *  shall  keep  it  unto  life  eternal.'  Mat.  xvi.  23. 

Jn.  xii.  25. 

Q.  How  if  a  man  has  been  willing  to  lose  all 
that  he  hath,  but  is  not  now,  will  not  God  accept 
of  his  willingness  in  time  past,  though  he  be  other- 
wise now  ? — A.  No  ;  for  the  true  disciple  must  deny 
himself  daily,  take  up  his  cross  daily,  and  go  after 
Jesus  Christ.   Lu.  ix.  23. 

Q.  But  how  if  a  man  carrieth  it  well  outwardly, 
so  that  he  doth  not  dishonour  the  gospel  before 
men,  may  not  this  be  counted  self-denial  ? — A.  No, 
if  he  be  not  right  at  heart ;  for  though  man  looketh 
on  the  outward  appearance,  God  looketh  at  the 
heart.  1  Sa.  xvi.  7. 

Q.  But  if  I  be  afraid  my  heart  may  deceive  me 
in  this  great  work,  if  hard  things  come  upon  me 
hereafter,  is  there  no  way  to  find  out  whether  it 
will  deceive  me  then  or  no  ? — A.  I  will  give  you  a 
few  answers  to  this  question,  and  will  shew  you 
first  whose  heart  is  like  to  deceive  him  in  this 
work. 

Q.  Will  you  befriend  me  so  much  ? — A,  Yes.  1. 
He  that  makes  not  daily  conscience  of  self-denial,  is 
very  unlike  to  abide  a  disciple  for  times  to  come, 
if  difficult.  Judas  did  not  deny  himself  daily,  and 
therefore  feU  when  the  temptation  came.  Jn.  xii.  6. 

Q.  Will  you  give  me  another  sign  ? — A.  Yes. 
He  that  indulgeth  any  one  secret  lust  under  a  pro- 
fession, is  not  like  to  deny  himself  in  all  things  for 
Christ. 

Q.  Who  are  they  that  indulge  their  lusts  ? — 

*  How  debased  is  the  human  heart,  to  delay  one  moment 
in  giving  up  its  poor  all  for  Christ.  In  him  dwells  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Godhead ;  he  has  unsearchable  riches  of  wisdom 
and  knowledge  to  bestow  ;  all-sufficient  grace  and  strength,  to 
enable  us  to  do  and  suffer  his  will ;  and  everlasting  glory  at 
the  close  of  our  pilgrimage. — Ed. 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


r)S9 


A.  They  tliat  makfi  provision  foi*  them,  either  in 
apparel,  or  diet,  or  otherwise.  Ro.xiii.  I2_ii.  ]3.iii.  G-24. 

Am.  vi.  3 — 6. 

Q.  Who  else  do  so  ? — A.  They  that  excuse  their 
sins,  and  keep  them  disguised  that  they  may  not 
be  reprehended,  as  Said  did,  &c.  l  Sa.  xr.  18— 22. 

Q.  Wlio  else  are  they  that  indulge  their  lusts? — 
A.  They  that  heap  up  to  themselves  such  teachers 
as  favour  their  lusts.  3  Ti.  iv.  3, 4.  is.  xxx.  10. 

Q.  Who  else  do  indulge  their  sins  ? — A.  They 
that  choose  rather  to  walk  by  the  imperfect  lives  of 
professors  than  by  the  holy  Word  of  God :  or  thus, 
they  that  make  the  miscarriages  of  some  good 
men  an  encouragement  unto  themselves  to  forbear 
to  be  exact  in  self-denial,  these  eat  up  the  sins  of 
God's  people  as  men  eat  bread.  Ho. iv. 7— 9. 

Q.  Will  you  now  shew  me  who  are  like  to  do 
this  part  of  God's  worship  acceptably? — A.  Yes; 
he  whose  heart  is  set  against  sin  as  sin,  is  like  to 
deny  himself  acceptably.   Ro.  vii.  is,  14. 

Q.  Who  else? — A.  He  that  hath  the  sense 
and  savour  of  forgiveness  of  sins  upon  his  heart. 

2  Co.  V.  14. 

Q.  Who  else  is  like  to  deny  himself  well  ? — 
A.  He  that  hath  his  affections  set  upon  things 
above,  where  Christ  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of 

God.    Col  iii.  1—5. 

Q.  Who  else  is  like  to  deny  himself  well  for 
Christ? — A.  He  that  seeth  a  greater  treasure  in 
self-denial,  than  in  self-seeking.  2  Co  xii.  9—11.  lie.  xi 

24— 2G. 

Q.  Are  there  none  other  signs  of  one  that  is  like 
to  do  this  part  of  God's  worship  acceptably? — 
A.  Yes ;  he  that  takes  up  his  cross  daily,  and 
makes  Christ's  doctrine  his   example.  Lu.  vi.  47,  48. 

Jn.  .xii.  25,  2G. 

Q.  But  how  do  you  discover  a  man  to  be  such  a 
one  ? — A.  He  keepeth  his  heart  with  all  diligence, 
he  had  rather  die  than  sin;  ill  carriages  of  pro- 
fessors break  his  heart,  nothing  is  so  dear  to  him 
as  the  glory  of  Christ.*  Pr.  iv.  23.  Ku.  xi.  15.  Piii.  iii.  18. 

Ac.  XX.  24. 

Q.  Pray,  can  you  give  me  some  motive  to  self- 
denial? — A.  Yes;  the  Lord  Jesus  denied  himself 
for  thee;  what  sayest  thou  to  that? 

Q,  Wherein  did  Christ  deny  iiimself  for  me? — 
A.  He  left  his  heaven  for  thee,  he  denied  for  thy 
sake  to  have  so  much  of  this  world  as  hath  a  fox 
or  a  bird,  and  he  spilt  his  most  precious  blood  for 

thee.    Jn.  vi.  38.  Lu.  ix.  58.  2  Co.  viii.  9.  Re.  i.  5. 

Q.  Can  you  give  another  motive  to  self-denial? — 
A.  Yes ;  '  What  shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  shall 
gain   the  whole  world,  and  lose  his   own  soul?' 

M^.  viii.  3C. 


*  No  tongue  can  utter,  or  lieart  coucclve,  the  unspeakable 
reward  wliich  an  unweained,  unfainting  diligence  in  well-doing, 
attends  the  humble  believer ;  it  begins  in  this  world,  and  is 
consummated  in  endless  glory. — Ed, 
VOL.  II. 


Q.  But  why  doth  God  require  self-denial  of  them 
that  will  be  saved  ? — A.  God  doth  not  require  self- 
denial  as  the  means  to  obtain  salvation,  but  hatli 
laid  it  down  as  a  proof  of  the  truth  of  a  man's 
affections  to  God  and  Christ. 

Q.  How  is  self-denial  a  proof  of  the  truth  of  a 
man's  affections  to  God  ? — A.  In  that  for  the  sake 
of  his  service,  he  leaveth  all  his  enjoyments  in  this 
world.  Thus  he  proved  Abraham's  affections.  Ge. 
x.\iLl3.  Thus  he  proved  Peter's  affections.  Mat.  iv. 
18—23.  and  thus  he  proved  their  affection  that  you 
read  of  in  the  gospel.  Lu.  ix.  57— C3. 

Q.  What  reason  else  can  you  produce  why  God  ^ 
requireth  self-denial  ? — A.  Self-denial  is  one  of 
the  distinguishing  characters  by  which  true  Chris- 
tians are  manifested  from  the  feigned  ones:  fur 
those  that  are  feigned,  flatter  God  with  their 
mouths,  but  their  hearts  seek  themselves ;  but  tlie 
sincere,  for  the  love  that  he  hath  to  Christ,  for- 
saketh  all  that  he  hath  for  his  sake.t  Ps-  Lxx^-iii.  36, 

37.  Eze.  xxxiii.  31,  32. 

Q.  Is  there  yet  another  reason  why  God  re- 
quireth self-denial  of  them  that  profess  his  name  ? 
— A.  Yes ;  because  by  self-denial  the  power  and 
goodness  of  the  truths  of  God  are  made  manifest 
to  the  incredulous  world.  For  they  cannot  see 
but  by  the  self-denial  of  God's  people,  that  there 
is  such  power,  glory,  goodness,  and  desirableness 
in  God's  truth  as  indeed  there  is.  Da.  iii.  16,  28.  Phi 

i.  12,  13. 

Q.  Have  you  another  reason  why  God  requireth 
self-denial  ? — A.  Yes  ;  because  self-denial  pre- 
pareth  a  man,  though  not  for  the  pardon  of  liis 
sin,  yet  for  that  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal 
weight  of  glory,  that  is  laid  up  only  for  them  that 
deny  all  that  they  have  for  the  Lord  .Tesus,  his 
name,  and  cause  in  this  world.  2  Co.  iv.  8— lo,  17.  i  Tii. 
i.  5,  6. 

Q.  Before  you  conclude,  will  you  give  me  a  few 
instances  of  the  severity  of  God's  hand  upon  some 
professors,  that  have  not  denied  themselves  when 
called  thereto  by  him  ? — A.  Yes,  willingly ;  Lot's 
wife  for  but  looking  behind  her  towards  Sodom, 
when  God  called  her  from  it,  was  stricken  from 
heaven,  and  turned  into  a  pillar  of  salt ;  therefore 
remember  Lot's  wife.  Ge.  six.  17, 26.  Lu.  xvii.  31, 32. 

Q.  Can  you  give  me  another  instance  ? — A.  Yes  ; 
Esau  for  not  denying  himself  of  one  morsel  of  meat 
was  denied  a  share  in  the  blessing,  and  could  never 
obtain  it  after,  though  he  sought  it  carefully  with 

tears.  Ge.  xxv.  32—34.  He.  xii.  IG,  17. 

Q.  Have  you  at  hand  another  instance? — A. 


t  Christian,  you  are  not  your  own,  you  are  bought  with  a 
I^rice  far  above  all  the  treasures  of  the  earth.  You  must  not 
do  as  9/ou  please,  but  study  to  do  the  will  of  your  heavenly 
Father.  The  man  who  is  bent  upon  doing  his  own  will, 
renounces  the  name  of  Christian.  Rebel  against  God  is 
insciibed  upon  all  who  do  not  his  will. — Ed. 
4  S 


61)0 


INSTRUCTION  FOR  THE  IGNORANT. 


Yes  ;  J  udas  for  not  denying  himself,  lost  Christ, 
his  soul,  and  heaven :  and  is  continued  the  great 
object  of  God's  wrath  among  all  damned  souls. 

Jn.  xii.  6,  6.  Lu.  xxii.  3—6  Mat.  xxvi.  14—16.  Ac.  L  25. 

Q.  WiU  you  give  me  one  more  instance,  and 
so  conclude  ? — A,  Yes  ;  Ananias  and  Sapphira  his 
■wife,  did  for  the  want  of  self-denial,  pull  upon 
themselves  such  wrath  of  God,  that  he  slew  them, 
while  they  stood  in  the  midst  before  the  apostles. 

Ac.  T.  1—11. 

Tlie  Conclusion.         %> 

f 

Before  I  wind  up  this  discourse,  I  would  lay 
down  these  few  things  for  you  to  consider  of,  and 
meditate  upon. 

I.  Consider,  that  seeing  every  one  by  nature 
are  accounted  sinners ;  it  is  no  matter  whether 
thy  actual  sins  be  little  or  great,  few  or  many, 
thy  sinful  nature  hath  already  lain  thee  under  the 
curse  of  the  law. 

II.  Consider,  That  therefore  thou  hast  already 
ground  for  humiliation,  sins  to  repent  of,  wrath  to 
fly  from,  or  a  soul  to  be  damned. 

III.  Consider>  That  time  stays  not  for  thee,  and 
also  that  as  time  goes,  sin  increaseth :  so  that  at 


last  the  end  of  thy  time,  and  the  completing  of 
thy  sin,  are  like  to  come  upon  thee  in  one  moment. 

IV.  Bring  thy  last  day  often  to  thy  bedside,  and 
ask  thy  heart,  if  this  morning  thou  wast  to  die,  if 
thou  be  ready  to  die  or  no. 

V.  Know  it  is  a  sad  thing  to  lie  a  dying,  and 
to  be  afraid  to  die ;  to  lie  a  dying  and  not  to 
know  whither  thou  art  going ;  to  lie  a  dying,  and 
not  to  know  whether  good  angels  or  bad  must  con- 
duct thee  out  of  this  miserable  world. 

VI.  Be  often  remembering  what  a  blessed  thing 
it  is  to  be  saved,  to  go  to  heaven,  to  be  made  like 
angels,  and  to  dwell  with  God  and  Christ  to  all 
eternity, 

VII.  Consider  how  sweet  the  thought  of  salva- 
tion will  be  to  thee  when  thou  seest  thyselt  in 
heaven,  whilst  others  are  roaring  in  hell.* 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  thy  spirit. 


*  How  blessed  is  tlie  hope  of  the  Christian ;  full  of  life, 
power,  and  much  assurance.  The  salvation  by  Christ  is  infi- 
nitely precious ;  it  redeems  the  soul  from  all  possible  misery, 
and  introduces  it  to  the  favour,  love,  and  protection  of  almighty 
God,  who  will  save  it  from  the  ruins  of  time,  till  possessed  of 
the  riches  of  eternity. — Ed. 


SEASONABLE    COUNSEL: 


oil. 


ADYICE  TO  SUPFEREES. 


By  JOHN  BUNYAN. 


Loudon :  Printed  for  Benjamin  Alsop,  at  the  Angel  and  Bible  in  tlie  Poultry,  mdclxxxit. 


ADVERTISEMENT  BY  THE  EDITOR. 


This  valualile  treatise  was  first  published  in  a 
pocket  volume  in  1G84,  and  has  only  been  re- 
printed in  Whitfield's  edition  of  Bunyan's  works, 
2  vols,  folio,  1767. 

No  man  could  have  been  better  qualified  to  give 
advice  to  sufi'erers  for  righteousness'  sake,  than 
John  Bunyan :  and  this  work  is  exclusively  devoted 
to  that  object.  Shut  up  in  a  noisome  jail,  under 
the  iron  hand  of  persecution,  for  nearly  thirteen 
years,  in  the  constant  fear  of  being  hanged  as  a 
malefactor,  for  refusing  conformity  to  the  national 
liturgy,  he  well  knew  what  sufi'erings  were,  and 
equally  well  did  he  know  the  sources  of  con- 
solation. It  was  wisely  ordered  by  Divine  Pro- 
vidence, that  before  the  king  pardoned  him,  he 
had  a  legal  return  under  the  hand  and  seal  of  the 
sherifi"  of  Bedfordshire,  certifying  the  reasons  of 
this  frightful  imprisonment.  This  is  entered  in 
the  minutes  of  the  Privy  Council  on  the  8th  and 
15th  of  May,  1672;  and  it  proves  that  he  was 
thus  cruelly  punished  for  *  being  at  conventicles 
for  nonconformity  '  and  for  no  other  cause.  In 
this  '  Advice  '  we  find  his  opinion  on  the  origin 
of  persecution — the  instruments — the  motives — its 
cruelty — with  cautions,  counsels,  and  support  to 
the  persecuted.  He  considers  persecution  a  strange 
anomaly, — '  The  reason  is  that  Christianity  is  a 
harmless  thing — that  be  it  never  so  openly  pro- 
fessed it  hurts  no  man.'  Simple-hearted,  honest 
John,  thou  dreamest.  What  wouldst  thou  have 
thought  of  a  system  by  which  all  would  have  been 
taught  to  tag  their  laces  and  mend  their  own  pots 
and  kettles  ?  What  would  have  become  of  thy 
trade  as  a  brazier  ?  Christianity  teaches  all  man- 
kind not  to  trust  in  those  empirics  who  profess  to 
cure  souls  for  Peter's  pence,  tithes,  mortuaries, 
and  profits ;  but  to  go  by  themselves  to  the  Great 
Physician,  and  he  wiU  pour  in  his  wine  and  oil, 
his  infallible  remedies  for  a  sin-sick  soul,  without 
money  and  without  price.  To  Bunyan  this  was 
not  only  harmless  to  others,  but  the  most  bound- 
less mercy  that  God  could  bestow  upon  man. 
What  could  be  more  destructive  to  the  blessed 
hierarchy  of  popes,  cardinals,  archbishops,  bishops, 


deans,  prebends,  canons,  and  the  splendid  tribe  of 
mere  hireling  ministers  ?  A  system  by  which  all 
their  services  are  dispensed  with,  and  priestly  and 
prelatic  pride  is  levelled  with  the  dust.  Can  we 
wonder  that  those  who  preached  the  holy,  humbling, 
self-denying  doctrines  of  the  cross,  were  perse- 
cuted to  the  death  ?  Bunyan's  opinion  is,  that 
Satan  Is  the  author  of  persecution,  by  which  he 
intended  to  root  out  Christianuy.  The  whirlwind 
and  the  tempest  drives  away  those  who  are  not 
rooted  and  grounded  in  the  faith,  some  of  whom 
may  have  stood  like  stately  cedars  until  the  trying 
time  of  trial  came.  But  the  humble  Christian  In 
such  a  season  takes  deeper  root— a  stronger  grasp. 
Faith,  his  anchor.  Is  sure  and  steadfast;  it  enters 
eternity  and  heaven,  where  Satan  can  find  no 
entrance  to  disturb  Its  hold.  In  persecution,  men 
are  but  the  devil's  tools,  and  little  think  that  they 
are  doing  his  drudgery,  p.  69C. 

The  man  of  God  declares  the  truth  in  plain 
terms,  '  No  one  is  a  Christian  except  he  is  born  of 
God  by  the  anointing  of  the  Holy  One.'  Carnal 
men  cannot  endure  this;  and  then  'the  game 
begins,'  how  such  troublesome  fellows  may  be  put 
out  of  the  way,  and  their  families  be  robbed  of 
their  possessions  to  enrich  the  persecutors,  p.  7i2. 
'  The  holy  places,  vestures,  gestures— the  shows 
and  outward  greatness  of  false  religion,  are  in 
danger.'  Their  sumptuous  ceremonies,  glorious 
ornaments,  new-fashioned  carriages,*  '  will  fall 
before  the  simplicity  and  majesty  of  truth.'  p.  7i3. 
The  Christian  falls  out  with  sin  at  home,  and  then 
with  sinful  ceremonies  In  divine  worship.  With 
him  all  that  is  not  prescribed  in  the  word  of  God 
is  forbidden.  Sentiments  like  these  are  a  blow  at 
the  root  of  superstition  with  all  its  fraudful  emolu- 
ments. Hence  the  storms  of  persecution  which  fall 
on  the  faithful  followers  of  Christ.  Antichrist  de- 
clares the  excellency  of  human  inventions  to  supply 
what  he  considers  defects  in  God's  system. 

Such  is  the  mad  folly  of  the  human  heart! 
Dust  and  ashes  find  fault  with  a  system  which  Is 


Not  equipage3  to  ride  in,  but  daiuty  formalities.— Ed. 


f)9- 


TO  THE  CIIRISTON  KEADER. 


the  perfection  of  wisdom,  mercy,  and  love.  And 
such  their  infatuation,  that  'none  must  be  suflfered 
to  live  and  breathe  that  refuseth  conformity  there- 
to.' p.  "la.  Mr.  Bunyan's  cautions  and  counsels 
are  full  of  peace — '  submission  to  the  powers  that 
be. '  Pray  for  the  persecutor — return  good  for  his 
evil.  lie  is  in  the  hand  of  God,  wlio  will  soon  level 
him  with  the  dust,  and  call  his  soul  to  solemn 
judgment.  Although  the  sufferer's  cause  is  good, 
do  not  run  yourself  into  trouble — Christ  withdrew 
himself — Paul  escaped  by  being  lowered  down  the 
city  wall  in  a  basket.  If  they  persecute  you  in 
one  city,  flee  to  another.  'A  minister  can  quickly 
pack  up  a!id  carry  his  religion  Avith  him,  and  offer 
what  he  knows  of  his  God  to  another  people. '  p.  714. 
God  is  the  support  of  his  persecuted  ones.  '  His 
power  in  holding  up  some,  his  wrath  in  leaving  of 
others  ;  his  making  of  shrubs  to  stand,  and  his 
suffering  of  cedars  to  fall  ;  his  infatuating  of  the 
counsels  ot  men,  and  his  making  of  the  devil  to 
outwit  himself ;  his  giving  of  his  presence  to  his 
people,  and  his  leaving  of  bis  foes  in  the  dark ; 


his  discovering  the  uprightness  of  the  hearts  of 
his  sanctified  oi:es,  and  laying  open  the  hypocrisy 
of  others,  is  a  working  of  spiritual  wonders  in  tlie 
day  of  his  wrath,  and  of  the  whirlwind  and  storm.' 
p.  6D4.  *  Alas  I  we  have  need  of  these  bitter  pills 
at  whicb  we  so  much  winch  and  shuck.  The 
physician  has  us  in  hand.  May  God  by  these  try 
and  judge  us  as  he  judges  his  saints,  that  we  may 
not  be  condemned  with  the  world.'  Such  were 
the  feelings  of  John  Bunyan  after  his  long  suffer- 
ings ;  they  are  the  fruits  of  a  sanctified  mind. 
Reader,  great  are  our  mercies — the  arm  of  the 
persecutor  is  paralysed  by  the  extension  of  the 
knowledge  of  Clirisi.  Still  we  have  to  pass  through 
taunts  and  revilings,  and  sometimes  the  loss  of 
goods ;  but  we  are  saved  from  those  awful  trials 
through  which  our  pilgrim  forefathers  passed. 
May  our  mercies  be  sanctified,  and  may  grace  be 
bestowed  upon  us  in  rich  abundance,  to  enable  us 
to  pity  and  forgive  those  sects  who,  in  a  b^^e-gone 
age,  were  tlie  tools  of  Satan,  and  whose  habitations 
were  full  of  cruelty. — Geo.  Offor. 


TO   THE   CHRISTIAN   READER. 


Beloved,  I  thought  it  convenient,  since  many  at 
this  day  are  exposed  to  sufferings,  to  give  my 
advice  touching  tliat  to  thee.  Namely,  that  thou 
wouldest  take  heed  to  thyself,  and  keep  thy  soul 
diligently,  and  not  suffer  thyself  to  be  entangled  in 
those  snares  that  God  hath  suffered  to  be  laid  in 
the  world  for  some.  Beware  of  '  men '  in  the 
counsel  of  Christ  'for  they  will  deliver  you  up.' 
Mat.  X.  17.  Keep  thou  therefore  within  the  bounds  of 
uprightness  and  integrity  towards  both  God  and 
man  :  for  that  will  fortify,  that  will  preserve  thee, 
if  not  from,  yet  under  the  rage  of  men,  in  a  com- 
fortable and  quiet  frame  of  heart.  Wherefore  do 
that,  and  that  only,  that  will  justify  thy  innocency, 
and  that  will  help  thee,  not  with  forced  speech,  but 
with  good  conscience,  when  oppressed,  to  make  thy 
appeals  to  God,  and  to  the  consciences  of  all  men. 

This  is  the  advice  that,  I  thank  God,  I  have 
taken  myself:  for  I  find  that  there  is  nothing,  next 
to  God  and  his  grace  by  Christ,  that  can  stand  one 
in  such  stead,  as  will  a  good  and  harmless  con- 
science.* 

I  hope  I  can  say  that  God  has  made  me  a  Chris- 
tian :  and  a  Christian  must  be  a  harmless  man, 
and  to  that  end,  must  embrace  nothing  but  harmless 
principles.    A  Christian's  business,  as  a  Christian, 

"■  '  A  good  and  hai-mless  conscience  ;*  not  as  the  procuring 
cnuse  of  confidence  in  God's  tender  care  of  us,  but  as  the 
strong  e\-idence  of  our  election  and  regeneration.— Eu. 


is  to  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  God  the  Father 
by  him  ;  and  to  seek  the  good  of  all  about  him, 
according  as  his  place,  state  and  capacity  in  this 
world  will  admit,  not  meddling  with  other  men's 
matters,  but  ever  following  that  which  is  good. 

A  Christian  is  a  child  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  that  kingdom,  take  it  as  it  begins  in  grace,  or 
as  it  is  perfected  in  glory,  is  not  of  this  world  but 
of  that  which  is  to  come :  and  though  men  of  old, 
as  some  may  now,  be  afraid  of  that  kingdom  :  yet 
that  kingdom  will  hurt  no  man,  neither  with  its 
principles,  nor  by  itself.  To  instance  somewhat. 
Faith  in  Christ :  what  harm  can  that  do  ?  A  life 
regulated  by  a  moral  law,  what  hurt  is  in  that  ? 
Rejoicing  in  spirit  for  the  hope  of  the  life  to  come 
by  Christ,  who  will  that  harm  ?  Nor  is  the  insti- 
tuted worship  of  our  Lord  of  any  evil  tendency. 
Christianity  teaches  us  also  to  do  our  enemies  good, 
to  '  Bless  them  that  hate  us,  and  to  pray  for  them 
that  despitefully  use  us  and  persecute  us,'  and 
what  evil  can  be  in  that  ?  This  is  the  sum  of  the 
christian  religion,  as  by  the  word  may  be  plainly 
made  appear :  wherefore  I  counsel  thee  to  keep 
close  to  these  things,  and  touch  with  nothing  that 
jostleth  therewith. 

Nor  do  thou  marvel,  thou  living  thus,  if  some 
shoidd  be  so  foolish  as  to  seek  thy  hurt,  and  to 
afflict  thee,  because  thy  works  are  good.  1  John  m. 
12, 13.  For  there  is  need  that  thou  shouldest  at 
sometimes  be  in  manifold  temptations,  tliy  good 


TO  THE  CHRISTIAN  KEALER. 


693 


und  innocent  life  notwithstanding,  i  Pe.  i.  6.  For, 
to  omit  other  things,  there  are  some  of  the  graces 
of  God  that  are  in  thee,  that  as  to  some  of  their 
acts,  cannot  shew  themselves,  nor  their  excellency, 
nor  their  power,  nor  what  they  can  do  :  hut  as  thou 
art  in  a  suffering  state.  Faith  and  patience,  in 
persecution,  has  that  to  do,  that  to  shew,  and  that 
to  perform,  that  cannot  be  done,  shewed,  nor  per- 
formed any  where  else  but  there.  There  is  also  a 
patience  of  hope  ;  a  rejoicing  in  hope,  when  we  are 
in  tribulation,  that  is,  over  and  above  that  which 
we  have  when  we  are  at  ease  and  quiet.  That  also 
that  all  graces  can  endure,  and  triumph  over,  shall 
not  be  known,  but  when,  and  as  we  are  in  a  state 
of  aSiction.  Now  these  acts  of  our  graces  are  of 
that  worth  and  esteem  with  God,  also  he  so  much 
delighteth  in  them  :  that  occasion  through  his 
righteous  judgment,  must  be  ministered  for  them 
to  shew  their  beauty,  and  what  bravery*  there  is 
in  them. 

It  is  also  to  be  considered  that  those  acts  of  our 
graces,  that  cannot  be  put  forth,  or  shew  them- 
selves in  their  splendour,  but  when  we  christianly 
suffer,  will  yield  such  fruit  to  those  whose  trials 
call  them  to  exercise,  that  will,  in  the  day  of  God, 
abound  to  their  comfort,  and  tend  to  their  perfec- 
tion in  glory,  l  Pe.  i.  7.   i  Cor.  iv.  17. 

^Miy  then  should  we  think  that  our  innocent 
lives  will  exempt  us  from  sufferings,  or  that  troubles 
shall  do  us  such  harm  ?  For  verily  it  is  for  our 
present  and  future  good  that  our  God  doth  send 
them  upon  us.  I  count  therefore,  that  such  things 
are  necessary  for  the  health  of  our  souls,  as  bodily! 
pains  and  labour  are  for  [the  health  of]  the  body. 
People  that  live  high,  and  in  idleness,  bring  diseases 
upon  the  body :  and  they  that  live  in  aU  fulness  of 
gospel-ordinances,  and  are  not  exercised  with  trials, 
grow  gross,  are  diseased  and  fuU  of  bad  humours 
in  their  souls.  And  though  this  may  to  some  seem 
strange :  yet  our  day  has  given  us  such  an  experi- 
mental proof  of  the  truth  thereof,  as  has  not  been 
known  for  some  ages  past. 

Alas !  we  have  need  of  those  bitter  pills,  at  which 
we  so  winch  and  shuck :  |  and  it  will  be  well  if  at 
last  we  be  purged  as  we  should  thereby.  I  am 
sure  we  are  but  little  the  better  as  yet,  though  the 
physician  has  had  us  so  long  in  hand.  Some  bad 
humours  may  possibly  ere  long  be  driven  out :  but 
at  present  the  disease  is  so  high,  that  it  makes 
some  professors  fear  more  a  consumption  will  be 
made  in  their  purses  by  these  doses,  than  they 


*  'Bravery;'  magaificence  or  excellence.  'Like  a  stately 
ship,  with  all  her  bravery  on,  and  tackle  trim,  sails  filled,'  &c. 
— Sa»isoTi  Agonisles. — Ed. 

t  '  Bodily  pains ;'  bodily  industry  or  painstaking. — Ed. 

%  '  TN'inch ;'  to  wince  or  kick  ^\ith  impatience.  '  Shuck ;' 
to  shrug  up  the  shoulders,  expressive  of  dislike  or  aversion, 
—Ed. 


desire  to  be  made  better  in  their  souls  thereby.  T 
see  that  J  still  have  need  of  these  trials ;  and  if 
God  will  by  these  judge  me  as  he  judges  his  saints, 
that  I  may  not  be  condemned  with  the  world,  I 
will  cry,  Grace,  grace  for  ever. 

The  consideration  also  that  we  have  deserved 
these  things,  much§  silences  me  as  to  what  may  yet 
happen  unto  me.  I  say,  to  think  that  we  have 
deserved  them  of  God,  though  against  men  we  have 
done  nothing,  makes  me  lay  my  hand  upon  my 
mouth,  and  causes  me  to  hold  my  tongue.  Shall 
we  deserve  correction  ?  And  be  angry  because  we 
have  it  3  Or  shall  it  come  to  save  us  ?  and  shall 
we  be  offended  with  the  hand  that  brings  it !  Our 
sickness  is  so  great  that  our  enemies  take  notice 
of  it ;  let  them  know  too  that  we  also  take  our 
purges  patiently.  We  are  willing  to  pay  for  those 
potions  that  are  given  us  for  the  health  of  our  body, 
how  sick  soever  they  make  us :  and  if  God  wiU 
have  us  pay  too  for  that  which  is  to  better  our 
souls,  why  should  we  grudge  thereat  ?  Those  that 
bring  us  these  medicines  have  little  enough  for 
their  pains  :  for  my  part,  I  profess,  I  would  not 
for  a  great  deal,  be  bound,  for  their  wages,  to  do 
their  work.  True,  physicians  are  for  the  most  part 
chargeable,  and  the  niggards  are  too  loth  to  part 
with  their  money  to  them :  but  when  necessity  says 
they  must  either  take  physic,  or  die :  of  two  evils 
they  desire  to  choose  the  least.  Why,  affliction  is 
better  than  sin,  and  if  God  sends  the  one  to  cleanse 
us  from  the  other,  let  us  thank  him,  and  be  also 
content  to  pay  the  messenger. 

And  thou  that  art  so  loth  to  pay  for  thy  sinning, 
and  for  the  means  that  puts  thee  upon  that  exercise 
of  thy  graces,  as  wiU  be  for  thy  good  hereafter : 
take  heed  of  tempting  of  God  lest  he  doubleth  this 
potion  unto  thee.  The  child,  by  eating  of  raw  fruit, 
stands  in  need  of  physic,  but  the  child  of  a  childish 
humour  refuseth  to  take  the  potion,  what  follows 
but  a  doubhng  of  the  affliction,  to  wit,  frowns, 
chides,  and  further  threatenings  and  a  forcing  of 
the  bitter  pills  upon  him.  But  let  me,  to  persuade 
thee  to  lie  down  and  take  thy  potion,  tell  thee,  it 
is  of  absolute  necessity,  to  wit,  for  thy  spiritual 
and  internal  health.  For,  First,  Is  it  better  that 
thou  receive  judgment  in  this  world,  or  that  thou 
stay  for  it  to  be  condemned  with  the  ungodly  ia 
the  next  ?  Second,  Is  it  better  that  thou  shouldest, 
as  to  some  acts  of  thy  graces,  be  foreign,  and  a 
stranger,  and  consequently  that  thou  shouldest  lose 
that  far  more  exceedmg,  and  eternal  weight  of 
glory  that  is  prepared  as  the  reward  thereof  ?  or 
that  thou  shouldest  receive  it  at  the  hand  of  God, 
when  the  day  shall  come  that  every  man  shall  have 
praise  of  him  for  their  doings  ?  T/tird,  And  I  say 
again,  since  chastisements  are  a  sign  of  sonship,  a 


§  '  Much;'  in  a  great  degree. 


694 


TO  THE  CHRISTIAN  READER. 


token  of  love :  and  the  contrary  a  sign  of  bastardy, 
and  a  token  of  hatred.  He.  3di.  6-s.  lios.  iv.  14.  Is  it 
not  better  that  we  bear  those  tokens  and  marks  in 
our  flesh  that  bespeak  us  to  belong  to  Christ,  than 
tliose  tliat  declare  us  to  be  none  of  his  ?  For  ray 
part,  God  help  me  to  choose  rather  to  suffer  afflic- 
tion with  the  people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the 
pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season :  and  God  of  his  mercy 
prepare  me  for  his  will.  I  am  not  for  running 
myself  into  sufferings,  but  if  godliness  will  expose 
me  to  them,  the  Lord  God  make  me  more  godly 
still :  for  I  believe  there  is  a  world  to  come. 

But,  christian  reader,  I  would  not  detain  thee 
from  a  sight  of  those  sheets  in  thy  hand :  only  let 
me  beg  of  thee,  that  thou  wilt  not  be  offended  either 
■with  God,  or  men,  if  the  cross  is  laid  heavy  upon 
thee.  Not  with  God,  for  he  doth  nothing  without 
a  cause,  nor  with  men,  for  they  are  the  hand  of 
God :  and  will  they,  nill  they  ;*  they  are  the  ser- 
vants of  God  to   thee  for  good.  Ps.  xnl  U.  Jer.  xdv.  5. 

Take  therefore  what  comes  to  thee  from  God  by 
them,  thankfully.  If  the  messenger  that  brings  it 
is  glad  that  it  is  in  his  power  to  do  thee  hurt,  and  to 
afflict  thee  ;  if  he  skips  for  joy  at  thy  calamity :  be 
sorry  for  him  ;  pity  him,  and  pray  to  thy  Father 
for  him :  he  is  ignorant  and  understandeth  not  the 
judgment  of  thy  God,  yea  he  sheweth  by  this  his 
behaviour,  that  though  he,  as  God's  ordinance, 
serveth  thee  by  afflicting  of  thee  :  yet  means  he 
nothing  less  than  to  destroy  thee :  by  the  which 
also  he  prognosticates  before  thee  that  he  is  work- 
ing out  his  own  damnation  by  doing  of  thee  good. 
Lay  therefore  the  woful  state  of  such  to  heart,  and 
render  him  that  which  is  good  for  his  evil ;  and 
love  for  his  hatred  to  thee ;  then  shalt  thou  shew 
that  thou  art  acted  by  a  spirit  of  holiness,  and  art 
like  thy  heavenly  Father.  And  be  it  so,  that  thy 
pity  and  prayers  can  do  such  an  one  no  good,  yet 
they  must  light  some  where,  or  return  again,  as 
ships  come  loaden  from  the  Indies,  full  of  blessings 
into  thine  own  bosom. 

And  besides  all  this,  is  there  nothing  in  dark 
providences,  for  the  sake  of  the  sight  and  observa- 
tion of  which,  such  a  day  may  be  rendered  lovely, 
Avhen  it  is  upon  us.     Is  there  nothing  of  God,  of 


*  '  Will  they,  nill  they;'  nillan,  a  Saxon  word,  meaning  '  not 
will '  or  contrary  to  the  will— whether  with  or  against  their 
will.  '  Neede  hath  no  law ;  rvia  I,  or  nill  I,  it  must  be  done.' 
— Damon  and  Pat  Idas,  1571. 

'  If  now  to  man  and  wife  to  will  and  nill 
The  self-same  thing,  a  note  of  concord  be, 
I  know  no  couple  better  can  agree.'— 2Jc«  /onion.— Ed. 


his  wisdom  and  power  and  goodness  to  be  seen  in 
thunder,  and  lightning,  in  hailstones?  in  storms? 
and  darkness  and  tempests  ?  Why  then  is  it  said, 
he  '  hath  his  way  in  the  whirlwind  and  in  the  storm.' 
Na.  i.  3.  And  why  have  God's  servants  of  old  made 
such  notes,  and  observed  from  them  such  excellent 
and  wonderful  things.  There  is  that  of  God  to  be 
seen  in  such  a  day  as  cannot  be  seen  in  another. 
His  power  in  holding  up  some,  his  wrath  in  leaving 
of  others  ;  his  making  of  shrubs  to  stand,  and  his 
suffering  of  cedars  to  faU ;  his  infatuating  of  the 
counsels  of  men,  and  his  making  of  the  devil  to 
outwit  himself ;  his  giving  of  his  presence  to  his 
people,  and  his  leaving  of  his  foes  in  the  dark  ;  his 
discovering  the  uprightness  of  the  hearts  of  his 
sanctified  ones,  and  laying  open  the  hypocrisy  of 
others,  is  a  working  of  spiritual  wonders  in  the  day 
of  his  wrath,  and  of  the  whirlwind  and  storm. 
These  days !  these  days  are  the  days  that  do  most 
aptly  give  an  occasion  to  Christians,  of  any,  to  take 
the  exactest  measures  and  scantlings  of  ourselves. 
We  are  apt  to  overshoot,  in  days  that  are  calm, 
and  to  think  ourselves  far  higher,  and  more  strong 
than  we  find  we  be,  when  the  trying  day  is  upon 
us.  The  mouth  of  Gaal  and  the  boasts  of  Peter 
were  great  and  high  before  the  trial  came,  but  when 
that  came,  they  found  themselves  to  fall  far  short 
of  the  courage  they  thought  they  had.  Jud.  Lx.  38. 

We  also,  before  the  temptation  comes,  think  we 
can  walk  upon  the  sea,  but  when  the  winds  blow, 
we  feel  ourselves  begin  to  sink.  Hence  such  a 
time  is  rightly  said  to  be  a  time  to  try  us,  or  to 
find  out  what  we  are,  and  is  there  no  good  in  this  ? 
Is  it  not  this  that  rightly  rectifies  our  judgment 
about  ourselves,  that  makes  us  to  know  ourselves, 
that  tends  to  cut  off  those  superfluous  sprigs  of 
pride  and  self-conceitedness,  wherewith  we  are 
subject  to  be  overcome  ?  Is  not  such  a  day,  the 
day  that  bends  us,  humbleth  us,  and  that  makes 
us  bow  before  God,  for  our  faults  committed  in 
our  prospex'ity  ?  and  yet  doth  it  yield  no  good  unto 
us  ?  Ave  could  not  live  without  such  turnings  of 
the  hand  of  God  upon  us.  We  should  be  over- 
grown with  flesh,  if  we  had  not  our  seasonable 
winters.  It  is  said  that  in  some  comitries  trees 
wiU  grow,  but  will  bear  no  fruit,  because  there  is 
no  winter  there.  The  Lord  bless  all  seasons  to 
his  people,  and  help  them  rightly  to  behave  them- 
selves, under  all  the  times  that  go  over  them. 

Farewell.  I  am  thine  to  serve  the©  in  the 
gospel, 

John  Bunyan. 


ADVICE  TO  SUTFERERS. 


69& 


ADTICE  TO   SUFFEREHS. 


•Wherefore  let  them  that  suffer  according 

TO  THE  WILL  OF  GOD,  COMMIT  THE  KEEPING  OP 
THEIR  SOULS  TO  BIM  IN  WELL  DOING,  AS  UNTO  A 
FAITHFUL  CREATOR.' 1  PET.  IV.   19. 

This  epistle  was  written  to  saints  in  afl3iction, 
specially  those  of  tlie  circumcision,  for  whom  this 
Peter  was  an  apostle.  And  it  was  written  to 
them  to  counsel,  and  comfort  them  in  their  afflic- 
tion. To  counsel  them  as  to  the  cause,  for  which 
thej  were  in  afflictions,  and  as  to  the  right  man- 
agement of  themselves,  and  their  cause,  under  their 
affliction.  To  comfort  them  also  hoth  with  respect 
to  their  present  help  from  God,  and  also  with  re- 
ference to  the  reward  that  (they  faithfully  con- 
tinuing to  the  end)  should  of  God  he  hestowed 
upon  them:  all  which  we  shall  have  occasion, 
more  distinctly,  to  handle  in  this  following  dis- 
course. 

The  text  is  a  conclusion,  drawn  from  the  coun- 
sel and  comfort  vfhich  the  apostle  had  afore  given 
them  in  their  suffering  state.  As  who  should 
say,  my  hrethren,  as  you  are  now  afflicted,  so 
sufferings  are  needful  for  you,  and  therefore  pro- 
fitahle  and  advantageous:  wherefore  be  content 
to  bear  them.  And  that  you  may  indeed  bear 
them  with  such  christian  contentedness,  and  pa- 
tience as  becomes  you ;  commit  the  keeping  of 
your  souls  to  your  God  as  unto  a  faithful  Creator. 
*  Let  them  that  suffer  according  to  the  will  of  God, 
commit  the  keeping  of  their  souls  to  him  [in  well 
doing,]  as  unto  a  faithful  Creator.' 

In  this  conclusion,  therefore,  we  have  three 
things  very  fit  for  sufferers  to  concern  themselves 
with.  First,  A  direction  to  a  duty  of  absolute 
necessity.  Second,  A  description  of  the  persons, 
who  are  unto  this,  so  necessary  a  duty,  directed. 
Third,  An  insinuation  of  the  good  effect  that  will 
certainly  follow  to  those  that  after  a  due  manner 
shall  take  this  blessed  advice. 

The  duty  so  absolutely  necessary  is,  that  suf- 
ferers '  commit  the  keeping  of  their  souls  to  God.' 
The  sufferers  here  intended,  are  those  '  that  suffer 
according  to  the  will  of  God.'  The  good  insinuated, 
that  will  be  the  effect  of  our  true  doing  of  this,  is, 
we  shall  find  God  'a  faithful  Creator,' 

[First — the  Duty  to  which  Sufferers  are 
directed.] 

We  will  first  begin  with  the  duty,  that  sufferers 
are  here  directed  to,  namely,  the  committing  of 
their  souls  to  God.  '  Let  them  -  commit  the 
keeping  of  their  souls  to  him,  in  well  doing. ' 

And  I  find  two  things  in  it  that  first  call  for 


explaining  before  I  proceed.  1.  What  we  must 
here  understand  by  '  the  soul.'  2.  What  by  ' com- 
mitting '  the  soul  to  God. 

1.  For  the  first:  'The  soul,'  here,  is  to  be 
taken  for  that  most  excellent  part  of  man,  that 
dwelleth  in  the  body;  that  immortal,  spiritual 
substance,  that  is,  and  will  be  capable  of  life,  and 
motion,  of  sense  and  reason ;  yea,  that  will  abide 
a  rational  being,  when  the  body  is  returned  to  the 
dust  as  it  was.  This  is  that  great  thing,  that  our 
Lord  Jesus  intends,  when  he  bids  his  disciples  in 
a  day  of  trial,  tear  him  that  can  destroy  both  body 
and  soul  in  hell.  Lu.  xii.  5.  That  great  thing,  I  say, 
that  he  there  cautions  them  to  take  care  of.  Ac- 
cording to  Peter  here,  'Let  them  commit  the 
keeping  of  their  soul  to  him  in  well  doing.' 

2.  Now  to  'commit'  this  soul  to  God,  is  to 
carry  it  to  him,  to  lift  it  to  him,  upon  my  bended 
knees,  and  to  pray  him  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ's 
sake,  to  take  it  into  his  holy  care,  and  to  let  it  be 
under  his  keeping.  Also,  that  he  will  please  to 
deliver  it  from  all  those  snares  that  are  laid  for  it, 
betwixt  this  and  the  next  world,  and  that  he  will 
see  that  it  be  forthcoming,  safe  and  sound,  at  the 
great  and  terrible  judgment,  notwithstanding  so 
many  have  engaged  themselves  against  it.  Thus 
David  committed  his  soid  to  God,  when  he  said 
*  Arise,  0  Lord,  disappoint  him,  cast  him  down: 
deliver  my  soul,  0  Lord,  from  the  wicked,  which 
is  thy  sword.'  Ps.  xvU.  13.  And  again,  'Be  pleased, 
0  Lord,  to  deliver  me:  0  Lord,  make  haste  to 
help  me.  Let  them  be  ashamed  and  confounded 
together  that  seek  after  my  soul  to  destroy  it.* 

Ps.  xL  13,  14. 

Thus,  I  have  shewed  you  what  the  soul  is,  and 
what  it  is  to  commit  the  soul  to  God.  This  then 
is  the  duty  that  the  apostle  here  exhorteth  the 
sufferers  to,  namely,  to  carry  their  soul  to  God, 
and  leave  it  with  him  while  they  engage  for  his 
name  in  the  world.  Now  from  the  apostle's 
exhortation  to  this  great  duty,  I  will  draw  these 
following  conclusions. 

Condiision  First,  That  when  persecution  is  raised 
against  a  people,  there  is  a  design  laid  for  the 
ruin  of  those  people's  souls.  This,  I  say,  doth 
naturally  follow  from  the  exliortation.  Why  else, 
need  they  to  commit  the  keeping  of  their  souls  to 
God.  For  by  this  word,  '  Unto  God  to  keep  them,* 
is  suggested ;  there  is  that  would  destroy  them, 
and  that  therefore  persecution  is  raised  against 
them.  I  am  not  so  uncharitable,  as  to  think,  that 
pei'secuting  men  design  this.*   But  I  verily  believe 


How  little  do  persecutors  imagine  that  they  are  mere 


696 


ADVICE  TO  SUFFERERS. 


that  the  devil  doth  design  this,  when  he  stirs  them 
up  to  so  sorry  a  work.  In  times  of  trial,  says 
Peter,  'your  adversary  the  devil  walketh  about  as  a 
roarino-lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour.'  i  re.r  8. 

Alas  !  men  in  their  acts  of  this  natiu-e,  have 
desio-ns  that  are  lower,  and  of  a  more  inferior 
rank.  Some  of  them  look  no  higher  than  revenge 
upon  the  carcass;  than  the  spoiling  of  their  neigh- 
bour of  his  estate,  liberty,  or  life ;  than  the  great- 
ening  of  themselves  in  this  world,  by  the  mins  of 
those  that  they  have  power  to  spoil.  Their  'pos- 
sessors slay  them,  and  hold  themselves  not  guilty: 
and  they  that  sell  them  say.  Blessed  be  the  Lord, 
for  I  am  rich.'  Zec.  xi.  5. 

Ay  !  But  Satan  will  not  be  put  off  thus :  it  is 
not  a  bag  of  money,  or  the  punishing  of  the  car- 
cass of  such  a  people,  that  will  please  or  satisfy 
him.  It  is  the  soul  that  he  aims  at ;  the  ruin  of 
the  precious  soul  that  he  hath  bent  himself  to 
bring  to  pass.  It  is  this  therefore  that  Peter 
here  hath  his  heart  concerned  with.  As,  who 
should  say.  My  brethren,  are  you  troubled  and 
persecuted  for  your  faith  ?  look  to  it,  the  hand 
of  Satan  is  in  this  thing,  and  whatever  men  drive 
at  by  doing  as  they  do,  the  devil  designs  no  less 
than  the  damnation  of  your  souls.  Ware  hawk, 
saith  the  falconer,  when  the  dogs  are  coming 
near  her :  especially  if  she  be  too  much  minding 
of  her  belly,  and  too  forgetful  of  what  the  nature 
of  the  dog  is.  Beware  Christian,  take  heed 
Christian ;  the  devil  is  desirous  to  have  thee. 
And  who  could  better  give  this  exhortation  than 
could  Peter  himself.  Who  for  not  taking  heed 
as  to  this  very  thing,  had  like  by  the  devil  to 
have  been  swallowed  up  alive:  as  is  manifest  to 
them  that  heedfully  read,  and  consider  how  far 
he  was  gone,  when  that  persecution  was  raised 
against  his  Master.  Lu.  xxii. 

When  a  tyrant  goes  to  dispossess  a  neighbouring 
prince  of  what  is  lawfully  his  own:  the  men  that 
he  employeth  at  arms  to  overcome,  and  get  the 
land,  they  fight  for  half-crowns,  and  the  like,  and 
are  content  with  their  wages :  But  the  tyrant  is 
for  the  kingdom,  nothing  will  serve  him  but  the 
kingdom.*  This  is  the  case :  Men  when  they 
persecute,  are  for  the  stuff,  but  the  devil  is  ior 
the  soul,  nor  will  any  thing  less  than  that  satisfy 
him.     Let  him  then  that  is  a  sufferer  '  commit  the 


tools  for  the  dtvil  to  work  with,  whether  they  are  harassin"; 
Christians  by  taking'  tlieir  goods,  or  are  hunting  down  their 
liberties  or  lives.  All  works  together  for  good  to  the  Chris- 
tian, but  for  unutterable  woe  to  the  persecutor.  God  give 
(hem  repentance. — Ed. 

*  Wicked  men  sell  themselves  to  do  the  devil's  work.  How 
degrading  to  the  dignity  of  man !  Enlisting  under  a  foreign 
prince  to  destroy  their  own  nation,  and  in  so  doing  to  destroy 
themselves.  For  an  account  of  tlie  atrocities  and  horrors  of 
this  war,  rrad  the  history  of  the  Waldeuses.— Ed. 


keeping  of  his  soul  to  God:'  lest  stuff,  and  soul, 
and  all  be  lost  at  once. 

Conclusion  Second,  A  second  conclusion  that 
foUoweth  upon  these  words,  is  this :  That  sufferers, 
if  they  have  not  a  care,  may  be  too  negligent  as 
to  the  securing  of  their  souls  with  God,  even  when 
persecution  is  upon  them.  For  these  words,  as 
they  are  an  instruction,  so  they  are  an  awakening 
instruction ;  they  call  as  to  people  in  danger ;  as 
to  people,  not  so  aware  of  the  danger ;  or  as  unto 
a  people  that  forget,  too  much,  that  their  souls, 
and  the  ruin  of  them,  are  sought  after  by  Satan, 
when  trouble  attends  them  for  the  gospel  sake. 
As,  who  should  say,  when  troubles  are  upon  you 
for  the  gospel's  sake,  then  take  heed  that  you 
forget  not  to  commit  your  souls  to  the  keeping  of 
God.  We  are  naturally  apt  with  that  good  man 
Gideon,  to  be  threshing  out  our  wheat,  that  we 
may  hide  it  from  the  Midianites.  Ju.  vi.  ii.  But  we 
are  not  so  naturally  apt  to  be  busying  ourselves  to 
secure  our  souls  with  God.  The  reason  is,  for 
that  we  are  more  flesh  than  spirit,  and  because 
the  voice  of  the  world  makes  a  bigger  sound  in  our 
carnal  mind,  than  the  word  of  God  doth.  Wliere- 
fore  Peter,  here,  calls  upon  us  as  upon  men  of 
forgetful  minds,  saying.  Let  them  that  suffer 
according  to  the  will  of  God,  have  a  care  of  their 
souls,  and  take  heed,  that  the  fears  of  the  loss  of 
a  little  of  this  world,  do  not  make  them  forget  the 
fear  of  the  losing  of  their  souls.  That  sufferers 
are  subject  to  this,  may  appear  by  the  stir  and 
bustle  that  at  such  a  time  they  make  to  lock  all  up 
safe  that  the  hand  of  man  can  reach, t  while  they 
are  cold,  chill,  remiss,  and  too  indifferent  about 
the  committing  of  their  soul  to  God  to  keep  it. 
This  is  seen  also,  in  that  many,  in  a  time  of  trou- 
ble for  their  profession,  will  study  more  to  deceive 
themselves  by  a  change  of  notions,  by  labouring  to 
persuade  their  consciences  to  admit  them  to  walk 
more  at  large,  by  hearkening  to  opinions  that  please 
and  gratify  the  flesh,  by  adhering  to  bad  examples, 
and  taking  evil  counsels,  than  they  will  to  make 
straight  steps  for  their  feet :  and  to  commit  the 
keeping  of  tlieir  souls  to  God.  What  shall  1  say, 
have  there  not  been  many,  that  so  long  as  peace 
has  lasted,  have  been  great  swaggerers  for  reli- 
gion, who  yet  so  soon  as  the  sun  has  waxed  warm, 
have  flagged,  have  been  discontented,  oft'ended, 
and  turned  away  from  him  that  speaketh  from 
heaven  ?  All  which  is  because  men  are  natm-ally 
apt  to  be  more  concerned  for  their  goods,  carnal 
peace,  and  a  temporal  life,  than  they  are  about 

t  This  frequently  happened.  In  Bedford,  Nic.  Hawkins 
attended  a  meeting,  and  was  fined  two  pounds ;  but  when  the 
harpies  went  to  take  away  his  goods,  finding  that  '  they  had 
been  removed  beforehand,  and  his  house  visited  with  the  small 
pox,  the  officers  declined  entering.' — Fersecutlon  in  Bedford, 
1670,  p.  6.— Ed. 


ADVICE  TO  SUFFERERS. 


691 


securing  of  their  souls  with  God.  Wlierefore  I 
say,  these  words  are  spoken  to  awaken  us  to  the 
consideration  of  soul-concerns,  and  how  that  should 
be  safely  lodged  under  the  care,  protection,  and 
mercy  of  God,  by  our  committing  of  it  to  him,  for 
that  purpose,  by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

Condibsion  Third,  Another  conclusion  that  fol- 
loweth  upon  this  exhortation,  is  this :  That  perse- 
cution doth,  sometimes,  so  hotly  follow  God's 
people,  as  to  leave  them  nothing  but  a  soul  to  care 
for.  They  have  had  no  house,  no  land,  no  money, 
no  goods,  no  life,  no  liberty,  left  them  to  care  for. 
All  is  gone  but  the  soul.  Goods  have  been  con- 
fiscated,liberty  has  been  in  irons,  thelifecondemned, 
the  neck  in  a  halter,  or  the  body  in  the  fire.  So 
then  all,  to  such,  has  been  gone,  and  they  have  had 
nothing  left  them  to  care  for,  but  their  soul.  *  Let 
them  commit  the  keeping  of  their  soul  to  God.' 
This  conclusion,  I  say,  doth  naturally  flow  from 
the  words.  For  that  the  apostle  here  doth  make 
mention  only  of  the  soul,  as  of  that  which  is  left, 
as  of  that  which  yet  remains  to  the  sufi"erer  of  all 
that  ever  he  had.  Thus  they  served  Christ ;  they 
left  him  nothing  but  his  soul  to  care  for.  Thus 
they  served  Stephen ;  they  left  him  nothing  but  his 
soul  to  care  for,  and  they  both  cared  for  that, 
'Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit,' 
said  Jesus.  La.  xxiu.  40.  And,  '  Lord  Jesus,  receive 
my  spirit,'  said  Stephen.  Ac.  vii.  59.  As  for  all  other 
things,  they  were  gone.  They  parted  the  very 
clothes  of  Christ  among  themselves  before  his  face, 
even  while  he  did  hang  pouring  out  his  life  before 
them,  upon  the  tree.  '  They  parted  my  garments 
among  them,'  said  he,  'and  upon  my  vesture  did 

they  cast  lots.'  Mat.  xx>u.  35.  Mar.  xv.  24.  Jn.  six.  24.      This 

also  has  oftentimes  been  the  condition  of  later 
Christians,  all  has  been  gone,  they  have  been 
stript  of  all,  nothing  has  been  left  them  but  '  soul' 
to  care  for.  Job  said  that  he  had  escaped  with 
the  skin  of  his  teeth ;  and  that  is  but  a  little :  but 
he  doth  not  escape  with  so  much,  that  loses  all  that 
he  has,  life  and  all,  we  now  except  the  soul.  But, 
Conclusion  Fourth,  Another  thing  that  foUoweth 
from  the  words  is  this ;  namely,  That  when  the 
devil  and  wicked  men  have  done  what  they  could, 
in  their  persecuting  of  the  godly ;  they  have  yet 
had  their  souls  at  their  own  dispose.*  They  have 
not  been  able  to  rob  them  of  their  souls,  they  are 
not  able  to  hurt  their  souls.  The  soul  is  not  in 
their  power  to  touch,  without  the  leave  of  God, 
and  of  him  whose  soul  it  is.  *  And  fear  not  them,' 
saith  Christ,  '  which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able 
to  kill  the  soul.'  Mat.  x.  28.  This,  I  say,  lies  clear  also 
in  the  text;  for  the  exhortation  supposes,  that 
whatever  the  sufierers,  there  made  mention  of,  had 

*  '  Dispose ;'  power,  disposal.     '  All  that  is  mine,  I  leave 
at  thy  dispose.' — Shakspeare. — Ed. 
VOL.  II. 


lost,  they  had  yet  their  souls  at  their  o^vu  dispose. 
Let  them  that  suffer,  even  to  the  loss  of  goods, 
liberty,  or  life,  '  commit  the  keeping  of  their  souls 
to  God.'  As,  who  should  say,  though  the  enemy 
hath  reached  them  to  their  all,  and  stripped  them 
of  their  all,  yet  I  know,  that  their  soul  is  not 
among  that  all :  For  their  soul  is  yet  free  from 
them,  at  liberty,  and  may  be  disposed  of,  even  as 
the  sufferer  will.  Wherefore,  let  him  commit  the 
keeping  of  his  soul  to  God,  lest  he  also  through 
his  negligence  or  carelessness  be  also  spoiled  of 
that.  The  sufferer,  therefore,  hath  his  soul  at  his 
own  dispose,  he  may  give  that  away  to  God 
Almighty,  in  spite  of  all  that  the  devil  and  the 
world  can  do.  He  may,  indeed,  see  men  parting 
his  land,  his  household  stuft',  yea,  his  very  raiment 
among  themselves,  but  they  cannot  so  dispose  of 
his  soul.t    They  'have  no  more  that  they  can  do.' 

Lu.  3ui.  4. 

Conclusion  Fifth,  Another  conclusion  that  fol- 
loweth  from  these  words  is  this.  That  a  man,  when 
he  is  a  sufterer,  is  not  able  to  secure  his  own  soul 
from  the  hand  of  hell  by  any  other  means,  but  by 
the  committing  of  the  keeping  thereof  to  God.  Do 
you  suffer?  Are  you  in  affliction  for  your  profes- 
sion ?  Then  keep  not  your  soul  in  your  own  hand, 
for  fear  of  losing  that  with  the  rest.  For  no  man 
'can  keep  aUve  his  own  soul.'  rs.  xxii.  sa.  No,  not 
In  the  greatest  calm ;  no,  not  when  the  lion  ia 
asleep :  how  then  should  he  do  it  at  such  a  time, 
when  the  horrible  blast  of  the  terrible  ones  shall 
beat  against  his  wall.  The  consideration  of  this 
was  that  that  made  holy  Paul,  who  was  a  man 
upon  whom  persecution  continually  attended,  com- 
mit his  soul  to  God.    Ac.  XX.  22-24.  2  Ti.  L  12.       God,  aS 

I  shall  shew  you  by  and  by,  is  he,  and  he  alone 
that  is  able  to  keep  the  soul,  and  deliver  it  from 
danger.  Man  is  natiu-ally  a  self-deceiver,  and 
therefore  is  not  to  be  trusted,  any  farther  than  as 
the  watchful  eye  of  God  is  over  him.  But  as  to 
his  soul,  he  is  not  to  be  trusted  with  that  at  all, 
that  must  be  wholly  committed  to  God,  left  alto- 
gether with  him ;  laid  at  his  feet,  and  he  also  must 
take  the  charge  thereof,  or  else  it  is  gone,  will  bo 
lost,  and  will  perish  for  ever  and  ever.  Wherefore 
it  is  a  dangerous  thing  for  a  man  that  is  a  suflerer, 
to  be  a  senseless  man,  as  to  the  danger  that  his 
soul  is  in,  aud  a  prayerless  man,  as  to  the  commit- 
ting of  the  keeping  of  it  to  God.  For  he  that  is 
such,  has  yet  his  soul,  and  the  keeping  theieof,  in 
his  own  deceitful  hand.  And  so  has  he  also  that 
stays   himself  upon  his  friends,  upon  his   know- 


t  In  Ireland,  whole  provinces  were  desolated,  both  by  Pro- 
testants and  Papists,  with  a  ferocity  scarcely  credible.  In 
England,  the  church  a\vfully  tormented  their  Christian  dis- 
senters, to  whom  their  Lord's  words  must  have  been  pecu- 
liarly consoling :  '  Fear  not  them  which  kill  the  body.'  Did 
they  sutler?  How  holy  were  their  enjoyments  1 — Ed. 
4  T 


698 


ADVICE  TO  SUFI'EIIERS. 


ledo-e,  the  promise  of  men,  or  the  mercy  of  his 
enemies,  or  that  has  set  in  his  mind  a  bound  to 
himself,  how  far  he  will  venture  for  religion,  and 
•where  he  will  stop.  This  is  the  man  that  makes 
not  God  his  trust,  and  that  therefore  will  surely 
fall  in  the  day  of  his  temptation.  Satan,  who  now 
hunteth  for  the  precious  soul  to  destroy  it,  has 
power,  as  well  as  policy,  beyond  what  man  can 
think.  He  has  power  to  blind,  harden,  and  to 
make  insensible,  the  heart.  He  also  can  make 
truth  in  the  eyes  of  the  suffering  man,  a  poor,  little, 
and  insignificant  thing,  Judas  had  not  committed 
the  keeping  of  his  soul  to  God,  but  abode  in  him- 
self, and  was  left  in  his  tabernacle:  and  you  by 
and  by  see  what  a  worthy  price  he  set  upon  him- 
self, his  Christ,  and  heaven,  and  all.  All  to  him 
was  not  now  worth  thirty  pieces  of  silver. 

And  as  he  can  make  truth  in  thy  esteem  to  be 
little,  so  he  can  make  sufferings  great,  and  ten 
times  more  terrible,  than  he  that  hath  committed 
the  keeping  of  his  soul  to  God  shall  ever  find 
them.  A  gaol  shall  look  as  black  as  hell,  and  the 
loss  of  a  few  stools  and  chairs,  as  bad  as  the  loss 
of  so  many  bags  of  gold.*  Death  for  the  Saviour 
of  the  world,  shall  seem  to  be  a  thing  both  unrea- 
sonable and  intolerable.  Such  will  choose  to  run 
the  hazard  of  the  loss  of  a  thousand  souls,  in  the 
way  of  the  world,  rather  than  the  loss  of  one  poor, 
sorry,  transitory  life  for  the  holy  Word  of  God. 
But  the  reason,  as  I  said,  is,  they  have  not  com- 
mitted the  keeping  of  their  soul  to  God.  For  he 
that  indeed  has  committed  the  keeping  of  his  soul 
to  that  great  one,  has  shaken  his  hands  of  all 
things  here.  Has  bid  adieu  to  the  world,  to  friends, 
and  life :  and  waiteth  upon  God  in  a  way  of  close 
keeping  to  his  truth,  and  walking  in  his  ways, 
having  counted  the  cost,  and  been  persuaded  to 
take  what  cup  God  shall  suffer  the  world  to  give 
him  for  so  doing. 

Conclusion  Sixth,  Another  conclusion  that  fol- 
lowcth  from  these  words  is.  That  God  is  very  willing 
to  take  the  charge  and  care  of  the  soul  (that  is 
committed  unto  him)  of  them  that  suffer  for  his  sake 
in  the  world.  If  this  were  not  true,  the  exhorta- 
tion would  not  answer  the  end.  What  is  intended 
by,  'Let  him  commit  the  keeping  of  his  soul  to 
God,  but  that  the  sufi-erer  should  indeed  leave  that 
great  care  with  him ;  but  if  God  be  not  williu-  to 
be  concerned  with  such  a  charge,  what  bottom  t  is 
there  for  the  exhortation?     But  the  exhortation 

*  :\"  ^1^"^'^  'f  t^"«e  occurred  soon  after  the  publication  of 
tins  Advice.  John  Child,  a  Baptist  minister,  oue  of  Bunyan's 
fnends,  o  escape  persecution,  conformed,  and  became  terrified 
wrth  a^vful  compnnctions  of  conscience.  His  cries  were  fear- 
ful:     I  shaU  go  to  heU  ;■  '  I  am  broken  in  judgment ;"  I  am 

""■Mbclf  on  the  loth  October,  1684.— Ed 

t  -What  bottom/  >N'hat  ground  or  fouudation.-Ei). 


has  this  for  its  bottom,  therefore  God  is  willing 
to  take  the  charge  and  care  of  the  soul  of  hira  that 
suffereth  for  his  name  in  this  world.  *  The  Lord 
redeemeth  the  soul  of  his  servants:  and  none  of 
them  that  trust  in  him  shall  be  desolate. '  rs.  .xxiiv.  22. 
1  Sa.  XXV.  28,  29.  Nonc,  not  One  that  committeth  his 
soul  to  God's  keeping  in  a  way  of  well  doing,  but 
shall  find  hira  willing  to  be  concerned  therewith. 

Ay,  this,  saith  the  sufferer,  if  I  could  believe 
this,  it  would  rid  me  of  all  my  fears.  But  I  find 
myself  engaged  for  God,  for  1  have  made  a  profes- 
sion of  his  name,  and  cannot  arrive  to  this  belief 
that  God  is  willing  to  take  the  charge  and  care  of 
my  soul.  Wherefore  I  fear,  that  if  trials  come  so 
high,  as  that  life,  as  well  as  estate,  must  go,  that 
both  life,  and  estate,  and  soul,  and  all  will  be  lost 
at  once. 

Well,  honest  heart,  these  are  thy  fears,  but  let 
them  fly  away,  and  consider  the  text  again,  *  Let 
them  that  suffer  according  to  the  will  of  God,  com- 
mit the  keeping  of  their  souls  to  him,  -  as  unto  a 
faithful  creator.'  These  are  God's  words,  Christ's 
words,  and  the  invitation  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  When, 
therefore,  thou  readest  them,  be  persuaded  that 
thou  hearest  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  all  of  them  jointly  and  severally 
speaking  to  thee  and  saying.  Poor  sinner,  thou  art 
engaged  for  God  in  the  world,  thou  art  suffering 
for  his  Word :  leave  thy  soul  with  him  as  with  one 
that  is  more  willing  to  save  it,  than  thou  art  willing 
he  should:  act  faith,  trust  God,  believe  his  Word, 
and  go  on  in  thy  way  of  witness-bearing  for  him, 
and  thou  shaft  find  all  well,  and  accordmg  to  the 
desire  of  thy  heart  at  last.  True,  Satan  will  make 
it  his  business  to  tempt  thee  to  doubt  of  this,  that 
thy  way  be  made  yet  more  hard  and  difficult  to 
thee.  For  he  knows  that  unbelief  is  a  soul-per- 
plexing sin,  and  makes  that  which  would  otherwise 
be  light,  pleasant,  and  easy,  unutterably  heavy  and 
burdensome  to  the  sufferer.  Yea,  this  he  doth  in 
hope  to  make  thee  at  last,  to  cast  away  thy  pro- 
fession, thy  cause,  thy  faith,  thy  conscience,  thy 
soul,  and  all.  But  hear  what  the  Holy  Ghost  saith 
again :  *  He  shall  spare  the  poor  and  needy,  and 
shall  save  the  souls  of  the  needy.  He  shall  redeem 
their  soul  from  deceit  and  violence :  and  precious 
shall  their  blood  be  in  his  sight. '  Ps.  ixxU.  13, 14.  These 
words  also  are  spoken  for  the  comfort  of  sufferers, 
vcr.  12.  '  For  he  shall  deliver  the  needy  when  he 
crieth ;  the  poor  also,  and  Am  that  hath  no  helper.' 
Wherefore,  let  them  that  are  God's  sufferers,  pluck 
up  a  good  heart ;  let  them  not  be  afraid  to  trust 
God  with  their  souls,  and  with  their  eternal  con- 
cerns. Let  them  cast  all  their  care  upon  God,  for 
he  careth  for  them.  1  Pe.  v.  7, 

But  1  am  in  the  dark, 

I  answer,  never  stick  at  that.  It  is  most 
bravely  done,  to  trust  God  with   my  soul  in  the 


ADVICE  TO  SUFFERERS. 


699 


dark,  and  to  resolve  to  serve  God  for  nothing, 
rather  than  give  out.  Not  to  see,  and  yet  to 
believe,  and  to  be  a  follower  of  the  Lamb,  and  yet 
to  be  at  uncertainty,  what  we  shall  have  at  last, 
argues  love,  fear,  faith,  and  an  honest  mind,  and 
gives  the  greatest  sign  of  one  that  hath  true  sin- 
cerity in  his  soul.  It  was  this  that  made  Job  and 
Peter  so  famous,  and  the  want  of  it  that  took  away 
much  of  the  glory  of  the  faith  of  Thomas.  Job  i.  8-10, 
21.  Mat.  six.  27.  jn.  xs.  29.  Wherefore  believe,  verily, 
that  God  is  ready,  willing,  yea,  that  he  looks  for, 
and  expects  that  thou  who  art  a  sufferer  shouldest 
con>mit  the  keeping  of  thy  soul  to  him,  as  unto  a 
faithful  Creator. 

Conclusion  Seventh.  Another  conclusion  that  fol- 
loweth  from  these  words  is  this,  naqaely.  That  God 
is  able,  as  well  as  willing,  to  secure  the  souls  of 
his  suffering  saints,  and  to  save  them  from  the 
evil  of  all  their  trials,  be  they  never  so  many, 
divers,  or  terrible.  *  Let  him  commit  the  keeping 
of  his  soul  to  God,'  but  to  what  boot,  if  he  be  not 
able  to  keep  it  in  his  hand,  and  from  the  power  of 
him  that  seeks  the  soul  to  destroy  it?  But  'my 
Father  which  gave  them  me,'  saith  Christ,  •  is 
greater  than  all ;  and  no  man  is  able  to  pluck 
theni  out  of  my  Father's  hand.'  jn.  x.  29.  So  then 
there  can  be  no  sorrow,  affliction,  or  misery 
invented,  by  which  the  devil  may  so  strongly  pre- 
vail, as  thereby  to  pluck  the  soul  out  of  the  hand 
of  him  who  has  received  it,  to  keep  it  from  tailing, 
and  perishing  thereby.  The  text  therefore  sup- 
poseth  a  sufficiency  of  power  in  God  to  support, 
and  a  sufficiency  of  comfort  and  goodness  to 
embolden  the  soul  to  endure  for  him:  let  Satan 
break  out,  and  his  instruments  too,  to  the  greatest 
degree  of  their  rage  and  cruelty. 

1.  There  is  in  God  a  sufficiency  of  wwer  to 
keep  them  that  fuxve  laid  their  soul  at  his  foot  to  be 
lyreserved.  And  hence  he  is  called  the  soul-keeper, 
the  soul-preserver,  Pr.  xsiv.  12.  *  The  Lord  is  thy 
keeper:  the  Lord  is  thy  shade  upon  thy  right 
hand.  The  sun  shall  not  smite  thee  by  day,  nor 
the  moon  by  night.  The  Lord  shall  preserve  thee 
from  all  evil:  he  shall  preserve  thy  soul.'  rs.  cxxi. 
5-7.  *  The  sun  shall  not  smite  thee : '  that  is,  per- 
secution shall  not  dry  and  wither  thee  away  to 
nothing.  Mat.  xiu.  6,  21.  But  that  notwithstanding, 
thou  shalt  be  kept  and  preserved,  carried  through 
and  delivered  from  all  evil.  Let  him  therefore 
commit  the  keeping  of  his  soul  to  him,  if  he  is  in 
a  suffering  condition,  that  would  have  it  secured 
and  found  safe  and  sound  at  last.     For, 

(1.)  Then  thine  own  natural  weakness,  and 
timorousness  shall  not  overcome  thee. — For  it  shall 
not  be  too  hard  for  God.  God  can  make  the  most 
soft  spirited  man  as  hard  as  an  adamant,  harder 
than  flint,  yea  harder  than  the  northern  steel. 
*  Shall  iron  break  the  northern  iron  and  the  steel?' 


Je.  XT.  12.  The  sword  of  him  Is  [used]  in  vain  that 
lays  at  a  Christian,  when  he  is  in  the  way  of  his 
duty  to  God:  if  God  has  taken  to  him  the  charge 
and  care  of  his  soul,  he  can  slioe  him  with  brass, 
and  make  his  hoofs  of  iron.  De.  xxxUi.  25.  '  He  can 
strengthen  the  spoiled  against  the  strwig,  so  that 
the  spoiled  shall  come  against  the  fortress. '  Am.  v.  8. 

Eze.  .xiii.  9. 

He  can  turn  thee  into  another  man,  and  make 
thee  that  which  thou  never  wast.  Timorous  Peter, 
fearful  Peter,  he  could  make  as  bold  as  a  lion. 
He  that  at  one  time  was  afraid  of  a  sorry  girl,  he 
could  make  at  another  to  stand  boldly  before  the 
council.  Mat.  xxvi.  Ac.  iv.  13.  There  is  nothing  too  hard 
for  God.  He  can  can  say  to  them  that  are  of  a 
fearful  heart,  '  Be  strong,  fear  not. '  is.  xisv.  4.  He 
can  say.  Let  the  weak  say  I  am  strong ;  by  such 
a  word,  by  which  he  created  the  world.  Zec.  lii.  8. 

(2.)  Thine  own  natural  darkness  and  ignorance 
shall  not  cause  thee  to  faU ;  thy  want  of  wit  he 
can  supply. — He  can  say  to  the  fools,  be  wise ;  not 
only  by  way  of  correction,  but  also  by  Avay  of 
instruction  too.  He  '  hath  chosen  the  foolish 
things  of  the  world  to  confound  the  wise ;  -  yea, 
things  which  are  despised,  -  and  things  which  are 
not,  hath  God  chosen  to  bring  to  nought  things 
that  are.'  1  Co.  i.  27,  28.  Wisdom  and  might  are  his : 
and  when,  and  where  he  will  work,  none  can  at  all 
withstand  him.  He  can  give  thee  the  spirit  of 
wisdom  and  revelation  in  the  knowledge  of  his  Son. 
Ep.  L  17.  Yea,  to  do  this,  is  that  which  he  challeng- 
eth,  as  that  which  is  peculiar  to  himself.  '  Who 
hath  put  wisdom  in  the  inward  parts  ?  or  who  hath 
given  understanding  to  the  heart  ?'  Job  ixx\'iiL  36. 
And  that  he  will  do  this  that  he  hath  promised, 
yea,  promised  to  do  it  to  that  degree,  as  to  make 
his,  that  shall  be  thus  concerned  for  him,  to  top, 
and  overtop  all  men  that  shall  them  oppose.  I, 
saith  he,  '  will  give  you  a  mouth  and  wisdom,  that 
all  your  adversaries  shall  not  be  able  to  gainsay 
nor  resist. '  Lu.  xxU  15. 

(3.)  Thine  own  doubts  and  mistrusts  about  what 
he  will  do,  and  about  whither  thou  shalt  go,  when 
thou  for  him  hast  suffered  awhile,  he  can  resolve, 
yea,  dissolve,  crush,  and  bring  to  nothing. — He 
can  make  fear  flee  far  aAvay :  and  place  heavenly 
confidence  in  its  room.  He  can  bring  invisible 
and  eternal  things  to  the  eye  of  thy  soul,  and 
make  thee  see  that  in  those  things  in  which  thine 
enemies  shall  see  nothing,  that  thou  shalt  count 
worth  the  loss  of  ten  thousand  hves  to  enjoy.  He 
can  pull  such  things  out  of  his  bosom,  and  can  put 
such  things  into  thy  mouth ;  yea,  can  make  thee 
choose  to  be  gone,  though  through  the  flames, 
than  to  stay  here  and  die  in  silken  sheets.  Yea, 
he  can  himself  come  near  and  bring  his  heaven 
and  glory  to  thee.  The  Spirit  of  glory  and  of 
God  resteth  upon  them  that  are  but  reproached 


700 


ADVICE  TO  SUTJ^ERERS. 


for  the  name  of  Christ,  i  Ve.  iv.  14.  And  what  the 
Spirit  of  glorj  is,  and  what  is  his  resting  upon  his 
sufferers,  is  quite  beyond  the  knowledge  of  the 
world,  and  is  but  little  felt  by  saints  at  peace. 
They  be  they  that  are  engaged,  and  that  are  under 
the  lash  of  Christ ;  they  are  they,  I  say,  that  have 
it  and  that  understand  something  of  it. 

When  Moses  went  up  the  first  time  into  the 
mount  to  God,  the  people  reproached  him  for  stay- 
ing with  him  so  long,  saying,  *  As  for  this  Moses, 
-  we  wot  not  what  is  become  of  him. '  Ex.  %xx\\.  1. 
Well,  the  next  time  he  went  up  thither,  and  came 
down,  the  Spirit  of  glory  was  upon  him ;  his  face 
shone,  though  he  wist  it  not,  to  his  honour,  and 
their  amazement.  Ex.  xxxw.  29-35.  Also  while  Ste- 
phen stood  before  the  council  to  be  accused,  by 
suborned  men,  '  All  that  sat  in  the  council,  looking 
steadfastly  on  him,  saw  his  face  as  it  had  been  the 
face  of  an  angel.'  Ac.  vi.  15.  Those  that  honour  God, 
he  will  honour,  yea,  will  put  some  of  his  glory 
upon  them,  but  they  shall  be  honoured.  There  is 
none  can  tell  what  God  can  do.  He  can  make 
those  things  that  in  themselves  are  most  fearful 
and  terrible  to  behold,  the  most  pleasant,  delight- 
ful, and  desirable  things.  He  can  make  a  gaol 
more  beautiful  than  a  palace;  restraint,  more 
sweet  by  far  than  liberty.  And  '  the  reproach  of 
Christ  greater  riches  than  the  treasures  in  Egypt.' 
He.  xi.  26.  It  is  said  of  Christ,  That  *  for  the  joy 
that  was  set  before  him,  he  endured  the  cross, 
despising  the  shame.'  lie.  xii.  2.    But, 

2.  As  there  is  in  God  a  sufficiency  of  power  to 
uphold,  so  thei-e  73  in  him  also  a  mffidency  of  com- 
fort and  goodness  to  embolden  m :  I  mean  com- 
municative comfort  and  goodness.  Variety  of, 
and  the  terribleness  that  attends  afflictions,  call, 
not  only  for  the  beholding  of  things,  but  also  a 
laying  hold  of  them  by  faith  and  feeling ;  now  this 
also  is  with  God  to  the  making  of  His  to  sing  in 
the  night.  Paul  and  Silas  sang  in  prison,  the 
apostles  went  away  from  the  council  rejoicing, 
when  they  had  shamefully  beaten  them  for  their 
preaching  in  the  temple.  Ac.  v.  But  whence  came 
this  but  from  an  inward  feeling  by  faith  of  the 
love  of  God,  and  of  Christ,  which  passeth  know- 
ledge ?  Hence  he  says  to  those  under  afflictions, 
'  Fear  none  of  those  things  which  thou  shalt  suffer. ' 
He.  iL  10,  There  are  things  to  be  suffered,  as  well  as 
places  to  suffer  in ;  and  there  are  things  to  be  let 
into  the  soul  for  its  emboldening,  as  well  as  thin<vs 
to  be  showed  to  it.  Ro.  v.  5. 

Now  the  things  to  be  suffered  are  many,  some 
of  which  are  thus  counted  up :  « They  were  tor- 
tured, -  had  cruel  mockings  and  scouro-ino-s ;  - 
they  were  stoned,  were  sawn  asunder,  were  slain 
with  the  sword,  -  were  tempted ;  -  they  wandered 
about  in  sheep-skins,  and  goat-skins,  being  desti- 
tute, afflicted,  tormented.'  lie.  iL  35-S7.     These  are 


some  of  the  things  that  good  men  of  old  have  suf- 
fered for  their  profession  of  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ.  All  which  they  were  enabled  by  him  to 
bear,  to  bear  with  patience  ;  to  bear  with  rejoicing; 
*  knowing  in  themselves  that  they  had  in  heaven 
a  better,  and  an  enduring  substance. '  He.  x.  32-34. 
And  it  is  upon  this  account  that  Paul  doth  call  to 
mind  the  most  dreadful  of  his  afflictions,  which  he 
suffered  for  the  gospel  sake  with  rejoicing ;  and 
that  he  tells  us  that  he  was  most  glad,  when  he 
was  in  such  infirmities.  Yea,  it  is  upon  this 
account  that  he  boasteth,  and  vaunteth  it  over 
death,  life,  angels,  principalities,  powers,  things 
present,  things  to  come,  height,  depth,  and  every 
other  creature:  for  he  knew  that  there  was  enough 
in  that  love  of  God,  which  was  set  on  him  through 
Christ,  to  preserve  him,  and  to  carry  him  through 
all.  2  Co.  xii.  9, 10.  Ro.  viii.  37—39.  That  God  has  done 
thus,  a  thousand  instances  might  be  given ;  and 
that  God  will  still  do  thus,  for  that  we  have  his 
faithful  promise,  is.  xliii.  2.  i  Co.  x.  13. 

To  the  adversaries  of  the  church  these  things 
have  also  sometimes  been  shewed,  to  their  amaze- 
ment and  confusion.  God  shewed  to  the  king  of 
Babylon  that  he  was  with  the  three  children  in  the 
fiery  furnace.  Da.  iii.  24.  God  shewed  to  the  king 
of  Babylon  again,  that  he  would  be  where  uis 
were,  though  in  the  lion's  den.  vi.  24. 

Also,  in  later  days,  whoso  reads  Mr.  Fox's  Acts 
and  Monuments,  will  also  find  several  things  to 
confirm  this  for  truth.  God  has  power  over  all 
plagues,  and  therefore  can  either  heighten,  or 
moderate  and  lessen  them  at  pleasure.  He  has 
power  over  fire,  and  can  take  away  the  intolerable 
heat  thereof.  This  those  in  the  Marian  days 
could  also  testify,  namely,  Hauks  and  Bainham, 
and  others,  who  could  shout  for  joy,  and  clap  their 
hands  in  the  very  flames  for  joy.  God  has  power 
over  hunger,  and  can  moderate  it,  and  cause  that 
one  meal's  meat  shall  go  as  far  as  forty  were  wont 
to  do.  This  is  witnessed  in  Elias,  when  he  went 
for  his  life  to  the  mount  of  God,  being  fled  from 
the  face  of  Jezebel.  1  Ki.  xix  8.  And  what  a  good 
night's  lodging  had  Jacob  when  he  fled  from  the 
face  of  his  brother  Esau:  when  the  earth  was  his 
couch,  the  stone*  his  pillow,  the  heavens  hi.s 
canopy,  and  the  shades  of  the  night  his  curtains. t 

Ge.  xxviii.  12—16. 

1  can  do  all  things,  said  Paul,  through  Christ 
strengthening  me.     And  again,  I  take  pleasure  in 


*  Tills  identical  stone  is  said  to  be  in  the  chair  on  which 
our  monarchs  are  crowned  in  Westminster  Abbey. — Ed. 

t  In  so  unbounded,  eternal,  and  magnificent  a  mansion,  well 
might  he  exclaim,  '  This  is  none  other  but  the  house  of  God, 
and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven.'  Where  God  meets  us  with  his 
special  presence,  we  ought  to  meet  Him  with  the  most  hum- 
ble reverence;  remembering  his  justice  and  holinesSj  and  Qiir 
own  meanness  and  vileness. — Ed. 


ADVICE  TO  SUFFERERS. 


701 


infirmities,  in  reproaclies,  in  necessities,  in  perse- 
cutions, in  distresses  for  Christ's  sake.  But  how 
can  that  be,  since  no  affliction  for  the  present  seems 
joyous  ?  I  answer,  though  they  he  not  so  in 
themselves,  yet  Christ,  by  his  presence,  can  make 
them  so :  for  then  his  power  rests  upon  us.  When 
I  am  weak,  saith  he,  then  I  am  strong ;  then  Christ 
(loth  in  me  mighty  things :  for  my  strength,  saith 
Christ,  is  made  perfect  in  weakness ;  in  affliction, 
for  the  gospel  sake. 

For  when  my  people  are  afflicted  and  suffer 
great  distress  for  me,  then  they  have  my  comfort- 
ing, supporting,  emboldening,  and  upholding  pres- 
ence to  relieve  them :  an  instance  of  which  you 
have  in  the  three  children  and  in  Daniel,  made 
mention  of  before.  But  what,  think  you,  did  these 
servants  of  the  God  of  Jacob  feel,  feel  in  their 
souls,  of  his  power  and  comforting  presence  when 
they,  for  his  name,  were  suffering  of  the  rage  of 
their  enemies, — while,  also,  one,  like  the  Son  of 
God,  was  walking  in  the  fire  with  the  three ; 
and  while  Daniel  sat  and  saw  that  the  hands 
of  the  angels  were  made  muzzles  for  the  lions' 
mouths. 

I  say,  was  it  not  worth  being  in  the  furnace 
and  in  the  den  to  see  such  things  as  these  ?  0 ! 
the  grace  of  God,  and  his  Spirit  and  power  that  is 
with  them  that  suffer  for  him,  if  their  hearts  be 
upright  with  him  ;  if  they  are  willing  to  be  faith- 
ful to  him  ;  if  they  have  learned  to  say,  here  am  1, 
whenever  he  calls  them,  and  whatever  he  calls 
them  to.  '  Wherefore,'  when  Peter  saith,  '  let 
them  that  suffer  according  to  the  will  of  God,  com- 
mit the  keeping  of  their  souls  to  Mm  in  well-doing, 
as  unto  a  faithful  Creator.'  He  concludes,  that 
how  outrageous,  furious,  merciless,  or  cruel  soever 
the  enemy  is,  yet  there,  with  him,  they  shall  find 
help  and  succour,  relief  and  comfort;  for  God  is 
able  to  make  such  as  do  so,  stand. 

Conclusion  Eiglith.  We  will  now  come  to  touch 
upon  that  which  may  more  immediately  be  called 
the  reason  of  this  exhortation ;  for,  although  all 
these  things  that  have  been  mentioned  before  may, 
or  might  be  called  reasons  of  the  point,  yet  there  are 
those,  in  my  judgment,  that  may  be  called  reasons, 
which  are  yet  behind.     As, 

1.  Because,  when  a  man  has,  by  faith  and  pra3-er, 
committed  the  keejting  of  his  soul  to  God,  he  has  the 
advantage  of  that  liberty  of  soul  to  do  and  suffer 
for  God  that  he  cannot  otherwise  have.  He  that  has 
committed  his  soul  to  God  to  keep  is  rid  of  that  care, 
and  is  delivered  from  the  fear  of  its  perishing  for 
ever.  When  the  Jews  went  to  stone  Stephen  they 
laid  their  clothes  down  at  a  distance  from  the 
place,  at  a  young  man's  feet,  whose  name  was  Saul, 
that  they  might  not  be  a  cumber  or  a  trouble  to 
them,  as  to  their  intended  work.  So  we,  when 
we  go  about  to  drive  sin  out  of  the  world,  in  a  way 


of  suffering  for  God's  truth  against  it,*  we  should 
lay  down  our  souls  at  tiic  feet  of  God  to  care 
for,  that  we  may  not  be  cumbered  with  the  care 
of  them  ourselves ;  also,  that  our  care  of  God's 
truth  may  not  be  Aveakened  by  such  sudden  and 
strong  doubts  as  will  cause  us  faintingly  to  say. 
But  what  will  become  of  my  soul  ?  When  Paul  had 
told  his  son  Timothy  that  he  had  been  before  that 
lion  Nero,  and  that  he  was  at  present  delivered 
out  of  his  mouth,  he  adds.  And  the  Lord  shall 
deliver  me  from  every  evd  work,  and  will  pre- 
serve me  unto  his  heavenly  kingdom.  He  shall 
and  will.  Here  is  a  man  at  liberty,  here  are  no 
cumbersome  fears.  But  how  came  the  apostle  by 
this  confidence  of  his  well-being  and  of  his  share 
in  another  world  ?  "Why,  '  he  had  committed  the 
keeping  of  his  soul  to  God,'  compare  2  Ti.  i.  12.  with 
iv.  18.  For  to  commit  the  keeping  of  the  soul  to 
God,  if  it  be  done  in  faith  and  praj'er,  it  leaves, 
or  rather  brings  this  holy  boldness  and  confidence 
into  the  soul.  Suppose  a  man  in  the  country  were 
necessitated  to  go  to  London,  and  had  a  great 
charge  of  money  to  pay  in  there ;  suppose,  also, 
that  the  way  thither  was  become  exceeding  danger- 
ous because  of  the  highwaymen  that  continually 
abide  therein, — what  now  must  this  man  do  to  go 
on  his  journey  cheerfully  ?  Why,  let  him  pay  in 
his  money  to  such  an  one  in  the  country  as  will  be 
sure  to  return  it  for  him  at  London  safely.  Why, 
this  is  the  case,  thou  art  bound  for  heaven,  but  the 
way  thither  is  dangerous.  It  is  beset  everywhere 
with  evil  angels,  who  would  rob  thee  of  thy  soul, 
W^hat  now  ?  Why,  if  thou  wouldest  go  cheerfully 
on  in  thy  dangerous  journe}^  commit  thy  treasure, 
thy  soul,  to  God  to  keep ;  and  then  thou  mayest 
say,  with  comfort.  Well,  that  care  is  over :  for  what- 
ever I  meet  with  in  my  way  thither,  my  soul  is  safe 
enough :  the  thieves,  if  they  meet  me,  can  not  come 
at  that ;  I  know  to  whom  I  have  committed  my  soul, 
and  I  am  persuaded  that  he  will  keep  that  to  my 
joy  and  everlasting  comfort  against  the  great  day.1 
This,  therefore,  is  one  reason  why  we  should, 
that  suffer  for  Christ,  commit  the  keeping  of  our 
souls  to  God ;  because  a  doubt  about  the  well- 
being  of  that   will  be  a  clog,  a  burden,    and  an 


*  The  only  way  of  driving  sin  out  of  the  world  is  to  make 
known  the  Saviour.  Reader,  can  you  solve  !Mr.  Banyan's 
riddle  ?  Burning  those  who  made  him  known  under  ^lary 
— hanging,  imprisoning,  and  transporting  the  most  godly 
preachers  for  nouconformity  under  Elizabeth  and  the  Stmirts. 
How  can  tliis  be  a  means  of  driving  much  sin  out  of  the 
world  'in  a  way  of  suffering  for  God's  truth  against  it?' — Ed. 

t  How  indescribably  blessed  is  the  Cluistian.  It  is  true 
that  he  has  to  perform  his  pilgrimage  through  an  enemy's 
country,  beset  with  suares,  pit-falls,  and  temptations ;  but  in  all 
his  bufi'etings  and  storms  of  sorrow,  his  soul  is  safe  ;  God  is  a 
wall  of  fire  round  about  it,  and  the  glory  in  the  midst  of  it.  He 
will  guide  us  by  his  counsel,  and  then  receive  us  to  his  glory. 
—Ed. 


702 


ADVICE  TO  SUFFERERS. 


affliction  to  our  spirit :  yea,  the  greatest  of  afflic- 
tions, whilst  we  are  taking  up  our  cross  and  hear- 
ing it  after  Christ,  The  joy  of  the  Lord  is  our 
strength,  and  the  fear  of  perishing  is  that  which 
will  be  weakening  to  us  in  the  way. 

2.  We  should  commit  the  keeping  of  our  souls 
to  God,  because  the  final  conclusion  that  merciless 
men  do  sometimes  make  with  the  servants  of  God 
is  all  on  a  sudden.  They  give  no  warning  before 
they  strike.  We  shall  not  need  here  to  call 
you  to  mind  about  the  massacres  that  were  in 
Ireland,  Paris,  Piedmont,  and  other  places,  where 
the  godly,  in  the  night  before  they  were  well 
awake,  had,  some  of  them,  their  heart  blood  run- 
ning on  the  ground.  The  savage  monsters  crying 
out,  Kill,  kill,  from  one  end  of  a  street  or  a  place 
to  the  other.  This  was  sudden  ;  and  he  that  had 
not  committed  his  soul  to  God  to  keep  it  was  surely 
very  hard  put  to  it  now ;  but  he  that  had  done  so 
was  ready  for  such  sudden  work.  Sometimes, 
indeed,  the  axe,  and  halter,  or  the  faggot  is  shewed 
first ;  but  sometimes,  again,  it  is  without  that 
warning.  Up,  said  Saul  to  Doeg,  the  Edomite, 
and  slay  the  priests  of  the  Lord,  i  Sa.  xxii.  ii,  is,  19. 
Here  was  sudden  work:  fall  on,  said  Saul,  and  Doeg 
fell  upon  them,  '  and  slew  on  that  day  four  score 
and  five  persons  that  did  wear  a  linen  ephod.' 
'  Nob,  also,  the  city  of  the  priests,  smote  he  with 
the  edge  of  the  sword,  both  men  and  women,  chil- 
dren and  sucklings,'  &lq.  Here  was  but  a  word  and 
a  blow.  Thinkest  thou  not,  who  readest  these 
lines,  that  all  of  these  who  had  before  committed 
their  soul  to  God  to  keep  were  the  fittest  folk  to 
die  ? 

*  And  immediately  the  king  sent  an  executioner, 
and  commanded  his  head  to  be  brought.'  Mar.  vi.  27. 
The  story  is  concerning  Herod  and  John  the  Bap- 
tist: Herod's  dancing  girl  had  begged  John  Bap- 
tist's head,  and  nothing  but  his  head  must  serve  her 
turn ;  well,  girl,  thou  shalt  have  it.  Have  it  ? 
Ay,  but  it  will  be  long  first.  No;  thou  shalt 
have  it  now,  just  now,  immediately.  '  And  imme- 
diately he  sent  an  executioner,  and  commanded  his 
head  to  be  brought.' 

Here  is  sudden  work  for  sufierers ;  here  is  no 
intimation  beforehand.  The  executioner  comes  to 
John ;  now,  whether  he  was  at  dinner,  or  asleep, 
or  whatever  he  was  about,  the  bloody  man  bolts 
in  upon  him,  and  the  first  word  he  salutes  him 
with  is.  Sir,  strip,  lay  down  your  neck,  for  I  am 
come  to  take  away  your  head.  But  hold,  stay ; 
wherefore  ?  pray,  let  me  commit  my  soul  to  God. 
No,  1  must  not  stay ;  1  am  in  haste :  slap,  says 
his  sword,  and  off  falls  the  good  man's  head.  This 
is  sudden  work;  work  that  stays  for  no  man; 
work  that  must  be  done  by  and  by ;  immediately, 
or  it  is  not  worth  a  rush.  I  will,  said  she,  that 
thou  give  me,  by  and  by,  in  a  charger,  the  head 


of  John  the  Baptist.  Yea,  she  came  in  haste, 
and  hastily  the  commandment  went  forth,  and 
immediately  his  head  was  brought. 

3.  Unless  a  man  commits  the  keeping  of  his  soul 
to  God,  it  is  a  question  whether  he  can  hold  out  and 
stand  his  ground,  and  wrestle  with  all  temptations. 
♦  This  is  the  victory,  -  even  our  faith ;'  and  '  who  is 
he  that  overcometh  the  world,  but  he  thatbelieveth  ?  ' 
And  Avhat  encouragement  has  a  man  to  suffer  for 
Christ,  whose  heart  cannot  believe,  and  whose  soul 
he  cannot  commit  to  God  to  keep  it  ?  And  our 
Lord  Jesus  intimates  as  much  when  he  saith,  *  Be 
thou  faithful  unto  death  and  I  will  give  thee  a 
crown  of  life.'  Wherefore  saith  be  thus  ?  but  to 
encourage  those  that  suffer  for  his  truth  in  the 
world,  to  commit  the  keeping  of  their  souls  to  him, 
and  to  believe  that  he  hath  taken  the  charge  and 
care  of  them.  Paul's  wisdom  was,  that  he  was 
ready  to  die  before  his  enemies  were  ready  to  kill 
him.  '  I  am  now  ready,'  saith  he,  '  to  be  offered, 
and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand.'  2  tl  iv.  6. 

This  is,  therefore,  a  thing  of  high  concern ;  to 
wit,  the  committing  of  the  soul  to  God  to  keep 
it.  It  is,  I  say,  of  concern  to  do  it  now,  just 
now,  quickly,  whether  thou  art  yet  engaged  or  no; 
for  it  is  a  good  preparatory  to,  as  well  as  profit 
able  in,  a  time  of  persecution :  consider  it,  I  say. 
The  apostle  Paul  saith  that  he  and  his  companions 
were  bold  in  their  God,  to  profess  and  stand  to 
the  word  of  God.  1  Th.  u.  2.  But  how  could  that  be 
if  they  had  the  salvation  of  their  souls  to  seek,  and 
that  to  be  sure  they  would  have  had  had  they  not 
committed  the  keeping  of  their  souls  to  him  iu 
well-doing  ? 

Quest.  But  what  is  committing  of  the  soul  to 
God? 

Atisw.  I  have,  in  general,  briefly  spoken  to  that 
already,  and  now,  for  thy  further  help,  we  will  a 
little  enlarge.     Wherefore, 

(1.)  To  commit  is  to  deliver  up  to  custody  to  be 
kept.  Hence  prisoners,  when  sent  to  the  gaol,  are 
said  to  be  committed  thither.  Thus  Paul,  '  haling 
men  and  women,  committing  them  to  prison.' 
Ac.  ^iii.  3.  And  thus  Joseph's  master  committed  all 
his  prisoners  to  him,  to  his  custody,  to  be  kept 
there  according  to  the  law.  Ge.  x-mx  2j. 

(2.)  To  commit,  is  not  only  to  deliver  up  to 
custody,  but  to  give  in  charge ;  that  that  which 
is  committed  be  kept  safe,  and  not  suffered  to  be 
lost.  Lu.  xvi.  11.  Thus  Paul  was  committed  to  prison, 
the  jailor  being  charged  to  keep  him  safely.  Ac. 

xvi.  23. 

(3.)  To  commit,  is  to  leave  the  whole  disposal, 
sometimes,  of  that  which  is  committed  to  those  to 
whom  such  thing  is  committed.  Thus  were  the 
shields  of  the  temple  committed  to  the  guard.  1  Ki. 
xiv.  27.     And  Jeremiah  to  the  hands  of  Gedaliah. 

Je.  x.\xis.  14. 


ADVICE  TO  SUITERERS. 


lOS 


And  thus  tliou  must  commit  thy  soul  to  God 
and  to  his  care  and  keeping.  It  must  be  delivered 
up  to  his  care  and  put  under  his  custody.  Thou 
inayst  also,  though  I  would  speak  modestly,  give 
him  a  charge  to  take  the  care  of  it.  «  Concerning 
my  sons  [and  concerning  my  daughters]  and  con- 
cerning the  work  of  my  hands,  command  ye  me.' 
Is.  xiv.  11.  Thou  must  also  leave  all  the  concerns  of 
thy  soul  and  of  thy  heing  an  inheritor  of  the  next 
world  wholly  to  the  care  of  God.  He  that  doth 
this  in  the  way  that  God  has  hid  him  is  safe, 
though  the  sky  should  fall.  «  The  poor  commit- 
teth  himself  unto  thee,  thou  art  the  helper  of  the 
fatherless.'  Ps.  x.  i4. 

And  for  encouragement  to  do  this,  the  Lord 
has  bidden  us,  the  Lord  has  commanded  us,  the 
Lord  expecteth  that  we  should  thus  do.  Yea, 
thou  art  also  bidden  to  commit  thy  way  unto  him. 
Ps.  xxxvii  5.  Thy  work  unto  him.  Pr.  xvi.  3.  Thy 
cause  unto  him.  Job  v.  8.  Thy  soul  to  him,  and  he 
will  take  care  ot  all.  And  if  we  do  this,  as  we 
should,  God  will  not  only  take  care  of  us  and  of 
our  souls  in  the  general,  but  that  our  work  and 
ways  be  so  ordered  that  we  may  not  fail  in  either. 
'  I  have  trusted,'  said  David,  '  in  the  Lord,  there- 
fore 1  shall  not  slide. '  Ps.  xxvi.  1. 

Before  I  leave  this,  I  will  speak  something  of 
the  way  in  which  this  commitment  of  the  soul  to 
God  must  be ;  and  that  is,  *  in  a  way  of  well-doing. ' 
Let  them  commit  the  keeping  of  their  souls  to 
him  'in  well-doing;'  or,  in  a  way  of  well-doing. 
That  is,  therefore,  the  course  that  a  godly  man 
should  be  found  in,  at,  in,  and  after  he  hath  com- 
mitted his  soul  to  God  to  keep.  And,  as  the 
apostle  says  in  another  place,  this  is  but  a  '  rea- 
sonable service. '  Ro.  su.  1.  For  if  God  be  so  gra- 
cious as  to  take  care  of  my  soul  at  my  request,  why 
should  not  I  also  be  so  gracious  as  to  be  found  in 
a  way  of  well-doing  at  his  bidding  ?  Take  care, 
master,  of  me  for  meat  and  wages,  and  I  will  take 
care,  master,  that  thy  work  shall  be  faithfully 
done.  This  is  honest,  and  thus  should  Christians 
say  to  God :  and  he  that  heartily,  in  this,  shall 
mean  as  he  saith,  shall  find  that  God's  ways  shall 
be  strength  imto  him. 

A  Christian  is  not  to  commit  his  soul  unto  God  to 
keep,  and  so  to  grow  remiss,  carnal,  negligent, 
cold,  and  worldly ;  concluding  as  if  he  had  now 
bound  God  to  save  him,  but  sets  himself  at  liberty 
whether  he  will  longer  serve  him  in  trying  and 
troublesome  times  or  no.  He  must  commit  the 
keeping  of  his  soul  to  him  'in  well-doing.'  He 
may  not  now  relinquish  God's  cause,  play  the 
apostate,  cast  off  the  cross,  and  look  for  heaven 
notwithstanding.  He  that  doth  thus  will  find  him- 
self mistaken,  and  be  made  to  know  at  last  that 
God  takes  the  care  of  no  such  souls.  '  If  any  man 
draws  back,'  saith  he,    '  my  soul  shall  have  no 


pleasure  in  him.'  "Wherefore,  he  that  coramitteth 
the  keeping  of  his  soul  to  God  must  do  it  in  that 
way  which  God  has  prescribed  to  him,  which  is  in  a 
way  of  well-doing.  Alas!  alas!  there  is  never 
such  a  word  in  it ;  it  must  be  done  in  a  way  of 
'  well-doing.'  You  must  think  of  this  that  would 
commit  your  souls  to  God  in  suffering  and  trouble^ 
some  times.     You  must  do  it  in  well-doing, 

'  In  well-doing,'  that  is,  in  persevering  in  ways 
of  godliness,  both  with  respect  to  morals  and  also 
instituted  worship.  Thou,  therefore,  that  wouJdest 
have  God  take  care  of  thy  soul,  as  thou  believest, 
so  thou  must  do  well ;  that  is,  do  good  to  the  poor, 
to  thy  neighbour,  to  all  men,  especially  to  the 
household  of  faith.  Benjamin  must  have  a  Benja- 
min's mess ;  and  all  others,  as  thou  art  capable, 
must  feel  and  find  the  fruit  of  thy  godliness.  Thou 
must  thus  serve  the  Lord  with  much  humility  of 
mind,  though  through  many  difficulties  and  much 
temptation. 

Thou  must  also  keep  close  to  gospel  worship, 
public  and  private ;  doing  of  those  things  that  thou 
hast  warrant  for  from  the  word,  and  leaving  of 
that  or  those  things  for  others  that  will  stick  to 
them — that  have  no  stamp  of  God  upon  them. 
Thou  must  be  found  doing  of  all  with  all  thy  heart, 
and  if  thou  sufferest  for  so  doing,  thou  must  bear 
it  patiently.  For  what  Peter  saith  to  the  women 
he  spake  to,  may  be  applied  to  all  believers,  *  whose 
daughters  ye  are,'  saith  he,  meaning  Sarah's,  '  as 
long  as  ye  do  well,  and  are  not  afraid  with  any 
amazement. '  1  Pe.  m.  6. 

So  then,  the  man  that  has  committed  his  soul 
to  God  to  keep  has  not  at  all  disengaged  himself 
irom  his  duty,  or  took  himself  off  from  a  persever- 
ance in  that  good  work  that,  under  a  suffering 
condition,  he  was  bound  to  do  before.  No ;  his 
very  committing  of  his  soul  to  God  to  keep  it  has 
laid  an  engagement  upon  him  to  abide  to  God  in 
that  calling  wherein  he  is  called  of  God.  To  com- 
mit my  soul  to  God,  supposes  my  sensiblcness  of 
hazard  and  danger ;  but  there  is  none  [no  danger] 
among  men  when  the  offence  of  the  cross  is  ceased. 
To  commit  my  soul  to  God  to  keep,  concludes  my 
resolution  to  go  on  in  that  good  way  of  God  that 
is  so  dangerous  to  my  soul,  if  God  taketh  not  the 
charge  and  care  thereof.  For  he  that  saitli  in  his 
heart,  I  will  now  commit  my  soul  to  God,  if  he 
knows  what  he  says,  says  thus:  I  am  for  holding 
on  in  a  way  of  bearing  of  my  cross  after  Christ, 
though  I  come  to  the  same  end  for  so  doing  as  he 
came  to  before  me.  This  is  committing  the  soul 
to  him  in  well-doing  Look  to  yourselves,  there- 
fore, whoever  you  are  that  talk  of  leaving  your 
souls  with  God,  but  do  live  loose,  idle,  profane,  and 
wicked  Uves.  God  will  not  take  care  of  wch  men's 
souls ;  they  commit  them  not  unto  him  as  they 
should.     They  do  but  flatter  him  with  their  lips. 


704 


ADVICE  TO  SmTERERS. 


and  lie  unto  him  with,  tbeir  tongue,  and  think  to 
deceive  the  Lord ;  but  to  no  purpose.  '  He  that 
soweth  to  the  flesh  shall  of  the  flesh  reap  corrup- 
tion.' It  is  he  that  sows  to  the  Spirit  that  shall 
•  reap  life  everlasting. '  Ga.  vi.  i,  8. 

[second A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  PERSONS  WHO  ARE 

DIRECTED  TO  COMMIT  THE  KEEPING  OF  THEIR  SOULS 
TO  GOD,] 

I  shall  now  come  to  the  second  thing  contained 
in  the  text,  namely,  to  give  you  a  more  distinct 
description  of  the  men  that  are  thus  bid  to  com- 
mit the  keeping  of  their  souls  to  God.  And  they 
are  thus  described :  they  that  '  sufi'er  according  to 
the  will  of  God.'  *  Let  them  that  sufler  according 
to  the  will  of  God  commit  the  keeping  of  their 
souls  to  him  in  well-doing,  as  unto  a  faithful  Crea- 
tor.' 

Two  things  are  here  to  be  inquired  into.  First, 
What  the  apostle  here  means  by  the  will  of  God. 
Second,  What  sufiering  according  to  the  will  of 
God  is. 

FIRST,  For  the  will  of  God,  it  is  divers  ways 
taken  in  the  scriptures ;  as,  sometimes,  for  elect- 
ing, justifying,  sanctifying  acts  of  God  ;  sometimes 
for  faith,  good  Hfe,  and  sometimes  for  suffering 
for  his  name.  Ro.  k.  Ep.  i.  ii.  ju.  vii.  17. 1  jn.  lu.  23. 1  Th.  iv. 
3.  Mat.  vu.  '-'1.  But,  by  will  of  God  here  we  must, 
First,  Understand  His  law  and  testament.  /Se- 
amed, His  order  and  designment. 

[the  will  of  god  MEANS  HIS  LAW  AND  TESTAMENT.] 

First,  By  his  will  I  understand  his  law  and  tes- 
tament. This  is  called  the  revealed  will  of  God, 
or  that  by  which  he  has  made  himself,  and  how  he 
will  be  worshipped,  known  unto  the  children  of 
men.  Now,  I,  understanding  these  words  thus, 
must,  before  I  go  further,  make  this  distinction, 
to  wit,  that  there  is  a  difi'erence  to  be  put  betwixt 
them  that  suffer  for  the  breach  and  those  that 
sufi'er  for  keeping  of  this  law  and  testament; 
for  though  both  of  them  may  sufler  by  the  will 
of  God,  yet  they  are  not  both  concerned  in  this  text. 
A  malefactor  that  suff"ereth  for  his  evil  deeds  the 
due  punishment  thereof,  suff"ereth,  as  other  texts 
declare,  according  to  the  will  of  God.  But,  I  say, 
this  text  doth  not  concern  itself  with  them ;  for 
both  this  text  and  this  epistle  is  writ  for  the  coun- 
sel and  comfort  of  those  that  suffer  for  keeping 
the    law  and  testament   of  God  ;  that  sufi'er  for 

well-doing.  1  Pe.  uL  13,  14,  17  ;  iv.  13,  14. 

The  man  then  that  is  concerned  in  this  advice 
is  he  that  sufi'ereth  from  the  hands  of  men  for  keep- 
ing of  the  word  of  God ;  and  this  is  he  that  has 
licence,  leave,  yea,  a  command  to  commit  the 
keeping  of  his  soul  to  God  in  well-doing,  as  unto 


a  faithful  Creator.      We  will  a  little  enlarge  upon 
this. 

[  What  His  to  svffcr  according  to  Uie  will  of  God, 
07'  his  law  and  testaiaerd.  ] 

He  that  keepeth  the  word  of  God  is  such  an  one 
that  has  regard  to  both  the  matter  and  manner 
thereof.  The  matter  is  the  truth,  the  doctrine  con- 
tained therein ;  the  manner  is  that  comely,  godly, 
humble,  faithful  way  of  doing  it  which  becomes 
a  man  that  has  to  do  with  the  law  and  testa- 
ment of  God ;  and  both  these  are  contained  in 
the  text.  For,  first,  here  is  the  will  of  God  to 
be  done ;  and  then,  secondly,  to  be  done  accord- 
ing to  his  will.  *  Let  them  that  suft'er  accord- 
ing to  his  will:'  which  words,  I  say,  take  in  both 
matter  and  manner  of  doing.  So  then,  the  man 
that  here  we  have  to  do  with,  and  to  discourse  of, 
is  a  man  that,  in  the  sense  now  given,  sufi'ereth. 
That  which  makes  a  martyr,  is  suflfering  for  the 
word  of  God  after  a  right  manner;  and  that  is, 
when  he  suffereth,  not  only  for  righteousness,  but 
for  righteousness'  sake ;  not  only  for  truth,  but  of 
love  to  truth  ;  not  only  for  God's  word,  but  accord- 
ing to  it,  to  wit,  in  that  holy,  humble,  meek  man- 
ner as  the  word  of  God  requireth.  A  man  may 
give  his  body  to  be  burned  for  God's  truth,  and 
yet  be  none  of  God's  martyrs,  i  Co.  xUi.  1—3.  Yea, 
a  man  may  sufi'er  with  a  great  deal  of  patience, 
and  yet  be  none  of  God's  martyrs.  1  Pe.  ii.  20.  The 
one,  because  he  wanteth  that  grace  that  should 
poise  his  heart,  and  make  him  right  in  the  manner 
of  doing  ;  the  other,  because  he  wanteth  that  ■word 
of  the  Holy  One  that  alone  can  make  his  cause 
good,  as  to  matter.  It  is,  therefore,  matter  and 
manner  that  makes  the  martyr ;  and  it  is  this  man 
that  is  intended  in  the  text  which  is  aforesaid 
described.  So  then,  they  that  sufi'er  for  the  law 
and  testament  of  God  in  that  holy  and  humble 
manner  that  the  Word  requires,  they  are  they  that, 
by  this  Word  of  God,  are  commanded  to  commit 
the  keeping  of  their  souls  to  God. 

From  this  consideration,  two  things  present 
themselves  to  our  sight.  I.  That  a  man  may  bo 
a  Christian,  and  sufi'er,  and  yet  not  suffer,  in  the 
sense  last  given,  according  to  the  will  of  God. 
2.  There  have  been,  and  may  yet  be  a  people  in 
the  world  that  have,  and  may  suffer  in  the  sense 
of  the  apostle  here,  according  to  the  will  of  God. 

[I.  A  Christian  may  suffer,  but  not  in  the  sense  of 
Uw  apostle,  according  to  the  will  of  God.\ 

A  few  words  to  the  first  of  these,  namely,  that 
a  man  may  be  a  Christian,  and  suffer,  and  yet  not 
suffer,  in  the  sense  of  the  apostle  in  the  text, 
'according  to  the   will  of  God.'     He  maybe  a 


ADVICE  TO  SUFFERERS. 


705 


Christian  and  yet  not  suffer  as  a  Cliristian.  lie 
may  want  the  matter,  or,  he  may  want  the  manner, 
of  suffering  as  a  Christian. 

This  is  evident  from  what  this  apostle  suggests 
in  several  places  of  this  epistle.     For, 

Saith  he,  '  If  ye  be  buffeted  for  your  faults. ' 
1  Pe.  iL  20.  This  supposeth  that  a  Christian  may 
so  be ;  for  he  speaketh  here  to  the  same  people, 
imto  whom  he  speaketh  in  the  text,  though  he 
putteth  them  not  under  the  same  circumstance,  as 
suffering  for  well  doing.  If  ye  be  buffeted  for 
your  faults,  for  what  God's  word  calls  faults, 
what  thank  have  you  from  God,  or  good  men, 
though  you  take  it  patiently  ? 

So  again,  '  For  U  is  better,  if  the  will  of  God 
he  so,  that  ye  suffer  for  well  doing,  than  for  evil 
doing.*  iii.  17.  Here  it  is  plainly  supposed  that  a 
christian  man  may  suffer  for  evil  doing,  yea,  that 
the  wiU  of  God  may  be,  that  he  should  suffer  for 
evil  doing.  For  God,  if  Christians  do  not  well, 
will  vindicate  himself  by  punishing  of  them  for 
their  doing  ill.  Yea,  and  will  not  count  them 
worthy,  though  they  be  his  own,  to  be  put  among 
the  number  of  those  that  suffer  for  doing  well. 

Again,  '  But  let  none  of  you  suffer  as  a  mur- 
derer, or  as  a  thief,  or  as  an  evildoer,  or  qs  a  busy- 
body in  other  men's  matters.'  ir.  is.  These  are 
cautions  to  Christians  to  persuade  them  to  take 
heed  to  themselves,  their  tongues  and  their  actions, 
that  all  be  kept  within  the  bounds  of  the  Word. 
For  it  would  be  a  foolish  thing  to  say,  that  these 
are  cautions  to  persuade  to  take  heed  of  that,  into 
which  it  is  not  possible  one  should  fall.  It  is  pos- 
sible for  Christians  to  suffer  for  evil  doing,  and 
therefore  let  Christians  beware ;  it  is  possible  for 
Christians  to  be  brought  to  public  justice  for  their 
faults,  and  therefore  let  Christians  beware.  It  is 
possible  for  Christians  to  suffer  justly  by  the  hand 
of  the  magistrate,  and  therefore  let  Christians 
beware.  This  also  is  insinuated  in  the  text  itself, 
and  therefore  let  Christians  beware. 

The  causes  of  this  are  many,  some  of  which  I 
shall  now  briefly  touch  upon. 

(1.)  Sin  is  in  the  best  of  men:  and  as  long  as  it 
is  so,  without  great  watchfulness,  and  humble 
walking  with  God,  we  may  be  exposed  to  shame  and 
suffering  for  it.  What  sin  is  it  that  a  child  of  God 
is  not  liable  to  commit,  excepting  that  which  is 
the  sin  unpardonable  ?  Nor  have  we  a  promise  of 
being  kept  from  any  other  sin,  but  on  condition 
that  we  do  watch  and  pray.  Mat.  xxvi.  41. 

(2.)  It  is  possible  for  a  Christian  to  have  an 
erroneous  conscience  in  some  things,  yea,  in  such 
things  as,  if  God  by  his  grace  prevents  not,  may 
bring  us  to  public  justice  and  shame.  Abishai, 
tliough  a  good  man,  would  have  killed  the  king, 
and  that  of  conscience  to  God,  and  love  to  his 
master,   1  Sa.  xsn.  7,  8.     And  had    David  delivered 

VOL,  II. 


him  up  to  Saul  for  his  attempt,  he  had  in  all  like- 
lihood died  as  a  traitor,  Peter  drew  his  sword, 
and  would  have  fought  therewith,  a  thing  for 
which  he  was  blamed  of  his  Master,  and  bid  with 
a  threatening,  to  put  it  up  again.  Mat.  xxvi.  52.  Be- 
sides, oppression  makes  a  wise  man  mad ;  and 
when  a  man  is  mad  what  evils  will  he  not  do  ? 

Further,  The  devil,  who  is  the  great  enemy  of 
the  Christians,  can  send  forth  such  spirits  into 
the  world  as  shall  not  only  disturb  men,  but 
nations,  kings,  and  kingdoms,  in  raising  divisions, 
distractions  and  rebellions.  And  can  so  manage 
matters  that  the  looser  sort  of  Christians*  may  be 
also  dipt  and  concerned  therein.  In  Absalom's 
conspiracy  against  his  father,  there  were  two 
hundred  men  called  out  of  Jerusalem  to  follow 
him,  '  and  they  went  in  their  simplicity,  not 
knowing  any  thing. '  2  Sa.  xv.  11.  I  thank  God  I 
know  of  no  such  men,  nor  thing:  but  my  judg- 
ment tells  me,  that  if  Christians  may  be  drawn 
into  fornication,  adultery,  murder,  theft,  blas- 
phemy or  the  like,  as  they  may ;  why  should  it  be 
thought  impossible  for  them  to  be  drawn  in  here. 
Wherefore  I  say  again,  watch  and  pray,  fear  God, 
reverence  his  Word,  approve  of  his  appointments, 
that  you  may  be  delivered  from  every  evil  Avork 
and  way. 

I  said  afore  that  the  will  of  God  may  be,  that 
a  Christian  should  suffer  as  an  evil  doer ;  but  then 
it  is  because  he  keepeth  not  within  the  bounds  of 
that,  which  is  also  called  the  will  of  God.  The 
will  of  God  is,  that  sin  should  be  punished,  tliough 
committed  by  the  Christians  ;  punished  according 
to  the  quality  of  transgressions:  and  therefore  it 
is  that  he  hath  ordained  magistrates.  Magis- 
trates, to  punish  sin,  though  it  be  the  sin  of 
Christians.  They  are  the  ministers  of  God, 
revengers,  to  execute  wrath,  the  wrath  of  God 
upon  them  that  do  evil.  Ro.  liii.  Wherefore,  though 
the  Christian  as  a  Christian  is  the  only  man  at 
liberty,  as  called  thereunto  of  God ;  yet  his  liberty 
is  limited  to  things  that  are  good:  he  is  not 
licensed  thereby  to  indulge  the  flesh.  Holiness 
and  liberty  are  joined  together,  yea  our  call  to 
liberty,  is  a  call  to  holiness. t  See,  and  you  shall 
find,  that  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life,  in  our  respec- 
tive places,  under  the  government,  is  that  which 


*  '  Looser  sort  of  Christians ;'  among  Christians  there  are 
gradations  of  character.  Some  are  f^red  upon  the  Saviour, 
and  can  say,  '  For  me  to  live  is  Christ.'  Such  decision  ensui-es 
safety  and  liappiness ;  while  the  looser  sort  are  subject  to  many 
sorrows  and  continual  danger.  May  we  press  on  towards  the 
mark.     '  Lord,  I  believe,  help  thou  my  unbelief.' — Ed. 

t  This  truth  ought  to  be  imprinted  on  every  heart.  As 
the  absence  of  darkness  is  light,  so  liberty  from  the  thraldom 
of  sin,  and  from  the  slavery  of  Satan,  essentially  induces  holi- 
ness of  life.  Thus  holiness  and  liberty  are  joined  togctber. 
—Ed. 

4.  U 


706 


ADVICE  TO  SUFFERERS. 


ve  should  pray  for,  to  wit,  that  we  may  without 
molestation,  if  it  were  '  the  will  of  God,'  spend  our 
davs  in  all  godliness  and  honesty  among  our  neigh- 
bours.     See  1  Ti.  ii.  1-8.  1  Pe.  ii.  13-17. 

[First,  Caution  to  Cliriatians  as  Chrisf/uns.]— 
I  would  improve  this  a  little,  and  first,  to  Chris- 
tians as  Christians:  beware  the  cautions,  that  are 
here  presented  to  you,  be  not  neglected  by  you. 
The  evils  are  burning  hot,  as  hot  as  a  red  hot 
iron.  It  is  the  greatest  blemish  that  can  be  to  a 
Christian,  to  suffer  as  an  evil  doer.  To  say 
nothing  of  the  reproach  that  such  do  bring  to  the 
name  of  Christ,  their  Lord;  to  his  law,  their  rule; 
and  to  the  christian  profession,  which  should  be 
their  glory :  the  guilt  and  shame  that  evil  actions 
will  load  the  conscience  with  at  such  a  time,  can 
hardly  be  stood  under.  The  man  that  sufferetli 
as  an  evil  doer,  and  yet  weareth  the  name  of  a 
Christian,  what  stumbling  blocks  doth  he  lay  in 
the  way  of  the  ignorant  in  a  kingdom  ?  The 
devil  told  them  before,  that  a  Christian  was  a 
mischievous  man ;  and  to  suffer  for  evil  doing, 
confirms  them  in  that  belief. 

Consider  also  the  difficulties  that  surely  such 
must  meet  with  in  the  last  minutes  of  their  life. 
For  can  it  be  imagined  but  that  such  an  one  must 
have  combats  and  conflicts  at  the  last,  who  carry 
in  their  consciences  the  guilt  and  condemnation 
that  is  due  to  their  deeds,  to  the  place  whicli 
magistrates  have  appointed  for  them  to  receive 
the  reward  of  their  works  at.  Sucli  an  one  be- 
reaves not  only  his  own  soul  of  peace,  and  his 
iiame  of  credit,  but  himself  of  life,  his  friends  of 
all  cause  of  rejoicing,  and  casteth  reproach  upon 
religion,  as  he  is  stepping  out  of  the  world.  What 
shall  I  say,  Christians  as  Christians  have  other 
things  to  do  than  to  concern  themselves  in  evil 
things,  or  to  meddle  in  other  men's  matters.  Let 
us  mind  our  own  business,  and  leave  the  magis- 
trate to  his  work,  office  and  calling  among  men 
also. 

I  speak  now  to  them  that  are  not  by  the  kino- 
called  to  that  employ.  A  Christian  as  such  has 
enough  to  do  at  home,  in  his  heart,  in  his  house, 
in  bis  shop,  and  the  like.  But  if  thou  must  needs 
be  meddling,  consider  what  place,  office,  calling 
or  relation,  God  has  put  thee  in,  and  busy  thyself 
by  the  rule  cf  the  Word  to  a  conscientious  per- 
form;) ncc  of  that.  Nor  shalt  thou  want  dignity, 
though  thou  art  but  a  private  Christian.  Every 
christian  man  is  made  a  king  by  Christ.  Re.  y.  lo. 
But  then,  his  dominion  as  such,  doth  reach  no 
further  than  to  himself.  He  has  not  dominion 
over  another's  faith.  2  Co.  i.  24.  His  office  is  to 
govern,  and  bridle,  and  keep  under,  himself ;  to 
watch  over  himself,  and  to  bring  his  body  into 
subjection  to  the  will  of  God.  The  weapons  that 
he  has  for  this  purpose  are  not  carnal,  but  spiri- 


tual, and  mighty  through  God.  Let  him  govern 
then,  if  he  will  be  a  governor,  his  whole  man  by 
the  Word.  Let  him  bring  down,  if  he  must  be 
bringing  down,  his  own  high  imaginations,  and 
every  high  thing  that  exalts  itself  against  the 
knowledge  of  God.  If  he  must  be  a  warrior,  let 
him  levy  war  against  his  own  unruly  passions,  and 
let  him  fight  against  those  lusts  that  war  against 

his  soul.*  2  Co.  X.  3-5.  Ga.  v.  17.  Ja.  iU.  3—8.  1  Pe.  iL  11. 

I  say  therefore,  if  thou  wilt  needs  be  a  ruler, 
thou  hast  a  tongue,  rule  that ;  lusts,  rule  them  ; 
affections,  govern  them ;  yea,  thou  hast  excellent 
graces,  manage  them,  cherish,  strengthen  and 
replenish  them  according  to  the  mind  of  that 
great  one  who  has  bestowed  such  power  to  rule, 
upon  thee.  Mortify  therefore  your  members  which 
are  upon  the  earth  ;  fornication,  uncleanness,  inor- 
dinate affection,  evil  concupiscence,  and  covetous- 
ness,  which  is  idolatry.  CoL  iU.  5.  Nor  do  I  think 
that  murmuring,  shrinking,  wincing,  complaining, 
and  the  like,  when  men,  governors,  lay  a  yoke 
upon  our  necks,  flow  from  any  thing  else,  but  love 
to  our  flesh,  and  distrust  of  the  faithfulness  of 
God  to  manage  men,  things,  and  actions  for  his 
church.  The  powers  that  be  are  ordered  as  well 
as  ordained  of  God.  They  are  also  always  in  God's 
hand,  as  his  rod  or  staff  for  the  good  and  benefit 
of  his  people.  Wherefore  we  ought  with  all  meek- 
ness and  humbleness  of  mind  to  accept  of  what 
our   God  by  them   shall  please  to  lay  upon  us. 

1  To.  V.  6. 

By  what  I  now  say,  I  do  not  forbid  groaning 
and  crying  to  God  under  affliction.  I  speak 
against  striving  to  deliver  ourselves  from  the 
aflliction.  And  since  men  are,  as  I  said,  the  rod, 
staff'  or  sword  in  God's  liand,  Ave  should  apply 
ourselves  unto  him  in  faith  in  a  way  of  prayer, 
intercession,  supplication  and  giving  of  thanks  for 
governors.  For  since  they  are  sent  of  God,  they 
must  needs  come  with  some  good  in  their  hand 
for  us,  also  our  prayers  may  make  them  more 
pi  ofitable  to  us.  And  this  we  ought  to  do  with- 
out wrath  and  doubting ;  for  this  is  that  which  is 
good,  and  acceptable  unto  God.  i  Ti.  a. 

Besides,  it  is  a  sign  that  we  forget  ourselves  when 
wc  complain  fur  the  punishment  of  our  sins.  If 
we  look  into  ourselves,  and  ways,  we  shall  see  cause 


*  The  whole  of  this  beautiful  passage  is  worthy  our  careful 
study  and  prayerfiJ  obedience.  Are  we  ambitious  to  govern : 
be  it  our  honour  to  rule  our  own  spirits  aud  tongues.  Are 
we  for  war?  let  it  be  levied  upon  our  unruly  passions.  This 
is  laudable  ambition.  This  is  honourable  war,  producing  the 
peace  and  happiness  of  man.  This  is  real  glory  to  God  and 
man,  the  very  opposite  to  those  horrors  of  desolation  which 
gives  joy  among  the  devils  of  hell — the  burning  cities,  the 
garments  rolled  in  blood,  the  shi-ieks  of  the  woimded,  and  the 
sickening  miseries  of  the  widows  and  orphans  of  the  slain. 
—Ei). 


ADVICE  TO  SUFFERERS. 


707 


of  more  lieav'j  stripes  than  yet  God  by  men  has 
laid  upon  ns.  What  sin  has  yet  been  suppressed  by 
all  that  has  happened  to  us :  if  pride,  covetousness, 
looseness,  treacherous  dealing,  schisms,  and  other 
things,  redressed  by  all  the  affliction  that  we  have 
had  ?  Yea,  do  we  not  grow  worse  and  Avorse  ? 
Wherefore  then  should  we  complain?  Where  is 
repentance,  reformation,  and  amendment  of  life 
amongst  us  ?  Why,  then,  do  we  shrink  and  winch. 
For  my  part,  I  have  ofttimes  stood  amazed  both 
at  the  mercy  of  God,  and  the  favour  of  the  Prince 
towards  us ;  and  can  give  thanks  to  God  for  both : 
and  do  make  it  my  prayer  to  God  for  the  king,  and 
that  God  will  help  me  with  meekness  and  patience 
to  bear  whatever  shall  befall  me  for  my  professed 
subjection  to  Christ,  by  men. 

We  are  bid,  as  I  said  afore,  to  give  thanks  to 
God  for  all  men,  for  kings,  and  for  all  that  are  in 
authority.  Because,  as  I  said,  there  is  no  man 
with  whom  we  have  to  do,  we  doing  as  we  should, 
but  he  bringeth  some  good  thing  to  us,  or  doth 
some  good  thing  for  us.  We  will  now  descend  from 
them  that  are  supreme  in  authority,  and  will  come 
to  infei-ior  men :  and  suppose  some  of  them  to  act 
beyond  measure,  cruelly.  What  ?  Can  no  good 
thing  come  to  us  out  of  this?  Do  not  even  such 
things  as  are  most  bitter  to  the  flesh,  tend  to  awaken 
christians  to  faith  and  pra3'er,  to  a  sight  of  the 
emptiness  of  this  world,  and  tlie  fadingness  of  the 
best  it  yields?  Doth  not  God  by  these  things  oft- 
times  call  our  sins  to  remembrance,  and  provoke 
us  to  amendment  of  life?  how  then  can  we  be 
offended  at  things  by  which  we  reap  so  much  good, 
and  at  things  that  God  makes  so  profitable  for  us  ? 

Doth  not  God,  ofttimes,  even  take  occasions  by 
the  hardest  of  things  that  come  upon  us,  to  visit 
our  souls  with  the  comforts  of  his  Spirit,  to  lead 
us  into  the  glory  of  his  word,  and  to  cause  us  to 
savour  that  love  that  he  has  had  for  us,  even  from 
before  the  world  began,  till  now.  A  nest  of  bees 
and  honey  did  Samson  find,  even  in  the  belly  of 
that  lion  that  roared  upon  him.  And  is  all  this 
no  good  ?  or  can  we  be  without  such  holy  appoint- 
ments of  God  ?  Let  these  things  be  considered  by 
us,  and  let  us  learn  like  Christians  to  kiss  the  rod, 
and  love  it. 

I  have  thought,  again,  my  brethren,  since  it  is 
required  of  us  that  we  give  thanks  to  God  for  all 
these  men,  it  follows  that  we  do  with  quietness 
submit  ourselves  under  what  God  shall  do  to  us  by 
them.  For  it  seems  a  paradox  to  me,  to  give 
thanks  to  God  for  them,  that  yet  I  am  not  willing 
should  abide  in  that  place  that  God  has  set  them 
in  for  me.  I  wiU  then  love  them,  bless  them,  pray 
for  them,  and  do  them  good.  I  speak  now  of  the 
men  that  hurt  me  as  was  hinted  afore.  And  I  will 
do  thus,  because  it  is  good  so  to  do,  because  they 
do  me  good  by  hurting  of  me,  because  I  am  called 


to  inherit  a  blessing,  and  because  I  would  be  like 
my  heavenly  Father.  '  Therefore  if  mine  enemy 
hunger,  let  me  feed  him ;  if  he  thirst,  let  me  give 

him    drink.'  *  Mat.  v.  43-48.  l  Pe.  UL  9.  Ro.  xU.  17--U.     (1.) 

We  must  see  good  in  that,  in  which  other  men  can 
see  none.  (2.)  We  must  pass  by  those  injuries 
that  other  men  would  revenge.  (3.)  We  must  shew 
we  have  grace,  and  that  we  are  made  to  bear  what 
other  men  are  not  acquainted  with.  (4.)  Many  of 
our  graces  are  kept  alive  by  those  very  things  that 
are  the  death  of  other  men's  souls. 

Where  can  the  excellency  of  our  patience,  of 
our  meekness,  of  our  long-suffering,  of  our  love, 
and  of  our  faith  appear,  if  it  be  not  under  trials, 
and  in  those  things  that  run  cross  to  our  flesh  ? 
The  devil,  they  say,  is  good  when  he  is  pleased. 
But  Christ  and  his  saints,  when  displeased.! 

Let  us  therefore  covet  to  imitate  Christ  and  tho 
scripture  saints.  Let  us  shew  out  of  a  good  con- 
versation, our  works  with  meekness  of  wisdom. 
Let  us  take  heed  of  admitting  the  least  thought 
in  our  minds  of  evil,  against  God,  the  king,  or 
them  that  are  under  him  in  employ,  because,  the 
cup,  the  king,  all  men,  and  things  are  in  the  hand 

of    God.    Ps.  Ixxv.  S.    Pr.  viil  1.3  ;  xsi.  1.  La.  iii.  37.      And    he 

can  make  them  better  to  us,  than  if  they  were  as 
our  flesh  desireth  they  should. 

I  have  often  thought  that  the  best  Christians  are 
found  in  the  worst  of  times :  and  I  have  thought 
again,  that  one  reason  why  we  are  no  better,  is 
because  God  purges  us  no  more.  Jn.  xv.  I  know 
these  things  are  against  the  grain  of  the  flesh,  but 
they  are  not  against  the  graces  of  the  Spirit.  Noah 
and  Lot,  who  so  holy  as  they,  in  the  day  of  their 
afiliction?  Noah  and  Lot,  who  so  idle  as  they  in 
the  day  of  their  prosperity  ?  I  might  have  put  in 
David  too,  who,  while  he  was  afflicted,  had  ways 
of  serving  God  that  were  special ;  but  when  he  was 
more  enlarged,  he  had  ways  that  were  not  so  good. 
Wherefore  the  first  ways  of  David  are  the  ways 
that  God  has  commended :  but  the  rest  of  his  ways, 
such  as  had  not  pre-eminence.  2  Ch.  xni.  s. 

We  have  need  of  all,  and  of  more  than  all  that 
has  yet  befallen  us :  and  are  to  thank  God,  since 
his  word  and  patience  have  done  no  more  good  to 
us,  that  he  hath  appointed  men  to  make  us  better,  f 
^Vherefore  for  a  conclusion,  as  we  are  to  receive 


*  If  tins  was  our  conduct,  how  soon  should  we  get  rid  of 
our  enemies :  '  for  in  so  doing  thou  shalt  heap  coals  of  fire  on 
his  head.'  "Who  would  risk  such  punishment  a  second  time  ? 
—Ed. 

t  This  old  proverb  is  a  very  striking  illustration  of  the 
words  of  Paul :  '  Be  not  overcome  of  e\-il,  but  overcome  evil 
with  good.'  —Ed. 

X  The  saint  must  be  'made  meet  for  the  inheritance.'  If 
he  neglects  the  means  given  in  the  "Word,  his  Father,  in  mercy, 
'  win  chasten  him  with  t/ie  rod  of  men,  and  with  the  stripes 
of  the  children  of  men,'  2  Sam.  vii.  14. — Ed. 


70S 


ADVICE  TO    SLTFERERS. 


with  meekness  the  engrafted  word  of  God,  so  also 
we  are  with  patience  to  bear  what  God,  by  man, 
shall  lay  upon  us.  0  that  saying  of  God  to  them 
of  old,  '  Why  criest  thou  for  thine  affliction?  thy 
sorrow  is  incurable  for  the  multitude  of  thine 
iniquity :  because  thy  sins  were  increased,  1  have 
done  these  things  unto  thee, '  Je.  xxx.  15.  We  have 
need  to  consider  of,  and  to  sit  still  and  be  quiet, 
and  reverence  the  ordinance  of  God  :  I  mean  afflic- 
tion. And  until  we  can  in  truth  get  hither  in  our 
spirits,  I  neither  look  to  find  very  right  Christianity 
amongst  us,  nor  much  of  God  among  professors. 
When  I  think  of  Mordecai,  and  Daniel,  yea,  and 
of  David  too,  and  of  the  behaviour  of  them  all  with 
respect  to  the  powers  that  they  were  under,  I  can- 
not but  think  that  a  sweet,  meek,  quiet,  loving, 
godly  submission  unto  men  for  the  Lord's  sake, 
is  an  excellent  token  of  the  grace  of  God  in  us. 
But, 

[Second  Caution  to  Weak  Christians.']  —  As  I 
cannot  but  condemn  the  actions  of  such  Christians 
as  have  been  touched  before,  so  I  would  caution 
Aveak  Christians  not  to  be  offended  with  true  reli- 
gion for  the  miscarriages  of  their  fellows.  There 
are  two  things  that  are  very  apt  to  be  an  occasion 
of  offence  to  the  weak :  one  is,  when  the  cross 
attends  religion  ;  the  other  is,  when  others  that 
profess  religion  do  suffer  for  evil-doing.  To  both 
these  I  would  say  this : — 

1.  Though  the  cross,  indeed,  is  grievous  to  the 
to  the  flesh,  yet  we  should  with  grace  bear  up  under 
it,  and  not  be  offended  at  it. 

2.  And  as  to  the  second,  though  we  should  and 
ought  to  be  offended  with  such  miscarriage ;  yet 
not  with  religion,  because  of  such  miscarriage. 
Some,  indeed,  when  they  see  these  things,  take 
offence  against  religion  itself;  yea,  perhaps,  are 
glad  of  the  occasion,  and  so  fall  out  with  Jesus 
Christ,  saying  to  him,  because  of  the  evils  that 
attend  his  ways,  as  the  ten  tribes  said  to  Rehoboam, 
the  son  of  Solomon  the  king,  '  What  portion  have 
we  in  David  ?  neither  have  ice  inheritance  in  the 
son  of  Jesse ;  to  your  tents,  0  Israel :  now  see  to 
thine  own  house,  David,'  1  kl  xu.  ig;  and  so  go 
quite  away  from  him,  and  cleave  no  more  unto  him, 
to  his  people,  or  to  his  ways :  but  this  is  bad.  Shun, 
therefore,  the  evil  ways  of  Christians,  but  cleave  to 
the  way  that  is  christian :  cast  away  that  bad  spirit 
that  thou  seest  in  any,  but  hold  fast  to  thy  Head 
and  Lord.  Whither  canst  thou  go  ?  the  Lord  Jesus 
has  the  words  of  eternal  life.  Ju.  vi.  cs.  Whither  wilt 
thou  go  ?  there  is  not  salvation  in  any  other.  Ac.  iv.  12. 
Take  heed,  therefore,  of  picking  a  quarrel  with 
Jesus  Christ,  and  with  his  ways,  because  of  the  evil 
doings  of  some  of  his  followers.  Judas  sold  him, 
Peter  denied  him,  and  many  of  his  disciples  went 
back  and  did  walk  no  more  with  him  ;  but  neither 
himself  nor  his  ways  were    the   worse  for   that. 


Beware,  therefore,  that  thou  truly  distinguisk  be- 
tween the  good  ways  of  Jesus  Christ  and  the  evil 
ways  of  them  that  profess  him  ;  and  take  not  an 
occasion  to  throw  away  thy  own  soul  down  the 
throat  of  hell,  because  others  have  vilely  cast  away 
their  lives  by  transgressing  of  the  law  of  God. 
Nay,  let  other  men's  faults  make  thee  more  wary; 
let  other  men's  falls  make  thee  look  better  to  thy 
goings:  shun  the  rock  that  he  that  went  before 
thee  did  split  his  ship  against ;  and  cry  to  God  to 
lead  thee  in  a  path  that  is  plain  and  good,  because 
of  thy  observers. 

Further,  Let  not  opposite  Christians  rejoice 
wlien  they  see  that  evil  hath  taken  their  brother 
by  the  heel.  Hate  the  garment,  the  thing  that  is 
bad,  and  by  which  the  name,  and  fame,  and  life 
of  thy  brother  is  so  vilely  cast  away,  thou  shouldest; 
and  take  good  heed  lest  it  also  touch  thee,  but  yet 
thou  shouldest  pity  thy  brother,  mourn  for  his  hard 
hap,  and  grieve  that  a  thing  so  much  unbecoming 
Christianity  should  be  suffered  to  show  the  least 
part  of  itself  among  any  of  those  that  profess  the 
gospel. 

Directions  for  the  shunning  of  suffering  for  eull' 
doing,  are  they  that  come  next  to  hand. 

Direction  1.  Therefore,  wouldest  thou  not  suffer 
as  an  e^-il-doer,  then  take  heed  of  committing  of 
evil.  Evil  courses  bring  to  evil  ends ;  shun  all 
appearance  of  evil,  and  ever  follow  that  which  is 
good.  And  if  ye  be  followers  of  that  Avhich  is 
good,  who  will  harm  you  ?  1  Pe.  m.  13.  Or  if  there 
should  be  such  enemies  to  goodness  in  the  world 
as  to  cause  thee  for  that  to  suffer,  thou  needest  not 
be  ashamed  of  thy  suflering  for  well-doing,  nor  can 
there  be  a  good  man,  but  he  will  dare  to  own  and 
stand  by  thee  in  it.  Yea,  thy  sufferings  for  that 
will  make  thee  happy,  so  that  thou  canst  by  no 
means  be  a  loser  thereby. 

Diredion  2.  Wouldest  thou  not  suffer  for  evil- 
doing,  then  take  heed  of  the  occasions  of  evil.  Take 
heed  of  tempting  company.  Beware  of  men,  for 
they  will  deliver  thee  up.  There  have  been  men 
in  the  world  that  have  sought  to  make  themselves 
out  of  the  ruins  of  other  men.  This  did  Judas, 
and  some  of  the  Pharisees.  Mat.  x.  17.  Lu.  xx.  19,  20. 
Take  heed  to  thy  mouth :  '  A  fool's  mouth  calleth 
for  strokes, — and  his  lips  are  the  snare  of  his  soul.' 
l>r.  xviii.  7.  Take  heed  of  indulging,  and  hearkening 
to  the  ease  of  the  flesh,  and  of  carnal  reasonings, 
for  that  will  put  thee  upon  wicked  things. 

Direction  3.  Wouldest  thou  not  suffer  as  an  evil- 
doer, then  take  heed  of  hearing  of  any  thing- 
spoken  that  is  not  according  to  sound  doctrine : 
thou  must  withdraw  thyself  from  such  in  whom 
thou  perceivest  not  the  words  of  knowledge.  Let 
not  talk  against  governors,  against  powers,  against 
men  in  authority  be  admitted ;  keep  thee  far  from 
an  evil  matter.     My  son,  says  Solomon,  fear  thou 


ADVICE   TO    SUFFERERS. 


709 


the  Lord,  aud  the  King,  and  meddle  not  with  those 
that  are  given  to  change.  ■ 

Direction  4.  Wouldest  thou  not  suffer  as  an  evil- 
doer, addict  not  thyself  to  play  with  evil,*  to  joke 
and  jest,  and  mock  at  men  in  place  and  power. 
Gaal  mocked  at  Abimelech,  and  said,  Who  is 
Abimelech,  that  we  should  serve  him  ?  But  he 
paid  for  his  disdainful  language  at  last.  Ju.  ix.  I 
have  heard  of  an  innkeeper  here  in  England,  whose 
sign  was  the  crown,  and  he  was  a  merry  man. 
Now  he  had  a  boy,  of  whom  he  used  to  say,  when 
he  was  jovial  among  his  guests.  This  boy  is  heir 
to  the  crown,  or  this  boy  shall  be  heir  to  the  crown; 
and  if  I  mistake  not  the  story,  for  these  words  he 
lost  his  life.t  It  is  bad  jesting  with  great  things, 
with  things  that  are  God's  ordinance,  as  kings  and 
governors  are.  Yea,  let  them  rather  have  that  fear, 
that  honour,  that  reverence,  that  worship,  that  is 
due  to  their  place,  their  office,  and  dignity.  How 
Paul  gave  honour  and  respect  unto  those  that  were 
but  deputy-kings  and  heathen  magistrates,  will 
greatly  appear,  if  you  do  but  read  his  trials  before 
them  in  the  book  called.  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles. 
And  what  a  charge  both  he  and  Peter  have  left 
behind  them  to  the  churches  to  do  so  too,  may  be 
found  to  conviction,  if  we  read  their  epistles. 

Direction  5.  Wouldest  thou  not  suffer  for  evil- 
doing,  then  take  heed  of  being  offended  with 
magistrates,  because  by  their  state  acts  they  may 
cross  thy  inclinations.  It  is  given  to  them  to  bear 
the  sword,  and  a  command  is  to  thee,  if  thy  heart 
cannot  acquiesce  with  all  things  with  meekness 
aud  patience,  to  suffer.  Discontent  in  the  mind 
sometimes  puts  discontent  into  the  mouth;  and 
discontent  in  the  mouth  doth  sometimes  also  put 
a  halter  about  the  neck.  For  as  a  man,  by  speak- 
ing a  word  in  jest  may  for  that  be  hanged  in 
earnest  ;t  so  he  that  speaks  in  discontent  may  die 
for  it  in  sober  sadness.  Adonijah's  discontent 
put  him  upon  doing  that  which  cost  him  his  life. 
1  Ki.  ii.  13,  23.  Great  peace  have  they  that  love  thy 
law,  and  nothing  shall  offend  them ;  for  they  are 
subjected  to  the  will  and  foot  of  God. 

Direction  6.  But,  above  all,  get  thy  conscience 
possessed  yet  more  with  this,  that  the  magistrate 
16  God's  ordinance,  aud  is  ordered  of  God  as  such: 
that  he  is  the  minister  of  God  to  thee  for  good. 


*  '  But  if  J'ou  give  sia  entrance  at  the  door. 

It's  stiug  Kill  in,  and  may  come  out  no  more.' 

Bunyan's  Caution. 
t  An  equally  cruel  scene  took  place  in  the  presence  of  Stow, 
the  historian,  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth.  Ihe  bailiff  of  Rom- 
ford coming  to  London,  was  asked  by  the  curate  of  Aldgate 
the  news:  he  replied, '  Many  men  be  up  in  Essex,'  [Qu.  not  m 
bed  ^  For  this  he  was  hung  the  next  morning  in  front  of  Mr. 
btow's  house.  How  grateful  ought  we  to  be  that  such  san- 
guinary laws  have  fled,  with  the  dark  mists  of  error  aud 
cruelty,  before  the  spreading  light  of  the  gospel— Ed. 


and  that  it  is  thy  duty  to  fear  him,  and  pray  for 
him,  to  give  thanks  to  God  for  him,  and  to  be  sub- 
ject to  him  as  both  Paul  and  Peter  admoni.sh  us ; 
and  that  not  only  for  wrath,  but  for  conscience 
sake.  Ro.  xiii.  5.  For  all  other  arguments  come  short 
of  binding  the  soid,  where  this  argument  is  want- 
ing ;  imtil  we  believe  that  of  God  we  are  bound 
thereto.  I  speak  not  these  things,  as  knowing 
any  that  are  disaffected  to  the  government ;  for  I 
love  to  be  alone,  if  not  with  godly  men,  iu  things 
that  are  convenient.  But  because  I  appear  thus 
in  public,  aud  know  not  into  whose  hands  these 
Hues  may  come,  therefore  thus  I  write.  I  speak 
it  also  to  show  my  loyalty  to  the  king,  and  my  love  to 
my  fellow-subjects  ;  and  my  desire  that  all  Chris- 
tians should  walk  in  ways  of  peace  and  truth. 

2.  [TAai  Clirisliaris  may,  and  have,  suffered 
accou'ding  to  the  vAU  of  God.  J 

I  come  now  to  the  second  thing  propounded  to 
be  spoken  to,  as  to  suffering,  v/hich  is  this. — That 
there  have  been,  and  yet  may  be,  a  people  in  the 
world  that  have,  and  may,  suffer  in  the  sense  of 
the  apostle  here,  according  to  the  will  of  God,  or 
for  righteousness'  sake. 

That  there  have  been  such  a  people  in  the  world, 
I  think  nobody  will  deny,  because  many  of  the 
prophets,  Christ,  and  his  apostles,  thus  suffered. 
Besides,  since  the  Scriptures  were  written,  all 
nations  can  witness  to  this,  whose  histories  tell  at 
large  of  the  patience  and  goodness  of  the  sufferers, 
and  of  the  cruelty  of  those  that  did  destroy  them. 
And  that  the  thing  will  yet  happen,  or  come  to 
pass  again,  both  Scripture  aud  reason  affirm. 

First,  Scripture.  The  text  tells  us.  That  God 
hath  put  enmity  betwixt  the  woman  and  her  seed, 
and  the  serpent  and  his  seed.  Ge.  Ui.  15.  This  enmity 
put,  is  so  tixed  that  none  can  remove  it  so,  but 
that  it  still  will  remain  in  the  world.  These  two 
seeds  have  always  had,  aud  will  have,  that  which 
is  essentially  opposite  to  one  another,  and  they  are 
'  the  spirit  of  truth  and  the  spirit  of  error, '  i  Jn.  iv.  6 ; 
sin  and  righteousness,  m.  7,  S;  light  and  darkness. 

1  Th.  V.  5.  Hence  '  an  unjust  man  is  an  abomination 
to  the  just ;  and  he  thai  is  upright  iu  the  way  is 
abomination  to  the  wicked.'  I'r.  ixix.  27.  So  that 
unless  you  could  sanctify  and  regenerate  all  men, 
or  cause  that  no  more  wicked  men  should  any 
where  be  in  power  lor  ever,  you  cannot  prevent 
but  that  sometimes  still  there  must  be  sufferers  for 
righteousness'  sake.  '  Yea,  and  all  that  will  hve 
godly  in  Christ  Jesus   shaU  suffer  persecution.' 

2  Ti.  ui.  12. 

Second,  To  prove  this  by  reason  is  easy.  The 
devil  is  not  yet  shut  up  iu  the  bottomless  pit— Anti- 
Christ  is  yet  alive.  The  government  in  aU  king- 
doms  is  not  yet  managed  with  such  light,  and 


710 


ADVICE    TO    SUFFERERS. 


goodness  of  mind,  as  to  let  the  saints  serve  God, 
as  he  has  said,  whatever  it  is  in  some.  And  until 
then  there  will  he  in  some  places,  though  for  my 
part  I  cannot  predict  where,  a  people  that  will  yet 
suffer  for  well-doing,  or  for  righteousness'  sake. 

In  order  to  a  right  handling  of  this  matter,  I 
shall  divide  this  head  into  these  two  parts — A.  Show 
you  what  it  is  to  suffer  for  well-doing,  or  for  righ- 
teousness. B.  Show  you  what  it  is  to  suffer  for 
righteousness'  sake.  I  put  this  distinction,  hecause 
1  find  that  it  is  one  thing  to  suffer  for  righteous- 
ness, and  another  to  suflFer  for  righteousness'  sake. 

[A.  What  it  is  to  suffer  for  righteousness.] 

To  hegin  with  the  fii'st,  namely,  to  show  you 
ivhat  it  is  to  suffer  for  righteousness.  Now  that 
may  be  done  either  passively  or  actively. 

1 .  Passively,  as  when  any  suffer  for  righteousness 
without  their  own  will,  or  consent  thereto.  Thus, 
the  little  children  at  Bethlehem  suffered  by  the 
hands  of  bloody  Herod,  when  they  died  for,  or  in 
the  room  and  stead  of,  Jesus  Christ.  Mat.  u.  i6.  Every 
one  of  those  children  died  for  righteousness,  if 
Christ  is  righteousness  ;  for  they  died  upon  his 
account,  as  being  supposed  to  be  he  himself.  Thus 
also  the  children  of  Israel's  little  ones,  that  were 
murdered  with  their  parents,  or  otherwise,  because 
of  the  religion  of  them  that  begat  and  bare  them, 
died  for  righteousness.  The  same  may  be  said 
concerning  those  of  them  that  suffered  in  the  land 
of  the  Chaldeans  upon  the  same  account.  I  might 
liere  also  bring  in  those  poor  infants  that  in  Ireland, 
Piedmont,  Paris,  and  other  places,  have  had  their 
throats  cut,  and  their  brains  dashed  out  against 
the  walls,  for  none  other  cause  but  for  the  religion 
of  their  fathers.  Many,  many  have  suffered  for 
righteousness  after  this  manner.  Their  will,  nor 
consent,  has  been  in  the  suffering,  yet  they  have 
suffered  for  religion,  for  righteousness.  And  as 
this  hath  been,  so  it  may  be  again;  for  if  men 
may  yet  suffer  for  righteousness,  even  so,  for  ought 
I  know,  even  in  this  sense,  may  their  children 
also. 

Now,  although  this  is  not  the  chief  matter  of 
my  text,  yet  a  few  words  here  may  do  no  harm. 
The  children  that  thus  suffer,  though  their  own 
will  and  consent  be  not  in  what  they  undergo,  may 
yet,  for  all  that,  be  accepted  as  an  offering  unto 
the  Lord.  Their  cause  is  good  ;  it  is  for  religion 
and  righteousness.  Their  hearts  do  not  recoil 
against  the  cause  for  which  they  suffer;  and 
although  they  are  children,  God  can  deal  with 
them  as  with  John  the  Baptist,  cause  them  in  a 
moment  to  leap  for  joy  of  Christ ;  or  else  can  save 
them  by  his  grace,  as  he  saveth  other  his  elect 
infants,  and  thus  comprehend  them,  though  they 
cannot  apprehend  him  ;  yea,  why  may  they  not  only 


be  saved,  but  in  some  sense  be  called  martyrs  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  those  that  have  suffered  for  God's 
cause  in  the  world  ?  God  comforted  Rachel  con- 
cerning her  children  that  Herod  murdered  in  the 
stead,  and  upon  the  account  of  Christ.*  He  bids 
her  refrain  herself  from  tears,  by  this  promise, 
that  her  children  should  come  again  from  the  laud 
of  the  enemy,  from  death.  And  again,  saith  he, 
Thy  children  shall  come  again  to  their  own  border ; 
which  I  think,  if  it  be  meant  in  a  gospel  sense, 
must  be  to  the  heavenly  inheritance.     Compare 

Je.  xxxi.  15—17.  with  Mat.  ii.  18.  t 

And  methinks  this  should  be  mentioned,  not 
only  for  her  and  their  sakes.  but  to  comfort  all 
those  that  either  have  had,  or  yet  may  have,  their 
children  thus  suffer  for  righteousness.  None  of 
these  things,  as  shall  be  further  showed  anon, 
happen  without  the  determinate  counsel  of  God. 
He  has  ordered  the  sufferings  of  little  children  as 
well  as  that  of  persons  more  in  years.  And  it  is 
easy  to  think  that  God  can  as  well  foresee  which 
of  his  elect  shall  suffer  by  violent  hands  in  their 
infancy,  as  which  of  them  shall  then  die  a  natural 
death.  He  has  saints  small  in  age  as  well  as  in 
esteem  or  otherwise  ;  and  sometimes  the  least  mem- 
ber of  the  body  suffereth  violence,  as  well  as  the 
head  or  other  chief  parts.  And  although  I  desire 
not  to  see  these  days  again,  yet  methinks  it  will 
please  me  to  see  those  little  ones  that  thus  have 
already  suffered  for  Jesus,  to  stand  in  their  white 
robes  with  the  elders  of  their  people,  before  the 
throne,  to  sing  unto  the  Lamb. 

2.  Actively.  But  to  pass  this,  and  to  come  to 
that  which  is  more  directly  intended  to  be  spoken 
to,  namely,  to  show  you  who  doth  actively  suffer 
for  righteousness.     And, 

(1 .)  It  is  lie  thai  cJwoseth  by  his  own  will  and  con- 


*  They  shed  their  blood  for  Ilim  who  afterwards  shed  his 
blood  for  them.  These  were  the  infantry  of  the  noble  army 
of  martyrs.  If  these  infants  were  thus  baptized  with  blood, 
though  their  own,  into  the  church  triumphant,  it  could  be 
said  that  what  they  got  in  heaven  abuudantly  compensated  for 
what  they  lost  on  earth. — Henri/. 

t  Nearly  all  Protestants  agree  as  to  the  salvation  of  iufants 
dying  in  their  infancy — Toplady  and  the  Calvinists  ou  the 
ground  of  their  being  in  the  covenant  of  grace ;  others  because 
they  had  not  personally  transgressed;  supposing  that  the  suf- 
ferings and  death  of  the  body  is  the  penalty  of  original  sin. 
Holy  Scrii)ture  appears  to  settle  this  question  very  satisfactorily, 
by  requiring  childlike  docility  as  a  preparation  for  the  Spirit's 
working.  The  language  of  the  Saviour  is, '  Suffer  little  children 
tocome  unto  nie.and  forbid  them  not;  for  of  such  is  thekiugdom 
of  God,'  Luke  xviii.  16.  '  Such'  as  die  in  infancy — 'such'  adults 
as,  with  childlike  simplicity,  search  the  Scriptures,  and  fly 
for  refuge  to  the  Saviour.  '  It  is  not  the  will  of  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven  that  one  of  these  little  ones  should  perish,' 
Mat.  xviii.  14.  '  It  were  better  for  him  that  a  milstone*  were 
lianged  about  his  neck,  and  he  cast  into  the  sea,  than  that  he 
should  offend  one  of  these  little  ones,'  Luke  xvii.  2  — Ed. 
*  So  spelt  in  the  standard  edition  of  the  Biljle, 


ADVICE   TO   SUFFERERS. 


711 


sent  to  sufj'er  for  it.  All  suffering  that  can  be  called 
active  suffering,  must  be  by  the  consent  of  the 
will ;  and  that  is  done  when  a  man  shall  have  sin 
and  suffering  set  before  him,  and  shall  choose  suf- 
fering rather  than  sin.  He  chose  '  rather  to  suffer 
affliction  with  the  people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the 
pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season.'  He.  xi.  25.  And  again, 
They  did  not  accept  of  deliverance,  that  is,  of 
base  and  unworthy  terms,  '  that  they  might  obtain 
a  better  resurrection.'  ver.  35. 

Indeed,  no  man  can  force  a  Christian  to  suffer  as 
a  Christian,  without  his  own  consent.  All  Chris- 
tians are  sufferers  of  will  and  consent.  Hence  it 
is  said,  they  must  take  up  their  cross,  by  which 
taking  up,  an  act  of  their  will  is  intended.  Mat.  x.  38; 
xvi.  24.  So  again,  '  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,'  which 
also  intends  an  act  of  the  Avill.  xi.  29.  This,  there- 
fore, is  the  first  thing  that  I  would  present  you 
with.  Not  that  an  act  of  the  will  is  enough  to 
declare  a  man  a  sufferer  for  righteousness,  it  stand- 
ing alone ;  for  a  man,  through  the  strength  of 
delusion,  and  the  power  of  an  erroneous  conscience, 
may  be  willing  to  suffer  for  the  grossest  opinions 
in  the  world.  But  I  bring  it  to  show  that  actual 
suffering  for  righteousness  must  also  be  by  the  con- 
sent of  the  Avill — the  mind  of  the  man  must  be  in  it. 

(2.)  He  that  svffereth  for  righteousness  thus,  must 
also  have  a  good  cause.  A  good  cause  is  that  which 
is  essential  to  suffering  for  righteousness.  A  good 
cause,  what  is  that  ?  Why,  verily,  it  is  the  truth 
of  God,  either  in  the  whole  of  it,  as  contained  in 
the  Scriptures  of  truth,  or  in  the  parts  of  it,  as  set 
before  me  to  believe,  or  do,  by  any  part  of  that 
holy  Word.  This  may  be  called  the  matter  for 
which  one  suffereth ;  or,  as  it  is  called  in  another 
place,  '  the  word  of  righteousness. '  He.  v.  13.  It  may 
also  be  called  the  form  of  sound  doctrine,  or  the 
like.  Because  without  this  Word,  the  matter  and 
nature  of  God's  truths  cannot  be  known.  Pilate's 
question,  '  Wliat  is  truth  ?  '  will  still  abide  a  ques- 
tion, to  those  that  have  not,  or  regard  not  the 
Word,  the  rule  of  righteousness.  Jn.  xviu.  38.  See 
then  that  thy  cause  be  good,  thou  that  wouldest 
know  what  it  is  to  suffer  for  righteousness ;  step 
not  an  hair's  breadth  without  the  bounds  of  the 
Word  of  truth  ;  also  take  heed  of  misunderstand- 
ing, or  of  wringing  out  of  its  place,  any  thing  that 
is  there.  Let  the  words  of  the  upright  stand 
upright,  wai-p  them  not,  to  the  end  they  may  com- 
ply in  show  with  any  crooked  notion.  And  to  pre- 
vent this,  take  these  three  words  as  a  guide,  in 
this  matter  to  thee.  They  show  men  their  sins, 
and  how  to  close  with  a  Saviour ;  they  enjoin  men 
to  be  holy  and  humble ;  they  command  men  to 
submit  themselves  to  authority.  And  whatever  is 
cross  to  these,  comes  from  ignorance  of,  or  from 
wresting,  the  rule  of  righteousness  out  of  its  place. 

But  more  particularly,  the  word  of  righteousness 


— thy  cause,  within  the  bounds  of  which  thou  must 
keep,  if  thou  wilt  suffer  for  righteousness,  is  to 
be  divided  into  two  parts.  (1.)  It  containeth  a 
revelation  of  moral  righteousness.  (2.)  It  con- 
taineth a  revelation  of  evangelical  righteousness. 

As  for  moral  righteousness,  men  seldom  suffer ; 
only,  for  that.  Because  that  is  the  righteousness 
of  the  world,  and  that,  simply  as  such,  that  sots 
itself  up  in  every  man's  conscience,  and  has  a 
testimony  for  itself,  even  in  the  light  of  nature. 
Besides,  there  is  nothing  that  makethhead  against 
that ;  but  that  which  every  man  is  ashamed,  by 
words  to  plead  for,  and  that  is  immorality.  And 
this  is  that  which  Peter  intends  when  he  saith, 
'  And  if  ye  be  followers  of  that  which  is  good,  who 
will  harm  you  ?  '  1  Pe.  iii.  13.  If  ye  be  followers  of 
moral  goodness.  But  if  it  should  so  happen,  for 
the  case  is  rare,  that  any  man  should  make  you 
sufferers  because  you  love  God,  and  do  good  to  your 
neighbour,  happy  are  ye.  Though  I  do  not  think 
that  the  apostle's  conclusion  terminates  there.  But 
more  of  these  things  anon.  For  let  a  man  be  a  good 
neighbour  in  morals ;  let  him  feed  the  hungry, 
clothe  the  naked,  give  freely  out  of  his  purse  to 
the  poor,  and  do  that  which  he  would  another 
should  do  to  him ;  and  stop  there,  and  not  meddle 
with  the  name  of  Christ,  and  he  shall  have  but  few 
enemies  in  the  world.  For  it  is  not  the  law,  but 
Christ,  that  is  the  stumbling-block,  and  the  rock  of 
offence  to  men.  is.  viu.  14, 15.  Ro.  ii.  31-33. 

Wherefore,  there  is  in  God's  Word  a  revelation 
of  another  righteousness — a  righteousness  which  is 
not  so  visible  to,  yea,  and  that  suiteth  not  so  with, 
the  reason  of  man  as  that  moral  righteousness 
doth.  Wherefore  this  righteousness  makes  men 
righteous  in  principle,  and  practise  so,  as  is  foreign 
to  natural  men.  Hence  it  is  said  to  be  foolishness 
to  them.  1  Co.  ii.  14.  And  again,  *  Its  praise  is  not  of 
men. '  Ko.  ii.  29.  This  righteousness  is  also  revealed 
in  the  Scriptures,  but  the  blind  cannot  see  it.  It 
is  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  heart,  and  is 
therefore  called  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit ;  and  the 
grace,  which  in  the  head  and  fulness  of  it,  is  only 
to  be  found  in  Christ.  Jn.  L  16.  Col.  L  19. 1  Ti.  L  14.  This 
righteousness  being  planted  in  the  heart,  leads  a 
man  out  by  the  Word  of  God,  to  seek  for  another 
righteousness,  as  invisible  to,  and  foreign  from,  tho 
natural  man,  as  this.  And  that  righteousness  is 
that  which  properly  is  the  righteousness  of  Jesus 
Christ — a  righteousness  that  standeth  in  his  obe- 
dience to  his  Father's  law,  as  he  was  considered  a 
common  or  public  person — a  righteousness  which 
he  brought  into  the  world,  not  for  himself,  as  con- 
sidered in  a  private  capacity,  but  for  those  that 
shall  by  faith  venture  themselves  upon  him,  to 
obtain  by  him  hfe  eternal.  Ro.  v.  19.  rh.  iiL  7-10, 

Again,  This  closing  by  faith,  with  this  righ- 
teousness thus  found  in  Christ,  and  being  taken 


712 


ADVICE   TO   SUl'FERERS. 


therewith,  leads  me  yet  to  another  righteousness, 
which  is  instituted  worship,  appointed  by  Christ, 
for  all  his  followers  to  be  conversant  in ;  this  worship 
is  grounded  on  positive  precepts,  and  so  on  words 
of  righteousness,  called  Christ's  words,  Christ's 
sayings,  «fec. 

Kow,  upon  this  bottom  begins  the  difference 
betwixt  the  men  of  God  and  the  world.  For,  first, 
by  this  inward  principle  of  righteousness  we  come 
to  see,  and  say,  that  men  by  nature  are  not  Chris- 
tians, what  privileges  soever  they  may  account 
themselves  partakers  thereof.  But  whosoever  is 
a  Christian,  of  God's  making  so,  is  begotten  and 
born  of  God,  and  made  a  new  creature  by  the 
anointing  received  from  the  Holy  One.  Ja.  i.  18.  Ja.  iii. 

3,  5.  2  Co.  V.  17,  18;  i.  21.  1  Jn.  ii.  20,  24,  27. 

Now,  this  these  carnal  men  cannot  endure  to 
hear  of;  because  it  quite  excludes  them,  as  such, 
from  a  share  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  To  this, 
again,  the  Christian  stands  and  backs  what  he 
says  by  the  Word  of  God.  Then  the  game  begins, 
and  the  men  of  the  world  are  thoughtful  how  they 
may  remove  such  troublesome  fellows  out  of  the 
way.  But  because  the  Christians  love  their  neigh- 
bours, and  will  not  let  them  thus  easily  die  in  their 
sins,  therefore  they  contend  with  them,  both  by 
reasonings,  writings,  sermons,  and  books  of  gospel 
divinity;  and  stand  to  what  they  say.  The  world, 
again,  are  angry  with  these  sayings,  sermons,  and 
books,  for  that  by  them  they  are  concluded  to  be 
persons  that  are  without  repentance,  and  the  hope 
of  eternal  life.  Here  again,  the  carnal  world  judges 
that  these  people  are  proud,  self-willed,  pragmati- 
cal, contentious,  self-conceited,  and  so  unsufferable 
people.  The  Christian  yet  goes  on  and  stands  to 
what  he  has  asserted.  Then  the  poor  world  at 
their  last  shift  begins  to  turn,  and  overturn  the 
gospel-man's  sayings  ;  perverting,  forcing,  stretch- 
ing, and  dismembering  of  them ;  and  so  making 
of  them  speak  what  was  never  thought,  much  less 
intended  by  the  believer. 

Thus  they  served  our  Loi-d ;  for,  not  being  able 
to  down  Avith*  his  doctrine,  they  began  to  pervert 
his  words,  and  to  make,  as  also  they  said  after- 
wards of  Luther's,  some  offensive,  some  erroneous, 
some  treasonable,  and  that  both  against  God  and 
Caesar,  and  so  they  hanged  him  up,  hoping  there 
to  put  an  end  to  things.  But  this  is  but  the  begin- 
ning of  things ;  for  the  christian  man,  by  the  word 
of  the  gospel,  goes  further  with  his  censure.  For 
he  also  findeth  fault  with  all  that  this  man,  by  the 
ability  of  nature,  can  do  for  the  freeing  himself 
from  the  law  of  sin  and  death.  He  condemns  him 
by  the  Word,  because  he  is  in  a  state  of  nature, 
and  he  condemneth  also  whatever,  while  in  that 


'  To  down  with  ;'  to  reoeive,  to  swallow.     '  Probably  it 
I  luirdly  douyii  witli  any  body  at  first  hcariDg.'—Z,o'f>{-f. — Ed. 


state,  he  doth,  as  tliat  which  by  no  means  can 
please  God.  Eo.  xiv.  23.  He.  xi.  6.  This  now  puts  him 
more  out ;  this  is  a  taking  of  his  gods  away  from 
him.  This  is  to  strip  him  of  his  raiment,  such  as 
it  is,  and  to  turn  him  naked  into  the  presence  of 
God.  This,  I  say,  puts  him  out  and  out.  These 
wild-brained  fellows,  quoth  he,  are  never  content, 
they  find  fault  Avith  us  as  to  our  state ;  they  find 
fault  with  us  as  to  our  works,  our  best  works. 
They  blame  us  because  we  are  sinners,  and  they 
find  fault  with  us,  though  we  mend ;  they  say,  by 
nature  we  are  no  Christians,  and  that  our  best 
doings  will  not  make  us  such.  What  would  they 
have  us  do  ?  Thus,  therefore,  they  renew  their 
quarrel ;  but  the  christian  man  cannot  help  it, 
unless  he  would  see  them  go  to  hell,  and  saying 
nothing.  For  the  Word  of  God  doth  as  assuredly 
condemn  man's  righteousness,  as  it  doth  condemn 
man's  sin  ;  it  condemneth  not  man's  righteousness 
among  men,  for  there  it  is  good  and  profitable, 
Job  xxxv.  6-8 ;  but  with  God,  to  savc  the  soul,  it  is 
no  better  than  filthy  rags.  is.  ixiv.  6. 

Nor  will  this  christian  man  suffer  these  carnal 
ones  to  delude  themselves  with  a  change  of  terms ; 
for  the  devil,  who  is  the  great  manager  of  carnal 
men  in  things  that  concern  their  souls,  and  in  the 
plea  that  they  make  for  themselves,  will  help  them 
to  tricks  and  shifts  to  evade  the  power  of  the  Word 
of  God.  Teaching  them  to  call  the  beauties  of 
nature  grace,  and  the  acts  of  natural  powers 
the  exercise  of  the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  he  will 
embolden  them  also  to  call  man's  righteousness 
the  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  that  by  which  a 
sinner  may  be  justified  in  the  sight  of  God  from 
the  law.  These  tricks  the  Christian  sees,  and 
being  faithful  to  God's  truth,  and  desiring  the  sal- 
vation of  his  neighbour,  he  laboureth  to  discover 
the  fallacy  of,  and  to  propound  better  terms  for 
this  poor  creature  to  embrace,  and  venture  his  soul 
upon ;  which  terms  are  warranted  by  the  New 
Testament,  a  stranger  to  which  the  natural  man 
is.  But,  I  say,  the  things  which  the  Christian 
presseth,  being  so  foreign  to  nature,  and  lying  so 
cross  to  man's  best  things,  are  presently  judged 
by  the  natural  man  to  be  fables  or  foolishness. 
1  Co.  ii.  u.  Wherefore  here  again,  he  takes  another 
occasion  to  maintain  his  strife,  and  contention 
against  the  righteous  man ;  raising  of  slanders 
upon  him,  and  laying  things  to  his  charge  that  he 
understandeth  not ;  charging  also  his  doctrine  with 
many  grievous  things.  Namely,  that  he  holdeth 
that  man  was  made  to  be  damned ;  that  man's 
righteousness  is  no  better  than  sin ;  that  a  man 
had  as  good  to  do  ill  as  well ;  that  we  may  believe, 
and  do  what  we  list ;  that  holiness  pleaseth  not 
God  ;  and  that  sinning  is  the  way  to  cause  grace  to 
abound.  Besides,  say  they,  he  condemneth  good 
motions,  and  all  good  boglnnings  of  heart  to  God- 


ADVICE    TO    SUFFERERS, 


71S 


ward;  he  casteth  away  that  good  we  have,  and 
would  have  us  depend  upon  a  justice  to  save  us 
by,  that  we  can  by  no  means  approve  of.  And 
thus  the  quarrel  is  made  yet  wider  between  the 
men  of  the  world  and  the  christian  man.  But 
there  is  not  a  stop  put  here. 

For  it  is  possible  for  the  carnal  man  to  be  beaten 
out  of  all  his  arguments  for  himself  and  his  own 
things,  by  the  power  and  force  of  the  Word ;  and 
to  be  made  to  consent  to  what  the  Christian  has 
said  as  to  the  notion  of  the  truth.  I  must  not  speak 
this  of  all.  But  yet  the  breach  doth  still  abide ; 
for  that  yet  there  appears  to  be  no  more  with  the 
man,  but  only  the  notion  of  things.  For  though 
the  notion  of  things  are  those  that  of  God  are 
made  the  means  of  conveying  of  grace  into  the 
heart,  yet  grace  is  not  always  with  the  notion  of 
things;  the  Word  ofttimes  standeth  in  man's  under- 
standing alone,  and  remaineth  there,  as  not  being 
accompanied  with  such  grace  as  can  make  it  the 
power  of  God  to  salvation.  Now,  when  it  is  thus 
with  the  soul,  the  danger  is  as  great  as  ever, 
because  there  is  a  presumption  now  begotten  in 
the  heart  that  the  man  is  in  a  saved  condition, — a 
presumption,  I  say,  instead  of  faith,  which  pufFeth 
up,  instead  of  enabling  the  soul  after  a  godly  man- 
ner to  depend  upon  God  for  mercy  through  Christ. 
This  is  called  the  word  of  them  that  are  puffed  up  ; 
the  word  only,  because  not  accompanied  with  saving 

grace,  l  Co.  iv.  19  ;  viii.  l.  1  Th.  i.  5. 

This  the  Christian  also  sees,  and  says  it  is  too 
weak  to  conduct  the  soul  to  glory.  And  this, 
indeed,  he  says,  because  he  would  not  that  his 
neighbour  should  come  short  home.  But  neither 
can  this  be  borne ;  but  here  again,  the  natural  man 
with  his  notion  of  things  is  offended ;  and  takes 
pet  against  his  friend,  because  he  tells  him  the 
truth,  and  would  that  he  so  should  digest  the  truth, 
that  it  may  prove  unto  him  eternal  life.  Where- 
fore he  now  begins  to  fall  out  again,  for  as  yet  the 
enmity  is  not  removed ;  he  therefore  counts  him 
an  unmerciful  man,  one  that  condemneth  all  to 
hell  but  himself;  and  as  to  his  singularity  in  things, 
those  he  counteth  for  dreams,  for  enthusiasms, 
for  allegorical  whimsies,  vain  revelations,  and  the 
effects  of  an  erroneous  judgment.  For  the  Lord 
has  put  such  darkness  betwixt  Egypt  and  Israel, 
as  will  not  suffer  them  to  come  together.  But 
this  is  not  all. 

For  it  is  possible  for  these  carnal  men  to  be  so 
much  delighted  in  the  notion  of  things,  as  to  addict 
themselves  to  some  kind  of  worship  of  Christ,  whose 
notions  of  truth  have  by  them  been  received.  And 
because  their  love  is  yet  but  carnal,  and  because 
the  flesh  is  swelling,  and  is  pleased  with  pomp  and 
sumptuousness,  therefore,  to  show  how  great  an 
esteem  such  have  for  Christ,  whom  they  are  now 
about  to  worship,  they  will  first  coimt  his  testa- 

VOL.  II. 


ment,  though  good,  a  thing  defective,  and  not  of 
fulness  sufficient  to  give,  in  all  particular  things, 
direction  how  they  should,  to  their  own  content,  per- 
form their  glorious  doctrine.  For  here  and  there, 
and  in  anotlier  place,  cry  they,  there  is  something 
wanting.  Here,  say  they,  is  nothing  said  of  those 
places,  vestures,  gestures,  shows,  and  outward 
greatness  that  we  think  seemly  to  be  found  in 
and  with  those  that  worship  Jesus.  Here  wants 
sumptuous  ceremonies,  glorious  ornaments,  new- 
fashioned  carriages,*  all  which  are  necessary  to 
adorn  worship  withal. 

But  now  here  again,  the  truly  godly,  as  he  comes 
to  see  the  evil  of  things,  maketh  his  objections,  and 
findeth  fault,  and  counts  them  unprofitable  and 
vam.  Is.  xxix.  Mat.  xv.  Mar.  ni  But  they  again,  seeing 
the  things  they  have  made  are  the  very  excellencies 
of  human  invention,  and  things  added  as  a  supple- 
ment to  make  up  what,  and  wherein,  as  they  think, 
the  man  that  was  faithful  over  his  own  house  as  a 
sou  was  defective.  They  are  resolved  to  stand 
upon  their  points,  and  not  to  budge  an  inch  from 
the  things  that  are  so  laudable,  so  necessary,  so 
convenient,  and  so  comely ;  the  things  that  have 
been  judged  good,  by  so  many  wise,  learned,  pious, 
holy,  reverend,  and  good  men.  Nay,  if  this  were 
all,  the  godly  would  make  a  good  shift ;  but  their 
zeal  is  so  great  for  what  they  have  invented,  and 
their  spirits  so  hot  to  make  others  couch  and  bend 
thereto,  that  none  must  be  suffered  to  their  power  to 
live  and  breathe,  that  refuseth  to  conform  thereto. t 
This  has  been  proved  too  true,  both  in  France, 
Spain,  Germany,  Italy,  and  other  places ;  and  upon 
this  account  it  is  that  persecution  has  been  kept 
alive  so  many  hundred  years  in  some  places  against 
the  church  of  God, 

From  what  has  been  said  as  to  these  things,  this 
I  coUect  as  the  sum — First,  That  man  by  nature 
is  in  a  state  of  wrath  and  condemnation.  Ep.  ii.  i— t. 
Jn.  iii.  18.  Secondly,  That  the  natural  man,  by  all 
his  natural  abilities,  is  not  able  to  recover  himself 
from  this  his  condemned  condition.  Jn.  vi.  44.  Ep.  L  la, 
20.  Thirdly,  That  a  man  may  have  right  notions 
of  gospel  things,  that  hath  no  grace  in  his  heart. 
1  Co.  xiii.  2,  3.  Foui'ddy,  That  to  add  human  inven- 
tions to  Christ's  institutions,  and  to  make  them  of 
the  same  force  and  necessity,  of  the  same  authority 


*  '  New-fashioned  carriages ;'  not  equipajrcs  to  ride  in,  but 
dainty  formalities.  '  Nor  in  my  carriage  a  feigned  niceness 
shown.' — Bryden.  '  Trades  in  the  carriage  of  a  holy  saint.' — 
Shakspeare. — Ed. 

t  Bunyan,  when  sent  to  prison,  wae  tlius  tlueatened : 
'  If  you  do  not  go  to  church,  or  transport  yourself,  you  must 
stretch  by  the  neck  for  it.'  This  led  to  those  painful  reflec- 
tions :  '  If  I  should  make  a  scrabbling  shift  to  clamber  up  the 
ladder,  yet  I  should,  either  with  quaking  or  other  symptoms 
of  faintings,  give  occasion  to  the  enemy  to  reproach  the  way 
of  God  and  his  people  for  their  timorotisness.' — Graff  A/jound- 
ing.  No.  334.— Ed. 

4x 


714 


ADVICE   TO    SLTFEREK3. 


and  efficacy,  is  nonglit ;  and  not  to  be  subjected  to. 

Is.  xxix.  13.  Mat  xv.  8,  9.  Mar.  vii.  6,  7. 

So  then,  he  that  saith  these  things,  saith  true ; 
for  the  Scriptures  say  the  same.  Tliis,  tlien,  is  a 
good  cause  to  suffer  for,  if  men  will  that  I  shall  suffer 
for  saying  so ;  because  it  is  that  which  is  founded 
upon  the  Word  of  God ;  and  the  Word  is  the 
ground  and  foundation  of  all  true  doctrine.  Let 
him,  then,  that  believeth  what  is  here  discoursed, 
and  that  liveth  soberly  and  peaceably  in  this  belief 
among  his  neighbours,  stand  by  what  he  hath 
received,  and  rejoice  that  he  hath  found  the  truth. 
And  if  any  shall  afflict  or  trouble  him  for  holding 
of  those  things,  they  afflict  or  trouble  him  for  hold- 
ing to  good  things  ;  and  he  suflFereth  at  their  hands 
because  his  cause  is  good. 

And  such  an  one  may  with  boldness,  as  to  this, 
make  his  appeal  to  the  Bible,  which  is  the  founda- 
tion of  his  principles,  and  to  God  the  author  of  that 
foundation,  if  what  he  holds  ia  not  good.  He  may 
say,  '  Lord,  I  have  said,  that  man  by  nature  is  in 
a  state  of  condemnation,  and  they  make  me  suffer 
for  that.  Lord,  I  have  asserted  that  man,  by  all 
his  natural  abilities,  is  not  able  to  recover  himself 
from  this  his  condemned  state,  and  they  make  me 
suffer  for  that.  Lord,  I  have  said  that  a  natural 
man  may  have  right  notions  of  the  gospel,  and  yet 
be  without  the  saving  grace  thereof,  and  they  make 
me  suffer  for  that.  Lord,  I  cannot  consent  that 
human  inventions  and  doctrines  of  men  should  be 
joined  with  thy  institution  as  matters  of  worship, 
and  imposed  upon  my  conscience  as  such,  and  they 
make  me  suffer  for  that.  Lord,  I  own  the  govern- 
ment, pray  for  my  superiors,  live  quietly  among  my 
neighbours,  give  to  all  their  dues,  feed  the  hungry, 
clothe  the  naked,  relieve  the  afflicted,  and  show 
myself,  by  my  faith  and  life,  to  be  a  true  christian 
man,  and  yet  my  neighbours  will  not  let  me  alone. 
True,  1  cannot  comply  with  all  that  some  men  would 
have  me  comply  with  ;  no  more  did  Daniel,  no  more 
did  Paul ;  and  yet  Daniel  said,  that  he  had  to  the 
king  done  no  hurt,  vi.  22;  and  Paul  said,  "neither 
against  the  law  of  the  Jews,  neither  against  the 
temple,  nor  yet  against  CsEsar,  have  I  offended 
anything  at  all."  '  Ac  sxv.  s. 

For  he  that  keeps  within  the  compass  of  God's 
Word,  hurts  no  man,  gives  just  offence  to  no  man, 
though  he  complieth  not  with  all  that  are  modes 
and  ways  of  worship  in  the  world.  Nor  can  this 
appeal  be  judged  injurious,  if  it  be  not  attended 
with  intercessions  against  them  that  hate  us.  But 
we  will  pass  this,  and  come  to  a  second  thing. 

(3.)  As  he  that  suffcreth  for  righteousness  must 
have  a  good  cause,  so  he  that  siifferdhfor  riglUeous- 
ness  must  Itave  a  good  call. 

A  man,  thougli  his  cause  be  good,  ought  not  by 
undue  ways  to  run  himself  into  suffering  for  it; 
uatiiru  teaches  the  contrary,  and  so  doth  the  law 


of  God.  Suffering  for  a  truth  ought  to  he  cau- 
tiously took  in  hand,  and  as  warily  performed.  I 
know  that  there  are  some  men  that  are  more  con- 
cerned here  than  some  ;  the  preacher  of  the  Word 
is  by  God's  command  made  the  more  obnoxious 
man,  for  he  must  come  off  with  a  woe,  if  he  preaches 
not  the  gospel,  i  Co.  ix.  i6.  He,  therefore,  I  say,  doth 
and  ought  more  to  expose  himself  than  other  Chris- 
tians are  called  to  do.  Yet  it  behoveth  him  also 
to  beware,  because  that  Christ  has  said  to  him, 
*  Behold,  I  send  you  forth  as  sheep,  or  lambs,  in 
the  midst  of  wolves:  be  ye  therefore  wise  as  ser- 
pents, and  harmless  as  doves.'  Mat.  x.  i6.  Ln.  x.  s.  A 
man  is  not  bound  by  the  law  of  his  Lord,  to  put 
himself  into  the  mouth  of  his  enemy.  Christ  with- 
drew himself;  Paul  escaped  the  governor's  hands, 
by  being  let  down  in  a  basket  over  the  wall  of  the 
city.  2  Co.  xi.  32,  33.  And  Christ  hath  said,  If  they 
persecute  you  in  one  city,  flee  ye  to  another.  If 
they  will  not  let  me  preach  here,  I  will  take  up 
my  Bible,  and  be  gone.  Perhaps  this  is  because  I 
must  preach  in  some  other  place.  A  minister  can 
quickly  pack  up,  and  carry  his  religion  with  him, 
and  offer  what  he  knows  of  his  God  to  another 
people.  Ac.  xUi.  4t-47.*  Nor  should  a  minister  strive, 
I  think,  with  the  magistrate  for  place,  or  time. 
But  let  him  hearken  to  hear  what  God  shall  say 
by  such  opposition.  Perhaps  the  magistrate  must 
drive  thee  out  of  this  place,  because  the  soul  is  in 
another  place  that  is  to  be  converted,  or  helped  by 
thy  sermon  to-day.  We  must  also  in  all  things, 
show  ourselves  to  be  such  as  by  our  profession  we 
would  that  men  should  believe  we  are,  to  wit,  meek, 
gentle,  not  strivers,  but  take  our  Lord  and  our 
brethren  the  prophets  for  our  examples. 

But  I  will  not  here  presume  to  give  instructions 
to  ministers ;  but  will  speak  a  few  words  in  the 
general  about  what  I  think  may  be  a  sufficient  call 
to  a  man  to  suffer  for  righteousness. 

First,  Every  christian  man  is  bound  by  God's 
Word  to  hold  to,  or  stand  by  his  profession,  his 
profession  of  faith,  and  to  join  to  that  profession, 
an  holy  godly  life ;  because  the  Apostle  and  High- 
priest  of  his  profession  is  no  less  a  one  than  Christ 
Jesus.  lie.  iii.  1 ;  x.  23.  This  by  Christ  himself  is 
expressed  thus.  Let  your  light  so  shine.  Mat.  v.  16. 
No  man  lighteth  a  candle  to  put  it  under  a  bushel. 
Let  your  loins  be  girded  about,  and  your  lights 
burning.  Lu.  xii.  35.  And  Paul  bids  the  Philippians 
hold  forth  the  word  of  life.  ru.  u.  i6. 

And  more  particularly,  by  all  this,  this  is  in- 
tended, that  we  should  hide  our  faith  in  Christ  from 
no  man,  but  should  rather  make  a  discovery  of  it 
by  a  life  that  will  do  so ;  for  our  profession,  thus 

*  This  is  a  truly  Bunyauish  mode  of  expression — clear, 
comprcheusive,  quaint ;  but  so  strikiriE;  as  to  make  an  iudelible 
impression. — Ed. 


ADVICE   TO    SUFFERERS. 


715 


managed,  is  the  badge,  and  the  Lord's  livery,  by 
which  we  are  distinguished  from  other  men.*  So 
then,  if,  while  I  profess  the  truth  of  Christ,  and  so 
walk  as  to  make  my  profession  of  it  more  apparent, 
I  be  made  a  sufferer  for  it,  my  call  is  good,  and  I 
may  be  bold  in  God  and  in  my  profession.  This, 
Peter  intends  when  he  saith,  '  But  and  if  ye  suffer 
for  righteousness'  sake,  happy  are  ye,  and  be  not 
afraid  of  their  terror,  neither  be  troubled ;  but 
sanctify  the  Lord  God  in  your  hearts,  and  he  ready 
always  to  give  an  answer  to  every  man  that  asketh 
you  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you,  with  meek- 
ness and  fear.'  i  Pe.  m.  14, 15.  Here,  then,  is  a  call 
not  to  meddle  with  the  other,  but  to  mind  our  own 
business  ;  to  walk  in  our  christian  profession,  and 
to  adorn  it  with  all  good  works ;  and  if  any  man 
will  meddle  with  me,  and  ask  me  a  reason  of 
the  hope  that  I  have,  to  give  it  him  with  meekness 
and  fear,  whatever  follows  thereupon.  Tliis,  Peter 
should  have  done  himself  there,  where  he  denied 
liis  Master  thrice. 

The  reason  is,  for  that  Christianity  is  so  harm- 
less a  thing,  that,  be  it  never  so  openly  professed, 
it  hurts  no  man.  I  believe  that  Christ  will  save 
me  ;  what  hurt  is  this  to  my  neighbour  ?  I  love 
Christ  because  he  will  save  me ;  what  hurt  is  this 
to  any  ?  I  will  for  this  worship  Christ  as  he  has 
bid  me ;  what  hurt  is  this  to  anybody  ?  I  will 
also  tell  my  neighbours  what  a  loving  one  my 
Christ  is,  and  that  he  is  willing  to  be  good  to  them 
as  he  has  been  good  to  me ;  and  what  hurt  is  this 
to  the  governor  of  a  kingdom  ?  But  and  if  any 
man  will  afflict  me  for  this,  my  cause  is  good, 
and  also  my  call  to  stand  fuU  godly  to  my  profes- 
sion. 

Secondly,  There  is  sometimes  a  call  to  suffer 
for  righteousness,  even  from  the  voice  of  necessity. 
That  is,  either  when,  by  my  silence,  the  truth  must 
fall  to  the  ground ;  or  when,  by  my  shrinking,  the 
souls  of  other  men  are  in  danger.  This,  I  say,  is  a 
call  to  suffer  even  by  the  voice  of  necessity.  The 
case  may  be  when  God's  ways  may  be  trodden  under 
foot;  yea,  his  Word,  and  ways,  and  name,  and 
people,  and  all.  Thus  Goliah  did  do,  for  several 
days  together,  1  Sa.  xni.,  and  vaunted  in  his  doing ; 
and  there  was  not  a  man,  no,  not  in  Israel,  that 
durst  answer  him  a  word.  And  now  was  the 
spirit  of  David  stirred  in  him,  and  he  would  put 
his  life  in  his  hand,  and  give  this  man  an  answer ; 
and  he  saw  there  was  reason  for  it — necessity  gave 

*  A  life  of  faith  and  holiness  is  the  Christian's  badge  and 
livery.  No  particular  costume,  that  may  conceal  a  carnal 
heart — not  a  baptismal  profession,  that  may  be  made  by  a 
hypocrite ;  but  it  is  '  the  hidden  man  of  the  heart,'  evidenced 
by  a  '  meek  and  quiet  spirit  -  in  all  holy  conversation  and 
godliness.'  This  is  the  (Christian's  badge  and  hveiy,  by  which 
he  becomes  'a  hving  epistle,  known  and  read  of  all  men.' 
—Ed. 


him  a,  call.  Is  there  not  a  cause,  saith  he,  lies 
bleeding  upon  the  ground,  and  no  man  of  heart  or 
spirit  to  put  a  check  to  the  bold  blasphemer  ?  I 
will  go  fight  with  him ;  I  will  put  my  life  in  my 
hand  ;  if  I  die,  I  die. 

Consider  also  what  Daniel  did  when  the  law  was 
gone  out  to  forbid,  for  thirty  days,  petitioning  any 
god  or  man,  save  the  king  only.  At  that  time, 
also,  not  a  man  of  Israel  peeped.  Da.  vi.  7.  Now 
necessity  walks  about  the  streets,  crying,  Who  is 
on  the  Lord's  side?  Who,  k.c.  And  Daniel 
answers,  I  am,  by  opening  of  his  window,  and 
praying,  as  at  other  times,  three  times  a  day,  with 
his  face  towards  Jerusalem,  ver.  10.  He  heard  this 
voice  of  necessity,  and  put  his  life  in  his  hand,  and 
complied  with  it,  to  the  hazard  of  being  torn  in 
pieces  by  the  lions. 

Much  like  this  was  that  of  the  three  children ; 
for  when  that  golden  image  was  set  up,  and  wor- 
ship commanded  to  be  done  unto  it,  not  one,  that 
we  read  of,  durst  stand  upright  when  the  time 
was  come  that  bowing  was  the  sign  of  Avorship, 
Only  the  three  children  would  not  bow :  it  was 
necessary^  that  some  should  show  that  there  was  a 
God  in  heaven,  and  that  divine  worship  was  due 
alone  to  him.  Da.  iu.  10-12.  But  they  run  the  hazard 
of  being  turned  to  ashes,  in  a  burning  fiery  furnace, 
for  so  doing.  But  necessity  has  a  loud  voice,  and 
shrill  in  the  ears  of  a  tender  conscience :  this  voice 
will  awake  jealousy  and  kindle  a  burning  fire 
within,  for  the  name,  and  cause,  and  way,  and 
people,  of  the  God  of  heaven," 

Tliirdly,  There  is  sometimes  a  call  to  sufi"er  for 
righteousness  by  the  voice  of  providence.  That 
is,  when,  by  providence,  I  am  cast  for  my  profes- 
sion into  the  hands  of  the  enemies  of  God  and  his 
truth ;  then  I  am  called  to  suffer  for  it  what  God 
shall  please  to  let  them  lay  upon  me.  Only,  for 
the  making  of  my  way  more  clear  in  this  matter, 
I  will  deliver  what  I  have  to  say,  with  a  caution  or 
two,  I.  Thou  must  take  heed  that  thy  call  bo 
good  to  this  or  that  place,  at  which,  by  providence, 
thou  art  delivered  up,  2,  Thou  must  also  take 
heed  that,  when  thou  art  there,  thou  busiest  thy- 
self in  nothing  but  that  that  good  is,  3,  Thou 
must  also  take  heed  that  thou  stay  there  no  longer 
than  while  thou  mayest  do  good  or  receive  good 
there,  4.  Thus  far  a  man  is  in  the  way  of  his  duty, 
and  thtercfore  may  conclude  that  the  providence  of  • 
God,  under  which  now  he  is,  is  such  as  has  mercy 
and  salvation  in  the  bowels  of  it,  whatsoever  is  by 
it,  at  the  present,  brought  upon  him. 

Christ  Jesus,  our  Lord,  though  his  death  was 
determined,  and  of  absolute  necessity,  and  that 
chiefly  for  which  he  came  into  the  world,  chose 
rather  to  be  taken  in  the  way  of  his  duty  than  in 
any  other  way  or  anywhere  else.  Wherefore, 
when    the  hour  Avas  come,   he    takes   with    him 


716 


ADVICE   TO    SUTFEREHS. 


some  of  his  disciples,  and  goetli  into  a  garden,  a 
solitarj  place,  to  pray;  wliicli  done,  lie  sets  his 
disciples  to  watch,  and  falleth  himself  to  prayer. 
So  he  prays  once  ;  he  prays  twice ;  he  prays  thrice  : 
and  hegiveth  alsogood  doctrine  tohis  disciples.  And 
now,  behold,  while  he  was  here,  in  the  way  of  his 
duty,  busying  himself  in  prayer  to  God,  and  in 
giving  of  good  instruction  to  his  followers,  upon 
him  comes  Judas  and  a  multitude  with  swords  and 
staves,  and  weapons,  to  take  him ;  to  which  pro- 
vidence he,  in  all  meekness,  submits,  for  he  knew 
that  by  it  he  had  a  call  to  suffer.  Mat.  uvi.  36-47. 

In  this  way,  also,  the  apostles  were  called  to 
suffer,  even  while  they  were  in  the  way  of  their 
duty.  Yea,  God  bid  them  go  into  the  temple  to 
preach,  and  there  delivered  them  into  the  hands 
of  their  enemies.  Ac.  iv.  1—3 ;  v.  20-20. 

Be  we  in  the  way  of  our  duty,  in  the  place  and 
about  the  work  unto  which  we  are  called  of  God, 
whether  that  work  be  religious  or  civil,  we  may, 
without  fear,  leave  the  issue  of  things  to  God,  who 
only  doth  wonderful  things.  And  he  who  lets  not 
a  sparrow  fall  to  the  ground  without  his  providence, 
will  not  suffer  a  hair  of  our  head  to  perish  but  by  his 
order.  Lu.  xii.  6,  7.  And  since  he  has  enwajred  us  in 
his  work,  as  he  has  if  he  lias  called  us  to  it,  we 
may  expect  that  he  will  manage,  and  also  bear  us 
out  therein ;  either  so  as  by  giving  of  us  a  good 
deliverance  by  way  of  restoration  to  our  former 
liberty  and  service  for  him,  or  so  as  to  carry  us  well 
out  of  this  world  to  them  that,  under  the  altar,  are 
crying,  How  long,  holy  and  true:  nor  shall  Ave, 
when  we  come  there,  repent  that  we  suffered  for 
him  here.  Oh !  how  little  do  saints,  in  a  suffering 
condition,  think  of  the  robes,  the  crowns,  the 
harps,  and  the  song  that  shall  be  given  to  them ; 
and  that  they  shall  have  when  they  come  upon 
mount  Zion.  Re.  vi.  11 ;  xiv.  1—7. 

Fourthly,  There  is  sometimes  a  call  to  suffer 
for  righteousness  by  an  immediate  and  powerful 
impulse  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  the  heart.  This, 
I  say,  is  sometimes,  and  but  sometimes ;  for  this 
is  not  God's  ordinary  way,  nor  are  many  of  his 
servants  called  after  this  manner  to  suffer  for  righ- 
teousness. Moses  was  called  thus  to  suffer  when 
he  went  so  often  unto  Pharaoh  with  the  message 
of  God  in  his  mouth.  And  '  he  endured,  as  seeing 
him  who  is  invisible.'  He.  xi.  25-27, 

Paul  was  called  thus  to  suffer,  and  he  obeyed, 
and  went,  and  performed  that  work,  according  to 
the  will  of  God.  This  kind  of  call  Paul  calls  a 
binding,  or  a  being  bound  in  the  Spirit,  because 
the  Holy  Ghost  had  laid  such  a  command  upon 
him  to  do  so,  that  he  could  not,  by  any  means,  get 
from  under  the  power  of  it.  •  And  now,  behold,' 
saith  he,  '  I  go  bound  in  the  Spirit  unto  Jerusalem, 
not  knowing  the  things  that  shall  befal  me  there.' 
Ac.  XI.  22.     For  he  that  is  under  this  call  has,  as  I 


said,  bonds  laid  upon  his  spirit,  which  carry  liim 
to  the  place  where  his  testimony  is  to  be  borne  for 
God;  nor  shall  he,  if  he  willingly  submits  and 
goes,  as  Paul  did,  but  have  an  extraordinary  pre- 
sence of  God  with  him,  as  lie.  And  see  what  a 
presence  he  had ;  for  after  the  second  assault  was 
given  him  by  the  enemy,  even  '  the  night  follow- 
ing, the  Lord  stood  by  him,  and  said.  Be  of  good 
cheer,  Paul ;  for  as  thou  hast  testified  of  me  in 
Jerusalem,  so  must  thou  bear  witness  also  at 
Rome. '  Ac.  xxiii.  11.  Thus  God  meeteth  his  people 
in  their  service  for  him,  when  he  calls  them  aloud 
to  do  great  service  for  him.  The  power  of  such  a 
call  as  this,  I  say,  is  great,  and  men  of  ordinary 
spirits  must  needs  give  place  thereto,  and  leave  a 
man  thus  bound  to  the  God  that  thus  has  bound 
him.  All  the  help  such  can  afford  him  is  to  follow 
him  with  our  prayers,  not  to  judge  him  or  grieve 
him,  or  lay  stumbling-blocks  before  him.  No ; 
they  must  not  weep  nor  mourn  for  him,  so  as  to 
make  him  sorrowful.     See  Ac.  xii.  12—14. 

His  friends  may  suggest  unto  him  what  is  like 
to  attend  his  present  errand,  as  Agabus  did  by 
the  Spirit  to  Paul  when  he  took  his  girdle  and 
bound  himself  therewith,  to  show  him  how  his 
enemies  should  serve  him  whither  he  went.  *  Thus 
saith  the  Holy  Ghost,'  said  he,  'so  shall  the  Jews 
at  Jerusalem  bind  the  man  that  owneth  this  girdle, 
and  shall  deliver  him  into  the  hands  of  the  Gen- 
tiles.' Ac.  xsL  But  if  this  call  be  indeed  upon  a 
man,  all  sorrow  is  turned  into  joy  before  him ;  for 
he  is  ready,  not  only  to  be  bound,  but  also  to  die 
at  Jerusalem  for  the  name   of   the  Lord  Jesus. 

Ac.  rn.  13. 

Instances,  also,  of  later  times  might  be  given 
of  a  call  extraordinary  to  suffer  for  righteousness. 
For  many,  in  the  first  three  hundred  years'  per- 
secution, when  nobody  knew  what  they  were,  would 
boldly  come  up  to  the  face  of  their  enemies  and 
tell  what  they  were,  and  suffer  for  what  they  pro- 
fessed, the  death.  I  remember,  also,  the  woman 
who,  when  her  friends  were  gone  before  to  suffer, 
how  she  came  running  and  panting  after,  for  fear 
she  should  not  come  thither  time  enough  to  suffer 
for  Jesus  Christ. 

But  I  will  give  you  an  instance  of  later  times, 
even  in  the  beginning  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  reign, 
of  an  Hertfordshire  man  that  went  as  far  as 
Rome  to  bear  his  testimony  for  God  against  the 
wickedness  of  that  place.  This  man,  when  he 
was  arrived  there,  and  had  told  them  wherefore 
he  was  come,  they  took  and  condemned  him  to 
death,  to  wit,  to  be  burned  for  an  heretic.  Now 
he  was  to  ride  from  the  prison  to  the  place  of 
execution  upon  an  ass,  with  his  face  to  the  beast's 
tail,  and  was  to  be  stripped  from  the  shoulders 
to  the  waist,  that  he  might  be  tormented  all  tho 
way  he  went   with  burning    torches    continually 


ADVICE   TO   SUFFERERS. 


717 


thrust  to  his  sides ;  but  he,  nothing  at  all  afraid, 
spake  in  Ijis  exhortation  to  the  people  to  fly  from 
their  sin  and  idolatry  ;  he  would  also  catch  hold 
of  the  torches  and  put  them  to  his  sides,  to  show 
how  little  he  esteemed  the  worst  that  they  could 
do.  Also,  when  he  was  come  to  the  place  of  exe- 
cution, he  suffered  there  such  cruelty,  with  so 
unconcerned  a  mind,  and  with  such  burning  zeal 
for  God's  truth,  testified  against  them  while  he 
could  speak ;  that,  all  amazed,  his  enemies  cried, 
he  could  not  have  sufi'ered  as  he  did  but  by  the 
help  of  the  devil.  His  name  I  have  now  forgot, 
but  you  will  find  it,  Avith  the  story  at  large,  in  the 
third  volume  of  Acts  and  Monuments,  at  the  1022 
page.*  But  we  will  pass  this,  and  come  to  our 
second  particular,  namely, 

[B.  What  it  is  to  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake.] 

To  show  when  it  may  be  said  a  man  doth  not 
only  suffer  for  righteousness,  but  cdso/or  riglUeous- 
ness'  sake. 

To  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake  must  be  either 
with  the  intention  of  the  persecutor  or  else  of  the 
persecuted.  The  persecutor,  whatever  the  person's 
suffering  is,  if  he  afflicteth  this  person  for  a  sup- 
posed good  that  he  thinketh  he  hath  or  profes- 
seth,  he  makes  him  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake. 
So  that,  in  this  sense,  a  man  that  hath  no  grace 
may  not  only  suffer  for  righteousness,  but  also  for 
rio-hteousness'  sake.  But  this  I  intend  not,  because 
the  text  is  not  concerned  with  it. 

The  thing,  therelore,  now  intended  to  be  spoken 
to,  is  this,  namely,  when  a  man  may  be  said  to 
suffer  what  he  sutfereth  upon  a  religious  account, 
of  love  to,  or  for  the  sake  of,  that  good  that  he 
finds  in  the  truths  of  God,  or  because  his  heart  is 
joined  and  espoused  to  the  good  of  the  truths  that 
he  professeth ;  not  that  there  is  any  thing  in  any 
truth  of  God  that  is  not  good ;  but  a  man  may 
profess  triith,  not  for  the  sake  of  the  goodness 
that  is  in  it,  but  upon  a  remote  account.  Judas 
professed  truth,  not  of  love  to  the  truth,  but  of 
love  to  the  bag,  and  to  the  money  that  was  put 
therein.  Men  may  profess  for  a  wife,  for  a  trade, 
for  friendship,  or  because  profession  is  at  such  a 
time  or  in  such  a  place,  in  fashion.  I  wish  that 
there  were  no  cause  to  say  this.  Now  there  is  not 
any  of  these  that  profess  the  truth  for  the  truth's 
sake,  that  profess  the  truth  of  love  to  it ;  nor  shall 
they,  should  they  suffer  as  professors,  never   so 

*  These  awful  cruelties  were  practised  upon  Richard  Atkiiis, 
in  July,  1581.  He  went  to  Rome  to  reprove  the  people  of 
idolatry.  In  St.  Peter's  Church,  he  knocked  the  chalice  out 
of  the  priest's  hand,  and  spilt  the  wine ;  he  then  endeavoured 
to  seize  the  host,  but  was  prevented.  For  these  mad  pranks 
he  suffered  savage  torments. — Fox,  edit.  1631,  vol.  iii.,  p.  1022. 
—Ed. 


long,  never  so  much,  never  so  grievously,  be 
counted  of  God  among  them  that  suffer  for  righ- 
teousness' sake ;  that  is,  of  unfeigned  love  to  righ- 
teousness. Wherefore,  that  I  may  show  you  who 
may  be  said  to  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake,  I 
will  propound  and  speak  to  several  things. 

1.  Then,  he  that  suffereth  in  the  apostle's 
sense,  for  well-doing,  or  for  righteousness'  sake, 
sets  his  face  against  nothing  but  sin.  He  resistetli 
unto  blood,  striving  against  sin.  Sin  is  the  object 
of  his  indignation,  because  it  is  an  enemy  to  God, 
and  to  his  righteous  cause  in  the  world.  lie.  xii.  3,  4. 
Sin,  I  say,  is  that  which  such  a  man  singleth  out 
as  his  opposite,  as  his  antagonist,  and  that  against 
Avhich  is  heart  is  set.  It  is  a  rare  thing  to  sutler 
aright,  and  to  have  my  spirit,  in  my  suffering,  bent 
only  against  God's  enemy — sin  ;  sin  in  doctrine,  sin 
in  worship,  sin  in  life,  sin  in  conversation.  Now 
then,  he  that  suffereth  for  righteousness'  sake  has 
singled  out  sin  to  pursue  it  to  death,  long  before 
he  comes  to  the  cross.  It  is  sin,  alas,  and  his 
hatred  to  it  that  have  brought  him  into  this  con- 
dition. He  fell  out  with  sin  at  home,  in  his  own 
house,  in  his  own  heart,  before  he  fell  out  with 
sin  in  the  world,  or  with  sin  in  public  worship. 
For  he  that  can  let  sin  go  free  and  uncontrolled 
at  home  within,  let  him  suffer  while  he  will,  he 
shall  not  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake.  And  the 
reason  is,  because  a  righteous  soul,  as  the  phrase 
is,  2  Pe.  ii.  8,  has  the  greatest  antipathy  against  that 
sin  that  is  most  ready  to  defile  it,  and  that  is,  as 
David  calls  it,  one's  own  iniquity,  or  the  sin  that 
dwelleth  in  one's  own  flesh.  I  have  kept  me,  says 
he,  from  mine  iniquity,  from  mine  own  sin.  People 
that  are  afraid  of  fire  are  concerned  most  with 
that  that  burneth  in  their  own  chimney ;  they  have 
the  most  watchful  eye  against  that  that  is  like  to 
burn  down  their  own  house  first. 

He  also  that  suffereth  for  righteousness'  sake, 
doth  it  also  because  he  would  not  that  sin  should 
cleave  to  the  worship  of  God ;  and,  indeed,  this  is 
mostly  the  cause  of  the  sufferings  of  the  godly. 
They  will  not  have  to  do  with  that  worship  that 
hath  sinful  traditions  commixed  Vxth.  God's  appoint- 
ments, because  they  know  that  God  is  jealous  of 
his  worship ;  and  has  given  a  strict  charge  that 
all  things  be  done  according  to  the  pattern  showed 
to  us  in  the  mount.  He  knows  also  that  God  will 
not  be  wth  that  worship,  and  those  worshippers, 
that  have  not  regard  to  worship  by  the  rule  of  the 
testament  of  Christ.  He  is  also  against  the  sin 
tiiat  is  apt  to  cleave  to  himself  while  he  standeth 
in  the  presence  of  God.  I  will  wash  mine  hands  in 
innocency,  so  will  I  compass  thine  altar,  0  Lord. 
This  man  also  chooses  to  be  in  the  practical  parts 
of  worship,  if  possible,  for  he  knows  that  to  have 
to  do  about  holy  things  sincerely  is  the  way  to 
be  at  the  remotest  distance  from  sin.     He  chooses 


7]  3 


ADVICE   TO    SUFFERERS. 


also  to  be  with  those  holy  ones  that  are  of  the  same 
mind  with  him  against  sin ;  for  he  knows  that  two 
are  better  than  one,  and  that  a  threefold  cord  is 
not  easily  broken.  Wherefore  look  to  yourselves, 
you  that  do,  or  may  be  called  to  suffer  for  religion : 
if  you  bend  not  yourselves  against  sin,  if  to  be 
reveno-ed  of  sin  be  not  the  cause  of  j'our  suffering, 
you  cannot  be  said  to  suffer  for  righteousness' 
sake.  Take  heed,  therefore,  that  something  else 
be  not  an  inducement  to  thee  to  suffer.  A  man 
may  suffer  to  save  what  he  has :  there  is  credit 
also  and  an  applause ;  there  is  shame  to  conform ; 
there  is  carnal  stoutness  of  spirit ;  there  is  hatred 
of  persecutors  and  scorn  to  submit ;  there  is  fear 
of  contempt  and  of  the  reproach  of  the  people,  <kc. 
These  may  be  motives  and  arguments  to  a  suffer- 
ing state,  and  may  really  be  the  ground  of  a  man's 
being  in  the  gaol;  though  he  cries  out  in  the 
meanwhile  of  popery,  of  superstition,  and  idolatry, 
and  of  the  errors  that  attend  tlie  common  modes 
of  the  religions  of  the  world.  1  cliarge  no  man 
as  though  I  knew  any  such  thing  by  any ;  but  I 
suggest  these  things  as  things  that  are  possible, 
and  mention  them  because  I  would  have  sufferers 
have  a  care  of  themselves ;  and  watch  and  pray, 
because  no  man  can  be  upright  here  that  is  not 
holy,  that  cannot  pray,  and  watch,  and  deny  him- 
self for  the  love  that  he  has  to  righteousness.  I 
said  it  before,  and  will  say  it  again,  it  is  a  rare 
thing  to  be  set  in  downrightness  of  heart  against 
sin. 

2.  Is  it  for  the  sake  of  righteousness  that  thou 
sufferest  ?  Then  it  is  because  thou  wouldest  have 
righteousness  promoted,  set  up,  and  established  in 
the  world ;  also  thou  art  afflicted  at  those  advan- 
tages that  iniquity  gets  upon  men,  upon  things, 
and  against  thyself.  '  I  beheld,'  said  David,  '  the 
transgressors,  and  was  grieved ;  because  men  kept 
not  thy  word. '  Ps.  cxix.  158.  And  again,  These  are 
they  that  mourn  for  the  abominations  that  are 
done  among  men.  Eze.  u.  4.  There  is  a  great  deal 
of  talk  about  religion,  a  great  deal  of  pleading  for 
religion,  namely,  as  to  the  formalities  of  this  and 
the  other  way.*  But  to  choose  to  be  religious, 
that  I  might  be  possessed  with  holiness,  and  to 
choose  that  religion  that  is  most  apt  to  possess  me 
with  it,  if  I  suffer  for  this,  1  suffer  for  righteous- 
ness' sake.  Wherefore  say  thus  to  thy  soul,  thou 
that  art  like  to  suffer  for  righteousness,  How  is  it 
with  the  most  inward  parts  of  my  soul  ?  What  is 
there  ?  What  designs,  desires,  and  reachings  out 
are  there  ?  Why  do  I  pray  ?  Why  do  I  read  ? 
Why  do  I  hear  ?     Why  do  I  haunt  and  frequent 

"  Every  Christian  must  be  decided  iu  his  own  conscience  as 
to  the  formnlities  of  religion ;  but  he  who  prefers  talking  of 
forms  and  ceremonies  to  communion  in  the  substance,  is  in  a 
melanclioly  state. — Ed. 


places  and  ordinances  appointed  for  worship  ?  Is 
it  because  I  love  holiness  ?  would  promote  righte- 
ousness, because  I  love  to  see  godliness  show  itself 
in  others,  and  because  I  would  feel  more  of  the 
power  of  it  in  myself  ?  If  so,  and  if  thou  sufferest 
for  thy  profession,  thou  sufferest,  not  only  for 
righteousness,  but  also  for  righteousness'  sake. 

Dost  thou  thus  practise,  because  thou  wouldest 
be  taught  to  do  outward  acts  of  righteousness,  and 
because  thou  wouldest  provoke  others  to  do  so  too  ? 
Dost  thou  show  to  others  how  thou  lovest  righte- 
ousness, by  taking  opportunities  to  do  righteous- 
ness ?  IIow  is  it,  dost  thou  show  most  mercy  to 
thy  dog,  t  or  to  thine  enemy,  to  thy  swine,  or  to  the 
poor  ?  Whose  naked  body  hast  thou  clothed  ? 
Whose  hungry  belly  hast  thou  fed  ?  Hast  thou 
taken  delight  in  being  defrauded  and  beguiled  ? 
Hast  thou  willingly  sat  down  by  the  loss  with  quiet- 
ness, and  been  as  if  thou  hadst  not  known,  when 
thou  hast  been  Avronged,  defamed,  abused,  and  all 
because  thou  wast  not  willing  that  black-mouthed 
men  should  vilify  and  reproach  religion  upon  thy 
account  ?  l  Co.  vi.  7. 

He  that  loveth  righteousness  will  do  thus,  yea, 
and  do  it  as  unto  God,  and  of  tenderness  to  the 
Word  of  God  which  he  professeth.  And  he  that 
thinks  to  make  seeing  men  believe,  that  when  he 
suffereth,  he  suffereth  for  righteousness'  sake,  and 
yet  is  void  in  his  life  of  moral  goodness,  and  that 
has  no  heart  to  suffer  and  bear,  and  put  up,  and 
pass  by  injuries  in  his  conversation  among  his 
enemies  at  home,  is  deceived. 

There  are  some  Scriptures  that  are  as  if  they 
were  out  of  date  among  some  professors,  specially 
such  as  call  for  actual  holiness  and  acts  of  self- 
denial  for  God ;  but  it  will  be  found,  at  the  day  of 
judgment,  that  they  only  are  the  peculiar  people 
that  are  *  zealous  of  good  works. '  Tit.  ii.  14.  God  help 
us,  it  is  hard  now  to  persuade  professors  to  come 
up  to  negative  holiness,  that  is,  to  leave  undone 
that  which  is  bad ;  and  yet  this  of  itself  comes  far 
short  of  ones  being  found  in  practical  goodness. 

But  this  is  the  man  that  suffereth,  when  he 
suffereth  for  righteousness'  sake,  that  makes  it 
his  business,  by  all  lawful  means,  according  to  the 
capacity  that  God  has  put  him  in,  to  promote,  set 
up,  and  establish  righteousness  in  the  world  ;  I  say 
this  is  the  man  that  suffereth  for  righteousness' 
sake,  that  suffereth  for  so  doing ;  and  I  am  sure 
that  a  life  that  is  moral,  when  joined  to  the  pro- 
fession of  the  faith  of  the  things  that  are  of  the 
Spii-it  of  God,  is  absolutely  necessary  to  the  pro- 

t  What  a  severe  reproach  it  is  to  human  nature,  to  see  a 
lovely  child  iu  rags  and  shoeless,  running  the  streets,  exposed 
to  the  pitiless  weather,  while  a  splendid  equipage  passes,  in 
which  a  lady  holds  up  her  lapdog  at  the  window  to  give  it  an 
airing !  1  Is  not  this  a  greater  crime  than  sends  many  a  poor 
wretch  to  the  treadmill  ? — Ed. 


ADVICE   TO   SUFFERERS. 


719 


moting  of  righteousness  in  the  world.  Hence  Peter 
tells  them  that  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake,  that 
they  must  have  '  a  good  conscience' — a  good  con- 
science towards  God,  towards  men,  towards  friends, 
towards  enemies,  i  Pe.  m.  14-ig.  ac.  xxiv.  is;  xxiii.  i. 
They  must  have  a  good  conscience  in  all  things, 
being  willing,  ready,  desirous  to  live  honestly, 
godly,  and  righteously  in  this  world,  or  else  they 
cannot,  though  they  may  suffer  for  the  best  doc- 
trine under  heaven,  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake. 
He.  xiii.  18.    Wherefore, 

3.  Is  it  for  righteousness'  sake  that  thou  suf- 
ferest  ?  then  thy  design  is  the  ruin  of  sin.  This 
depends  upon  what  was  said  before ;  for  he  that 
strives  against  sin,  that  seeks  to  promote  righte- 
ousness, he  designs  the  ruin  of  sin.  '  Be  not,* 
said  Paul  to  the  suffering  Romans,  '  overcome  of 
evil,  but  overcome  evil  with  good. '  iio.  xu.  21.  To 
overcome  evil  with  good  is  a  hard  task.  To  rail 
it  down,  to  cry  it  down,  to  pray  kings,  and  parlia- 
ments, and  men  in  authority  to  put  it  down,  this 
is  easier  than  to  use  my  endeavour  to  overcome  it 
with  good,  with  doing  of  good,  as  I  said  before.* 
And  sin  must  be  overcome  with  good  at  home, 
before  thy  good  can  get  forth  of  doorst  to  over- 
come evil  abroad 

Abraham  overcame  evil  with  good,  when  he 
quieted  the  discontent  of  Lot  and  his  herdsmen, 
with  allowing  of  them  to  feed  their  cattle  in  the 
best  of  what  God  had  given  him.  Ge.  xiiL  7,  8. 

David  overcame  evil  with  good,  when  he  saved 
the  life  of  his  bloody  enemy  that  was  fallen  into 
his  hand ;  also  when  he  grieved  that  any  hurt 
should  come  to  them  that  sought  nothing  so  much 
as  his  destruction.  'They  rewarded  me,'  saith 
he,  'evil  for  good,  to  the  spoiling  of  my  soul. 
But  as  for  me,  when  they  were  sick,  my  clothing 
was  sackcloth,  I  humbled  my  soul  with  fasting 
-  I  behaved  myself  as  though  he  liad  been  my 
friend  or  brother ;  I  bowed  down  heavily,  as  one 
that  mourneth  for  his  mother.'  This  is  to  over- 
come evil  with  good.  Ps.  xixv.  12— u. 

Job  saith  concerning  his  enemy,  that  he  did 
not  rejoice  when  evil  found  him  ;  *  neither  have  I,' 
said  he,  '  suffered  my  mouth  to  sin  by  wishing  a 
curse  to  his  soul.'  He  means  he  did  the  quite 
contrary,  and  so  overcame  evil  with  good.  Job  xxd. 

29,  30. 

Elisha  overcame  evil  with  good,  when  he  re- 
ceived the  men  that  came  for  his  life,  and  had 
them  where  he  might  feast,  and  comfort  them, 
and  sent  them  home  in  peace  to  their  master.  2  Ki. 

vL  19—23. 


*  Revenge  naturally  rises  in  the  mind  of  man  under  a  sense 
of  injury.  To  return  good  for  evil  is  one  of  the  effects  of  the 
new  birth.  But  while  this  is  done,  it  is  also  our  duty  to  peti- 
tion kings  and  parliaments  to  remove  evils. — Ed. 

t  '  Forth  of  doors ;'  out  of  doors,  public. — Eu. 


The  New  Testament  also  is  full  of  this,  both  in 
exhortations  and  examples.  In  exhortations  where 
it  is  said,  resist  not  evil,  that  is,  with  evil,  but 
overcome  evil  with  good.  Pr.  xxiv.  29.  '  But  whoso- 
ever shall  smite  thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to 
him  the  other  also. — And  whosoever  shall  compel 
thee  to  go  a  mile,  go  with  him  twain.  Give  to 
him  that  asketh  thee ;  and  from  him  that  would 
borrow  of  thee,  turn  not  thou  away. — Love  your 
enemies,  bless  them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to 
them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  which 
despitefully  use  you,  and  persecute  you;  that 
ye  may  be  the  chUdreu  of  your  Father  which  is  in 
heaven,  for  he  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil, 
and  on  the  good  -  on  the  just,  and  on  the  unjust.' 
Mat.  V.  39—45.  'Bless  them  that  persecute  you:  bless, 
and  curse  not. '  Ro.  xU.  14.  '  Not  rendering  evil  for 
evil,  or  railing  for  railing,  but  contrariwise,  bless- 
ing ;  knowing  that  ye  are  thereunto  called,  that 
ye  should  inherit  a  blessing. '  1  Pe.  Ui.  9.  Ro.  xiL  14. 
This  is  righteousness — these  are  righteous  courses. 
And  as  these  are  preceptively  propounded,  so  they 
were  as  practically  followed  by  them  that  were 
eminently  godly  in  the  primitive  church. 

*  We  are  fools  for  Christ's  sake,'  said  Paul, 
'  we  are  despised,  we  are  hungry,  thirsty,  naked, 
and  buffeted. — Being  reviled,  we  bless;  being  per- 
secuted, we  suffer  it ;  being  defamed,  we  entreat ; 
Ave  are  made  as  the  filth  of  the  earth,  andare  the 
offscouring  of  all  things  unto  this  day.'  1  Co.  iv. 
10-13.  This  is  overcoming  of  evil  with  good,  and 
he  that  has  chosen  to  himself  that  religion  that 
teaches  these  things,  and  that  loves  that  religion 
because  it  so  teacheth  him  ;  if  he  suffereth  for  it, 
he  suffereth  for  righteousness'  sake. 

4.  He  that  suffereth  for  righteousness'  sake, 
will  carry  righteousness  whithersoever  he  goes. 
Neither  the  enemy,  nor  thy  sufferings,  shall  be 
able  to  take  righteousness  from  thee.  Righteous- 
ness must  be  thy  chamber  mate,  thy  bed  com- 
panion, thy  walking  mate:  it  is  that  without 
which  thou  wilt  be  so  uncouth,  as  if  thou  couldest 

not  live.  Ps.  xxvi.;  xxT.  21. 

Paul  in  his  sufferings  would  have  righteousness 
with  him,  for  it  must  be  as  it  were  his  armour- 
bearer  ;  yea,  his  very  armour  itself.  2  Co.  \i.  7.  It 
is  an  excellent  saying  of  Job,  '  I  put  on  righteous- 
ness, and  it  clothed  me;  my  judgment  was  as  a. 
robe  and  a  diadem.  I  was  eyes  to  the  blind,  and 
feet  was  I  to  the  lame ;  I  was  a  father  to  the 
poor,'  &c.  Job  xxix.  11-16.  '  Princes, '  said  David 
also,  '  did  sit  aTid  speak  against  me,  but  thy  ser- 
vant did  meditate  in  thy  statutes.'  Ps.  cxix.  23.  A 
man  that  loves  righteousness  doth  as  Abraham 
did  with  his  Sarah,  carry  it  every  where  with  him, 
though  he  goes,  because  of  that,  in  danger  of  his 
life.  Righteousness  !  It  is  the  only  intimate 
that  a   Christian  has.      It  is  tbat  by  which  he 


720 


ADVICE   TO   SUFFERERS. 


takes  Lis  measures,  that  with  which  he  consults, 
with  respect  to  what  he  doth,  or  is  to  do,  ia  the 
world.  'Thy  testimonies,'  said  David  also,  'are 
my  delight,  aiid  my  counsellors.'  The  men  of  my 
counsel,  in  the  margin,  rs.  cxix.  24. 

David  !  He  was  the  man  of  affliction  ;  the  suf- 
fering man  in  his  day ;  but  in  all  places  where  he 
came,  he  had  righteousness,  the  law  and  godly 
practice  with  him.  It  was  his  counsellor,  as  he 
was  a  man,  a  saint,  a  king.  I  dare  say,  for  that 
man  that  suflFers  righteousness  to  be  rent  away 
from  him  by  the  violence  and  rage  of  men,  and 
that  casts  it  away,  as  David  did  Saul's  armour, 
that  he  may  secure  himself;  he  has  no  great 
love  for  righteousness,  nor  to  the  cross  for  righ- 
teousness' sake.  'My  righteousness  I  hold  fast,' 
said  Job,  *  and  will  not  let  it  go  :  my  heart  shall 
not  reproach  me  so  long  as  I  live.'  Job  xxvii.  e. 
What  ?  part  with  righteousness !  A  righteous 
Lord  !  A  righteous  Word  !  A  righteous  profes- 
sion !  A  righteous  life  !  to  sleep  in  a  whole  skin : 
the  Lord  forbid  it  me,  and  all  that  he  has  counted 
worthy  to  be  called  by  his  name.  Let  us  carry 
it  with  us  from  the  bed  to  the  cross,  and  then  it 
shall  carry  us  from  thence  to  the  crown.  Let  it 
he  our  companion  to  prison  and  death,  then  shall 
we  show  that  we  are  lovers  of  righteousness,  and 
that  we  choose  to  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake. 

5.  Dost  thou  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake  ? 
why  then,  thy  righteousness  is  not  diminished,  but 
rather  increased  by  thy  sufferings.  Righteousness 
thriveth  best  in  affliction,  the  more  afflicted,  the 
more  holy  man ;  the  more  persecuted,  the  more 
shining  man.  Ac.  vi.  15.  The  prison  is  the  furnace, 
tliy  graces  are  the  silver  and  the  gold ;  wherefore, 
as  tlie  silver  and  the  gold  are  refined  by  the  fire, 
and  so  made  more  to  show  their  native  brightness, 
so  the  Christian  that  hath,  and  that  loveth  righ- 
teousness, and  that  suffereth  for  its  sake,  is  by  his 
sufferings  refined  and  made  more  righteous,  and 
made  more  christian,  more  godly.  Zee.  xiii.  9.  Some, 
indeed,  when  they  come  there,  prove  lead,  iron, 
tin,  and  at  the  best,  but  the  dross  of  silver;  and 
so  are  fit  for  nothing,  but  there  to  be  left  and  con- 
sumed, and  to  bear  the  badge,  if  ever  they  come 
from  thence,  of  reprobate  silver  from  the  mouth 
and  sentence  of  their  neighbours.  Eze.  xxii.  18—22. 
Je.  vi.  28— 30.  But  when  I,  says  Job,  am  tried,  'I 
shall  come  forth  as  gold.'  xxiu.  lo. 

Wlien  Saul  had  cast  one  javelin  at  David,  it 
made  him  walk  wisely  in  all  his  ways.  But  when 
he  added  to  his  first  fury,  plots  to  take  away  his 
life,  then  David  behaved  himself  yet  more  wisely. 
1  Sa.  xviii.  10-30.  The  hotter  the  rage  and  fury  of 
men  are  against  righteous  ways,  the  more  those 
that  love  righteousness  grow  therein.  For  they 
are  concerned  for  it,  not  to  hide  it,  but  to  make  it 
spanj^le ;    not  to  extinguish  it,  but  to  greaten   it, 


and  to  show  the  excellency  of  it  in  all  its  features, 
and  in  all  its  comely  proportion.  Now  such  an 
one  will  make  straight  steps  for  his  feet,  *  lest 
that  which  is  lame  be  turned  out  of  the  way.'  He. 
xii.  13.  Now  he  shows  to  all  men  what  faith  is,  by 
charity,  by  self-denial,  by  meekness,  by  gentleness, 
by  long-suffering,  by  patience,  by  love  to  enemies, 
and  by  doing  good  to  them  that  hate  us ;  now  he 
walketh  upon  his  high  places.  Yea,  will  not  now 
admit  that  so  slovenly  a  conversation  should  come 
within  his  doors,  as  did  use  to  haunt  his  house  in 
former  times.  Now  it  is  Christmas,*  now  it  is 
suffering  time,  now  we  must  keep  holy  day  every 
day.  The  reason  is,  for  that  a  man,  when  he  suf- 
fereth for  Christ,  is  set  upon  a  hill,  upon  a  stage, 
as  in  a  theatre,  to  play  a  part  for  God  in  the  world. 
And  you  know  when  men  are  to  play  their  parts 
upon  a  stage,  they  count  themselves,  if  possible, 
more  bound  to  circumspection ;  and  that  for  the 
credit  of  their  master,  the  credit  of  their  art,  and 
the  credit  of  themselves.  For  then  the  eyes  of 
every  body  are  fixed,  they  gape  and  stare  upon 
them.  Ps.  xxii.  17.  And  a  trip  here  is  as  bad  as 
a  fall  in  another  place.  Also  now  God  himself 
looks  on.  Yea,  he  laugheth,  as  being  pleased  to 
see  a  good  behaviour  attending  the  trial  of  the 
innocent. 

(1.)  He  that  suffereth  for  righteousness'  sake 
suffereth  for  his  goodness,  and  he  is  now  to  labour 
by  works  and  ways  to  convince  the  world  that  he 
suffereth  as  such  an  one.  (2.)  He  that  suffereth 
for  righteousness'  sake  has  many  that  are  weak  to 
strengthen  by  his  sweet  carriages  under  the  cross, 
wherefore  he  had  need  to  exceed  in  virtue.  (3.) 
He  also  is  by  well-doing  to  put  to  silence  the 
ignorance  of  foolish  men,  he  had  need  be  curious 
and  circumspect  in  all  his  actions.  (4.)  He  is  to 
come  in,  and  to  be  a  judge,  and  to  condemn,  by 
his  faith  and  patience  in  his  sufferings,  the  world, 
with  his  Lord  and  fellows,  at  the  appearing  of 
Jesus  Christ ;  he  had  need  be  holy  himself.  This, 
therefore,  is  the  fit  sign  of  suffering  for  righteous- 
ness' sake.  1  Co.  vi.  1—5.  He.  xi.  7.  2  Th.  i.  5,  6.  1  Pe.  iv.  3—5. 

6.  He  that  suffereth,  not  only  for  righteousness, 
but  also  for  righteousness'  sake,  will  not  exchange 
his  cause,  though  for  it  in  a  gaol,  for  all  the  ease 
and  pleasure  in  the  world.  They  that  suffered 
for  righteousness'  sake  of  old,  were  tempted  before 
they  wore  sawn  asunder.  He.  xL  Tempted,  that  is, 
allured,  to  come  out  of  their  present  sufferings,  and 
leave  their  faith  and  profession  in  irons  behind 
them.     Tempted  with  promises  of  promotion,  of 

*  '  Now  it  is  Christmas ;'  instead  of  Itecping  one  day  in  the 
year  to  commemorate  the  nativity  of  Christ  in  riot  and 
debauchery,  every  day  nmst  be  kept  holy  in  the  recollectiou 
both  of  the  birth  and  death  of  the  Saviour.  All  eyes  are  upon 
the  young  convert,  watching  for  his  halting ;  therefore,  let 
every  day  be  holy, — Eju. 


ADVICE    TO    SUTFERERS. 


721 


ease,  of  friendship,  of  favour  with  men.  As  the 
Devil  said  to  Christ,  so  persecutors  of  old  did  use 
to  make  great  promises  to  sufferers,  if  tliej  would 
fall  down  and  worship.  But  this  is  alone  as  if 
they  should  say,  Butcher,  make  away  with  your 
righteousness,*  and  a  good  conscience,  and  you 
shall  find  the  friendship  of  the  world.  For  there 
is  no  way  to  kill  a  man's  righteousness  but  by  his 
own  consent.  This,  Job's  wife  knew  full  well, 
hence  she  tempted  him  to  lay  violent  hands  upon 
his  own  integrity.  Job  u.  9. 

The  Devil,  nor  men  of  the  world  can  kill  thy 
righteousness  or  love  to  it,  but  by  thy  own  hand ; 
or  separate  that  and  thee  asunder,  without  thine 
own  act.  Nor  will  he  that  doth  indeed  suffer  for 
the  sake  of  it,  or  of  love  he  bears  thereto,  be 
tempted  to  exhange  it  for  the  goods  of  all  the 
world.  It  is  a  sad  sight  to  see  a  man  that  has 
been  suffering  for  righteousness,  restored  to  his 
former  estate,  while  the  righteousness  for  which  he 
suffered,  remains  under  locks  and  irons,  and  is 
exposed  to  the  scorn,  contempt,  reproach  of  the 
world,  and  trodden  under  the  foot  of  men.f  '  It 
is  better.J  said  Paul,  *  for  me  to  die,  than  that  any 
man  should  make  my  glorying  void. '  And  it  had 
been  a  hundred  times  better  for  that  man,  if  he 
had  never  known  the  way  of  righteousness,  than 
after  he  has  known  it,  to  turn  from  the  holy  com- 
mandment delivered  unto  him. 

The  striving  is,  in  persecution,  for  righteousness; 
to  wit,  whether  it  shall  be  set  up,  or  pulled  down. 
The  sufferer,  he  is  for  setting  up,  and  the  persecu- 
tors are  for  pulling  down.  Thus  they  strive  for  the 
mastery.  Now,  if  a  man  stands  by  his  righteous- 
ness, and  holds  fast  his  good  profession,  then  is 
righteousness  set  up  ;  nor  can  it,  so  long,  be  pulled 
down.  Hence,  so  long  a  man  is  said  to  overcome  ; 
and  overcome  he  doth,  though  he  be  killed  for  his 
profession.  But  if  he  starts  back,  gives  place, 
submits,  recants,  or  denieth  any  longer  to  own  that 
good  thing  that  he  professed,  and  exposed  himself 
to  suffering  for;  then  he  betrays  his  cause,  his 
profession,  his  conscience,  his  righteousness,  his 
soul,  and  all ;  for  he  has  delivered  up  his  profession 
to  be  murdered  before  his  face :  A  righteous  man 
falling  down  before  the  wicked,  is  as  a  troubled 
fountain,  and  a  corrupt  spring.  Pr.  xxv.  26.  But  this,  I 
hope,  will  not  he  do  that  lovetli  righteousness,  and 
that  suffereth  for  righteousness'  sake.  I  do  not 
say  but  that  a  man  may  slip  here,  with  Peter, 


*  A  striking  expression.  If  a  man's  righteousness  be  Idlled, 
it  must  be  by  his  own  will.  He  must  be  the  butcher  to  kill 
himself. — Ed. 

t  It  is  indeed  sad  to  see  professors,  for  the  sake  of  paltry 
pelf,  or  to  escape  from  persecution,  denying  the  Lord  Jesus. 
It  subjects  religion  to  scorn  and  contempt,  aud  doubles  the 
sorrows  and  sufferings  of  real  Christians.  Buuyan  espresses 
himself  here  in  a  most  admirable  manner. — Eo. 

VOL.  II. 


Origen,  Hierom,  Cranmer,  Baynhain,  Ormis,]:  and 
other  good  folk ;  but  be  he  one  of  the  right  kind,  a 
lover  of  righteousness  indeed,  he  will  return,  and 
take  revenge  upon  himself  in  a  godly  way,  for  so 
ungodly  a  fact. 

7.  He  that  suffereth  not  only  for  righteousness, 
but  also  for  righteousness'  sake,  is  not  so  wedded 
to  his  own  notions  as  to  slight  or  overlook  the 
good  that  is  in  his  neighbour.  But  righteousness 
he  loves  wherever  he  finds  it,  though  it  be  in  him 
that  smiteth  him.  Pa.  cxii.  5.  Yea,  he  will  own  and 
acknowledge  it  for  the  only  thing  that  is  of  beauty 
and  glory  in  the  world.  With  tlie  excellent  in  the 
earth  is  all  such  a  man's  delight.  Wherefore  I 
put  a  difference  betwixt  suffering  for  an  opinion  and 
suffering  for  righteousness ;  as  I  put  a  difference 
between  suffering  for  righteousness  and  suffering- 
for  righteousness'  sake. 

If  righteousness,  if  the  stamp  of  God,  if  divine 
authority,  is  not  found  upon  that  thing  which  I 
hold,  let  men  never  suffer  for  it  under  the  notion 
of  righteousness.  If  sin,  if  superstition,  if  idolatry, 
if  derogation  from  the  wisdom  of  Christ,  and  the 
authority  and  perfection  of  his  Word,  be  not  found 
in,  nor  joined  to  that  thing  that  I  disown  in  worship, 
let  me  never  open  my  mouth  against  it.  1  had 
rather  fall  in  with,  and  be  an  associate  of  a  righteous 
man  that  has  no  true  grace,  than  with  a  professor 
that  has  no  righteousness.  It  is  said  of  the  young 
man,  though  he  went  away  from  Christ,  that  he 
looked  upon  him  and  loved  him.  Mar.  x.  17-22.  But 
it  is  not  said  that  ever  he  loved  Judas.  I  know 
that  the  righteousness  for  which  a  good  man  suf- 
fereth, is  not  then  embraced  of  the  world,  for  that 
at  such  a  time  it  is  under  a  cloud.  But  yet  there 
is  righteousness  also  in  the  world,  and  wherever  I 
see  it,  it  is  of  a  high  esteem  with  me.  David 
acknowledged  some  of  his  enemies  to  be  more 
righteous  than  he  acknowledged  some  of  his  ser- 
vants to  be.  2  sa.  iv.  9— ii;iii.3i— 35.  It  is  a  brave  thing 
to  have  righteousness,  as  righteousness,  to  be  the 
top-piece  in  mine  affections.  The  reason  why 
Christ  was  anointed  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above 
his  fellows,  was,  because  he  loved  righteousness, 
and  hated  iniquity  more  than  they.  lie.  i.  a.  Love  to 
righteousness  flows  from  golden  graces,  and  is  that, 
aud  that  only,  that  can  make  a  man  capable  of 
suffering,  in  our  sense,  for  righteousness'  sake. 

8.  He  that  suffereth  not  only  for  righteousness, 
but  also  for  righteousness'  sake,  will  take  care  that 
his  sufferings  be  so  managed  with  gracioussiess  of 
words  and  actions,  that  it  may  live  when  he  is 
dead ;  yea,  and  it  will  please  him  too,  if  righteous- 
ness flourishes,  though  by  his  loss.     Hence  it  ij 


\  Bunyan's  familiarity  with  these  illustrious  men  was 
obtained  by  reading  Fox's  Acts  and  JMonuments,  when  in  pri- 
son.— Eu. 

4  y 


722 


ADVICE   TO    SUFFERERS. 


that  Paul  said,  he  rejoiced  in  his  suffering,  Col.i.24; 
namely,  because  others  got  good  thereby.  And 
that  he  said,  '  Yea,  and  if  I  be  offered  upon  the 
sacrifice  and  service  of  your  faith,  I  joy,  and  rejoice 
with  you  all.'  Ph.  ii.  n.  But  why  rejoice  in  this? 
Why,  because  though  his  sufferings  were  to  the 
distressing  of  his  flesh,  yet  they  were  to  the  refresh- 
ing, comfort,  and  stability  of  others.  This  was  it 
also  that  made  him  jostle  with  the  false  brethren 
among  the  churches  ;  to  wit,  '  that  the  truth  of  the 
gospel  might  continue  with  them.'  Ga.  ii.  5. 

When  a  man  shall  run  the  hazard  of  the  ruin  of 
what  he  has,  and  is,  for  righteousness,  for  the  good 
and  benefit  of  the  church  of  God ;  that  man,  he 
managing  himself  by  the  rule,  if  he  suffers  for  so 
doing,  suffers  not  only  for  righteousness,  but  also 
for  righteousness'  sake.  '  I  endure  all  things, '  said 
Paul,  'for  the  elect's  sake,  that  they  may  also 
obtain  the  salvation  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  with 
eternal  glory.'  2Tim.  ii.  lo.  Here  was  love,  you  will 
say,  to  persons ;  and  I  will  say  also,  to  things ;  to 
all  the  righteousnesses  of  God  that  are  revealed  in 
the  world,  that  all  the  elect  might  enjoy  them  to 
their  eternal  comfort  and  glory,  by  Christ  Jesus. 
"For  'whether  we  be  afflicted,'  says  he,  'it  is  for 
your  consolation  and  salvation,  which  is  effectual 
in  the  enduring  of  the  same  sufferings  which  we 
also  suffer :  or  whether  we  be  comforted,  it  is  for 
your  consolation  and  salvation.  2  Cor.  i.  6. 

The  end  of  a  man  and  his  design,  if  that  be  to 
promote  righteousness,  he  using  lawful  means  to 
accomplish  it,  is  greatly  accepted  of  God  by  Christ ; 
and  it  is  a  sign  he  is  a  lover  of  righteousness ;  and 
that  if  he  suffereth  for  so  doing,  he  suffereth  not 
for  well-doing,  only  as  to  matter  of  fact,  but  also 
for  his  love  to  the  good  thing  done,  and  for  its  sake. 

I  have  now  done  with  that  first  head  that  was 
to  be  spoken  to,  as  touching  the  law  and  testament; 
which  we  have  said  was  to  be  understood  of  the 
Avill  of  God  spoken  of  in  the  text:  '  Let  them  that 
sv.ffer  according  to  the  avIII  of  God,'  that  is,  accord- 
ing to  his  law  and  testament.  Now  Ave  have 
showed  what  it  is  to  suffer  according  to  that ;  we 
come  to  another  thing,  namely : — 

[the  willof  god  means  his  order  and  designment.] 

Second,  That  by  the  will  of  God,  we  also  under- 
stand his  order  and  designment.  For  the  will  of 
God  is  active,  to  dispose  of  his  people,  as  well  as 
preceptive,  to  show  unto  us  our  duty.  He  then 
that  suffers  for  righteousness'  sake,  as  he  suffers 
for  that  which  is  good  as  to  the  matter  of  it,  and 
as  he  suffers  for  that  which  is  good,  after  that 
manner  as  becomes  that  truth  for  which  he  suf 
fereth ;  so  he  that  thus  suffereth,  suffereth  by  the 
order  and  designment  of  God.  That,  then,  is  the 
next  thing  that  is  to  be  spoken  to.  namely  :— 


God  is  the  great  orderer  of  the  battle  that  is 
managed  in  the  world  against  antichrist.  Hence 
that  battle  is  called,  '  The  battle  of  that  great  day 
of  God  Almighty. '  Re.  xvi.  14.  It  is  not  what  enemies 
will,  nor  what  they  are  resolved  upon,  but  Avhat  God 
will,  and  what  God  appoints ;  that  shall  be  done. 
This  doctrine  Christ  teacheth  when  he  saith,  'Are 
not  five  sparrows  sold  for  two  farthings,  and  not 
one  of  them  is  forgotten  before  God?  But  even 
the  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all  numbered.  Fear 
not  therefore :  ye  are  of  more  value  than  many 
sparrows. '  Lu.  xii.  6,  7.  He  speaks  in  the  verses  before 
of  killing,  and  bids  them  that  they  should  not  be 
afraid  for  that.  '  Be  not  afraid  of  them  that  kill 
the  body,  and  after  that  have  no  more  that  they 
can  do.  But  1  will  forewarn  you  whom  ye  shall 
fear:  Fear  him,  which  after  he  hath  killed  hath 
power  to  cast  into  hell;  yea,  1  say  unto  you,  Fear 
him.'  Then  he  leads  them  to  the  consideration  of 
this,  that  the  will  of  God  governs,  and  disposes 
of  his  [people]  to  suffering;  as  well  as  declares  to 
them  for  what,  and  how  they  should  suffer,  saying, 
'Are  not  five  sparrows  sold  for  two  farthings,'  &c. 

Also  in  isa.  viii.  9, 10,  and  in  isa.  li.  12, 13,  jiou  have 
in  sum  the  same  thing  inserted  again.  But  we  will 
not  stay  upon  proof,  but  will  proceed  to  demon- 
stration hereof. 

Pharaoh  said  he  would,  ay,  that  he  would,  but  he 
could  not  touch  so  much  as  a  thread  or  a  rag  of  Israel, 
because  the  will  of  God  was  in  that  thing  contrary 
to  him.  Saul  said  that  he  would  have  David,  and 
to  that  end  would  search  for  him  among  the  thou- 
sands of  Judah  ;  but  David  was  designed  for  another 
purpose,  and  therefore  Saul  must  go  without  him. 

1  Sa.  xxiii.  25,  Ac.  Rabshakeh  said  that  he  was  come 
from  Assyria  to  Jerusalem  to  make  'Judah  eat 
their  own  dung,  and  drink  their  own  piss. '  isa.  xxx^-i.  12. 
But  God  said  he  should  not  shoot  an  arrow  there. 
And  it  came  to  pass  as  God  had  said.  isa.  xixvii.  33. 

2  Ki.  xTOi.  2  ch.  xxviii.  Jeremiah  and  Baruch's  enemies 
would  have  killed  them,  but  they  could  not,  for 
God  hid  them.  How  many  times  had  the  Jews  a 
mind  to  have  destroyed  Jesus  Christ ;  but  they 
could  not  touch  a  hair  of  his  head  until  his  hour 
was  come. 

Those  also  that  bound  themselves  in  a  curse, 
that  they  would  neither  eat  nor  drink  until  they 
had  killed  Paul,  were  forced  to  be  foresworn,  for 
the  will  of  God  was  not  that  Paul  should  die  as 
yet.  Ac.  xxiii.  12.  This  therefore  should  be  well  con- 
sidered of  God's  church,  in  the  cloudy  and  dark 
day.  '  All  his  saints  are  in  thy  hand.'  De.  xx.xiii.  s. 
It  is  not  the  way  of  God  to  let  the  enemies  of  God's 
church  do  what  they  will ;  no,  the  devil  himself  can 
devour  but  'whom  he  may.'  1  Pe.  v.  8.  And  as  no 
enemy  can  bring  suffering  upon  a  man  when  the 
will  of  God  is  otherwise,  so  no  man  can  save  him- 
self out  of  their  hands  when  God  will  deliver  him 


ADVICE  TO   SUFFERERS. 


723 


ap  for  his  glorj.  It  remaineth,  then,  that  we  be 
not  much  afraid  of  men,  nor  yet  be  fooHslily  bold ; 
hut  that  we  wait  upon  our  God  in  the  way  of  righ- 
teousness, and  the  use  of  those  means  which  liis 
providence  offereth  to  us  for  our  safety ;  and  that 
we  conclude  that  our  whole  dispose,  as  to  liberty  or 
suifering,  lieth  in  the  will  of  God,  and  that  we  shall, 
or  shall  not  suffer,  even  as  it  pleaseth  him.     For, 

First,  God  has  appointed  who  shall  suffer.  Suf- 
fering comes  not  by  chance,  or  by  the  will  of  man, 
but  by  the  will  and  appointment  of  God.  '  Let  no 
man,'  said  Paul,  'be  moved  by  these  afflictions; 
for  yourselves  know  that  we  are  appointed  there- 
unto. '  1  Th.  iii.  3.  We  are  apt  to  forget  God  when 
affliction  comes,  and  to  think  it  a  strange  thing 
that  those  that  fear  God  should  suifer  indeed,  i  Pe. 
iv.- 12.  But  we  should  not,  for  we  suffer  by  the  will 
and  appointment  of  God.  Hence  they  under  the 
altar  were  bid  to  rest  for  a  while,  even  until  their 
fellow-servants  also,  and  their  brethren  that  shoidd 
be  killed — mark  that — '  should  be  killed,  as  they 
were,  should  be  fulfilled.'  Re.  vLii.  Wherefore,  suf- 
fering for  righteousness  and  for  righteousness' 
sake,  is  by  the  will  of  God.  God  has  appointed 
who  shall  suffer.     That  is  the  first. 

Second,  As  God  has  appointed  who  shall  suffer, 
so  he  has  appointed  when  they  shall  sufier  for  his 
truth  in  the  world.  Sufferings  for  such  and  such  a 
man  are  timed,  as  to  when  he  shall  be  tried  lor  his 
faith.  Hence,  when  Paul  was  afiaid,  at  Corinth, 
that  the  heathens  woidd  fall  about  his  ears,  the 
Lord  spake  to  him  by  night  in  a  vision,  saying,  '  Be 
not  afraid,  but  speak,  and  hold  not  thy  peace ;  for 
I  am  with  thee,  and  no  man  shall  set  on  thee  to 
hurt  thee. '  Ac.  x\m.  9,  lo.  His  time  of  sufiering  was  not 
yet  come  there.  It  is  also  said  concerning  Jesus 
Clmst,  that  even  then  when  *  they  sought  to  take 
him,  no  man  laid  hands  on  him,  because  his  hour  was 
not  yet  come.'  Jn.  ^-ii.  so.  The  times,  then,  and  the 
seasons,  even  for  the  sufferings  of  the  people  of 
God,  are  not  in  the  hands  of  their  enemies,  but  in 
the  hand  of  God ;  as  David  said,  *  My  times  are  in 
thy  hand.'  By  the  wiU  of  God,  then,  it  is  that 
such  shall  suffer  at,  but  not  until,  that  time.     But, 

Third,  As  God  has  appointed  who  and  when,  so 
he  has  appointed  where  this,  that,  or  the  other 
good  man  shall  suffer.  Moses  and  Elias,  when  they 
appeared  on  the  holy  mount,  told  Jesus  of  the  suf- 
ferings which  he  should  accomplish  at  Jerusalem. 
Jerusalem  was  the  place  assigned  for  Christ  to 
suffer  at ;  also,  there  must  the  whole  of  his  suffer- 
ings be  accomplished.  La.  ii.  so,  3i.  The  saints  are 
sprinkled  by  the  hand  of  God  here  and  there,  as 
salt  is  sprinkled  upon  meat  to  keep  it  from  stinking. 
And  as  they  are  thus  sprinkled,  that  they  may 
season  the  earth ;  so,  accordingly,  where  they  must 
suffer  is  also  appointed  for  the  better  confirming  of 
the  truth.  Christ  said,  it  could  not  be  that  a  prophet 


should  'perish  out  of  Jerusalem.' Lu.  liii.  33.  But 
why  could  it  not  be  that  they  should  perish  other 
where  ?  Were  there  no  enemies  but  in  Jerusalem  ? 
Were  there  no  good  men  but  at  Jerusalem  ?  No, 
no ;  that  was  not  the  reason.  Tlie  reason  was,  for 
that  God  had  appointed  that  they  should  suffer 
there.  So  then,  who,  when,  and  where,  is  at  the 
will  of  God,  and  they,  accordingly,  are  ordered  by 
that  will. 

FouHh,  As  God  has  appointed  who,  when,  and 
where,  so  he  has  also  appointed  what  kind  of  suf- 
ferings this  or  that  saint  shall  undergo,  at  this  place 
and  at  such  a  time.  God  said  that  he  would  show 
Paul  beforehand  how  great  things  he  should  suffer 
for  his  sake.  Ac.  ii.  16.  And  it  is  said  that  Christ 
did  signify  to  Peter  beforehand  '  by  what  death 
he  should  glorify  God.'  jn.  ixi.  i9.  When  Herod 
had  beheaded  John  Baptist,  and  when  the  Jews 
had  crucified  Christ,  it  is  said  that  they  had  but 
fulfilled  what  was  *  written  of  them. '  Jiar.  ii.  i3.  Ac 
xiii.  29.  Our  sufferings,  as  to  the  nature  of  them, 
are  all  writ  down  in  God's  book ;  and  though  the 
writing  seem  as  unknown  characters  to  us,  yet 
God  understands  them  very  well.  Some  of  them 
they  shall  kill  and  crucify,  and  some  of  them  they 
shall  scourge  in  their  synagogue,  '  and  persecute 
them  from  city  to  city. '  Mat.  xxiu.  34.  Shall  God, 
think  you,  say,  some  of  them  they  shall  serve  thus, 
and  some  of  them  they  shall  do  so  to ;  and  yet 
not  allot  which  some  to  this,  and  which  to  that, 
and  which  to  the  other  trial  ? 

Doubtless  our  sufferings  fall  by  the  will  of  God 
unto  us,  as  they  fell  of  old  upon  the  people  of  Jeru- 
salem. It  was  appointed  by  God  who  of  them 
should  die  of  hunger,  who  with  the  sword,  who 
should  go  into  captivity,  and  who  should  be  eaten 
up  of  beasts.  Je.  xv-.  2,  3.  So  is  the  case  here,  namely, 
as  God  has  appointed  who,  when,  where,  and  the 
like,  so  he  has,  also,  what  manner  of  suflerings 
this  or  that  good  man  shall  undergo  for  his  name. 
Let  it  then  be  concluded,  that  hitherto  it  appears, 
that  the  sufierings  of  saints  are  ordered  and  dis- 
posed by  the  will  of  God.     But, 

Fifth,  As  all  this  is  determined  by  the  will  of 
God,  so  it  is  also  appointed  for  what  truth  this  or 
that  saint  shall  suffer  this  or  that  kind  of  affliction. 
Every  saint  has  his  course,  his  work,  and  his  testi- 
mony, as  is  allotted  him  of  God.  Mar.  xiu.  34.  John  had 
a  course,  a  testimony  to  fulfil  for  God,  Ac.  xiii  25;  and 
so  had  holy  Paul,  2  tl  iv.  e,  7;  and  so  has  every  saint : 
also,  he  that  is  to  suffer  has  his  truth  appointed  him 
to  suffer  for.  Christ  had  a  truth  peculiar  to  himself 
to  bear  witness  to  in  a  way  of  suffering.  Mar.  xiv.  6I,  62. 
John  had  a  truth  peculiar  to  himself  to  bear  wit- 
ness to  in  a  way  of  suffering.  M&r.  vi  17,  is.  Stephen 
had  also  a  truth,  diverse  from  them  both,  to  which 
he  bare  a  holy  testimony,  and  for  which  he  bravely 

died.  Ac.  vii.  51—53. 


724 


ADVICE   TO    SUFFERERS. 


If  you  read  tlie  Look  of  Acts  and  Monuments, 
you  may  see  a  goodly  variety  as  to  this  ;  and  yet 
in  all  a  curious  harmony.  Some  are  there  said  to 
suffer  for  the  Godhead,  some  for  the  manhood, 
some  for  the  ordinances  of  Christ,  and  some  laid 
down  their  lives  for  the  brethren.  And  thus  far 
Tve  see  that  he  that  suffers  for  righteousness'  sake, 
suffers,  in  this  sense,  according  to  the  will  of  God. 

Sixth,  As  it  is  appointed  who,  when,  where,  what 
kind,  and  for  what  truth,  by  the  will  of  God,  this 
and  that  saint  should  suffer ;  so  also  it  is  appointed 
BY  WHOSE  HAND  this  or  that  man  shall  suffer  for  this 
or  that  truth.  Tt  was  appointed  that  Moses  and 
Israel  should  suffer  by  the  hand  of  Pharaoh.  And 
for  this  very  purpose,  saith  God,  have  I  raised 
thee  up,  that  is,  to  be  a  persecutor,  and  to  reap 
the  fruits  thereof.  Ex.  k.  ic.  •  It  was  also  determined 
that  Christ  should  suffer  by  the  hand  of  Herod 
and  Pontius  Pilate;  '  For  of  a  truth,' said  they, 
'  against  thy  holy  child  Jesus  -  both  Herod,  and 
Pontius  Pilate,  with  the  Gentiles,  and  the  people 
of  Israel,  were  gathered  together,  for  to  do  what- 
soever thy  hand  and  thy  counsel  determined  before 
to  be  done.'  Ac.  iv.  27. 

These  are  great  instances,  from  which  we  may 
gather  how  all  these  things  are  ordered  from  thence 
down  hitherto.  For  if  a  sparrow  falls  not  to  the 
ground  without  God,  she  shall  not  be  killed  with- 
out God  ;  not  by  he  knows  not  who.  And  if  a 
christian  man  is  better  than  many  sparrows,  it 
lollows,  that  God  concerns  himself  more  with,  for, 
and  about  him  than  with,  for,  or  about  many  spar- 
rows. It  follows,  therefore,  in  right  reason,  that 
as  the  person  who  is  appointed  to  be  the  sufferer, 
so  the  persons  who  are  appointed  to  be  the  rod 
and  sword  thereby  to  afHict  withal.  Thus  far, 
therefore,  the  will  of  God  is  it  that  ordereth  and 
disposeth  of  us  and  of  our  sufferings. 

Seventh,  As  all  these  pass  through  the  hand  of 
God,  and  come  not  to  us  but  by  his  will,  so  how 
is  also  LONG  as  really  determined  as  any  of  them  all. 
It  is  not  in  man,  but  God,  to  set  the  time  how  long 
the  rod  of  the  wicked  shall  rest  upon  the  lot  of  the 
righteous.  Abraham  must  be  informed  of  this. 
'  Abraham,'  says  God,  '  know  of  a  surety  that  thy 
seed  shall  be  a  stranger  in  a  land  tliat  is  not  theirs, 
and  shall  serve  them  ;  and  they  shall  afHict  them 
four  hundred  years.'  Ge.  xv.  13.  So  the  thraldom  of 
Israel  in  Babylon  was  not  only  in  the  general 
appointed,  but  the  time  prefixed,  how  long.  Je.  sxv.  u, 
y>;  xxix.  10.  The  time  of  the  beast's  reign  and  of  the 
witnesses  walking  in  sackcloth  are  punctually  fixed, 
and  that  beyond  which  they  cannot  go.  Re.  xi.  xii.  xiii 

I  know  these  are  generals,  and  respect  the 
church  in  the  bulk  of  it,  and  not  particular  per- 
sons. But,  as  was  hinted  afore,  we  must  argue 
fiom  the  greater  to  the  lesser,  that  is,  from  four 
hundred  years  to  ten  days,  from  ten  days  to  three, 


and  so  from  the  church  in  general  to  each  parti- 
cular member,  and  to  the  time  and  nature  of  their 

sufferings.  Re.  ii.  10.  Ho.  vi.  2.  Ac.  xxiii.  11. 

And  thus,  in  a  word  or  two,  I  have  finished  the 
first  two  parts  of  the  text,  and  showed  you  what 
there  is  in  Peter's  counsel  and  advice ;  and  showed 
you  also,  to  whom  his  advice  is  given :  in  which 
last,  as  you  see,  1  have  showed  you  both  what  the 
will  of  God  is,  and  what  to  suffer  according  to  it. 
And  particularly,  I  have,  in  a  few  words,  handled 
this  last,  to  show  you  that  our  sufferings  are  ordered 
and  disposed  by  him,  that  you  might  always,  when 
you  come  into  trouble  for  his  name,  not  stagger 
nor  be  at  a  loss,  but  be  stayed,  composed,  and 
settled  in  your  minds,  and  say,  '  The  will  of  the 
Lord  be  done.'  Ac.  xxi.  14.  I  will  also  say  unto 
you  this  by  the  way,  that  the  will  of  God  doth 
greatly  work,  even  to  order  and  dispose  of  the 
spirits  of  Christians,  in  order  to  a  willingness,  dis- 
posedness,  readiness,  and  resignation  of  ourselves 
to  the  mind  of  God.  For  with  respect  to  this 
were  those  words  last  recited  spoken.  Paul  saw 
that  he  had  a  call  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  there  to 
bear  his  testimony  for  Christ  and  his  gospel ;  but 
those  unto  whom  he  made  known  his  purpose 
entreated  him,  with  much  earnestness,  not  to  go  up 
thither,  for  that,  as  they  believed,  it  would  endan- 
ger his  life.  But  he  answereth.  What,  mean  ye  to 
weep,  and  to  break  my  heart  ?  for  I  am  ready,  not 
to  be  bound  only,  but  also  to  die  at  Jerusalem  for 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  And  when  he  would 
not  be  persuaded,  says  Luke,  we  ceased,  saying, 
'  The  will  of  the  Lord  be  done. ' 

From  what  has  been  thus  discoursed,  many 
things  will  follow  ;  as, 

1.  That  the  rod,  as  well  as  the  child,  is  God's; 
persecutors,  as  weU  as  the  persecuted,  are  his,  and 
he  has  his  own  designs  upon  both.  He  has  raised 
them  up,  and  he  has  ordered  them  for  himself,  and 
for  that  work  that  he  has  for  them  to  do.  Hence 
Habakkuk,  speaking  of  the  church's  enemies, 
saith,  *  Thou  hast  ordained  them  for  judgment ; 
and,  0  mighty  God,  thou  hast  established  them 
for  correction. '  Ha.  L  12.  And,  therefore,  they  are 
in  other  places  called  the  rod  of  God's  anger;  his 
staff.  Is.  X.  5 ;  his  hand  ;  his  sword.  Ps.  rvu  13, 14. 

Indeed,  to  be  thus  disposed  of,  is  a  sad  lot ;  the 
lot  is  not  fallen  to  them  in  pleasant  places,  they 
have  not  the  goodly  heritage;  but  the  judgments 
of  God  are  a  great  deep.  The  thing  formed  may 
not  say  to  him  that  formed  it.  Why  hast  thou 
made  me  thus?  To  be  appointed,  to  be  ordained, 
to  be  established  to  be  a  persecutor,  and  a  trou- 
bler  of  God's  church — 0  tremendous  judgment  ! 
0  amazing  anger  ! 

Three  things  the  people  of  God  should  learn 
from  hence. 

(1.)  Learn  to  pity  and  bewail  the  condition  of 


ADVICE   TO    SUFFERERS. 


725 


tlie  enemy:  I  know  thou  canst  not  alter  the 
counsel  of  God;  appointed  they  are,  established 
they  are  for  their  work,  and  do  it  they  must  and 
shall.  But  yet  it  becomes  them  that  see  their 
state,  and  that  their  day  is  coming,  to  pity  and 
bewail  their  condition,  yea,  and  to  pray  for  them 
too ;  for  who  knows  whether  it  is  determined  that 
they  should  remain  implacable  to  the  end,  as 
Herod ;  or  whether  they  may  through  grace  obtain 
repentance  for  their  doings,  with  Saul.  And  I 
say  again,  if  thy  prayer  should  have  a  casting 
hand  in  the  conversion  of  any  of  them,  it  would 
be  sweet  to  thy  thoughts  when  the  scene  is  over. 

(2.)  Never  grudge  them  their  present  advan- 
tages. 'Fret  not  thyself  because  of  evil  men. 
neither  be  thou  envious  at  the  workers  of  iniquity.' 
Pr.  siiv.  19.  Fret  not,  though  they  spoil  thy  resting- 
place.  It  is  God  that  has  bidden  them  do  it,  to 
try  thy  faith  and  patience  thereby.  Wish  them 
no  ill  with  what  they  get  of  thine;  it  is  their  wages 
for  their  work,  and  it  will  appear  to  them  ere  long 
that  they  have  earned  it  dearly.  Their  time  is  to 
rejoice  but  as  in  a  moment,  in  what  thus  is  gotten 
by  them ;  and  then  they,  not  repenting,  are  to 
perish  for  ever,  like  their  own  dung.  Job  xx.  5—7. 
Poor  man,  thou  that  hast  thy  time  to  be  afflicted 
by  them,  that  thy  golden  graces  may  shine  the 
more,  thou  art  in  the  fire,  and  they  blow  the  bel- 
lows. But  wouldest  thou  change  places  Avith 
them  ?  Wouldest  thou  sit  upon  their  place  of 
ease  ?  Dost  thou  desire  to  be  with  them?  Pr.  xxiv.  1. 
0  rest  thyself  contented ;  in  thy  patience  possess 
thy  soul,  and  pity  and  bewail  them  in  the  condi- 
tion in  which  they  are. 

(3.)  Bless  God  that  thy  lot  did  fall  on  the  other 
side,  namely,  to  be  one  that  should  know  the 
truth,  profess  it,  suffer  for  it,  and  have  grace  to 
bear  thee  up  thereunder,  to  God's  glory,  and  thy 
eternal  comfort.  This  honour  have  not  all  his 
saints ;  all  are  not  counted  worthy  thus  to  suffer 
shame  for  his  name.  Do  this,  I  say,  though  they 
get  all,  and  leave  thee  nothing  but  tlie  shirt  on 
thy  back,  the  skin  on  thy  bones,  or  an  hole  in  the 
ground  to  be  put  in.  He.  xL  23-2G. 

2.  Labour  to  be  patient  under  this  mighty 
hand  of  God,  and  be  not  hasty  to  say,  When  will 
the  rod  be  laid  aside  ?  mind  thou  thy  duty,  which 
is  to  let  patience  have  its  perfect  work.  And 
bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord,  because  thou 
hast  sinned  against  him,  until  he  please  to  awake, 
CO  arise,  and  to  execute  judgment  for  thee.  Mi.  i,Ti.  9. 
But  to  pass  this. 

Are  things  thus  ordered  ?  then  this  should 
teach  us  that  there  is  a  cause.  The  rod  is  not 
gathered  without  a  cause ;  the  rod  is  fore-deter- 
mined, because  the  sin  of  God's  people  is  foreseen, 
and  ofttimes  the  nature  of  the  sin,  and  the  anger 
of  the  Father,  is  seen  in  the  fashion  of  the  rod. 


The  rod  of  my  anger,  saith  God.  A  bitter  and 
hasty  nation  must  be  brought  against  Jerusalem  ; 
an  enemy  fierce  and  cruel  must  be  brought  against 
the  land  of  Israel.  Their  sins  called  for  such  a 
rod,  for  their  iniquities  were  grievous.  lia.  i.  6. 

This  shovdd  teach  us  with  all  earnestness  to  bo 
sorry  for  our  sins,  and  to  do  what  we  can  to  pre- 
vent these  things,  by  falling  upon  our  face  in  a 
way  of  prayer  before  God.  If  we  would  shorten 
such  days,  when  they  come  upon  us,  let  us  be 
lovers  of  righteousness,  and  get  more  of  the  righ- 
teousness of  faith,  and  of  compliance  with  the 
whole  will  of  God  into  our  hearts.  Then  I  say, 
the  days  shall  be  shortened,  or  we  fare  as  well, 
because  the  more  harmless  and  innocent  we  are, 
and  suffer,  the  greater  wiU  our  wages,  our  rewanl, 
and  glory  be,  when  pay-day  shall  come  ;  and  what 
if  we  wait  a  little  for  that  ? 

These  things  are  sent  to  better  God's  people, 
and  to  make  them  white,  to  refine  them  as  silver, 
and  to  purge  them  as  gold,  and  to  cause  that 
they  that  bear  some  fruit,  may  bring  forth  more : 
we  are  afilicted,  that  we  may  grow.  jn.  xv.  2.  It  is 
also  the  will  of  God,  that  they  that  go  to  heaven 
should  go  thither  hardly  or  with  difficulty.  The 
righteous  shall  scarcely  be  saved.  That  is,  they 
shall,  but  yet  with  great  difficulty,  that  it  may  be 
the  sweeter. 

Now  that  which  makes  the  way  to  heaven  so 
strait,  so  narrow,  so  hard,  is  the  rod,  the  sword, 
the  persecutor,  that  lies  in  the  way,  that  marks 
where  our  haunt  is,  that  mars  our  path,  digs  a 
pit,  and  that  sets  a  net,  a  snare  for  us  in  the  way. 

1  Sa.  xxiii.  "2.  Job  xxx.  12—14.  Ps.  ix.  15 ;  xxxi.  4  ;  xxxv.  7;  cxix.  110; 
cxL  5 ;  cxliL  3. 

This,  I  say,  is  that  which  puts  us  to  it,  but  it 

is  to  try,  as  I  said,  our  graces,  and  to  make  hea- 

'  ven  the  sweeter  to  us.     To  come  frighted  and 

■  hard  pursued  thither,  will  make  the  safety  there 

the  more  with  exceeding;  gladness  to  be  embraced. 

And  I  say,  get  thy  heart  yet  more  possessed  with 

j  the  power  of  godliness ;  that  the  love  of  righteous- 

!  ness  may  be  yet  more  with  thee.    For  this  blessed- 

'  ness,  this  happiness,  he  shall  be  sure  of,  that  suf- 

fereth  for  righteousness'  sake. 

3.  Since  the  rod  is  God's  as  well  as  the  child, 
let  us  not  look  upon  our  troubles  as  if  they  came 
from,  and  were  managed  only  by  hell.  It  is  true, 
a  persecutor  has  a  black  mark  upon  him,  but  yet 
the  Scriptures  say  that  all  the  ways  of  the  perse- 
cutor are  God's.  Da.  v.  23.  Wherefore  as  we  should, 
so  again  we  should  not,  be  afraid  of  men  :  wo 
should  be  afraid  of  them,  because  they  will  hurt 
us ;  but  we  should  not  be  afraid  of  them,  as  if 
they  were  let  loose  to  do  to  us,  and  with  us,  what 
they  will.  God's  bridle  is  upon  them,  God's  hook 
is  in  their  nose:  yea,  and  God  has  determined  the 
bounds  of  their  rage,  and  if  he  lets  them  drive  bis 


726 


ADVICE   TO    SUFFERERS. 


cluircli  into  the  sea  of  troubles,  it  shall  be  but  up 
to  the  neck,  and  so  far  it  may  go,  and  not  be 

drowned.    2  Ki.  xix.  28.  is.  xxxvU.  2D  ;  viii.  7,  8.       I    Saj    the 

Lord  has  hold  of  them,  and  orders  them ;  nor  do 
thev  at  any  time  come  out  against  his  people  but 
by  his  licence  and  commission  how  far  to  go,  and 
where  to  stop. 

And  now  for  two  or  three  objections : — 
1.  Object.  But  may  we  not  fly  in  a  time  of  per- 
secution ?     Your  pressing  upon  us,  that  persecu- 
tion is  ordered  and  managed  by  God,  makes   us 
afraid  to  fly. 

Answ.  First,  having  regard  to  what  was  said 
afore  about  a  call  to  sufl^er;  thou  mayest  do  in 
this  even  as  it  is  in  thy  heart.  If  it  is  in  thy 
heart  to  fly,  fly:  if  it  be  in  thy  heart  to  stand,  stand. 
Any  thing  but  a  denial  of  the  truth.  He  that 
flies,  has  warrant  to  do  so ;  he  that  stands,  has 
warrant  to  do  so.  Yea,  the  same  man  may  both 
fly  and  stand,  as  the  call  and  working  of  God 
with  his  heart  may  be.  Moses  fled,  Ex.  a.  is;  Moses 
stood.  He.  xi.  27.  David  fled,  i  Sa.  xix.  12;  David  stood, 
xxiv.  8.  Jeremiah  fled,  Je.  xxsvii.  ii,  12;  Jeremiah  stood. 
xxxviiL  17.  Christ  withdrew  himself,  Lu.  ix.  lO;  Christ 
stood.  Jn.  xviii.  1-8.  Paul  fled,  2  Co.  xi.  33;  Paul  stood, 

Ac.  XX.  22,  23. 

There  are  therefore  few  rules  in  this  case.  The 
man  himself  is  best  able  to  judge  concerning  his 
present  strength,  and  what  weight  this  or  that 
argument  has  upon  his  heart  to  stand  or  fly.  I 
should  be  loath  to  impose  upon  any  man  in  these 
things ;  only,  if  thou  fliest,  take  two  or  three  cau- 
tions with  thee: — 

(1 .)  Do  not  fly  out  of  a  slavish  fear,  but  rather 
because  flying  is  an  ordinance  of  God,  opening  a 
door  for  the  escape  of  some,  which  door  is  opened 
by  God's  providence,  and  the  escape  countenanced 
by  God's  Word.  Mat.  .x.  2.3. 

(2.)  When  thou  art  fled,  do  as  much  good  as 
thou  canst  in  all  quarters  where  thou  comest,  for 
therefore  the  door  was  opened  to  thee,  and  thou 
bid  to  make  thy  escape.  Ac.  viii.  1-5. 

(3.)  Do  not  think  thyself  secure  when  thou  art 
fled ;  it  was  providence  that  opened  the  door,  and 
the  Word  that  did  bid  thee  escape  :  but  whither, 
and  wherefore,  that  thou  knowest  not  yet.  Uriah 
the  prophet  fled  into  Egypt,  because  there  dwelt 
men  that  were  to  take  him,  that  he  might  be 
brought  again  to  Jerusalem  to  die  there.  Je.  xxvi.  21. 

(4.)  Shouldest  thou  fly  from  where  thou  art, 
and  be  taken  in  another  place ;  the  most  that 
can  be  made  of  it — thy  taking  the  opportunity  to 
fly,  as  was  propounded  at  first — can  be  but  this, 
thou  wast  willing  to  commit  thyself  to  God  in  the 
way  of  his  providence,  as  other  good  men  have 
done,  and  thy  being  now  apprehended  has  made 
thy  call  clear  to  suffer  here  or  there,  the  which 
before  thou  wert  in  the  dark  about. 


(5.)  If,  therefore,  when  thou  hast  fled,  thou  art 
taken,  be  not  ofi"ended  at  God  or  man:  not  at 
God,  for  thou  art  his  servant,  thy  life  and  thy  all 
are  his;  not  at  man,  for  he  is  but  God's  rod,  and 
is  ordained,  in  this,  to  do  thee  good.  Ilast  thou 
escaped  ?  Laugh.  Art  thou  taken  ?  Laugh.  I 
mean,  be  pleased  which  way  soever  things  shall 
go,  for  that  the  scales  are  still  in  God's  hand, 

(6.)  But  fly  not,  in  flying,  from  religion;  fly  not, 
in  flying,  for  the  sake  of  a  trade ;  fly  not,  in  flying, 
that  thou  mayest  have  ease  for  the  flesh:  this  is 
wicked,  and  will  yield  neither  peace  nor  profit  to 
thy  soul ;  neither  now,  nor  at  death,  nor  at  the 
day  of  judgment. 

2.  Object.  But  if  I  fly,  some  will  blame  me:  what 
must  I  do  now  ? 

Answ,  And  so  may  others  if  thou  standest ;  fly 
not,  therefore,  as  was  said  afore,  out  of  a  slavish 
fear;  stand  not,  of  a  bravado.  Do  what  thou 
dost  in  the  fear  of  God,  guiding  thyself  by  his 
Word  and  providence ;  and  as  for  this  or  that 
man's  judgment,  refer  thy  case  to  the  judgment 
of  God. 

3.  Object.  But  if  I  be  taken  and  sufler,  my  cause 
is  like  to  be  clothed  with  scandals,  slanders,  re- 
proaches, and  all  manner  of  false,  and  evil  speak- 
ings ;  what  must  I  do  ? 

Answ.  Saul  charged  David  with  rebellion.  1  s.a. 
xxii.  8, 13.  Amos  was  charged  with  conspiring  against 
the  king.  Am.  vii.  10.  Daniel  was  charged  with  despis- 
ing the  king ;  and  so  also  were  the  three  children. 
Da.  vi.  13 ;  iii.  12.  Jesus  Christ  himself  was  accused 
of  perverting  the  nation,  of  forbidding  to  give  tri- 
bute to  Caesar,  and  of  saying  that  himself  was 
Christ  a  king.  Lu.  xxiu.  2.  These  things  therefore 
have  been.     But, 

(1.)  Canst  thou,  after  a  due  examination  of  thy- 
self, say  that  as  to  these  things  thou  art  innocent 
and  clear  ?  I  say,  will  thy  conscience  justify  thee 
here  ?  Ilast  thou  made  it  thy  business  to  give 
unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's,  and  unto 
Cajsar  the  things  that  are  his,  according  as  God 
has  commanded  ?  If  so,  matter  not  what  men 
shall  say,  nor  with  what  lies  and  reproaches  they 
slander  thee,  but  for  these  things  count  thyself 
happy.  Blessed  are  ye,  when  7ne)i  shall  revile  you 
-  and  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely 
(lying)  for  my  sake  (saith  Christ),  Rejoice,  and 
be  exceeding  glad:  for  great  is  your  reward  iu 
heaven :  for  so  persecuted  they  the  prophets  which 
were  before  you.  Mat.  v.  11, 12.  Comfort  thyself  there- 
fore in  the  innocency  of  thy  soul,  and  say,  I  am 
counted  a  rebel,  and  yet  am  loyal ;  I  am  counted 
a  deceiver,  and  yet  am  true,  1  Sa.  xxiv.  8—12.  2  Co.  vi.  8. 
Also  refer  thy  cause  to  the  day  of  judgment;  for 
if  thou  canst  rejoice  at  the  thoughts  that  thou  shalt 
be  cleared  of  all  slanders  and  evil  speakings  then, 
that  will  bear  up  thy  heart  as  to  what  thou  mayest 


ADVICE   TO   SUFFERERS. 


727 


Buffer  now.  The  answer  of  a  good  conscience  will 
carry  a  man  through  hell  to  heaven.  Count  these 
slanders  part  of  thy  sufferings,  and  those  for  which 
God  will  give  thee  a  reward,  hecause  thou  art  inno- 
cent, and  fur  that  they  are  laid  upon  thee  for  thy 
profession's  sake.  But  if  thou  be  guilty,  look  to 
thyself;  I  am  no  comforter  of  such. 

[third,  the  good  effect  of  committing  the  soul 
TO  god's  keeping.] 

I  come  now  to  speak  to  the  third  and  last  part 
of  the  text,  namely,  of  the  good  effect  that  will 
certainly  follow  to  those  that,  after  a  due  manner, 
shall  take  the  advice  afore  given.  •  Let  them  that 
suffer  according  to  the  will  of  God,  commit  the 
keeping  of  their  souls  to  him  in  well-doing,  as  unto 
a  faithful  Creator.' 

Two  things  from  the  last  clause  of  the  text  lie 
yet  hefore  us.  And  they  are  they  by  which  will 
be  shown  what  good  effect  will  follow  to  those  that 
suffer  according  to  the  will  of  God,  and  that  com- 
mit their  souls  to  his  keeping.  1.  Such  will  find 
him  to  themselves  a  Creator.  2.  They  will  find 
him  a  faithful  Creator.  '  Let  them  commit  the 
keeping  of  their  souls  to  him,  as  unto  a  faithful 
Creator. ' 

In  this  phrase,  a  faithful  Creator,  behold  the 
wisdom  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  how  fitly  and  to  the 
purpose  he  speaketh.  King  is  a  great  title,  and 
God  is  sometimes  called  a  King ;  but  he  is  not  set 
forth  by  this  title  here,  but  by  the  title  of  a  Creator ; 
for  it  is  not  always  in  the  power  of  a  king  to  suc- 
cour and  relieve  his  subjects,  that  are  suffering  for 
his  crown  and  dignity.  Father  is  a  sweet  title — a 
title  that  carrieth  in  it  an  intimation  of  a  great  deal 
of  bowels  and  compassion,  and  God  is  often  set 
forth  also  by  this  title  in  the  holy  Scriptures.  But 
so  he  is  not  here,  but  rather  as  a  Creator.  For  a 
father,  a  compassionate  father,  cannot  always  help, 
succour,  or  relieve  his  children,  though  he  knows 
they  are  under  affliction !  Oh !  but  a  Creator  can. 
Wherefore,  I  say,  he  is  set  forth  here  under  the 
title  of  a  Creator. 

First,  A  Creator!  nothing  can  die  under  a 
Creator's  hands.  A  Creator  can  sustain  all.  A 
Creator  can,  as  a  Creator,  do  what  he  pleases. 
'  The  Lord,  the  everlasting  God,  the  Creator  of  the 
ends  of  the  earth,  fainteth  not,  neither  is  weary.' 

Is.  xl.  28. 

The  cause  of  God,  for  which  his  people  suffer, 
had  been  dead  and  buried  a  thousand  years  ago, 
had  it  not  been  in  the  hand  of  a  Creator.  The 
people  that  have  stood  by  his  cause  had  been  out 
of  both  as  to  persons,  name,  and  remembrance,  had 
they  not  been  in  the  hand  of  a  Creator.  Who 
could  have  hoped,  when  Israel  was  going  in,  even 
into  the  mouth  of  the  Red  Sea,  that  ever  his  cause. 


or  that  people,  should  have  revived  again.  A  huo-o 
host  of  the  Egyptians  were  behind  them,  and 
nothing  but  death  before  and  on  every  hand  of 
them  ;  but  they  lived,  they  flourished,  they  outlived 
their  enemies,  for  they  were  in  the  hand  of  a 
Creator. 

Who  could  have  hoped  that  Israel  should  have 
returned  again  from  the  land,  from  the  hand,  and 
from  under  the  tyranny  of  the  king  of  Babylon? 
They  could  not  deliver  themselves  from  going 
thither,  they  could  not  preserve  themselves  from 
being  diminished  when  they  came  there,  their  power 
was  gone,  they  were  in  captivity,  their  distance 
from  home  Avas  far,  their  enemies  possessed  their 
land,  their  city  of  defence  was  ruined,  and  their 
houses  burned  down  to  the  ground ;  and  yet  they 
came  home  again :  there  is  nothing  impossible  to  a 
Creator. 

Who  could  have  thought  that  the  three  children 
could  have  lived  in  a  fiery  furnace  ?  that  Daniel 
could  have  been  safe  among  the  lions  ?  that  Jonah 
could  have  come  home  to  his  country,  when  he  was 
in  the  whale's  belly  ?  or  that  our  Lord  should  have 
risen  again  from  the  dead  ?  But  what  is  impossible 
to  a  Creator? 

This,  therefore,  is  a  rare  consideration  for  those 
to  let  their  hearts  be  acquainted  with  that  suffer 
according  to  the  will  of  God,  and  that  have  com- 
mitted the  keeping  of  their  souls  to  him  in  well- 
doing. They  have  a  Creator  to  maintain  and 
uphold  their  cause,  a  Creator  to  oppose  its  opposers. 
And  hence  it  is  said,  all  that  burden  themselves 
with  Jerusalem  '  shall  be  cut  in  pieces,  though  all 
the  people  of  the  earth  be  gathered  together  against 

it.     Zee.  xii.  3. 

Second,  A  Creator!  A  Creator  can  not  only 
support  a  dying  cause,  but  also  fainting  spirits. 
For  as  he  fainteth  not,  nor  is  weary,  so  '  he  giveth 
power  to  the  faint,  and  to  them  that  have  no  might 
he  increaseth  strength.'  is.  xi.  29.  He  is  the  God  of 
the  spirits  of  all  flesh,  and  has  the  life  of  the  spirit 
of  his  people  in  his  own  hand.  Spirits  have  their 
being  from  him;  he  is  the  Father  of  spirits.  Spirits 
are  made  strong  by  him,  nor  can  any  crush  that 
spirit  that  God  the  Creator  will  uphold. 

Is  it  not  a  thing  amazing  to  see  one  poor  incon- 
siderable man,  in  a  spirit  of  faith  and  patience, 
overcome  all  tlie  thrtateniugs,  cruelties,  atSictions, 
and  sorrows,  that  a  whole  world  can  lay  upon  him  ? 
None  can  quail*  him,  none  can  crush  him,  none 
can  bend  down  his  spirit.  None  can  make  him  to 
forsake  what  he  has  received  of  God — a  command- 

*  'Quail;'  to  overpower.  ^Vell  might  the  abettors  of 
Antichrist  wonder  at  the  Christian's  support  under  the  most 
cruel  tortures.  While  'looking  unto  Jesus'  and  the  bright 
visions  of  eternal  glory,  like  Stephen,  he  can  pray  for  his 
enemies,  and  tranquilly  fall  asleep  while  undergoing  the  most 
frightful  sufferings. — Ed. 


728 


ADVICE   TO    SUrFEllERS. 


ment  to  hold  fast.  His  holy,  harmless,  and  profit- 
able notions,  because  they  are  spiced  with  grace, 
yield  to  him  more  comfort,  joy,  and  peace,  and  do 
kindle  in  his  soul  so  goodly  a  fire  of  love  to,  and 
zeal  for  God,  that  all  the  waters  of  the  world  shall 
never  be  able  to  quench. 

Av»  say  some,  that  is  because  he  is  headstrong, 
obstinate,  and  one  that  will  hear  no  reason.  No, 
say  I,  but  it  is  because  his  spirit  is  in  the  hand, 
under  the  conduct  and  preservation,  of  a  Creator. 
A  Creator  can  make  spirits,  uphold  spirits,  and 
make  one  spirit  stronger  to  stand,  than  are  all  the 
spirits  of  the  world  to  cast  down.  To  stand,  I  say, 
in  a  way  of  patient  enduring  in  well-doing,  against 
all  that  hell  can  do  to  suppress. 

Third,  A  Creator !  A  Creator  can  bring  down 
the  spirits  that  oppose,  and  make  them  weak  and 
unstable  as  water.  The  Lord,  the  everlasting  God, 
the  Creator  of  the  ends  of  the  earth,  fainteth  not, 
nor  is  weary ;  there  is  no  searching  of  his  under- 
standing. He  gives  power  to  the  faint,  and  to 
those  that  have  no  might,  he  increaseth  strength ; 
now  mark,  even  the  youth  shall  faint  and  be  weary, 
and  the  young  men  shall  utterly  fall.  A  Creator 
can  dash  the  spirits  of  the  enemies  with  fear,  God 
can  put  them  in  fear,  and  make  them  know  that 
they  are  men  and  not  God,  and  that  their  horses 
are  flesh  and  not  spirit.  When  the  enemy  came 
to  take  Jesus  Christ,  their  spirits  fainted,  their 
hearts  died  in  them  ;  they  went  backwards,  and  fell 
to  the  ground.  They  had  hard  work  to  strengthen 
their  spirits  to  a  sufficiency  of  boldness  and  courage, 
though  they  brought  halberts,  and  staves,  and 
swords,  and  weapons  with  them,  to  take  a  naked* 

man.  Jn.  xviii,  3—7. 

And  although  this  is  that  which  is  not  so  visible 
to  the  world  as  some  other  things  are,  yet  I  believe 
that  God  treads  down  the  spirits  of  men  in  a  day 
when  they  afflict  his  people,  oftener  than  we  are 
aware  of,  or  than  they  are  willing  to  confess.  How 
was  the  hostile  spirit  of  Esau  trod  down  of  God, 
when  he  came  out  to  meet  his  poor  naked  brother, 
with  no  less  than  four  hundred  armed  men  ?  He 
fainted  before  his  brother,  and  instead  of  killing, 
kissed  him.  Ge.  xxxiu.  i.  How  was  the  bloody  spirit 
of  Saul  trod  down,  when  David  met  him  at  the 
mouth  of  the  cave,  and  also  at  the  hill  Hachilah  ? 
1  Sa.  xxiv.  xx\i  God  is  a  Creator,  and  as  a  Creator, 
is  a  spirit  maker,  a  spirit  reviver,  a  spirit  destroyer  ; 
he  can  destroy  body  and  soul  in  hell.  Lu.  xIL  5. 

Fourth,  A  Creator  !  As  a  Creator,  he  is  over 
all  arts,  inventions,  and  crafts  of  men  that  are  set 
on  work  to  destroy  God's  people,  whether  they  be 

*  '  A  naked  mau ;'  unarmed,  or  defenceless. 
'  Had  1  but  serv'd  my  God  with  lialf  the  zeal 
I  serv'd  my  king,  he  would  not  in  mine  ajje 
Huve  left  me  nuked  to  mine  enemies.' 

Sliakspeare's  IFolsuj. — Ed. 


soldiers,  excellent  orators,  or  any  other  whatso- 
ever ;  we  will  single  out  one — the  smith,  that  roar- 
ing fellow,  who  with  his  coals  and  his  bellows 
makes  a  continual  noise.  '  I  have  created  the 
smith,'  saith  God,  'that  bloweth  the  coals  in  the 
fire,  and  that  bringeth  forth  an  instrument  for  his 
work ;  and  I  have  created  the  waster  to  destroy.' 
Is.  liv.  1(5.  The  smith,  what  is  he  ?  I  answer,  an 
idol  maker,  a  promoter  of  false  worship,  and  one 
that  makes  instruments  of  cruelty,  therewith  to 
help  to  suppress  the  true  [worship],  is.  xii.  7;  xUv.  12; 

xlvi.  6. 

'I  have  created  the  smith,'  saith  God,  'that 
bloweth  the  coals  in  the  fire.'  The  idol  inventor, 
the  idol  maker,  the  supporter  of  idol  worship,  he 
is  my  creature,  saith  God,  to  teach  that  he  has 
power  to  reach  him,  and  to  command  his  sword  to 
approach  him  at  his  pleasure,  notwithstanding  his 
roaring  with  his  bellows,  and  his  coals  in  the  fire. 
So  then,  he  cannot  do  what  he  will  in  the  fire,  nor 
with  his  idol  when  he  has  made  it ;  the  instrument, 
also  that  he  makes  for  the  defence  of  his  idol,  and 
for  the  suppressing  of  God's  true  worship,  shall 
not  do  the  thing  for  the  which  it  is  designed  by 
him.  And  so  the  very  next  verse  saith :  '  No 
weapon  that  is  formed  against  thee  shall  prosper, 
and  every  tongue  tluxt  shall  rise  against  thee  in 
judgment  thou  shalt  condemn.  This  is  the  heri- 
tage of  the  servants  of  the  Lord,  and  their  righ- 
teousness is  of  me,  saith  the  Lord.'  is.  liv.  17.  And 
the  text  saith  moreover,  I  have  created  the  waster 
to  destroy.  The  waster,  what  is  that  ?  Why,  the 
smith  makes  an  idol,  and  God  has  made  the  rust ; 
the  smith  makes  a  sword,  and  God  has  made  the 
rust.  The  rust  eats  them  up,  the  moth  shall  eat 
them  up,  the  fire  shall  devour  them.  '  The  wicked,* 
saith  the  Psalmist,  '  have  drawn  out  the  sword, 
and  have  bent  their  bow,  to  cast  down  the  poor  and 
needy,  and  to  slay  such  as  be  of  upright  coiiversa- 
tion.  Their  sword  shall  enter  into  their  own  heart, 
and  their  bows  shall  be  broken.'  Pa.  xxxvli.  14, 15. 

All  this  can  God  do,  because  he  is  a  Creator, 
and  none  but  God  can  do  it.  Wherefore  by  this 
peculiar  title  of  Creator,  the  apostle  prepareth 
support  for  sufiering  saints,  and  also  shows  what 
a  good  conclusion  is  like  to  be  made  with  them 
that  suifer  for  righteousness'  sake,  according  to 
his  will ;  and  that  commit  the  keeping  of  their 
souls  to  him  in  well-doing,  as  unto  a  faithful 
Creator. 

Fifth,  A  Creator  !  A  Creator  can  make  such 
provision  for  a  suffering  people,  in  all  respects,  as 
shall  answer  all  their  wants.  Have  they  lost  their 
peace  with  the  world  ?  Plave  they  no  more  peace 
with  this  world  ?  Why,  a  Creator  can  make,  create 
peace,  can  create  peace,  peace;  peace  with  God, 
and  peace  with  his  conscience ;  and  that  is  better 
than  all  the  peace  that  can  be  found  elsewhere  in 


ADVICE   TO  SUFFERERS. 


729 


the  world,  is.  ivii.  19.  Have  thej  lost  a  good  frame 
of  heart  ?  Do  they  want  a  right  frame  of  spirit  ? 
Why,  though  this  is  to  be  had  no  where  in  the 
world,  yet  a  Creator  can  help  them  to  it.  Ps.  li.  10. 
Have  they  lost  their  spiritual  defence  ?  Do  they 
lie  too  open  to  their  spiritual  foes  ?  Why,  this  a 
Creator  can  help.  'And  the  Lord  will  create 
upon  every  dwelling  place  of  Mount  Zion,  and 
upon  her  assembhes,  a  cloud  and  smoke  by  day, 
and  the  shining  of  a  flaming  lire  by  night :  for 
upon  all  the  glory  shall  he  a  dtrfence.'  is.  iv.  5. 

This  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit ;  for  though  the 
Spirit  itself  be  unereate,  yet  all  the  holy  works  of 
it  in  the  heart  are  verily  works  of  creation.  Our 
new  man  is  a  creation ;  our  graces  are  a  creation ; 
our  joys  and  comforts  are  a  creation.*  2  Co.  v.  17,  I8. 
Ep.  iv.  24.  Ib.  Lev.  17—19.  Now  a  Creation  none  can  destroy 
but  a  Creator;  wherefore  here  is  comfort.  But 
again,  God  hath  created  us  in  Christ  Jesus ;  that 
is  another  thing.  The  sun  is  created  in  the  heavens; 
the  stars  are  created  in  the  heavens ;  the  moon  is 
created  in  the  heavens.  Who  can  reach  them, 
touch  them,  destroy  them,  but  the  Creator?  Why, 
this  is  the  case  of  the  saint ;  because  he  has  to  do 
with  a  Creator,  he  is  fastened  to  Christ ;  yea,  is  in 
him  by  an  act  of  creation,  Ep.  ii.  lo;  so  that  unless 
Christ  and  the  creation  of  the  Holy  Ghost  can  be 
destroyed,  he  is  safe  that  is  sufi"ering  according  to 
the  will  of  God,  and  that  hath  committed  the 
keeping  of  his  soul  to  him  in  well-doing,  as  unto  a 
faithful  Creator. 

And  this  I  would  have  you  consider  moreover ; 
the  man  that  suffereth  according  to  the  will  of 
God,  committeth  not  such  a  soul  to  this  Creator 
as  dwells  in  carnal  men — a  naked  soul,  a  grace- 
less soul,  a  soul  that  has  nothing  in  it  but  sin  ;  but 
lie  commits  a  converted  soul,  a  regenerate  soul,  a 
sold  adorned,  beautified,  and  sanctified,  with  the 
jewels,  and  bracelets,  earrings,  and  perfumes  of 
the  blessed  Spirit  of  grace. 

And  I  say  again,  this  is  the  work  of  a  Creator, 
and  a  Creator  can  maintain  it  in  its  gallantry,! 
and  he  will  do  so,  but  he  will  put  forth  acts  of 
creating  power  for  it  every  day. 

Sixth,  A  Creator !  He  that  can  create  can 
turn  and  alter  any  thing,  to  what  himself  would 
have  it.  He  that  made  *  the  seven  stars  and  Orion, 
and  turneth  the  shadow  of  death  into  the  morning, ' 
Am.  V.  8,  he  can  'make  the  wilderness  a  pool  of 


*  How  impossible  is  it  for  a  natural  mau  to  understand  this 
new  creation — a  new  heart,  a  new  birth.  How  different  is 
regeneration  to  water-baptism.  How  awful  the  delusion  to  be 
mistaken  in  this,  the  foundation  of  all  hope  of  a  blessed  immor- 
tality. '  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  0  God ! '  How  consoling 
the  fact:  'Now  a  creation  none  can  destroy  but  a  Creator  1' 
and  'he  changes  not,  therefore  we  are  not  consumed.' — Ed. 

t  '  Gallantry ;'  splendour  of  appearance,  grandeur,  noble- 
ness.— Ed. 

VOL.  II. 


water,  and  tlie  dry  land  springs  of  water,  is.  xli.  is. 
Our  most  afflicted  and  desolate  conditions,  he  can 
make  as  a  little  haven  unto  us ;  he  can  make  us 
smg  in  the  wilderness,  and  can  give  us  our  vine- 
yards from  thence,  no.  ii.  u,  15.  He  can  make  Paul 
sing  in  the  stocks,  and  good  Rowland  Taylor  dance 
as  he  goeth  to  the  burning  stake.  Gaols,  and 
mocks,  and  scourgings,  and  flouts,  and  imprison- 
ments, and  hunger,  and  nakedness,  and  peril,  and 
sword,  and  dens,  and  caves,  and  rocks,  and  moun- 
tains, God  can  so  sweeten  with  the  honey  of  his 
Word,  and  make  so  famous  for  situation  by  the 
glory  of  his  presence,  and  so  rich  and  fruitful  by 
the  communications  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  so  easy 
by  the  spreading  of  his  feathers  over  us,  that  we 
shall  not  be  able  to  say,  that  in  all  the  world  a 
more  commodious  place,  or  comfortable  condition, 
can  be  found.  Some  have  known  this,  and  have 
been  rather  ready  to  covet  to  be  here,  than  to  shun 
and  fly  from  it,  as  a  most  unsavoury  condition,! 

All  these  things,  I  say,  God  doth  as  a  Creator. 
He  hath  created  antipathies,  and  he  can  make 
antipathies  close,  and  have  favour  one  for  another. 
The  lion  and  the  calf,  the  wolf  and  the  lamb,  the 
little  boy  and  the  cockatrice's  den  he  can  recon- 
cile, and  make  to  be  at  agreement.  So,  sufl'erino-s 
and  the  saint;  the  prison  and  the  saint;  losses, 
crosses,  and  afilictions,  and  the  saint:  he  can  make 
to  lie  down  sweetly  together. 

Seventh,  A  Creator !  A  Creator  can  make  up 
all  that  thou  hast  or  shalt  lose  for  the  sake  of  thy 
profession  by  the  hands  of  the  children  of  men,  be 
they  friends,  relations,  a  world,  life,  or  what  you 
can  conceive  of. 

1 .  Hast  thou  lost  thy  friend  for  the  sake  of  thy 
profession  ?  Is  the  whole  world  set  against  thee 
for  thy  love  to  God,  to  Christ,  his  cause,  and  righte- 
ousness ?  Why,  a  Creator  can  make  up  all.  Here, 
therefore,  is  the  advantage  that  he  hath  that  suf- 
fereth for  righteousness'  sake.  Jonathan,  the  very 
son  of  bloody  Saul,  when  David  had  lost  the  help 
of  all  his  own  relations,  he  must  fall  in  with  him, 
stick  to  him,  and  love  him  as  he  loved  his  own 
soul,  1  Sa.  xviii.  1—3.  Obadiah,  Ahab's  steward,  when 
the  saints  were  driven  even  under  ground  by  the 
rage  of  Jezebel  the  queen,  he  is  appointed  of  God 
to  feed  them  in  caves  and  holes  of  the  earth. 
1  Ki.  xviiL  13.  Yea,  the  very  raven  complied  with 
the  will  of  a  Creator  to  bring  the  prophet  bread 
and  flesh  in  the  morning,  and  bread  and  flesh  at 
night,  rm.  6.  When  Jeremiah  the  prophet  was 
rejected  of  all,  yea,  the  church  that  then  was. 


X  '  0  happie  he  who  doth  posscsst 

Christ  for  his  fellow-prisoner,  who  doth  gladde 
AVith  heavenly  sunbeames  gaolcs  that  are  most  sad.' 

Written  on  the  prison  walls  of  the  Tower  of  Loudon  by 
William  Prvnne. — Ed. 

4a 


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ADVICE  TO  surrErtERS. 


could  not  help  liim  ;  he  was  cast  into  the  dungeon, 
and  sunk  to  a  great  depth  there  in  the  mire.  God 
the  Creator,  who  ruleth  the  spirits  of  all  men, 
stirred  up  the  heart  of  Ebed-melech  the  Ethiopian 
both  to  petition  for  his  liberty,  and  to  put  him  out 
of  the  dungeon  by  the  help  of  thirty  men.  Je.  xxxviii. 
7-13.  These  now,  as  Christ  says,  were  both 
fathers,  mothers,  brothers,  sisters,  and  as  a  loving- 
wife  or  child.  Mat.  xix.  29. 

2.  Hast  thou,  for  the  sake  of  thy  faith  and 
profession  thereof,  lost  thy  part  in  the  world  ? 
Why,  a  Creator  can  make  thee  houses  as  he  did 
for  the  midwives  of  Egypt,  Ex.  i.  20,  21,  and  can  build 
thee  a  sure  house  as  he  did  for  David  his  servant, 
who  ventured  all  for  the  love  that  they  had  to  the 
fear  of  God  and  his  way.  2  Pa.  vii.  David  was 
thrust  out  of  Saul's  house,  and  driven  from  his 
own,  and  God  opened  the  heart  of  Achish  the  king 
of  Gath  to  receive  him,  and  to  give  him  Ziklag. 
David,  when  under  the  tyranny  of  Saul,  knew  not 
Avhat  to  do  with  liis  father  and  his  mother,  who 
Avere  persecuted  for  his  sake,  but  a  Creator  inclined 
the  heart  of  the  king  of  Moab  to  receive  them  to 
house  and  harbour.  1  Sa.  sxvii.  5 ;  xxU.  3, 4. 

3.  Is  thy  life  at  stake — is  that  like  to  go  for 
thy  profession,  for  thy  harmless  profession  of  the 
gosjjel?  Why,  God  the  Creator  is  Lord  of  life, 
and  to  God  the  Lord  belong  the  issues  from  death. 
So  then,  he  can,  if  he  will,  hold  thy  breath  in  thy 
nostrils,  in  spite  of  all  the  world ;  or  if  he  shall 
suffer  them  to  take  away  this  for  his  glory,  he  can 
give  thee  another  ten  times  as  good  for  thy  com- 
fort. *  He  that  loveth  his  life  shall  lose  it ;  and 
he  that  hateth  his  life  in  this  world  shall  keep  it 
unto  life  eternal.'  Jn.  xii.  25. 

4.  Is  thy  body  to  be  disfigured,  dismembered, 
starveJ,  hanged,  or  burned  for  the  faith  and  pro- 
fession of  the  gospel  ?  Why,  a  Creator  can  either 
prevent  it,  or,  suffering  it,  can  restore  it  the  very 
same  to  thee  again,  with  great  and  manifold 
advantage.  He  that  made  thee  to  be  now  what 
thou  art,  can  make  thee  to  be  what  thou  never 
yet  wast.  It  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall 
be,  further  than  only  by  general  words.  1  Jn.  m.  2. 
rhi.  hi.  21. 

EiGiiTir,  A  Creator !  Peter  sets  him  before  us 
here  as  a  Creator,  because  he  would  have  us  live 
upon  him  as  such  ;  as  well  as  upon  his  grace,  love, 
and  mercy.  In  Job's  day  this  was  bewailed,  that 
none  or  but  a  few  said,  '  Where  is  God  my  maker, 
who  giveth  songs  in  the  night  ? '  Job  xxxv.  10. 

Creator,  as  was  hinted  before,  is  one  of  God's 
peculiar  titles.  It  is  not  given  to  him  above  five 
or  six  times  in  all  the  Book  of  God ;  and  usually, 
when  given  him,  it  is  either  to  show  his  greatness, 
or  else  to  convince  us  that  of  duty  we  ought  to 
depend  upon  him ;  and  not  to  faint,  if  he  be  on  our 
side,  for  or  under  any  adversity,  according  as  we 


are  bidden  in  the  text :  '  Let  them  that  suffer 
according  to  the  will  of  God,  commit  the  keeping 
of  their  souls  to  him  in  well-doing,  as  unto  a  faith- 
ful Creator.'  Shall  God  display  his  glory  before 
us  under  the  character  and  title  of  a  Creator, 
and  shall  we  yet  fear  man  ?  Shall  he  do  this  to 
us  when  we  are  under  a  suffering  condition,  and 
that  on  purpose  that  we  might  commit  our  souls  to 
him  in  well-doing,  and  be  quiet,  aud  shall  we 
take  no  notice  of  this  ?  '  Who  art  thou,  that 
thou  shouldest  be  afraid  of  a  man  thai  shall  die, 
and  of  the  son  of  man  which  shall  be  made  as  grass; 
and  forgettest  the  Lord  thy  maker,  that  hath 
stretched  forth  the  heavens,  and  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  the  earth  ?'  &c.  is.  H.  12, 13. 

Had  God  concealed  himself,  as  to  his  being  a 
Creator,  yet  since  he  presenteth  himself  unto  us 
by  his  Word  under  so  many  excellent  titles  as  are 
given  to  no  other  God  besides,  methinks  it  should 
make  us  bold  in  our  God ;  but  when,  for  our  relief, 
he  shall  add  to  all  other  that  he  verily  is  a  Creator, 
this  should  make  us  rest  in  hope  indeed. 

Every  nation  wiU  have  confidence  for  their  own 
gods,  though  but  gods  that  are  made  with  hands — 
though  but  the  work  of  the  smith  and  carpenter ; 
and  shall  not  we  trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
our  God,  who  is  not  only  a  God,  but  a  Creator 
and  former  of  all  things,  Mi.  iv.  5 ;  consequently, 
the  only  living  and  true  God,  and  one  that  alone 
can  sustain  us  ?  We  therefore  are  to  be  greatly 
blamed  if  we  overlook  the  ground,  such  ground  of 
support  and  comfort  as  presenteth  itself  unto  us 
under  the  title  of  a  Creator ;  but  then  most  of  all, 
if,  when  we  have  heard,  believed,  and  known  that 
our  God  is  such,  we  shall  yet  be  afraid  of  a  man 
that  shall  die,  and  forget  the  Lord  our  maker. 
We,  I  say,  have  heard,  seen,  known,  and  believed, 
that  our  God  is  the  Creator.  The  heavens  declare 
his  glory,  and  the  firmament  showeth  his  handy- 
work,  and  thus  he  has  showed  unto  us  'his  eternal 
power  and  Godhead.'  Ro.  i.  20. 

Behold,  then,  thou  fearful  worm,  Jacob,  the  hea- 
vens, the  sun,  the  moon,  the  stars;  behold  the  earth, 
the  sea,  the  air,  the  fii'e,  and  vapours.  Behold,  all 
living  things,  from  leviathan  and  behemoth  to  the 
least  that  creepeth  in  the  earth  and  waters.  Yea, 
behold  thyself,  thy  soul,  thy  body,  thy  fashion,  thy 
building,  and  consider ;  thy  God  hath  made  even 
all  these  things,  and  hath  given  to  thee  this  being; 
yea,  and  all  this  also  he  made  of  that  which  doth 
not  appear.  lie.  xi.  1—3.  This  is  that  which  thou  art 
called  to  the  consideration  of  by  Peter,  in  the  text; 
when  he  letteth  fall  from  his  apostolical  medita- 
tion that  thy 'God  is  the  Creator,  and  commandeth 
that  thou,  in  thy  suffering  for  him  according  to  his 
will,  shouldest  commit  the  keeping  of  thy  soul  to 
him  as  unto  a  faithful  Creator. 

He  that  has  the  art  thus  to  do,  and  that  can  do 


ADVICE   TO   SUITERERS. 


731 


it  in  his  straits,  shall  never  be  trodden  down. 
His  God,  his  faith ;  his  faith,  his  God,  are  able  to 
make  him  stand.  For  such  a  man  will  thus  con- 
clude, that  since  the  Creator  of  all  is  with  him, 
what  but  creatures  are  there  to  be  against  him  ? 
So,  then,  what  is  the  axe,  that  it  should  boast 
itself  against  him  that  heweth  therewith  ?  or  the 
saw,  that  it  should  magnify  itself  against  him  that 
shaketh  it  ?  as  if  the  rod  should  shake  itself  against 
him  that  lifteth  it  up ;  or  as  if  the  staff  should  lift 
np  itself  as  if  it  were  no  wood.  is.  x.  15.  Read  also 
Is.  xi.  12-31,  and  then  speak,  if  God  as  Creator  is  not 
a  sure  confidence  to  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  that 
trust  in,  and  wait  upon  him.  As  Creator,  he  hath 
formed  and  upholdeth  all  things ;  3'ea,  his  hands 
have  formed  the  crooked  serpent,  wherefore  he  also 
is  at  his  bay.  Jobxxvi.  13.  And  thou  hast  made  the 
dragon  in  the  sea ;  and  therefore  it  follows  that 
he  can  cut  and  wound  him,  is.  li.  9,  and  give  him 
for  meat  to  the  fowls,  and  to  the  beasts  inheriting 
the  wilderness,  Ps.  Lxxiv.  13,  u,  if  he  will  seek  to  swal- 
low up  and  destroy  the  church  and  people  of  God. 

Eze.  xxix.  3,  4. 

Ninth,  A  Creator  is  God!  the  God  unto  whom 
they  that  sufiier  according  to  his  will  are  to  com- 
mit the  keeping  of  their  souls — the  Creator.  And 
doth  he  take  charge  of  them  as  a  Creator  ?  Then 
this  should  teach  us  to  be  far  oft'  from  being  dis- 
mayed, as  the  heathens  are,  at  his  tokens ;  for  our 
God,  the  Lord,  is  the  true  God,  the  living  God, 
the  King  of  eternity.  Je.  x.  i,  2, 10.  We  should  trem- 
blingly glory  and  rejoice  when  we  see  him  in  the 
world,  though  upon  those  that  are  the  most  terrible 
of  his  dispensations.  God  the  Creator  Avill  some- 
times mount  himself  and  ride  through  the  earth 
iu  such  majesty  and  glory,  that  he  will  make  all 
to  stand  in  the  tent  doors  to  behold  him.  0  how 
be  rode  in  his  chariots  of  salvation  when  he  went 
to  save  his  people  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt !  How 
he  shook  the  nations  !  Then  '  his  glory  covered 
the  heavens,  and  the  earth  was  full  of  his  praise. 
And  his  brightness  was  as  the  light ;  he  had  horns 
coming  out  of  his  hand :  and  there  was  the  hiding 
of  his  power.  Before  him  went  the  pestilence,  and 
burning  coals  went  forth  at  his  feet.  He  stood, 
and  measured  the  earth:  he  beheld,  and  drove 
asunder  the  nations ;  and  the  everlasting  moun- 
tains were  scattered,  the  perpetual  hills  did  bow : 
his  ways  are  everlasting.'  Then  saith  the  prophet, 
'  I  saw  the  tents  of  Cushan  iu  afSiction :  and  the 
curtains  of  the  land  of  Midian  did  tremble.  Was 
the  Lord  displeased  against  the  rivers  ?  was  thine 
anger  against  the  rivers  ?  vjos  thy  wrath  against 
the  sea,  that  thou  didst  ride  upon  thine  horses  and 
thy  chariots  of  salvation  ? '  Hab.  iU.  3—8. 

So  David:  'The  earth  shook  and  trembled,' 
saith  he ;  '  the  foundations  also  of  the  hills  moved 
and  were  shaken,  because  he  was  wroth.     There 


went  up  a  smoke  out  of  his  nostrils,  and  fire  out 
of  his  mouth  devoured:  coals  were  kindled  by  it. 
He  bowed  the  heavens  also,  and  came  down :  and 
darkness  was  under  his  feet.  And  he  rode  upon 
a  cherub,  and  did  fly :  yea,  he  did  fly  upon  the 
wings  of  the  wind.  He  made  darkness  his  secret 
place ;  his  pavilion  round  about  him  were  dark 
waters  and  thick  clouds  of  the  skies.  At  the 
brightness  that  was  before  him  his  thick  clouds 
passed,  hail  stoiies  and  coals  of  fire.  The  Lord 
also  thundered  in  the  heavens,  and  the  Highest 
gave  his  voice ;  hail  stones  and  coals  of  fire.  Yea, 
he  sent  out  his  arrows,  and  scattered  them ;  and  he 
shot  out  lio-htninijs,  and  discomfited  them.  Then 
the  channels  of  waters  were  seen,  and  the  founda- 
tions of  the  world  were  discovered  at  thy  rebuke, 
0  Lord,  at  the  blast  of  the  breath  of  thy  nostrils,' 

Ps.  xviii.  7—15. 

These  are  glorious  things,  though  shaking  dis- 
pensations. God  is  worthy  to  be  seen  in  his  dis- 
pensations as  well  as  in  his  Word,  though  the 
nations  tremble  at  his  presence.  *  Oh  that  thou 
wouldest  rend  the  heavens,  that  thou  wouldest 
come  down,'  saith  the  prophet,  'that  the  moun- 
tains might  flow  down  at  thy  presence  I '  is.  ixiv.  1. 
We  know  God,  and  he  is  our  God,  our  own  God ; 
of  whom  or  of  what  should  we  be  afraid  ?  Ps.  xivi. 
When  God  roars  out  of  Zion,  and  utters  his  voice 
from  Jerusalem,  when  the  heavens  and  the  earth 
do  shake,  the  Lord  shall  be  the  hope  of  his  people, 
and  the  strength  of  the  children  of  Israel.  Joel  iii.  ic. 

Every  man  stayeth  up,  or  letteth  his  spirit  fail, 
according  to  what  he  knoweth  concerning  the 
nature  of  a  thing.  He  that  knows  the  sea,  knows 
the  waves  will  toss  themselves :  he  that  knows  a 
lion,  will  not  much  wonder  to  see  his  paw,  or  to 
hear  the  voice  of  his  roaring.  And  shall  we  that 
know  our  God  be  stricken  with  a  panic  fear,  when 
he  Cometh  out  of  his  holy  place  to  punish  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth  for  their  iniquity  ?  We 
should  stand  like  those  that  are  next  to  angels, 
and  tell  the  blind  world  who  it  is  that  is  thus 
mounted  upon  his  steed,  and  that  hath  the  clouds 
for  the  dust  of  his  feet,  and  that  thus  rideth  upon 
the  wings  of  the  wind :  we  should  say  unto  them, 
•  This  God  is  our  God  for  ever  and  ever,  and  he 
shall  be  our  guide  even  unto  death.' 

Our  God!  the  Creator  !  He  can  turn  men  to 
destruction,  and  say.  Return,  ye  children  of  men. 
When  our  God  shows  himself,  it  is  worth  the  while 
to  see  the  sight,  though  it  costs  us  all  that  we 
have  to  behold  it.  Some  men  will  bless  and  admire 
every  rascally  juggler  that  can  but  make  again 
that  which  they  only  seem  to  mar,  or  do  some- 
thing that  seems  to  outgo  reason;  yea,  though 
they  make  thunderings  and  noise  in  the  place 
where  they  are,  as  though  the  devil  himself  were 
there.     Shall  samts,  then,  like  slaves,  be  afraid  of 


732 


ADVICE   TO   SUFFERERS. 


their  God,  the  Creator ;  of  their  own  God,  when  he 
rendeth  the  heavens,  and  conies  down  ?  When  God 
comes  into  the  world  to  do  great  things,  he  must 
come  like  himself — like  him  that  is  a  Creator: 
wherefore  the  heavens  and  the  earth  must  move 
at  his  presence,  to  signify  that  they  acknowledge 
him  as  such,  and  pay  him  that  homage  that  is  due 
to  him  as  their  God  and  great  Creator. 

We  that  are  Christians  have  been  trained  up  by 
his  Son  in  his  school  this  many  a  day,  and  have 
been  told  what  a  God  our  Father  is,  what  an  arm 
he  has,  and  with  what  a  voice  he  can  thunder ; 
how  he  can  deck  himself  with  majesty  and  excel- 
lency, and  array  himself  with  beauty  and  glory  ; 
how  he  can  cast  abroad  the  rage  of  his  wrath, 
and  behold  every  one  that  is  proud,  and  abase  him. 
Job  xi.  9—11.  Have  we  not  talked  of  what  he  did  at 
the  Red  Sea,  and  in  the  land  of  Ham  many  years 
ago,  and  have  we  forgot  him  now  ?  Have  we  not 
vaunted  and  boasted  of  our  God  both  in  church, 
pulpit,  and  books ;  and  spake  to  the  praise  of  them 
that,  instead  of  stones,  attempted  to  drive  Anti- 
christ out  of  the  world  with  their  lives  and  their 
blood ;  and  are  we  afraid  of  our  God  ?  He  was 
God,  a  Cr'^ator,  then;  and  is  he  not  God  now? 
and  will  he  not  be  as  good  to  us  as  to  them  that 
have  gone  before  us  ?  or  would  we  limit  him  to 
appear  in  such  ways  as  only  smile  upon  our  flesh ; 
and  have  him  stay,  and  not  show  himself  in  his 
heart-shaking  dispensations  until  we  are  dead  and 
gone  ?  What  if  we  must  go  now  to  heaven,  and 
what  if  he  is  thus  come  down  to  fetch  us  to  him- 
self? If  we  have  been  wise  as  serpents,  and 
innocent  as  doves — if  we  can  say,  Neither  against 
the  law  of  the  Jews,  neither  against  the  temple, 
nor  against  Caesar,  have  we  offended  anything  at 
all,  of  what  should  we  be  afraid  ?  Let  heaven  and 
earth  come  together,  I  dare  say  they  will  not 
hurt  us. 

Our  Lord  Jesus,  when  dilating  upon  some  of  the 
great  and  necessary  works  of  our  Creator,  puts 
check  beforehand  to  all  uncomely  fears ;  to  such 
fears  as  become  not  the  faith  and  profession  of  a 
Christian.  '  Brother,'  saith  he,  '  shall  deliver  up 
the  brother  to  death,  and  the  father  the  child: 
and  the  children  shall  rise  up  against  their  parents, 
and  cause  them  to  be  put  to  death.  And  ye  shall 
be  hated  of  all  men  for  my  name's  sake.'  What 
follows?  ver.  28,  'Fear  them  not;'  and  again,  in 
ver.  31,  '  Fear  ye  not.'  Mat.  x.  21, 22. 

So  again,  Mat.  rdv.:  'Nation  shall  rise  against 
nation  -  there  shall  be  famines,  pestilences,  and 
earthquakes,  kc.  They  shall  deliver  you  up  to 
be  afHicted,  and  shall  kill  you. — Many  shall  be 
offended,  and  shall  betray  one  another. — And  many 
false  prophets  shall  arise,  and  deceive  many.'  And 
yet  for  all  this  we  are  bid  not  to  be  afraid,  for  all 
these  things,  with  all  other   are  ordered,  limited, 


enlarged  and  straitened,  bounded  and  butted  by 
the  will,  and  hand,  and  power  of  that  God  unto 
whom  Peter  bids  us  commit  the  keeping  of  our 
souls,  as  unto  a  faithful  Creator,  ver.  7-11.  Mar.  xiu. 
5—9.  To  wait  for  God  in  the  way  of  his  judgments 
doth  well  become  a  Christian. 

To  believe  he  loves  us  when  he  shows  himself 
terrible  to  us,  is  also  very  much  becoming  of  us. 
Wherefore  has  he  given  us  grace  ?  Is  it  that  we 
should  live  by  seiise  ?  Wherefore  has  he  some- 
times visited  us  ?  Is  it  that  our  hearts  might  be 
estranged  from  him,  and  that  we  still  should  love 
the  Avorld?  And  I  say  again,  wherefore  has  he 
so  plainly  told  us  of  his  greatness,  and  of  what  he 
can  do  ?  Is  it  not  that  we  might  be  still  when  the 
world  is  disturbed ;  and  that  we  might  hope  for 
good  things  to  come  out  of  such  providences  that, 
to  sense,  look  as  if  themselves  would  eat  up  and 
devour  all  ? 

Let  us  wait  upon  God,  walk  with  God,  believe 
in  God,  and  commit  ourselves,  our  soul,  our  body, 
to  God,  to  be  kept.  Yea,  let  us  be  content  to  be 
at  the  disposal  of  God,  and  rejoice  to  see  him  act 
according  to  all  his  wondrous  works.  For  this  is 
a  posture  highly  becoming  them  that  say  of  God 
he  is  their  Father,  and  that  have  committed  the 
keeping  of  their  souls  to  him  as  unto  a  Creator. 
A  comely  thing  it  is  for  the  soul  that  feareth  God, 
to  love  and  reverence  him  in  all  his  appearances. 
We  should  be  like  the  spaniel  dog,  even  lie  at  the 
foot  of  our  God,  as  he  at  the  foot  of  his  master ; 
yea,  and  should  be  glad,  could  we  but  see  his  face, 
though  he  treads  us  down  with  his  feet. 

Ay,  says  one  son,  so  I  could,  if  I  thought  this 
high  God  would  regard  me,  and  take  notice  of  my 
laying  of  my  soul  at  his  foot,  while  I  suffer  for  his 
Word  and  truth  in  the  world.  Why,  do  but  see 
now  how  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  our  help,  doth  hedge 
up  that  way  in  at  which  unbelief  would  come,  that 
there  might,  as  to  this,  be  no  room  left  for  doubt- 
ing. For  as  he  calleth  the  God  unto  whom  we 
are  bid  to  commit  the  keeping  of  our  soul,  a 
Creator,  so  he  saith  that  he  is  a  creator  that  is 
FAITHFUL.  '  Let  them  commit  the  keeping  of  their 
souls  unto  him  in  well-doing,  as  unto  a  faithful 
Creator' — a  Creator  that  will  concern  himself  with 
the  soul  committed  to  his  trust,  and  that  will  be 
faithful  to  it,  according  to  all  that  he  has  promised. 

This,  therefore,  of  God's  faithfulness  being  added 
to  his  might  and  power,  is  in  itself  a  ground  of 
great  support  to  those  that  have  in  a  way  of  well- 
doing committed  themselves,  their  souls,  to  him  to 
keep.  A  Creator ;  what  is  it  that  a  Creator  can- 
not do  ?  A  faithful  Creator;  what  is  it  that  one 
that  is  faithful  will  not  do,  that  is,  when  he  is 
engaged  ?  And  now  he  is  engaged,  because  thou 
hast  committed  thy  soul  to  him  to  keep,  and 
because  he  has  bid  thee  do  so.     Let  them  commit 


ADVICE   TO   SUFFERERS. 


733 


tlie  keeping  of  their  soul  to  liim,  as  unto  a  faithful 
Creator.  I  have  sometimes  seen  an  unfaithful 
man  engaged,  when  a  thing  has  been  committed  to 
him  to  keep.  A  man  that  is  a  thief,  a  cheater,  a 
defrauder,  will  yet  he  faithful  to  him  that  will 
commit  a  charge  to  him  to  keep.  And  the  reason 
is,  because,  though  he  can  steal,  cheat,  defraud, 
without  being  taken  notice  of ;  yet  he  must  be 
seen  and  known,  if  he  be  false  in  that  which  is 
committed  to  him  to  keep.  I  know  the  compari- 
son is  odious,  yet  such  have  been  made  by  a  holier 
mouth  than  mine,  and  as  the  case  may  be,  they 
may  be  aptest  of  all  to  illustrate  that  which  a  man 
is  about  to  explain.  Hark  what  the  unjust  judge 
saith,  says  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Lu.  xvui. 

To  commit  thy  soul  to  God  is  to  trust  him  with 
it ;  to  commit  thy  soul  to  God  is  to  engage  him 
to  look  to  it.  And  if  he  should  not  be  faithful 
now,  he  will  not  be  so  in  any  case.  For  himself 
has  bidden  thee  do  it ;  he  has  also  promised  to 
keep  it,  as  has  been  already  showed  in  the  former 
part  of  this  discourse.  Besides,  he  is  here  said  to 
be  faithful — to  be  a  faithful  Creator.  He  chal- 
lenges this  of  faithfulness  to  himself  alone :  *  Yea, 
let  God  be  true,  but  every  man  a  liar.' Ko.  m.  4. 
This,  therefore,  doth  still  help  to  encourage  them 
that  would  be  faithful  to  him,  to  commit  the  keeping 
of  our  soul  to  him.  A  faithful  man  will  encourage 
one  much ;  how  much  more  should  the  faithfulness 
of  God  encourage  us  ? 

Here,  therefore,  we  have  a  closing  word  indeed; 
a  word  to  wrap  up  the  text  Avith  that  is  as  full 
of  good  as  the  sun  is  of  light.  What  can  be  fitter 
spoken  ?  What  can  be  added  ?  What  now  is 
wanting  to  the  help  of  him  that  has  committed 
his  soul  to  God  to  keep  it  while  be  is  suiFering 
according  to  his  will  in  the  world  ?  He  is  en- 
gaged, as  I  said,  by  the  act;  thou  hast  committed 
tliy  soul  to  him  to  keep;  he  is  engaged  by  his  own 
Word  ;  he  has  bidden  thee  commit  thy  soul  to  him 
to  keep.  He  is  engaged  by  his  declaring  of  him- 
self to  be  faithful ;  for  that  has  encouraged  thee 
to  commit  thy  soul  to  him  to  keep.  Besides,  he 
has  promised  to  do  it ;  he  has  sworn  to  do  it. 

'  For  when  God  made  promise  to  Abraham, 
because  he  could  swear  by  no  greater,  he  sware  by 
himself,  saying.  Surely  blessing  I  will  bless  thee, 
and  multiplying  I  will  multiply  thee.  And  so, 
after  he  had  patiently  endured,  (as  thou  must  do,) 
he  obtained  the  promise.  For  men  verily  swear 
by  the  greater :  and  an  oath  for  confirmation  is  to 
them  an  end  of  all  strife.  Wherein  God,  willing 
more  abundantly  to  shew  unto  the  heirs  of  promise 
the  immutability  of  his  counsel,  confirmed  it  by  an 
oath  :  that  by  two  immutable  things,  in  which  it 
was  impossible  for  God  to  lie,  we  might  have  a 
strong  consolation,  who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay 
hold  upon  the  hope  set  before  us  :  which  Iiope  we 


have  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure  and  sted- 
fast,  and  which  entereth  into  that  within  the  veil ; 
whither  the  forerunner  is  for  us  entered,  even 
Jesus,  made  an  High-priest  for  ever  after  the  order 
of  Melchisedec. '  lie.  vi.  13-20. 

Thus  you  see  what  ground  we  have  who  suffer 
according  to  the  will  of  God,  and  that  have  com- 
mitted the  keeping  of  our  souls  to  him  in  well- 
doing, as  unto  a  faithful  Creator.  Here,  therefore, 
I  might  make  a  stop  and  conclude  as  to  this  advice; 
but  now  we  ars  in,  we  will  proceed  a  little  farther, 
and  will  fall  down  upon  three  or  four  more  parti- 
culars. 

First,  then.  He  will  be  faithful  to  us  in  this :  He 
will  keep  us  from  those  allurements  of  the  world 
that  a  suffering  saint  is  subject  to.  They  that 
suffer  have  other  kinds  of  temptations  upon  this 
account  than  other  Christians  have.  The  liberty 
of  others,  while  they  are  in  bonds,  is  a  temptation 
to  them.  The  peace  of  others,  while  they  are  in 
trouble,  is  a  temptation  to  them.  The  enjoyments 
of  others,  while  their  houses  are  empty  and  their 
goods  taking  away,  while  their  own  water  is  sold 
unto  them,  and  while  they  are  buying  their  own 
wood,  is  a  great  temptation  to  them.  La.  v.  4.  And 
this  temptation,  were  it  not  that  we  have  to  do 
with  a  God  that  is  faithful,  would  assuredly  be 
a  great  snare  unto  them.  But  '  God  is  faithful, 
who  will  not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted,'  as  to  this, 
'  above  that  ye  are  able. '  1  Co.  x.  13. 

Nay,  a  suffering  man  has  not  only  these  things 
lying  before  him  as  a  temptation,  but  pcrliaps  tlie 
wife  of  the  bosom  lies  at  him,  saying,  0  do  not 
cast  thyself  away  ;  if  thou  takest  this  course,  what 
shall  I  do  ?  Thou  hast  said  thou  lovest  me  ;  now 
make  it  manifest  by  granting  this  my  small  re- 
quest. Do  not  still  remain  in  thine  mtegrity. 
Next  to  this  come  the  children,  all  which  are  like 
to  come  to  poverty,  to  beggary,  to  be  undone  for 
want  of  wherewithal  to  feed,  and  clothe,  and  pro- 
vide for  them  for  time  to  come.  Now  also  come 
kindred,  and  relations,  and  acquaintance;  some 
chide,  some  cry,  some  argue,  some  threaten,  some 
promise,  some  ffatter,  and  some  do  all,  to  befool 
him  for  so  unadvised  an  act  as  to  cast  away  him- 
self, and  to  bring  his  wife  and  childi-en  to  beggary 
for  such  a  thing  as  religion.  These  are  sore 
temptations.* 


*  'Sore  temptations'  poor  Bunyan  found  them.  'When 
dragged  from  his  home  to  prison,  he  spealcs  of  his  poor  blind 
daughter  in  hinguage  of  impassioned  solicitude :  '  Poor  child, 
thought  I,  what  sorrow  art  thou  like  to  have  for  thy  portion 
in  this  world !  Thou  must  be  beaten,  must  beg,  suifcr  hunger, 
cold,  nakedness,  and  a  thousand  calamities,  though  I  cannot 
now  endoi-e  the  wind  shall  blow  upon  thee  1  Oh  1  the  hard- 
ships I  thought  my  blind  one  might  go  under  would  break  my 
heart  to  pieces.'—'  The  parting  with  my  wife  and  poor  chil- 
dren hath  oft  been  to  me  in  this  place  as  the  pulling  my  flesh 
from  my  bones.' — Grace  Abounding,  3:i7,  328. —  Kd. 


73-i 


ADVICE   TO   SUFFERERS. 


Next  to  those  come  tlie  terrors  of  men,  the 
gripes  of  the  laws,  the  shadow  of  death,  and  no 
man  can  tell  what.  All  which  are  sufficient  to 
pull  a  man  from  the  gates  of  life,  were  he  there, 
if  the  faithful  Creator  stands  not  to  him.  '  But 
God  is  faithful,  who  will  not  suffer  you  to  he 
tempted  ahove  that  ye  are  ahle ;  hut  will  with  the 
temptation  make  a  way  to  escape,  that  ye  may 
he  ahlo  to  hear  it.' — 'But  God  is  ftiithful.'  It  saith 
not,  that  thou  art:  but  '  God  is  faithful' — to  his 
Son,  to  whom  he  has  given  thee ;  to  his  promise, 
the  which  he  has  given  thee;  to  his  cause,  to 
which  he  has  called  thee ;  and  to  thy  soul,  the 
which  thcu  hast  committed  to  his  trust,  and  the 
which  he  also  has  taken  the  charge  of,  as  he  is  a 
faithful  Creator. 

'And  will  not  suffer  thee  to  he  tempted.'  How, 
not  tempted  ?  No ;  not  ahove  what  thou  art  ahle. 
He  that  tempts  thee  doth  not  at  all  consider  thy 
strength,  so  as  to  stop  when  he  sees  thou  art  weak; 
he  would  have  thee  overthrown,  for  therefore  it  is 
that  he  tempteth  thee.  But  God  will  not  suffer 
that,  hecause  he  is  faithful,  and  because  thou  hast 
committed  the  keeping  of  thy  soul  unto  him  in  well- 
doing, as  unto  a  faithful  Creator. 

.'Not  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able.*  He  saith 
not,  above  that  ye  are  well  able.  Indeed,  thy 
strength  shall  be  proportioned  to  the  temptation, 
but  thou  mayest  have  none  over  and  above  to 
spare  ;  thou  shalt  not  have  a  bigger  load  than 
God  will  give  thee  shoulders  to  bear.  Christ  did 
bear  his  burden,  but  it  made  him  cry  out,  and 
sweat  as  it  were  great  drops  of  blood,  to  carry  it. 
Bear  thy  burden  thou  shalt,  and  not  be  destroyed 
by  it ;  but  perhaps  thou  mayest  sometimes  roar 
under  it  by  reason  of  the  disquietness  of  thy  heart. 
'  But  he  will  with  the  temptation  make  a  way  of 
escape.'  'With  the  temptation,' not  without  it; 
thou  must  be  tempted,  and  must  escape  too. 
'  With  the  temptation.'  As  sure  as  Satan  is 
licensed,  so  sure  he  is  limited ;  and  when  Satan 
has  ended  all  the  temptation,  he  shall  depart  from 
thee.  Lu.  iv.  13.  '  He  will  with  the  temptation  ' — ^by 
such  a  managing  of  it  as  shall  break  its  own  neck. 
God  can  admit  Satan  to  tempt,  and  make  the 
Christian  wise  to  manage  the  temptation  for  his 
own  escape. 

'Make  a  way.'  It  may  be  thou  seest  no  way 
of  escape.  It  may  he  there  is  no  way — no  way  in 
all  the  world,  to  escape.  Well ;  but  God  can  make 
a  way.  When  Israel  was  hemmed  in  at  the  Red 
Sea,  there  was  as  then  no  way — no  way  in  all  the 
v,-orld,  to  escape.  0 !  but  God  made  a  way,  and  a 
pathway  too,  and  that  through  the  mighty"  waters. 
Lx.xv.  8.  iG.  Ps.  cvi.  9;  ixxviii.  13.  He  wiU  make  a  way 
with  the  temptation,  or  '  will  with  the  temptation 
make  a  way  to  escape,  that  ye  may  be  able  to 
bear  it.'     These  are  the  words  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 


who  is  God ;  and  they  are  spoken,  yea,  committed 
to  record  for  this  very  purpose,  that  those  that 
are  under  affliction  might  commit  the  keeping  of 
their  soul  to  him  in  well-doing,  as  unto  a  faithful 
Creatoi'.     That  is  the  first. 

Second,  He  will  also  he  faithful  to  us  as  to  this: 
He  will  give  us  a  competent  measure  of  wisdom, 
that  in  our  suffering  condition  we  may  in  all  things 
be  made  ahle  to  manage  our  state  with  discretion. 
We  are  perhaps  weak  of  natural  abilities,  parts  of 
utterance,  or  the  like  ;  and  our  adversaries  are 
learned,  eloquent,  and  ripe  of  parts.  Thou  hast 
the  disadvantage  on  thy  side,  and  they  have  what 
the  world  can  afford  to  encourage  them ;  thou  art 
weak  of  spirit,  they  are  hold  and  strong.  The 
great  and  the  mighty  are  with  thy  enemies,  but  on 
thy  side  there  is  no  comforter.  Ec.  iv.  l. 

Why  now  here  is,  as  to  this,  and  to  what  else 
can  it  he  objected,  the  faithfulness  of  God  en- 
gaged. First,  in  a  general  promise ;  I  will  not 
fail  thee,  nor  forsake  thee.  He.  xiii.  5,  c.  Secondly, 
we  have  an  invitation  to  come  to  this  faithful  God 
for  wisdom  to  assist  and  help.  For  after  he  had 
said,  ■'  My  brethren,  count  it  all  joy  when  ye  fall 
into  divers  temptations  -  and  let  patience  have 
her  perfect  work;'  he  adds,  'If  any  man  lack 
wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all 
men  liberally,  and  upbraideth  not,  and  it  shall  be 
given  him.'  Ja.  i.  2— 5.  Here  is  more  than  an  invi- 
tation, here  is  a  promise — it  shall  be  given  him; 
and  all  to  show  us  what  a  faithful  Creator  we  have 
committed  our  souls  unto.  Doth  any  lack  wisdom 
to  know  how  to  carry  it  in  a  time  of  trial  ?  let  them 
ask  it  of  God — of  the  God  that  is  wisdom  itself; 
let  him  ask  it  of  God,  the  liberal  giver,  who  giveth 
to  all  men  all  that  they  have,  and  upbraideth  not 
for  their  unworthiness. 

Nor  doth  the  Holy  Ghost  stop  here,  but  enlarges 
himself  in  a  more  particular  way  to  those  that 
suffer  according  to  the  text,  saying,  *  But  when 
they  deliver  you  up,  take  no  thought  how  or  what 
ye  shall  speak  :  for  it  shall  be  given  you  in  that 
same  hour  what  ye  shall  speak.'  Mat. x.  19. 

I  have  often  been  amazed  in  ray  mind  at  this 
text,  for  how  could  Jesus  Christ  have  said  such  a 
word  if  he  had  not  been  able  to  perform  it  ? 
This  text,  therefore,  declares  him  to  be  God.  It 
is  also  a  proof  of  faithfulness  to  those  that  suffer 
for  him. 

For  it  is  as  if  he  should  say.  Try  me  and  trust 
me ;  if  I  stand  not  by  you  in  a  day  of  distress, 
never  believe  me  more ; — you,  suffering  according 
to  the  will  of  God,  and  committing  your  souls  to 
hira  in  well-doing ;  '  I  will  give  you  a  mouth  and 
wisdom,  which  all  your  adversaries  shall  not  he 
able  to  gainsay  or  resist,'  for  so  he  has  it  in  Lu. 
xxi.  15.  Here  is  no  consideration  of  what  capacity 
the  people  might  be  of,  that  were  to  be  persecuted; 


ADVICE  TO   SUFFEIIERS. 


735- 


but  what  matters  what  they  are  ?  if  fools,  it  is  no 
matter;  if  wise,  it  helpeth  nothing,  A  month  and 
wisdom  is  to  be  given  ;  that  of  itself  shall  do.  And 
this  is  according  to  that  other  Scripture  mentioned 
afore,  where  it  saith,  '  No  weapon  that  is  formed 
against  thee  shall  prosper ;  and  every  tongue  that 
shall  rise  against  thee  in  judgment  thou  slialt  con- 
demn.' Is.  liv.  17.  Although  it  may  happen  in  this, 
as  in  the  former  temptation,  the  devil  and  his 
agents  may  give  the  saints,  in  their  pleading  for 
the  truth,  their  bellies  full  both  of  cross  answers, 
equivocations,  sophistications,  wrong  glosses  and 
erroneous  interpretations  ;  but  truth  shall  prevail, 
shall  turn  the  scale,  and  bear  away  the  victory. 

Third,  lie  will  also  be  faithful  to  us  in  this :  we 
shall  not  want  spiritual  support  to  help  us  to  bear 
up  under  our  particular  parts  of  suffering.  I  do 
not  say  that  thou  shalt  be  comforted  all  the  while ; 
but  I  say  he  will  he  to  thee  so  faithful  as  to  com- 
fort thee  under  those  thodes,^  gusts,  blasts,  or  bat- 
tering storms  that  beat  against  thy  wall.  is.  xxxii.  2. 

Look  then  what  present  degrees  or  aggravating 
appearances  are  in  thy  afflictions  ;  to  such  a  degree 
shalt  thou  at  times  be  supported.  For  as  surely 
as  ever  the  Spirit  of  God  moved  Samson  at  times 
in  the  camp  of  Dan,  when  he  lay  against  the 
Philistines ;  so  will  the  Spirit  of  God  move  in  and 
upon  thee  to  comfort  and  to  strengthen  thee,  whilst 
thou  sufferest  for  his  name  in  the  world.  As  our 
afflictions  abound  for  Christ,  so  shall  our  consola- 
tions abound  by  him.  2  Co.  i.  5.  I  have  observed  that 
God  lays  this,  that  he  useth  to  comfort  his  people 
in  a  time  of  sufferings,  as  an  aggravation  of  sin 
upon  them  that  did  use  to  shuckf  and  shi-iok  under 
sufferings.  *  I,'  saith  he,  ^  even  I,  am  he  that 
comforteth  you :  who  art  thou  that  thou  shouldest 
be  afraid  of  a  man  that  shall  die  V  is.  u.  12. 

'God,'  says  the  wise  man,  *hath  set  the  one 
over  against  the  other,'  the  day  of  adversity  and 
the  day  of  prosperity,  '  to  the  end  that  man  should 
find  nothing  after  him '  to  complain  of.  Ec.  \ii.  14. 
For  as  certainly  as  there  is  a  time  to  mourn,  so 
certainly  there  is  a  time  to  rejoice:  set,  I  say,  for 
them  that  suffer  for  God's  cause  according  to  God's 

will.  Ec.  iii.  4. 

There  are  several  degrees  of  suffering  for  righ- 
teousness ;  there  is  the  scourge  of  the  tongue,  the 
ruin  of  an  estate,  the  loss  of  liberty,  a  gaol,  a 
gibbet,  a  stake,  a  dagger.     Now,  answerable  to 

*  'Thodes ;'  wliiiiwinds.  This  word  does  not  occur  in  any 
English  dictiouaiy  or  glossary.  It  gave  me  much  trouble,  and 
a  walk  of  seven  miles,  to  discover  its  meaning.  It  is  the 
Saxon  for  noise,  whirlwind,  turbulence.  This  provincial  word 
was  probably  derived  from  some  Saxon  tribe  that  settled  in 
Bedfordshire. — Ed. 

t  '  To  shuck ;'  to  shake  \aolently — from  which  is  the  noun, 
'a  pea-shuck,'  the  shell  from  which  peas  have  beeu  shaken. 
—Ed. 


these  are  the  comforts  of  the  Uoly  Ghost  prepared, 
like  to  like,  part  proportioned  to  part,  only  the 
consolations  are  said  to  abound.  2  Co  i. 

But  the  lighter  the  sufferings  are,  the  more 
difficult  it  is  to  judge  of  the  comforts  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  for  it  is  common  fur  a  man  to  be  comfort- 
able under  sufferings  when  he  sufforetli  but  little, 
and  knows  also  that  his  enemy  can  touch  his  flesh, 
his  estate,  or  the  like,  but  little:  I  say,  it  is  common 
for  such  a  man  to  be  comfortable  in  his  sufferings, 
from  the  consideration  that  his  enemies  can  touch 
him  no  further.  And  this  may  be  the  joy  of  the 
flesh — the  result  of  reason,  and  may  be  very  much, 
if  not  altogether,  without  a  mixture  of  the  joy  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  therewith.  The  more  deep,  there- 
fore, and  the  more  dreadful  the  sufferings  are,  the 
more  clearly  are  seen  the  comforts  of  the  Spirit, 
when  a  man  has  comfort  where  the  flesh  is  dead, 
stirreth  not,  and  can  do  nothing.  When  a  man 
can  be  comfortable  at  the  loss  of  all — when  he  is 
imder  the  sentence  of  death,  or  at  the  place  of 
execution  —  when  a  man's  cause,  a  man's  con- 
science, the  promise,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  have 
all  one  comfortable  voice,  and  do  all,  together  with 
their  trumpets,  make  one  sound  in  the  soul ;  then 
the  comforts  are  good,  of  the  right  kind,  of  God 
and  his  Spirit. 

I  told  you  before  that  there  are  several  degrees 
of  sufferings ;  wherefore  it  is  not  to  be  expected 
that  he  that  suffers  but  little  should  partake  of 
the  comforts  that  are  prepared  for  them  that  suffer 
much.  He  that  has  only  the  scourge  of  the 
tono-ue,  knows  not  what  are  the  comforts  that  are 
prepared  for  him  that  meets  with  the  scourge  of 
the  whip.  And  how  should  a  man  know  what 
manner  of  comforts  the  Holy  Ghost  doth  use  to 
give  at  the  gaol  and  the  gibbet,  when  himself,  for 
righteousness,  never  was  there  ? 

But  whether  this  or  the  other  Christian  knows 
it,  God  has  his  consolations  for  his  suffering 
people ;  and  those,  too,  such  as  are  proportioned 
to  the  nature  or  degree  of  their  sufferings;  the 
which  shall  assuredly  be  made  appear  to  them  that 
shall  after  a  godly  manner  stick  to  liis  truth,  and 
trust  him  with  their  souls.  Joseph  was  cast  into 
prison;  but  God  was  with  him.  John  was  banished 
into  the  isle  called  Patmos,  for  the  Word  of  God ; 
but  what  revelations  of  God  had  he  there  !  even 
such  as  he  was  a  stranger  to  all  his  life  before : 
this,  therefore,  is  to  be  well  heeded.  For  it  is  a 
demonstration  of  the  faithfulness  of  God  to  those 
that,  suffering  according  to  his  will,  do  commit 
the  keeping  of  their  souls  to  him  in  well-doing,  as 
unto  a  faithful  Creator. 

Fourth,  He  will  also  be  faithful  to  us  in  this: 

He  will  not  let  the  sharpness,  nor  keenness,  nor 

I  venom  of  the  arrows  of  the  enemies  of  his  people, 

I  reach  so  far  as  to  destroy  both  body  and  soul  at 


736 


ADVICE   TO   SUFFERERS. 


once :  but  he  will  preserve  them,  when  what  can 
be  done  is  done,  to  his  eternal  kingdom  and  glory. 
Thus  being  preserved  to  his  eternal  kingdom  and 
o-lory,  is  a  marvellous  thing ;  but  it  must  be  so, 
because  God  has  called  them  to  it.  Wherefore, 
after  Peter  had  told  them  that  the  devil  their 
adversary  sought  to  devour  them,  and  had  bidden 
tliem  resist  him,  stedfast  in  the  faith,  he  saith, 
'  But  the  God  of  all  grace,  who  hath  called  us 
unto  his  eternal  [kingdom  and]  glory  by  Christ 
Jesus,  after  that  ye  have  suffered  a  while,  make 
you    perfect,    stablish,    strengthen,    settle    ?/ow.' 

1  Pe.  V.  10. 

The  truth  is,  persecution  of  the  godly  was,  of 
God,  never  intended  for  their  destruction,  but  for 
their  glory,  and  to  make  them  shine  the  more 
when  they  are  beyond  this  valley  of  the  shadow  of 
death.  Indeed,  we  ofttimes,  when  we  are  perse- 
cuted, do  feel  the  terrors  of  our  adversaries  in  our 
minds.  But  it  is  not  because  they  can  shoot  them 
thither,  nor  because  they  of  themselves  have  power 
to  reach  so  far,  but  we,  like  fools,  by  our  ignor- 
ance and  unbelief,  do  admit  them  thither. 

No  suffering,  nor  inflicter  of  suffering,  can  reach 
the  peace  of  the  sufferer  without  his  own  consent. 
This  is  provision  of  God's  making;  yea,  and  if 
through  our  folly  their  terror  is  admitted  to  touch 
us,  yet  since  we  are  not  our  own,  but  are  bought 
with  a  price,  we  are  not  so  at  our  own  dispose,  but 
that  God  will  have  the  buttinir  and  boundino-  of 
their  rage,  as  also  a  power  to  uphold  and  support 
our  spirits.  When  I  said  my  foot  slipped,  thy 
mercy,  0  Lord,  help  me  up.  And  the  reason  why, 
by  God's  ordinance,  the  spirit  is  not  to  be  touched 
in  suffering,  is,  because  that  is  it  that  is  to  sustain 
the  infirmity  of  the  sufferer ;  therefore  God  will 
have  the  spirit  of  his  servants  kept  sound,  and  in 

good  health.  Pr.  xviii.  14-.  Is.  Ivii.  16. 

The  room,  therefore,  and  the  ground  that  the 
enemy  has  to  play  upon,  is  the  body  and  outward 
substance  of  the  people  of  God,  but  the  spirit  is 
reserved,  for  the  reason  hinted  before,  and  also 
tliat  it  might  be  capable  of  maintaining  of  com- 
nmnion  with  God.  And  how  else  could  they  obey 
that  command  that  bids  them  rejoice  in  tribula- 
tion, and  glorifv  God  in  the  fires  ?  as  it  is.  Ro.  .vii. 

Is.  xxiv.  15. 

But,  I  say,  if  they  have  not  poAver  to  touch, 
much  less  to  destroy  body  and  soul  for  ever.  The 
body  is  God's,  and  he  gives  that  to  them  to  destroy; 
the  spirit  is  God's,  and  he  keeps  that  to  himself, 
to  show  that  he  has  both  power  to  do  with  us  what 
he  pleases,  and  that  he  will  recover  our  body  also 
out  of  their  hand ;  for  if  the  spirit  lives,  so  must 
the  body,  when  men  have  done  what  they  can 
therewith.  This  is  tlie  argument  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  himself.  Lu.  xx.37,38.  Therefore  the 
faithfulness  of  God  not  only  is,  but   also  will  be 


seen,  by  them  that  dare  trust  him,  till  the  ne.xt 
world,  to  his  glory  and  their  eternal  comfort. 

We  will  now  conclude  with  a  short  word  by  way 
of  USE.  You  see  how  I  have  opened  the  text,  and 
what  hath  naturally  followed  thereupon  ;  from  the 
whole  of  which  may  be  gathered : — 

Use  First,  That  the  people  of  God  are  a  suffer- 
ing people — a  people  subject  to  trouble  for  their 
faith  and  profession.  The  reason  is,  besides  what 
hath  been  said  already,  because  the  power  of  truth 
is  in  their  hearts,  and  shows  itself  in  their  lives — - 
a  thing  which  the  devil  and  the  world  can  by  no 
means  abide.  He  that  is  born  after  the  flesh 
persecuteth  him  that  is  born  after  the  Spirit. 
Ga.  iv.  29.  For  they  cannot  agree  in  religion  ;  the 
godly  are  so  devout  and  the  other  are  so  profane, 
that  they  cannot  do.  Not  but  that  God's  people, 
as  they  are  commanded,  are  willing  to  let  them 
alone ;  but  the  other  they  cannot  bear  that  they 
should  serve  God  as  they  have  said.  Mat.  xv.  u;  and 
hence  ariseth  persecution.  The  world  also  would 
have  the  religion  of  the  godly  to  be  counted  false 
— a  thing  that  the  others  can  by  no  means  endure, 
but  will  stand  by  and  maintain,  yet  in  all  peace- 
able manner,  their  own  waj's  before  them,  what- 
ever it  costs. 

The  Christian  and  the  carnal  professor  are  like 
those  two  harlots  that  you  read  of  in  the  book  ol 
Kings,  who  strove  for  the  living  child,  whose  it 
should  be,  whose  contest  could  not  be  decided 
until  it  came  to  the  sword  of  the  king,  i  Ki.  iii,  0, 
but  when  the  sword  was  drawn,  under  a  show  as 
if  the  living  child  must  now  be  cut  in  two,  then 
the  true  mother  was  known  from  the  false ;  for 
her  bowels  yearned  upon  her  son.  ver.  26,  27.  The 
world,  what  show  soever  they  have  for  religion, 
and  however  they  urge  it,  that  the  truth  is  with 
them,  have  no  yearning  of  bowels  for  it.  Let  it 
be  neither  mine  nor  thine,  said  she,  but  divide  it ; 
but  the  woman  whose  the  living  child  was,  had 
not  a  heart  to  say  so.  Religion  may  lie  and  die  in 
a  ditch  for  all  those  that  are  given  to  their  sins ; 
nor  doth  their  zeal  appear,  except  when  they  are 
gripping  of  the  godly  for  his  faith  towards  God. 
Bowels,  yearning  of  bowels  over  God's  condemned 
religion,  is  only  found  in  the  souls  of  those  who  own 
God  has  made  it. 

Use  Secoiid,  Is  it  so  ?  Are  God's  people  a  suf- 
fering people  ?  Then  this  should  inform  them  that 
will  be  religious,  to  prepare  themselves  for  what  is 
like  to  attend  them  for  their  religion.  To  prepare, 
I  say,  not  with  carnal  weapons,  but  Avith  the  graces 
of  the  Spirit  of  God;  that  will  help  them  with  meek- 
ness and  patience  to  endure.  Sit  down  then,  I  say, 
and  count  up  the  cost,  before  for  religion  thou 
engagest  too  far;  lest  thou  take  upon  thee  to 
meddle  with  that  which  thou  wilt  not  know  what 
to  do  with  in  the  end.  Pr.  xiv.  8.  Lu.  xiv.  25— :;». 


ADVICE   TO    SUFFERERS. 


73^ 


"Many  there  be  that  are  faulty  here;  they  have 
taken  upon  them  to  profess,  not  considering  what 
what  they  have  taken  in  hand  may  cost  tliera. 
Wherefore,  when  troubles  come  indeed,  then  they 
start  and  cry.  This  they  like  not,  because  they 
looked  not  for  it ;  and  if  this  be  the  way  to  heaven, 
let  who  will  go  on  in  it  for  them.  Thus  they  take 
offence,  and  leave  Christ's  cause  and  people  to 
shift  for  themselves  in  the  world.  Mat.  xiu.  20,  21. 

Use  TJiird,  But  let  God's  people  think  never  the 
worse  of  I'eligion,  because  of  the  coai-se  entertain- 
ment it  meeteth  with  in  the  world.  It  is  better  to 
choose  God  and  affliction  than  the  world,  and 
sin,  and  carnal  peace.  It  is  necessary  that  we 
should  suffer,  because  that  we  have  sinned.  And 
if  God  will  have  us  suffer  a  little  while  here  for  his 
Word,  instead  of  suffering  for  our  sins  in  hell,  let 
us  be  content,  and  count  it  a  mercy  with  thankful- 
ness. 

•  The  wicked  is  reserved  to  the  day  of  destruc- 
tion: they  shall  be  brought  forth  to  the  day  of 
wrath.'  Jobxxi.  30.  How  kindly,  therefore,  doth  God 
deal  with  us,  when  he  chooses  to  afflict  us  but  for 
a  little,  that  with  everlasting  kindness  he  may  have 
mercy  upon  us.  is.  Uv.  7,  8.  And  '  it  is  better,  if  the 
will  of  God  be  so,  that  ye  suffer  for  well-doing 
than  for  evil-doing.*  1  Pe.  UL  17. 

Use  Fouiih,  Look  not,  therefore,  upon  the  suffer- 
ings of  God's  people  for  their  religion,  to  be  tokens 
of  God's  great  anger.  It  is,  to  be  sure,  as  our 
heavenly  Father  orders  it,  rather  a  token  of  his 
love ;  for  suffering  for  the  gospel,  and  for  the  sin- 
cere profession  of  it,  is  indeed  a  dignity  put  upon 
us — a  dignity  that  all  men  are  not  counted  worthy 
of.  Count  it,  therefore,  a  favour  that  God  has 
hestoAved  upon  thee  his  truth,  and  graces  to  enable 
thee  to  profess  it,  though  thou  be  made  to  suffer 
for  it.  Ac.  V.  41.  Thou  mightest  have  been  a  sufferer 
for  thy  sins  in  hell,  but  thou  art  not ;  but  contrari- 
wise art,  perhaps,  suffering  for  conscience  to  God; 
tliis  is  a  dignity.  For  that  thou  dost  thus  by 
virtue  of  a  heavenly  gift,  on  the  behalf  of  Christ, 
for  the  gospel's  sake,  and  accordmg  to  the  will  of 
God.  This  is  a  dignity  that  a  persecutor  shall  not 
be  counted  worthy  of,  until  he  first  convert  to 
Christ.  Phi.  i.  29. 

Use  Fifth,  Take  thy  affliction  with  meekness 
and  patience,  though  thou  endurest  grief  wrong- 
fully. '  For  this  is  thankworthy,  if  a  man  for 
conscience  toward  God  endure  grief,  suffering 
Avrongfully. '  1  Pe.  ii.  19.  Lay  thy  hand,  then,  upon 
thy  mouth,  and  speak  not  a  word  of  ill  against 
him  that  doth  thee  wrong ;  leave  thy  cause  and  thy 
enemy  to  God ;  yea,  rather  pray  that  his  sin  may 
not  be  laid  to  his  charge;  wherefore,  as  I  said 
before,  now  show  thyself  a  good  man,  by  loving, 
pitying,  praying  for,  and  by  doing  good,  as  thou 
art  commanded,  to  them  that  despitefuUy  use  thee. 

VOL.  II. 


Mat.  V.  44.  I  know  thy  flesh  will  be  apt  to  huff,  and 
to  be  angry,  and  to  wish,  would  thou  mightest 
revenge  thyself.  But  this  is  base,  carnal,  sensual, 
devilish ;  cast,  therefore,  such  thoughts  from  thee, 
as  thoughts  that  are  not  fit  for  a  Christian's  breast, 
and  betake  thee  to  those  weapons  that  are  not 
carnal.  For  the  artillery  of  a  Christian  is  the 
Word,  faith,  and  prayer ;  and  in  our  patience  Ave 

must  possess  our  souls.  2  Co.  x.  5.  Lq.  xxi.  16-19. 

Use  Sixth,  Be  much  in  the  consideration  of  the 
all-sufficiency  of  thy  Father,  whose  cause  thou  hast 
espoused,  whose  Word  thou  hast  chosen  for  thy 
heritage,  and  whose  paths  thou  delightest  to  walk 
in.  I  say,  be  much  in  considering  how  all  the 
world  is  sustained  by  him,  and  that  all  life  and 
breath  is  in  his  hand,  to  continue  or  diminish  as 
he  pleases.  Think  with  thyself  also  how  able  he 
is  to  rescue  thee  from  all  affliction,  or  to  uphold 
thee  in  it  with  a  quiet  mind.  Go  to  him  continu- 
ally, as  to  a  fountain  of  life  that  is  open  for  the 
supply  of  the  needy.  Remember  also,  if  he  comes 
not  at  thy  call,  and  comforteth  thee  not  so  soon  as 
thou  desirest,  it  is  not  of  want  of  love  or  compas- 
sion to  thy  soul,  but  to  try  thy  graces,  and  to  show 
to  the  fallen  angels  that  thou  Avilt  serve  God  for 
nought,  rather  than  give  out.  Also,  if  it  seemeth 
to  thee,  as  if  God  took  no  care  of  thee  to  help  thee, 
but  that  he  hath  rather  turned  thee  over  to  the 
ungodly ;  count  this  also  as  a  sign  that  he  delights 
to  see  thee  hold  fast  his  name,  though  thou  art 
laid  under  the  greatest  of  disadvantages.  '  If  the 
scourge  slay  suddenly,  (that  is  more  than  it  hath 
done  to  thee,)  he  will  laugh  at  the  trial  of  the 
innocent. '  Job  ix.  23. 

It  is  a  great  delight  to  our  God  to  see  his  people 
hold  fast  their  integrity,  and  not  to  deny  his  name, 
when  under  such  cloudy  dispensations  and  discou- 
raging circumstances.  And  considerations  that 
thy  thus  doing  is  pleasing  in  his  sight  through 
Christ,  will  be  a  support  unto  thee.  God  sees 
thee,  though  thou  canst  not  now  see  him,  and  he 
observeth  now  thy  way,  though  dai-kness  is  round 
about  him;  and  Avhen  he  hath  tried  thee,  thou 
shalt  come  forth  like  gold. 

Use  Sevoitli,  Take  heed  of  setting  of  thyself  a 
bound  and  period  to  thy  sufferings,  unless  that 
period  be  the  grave.  Say  not  to  thy  afflicters. 
Hitherto,  and  no  further,  and  here  shall  your  proud 
waves  be  stayed.  I  say,  take  heed  of  doing  thus, 
for  fear  God  should  let  them  go  beyond  thee.  For 
a  man  is  not  prepared  to  suffer,  further  than  he 
thinkcth  the  enemy  may  be  permitted  to  go.  Hence 
Christ  sets  their  bounds  at  the  loss  of  Lfe,  and  no 
ndarcr.  So  then,  so  far  as  they  go  beyond  thee, 
so  far  they  will  find  thee  unprovided,  and  so  not 
fortified  for  a  reception  of  their  onset  with  that 
christian  gallantry  which  becomes  thee.  Observe 
Paul ;  he  died  daily,  he  was  always  delivered  unto 
5  A 


738 


ADVICE  TO   SUTTERERS. 


death,  he  despaired  of  life  ;  and  this  is  the  way  to 
be  prepared  for  any  calamity.  When  a  man  thinks 
he  has  only  to  prepare  for  an  assault  by  footmen, 
how  shall  he  contend  with  horses  ?  Or  if  he  looks 
no  further  than  to  horses,  what  will  he  do  at  the 
swellings  of  Jordan  ?  Je.  xii.  5.  Wherefore,  set  thine 
enemies  no  bounds :  say  not.  They  shall  not  pursue 
me  to  the  death ;  have  the  sentence  of  death  in 
thyself.  For  though  they  may  but  tick  and  toy 
with  thee  at  first,  their  sword  may  reach  thy  heart- 
blood  at  last.  The  cat  at  play  with  the  mouse  is 
sometimes  a  fit  emblem  of  the  way  of  the  wicked 
with  the  children  of  God.  Wherefore,  as  I  said, 
be  always  dying ;  die  daily :  he  that  is  not  only 
ready  to  be  bound,  but  to  die,  is  fit  to  encounter 
any  amazement. 

Use  Eighth,  If  thine  enemies  would,  or  do,  put 
thee  under  a  cloud,  if  they  wrap  thee  up  in  a  bear's 
skin,  and  then  set  the  dogs  upon  thee,  marvel  not 
at  the  matter ;  this  was  Joseph's,  David's,  Christ's, 
Stephen's  portion,  only  be  thou  innocent ;  say 
nothing,  do  nothing  that  should  render  thee  faulty; 
yea,  say  and  do  always  that  that  should  render 
thee  a  good  neighbour,  a  good  Christian,  and  a 
faithful  subject.  This  is  the  way  to  help  thee  to 
make  with  boldness  thy  appeals  to  God ;  this  is 
the  way  to  embolden  thy  face  against  the  faces  of 
thine  enemies ;  this  is  the  way  to  keep  thy  con- 
science quiet  and  peaceable  within  thee  ;  and  this 
is  the  way  to  provoke  God  to  appear  for  thy 
rescue,  or  to  revenge  thy  blood  when  thou  art 
gone. 

And  do  this  because  it  is  thy  duty — we  must 
fear  God  and  honour  the  king — and  because  this 
is  the  way  to  make  the  work  of  thy  enemies  hard : 
few  men  have  that  boldness  as  to  say.  This  I  do 
against  you,  because  you  profess  Christ.  When 
they  persecuted  the  Lord  himself,  they  said  to  him, 
'For  a  good  work  we  stone  thee  not.'  Jn.  x.  33. 
Religion  that  is  pure  is  a  hot  thing,  and  it  usually 
burns  the  fingers  of  those  that  fight  against  it; 
wherefore  it  is  not  common  for  men  to  oppose 
religion  under  its  own  naked  complexion :  where- 
fore the  Jews  sought  to  fasten  other  matters  upon 
Christ  to  kill  him  for  them;  though  the  great 
spite  they  had  against  him  was  for  his  doctrine  and 
miracles.  It  was  for  envy  to  that  that  they  set 
themselves  against  him,  and  that  made  them  invent 
to  charge  him  with  rebellion  and  treason.  Mat.  xxvii. 

18.  Lu.  xjtiii.  2. 

Use  NinUi,  Wherefore  it  becomes  all  godly  men 
to  study  to  be  quiet,  to  mind  their  own  business, 
and  as  much  as  in  tliem  lies,  to  be  at  peace  with 
all  men ;  to  owe  no  man  any  thing  but  love.  Pray, 
therefore,  for  all  that  are  in  authority ;  pray  for  the 
peace  of  tlie  country  in  which  thou  dwellest ;  keep 
company  with  holy,  and  quiet,  and  peaceable  men. 
Seek  by  all  good  ways  the  promotion  of  godliness. 


put  up  injuries,  be  good  to  the  poor,  do  good  against 
evil,  be  patient  towards  all  men ;  for  '  these  things 
are  good  and  profitable  unto  men.'  Tit.  iii.  8. 

Be  not  inclining  to  injure  men  behind  their  backs, 
speak  evil  of  no  man,  reproach  not  the  governor 
nor  his  actions,  as  he  is  set  over  thee  ;  all  his  ways 
are  God's,  either  for  thy  help  or  the  trial  of  thy 
graces.  Wherefore  he  needs  thy  prayers,  not  thy 
revilings ;  thy  peaceable  deportment,  and  not  a 
troublesome  life.  I  know  that  none  of  these  things 
can  save  thee  from  being  devoured  by  the  mouth 
of  the  sons  of  Belial,  i  Ki.  xxL  12, 13.  Only,  what  I 
say  is  duty,  is  profitable,  is  commendable,  is  neces- 
sary ;  and  that  which  will,  when  the  devil  has  done 
his  worst,  render  thee  lovely  to  thy  friends,  terrible 
to  thine  enemies,  serviceable  in  thy  place  as  a 
Christian,  and  will  crown  the  remembrance  of  thy 
name,  to  them  that  survive  thee,  with  a  blessing : 
'  The  memory  of  the  just  is  blessed :  but  the  name 
of  the  wicked  shall  rot,'  Pr.  x.  7. 

Use  Tenth,  I  will  conclude,  then,  with  a  word 
to  those  professors,  if  there  be  any  such,  that  are 
of  an  unquiet  and  troublesome  spirit.  Friends,  I 
may  say  to  you,  as  our  Lord  said  once  to  his  dis- 
ciples, '  Ye  know  not  what  manner  of  spirit  ye  are 
of.'  To  wish  the  destruction  of  your  enemies  doth 
not  become  you.  If  ye  be  bom  to,  and  are  called, 
that  you  may  inherit  a  blessing,  pray  be  free  of 
your  blessing :  •  Bless,  and  curse  not. '  If  you 
believe  that  the  God  whom  you  serve  is  supreme 
governor,  and  is  also  wise  enough  to  manage  aff"air3 
in  the  world  for  his  church,  pray  keep  fingers  ofl^, 
and  refrain  from  doing  evil.  If  the  counsel  of 
Gamaliel  was  good  when  given  to  the  enemies  of 
God's  people,  why  not  fit  to  be  given  to  Christians 
themselves?  Therefore  refrain  from  these  men, 
and  let  them  alone.  If  the  work  that  these  men 
do  is  that  which  God  will  promote  and  set  up  for 
ever,  then  you  cannot  disannul  it ;  if  not,  God  has 
appointed  the  time  of  its  fall. 

A  Christian !  and  of  a  troublesome  spirit ;  for- 
shame,  forbear ;  show,  out  of  a  good  conversation, 
thy  works,  with  meekness  of  wisdom ;  and  here 
let  me  present  thee  with  three  or  four  things. 

1.  Consider,  That  though  Cain  was  a  very  mur- 
derer, yet  God  forbade  any  man's  meddling  with 
him,  under  a  penalty  of  revenging  his  so  doing  upon 
his  own  head  sevenfold.  '  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
him.  Therefore,  whosoever  slayeth  Cain,  vengeance 
shall  be  taken  on  him  sevenfold. '  G€.  ir.  15.  But 
why  not  meddle  with  Cain,  since  he  was  a  mur- 
derer ?  The  reason  is,  because  he  persecuted  his 
brother  for  righteousness'  sake,  and  so  espoused  a 
quarrel  against  God;  for  he  that  persecutes  an- 
other for  righteousness'  sake  sets  himself  against 
God,  fights  against  God,  and  seeks  to  overthrow 
him.  Now,  such  an  one  the  Christian  must  let 
alone  and  stand  off  from,  that  God  may  have  his 


ADVICE   TO    SUFFERERS. 


739 


full  blow  at  him  in  his  time.*  Wherefore  he  saith 
to  his  saints,  and  to  all  that  are  forward  to  revenge 
themselves,  Give  place,  stand  back,  let  me  come, 
leave  such  an  one  to  be  handled  by  me.  •  Dearly 
beloved,  avenge  not  yourselves,  but  rather  give  place 
unto  wrath ;  for  it  is  written.  Vengeance  is  mine,  I 
will  repay,  saith  the  Lord. '  Ro.  xU.  i9.  Wherefore 
the  Lord  set  a  mark  upon  Cain,  lest  any  finding  him 
should  slay  him.  You  must  not,  indeed,  you  must 
not  avenge  yourselves  of  your  enemies.  Yea,  though 
it  was  lawful  once  so  to  do,  it  is  not  lawful  now. 
Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said  to  them  of 
old  time.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  and  hate 
thine  enemy  ;  but  I  say,  said  our  Lord,  Love  them, 
bless  tlicm,  do  good  to  them,  and  pray  for  them 
that  hate  you.  Mat.  v.  43,  44. 

2.  Consider,  Revenge  is  of  the  flesh, — I  mean 
this  our  revenge  of  ourselves  ;  and  it  proceeds  from 
anger,  wrath,  impatience  under  the  cross,  unwill- 
ingness to  suffer,  from  too  much  love  to  carnal 
ease,  to  estates,  to  enjoyments,  to  relations,  and 
the  like.  It  also  flows  from  a  fearful,  cowardly 
spirit ;  there  is  nothing  of  greatness  in  it,  except 
it  be  greatness  of  mitowardness.  I  know  there 
may,  for  all  this,  be  pretences  to  justice,  to  righ- 
teousness, to  the  liberty  of  the  gospel,  the  sup- 
pressing of  wickedness,  and  the  promoting  of  holi- 
ness ;  but  these  can  be  but  pretences,  or,  at  best, 
but  the  fruits  of  a  preposterous  zeal.  For  since, 
as  has  been  often  said  in  this  treatise,  the  Lord 
hath  forbidden  us  to  do  so,  it  cannot  be  imagined 
that  he  should  yet  animate  any  to  such  a  thing  by 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  effects  of  the  graces  there- 
of. Let  them,  then,  if  any  such  be,  that  are  thus 
minded,  be  counted  the  narrow-spirited,  carnal, 
fleshly,  angry,  waspish-spirited  professors — the 
professors  that  know  more  of  the  Jewish  than  of  the 
christian  religion,  and  that  love  rather  to  counte- 
nance the  motions,  passions,  and  gross  motions  of 
an  angry  mind,  than  with  meekness  to  comply  with 
the  will  of  a  heavenly  Father.  Thou  art  bid  to 
be  like  unto  him,  and  also  thou  art  showed 
wherein.  Mat.  v.  45— 48. 

There  is  a  man  hates  God,  blasphemes  his  name, 
despises  his  being ;  yea,  says  there  is  no  God.  And 
jet  the  God  that  he  earrieth  it  thus  towards  doth 
give  him  his  breakfast,  dinner,  and  supper ;  clothes 
him  well,  and  when  night  comes,  has  him  to  bed, 
gives  him  good  rest,  blesses  his  field,  his  corn,  his 
cattle,  his  children,  and  raises  him  to  high  estate.f 

*  How  correct,  but  how  dismal  a  picture  is  here  drawn  of 
the  persecutor !  God  has  wise  and  holy  ends  in  protecting  and 
prolonging  the  lives  even  of  very  wicked  men.  '  Slay  them  not, 
lest  my  people  forget;  scatter  them  by  thy  power.'  Comp. 
Eccl.  viii.  10.  Pity  the  persecutor — pray  for  him  ;  but  if  he 
repent  not,  stand  off;  'God  will  have  his  full  blow  at  him  in 
liifi  time,'  and  crush  him  down  into  misery  and  despair. — Ed. 

t  Like  a  multitude  of  passages  in  Banyan's  writing's,  this 


Yea,  and  this  our  God  doth  not  only  once  or  twice, 
but  until  these  transgressors  become  old ;  his 
patience  is  thus  extended,  years  after  years,  that 
we  might  learn  of  him  to  do  well. 

3.  Consider,  A  professor!  and  unquiet  and 
troublesome,  discontented,  and  seeking  to  be  re- 
venged of  thy  persecutors ;  where  is,  or  what  kind 
of  graces  hast  thou  got  ?  I  dare  say,  they,  even 
these  in  which  thou  thus  actest,  are  none  of  the 
graces  of  the  Spirit.  The  fruits  of  the  Spirit  are 
love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  good- 
ness, faith,  meekness,  temperance ;  against  such 
there  is  no  law  ;  but  wrath,  strife,  seditions,  trai- 
tors, and  inventors  of  evil  things  are  reckoned  with 
the  worst  of  sins,  and  sinners,  and  are  plainly  called 
the  works  of  the  flesh.  Ro.  i.  29—31.  2  11  iu.  3, 4.  Ga.  v. 

19—21. 

But  I  say,  where  is  thy  love  to  thine  enemy  ? 
where  is  thy  joy  under  the  cross  ?  where  is  thy 
peace  when  thine  anger  has  put  thee  upon  being 
unquiet  ?  Where  is  thy  long-suffering  ?  for,  as  thou 
actest,  not  ought  but  thy  waspishness  can  be  seen. 
Where,  also,  is  thy  sweet,  meek,  and  gentle  spirit  ? 
and  is  goodness  seen  in  thy  seeking  tlie  life  or  the 
damage  of  thy  enemy  ?  Away,  away ;  thy  graces, 
if  thou  hast  any,  are  by  these,  thy  passions,  so 
jostled  up  into  corners,  and  so  pent  for  want  of 
room  and  liberty  to  show  themselves,  that,  by  the 
Word  of  God,  thou  canst  not  be  known  to  be  of 
the  right  kind,  what  a  noise  soever  thou  makest. 

A  Christian,  when  he  sees  trouble  coming  upon 
him,  should  not  fly  in  the  face  of  the  instrument 
that  brings  it,  but  in  the  face  of  the  cause  of  its 
coming.  Now  the  cause  is  thyself,  tliy  base  self, 
thy  sinful  self,  and  thy  unworthy  carriages  towards 
God  under  all  the  mercy,  patience,  and  long-suffer- 
ing that  God  has  bestowed  upon  thee,  and  exercised 
towards  thee.  Here  thou  mayest  quarrel  and  be 
revenged,  and  spare  not,  so  thou  take  vengeance  in 
a  right  way,  and  then  thou  wilt  do  so  when  thou 
takest  it  by  godly  sorrow.  2  Co.  vii.  lo,  11. 

A  Christian,  then,  should  bewail  his  own  doings, 
his  own  unworthy  doings,  by  which  he  has  pro- 
voked God  to  bring  a  cloud  upon  him,  and  to  cover 
him  with  it  in  anger.  A  Christian  should  say, 
This  is  my  wickedness,  when  a  persecutor  touches 
him ;  yea,  he  should  say  it,  and  then  shut  up  his 
mouth,  and  bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord, 
because  he  has  sinned  against  him.  '  Thy  way 
and  thy  doings  have  procured  these  things  unto 
thee ;  this  is  thy  wickedness,  because  it  is  bitter, 
because  it  reacheth  unto  thine  heart.'  Je. iv.  18. 

4.  Consider,  What  conviction  of  thy  goodness 
can  the  actions  that  flow  from  such  a  spirit  give 


passage  is  exceedingly  striking.  It  illustrates  our  Lord's  words 
in  Mat.  v.  44,  45  :  '  Love  your  enemies  -  that  ye  may  be  the 
children  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven.' — Ed. 


740 


ADVICE  TO  SUFFERERS. 


unto  observers  ?  None  at  all ;  yea,  a  spirit  of 
unquietness  under  suffei'ings,  and  that  seeketh  to 
be  revenged  of  those  that  do,  for  thy  faith  and  the 
profession  thereof,  persecute  thee,  is  so  far  off  of 
giving  conviction  to  beholders  that  thou  art  right, 
that  it  plainly  tells  them  that  thou  art  wrong. 
Even  Julian  the  apostate,  when  he  had  cast  away 
whatever  he  could  of  Christ,  had  this  remaining 
with  him — that  a  Christian  ought  to  take  with 
patience  what  afHiction  fell  upon  him  for  his  Mas- 
ter's sake ;  and  would  hit  them  in  the  teeth  with 
an  unbecoming  behaviour,  that  complained  or  that 
sought  redress  of  them  that  had  abused  them  Ibr 
their  faith  and  godly  profession.  What  will  men 
say  if  you  shrink  and  winch,  and  take  your  suffer- 
ings unquietly,  but  that  if  you  yourselves  were 
uppermost,  you  would  persecute  also  ?  Much  more 
Jiave  they  ground  to  say  so,  when  you  will  fight 
lying  on  your  backs.  Be  quiet,  then,  and  if  thine 
enemy  strike  thee  on  one  cheek,  turn  to  him  the 
other ;  and  if  he  also  revile  and  curse  thee,  down 
upon  thy  knees  and  pray  for  him.  This  is  the 
way  to  convince  thy  observers  that  thou  art  a  godly 
man.  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not 
what  they  do,  was  one  of  those  things  that  con- 
vinced the  centurion  that  Jesus  was  a  righteous 
man ;  for  he  stood  by  the  cross  to  watch  and  see 
how  Jesus  carried  it  in  these  his  sufferings,  as  well 
as  to  see  execution  done.  Mat.  xxviL  &i.  Lu.  xxiii.  34—47. 

5.  Consider,  A  professor,  unquiet  and  turbulent 
under  sufferings,  and  seeking  his  own  revenge, 
cannot  be  a  victor  over  what  he  should,  nor  a 
keeper  of  God's  commandments. 

(1.)  llowcan  he  be  a  victorover  himself  that  is  led 
up  and  down  by  the  nose  by  his  own  passions  ?  There 
is  no  man  a  christian  victor  but  he  that  conquers 
himself,  but  he  that  beats  down  and  keeps  under 
his  body,  his  lusts,  his  passions,  in  the  first  place. 
Is  he  that  is  led  away  with  divers  lusts  a  victor  ? 
Is  he  that  is  a  servant  to  corruption  a  victor  ? 
And  if  he  that  is  captivated  by  his  anger,  wrath, 
passion,  discontent,  prejudice,  kc,  be  not  led  away 
by  them,  I  am  under  a  mistake.  So  then,  to  quar- 
rel with  superiors,  or  with  any  that  are  trouble- 
some to  thee  for  thy  faith  and  thy  profession, 
bespeaks  thee  over-mastered  and  a  captive,  rather 
than  a  master  and  a  conqueror. 

(2.)  The  same  may  be  said  upon  the  second  head. 
He  keepcth  not  the  commandments  of  God  ;  for 
those  teach  him  other  things,  as  I  have  also  showed. 
The  great  gospel  commands  terminate  in  self- 
denial;  but  if  self-revenge  is  self-denial,  I  am 
besides  the  Book.  Christ,  in  the  book  of  the 
Revelation,  sets  him  that  keeps  the  command- 
ments of  God  a  great  way  off  from  him  that  taketh 
and  smiteth  with  the  sword  :  '  He  that  killeth 
with  the  sword  must  be  killed  with  the  sword. 
Here  is  the  patience  and  the  faith  of  the  saints.' 


Re.  xiii.  10.  That  is,  in  that  they  forbear  to  do  thus, 
and  quietly  suffer  under  those  that  thus  take  it 
and  afflict  the  godly  with  it.  Again,  '  Here  is  the 
patience  of  the  saints,  here  are  they  that  keep  the 
commandments  of  God  and  the  faith  of  Jesus.' 
xiv.  12.  A  patient  continuing  in  well-doing  ;  and  if 
suffering  for  righteousness  be  well-doing,  then  a 
patient  continuing  in  that,  as  in  other  things,  is 
the  way  to  keep  God's  commandments.  Ro.  ii.  7. 

So  that,  I  say,  he  keepeth  not  God's  command- 
ments that  is  angry  with  his  enemies,  and  that 
seeks  to  be  revenged  of  him  that  doth  him  ill. 
You  know  the  subject  I  am  upon.  '  The  wrath 
of  man  worketh  not  the  righteousness  of  God.' 
Ja.  i.  20.  Wherefore,  professors,  beware,  and  take 
heed  to  your  spirits,  and  see  that  you  let  not  out 
yourselves  under  your  sufferings  in  such  extrava- 
gancies of  spirit  against  your  enemies  as  is  no 
way  seemly  nor  convenient. 

6.  Consider,  Men  that  are  unquiet  and  discon- 
tented, and  that  seek  revenge  upon  them  that  per- 
secute them  for  their  profession,  do,  by  so  doing, 
also  put  themselves  upon  the  brink  of  those  ruins 
that  others  are  further  from.  These  men  are  like 
the  fly  that  cannot  let  the  candle  alone  until  she 
hath  burned  herself  in  the  flame.  Magistrates  and 
men  in  power  have  fortified  themselves  from  being 
attacked  with  turbulent  and  unruly  spirits  by  many 
and  wholesome  laws.  And,  indeed,  should  they 
not  do  so,  one  or  other,  perhaps,  would  be  quickly 
tempted  to  seek  to  disturb  them  in  the  due  exer- 
cise of  their  authority.  Now  the  angry  man,  he 
is  the  fly  that  must  be  tripping  and  running  him- 
self upon  the  point  of  these  laws ;  his  angry  spirit 
puts  him  upon  quarrelling  with  his  superiors,  and 
his  quarrelling  brings  him,  by  words  spoke  in  heat, 
within  the  reach  of  the  net,  and  that,  with  the 
help  of  a  few  more,  brings  his  neck  to  the  halter. 
Nor  is  this,  whatever  men  think,  but  by  the  just 
judgment  of  God.  *  Whosoever,  therefore,  resist- 
eth  the  power,  resisteth  the  ordinance  of  God ; 
and  they  that  resist  shall  receive  to  themselves 
damnation.' Ro.  xiii.  2.  Es.  ii.  21— 23.  Wherefore,  let  the 
angry  man  take  heed;  let  the  discontented  man 
take  heed.  He  that  has  a  profession,  and  has  not 
grace  to  know,  in  this  matter,  to  manage  it,  is  like 
to  bring  his  profession  to  shame.  Wherefore,  I 
say,  let  such  take  heed ;  and  the  graces  afore 
mentioned,  and  the  due  exercise  of  them,  are  they 
and  that  which  can  keep  us  out  of  all  such  dan- 
gers. 

7.  Consider,  And  what  comfort  can  such  a  man 
have  who  has,  by  his  discontent  and  unruly  car- 
riages, brought  himself,  in  this  manner,  to  his  end ; 
he  has  brought  himself  to  shame,  his  profession  to 
shame,  his  friends  to  shame,  and  his  name  to  con- 
tempt and  scorn.  Bad  men  rejoice  at  his  fall, 
good  men  cannot  own  him,  weak  men  stumble  at 


ADVICE   TO   SUFFEREnS. 


741 


him  ;  besides,  his  cause  will 
heart  will  he  clogged  with 
boldness  will  take  wings  and 
he  talketh  of  religion  upon 


not  bear  him  out ;  his 
guilt ;  innocency  and 
fly  from  him.  Though 
the  stage*  or  ladder, 


*  '  Stage  ;'  upoa  which  mauy  a 
his  head  in  the  pillory.  '  Ladder' 
\  ictims  suifered  death  by  hanging 


Nonconformist  stood  with 
to  the  gallows,  upon  wldch 
—Ed. 


that  will  blush  to  hear  its  name  mentioned  by  them 
that  suffer  for  evil-doing.  Wherefore,  my  brethren , 
my  friends,  my  enemies,  and  all  men,  what  reli- 
gion, profession,  or  opinion  soever  you  hold,  fear 
God,  honour  the  king,  and  do  that  duty  to  both 
which  is  required  of  you  by  the  Word  and  law  of 
Christ,  and  then,  to  say  no  more,  you  shall  not 
suffer  by  the  power  for  evil-doing. 


AN 


EXHORTATION  TO  PEACE  AND  UNITY. 


ADVERTISEMENT  BY  THE  EDITOE. 


This  treatise  was  first  puLlished  in  1G88,  after 
Bunyan's  death,  at  the  end  of  the  second  edition 
of  the  Barren  Fig  Tree,  with  a  hlack  border  round 
the  title.  It  was  continued  in  the  third  edition 
1692,  but  was  subsequently  omitted,  although 
the  Barren  Fig  Tree  was  printed  for  the  same 
publisher.  It  has  been  printed  in  every  edition 
of  Banyan's  Works.  Respect  for  the  judgment 
of  others  leads  me  to  allow  it  a  place  in  the  first 
complete  edition,  although  I  have  serious  doubts 
whether  it  was  written  by  him,  for  these  reasons : — 

1.  It  appears  to  have  been  totally  unknown  to 
his  personal  friends,  Charles  Doe  and  others, 
who  very  carefully  gathered  up,  not  only  all  his 
published  works,  but  his  manuscripts  also.  An 
interesting  list  of  these  was  given  in  the  '  Strag- 
gler,' 1691.  Nor  is  it  found  in  any  publisher's 
list  of  Bunyan's  Works, 

2.  The  style  is  not  that  of  Bunyan,  nor  is  it  even 
Bunyanish.  It  has  none  of  those  striking  remarks 
that  render  all  his  treatises  so  deeply  interesting. 

3.  The  author  introduces  scraps  of  Latin  refer- 
ences to  'Machiavel,'  to  the  'learned  Stillingfleet, ' 
and  to  ancient  heathen  writers.  The  frequent 
recurrence  of  the  words,  '  as  a  certain  learned 
man  observes,'  is  very  foreign  to  Bunyan's  manner 
of  confirming  his  sentiments.  '  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,'  is  the  seal  of  his  testimony. 

4.  Misapplication  of  Scripture,  Ac.  ix.  31,  as  if  the 
'rest'  was  from  internal  dissensions,  when  in  fact 
it  was  from  external  persecution. 

5.  The  terms  'infallible,'  'excommunication,' 
and  '  reason, '  are  used  in  a  way  not  at  all  Bun- 
yanish. 

6.  How  woidd  his  spirit  have  been  grieved  at  a 
sentence  which  occurs  on  p.  750:  '  Would  a  heathen 
god  refuse  to  answer  such  prayers  in  which  the 
supplicants  were  not  agreed ;  and  shall  we  think 
the  true  God  will  answer  them?'  Do  stocks  or 
Btones  answer  prayers  ? 

7.  Bunyan's  peculiar  practice  of  admitting  all 
the  Lord's  children  to  the  Lord's  table ;  all  such 
as  he  hoped  were  spiritually  baptized,  without 
reference  to  water-baptism,  is  here  directly  opposed: 
p.  744.  The  author  refers  to  i  Co.  xii.  13,  on  which  text 
he  says — '  I  need  not  go  about  to  confute  that 
notion  that  some  oflaie  have  had  of  this  text,  viz., 
that  the  baptism  here  spoken  of  is  the  baptism  of 
the  Spirit,  because  you  have  not  owned  and  declared 


that  notion  as  your  judgment,  but  on  the  con- 
trary.' The  fact  is,  that  Bunyan  is  one  of  those 
here  noticed  as  ^some  of  late,^  and  his  church  did 
hold  that  judgment.  His  comment  on  this  text 
is,  '  not  of  water,  for  by  one  Spirit  are  we  all 
baptized  into  one  body.'* — Beason  of  my  Practice. 
And  in  his  '  Difierences  about  Water-Baptism  no 
Bar  to  Communion,'  he  thus  argues  upon  that  text, 
'  Here  is  a  baptism  mentioned  by  which  they  are 
initiated  into  one  body ;  now  that  this  is  the  bap- 
tism of  water  is  utterly  against  the  words  of  the 
text ;  for  by  one  Spirit  we  are  all  baptized  into 
one  body.' — 'It  is  the  imity  of  the  Spirit,  not 
water,  that  is  intended.'!  Bunyan  was  the  great 
champion  for  the  practice  of  receiving  all  to  church- 
communion  whom  God  had  received  in  Christ, 
without  respect  to  water-baptism ;  and  had  he 
changed  his  sentiments  upon  a  subject  which 
occasioned  him  so  much  hostility,  even  from  his 
Baptist  brethren,  it  woidd  have  been  heralded  forth 
as  a  triumph. 

In  1684,  four  years  prior  to  his  death,  he  re- 
published these  sentiments  in  the  first  edition  of 
*A  Holy  Life  the  Beauty  of  Christianity  ;'|  his 
words  are — '  Men  are  wedded  to  their  opinions 
more  than  the  law  of  grace  and  love  will  per- 
mit. Here  is  a  Presbyter,  here  an  Independent, 
a  Baptist,  so  joined  each  man  to  his  own  opinions, 
that  they  cannot  have  that  communion  one  with 
another,  as  by  the  testament  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
they  are  commanded  and  enjoined.'  Bunyan,  there 
can  be  no  doubt,  lived  and  died  in  the  conviction, 
that  differences  were  permitted  among  Christians 
to  stimulate  them  to  search  the  Scriptures,  and  to 
exercise  the  grace  of  forbearance,  as  was  the  case 
in  the  primitive  churches,  in  their  disputes  about 
meats  and  days,  and  even  as  to  whether  the  Gen- 
tiles were  to  be  visited  with  the  gospel. 

8.  Bunyan  is  ever  pressing  the  duty  of  private 
judgment  in  all  the  aifairs  of  religion;  not  to  be 
scared  with  the  taunts  of  'schism,'  'division- 
makers,'  'new  separatists,'  'wiser  than  your 
teachers,'  and  similar  arrows,  drawn  from  Satan's 
quiver,  which  occur  in  this  exhortation. 

Judiiins:  from  the   stvle — the  reference  to  the 


See  tliis  Edition  of  his  Works,  vol.  ii.,  p.  594. 
t  Works,  vol.  ii.,  p.  608. 
i  Works,  vol.  ii.,  p.  538. 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  PEACE  AND  UNITY. 


743 


laying  on  of  hands — the  Latin  quotations,  and 
those  from  learned  men,  it  appears  somewhat  like 
the  pen  of  D'Anvers,  who  answered  Bunjan  upon 
the  <juestlon — Whetlier  water-haptism  is  a  scrip- 


tural term  of  communion  ?  It  is,  however,  now 
faithfully  reprinted,  that  our  readers  may  form 
their  own  judgment. 

Hackney,  New-Year's  Day,  1850.  GcOBGE  OfFOR. 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  PEACE  AND  UNITY. 


•  EKDEArOURINO  TO  KEEP  THE  UNITY  OF  THE  SPIRIT 

IN  THE  BOND  OF  PEACE.' — EPH.  IV.   3. 

Beloved,  religion  is  the  great  hond  of  human 
society,  and  it  were  well  if  itself  were  kept  within 
the  hond  of  unity ;  and  that  it  may  so  he,  let  us, 
according  to  the  text,  use  our  utmost  endeavours 

*  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  hond  of 
peace.' 

These  words  contain  a  counsel  and  a  caution : 
the  counsel  is,  •  That  we  endeavour  the  unity  of 
the  Spirit;'  the  caution  is,  *  That  we  do  it  in  the 
bond  of  peace  :'  as  if  he  should  say,  I  would  have 
you  live  in  unity ;  hut  yet  I  would  have  you  to  he 
careful  that  you  do  not  purchase  unity  with  the 
breach  of  chanty.  Let  us,  therefore,  be  cautioned 
that  we  do  not  so  press  after  unity  in  practice  and 
opinion,  as  to  break  the  hond  of  peace  and  affec- 
tion. 

In  the  handling  of  these  words,  I  shall  observe 
this  method  : — First,  I  shall  open  the  sense  of  the 
text.  Second,  1  shall  show  wherein  this  imity  and 
peace  consists.  Third,  I  shall  show  you  the  fruits 
and  benefits  of  it,  together  with  nine  inconve- 
niencles  and  mischiefs  that  attend  those  churches 
where  unity  and  peace  is  wanting.  Fourth,  and 
lastly,  I  shall  give  you  twelve  directions  and 
motives  for  the  obtaining  of  it. 

First,  As  touching  the  sense  of  tJie  text ;  when  we 
are  counselled  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit,  we 
are  not  to  understand  the  Spirit  of  God  as  per- 
sonally so  considered ;  because  the  Spirit  of  God, 
in  that  sense,  is  not  capable  of  being  divided ;  and 
so  there  would  he  no  need  for  us  to  endeavour  to 
keep  the  unity  of  it. 

By  the  unity  of  the  Spirit,  then,  we  are  to 
understand  that  unity  of  mind  which  the  Spirit 
of  God  calls  for,  and  requires  Christians  to  endea- 
vour after ;  hence  it  is  that  we  are  exhorted  by 
'  one  spirit,  with  one  mind  striving  together  for 
the  faith  of  the  gospel.'  pul  i.  27. 

But  farther,  the  apostle  in  these  words  alludes 
to  the  state  and  composition  of  a  natural  body; 
and  doth  thereby  inform  us  that  the  mystical 
body  of  Christ  holds  an  analogy  with  the  natural 
body  of  a  man.     As, 

1.  In  the  natural  body  there  must  be  a  spirit  to 
animate  it;  for  '  the  body  without  the  spirit  is  dead.' 


Ja  ii.  25.  So  it  Is  in  the  mystical  body  of  Christ ; 
the  apostle  no  sooner  tells  us  of  that  one  body,  but 
he  minds  us  of  that  '  one  spirit.'  Kp.  iv. -k 

2.  The  body  hath  *  joints  and  bands '  to  unite 
all  the  parts  ;  so  hath  the  mystical  body  of  Christ. 
CoLii.  19.  This  is  that  bond  of  peace  mentioned 
in  the  text,  as  also  in  Ep.  iv.  16,  where  '  the  whole 
body'  is  said  to  be  'fitly joined  together,  and  com- 
pacted by  that  which  every  joint  supplleth.' 

3.  The  natural  body  receives  counsel  and  nour- 
ishment from  the  head  ;  so  doth  the  mystical  body 
of  Christ.  He  is  their  counsellor,  and  him  they 
must  hear;  he  is  their  head,  and  him  they  must 
hold:  hence  it  is  that  the  apostle  complaiueth, 
Ck)L  ii.  19,  of  some  that  did  '  not  hold  the  head,  from 
which  all  the  body  by  joints  and  hands  hath  nour- 
ishment. ' 

4.  The  natural  body  cannot  well  subsist,  if 
either  the  spirit  be  wounded  or  the  joints  broken 
or  dislocated ;  the  body  cannot  bear  a  wounded  or 
broken  spirit;  '  A  broken  spirit  drieth  the  bones,' 
Pr.  rviL22;  and  *a  wounded  spirit  who  can  bear  ?' 
Pr.  xviiL  14.  And  on  the  other  hand,  how  often 
has  the  disjointing  of  the  body,  and  the  breakings 
thereof,  occasioned  the  expiration  of  the  spirit  ? 
In  like  manner  it  fares  with  the  mystical  body  of 
Christ :  how  do  divided  spirits  break  the  bonds  of 
peace,  which  are  the  joints  of  this  body !  And 
how  doth  the  breakings  of  the  body  and  church 
of  Christ  wound  the  spirit  of  Christians,  and  often- 
times occasion  the  spirit  and  life  of  Christianity 
to  languish,  if  not  to  expire !  How  needful  is  it, 
then,  that  we  endeavour  '  the  unity  of  the  spirit 
in  the  hond  of  peace?' 

Second,  I  now  come  to  show  you  wherein  tliis 
unity  and  peace  coiisi-sts,  and  this  I  shall  demon- 
strate in  five  particulars. 

1.  This  unity  and  peace  may  consist  In  the 
ignorance  of  many  truths,  and  in  the  holding  of 
some  ei'rors ;  or  else  this  duty  of  peace  and  uuity 
could  not  be  practicable  by  any  on  this  side  per- 
fection. But  we  must  now  endeavour  the  unity 
of  the  Spirit,  '  till  we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the 
faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Sou  of  God.' 
Ep.  iv.  13.  Because  now,  as  the  apostle  saith,  '  we 
know  in  part,  and  we  prophesy  in  part,'  and  'now 
we  see  through  a  glass,  darkly. '  i  Co.  xiiL  12.  And 
as  this  is  true  in  general,  so  we  may  find  it  true 


744 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  PEACE  AND  UNITY. 


if  we  descend  to  particular  instances :  the  disciples 
seemed  to  be  ignorant  of  that  great  truth  which 
the}'  had  often,  and  in  much  plainness,  been  taught 
l)y  their  Master  once  and  again,  viz.,  that  his 
kino-dom  was  not  of  this  world,  and  that  in  the 
world  they  shoidd  suffer  and  be  persecuted  ;  yet 
in  Ac.  i.  B,  we  read,  that  they  asked  of  him  if  he 
would  '  at  this  time  restore  again  the  kingdom  to 
Israel?'  thereby  discovering  that  Christ's  kingdom, 
as  they  thought,  should  consist  in  his  temporal 
jurisdiction  over  Israel,  which  they  expected  should 
now  commence  and  take  place  amongst  them. 
Again,  our  Lord  tells  them  that  he  had  many 
things  to  say,  and  these  were  many  important 
truths  which  they  could  not  now  bear.  Jn.  3ni.  12. 
And  that  these  were  important  truths  appears  by 
the  10th  and  11th  verses,  where  he  is  discoursing 
of  righteousness  and  judgment;  and  then  adds, 
that  he  had  yet  many  things  to  say  which  they 
could  not  bear ;  and  thereupon  promises  the  Com- 
forter to  lead  them  into  ALL  TRUTH;  which 
implies  that  they  were  yet  ignorant  of  many 
truths,  and  consequently  held  divers  errors ;  and 
yet  for  all  this  he  prays  for,  and  presses  them 
to  their  great  duty  of  peace  and  unity.  Jn.  xiv.  21, 
and  xTii.  21.  To  this  may  be  added  that  of  lie.  v.  11, 
where  the  author  saith,  lie  had  many  things  to  say 
of  the  priestly  office  of  Christ,  which,  by  reason 
of  their  dulness,  they  were  not  capable  to  receive ; 
as  also  that  in  Ac.  x.,  where  Peter  seems  to  be  ignor- 
ant of  that  truth,  viz.,  that  the  gospel  was  to  be 
preached  to  all  nations  ;  and  contrary  hereunto,  he 
erred  in  thinking  it  unlawful  to  preach  amongst  the 
Gentiles.  I  shall  add  two  texts  more  ;  one  is  Ac. 
xix.  2,  where  we  read.  That  those  disciples  which 
had  been  discipled  and  baptized  by  John,  were  yet 
ignorant  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  knew  not,  as  the 
text  tells  us,  '  whether  there  be  any  Holy  Ghost,' 
or  no ;  though  John  did  teach  constantly,  that  he 
that  should  come  after  him,  should  baptize  with 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  fire.  From  hence  v/e  may 
easily  and  plainly  infer,  that  Christians  may  be 
ignorant  of  many  truths,  by  reason  of  weak  and 
dull  capacities,  and  other  such  like  impediments, 
even  while  those  truths  are  with  much  plainness 
delivered  to  them.  Again,  we  read,  He.  v.  13,  of 
some  that  were  '  unskilful  in  the  word  of  righ- 
teousness,' who  nevertheless  are  called  babes  in 
Christ,  and  with  whom  unity  and  peace  is  to  be 
inviolably  kept  and  maintained. 

2.  As  this  unity  and  peace  may  consist  in  the 
ignorance  of  many  truths,  and  in  tlie  holding  some 
errors,  so  it  must  consist  with,  and  it  cannot  con- 
feist  Avithout,  the  believing  and  practising  those 
things  which  are  necessary  to  salvation  and  church 
communion  ;  and  they  are,  (1.)  Believing  that 
Christ  the  Son  of  God  died  for  the  sins  of  men. 
(2.)  That  whoever  bclieveth  ought  to  be  baptized. 


(3.)  The  third  thing  essential  to  this  communion 
is  a  holy  and  a  blameless  conversation. 

(1.)  That  believing  that  the  Son  of  God  died  for 
the  sins  of  men  is  necessary  to  salvation,  1  prove 
by  these  texts,  which  tell  us  that  he  that  doth 
not  believe   shall    be   damned.  Mar.  xvt  I6.  jn.  m.  is. 

2  Th.  ii.  12.    Ro.  x.  10. 

That  it  is  also  necessary  to  church-communion, 
appears  from  Mat.  xvi.  ic— 18.  Peter  having  confessed 
that  Christ  was  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  Christ 
thereupon  assures  Peter,  that  upon  this  rock,  viz., 
this  profession  of  faith,  or  this  Christ  which 
Peter  had  confessed,  he  would  build  his  church, 
and  the  gates  of  hell  should  not  prevail  against  it. 
And,  1  Co.  iii.  11,  the  apostle  having  told  the  Corin- 
thians they  were  God's  building,  presently  adds, 
that  they  could  not  be  built  upon  any  foundation 
but  upon  that  which  was  laid,  which  was  Jesus 
Christ.  All  which  proves,  that  christian  society 
is  founded  upon  the  profession  of  Christ ;  and  not 
only  Scripture,  but  the  laws  of  right  reason,  dic- 
tate this,  that  some  rules  and  orders  must  be 
observed  for  the  founding  aU  society,  which  must 
be  consented  to  by  all  that  wiU  be  of  it.  Henco 
it  comes  to  pass,  that  to  own  Christ  as  the  Lord 
and  head  of  Christians,  is  essential  to  the  founding 
christian  society. 

(2.)  The  Scriptures  have  declared  that  this  faith 
gives  the  professors  of  it  a  right  to  baptism,  as  in 
the  case  of  the  eunuch,  Ac.  viu.,  when  he  demanded 
why  he  might  not  be  baptized  ?  Philip  answer- 
etli,  that  if  he  believed  with  all  his  heart,  he 
might;  the  eunuch  thereupon  confessing  Christ, 
was  baptized. 

Now,  that  baptism  is  essential  to  church-com- 
munion, I  prove  from  i  Co.  xii.,  where  we  shall  find 
the  apostle  labouring  to  prevent  an  evil  use  that 
might  be  made  of  spiritual  gifts,  as  thereby  to  be 
puffed  up  ;  and  to  think  that  such  as  wanted  them, 
were  not  of  the  body,  or  to  be  esteemed  members ; 
he  thereupon  resolves,  that  whoever  did  confess 
Christ,  and  own  him  for  his  head,  did  it  by  the 
Spirit,  ver.  3,  though  they  might  not  have  such  a 
visible  manifestation  of  it  as  others  had;  and 
therefore  they  ought  to  be  owned  as  members,  as 
appears,  vcr.  23.  And  not  only  because  they  have 
called  him  Lord  by  the  Spirit,  but  because  they 
have,  by  the  guidance  and  direction  of  the  same 
Spirit,  been  baptized,  ver.  i3:  'For  by  one  Spirit 
we  are  all  baptized  into  one  body,'  kc.  I  need 
not  go  about  to  confute  that  notion  that  some  of 
late  have  had  of  this  text,  viz.,  that  the  baptism 
here  spoken  of  is  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  because 
you  have  not  owned  and  declared  that  notion  aa 
your  judgment ;  but  on  the  contrary,  all  of  you 
that  1  have  ever  conversed  with,  have  declared  it 
to  be  understood  of  baptism  with  water,  by  the 
direction  of  the  Spirit,      If  so,  then  it  follows,  that 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  PEACE  AND  UNITV. 


743 


tnen  and  women  are  declared  members  of  Christ's 
body  by  baptism,  and  cannot  be  by  Scripture 
reputed  and  esteemed  so  without  it ;  which  farther 
appears  from  Ro.  vi.  5,  where  men,  by  baptism,  are 
said  to  be  planted  into  'the  likeness  of  his  death.' 
And  Col.  ii.  12,  we  are  said  to  he  '  buried  with  him 
by  baptism,'  All  which,  together  with  the  con- 
sent of  all  Christians,  (some  few  in  these  late 
times  excepted,)  do  prove  that  baptism  is  neces- 
sary to  the  hiitiating  persons  into  the  church  of 
Christ. 

(3.)  Holiness  of  life  is  essential  to  church-com- 
munion, because  it  seems  to  be  the  reason  why 
Christ  founded  a  church  in  the  world,  viz.,  that 
men  might  thereby  be  watched  over  and  kept  from 
falling;  and  that  if  any  be  overtaken  with  a  fault, 
he  that  is  spiritual  might  restore  him. 

That  by  this  means  men  and  women  might  be 
preserved,  without  blame,  to  the  coming  of  Christ ; 
and  *  the  grace  of  God  teacheth  us  to  deny  ungod- 
liness and  worldly  lusts,  and  to  live  soberly  and 
uprightly  in  this  present  evil  world. '  Tit.  u.  11, 12. 
*  And  let  every  one  that  nameth  the  name  of 
Christ  depart  from  iniquity.'  2Ti.  u.  19.  And  James 
tells  us,  speaking  of  the  christian  religion,  that 
'  pure  religion,  and  undefiled,  before  God  -  is  to 
visit  the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their  affliction, 
a)id  to  keep  himself  unspotted  from  the  world.' 
Ja.  i.  27.  From  all  which,  together  with  many  more 
texts  that  might  be  produced,  it  appears  that  an 
unholy  and  profane  life  is  inconsistent  with  chris- 
tian religion  and  society,  and  that  holiness  is 
essential  to  salvation  and  church-commimion ;  so 
that  these  three  things — faith,  baptism,  and  a  holy 
life,  as  I  said  before,  all  churches  must  agree  and 
unite  in,  as  those  things  which,  wheu  wanting, 
will  destroy  their  being.  And  let  not  any  think, 
that  when  I  say  believing  the  Son  of  God  died  for 
the  sins  of  men  is  essential  to  salvation  and 
church-communion,  that  I  hereby  would  exclude 
all  other  articles  of  the  christian  creed  as  not 
necessary,  as  the  belief  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead  and  eternal  judgment,  <kc. ;  which,  for  want 
of  time,  I  omit  to  speak  particularly  to,  and  the 
rather  because  I  understand  this  great  article,  of 
believing  the  Son  of  God  died  for  the  sins  of  men, 
is  comprehensive  of  all  others,  and  is  that  from 
whence  all  other  articles  may  easily  be  inferred. 

And  here  I  would  not  be  mistaken,  as  thougli  I 
held  there  were  nothing  else  for  Christians  to 
practise,  when  I  .=ay  this  is  all  that  is  requisite  to 
church-communion ;  for  I  very  well  know  that 
Christ  requires  many  other  things  of  us  after  we 
are  members  of  his  body,  which,  if  we  knowingly 
or  maliciously  refuse,  may  be  the  cause,  not  only 
of  excommunication,  but  damnation.  But  yet 
these  are  such  things  as  relate  to  the  wellbeing, 
and  not  to  the  being,  of  churches ;  as  laying  on  of 

VOL.  II. 


hands,  in  the  primitive  times,  upon  believers,  by 
which  tliey  did  receive  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit — this, 
1  say,  was  for  tlic  increase  and  edifying  of  the 
body,  and  not  that  thereby  they  might  become  of 
the  body  of  Christ,  for  that  they  were  before. 
And  do  not  think  that  I  believe  laying  on  of  hands 
was  no  apostolical  institution,  because  I  say  men 
are  not  thereby  made  members  of  Christ's  body, 
or  because  I  say  that  it  is  not  essential  to  church- 
communion.  Why  should  I  be  thouglit  to  be 
against  a  fire  in  the  chimney,  because  I  say  it 
must  not  be  in  the  thatch  of  the  house  ?  Consider, 
then,  how  pernicious  a  thing  it  is  to  make  every 
doctrine,  though  true,  the  bound  of  communion; 
this  is  that  which  destroys  unity;  and,  by  this 
rule,  all  men  must  be  perfect  before  they  can  be  in 
peace.  For  do  we  not  see  daily,  that  as  soon  as 
men  come  to  a  clearer  understanding  of  the  mind 
of  God,  to  say  the  best  of  what  they  hold,  that 
presently  all  men  are  excommunicable,  if  not 
damnable,  that  do  not  agree  with  them.  Do  not 
some  believe  and  see  that  to  be  pride  and  covet- 
ousness,  which  others  do  not,  because,  it  may  be, 
they  have  more  narrowly  and  diligently  searched 
into  their  duty  of  these  things  than  others  have  ? 
What  then  ?  must  all  men  that  have  not  so  large 
acquaintance  of  their  duty  herein  be  excommuni- 
cated ?  Indeed,  it  were  to  be  wished  that  more 
moderation  in  apparel  and  secular  concernments 
were  found  among  churches ;  but  God  forbid,  that 
if  they  should  come  short  herein,  that  we  should 
say,  as  one  lately  said,  that  he  could  not  com- 
municate with  such  a  people,  because  they  were 
proud  and  superfluous  in  their  apparel. 

Let  me  appeal  to  such,  and  demand  of  them, 
if  there  was  not  a  time,  since  they  believed  and 
were  baptized,  wherein  they  did  not  believe  layuig 
on  of  hands  a  duty ;  and  did  they  not  then  believe, 
and  do  they  not  still  believe,  they  were  members 
of  the  body  of  Christ  ?  And  was  not  there  a  time 
when  you  did  not  so  well  understand  the  nature 
and  extent  of  pride  and  covetousness  as  now  you 
do  ?  And  did  you  not  then  believe,  and  do  you 
not  still  believe,  that  you  were  true  members  of 
Christ,  tliough  less  perfect  ?  Why,  then,  should 
you  not  judge  of  those  that  differ  from  you  herein, 
as  you  judged  of  j^ourselves  when  you  were  as 
they  now  are  ?  How  needful,  then,  is  it  for 
Christians  to  distinguish,  if  ever  they  would  bo 
at  peace  and  unity,  between  those  truths  which 
are  essential  to  church-communion,  and  those  that 
are  not ! 

3.  Unity  and  peace  consists  in  our  making  one 
shoidder  to  practise  and  put  in  execution  the  things 
we  do  know.  '  Nevertheless,  whereto  we  have  - 
attained,  let  us  walk  by  the  same  rule,  and  mind 
the  same  thing.'  rui.  iu.  16.  How  sad  is  it  to  see 
our  zeal  consume  us,  and  our  precious  time,  iu 
5  u 


746 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  PEACE  AND  UNITY. 


things  doubtful  and  disputable,  while  we  are  not 
concerned  nor  affected  with  the  practice  of  those 
indisputable  things  we  all  agree  in  !  We  all  know 
charity  to  be  the  great  command,  and  yet  how  few 
agree  to  practise  it !  We  all  know  they  that 
labour  in  the  Word  and  doctrine  are  worthy  of 
double  honour ;  and  that  God  hath  ordained,  that 
they  which  preach  the  gospel  should  live  of  the 
gospel ;  these  duties,  however  others  have  cavilled 
at  them,  I  know  you  agree  in  them,  and  are  per- 
Buaded  of  your  duty  herein ;  but  where  is  your 
zeal  to  practise  ?  0  how  well  would  it  be  with 
churches  if  they  were  but  half  as  zealous  for  the 
great,  and  plain,  and  indisputable  things,  and  the 
more  chargeable  and  costly  things  of  religion,  as 
they  are  for  things  doubtful  or  less  necessary,  or 
for  things  that  are  no  charge  to  them,  and  cost 
them  nothing  but  the  breath  of  contention,  thouo-h 
that  may  be  too  great  a  price  for  the  small  things 
they  purchase  with  it. 

But  further:  Do  we  not  all  agree,  that  men  that 
preach  the  gospel  should  do  it  like  workmen  that 
need  not  be  ashamed  ?  and  yet  how  little  is  this 
considered  by  many  preachers,  who  never  consider, 
before  they  speak,  of  what  they  say,  or  whereof 
they  affirm  !  How  few  give  themselves  to  study 
that  they  may  be  approved  !  How  few  meditate, 
and  give  themselves  to  these  things,  that  their 
profiting  may  appear  to  all ! 

For  the  Lord's  sake,  let  us  unite  to  practise 
those  things  we  know ;  and  if  we  would  have  more 
talents,  let  us  all  agree  to  improve  those  we  have. 

See  the  spirit  that  was  among  the  primitive 
professors,  that  knowing  and  believing  how  much 
it  concerned  them,  in  the  propagating  of  Christian- 
ity, to  show  forth  love  to  one  another,  that  so  all 
might  know  them  to  be  Christ's  disciples,  rather 
than  there  should  be  any  complainings  among 
them,  they  sold  all  they  had.  Oh  how  zealous 
were  these  to  practise,  and,  with  one  shoulder,  to 
do  that  that  was  upon  their  hearts  for  God  !  I 
might  further  add,  how  often  have  we  agreed  in 
our  judgment  ?  and  hath  it  not  been  upon  our 
hearts,  tliat  this  and  the  other  thing  is  good  to  be 
done  to  enlighten  the  dark  world,  and  to  repair  the 
breaches  of  churches,  and  to  raise  up  those  churches 
that  now  lie  agasping,  and  among  whom  the  soul 
of  religion  is  expiring  ?  But  what  do  we  more 
than  talk  of  them  ?  Do  not  most  decline  these 
things  when  they  either  call  for  their  purses  or 
their  persons  to  help  in  this  and  such  like  works 
as  these  ?  Let  us  then,  in  what  we  know,  unite, 
that  we  may  put  it  in  practice,  remembering  that, 
if  we  know  these  things,  we  shall  be  happy  if  we 
do  them. 

4.  This  unity  and  peace  consists  in  our  joining 
ar.d  agreeing  to  pray  for,  and  to  press  after,  those 
truths   we  do  not  know.      The  disciples   in  the 


primitive  times  were  conscious  of  tlieir  imperfec- 
tions, and,  therefore,  they,  with  one  accord,  con- 
tinued in  prayer  and  supplications.  If  we  were 
more  in  the  sense  of  our  own  ignorances  and  im- 
perfections, we  should  carry  it  better  towards  those 
that  differ  from  us ;  then  we  should  abound  more  in 
the  spirit  of  meekness  and  forbearance,  that  there- 
by we  might  bring  others,  or  be  brought  by  others, 
to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth ;  this  would  make 
us  go  to  God,  and  say  with  Elihu,  That  which  we 
know  not,  teach  thou  us.  Job  xxxiv.  32.  Brethren, 
did  we  but  all  agree  that  we  were  erring  in  many 
things,  we  should  soon  agree  to  go  to  God,  and 
pray  for  more  wisdom  and  revelation  of  his  mind 
and  will  concerning  us. 

But  here  is  our  misery,  that  we  no  sooner  receive 
any  thing  for  truth,  but  we  presently  ascend  the 
chair  of  infallibility  with  it,  as  though  in  this  we 
could  not  err;  hence  it  is  we  are  impatient  of  con- 
tradiction, and  become  uncharitable  to  those  that 
are  not  of  the  same  mind ;  but  now  a  conscious- 
ness that  we  may  mistake,  or  that  if  my  brother 
err  in  one  thing  I  may  eiT  in  another — this  will 
unite  us  in  affection,  and  engage  us  to  press  after 
perfection,  according  to  that  of  the  apostle,  *  Bre- 
thren, I  count  not  myself  to  have  apprehended  : 
but  this  one  thing  I  do,  forgetting  those  things 
which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  to  those 
things  which  are  before,  I  press  toward  the  mark, 
for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus,'  'and  if  in  any  thing  ye  be  otherwise  mind- 
ed, God  shall  reveal  even  this  unto  you.'  rhi.  iii. 
13—15.  0  then,  that  we  could  but  unite  and  agree 
to  go  to  God  for  one  another,  in  confidence  that  he 
will  teach  us;  and  that  if  any  one  of  us  want 
wisdom,  as  who  of  us  does  not,  we  might  agree  to 
ask  of  God,  who  giveth  to  all  men  liberally,  and 
upbraideth  no  man.  Let  us,  like  those  people 
spoken  of  in  is.  ii.,  say  one  to  another,  Come,  let 
us  go  to  the  Lord,  for  '  he  will  teach  us  of  his 
ways,  and  we  will  walk  in  his  paths.' 

5.  This  unity  and  peace  mainly  consists  in  unity 
of  love  and  affection ;  this  is  the  great  and  indis- 
pensable duty  of  all  Christians ;  by  this  they  are 
declared  Christ's  disciples ;  and  hence  it  is  that 
love  is  called  the  great  commandment,  the  old 
commandment,  and  the  new  commandment — that 
which  was  commanded  in  the  beginning,  and 
will  remain  to  the  end ;  yea,  and  after  the  end. 
'Charity  never  faileth:  but  -  whether  there  be 
tongues,  they  shall  cease ;  whether  there  he  know- 
ledge, it  shall  vanish  away.'  1  Co.  xiu.  8.  '  And  now 
abideth  faith,  hope,  charity  -  but  the  greatest  of 
these  is  charity.'  ver.  13.  'Above  all  these  things 
2yut  on  charity,  which  is  the  bond  of  perfectness. ' 
CoL  m.  14.  Because  charity  is  *  the  end  of  the  com- 
mandment.'  1  Ti.  i.  5.  Charity  is  therefore  called 
the  royal   law ;    and  though   it  had  a  superluten- 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  PEACE  AND  UNITY. 


747 


denoy  over  otlicr  laws,  and,  doubtless,  is  a  law  to 
which  other  laws  must  give  place  when  they  come 
in  competition  with  it.  '  Above  all  things,  [there- 
fore,] have  fervent  charity  among  yourselves,  for 
charity  shall  cover  the  multitude  of  sins. '  i  Pe.  iv.  s. 
Let  us,  therefore,  live  in  unity  and  peace,  and  the 
God  of  love  and  peace  will  be  with  us. 

That  you  may  so  do,  let  me  remember  you,  in 
the  words  of  a  learned  man,  that  the  unity  of  the 
church  is  a  unity  of  love  and  affection,  and  not  a 
bare  uniformity  of  practice  and  opinion. 

Third,  Having  shown  you  wherein  this  unity 
consists,  I  now  come  to  the  third  general  thing 
propounded,  and  that  is,  to  show  you  the  fruits  and 
benefits  of  uniiy  and  peace ;  together  with  tlie  mis- 
chiefs and  inconveniences  that  attend  tliose  churcJies 
where  unity  and  ixace  are  ivanting. 

1.  Unity  and  peace  is  a  duty  well-pleasing  to 
God,  who  is  styled  the  author  of  peace,  and  not 
of  confusion,  in  all  the  churches.  God's  Spirit 
rejoiceth  in  the  unity  of  our  spirits ;  but,  on  the 
other  hand,  where  strife  and  divisions  are,  there 
the  Spirit  of  God  is  grieved.  Hence  is  it  that  the 
apostle  no  sooner  calls  upon  the  Ephesians  not  to 
grieve  the  Spirit  of  God,  but  he  presently  subjoins 
us  a  remedy  against  that  evil :  that  they  put  away 
bitterness  and  evil  speaking,  '  and  be  ye  kind  one 
to  another,  tender-hearted,  forgiving  one  another, 
even  as  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven  you.' 

Ep.  iv.  32. 

2.  As  unity  and  peace  is  pleasing  to  God,  and 
rejoiceth  his  Spirit,  so  it  rejoiceth  the  hearts  and 
spirits  of  God's  people — unity  and  peace  brings 
heaven  down  upon  earth  among  us.  Hence  it  is 
that  the  apostle  tells  us,  Ro.  xiv.  17,  that  '  the  king- 
dom of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink ;  but  righteous- 
ness, and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.' 
Where  unity  and  peace  is,  there  is  heaven  upon 
earth;  by  this  we  taste  the  first  fruits  of  that 
blessed  estate  we  shad  one  day  live  in  the  fruition 
of,  when  we  shall  come  '  to  the  general  assembly 
and  church  of  the  first-born,'  whose  names  are 
written  in  heaven,  '  and  to  God,  the  judge  of  all, 
and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect.'  He. 

3ciL  23. 

This  outward  peace  of  the  church,  as  a  learned 
man  observes,  distils  into  peace  of  conscience,  and 
turns  writings  and  readings  of  controversy  into 
treatises  of  mortification  and  devotion. 

And  the  psalmist  tells  us,  that  it  is  not  only 
good,  but  pleasant  *  for  brethren  to  dwell  together 
in  unit\%'  Ps.  cxcdii;  but  where  unity  and  peace  is 
wanting,  there  are  storms  and  troubles ;  '  where 
envy  and  strife  is,  there  is  confusion  and  every  evil 
work.'  Ja.  ill  16.  It  is  the  outward  peace  of  the 
church  that  increaseth  our  inward  joy,  and  the 
peace  of  God's  house  gives  us  occasion  to  eat  our 
meat  with  gladness  in  our  own  houses.  Ac.  ii.  46. 


o.  The  unity  and  peace  of  the  church  makes 
communion  of  saints  desirable.  What  is  it  that 
embitters  church-communion,  and  makes  it  burden- 
some, but  divisions  ?  Have  you  not  heard  many 
complain  that  they  are  weary  of  church-communion, 
because  of  church  contention  ?  but  now,  where 
unity  and  peace  is,  there  Christians  long  fur  com- 
munion. 

David  saith  that  he  was  glad  when  they  said 
unto  him,  '  Let  us  go  into  the  house  of  the  Lord. ' 
Ps.  cxiii.  1.  Why  was  this,  but  because,  as  the 
third  verse  tells  us,  Jerusalem  v/as  a  city  compact 
together,  where  the  tribes  went  up,  the  tribes  of 
the  Lord,  to  give  thanks  to  his  name.  And  David, 
speaking  of  the  man  that  was  once  his  friend,  doth 
thereby  let  us  know  the  benefit  of  peace  and  unity; 
Ps.  iv.  14 :  '  We, '  saith  he,  '  took  sweet  counsel  to- 
gether, and  walked  unto  the  house  of  God  in  com- 
pany.' Where  unity  is  strongest,  communion  is 
sweetest  and  most  desirable.  You  see,  then,  that 
peace  and  union  fill  the  people  of  God  with  desires 
after  communion ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  hear 
how  David  complains,  Ps.  cxx.  5,  *  Woe  is  me  that  I 
sojourn  in  Meshech,  thai  I  dwell  in  the  tents  of 
Kedar!'  The  psalmist  here  is  thought  to  allude 
to  a  sort  of  men  that  dwelt  in  the  deserts  of  Arabia, 
thatgot  their  livings  by  contention  ;  and,  therefore, 
he  adds,  ver.  6,  that  his  soul  had  long  dwelt  with 
them  that  hated  peace :  this  was  that  which  made 
him  long  for  the  courts  of  God,  and  esteem  one  day 
in  his  house  better  than  a  thousand.  This  made 
his  soul  even  faint  for  the  house  of  God,  because 
of  the  peace  of  it;  '  Blessed  are  they,'  saith  he, 
*  that  dwell  in  thy  house :  they  will  be  still  praising 
thee.'  Ps.  btxxiv.  4.  There  is  a  certain  note  of  concord, 
as  appears,  Ac.  u.,  where  we  read  of  primitive  Chris- 
tians, meeting  Avith  one  accord,  praising  God. 

4.  Where  unity  and  peace  is,  there  many  mis- 
chiefs and  inconveniences  are  prevented  which 
attend  those  people  where  peace  and  unity  are 
wanting ;  and  of  those  many  that  might  be  men- 
tioned, I  shall  briefly  insist  upon  these  nine : — 

(1.)  Where  unity  and  peace  are  wanting,  there 
is  much  precious  time  spent  to  no  purpose.  How 
many  days  are  spent,  and  how  many  fruitless  jour- 
neys made  to  no  profit,  where  the  people  are  not  in 
peace!  How  often  have  many  redeemed  time, 
even  in  seed-time  and  harvest,  when  they  could 
scarce  afford  it  to  go  to  church,  and  by  reason 
of  their  divisions,  come  home  worse  than  they 
went,  repenting  they  have  spent  so  much  precious 
time  to  so  little  benefit!  How  sad  is  it  to  see  men 
spend  their  precious  time,  in  which  they  should 
work  out  their  salvation,  by  labouring,  as  in  the 
fire,  to  prove  an  uncertain  and  doubtful  proposi- 
tion, and  to  trifle  away  their  time,  in  which  they 
should  make  their  calling  and  election  sure,  to 
make   sure  of  an  opinion  which,  when  they  have 


'-tS 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  PEACE  AND  UNITY, 


(lone  all,  tliev  are  not  infalliblj  sure  whether  it  he 
true  or  no ;  because  all  things  necessary  to  salva- 
tion and  church-communion  are  plainly  laid  down 
in  Scripture,  in  which  we  may  he  infallibly  sure  of 
the  truth  of  them ;  hut  for  other  things  that  we 
have  no  plain  texts  for,  but  the  truth  of  them 
depends  upon  our  interpretations,  here  we  must  he 
cautioned  that  we  do  not  spend  much  time  in 
imposing  those  upon  others,  or  venting  those  among 
others,  unless  we  can  assume  infallibility — other- 
wise, we  spend  time  upon  uncertainty ;  and  whoever 
casts  their  eyes  abroad,  and  doth  open  their  ears 
to  intelligence,  shall  both  see,  and,  to  their  sorrow, 
hear  that  many  churches  spend  most  of  their  time 
in  jangling  and  contending  about  those  things 
which  are  neither  essential  to  salvation  or  church- 
communion,  and  that  which  is  worse,  about  such 
doubtful  questions  which  they  are  never  able  to 
give  an  infallible  solution  of;  but  now,  where  unity 
and  peace  is,  there  our  time  is  spent  in  praising 
God,  and  in  those  great  questions — what  we  should 
do  to  be  saved  ?  and  how  we  may  be  more  holy 
and  more  humble  towards  God,  and  more  charitable 
and  more  serviceable  to  one  another  ? 

(2.)  Where  unity  and  peace  is  wanting,  there  is 
evil  surmising  and  evil  speaking,  to  the  damage 
and  disgrace,  if  not  to  the  ruining  of  one  another ; 
Ga.  V.  14, 15 :  *  The  whole  law  is  fulfilled  in  one  word. 
Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself ;  hut  if 
ye  bite  and  devour  one  another,  take  heed  that  ye 
be  not  consumed  one  of  another.'  No  sooner  the 
bond  of  charity  is  broken,  which  is  as  a  wall  about 
Christians,  but  soon  they  begin  to  make  havoc  and 
spoil  of  one  another;  then  there  is  raising  evil 
reports,  and  taking  up  evil  reports  against  each 
other.  Hence  it  is  that  whispering  and  backbiting 
proceeds,  and  going  from  house  to  house  to  blazon 
the  faults  and  infirmities  of  others:  hence  it  is 
that  we  watch  for  the  baitings  of  one  another,  and 
do  inwardly  rejoice  at  the  miscarriages  of  others, 
saying  in  our  hearts,  Ah,  ah,  so  we  would  have 
it ;  but  now,  where  unity  and  peace  is,  there  is 
ciiarity ;  and  where  charity  is,  there  we  are  willing 
to  hide  the  faults,  and  cover  the  nakedness  of  our 
brethren.  'Charity  thinketh  no  evil,'  iCo.  xiu.  5; 
and,  therefore,  it  cannot  surmise,  neither  will  it 
speak  evil. 

(3.)  Where  unity  and  peace  is  wanting,  there 
can  be  no  great  matters  enterprised  ;  we  cannot  do 
much  for  God  nor  much  for  one  another.  When 
the  devil  would  hinder  the  bringing  to  pass  of  good 
in  nations  and  churches,  he  divides  their  councils ; 
and,  as  one  well  observes,  he  divides  their  heads, 
that  he  may  divide  their  hands ;  when  Jacob  had 
prophesied  of  the  cruelty  of  Simeon  and  Levi,  who 
were  brethren,  he  threatens  them  with  the  con- 
sequent of  it ;  Ge.  xiix.  7 : '  I  will  divide  them  in  Jacob, 
and  scatter  them  in  Israel.'     The  devil  is  not  to 


learn  that  maxim  he  hath  taught  the  Machiavelllana 
of  the  world,  divide  et  impera — divide  and  rule  ;  it 
is  a  united  force  that  is  formidable:  hence  the 
spouse,  in  the  Canticles,  is  said  to  be  *but  one,' 
'and  the  only  one  of  her  mother.'  Cn.  \i  9.  Here- 
upon it  is  said  of  her,  ver.  lo,  that  she  is  *  terrible 
as  an  aiimy  with  banners.'  What  can  a  divided 
army  do,  or  a  disordered  army,  that  have  lost  their 
banners,  or,  for  fear  or  shame,  thrown  them  away  ? 
In  like  manner,  what  can  Christians  do  for  Christ, 
and  the  enlarging  his  dominions  in  the  world,  in 
bringing  men  from  darkness  to  light,  while  them- 
selves are  divided  and  disordered  ?  Peace  is,  to 
Christians,  as  great  rivers  are  to  some  cities,  which, 
besides  other  benefits  and  commodities,  are  natural 
fortifications,  by  reason  Avhereof  those  places  are 
made  impregnable ;  but  when,  by  the  subtilty  of 
an  adversary  or  the  folly  of  the  citizens,  these 
waters  come  to  be  divided  into  little  petty  rivulets, 
how  soon  are  they  assailed  and  taken  !  Thus  it 
fares  with  churches  ;  when  once  the  devil,  or  their 
own  folly  divides  them,  they  will  be  so  far  from 
resisting  of  him,  that  they  will  be  soon  subjected 
by  him. 

Peace  is  to  churches  as  walls  to  cities;  nay,  unity 
hath  defended  cities  that  had  no  walls.  It  was  once 
demanded  of  Agesilaus  why  Lacedemon  had  no 
walls ;  he  answers,  pointing  back  to  the  city,  that 
the  concord  of  the  citizens  was  the  strength  of 
the  city.  In  like  manner.  Christians  are  strong 
Avhen  united  ;  then  they  are  more  capable  to  resist 
temptation,  and  to  succour  such  as  are  tempted. 
When  unity  and  peace  is  among  the  churches,  then 
are  they  like  a  walled  town ;  and  when  peace  is 
the  church's  walls,  salvation  will  be  her  bulwarks. 

Plutarch  tells  us  of  one  Silurus  that  had  eighty 
sons,  whom  he  calls  to  him  as  he  lay  upon  his 
death-bed,  and  gave  them  a  sheaf  of  arrows;  thereby 
to  signify,  that  if  they  lived  in  unity  they  might  do 
much ;  but,  if  they  divided,  they  would  come  to 
nothing.  If  Christians  were  all  of  one  piece — if 
they  were  all  but  one  lump,  or  but  one  sheaf  or 
bimdle,  how  great  are  the  things  they  might  do 
for  Christ  and  his  people  in  the  world,  whereas, 
otherwise,  they  can  do  little  but  dishonour  him,  and 
ofiend  his. 

It  is  reported  of  the  leviathan,  that  his  strecgtli 
is  in  his  scales ;  Job  xii.  15—17 :  '  His  scales  are  his 
pride,  shut  up  together,  as  vnt/i  a  close  seal.  One 
is  so  near  to  another,  that  no  air  can  come  between 
them.  They  are  joined  one  to  another,  they  stick 
together,  that  they  cannot  be  sundered.'  If  the 
church  of  God  were  united  like  the  scales  of  levia- 
than, it  would  not  be  every  brain-sick  notion,  nor 
angry  speculation,  that  would  cause  their  separa- 
tion. 

Solomon  saith,  Two  are  better  than  one,  because 
if  one  fail,  the  other  may  raise  him ;  then  surely 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  PEACE  AND  UNITY. 


749 


twenty  are  Letter  tlian  two,  and  an  hundred  are 
better  than  twenty,  for  the  same  reason — because 
they  are  more  capable  to  help  one  another.  If  ever 
Christians  would  do  any  thing  to  raise  up  the  fallen 
tabernacles  of  Jacob,  and  to  strengthen  the  weak, 
and  comfort  the  feeble,  and  to  fetch  back  those 
that  have  gone  astray,  it  must  be  by  unity. 

We  read  of  the  men  of  Babel,  Ge.  xi.  6,  '  The  Lord 
said.  Behold  the  people  is  one  -  And  now  nothing 
will  be  restrained  fi-om  them  which  they  have  ima- 
gined to  do. ' 

We  learn,  by  reason,  what  great  things  may  be 
done  in  worldly  achievements  where  unity  is.  And 
shall  not  reason,  assisted  with  the  motives  of  reli- 
gion, teach  us  that  unity  among  Christians  may 
enable  them  to  enterprise  greater  things  for  Christ  ? 
Would  not  this  make  Satan  fall  from  heaven  like 
lightning?  For  as  unity  built  literal  Babel,  it  is 
unity  that  must  pull  down  mystical  Babel.  And, 
on  the  other  hand,  where  divisions  are,  there  is 
confusion  ;  by  this  means,  a  Babel  hath  been  built 
in  every  age.  It  hath  been  observed  by  a  learned 
man,  and  I  wish  I  could  not  say  truly  observed, 
that  there  is  most  of  Babel  and  confusion  among 
those  that  cry  out  most  against  it. 

Would  we  have  a  hand  to  destroy  Babylon,  let 
us  have  a  heart  to  unite  one  among  another. 

Our  English  histories  tell  us,  that  after  Austin 
the  monk  had  been  some  time  in  England,  that  he 
heard  of  some  of  the  remains  of  the  British  Chris- 
tians, which  he  convened  to  a  place,  which  Camb- 
den,  in  his  Britannia,  calls  Austni's  Oak.  Here  they 
met  to  consult  about  matters  of  religion  ;  but  such 
was  their  division,  by  reason  of  Austin's  imposing 
spirit,  that  our  stories  tell  us  that  synod  was  only 
famous  for  this,  that  they  only  met,  and  did  nothing. 
This  is  the  mischief  of  divisions,  they  hinder  the 
doing  of  much  good;  and  if  Christians  that  are 
divided  be  ever  famous  for  any  thing,  it  will  be  that 
they  have  often  met  together,  and  talked  of  this 
and  the  other  thing,  but  they  did  nothing. 

(4.)  Where  unity  and  peace  is  wanting,  there  the 
weak  are  wounded,  and  the  wicked  are  hardened. 
Unity  may  well  be  compared  to  precious  oil.  Ps. 
cxxxui.  2.  It  is  tlie  nature  of  oil  to  heal  that  which 
is  wounded,  and  to  soften  that  which  is  hard. 
Those  men  that  have  hardened  themselves  against 
God  and  his  people,  when  they  shall  behold  unity 
and  peace  among  them,  will  say,  God  is  in  them 
indeed  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  are  they  not  ready 
to  say,  when  they  see  you  divided,  that  the  devil 
is  in  you,  that  you  cannot  agree  ? 

(5.)  Divisions,  and  want  of  peace,  keep  those  out 
of  the  church  that  would  come  in  ;  and  cause  many 
to  go  out  that  are  in. 

'  The  divisions  of  Christians  (as  a  learned  man 
observes)  are  a  scandal  to  the  Jews,  an  opprobrium 
TX>  the  Gentiles,  and  an  inlet  to  atheism  and  infi- 


delity.' Insomuch  that  our  controversies  about  reli- 
gion, especially  as  they  have  been  of  late  managed, 
have  made  religion  itself  become  a  controversy. 
0,  then,  how  good  and  pleasant  a  thing  is  it  for 
brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity'  The  peace 
and  unity  that  was  among  the  primitive  Christians 
drew  others  to  them.  What  hinders  the  conversion 
of  the  Jews,  but  the  divisions  of  Christians  ?  Must 
I  be  a  Christian,  says  the  Jew?  What  Christian 
must  I  be  ;  of  what  sect  must  I  be  of  ?  The  Jews, 
as  one  observes,  glossing  upon  that  text  in  is.  xi.  6, 
where  it  is  prophesied,  that  the  lion  and  the  lamb 
shall  lie  down  together,  and  that  there  shall  be 
none  left  to  hurt  nor  destroy  in  all  God's  holy 
mountain ;  they  interpreting  these  sayings  to  sig- 
nify the  concord  and  peace  that  shall  be  amoiig 
the  people  that  shall  own  the  I\Iessiah,  do  from 
hence  conclude  that  the  Messiah  is  not  yet  come, 
because  of  the  contentions  and  divisions  that  are 
among  those  that  profess  him ;  and  the  apostle 
saith,  1  Co.  xiv.  23,  that  if  an  unbeliever  should  see 
their  disorders,  he  would  say  they  were  mad ;  but 
where  unity  and  peace  is,  there  the  churches  are  mul- 
tiplied. We  read,  Ac.  bt.  3i,  that  when  the  churches 
had  rest,  they  multiplied  ;  and,  Ac.  ii.  io,  47,  when  the 
church  was  serving  God  'with  one  accord,'  the 
Lord  added  to  them  'daily  such  as  should  be  saved.' 
It  is  unity  brings  men  into  the  church,  and  divi- 
sions keep  them  out.  It  is  reported  of  an  Indian, 
passing  by  the  house  of  a  Christian,  and  hearing 
them  contending,  being  desired  to  turn  in,  he 
refused,  saying  Habamach  dwells  there — meaning 
that  the  devil  dwelt  there;  but  where  unity  and  peace 
is,  there  God  is ;  and  he  that  dwells  in  love,  dwells 
in  God.  The  apostle  tells  the  Corinthians,  that  if 
they  walked  orderly,  even  the  unbeliever  would 
hereby  be  enforced  to  come  and  worship,  and  say, 
God  was  in  them  indeed ;  and  we  read,  Zec.  ral  23, 
of  a  time  when  ten  men  shall  take  hold  of  a  Jew, 
and  say,  '  We  will  go  with  you  ;  for  we  have  heard 
that  God  is  with  you.' 

And  hence  it  is  that  Christ  prays,  Jn.  x^-ii.  21,  that 
his  disciples  might  be  one,  as  the  Father  and  he 
were  one,  that  the  world  might  believe  the  Father 
sent  him.  As  if  he  should  say,  you  may  preach 
me  as  long  as  you  will,  and  to  little  purpose,  it 
you  are  not  at  peace  and  unity  among  yourselves. 
Such  v/as  the  unity  of  Christians  in  former  days, 
that  the  intelligent  heathen  would  say  of  them, 
that  though  they  had  many  bodies,  yet  they  had 
but  one  soul.  And  we  read  the  same  of  them, 
Ac.  iv.  32,  that '  the  multitude  of  them  that  believed 
were  of  one  heart  and  of  one  soul.' 

And  as  the  learned  Stillingfleet  observes,  in  his 
Irenicum, — '  The  unity  and  peace  that  was  then 
among  Christians,  made  religion  amiable  in  the 
judgment  of  impartial  heathens.  Christians  were 
then  known  by  the  benignity  and  sweetness   of 


750 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  PEACE  AND  UNITY. 


tlicir  dispositions,  by  the  candour  and  ingenuity  of 
their  spirits,  by  their  mutual  love,  forbearance,  and 
condescension  to  one  another:  but  either  this  is 
not  the  practice  of  Christianity,'  viz.,  a  duty  that 
Christians  are  now  bound  to  observe,  '  or  else  it  is 
not  calculated  for  our  meridian,  where  the  spirits 
of  men  are  of  too  high  an  elevation  for  it ;  for  if 
pride  and  uncharitableness,  if  divisions  and  strifes, 
if  wrath  and  envy,  if  animosities  and  contentions, 
were  but  the  marks  of  true  Christians,  Diogenes 
need  never  light  his  lamp  at  noon  to  find  out  such 
among  us  ;  but  if  a  spirit  of  meekness,  gentleness, 
and  condescension  ;  if  a  stooping  to  the  weaknesses 
and  infirmities  of  one  another;  if  pursuit  afterpeace, 
when  it  flies  from  us,  be  the  indispensable  duties 
and  characteristical  notes  of  Christians,  it  may 
possibly  prove  a  difficult  inquest  to  find  out  such 
among  the  crowds  of  those  that  shelter  themselves 
under  that  glorious  name.' 

It  is  tlie  unity  and  peace  of  churches  that  brings 
others  to  them,  and  makes  Christianity  amiable. 
What  is  prophesied  of  the  church  of  the  Jews,  may 
in  this  case  be  applied  to  the  Gentile  church,  is. 
LcvL  12,  that  when  once  God  extends  peace  to  her 
like  a  river,  the  Gentiles  shall  come  in  like  a  flow- 
ing stream ;  then,  and  not  till  then,  the  glory  of 
the  Lord  shall  arise  upon  his  churches,  and  his 
glory  shall  be  seen  among  them ;  then  shall  their 
hearts  fear  and  be  enlarged,  because  the  abundance 
of  the  nations  shall  be  converted  to  them. 

(6.)  As  want  of  unity  and  peace  keeps  those  out 
of  the  church  that  would  come  in,  so  it  hinders  the 
growth  of  those  that  are  in.  Jars  and  divisions, 
M-ranglings  and  prejudices,  eat  out  the  growth,  if 
not  the  life,  of  religion.  These  are  those  waters 
of  Marah  that  imbitter  our  spirits,  and  quench  the 
Spirit  of  God.  Unity  and  peace  is  said  to  be  like 
the  dew  of  Hermon,  and  as  a  dew  that  descended 
upon  Zion,  where  the  Lord  commanded  his  blessing. 

I's.  cxxxiii.  3. 

Divisions  run  religion  into  briers  and  thorns, 
contentions  and  parties.  Divisions  are  to  churches 
like  wars  in  countries.  Where  war  is,  the  ground 
lieth  waste  and  untilled ;  none  takes  care  of  it.  It 
is  love  that  edifieth,  but  division  pulleth  down. 
Divisions  are,  as  the  north-east  wind  to  tlie  fruits, 
which  causeth  them  to  dwindle  away  to  nothino-; 
but  when  the  storms  are  over,  every  thing  begins 
to  grow.  When  men  are  divided,  they  seldom 
speak  the  truth  in  love ;  and  then,  no  marvel  they 
grow  not  up  to  him  in  all  things,  which  is  the  head. 

It  is  a  sad  presage  of  an  approaching  famine,  as 
one  well  observes,  not  of  bread  nor  water,  but  of 
hearing  the  Word  of  God ;  wlien  the  thin  ears  of 
corn  devour  the  plump  full  ones ;  when  the  lean 
kine  devour  the  fat  ones ;  when  our  controversies 
about  doubtful  things,  and  things  of  less  moment, 
eat  up  our  zeal  for  the  more  indisputable  and  prac- 


tical things  in  religion ;  which  may  give  us  cause 
to  fear  that  this  will  be  the  character  by  which  our 
age  will  be  known  to  posterity,  that  it  was  the  age 
that  talked  of  religion  most  and  loved  it  least. 

Look  upon  those  churches  where  peace  is,  and 
there  you  shall  find  prosperity.  When  the  churches 
had  rest,  they  were  not  only  multiplied,  but,  walking 
in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  the  comforts  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  they  were  edified ;  it  is  when  the  whole 
body  is  knit  together,  as  with  joints  and  bands, 
that  they  increase  with  the  increase  of  God. 

We  are  at  a  stand  sometimes  why  there  is  so 
little  growth  among  churches  ;  why  men  have  been 
so  long  in  learning,  and  are  yet  so  far  from  attain- 
ing the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  Some  have  given 
one  reason,  and  some  another ;  some  say  pride  is 
the  cause,  and  others  say  covetousness  is  the  cause  ; 
I  wish  I  could  say  these  were  no  causes.  But  I 
observe  that  when  God  entered  his  controversy  with 
his  people  of  old,  he  mainly  insisted  upon  some  one 
sin,  as  idolatry,  and  shedding  innocent  blood,  «kc., 
as  comprehensive  of  the  rest ;  not  but  that  they 
were  guilty  of  other  sins,  but  those  that  were  the 
most  capital  are  particularly  insisted  on  ;  in  like 
manner,  whoever  would  but  take  a  review  of 
churches  that  live  in  contentions  and  divisions, 
may  easily  find  that  breach  of  unity  and  charity 
is  their  capital  sin,  and  the  occasion  of  all  other 
sins.  No  marvel,  then,  that  the  Scripture  saith 
the  whole  law  is  fulfilled  in  love;  and  if  so,  then, 
where  love  is  wanting,  it  must  needs  follow  the 
whole  law  is  broken.  It  is  where  love  grows 
cold  that  sin  abounds  ;  and  therefore  the  want  of 
unity  and  peace  is  the  cause  of  that  leanness  and 
barrenness  that  is  among  us :  it  is  true  in  spirituals 
as  well  as  temporals,  that  peace  brings  plenty. 

(7.)  Where  unity  and  peace  is  wanting,  our 
prayers  are  hindered.  The  promise  is,  that  what 
we  shall  agree  to  ask  shall  be  given  us  of  our 
heavenly  Father.  No  marvel  we  pray  and  pray, 
and  yet  are  not  answered ;  it  is  because  we  are 
not  agreed  what  to  have. 

It  is  reported  that  the  people  in  Lacedemonia, 
coming  to  make  supplications  to  their  idol-god, 
some  of  them  asked  for  rain,  and  others  of  them 
asked  for  fair  weather ;  the  oracle  returns  them 
this  answer,  That  they  should  go  first  and  agree 
among  themselves.  Would  a  heathen  god  refuse 
to  answer  such  prayers  in  which  the  supplicants 
were  not  agreed ;  and  shall  we  think  the  true  God 
will  answer  them  ? 

We  see,  then,  that  divisions  hinder  our  prayers, 
and  lay  a  prohibition  on  our  sacrifice.  '  If  thou 
bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar,'  saith  Christ,  'and 
tliere  rememberest  that  thy  brother  hath  ought 
against  thee ;  leave  there  thy  gift  -  and  go  -  and 
first  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother,  and  then  come 
and  oft'er  it.'  Mat.  v.  24.     So  that  want  of  unity  and 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  PEACE  AND  L'NITY, 


751 


charity  himlers  even   our  particular  prayers  and 
devotions. 

This  hindered  the  prayers  and  fastings  of  the 
people  of  old  from  finding  acceptance,  is.  hiu.  3 ;  the 
people  ask  the  reason  wherefore  they  fasted,  and 
God  did  not  see,  nor  take  notice  of  them.  He 
gives  this  reason,  because  they  fasted  for  strife  and 
debate,  and  hid  their  face  from  their  own  flesh. 
Again,  is.  Ux.,  the  Lord  saith.  His  hand  was  not 
shortened,  that  he  could  not  save ;  nor  his  ear 
heavy,  that  he  could  not  hear  :  but  their  sins  had 
separated  between  their  God  and  them.  And 
among  those  many  sins  they  stood  chargeable 
with,  this  was  none  of  the  least,  viz.,  that  the 
way  of  peace  they  had  not  known.  You  see  where 
peace  was  wanting,  prayers  were  hindered,  both 
under  the  Old  and  New  Testament. 

The  sacrifice  of  the  people  in  is.  ixv.,  that  said, 
Stand  farther  ofi^,  I  am  holier  than  thou,  was 
as  smoke  in  the  nostrils  of  the  Lord.  On  the 
other  hand,  we  read  how  acceptable  those  prayers 
were  that  were  made  '  with  one  accord, '  Ac.  iv.  24, 
compared  with  ver.  31.  They  prayed  with  one  accord, 
and  they  were  all  of  one  heart  and  of  one  soul. 
And  see  the  benefit  of  it ;  '  they  were  all  filled 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  they  spake  the  Word 
with  boldness:'  which  was  the  very  thing  they 
prayed  for,  as  appears,  ver.  29.  And  the  apostle 
exhorts  the  husband  to  dwell  with  his  wife,  that 
their  prayers  might  not  be  hindered.  1  Pe.  m.  7.  We 
see,  then,  want  of  unity  and  peace,  either  in  fami- 
lies or  churches,  is  a  hinderance  of  prayers. 

(8.)  It  is  a  dishonour  and  disparagement  to  Christ 
that  his  family  sliould  be  divided.  When  an  army 
falls  into  mutiny  and  division,  it  reflects  disparage- 
ment on  him  that  hath  the  conduct  of  it.  In  like 
manner,  the  divisions  of  families  are  a  dishonour 
to  the  heads  and  those  that  govern  them.  And 
if  so,  then  how  greatly  do  we  dishonour  our  Lord 
and  Governor,  who  gave  his  body  to  be  broken, 
to  keep  his  church  from  breaking,  who  prayed  for 
their  peace  and  unity,  and  left  peace  at  his 
departing  from  them  for  a  legacy,  even  a  peace 
which  the  M'orld  could  not  bestow  upon  them. 

(9.)  Where  there  is  peace  and  unity,  there  is  a 
sympathy  with  each  other ;  that  which  is  the  want 
of  one  will  be  the  want  of  all, — Who  is  afflicted, 
saith  the  apostle,  and  1  burn  not  ?  *  we  should 
then  remember  them  that  are  in  bonds,  as  bound 
Avith  them ;  and  them  which  suft'er  adversity,  as 
being  ourselves  also  of  the  body.  He.  xiu.  3.  But 
where  the  body  is  broken,  or  men  are  not  reckoned 
or  esteemed  of  the  body,  no  marvel  we  are  so  little 
afiected  with  such  as  are  afilictcd.  Where  divi- 
sions are,  that  which  is  the  joy  of  the  one  is  the 

*  '"Wto  is  weak,  and  I  am  not  weak?  Who  is  ofltiided, 
aud  I  liuru  iiol  ? ' — Ed. 


grief  of  another ;  but  where  unity,  and  peace,  and 
charity  abounds,  there  we  shall  find  Christians  in 
mourning  with  them  that  mourn,  and  rejoicing 
with  them  that  rejoice ;  then  they  will  not  envy 
the  prosperity  of  others,  nor  secretly  rejoice  at  the 
miseries  or  miscarriages  of  any. 

Fourth,  Last  of  all,  I  now  come  to  give  you 
twdve  directions  and  motives  for  the  obtaining  peace 
and  unity. 

If  ever  we  would  live  in  peace  and  unity,  we 
must  pray  for  it.  We  are  required  to  seek  peace: 
of  whom,  then,  can  we  seek  it  with  expectation  to 
find  it,  but  of  him  who  is  a  God  of  peace,  and  hath 
promised  to  bless  his  people  with  peace  ?  It  is 
God  that  hath  promised  to  give  his  people  one 
heart,  and  one  way ;  yet  for  all  these  things  he 
will  be  sought  unto.  0  then  let  us  seek  peace, 
and  pray  for  peace,  because  God  shall  prosper  them 
that  love  it. 

The  peace  of  churches  is  that  which  the  apostle 
prays  for  in  all  his  epistles ;  in  which  his  desire 
is,  that  grace  and  peace  may  be  multiplied  and 
increased  among  them. 

1.  They  that  would  endeavour  the  peace  of  the 
churches,  must  be  careful  who  they  commit  the 
care  and  oversight  of  the  churches  to ;  as,  first, 
over  and  besides  those  qualifications  that  should 
be  in  all  Christians,  they  that  rule  the  church  of 
God  should  be  men  of  counsel  and  understanding ; 
whe/e  there  is  an  ignorant  ministry,  there  is  com- 
monly an  ignorant  people, — according  as  it  was 
of  old,  Like  priest,  like  people. 

How  sad  is  it  to  see  the  church  of  God  com- 
mitted to  the  care  of  such  that  pretend  to  be 
teachers  of  others,  that  understand  not  what  they 
say,  or  whereof  they  afiirm.  No  marvel  the  peace 
of  churches  is  broken,  when  their  watchmen  want 
skill  to  preserve  their  unity,  which  of  all  other 
things  is  as  the  church's  walls ;  when  they  are 
divided,  no  wonder  they  crumble  to  atoms,  if  there 
is  no  skilful  physician  to  heal  them.  It  is  sad 
when  there  is  no  balm  in  Gilead,  and  when  there 
is  no  physician  there.  Hence  it  is,  that  the 
wounds  of  churches  become  incurable,  like  the 
woimds  of  God's  people  of  old;  either  not  healed 
at  all,  or  else  slightly  healed,  and  to  no  purpose. 
May  it  not  be  said  of  many  churches  at  this  day, 
as  God  said  of  the  church  of  Israel,  that  he  sought 
for  a  man  among  them  that  should  stand  in  the 
gap,  and  make  up  the  breach,  but  he  found  none? 
Remember  what  was  said  of  old,  MaL  u.  7,  The 
])riest's  lips  should  preserve  knowledge  ;  and  the 
people  '  should  seek  the  law  at  his  mouth,'  But 
when  this  is  wanting,  the  people  will  be  stumbling 
and  departing  from  God  and  one  another ;  there- 
fore God  complains.  Ho.  iv.  e,  that  his  people  were 
'destroyed  for  want  of  knowledge;'  that  is,  for 
1  want  of  knowing  guides ;    for  if  the  light  that  is 


752 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  PEACE  AND  UNITY. 


in  tiieni  that  teach  be  darkness,  how  great  is  that 
darkness;  and  if  the  blind  lead  the  blind,  no 
marvel  both  fall  into  the  ditch. 

How  many  are  there  that  take  upon  them  to 
teach  others,  that  had  need  be  taught  in  the  begin- 
nino-  of  religion ;  that  instead  of  multiplying 
knowledge,  multiply  words  without  knowledge; 
and  instead  of  making  known  God's  counsel, 
darken  counsel  by  words  without  knowledge  ? 
The  apostle  speaks  of  some  that  did  more  than 
darken  counsel,  for  they  wrested  the  counsel  of 
God.  2  re.  iii.  16.  In  Paul's  epistles,  saith  he,  are 
'  some  things  hard  to  be  understood,  which  they 
that  are  unlearned  and  unstable  wrest,  as  they  do 
also  the  other  scriptures  unto  their  own  destruc- 
tion.' Some  things  in  the  Scripture  are  hard  to 
be  known,  and  they  are  made  harder  by  such 
unlearned  teachers  as  utter  their  own  notions  by 
words  without  knowledge. 

None  are  more  bold  and  adventurous  to  take 
upon  them  to  expound  the  dark  mysteries  and 
sayings  of  the  prophets  and  revelations,  and  the 
9th  of  the  Romans, — which,  I  believe,  contains 
Bome  of  those  many  things  which,  in  Paul's  epis- 
tles, Peter  saith  were  '  hard  to  be  understood. ' 
I  say,  none  are  more  forward  to  dig  in  these 
mines  than  those  that  can  hardly  give  a  sound 
reason  fur  the  first  principles  of  religion ;  and 
such  as  are  ignorant  of  many  more  weighty  things 
that  are  easily  to  be  seen  in  the  face  and  super- 
ficies of  the  Scripture ;  nothing  will  serve  these 
but  swimming  in  the  deeps,  when  they  have  not 
yet  learned  to  wade  through  the  shallows  of  the 
Scriptures.  Like  the  Gnostics  of  old,  who  thought 
they  knew  all  things,  though  they  knew  nothing 
as  they  ought  to  know.  And  as  those  Gnostics 
did  of  old,  so  do  such  teachers  of  late  break  the 
unity  and  peace  of  churches.  How  needful,  then, 
is  it,  that  if  we  desire  the  peace  of  churches,  that 
we  choose  out  men  of  knowledge,  who  may  be  able 
to  keep  them  from  being  shattered  and  scattered 
with  every  wind  of  doctrine  ;  and  who  may  be  able 
to  convince  and  stop  the  mouths  of  gainsayers  ! 

2.  You  must  not  only  choose  men  of  counsel  ; 
but  if  you  would  design  the  unity  and  peace  of  the 
churches,  you  must  choose  men  of  courage  to 
govern  them ;  for  as  there  must  be  wisdom  to  bear 
with  some,  so  there  must  be  courage  to  correct 
others ;  as  some  must  be  instructed  meekly,  so 
others  must  be  rebuked  sharply,  that  they  may  be 
sound  in  the  faith;  there  must  be  wisdom  to 
rebuke  some  with  long-suffering,  and  there  must 
be  courage  to  suppress  and  stop  the  mouths  of 
others.  The  apostle  tells  Titus  of  some  '  whose 
mouths  must  be  stopped, 'or  else  they  would  'sub- 
vert whole  houses.' Tit.  i.  11.  Where  this  courage 
hath  been  wanting,  not  only  whole  houses,  but 
wliolo  churches  have  been  subverted.     And  Paul 


tells  tlie  Galatians,  that  when  he  saw  some  endea- 
vour to  bring  the  churches  into  bondage,  that  he 
did  not  give  place  to  them,  'no,  not  for  an  hour,' 
he.  Ga.  ii.  5.  If  this  course  had  been  taken  by  the 
rulers  of  churches,  their  peace  had  not  been  so 
often  invaded  by  unruly  and  vain  talkers. 

In  choosing  men  to  rule,  if  you  would  endea- 
vour to  keep  the  unity  of  the  spirit  and  the  bond 
of  peace  thereby,  be  careful  you  choose  men  of 
peaceable  dispositions.  That  which  hath  much 
annoyed  the  peace  of  churches,  hath  been  the 
froward  and  perverse  spirits  of  the  rulers  thereof. 
Solomon  therefore  adviseth,  that  '  with  a  furious 
man  we  should  not  go,  lest  we  learn  his  ways,  and 
get  a  snare  to  our  souls. '  Pr.  xdi.  24,  25.  And  with 
the  froward  we  learn  frowarduess.  How  do  some 
men's  words  eat  like  a  canker;  who  instead  of 
lifting  up  their  voices  like  a  trumpet,  to  sound  a 
parley  for  peace,  have  rather  sounded  an  alarm 
to  war  and  contention.  If  ever  we  would  live  in 
peace,  let  us  reverence  the  feet  of  them  that  bring 
the  glad  tidings  of  it. 

0  how  have  some  men  made  it  their  business  to 
preach  contentions,  and  upon  their  entertainment 
of  every  novel  opinion,  to  preach  separation !  How 
hath  God's  Word  been  stretched  and  torn,  to  fur- 
nish these  men  with  arguments  to  tear  churches  ! 
Have  not  our  ears  heard  those  texts  that  saith, 
'Come  out  from  among  them,  and  be  separate,' 
<fec.;  and,  'Withdrawfromevery  brother  that  walks 
disorderly  ? '  I  say,  have  we  not  heard  these  texts, 
that  were  written  to  prevent  disorder,  brought  to 
countenance  the  greatest  disorder  that  ever  was  in 
the  church  of  God,  even  schism  and  division  ? 
wliereas  one  of  these  exhortations  was  written  to 
the  church  of  Corinth,  to  separate  themselves  from 
the  idol's  temple,  and  the  idol's  table,  in  which 
many  of  them  lived  in  the  participation  of,  not- 
withstanding their  profession  of  the  true  God,  as 
appears  2  Co.  \'i.  ig,  17,  compared  with  iCo.  viu.  7,  and 
1  Co.  X.  u,  20,  22  recites:  and  not  for  some  few  or 
more  members,  who  shall  make  themselves  both 
judges  and  parties,  to  make  separation,  when  and 
as  often  as  they  please,  from  the  whole  congrega- 
tion and  church  of  God  where  they  stood  related ; 
for  by  the  same  rule,  and  upon  the  same  ground, 
may  others  start  some  new  question  among  these 
new  separatists,  and  become  their  own  judges  of 
the  commuuicableness  of  them,  and  thereupon 
make  another  separation  from  these,  till  at  last 
two  be  not  left  to  walk  together.  And  for  that 
other  text  mentioned,  2Th.iii.6,  where  Paul  exhorts 
the  church  of  Thessalonica  to  withdraw  themselves 
from  every  brother  that  walks  disorderly,  I  cannot 
but  wonder  that  any  should  bring  this  to  justify 
their  separation,  or  withdrawing  from  the  commu- 
nion of  a  true,  though  a  disorderly,  church.     For, 

(l.J  Consider  that  tliis  was  not  writ  for  a  few 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  PEACE  AND  UNITY. 


753 


members  to  -witlidraw  from  the  church,  but  for  the 
ehurch  to  withdraw  from  disorderly  members. 

(2.)  Consider  that  if  any  offended  members,  upon 
pretence  of  error,  either  in  doctrine  or  practice, 
should  by  this  text  become  judges,  as  well  as  par- 
ties, of  the  grounds  and  lawfulness  of  their  separa- 
tion, then  it  will  follow,  that  half  a  score  notorious 
heretics,  or  scandalous  livers,  when  they  have 
walked  so  as  they  foresee  the  church  are  ready  to 
deal  with  them,  and  withdraw  from  them,  shall 
anticipate  the  church,  and  pretend  somewhat 
against  them,  of  which  themselves  must  be  judges, 
and  so  withdraw  from  the  church,  pretending  either 
heresy  or  disorder ;  and  so  condemn  the  church,  to 
prevent  the  disgrace  of  being  condemned  by  the 
church.  How  needful,  then,  is  it  that  men  of 
peaceable  dispositions,  and  not  of  froward  and  fac- 
tious and  dividing  spirits,  be  chosen  to  rule  the 
church  ot  God,  for  fear  lest  the  whole  church  be 
leavened  and  soured  by  them. 

4.  As  there  must  be  care  used  in  choosing  men 
to  rule  the  church  of  God,  so  there  must  be  a  con- 
sideration had  that  there  are  many  things  darkly 
laid  down  in  Scripture ;  this  will  temper  our  spirits, 
and  make  us  live  in  peace  and  unity  the  more 
firmly  in  things  in  which  we  agree ;  this  will  help 
us  to  bear  one  another's  burden,  and  so  fulfil  the 
law  of  Christ,  inasmuch  as  all  things  necessary  to 
salvation  and  church-communion  are  plainly  laid 
down  in  Scripture.     And  where  things  are  more 
darkly  laid   down,  we   should   consider  that  God 
intended    hereby  to   stir    up   our    diligence,    that 
thereby  we  might  increase  our  knowledge,  and  not 
our  divisions ;  for  it  may  be  said  of  all  discoveries 
of  truth  we  have  made  in  the  Scriptures,  as  it  is 
said  of  the  globe  of  the  earth,  that  though  men 
have  made  great  searches,  and  thereupon  great 
discoveries,  yet  there  is  still  a  terra  incognita — an 
unknown  land ;   so  there  is  in  the  Scriptures ;  for 
after  men  have  travelled  over  them,  one  age  after 
another,  yet  still  there  is,  as  it  were,  a  terra  incog- 
nita,  an  unknown  tract  to  put  us  upon  farther 
search  and  inquiry,  and  to  keep  us  from  censuring 
and  falling  out  with  those  who  have  not  yet  made 
the  same  discoveries ;  that  so  we  may  say  with  the 
Psalmist,  when  we  reflect  upon  our  short  appre- 
hensions of  the  mind  of  God,  that  we  have  seen  an 
end  of  all  perfections,  but  God's  commands  are 
exceeding  broad ;  and  as  one  observes,  speaking 
of  the  Scriptures,  that  there  is  a  path  in  them 
leading  to  the  mind  of  God,  which  lieth  a  great 
distance  from  the  thoughts  and  apprehensions  of 
men.    And  on  the  other  hand,  in  many  other  places, 
God  sits,  as  it  were,  on  the  superficies  and  the  face 
of  the  letter,  where  he  that  runs  may  discern  him 
speaking  plainly,  and   no   parable   at   all.     How 
should  the  consideration  of  this  induce  us  to  a 
peaceable  deportment  towards  those  that  differ. 

VOL.  II. 


5.  If  we  would  endeavour  peace  and  unity,  we 
must  consider  how  God  hath  tempered  the  body, 
that  so  the  comely  parts  should  not  separate  from 
the  uncomel}',  as  having  no  need  of  them,  i  CJo.  xii. 
22-25.  There  is  in  Christ's  body  and  house  some 
members  and  vessels  less  honourable,  2Ti.ii.  20;  and 
therefore  we  should  not,  as  some  now-a-days  do, 
pour  the  more  abundant  disgrace,  instead  of  put- 
ting the  more  abundant  honour,  upon  them.  Did 
we  but  consider  this,  we  should  be  covering  the 
weakness  and  hiding  the  miscarriages  of  one  an- 
other, because  we  are  all  members  one  of  another, 
and  the  most  useless  member  in  his  place  is  useful. 

6.  If  we  would  live  in  peace,  let  us  remember 
our  relations  to  God — as  children  to  a  father,  and 
to  each  other  as  brethren.  Will  not  the  thoughts 
that  we  have  one  Father  quiet  us,  and  the  thoughts 
that  we  are  brethren  imite  us  ?  It  was  this  that 
made  Abraham  propose  terms  of  peace  to  Lot, 
Ge.  xiiL:  *  Let  there  be  no  strife,'  saith  he, '  between 
us,  for  we  are  brethren.'  And  we  read  of  Moses, 
in  Ac.  \Ti.  26,  using  this  argument  to  reconcile  those 
that  strove  together,  and  to  set  them  at  one  again : 
'  Sirs,'  saith  he, '  ye  are  brethren ;  why  do  ye  wrong 
one  to  another  ? '  A  deep  sense  of  this  relation, 
that  we  are  brethren,  would  keep  us  from  dividing. 

7.  If  we  would  preserve  peace,  let  us  mind  the 
gifts,  and  graces,  and  virtues  that  are  in  each 
other ;  let  these  be  more  in  our  eye  than  their  fail- 
ings and  imperfections.  When  the  apostle  exhorted 
the  Philippians  to  peace,  as  a  means  hereunto,  that 
so  the  peace  of  God  might  rule  in  their  hearts,  he 
tells  them,  ch.  iv.  s,  that  if  there  were  any  virtue,  or 
any  praise,  they  should  think  of  these  things. 
While  we  are  always  talking  and  blazoning  the 
faults  of  one  another,  and  spreading  their  infirmi- 
ties, no  marvel  we  are  so  little  in  peace  and  charity; 
for  as  charity  covereth  a  multitude  of  sins,  so 
malice  covereth  a  multitude  of  virtues,  and  makes 
us  deal  by  one  another  as  the  heathen  persecutors 
dealt  v>'ith  Christians,  viz.,  put  them  in  bears' 
skins,  that  they  might  the  more  readily  become  a 
prey  to  those  dogs  that  were  designed  to  devour 
them. 

8.  If  we  would  keep  imity  and  peace,  let  us  lay 
aside  provoking  and  dividing  language,  and  forgive 
those  that  use  them.  Remember  that  old  saying. 
Evil  words  corrupt  good  manners.  When  men 
think  to  carry  all  afore  them,  with  speaking  un- 
charitably and  disgracefully  of  their  brethren  or 
their  opinions,  may  not  such  be  answered  as  Job 
answered  his  unfriendly  visitants,  Job  vl  -25,  '  IIow 
forcible  are  right  words  !  But  what  doth  your 
arguing  repi'ove  ?  '  How  healing  are  words  fitly 
spoken  !  A  word  in  season,  how  good  is  it  I  If 
we  would  seek  peace,  let  us  clothe  all  our  treaties 
for  peace  with  acceptable  words ;  and  where  one 
word  may  better  aoeonimodate  than  another,  let 

5  c 


754 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  PEACE  AND  UNITY. 


that  be  used  to  express  persons  or  things  by,  and 
let  us  not,  as  some  do,  call  the  different  practices 
of  our  brethren  will-worship,  and  their  different 
opinions  doctrines  of  devils,  and  the  doctrine  of 
Balaam,  who  taught  fornication,  &c.,  unless  we 
can  plainly,  and  in  expressness  of  terms,  prove  it 
so ;  such  language  as  this  hath  strangely  divided 
our  spirits,  and  hardened  our  hearts  one  towards 
another. 

9.  If  we  would  live  in  peace,  let  us  make  the 
best  constructions  of  one  another's  words  and 
actions.  Charity  judgeth  the  best,  and  it  thinks 
no  evil ;  if  words  and  actions  may  be  construed  to 
a  good  sense,  let  us  never  put  a  bad  construction 
upon  them.  How  much  hath  the  peace  of  Chris- 
tians been  broken  by  an  uncharitable  interpreta- 
tion of  words  and  actions  ?  As  some  lay  to  the 
charge  of  others  that  which  they  never  said,  so,  by 
straining  men's  words,  others  lay  to  their  charge 
that  they  never  thought. 

10.  Be  willing  to  hear  and  learn,  and  obey  those 
that  God  by  his  providence  hath  set  over  you  ;  this 
is  a  great  means  to  preserve  the  unity  and  peace 
of  churches.  But  when  men,  yea,  and  sometimes 
women,  shall  usurp  authority,  and  think  themselves 
wiser  than  their  teachers,  no  wonder  if  these  people 
run  into  contentions  and  parties,  when  any  shall 
say  they  are  not  free  to  hear  those  whom  the  church 
thinks  fit  to  sp^ak  to  them.  This  is  the  first  step 
to  schism,  and  is  usually  attended,  if  not  timely 
prevented,  with  a  sinful  separation. 

11.  If  you  would  keep  the  unity  of  the  spirit  in 
the  bond  of  peace,  be  mindful  that  the  God  whom 
you  serve  is  a  God  of  peace,  and  your  Saviour  is  a 
Prince  of  peace,  and  that  his  ways  are  ways  of 
pleasantness,  and  all  his  paths  are  peace ;  and  that 
Christ  was  sent  into  the  world  to  give  light  to  them 
that  sit  in  darkness  and  in  the  shadow  of  death, 
and  to  guide  our  feet  in  the  way  of  peace. 

12.  Consider  the  oneness  of  spirit  that  is  among 
the  enemies  of  religion ;  though  they  differ  about 
other  things,  yet  to  persecute  religion,  and  extir- 
pate religion  out  of  the  earth,  here  they  wiU  agree : 
the  devils  in  the  air,  and  the  devils  in  the  earth, 
all  the  devils  in  hell,  and  in  the  world,  make  one 
at  this  turn.  Shall  the  devil's  kingdom  be  united, 
and  shall  Christ's  be  divided  ?  Shall  the  devils 
make  one  shoulder  to  drive  on  tlie  design  of  damn- 
ing men,  and  sliall  not  Christians  imite  to  carry  on 


the  great  design  of  saving  of  them  ?  Shall  the 
Papists  agree  and  unite  to  carry  on  their  interest, 
notwithstanding  the  multitudes  of  orders,  degrees, 
and  differences  that  are  among  them,  and  shall  not 
those  that  call  themselves  reformed  churches  unite 
to  carry  on  the  common  interest  of  Christ  in  the 
world,  notwithstanding  some  petty  and  disputable 
differences  that  are  among  them  ?  Quarrels  about 
religion,  as  one  observes,  were  sins  not  named 
among  the  Gentiles.  What  a  shame  is  it,  then,  for 
Christians  to  abound  in  them,  especially  consider- 
ing the  nature  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  what 
large  provisions  the  author  of  it  hath  made  to  keep 
the  professors  of  it  in  peace  ;  insomuch,  as  one  well 
observes,  it  is  next  to  a  miracle  that  ever  any,  espe- 
cially the  pi'ofessors  of  it,  should  fall  out  about  it. 
13.  Consider  and  remember  that  the  Judge 
stands  at  the  door ;  let  this  moderate  our  spirits, 
that  the  Lord  is  at  hand.  What  a  sad  account 
will  they  have  to  make  when  he  comes,  that  shall 
be  found  to  smite  their  fellow-servants,  and  to  make 
the  way  to  his  kingdom  more  narrow  than  ever  he 
made  it  ?  Let  me  close  all  in  the  words  of  that 
great  apostle,  2Co.  xHi.  ii:  *  Finally,  brethren,  fare- 
well. I3e  perfect,  be  of  good  comfort,  be  of  one 
mind,  live  in  peace ;  and  the  God  of  love  and  peace 
shall  be  with  you.' 

POSTSCRIPT. 

Reader,  I  thought  good  to  advertise  thee  that  I 
have  delivered  this  to  thy  hand  in  the  same  order 
and  method  in  which  it  was  preached,  and  almost 
in  the  same  words,  without  any  diminishings  or 
considerable  enJargings,  luiless  it  be  in  the  thirteen 
last  particulars,  upon  some  of  which  I  have  made 
some  enlargements,  which  I  could  not  then  do  for 
want  of  time ;  but  the  substance  of  every  one  of 
them  was  then  laid  down  in  the  same  particular 
order  as  here  thou  hast  them:  and  now  1  have 
done,  I  make  no  other  account,  to  use  the  words 
of  a  moderate  man  upon  the  like  occasion,  but  it 
will  fall  out  with  me,  as  doth  commonly  with  him 
that  parts  a  fray,  both  parties  may  perhaps  drive 
at  me  for  wishing  them  no  worse  than  peace.  My 
ambition  of  the  public  tranquillity  of  the  church 
of  God,  I  hope,  will  carry  me  through  these 
hazards.  Let  both  beat  me,  so  their  quarrels  may 
cease ;  I  shall  rejoice  in  those  blows  and  scars  1 
shall  take  for  the  church's  safety. 


MR.    BUNYAN'S    LAST    SERMON; 

PREACHED    AUGUST    IQin,    168S. 


ADVEETISEMENT  BY  THE  EDITOR. 


This  sermon,  altliougli  very  short,  is  peculiarly 
interesting :  how  it  was  preserved  we  are  not  told ; 
but  it  bears  strong  marks  of  having  been  pub- 
lished from  notes  taken  by  one  of  the  hearers. 
There  is  no  proof  that  any  memorandum  or  notes 
of  this  sermon  was  found  in  the  autograph  of  the 
preacher. 

In  the  list  of  Bunyan's  works  published  by  Chas. 
Doe,  at  the  end  of  the  '  Heavenly  Footman,'  March 
1690,  it  stands  No.  44.  He  professes  to  give  the 
title-page,  word  for  word,  as  it  was  first  printed. 
It  is,  •  Mr.  John  Bunyan's  last  sermon,  at  London, 
preached  at  Mr.  Gamman's  meeting-house,  near 
Whitechapel,  August  19th,  1688,  upon  John  i. 
13:  showing  a  resemblance  between  a  natural 
and  a  spiritual  birth;  and  how  every  man  and 
woman  may  try  themselves,  and  know  whether 
they  are  born  again  or  not.'     Published  1689, 


in  about  one  sheet  in  12mo.  From  this  it 
appears  to  have  been  preached  only  two  days 
before  his  fatal  illness,  and  twelve  days  before 
his  decease,  which  took  place  August  Slst, 
1688.  The  disease  which  terminated  his  invalu- 
able life,  was  brought  on  by  a  journey  to  Reading 
on  horseback,  undertaken  with  the  benevolent 
design  of  reconciling  an  offended  father  to  his 
son.  Having  accomplished  his  object,  he  rode 
to  London ;  on  his  way  home,  through  a  heavy 
rain,  the  effects  of  which  appeared  soon  after  this, 
his  last  sermon  was  preached.  He  bore,  with 
most  exemplary  patience  and  resignation,  the  fever 
which  invaded  his  body ;  and,  at  a  distance  from 
his  wife  and  family,  in  the  house  of  his  friend  Mr. 
Strudwick,  at  Snow  Hill,  his  pilgrimage  was  ended, 
and  he  fell  asleep  in  perfect  peace,  to  awake  amidst 
the  harmonies  and  glory  of  the  celestial  city. 

Geo.  Offor. 


MR.   BUNYAN'S   LAST   SERMON. 


*  WHICH  WERE  BORN,  NOT  OF  BLOOD,  NOR  OF  THE  WILL 
OF  THE  FLESH,  NOR  OF  THE  WILL  OF  MAN,  BUT  OF 
GOD.' JOHN  I.  13. 

The  words  have  a  dependence  on  what  goes 
before,  and  therefore  I  must  direct  you  to  them 
for  the  right  understanding  of  it.  You  have  it 
thus :  '  He  came  unto  his  own,  and  his  own 
received  him  not ;  but  as  many  as  received  him, 
to  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God, 
even  to  them  that  believe  on  his  name :  which  were 
boi'n,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh  - 
but  of  God.' 

In  the  words  before,  you  have  two  things.  First, 
Some  of  his  own  rejecting  him,  when  he  offered 
himself  to  them.  Seco7id,  Others  of  his  own 
receiving  him,  and  making  him  welcome;  those 
that  reject  him,  he  also  passes  by  ;  but  those  that 
receive  him,  he  gives  them  power  to  become  the 
sons  of  God. 

Now,  lest  any  one  should  look  upon  it  as  good 
luck  or  fortune,  says  he,  they  *  were  born,  not  of 
blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will 
of  man,  but  of  God.'  They  that  did  not  receive 
him,  they  were  only  born  of  flesh  and  blood ;  but 


those  that  receive  him,  they  have  God  to  their 
Father;  they  receive  the  doctrine  of  Christ  with 
a  vehement  desire. 

[to  EXPLAIN  THE  TEST,] 

First,  I  will  show  you  what  he  means  by  blood. 
They  that  believe  are  born  to  it,  as  an  heir  is  to 
an  inheritance — they  are  born  of  God,  not  of  flesh, 
nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God ;  not  of  blood, 
that  is,  not  by  generation,  not  born  to  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  by  the  flesh,  not  because  I  am  the 
son  of  a  godly  man  or  woman — that  is  meant  by 
blood ;  Ac.  xviL  26:  He  '  hath  made  of  one  blood  all 
nations.'  But  when  he  says  here,  '  not  of  blood,' 
he  rejects  all  carnal  privileges  they  did  boast  of: 
they  boasted  they  were  Abraham's  seed;  no,  no, 
says  he,  it  is  not  of  blood ;  think  not  to  say  you 
have  Abraham  to  your  father ;  you  must  be  born 
of  God,  if  you  go  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Second,  'Nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh.'  What 
must  we  understand  by  that  ? 

It  is  taken  for  those  vehement  inclinations  that 
are  m  man,  to  all  manner  of  looseness,  fulfilling 
the  desires  of  the  flesh :  that  must  not  be  understood 


756 


MR.  BUNYA]S"S   LAST  SERMON. 


here ;  men  are  not  made  tlie  children  of  God  bj 
fulfilling  their  lustful  desires.  It  must  be  under- 
stood liere  in  the  best  sense :  there  is  not  only  in 
carnal  men  a  will  to  be  vile,  but  there  is  in  them 
a  will  to  bo  saved  also ;  a  will  to  go  to  heaven 
also.  But  this  it  will  not  do ;  it  will  not  privilege 
a  man  in  the  things  of  the  kingdom  of  God: 
natural  desires  after  the  things  of  another  world, 
they  are  not  an  argument  to  prove  a  man  shall  go 
to  laeaven  whenever  he  dies.  I  am  not  a  free- 
wiUer,  I  do  abhor  it ;  yet  there  is  not  the  wicked- 
est man  but  he  desires,  some  time  or  other,  to  be 
saved  ;  he  will  read  some  time  or  other,  or,  it  may 
be,  pray,  but  this  will  not  do :  ^  It  is  not  of  him 
that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God 
that  sheweth  mercy.  *  There  is  willing  and  run- 
ning, and  yet  to  no  purpose.  Ko.  ix.  16.  Israel, 
which  followed  after  the  law  of  righteousness, 
have  not  obtained  it,  vcr.  so.  Here,  I  do  not  under- 
stand, as  if  the  apostle  had  denied  a  virtuous  course 
of  life  to  be  the  way  to  heaven ;  but  that  a  man 
without  grace,  though  he  have  natural  gifts,  yet 
he  shall  not  obtain  privilege  to  go  to  heaven,  and 
be  the  son  of  God.  Though  a  man  without  grace 
may  have  a  will  to  be  saved,  yet  he  cannot  have 
that  will  God's  way,  Natui'e,  it  cannot  know  any 
thing  but  the  things  of  nature — the  things  of  God 
knows  no  man  but  by  the  Spirit  of  God;  unless 
the  Spirit  of  God  be  in  you,  it  will  leave  you  on 
this  side  the  gates  of  heaven.  '  Not  of  blood,  nor 
of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but 
of  God.'  It  may  be,  some  may  have  a  will,  a 
desire  that  Ishmael  may  be  saved ;  know  this, 
it  will  not  save  thy  child.  If  it  was  our  will,  I 
would  have  you  all  go  to  heaven.  How  many  are 
there  in  the  world  that  pray  for  their  children, 
and  cry  for  them,  and  are  ready  to  die  [for 
them]  ?  and  this  will  not  do.  God's  will  is  the 
rule  of  all ;  it  is  only  through  Jesus  Christ :  '  which 
were  born,  not  of  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but 
of  God.' 

Now  I  come  to  the  doctrine. 

Men  that  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  effec- 
tual receiving  of  Jesus  Christ,  they  are  born  to  it. 
He  does  not  say  they  slialL  be  bom  to  it,  but  they 
are  born  to  it — born  of  God  unto  God  and  the 
things  of  God,  before  he  receives  God  to  eternal 
salvation.  '  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  can- 
not see  the  kingdom  of  God.'  Now,  unless  he  be 
born  of  God,  he  cannot  see  it :  suppose  the  king- 
dom of  God  be  what  it  will,  he  cannot  see  it  before 
he  be  begotten  of  God.  Suppose  it  be  the  gospel, 
he  cannot  see  it  before  he  be  brought  into  a  state 
of  regeneration.  Believing  is  the  consequence  of 
the  new  birth ;  '  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  Avill  of 
man,  but  of  God.* 

First,  I  will  give  you  a  clear  description  of  it 
under  one  similitude  or  two.      A  child,  before  it  be 


born  into  the  world,  is  in  the  dark  dungeon  of  its 
mother's  womb :  so  a  child  of  God,  before  he  be 
born  again,  is  in  the  dark  dungeon  of  sin,  sees 
nothing  of  the  kingdom  of  God;  therefore  it  is 
called  a  new  birth :  the  same  soul  has  love  one 
way  in  its  carnal  condition,  another  way  when  it 
is  born  again. 

Second,  As  it  is  compared  to  a  birth,  resembling 
a  child  in  his  mother's  womb,  so  it  is  compared  to 
a  man  being  raised  out  of  the  grave ;  and  to  be 
born  again,  is  to  be  raised  out  of  the  grave  of  sin  ; 
'  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from  the 
dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light.'  To  be 
raised  from  the  grave  of  sin  is  to  be  begotten  and 
born  ;  Re.  i.  5:  there  is  a  famous  instance  of  Christ ; 
He  is  '  the  first  begotten  of  the  dead ; '  he  is  the 
first-born  from  the  dead,  unto  which  our  regenera- 
tion alludeth;  that  is,  if  you  be  born  again  by 
seeking  those  things  that  are  above,  then  there  is 
a  similitude  betwixt  Christ's  resurrection  and  the 
new  birth ;  which  was  born,  Avhich  was  restored  out 
of  this  dark  world,  and  translated  out  of  the  king- 
dom of  this  dark  world,  into  the  kingdom  of  his 
dear  Son,  and  made  us  live  a  new  life — this  is  to 
be  born  again :  and  he  that  is  delivered  from  the 
mother's  Avomb,  it  is  the  help  of  the  mother ;  so 
he  that  is  bora  of  God,  it  is  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
I  must  give  you  a  few  consequences  of  a  ncyf 
birth. 

(1.)  First  of  all,  A  child,  you  know,  is  incident 
fo  cry  as  soon  as  it  comes  into  the  world;  for  if 
there  be  no  noise,  they  say  it  is  dead.  You 
that  are  born  of  God,  and  Christians,  if  you  be  not 
criers,  there  is  no  spiritual  life  in  you — if  you  be 
born  of  God,  you  are  crying  ones ;  as  soon  as  he 
has  raised  you  out  of  the  dark  dungeon  of  sin,  you 
cannot  but  cry  to  God,  What  must  I  do  to  be 
saved  ?  As  soon  as  ever  God  had  touched  the 
jailer,  he  cries  out,  '  Men  and  brethren,  what  must 
I  do  to  be  saved  ? '  Oh !  how  many  prayerless 
professors  is  there  in  London  that  never  pray! 
Coffee-houses  will  not  let  you  pray,  trades  will  not 
let  you  pray,  looking-glasses  will  not  let  you  pray ; 
but  if  you  M'as  born  of  God,  you  would. 

(2.)  It  is  not  only  natural  for  a  child  to  cry, 
but  it  must  crave  the  breast ;  it  cannot  live  with- 
out the  breast — therefore  Peter  makes  it  the  true 
trial  of  a  new-born  babe :  the  new-born  babe 
desires  the  sincere  milk  of  the  Word,  that  he  may 
grow  thereby:  if  you  be  born  of  God,  make  it 
manifest  by  desiring  the  breast  of  God.  Do  you 
long  for  the  milk  of  the  promises  ?  A  man  lives 
one  way  when  he  is  in  the  world,  another  way 
when  he  is  brought  unto  Jesus  Christ,  is.  ixvi.  The}' 
shall  suck  and  be  satisfied ;  if  you  be  born  again, 
there  is  no  satisfaction  till  you  get  the  milk  of 
God's  Word  into  your  souls,  is.  ixvi.  ii.  To  *  suck 
and  be  satisfied  with  the  breasts  of  her  consola- 


MR.  BUNYAN'S  LAST  SERMON. 


lol 


tlou.'  Oh!  v.-Lat  is  a  promise  to  a  carnal  man? 
A  whore-house,  it  may  be,  is  more  sweet  to  him ; 
but  if  you  be  born  again,  you  cannot  live  without 
the  milk  of  God's  Word.  What  is  a  woman's 
breast  to  a  horse  ?  But  what  is  it  to  a  child  ? 
there  is  its  comfort  night  and  day,  there  is  its 
succour  night  and  day.  0  how  loath  are  they  it 
should  be  taken  from  them :  minding  heavenly 
things,  says  a  carnal  man,  is  but  vanity ;  but  to  a 
child  of  God,  there  is  his  comfort. 

(3.)  A  child  that  is  newly  born,  if  it  have  not 
other  comforts  to  keep  it  warm  than  it  had  in  its 
mother's  womb,  it  dies ;  it  must  have  something- 
got  for  its  succour:  so  Christ  had  swaddling 
clothes  prepared  for  him ;  so  those  that  are  born 
again,  they  must  have  some  promise  of  Christ  to 
keep  them  alive;  those  that  are  in  a  carnal  state, 
they  Avarm  themselves  with  other  things ;  but 
those  that  are  born  again,  they  cannot  live  with- 
out some  promise  of  Christ  to  keep  them  alive ;  as 
he  did  to  the  poor  infant  in  Eze.  x^i.  s :  I  covered 
tliee  with  embroidered  gold :  and  when  vromeu  are 
with  child,  Avhat  fine  things  will  they  prepare  for 
their  child!  Oh,  but  what  fine  things  has  Christ 
prepared  to  wrap  all  in  that  are  born  again !  Oh 
what  wrappings  of  gold  has  Christ  prepared  for 
all  that  are  born  again !  W'omen  will  dress  tlieir 
children,  that  every  one  may  see  them  how  fine 
they  are  ;  so  he  in  Eze.  xn.  ii ;  '  I  decked  thee  also 
v.ith  ornaments,  and  I  put  bracelets  upon  thine 
liands,  and  a  chain  on  thy  neck ;  and  I  put  a  jewel 
on  thy  forehead,  and  ear-rings  in  thine  ears,  and  a 
beautiful  crown  upon  thine  head.'  And,  says  he 
in  ver.  13,  *  Thou  didst  prosper  into  a  kingdom.' 
This  is  to  set  out  nothing  in  the  world  but  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  and  the  graces  of  the 
Spirit,  without  which  a  new-born  babe  cannot  live, 
unless  they  have  the  golden  righteousness  of 
Christ. 

(4.)  A  child,  when  it  is  in  its  mother's  lap,  the 
mother  takes  great  delight  to  have  that  which  will 
be  for  its  comfort;  so  it  is  with  God's  children, 
they  shall  be  kept  on  his  knee  ;  is.  ixvi.  ii :  '  They 
shall  suck  and  be  satisfied  with  the  breasts  of  her 
consolations;'  ver.  13:  'As  one  whom  liis  mother 
comforteth,  so  will  I  comfort  you.'  There  is  a 
similitude  in  these  things  that  nobody  knows  of, 
but  those  that  are  born  again. 

(5.)  There  is  usually  some  similitude  betwixt 
the  father  and  the  child.  It  may  be  the  child  looks 
like  its  father;  so  those  that  are  born  again,  they 
have  a  new  similitude — they  have  the  image  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Ga.  iv.  Every  one  that  is  born  of  God 
lias  something  of  the  features  of  heaven  upon  him. 
j\Ien  love  those  children  that  are  likest  them  most 
usually;  so  does  God  his  children,  therefore  they 
are  called  the  children  of  God ;  but  others  do  not 
look  like  him,  therefore  they  are  called  Sodomites. 


Christ  describes  children  of  the  devil  by  their  fea- 
tures— the  children  of  the  devil,  his  works  they 
will  do ;  all  works  of  unrighteousness,  they  are  the 
devil's  works:  if  you  are  earthly,  you  have  borne 
the  image  of  the  earthly ;  if  heavenly,  you  have 
borne  the  image  of  the  heavenly. 

(6.)  WHien  a  man  has  a  child,  he  trains  him 
up  to  his  own  liking — they  have  learned  the  cus- 
tom of  their  father's  house ;  so  are  those  that  are 
born  of  God — they  have  learned  tlie  custom  of  the 
true  church  of  God ;  there  they  learn  tc  cry  '  I\Iy 
Father'  and  'My  God;'  tl^ey  are  brought  up  in 
God's  house,  they  learn  the  method  and  form  of 
God's  house,  for  regulating  their  lives  in  this  world. 

(7.)  Childi-en,  it  is  natural  for  them  to  depend 
upon  their  father  for  what  the}'  want ;  if  they  want 
a  pair  of  shoes,  they  go  and  tell  him  ;  if  they  want 
bread,  they  go  and  tell  him ;  so  should  the  chil- 
dren of  God  do.  Do  you  want  spiritual  bread  ?  go 
tell  God  of  it.  Do  you  want  strength  of  grace? 
ask  it  of  God.  Do  you  want  strength  against 
Satan's  temptations  ?  go  and  tell  God  of  it.  When 
the  devil  tempts  you,  run  home  and  tell  your  hea- 
veidy  Father — go,  pour  out  your  complaints  to 
God ;  this  is  natural  to  children ;  if  any  wron.t^ 
them,  they  go  and  tell  their  father;  so  do  those 
that  are  born  of  God,  when  they  meet  with  teun>- 
tations,  go  and  tell  God  of  them. 

[tIIE  APPLICATION.] 

The  first  use  is  this.  To  make  a  strict  inquiry 
whether  you  be  born  of  God  or  not;  examine  by 
those  things  I  laid  down  before,  of  a  child  of 
nature  and  a  child  of  grace.  Are  you  brought 
out  of  the  dark  dungeon  of  this  world  into  Christ  ? 
Have  you  learned  to  cry,  'My  Father  ?' Je.  iii.  4. 
'  And  1  said,  Thou  shalt  call  me.  My  Father.' 
All  God's  children  are  criers — cannot  you  be  quiet 
without  you  have  a  bellyful  of  the  milk  of  God's 
Word  ?  cannot  you  be  satisfied  without  you  have 
peace  with  God  ?  Pray  you,  consider  it,  and  be 
serious  v.-ith  yourselves;  if  you  have  not  these 
marks,  you  will  fall  short  of  the  kingdom  of  God — 
you  shall  never  have  an  interest  there ;  *  there'  is 
no  intruding.  They  will  say,  '  Lord,  Lord,  open 
to  us;  and  he  will  say,  I  know  you  not.'  No 
child  of  God,  no  heavenly  inheritance.  We 
sometimes  give  something  to  those  that  are  not 
our  children,  but  [we  do]  not  [give  them]  our 
lands.  0  do  not  flatter  yourselves  with  a  por- 
tion among  the  sons,  unless  you  live  like  sons. 
When  we  see  a  king's  son  play  with  a  beggar, 
this  is  unbecoming;  so  if  you  be  the  king's 
children,  live  like  the  king's  children ;  if  you 
be  risen  with  Christ,  set  your  aff^ections  on  things 
above,  and  not  on  things  below;  when  you 
come  together,  talk  of  what  your  Father  promised 


758 


MR.  EUNYAN'S  LAST  SERMON. 


you ;  you  should  all  love  your  Father's  will,  and 
be  content  and  pleased  with  the  exercises  you  meet 
TN'ith  in  the  world.  If  you  are  the  children  of  God, 
live  together  lovingly ;  if  the  world  quarrel  with 
you,  it°is  no  matter ;  but  it  is  sad  if  you  quarrel 
together;  if  this  be  amongst  you,  it  is  a  sign  of 
ill'breeding ;  it  is  not  according  to  the  rules  you 
have  in  the  Word  of  God.  Dost  thou  see  a  soul 
that  has  the  image  of  God  in  him  ?  Love  him, 
love  him ;  say.  This  man  and  I  must  go  to  heaven 
one   day;    serve  one  another,  do  good    for  one 


another;  and  if  any  wrong  you,  pray  to  God  to 
right  you,  and  love  the  brotherhood. 

Lastly,  If  you  be  the  children  of  God,  learn 
that  lesson — Gird  up  the  loins  of  your  mind,  as 
obedient  children,  not  fashioning  yourselves  accord- 
ing to  your  former  conversation ;  but  be  ye  holy 
in  all  manner  of  conversation.  Consider  that  the 
holy  God  is  your  Father,  and  let  this  oblige  you 
to  live  like  the  children  of  God,  that  you  may  look 
your  Father  in  the  face,  with  comfort,  another 
day. 


GLASGOW:    W.   G.    BLAtJilE   AND    CO.,   PIIINTEBS,   VlLLAl'lKLD. 


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